Monday

25

May 2015

0

COMMENTS

How to Use All That Summer Squash

Written by Rachel, Posted in How To, Thoughts

I love summer squash. Last summer I felt like I couldn’t get enough. So this year I planted some in my garden to supplement when I needed more. Turns out that I’m growing acorn squash. Either I planted the wrong seeds, or more likely, I pulled out the wrong volunteer plants that had grown from the compost. Ah well, at least it’s fun. And I’ve learned from my squash failure, so that’s a good thing. #freetofail

I know that not everyone is as crazy about summer squash as I am. And, for some, the season is long. You may start out loving it, super excited about the possibilities, and then run out of steam come July.

So here’s some help. Some of my favorite ways to use one of my favorite summer veggies.

Roasted

One of my favorite things to do with just about every single vegetable, no matter the season, is to roast them. The other night for dinner I roasted a sliced squash, some sliced potatoes, and green beans. It was simple. I tossed them all with olive oil, salt, pepper, and cayenne, then spread them out on a baking sheet, and roasted at 400F for about 15 minutes for the squash and beans, 20-25 for the potatoes. Divine!

If you wanted to, you could dip them in the dip I use for Roasted Parsnips. You can slice them into rounds, or into sticks. Baking time will depend on how thick they are. If they’re too thin, just watch them carefully so they don’t burn. If you’re too lazy to roast them, or if it’s just too hot to turn on the oven, slice up the squash and dip it anyways. Who says they have to be cooked to be good?!

I also like them roasted and stuffed. I call them Zoo Boats. A couple of years ago I made them on A Cooking Show with Rachel O. They’re easy and delicious.

Baking – Sweets

Since their flavor is pretty mild, summer squash can easily be added to baked goods. The other week I made some cookies using parsnips and apples. I think summer squash (or summer squash and carrots) would be a great substitute for either or both. My mom used to add zucchini to a bread similar to banana bread. She called it “Zoo Bread”. We had no idea what was in there (or it tasted so good that we didn’t care).

For Breakfast

One of my favorite things to eat during the summer is squash with some sort of eggs. Squash could be sautéed in some olive oil, with salt, pepper, and cayenne, then scooched over to the size of the skillet so an egg or two can be fried. Serve that with some whole wheat zucchini cookies and you’ve got an easy breakfast.

I also love to quickly cook some squash, add a bit of cheese (so it can get a bit crispy), then scramble some eggs. Everything can be eaten as is, or wrapped with a tortilla and topped with salsa or Nopales Relish. Whether it’s Breakfast Burritos or Squash and Scrambled Egg Wraps, it’s a winner in my book.

Make a Salad

Salads are great vessels for all the yummy things. They’re no longer boring, just to be eaten as an afterthought. I know that not everyone considers a salad a full meal. If you need something else to go along with it, that’s absolutely acceptable. But, if you’re ok with a hearty salad, why not add some grated, sliced, or chopped summer squash to it?!

Tim especially likes it when Taco Salad is the salad that’s the meal. It’s hearty and full of goodies. If you’re in the mood for something a little lighter – on its own, or to go along with some grilled delights, I love a Simple Summer Salad. It’s one of those salads that is perfect for whatever’s currently in season.

If you’re in the mood for a picnic, a Tomato Corn and Quinoa Salad is perfectly hearty and filling, and of course, has summer squash in it.

Add It To Everything!

Making pasta for dinner? Add some summer squash to the onions and garlic. Grated or chopped, it doesn’t matter.

How about Tacos? Beef and Bean Enchiladas? Vegetarian Enchiladas? Taco Soup? I add squash to all of them, pretty much every time.

In Stir Fry, squash can replace or be added alongside carrots, green beans, and snap peas. It can be added to Vegan Tofu Fried Quinoa. It can be sweet and spicy with lemongrass. It could be the star, not just a supporting taste, if it’s all that you have on hand.

It can be chopped and added to Chicken Pot Pie and Shepherd’s Pie.

It’s one of the main components of Fish Wellingtons.

It can even be added to pizza!

I hope that will get you through the season. And hey, if worst comes to worst, and you’ve still got too much squash on your hands bake some zucchini cookies and take them to your neighbors. Make a big pot of Taco Soup and invite everyone you know. Or slice them and toss ’em on the grill, alongside some eggplant, onions, and bell peppers, and serve them at a block party.

Happy Eating!

Friday

8

May 2015

0

COMMENTS

Whole Wheat Parsnip Cookies

Written by Rachel, Posted in Baking, Breakfast, Cookies, Dessert, Eggs, Fruit, Grains, Kid-Friendly, Quick and Easy, Snacks, Vegetarian

I’m not much of a baker. It’s just not something that comes naturally to me. With baking it’s important to follow the recipe. There’s a reason that each ingredient is there. I can’t just add what I have on hand and substitute something if I feel like it. Because it’s all science.

