Shakshuka

When we are in the mood to experiment with a new dish we often try combinations of recipes from our cookbooks.  For this dish we wanted to do a spin on the Middle Eastern dish shakshuka (meaning "a mixture") - eggs poached in a tomato-onion sauce.  For our take on it, we were looking to add more veggies to make it a heartier main dish and after seeing a recipe in Cooks Illustrated for eggs florentine decided to add spinach.

While any tomato sauce would work in this dish, we used some sauce that we made over the summer with fresh cherry tomatoes and basil.  These bright flavors paired perfectly with smoky cumin and smoked paprika, caramelized onions and garlic, and plenty of spinach.  After simmering the tomato sauce for a while to let all the flavors meld, we carefully cracked eggs into the sauce and gently simmered for a few minutes until the eggs were just soft boiled (set whites and just set yokes).

This dish is especially simple because you probably have all of the ingredients on hand and can put it together in no time (you can even start with tomato sauce made for a pasta night and just add the spices).  Served with crusty bread to sop up all of the sauce this is an easy and delicious meal for any night of the week!

Shakshuka

1tbs olive oil
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin, or to taste
2 tsp smoked paprika, or to taste
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed
4 cups of tomato sauce or canned tomatoes (any kind thats good)
4 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in heavy, wide pot over medium heat and add onions.  Saute until golden brown, then add garlic and spices.  Continue cooking, stirring often, until very fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add thawed spinach and cook for 10 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Add tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes (or longer) to allow flavors to combine.

Just before serving, create 4 wells in the sauce and carefully crack 1 egg into each well.  Put a lid on the pot and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how well done you want the eggs.

Ladle whole eggs and plenty of sauce into bowls and serve immediately with crusty bread.

Serves 2.

Carrot Gnocchi with Sage and Brown Butter

It's pretty amazing how simple ingredients, when treated right, can turn into something so delicious.  In this case, just five ingredients - carrots, flour, sage, oil, and butter - are combined into a truly wonderful meal - carrot gnocchi.  We've always been a little intimidated to make classic potato gnocchi because great gnocchi must hold together well yet be light and airy.  When we first came across this recipe as Joanne's choice for the food matters project though, it seemed accessible and straightforward so we gave it a try.

By substituting carrots for potatoes or cheese, these gnocchi become quite sweet and very tender.  They were easy to put together and as long as you don't over mix them (which would build up too much gluten), they seem pretty foolproof.

Meanwhile, the simple brown butter and sage sauce is a perfect savory compliment.  Brown butter is nothing but butter and olive oil cooked until slightly browned and richly flavored.  Adding some sage leaves to this combination makes it all the better.  While cooking the gnocchi in batches (to avoid crowding and cooling the water), toss the finished gnocchi with the sauce to let them get a little crispy on the outside - a great contrast of texture to the soft and chewy center.

Pick up some carrots and sage and warm up your next cold evening with this delicious dish.

Carrot Gnocchi with Sage and Brown Butter
From The Food Matters Cookbook by Mark Bittman

1 lb carrots, cut into large pieces
Salt
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
Black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs butter
5-7 leaves of fresh sage, roughly chopped

Place carrots in cold water with a pinch of salt and bring to boil.  Boil until very soft, about 45 minutes, then drain.  Return carrots to pot and let them dry over low heat for 10 minutes.  Puree carrots in food processor or by hand and add nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.

Combine flours in mixing bowl and remove 1/4 of it.  Add carrots to mixing bowl and stir until just combined.  Pinch off a piece of the dough and boil it to make sure it holds its shape.  If it falls apart add more flour to mixture until gnocchi just holds together.

Turn dough onto floured surface and roll into 1/2-inch ropes.  Cut rope into 1-inch pieces and score with a fork to provide grooves which will hold sauce.  Arrange gnocchi, without them touching, on a baking sheet covered with a towel.  (At this point the gnocchi can be frozen on the sheet pan, then transferred to a plastic bag for 3 months.  Do not thaw before boiling.)  Refrigerate for 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and heat oil, butter, and over medium low heat in a large skillet.  Cook a few gnocchi at a time in boiling water until 1 minute after they rise to the surface.  Transfer cooked gnocchi to skillet with sauce and repeat with remaining gnocchi.

Serve immediately.

Sweet Potato Tempura

This past weekend we had friends over for a great sushi-making dinner party.  Vegetable sushi rolls have recently become one of our favorite entertaining dishes, as it's fun to make in a large group and much of the prep work can be done ahead of time - cooking the rice, prepping the vegetables, making the sauces.  And of course, making one of the best side dishes for sushi - tempura!

As it turns out, this weeks food matters project recipe was sweet potato and corn fritters, thus sweet potato tempura was a perfect recipe twist.

Tempura batter is incredibly versatile and can be used to add a perfect crunch to anything you fry.  We chose sweet potatoes because of their sweet flavor and contrast between soft interiors and crunchy shells created by the tempura batter.  It would be equally good with any number of other vegetables, including broccoli, onions, asparagus, carrots, green beens, and cauliflower.

We wanted to make the tempura ahead of time so we weren't making a mess while guests were over and in doing so stumbled upon a great trick to ensuring perfectly cooked vegetables.  After frying the sweet potatoes we put them on a cooling rack in a hot oven to keep them warm.  This also helped finish cooking the insides (which were slightly hard after frying) which resulted in super creamy interiors yet perfectly crisp exteriors.

Grab some local vegetables at your market and give this fun side dish a try!  Also check out Bittman's Sweet Potato and Corn Fritters on Dinner with Aura.

Butternut Squash Bisque

For the vegetarian cook, butternut squash is a staple winter ingredient, and a good butternut squash soup recipe is a must.  As the days have been getting shorter and the evenings getting cooler, here in Charlottesville we've been craving a comforting warm soup.  This is a great recipe to make on a Sunday afternoon and let simmer to develop the flavors and warm up your house (it also makes plenty to have for leftovers during the week).

In our minds the perfect butternut soup is rich and creamy but not heavy with cream and butter.  The sweetness of the squash is balanced by acid, in this case from apples and wine.  Once served the smoothness of the soup is contrasted by crunchy croutons.

