These are delicious. Once you try them you will want to make your mushrooms this way every time. The amounts are approximations as Jason doesn't like to measure.
12 oz. mixed mushrooms, sliced (we often use shiitake, maitake (hen of the woods), and bunashimeji (beech mushrooms)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
Splash sherry vinegar or white wine (approx. 1 Tbsp)
1 tsp soy sauce
Sambal oelek chili paste to taste
1 tsp honey
- Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat
- Add the mushrooms and saute until they release their liquid and start to brown. Be patient! -js
- Once mushrooms have started to brown, add a splash of sherry vinegar or white wine and let that evaporate
- Add soy sauce, sriracha, and honey. Stir over high heat until a glaze forms.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Pepitas
Labels:
bacon,
brussel sprouts,
side dishes
2 Pounds brussel sprouts
3 strips of bacon
1/2 cup of pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
lemon
olive oil
salt & pepper (optional)
- Preheat oven to 375
- Trim the tough ends off of the brussel sprouts and slice in half
- Toss the brussel sprouts in a little olive oil and roast face down on a baking sheet for 25 - 30 minutes, until they start to brown. Little leaves of the sprouts may get very dark, this is fine, the burnt bits are delicious!
- In the meantime, cut the bacon into lardons (little strips) and saute in a pan
- Remove bacon from pan, cook raw pepitas in the bacon fat remaining in the pan until they begin to swell and pop
- Return the bacon to the pan. Squeeze the juice of half of a lemon into the pan and swirl it around.
- Pour the dressing over the brussel sprouts, season with pepper and taste to see if you need salt (this will depend on how salty your bacon is). Continue to roast for 3-5 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Wishing you good food and the love of family and friends!
3 strips of bacon
1/2 cup of pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
lemon
olive oil
salt & pepper (optional)
- Preheat oven to 375
- Trim the tough ends off of the brussel sprouts and slice in half
- Toss the brussel sprouts in a little olive oil and roast face down on a baking sheet for 25 - 30 minutes, until they start to brown. Little leaves of the sprouts may get very dark, this is fine, the burnt bits are delicious!
- In the meantime, cut the bacon into lardons (little strips) and saute in a pan
- Remove bacon from pan, cook raw pepitas in the bacon fat remaining in the pan until they begin to swell and pop
- Return the bacon to the pan. Squeeze the juice of half of a lemon into the pan and swirl it around.
- Pour the dressing over the brussel sprouts, season with pepper and taste to see if you need salt (this will depend on how salty your bacon is). Continue to roast for 3-5 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Wishing you good food and the love of family and friends!
Monday, November 19, 2012
Almond Milk
Labels:
almond milk,
almonds,
vegan
I've been participating in a "Get Healthy" challenge at work. It's a weekly team challenge in Biggest Loser style without eliminations. I've gone back to logging my foods which is always a great thing for me to do. Over the last 5 weeks I've lost 5 pounds and am feeling and looking better! The two main dietary issues I've been focusing on are eliminating gluten (it just doesn't sit well with me) and upping my protein intake as I know that my body likes protein. In the mornings I've been having a hard boiled egg for breakfast which keeps me full almost through lunch, usually with a couple of gluten free crackers and almonds in between. However, I've been concerned about what the egg a day might do to my cholesterol.
I was getting caught up on a couple of my Yoga Journal issues and came across some yummy smoothie recipes involving almond milk. I recently bought a giant bag of raw almonds on sale as well as a pineapple and couple of pomegranates and figured I might try making my own almond milk and alternating smoothies and hard boiled eggs for breakfast. It was surprisingly easy to do. I haven't had a chance to figure out the cost-benefit ratio of making versus buying, but I had pounds of almonds and time on my hands. In the coming days I'll share a few of the smoothie recipes I try out!
