De Ma Cuisine

Radish Archive

Thursday

22

October 2015

0

COMMENTS

Winter Squash Dip

Written by , Posted in Appetizers, Beans, Cheese, Dairy-Free, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Legumes, Nuts, Potlucks, Roasting, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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I’m a big supporter of fall. I love it when the leaves change color, the chill that creeps into the air, and the winter squash that start to appear in our Abundant Harvest Organics boxes. This fall is no different. I’m in the mood for soups and stews, cozy sweaters, and all the winter squash I can get my hands on.

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I have a few go to recipes for winter squash. Things like Spaghetti Squash au Gratin (which uses both spaghetti and butternut squash), Vegan Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, and Spaghetti Soup. I’ll make them over and over again for sure. But, it’s fun to get creative with food, so I came up with a fun winter squash dip that will be perfect to snack on while watching post season baseball, for a dinner party appetizer, or as a simple supper.

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I used acorn squash this time. But, seriously, any winter squash will do. I’d planned to use pumpkin, but I didn’t have one on hand. If you have pumpkin, and the skin doesn’t get too soft when roasting, it’d make a lovely serving dish. I tried to do that with the acorn squash, but the skin isn’t as tough as say spaghetti squash, so I opted for an oven-safe dish.

This dip is full of options for what to add to it. Not only can you use whatever winter squash you have on hand, there are plenty of possibilities for what to mix in. I used garbanzo beans, basil, cheddar, and parmesan. But, you could substitute white, kidney, or black beans for the garbanzos. Then you could choose between blue cheese, feta, Fontina, Gorgonzola, Gruyère, mozzarella, pecorino, ricotta, ricotta salata, Romano, or Roncal if you don’t have cheddar or Parmesan, or tofu if you want to go vegan. And for the fresh herbs, I’d go with either parsley or thyme if you don’t have basil (or along with it). Just pick things that you think will go well with the other flavors you’ve got going on.

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I topped the dip with some halved cherry tomatoes and some nuts. And again, here the possibilities are pretty limitless: hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, or pumpkin seeds would all be great in place of almonds. I love the crunch that the nuts bring to the dip.

I’d used half of the cheese in the dip, the rest went on top to get bubbly and browned, along with the tomatoes. One of my favorite things.

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You can serve this dip hot, room temperature, or eat it right out of the fridge. If you opt for the latter, you might get the entire previously melted cheese slice in one bite. Not the worst problem you could have. I liked it best cooled slightly, but still warm, with lots of dipping utensils: corn chips and raw veggies were my favorite.

Happy Eating!

Winter Squash Dip

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Yield: 8-10

Winter Squash Dip

Ingredients

  • 4 C combination of any: (squash) acorn, butternut, spaghetti, buttercup, delicata, hubbard, kabocha, pumpkin; halved or top sliced off and seeds removed,carrots, ends trimmed
  • 1 head garlic, top sliced off
  • a good sprinkle of cayenne or 1 hot pepper, halved, ribs and seeds removed
  • 2 t olive oil
  • 2 C combination of any: garbanzo, white, kidney, or black beans; cooked
  • 1 C greens (optional), chopped
  • 1/4 C combination of any: fresh basil, parsley, or thyme
  • 2 C combination of any: blue, cheddar, feta, Fontina, Gorgonzola, Gruyère, mozzarella, Parmesan, pecorino, ricotta, ricotta salata, Romano, Roncal; grated (if needed), or may use tofu (silken or firm and crumbled)
  • 1 C combination of any: corn, tomatoes (fresh or dried)
  • to taste salt
  • 1/4 C combination of any: almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts, peanuts, pecans, pinenuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds; chopped
  • raw veggies (carrots, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, green beans, celery), roasted veggies (sweet potatoes, summer squash, eggplant, fennel), chips, crackers, or bread; for serving

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
  2. Brush squash/pumpkin with oil inside and out. Place cut side down on a baking sheet (the lid too, if you didn't halve it - if you halved it and are planning to serve the dip in it, you could slice a bit off the bottom so it sits flat). Drizzle the garlic with olive oil and wrap with foil. Brush carrots and hot pepper with olive oil and wrap with foil. Roast for 45-60 minutes, or until tender (pepper may take closer to 20-30 minutes). If using greens, sauté in 1 T olive oil over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes.
  3. Scrape squash from shell (reserve shell to serve in if desired) then either mash or purée in food processor with garlic (squeeze cloves from skin) through cheese (reserving half cheese for topping). Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
  4. Return to squash shell or to a greased oven safe dish, top with remaining cheese and tomatoes/corn/nuts. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or broil for a few minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned.
  5. Serve with raw or roasted veggies, chips, crackers, or bread, for dipping.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/winter-squash-dip/

Monday

15

June 2015

0

COMMENTS

Bean and Veggie Mélange

Written by , 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

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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).

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

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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.

