Bulgar Salad

Happy hump day! I'm so stoked to tell you about my lunch today, but first let me share a little of my weekend.

Our "prom pose"

This weekend, we were graced with some serious summer weather! The daytime temperature hovered in the 90's and the nights were in the 70's, making it perfect for grilling (don't worry--I'll be sharing some of these grill recipes very soon!). It was also perfect weather for bike riding, gardening, walking the dog, and just lounging in my backyard in my bathing suit, soaking up some rays. Such relaxation! I felt like I was on a tropical vacation, right in my own city. Oh! And did I mention I went to prom this weekend too?! My husband teaches at an alternative high school in the city, so we decided to attend their prom/end-of-year social, which just so happened to be on a rooftop in Chelsea, near the High Line and the Meatpacking District. OMG! Talk about the views! The sunset over the Hudson River was just breathtaking, and definitely a rare treat for this Brooklyn resident.

My corsage. This was Steve's first prom! 

Anyway, back to the reality of the work week and that lunch of mine. Remember the trip I took to Jungle Jim's while I was in Ohio a couple of weeks ago? Well, while I was there I picked up some bulk bulgar wheat because I wanted to try to make this bulgar and lentils salad I really love from my favorite local Mediterranean spot. And man did I strike some serious health-food gold when I thought of the salad I am going to share with you today.

Bulgar is super easy to make, and it's high-fiber, low-calorie, and low-fat, making it a great option for lunch. I made my first batch the other night for that bulgar and lentils salad, and while it was yummy, I've been contemplating more flavorful ways of preparing it as compared to simple hot water and salt. And I'd say I definitely succeeded here.

Preparing the Bulgar
For those of you who don't know, bulgar is a type of cracked whole wheat grain. Often it is sold already partially cooked, making it quick to make. There is a fine grain version available that is considered "instant" because it only takes about 5 minutes to cook through. Medium and course grains are also available if you want more bite behind your cracked wheat, although they take a little longer to cook. Most health food stores stock bulgar wheat in the bulk food section, although you may also find it in the baking or cereal aisles.


When I purchased my bulgar, I chose a medium grain (it was labeled as "#2") because I wanted a little more bite. I began by heating some water to boiling using a tea kettle. While it was heating, I prepared the seasoning, which really is what made this batch of bulgar so yummy compared to my last batch. I used about a teaspoon each of harissa, curry, red pepper flakes, and red and black sea salt from Hawaii for their mineral content--although regular sea salt would work just fine. I also chopped up some spring onion and fresh mint and tossed them in. You could also add garlic or lime juice if you have it available, or even replace the water with some vegetable or chicken stock for added variety and flavor. When the water started to boil, I added 1 1/3 cup to the seasoning mix and gave it a good stir. I then added a cup of the bulgar wheat, gave it a quick stir, and let it sit, covered, for 20 minutes. If the water is not entirely absorbed after 20 minutes, just let it sit a little longer. I then fluffed with a fork and added some fresh cracked black pepper before giving it a taste. YUM! And because I actually made it last night, I then put it in the refrigerator until this morning when I made my husband and myself our lunches.

Putting together the remainder of the salad was pretty simple, and only added about 10 minutes to my morning routine. I rinsed the lettuce, which I purchased from the local farmer's market this weekend, and gave it a rough chop. I then added a few heaping spoonfuls of the bulgar on top of the lettuce. Since it's almost time for me to go shopping again, my salad fixings were sparse, but if I had some in the house I would have also added tomato and cucumber, and maybe some dried fruit such as cranberries. I also added some sunflower seeds for their healthy fat content and high levels of vitamin E and magnesium, although almonds or walnuts would also be yummy. For added protein I included a hardboiled egg, although the bulgar does add a bit of protein on its own. Finally, I drizzled some hempseed oil over the top, which is a nutty tasting alternative to flaxseed oil and fish oil with additional health benefits (it does not contain THC). A little Greek yogurt or tzatziki sauce (cucumber and dill sauce), or even capers and olives would add a nice touch to this salad if you're looking for a little more variety.

