Brussels Sprout-Sweet Potato Hash

I saw this recipe on facebook and loved the idea of a savory, veggie-filled breakfast. Since now I like sweet potatoes, I was really excited to try this dish. I also love brussel sprouts, so I knew this had to be good.

This quick breakfast was delightful. It took a few minutes to prep the vegetables, but once they were ready, the whole thing came together really fast. Because the sweet potatoes are finely shredded/grated, they really don't take that long to cook. I added a fried egg on the side and decided to add this to my weekly breakfast menu. It's fast, nutritious and soo good!

Here is the recipe for Brussels Sprout-Sweet Potato Hash

Italian Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables

I found it!! I finally found it- Farro that is. I have been looking for it for quite a few months and couldn't find it anywhere. I have seen quite a few recipes that use it and even made one that was supposed to contain it. But, then a couple of weeks ago, I saw it in the bulk bins at EarthFare and bought a bag full.

I would say that the texture is similar to wheat berries or barley, but the flavor is a little bit different. I had tons of veggies from my garden and found this great recipe that combined farro and roasted veggies. It is a recipe from Jamie Oliver and it was wonderful. I was able to use zucchini, summer squash, and bell peppers from my garden and there was also fennel thrown into the mix. Roasted fennel is so delicious.

I made this when my sibling were visiting me and we continued to eat it throughout the week. The leftovers are great.

Here is the recipe for Italian Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables

Lemony Zucchini, Chickpea, and Lima Bean Salad

We made this delicious salad as a side on Father's Day. I recently discovered that I do like lima beans and so I have been anxious to try them in more recipes.

On a side note- I also discovered that I can grill a steak. We went shopping at Publix the day before Father's Day and the woman was grilling steak in the front of the store. She made it look so easy that I bought my husband a steak and grilled it to perfection. This goes to prove that there really is a first for everything!

Anyway, back to the recipe at hand. This salad is delicious. It combines some great ingredients, like raw zucchini and chickpeas and it very easy to mix together. It was a big hit and almost a show stopper.
If you have zucchini that you need to use, try this!

Here is the recipe for Lemony Zucchini, Chickpea, and Lima Bean Salad

* I used more romaine lettuce than the recipe called for because I had an entire head of it that needed to be used

Chicken and Zucchini Salad

I have decided that zucchini is quite delicious raw. I don't know why I never realized this before, but having so much zucchini to use has really made me appreciate the many ways it can be delicious.

This salad was something I threw together quickly on a weekday afternoon for lunch before we went for our daily swimming adventure. My son thought that the zucchini was cucumbers and when he tasted them, he didn't revolt! I guess that they passed for cucumbers even though he knew they weren't. The raw factor added that crunch that he was looking for.

We all really liked this one. I was surprised by how much we liked it. I loved the freshness the little bits of fresh mint added and the pecans were a fun little crunchy item as well.

Here is the recipe for Chicken and Zucchini Salad
* I used less oil than the recipe called for
* I used a spinach & arugula mix for the greens
* I used less pecans than called for

Feta-Watermelon Tabbouleh

I found the perfect Tabbouleh recipe last year and haven't really wanted to try another one since. Until, I saw a Tabbouleh recipe that had watermelon in it. Watermelon is my favorite food. I usually don't do anything to it, because I just want to eat it the way it is. But, last summer I tried a delicious watermelon salad that absolutely converted me to combining watermelon with savory ingredients like feta cheese. And dressing it with olive oil mixtures.

I decided I wanted to make this particular Tabbouleh with quinoa instead of bulgur, because I had quinoa on hand and I wanted to make a big batch of it to use with other ingredients as well.
It worked. I think bulgur has more of a bite/crunch to it, but the quinoa was really good in this salad.

Overall, I really liked the combination of flavors and thought this was a great take on Tabbouleh. This would be a great side for a summer dinner, or a main dish for that watermelon lover that might be out there in your midst.