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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

  1. Whisk together balsamic through pepper. Stream in olive oil as you whisk some more.
  2. Toss beans and veggies with dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  3. 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/

Monday

13

April 2015

0

COMMENTS

Vegan Tofu Fried Quinoa

Written by , Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Grains, Leftovers, Lunch, Main Dishes, One Dish Dinners, Quick and Easy, Quinoa, Rice, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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We don’t eat a lot of meat. We enjoy it, but it’s expensive, and we’ve found that there are plenty of other ways to get enough protein in our diet. So the meals containing meat are few and far between, and we fill in the gaps with meals like this take on Fried Rice.

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It starts with some seasonal veggies. Right now we’ve got greens like kale, chard, and mei qing choi. There are carrots, snap peas, and spring onions. And we’ve got the most delicious spring onions.

If you wanted to adapt this to suit another season, you could try some of these options:

Spring: Radishes, green beans, asparagus, fava beans, garlic scapes, or kohlrabi.

Summer: Zucchini/summer squash, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, or sinqua.

Fall: Beets, arugula, cabbage, celery, chard, fennel, or radicchio.

Winter: Broccoli, cauliflower, winter squash, bok choy, mustard greens, or daikon radishes.

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No matter the veggies, it’s going to come together super quickly, so I’d suggest having all of the components ready to go before you begin cooking. Stir fry type dishes generally tend to cook over pretty high heat, which means they need to be stirred almost constantly. This doesn’t leave time for chopping up the next ingredients while the first ones cook.

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I’d made some quinoa the day before, and used the leftovers in this dish. You could also use bulgur wheat, rice noodles, or regular brown rice (cook according to the package’s directions).

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The quinoa takes the place of brown rice, since it has a bit more protein. The tofu mimics the egg, to make it vegan. I asked Tim if he could tell that there weren’t eggs in here. He said that it wasn’t noticeable.

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Like a lot of things, I enjoy this served with a wedge of lemon to squeeze over top. The brightness that it adds is the perfect way to complete this dish.

Happy Eating!

Vegan Tofu Fried Quinoa

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4

Vegan Tofu Fried Quinoa

Ingredients

  • 2 T oil
  • 1 C snap peas (or green beans), strings removed, chopped
  • 1 C carrots, chopped
  • 1/2 C fennel (or celery), chopped
  • 1 C onion, chopped
  • 2 C greens, chopped
  • sprinkle ginger
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • sprinkle cayenne
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced
  • 2 T soy sauce or gluten-free aminos
  • 2 T rice vinegar
  • 1 C quinoa (or bulgur wheat, brown rice, or rice noodles) (cooked)
  • 7 oz. tofu (firm), drained and crumbled
  • 1/4 C green or spring onions, chopped
  • 1/2 to 1 C microgreens
  • lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat a wok, add oil over medium-high heat. Add snap peas through cayenne and cook for 3-5 minutes, turning constantly.
  2. Add greens through microgreens (if microgreens are very delicate, wait to add them until 1 minute before you finish cooking) and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly.Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  3. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/vegan-tofu-fried-quinoa/

Thursday

26

March 2015

0

COMMENTS

Chicken Noodle Soup

Written by , Posted in Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Kid-Friendly, Lunch, Main Dishes, Meat, Pasta, Poultry, Soups, Vegetables

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I know that Chicken Noodle Soup is one of those meals that’s made when someone feels under the weather. But, I want to enjoy it any day. It’s just so good.

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It starts with some chicken that’s cooked in a bit of olive oil. The skin gets all crispy and the inside tender and juicy. It takes a while, just be patient. Once the chicken is cooked, it rests for a bit, and gets cool enough to handle. And those crispy bits on the bottom of the pan, they’re on their way to make this soup simply divine.

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A little butter and oil is added to that same pan. No washing out required. The bits at the bottom will loosen as you stir the veggies and help make the broth a deep, rich brown.

Back to the veggies for a sec – there are tons of ’em. Fennel, carrots, kohlrabi, greens, cauliflower… and even more that you could add, depending on what you have on hand (check out the recipe for more). If you’re using this as an under the weather helper, it’s perfect because it’s packed with nutrients. If you’re not, well, it’s great for the same reason. 😉

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The veggies are cooked covered, for about 10 minutes. They just need to sweat it all out. No big deal.

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Once they’re ready, the chicken, which has been shredded, is added, along with the stock.

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I like to cook the pasta separately. I have a hard time making the right amount of food for just two of us, so this way I can save the leftovers for another day without worrying that the pasta will absorb all the liquid and become a soggy, mushy mess. If you’re going to eat it all in one sitting, feel free to cook the pasta in the soup (you may want to add a bit more stock).

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The pasta is divided into the bowls and topped with some soup for a hearty and delicious meal.