 

p.s. For other great salad ideas, be sure to check out our Recipe Index! :)

Roasted Corn and Poblano Soup with Grilled Shrimp

Since Brett is STILL out of town, I got a little creative in the kitchen last night, mixing new flavor combinations. I was brainstorming at work thinking about the items in my refrigerator and the veggies from last week that were on their last leg. Corn was specifically on my list, and I had a poblano that I frequently have in house, but am not always sure on how to use it- salsa, huervos rancheros or fajitas are my go-to's.

So I'm not going to lie- I had one hell of a time getting this soup to taste right. Mainly because it was a little outside my comfort zone, even though going through the process I was super confident. I spent forever trying to fix the flavors, but I digress...

I wanted to share this with you to give you some food for thought (literally), on this flavor combination, or to get you thinking about how you would do it differently!

Here is what I did...

Prepare poblano pepper by fire roasting over an open flame until completely charred, place in a glass bowl, cover with plastic and allow to steam for 5 minutes to allow the skin to easily peel off. After 5 minutes, place under running water and begin to peel off skin. Remove top, seeds, and gills and cut into squares.

While poblano is steaming, begin to saute 1/2 a red onion and begin to cut away the corn kernels from the corn cob (2 ears of corn). Add corn, diced poblano, 2 cloves minced garlic, salt & pepper, and allow to saute for 10-15 minutes to allow corn to cook. Add just enough water to cover vegetables, and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes.

Add in increments to food processor, blending on high until smooth, replace back into pot. Add more seasonings to your liking. Here is where it got crazy on me... I tried adding cilantro, butter, milk, cumin, red pepper flakes, lime and even sugar (because I tasted a slight bitterness). To no avail, guys!

I topped my soup with simply grilled shrimp, sour cream, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.



Maybe it will be better today, but let me just say I wasn't too impressed, and thankfully Brett wasn't home otherwise I would have had a hungry husband (shout out to my favorite English teacher for that alliteration- Trisha).

Maybe my corn to poblano ratio was off... Even re-reading this recipe, I think it sounds amazing, but it left me hanging for some reason. I'll try again later and let you guys know how it goes.

Have a great day!

Simple Salads

Happy (belated) Mother's Day to all the super moms out there!

Picnicking in Fort Greene Park!

While I technically am not a mother, I do claim ownership to three feisty kitties and one amazing dog, making me quite the fur-mom. And let me tell you, I had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Most of my family lives in Ohio and since I won't be in that part of the country until this upcoming weekend, I spent the day perusing Brooklyn with my husband, our friend Jessie, and Charlie, our labrador/basset mix.

We began the day at the park, enjoying a picnic of various little sandwiches, a selection of cheeses, and some fresh berries. For dessert we had pieces of chocolate smothered in a very decadent white chocolate peanut butter. Truly divine!

Following the picnic, we went for a leisurely bike ride around the neighborhood and through Prospect Park (Brooklyn's "Central Park"). I recently purchased a 1986 Peugeot road bike from the Brooklyn Flea Market for a really great price--although the low price may actually be reflective of the fact that it's a child's bike... What can I say? I'm short!--and boy is it a joy to ride! I just can't get enough of it.

After our ride, we decided to cool down with a little gardening. My husband and I started a backyard container garden last month and we really enjoy spending time tending it together on the weekends. We tried our hand at a smaller garden last year and while we got some produce we decided to try for more this year. All together we planted 13 plants, including yellow and green zucchini, pickling cucumbers--I'm fantasizing about making Mary's homemade pickles recipe from complete scratch!--Japanese long eggplant and traditional eggplant, 5 types of peppers including jalapenos, Caribbean red peppers, and sweet Italian peppers, and 3 types of tomatoes. We also planted a windowbox spice garden with tarragon, mint, basil, rosemary, sage, oregano, dill, and thyme. I'm so excited for everyone to grow big and tall so we can eat them!

