Red defends its rep

You may have noticed that this week I have posted two recipes containing red meat. Shock horror! Sadly, I feel the need to defend this, lest I am accused of trying to spread cancer, given the recent statements on red meat from the World Health Organization (in case you've been sleeping under a rock over the past two weeks, see here). Although processed meats were given a category 1 rating (i.e. defined as carcinogenic to humans, and in the same category as tobacco products, no less), red meat was given a category 2A rating, which is defined as 'probably carcinogenic to humans'.

Whilst I am all for respected bodies issuing important and valuable health information, I think this designation is far from helpful to anyone attempting to eat a healthy and balanced diet. Firstly, what does 'probably' mean? Secondly, who is at risk: those eating ANY red meat EVER? those eating red meat all day every day? those eating red meat once a week? There is not enough information to allow anyone to make a reasonable decision as to their future eating habits. Additional statements from the WHO also fail to clarify. For example, how about this choice paragraph:

Eating red meat has not yet been established as a cause of cancer. However, if the reported associations were proven to be causal, the Global Burden of Disease Project has estimated that diets high in red meat could be responsible for 50 000 cancer deaths per year worldwide.

Marvelous. Thanks for that. 

And then, just a confuse us all more, there was a flurry of articles extolling the virtues of eating red meat and describing it as "good for your health" (e.g. this one)

So what is a foodie to do, the next time a craving for a filet mignon comes along? Indulge and feel virtuous, walk way and feel virtuous, or run screaming for the hills and stay hungry?

I'd like to propose a radical option: moderation. Yup, as far as media attention goes, I don't expect this to attract much. It isn't exactly sexy, is it? And the newspapers and 140 character Twitter addicts tend to prefer their facts in black or white, rather than the gray implied by moderation. Perhaps we ought to at least consider embracing a more boring stance however., if only based on experience. Every time we designate a food as 'evil' and curse it for 'killing us all', we end up weakening those pronouncements significantly, and having to significantly modify our views - look what happened to fat, which was once the worst thing you could possibly put in your mouth, period, only to be re-analyzed and categorized into 'good fats' and 'bad fats', the first of which we should apparently actively seek out. The same is true more recently of carbohydrates. Today's evils appear to be sugar and red and processed meats. I wonder what we will be saying about those in the next 10-20 years. 

In the face of such uncertainty, I feel that the only sensible course to chart is to permit oneself good food, but in full knowledge of the dangers of over-indulgence, in anything. That goes for French fries, as much as it goes for steak. I'm not going to give up red meat (or bacon for that matter), bread, sugar or butter. However, I'm not going to base my entire diet on any or all of them either. After all, there IS significant evidence of the value of eating more fruits and vegetables, and I need to leave room on my plate for those!

OK, soapbox moment over... if for no other reason that I need to get up to throw away the Halloween candy wrappers I have accumulated. Yes, I blog about red meat WHILST consuming sugar. I have no shame.

Now down to business - the red meat in question is beef, and this is the best crockpot pot-roast recipe I have come across for a long while, rendering a cheaper cut of beef succulent and tender AND highlighting some of the beautiful fall veggies that are now gracing the grocery shelves. 

Chipotle-Coffee Pot Roast
Serves 6
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Slow cooker special edition

2 1/2lb beef roast (I used a round roast, but chuck roast would be good too)
1 TBSP instant espresso powder
2 tsp ground chipotle chile pepper
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp canola/sunflower oil
3 large parsnips, peeled and sliced into 1/2" rounds
2 large red onions, sliced
3 TBSP tomato paste/puree
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz shredded Brussels Sprouts
1 3/4 cup low sodium beef broth/stock
1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch

1. Trim fat from meat.
2. Mix together the coffee powder, chile pepper and salt. Then sprinkle evenly over meat and rub into the meat with your fingers.
3. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, brown the meat on all sides.
4. Place the parsnips, red onion, tomato paste, vinegar and garlic in the slow cooker stoneware and mix together. Place the meat on top, and then sprinkle the Brussels Sprouts around it. Pour over the broth/stock.
5. Cook on low for 8-9 hours (or high for 4-5 hours).
6. Transfer meat to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
7. Spoon out some of the liquid from the slow cooker and mix with cornstarch. Pour mixture back into the slow cooker and stir together. Heat on high for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
8. To serve, slice the meat, and place on top of the vegetables on a serving platter. Pour remaining sauce over the top, or serve in a jug/pitcher.

Ole!

As you may have realized by now, my culinary adventures involve more than a little travel, and although the results might not be authentic, I can verify through extensive testing (the fussy palates I live with, are definitely the equivalent of a sizable, and picky, focus group!) that they taste delicious.

This time, we head for sunny Mediterranean climes, which, as the first rains of the promised El Nino season fall outside, is no bad thing. As with many of my favorite dishes, this one has a touch of spice, a hint of heat, a smidgeon of warmth on the palate, but not so much as to scare those less adventurous in the spice department.

It's quick to prepare and relatively labor-free as it bubbles away on the stove. This is fortunate, as it leaves me plenty of time to go in search of the fuzzy slippers I clearly 'tidied away' at the end of last winter, and persuade the dogs that, whether or not there is cold water falling from the sky, they still need to go outside to pee, and no, that doe-eyed look is not going to persuade me otherwise :-)

Spanish Rice Bake
Adapted from Allrecipes.com
Serves 6

1lb lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
2-3 cups beef broth
3/4 cup uncooked white long grain rice
1/2 cup sweet chile sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
2. In a large skillet (with a lid), brown the beef over medium-high heat, breaking it up as you go. Add onion, green pepper, tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups of broth, rice, chile sauce, salt, brown sugar, cumin, Worcestershire sauce and black pepper to the skillet and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, turn heat down low and simmer.
3. Continue to simmer for around 30 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes. If the pot seems to be going dry, you can put more stock in, and also put the lid on to stop liquid from evaporating so quickly.
4. As soon as the rice is tender, transfer the contents of the skillet to a 10" square baking dish (or equivalent). Sprinkle with the cheese.
5. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to turn golden.
6. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro to serve.

In praise of prosciutto

I have always been a somewhat squeamish diner. As much as I love food, there are certain things that scare the pants off me. One of my most frightening experiences was going for Dim Sum at a renowned eatery in Hong Kong whilst on honeymoon. No one spoke English, which meant that you just had to pick items from the carts moving between the tables, piloted by servers shouting in very loud (but completely incomprehensible to me) Cantonese. They could have been shouting anything: "Get your deep fried cricket larvae soaked in cows' blood here!" "Tasty domestic cat feces marinated in malt vinegar on a nest of goat's hair!" Seriously, it was entirely possible I was being offered monkey brains, as all the doughy balls of what was clearly a sought-after selection of local delicacies looked exactly the same. Fortunately, it was one of those moments when I realized I had married the right man, as he gladly (and possibly too enthusiastically at times for my rising level of nausea to bear) bit into every one, before declaring "Oh yes, that is completely bland pork and carrots, you can eat that!" or more ominously, "Oh no, you DEFINITELY don't want that one...!", and eagerly scarfing down the rest of the offending 'ball of horror.'

