Lentil and Tofu Curry

Lentil and Tofu Curry
adapted from appetite for china

• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1-2 T olive oil
• 1/2 cup lentils, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups water (or use part veggie stock)
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1/2 block of tofu (about 250 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• dash of cayenne pepper, optional
• ~1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• chopped cilantro to garnish, optional
• brown rice and plain yogurt to serve

Saute onion and garlic with a pinch of salt in a swirl of olive oil over medium heat until golden, about 2 minutes, add ginger and stir. Add lentils and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are soft, about 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, cut tofu into cubes and gently press between paper towels to remove excess moisture. In a wok or skillet, heat a Tablespoon of oil over medium heat and gentle stir fry (after adding tofu, don't touch it for about 2 minutes to allow it to slightly brown, then stir). Add curry, cumin, cayenne (to your preference) and salt - cook for another 1 to 2 minutes then stir in spinach and allow to wilt, about 1 minute. Add mixture to the lentils and simmer for 5 minutes to meld flavors. Add more spices, as needed. Serve with brown rice and plain yogurt. 

Heads Up! The "natural" flavor of the La Serenisima brand of Greek yogurt, Griego, is not actually plain, it's sweetened. So don't put it on this dish! Also, it's not actually Greek yogurt as it is thickened with cream instead of just being extra-strained like real Greek yogurt. Man! Why do we have to get the fake versions of everything?! Also, the Danone (aka Dannon) logo is also on this yogurt, so don't go blaming Argentine industry alone. If you're trying to eat healthy and wholesome, GOOD LUCK! Also, if you think that the US is alone in it's struggle with obesity, read this post by Katie at Seashells & Sunflowers. 

Roasted Vegetable Sandwich & Curry Fries

Roasted Vegetable Sandwich

This doesn't really require a recipe - just slice up some summer veggies and toss in a bowl with a good drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh herbs. For this one, I used eggplant and zucchini cut into 1/4 inch thick slices, red pepper cut into strips 1/4 inch thick, and carrots sliced even thinner. After coating veggies with oil and seasoning, roast in a hot oven (450F/230C) for 20-25 minutes - flipping them over after 10 minutes. 

I found multigrain flat bread "buns" at the grocery store and I heart them. Stuff like this isn't so easy to find around here so if you're looking for it, the brand is Oroweat and they're called Flats. I found them at Coto.

Serve veggies on a bun with hummus or Dijon mustard. Add a slice of cheese if you're feeling it.  

Curry Fries
(adapted from Post Punk Kitchen)

• 2 large Russet potatoes
• 1 teaspoon mild curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large clove garlic, finely diced
• Drizzle of olive oil to coat

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and preheat oven to 425F/220C. Slice potatoes about 1/4 inch thick and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately remove to an ice bath. When cool, lay out on a towel in a single layer to dry and blot the tops with a paper towel - a little moisture is okay. Combine potatoes, curry powder, salt, garlic and a drizzle of oil in a bowl and toss until coated. Place fries in a single layer on a non-stick or greased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes on each side until golden brown.

If you're baking the veggies and the fries at the same time, you may need to add a few minutes to the cooking times.

Ratatouille & Parmesan Polenta

This dish is a combination of Ratatouille's Ratatouille from Smitten Kitchen and Parmesan Polenta from Eighty Twenty (a great healthy recipe resource). I usually make couscous (flavored with Mediterranean spices) to go with this ratatouille but tried something even healthier (?). This ratatouille recipe is my favorite - not too many spices and no big lumps of eggplant.

Ratatouille's Ratatouille
from Smitten Kitchen

• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 small eggplant
• 1 small zucchini
• 1 yellow squash (I usually can't find this here so I don't mind leaving it out)
• 1 long red bell pepper
• Few sprigs of thyme
• Salt & pepper

Mix puree, garlic, onion and 1 Tablespoon oil in the bottom of a baking dish. Season generously with salt and pepper. Thinly slice vegetables and arrange slices atop the sauce in concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the dish, overlapping so that just a bit of each flat surface is visible, alternating veggies. Drizzle the remaining Tablespoon of oil over the veggies and season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle fresh thyme over the top. Cover dish with a piece of parchment paper (or tinfoil) cut to fit inside. Bake at 375F/190C for 45 to 55 minutes, until veggies have released their liquid and are clearly cooked but not totally limp. The sauce will bubble up around them. 

