Moroccan Spiced Butternut & Red Lentil Soup

I would like to quote a good friend who, after eating this soup on my birthday, said, "I must, have to, can't do without the Moroccan stew recipe. I ate it and it took me back some place that I can't remember where... but it was so good I need another fix already."

Thanks for the compliment AG! I have to admit, I thought it was pretty good too.

Ingredients:

One large butternut squash

Moroccan spice blend

1 1/2 cups red lentils

3 leeks

3 cubes of Rapunzel vegan vegetable bouillon with sea salt & herbs

a 3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled & grated (chopped fresh lemongrass is also nice if you can find it)

5-6 cloves of garlic, minced

1-2 cups of diced tomato

1 bunch of fresh cilantro

Juice from 1-2 lemons

Moroccan Spices:

This is basically the same as the Ras-El-Hanout blend on Epicurious.com, with a few minor changes. Whisk together spices that are already ground, or use whole and grind in a clean coffee grinder or spice grinder. Keep in mind that you may need less of the spice blend if the spices are freshly ground.

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon fenugreek

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cloves

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel, seed & cut the butternut squash into cubes and place on a baking sheet. Toss with some oil and sprinkle some of the Moroccan spices over the cubes and roast in the oven until the tips begin to turn dark brown.

Meanwhile, trim the green parts from the leeks and chop the tender white parts. Place in a large soup pot with some oil. Cook on medium-high heat until tender. Add the garlic, ginger, stock cubes, lentils, and 2 tablespoons of the spice blend. Stir until combined, then add 8-10 cups of water. Stir occasionally. Allow to boil a few minutes, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are very tender. When the lentils are cooked completely, add the cooked butternut squash. Remove from heat and let cool enough to puree safely, either with an immersion blender or standard blender. Puree the soup until smooth.

Return the soup to the heat & warm through. Stir in the diced tomato, chopped cilantro and lemon juice. Add water if too thick. Season with more salt or spices to taste.

Grilled Corn On The Cob

Dinner tonight was sauteed collard greens, grilled corn on the cob, and fried plantain. The plantain was a little dry and floury so I made a quick vinaigrette from canola oil, honey, salt and a Sparrow Lane walnut champagne vinegar and let the plantain soak in it for a few minutes. My two year old thought it was potato. He ate it, so I didn't bother correcting him. It's a little unusual for me to make dinner without an obvious protein like beans or meat, but I had nearly 30 ears of sweet corn and 8 bunches of greens from the farm this week. No one seemed to miss the beans and meat. As a matter of fact, it was my two year old who sat...no, was standing in his chair eating his first ear of corn as fast as possible. He helped himself to a second, and then a third.

It's not complicated. All I do is light the gas grill & let it get nice and hot. I put the corn on the grill with the silks and husks completely intact. Do not shuck the corn before cooking, and do not wrap in foil or anything else. There is moisture in the husks and silks that help the corn to cook in the dry heat of a grill, while also imparting amazing flavor from the smoky husks.

Replace the cover of the grill and let them cook for about 10-15 minutes. When one side is black, turn the corn & let it get black on the other side. When you remove the corn from the grill you can shuck it right away if you have tough hands, but it will be quite hot so take care. Let it rest if you would rather not risk burning your hands. The husks & silks should peel away easily. Serve salted & buttered, or without anything.

No Cheese Pizza

Why would I make pizza without cheese, you ask? Well, because it is so amazingly tasty. And also, no matter how you slice it, cheese is just not on a low saturated fat diet. That does not mean we don't eat it sometimes, but how about a pizza that is so delicious without cheese that you don't even miss it? And there are loads of people who can't or don't eat cheese for various reasons, so I figured it was worth writing about.

Let's start with the crust...

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

3 tsp granulated yeast

1 Tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

2 Tbs olive oil

1 cup room temperature water

Put all ingredients in a bread machine and put on dough setting. Or, mix all ingredients and knead gently. Let rise two or three times (kneading between rises).

Set oven to 400 degrees F and place pizza stone in the oven. Once the dough has had a chance to proof two or three times, roll out on a board to the size of your pizza stone (or toss in the air if you want to make the kids laugh). Place the dough on the hot stone and brush with some olive oil. Return the dough to the oven for about 15 minutes or until the dough has risen and is dry to the touch. Bake longer if you want a crispier crust.

The Toppings...

To save time, most of these can be made ahead and refrigerated

.