One of the things that scares me is raw meat. I think it is in part a texture thing, since there is a distinct slipperiness that I associate with a steak that might, to a less squeamish palate, seem deliciously rare and juicy. Yes, I am the one who orders her filet 'well done' and gets the dirty arrogant looks from snobby servers in the finer establishments. My eldest son has thankfully inherited his dietary courage from his father, and will gladly order monkfish tartare and chow down with glee, while his mother gags next to him, and tries not to think about food poisoning. My daughter has, less fortunately for her, inherited my lack of bravery when it comes to uncooked meat, and is thus doomed for a lifetime of filthy or confused looks from steak aficionados. The jury is out on youngest son, as it should be on someone who doesn't like pasta and (deliberately) mixes lemon curd and nutella in a sandwich. His weirdness is of unknown provenance.

One exception that my daughter and I make in the raw meat stakes is prosciutto. To be fair, I may have neglected to tell her that it isn't cooked, and as a trusting soul, with obviously misplaced faith in her mother's protective tendencies, she clearly hasn't googled it yet. For me, it is because it is prosciutto - it is luscious, salty, hammy, and ultimately delicious. And yet, if you do google it, it seems almost worse than eating raw meat, since it isn't just straight from the pig, it is air-cured. What? The process is probably a tad more complex, but I have visions of them leaving strips of carved meat out on a sunny patio for a few days to 'air' before packing them up and selling them to unsuspecting recovering fear-mongerers like myself. Sheesh Google! Knowledge is overrated! But yet, as with the power of bacon to prevent many an animal lover from becoming vegetarian, the taste of prosciutto has the power to kill my usual resolve to cook the heck out of all forms of meat. Ignorance is, in some cases, no bad thing. (But don't tell my children I said that...)

This recipe highlights prosciutto by making it a topping on a delicious bed of creamy risotto. Far from an afterthought, this renders the prosciutto a salty foil to the creamy, cheesy pillow on which it lies. So pour yourself a glass of something full-bodied, switch off google and enjoy, safe in your own relative ignorance :-)

Sage, Mozzarella and Prosciutto Risotto
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine
Serves 6

42 fluid ounces of chicken stock/broth
1 TBSP salted butter
1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped leek
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/4 cups arborio rice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 cup dry white wine
grated zest of one lemon
3 TBSP finely chopped fresh sage
1 TBSP lemon juice, plus more to taste
6 oz chopped fresh mozzarella (low moisture works best)
4 oz prosciutto, chopped

1. Bring the chicken stock to a simmer and keep it warm over a low heat.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter with the olive oil over a medium heat in a separate large pan. Add the leek and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the leek is softened.
3. Add the rice, salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring, for one minute. Then pour in the wine, reduce the heat to low, and let the mixture simmer until the liquid is almost evaporated.
4. Begin adding the broth, a ladle-ful at a time, letting each portion of broth almost evaporate, before adding more. You will need to stir the mixture frequently at this point, to determine when it needs more broth, and also to stop it sticking to the bottom of the pan.
5. After about 20 minutes, you should be just about out of broth, and if you taste it, the rice should be cooked (not soggy, slightly al dente). At this point, stir in the sage, lemon zest and juice, and taste to see if you want to add more juice.
6. Remove from the heat, quickly stir in the cubed mozzarella and then spoon immediately on to plates (if you wait too long, the mozzarella becomes very stringy and it is impossible to get it out of the pan without leaving strings of cheese all over the kitchen!).
7. Top with the prosciutto and serve straight away with a green salad.

The mind is like a parachute...

No, I haven't completely lost the plot, this is the first half of a quotation from the wise Charlie Chan, Chinese Detective. The full quotation is as follows:

"The mind if like a parachute; it only works when it is open."

Never a truer word was spoken. And where food is concerned, there are some deep-seated fears and habits which take some effort to overcome. When you do overcome them though, and open your mind to something out of your comfort zone, you are often generously rewarded!

The inspiration for this post is a conversation I had with a friend yesterday, and the deep-seated fear in question is not of a particular ingredient or flavor, but rather a method of cooking. My friend mentioned that she is loathe to use her slow cooker because she doesn't like the idea of having food bubbling away for 8 hours, when she can put together a dinner in half an hour anyway. Hmmmm... Don't get me wrong, I love me a half-hour dinner, but I also LOVE my slow cooker, so this is a dish designed to win over the doubters! And win them over it will, by showing that not only can the crockpot create a wonderful main dish, in need only of a few sides and perhaps some carbohydrate to soak it up, but sometimes, the slow cooker can do ALL the work, with just 15 minutes of prep time thrown in of a morning. Ha! Beat that!

This recipe is a great example of just that kind of slow cooker winner, since it has some great filling grains in there (pearl barley), some hearty beef, which is the meat I think most benefits from the slow cooker, as even the cheapest cuts become lusciously tender, and plenty of vegetables. All you need do to accompany this, is cut some crusty bread up, so that those around the table can mop up the juicy goodness in their bowls.

So come on - open your mind, embrace simplicity, dust off the slow cooker, and let it bubble :-)

Crockpot Irish Stew
Adapted from Family Fresh Meals
Serves 6

1.5-2lbs stew beef, trimmed of fat and cubed
1 14 oz can low-sodium diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 cups carrots cut into 1/2" pieces
2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
3/4 cup pearl barley
5 cups beef broth
1 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp fresh chopped sage (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1 tsp fresh chopped thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 bunch Lacinato/Green Kale, stems removed, leaves rolled up and finely sliced

1. Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker except for the kale.
2. Mix well, cover and cook on LOW for 7 1/2 hours.
3. Add the sliced kale and continue to cook on LOW for a further 1/2 hour.

A hug in a bowl

Who doesn't need a warm hug sometimes? And if it comes laced with vitamins, minerals and other fabulous nutritional benefits, then what a wonderful hug that is. Truth is, it is now dark when I get up in the mornings, and this morning, it was drizzling. Why my daughter even resorted to wearing her Uggs to school. And if it is this kind of hug-worthy weather here in California, then I can only imagine the kind of warm hugs which are needed in other less temperate climes. So, this recipe is doubtless a timely one.

