Chicken mango slaw

From David Leibovitz.

Chicken mango slaw

1/3 – 1/2 cup vinaigrette dressing (see below)

1/2 large ripe mango, peeled and sliced into bite-sized chunks

2 pan-roasted or grilled chicken breasts, cooled then sliced

1/3 cup toasted cashews, very coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons freshly chopped fresh mint, cilantro, or chives

2 large carrots, peeled and julienned or grated coarsely

12 radishes, thinly sliced

4 cups thinly sliced or shredded cabbage

1/8 teaspoon red chile pepper powder

Put the vinaigrette in a large bowl. Mix all the ingredients together. Divide into two bowls and serve immediately.

French vinaigrette

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar

1/2 small shallot, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 – 4 tablespoons olive oil

In a small bowl, mix together the salt, vinegar, and shallot. Let stand for about 10 minutes.

Mix in the Dijon mustard, then add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Stir well, then taste. If too sharp, add the additional olive oil and more salt, if necessary.

Read Full Post »

Curried penne with cauliflower and peas

A very flavorful and unlikely mix of ingredients that combined to become something so substantially good. Another great recipe from the Family Health Cookbook.

Curried penne with cauliflower and peas (modified by me)

1/2 cup dried currants

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup fresh whole-wheat bread crumbs

3 tablespoons pine nuts

1/4 cup grated soy parmesan

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 cups cauliflower florets

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 16-ounce can tomato sauce

1 cup vegetable broth

1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1 cup frozen green peas

3/4 pound penne pasta

1 10-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

In a small bowl, soak the currants in the wine, about 30 minutes. In a small dry skillet, toast the bread crumbs and pine nuts over medium heat until golden and fragrant, 2-4 minutes, then spoon immediately into a small bowl. Let cool, then toss with the soy parmesan and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil and cook the cauliflower, stirring over medium-high heat, until lightly colored, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and the curry, and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the currants and soaking liquid, tomato sauce, veggie broth, and pepper flakes. Simmer, uncovered, until the cauliflower is tender and the sauce is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Add the peas and simmer for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain well.

Toss the pasta with the sauce, chickpeas, and the breadcrumb mixture. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Read Full Post »

Mocha chocolate cake

This cake follows a similar treatment as chocolate pudding cake – you spread batter into your pan and then pour hot water over the top and bake. Only the liquid this time is not water, but coffee. But viva la difference – the gooey pudding that evolves on the bottom of this cake is a little piece of heaven on earth. A little soy whipped cream on top didn’t hurt, either.

Mocha chocolate cake (from Tasty Kitchen) – adapted to be nondairy

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 square unsweetened chocolate

2 tablespoons margarine

1/2 cup almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar (additional)

4 tablespoons powdered cocoa (not drink mix)

1 cup cold strong coffee

Sift together 3/4 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Melt square of unsweetened chocolate and margarine in microwave. Add to dry ingredients alternately with the almond milk and vanilla. Blend. Pour into a greased 8×8 pan.

Combine brown sugar, the 1/2 cup additional granulated sugar and cocoa powder. Sprinkle over the cake batter. Pour the one cup cold coffee on top. It will look terrible. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes.

Serve warm with soy whipped cream or soy ice cream. Serves 8.

Read Full Post »

Vibrant tasty green beans

Simple ingredients, easy to make, big on flavor! A great dish to use some of the summer’s bounties.

Vibrant tasty green beans (from 101 Cookbooks)

4 leeks, washed, root end and tops trimmed, sliced lengthwise into quarters and then chopped into 1/2″ segments

1/3 cup fresh dill, well chopped

3/4 lb. green beans, tops and tails trimmed and cut into 1″ segments

extra virgin olive oil

fine grain sea salt

In a large thick-bottomed skillet on medium-high heat, add a generous splash of olive oil, a generous pinch of salt, and the leeks. Stir until the leeks are coated and glossy. Cook, stirring regularly until a lot of the leeks are golden and crispy. Takes about 7 – 10 minutes to brown the leeks. At this point, stir in the dill, and then stir in the green beans. Cook for a couple more minutes – just until the beans brighten up and lose their raw bite. Turn out into a bowl and serve immediately. Serves 4, in our house.

