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Monday

3

August 2015

0

COMMENTS

Eggplant and Summer Squash Tacos

Written by Rachel, Posted in Cheese, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dishes, One Dish Dinners, Quick and Easy, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

This is one of those meals that’s made with ingredients that I didn’t used to think I liked. Eggplant and squash are things I’m excited about when summer arrives. That didn’t use to be the case.

I remember making Eggplant Parmesan before I knew about some of the nuances of eggplant. I ended up with an undercooked, rubbery, not at all yummy dish. We might have had cereal that night after we choked down as much as we could. I think I will try it again sometime soon. See how it turns out. ‘Cause I’ve learned a few things, so maybe it’ll be a success.

One of the things that I do now is salt the sliced eggplant and let it rest for a while to draw out the bitterness.

I’ve also learned that eggplant will soak up a lot of the oil, so it’s ok to cook it in a dry pan for a while, then add the oil later. I used both of these tips today. Cooking the eggplant in a dry pan to start lets them crisp up without getting all oil laden and soggy.

I started making my own tortillas recently. I’ve been using a recipe from Brown Eggs & Jam Jars for flour tortillas. I’ve yet to try corn tortillas, but I think they’d be fun to make too. Use whatever kind taste best to you. And if you’re feeling adventurous, make them from scratch (because there’s not much that compares to a still warm homemade tortilla wrapped around the taco filling)!

This was a quick and easy meal. The prep time was short, most of it getting done while the eggplant sat with the salt. The eggplant cooking took just a few minutes. I love meals like this!

Normally we have salsa and yogurt on tacos. But, I forgot to buy or make any. And I’m kinda glad about that. I had some feta in the fridge from another dish, so I used that instead. What a good idea! As I’ve said before, I love to use what I have on hand. Our grocery budget is small and I try to cook pretty frugally. And, happily, we might end up with dishes like this where expensive extras aren’t really needed.

You can make these tacos to suit your tastes. If you’re looking for a vegan dish, just replace the feta with some crumbled tofu, or omit the cheese altogether. If you want to add meat, chicken, pork, or beef would be great. If you want to add more protein, but keep it vegetarian or vegan, lentils would be excellent. And, if you think it sounds great just the way it is, go for it! Either way, it’s full of fabulous summer veggies: eggplant, tomato, and summer squash, a winning combination no matter how you slice ’em.

Happy Eating!

Eggplant and Summer Squash Tacos

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 2

Eggplant and Summer Squash Tacos

Ingredients

1 medium-sized eggplant, peeled and sliced about 1/4" thick
salt
2 t olive oil
salt
1/4 t chili powder
2 tortillas (flour or corn)
1-2 C lettuce, shredded
1/2 C summer squash, thinly sliced and chopped
1/4 C bell pepper (optional), chopped
2 T red onion, diced
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 hot pepper, ribs and seeds removed, minced
1/4 C feta cheese (or extra firm tofu), crumbled
pinch salt
white vinegar

Instructions

Sprinkle eggplant with salt and let stand for about 15 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Slice into strips. Heat a dry skillet. Remove from heat and add eggplant (being careful not to overcrowd the pan). Cook over medium heat for about 1 minute on the first side. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Ad oil, salt, and chili powder. Cook for 1 minute, flip and cook for about 1 minute more, or until eggplant is crispy.
Warm tortillas if desired. Top with eggplant and lettuce through feta (or tofu). Sprinkle with salt and splash with vinegar.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/eggplant-and-summer-squash-tacos/

Monday

20

July 2015

0

COMMENTS

Melon and Feta Salad

Written by Rachel, Posted in Cheese, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Lunch, Quick and Easy, Salads, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

I mentioned last week that I have a hard time eating melon any way other than chilled, plain, nothing else to it. I’ve heard of people putting feta with their melon. So weird. So so weird. I was never gonna try it. Why ruin a perfectly good thing?

I was wrong.

I’ve been missing out.

I was the weird one.

Creamy, cool, salty chunks of feta. Savory, crunchy, spicy red onions. Bright, summery, fresh herbs.