And this recipe fits the season in more ways than one, featuring as it does, some delicious pumpkin and butternut squash. Put down your Pumpkin Spiced Latte, put on your warm fuzzy slippers, and whip up a batch of this. Then feel the warmth of a hug in a bowl :-)

Pumpkin Polenta with Roasted Vegetables
Serves 6

1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded
1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1" cubes
3/4 lb broccoli, cut into small florets
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 1/2 cups polenta
3 3/4 cups low fat milk
3 cups vegetable stock/broth
1 can pureed pumpkin
1 cup grated parmesan (plus more for sprinkling on top)
3 TBSP chopped fresh sage

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C). Toss the sprouts, squash and broccoli together on a large roasting pan with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, tossing again once, halfway through the cooking time.
2. Meanwhile, bring stock and milk to a boil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper and stir in polenta. Bring back to a boil, and then simmer over a low heat, stirring frequently to stop it sticking. After about 25 minutes, the polenta should be much thicker, at which point stir in the pumpkin, sage and 1 cup parmesan until combined and heated through.
3. Serve the polenta in bowls, with the roasted vegetables on the top, sprinkled with extra parmesan cheese.

Marvellous Meatballs

What is not to love about meatballs? Don't answer, that is a rhetorical question. Everybody loves meatballs, except maybe vegetarians, I guess. But don't assume that we are heading for Italy on today's culinary adventure, because no, these balls of meaty succulency (yes, of course, that's a word) are from another locale entirely: namely Morocco. No basil and parmesan here - instead they are laced with, and surrounded by, a delicious combo of apricots, pomegranate and cilantro, with, as a timely reminder of the season, a dash of pumpkin pie spice (if you don't have this, then use a mixture of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom, with cinnamon as the most dominant element).

This dish was an undisputed home run. Not only did the crockpot get virtually licked clean with no leftovers in sight, but my house smelled divine as it bubbled away all afternoon. In fact, hypnotized by the delicious aroma, I was so eager in my excitement to taste this, that I forgot to sprinkle over pomegranate seeds and green onions, as indicated in the recipe. This may have detracted from its cheffy presentation value, but it certainly didn't detract from the taste.

The original recipe comes from the great 'Fun Cooking' section of Food Network magazine, which always makes me smile, and wonder what the cooking from the other sections is like, if it isn't fun. To call the preparation involved here fun, you have to have my kind of addiction to time in the kitchen, and not mind getting your hands dirty. It isn't labor intensive, but it also is not a total 'throw it in and switch it on' crockpot recipe.

To go with this dish, I roasted some vegetables with similar spices (recipe also below), and served the meatballs over some quinoa, although, if you wanted to be more authentic you could opt for cous cous (assuming your youngest son doesn't profess a hatred for cous cous...sigh).

Slow Cooker Moroccan Turkey Meatballs
Serves 6 (just)

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1 onion, finely chopped
2 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP plus 1 tsp pomegranate molasses
1 TBSP paprika
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
juice of 1 small lemon, or 1/2 large lemon
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)
salt and pepper
1 3/4 lbs ground turkey
1/2 cup panko
2 TBSP light sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
pomegranate seeds and sliced green onions to garnish

1. In the slow cooker stoneware, combine tomatoes, broth, apricots, onion, butter, 2 of the garlic cloves, 1 tsp pomegranate molasses, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, lemon juice, 3/4 cup cilantro, 1/2 tsp salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
2. Place the following in a large bowl: the turkey, panko, sour cream, parsley, remaining 1 minced garlic clove, remaining 2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, and remaining 1/4 cup cilantro. Add 1 tsp salt and a few grinds of black pepper and then use your hands to mix it all together. Form the mixture into meatballs about 1.5" in diameter and nestle them into the liquid in the slow cooker. (They will kind of sit mostly on top).
3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours.
4. Before serving drizzle meatballs with remaining 1 TBSP pomegranate molasses and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and green onions.


Spicy Roasted Vegetables

2 heads Romesco cauliflower (or any other kind of cauliflower), cut into florets
1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
canola oil
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp salt
ground black pepper

1. In a large roasting pan, toss the vegetables with enough canola oil to coat them lightly. Sprinkle with the spices, salt and pepper and toss again to make sure they coat the vegetables.
2. Roast at 425 degrees F (200 C) for 25 minutes, or until tinged brown on the edges and as tender as you like them.

I love lasagna!

Yes, this is me - well maybe not the diving-in part, but definitely the aversion to sharing part! In fact, one of my favorite childhood toys was a plush Garfield in a chef's hat, with an apron that read "I LOVE LASAGNA". However, as a child, my hopes for a diet consisting at least 80% of lasagna were dashed by my father, who claimed to hate lasagna. It was therefore a rare treat. I say he 'claimed' to dislike lasagna, because, no sooner did I leave home, he actually TRIED lasagna and declared it to be rather nice, thank you very much. Oh, the torture wrought by parents on their children...

Anyway, now that I control the kitchen (buahahahahaha!), I eagerly seek out new lasagna recipes whenever I can find them, with one caveat - since eldest son hates ricotta cheese (a texture thing, I believe), they need to be recipes that don't use that. He also hates melted cheese on top of things (honestly, at this point, his parentage should really be in question - how can a child of mine resist melted cheese?), but that is less of an issue, since I merely scrape the offending melty goodness off the top, and give it to someone else more deserving as a bonus (with any luck, me!).

This recipe fit the bill perfectly, and was eagerly enjoyed by all five members of the family, and then served up in the form of leftovers the following lunchtime - lasagna twice in two days: this was a week to remember! And the fact that it uses easy ingredients like pre-marinated artichokes and a jar of marinara sauce is something I refuse to apologize for on a busy weekday!

Artichoke Spinach Lasagne
Serves 8
adapted from Taste of Home

10 oz no-boil lasagne sheets
olive oil spray
2 TBSP olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup vegetable broth
1 TBSP chopped fresh rosemary
1 12-14 oz jar marinated artichokes, drained and roughly chopped
1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 24-28 oz jar marinara sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
6 oz crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with oil spray.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions and garlic until tender (8 minutes or so). Stir in broth and rosemary and bring to a boil. Stir in artichokes and spinach, then reduce heat and simmer, covered for 5 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce.
3. Spread a 1/4 of the marinara mixture in the bottom of the baking dish, and top with a layer of lasagna sheets. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of mozzarella.
4. Repeat the layers 2 more times, followed by the last remaining 1/4 of the marinara mixture. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella over the top, followed by the feta cheese.
5. Cover with foil, and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and then bake for 15 minutes more, or until hot and bubbling.
6. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting, then serve sprinkled with fresh basil.

Are you kidding, California?

102 degrees is the forecast for today. It was a touch below that yesterday, which I believe the local weather forecaster would have called 'mild'. Let me let you into a secret - while it is certainly true that men sweat, and horses perspire, women do not glow. Nope. We sweat. And it ain't pretty. In fact, let me make that two secrets revealed: British people were not made to withstand these temperatures.

