Lentils, Quinoa and Kale

June 26, 20103 Comments

I swear the weather in Ithaca has terrible mood swings! It’s cloudy and gross out today.

The day started off with more World Cup and waffles, but I’ll spare you that. I’m sure your tired of hearing about waffles and the World Cup (not that I’m going to stop talking about it… more on that later). In between games, I went for a run. It was great! 5 miles that flew by! It probably helped that it was pretty cool out.

For dinner, I decided I should probably finish up the kale I got last Saturday before it goes bad. This ensued…

Lentil, Quinoa, Kale Sautee

1 tsp olive oil
1 shallot, sliced
1 bunch of kale, cleaned and chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup cooked lentils
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup tomato sauce (aka pasta sauce, or sautee some fresh tomatoes and herbs with the shallot if you have them instead!)
3 eggs

Heat the oil in a pan, add shallot and cook for 2 minutes. Add kale and cook down for a few minutes. Stir in pasta sauce, quinoa and lentils.

While kale is cooking, boil some water to poach eggs. Once water starts boiling, slowly slide in raw eggs and poach for 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Serve quinoa, lentil, kale mixture on a plate, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and top with poached egg, because really everything tastes better with a runny yolk.

I like this because it’s quick, easy and healthy, but also because you can easily adjust the measurements to feed as many or as few people as you need.

Not gonna lie. I’m a little bummed the US lost today (although I’m not completely surprised). Sort of put a damper on my night. Although I will say I’m looking forward to tomorrow!

Germany vs England in the morning.
Mexico vs Argentina in the afternoon.

My guesses: Germany beats England. Argentina beats Mexico.

I hope I don’t jinx them!

What do you think? Not that into it?

I think I might do some baking tonight since 1) I’m a little bummed and 2) it’s not that hot and 3) I really have nothing else to do!

Have a great night!

Turnip and Kohlrabi Slaw

June 24, 2010June 24, 20109 Comments

It really is just way too hot to cook. This morning I had oatmeal. Big mistake. I was sweatin’ like a ____ in _____.

So there’s no way I’m turning on the stove, much less the oven, but my vegetables still need to get eaten.

My goal is to not let any vegetables from my CSA share go to waste. Can I do it?

Last week, I got these guys:

I won’t lie. I was a little concerned when I put them in my bag at the farmer’s market. First, I had never touched a kohlrabi. Second, the only knowledge I had of turnips was a book I read in elementary school…

Luckily, the internet (and Clay and Zach) saved the day.

Turnip and Kohlrabi Slaw

adapted from Turnip-and-Kohlrabi Slaw with Ginger Vinaigrette

1 kohlrabi, peeled and grated
1 bunch of turnips, peeled and grated (I used about 5 small turnips)
A few lettuce leaves (or any other green), shredded
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
a handful of peanuts

The food processor is really handy to grate all these veggies. Combine grated kohlrabi, turnips and shredded lettuce in a bowl. In a small bowl mix together vinegar, oil, sugar, ginger, salt and pepper until the sugar is dissolved. Pour dressing over vegetables, toss to combine and sprinkle with peanuts. Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

I was extremely pleased with this. Next time, I would definitely add a grated carrot and some cilantro for both taste and color. This really would be perfect to take to a barbecue or potluck!

Have a great night!

Quinoa and Black Beans on Lemony Kale with a Tangy Spice Sauce

June 23, 20105 Comments

Holey Moley it’s hot today! Luckily, the apartment I’m living in this summer is very well ventilated! It’s always about 15 degrees cooler than my friend’s apartment across the street. But enough about the weather… Lunch… Remember the three bunches of kale in my CSA this week?

I ate an entire bunch for lunch!

Quinoa and Black Beans on Lemony Kale with a Tangy Spice Sauce

1 tsp olive oil
1 bunch of Kale, washed, stemmed and chopped
1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
1 cup cooked black beans (I boiled mine with an entire onion, a bunch of cilantro and garlic)
1 cup cooked quinoa (boiled with onion powder and garlic powder, or cooked with vegetable broth)
Tangy Spice Sauce (recipe below)

Heat oil in a pan. Add kale and garlic. Sautee for a minute. Add lemon juice, salt and a pepper and sautee for another minute or two. Serve kale on a plate, top with quinoa and black beans. Drizzle with tangy spice sauce and enjoy! Serves 2-3.

Tangy Spice Sauce

1/4 cup greek yogurt
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp paprika
few shakes of cayenne (optional)
Pepper to taste

Just stir it all together!

Sounds like a weird combination right? But it worked! Pretty tasty and pretty healthy!

In other news, guess what arrived in the mail yesterday!!

A 50mm f/1.8 lens!!

Woo! I’ve been taking pictures of random things all day but mostly of my toes and basil. I’m going to need to find a better subject because my toes aren’t cute and my basil will probably get eaten soon.