Parmesan Polenta

from Eighty Twenty

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup cornmeal 
• 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, shredded

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan, add garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, add broth and bring to a boil. Gradually add cornmeal with continually whisking. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often to prevent lumps. Stir in parmesan in the last minute of cooking time. 

Serve ratatouille atop polenta and garnish with just a tad more parmesan cheese.

More Healthy Food!

That there is the only shot I got of this meal before hastily gobbling it up -- guilt-free!

Lemony Quinoa With Broccoli & Cashews
adapted from Whole Foods

• Half of a green pepper, chopped (I used this instead of sundried tomatoes per a comment suggestion)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Pinch salt & pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup veggie broth (or substitute water and veggie powder)
• 3/4 cup white wine (I didn't have any so I substituted veggie broth)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, cleaned
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup cashews, chopped

Saute onion and garlic in oil for just a few minutes, season with salt and pepper and add water, broth, wine, and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Stir in quinoa, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss broccoli into the pot, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. Toss gently to combine. Garnish with cashews. 

Roasted Carrot & Avocado Salad
from Smitten Kitchen

• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into two-inch segments
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus a drizzle to finish
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Course salt and black pepper
• 1/2 avocado, pitted and sliced (obviously, I just used the whole thing)
• Juice of half a lemon

Toss carrots with 2 Tablespoons oil, salt & pepper (as much as you prefer - I used a big pinch and 2 twists), and cumin. Arrange on a baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes at 400F/200C until tender and browned.  To serve, arrange avocado slices on top of roasted carrots and dress with lemon juice,  a drizzle of olive oil, and extra salt and pepper if necessary.

Best Broccoli Salad

There are too many ingredients in this salad (or side dish) to come with a name for it that includes them all. Really, it's a dumbed down version of what Heidi at 101 Cookbooks calls Broccoli Crunch Recipe and it. is. fabulous. Actually, I just had it for lunch and had to post immediately.

Best Broccoli Salad (or something)

• 1 medium-large onion
• 4-5 cups small broccoli florets
• Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt (or less)
• 2 Tablespoons peanut butter (original recipe calls for almond butter)
• 3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons hot water
• 2 small apples, cut into thin slices
• Small handful of almonds, toasted (or substitute peanuts)

Start by caramelizing the onion - sauté with a drizzle of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Once caramelized, move onions to a paper towel to crisp up a bit. Meanwhile, get water boiling for the broccoli and either blanch or steam until it reaches your preferred consistency (it should have a crunch to it) - Heidi barely cooks it for 15 seconds but I steam mine for at least 5 minutes with a sprinkle of salt, then rinse with cool water to stop the cooking. I took her suggestion to dry it in a salad spinner and thought it was a brilliant trick - no soggy broccoli. 

Make the dressing: Whisk together the salt (less if your peanut butter is salty), peanut butter, lemon juice, honey, oil and hot water. Full disclosure here -  I only had a little over a cup of broccoli so I scaled everything back a lot (though I still used a medium onion) and I made the dressing using the juice of half of a small lemon along with about a teaspoon of everything else and a pinch of salt. I omitted the garlic and the red onion from the original recipe mostly because it was just too many steps. Pour dressing over broccoli and apples, top with caramelized onions and nuts. 

The number of steps and dirty dishes aside, this was an amazing recipe. Here's a close-up of that creamy dressing and layers of flavors: 

Cornmeal Crusted White Bean Burgers

I'm back on the (healthy foods) wagon so I'll be posting some lighter fare in hopes of revisiting it soon. I loved the flavor of these burgers, though they are a little mushy - as in, don't think you can just toss it onto the parilla because it's kind of like grilling mashed potatoes. And to give fair warning - these are lightly fried (something I neglected to notice until after assembly).

