It’s getting HOT and making pasta every night is killing me. I’ve been trying to branch out to more salads now that it’s summer.
Pre-tofu
This is a really tasty dish to take to a cookout! For those of you who are convinced that potatoes are inherently EVIL in their white starchiness – this salad’s for you. **Also great for mayo haters.**
All you need:
4 small pink or red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, quartered
large handful of green beans, trimmed and sliced into 1″ pieces
2 TBSP coarse mustard
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
Olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar (or agave nectar)
Salt
1/4 c chopped dill (use dry dill if that’s all you have – about 2 TBSP)
1 small leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
6 stalks celery, trimmed & diced
1 cucumber, unpeeled, seeded and diced (I peeled mine – whoops!)
1 TBSP fresh chives
OPTIONAL: 6 oz baked or extra firm tofu cut into small cubes
This is definitely a chopping intensive salad but more special than the old mayo-laden potato salad I grew up with. [And I like mayo!]
First, set water to boil for your taters. Once it’s boiling, they need to cook until just tender. This should take about 10 mins. Set your timer for 9 minutes so you can toss in the green beans for the last 30 seconds. You just want them to turn bright green. Then drain the potatoes & beans.
Make your dressing: in a small bowl, combine 1 TBSP olive oil, the mustard, vinegar, sugar & salt. Whisk together. Taste & adjust to your liking!
Heat about a TBSP of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add the chopped dill, add a few pinches of salt
and add the leeks.
Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a large bowl (because of time constraints I usually go right into a large lidded container!) combine the potatoes, green beans, celery, cucumber, chives and half of the leek with most of the dressing. Toss gently, taste and add salt as needed. Serve with remainder of leek and dressing atop. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
OPTIONAL: Not every uses/is comfortable with tofu but it adds a benign presence of protein to this salad and is virtually unnoticeable. I bought a block of organic tofu at Trader Joe’s. Before I even boil the potatoes I drain the tofu, wrap it in a paper towel and place in a kitchen towel with my cast iron skillet on top. The presses the extra water out of the tofu so that it can absorb the flavors of the salad dressing. Press it for about 30 minutes if you think of it. Then dice it and add to salad. Try it this once time if you have never used tofu before! (Or don’t!)
This salad is a very pretty dish to take to a summer cookout/party.
Pre-tofu
Maddie ate a small bowl of it before dinner. Bea spit the potato out.
Bright, pretty summer salad that takes potato salad to a new level!
Ingredients
4 small pink or red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, quartered
large handful of green beans, trimmed and sliced into 1″ pieces
2 TBSP coarse mustard
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
Olive oil
½ tsp sugar (or agave nectar)
Salt
¼ c chopped dill (use dry dill if that’s all you have – about 2 TBSP)
1 small leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
6 stalks celery, trimmed & diced
1 cucumber, unpeeled, seeded and diced (I peeled mine – whoops!)
1 TBSP fresh chives
OPTIONAL: 6 oz baked or extra firm tofu cut into small cubes
Instructions
First, set water to boil for your taters. Once it’s boiling, they need to cook until just tender. This should take about 10 mins. Set your timer for 9 minutes so you can toss in the green beans for the last 30 seconds. You just want them to turn bright green. Then drain the potatoes & beans.
Make your dressing: in a small bowl, combine 1 TBSP olive oil, the mustard, vinegar, sugar & salt. Whisk together. Taste & adjust to your liking!
Heat about a TBSP of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add the chopped dill, add a few pinches of salt and add the leeks.
Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a large bowl combine the potatoes, green beans, celery, cucumber, chives and half of the leek with most of the dressing. Toss gently, taste and add salt as needed. Serve with remainder of leek and dressing atop chilled or at room temperature.
OPTIONAL: Not every uses/is comfortable with tofu but it adds a benign presence of protein to this salad and is virtually unnoticeable. I bought a block of organic tofu at Trader Joe’s. Before I even boil the potatoes I drain the tofu, wrap it in a paper towel and place in a kitchen towel with my cast iron skillet on top. The presses the extra water out of the tofu so that it can absorb the flavors of the salad dressing. Press it for about 30 minutes if you think of it. Then dice it and add to salad. Try it this once time if you have never used tofu before!
Phew! The holidays kicked my butt this year. How did my parents do this? Better yet, WHY did they do it??
Although I try to post only the best of my kitchen attempts, here are some of my absolute favorites from last year. I mean the ones I crave & want to make again & again.
Happy New Year to you!!
1. Gardener’s Pie (vegetarian version of Shepherd’s Pie): This is always a huge hit. I took it to a Christmas pot luck this year and got so many compliments from vegetarian & non vegetarians alike.
2. Best Coffee Cake in the World There are no surprising ingredients in this but it’s simply delicious. Perfect for a special brunch or to warm up a chilly Sunday morning.
3. Kermit Smoothie (green smoothie) Want to sneak a handful of spinach into your family’s gullets? Try this! So yummy, easy & fun.
4. Blueberry Lara Bars. A healthy, yummy & portable snack. Perfect for hiking or just to carry in your purse (or man purse) to keep the munchies at bay.
5. No Knead Bread. If you’ve never made bread before I strongly encourage you try this one! It takes less than 5 minutes to prep and is so rewarding! There’s something wonderful about the smell of bread baking in your home.
6. Glory Bowl. After the holidays many people (ahem, THIS person) feel compelled to eat a little, shall we say, “lighter?” Although this dish contains many light elements the rice & dressing make it so satisfying. I had serious doubts about it when my dear friend Kinga recommended it but now it’s one of my favorites. Try it!! I mean it, really! I wouldn’t put it up here if it weren’t super yummy.