Fresh marinara (see below)

2 onions, sliced & sauteed in oil until caramelized with a splash of white balsamic vinegar

8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sauteed in oil & red wine.

Olives (optional)

Fresh spinach, chopped

Avocado, sliced

Marinated heirloom tomato slices (see below)

To make the marinara, saute 2-3 garlic cloves in oil and before they brown, add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs De Provence, 2 bay leaves, salt, olive oil & red wine. The quantities don't really matter that much, just don't make it too watery. Taste it to make sure it has the right balance. You can add a little honey, basil or balsamic vinegar if you like it sweeter. Simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. This can be made ahead of time & refrigerated. Extras can be frozen in small containers for the next time you make pizza, or used as the base for a pasta sauce.

To marinate the tomatoes, use thick slices of white, orange, yellow or pink heirloom tomatoes. Place in a bowl with salt, olive oil, white balsamic vinegar and herbs De Provence. Let soak overnight. Place the tomatoes in a colander before assembling on the pizza. You can save the juice for a salad dressing or sauce.

Assemble the pizza with the toppings in the order they are listed. Bake at 400 degrees until the spinach is wilted and the crust begins to brown on the edges. You are going to love this.

Baba Ghanoush

Most recipes for this middle eastern dish suggest removing the skins of the eggplant. I happen to think vegetable skins are the best part, so why-o-why would you put them in the compost when you can enjoy the flavor and nutrients?

3 medium eggplant

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

4-6 tablespoons of sesame tahini

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Juice from one lemon

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Sea salt, cumin, cayenne pepper or paprika to taste.

Cut eggplant into large chunks and place on a baking try. Generously toss with olive oil and sea salt. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the eggplant is soft and beginning to brown, but not dry. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes. Use kitchen shears or a knife to cut the skins smaller if desired. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine with a pestle to mash them together. This method allows the flavors to remain bold and the dish will have a heartier texture. Serve warm with pita, toast, naan, or as a sandwich spread.

Chocolate Orange Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup good quality non-dutched cocoa powder

1 tsp cardamom

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups sucanat

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup fat free buttermilk

1/2 cup canola oil

3 cups grated zucchini

Zest from 2 or 3 oranges

1-2 cups chocolate chips

1-2 cups chopped walnuts

Method:

Grease two loaf pans. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients. Mix together with a wooden spoon until well-blended. It should be a thick batter, so if it is too dry, add more zucchini. If it is too wet, add more flour. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts, then fill two 4x9 inch loaf pans (about 3/4th's full). Bake about one hour, or until done in the center. The top will crack and a skewer inserted into the center will come out with a few crumbs, and possibly some melted chocolate from the chips. It may take an hour and a half to cook through.

What I have to say about Saturday morning waffles...

A good friend asked for my waffle recipe about two months ago. Sure, I said. I'll pass that along. It's easy. It really is easy. Except for the fact that every time I make waffles they are slightly different from the last. "So what do I write down?" I kept thinking. Which recipe should I post?? I don't know...maybe I'll just tell it all. This might be really dull reading, but I'll make my best effort to pass on the 'how-to' for the number one comfort food in our house. Here's the best part...they are actually kind of good for you. It's packed with whole grains, nuts, fruits and the fats are heart-healthy and rich in omega-3's. Also, it's great to get the kids involved in measuring & dumping the ingredients together. This is a great recipe for an 'all hands in the kitchen' meal.

Waffles are so forgiving, I'm not sure if I can even call this a recipe. But here is the basics for a large batch of 15-20 waffles. (We make a lot so we have leftovers for quick breakfasts or snacks later in the week.)

4 cups of flour (I mix whole wheat, unbleached white, oat and buckwheat flours in equal proportions, but you can really use anything you like or have on hand...just not self-rising) For added texture or nutrition you can add a few tablespoons of flax meal, wheat germ, corn meal, or cream of wheat.

2 tablespoons of baking powder

1-2 cups ground walnuts, almonds or pecans

1/2 cup canola oil

3 eggs

fat free buttermilk

2-3 bananas, mashed or cut into chunks

You can also use grated zucchini or pureed cooked carrots instead of bananas. If you like chunks of fruit, add any other kind of fruit that you like in addition to the mashed banana or vegetable puree. Frozen raspberries or blueberries work well.