Anyway, suffice to say that switching the oven on has not been something tempting these last couple of days. Trying out new salad recipes? Now that is more like it. However, given that my children claim to be 'starving' when they return home from school, I also need to ensure that no one fades away of an evening, so any salad I put on the table needs to be satisfying and not completely devoid of carbohydrate. This one fits the bill perfectly. And, I increased the quantities listed below, so the kids got some leftovers in their lunch boxes the following day. And, last by not least, as you can see from the photo below, it was eagerly anticipated by all around the table :-)

Again, I am afraid that I oversnipped when cutting out the recipe, and sadly lost the original source. I blame the heat.

Pesto Chicken and Couscous Salad
Serves 4

1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed from bone and shredded
1 3/4 cups pearl couscous (also known as Israeli couscous)
2 cups packed basil leaves
2 TBSP toasted pine nuts
1 clove garlic
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
2 TBSP grated parmesan
3/4 tsp salt
10 oz cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
5 oz smoked mozzarella, cubed

1. Cook the couscous according to directions, then drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside to cool.
2. Put the basil, pine nuts, garlic and lemon juice into a food processor and switch on. As it blends, add the oil in a steady stream to create the pesto dressing. Finally add the parmesan and 1/4 tsp of salt and briefly process to combine.
3. Mix together the cooled couscous, chicken, tomatoes and mozzarella, and toss with the pesto and another 1/2 tsp salt to taste.

Where did she go?

"This is great Mum! Thanks!"

Yep. It's worrying when your teenager daughter utters this at the dinner table. You want to be flattered and accept the compliment as genuine, but you are naturally somewhat floored, since, as I mentioned, this compliment comes from your teenage daughter - the one whose major achievement in life may well be to bring home the gold, should eye-rolling ever become an olympic sport. And its purpose clearly wasn't to serve as transparent lure into a false sense of maternal security, only to be followed by "Mum.... Can I have....?" Therefore I am forced to conclude that the only possible explanation is that my daughter has been kidnapped by aliens and replaced with a (possibly) human copy - physically alike in every way, and yet emotionally much more mature, less moody, and...well... nice at the dinner table.

The meal that caused this puzzling outburst was the slow-cooker gem below - clipped from Family Circle, a magazine I am still somewhat in denial about subscribing to (I feel I must be at least 20 years younger than their target demographic...surely?!), but which does contain some great recipes, and which, to be fair, they did offer me for $5 per year, so it seemed rude not to subscribe. Plus the ads for hormone replacement and adult diapers will surely come in handy one day... just a very distant  day, if I have anything to do with it!

I tweaked the recipe somewhat, to ensure that there were enough veggies in there that I didn't need to worry about providing sides, beyond a heaping mound of quinoa (or rice, if you prefer).

Green Curry Chicken and Potatoes
Serves 6
Adapted from Family Circle

2.5 lbs skinless boneless chicken thighs, each cut in half
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
2 lbs small potatoes, cut into 1" pieces
1 can (13.5oz) light coconut milk
5 TBSP green curry paste
2 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP sugar
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cups green beans, chopped into 1" lengths
1/2 cup cilantro (coriander leaves), coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Thai basil (regular basil will do), coarsely chopped
1 TBSP lime juice
lime wedges and quinoa/rice to serve

1. Coat slow cooker stoneware with oil spray.
2. Place chicken, onion and potatoes in slow cooker. Mix together the coconut milk, 3 TBSP curry paste, soy sauce and sugar and pour the mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
3. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours. Then taste for spiciness and add up to 2TBSP more of the curry paste. Stir in the red pepper and green beans, and then cook for a further half hour, until the pepper and beans are tender.
4. Stir in cilantro and lime juice.
5. Serve in bowls over rice/quinoa, sprinkled with basil, and with lime wedges to squeeze over the top.

It really is easy being green

Don't get me wrong, Kermit is an intelligent guy, and he's admirably committed to his stance on most issues. For example, it is only now, after decades of effort, that he has given up trying to keep Miss Piggy happy, for example (see here, if the stunning Muppet news passed you by this summer).

However, about one thing, Kermit is sadly misguided. Green is easy. Green is also pretty darn tasty. We are still trying to eat vegetarian at least one or two nights a week in our house, and it isn't because of some health kick, or anti-bacon political stance (hell no), but rather because we are rather enjoying the veggie options we're trying out, and this dish is no exception. Basically, the reason I tried it is because, if something has the word 'pesto' in the title, my kids will pretty much snarf it up (table-manners be damned), irrespective of whatever else is hidden in its green depths. Witness the presence of asparagus in this dish, for example, and yet youngest son licked the plate clean without appearing to even notice the offending vegetable under its coating of green pesto-ey goodness. Ha!

And yes, I know if I were being true to the theme, I'd have eaten this up with a glass of Vinho Verde, or something suitably green-hued, but I decided Kermit might well be right when it comes to wine, and stuck to a lovely red Zin...

Summer Pesto Penne
Serves 6
Adapted from Good Housekeeping

1 cup packed parsley leaves (curly or flat leaf)
1/2 cup packed mint leaves
1/3 cup walnut halves
2 TBSP lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1 lb wholewheat penne
1 lb bunch asparagus, tough stem ends removed and remainder chopped into 1" lengths
1 1/2 cups edamame (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Place the first 7 ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. With motor running, gradually pour in the olive oil, followed by 1/4 cup of water until you get a smooth pesto.
2. Cook pasta according to instructions, but use more water, and a larger saucepan than you might usually, since you're going to add other things to the water. Four minutes before pasta is done, add asparagus and edamame to the pasta in the water. Once pasta is done, drain pasta and vegetables, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
3. Mix pesto with cooked pasta and vegetables. If you want a 'saucier' consistency, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water. Serve sprinkled with parmesan.

Dust off your slow cookers...

Yep, fall is apparently on the way, and despite the fact that we are still reeling (and, Ill admit, sweating just a tad) in 80+ temps in my adopted home, according to family back in Blighty, they are already getting soaking in rain and bringing out the wellies (rain boots, if you must). To be fair, I never allow my slow cooker to gather dust, and it gets quite a bit of use in summer as well as in winter. However, I know a lot of you will have stashed it away for a spell, so grab a swiffer, wipe the poor neglected thing off, and get cooking. Apart from anything else, now that the kids are back in school, it means that dinner will already be bubbling away so that you can spend some quality time overseeing homework later on.... come to think of it, that might not be a motivating factor....

This particular recipe came from my desire to recapture that teriyaki yumminess on my tastebuds after a recent trip to Hawaii, where Teriyaki everything seems even more ubiquitous than Starbucks is here. I've also included a side which should be tried if for no other reason than it is green rice, so that's pretty cool :-)

Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin
Serves 6
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

2 TBSP olive oil
2 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin
3/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 fresh red chile peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 TBSP cornstarch (cornflour)
6 TBSP finely sliced green onions/spring onions

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the tenderloins and brown on all sides (about 10 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, mix together the teriyaki sauce, broth, brown sugar, chiles, garlic, onion and black pepper in a bowl.
3. Once the tenderloins are browned, put them in the slow cooker stoneware. Pour over the sauce mixture.
4. Cook on LOW for 4 hours.
5. Remove the tenderloins from the sauce and tent them with foil on a chopped board for 5 minutes. Then slice into 1/2" thick slices and put on serving platter.
6. Pour the sauce from the slow cooker into a small saucepan. Take out about 2 TBSP of the liquid from the sauce and mix it with 1 TBSP of cornstarch (cornflour) in a small bowl. Add mixture back to the sauce and bring to the boil. Allow it to simmer until it thickens to the desired consistency (should be pourable, but thick enough to coat the meat).
7. Pour some of the sauce over the meat on the platter to serve, then serve the remaining sauce in a pitcher, to be poured at the table.
8. Sprinkle green onions over meat to serve.