Here is the recipe for Feta- Watermelon Tabbouleh from Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine
* I used quinoa instead of bulgur- I cooked one cup of quinoa in 2 1/4 cups water for 15 minutes and then used half of that in this tabbouleh

Cooking Ligh Virtual Supper Club- Strawberry-Avocado Salsa

Roz chose our theme this month- Spring is Berry-licious Season, for the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. Each of us chose a recipe that highlighted some kind of berry and we came up with a delicious menu. Check it out below-

Roz - Pork Medallions with Spicy Pomegranate-Blueberry Reduction

Sandi - Raspberry Asparagus Medley

Mary Ann - Strawberry-Avocado Salsa

Jamie - Balsamic Strawberry Topping

Jerry -Raspberry Daiquiris

Val - Mesclun with Berries and Sweet Spiced Almonds

I don't know why I am drawn to wierd salsa combinations, but this strawberry and avocado salsa just seemed so interesting to me that I had to try it. I made it when my parents were here visiting, after my dad bought a large bag of avocados. I made it on a night when we were having tacos for dinner. We tried it with some tortilla chips and it was really good. Even though I forgot to add the sugar! My mother and I added some to top off our tacos and it was a really great addition. I was actually glad that I accidentally left out the sugar because it made the salsa seem savory, with just the right amount of sweetness from the strawberries.

I noticed that a very similar recipe was in the May issue of Cooking Light, but was paired with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips. I am going to have to make it and compare the two.

Make sure you go and see how the rest of the menu turned out!

Here is the recipe for Strawberry-Avocado Salsa from Cooking Light
* I forgot to add the sugar, but I thought it tasted great that way

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club- Mixed Greens with Blueberry Vinaigrette with homemade Blueberry Vinegar

Jerry picked our theme- 100 Miles of Flavor-for this month's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club.
We were each to choose a recipe that showcased a local ingredient, something that could be found within 100 miles of where we live.
Here is how the menu turned out- the local ingredients are in parentheses.

Jerry - Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom-Red Wine Sauce- (local beef and wine)

Sandi - Peas and Orzo with Pesto - (peas, basil and Southern pecans )

Mary Ann - Mixed Greens with Blueberry Vinaigrette (Blueberry Vinegar) (local blueberries and honey)

Jamie - Grilled Ginger-Lime Shrimp (Gulf of Mexico Seafood)

Roz - Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Marscapone Cheese-(local rice)

Val - Fallen Chocolate Cake with Cherry Red Wine Sauce - (local cherries and wine)

For my local ingredients I decided to use blueberries and honey. I found this great recipe for blueberry vinegar that is used in a fabulous vinaigrette and it was the perfect fit.

I decided to use blueberries that I picked from my husband's grandmother bush last summer, that I had frozen to make the blueberry vinegar. (She lives about 7 minutes from us, so that is pretty local). I read the reviews on the recipe and someone else had mentioned that they used frozen blueberries to make the vinegar and it worked out fine.

Making the blueberry vinegar was really easy. I just combined a couple of ingredients on the stovetop and let the mixture sit, and then strained the vinegar. I let the vinegar sit overnight and then made the salad and vinaigrette the next day.

The salad is very simple. Baby arugula-I also threw in some spinach, red onion, blueberries and then a quick vinaigrette, which contains the blueberry vinegar, a little honey, dijon mustard, and olive oil. So simple and so delicious.
I had leftover blueberry vinegar and we have been drizzling it on all sorts of things. The other night we had salmon, quinoa, broccoli and cauliflower and I thought we could drizzle the vinegar over the salmon. My daughter liked it so much that she drizzled blueberry vinegar over everything on her plate. The rest of the family followed suit.

This was a great salad and it was really fun to learn how easy it is to make flavored vinegar.
Check out the rest of this great local menu above.