We put a twist on the classic recipe by substituting almond milk for heavy cream, which added richness, but still keep it light.  We used granny smith apples and a dry white wine to provide a nice crispness while our garlic and balsamic croutons added the perfect crunch.

We will certainly be enjoying variations of this soup all winter long and hope you can enjoy it as well in one of the cold nights to come!

Spinach Tofu Burgers

This week was our turn to host the recipe for the food matters project.  We wanted to pick a recipe that was both accessible and versatile (not hard to find in Bittman's book).  But we also wanted a recipe that the other food matters project participants could customize in ways that reflect their favorite flavors and ingredients.  We thought that a veggie burger would be the perfect slate for us all to start with and embrace the food matters project ideals.

Typically, the veggie burgers we make are bean based (and delicious), so not including them in this recipe was a new concept to us.  We were also interested in the Asian flavors that went into this dish, as opposed to the usual earthy flavors in veggie burgers (chipotle, cumin, paprika, garlic, onion, etc.).  As the hosts this week, we followed Bittman's recipe exactly and loved the results.

These burgers were light, yet filling, with a crispy exterior (thanks to grilling them on a George Forman grill) and moist interior.  The Asian flavors are definitely unique, but proved to be refreshing and well balanced (particularly the crunch from the sesame seeds).

We topped our burgers with sliced tomato and our dill tofu mayo (from last weeks food matters project recipe) and placed it between two soft and grilled buns.

We hope that you enjoy this recipe as much as we did and look forward to seeing everyones take on it!

Spinach Tofu Burgers
From The Food Matters Cookbook by Mark Bittman
Makes: 4 servings       Time: 40 minutes

1 pound spinach (frozen is fine)
2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves
1 block firm tofu (about 1 pound), patted dry
1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably whole grain and homemade, or panko
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
Salt and black pepper
2 tbs vegetable oil, or more as needed

Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it; fill a large bowl with ice water.  Add the spinach to the pot, stir, and let cook for no more than a minute, then drain and plunge it into the ice water.  (If you're using frozen spinach, just let it thaw before proceeding.).  When the spinach is cold, drain it again, use your hands to squeeze out as much water as you can, and chop it finely by hand or in a food processor.  Transfer the spinach to a large bowl.

Put the scallions and garlic in a food processor and pulse a few times until minced.  Transfer them to the bowl, then crumble half the tofu into the bowl with your hands.  Put the remaining tofu into the food processor and let it run until the tofu is smooth.  Add it to the bowl along with the bread crumbs, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, and a sprinkling of salt and lots of pepper.

Combine the mixture until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed, then form into 4 patties.  (You can prepare the patties up to a day ahead.  Cover them tightly and refrigerate; bring them to room temperature before proceeding.)

Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  When the oil is hot, slide the patties into the skillet with the spatula.  Alternatively, place burgers on preheated indoor grill or panini press that has been sprayed with oil.  Cook, undisturbed, until they are nicely browned and easy to move, about 5 minutes.  Carefully flip the patties and cook on second side for 3 to 4 minutes more.  Serve on buns or over rice.

Dill (Tofu) Mayo

Mayo is a pretty amazing ingredient.  We don't use it often, but when we do there is really no substitutions - sriracha mayo, "house" dressing (Charlottesvillians know what we are talking about), aioli, and burger dressings.  We love the creaminess and tang that mayo provides, but not necessarily the saturated fat and cholesterol that comes with it.  Thus, tofu mayo.

We were excited when we first saw this recipe on the food matters project schedule, but were slightly skeptical that tofu could replace eggs to provide the creaminess we were looking for.  But, as with most of Bittman's recipes, we trusted him, gave it a try, and were very happy with the results.

The recipe is simple and includes many of the ingredients you would add to a traditional aioli - lemon, Dijon mustard, and oil.  We also added a handful of dill which gave the final product a wonderfully fresh taste.  All of these ingredients, plus silken tofu and honey, were processed in a food processor until creamy and airy.  After a few minutes, voila - dill tofu mayo.

We served this mayo a top our veggie burgers (recipe coming next week) and with roasted sweet potatoes.  Don't stop there though, this mayo could also be tweaked to compliment anything from falafel to roasted and grilled vegetables.

We hope you find all sorts of uses for this mayo and let us know if you find any great ones!

Check out the original recipe at Biographie de ma Faim and see our version below.

Pesto Cheese-Nut Logs

Our CSA continues to provide us with abundant bunches of basil and we are always looking for new uses for it (we already have about a gallon of frozen pesto in the freezer).  This weeks food matters project recipe, cheese and nut balls, came at the perfect time to incorporate basil into another dish.

For these logs we used some mild Parmesan-like cheese and almonds.  We also tossed in some basil and garlic - essentially making pesto but with different ratios.  After adding a dash of salt and pepper we pulsed everything together in the food processor until it was broken down but not yet a paste.  Rather than making little balls, as per the original recipe, we placed our mixture in plastic wrap and then tightly rolled it into a log.  After a few hour rest in the fridge these logs were ready to be cut into rounds and served with a big salad and some crusty bread - the perfect weeknight meal!

Check out Cheese Please for Bittman's Cheddar Cheese and Almond Nut Balls and our "recipe" below.

Hot Sauce

We think that spice tends to make most food taste better.  Not burn-your-mouth-off-can't-taste-anything spice, but just enough heat to make things interesting.  Our go to hot sauce has been Sriracha, it's balance of peppers, spices, and flavors provides just the right amount of heat and complexity to all sorts of dishes.  As is our philosophy, though, we figured that with the right ingredients we too could make a flavorful hot sauce just as good as a store-bought version.

Thanks to our CSA's bounty of hot peppers, we were able to recently experiment.  We had been collecting hot peppers each week, but can only eat so many hot peppers as they are.  Hot sauce, we decided, was the perfect way to preserve the peppers flavors for the rest of the year.

