De Ma Cuisine

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Thursday

21

May 2015

0

COMMENTS

Roasted Stone Fruit with Bulgur and Fennel

Written by , Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Grains, Main Dishes, Nuts, Quick and Easy, Quinoa, Rice, Roasting, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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Complain as I will about summer – the heat, the heat, the heat, I love the fruits and veggies that it brings. I’m silly for squash (more about that next week), crazy for cherries, and wacko for watermelon. Not to mention sweet corn… be still my heart. And oh the stone fruit… Standing over the sink, eating the most perfectly ripe peach, juice dripping down my arms. That’s just heavenly.

Try as I might, stone fruit doesn’t last long in our home. It’s just too easy to grab one, give it a quick scrub, and have a delicious snack. So in order to have any left for this savory take, I had to make it as soon as the box got home.

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This week it was nectarines in our Abundant Harvest Organics box, but apricots, apriums, or peaches would work great too. I sliced them about 1/4″ thick, tossed them with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roasted them for a few minutes.

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While the nectarines hung out in the oven, I sautéed some onions and fennel. A few minutes later I added the bulgur wheat and let it get a bit toasty before I added some veggie stock. If you wanted to keep this dish gluten-free, quinoa, brown rice, or barley would be great instead of the bulgur wheat.

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Once the fruit was roasted, flipped once, and roasted for a bit longer, it joined the party in the bulgur pan.

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Added to it was some saffron, cayenne, and ginger.

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Top it with a little lemon juice, some chopped nuts, and you’ve got dinner.

It’s great on its own, but would be fabulous served with some crispy fried tofu, or a roasted chicken, along with a salad of arugula, red onions, sliced stone fruit, and chopped nuts.

Happy Eating!

Roasted Stone Fruit with Bulgur and Fennel

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2-3 as a main dish, 3-4 as a side dish

Roasted Stone Fruit with Bulgur and Fennel

Ingredients

  • 2 C firm stone fruit (apricots, nectarines, apriums, or peaches), sliced 1/4" thick
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 1 t olive oil
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1 C onion, chopped
  • 1/3 C fennel, chopped
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 1 C bulgur wheat (or quinoa, brown rice, or barley)
  • 2 C vegetable stock (or water)
  • pinch saffron (optional)
  • pinch ginger
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • pinch cayenne
  • 1 T plus 2 t lemon juice
  • 1/2 C nuts (almonds or pistachios), roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
  2. Toss stone fruit with salt, pepper, and 1 t olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 7 minutes, flip, then about 7-8 minutes more (or until fruit is lightly browned).
  3. While fruit cooks, heat a medium sized sauce pan over medium or medium-low heat. Add 1 T olive oil. When oil is hot, add onion, fennel, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add bulgur and cook for 1 minute more. Add stock, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 7-8 minutes (or until bulgur is cooked).
  4. Add stone fruit through lemon juice to bulgur mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cool for about 10 minutes, then serve topped with nuts.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/roasted-stone-fruit-with-bulgur-and-fennel/

Monday

20

April 2015

1

COMMENTS

Warm Beet and Walnut Salad

Written by , Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Grains, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, Nuts, Potlucks, Quick and Easy, Quinoa, Rice, Salads, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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It’s spring. But, here in L.A. it seems like the weather’s not sure what it wants to do. One week it feels like summer, the next, we’re back to our winter weather.

But, this salad can be eaten rain or shine.

It’s a simple one. And it goes kinda like this…

You start with a grain: Quinoa, brown rice, bulgur wheat, wild rice, or couscous.

You choose your veggies (any or all): Beets, carrots, greens, tomatoes (ok, technically a fruit), or summer squash.

Then you choose your add ins: Walnuts, almonds, raisins, apples, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds.

Fresh herbs are added: Parsley, basil, or thyme.

And you’re ready to eat!

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Since we get beets year round here, we can eat this hearty salad whenever we want. I had golden beets on hand, but red beets would work well too.

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I love the feeling of sunshine that golden beets bring to my kitchen. They’re such a happy root veggie.

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Veggies are cooked in a skillet – easy! Beets are a pretty dense root veggie, so be sure to give them enough time to cook (20 minutes or so seemed to do the trick for me).

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I love raw walnuts, so they were a perfect choice. Some raisins and apples added a bit of sweetness to the already sweet beets and carrots. Sweet, but not too.

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For my grain, I chose quinoa. Packed with protein, it seemed like a great fit for a vegan dish.

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Some quality olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon brighten and round out the dish.

