Umbrian lentil stew with fried eggs

Comfort food, Umbrian-style. A perfect cold-weather dinner with your favorite bread.

Umbrian lentil stew with fried eggs (adapted slightly by me, from Food&Wine)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for frying

2 ounces turkey bacon, finely chopped

1 small carrot, coarsely chopped

1 small celery rib, coarsely chopped

1/2 small onion, finely diced

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste

1/2 pound green lentils (1 1/4 cups)

1 quart chicken broth

salt and freshly ground pepper

4 large eggs

12 arugula leaves

grated soy parmesan and balsamic vinegar, for serving

In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil; add the turkey bacon and cook until crispy.

In a food processor, finely chop the carrot and celery. Add the vegetables to the saucepan along with the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, 7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir over moderately high heat until shiny, 1 minute. Add the lentils and 2 1/2 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the broth has been absorbed, 25 minutes. Add 1 more cup of broth and continue simmering until absorbed, 10 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of broth and simmer until the lentils are tender and suspended in a creamy sauce, 10 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat a thin film of olive oil. Crack the eggs into the skillet, season with salt and cook over moderately high heat until the edges are golden, the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny. Spoon the lentils into shallow bowls and top with the eggs and arugula. Add the soy cheese over the eggs and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Lemony lentil soup with greens

Here’s a variation on lentil soup. We thought this was just okay – the lemony flavor did not send me; maybe I’m just partial to a more traditional lentil soup.

Lemony lentil soup with greens (from Half Assed Kitchen)

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

12 cups chicken broth

16 ounces green lentils (or regular ones)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

6 cups kale leaves, chopped (I used spinach, like Half Assed did)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, 3 to 5  minutes. Add the carrot, celery, and garlic, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add 12 cups of broth, lentils, basil, thyme, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add the kale (spinach) and cook until lentils are tender, 30 – 35 minutes, adding more broth if necessary. Stir in the lemon juice and zest, and serve. Makes 6 servings.

Butternut squash carbonara

I decided to try this recipe from Closet Cooking blog. I tweaked it a little to make it nondairy, and I also used turkey bacon in place of pork. Another winning recipe, and a keeper.

Butternut squash carbonara

1/2 pound multi-grain pasta (I used shells)

6 slices turkey bacon, cut into 1″ slices

2 cups squash, cut into small pieces

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon sage, chopped

pepper to taste

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons nondairy creamer

1/4 cup soy parmesan

Start cooking the pasta.

Fry the bacon in a pan til nicely browned. Add the squash, garlic, sage, and pepper and toss to coat.

Mix the egg yolk, creamer, and soy parmesan in a bowl.

Drain the cooked pasta, reserving some of the water (about 1 cup). Add the pasta to the pan and toss. Remove the pan from the heat and wait for the sizzling to stop.

Add the egg mixture and toss to coat. Add a bit of the pasta water and toss to mix and coat. Makes 2 – 4 servings.

Whole grain pasta with Sicilian salsa verde

Sicilian salsa verde? Never heard of it, but this recipe works! I subbed the real parmesan for soy parm, and added some grilled chicken pieces to make this a complete meal. Very very good!

Whole grain pasta with Sicilian salsa verde (modified from Bon Appetit)

3/4 pound whole grain pasta (I used spaghetti)

3/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

3 tablespoons drained capers

3 garlic cloves, chopped, divided

juice from 1/2 lemon

6 cups thinly sliced savoy cabbage

6 ounces haricots verts, or regular green beans halved

1/2 cup grated soy parmesan cheese

1 cup leftover chicken (optional)(I used grilled), cut into bite-sized pieces

In a blender or food processor, combine the parsley, 4 tablespoons olive oil, capers, 1 garlic clover, and lemon juice. Pulse to blend into pesto consistency and set aside. This is the salsa verde.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Just before you drain it, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water for later. Drain the pasta and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage and saute it until it wilts, 5 – 7 minutes. Add the haricots verts, along with the remaining 2 chopped cloves of garlic, and saute 1 – 2 minutes, until the green beans are bright green and crisp-tender. Add the pasta to the skillet, along with the salsa verde, 1/2 cup soy parmesan, chicken, and 2/3 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Turn off the heat and mix everything until well-coated, adding the remaining pasta water if you need to thin it out a bit. (mine needed it) Serves 4.