Happy Eating!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 7 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 17 minutes

Yield: 4

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 T olive oil
  • 3-4 chicken drumsticks (or 2-3 thighs, or 1 breast) (ending up with about 1-2 C cooked and shredded meat)
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 1 T butter
  • 1 t olive oil
  • 1 C fennel (any part), chopped
  • 1 C cauliflower, chopped
  • 1 C carrot, chopped
  • 1 C onion (or shallot or leek), chopped
  • 1-2 C greens (kale, collard greens, chard etc), chopped
  • 1/2 C turnip (or rutabaga), chopped
  • 1/2 C radish, chopped
  • 1/2 C kohlrabi, chopped
  • (could also add celery, broccoli, parsnip, summer squash, bell pepper, peas, green beans, beets, asparagus, or mushrooms)
  • 3 cloves garlic, diced
  • 1 T balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 t each dried (or 1/2 T fresh) rosemary, thyme, basil, and parsley (or replace all four with tarragon, dill, and parsley)
  • pinch each cayenne, ginger, and paprika
  • 6-8 C stock (vegetable or chicken)
  • 1 C pasta (any kind)
  • 1 T butter
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • lemon slices, for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add 2 T olive oil. When oil is hot, add chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for about 30-35 minutes (for drumsticks), or until internal temperature reaches 180F, turning every 5 minutes or so.
  2. Remove chicken from soup pot and let cool slightly on a paper towel lined plate. Return soup pot to the heat, add 1 T butter and 1 t olive oil. Add fennel through kohlrabi, stir to scrape browned bits off the bottom of the pan, and cook covered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add balsamic vinegar and deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom, about 1 minute.
  3. Add seasonings and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  4. Cook pasta in boiling salted water. Drain.
  5. Remove soup from heat, stir in 1 T butter and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  6. Divide pasta between 4 bowls and top with soup. Serve with a lemon wedge for squeezing.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/chicken-noodle-soup/

Monday

9

February 2015

0

COMMENTS

Loaded Chicken and Rice Soup

Written by , Posted in Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Leftovers, Lunch, Main Dishes, Meat, One Dish Dinners, Poultry, Quick and Easy, Rice, Soups, Vegetables

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I’m a sucker for a good bowl of soup. I think we’ve had three different kinds over the past four days. I love it. I can’t get enough of it. It can be hearty and filling, or a light start to a meal. It can be simple, like French Onion, or have a myriad of ingredients. Soups are a great way to get loads of veggies into a meal, and they’re a fabulous place to hide leftovers. Yes, soups are my favorite.

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This one is no different. The goal was to make a veggie laden, leftover using, Chicken and Rice Soup.

It started with carrots and radishes. The carrots were fresh from this week’s box of produce. The radishes were extra from another meal, that I’d chopped and frozen so they wouldn’t go to waste.

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We’re getting so many greens in our boxes that I’ve been making a lot of Stir Fry, like this Red Choi Stir Fry from the other week. I’d planned ahead and made double the rice, so there were leftovers for the soup.

Winner winner, chicken and rice soup for dinner.

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After the initial veggies were fairly tender, everything else joined them in the soup pot. I made some Sliced Roasted Butternut Squash for dinner last night, to go along with some chicken thighs that I par-cooked on the stovetop, then finished in the oven. I used the leftovers from both in the soup.

Leftovers 0, Rach 3.

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After everything bubbled around for a while (but not too long, since it was all cooked already), I added some milk. I used coconut milk, because I had some that I needed to use up. Use whatever kind you have on hand. The milk just needs to warm through for a minute or two. Don’t let it boil, or the soup may break.

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And then, for the finishing touches, I stirred in some fresh parsley and a knob of butter.

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This soup is best eaten with your favorite someone or alone standing at the kitchen island while you read a book. Fresh bread is essential for dipping and sopping up anything the spoon leaves behind. A slice of lemon is a perfect way to brighten a bit – just squeeze over top right before eating.

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And, if it’s possible, this soup may be even better the next day (or a few days later – it freezes well).

Happy Eating!

Loaded Chicken and Rice Soup

Loaded Chicken and Rice Soup

Ingredients

  • 1-2 T olive oil
  • 1 C carrot (or parsnip), chopped
  • 1 C radish (or cauliflower), chopped
  • to taste, salt
  • 3 cloves garlic, diced
  • 2 T balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 t dried rosemary (or 1 t fresh), broken or chopped
  • 1 t fresh thyme (or 1/2 t dried)
  • 1/2 t paprika
  • 1 C cooked chicken, chopped or shredded (I used leftovers)*
  • 2 C rice, cooked (I used leftovers)***
  • 2-3 C greens (like hon tsai tai, komatsuna, Tokyo bekana, chard, kale, collards, or spinach), chopped
  • 1 1/2-2 C winter squash, chopped (I used leftovers)**
  • 5-6 C chicken stock
  • 1 C milk (any kind)
  • 1-2 T fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 T unsalted butter (optional)
  • lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. (*If you're not using leftover chicken, cook it now, let it cool slightly, remove from bones and shred or chop.)
  2. Heat a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the oil and when it's hot, add the carrots through salt (**unless you're using uncooked winter squash - if you are, add it now). Cook for 7-9 minutes, or until veggies are relatively tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in balsamic vinegar, cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add rosemary through stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 13 minutes, or until veggies are tender (***if you're not using leftover rice, also add 1/2 C raw brown rice now, along with an extra 1 C stock and cook until rice is tender). Add milk and cook for 2 minutes more (do not boil).
  4. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and butter. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/loaded-chicken-and-rice-soup/