It’s like a summer poem on a plate. A mouthwatering piece of art.

Oh that I could eat this for every meal of every day.

Although I really reeeeally enjoyed this salad as is (and it’s seriously best with everything piled into the same bite), if you wanted to change things up, here are some suggestions: You could make this an all savory salad and substitute eggplant for the melon. Easy. If you’re going for a vegan dish you might swap the feta for some crumbled extra firm tofu (you might want to add a little extra salt). If feta isn’t your favorite, but you love blue cheese, ricotta, or goat cheese, give ’em a try. Like most things that I make, it’s best made to suit the cook’s tastes, with what they have on hand.

I ate this for lunch today, standing at the kitchen island, watching a Red Sox game, all the while trying to hurry so I could clean up and get back to work. But, here’s how I really want to enjoy it: outside, with some of my favorite people, alongside some grilled sausage and a creamy potato salad, with some of Tim’s homemade ice cream for dessert. Maybe not today, but soon. It needs to happen soon.

Sometimes there’s something to be said for, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Not here. I will never tire of freezing cold melon on its own. But, this salad holds a special place in my heart. Because, if I dig a little deeper, it’s a great reminder that it’s always a good thing to venture out of my comfort zone to try something new, something scary, something that might seem a little bit weird.

Happy Eating!

Melon and Feta Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4

Melon and Feta Salad

Ingredients

2 C (heaping) melon (cantaloupe or watermelon), cubed
1 C tomatoes, chopped
1/2 C cucumber, chopped
1/2 C red onion, diced
1-2 sprinkles cayenne or 1 hot pepper, ribs and seeds removed, minced
to taste salt
to taste pepper
2 T fresh mint, diced
2 T fresh basil, diced
3 T balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
4 oz. feta (or ricotta, blue cheese, goat cheese, or extra firm tofu), crumbled

Instructions

Toss melon through hot pepper (if using) in a bowl.
Whisk salt through vinegar (and cayenne, if using), stream in olive oil as you whisk.
Toss melon mixture with dressing. Add feta. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/melon-and-feta-salad/

Monday

6

July 2015

0

COMMENTS

Spicy Summer Squash and Tomato Soup

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Lunch, Quick and Easy, Sides, Soups, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Summer isn’t usually the time of year that people are busting out the soup recipes. I realize that. But, it is the time of year for squash and tomatoes, so let’s make an exception.

Tomato Soup is one of my favorite comfort foods. I have memories of being at camp as a kid on a rainy summer day, eating grilled cheese and tomato soup in the dining hall. (That’s one of the few good memories I have of camp… I wasn’t much of a camper.) It wasn’t just camp, or even just during childhood. This has always been one of my favorite meals. It brings with it a wave of nostalgia, but it’s also a quick and easy meal that packs in fruits, veggies, grains, and protein (if you add the grilled cheese).

I started it off with some summer squash and salt. Simple and easy. I added some hot peppers (I used half a jalapeño and a whole Hungarian hot pepper, both without their ribs and seeds) and garlic. Everyone cooks away for a little while.

If you have tons of tomatoes on hand, this would be a great time to use them. You’d want to cook for longer, but, it’d be great. I don’t yet have an abundance of tomatoes. My garden holds the promise of things to come with plenty of green tomatoes. But, they’re not ready quite yet. The tomatoes that we’ve gotten in our Abundant Harvest Organics box are precious and I like to use them raw, on sandwiches, to top potato salad, or as a simple side. So this time I’ve used canned tomatoes. I think both ways would be great. You could also roast the tomatoes like I did on the show a few years ago. Lots of options here.

Since basil and tomatoes are pretty much best friends, I added a ton. Doesn’t matter what color – purple, green, lemon basil… just as long as it’s fresh.