Greek couscous salad

Even thought it’s winter, I’m still missing salads. This is customarily made with the grain quinoa. I wanted to use my ingredients on hand, so subbed Israeli couscous for the quinoa. This was very green and very healthy. And tasted good, too.

Greek couscous salad

1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous

3 cups water

1/2 cup kalamata olives

1/3 cups pine nuts

1/2 cup fresh basil

1 cup fresh spinach

1/2 cup fresh parsley

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1/8 cup scallion

1 cup tofu

1/2 cup white distilled vinegar

1 lemon, juice and zest

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 tablespoon tahini

Bring the water to a boil and add the couscous. Cook according to box instructions. Once done, refrigerate until complete cool.

Meanwhile, chop the tofu into 1/2″ cubes and then gently crumble slightly into a large bowl. To this add 1/4 cup vinegar, half of the juiced lemon and zest, and grated garlic. Let marinate.

Chop the basil, parsley, cilantro, and scallions. Coarsely chop spinach and add veggies into the large bowl. Cut the kalamata olives into quarter rings and add to bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the reserved vinegar, lemon juice/zest, garlic, and tahini, and set aside.

Add the marinated tofu with marinade into the bowl with the veggies. When the couscous has cooled, add to the veggie mixture, pour in the dressing, and mix thoroughly. Then mix in the pine nuts. Makes 4 servings.

Swiss turkey butternut bake

Mmmm. Comfort food at its finest. The squash lends a subtle sweetness to this dish, and it’s a very warming dish on these cold winter days.

Swiss turkey butternut bake (adapted to be dairy-free from this recipe)

1 small onion, chopped

2 tablespoons margarine

1 medium butternut squash

1 pound ground white turkey

2 cups seasoned stuffing

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1 tablespoon brown sugar

6 slices soy Swiss cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the butternut in half, lengthwise. Clean out the seeds and place face down in a baking pan. Add one cup of hot water and bake for about 45 minutes uncovered. Turn the squash over and bake for an additional 10 minutes until squash is baked completely. Scoop out the squash and set aside.

Saute the onion in the margarine in a large pan. Add the seasoned stuffing and cook for about 3 minutes more. Place in a dish.

Cook the ground turkey, adding the salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Stir and cook completely.

Add in the butternut, broth, brown sugar, and stuffing mix. Stir and heat through.

Move the pan to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Place the soy cheese slices over the top and continue baking an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is melted. Makes 6 servings.

Cauliflower rice with fried onions and Israeli hyssop

And another winner from Kalyn’s Kitchen. The original recipe called for a sprinkling of sumac before serving. I had trouble finding this spice, and didn’t have the time to go to my local ethnic market. Instead, I used some Israeli hyssop that I had on my shelf. This dish was splendid!

Cauliflower rice with fried onions and Israeli hyssop

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced small

1/2 large head cauliflower, chopped in food processor

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Israeli hyssop for seasoning

Chop onion into very small dice. Heat olive oil in a small but heavy frying pan, add onion, turn heat to medium and let onions cook while you prep the cauliflower. Turn onions a few times so they don’t burn.

While onions cook, cut a large head of cauliflower in half. Remove leaves and most of the core from the half you’re using, then cut into slices about 1/2″ thick. Put in food processor fitted with steel blad and gently pulse until cauliflower has a texture somewhat similar to rice.

When onions are nicely browned (about 8 – 10 minutes) add the cauliflower, season generously with salt and pepper, and turn heat to medium high. Let cauliflower cook, turning often, until it’s lightly browned and cooked to your liking.

Put cauliflower on plate, and give a dusting with the hyssop or sumac if you have it. Makes 2 servings.