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The finished product is a warm salad. The beets warm the add ins slightly, while the add ins cool the cooked veggies. You could also refrigerate and eat it a few hours later.

Quick and easy to prepare, packed with nutrients and protein, this one was a hit at our house. Even Tim, who isn’t crazy about beets, thought it was really good.

Happy Eating!

Warm Beet and Walnut Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 3-4

Warm Beet and Walnut Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 C water or vegetable stock
  • 1/2 C uncooked quinoa (rinsed) (or couscous, wild rice, bulgur wheat, or brown rice with appropriate amount of water)
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1 C golden beets (red beets would work great too), peeled and chopped
  • 1 C carrots (or summer squash), chopped
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 3 C greens (like spinach, chard, or kale), chopped
  • sprinkle cayenne
  • 1 t fresh parsley, chopped (divided)
  • 1 t fresh basil, chopped (divided)
  • 2 T raisins, chopped
  • 1/4 C apple, chopped
  • 1 C walnuts, chopped
  • 1/2 C pumpkin seeds (optional)
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. Bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa. Bring back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, or until done. (If using other grains, cook according to package's instructions.)
  2. Heat a skillet over medium-low. Add olive oil. When the oil is hot add the beets through pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes (or until veggies are tender), adding greens after about 10-15 minutes (depending on type of greens - more tender greens will require less time to cook).
  3. Remove skillet from the heat. Stir in half of the herbs (reserving the rest for topping), and then raisins through lemon juice, and cooked quinoa. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
  4. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold, with a lemon wedge for squeezing over.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/warm-beet-and-walnut-salad/

Monday

6

April 2015

0

COMMENTS

Warm Beet Salad with Fruit and Nuts

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

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It’s spring. It’s time for flip flops and tank tops, warm breezes and sunshine, and a change in fruits and veggies. But, before we get to all things spring, let’s compromise with winter a bit. Let’s ask her to stay a while longer before we rush in to summer.

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I want to keep eating beets, oranges, and apples. But, I’m starting to crave salads and lighter foods. So, this dish is a happy medium.

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Beets are sautéed in some olive oil with salt and pepper. Simple. They taste similar to the way they do when they’re roasted, with a little less crunch. But, they still retain that kinda crispy outside, tender inside quality that I love for food to take on.

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Then the greens are added. I like the taste of beet greens. If you don’t have any on hand, kale, chard, or spinach would also work well.

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After the greens are wilted down, all that’s left to do is drizzle everyone with a bit of dressing and add some toppings. Apples, oranges, nuts, and raisins were perfect. You can vary it depending on what’s in season and what you like. You could use fresh blackberries and grapefruit, or maybe some watermelon. You could use almonds, or switch them up for sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

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I topped it with some ricotta and the dressing has honey. If you want to make this a vegan dish, you could try some silken tofu and sweeten things up with maple syrup instead of honey. Easy changes to make.

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This one feels simple and light. Bright, but with depth. Perfect for a warm spring day.

Happy Eating!

Warm Beet Salad with Fruit and Nuts

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 13 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

Yield: 2

Warm Beet Salad with Fruit and Nuts

Ingredients

  • 1 T olive oil
  • 2 beets, peeled and chopped
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • 1 T balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 t honey or maple syrup
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 1/4 to 1/2 t fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1 bunch beet greens, de-stemmed and torn
  • 1/4 C orange, chopped
  • 1/4 C apple, chopped
  • 2 T almonds (or pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds), chopped
  • 2 T raisins, chopped
  • 1/4 C ricotta (optional) (or silken tofu - sweetened, if desired)

Instructions

  1. Heat skillet, add olive oil, add beets, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the beets are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the greens and wilt down, about 3 minutes.
  2. Whisk lemon juice through parsley, stream in olive oil and whisk. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  3. Top beets and greens with fruit, nuts/seeds, and raisins. Drizzle with dressing and top with ricotta/tofu.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/warm-beet-salad-fruit-nuts/

Monday

9

March 2015

3

COMMENTS

Almond Butter Stir Fry

Written by , Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, Nuts, One Dish Dinners, Pasta, Quick and Easy, Quinoa, Rice, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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Stir Fry is one of those dishes that’s packed with flavor, nutrients, and is ready in a flash. Perfect for those tired nights when you don’t know what to make for dinner.

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There’s just something about the colorful veggies. Purple cauliflower, bright orange carrots, green broccoli… they’re such happy and friendly colors. You could totally switch up the veggies depending on what you’ve got on hand and what’s in season. Sugar snap peas, bell peppers, onions, and green beans would all be fabulous.