ALMOND MILK
1 cup almonds
filtered water for soaking
3 cups filtered water
1 date
- Soak the almonds in filtered water overnight in a glass bowl or container in the fridge
- Squeeze the skins off of the almonds (this is easier than it sounds, they slip right off)
- Add the almonds, 3 cups of water and date to a blender and process until smooth
- Strain the milk through a cheesecloth or fine sieve
- Store in the fridge for 3-4 days
**I'm trying to come up with uses for the leftover almond pulp. Any suggestions would be welcome!
I was getting caught up on a couple of my Yoga Journal issues and came across some yummy smoothie recipes involving almond milk. I recently bought a giant bag of raw almonds on sale as well as a pineapple and couple of pomegranates and figured I might try making my own almond milk and alternating smoothies and hard boiled eggs for breakfast. It was surprisingly easy to do. I haven't had a chance to figure out the cost-benefit ratio of making versus buying, but I had pounds of almonds and time on my hands. In the coming days I'll share a few of the smoothie recipes I try out!
ALMOND MILK
1 cup almonds
filtered water for soaking
3 cups filtered water
1 date
- Soak the almonds in filtered water overnight in a glass bowl or container in the fridge
- Squeeze the skins off of the almonds (this is easier than it sounds, they slip right off)
- Add the almonds, 3 cups of water and date to a blender and process until smooth
- Strain the milk through a cheesecloth or fine sieve
- Store in the fridge for 3-4 days
**I'm trying to come up with uses for the leftover almond pulp. Any suggestions would be welcome!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Curried Lentil Soup
Labels:
curry,
lentils,
soup,
vegetarian
Made this Epicurious recipe on Sunday. A nice, warm meal to get through a long evening of poll watching.
I hope you all voted today!
CURRIED LENTIL SOUP
Olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium carrot diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 1/2 Tbsp curry
1 cup green lentils
4 cups water
1 15-oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1-2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt & pepper
- In a large pot or dutch oven, heat approx. 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrot and onion, season with salt & pepper and cook until onions become translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until vegetables are softened, about 4-5 more minutes.
- Add the curry and cook for 1 minute
- Add the lentils and water, bring to a boil, decrease heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the chickpeas, lemon, 1/4 cup water and 2 Tbsp olive oil to a small food processor and blend until smooth
- Add the chickpea blend to the soup. Continue to season with salt, pepper and curry as desired!
I hope you all voted today!
CURRIED LENTIL SOUP
Olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium carrot diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 1/2 Tbsp curry
1 cup green lentils
4 cups water
1 15-oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1-2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt & pepper
- In a large pot or dutch oven, heat approx. 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrot and onion, season with salt & pepper and cook until onions become translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until vegetables are softened, about 4-5 more minutes.
- Add the curry and cook for 1 minute
- Add the lentils and water, bring to a boil, decrease heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the chickpeas, lemon, 1/4 cup water and 2 Tbsp olive oil to a small food processor and blend until smooth
- Add the chickpea blend to the soup. Continue to season with salt, pepper and curry as desired!
Monday, November 5, 2012
Boon-Style Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Labels:
brussel sprouts,
side dishes,
vegetables,
vegetarian
Last week I spent an amazing extended weekend in Sonoma County. We stayed outside the town of Guerneville on a property right on the Russian River. The four days were spent tasting great wines and great foods throughout the area.
The best lunch we had was at boon eat + drink in downtown Guerneville. Tiny, right on the main strip, the restaurant was hopping. We had heard about Christa Luedtke's amazing flash fried brussel sprouts and had to have an order for the table. They lived up to all the hype, perfectly cooked with an amazing garlicky, lemon dressing that you wanted to sop the remnants of off the plate when the sprouts were gone.
We snooped around online and came up with a pretty good take on this amazing dish. Roasted instead of flash fried, we tossed the dressing on the cooking brussel sprouts right at the end to take a little of the bite out of the garlic. Not as good as the original, but delicious nonetheless, and probably the best we'll get until we return to Guerneville.
Boon-Style Roasted Brussel Sprouts
1 1/2 pounds brussel sprouts (approximately)
1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1-2 Tbsp
Juice of a lemon
1 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cloves of garlic, minced
- Preheat the oven to 425
- Trim the ends off of the brussel sprouts and slice in half
- On a baking sheet, toss the brussel sprouts with 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Lay the brussel sprouts cut side down on the sheet and put in the oven.