Speaking of eating, enough of my Mother's Day... It's time for some recipes! For today's post, I'd like to celebrate the joy of warmer weather, being outside, and container gardening with three delicious, nutritious, and super simple salads. Every Saturday a local farmer's market forms at the park down the street from my apartment. Not only does the market collect compost and provide a space for recycling textiles, but it's obviously a great place for us to purchase our veggies for the week. This past weekend they had a great selection of lettuce and I admittedly went a little crazy, buying several types out of excitement. So here, dear reader, you have the result of a week's worth of salads.

Cobb Salad
2 hardboiled eggs, diced
1 tomato, diced
blue cheese, crumbled
sunflower seeds or another type of seed or nut
broccoli and/or cauliflower
turkey or chicken, diced
avocado, sliced

With this salad, I simply rough chopped the lettuce and then I tossed the lettuce and broccoli in the dressing before adding the toppings. I kept the dressing simple with a mixture of aged apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, chive and dill infused olive oil, hemp oil, and some salt and pepper. I also would have tossed in some mushrooms but I didn't have any in the house at the time. I must say, cobb salads are amongst my favorites because I feel they're pretty well-balanced, with a variety of protein sources, healthy fats, and fiber.

Smoked Salmon Salad
1 package smoked salmon
1 red onion, diced

1 tomato, diced

mushrooms, diced

Olives

Capers

Feta cheese or blue cheese, crumbled

For this salad, I again started by rough chopping the lettuce and then added the toppings. I enjoy the smoked salmon because it takes a simple salad to the next level by providing protein and omega-3's. The capers and olives add a nice saltiness to balance the smokey fish, and the red onion and tomato add just a dash of sweetness. For the dressing, I again kept it simple with a mixture of aged apple cider vinegar, olive oil, hemp oil, and pepper.

Frisee Salad

Frisee lettuce

2 eggs, poached

cooked duck bacon

pine nuts

For this salad, I used frisee lettuce rather than typical greens to be adventurous; however I think the same concept would be successful with a variety of lettuces, especially endive, boston, or bibb lettuce, although mesclun or arugula would also work I'm sure. I began by tossing the frisee and the bacon in the dressing, which again was a mixture of aged apple cider vinegar, blood orange infused olive oil, hemp oil, and salt and pepper. I then topped the salad with the two poached eggs and pine nuts. You could also add some diced shallot, blue cheese, roasted red bell peppers, and/or tomatoes, but I decided to keep this salad simple since the real bonus is the runny yolk from the poached eggs. Yum!

And... in case you didn't scope it, the picture at the beginning of this post is a card I handmade for my mother-in-law using a page from an old dictionary I found on the street and an image from a recycled advertisement! :) 

Miso Noodle Soup

Also known as the easiest--and healthiest--version of ramen noodles you'll ever eat, I made this meal last week when I was in a serious time crunch and had some snow peas starting to go soft in the crisper. I currently work as a Learning Specialist at one of the top art and design schools, and I guess finals fever got to my head when my mind paired "easy" and "quick" with "ramen noodles." However, rather than using actual ramen noodles for this dish, I used ramen-style noodles, which I got in the Asian aisle at my local market. In addition to helping me create a more sound food blog entry, choosing ramen-style noodles over ramen soup packets also allows me to make my own seasoning without all the sodium--and without wasting a flavor packet. Also, while you could make this soup using any stock you have available, I opted to use miso paste as it's easy to find at most grocery stores, it's super affordable, and it's versatile, meaning I'm sure I'll find a use for it in a number of other dishes.

Ingredients
1 package ramen-style noodles
1 shallot, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
mushrooms, sliced
snow peas
miso soybean paste

In a large pot, bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the miso paste--I just followed the directions on the back of the package and adjusted it according to my own miso tastes. I also added a dash of mushroom base and soy sauce for added flavor depth. Next, add the onion, garlic, and snow peas and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes. Then add the noodles and mushrooms and remove from heat. Allow the soup to steep for about 5 minutes, or until the noodles are tender.