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I like to add nut butters to bump up the protein in a dish, especially if I’m opting to keep it vegetarian (which I did for this dish, but you could definitely add meat, or keep it vegetarian and add some pan fried tofu). Also, I just like the taste. Today I used almond butter. It’s not quite as in your face as peanut butter is, yet it still brings the same nutty yumminess.

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The sauce is whisked together before the veggies go in to the wok. Since they are cooked over fairly high heat, stirred almost constantly, and cook quickly, I don’t want to take chances with anyone burning while I whisk up the sauce.

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They cook so fast that the veggies still retain their bright, beautiful colors.

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Sauce is added and will just cook for a minute or two.

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I like to toss the noodles (or rice or quinoa) with the veggies and sauce. That way I can make sure that they all get nice and coated.

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And then it’s ready to be topped with almonds and some lemon juice. You could absolutely add chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and cilantro too.

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I like using rice noodles with Stir Fry. Some don’t even require any cooking – they just warm up in a bowl of hot water. They stand up great to re-heating the next day too. Rice or quinoa – also great. Or how about fried rice? Yum! Or, how about rice noodles with a fried egg on top?! Now we’re talking… Of course it was great just the way I made it – topped with almonds and a good squeeze of lemon.

Happy Eating!

Almond Butter Stir Fry

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4

Almond Butter Stir Fry

Ingredients

  • 1/4 C almond butter
  • 1 t honey
  • 3 T to 1/4 C water
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • 1/2 to 1 T liquid aminos (or GF soy sauce)
  • 1/8 t ground ginger
  • 1/8 t ground coriander
  • pinch cayenne
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1-2 C broccoli, bite sized pieces
  • 1-2 C cauliflower, bite sized pieces
  • 1 C carrots (or celery), sliced on a bias
  • (sugar snap peas, bell peppers, onions, green beans would also be great)
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 1-2 C greens (or cabbage), chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced
  • lemon slices, for serving
  • almonds, chopped, for serving
  • rice noodles, rice, or quinoa, for serving
  • fresh herbs (chives, cilantro) (optional), chopped, for serving

Instructions

  1. (Optional: Cook rice or quinoa, if serving one of those with the dish. Cook a protein, if desired.)
  2. Whisk together almond butter through cayenne. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  3. (If using rice noodles, follow instructions on package and cook/warm now.) Heat a wok or large skillet over medium or medium-high heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add broccoli through pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly. Add greens and garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes more. Stir in the sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes more. (Optional) Toss with rice/quinoa/rice noodles if desired and cook for 1 minute more.
  4. Serve topped with a squeeze of lemon and almonds, and fresh herbs, if desired.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/almond-butter-stir-fry/

Wednesday

4

March 2015

1

COMMENTS

Roasted Carrots with Honey and Almonds

Written by , Posted in Cheese, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Lunch, Nuts, One Dish Dinners, Quick and Easy, Roasting, Salads, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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If these carrots had a story, I’d imagine that it would go something like this, “My grandmother used to tell us about life in the old country. Her father was a carrot farmer. They had good years, but there were the lean years too.

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Her mother made the best ricotta. It was a favorite in their town. During those harder times they would trade their carrots and that ricotta for the almonds grown on the farm right next to theirs.

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At the end of the summer, they would shake the trees and there was always so much dust in the air. But, it was worth it. When they tasted those almonds, combined with the sweet carrots, grown by her father’s hand, topped with the cool, silky ricotta, it felt like everything would be alright. There was a promise of better times in those simple ingredients.

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As she tossed the carrots with some olive oil, salt and pepper, a far away look would come over her.

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As she took her first bite, I knew that the taste was taking her back to a different time. Memories long forgotten were brought back with the sweet roasted flavor. It tasted like home.”

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 Yes, I think that’s the kind of story these carrots would tell.

Happy Eating!

Roasted Carrots with Honey and Almonds

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

Yield: 2-4 as a side dish, 2 as a light main dish

Roasted Carrots with Honey and Almonds

Ingredients

  • 3 carrots, sliced into rounds (1/4" thick)
  • 1 T olive oil
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 T honey
  • 1/4 C (heaping) almonds, diced
  • 1/4 C ricotta cheese
  • lemon slices, for serving

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 425F.
  2. Toss the carrots with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.
  3. Toss partially roasted carrots with garlic, honey, and almonds. Spread out on the baking sheet and return to the oven and roast for 5-7 minutes more.
  4. Serve topped with a scoop of ricotta and a squeeze of lemon.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/roasted-carrots-with-honey-and-almonds/