You could leave the soup chunky if you wish. But, I like my tomatoey soups to be smooth, so I blended it up. I learned the hard way that if you’re not using an immersion (or hand) blender (so a regular blender) that it’s imperative that you take the lid’s plug out and cover the hole with a clean tea towel. If you leave the plug in, it will most likely (at least in my experience) fall in and get blended up. This will mean not just ruined soup (sad), but a big mess (annoying), and soup splattering all over you (ouch). Learn from me, friends. Take out the plug. 😉

If you’re planning to enjoy the whole pot of soup the day of, you’re golden. If you end up with leftovers or just want to make it ahead of time and pop it in the freezer, you need to cool it down quickly before it goes into the fridge. So, here’s a trick: To cool the soup down quickly, add only 2 C stock when cooking. Then after it’s cooked, add 1 C frozen stock or ice and stir in to cool down. When it’s cooled down, put it in the fridge to cool completely before freezing.

I like to store things in the freezer in smaller containers so that I’m not defrosting a large container for just one or two portions. Each container gets a label with the name, date, and number of people it will serve. To defrost, pop it into the fridge overnight. Or, just add it frozen to a soup pot with a bit of water or stock in the bottom and reheat.

Happy Eating!

Spicy Summer Squash and Tomato Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 19 minutes

Total Time: 29 minutes

Yield: 4

Spicy Summer Squash and Tomato Soup

Ingredients

1 T olive oil
2 C summer squash, roughly chopped
to taste salt
1/2 to 1 1/2 hot peppers (depending on what type), ribs and seeds removed, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
to taste salt
to taste pepper
pinch ginger
2 C crushed tomatoes (or tomato puree)
3 C stock or water
1 T rice vinegar
1 T maple syrup
1/2 C fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

Heat a soup pot over medium-low. Add oil. Add squash and salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add hot pepper and cook for 2 minutes. add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add tomatoes through maple syrup. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
Remove from heat and add basil. Blend with a hand blender (or in batches in a regular blender, with the lid's plug removed and the hole covered with a clean tea towel) for 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/spicy-summer-squash-and-tomato-soup/

Monday

29

June 2015

0

COMMENTS

Succotash

Written by Rachel, Posted in Beans, Brunch, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Legumes, Lunch, Main Dishes, Quick and Easy, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

If you watched Looney Tunes as a kid, you probably remember Sylvester’s, “Sufferin’ succotash!” When I think about this dish, it’s his voice that usually says the name.

Over and over and over and… over.

But, ain’t no sufferin’ here. Tim, who is not a huge fan of squash, loved this. He asked for more and there wasn’t any. So I made it again the other day.

This isn’t a perfectly traditional succotash because I didn’t have any lima beans or edamame. I used green beans instead. They were great. I’ve read that you could also add beans, like black beans. I think that would be terrific. I didn’t have bell peppers, but wanted to add some hot pepper. Fabulous! If I had eggplant, I probably would have thrown some in. Peas? Sure! It’s one of those dishes that lends well to not just summer, but what I had in the kitchen.

The smell of basil always makes me think of summer. It pairs so well with everything in this dish. I couldn’t leave it out. I’ve noticed that I like the taste of basil better in the summer. It’s been about 8 years of us eating seasonally and I can see it in the things I start to crave as the weather changes.

I found this to be a perfectly satisfying main dish. So did Tim. We had it once with a fried egg on the side, another time with a slice of cornbread. The thought of both is making my mouth water.

Here’s to long summer days, hot weather (only because my tomatoes like it), and simple dinners like these, eaten outside with loved ones.

Happy Eating!

Succotash

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 3-4

Succotash

Ingredients

1 T olive oil
2 C green beans, cut into 1" pieces
2 C corn (about 3 cobs) (frozen corn could be used)
2 C summer squash, chopped
(could also add: eggplant, bell pepper, peas, black beans, lima beans, edamame, or fava beans)
1-2 T hot pepper (optional), ribs and seeds removed (if you want), diced
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1 C (heaping) tomato, chopped
1 T garlic (about 2 cloves), diced
1 t vinegar (white, red wine, rice)
2 T basil, chopped, for topping