Cilantro Rice
Serves 8
Adapted from Food and Wine Magazine

3 TBSP olive oil
2 1/2 cups jasmine rice
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves
1 bunch cilantro (coriander leaves)
1 quart reduced-sodium chicken broth/stock
1/2 tsp salt

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add rice and cook, stirring, until the rice starts to turn golden in spots (about 8 minutes). Stir in the onion and continue to cook (stirring), until the onion turns translucent (a further 4 minutes or so).
2. Remove the stem ends from the cilantro, and place the leaves and remaining stems into a food processor with the onion, 2 cups of the broth, and the salt. Process until smooth. Pour over the rice and onion mixture, and stir in the remaining broth.
3. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed (15-20 minutes).

Fusion gone gloriously mad

When I first saw this recipe in a magazine, it sounded like one of those bad jokes: An Italian and a Thai man walk into a bar.... How else would you get the combination of rotini pasta and peanut sauce? Some jokes are disappointing, but this dish was one of those dishes where you put the first forkful into your mouth, chew once, and then have to stop to ponder the sheer awesome tastiness of what you've just put in your mouth. Then you realize that you didn't even pick this off a menu and have someone talented prepare this in a restaurant. Oh no, you cooked this yourself. Yep, it's that kind of awesome. All it needs is an Asian-style side to go with....and then you realize that yes, you cooked one of those too, and it is also supremely tasty. Dinner-time slam-dunk.

So that you too may appreciate your own sheer awesomeness at the dinner table, I give you both recipes below. Now go forth and amaze.

Rotini with Ground Pork and Spicy Peanut Sauce
Serves 6

16 oz rotini pasta
2 TBSP dark sesame oil
8 scallions (green/Spring onions), thinly sliced, green and white parts separated
3 TBSP minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 lbs ground pork
4 1/2 TBSP soy sauce
3 TBSP unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 TBSP sambal oelek (sweet chili sauce)
1 1/2 TBSP sugar
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter (preferably unsalted)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 medium limes, cut into wedges
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)

1. Cook the rotini according to package directions until al dente, and then drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the scallion whites in sesame oil until softened (about 1 minute). Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring for another 30 seconds.
3. Crumble in pork, and cook, breaking up the pork for five minutes, or until pork is no longer pink.
4. Stir in soy sauce, sambal oelek, vinegar and sugar and cook until bubbling.
5. Stir in peanut butter and incorporate evenly into sauce. Bring to a simmering point, and cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes.
6. Mix sauce with pasta and scallion greens and add enough pasta water to achieve desired consistency. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and with lime wedges to squeeze over the top.

Asian-style Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli
from Food.com
Serves 6 as a side.

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
3 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP canola oil
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBSP minced fresh ginger
1 TBSP sambal oelek/chili sauce

1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
2. In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with the remaining ingredients.
3. Spread onto a large baking pan, coated with oil spray.
4. Roast for 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tinged with brown.

Back with a vengeance

Where have you been? I hear you cry. In case you've been wondering if I've eaten myself into a four month stupor, or just haven't cooked anything blog-worthy since April and am tending to a disappointed and starving family, no. I simply spent the last four months making far too many cupcakes through my business (www.bitesizebaking.com) to try many new recipes. Phew! So neither the spouse nor the progeny have starved, fear not.

With a commitment to not letting the cupcake extravaganza get out of hand, I am also committed to getting back to experimenting more often with dinner, hence the return to this blog.

Last night was a good example - I started with a recipe from the Skinnytaste Cookbook, and tweaked and twisted it to fit my family. We are not trying to lose weight, and all have...well...kinda large appetites, so I aimed to make it a tad more satisfying, lest the lack of satiation increase the whinging volume in the house to unbearable levels (and given that we are embroiled in the back-to-school-mourn-the-end-of-summer whinging already, that is a priority!). This fit the bill, served with a lovely lemon-vinaigrette-dressed green salad on the side for good measure.

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas
Serves 5 (just...)

2 large chicken breasts
1 red onion, quartered
chicken stock
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
7-8 wholewheat tortillas
2 cups enchilada sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

1. Poach the chicken breasts - you can do this in a slow cooker (on HIGH for 4 hours) or in a large saucepan (cook 20 minutes after coming to boil). Whichever you choose, just put the chicken breasts and red onion quarters in enough stock to just cover them (you'll probably need 2-3 cups for this).
2. Once the chicken is cooked, discard the stock and onion, and shred chicken using two forks.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (190 C)
4. In a large saute pan, heat some canola/vegetable oil, and sauté the onion and garlic until softened.
5. Add tomato sauce, the shredded chicken, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and black beans. Stir and bring to simmering point. Cook for a few minutes until most of the liquid is evaporated.
6. Spray a large baking dish (about 9" x 13") with oil spray. Fill each tortilla with some of the chicken mixture and roll up, placing them in a row, seam-side down, in the baking dish.
7. Pour the enchilada sauce over the tortillas and then sprinkle with cheese.
8. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro to serve.

Heading East

Having just typed that title, I'm now thinking that it would probably be quicker for me to head west to get to Thailand (or thereabouts), but there you go. Mercator projection has ruined my sense of the earth's spherical reality. Yes, we are going Thai-style with this blog post, and as usual, please note the disclaimer-esque use of the appendage '-style'  - I make no claims for the authenticity or the Thai-ness of this dish. However, the use of peanuts in the sauce did remind me of satay, so there you go.

The original recipe came from my imaginary best friend Judith Finlayson. No, she isn't imaginary. I assume she does exist somewhere (probably in a kitchen, standing next to a bubbling slow cooker). However, I have sadly never met her. If I ever do, I will probably become a blubbering mess and say something stupid, rather than what I really should say, which is "Thank you - my family need not starve because of your wonderful slow-cooker books". Instead I will no doubt say something more like, "Gulp, blub, mumble, I love you, blub, mumble snort". It's probably a good job I don't get out much.