Here is the recipe for Blueberry Vinegar

Here is the recipe for Mixed Greens with Blueberry Vinaigrette
* I added baby spinach to the salad
*I omitted the frisee because I couldn't find it anywhere

Marrakesh Stew

I know I am a complete wierdo, but I totally crave things that are chock full of vegetables. This stew practically jumped out at me from the pages of EveryDay Food a few weeks ago. It was a cold day, so the thought of a hearty vegetable stew really made me happy. Carrots, eggplant, butternut squash, potatoes, tomatoes and chickpeas- what a healthy, delicious combination.

I am always a little bit skeptical when cinnamon is called for in a savory recipe, but with the cumin, coriander and cayenne, the cinnamon really played a nice part in the flavor here. It worked well with everything else that was going on in this dish.


Now, this stew is not beautiful to look at, but it is wonderfully spiced and delicious. I warned my family not to make any comments about how this looked, but to give it a chance and try it first, and they were all pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was.

This makes a lot of stew, so I have a large ziploc bag of it in the freezer, along with the leftover Israeli couscous mix, just waiting for a busy night a couple weeks from now, when I can just put the frozen stew on the stove and have an instant dinner. I love it when there is enough of something leftover that it can be dinner again in a couple of weeks!

Marrakesh Stew from Everyday Food Magazine

Serves 8 * Active time: 10 min. * Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, diced large
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
4 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
3 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 small eggplants, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained


In an 8-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add spices, and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.
Add carrots, potatoes, and squash and season with salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and broth- vegetables should be completely covered by liquid; add water to cover if necessary.
Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Add eggplant, stir to combine, and simmer until eggplant is tender, 20 minutes.
Stir in chickpeas, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until chickpeas are warmed through.


*I served this over the Harvest Grains Blend from Trader Joe's- a combination of Israeli couscous, orzo, and red quinoa.

Watermelon-Cucumber Salad

Watermelon. There is nothing better.
I love it so much. It might be a big part of the reason that summer is my favorite season.

I discovered a yellow watermelon and decided to try it in this salad, along with a red one.

I found the recipe in The Food Network Magazine and thought it would be a beautiful + delicious side dish to round out our Father's Day feast.

I really like the ingredients in this salad. Watermelon, cucumber, cashews, feta, lemon juice, mint. They all come together and make a very tasty combination. The sweetness of the watermelon is balanced by the crunch and salty flavors that the other ingredients add.

Other family members weren't so sure about this salad. Some people in my family are a little bit fussy about mixing certain foods, but everyone gave it a try and it was victorious in a couple of mouths.

I was fine with it not being the most popular dish of the day because that just meant that I got to enjoy the leftovers a different day.

Recipe for Watermelon-Cucumber Salad
* I reduced the amount of red onion
* I reduced the amount of olive oil to 1 Tbls
* I used feta cheese instead of goat cheese

Snow Peas with Creamy Ranch Dressing

Here is another recipe from Eating Well magazine. There were just a lot of recipes in this issue I wanted to try!
They had a section about snow peas that had some different ideas about how to serve them.
I love finding new ways to eat vegetables, so I was excited about these recipes. I chose this recipe, which has you slice the snow peas into strips and then serve them with a creamy dressing, kind of like a salad.

I don't really like creamy dressings and typically either go with a homemade vinaigrette or lemon/lime juice to dress my salads. My husband and kids like Ranch dressing, but I really prefer homemade over anything bottled or packaged, so I thought I would try this dressing recipe.
I always have low-fat buttermilk in the fridge and happen to have some fat free mayo, so I had everything on hand for this dressing.
Since the snow peas were raw and the dressing was really easy to mix together, this whole dish was ready in a matter of minutes.
I loved the crunch of the snow peas with the creamy dressing. It was a really good combination.
The only problem was that I had a super spicy red onion! I didn't mind, but it was a little bit too hot for the kids. They still ate it, but had to remove the red onion pieces.

This would make a great side for a picnic or BBQ this summer!