I was never great at science in school. I do wonder if I might have done a little better if there had been experiments that involved cooking. You know, let us make cookies with whatever we wanted to. See what works and what doesn’t. Then learn about why. Since that class wasn’t offered at my school, I’m learning now, slowly…

I think that my first substitution attempt when baking might have been when I figured that using the same amount of honey in place of granulated sugar would be fine. Wrong. I ended up with a burned outside and still liquid inside banana bread. That was disappointing. But, I learned from my mistake. Freedom to fail.

So this time I played it safe. I figured out what I thought would make up a good cookie. I think I know what the dough should be like, so it seemed like a good place to start.

I still wasn’t expecting them to turn out, but I was gonna do my best.

I wanted to incorporate parsnips. Parsnips are wonderful when roasted and dipped into a creamy sauce. But, what about something sweet, almost like what you’d do with carrots in a carrot cake? I figured it was worth a try.

I don’t make very many cookies. I’m just not a sweets person. But, I think normally recipes will have you cream the butter and sugar together. I went for more of a scone technique, where the butter was cold and added to the already combined dry ingredients.

The parsnips, apple, and some lemon zest were added to the butter-flour mixture. I figured they might do well when coated with flour. And then once the wet ingredients were whisked together, they were added too. To make what looked like cookie batter to me!

When I used to make cookies with my mom as a kid, we’d use two spoons to scoop the dough out. You could also just use your hands and roll a ball of dough between your palms. Whatever works. The spoons keep the hands clean and you don’t waste the batter that covers them.

I like fluffy, puffy, soft cookies over thin crispy ones. So I didn’t press them down.

I thought about trying to make these vegan, but decided against it since making a cookie recipe was already enough of a risk. But, here are some ways that you could adapt it, if you wanted to (at your own risk 😉 ).

Carrots or summer squash instead of parsnips.

Orange zest instead of lemon zest.

Coconut oil instead of butter (treat it the same way – make sure it’s cold, then work very quickly).

Flax seeds and water instead of egg.

Maple syrup instead of honey.

Just keep in mind that it’s science and your changes may result in cookies slightly different from mine. But, we’re free to fail, free to learn from our mistakes, free to keep on trying. If I’d stopped at ruined banana bread, I’d never have known the loveliness of these cookies. They may be my new favorite. Not too sweet, super soft, and made with whole wheat flour and honey, so I feel fine about the three that I’ve eaten this afternoon.

Happy Eating!

Whole Wheat Parsnip Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

Yield: 19-20 cookies

Whole Wheat Parsnip Cookies

Ingredients

1 C whole wheat flour
1/4 t salt
1/2 t baking powder, sifted
1/2 t baking soda, sifted
1/4 t cinnamon
pinch all spice
pinch nutmeg
1 C oats
1 t lemon zest (or orange zest), chopped
1/3 C apples, grated and chopped
1 C parsnips (or carrots or summer squash), grated, and chopped
1/2 C butter, cold, cut into small chunks
1/2 C honey
1 egg
1 t apple cider vinegar
1 t vanilla extract

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Place a rack in the lower third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (or silpat mats).
Whisk together flour through nutmeg. Mix in butter with a pastry blender or hands until pea sized chunks remain. Stir in oats, lemon zest, apples, and parsnips.
In a separate bowl whisk together honey through vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Scoop batter using two tablespoons, or hands and drop onto prepared baking sheets (do not flatten). Bake for 12 minutes, or until cookies are mostly set and golden around the edges (they will keep cooking for a bit as they cool). Cool on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before serving.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/whole-wheat-parsnip-cookies/

Monday

13

April 2015

0

COMMENTS

Vegan Tofu Fried Quinoa

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

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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

Heat a wok, add oil over medium-high heat. Add snap peas through cayenne and cook for 3-5 minutes, turning constantly.
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.
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 Rachel, Posted in Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Kid-Friendly, Lunch, Main Dishes, Meat, Pasta, Poultry, Soups, Vegetables

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.

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.

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. 😉

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

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

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).

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

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.
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.
Add seasonings and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Cook pasta in boiling salted water. Drain.
Remove soup from heat, stir in 1 T butter and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
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/

Thursday

29

January 2015

0

COMMENTS

Red Choi Stir Fry with Tofu and Almonds

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Lunch, Main Dishes, Nuts, Pasta, Quick and Easy, Quinoa, Rice, Sauces, Vegetables, Vegetarian

It makes me super happy when I’ve made something that’s loaded with veggies, and Tim, unprompted, tells me how much he likes it. What a guy! Good thing he liked it so much (even the tofu!), because I am sold.