This hot sauce turned out truly delicious.  It's definitely spicy, but not so spicy that you can't taste the complex flavors the variety of peppers yielded.  It's thin enough that you can stir it into mayo to make a spicy dipping sauce (for baked okra perhaps) and chunky enough to provide texture (to asian noodles for example).

We are really enjoying using our hot sauce - from adding a kick to falafel to adding spice to a soy sauce dip for sushi - and look forward to many more applications in the months to come.  Preserve a little bit of your summer and grab the last peppers of the season to spice up any of your favorite dishes.

Apple Polenta Cake

This weekend we've been busy making lots of fall-inspired recipes - pumpkin spiced granola, butternut squash, and this delicious apple polenta cake.  We don't bake often, but when this recipe came along for the food matters project it sounded too good (and healthy) not to make.  Bittman's recipe called for dried apricots, which we decided to sub out for fresh apples (this time of year they are just perfect for baking).  It turns out that this was a wonderful idea.

We really enjoyed the lightness and moisture that the polenta provided in this dessert while using olive oil instead of butter added a unique flavor which paired well with the other light flavors (not to mention making it healthier).  We think that using apples was a great addition and because we microwaved them for 3 minutes before mixing into the cake, they were perfectly soft and sweet.  And almost as important as how it tasted, it was easy and quick to make.

This cake satisfies your sweet tooth without being heavy or too rich.  That said, next time we are thinking of turning this into an upside-down cake by coating the bottom of the dish with an apple and caramel sauce (stay tuned!).

You can find the complete recipe at Prariesummers and later on this fall we'll post our experiments with an apple caramel sauce.

Edamame Cakes

Before cooking this food matters project recipe we had only eaten edamame in Japanese restaurants or as a quick snack.  Although we know that they are often added to stir-frys, we never thought of grinding them into a light and healthy cake.  Edamame are packed with protein and incredibly creamy - in a way similar to chickpeas.  The end result were crisp cakes with soft centers - a perfect texture combination - filled with flavor.

Making this recipe is reminiscent of making falafel, just with an Asian twist.  To continue the Asian theme, we had these cakes with one of our favorite summer side dishes, summer rolls, and an amazing dipping sauce.

For our dipping sauce, we combined our homemade chili sauce with soy sauce, grated ginger, and minced garlic.  This sauce was better than anything we've had in restaurants and tasted great on both the edamame cakes and summer rolls.

For Bittman's recipe (we followed it closely, just without the sesame oil and onions and garlic instead of scallions) visit Life with the Lushers.

Roasted Corn and Tomato Soup

Sometimes you come across a recipe that looks so good (both picture and ingredients) that you just have to try it.  That happened to us while flipping through the William Sonoma catalog (who knew they had such good recipes).  The timing couldn't have been better as we are still in, though not for much longer, fresh corn and tomato season.  We gave it a try one evening and loved the results.

There are a number of steps to this recipe so we made a big batch to make the effort well worth it.  Although roasting and peeling the tomatoes; charring, steaming, and peeling the peppers; and roasting the corn may seem unnecessary, this is one recipe where each step adds another layer of flavor.  The same goes for the chipotle seasoning at the end.  Nothing else would quite suffice because of chipotle's smoky heat, though in a pinch smoked paprika could work.

The end result was a creamy, rich, yet fresh soup that was perfect for a summer night.  Our frozen stash will also be perfect when we are craving the flavors of summer this winter.

Roasted Corn and Tomato Soup
Adapted from This is a Cookbook by Max and Eli Sussman

4 tomatoes
Kernels from 6 ears of fresh corn (about 3 cups)
2 bell peppers
2 onions, red or yellow, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2-3 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 cup half and half
Paprika for garnish

Preheat oven to 450*F.

Put tomatoes in oiled dish and roast until caramelized, about 30 minutes.  Cool and then remove the skins.

Spread corn on a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, until they are tender and slightly browned.

Place peppers underneath broiler to char each side, about 3-5 minutes per side.  Once charged, place in glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  After 15 minutes, remove charred skins, stems, and seeds from peppers.

In soup pot, combine tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and corn.  Add just enough broth to cover vegetable and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes.  Add chili powder, salt, and pepper.  Using an immersion blender, blend soup until very smooth.  While, blending, slowly pour in half and half.  

Serve warm and garnish with paprika and a few drops of olive oil.

Freekah and Pesto Tabouleh

Yes, you read that correctly.  We cooked with freekah, cracked freekah, to be exact.  We discovered this unique grain at a Whole Foods demo a few weeks back and loved the flavor and texture of it.  It's somewhere in between bulgur and barley - with a firmer texture than bulgur and an earthier flavor than both.  When we saw this weeks the food matters project recipe, Quinoa Tabouleh, we liked the idea of swapping out the traditional tabouleh grain, bulgur, for something else.  We figured this would be the perfect opportunity to try cracked freekah.

To change things up even more, rather than making traditional raw tabouleh, we decided to roast all of the vegetables and turn the herbs, basil in our case, into a fresh pesto.  The combination of firm freekah, creamy pesto, and roasted vegetables was delicious and a great twist on traditional tabouleh.

We will definitely cook with this healthy and filling grain again (plus it's inexpensive in bulk bins) and see our recipe below to learn how to cook it yourself.  Also, visit Simply Whole Kitchen to see Bittman's original recipe for Quinoa Tabouleh.

Crispy Rice Cakes

This recipe is one of the reasons we love participating in the food matters project; we cook rice often but would never have thought to turn it into little fried patties.  It's so nice to put a twist on a staple food and be encouraged to try new things in the kitchen.

Bittman's recipe for Crispy Rice Cakes is straightforward - form rice into patties and pan fry.  Doing so gives a new and unique texture to the rice and allows you to add in any number of other flavors.  We happened to have leftover Chinese food from the weekend to pair with these (yum), but otherwise would have thrown together a simple stir-fry.

These cakes are adaptable to many different cuisines, we added Asian flavors, but you could also add Indian, Mexican, or Italian flavors to pair with other main dishes.  Our version of Bittman's recipe is below and you can find his original recipe at Small Kitchen College.