You've probably gathered by now that this gem is another slow cooker hit, which takes a bare minimum of prep time before slowly cooking away all day, and making the kitchen smell decidedly yummy. All it needs to serve is a bowl of steaming jasmine rice, or some noodles. And in case you're wondering, the sauce is not spicy-hot, but rather spicy-flavorful. My kids all lapped this up, then begged for more :-)

Mixed Vegetables in Spicy Peanut Sauce
adapted from The Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Judith Finlayson
Serves 6

canola oil
2 onions, finely chopped
6 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (about 4 cups total)
4 stalks celery, diced (about 2 cups)
2 TBSP ginger root, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
3 cups frozen sliced green beans
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP maple syrup
2 tsp Thai red curry paste
4 cups shredded Napa cabbage
2 cups bean sprouts
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1. Heat some canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions, carrots and celery for about 7 minutes until softened. Add ginger, garlic and pepper and cook for a further minute, stirring. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware.
2. Add vegetable broth and green beans to slow cooker and stir together. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or HIGH for 3 hours, by which time the vegetables should be tender.
3. In a bowl, beat together the peanut butter, soy sauce, lemon juice, maple syrup and red curry paste with a whisk until combined. Add to the slow cooker with the shredded cabbage and stir well so that all the vegetables are submerged in the liquid.
4. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on high until heated through.
5. Stir in bean sprouts, and serve over rice with a sprinkle of green onions and peanuts on the top.

New tactics

Greetings again from the frozen wastes of our downstairs, where the furnace is still not fixed. Actually, full disclosure: at time of writing, we have just got it fixed, and my toes are decidedly more toasty than they have been for some time. Why tomorrow, I may even only wear one pair of socks. However, another day came and went without heating, so I tried new tactics for heating our downstairs - the slow cooker.

Now, you know how much I love my slow cooker, but this was a new task for it, warming up a frigid kitchen. I have to say, that it wasn't really up to the task - standing close to it, with hands cupped around its bubbling fragrant cauldron gave some relief to the fingertips, but that was about it. However, since the slow cooker was designed to cook delicious food, we should probably not judge it too harshly, particularly, since it certainly succeeded in that regard.

This recipe came originally from a book called Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook produced by the American Heart Association. As a responsible parent, trying to instill healthy eating habits in my children (no, that is definitely not a large basket of chocolate easter eggs on the counter behind me...nope, definitely not), I bought this book, and have had mixed results. Several of the recipes I have tried have needed significant 'tweaking' to make them less bland. I have never understood why healthy food often equates with bland food. There really is no need for that, and it gives healthy food a bad name. I may have to redeem this book after trying out this gem though, as it was delicious.

The only major tweak I made was substituting butternut squash for sweet potato, as the latter are not popular in our house, however healthy they may be. If you are a fan of the yam/sweet potato, then feel free to substitute back and enjoy. I changed the seasonings a touch, reducing the amount of chipotles in adobo that I used, since I find them very spicy. If you are a heat-lover though, feel free to add some more. And I even reduced the amount of salt in the recipe, since it just didn't feel like it needed that much. Finally, I also added some toppings, namely avocado (healthy) and cheese (OK, not so healthy, but in small quantities, and delicious!). All it needed to complete the meal was some steamed broccoli (healthy :-))

Chicken with Butternut Squash and Black Beans
Serves 6

20oz butternut squash, chopped into 1" cubes
1 1/2 cups of chopped onion
2 15oz cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
4 large chicken breast halves, cut into halves, or 6 smaller ones
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup mild salsa
2 TBSP chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt

Toppings
2 avocados, cubed
2 medium limes, cut into wedges
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)

1. In the slow cooker stoneware layer the squash, then the onions, then the beans. Lay the chicken breasts on top.
2. In a bowl, combine the broth, salsa, chipotle peppers, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, allspice and salt. Pour this mixture over the chicken, but do not stir.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours (or HIGH for 3 1/2 - 4 hours), or until chicken is cooked through.
4. Serve sprinkled with avocado, cheese and cilantro, with lime wedges to squeeze over it all.

Grilling for warmth

Our furnace has broken. Now, before you dissolve into floods of sympathy, do remember that we live in California. Nevertheless, as I write this, I'm wearing a fleece jacket, my toes are decidedly icy, and we are even considering lighting a fire tonight. So yesterday evening, the decision to grill outside was made in part so that we could all enjoy the warmth provided by the BBQ!

Whatever the reason, the recipe I tried out was definitely a keeper, even if our cockles were only warmed for a few minutes while it cooked. I am not a huge fan of lamb, but like to dabble occasionally, especially as it seems to be getting more readily available in your average supermarket over here. This recipe was perfect for me, as the burgers are made with a combination of ground lamb and ground beef. In fact, if you wanted to, you could make them with all beef (or all lamb, if you are a lamb lover). It made for a delicious meal with some slow-roasted tomatoes (click here for recipe) and a kale salad (the one here is awesome!) on the side.

Lamb Burgers with Feta-Mint Spread
Adapted from Cooking Light magazine
Serves 5

3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic, minced
grated rind of one large lemon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
12 oz ground lamb
12 oz lean ground beef

For spread:
3/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yoghurt
6 TBSP crumbled feta cheese
3 TBSP finely chopped fresh mint
3 tsp fresh lemon juice

2 cups baby arugula
5 whole-wheat burger buns, toasted

1. Combine the first 9 ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix together gently using your hands.
2. Divide mixture into 5 equal portions, and shape each into a patty the width of the burger buns you have. Mark each with a thumb sized depression in the middle of the patty, which will stop them from shrinking when you grill them.
3. Grill them outside to desired level of doneness (should take about 4 mins each side for medium).
4. Meanwhile combine spread ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside until you are ready to assemble the burgers.
5. Assemble with burgers on toasted buns, topped with 1/5 of the spread and arugula leaves.

Comfort food in overdrive

Sometimes, you just need carbohydrates! This post goes out to all those people on the East Coast right now, shivering under feet of new snow, when it seems like only days ago that they cleared the last lot from the driveway. I cannot imagine (and to be frank, living in California, I don't have to!). There is something very warming and comforting about a bowl of carbs, steaming in front of you, and this is one tasty bowl. It is also a simple slow cooker recipe, which you know by now appeals to me!

You also know me well enough by now to realize that this recipe won't be completely true to the original (which in this case is Judith Finlayson's brilliant The Vegetarian Slow Cooker). In this case, it isn't that I don't trust Judith - quite frankly, I think I may be in love with her. No, it's because the original is flavored with stilton, and the thought of agonized wails of "Is there BLUE cheese in this?" from around the family dinner table, was too much to bear. I therefore substituted some gruyere, which still gave some melty cheesy goodness, but without the wails. I dream of a day when I can sit and nibble a piece of stinky gorgonzola or stilton and not be greater by horrified gazes, wrinkled noses and shrieks of "But it's MOLD!" but we are long way from that in our house. If you have had more success with the mouths around your table when it comes to the cheese aisle, then by all means switch it back to stilton.

So, brush off that snow, and after you've defrosted your icy bottom on the nearest radiator, scoop yourself a nice bowl of this, and warm up!