Lastly, Sara and I made donut holes using Smitten Kitchen’s recipe, except we were our usual selves and added cinnamon and cayenne to both the dough and the glaze. Highly recommended.

Yes, they were deep fried. That was a first for me. I won’t lie. I’m not sure I want to do that again…

Have you ever deep fried something? What was the last thing you deep fried?

Way Too Hot To Cook

June 21, 20109 Comments

The past few days have been HOT HOT HOT and not in a good way. That doesn’t mean I haven’t done fun things

The past few days I’ve:

Gone on a trail run in a wild flower preserve.

Swam in a creek with a waterfall with a dog here:

This photo is not mine and I don’t know those, but that’s where we swam and it was great 🙂

Failed at making black and white cookies

Got 3 huge bunches of kale, 1 bunch of lettuce, 1 bok choy and strawberries in my CSA.

Enjoyed a salad made with my goodies

Started making some dresses

Made sangria

On the Agenda for Today:
-Work/Internship Stuff
– Play with ice cream maker my neighbor let me borrow. Interested in beer and wine? Check out his blog!
-Check the mail every 10 minutes to see if the exciting thing I ordered online arrives!
-and realistically I’ll probably watch a soccer game at some point…

Have a great day!

Curried Kale with Lentils and Mango

June 16, 201012 Comments

Not a whole lot to report over here. So I’ll just shut up and give you a recipe for tonight’s dinner creation.

Curried Kale with Lentils and Mango

1/2 cup of lentils, dry
1 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 onion thinly sliced
1 bunch of kale, stemmed and chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
juice of one lemon
1/2 cup chopped mango chunks

Boil lentils for about 20-25 minutes, until tender.

Heat oil in a big pot (since the kale is so voluminous, it’ll be easier to prevent a mess if you use a pot). Add onions and shallots and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, kale, salt, pepper and curry powder. Cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Add lentils and lemon juice, continue to cook until kale is wilted (don’t over cook the kale. It should still be bright green). Lastly stir in mango chunks. Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side.

Fast, healthy and delicious. My kind of meal (especially when I’m starving).

I have a ton of lentils (among many other things… more on that later…) my friend, Rhoda, left me since she’s moving to Africa! Good thing they’re delicious!

Any recipe suggestions for lentils, garbanzo beans, rice, or split peas?

Beans and Greens Burgers

June 15, 201010 Comments

Not gonna lie. Not a lot of cooking has been happening over here the past few days for a few reason:

1. No one will eat my baked goods. Boo.
2. I’ve been eating salads like it’s nobody’s business. Fresh things are just fun in the summer.
3. I’ve been spending the better parts of my day watching soccer.

Basically I made one big pot of lentil/rice/greens and ate that for about 4 days.

I also ended most meals with strawberries that were in my CSA bag this week. Pretty tasty. Sad they’re gone.

Finally, today I decided it was time to make something. Why not a burger?

Beans and Greens Burgers

1-2 big handfuls of greens (I used turnip greens and kale)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 an onion, roughly chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 handful of fresh basil (I bet mint or cilantro would work great too)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (rehydrated or packed in oil)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1 tsp salt
2 “flax” eggs (2 tbsp milled flax + 6 tbsp water)
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp paprika

Preheat oven to 400 F. Put greens, garlic, onion, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice and zest in the processor and pulse until it resembles a coarse pesto. Add remaining ingredients and continue to pulse until you get a consistency you like (I left mine kind of chunky).

Form into patties and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, turn and bake for 15 more minutes. Serve as patties or on a bun.

In other news, I’ve been watching Glee. While a lot of the times I get embarrassed for the characters who are singing and have to fast forward (does this happen to anyone else!??!), I’m enjoying it. But let’s be realistic, it’s no secret I watch TV shows/movies for the eye candy…

Anyone else love Puck?

Apple-Rhubarb Crisp

June 6, 2010June 6, 20106 Comments

This morning I woke up to a cute e-mail from my friend and future apartment mate, Anna. She read yesterday’s post on rhubarb and gave me some cooking tips. The end of her e-mail made me laugh:

It’s high in fiber, and is a good GI tract cleanser – I forget what its’ called but it is good for your colon etc. 🙂

Okay enough / TMI on rhubarb, hope you’re doing well!

Good to know since we’re all into health! Too cute Anna!

Anyway, little did she know I had made my first rhubarb creation ever the night before!

Apple-Rhubarb Crisp

adapted from Epicurious Apple-Rhubarb Crisp

For Filling:
3 cups peeled and chopped apples (about 3 or 4 apples)
3 cups chopped rhubarb (4 stalks)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp flour

For Topping:

3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oats
6 tablespoons of butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (open doors and windows if it’s summer or (if you’re lucky unlike me) turn on the AC). Combine all ingredients for filling and place in a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Next make the topping. Get your fingers nice and dirty by breaking up the butter with your fingers.