West African chicken and peanut stew with chiles, ginger, and green onions

There seems to be a bottomless supply of delectable recipes at Kalyn’s Kitchen, and I am enjoying trying so many of them. They are healthy for you too, and this I like especially. I don’t think I’ve ever had any African dishes, but I will surely be exploring this cuisine again. Thanks again, Kalyn – this was a great dinner.

West African chicken and peanut stew with chiles, ginger, and green onions (I went very easy on the spice, compared to the original)

1-2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

1/4 cup finely diced red or regular onion

1 tablespoon finely minced ginger root

1/4 teaspoon finely minced jalapeno

salt to taste

1 teaspoon chile powder

1 cup chicken broth or stock

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

3 cups diced, cooked chicken

freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 – 4 green onions, thinly sliced

Heat oil in heavy pan; add finely diced onion, ginger, and jalapenos; season with salt and saute about 2 minutes. Add the chile powder, stir into other ingredients, and saute about 1 minute more.

Add chicken broth, peanut butter, tomato paste, and apple cider vinegar; stir and bring to a slight boil. As soon as it starts to boil, lower heat to a very gentle simmer. Add chopped chicken, gently stir to combine, and let simmer 10 – 15 minutes. (resist the urge to stir it very much or the chicken will shred apart).

While mixture simmers, wash, dry, and slice green onions. After 10 – 15 minutes, gently stir again if the oil from the peanut butter has separated. Serve hot, with a generous handful of green onion slices on each serving. Makes 4 – 6 servings.

Cauliflower frittata

A very tasty bite for a brunch, lunch, or light dinner.

Cauliflower frittata (slightly modified from this recipe)

3 tablespoons margarine

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into 1″ florets (2 cups)

sea salt

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

10 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons panko

2 teaspoons thyme leaves

grated soy parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a 10″ nonstick oven-proof skillet, melt 1 tablespoon margarine in the olive oil. Add the cauliflower florets, season with sea salt and cook over high heat, without stirring, until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Toss the cauliflower florets in the pan and cook until golden brown all over and just tender, about 3 minutes longer. Add the sliced onion and 1 tablespoon of the margarine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. reduce the heat to moderate, add the garlic and cook until it is softened, about 1 minute longer. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon margarine and swirl the pan to melt it.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs with 3/4 teaspoon sea salt. Pour the eggs over the cauliflower and cook, without stirring, until the bottom of the frittata is just set, about 2 minutes. Lift the edges of the frittata and tilt the pan to allow the uncooked egg mixture to seep underneath. Continue cooking the frittata until the bottom is golden and the top is just slightly runny, about 3 minutes.

Sprinkle the panko crumbs and thyme over the frittata and bake until it is just set, about 3 minutes longer. Sprinkle the frittata with soy parmesan cheese and slide it onto a work surface or platter. Cut the frittata into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 4 servings.

Date-walnut cake with warm honey sauce

The Mayo Clinic has some very healthy and delicious recipes worth checking out. This cake kept getting better each day, although it only lasted 3 days between the two of us (I’m embarassed to say!) Back to the diet this week.

Date-walnut cake with warm honey sauce (slightly modified from this recipe to keep it non-dairy)

3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup boiling water

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup dark honey

1/4 cup canola oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup whole wheat cake flour (I used regular whole wheat flour)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plain soy yogurt

1/4 cup chopped dried dates

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

for the sauce:

1/2 cup nondairy creamer

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup dark honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9″ round cake pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the oats and boiling water. Stir to mix. Let stand until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar, honey and canola oil. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

In a small bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Whisk to blend. Add the flour mixture to the oat mixture, alternating with the soy yogurt, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Gently fold in the dates and walnuts.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the cake springs back when touched lightly in the center, 25 – 30 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool slightly. Transfer the cake to a serving plate.

To make the sauce: in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the creamer and nutmeg and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the honey, raise the heat to medium and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.

Cut the cake into 8 wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. Drizzle with the warm honey sauce.