Recipe for Snow Peas with Creamy Ranch Dressing

Asian Chicken and Mango Salad

I decided to go with a another dish that called for mangoes, since I found 3 really lovely mangoes and didn't use all of them in the quick bread for TWD.
This salad was sooo easy and really good. I reduced the amount of oil in the dressing, just because I always do and it leaves more room for flavor from the other dressing ingredients.
I had a hard time finding a plain old rotisserie chicken. There were so many flavors, I was beginning to think I was going to have to roast my own. But then I found a salt and pepper only chicken and took it home and had this salad ready in about 15 minutes.
We have been eating the leftover dressing on salad greens and sprinkling peanuts on top.
It was really a great dinner.

Asian Chicken and Mango Salad adapted from Redbook Magazine
Sesame-Soy Dressing
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh gingerroot, grated
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced
2/3 cups canola oil (I used 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup rice vinegar (I used 1/4 cup)
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Salad
1 store-bought rotisserie chicken
1 large ripe mango, halved, pitted, and diced
1 large seeless cucumber, quartered lengthwise, cut into chunks
1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
8 cups mixed salad greens
lime wedges, for garnish
Directions
Dressing: Combine the sesame-soy dressing ingredients in a 2-cup jar; cover jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well to dissolve the honey. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
Salad: Remove skin and bones from rotisserie chicken and pull into long shreds. Toss chicken in a large bowl with mango, cucumber, red onion, and salt.
Add 1/2 cup of dressing and toss to lightly coat. Serve chicken salad over watercress or mixed greens. Garnish with lime wedges.


Coming Tomorrow- CEiMB- Thai Style Halibut with Coconut Curry Broth

Mexican Salad with Pomegranate-Lime Dressing

Here is a quick, fresh salad that I wanted to try even though pomegranates aren't in season right now. I still had some of the POM Wonderful juice that I received in the mail and used that in the dressing. Because of that, I omitted the pomegranate arils and made a few other substitutions as well.
This was a fun salad, with lots of different flavors and textures. The fact that you can find POM juice in the grocery store, makes this salad accessible all year round. so give it a try!

Mexican Salad with Pomegranate-Lime Dressing from Cooking Light
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh pomegranate juice (I used POM Wonderful juice)
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups arugula leaves (I used spinach)
1 1/2 cups (3-inch) julienne-cut peeled jicama
1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh pomegranate seeds (I omitted these)
4 teaspoons pine nuts, toasted

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add olive oil, and stir with a whisk. Add arugula and the next 4 ingredients (through cilantro), and toss gently. Place 1 cup salad on each of 4 salad plates. Top each with 1 tablespoon seeds and 1 teaspoon pine nuts. Serve immediately.

Coming Tomorrow- Huevos Rancheros

Caribbean Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

I could really use some summer. At this point, I will even settle for spring. I have been trying so hard not to complain about the weather. But, yesterday morning it was blizzarding! In April? Sheesh.
Well, I guess if I can't get the weather to cooperate, I can still pretend that it is warm and start eating summery foods. Like these tacos.
I found this recipe a couple of years ago in Parents Magazine and thought they sounded really delicious. I made them then and have kept making them ever since.
The marinated pork is delicious, but the real star of the show is the pineapple salsa. I love fresh fruit, so I make sure to pick a perfect pineapple and make this salsa as soon as possible. It is really a simple recipe and can be made in a fairly quickly.
The colors are really pretty in the salsa and something about it just makes you think you are on a beach somewhere. Even if you're not. And that is the power of food.
What is one of your favorite spring/summer foods or dishes?

Caribbean Pork Tacos

1 pork tenderloin, about 1 lb.

1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbls. plus 2 tsp. fresh lime juice

1 Tbls pineapple juice

1 Tbls canola oil

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 tsp. cumin

3/4 tsp salt, divided

1 cup diced fresh pineapple

1 large tomato, chopped

2 Tbls red onion, minced

1 Tbls chopped fresh cilantro

taco shells or tortillas

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, place pork tenderloin, jalepeno, garlic, 1 Tbls lime juice, pineapple juice, oil, garlic, ginger, cumin, and 1/2 tsp salt. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

2. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine pineapple, tomato, red onion, cilantro, remaining lime juice and 1/4 tsp salt. Refrigerate salsa until ready to serve.

