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.