Alternatively, you can simply add the ingredients to boiling water and wait about 10 minutes for everything to become tender. This is a great alternative for the office or a dorm room where a tea kettle or microwave may be your only option. Ahh, the joy of college nostalgia!

Vegetable Pot Pie with an Aged Gouda and Basil Biscuit Crust

Today is one of my favorite nerd days of the year -- Pi day!

That's right, 3.14. And what better way to celebrate the calendar representation of this circular mathematical constant than with pie?! In this case, the best vegetable pot pie I've ever tasted, let alone created. 

When I decided to make this dish, it was after a late night at work so I wasn't up to the task of making my first-ever pie crust. Thus, I decided to improvise. I looked through my cookbooks until I stumbled upon the idea of using a biscuit crust in my Joy of Cooking: All About Vegetarian Cooking cookbook. 

I then decided to take this non-traditional crust one step further by adding basil and cheese. If you need a little arm-twisting to justify the extra calories, might I tell you that cheese is a source of an enzyme called tyrosine, which is a precursor to the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. In case you don't have your copy of Grey's Anatomy handy, these are chemicals in the brain that promote positive mood. Meaning: cheese makes you happy! 

So go ahead, add some sunshine to your biscuit crust with a little aged gouda, or even smoked cheddar.

Vegetable Pot Pie Filling

1 onion, julienned

1 package mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1 c snowpeas, halved

1 c cherry tomatoes, halved

1 serrano pepper, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 c stock (vegetable, mushroom, or chicken)

1 tbsp mushroom bouillon (I'm obsessed with Better Than Bouillon organic mushroom base) or soy sauce

1 c milk

1 tbsp butter

1/3 c flour

A few sprigs of fresh thyme

Salt & Pepper to taste 

Over medium heat, heat about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onions and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and snowpeas. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next add the serrano pepper, tomatoes, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to look tender, about 5 more minutes. 

Meanwhile, combine the stock and milk in a bowl and whisk until combined.

Add the butter and flour to the vegetable mixture to make a roux. Slowly add the stock mixture to the vegetables, continuously whisking to help combine. 

Bring the sauce to a simmer, continuing to whisk, until it reaches the thickness of cream of mushroom soup. Stir in the mushroom bouillon or soy sauce and season with thyme, salt, and pepper. 

Remove from heat. Transfer to a medium-sized round casserole dish and set aside while you prepare the dough for the biscuit crust.

Aged Gouda and Basil Biscuit Crust

1 c Bisquick

1/3 c milk

1/3 c grated cheese

10 leaves basil, chiffonade

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, combine Bisquick, milk, cheese, and basil. Add more Bisquick or milk as needed until mixture becomes a soft dough. 

Roll dough into a ball and lightly sprinkle with flour. Using your hands or a rolling pin, roll out the dough to the size of your casserole dish. 

Settle the dough on top of the vegetable mixture in the casserole dish. Stab the dough with a fork a few times to allow steam to be released.

Place the pot pie on top of a cookie sheet on the top rack of the oven. The cookie sheet will catch any liquidy spillage from the pot pie--a technique we had to learn about the hard way! Bake the pot pie for about 15 minutes, or until the biscuit crust reaches a golden brown.

Spoon a piece of the biscuit crust onto each plate and generously cover with the soupy vegetable sauce (or just eat it straight out of the casserole dish like we did!) and ENJOY!

- Maegan

Kale and Dates Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Today I would like to share with you my newest love-affair... KALE! Kale has so many nutritious benefits, it is super hearty and really delicious. I pack a salad for lunch most days, and previously used regular green leaf lettuce or spinach.  I would always find that my lettuce would wilt by the time lunch rolls around, due to the dressing or the toppings.  I even tried packing the dressing separate, but to no avail my salad would lack the freshness and crispness I desired. 