Other variations: 1)Add cocoa powder & chocolate chips. 2)Use pureed pumpkin & warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, etc. 3)Add fresh orange or lemon zest to any combination.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in another large jug or bowl, using anywhere from 3 cups to an entire 1/2 gallon of buttermilk. That may sound like a lot, but it depends on which texture you prefer. The dryer the batter the more bread-like the waffles will be. When the batter is more wet and runny the waffles come out crispier when hot, but will be floppy like crepes after they rest and cool. I say play around with it and find your own preference. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and combine well, but don't stir too long. Add the fruit & combine well. Ladle into a hot waffle maker & serve fresh and hot with real maple syrup or re-heat in a toaster oven later.

I use a round Cuisinart waffle maker with small shallow holes. If you have a Belgian style waffle maker with deep large holes, it is possible that this recipe won't work. That's hard for me to believe, but it has not been tested on any other kind of waffle maker.

Leftovers: This is my favorite part of the weekly waffle routine. I love to make waffle sandwiches with a spread of almond butter and Nutella, then add sliced banana and fresh berries. Fold it over and eat it like a taco or use a fork, whichever you prefer. It's delicious and filling.

Turnips Carrots & Beets, Oh My!

This dish came together as some friends and I were in a brainstorm over what to do with baby turnips. Having a handful of carrots and beets in the same weeks CSA got us thinking about what they would be like as part of one dish. So here it is. The masterpiece of roasted roots that was served as part of my husband's birthday dinner. It was paired with red quinoa, sauteed chard and curly kale with garlic, and broiled rack of lamb. Absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:

8-10 baby turnips

4 small red beets

5 medium sized carrots

4 shallots, peeled & sliced

4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled & diced

Canola oil

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, stems removed and finely chopped

3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme, finely chopped

Coarse sea salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash and trim the vegetables, but do not peel. (When using organically grown vegetables, there is no concern for pesticides, and the nutrition in root vegetables is concentrated in the skins. In addition, the skins have a nice crunchy texture when roasted in the oven.)

Dice the vegetables in 1/4-1/2 inch cubes. Toss with the herbs, shallots, garlic and enough oil to coat the vegetables well. Place in a 9x12 glass ovenproof dish and salt & pepper to taste. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to one hour or until the vegetables are beginning to crisp on the edges.

Greened Out

For the first time in nearly 13 years I heard my husband say, "I think I have had enough greens this week." He's the sort of guy who loves to eat fresh vegetables, especially the green ones. And when he eats foods high in saturated fats (which is rare for him), he claims he can feel the fat in his veins. If only I had this sixth sense. So I am amused to hear him proclaiming satiation when it comes to the leafy greens. Today is our CSA pick-up day. I wonder if we will have another box full of kale, collards, kohlrabi and chard. The Chattanooga Market has a theme each week, and today happens to be the "Chattanooga Green Festival," so it would be ironic if we suddenly had a shortage of those nutrient rich, blood-cleansing large green leaves in our box. All right, then. Let's muster some courage and creativity, and explore some more ways to cook and enjoy those lovely brassicas. Here are some ideas that I might try this week:

Just yesterday a friend was bragging about his dinner: Pizza with caramelized onions & chard. His wife was hailed as a food genius. Agreed. She has many gifts in this world, including her ability to feed her family well, but I want the recipe. Turns out it's on the NY Times food blog: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/health/nutrition/29recipehealth.html?_r=1&ref=chard

Also on NY Times, a yummy Tunisian stew using fennel & Chard: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/09/health/nutrition/09recipehealth.html?ref=chard

Move over popcorn, here come Kale Chips for a snack! http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/03/baked-kale-chips/

And if I get lazy, I can always sautee the greens with garlic, oil, and whatever vinegar, spices, or sauces take my fancy.

Chicken With Fennel, Herbs & Bok Choi In Tomato Broth

1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken

Canola oil

3 cloves fresh garlic, crushed or minced

1 sprig each of fresh rosemary, thyme & oregano, leaves finely chopped

5-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1 young bulb of fennel, thinly sliced

1-2 heads of baby bok choi, coarsely chopped

1 can whole tomatoes (15 oz)

About 2 cups of chicken broth

Salt & pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese for garnish

Place chicken, a few tablespoons of canola oil, garlic, herbs, green onion, and fennel in a bowl. Stir well and tenderize the chicken with a fork, allowing the flavors to penetrate the chicken. Meanwhile, heat a large, thick-bottomed skillet on medium-high heat. When it is good and hot, place the chicken, plus herbs & fennel in the pan and sear the chicken on both sides. Let cook until the ingredients brown and begin to stick on the bottom. Add the bok choi and cook a minute longer. Add the tomatoes one at a time, crushing with your hands to break them up and release the juice. Stir well and cook another couple of minutes. Add the chicken broth and season to taste with the salt & pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes. Serve over rice or pasta in a bowl and garnish with sliced green onion, fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