- Cook for about 7 minutes, then start checking to see if the face down side is carmelizing. Continue cooking until the bottoms are nice and brown
- In the meantime, combine the rest of the ingredients. Just before the brussel sprouts are finished, toss them with the dressing and return to the oven for another 2 minutes (the brussel sprouts don't need to be face down at this point).
- Serve and enjoy!
The best lunch we had was at boon eat + drink in downtown Guerneville. Tiny, right on the main strip, the restaurant was hopping. We had heard about Christa Luedtke's amazing flash fried brussel sprouts and had to have an order for the table. They lived up to all the hype, perfectly cooked with an amazing garlicky, lemon dressing that you wanted to sop the remnants of off the plate when the sprouts were gone.
We snooped around online and came up with a pretty good take on this amazing dish. Roasted instead of flash fried, we tossed the dressing on the cooking brussel sprouts right at the end to take a little of the bite out of the garlic. Not as good as the original, but delicious nonetheless, and probably the best we'll get until we return to Guerneville.
Boon-Style Roasted Brussel Sprouts
1 1/2 pounds brussel sprouts (approximately)
1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1-2 Tbsp
Juice of a lemon
1 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cloves of garlic, minced
- Preheat the oven to 425
- Trim the ends off of the brussel sprouts and slice in half
- On a baking sheet, toss the brussel sprouts with 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Lay the brussel sprouts cut side down on the sheet and put in the oven.
- Cook for about 7 minutes, then start checking to see if the face down side is carmelizing. Continue cooking until the bottoms are nice and brown
- In the meantime, combine the rest of the ingredients. Just before the brussel sprouts are finished, toss them with the dressing and return to the oven for another 2 minutes (the brussel sprouts don't need to be face down at this point).
- Serve and enjoy!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Easy Tomato Vegetable Soup
Labels:
autumn,
soup,
vegan,
vegetables,
vegetarian
4 cups homemade chicken or vegetable stock (if store-bought, use low-sodium)
12 oz. fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1 bag mixed frozen vegetables (I used a squash, zucchini, carrot, onion, red bell pepper mixture)
1/2 cup (approx.) frozen edamame
salt & pepper
1 tsp sambal
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
Freshly grated horseradish
2 large handfuls fresh spinach
squeeze fresh lemon juice
fresh parsley
- In a large pot add the stock and the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Continuously taste and season with salt and/or pepper
- Add the sambal, red wine vinegar, and some freshly grated horseradish (amounts are up to you, I add a little at a time and keep tasting)
- Add the mixed frozen vegetables and simmer for about 8 minutes
- Add the edamame and continue to simmer
- Keep tasting and adjusting seasonings. Near the end add the spinach and simmer until it wilts. Add a splash of lemon juice and some freshly chopped parsley before serving.
12 oz. fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1 bag mixed frozen vegetables (I used a squash, zucchini, carrot, onion, red bell pepper mixture)
1/2 cup (approx.) frozen edamame
salt & pepper
1 tsp sambal
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
Freshly grated horseradish
2 large handfuls fresh spinach
squeeze fresh lemon juice
fresh parsley
- In a large pot add the stock and the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Continuously taste and season with salt and/or pepper
- Add the sambal, red wine vinegar, and some freshly grated horseradish (amounts are up to you, I add a little at a time and keep tasting)
- Add the mixed frozen vegetables and simmer for about 8 minutes
- Add the edamame and continue to simmer
- Keep tasting and adjusting seasonings. Near the end add the spinach and simmer until it wilts. Add a splash of lemon juice and some freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Sweet and Spicy Roasted Squash with Pomegranate Vinaigrette Served over Lentils
Labels:
autumn,
lentils,
squash,
vegetables,
vegetarian
FOR THE SQUASH
1 Butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked hot paprika
sprinkle of cinnamon
salt & pepper
- Preheat oven to 375
- Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Toss squash with a dash of olive oil and the rest of the ingredients.
- Roast for 20 minutes, turn, and roast for another 20 minutes
FOR THE POMEGRANATE VINAIGRETTE
1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp minced shallot
1 1/2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp chopped tarragon
salt & pepper to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil
-Add all of the ingredients to a jar except the olive oil and stir. Add the olive oil and mix. Adjust seasonings as necessary.