Then I was introduced to kale, and my lunch-life has changed. You can add dressing to kale in the morning and by the time lunch rolls around, your greens are just as crisp as it was 5 hours ago!

Kale is bitter so I try to always add a bit of sweetness in the form of a dried fruit- I used dates today. I also add beans and nuts for a crunch and protein.  Lastly I added tomatoes, red onion and shaved Parmesan cheese. 

Easy homemade balsamic vinaigrette!

Pass on the grocery store, preservative-packed salad dressing and create make your own! This simple recipe is super flexible and the basic ingredients are in any household- oil, vinegar, mustard, salt & pepper.

There is this fantastic shop near my house that has specialty oil and vinegar in all sorts of flavors- Old Town Oil, Chicago. I am currently using their 18 year aged balsamic vinegar. But any vinegar you have in the house will work great- Champagne vinegar, apple cider vinegar, ect. 

Other simple vinaigrette recipes will call for 2x the amount of oil to vinegar, however I love the taste of vinegar and therefore use the same ratio of oil to vinegar, plus it keeps the dressing healthier by adding less oil.

Ingredients

2 tbs vinegar

2 tbs oil

1 tsp mustard- I use dijon

Garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste

Combine mustard, vinegar and spices in a small bowl. Then slowly drizzle oil into mixture and wisk until  the oil is completely combined into the vinegar.

When preparing kale, be sure to cut out the tough ribs

Hope you enjoy this brown-bag special! Let me know how you like it!


Thanks-

Mary

Sweet Potato Burger with Chipotle Lime Aoili

I came up with this recipe one night when my husband was out of town and I was limited on groceries. A sweet potato was the only substantial thing I had in the house. So I started brainstorming about what I could do with a sweet potato besides bake it and eat it with brown sugar, and this is what I came up with!

I cooked the burgers in a large nonstick skillet, however you can also cook them in the oven at 350` for 15-20 minutes. Additionally  the burgers are not as structured as a regular meat burger, so I would suggest serving the burger on a bed of greens as opposed to a bun. 

The sauce I use on this burger is a staple in my kitchen. Using plain Greek yogurt as a substitute for mayo is a huge calorie saver while still getting the same taste. The chipotle masks most of the flavor of the mayo, therefore you can't taste that the sauce is made from yogurt. And the lime juice helps to thin out the sauce and add a bit of freshness. 

TIP: Chipotle in Adobo comes in a can and typically a recipe will only call for 1-2 chipotles. Instead of throwing away the leftover chipotle, puree the the contents of the can and the pureed chipotles will be good in an air tight container for up to three months in the refrigerator. Time and cost saver! Then you can add a bit of chipotle to any dish throughout the week- stir-fry, spicy guacamole, tacos, ect!

Sweet Potato Burger

1 Sweet potato

1/2 cup cooked Quinoa

1/2 cup your choice of Beans

1/4 cup shaved Carrots

1/4 cup chopped Red Pepper

1/4 cup chopped Red Onion

Cilantro

Juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 tsp garlic powder, cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, chili powder 

Salt and pepper to taste

Chipotle Lime Aoili

1 tbs plain Greek yogurt

1 tbs mayonnaise

1 tbs chipotle in adobo (more or less based on your desired heat level)

Juice of 1/2 lime

Directions

Bake sweet potato or cook in microwave. Discard skin and add to a large bowl. Add cooked quinoa and beans. Using a pastry cutter mash the mixture until the ingredients are combined. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine well. 

Form mixture into burger patties and preheat a large nonstick skillet with a few tablespoons of oil. Cook covered over medium to high heat for 5 minutes on each side. Be careful when flipping the burgers. They are not very structured and can break apart if you are not gentle.

While burgers are on the stove, prepare the Chipotle Lime Aoili and prepare your desired toppings- I went with sliced tomato and avocado on a bed of spinach. To prepare aoili, simply combine all the ingredients.

Once burgers are done, assemble and enjoy!

Thanks!

Mary