Crispy Rice Cakes
Adapted from The Food Matters Cookbook

2 cups dry brown rice, rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp soy sauce, or to taste
1 tsp Sriracha, or to taste
2 tbs sesame seeds
Rice wine vinegar, if desired to taste
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil

Place rinsed rice and garlic in a medium saucepan and cover with water by 1 1/2 inches.  Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer, and cook uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  If the water has been absorbed during this time but the rice is not mushy, add 1/2 to 1 cup more water.  (Slightly overcooked and over hydrated rice is best in this application so the patties stick together.)

Once rice has cooled enough to handle, coat bottom of a large skillet with 1/4 inch oil and heat over medium-high heat.  Form rice into small, 1/2 inch thick patties and place in hot oil.  Cook on each side for 5 minutes, until rice turns golden brown.

Serve immediately or keep warm in 250* oven.  Makes 12 2-inch patties.

A Twist on Greek Salad

This week's the food matters project recipe was another minimal-cook dish that was great for summer - you could make this salad completely raw if you wanted to avoid any cooking.  The original recipe, chosen by Megan is Bittman's Greek "Nachos" with Feta Drizzle - a fun combination of Mexican nachos and Greek salad.

We decided to turn this recipe into a full salad by taking out the pita to avoid turning on the oven and adding bulgur (which can be soaked in cold water).  To the bulgur we added a mix of vegetables, some traditional in Greek salad (tomatoes, olives, peppers), and some not (eggplant, zucchini).  We topped this all with Bittman's feta drizzle with some fresh oregano.

This recipe is a quick and fun evening meal that uses all the best summer vegetables in a new way.  To check out the original recipe visit Art by Megan and keep reading below to see our version.

Summer Rolls

We cannot get enough make-ahead-and-serve-cold meals during the summer.  Alyssa from Everyday Maven must have known that when she picked this weeks the food matters project recipe - summer rolls.  These Thai-inspired rolls are easy and fun to put together as long as you have two specialty ingredients on hand (both of which can be found at any supermarket): cellophane noodles and rice paper.

With these two staples you can substitute in any variation of vegetables and herbs you like and have on hand.  This time we used carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, mint, and basil.  An easy to make peanut sauce serves as the perfect compliment to this refreshing and healthy side dish, snack, appetizer, or side dish (we had ours with a simple stir fry).

For one of our versions of this recipe check out our post from last summer, Thai Summer Rolls, and for another, click over to Everyday Maven.

Popcorn!

The Food Matters Project this week was "Wild Card Week", which meant we should make a recipe that we missed the first time around.  One of our favorite snacks in the afternoon is homemade popcorn - it's fast, easy, and healthy.  Before seeing Bittman's recipe we had been experimenting with different techniques but never got it perfect.  Thanks to his suggestions (see below) we now can make perfect popcorn every time.

This time we seasoned our snack with Old Bay Seasoning and nutritional yeast.  For those who haven't tried nutritional yeast, it gives a rich and slightly buttery/cheesy flavor without the fat which is perfect in a recipe like this.

Follow our/Bittman's recipe and try your had at making your own popcorn for your next snack or to bring as a perfect appetizer to an informal dinner party.

Roasted Potatoes with Ancho Chile Vinaigrette

Spicy foods and hot summer nights might not seem like an intuitive combination, but cultures around the world have figured out that spicy foods help your body cool down naturally.  That's why this week's the food matters project recipe was a perfect sunday night side dish.  Mireya chose Bittman's Roasted Potatoes with Chicken and Romesco Sauce recipe, which pairs oven roasted summer potatoes with a spicy pepper and tomato sauce.

We are currently in the process of moving apartments and were not able to gather all the ingredients for the romesco sauce, but our friend, Ellen, has a delicious recipe for an ancho chile vinaigrette.  The vinaigrette has a great balance of sweet and spicy and pairs perfectly with roasted potatoes or any other vegetables you would want to add it to.  This is also a great summer or entertaining side dish because it can be served at room temperature.

Our basic method of roasted potatoes is to combine 1/4 slices of potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper and 450*F or sauté in a skillet until tender on the outside and crisp on the outside.

For Ellen's chile vinaigrette recipe check out Ellen in the Kitchen and for this week's the food matters project recipe visit My Healthy Eating Habits.

Summer Salsa Salad

This week was a summery pick for the food matters project.  Jenn chose Bittman's Corn-Avacado Salad (with a little something seared on top).  It's been so hot that we've tried to avoid cooking as much as possible and decided to make an (almost) cook-free seasonal salsa/salad.  While corn isn't quite in season here in Virginia, and avocados are never in season, we incorporated some delicious vegetables from our CSA and local farmer's market.

We had some dried black beans on hand, soaked them overnight and then boiled until soft.  But to make salad completely cook free you could easily used canned beans.  To the beans we added a peach, tomato, scallions, and okra.  We grilled the okra to try to get rid of a little of the sliminess, but it still created a pretty gooey salsa we will probably leave the okra out next time, or find a better way to cook it.  We dressed the salad with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.  A simple summer salsa salad that can be enjoyed with your grain of choice!

For Bittman's original recipe visit Vanilla Lemon and enjoy your own seasonal salsa!

Repost: Stuffed Vegetable Rolls

We have been away on vacation the past week and a half and didn't have the chance to cook this weeks  food matters recipe - beet "sandwiches".  However, we realized that about this time last year we posted about another unique take on sandwiches.  We used a similar method in our recipe as Bittman's recipe - layering roasted vegetables with a goats cheese filling - and the result was delicious.

We'll definitely be making these rolls again throughout this summer and hope that you can enjoy them too!  Check out our post from August 26, 2011 for our complete vegetable roll recipe.

Also, find Bittman's beet "sandwich" recipe on My Wholefood Romance.

Tea Sandwiches

Tea sandwiches - what a silly, yet fun, lunch idea!  Most of our sandwiches made at home consist of peanut butter, jelly, or hummus spread on bread so making these dainty tea sandwiches was a fun change of pace.  Not only did the different ingredients make them good, but taking the time to make each one made them all the more special.

