I promised myself I would post every time I made something new. So much for that promise. I’m still trying to find that perfect balance, the one where I can do homework, and cook, and read, and volunteer, and cook, and blog. Thankfully, I do have many new posts from this past week, so hopefully that will balance out my not posting. By the way, every-single-one, of these dishes was delicious. Make them, if not tonight, as soon as possible.
Peanut Noodle Salad
You can never go wrong with peanut butter.
Ingredients:
- 12 oz. block of extra firm tofu
- 8 oz. whole wheat pasta
- two heads of broccoli chopped to your liking
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter; I used unsalted
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
– two cloves minced garlic; I used a garlic press- so easy!
- any other add inn you would like to add to the sauce; for example I used about a tablespoon of a hot chili thai sauce we have lying around.
- 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of hot water, depending on if you want your sauce thick or thin.
- drizzle of toasted sesame oil
- bunch of scallions, chopped
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
- Salt
Steps
1. Boil the noodles according to the directions on the package.
2. Throw in the broccoli about three minutes before the pasta is done.
3. Drain under cool water to stop the cooking.
5. For the tofu, cut it into whatever size chunks you desire and lightly fry it on a skillet over medium high with some canola oil.
4. To make the sauce, combine the peanut butter, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and a big pinch of salt. Then add the hot water until it reaches your desired consistency.
5. Combine the pasta, broccoli, sauce, tofu, and peanuts. Sprinkle with scallions, and eat!
Spiced Pumpkin, Lentil, and Goat Cheese Salad
This salad combines all my favorite flavors and textures; sweet, tangy, crunchy, earthy, and delicious.
- 3/4 cup French green lentils- I just used the lentils I had on hand, I’m sure any dark lentil will be fine.
- 6 cups 1-inch pieces peeled seeded sugar pumpkin or butternut squash (from about one 2-pound whole pumpkin)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika – I used regular.
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 cups baby arugula
- 1 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Place lentils in small bowl. Cover with cold water and soak 10 minutes; drain.
Cook lentils in boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Drain lentils. Rinse under cold water, then drain.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place pumpkin in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika, and sea salt. Arrange pumpkin in single layer on baking sheet; roast 20 minutes. Turn pumpkin over. Roast until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.
Combine lentils, pumpkin, and oil from baking sheet with arugula, half of goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates; sprinkle remaining goat cheese over.
Spaghetti with Braised Kale
From Bon Appétit
- 1 pound lacinato kale (about 2 bunches), large center ribs and stems removed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 pound spaghetti – I used whole wheat.
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Finely grated Parmesan cheese- I used pecorino romano
Rinse kale. Drain; transfer to bowl with some water still clinging.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add sliced garlic and sprinkle with salt; cook until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add kale and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss until wilted, about 3 minutes. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking until kale is very tender, stirring occasionally and adding water by teaspoonfuls if dry, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in medium pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add cooked spaghetti to kale mixture in pot. Add lemon juice and 2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid; toss to combine, adding more liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Sprinkle spaghetti with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
I thank my hardworking, wonderful grandmother for this dish. Even after coming from Russia, she never gave up her love for gardening. Of course, this is only good for me since I get buried in vegetables to cook with. Another plus, is that she grows everything organically, without pesticides or chemical, something I respect and appreciate. The kale I used for this recipe was from her garden, and I just wanted to thank her once again.