Cornmeal Crusted Bean & Quinoa Burgers
from Eating Well

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup quinoa, picked over, soaked, scrubbed & rinsed (I may be exaggerating here but I hate gritty bites of quinoa)
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup red (I used green) onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 cups cooked white beans, well drained (I only made half of this recipe and used one can of beans - drained & rinsed)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (I didn't have it so I used sweet paprika and a touch of cayenne)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro (or substitute parsley), chopped
• 3 Tablespoons cornmeal, plus extra for coating burgers
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly groung pepper to taste
• Dash of hot sauce (This was my addition and may have messed with the consistency of the burgers, but I really don't think that's what made them mushy)

Bring water to a boil and add quinoa, returning to a boil. Turn heat to low, cover and cook until water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Uncover and set aside. Sauté onion and garlic in 1 T oil until soft, about 3 minutes. Add beans, paprika and cumin. Mash beans to a smooth paste with a potato masher. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool slightly. Stir in quinoa, cilantro, 3 T cornmeal, salt & pepper (and a dash of hot sauce if you'd like). Form mixture into 6 patties and coat with cornmeal. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook 3 burgers at a time until brown and crisp on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes per side. 

You know, until they look like this:

The original recipe also includes a guacamole recipe, which I'm sure is lovely, but I just tossed on some avocado slices and mustard. Yum. Oh, and if you're a super good girl you would use a whole wheat bun. Whoops.

Nutrísimo

Because after a season full of patriotic holidays and fatty foods, I need a break. Nutrísimo is a vegetarian take out/delivery joint with nutrient rich meals and snacks, and they're pretty yummy. Above is a big alfajor (7 pesos), with an amazing strawberry filling, that's covered in a thin layer of white chocolate and a sprinkling of semillas de lino (I forget what they're called in English but they're super good for you). And below is half of a serving of leek and tofu pie (14 pesos) and a piece of soy milanesa roll (30 pesos), which comes with brown rice and beets.

They also sell whole grain pastas, risottos, waffles, medialunas, empanadas, and some amazing looking multigrain bread that I've been meaning to try.

Nutísimo
9 de Julio 1451
Rosario

Adventures in Cabbage Soup Dieting

You know that feeling that you get after the holidays when your clothes are quite snug and you're sure you've probably put on a few pounds but you haven't stepped on a scale so it isn't real? Yeah, me too. And doesn't it totally suck when you actually do get on that scale and it's worse news that you'd thought?  Yikes. Then it's time for drastic measures. Enter The Cabbage Soup Diet. Seven days of weird eating strategies supplemented by non-hearty bowls of...you guessed it...cabbage soup. 

Day 1 was easy enough, only fruit and your soup. Day 2, however, was harder on me - only veggies and soup, no fruit - which meant that my sweet tooth was killing me. An allowed baked potato saved the day. Here it is along with some curried veggies:

Curried Roasted Vegetables

• 3-4 cups of cubed vegetables - I used onion, garlic, red pepper, carrot, broccoli, eggplant, zapallito, and about a quarter of a calabaza
• Drizzle of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
• salt and pepper

Toss all ingredients in a bowl until veggies are coated with spices. Spread out veggies in one layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Roast in a hot oven (400F, 205C) for 15 minutes covered with tinfoil and an additional 15 minutes without foil, or until cooked to your preference. Turn every 10 minutes for evenness and to prevent sticking. 

Day 3 was a piece of cake - fruits, veggies, and soup. And I should note that we didn't make the cabbage soup recipe, we actually made our own version. It included cabbage but not really any seasonings - just veggies simmered with nothing but water, salt, and pepper for about half an hour.

Day 4, however, was not. Bananas and skim milk day. Oh, the humanity. But we made a feast of it. First, banana milkshakes: Combine a banana with about a cup of cold skim milk and a few ice cubes in a food processor until well blended. Add a few drops of vanilla or almond extract for great flavor.

 

Banana "Ice Cream"

• Bananas
• Lemon juice

That's it! That's all of the ingredients. Slice the bananas, brush with or dip in lemon juice. Freeze the slices in one layer for a couple of hours. Blend in a food processor, scraping the sides as needed, until the slices get creamy...like ice cream! Add a touch of skim milk if you're having trouble blending. 

I'll make this "ice cream" again along with a dollop of peanut butter of dulce de leche blended in. It's amazing how close the texture is to actual ice cream.