Top apple rhubarb mixture with sugar/oat/flour topping.

Bake for 45 minutes. Once it’s golden and delicious, let it sit for about half an hour.

While you wait for it to bake and cool, hang out with a friend/fellow cook and paint your toes (or something).

Then serve and enjoy the tart, sweet treat!

I’m going to go ahead and say I’m a rhubarb fan! I love the tartness! I can’t wait to make new things with the rest of my rhubarb!

Hope you’re enjoying your weekend!!

CSA

June 5, 20107 Comments

Hi Friends!

The past few days I’ve been enjoying summer in Ithaca with some friends. It really is quite lovely here in summer (at some point I’ll take pictures and share).

This morning I woke up and walked with my friend, Sara, to the farmer’s market.

The exciting thing for the day was that today was the first pick up day for my CSA!

CSA stands for community support agriculture. They’re an easy way to eat locally and often organically. Basically you buy a “share” which allows you to get a “box” (in my case a bag)

of vegetables (and sometimes fruit) each week. If you’re curious about getting a CSA share in your area click here.

The farm I chose, Early Morning Farm, allows you to “shop” so you basically take as much as you need. I got 2 bunches of lettuce, some turnips and a bunch of rhubarb (I skipped the radishes since I’m not a fan).

I’ve never tried rhubarb before! I’m excited to give it a whirl. You’ll probably see it here for the next few days. But before that I had to use my lettuce to make lunch

Went well with some multigrain sourdough I got at the farmer’s market too!

Well I’m off to read for fun! I’m reading The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, loving it so far.

Recommend any summer reading books?

Hot in Hurrrrr

May 2, 201015 Comments

I’m not entirely sure why but despite the fact that it was in the 80s today and I live on the third floor of a building that does not have air conditioning, I turned the oven on twice. It’s so hot in hurrr my coconut oil is entirely liquid:

I keep it on my dresser and put it on my face before going to bed. I have some SERIOUS dry skin! Hopefully sweaty summer will make that all better and I can keep this coconut oil for cooking!

But I digress…I cooking was my way of dealing with Sunday?

Or something…

Tomorrow is the last day of the Spanish discussion section I TA. Naturally, we’re having a party. Naturally, that also means I made a sweet treat.

Vegan Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

adapted from Mama Pea’s White Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup vegan butter (I used EarthBalance)
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup soymilk
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cane sugar
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt (omit salt if you used salted almond butter)
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 and turn on some Beyonce/Shakira.

In a bowl combine the wet ingredients and the sugars, once those are combined, add the dry ingredients except the cherries and chocolate. Shake your booty a little bit (especially if Shakira’s Did It Again comes on) then fold in the cherries and chocolate.

Plop golf ball sized lumps of dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes depending on the size of your cookies.

To counteract the vegan-ness, enjoy with a glass of milk (or if you’re like me… lactaid)!

After cleaning up and attempting to get some reading done for a few hours, I decided I should probably have dinner. For some reason, I decided to get creative and for some reason that had to involve the oven again, again Beyonce and Shakira kept me company, this time Rihanna joined in on the fun.

Polenta Pizza

1 cup cornmeal
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
~1 cup pasta sauce
1-2 huge handfuls of spinach, chopped
4 oz mozzarella cheese
3 artichoke hearts, chopped

Step 1: Make Polenta
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. In a pot combine the cornmeal, water and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Keep cooking, stirring constantly for another 5 minutes at least (at this point your should pretty much just be swinging your hips to the beat). Then transfer and spread polenta on a greased baking sheet (totally forgot to grease mine). Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Step 2: Prepare toppings
Heat olive oil in a pan, add onions, garlic and red peppers. Cook on med/low heat for about 10 minutes until tender and tasty! Mini dance party for 10 minutes while it all cooks… or you could wash some dishes… then add spinach, stir around til spinach is wilted (about 2 minutes).

Step 3: Prep Pizza
Spread pasta sauce on polenta, top with veggies, cheese and artichokes, bake for another 5-10 minutes.

Pretty tasty! I was pleased! My friend, Liz, came over and enjoyed with me. She liked it too!

I should probably stop dancing around the house and read, or at least go to bed so I can make the most of tomorrow.

Have a great night!

My Neighbor is Awesome!

April 29, 20107 Comments

The past few days have been filled with work. While I’ve managed to get a lot done, my fridge is looking pretty bare. Consequently, I’ve been eating a lot grains and random frozen vegetables left over.

Just in time to save the day, my neighbor (who we lovingly call Slick Rick) invited a few friends over for dinner. He had an amazing spread of vegetables to grill.