First of all, tofu is a cheap way to get some protein into a dish. I know, I know, not everyone is crazy about soy. So, if you’re not a tofu fanatic, that’s awesome too! Be who you are, right?! If you’d like, add some chicken instead, Tempeh is great too (but also a soybean product), beef and pork would also be super yum. Or, go totally vegetarian and add some more nuts (even a scoop of peanut or almond butter mixed into the sauce would be great).

See how easy that was?! Substitution central over here. This is one where there’s something for everyone.

Oh yeah, and if you’re vegan, omit the fish sauce. (No duh, Rachel. You knew that… We taught our 2 year old niece to say, “No duh, Uncle Tim” over the holidays. It was one of the highlights of the trip. Especially when she started saying it to Oma too.) I’d planned to make this a vegan dish. I was going to add some honey, then remembered that some vegans don’t eat honey. I finished cooking and realized that fish sauce is obviously not vegan. Eye roll and shrug of the shoulders. I can’t expect my brain to work perfectly all the time. 😉

This is my go-to stir fry sauce. It’s simple. Soy sauce (or a gluten-free version, which tastes remarkably similar), fish sauce, and rice vinegar. Sometimes I use cornstarch and water, to act as a thickener. Either way, we think it tastes great.

Stir Fry is one of those awesome meals for using up whatever veggies are hanging out in the fridge. It’s also a way to pack in many many veggies, but can also be great if you’ve just got broccoli and an onion left at the end of the week. My goal, this time, was to find a way to use the red choi. The rest of the veggies are kinda just a bonus. Plus, it’s a great dish for cabbage using up. And, tastes great with an Asian slaw on the side. Yep, do it, get your cabbage on!

Anoooooother reason I love Stir Fry, it’s so incredibly quick to prepare. Veggies cook over higher heat, so they cook fast and retain their bright color. A friend gave me a wok, so now I don’t throw veggies all over the stove.

Don’t forget, keep those veggies moving. High heat means they’re gonna burn if you leave them unattended.

Once the veggies are cooked (see how greeeeeeeen they are still!?), sauce goes in, cooks for like 2 minutes more, and then you’re done!

You could stand there and eat it out of the wok. Totally fine with me.

But, maybe a better option is to scoop some rice onto a plate, slide some tofu next to it, and pile on those veggies.

If you’ve already eaten 5 pieces of the crispy tofu, I understand. I may have done the same.

May have.

Happy Eating!

Red Choi Stir Fry with Tofu and Almonds

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 21 minutes

Total Time: 31 minutes

Yield: 2-4

Red Choi Stir Fry with Tofu and Almonds

Ingredients

1 C brown rice (rice noodles, quinoa, or bulgur wheat would also be great)
2 C water
1 block firm tofu, sliced about 1/8" to 1/4" thick
to taste salt
pinch cayenne
pinch ginger
2 t olive oil, divided
1 T soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1/4 C cold water
1 T cornstarch
pinch ginger
2 T olive oil
1/4 C carrots or celery, thinly sliced
1-2 C broccoli or cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
2-4 T radish, thinly sliced
1 C cabbage (or collard greens or kale), chopped
1 head red choi stems, chopped
(could also add: snap peas, bean sprouts, green beans, summer squash, butternut squash)
pinch salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 head red choi leaves, chopped
2 T almonds, chopped, for serving

Instructions

Cook rice.
While rice cooks, sprinkle both sides of the tofu with salt, cayenne, and ginger. Heat skillet over medium to medium-high heat, add 1 t olive oil, when it's hot add tofu, working in batches so the pan isn't overcrowded, cook for about 2-3 minutes per side (or until sides are browned and crispy), adding more oil as needed. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.
Whisk together soy sauce through ginger. Set aside.
Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 T olive oil. When oil is hot, add carrots through salt. Cook, stirring constantly (picking veggies up with tongs and moving them around works best for me), for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red choi leaves and cook for about 2 minutes more.
Stir in sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes (or until sauce has thickened).
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve over rice, topped with chopped almonds.

Notes

If it's not essential for this to be vegetarian, 1 t fish sauce is a good addition to the sauce.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/red-choi-stir-fry-with-tofu-and-almonds/

P.S. Those leftovers, plomp it all together in a pan and heat it up. The rice will love the sauce, and get a little bit crispy and extra yummy.

Newer Entries →

← Older Entries

Summer Squash Archive

25

0

How to Use All That Summer Squash

Roasted

Baking – Sweets

For Breakfast

Make a Salad

Add It To Everything!

Happy Eating!

8

0

Whole Wheat Parsnip Cookies

Happy Eating!

13

0

Vegan Tofu Fried Quinoa

Happy Eating!

26

0

Chicken Noodle Soup

Happy Eating!

29

0

Red Choi Stir Fry with Tofu and Almonds

Happy Eating!

Looking for Something?

Support My Cookbook!

Favorites

Instagram

Recent Posts