Leek and Potato Cobbler with Gruyere
Serves 6-8

3 leeks, cleaned and sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 TBSP melted butter
2 cups vegetable broth/stock
3 potatoes, peeled and shredded
5 oz gruyere cheese, shredded
3/4 cup wholewheat flour
3/4 cup AP (plain) flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 TBSP olive oil
Snipped fresh chives

1. In the slow cooker stoneware, combine leeks, onion, garlic salt, pepper and melted butter. Stir to coat vegetables, then cook on HIGH for 30 minutes to 1 hour until vegetables are softened.
2. Stir in vegetable broth, then potatoes, and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours.
3. Stir in cheese and turn the heat to HIGH if necessary.
4. Make the topping: In a bowl, combine the flours and salt. Make a well in the middle. In a jug/pitcher, combine buttermilk, baking soda and olive oil. Pour into the well in the flour mixture and mix just until blended. Drop the mixture by spoonfuls on to the top of the hot vegetables in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the topping comes out clean. Sprinkle with fresh snipped chives and serve.

A ballsy move

You know me and wordplay! Couldn't resist at least one 'balls' pun. And yes, I will try and keep it clean. After all, we are talking food here.

Seriously, why is it that meat is much more fun when it's rolled into little balls? I grew up singing about what happened to that meatball "On top of Old Smoky", and meatballs have a long history in the UK (although for some unfortunate reason, we used to traditionally refer to them as 'faggots' - unsurprisingly, that term is dying out). The UK is not alone - they are a staple of Italian American cuisine, and pretty much wherever you travel in the world, there is a meatball option on the menu, from Turkish Köfte to Norwegian kjøttboller (which literally translates to 'meat buns' - try saying that without giggling), Spanish albóndigas (which interestingly derives from the Arabic word for hazelnut) and Japanese hanbāgu. 

If anything, this recipe owes more to the Italian-American meatball legacy than to any other cuisine. Italian-American cuisine is based heavily on the traditions of immigrants from Southern Italy, who came over to the US in large numbers from the early 19th century onwards. But there is no better indication of the ready cross-border mixing of cultural culinary traditions than the fact that the original recipe was one I found in a British magazine Good Food. Limited availability of certain ingredients in the US though (proof that the mixing isn't complete!) meant that I had to adapt it somewhat.

It is a simple dish, which is extremely kid-friendly. I know this because I had no left-overs...

Tasty Turkey Meatballs
Serves 5

1 TBSP olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced - divided
1 fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced (fronds reserved)
28oz can tomato sauce
16 fl oz chicken stock
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1lb minced turkey
4 TBSP oats
1 tsp fennel seeds (crushed)
oil spray

1. Heat olive oil in large frying pan, and add the onion, carrots, celery and fennel together. Stir well, cover and cook over a medium heat for about 8 minutes (stirring occasionally so that it doesn't stick). Pour in about 2/3 of the can of tomato sauce, and the stock, and stir together. Bring to the boil, and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the meat, oats, fennel seeds, chopped fennel fronds, one clove of minced garlic and some ground black pepper, using your hands. Lightly shape into meatballs, each about the size of a walnut (about1 1/2" in diameter). It should make about 30. 
3. Spray a large skillet with oil spray and gently cook the meatballs, turning them carefully, so that they brown all over. 
4. Add the meatballs to the sauce with the chopped parsley, cover and cook for a further 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through, and the vegetables are tender. 
5. Serve over pasta with grated parmesan on top.

More quinoa please!

I love me some quinoa! It seems ridiculous to me that I only discovered it a couple of years ago. After all, the Incas and the Aztecs knew about it ages ago. I'm a slouch. Very embarrassing. Anyway, I am always on the lookout for new recipes highlighting quinoa, and this one fell into my inbox last week, just begging me to try it. It also coincided with a post from a friend of mine saying that she had just bought quinoa for the first time, and that it had "better be good" because it was more expensive than rice. Well, Heather, this recipe is for you. Trust me - it is way better than rice :-)

One Pan Mexican Quinoa
adapted from damndelicious.net
Serves 8

2 TBSP olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeños, finely chopped
2 cups quinoa (I used red, but it doesn't matter)
4 cups vegetable broth
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
2 cups corn kernels (I used frozen, straight from the freezer)
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
2 avocados, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
juice of 2 limes
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and jalapeño and cook, stirring constantly, for a minute by which time it should be really fragrant, but not browning.
2. Add quinoa, broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder and cumin. Stir together, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is cooked (this took about 25 minutes).
3. Stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro and check seasoning before serving.

It's roasting in here!

Oh, I do love me some word play. Roasting. Get it? Because it's cold outside, and we have the heating on? But also because I'm cooking a roast? Yep, high class humor is just one additional service I gladly provide! Ha!

Ok, so all puns aside, this recipe is the kind of roast dinner I CAN get on the table, even on a weeknight. Usually, the combination of the number of dishes in a traditional roast dinner, the different cooking methods, times etc, fills me with dread. How on earth do you get everything on the table, cooked (and still hot), at the same time? Well, in my family, you go round to my Mum's or my sister's and eat there, as they seem to manage this culinary juggling act superbly well.

However, THIS roast is done in the slow cooker (yay!), and the two sides I cooked to go with it were easy peasy AND fit with our current healthy-eating quest. The first of the sides was simply boiled green beans, tossed with some lemon zest and juice once they are cooked. (Yes, youngest son will still eat (almost) any veggie if you toss it with lemon juice. And won't, if you don't. Go figure.) The second side dish was a riff on mashed potatoes, but using cauliflower and just a touch of butter and cheese to make it extra creamy and tasty. I've never even thought to mash a cauliflower before, but Gina Homolka, author of the fabulous Skinnytaste Cookbook claimed it is "just as tasty" as mashed potatoes, a claim that seemed ripe for testing. I have to say, I kind of agree. It doesn't taste LIKE mashed potato, and although it has a creamy texture, doesn't FEEL same either. But it was completely delicious nonetheless, and will definitely be served around these parts again. Since we were not having a whole raft of other sides, I increased the quantity of this recipe, but otherwise, stayed true to the original.

As for the roast itself, the Skinnytaste website was the source for that one. The recipe immediately caught my eye, because it had the words crock pot in it (you know how much I love my slow cooker), and also because it is cooked with balsamic vinegar. Where one son covets lemon juice on everything, the other is addicted to balsamic vinegar, and is often to be found raiding the kitchen. There he gets out a plate, on to which he pours a sizable puddle of balsamic vinegar, which he then mops up with whatever bread he can get his hands on. So the combination of balsamic and crock pot was made in heaven for this household. And again, this recipe was delicious, and will be revisited again. If you haven't yet checked out Skinnytaste, online, or in her new book, I highly recommend that you do.  If you could smell my kitchen, when this roast was cooking, then you'd already be at Barnes and Noble by now....