Days 5 and 6 permitted the eating of beef or chicken. And for me that meant tofu. I experimented with 2 cooking styles. Both began by cutting a block of tofu into 1cm thick slices and pressing between two dish towels for 30 minutes - I stacked a couple of Harry Potter books on top of a cutting board covering the towels. This process is to soak up the water so that the tofu will hold onto a marinade.

The first method called for dry frying the tofu before marinading.

Tofu Marinade (for half of a block of tofu)

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 big clove of garlic, chopped
• 2 T. soy sauce
• shake of tamarind sauce
• 1 T. lemon juice
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• pinch of dry mustard powder
• pinch of ginger powder
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• pinch of vegetable powder

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, add dry fried tofu, add enough water to cover the tofu. Marinade for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. 

Saute tofu in the marinade until most of the liquid evaporates. Add any additional vegetables if you like. I added tomatoes (added for the last 5 minutes of sauteing) for day 5...

...and carrots and broccoli for day 6. I also added black and white sesame seeds, though these weren't part of the diet plan. (I also ate vegan chocolate on a few of the days...a girl's gotta break some rules.)

 

The second tofu-cooking method I tried was for baked tofu. This goes into the marinade right after pressing. I tried a lighter, curry powder based marinade with mint but the flavor either wasn't as strong as the soy sauce based marinade or I didn't let it sit long enough. So, that recipe is going to take some experimenting.

After marinading, bake the tofu (flipping every 20 minutes) on a lightly oiled baking sheet for 45 minutes to an hour at 180C, 350F. This gave it a great texture but because the flavor was so subtle, I went ahead and sauteed the baked tofu in the marinade and added a tomato.

Day 7 - the home stretch - incorporated vegetables and brown rice. I had been reluctant to eat an avocado all week due to it's high (good) fat content but tossed one with a couple of tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for a salad on the last day.

Of course, I took some liberties with the diet foods (it's not like there are cooking instructions) and I still had a small cup of coffee with milk and sugar for breakfast each day to keep my sanity. In the end I lost nearly 2 kilos but, most importantly, I found new and different ways to eat healthy foods. I will say that this diet can screw with your system, so watch out for weirdness and be careful. The great thing is that I'm satisfied with smaller portions and I don't have crazy cravings now. It's kind of like someone hit my reset button and I can appreciate food and drinks in moderation again. Also, my jeans don't muffin-top me so much. Awesome.

Quinoa Is Good For You!

Being a superfood, quinoa is totally good for you. The tricky part is getting it clean - I have to pick it over for rocks and other random debris, then soak it for a few minutes (skimming off any floaters), and rinse in a wire mesh colander. I also give it a bit of a scrub between my hands while soaking to get rid of any clinging saponin.

Double Broccoli Quinoa

adapted from 101 Cookbooks

• 3/4 cup quinoa, cleaned
• 3 cups broccoli, cut into small florets and steamed
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• salt
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

After cleaning quinoa, bring to a boil with 1 1/2 cups water and a big pinch of salt, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes - it's done when you can see the curlicues. To make the broccoli pesto, puree 1 1/2 cups steamed broccoli with nuts, parmesan, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and cream and pulse until smooth. Toss pesto and quinoa with the remaining florets. Add extra salt, lemon juice, or parmesan, as you prefer. I added a few dashes of Al Wok seasoning (brand is Indo Deli), which includes garlic, coriander, ginger, onion, and basil.

Quinoa with Black Beans

adapted from All Recipes

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• splash of olive oil
• 1/2 cup quinoa, cleaned
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• dash of cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup corn kernels
• 1 1/2-2 cups cooked black beans
• handful of chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic and saute until lightly browned - about 6 minutes. Add quinoa and cover with stock. Season with cumin, cayenne, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in corn (if using frozen, simmer until heated through), beans and herb. Then, pat yourself on the back for making such a healthy meal and reward yourself with dessert.