Read Full Post »

Roasted eggplant pesto

Love at first sight, and first bite. I schmeared this on grilled chicken sausages, mixed it within a pasta salad, spread it on a pita cracker, and ate it alone by the spoonful.

Roasted eggplant pesto (from FatFree Vegan Kitchen)

1 large eggplant

1/4 cup whole almonds

2 (or 3) sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)

2 cloves garlic

2 cups basil leaves, lightly packed

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Trim off and discard stem end of eggplant, and cut in half lengthwise. Place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Pierce the backs of the eggplant with a fork in a few places. Bake until completely soft and somewhat collapsed, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. You can do this ahead of time and store in the fridge til ready to use.

At least 2 hours before using, place almonds in a bowl and cover completely with water. Allow to soak at room temperature. Drain water before using.

Just before serving: put the almonds, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic into a food processor and pulse to chop. Peel the eggplant and add it, the basil, and the nutritional yeast to the processor and process to a coarse puree. Add salt to taste and pulse to blend. Serve. Store in a covered container, if there’s any left.

Read Full Post »

Summer bowties

When it’s too hot to cook, this dish is the perfect answer. Fresh summery ingredients, clean tasting.

Summer bowties (from the Family Health Cookbook)(adapted by me to be nondairy)

1 pound grape or cherry tomatoes

6 ounces soy mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes

1/3 cup slivered fresh basil

1/2 cup vegetable broth

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/8 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1 pound bow-tie pasta

Stem the tomatoes and cut them in half over a large mixing bowl to catch the juices. Place the tomatoes in the bowl. Add the cheese, basil, broth, vinegar, oil, garlic, and pepper flakes. Stir to mix, then let stand at least 15 minutes (up to an hour) at room temperature.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain well and return to the cooking pot. Add the sauce and toss. Cover the pot and let stand for 2 minutes. Toss again and serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Read Full Post »

Kitchen closed

But only temporarily. Will re-open shortly!

Read Full Post »

Avocado sandwich

Pure and unadulterated comfort food. Nothing fancy here, just a family recipe from my friend Shannon, whose grandmother used to make this for her. I added some red bell pepper and arugula (had some in the fridge), but any enhancements, or none, would probably work just fine.

Avocado sandwich

2 hard-boiled eggs

1 avocado, peeled and pitted

a dab of mayonnaise

salt and pepper

Mash the eggs and avocado together to get a blended consistency. Add a dab of mayonnaise, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve on your favorite bread. Makes 3 sandwiches. Would also make a nice omelet filling, baked potato topping, tasty little side dish, explore…

Read Full Post »

Petit pois a la francaise

Such a surprisingly tasty side. Simple preparation. From my friend Amy.

Petit pois a la francaise

2 shallots, sliced

1 tablespoon margarine (or butter)

1 head lettuce (can use romaine; or buttercrunch – experiment), roughly chopped

6 cups spinach, washed and roughly chopped

1/4 cup chicken broth (or veggie)

2 cups fresh shelled peas; or frozen peas, slightly defrosted

salt and pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon (or more) chopped fresh mint

In a large skillet, melt the margarine and saute the shallots until soft.

Add the lettuce and spinach. Saute until almost wilted.

Add the broth and peas, then slam on the cover. Cook until the peas are just tender – 2 minutes for fresh, 1 minute for frozen.

Add salt and pepper to taste, and the chopped mint. Stir well and serve. Makes 6 servings.

Read Full Post »

Chicken and strawberries over mixed greens

Too hot to cook, uh-huh. This easy to make recipe will come together very quickly by buying already cooked chicken (any kind – roasted, grilled, your choice; and either white or dark meat works). A very refreshing yet filling meal, and good for ya, too.

Chicken and strawberries over mixed greens (from Cooking Light)

2 cups chopped roasted skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)

2 cups quartered strawberries

1/3 cup finely chopped celery

2 tablespoons golden raisins

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

4 cups gourmet salad greens

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine sesame seeds and next 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour over the chicken mixture, toss well to coat. Cover and chill 1 hour. Serve over salad greens. Makes 4 servings.

Read Full Post »