Aura chose this weeks recipe for the food matters project and all of Bittman's combinations looked tasty so we decided to try one of his and make one of our own.  We picked some shelling peas at our CSA this past weekend and followed Bittman's recipe for gingered pea spread (peas, ginger, garlic, mint, oil).  We also combined some feta cheese, yogurt, and dill for another spread.  We layered these spreads with cucumbers and a multigrain bread cut into small pieces.

We had lots of fun with this recipe will certainly be incorporating more tea sandwiches (though perhaps not cut into tiny pieces) into our lunch rotation.

Click over to Dinner with Aura to see Bittman's original recipes.

Mixed Grill with Herb Sauce

Nothing screams summer for us more than a big dinner of mixed grilled vegetables.  We enjoy these dinners all summer long and look forward to the changing produce that we can use.  This weeks food matters project recipe, chosen by Lexi, was just what we needed to kick off the summer.

In our current apartment we don't have a grill but do have a George Forman (thought they were just for burgers??) which isn't exactly the same but does create a good char.  This week at the farmers market we found zucchini, eggplant, peppers, green onions, and local herbed tofu.

Our trick to make this dish consistently good is to coat all of the vegetables in olive oil, salt, and pepper prior to grilling, then cooking at a very high heat so the outside of vegetables char (but make sure the vegetables are cooked through and tender).  Bittman's suggestion of topping the veggies with a chimichurri sauce (herbs, oil, vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes - all pureed together) was perfect for this meal.

Get out to your local market and take advantage of the first summer vegetables by letting them shine in this dish!

To see Bittman's recipe for chimichurri visit Lexi's Kitchen.

Date "Brownies"

We were inspired by this weeks food matters project recipe, Chocolate-Cherry Panini, to remake a dessert we made once last year but never posted.  Bittman's recipe, which combined chocolate and fruit,  is a similar flavor combination to these raw brownies.  Using dates in a recipe like this makes for moist and chewy desserts, without using eggs, oil, or butter.

We love that this dessert is satisfying but also healthy and can be easily adapted for whatever you are in the mood for.  You can also adapt the shape however you please - from truffles, to brownies, to mini cupcakes.

Pick up some dates (pitted is easiest) and give this unique recipe a try next time your in the mood for something chocolatey and sweet.

Date "Brownies"

2 handfuls dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1 handful nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, etc.)
1/4 - 1/2 cup coco powder
Pinch of salt

Any of the following:
Cinnamon
Vanilla
Chopped nuts
Peanut butter
Coconut
Powdered sugar
Cayenne or chili powder
Lemon or orange zest
Coffee

Pulse all ingredients in food processor until finely chopped and easily malleable.  Stir in larger pieces of nuts, if using.  Press mixture into round balls (for truffles), a baking dish (for brownies), or mini-cupcake molds (for cupcakes).  Dust with coco powder or powdered sugar or roll in nuts, coconut, or powders.  Refrigerate until hardened, at least 2 hours.

Chickpea Fritters in Spiced Tomato Sauce

This week we experienced the true essence of the food matters project - we cooked a meal that was totally random and that we wouldn't have tried otherwise.  Lena chose Braised Chickpea Fritters and Vegetables from Mark Bittman's Food Matters Cookbook and we stuck pretty close to the original recipe.

We are huge falafel fans (see here and here) and we were intrigued by trying chickpea fritters in a new context.  The fritters were very similar to falafel - soaked chickpeas with herbs and spices ground into a coarse paste and then fried.  However, when paired with an Ethiopian-spiced tomato sauce they tasted completely different.  

The tomato sauce (part canned tomatoes part homemade marinara canned in the fall) was filled with ginger, garlic, onions, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice.  We added diced potatoes for extra heartiness but omitted the chard that Bittman calls for.  Instead we served a cabbage and kohlrabi slaw made from our share of our newly-joined CSA. 

Click over to Mrs. Garlic Head for Bittman's complete recipe and spice up your night with this unique meal!

Baked Penne with Tomato and Cheese

Another Monday and another great food matters project meal.  This weeks recipe, Savory Tomato Crisp, was chosen by Nicole and sounded delicious.  Unfortunately, though, we are not quite into tomato season here in Virginia and thus decided to change it up a bit.

We turned this side dish into a full meal by layering fresh tomatoes (grown hydroponically locally) with whole wheat pasta and a creamy cheese sauce.  We topped it off with bread crumbs and feta cheese, then baked it in the oven until golden brown.

The tomatoes not only added great freshness to this dish, but also added moisture, which is often missing in baked macaroni and cheeses.  We used a mild cheese for the sauce, so using feta on top added a nice tang to the dish.  Feel free though to use any cheese you like or have on hand.

Enjoy this dish as a comforting dinner if tomatoes aren't quite ready in your area.  Once tomatoes are readily available, check out Giving Table for Bittman's original recipe.

Black Bean and Spinach Quesadillas

This week Jacqui of Good Things Grow chose Beans 'n Greens Burritos for the food matters project recipe.  This recipe fit perfectly into our style of cooking Mexican-inspired food (that we cook on a weekly basis).  We love making homemade tortillas because of their fresh flavor and simple ingredients, but have found that because they lack fat or oil they don't roll well.  As a result we often use them for quesadillas, where they can remain flat.

Bittman's recipe called for chard, but the spinach at our farmer's market looked great so we decided to use that instead.  Combining fresh spinach with hearty beans and a mixture of fresh and spicy herbs created a great and filling meal.

We topped our quesadillas with a quick and easy dipping sauce - yogurt, lime juice, parsley, and sriracha.  So easy but so good!

Turn to Good Things Grow to see Bittman's original recipe and be inspired by what you find at your local market!

Spinach Pasta

We love whole wheat pasta as a nutritious and easy dinner.  We often make this recipe and it turns out quite well, but not quite as good as authentic fresh pasta.  For the nights we want to indulge a little or are entertaining we have turned to this recipe.

This pasta is perfectly chewy and rich and rolls out into sheets beautifully.  We have made this pasta into ravioli multiple times and stuffed it with cheeses, spinach, or peas.  This time we topped it with a fresh basil, dill, and mint pesto from our balcony - all of which just screamed summer.