FOR THE LENTILS
1 cup lentils
water to cover
-Put lentils in a sauce pan with enough water to cover.
- Cook for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until lentils are cooked through. Drain.
-Gently toss the lentils with the vinaigrette and top with the squash. Serve as a side or vegetarian main dish.
*optional - top with goat cheese
1 Butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked hot paprika
sprinkle of cinnamon
salt & pepper
- Preheat oven to 375
- Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Toss squash with a dash of olive oil and the rest of the ingredients.
- Roast for 20 minutes, turn, and roast for another 20 minutes
FOR THE POMEGRANATE VINAIGRETTE
1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp minced shallot
1 1/2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp chopped tarragon
salt & pepper to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil
-Add all of the ingredients to a jar except the olive oil and stir. Add the olive oil and mix. Adjust seasonings as necessary.
FOR THE LENTILS
1 cup lentils
water to cover
-Put lentils in a sauce pan with enough water to cover.
- Cook for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until lentils are cooked through. Drain.
-Gently toss the lentils with the vinaigrette and top with the squash. Serve as a side or vegetarian main dish.
*optional - top with goat cheese
Monday, October 8, 2012
Spent Grain Apple Muffins
Labels:
apple,
baking,
muffins,
spent grains
For the fourth year in a row we spent an early fall weekend traveling with friends on a quest to find new breweries, eat great food, have as many laughs as possible, and all around enjoy the beauty of the Midwest in the fall.
This year, instead of just consuming, we actually brewed our own beer! Saugatuck Brewing Company helps you find and tweak a recipe based on your tastes and walks you through the steps for brewing on some small scale equipment. We had an absolute blast and I can't wait to go back in a few weeks to bottle the final product.
Near the end of the brewing session I recalled that brewers often bake with the spent grain leftover from the brewing process. Joe and Dexter graciously let us take as much grain as we wanted and I've spent a relaxing Columbus day playing around with some recipes. In addition to coming home with grains and beer we picked up some delicious Honeycrisp apples from the Sawyer Garden Center after a final stop for a pint at Greenbush Brewery on the way back to Chicago.
Here is my Spent Grain and Apple Muffin recipe.
1 cup spent grain
1 cup whole wheat flour
11/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 apple, diced
- Preheat the oven to 400
- In a food processor pulse the spent grains until they are slightly broken down
- In a bowl combine the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Once combined, stir in the spent grains.
- In a large bowl whisk the sugar, oil, egg, and applesauce.
- Add the flour mix to the sugar mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, stirring lightly until incorporated.
- Fold in the apple chunks.
- Spray muffin tin with cooking spray, stick in the oven briefly to heat, and pour the mixture into the muffin tins.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool in tin on a rack for 15 minutes. Loosen muffins from tin and let cool completely on baking rack.
-
This year, instead of just consuming, we actually brewed our own beer! Saugatuck Brewing Company helps you find and tweak a recipe based on your tastes and walks you through the steps for brewing on some small scale equipment. We had an absolute blast and I can't wait to go back in a few weeks to bottle the final product.
Near the end of the brewing session I recalled that brewers often bake with the spent grain leftover from the brewing process. Joe and Dexter graciously let us take as much grain as we wanted and I've spent a relaxing Columbus day playing around with some recipes. In addition to coming home with grains and beer we picked up some delicious Honeycrisp apples from the Sawyer Garden Center after a final stop for a pint at Greenbush Brewery on the way back to Chicago.
Here is my Spent Grain and Apple Muffin recipe.
1 cup spent grain
1 cup whole wheat flour
11/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 apple, diced
- Preheat the oven to 400
- In a food processor pulse the spent grains until they are slightly broken down
- In a bowl combine the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Once combined, stir in the spent grains.
- In a large bowl whisk the sugar, oil, egg, and applesauce.
- Add the flour mix to the sugar mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, stirring lightly until incorporated.
- Fold in the apple chunks.
- Spray muffin tin with cooking spray, stick in the oven briefly to heat, and pour the mixture into the muffin tins.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool in tin on a rack for 15 minutes. Loosen muffins from tin and let cool completely on baking rack.
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