3. Place tenderloin on a foil-lined baking pan. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the center reaches 155 degrees. Cover with foil and let rest 10 minutes. Internal temperature will rise to 160 degrees.

Warm taco shells according to package directions. Cut pork into slices. Place a few slices of pork in each taco and top with salsa.

You can serve lettuce in the taco, if desired.

Coming Tomorrow- Cocoa Buttermilk Birthday Cake with Ina's Peanut Butter Frosting

Turkish Turkey Pizza

Since I made Pomegranate Molasses about a month ago, I have been looking online for different ways to use it in savory or sweet recipes. I found this recipe for Turkish Pizza at myrecipes.com and thought it looked good. My kids love any kind of pizza and although this isn't really a traditional recipe for pizza, we really liked it.
I made Whole Wheat Pitas and we used those as the base for the pizzas.
You cook up the ground turkey with red bell pepper and tomatoes and then add some spices and the pomegranate molasses. You top the the pitas with a subtley spicy yogurt mixture, then add the turkey/veggies and pop them in the oven for a few minutes.
In just a few minutes, you have a nice, healthy dinner.

Turkish Turkey Pizza from Cooking Light
Total time: 36 minutes.
Pomegranate molasses may be sold as concentrated pomegranate juice. Look for it in Middle Eastern markets, gourmet shops, and some large supermarkets. Its unique flavor makes it well worth seeking out, and a bottle lasts indefinitely in the refrigerator. If you can't find it, combine two tablespoons fresh lemon juice and two teaspoons honey, stirring until blended.

1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 pound lean ground turkey (I used ground turkey breast)
1 cup diced canned tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
4 (4-inch) pitas
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

Preheat oven to 450°.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook 2 minutes or until tender. Add turkey; cook 3 minutes. Add tomato, 2 tablespoons parsley, tomato paste, and next 3 ingredients (through allspice) to pan; reduce heat to medium. Cook 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.
Place pitas on a baking sheet. Combine low-fat yogurt, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small bowl; spread evenly over pitas. Divide turkey mixture evenly over pitas; sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley. Bake at 450° for 5 minutes; serve immediately.

Coming Tomorrow- Tuesday's with Dorie- Mini Banana Creme Pies

Chicken, Spinach, Roasted Red Peppers and Pasta

Do you ever have a night where you just pull out whatever you have in the fridge and try to make a dinner out of it? I am sure you have.
This meal is a result of one of those nights. I had frozen spinach, roasted red peppers, chicken tenders, all sorts of cheese, and cooked pasta in the fridge. I had a red onion too. So, I just went at it with no sort of real plan and it turned into a really tasty pasta dinner.
It came together fast and my kids ate it without complaining.
The sauce ended up being thin and light, just barely coating the pasta with a great flavor. We topped it off with freshly grated Asiago and called it a night!

Chicken, Spinach, Roasted Red Peppers, and Pasta by Mary Ann
whole wheat pasta, cooked and drained
1 red onion, chopped
1 pkg. chicken breast tenders
1 10-oz pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used a mixture of fontina, aged cheddar and mozzarella)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup skim milk
salt, pepper and Italian seasoning, to taste

Heat 1 Tbls of olive oil in an electric skillet. Add the red onion and saute, for a few minutes. Add chicken tenders and brown on both sides. Add a little bit of chicken broth and cover. Cook until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken and onion from the pan.
Add a couple of Tbls of flour to the bits left in the pan and whisk well for 1-2 minutes. Add 1 cup of chicken broth and the skim milk. Whisk in the cheese, until it melts and makes a thin sauce, add more chicken broth, if necessary.
Stir in the cooked pasta, chopped roasted red peppers, and spinach.
Chop the chicken into bite size pieces and add it to the pasta mixture. Mix well and season with salt, pepper, and/or Italian Seasoning. Serve warm.