This is a simple, yet restaurant quality, homemade meal that will be sure to impress friends and family!

Bruschetta with Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Laura of Chef Laura at Home chose Bittman's bruschetta for this weeks food matters project recipe. Bittman's take on bruschetta is a more classic Italian version rather than the version most American's are used to. Instead of "bruschetta" referring to a fresh tomato mixture on top of toasted bread, true bruschetta (pronounced bru'sket:ta) is simply charred bread which is delicious on its own or can be topped with a variety of dips, herbs, or spreads.

We enjoyed that this weeks recipe left so much up to our imagination. While Bittman suggests a few toppings for the bread (we often take his suggestion of rubbing olive oil and garlic on the warm bread) we decided to make something new.

This spinach and artichoke dip is not weighed down by heavy cream and excessive amounts of cheese. Instead it is light and refreshing and the flavors of the spinach and artichokes really shine through. Baking it in the oven in individual dishes is a fun presentation that is easy to get started well ahead of time. We turned this into a full meal by serving it with a simple raw kale salad.

Turn to Chef Laura at Home for Bittman's bruschetta and let us know how you topped yours!

Salsa Three Ways

Alissa from BIG EATS...tiny kitchen chose Five Quick Salsas for Chips, Dips, and Other Stuff for this week's food matters project recipe.  Bittman provides a basic recipe for pico de gallo (did you know that means rooster's beak?) and then four variations that are easily adaptable.  We chose to make three quite different versions of salsa - combining a few of Bittman's ideas with our own - including a unique apple and cucumber salsa that we would never have tried otherwise.  We served these dips with homemade blue corn tortillas and homemade baked sweet potato chips - both of which complimented the salsas perfectly.

 

To make pico de gallo a bit different we added fresh dill and a mix of yellow and spring onions.  Lime juice and vinegar helped brighten up the canned tomatoes (since it's not quite tomato season) and the dill added a great freshness.

We often make black bean salsas and combined two of Bittman's versions into one.  Sautéing frozen corn until browned adds great sweetness that is contrasted well by the smokiness of the cumin.  This salsa also tasted really good mixed with the pico de gallo.

This last version of salsa is very unique and tasted great.  Cucumbers and green apples are a perfect combination for a fresh salsa and fresh mint (now growing on our balcony!) elevates it to another level.  This was great as a salsa but would also work as a twist on a fruit salad served with breakfast or brunch.

Since salsa is entirely customizable measurements aren't necessary so just experiment and taste often.  We love meals that epitomize the philosophy of it's not about the recipe!

White Bean Soup with Roasted Asparagus

Now that we are fully into the spring season, the wonderful tastes of the warmer weather become available.  One of our favorite spring vegetables is asparagus, which is one of the first available spring vegetables and only in season for a few weeks.  As such, we were thrilled that this weeks food matters project recipe chosen by Adrienne prominently featured asparagus.

After finding locally grown asparagus we made this easy soup on an unseasonably cold and rainy day.  We loved the creamy texture of the soup (made possible with an immersion blender) and adding crispy roasted asparagus on top was just perfect.  Bittman suggests either not pureeing the soup at all or pureeing all of it (including the asparagus), but we decided to puree the beans to have a smooth soup but leave the asparagus whole so that the flavor shined through.

Once asparagus season ends we'll certainly experiment with some other vegetables (zucchini? eggplant? roasted tomatoes?) and enjoy this soup again!

Goat Cheese

If we knew how easy making cheese at home was, we would have started doing it much sooner!  While making a fine aged artisan cheese is a difficult task, making simple cheeses, like ricotta, goat, and mozzarella are quite straightforward.  Homemade cheese utilizes acid (lemon juice, citric acid, vinegar, etc.) to separate the whey from the curd of heated milk.  Once they two components separate, you just need to strain the curds through cheesecloth and add some flavorings.

This version of goat cheese is as simple as it gets.  While it is not as tart as classical chevre (making true chevre requires specific additives) it is smooth, creamy, and delicious.  Mixing in your choice of flavorings - from different kinds of peppers, to dried herbs, to sun dried tomatoes) - allows you to make it just the way you like.

Find some goat milk and give this recipe a try and you'll soon be hearing the great sound of "you made this?".

Mostly Whole Wheat Baguettes

For this week's food matters project recipe Melissa chose two of Bittman's bread recipes - Real Whole Wheat Bread and Mostly Whole Wheat Baguettes.  We often make Bittman's famous No Knead Bread and were excited to try some of his other bread recipes.  We decided to go with his baguette recipe, knowing that it would work perfectly with some cheeses we had in our fridge.  In fact, over the past few days we have paired it with dips, soups, and a variety of cheeses - all perfect uses for a simple baguette.

This baguette, because of it's mostly whole wheat makeup, is not as airy as those you may find in a quality bakery, but is delicious nonetheless.  Topping a few of them with a mixture of poppy and sesame seeds added a nice touch and good flavor, and next time we might try some fennel seeds, garlic, or rosemary.  Next time we are also going to try making a preferment out of some of the dough to give it a bit of a boost in bread/yeast flavor.  Stay tuned to see how those turn out!

For the complete recipe take a look at the Faux Martha.

Deep Dish Whole Wheat Pizza

After taking last week off from the food matters project we were excited to continue the adventure with  some delicious pizza.  Over the past year pizza has become a staple in our weekly dinners and we are always looking for new topping ideas or combinations.  In the spirit of the project we decided to try a whole new method of cooking and topping (more like filling) the pizza - deep dish in our new cast iron skillet!

To make the crust, we combined our classic pizza crust with Mark Bittman's version.  Ours is 100% whole wheat and involves some kneading (Bittman's is mostly whole wheat and doesn't require kneading).  By creating a preferment (or poolish for those who know their bread terms) the dough gains a deep and well-rounded bread flavor as well as increased gluten (for extra chewiness).  We also put dried herbs into the crust for even more fresh flavor.

As for the filling, we were inspired to make fresh ricotta (we had some soon-to-be expired milk) and saw some great looking local spinach when grocery shopping.  We combined these two with roasted potatoes, homemade marinara sauce that we canned earlier this year, smoked mozzarella, and roasted garlic.