Instructions

Heat skillet over medium-low. Add oil. Add green beans through pepper. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add tomato and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Remove from heat and add vinegar.
Serve topped with fresh basil.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/succotash/

Monday

15

June 2015

0

COMMENTS

Bean and Veggie Mélange

Written by Rachel, Posted in Appetizers, Beans, Breakfast, Brunch, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Legumes, Lunch, Potlucks, Quick and Easy, Salads, Sides, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

I called this a “mélange”, which is French for “mixture”. It seems so versatile that I don’t want to limit it by calling it a dip or a salad. A dip implies the need for some sort of scooper. Corn chips would work well. I’m planning to try this tonight. A salad or a side implies that it’s a dish meant to compliment something else. Served alongside some grilled chicken or pan seared tofu would be fabulous. It could be a topping for brown rice/quinoa/bulgur wheat, breakfast burritos, fried eggs, or crispy potatoes. It could be a part of a taco salad. It could become an appetizer and top a garlic rubbed crostini.

This makes enough for about 4-5 servings, so I’m looking forward to trying as many of these as possible.

The magic all starts with the fruits and veggies. I chose summer squash, carrot, garlic, jalapeño, and these fabulous Kingsburg Gold cherry tomatoes that I’ve been waiting a year for.

Seriously.

Cherry tomatoes are one of my favorite things about summer. They bring back memories of eating tomatoes, still warm from the sun, from our garden when I was growing up. No matter how large or small my garden is, I always try to grow tomatoes. I plan to save some seeds from these Kingsburg Golds to plant next year.

If you want to swap out any of the veggies, I have a few suggestions: eggplant (finely chopped), corn (fresh off the cob), bell pepper (in place of or in addition to the jalapeño), red onion (I don’t have any on hand, or I would have added it), radish (finely grated – don’t use too much so it doesn’t overpower), and avocado (ripe, but not too).

I like to grate carrots when they’re in a salad or a dip. I thought they’d be easier to scoop up than chunks. Plus they’re a little less in your face with the crunch. Grating tames them a bit. If you like chunks, chop away.

It’s all so super simple. A quick oil and vinegar dressing with some paprika for fun flavor. It’s one of my favorite spices. If you don’t love it, chili powder would be great, cumin could be good, or you could just stick to salt and pepper and add a few fresh herbs (like basil and parsley, and maybe even cilantro).

Everyone gets tossed around, then they get to stand for a few minutes to marinate a bit.

We ate this for lunch with plain old cheese quesadillas. The fridge is a little bare right now, so we’re all out of the usual quesadilla toppings (salsa and Greek yogurt). But, let me tell you, I may just skip them from now on. I liked this better.

I think dinner tonight will be corn chips with this little mélange. That counts as dinner, right? And then breakfast burritos tomorrow… I wonder if I’ll ever get sick of it. 😉

Happy Eating

Bean and Veggie Mélange

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4

Bean and Veggie Mélange

Ingredients

2-3 T balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T chives, minced
1 t paprika
to taste salt
to taste pepper
2-3 T olive oil
1 1/2 - 2 C beans (black, kidney, white, garbonzo), drained and rinsed if canned, cooked and cooled if dried
2 C zucchini, grated
1 C carrot, grated
1/2 to 1 C tomatoes, chopped
1/2 jalapeño (about 1-2 T - use more for more heat), ribs and seeds removed if desired, minced
could also add: bell pepper, red onion, radish, corn, avocado, or eggplant

Instructions

Whisk together balsamic through pepper. Stream in olive oil as you whisk some more.
Toss beans and veggies with dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Wash hands after cutting jalapeño and be careful not to touch eyes while cutting. Serve this dish on its own, as a side, or with corn chips for dipping. Use it to top rice/quinoa/bulgur wheat, breakfast burritos, fried eggs, crispy potatoes, taco salad, or crostini.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/bean-and-veggie-melange/

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Eggplant and Summer Squash Tacos

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Melon and Feta Salad

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Spicy Summer Squash and Tomato Soup

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Succotash

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Bean and Veggie Mélange

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