7. Red Velvet Cupcakes. Make these for Valentine’s Day! Or use green food coloring and make them for St. Patrick’s Day.
8. Simple Caesar Salad. This is a cheater’s version of caesar salad. Oh garsh sometimes I crave caesar salad so much but don’t want to get involved with raw eggs & anchovies etc. This is a satisfying remedy when you’re short on time. Now that I make this I find most restaurant salads disappointing. Totally reminds me of an ex boyfriend’s mom (who happened to be an excellent cook) answering the waiter’s “How is everything?” with a tragic look followed by her New York accented, “Mine’s bettah.”
9. Chocolate & Butterscotch Chip Cookies. After trying many recipes, I have to say that these are my favorites for both simplicity & results. Because of the cornstarch they end up a bit pale and can trick you into thinking they aren’t done but they are soooooo sooooooo sooooooo (sooooo) good. Every time I make them I have to double the recipe b/c of all the greedy hands snitching them off the cooling racks (G!!!).
10. Vegetable Pot Pie. I just realized I have a few “best _____ in the WORLD” recipes. Do I exaggerate? Or am I just hungry? Anyway, this pot pie was a sleeper hit! I always loved pot pies. From the nastiest to the high end restaurant ones. But I was tired of paying $5.00 for a tiny Amy’s vegetable pot pie, plus I thought I could feed more than 1 person with a lot less packaging. This recipe takes almost 3 hours to make but is TOTALLY worth it! YUM.
11. Broccoli Gribiche. Last year I started making some dishes from Heidi Swanson’s “Super Natural Every Day” and this was one of the hits. I seriously didn’t make ONE bad dish from that cookbook and still use it every week. This is a surprisingly hearty, satisfying yet tasty meal that can be a main or side. The simple ingredients make it a no-brainer!
12. Moscow Mule. Alcohol is a good way to end a list/night/year so here is a simple, tasty drink that we enjoyed time & again mostly during the summer. Our friend Trish introduced us to them last June when we stayed at her house in Denver. We drank them all summer. Not all day but you know what I mean.
I hope you enjoy these recipes & for all the best to you in 2013!
Here’s a healthier potato for the holidays. It’s still soooooo tasty!! Even if you can’t bring yourself to forgo mashed potatoes (I can’t) - try these this winter. They’re a cinch!
You’ll need:
INGREDIENTS:
12 small round potatoes
olive oil
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
rosemary (yes, you guessed it – to taste)
These are VERY simple.
Preheat oven to 450.
Set a medium-large pot of water to boil.
Add 2 generous pinches of salt to the water.
Ok, now add the potatoes carefully, carefully so nobody gets hurt. Boil them till the potatoes JUST get tender. You should be able to stick a fork in them without too much trouble. Immediately drain them at that point.
Drizzle olive oil across a cookie sheet (make sure it has sides!) & brush to cover. Place the potatoes down as you would cookie dough – with plenty of spreadin’ space around them. Using a potato masher, gently push down on them, flattening them somewhat.
They need to still be in one piece when you are done. Drizzle or spray olive oil over the tops of them. Sprinkle salt & pepper to taste as well as the rosemary.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are browned and slightly crispy at the edges.
I know, I know, this sounds sort of “austere.” You’ve got to trust me on this one.
My neighbor, Aileen, gave me this head of cabbage and I was wondering how much SLAW my family can eat. But I also had a few potatoes and this can of beans. I knew there were a few really simple recipes in my fave cookbook. Sure enough!
Honestly, I was really bored with this recipe thinking about how unappealing it was How surprised I was to keep eating & eating this! This is yummy!! This is filling!!! This is nutritious!!! Best of all this is easy to make & tasty the next day too!!
All you need:
INGREDIENTS:
2 TBSP olive oil
4 oz potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled & cubed
salt
1 large shallot, sliced finely
1-15oz can white beans (or chick peas if that’s all you have!)
3 c finely shredded green cabbage
grated parmesan cheese
Don’t be fooled by how simple this is, it’s still sooooo satisfying yet you won’t have the sick gluttonous feeling you can get after a heavy meal. And perfect to take to work…
1. Heat olive oil on medium high in a large skillet. Add the potatoes & a pinch of salt.
Cook until potatoes are brown taking care to toss or turn potatoes every few minutes. This should take about 8 minutes.
2. Add the shallots & beans. Brown the beans, being sure to scrape & combine the browned bits every few minutes.
3. Once beans are somewhat browned, add the cabbage. Don’t be alarmed by the volume of the cabbage – it will reduce as it cooks down. Stir to coat with the oil and browned bits as that’s the tasty stuff!
Author: Christina (source: Super Natural Every Day)
Recipe type: Side
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2-4
A simple side dish or perfect Meatless Monday lunch!
Ingredients
2 TBSP olive oil
4 oz potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled & cubed
salt
1 large shallot, sliced finely
1-15oz can white beans (or chick peas if that’s all you have!)
3 c finely shredded green cabbage
grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Heat olive oil on medium high in a large skillet. Add the potatoes & a pinch of salt.
Cook until potatoes are brown taking care to toss or turn potatoes every few minutes. This should take about 8 minutes.
Add the shallots & beans. Brown the beans, being sure to scrape & combine the browned bits every few minutes.
Once beans are somewhat browned, add the cabbage. Don’t be alarmed by the volume of the cabbage – it will reduce as it cooks down. Stir to coat with the oil and browned bits as that’s the tasty stuff!
Salt & pepper to taste!
Serve with sprinkled parmesan.
2.2.1
Source: Super Natural Every Day (ingredients slightly altered for simplicity)
How surprised I was to keep eating & eating this! This is yummy!! This is filling!!! This is nutritious!!! Best of all this is easy to make & tasty the next day too!!