The cast iron skillet yielded a crispy crust and is a good alternative to a pizza stone.  It's high sides are also perfect for deep dish pizza (like ours) or traditional pizza.

We greatly enjoyed trying a new twist on pizza and are looking forward to trying all new pizza combinations thought up by other food matters participants.

For Bittman's original recipe check out salt & pepper by Niki and see our variation below.

Breakfast for Dinner: Oatmeal Pancakes and Eggs

We often read about and see delicious looking recipes for breakfast or brunch, but don't have the time often enough to make them all in the morning (normally it's yogurt and granola).  To test out two great looking recipes we decided to have a breakfast-for-dinner night last night.  Casual nights like these are a nice change of pace from more traditional dinners, and tend to be quick and easy - an added bonus!

We had made these oatmeal pancakes once before, in waffle form, and while they were delicious didn't quite hold together.  This time, we made them into pancake form and they came out delicious.  The oats and whole wheat flour add great texture and flavor while the buttermilk and butter create classic pancake richness.  We are amazed that more pancake recipes don't call for oats, but these will certainly be a staple for us.

Alongside the pancakes we tested out a scrambled egg recipe using local eggs (a flavor that can't be beat).  These eggs are by far the best scrambled eggs we have ever eaten!  They are incredibly creamy and flavorful and it's a foolproof method that will always create perfect eggs.  We mixed the scrambled eggs with cream cheese and fresh basil and dill (now nicely growing on our balcony) which was ideal for a warm spring evening.

Give these recipes a try the next time you are looking for a relaxing brunch or a quick and fun dinner!

Pasta Risotto - Cassoulet Style

When we first heard about the Food Matters Project we knew that it would be a fun and interesting to be part of a group like this and liked the idea of having to try new recipes that we may not have otherwise cooked.  This weeks recipe, chosen by Keely, is a perfect example of adapting a recipe to fit our cooking style.

The Bittman recipe for the week is Cassoulet with Lots of Vegetables - a spin on the classic french dish with duck and sausage.  We spent a lot of time thinking about how we could adapt this to be vegetarian while still maintaining the heartiness of this dish.  We first thought about simply omitting the meat, but decided that what was left wasn't all seasonal and wouldn't be very satisfying.  So, we turned to a cooking technique we had seen before and one in which Bittman has a recipe for in the Food Matters Cookbook - pasta risotto.

This technique uses whole wheat spaghetti, instead of arborio rice, to create a creamy pasta by adding cooking liquid in stages.  We realized that while these two dishes seemed different at first, many of the ingredients overlapped and we were able to maintain the heartiness of cassoulet without the meat and much less fat.

In the end this dish turned out creamy, flavorful, and satisfying.  It is also very versatile to your tastes and seasonal ingredients and can be adapted as needed.  You can swap out the beans and tomatoes for mushrooms, spinach, winter greens, asparagus, peas, or any vegetable you like.  This dish is all about rich flavors, creamy textures, and satisfying heartiness so give it a try when you are in the mood for something unique!

For the original Bittman recipe, check out Keely Marie's blog.  For our adaptation keep on reading.

1-Year Blogoversary - Falafel Revisited

Falafel: March 28, 2012                                                                                                          Falafel: March 28, 2011

Today marks our 1-year anniversary of It's Not About the Recipe (or our blogoversary, as some might say).  A lot has changed during the year - we graduated college, moved away from Charlottesville, returned to Charlottesville, and have had many kitchen upgrades (from food processors and immersion blenders to knives and silverware).  The one thing that hasn't changed though is our love for food and finding enjoyment in every meal we make.  We have really enjoyed keeping a blog, learning about blogging along the way, and being able to share our cooking with friends, family, and all you foodies out there.  We hope you have enjoyed reading about our culinary adventures and continue to do so in year number two.

For this blogoversary we decided to revisit the first recipe we posted - falafel.  We have made falafel numerous times and continue to improve upon our method to make it as authentic as possible.  We have learned how to cold-soak chickpeas to provide a great texture, omit eggs and flour to keep the falafel light, and incorporate handfuls of herbs to give it a burst of fresh flavors.

While we still may not be able to compete with the best falafel makers, we certainly love this rendition and hope you do to!  Happy cooking!

Vegetables au Vin Blanc

The recipe chosen this week for the Food Matters Project was Bittman's Vegetables au Vin with Coq chosen by Evi + Sam.  Bittman is an advocate of reducing meat consumption so most of his recipes feature vegetables and use meat sparingly, if at all.  This recipe, for example, used a ton of vegetables and only a small amount of chicken, thus turning Coq au Vin (chicken with wine) into Vegetables au Vin with Coq.

Being vegetarian, we had to change this recipe to take out the chicken but keep the dish hearty and flavorful.  We still wanted to braise something (traditionally the chicken is braised) so turned to a hearty vegetable that could stand up to the braising process - butternut squash.  We also thought that a heavy red wine would overpower the other flavors of the dish so decided to use white wine instead (hence Vin Blanc).

Bittman suggests serving this dish with bread or potatoes, but we decided to make it a bit healthier and served it over some creamy polenta - which soaked up the sauce perfectly.

Overall we were happy with the dish, but didn't think that the flavor of the squash worked perfectly with the other ingredients (though it did braise very well).  It was a bit too sweet and in the future would like to try some other hearty vegetables, any suggestions?

To find Bittman's original recipe, check out Evi + Sam's blog Fifth Floor Kitchen and continue reading below to find our version of the dish.

Curried Tomato Soup

This weeks recipe from the Food Matters project was chosen by Joanne and was a unique take on tomato soup.  Instead of the typical creamy tomato bisque, this version incorporated strong Indian flavors and lots of spice.  The soup was still creamy but used coconut milk which added an extra layer of flavor.  We also used curry powder (though we didn't have enough so mixed together paprika, coriander, and turmeric), cumin, jalapeno, and ginger to round out the Indian flavors.