Crock Pot Balsamic Pot Roast
Serves 4

2lb boneless pork roast (I used boneless pork loin)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/3 cup chicken/vegetable broth/stock
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 TBSP honey

1. Trim the pork of visible fat, and season with the salt and garlic powder. Spray the stoneware in the slow cooker with oil spray and place the meat inside.
2. Mix together the broth and vinegar, and pour over the meat.
3. Drizzle the honey over the top of the meat.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (or 4 hours on high).
5. Once it is cooked, remove the meat from the crockpot and slice it. Put the slices back into the liquid and toss to coat before serving.
6. Serve with extra sauce spooned over the pork if so desired.



Cheesy Cauliflower "Mash"
Serves 5

2 heads of cauliflower cut into florets (should give you about 11 cups of florets)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
1 1/2 TBSP butter
salt and black pepper to taste
1 1/2 TBSP finely chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add cauliflower and garlic and cook until cauliflower is soft (about 15-20 minutes). Don't undercook it as you might if you were simply serving boiled cauliflower, or it won't 'mash' properly.
2. Drain the cauliflower and return to the pan. Add the buttermilk, butter, salt and pepper to taste. Blend the mixture together using an immersion blender until smooth.
3. Stir in the chives and the cheese and serve hot.

Nicely spicy

We may be on a bit of a health-kick in this house, but I refuse to let that impact how tasty our food is. True, I'm trying to limit the carbs and things like cheese (I miss you Gorgonzola my darling, but I will be back once my waistline is under control, I promise), but there are other ways of adding flavor and filling tummies. Last night, we looked east for influence, and went Asian-inspired. The main dish was a slow-cooker hit which was completely delicious, and apparently has only 424 calories per serving, even with a sensible portion of noodles (thanks Food Network Magazine!). I did a couple of tweaks, but really only by adding a bit more ginger to the mix. and switching the suggested rice noodles to soba buckwheat for some more fibre. I don't think that will have drastically affected the calorie count.

For sides, I wanted to bump up our veggie consumption, but keep close to the Asian flavors in the entree, so I found two great recipes, which fit the bill. Bear in the mind that the carrots were a tad spicy for one of my kids, so if you are worried about that, reduce the amount of ginger in the marinade/sauce. All in all a successful trip to the Orient (or thereabouts - I make no claims to authenticity), which will be repeated around here for sure.

Soy Citrus Chicken
Serves 6
Adapted from Food Network Magazine

1 1/2 oranges, halved and thinly sliced
5 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, trimmed of any fat and halved
1 1/2 TBSP all purpose (plain) flour
1 tsp lemon zest
salt and pepper
3/4 cup sweet chili sauce
1 1/2 TBSP soy sauce
1 1/2 inch piece of ginger root, peeled and finely grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
9 oz soba buckwheat noodles
2 bunches of watercress, tough stems removed and coarsely chopped (gave about 3 cups chopped)

1. Spray slow cooker stoneware with oil spray, and lay the orange slices overlapping across the base.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, lemon zest, 1/4 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper. Toss the chicken breast pieces in the flour mixture until coated, then lay them in a single layer over the orange slices. Sprinkle any remaining flour mixture over the top.
3. In a small bowl, combine the chili sauce, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Pour over the chicken.
4. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 7 hours.
5. Uncover slow cooker and gently stir, breaking up the chicken into large pieces. Let stand for 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile cook the noodles according to directions. When cooked and drained, toss with the chopped watercress.
7. Serve chicken on bed of noodles.

Roasted Lemon Broccolini
Serves 6
Adapted from williams-sonoma.com

18 oz broccolini, coarsely chopped
1/2 large lemon, seeds removed, chopped into 1/4" pieces (do not peel first)
1/4 tsp salt
few grinds of black pepper
2 TBSP olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Heat 1 1/2 TBSP olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add broccolini and lemon and sauté for a couple of minutes until broccolini starts to darken slightly in color.
3. Transfer contents of pan to a shallow baking tin. Drizzle over remaining 1/2 TBSP olive oil, and sprinkle over salt and pepper. Toss to combine, then bake for 15 minutes, stirring once.

Asian-style Roasted Carrots
Serves 6
Adapted from Fortheloveofcooking.net

9 carrots (can be any color), peeled and cut into sticks (1/2" across max)
4 1/2 TBSP soy sauce
4 1/2 TBSP rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced fresh ginger root

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in a large ziploc bag. Add carrots and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Tip contents of bag into a shallow baking pan, coated in oil spray.
4. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes until tender.

Souper Soup

So, it's that time of year again - painful memories of excess over the holiday season are all too raw, and if there are brief moments when you forget, you only have to sense the irritating tightening of the button on your (formerly) favorite jeans, to know that you didn't get away with it unscathed. Sigh.

So in the Farrar house, we mark this time of year with a bit of a purge, involving some nice healthy cooking. And thankfully with Christmas having just made its annual appearance, I have some brand new cookbooks to explore! Nothing makes me happier than reading new cookbooks, and cooking new recipes from them is kind of my idea of heaven.

In line with our current purge mindset, I chose a recipe that seemed low calorie (only 192 per serving) but yet satisfying, so as not to be met with cries of "We'll STARVE" by the other members of my needy family. This one fit the bill perfectly. The recipe comes from my new book Celebrity Chefs, and hails from that doyenne of Italian cuisine, Lidia Bastianich. And before you grimace, yes, I know that 'doyenne' is a French word, but I have no idea what the Italian equivalent is - diva? Whatever, she is, as we say in these climes, a powerhouse. On that we can agree.

My only tweaks were to add a little more parmesan (because, hey, its parmesan, and a purge can only go so far), and to change the rice selection to brown, and since that's healthy, it kind of cancels out the cheese :-) Oh, and I chopped up the spinach, because there is nothing worse than trying to eat soup with long strands of spinach leaves hanging off your spoon! And to fend off starvation, I served it with some bread.

Imagine the aroma as this lot cooks :-)

Lentil and Rice Super Soup
Serves 6 (very comfortably!)

1/2 lb carrots, sliced
3/4 lb onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes in juice
1/2lb green cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 lb green beans, cut into 1" lengths
32oz chicken/vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 lb zucchini/courgette, sliced and halved into half moons
6oz baby spinach leaves, chopped
1 cup cooked lentils, drained (can use canned for speed)
1 cup cooked brown rice
3 TBSP grated parmesan

1. Coat a large stockpot with cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, sauté carrots, onions, celery and garlic together for 8 minutes, or until starting to soften.
2. Add tomatoes, cabbage, green beans, broth, 2 cups water, salt and pepper. Stir together and bring to the boil.
3. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Increase heat to high and stir in zucchini and spinach and return soup to the boil.
5. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.
6. Add lentils and rice and heat through. Add parmesan and check seasoning before serving.

Love me some lunchbox leftovers!