Up next- Fun Foods for the Kids

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing

I wanted to get a couple more butternut squash recipes made before they were completely out of season. If you frequent Smitten Kitchen, then I am sure you noticed the Butternut and Chickpea Salad. I was so excited to make this.
Unfortunately, my tahini was rancid! I whisked the dressing together and thankfully, tasted it before I dressed the salad. It was horrible. The good thing is that I took it back and got a refund the next day. The bad thing- I don't know exactly how this salad tastes with the dressing.
I just decided to dress it with a little lemon juice and olive oil and I served it on some fresh spinach. I added a little cottage cheese to mine after I took pictures and also sprinkled on some sesame seeds.
It was delicious. I am sure everyone who tried it would agree.

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing Found on Smitten Kitchen

Adapted from Orangette, who adapted it from Casa Moro
Yield: 4 servings
For salad:

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed

1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)

1/4 of a medium red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
For tahini dressing:

1 medium garlic clove, finely minced with a pinch of salt

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, garlic, allspice, olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Toss the squash pieces until evenly coated. Roast them on a baking sheet for 25 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the oven and cool.
Meanwhile, make the tahini dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic and lemon juice. Add the tahini, and whisk to blend. Add the water and olive oil, whisk well, and taste for seasoning. The sauce should have plenty of nutty tahini flavor, but also a little kick of lemon. You will probably need to add more water to thin it out.
To assemble the salad, combine the squash, chickpeas, onion, and cilantro or parsley in a mixing bowl. Either add the tahini dressing to taste, and toss carefully, or you could serve the salad with the dressing on the side. Serve immediately.
Do ahead: Molly says this salad, lightly dressed, keeps beautifully in the fridge.

Up next- A quick chicken dish

Parmesan-Carrot Risotto

I love risotto. It sounds so fancy. But, it really isn't hard to make. I make it all the time, because it is so delicious and simple, really.
I saw this risotto recipe and thought it would make a great lunch, accompanied with a light salad. I used mostly arborio rice because I had it in the pantry, but it calls for plain, old, normal white rice.
The thing I love about risotto is how smooth and creamy it is. It is warm and inviting. Yummy!

Parmesan-Carrot Risotto adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food
Prep: 40 minutes Total: 40 minutes
Ingredients
Serves 4.
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
6 medium carrots, grated
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice (I used 1 cup of arborio and 1/4 cup long grain)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
In a saucepan, bring broth and 2 cups water to a bare simmer over medium.
In a large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium. Add onion and carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in rice. Add 1/2 cup broth; cook, stirring, until absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add 2 cups hot broth; simmer over medium-low, stirring frequently, until mostly absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Continue to add broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring occasionally, until absorbed before adding more. Cook until rice is creamy and just tender, about 20 minutes (you may not need all the broth).
Remove risotto from heat. Stir in Parmesan and 1 tablespoon butter, and season with salt and pepper.

Coming Tomorrow- Tuesday's with Dorie

Chickpea and Spinach Salad with Cumin Dressing

When we made our last trip to the library, I noticed a cookbook, The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger and checked it out. I don't watch any tv, so I don't really know who she is, but I wanted to try a couple recipes and this is the first one I tried. It was very light and tasty and a perfect summer dish. It tasted even better the next day because the flavors had mixed and it really enhanced the salad. I left out the mint garnish, and used Greek yogurt in the sauce, but those are the only changes I made.


Chickpea and Spinach Salad with Cumin Dressing
1-15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 Tbls chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup diced red onion
2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp lemon zest
3/4 tsp ground cumin
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbls plain nonfat yogurt
1 Tbls orange juice
1/4 tsp orange zest
1/4 tsp honey
2 cups lightly packed baby spinach
1 Tbls chopped fresh mint

In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas, parsley and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, zest, cumin, salt and black pepper. Pour the dressing over the chickpea mixture and toss to coat evenly. In another small bowl, stir together the yogurt, orange juice and zest, and honey. Serve the chickpea salad over a bed of spinach leaves. Top with the yogurt sauce and garnish with the mint.