Garden Vegetable Soup

It's been unseasonably warm lately (considering its the Northern Hemisphere's equivalent of December) and along with the unseasonable weather came some unseasonable veggies, perfect for making Alton Brown's Garden Vegetable Soup. I made roughly half of the following recipe:

• 4 T. olive oil
• 2 c. chopped leeks, white part only (from approximately 3 medium leeks)
• 2 T. finely minced garlic
• Kosher salt
• 2 c. carrots, peeled and chopped (approximately 2 medium)
• 2 c. diced potatoes
• 2 c. green beans, cut
• 2 quarts (8 c.) vegetable broth (which you can make with the green parts of the leeks)
• 4 c. peeled seeded and chopped tomatoes (approximately 6 medium tomatoes)
• 2 ears corn, kernels removed (about 1.5 cups)
• 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
• *1 T. tomato paste
• 1/4 c. chopped parsley
• 1-2 t. lemon juice

Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the leeks, garlic, and a pinch of salt and sweat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, and green beans and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the tomatoes, corn kernels, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add the parsley and lemon juice. Season, to taste, with kosher salt. Serve immediately.

*I added tomato paste for flavor since our winter tomatoes weren't exactly ripe and juicy.

I also didn't have any lemon to squeeze on top but added a little shredded parmesan.

Chili sin Carne

It's been chilly out and I needed something to warm me to my bones - something with spice! This recipe uses a packaged blend of finely chopped dried chilies and other spices that I found at Falabella (Narda Lepes, no 2 HOT) in place of chili powder - only because I couldn't find anything close enough in powder form. The same amount of chili powder can be substituted. The other spices include oregano and cayenne pepper (among other stuff) so I'd toss a little of that in too. I also used dried beans but you could use one can of each - black and kidney beans, drained.

I used fresh tomatoes, peeled and crushed, because I read that canned tomatoes are actually somewhat toxic due to BPA. To easily peel tomatoes, cut an X into the bottom and drop into boiling water for about 15 seconds. Remove and, using a fork and knife, immediately peel skin off. It should almost fall off in 4 pieces. Cut out the core, chop up and smush a little with a fork. Let these rest in a bowl for a little while before adding to chili - they'll get a little juicy.

Chili sin Carne

• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup bell pepper (I used half of a red and half of a green)
• 1 carrot
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 zucchini (zapallito)
• 1 c. corn
• 2 T. chili mix
• 3/4 T. cumin
• Big pinch of salt and a few twists of the pepper mill
• 3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped (and smashed)
• Beans*
• Tomato paste to taste (I used about 2 T.) or use a greater quantity of tomato puree
• 1 c. vegetable stock
• 1 T. apple cider vinegar

*3-4 c. cooked or canned beans - I used about 1 1/2 c. (combined) dried black beans and kidney beans. Either soak overnight or bring to a boil, cover, remove from heat and let sit for an hour. Then simmer for one and a half hours - being careful not to let them dry up.

Chop and then saute onion, garlic, pepper and carrot in oil along with bay leaf until they start to soften. Add chopped zucchini and corn kernels and cook until soft, about 7 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, and s&p and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, cooked beans, stock, and tomato paste. Simmer for 30 minutes. Taste to adjust seasonings. Stir in cider vinegar and add water if you want it thiner. Simmer another 5 minutes or so. Remove bay leaf. Add cornbread (I only used 1 T. of sugar with this recipe) and toppings!

Save some for leftovers - it's even better on day 2!

Turning a Side Dish into Dinner

To turn green beans with almonds into a main course, I tossed in a couple handfuls of wheat pasta - it goes well with these flavors.

Warning: if you like your beans crunchy, then you know how to alter.

• 3 c. fresh green beans, ends snapped off
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  
• 2 T. e.v. olive oil
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
• 3 handfuls of corkscrew wheat pasta (about 1 c.)
  
• 1/2 c. chopped almonds, toasted
  

Drop beans in well-salted boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. (Alternatively, you can steam the beans). In the meantime, saute onion in oil, seasoning with salt, pepper, and additional seasonings such as Seasoned Salt (copycat recipe) or even a little veggie powder, until the onion begins to soften. Add pasta to boiling beans (or steaming water) and continue to cook until al dente. Add beans, pasta, and 1/4-1/2 c. bean/pasta cooking water to the onion and saute together for a few minutes, giving the flavors a chance to come together. Add more salt as needed, or choose to garnish it with parmesan cheese. Once most of liquid has evaporated, sprinkle almonds on top and serve.

If you're not a vegetarian, you would probably be interested in adding bacon or using bacon grease in this recipe!