Oven Roasted Kohlrabi

This is one of my favorite vegetables. It can be eaten many ways, but I love it most when it's roasted in the oven until crispy and tender. It's nice as a side vegetable, but roasted Kohlrabi can also be added to salads, soups or pasta dishes.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

First, remove the leaves and stems. See "Leafy Greens 101" for cooking the leaves. Next, peel the bulb and cut into wedges or large cubes. The young tender ones don't have to be peeled, but the larger bulbs can have a woody or fibrous peel, so I tend to remove them before roasting. Place the wedges in a glass oven-proof baking dish. Drizzle olive or canola oil over the kohlrabi and toss to coat well. Season with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the oven for about an hour, or until the tips begin to turn dark brown. Serve hot.

How to Cook Your CSA: Leafy Greens 101

This is the first installment of recipes featuring vegetables from our weekly farm share from Signal Mountain Farm (http://signalmountainfarm.com/). Having a CSA share is a fantastic value for people who like to cook and eat fresh vegetables. Nonetheless, many are sometimes hesitant to commit to a relationship with a farm that might involve weeks of cooking large quantities of broad leafy greens, or receiving vegetables that may be unfamiliar. A common question is, "What do I do with Kohlrabi, fennel and eggplant?" So for the next several months, I will be posting the favorites enjoyed by my family and friends.

This week and last we have received an abundance of gorgeous greens such as kale, collards, chard, bok choi. The kohlrabi has also arrived with leaves attached, so we have had plenty of some of the worlds most nutrient rich foods. For greens, we usually wash, remove the thick stems, and then roll the leaves into a "log" and slice thinly across the log. We like them sort of crunchy so my preference is to sautee the greens in a little oil, then flavor with salt and balsamic vinegar once they turn bright green and are wilted and tender. For a more complex flavor, you can try the following recipe with any of the leafy greens:

Beer Braised Greens With Ginger

1-2 Bunches of broad leafy greens like kale or collards, stems removed and sliced thinly

Canola oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced

1 Tbs fresh ginger root, peeled & minced

Worcestershire sauce

Marmite or soy sauce

1 dark amber beer or ale like Highland Gaelic Ale

Salt & pepper to taste

Heat a little oil in a large skillet and add greens and garlic. Sautee until they wilt and turn bright green. Add a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce, a teaspoon of Marmite (or a dash or two of soy sauce). Stir in well and cook until the greens begin to brown a little. Add the ginger root and one half of the ale. Stir, and simmer a few minutes more, or until they reach your desired tenderness. ( The other half of the beer is for drinking while you wait for the greens to cook.) Salt and pepper to taste & serve.

Pumkin Bread for my little Pumpkin

Today was the last day of Kindergarten. Where did this year go? I knew it would fly by. Everyone said it would, and they were right. My oldest has just finished her first year of school, and before I know it I'll be watching the baby packing boxes for his own adventures. Hmmmm....let us contemplate that thought for a moment. I realize that there is no stopping these sweet moments with my little ones, as smiles turn to memories and cascade through each passing minute of life.

Speaking of sweet moments...she's standing here wondering why I'm at the computer instead of playing with her. So before I let this moment pass, I'll end in brevity. But first, I'll leave you with myPumpkin Bread recipe. It's the special treat she requested for the kindergarten family picnic that celebrated the end of the school year:

Buttermilk Pumpkin Bread With Walnuts

Recipe for 2 loaves...one to keep and one to give away :-)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup oat flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups sucanat or sugar

1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon coriander

1/2 whole nutmeg, grated

2 cups pumkin puree (from whole pumpkin that was roasted in oven, pureed and frozen)

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup canola oil

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Method:

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a large pyrex jug, mix the remaining ingredients except walnuts. Gently mix the wet ingredients with the dry until they just become moist. Do not over-mix. Fold in one cup of the walnuts, leaving some for garnishing the tops. Pour batter into two greased loaf pans. Sprinkle remaining walnuts on the tops. Baking times can vary. It should take approximately 50 minutes, but a skewer placed in the center should come out clean before removing from the oven.