Bittman's original recipe called for potatoes and cauliflower which we decided to omit and instead served our soup over fragrant basmati rice.  This created a perfect pair for the spicy soup and complimented the rest of the Indian flavors perfectly.  To complete the dish, we poached the eggs right in the soup (rather than hard boiling them beforehand), which added a great texture to the dish.

We loved this unique spin on tomato soup and it will certainly become a go-to one-pot meal for us in the future!  Next week's recipe is Vegetables au Vin with Coq so check back to see how we make a classic French dish vegetarian!

For Bittman's original recipe check out Eats Well with Others by Joanne.

For our version of the recipe keep reading below.

Hummus Served Hot

Our good friend from college, Juliana, is a contributing writer for Big Girls Small Kitchen, and heard about a unique project going on in the food-blogging world.  A group of food bloggers decided to cook their way through Mark Bittman's newest cookbook, The Food Matters Cookbook.  Mark Bittman is a writer for the New York Times and is a leader in the sustainable food world.  His columns in the Times and cookbooks advocate for healthy and wholesome cooking that focuses on vegetarian ingredients.  Naturally, when we heard about this project, we were eager to join and experiment with all sorts of recipes.

The project is called the Food Matters project and each week a participating blogger hosts and chooses a recipe from Bittman's cookbook.  The other bloggers then prepare and blog about their own version of the recipe and post it on the Food Matters project website.  We think that this will be a great way to be more a part of the food blogging community and help support a cause we really believe in (plus it gave us an excuse to buy a new cookbook!).

We'll be participating most weeks and adapting each recipe to our own preferences (especially when the recipes aren't vegetarian) and we hope you enjoy reading about our experiences and check out some of the other participating blogs.

This week the recipe was "Hummus Served Hot" chosen by Erin of Naturally Ella.  We've been making homemade hummus on a weekly basis for a long time but are always looking for new twists on it.  Bittman's recipe is a very basic recipe which leaves room for plenty of personal adaptations.  What makes this recipe unique is that it is served hot.

We decided to personalize this recipe by adding some dill that we happened to have which we had never tried before but added a delicious and bright flavor.  We also added our own twist by cooking the dry chickpeas in a unique way.

To get the chickpeas light and airy we added baking soda to the soaking water and the boiling water.  This methods works really well for making hummus because it allows extra water to soak into the chickpeas and thus creates a remarkably smooth final product.  Be warned though, this method should not be used for anything but hummus because the texture is too soft for falafel, salads, soups, etc.

If hummus is in your daily diet like it is for us (or even if you've never made it before), try this, and the other, unique takes on the classic recipe and definitely try using baking soda!  You'll never be buying store-made hummus, or canned chickpeas, again.

Cabbage and Leek Gratin

When cooking on a budget (and to be environmentally conscious) we think that it is always important to not waste any food we buy.  We recently had some cabbage that was starting to wilt and decided that this recipe would be the perfect use for it.  The recipe comes from a great vegetarian cookbook we received for Christmas, Vegetarian Suppers by Deborah Madison.

The gratin is yogurt and egg based, rather than cream and cheese.  This, combined with fresh herbs and leeks, yields dish that is both fresh and hearty.  Accompany this dish is a mustard "cream" that adds an extra layer of flavor.  The originally recipe uses sour cream but we went with yogurt to make it lighter.  We would have never thought to combine mustard and yogurt but it worked wonderfully in both this dish and on others throughout the week.

Parsnip and Apple Soup

Another winter night? Another warm soup.  Although this has been a mild winter so far, there have been plenty of nights we crave a warm hearty soup.  However, this is not your typical root vegetable soup that is so common in winter.

By pairing the sweetness of apples and parsnips with the acidity of apple cider vinegar this soup is both creamy and light.  In fact, we were surprised by how creamy it was even without adding any dairy.  As an added bonus, the entire soup (if you use an immersion blender) is a one pot meal and can be prepared well ahead of time.  It also freezes well, so make extra for your next quick meal.

Serve this soup with a crusty bread or homemade croutons (diced bread sauteed in garlic and olive oil until crispy).  Enjoy and let this meal warm you up.

Peanut Tofu Soup

In Charlottesville there is a great soup and sandwich place and we are addicted to their Senegalese peanut tofu soup - its warmth and spiciness always perfect for cold winter nights.  Last week Matt was sick and we knew this soup would be comforting and healing.  Instead of buying the soup, we decided to attempt our own version - making sure it was healthy and flavorful.  After one taste of the final product we were amazed with the results and knew we had to share the recipe.

This dish is easy to make (it's a one pot meal) and can serve as a hearty main dish or a starter to an Asian-inspired meal.  The tofu and brown rice add texture to the silky soup while the peanut butter adds flavor and creaminess.  Even if you, or those you are cooking for, don't like tofu, add it for the texture and protein (you can also puree it with the rest of the soup to hide it).  Next time you are in the mood for something warm and easy, give this soup a try and see why it is one of our favorites.

On a side note, this was a perfect recipe to use our newly acquired immersion blender.   While a traditional blender works fine for soups like this, we have found the immersion blender to be much easier, safer, and more consistent.  If you make soup often, go buy one.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

This summer received we a great vegetarian cookbook called Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi, a famous British chef who owns a number of food shops in London.  While not a vegetarian himself, Ottolenghi is well known for creative vegetarian dishes thanks to his restaurants and his column The New Vegetarian in the Guardian.  We have just started to explore the recipes in this book and this week came across one that we had to share.

Roasted butternut squash with sweet spices lime, and green chiles is an incredibly flavorful and refreshing side dish and a great way to get a burst of bright flavors in the winter.  When you taste this dish you realize that each ingredient adds a unique and wonderful taste to the dish so be sure to not take any shortcuts with this one! The butternut squash is sweet and tender while the spices provide mouthwatering aromatics.  The raw lime, cilantro, and chile add a great acidity and contrast with the squash while the sauce brings it all together.

We have made this dish twice in the past week and found that each aspect of the recipe can be prepared ahead.  The squash can be roasted and left at room temperature and the sauce and garnish can be made and refrigerated.  We hope you enjoy this light and flavorful meal in the midst of winter and will make you wish butternut squash was available all year long!