Leafbiting 2021: Spinach Shells
Posted 2 years ago Foshu is doing Leafbiting again this year.
As part of a gathering of recipes I've used for these, I'm sharing spinach-stuffed shells on this one.
This isn't so much of a recipe as it is a quick step-by-step. It assumes you have your own pasta sauce, which you can make your own, or use a store brand as you deem fit.
Jumbo pasta shells (or manicotti tubes)
15 oz ricotta cheese
10 - 15 oz cooked, chopped spinach
Garlic powder (or minced garlic), salt, pepper to taste
1/3 cup parmesan
1 and 1/2 cup mozzarella, with 1/2 cup set aside
3 tbs sour cream
6 cups of pasta sauce
Preheat oven to 400F(~200c).
Cook pasta shells per instructions on their container. You need as many as will comfortably crowd your baking container.
Combine ricotta through sour cream in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
Fill bottom of glass bakeware with half the sauce.
Use a spoon to fill the shells and place into dish seams facing down, fitting them in as snugly as you can.
Once shells are placed, cover with remaining sauce, moz, and a bit more parmesan.
Cover bake dish with tin foil and cook for 20 minutes. Remove foil, and continue baking for another 10 minutes uncovered.
You might end up with too many shells or too much filling until you get a feel for your own set up. Filling keeps refrigerated just fine, use within a week or so and make smaller batches as needed.
As part of a gathering of recipes I've used for these, I'm sharing spinach-stuffed shells on this one.
This isn't so much of a recipe as it is a quick step-by-step. It assumes you have your own pasta sauce, which you can make your own, or use a store brand as you deem fit.
Jumbo pasta shells (or manicotti tubes)
15 oz ricotta cheese
10 - 15 oz cooked, chopped spinach
Garlic powder (or minced garlic), salt, pepper to taste
1/3 cup parmesan
1 and 1/2 cup mozzarella, with 1/2 cup set aside
3 tbs sour cream
6 cups of pasta sauce
Preheat oven to 400F(~200c).
Cook pasta shells per instructions on their container. You need as many as will comfortably crowd your baking container.
Combine ricotta through sour cream in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
Fill bottom of glass bakeware with half the sauce.
Use a spoon to fill the shells and place into dish seams facing down, fitting them in as snugly as you can.
Once shells are placed, cover with remaining sauce, moz, and a bit more parmesan.
Cover bake dish with tin foil and cook for 20 minutes. Remove foil, and continue baking for another 10 minutes uncovered.
You might end up with too many shells or too much filling until you get a feel for your own set up. Filling keeps refrigerated just fine, use within a week or so and make smaller batches as needed.
Leafbiting 2021: Yellow Curry
Posted 2 years ago Foshu is doing Leafbiting again this year.
As part of a gathering of recipes I've used for these, I'm sharing a yellow Thai-style curry on this one.
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs cumin seeds
1 tbs mustard seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbs grated ginger root
1 yellow onion, diced or chopped
2 serrano peppers, diced
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbs garam masala or curry powder
Cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper to taste
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 tbs tomato paste
2 cups vegetable broth
Potato of your choosing - I used purple potats for this, but new potatoes, russet, or other should work fine. Use equivalent of one large russet potato cut into small inch cubes, with skins
1 8oz can coconut milk
10.5 oz bag frozen peas (or peas+carrots)
Oil pan and put on medium high heat. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and listen for the mustard seeds to start popping and hissing.
Add garlic, pepper, grated ginger, onion, and serrano and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
Add turmeric, garam masala/curry powder, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, stock, potatoes.
Bring to boil then lower heat to medium low, add coconut milk.
Now is a good time to test flavor and adjust spiciness with cayenne, and add small bit of salt.
Cook for 30 mins, stirring periodically to keep bottom of pan from burning.
Add peas and cook for another 10. Potatoes should be cooked through and curry completed.
Serve atop jasmine rice.
As part of a gathering of recipes I've used for these, I'm sharing a yellow Thai-style curry on this one.
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs cumin seeds
1 tbs mustard seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbs grated ginger root
1 yellow onion, diced or chopped
2 serrano peppers, diced
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbs garam masala or curry powder
Cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper to taste
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 tbs tomato paste
2 cups vegetable broth
Potato of your choosing - I used purple potats for this, but new potatoes, russet, or other should work fine. Use equivalent of one large russet potato cut into small inch cubes, with skins
1 8oz can coconut milk
10.5 oz bag frozen peas (or peas+carrots)
Oil pan and put on medium high heat. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and listen for the mustard seeds to start popping and hissing.
Add garlic, pepper, grated ginger, onion, and serrano and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
Add turmeric, garam masala/curry powder, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, stock, potatoes.
Bring to boil then lower heat to medium low, add coconut milk.
Now is a good time to test flavor and adjust spiciness with cayenne, and add small bit of salt.
Cook for 30 mins, stirring periodically to keep bottom of pan from burning.
Add peas and cook for another 10. Potatoes should be cooked through and curry completed.
Serve atop jasmine rice.
Leafbiting 2020
Posted 3 years ago Foshu is doing Leafbiting again this year.
Rather than make a string of journals for recipes, I'll put my ambitions for this year here and add as I figure things out.
Goals this year:
Perfect a lemon rice instant pot recipe
Discover a fully veggie Thai basil rice recipe
Vegetarian sushi
Rather than make a string of journals for recipes, I'll put my ambitions for this year here and add as I figure things out.
Goals this year:
Perfect a lemon rice instant pot recipe
Discover a fully veggie Thai basil rice recipe
Vegetarian sushi
Leafbiting 2019: Squashmaus - Pumpkin Pie Mousse
Posted 4 years agoThis year Foshu's Leafbiting Challenge has introduced to me an interest in all things squash.
I don't typically get a sweet tooth when making things for myself, but I picked up some pie pumpkins and seem to be in a kick of putting things in jars.
It is honestly easiest to just buy pumpkin purée but if you want to make that part yourself you can take two small pie pumpkins, cut and clean them out, then cube the flesh from the rind. Toss in a tablespoon of oil and bake at 400f/200c for about 20 minutes. Use a food processor and a splash of warm water to liquefy the squash.
Pumpkin Pie Mousse
Recipe appropriated from here.
1/2 cup pumpkin purée
4 tbsp maple syrup
1/3 cup 2% Greek yogurt - higher % will make a creamier-tasting dessert
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
There are many ways to mix up a pumpkin pie spice, most will involve cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and mace. Make your own or trust a premixed spice.
Another simple recipe, combine the purée with syrup and spices and vanilla, mixing over low heat to incorporate fully. Play around with the spices until it has the flavor you want. I like mine a little heavier than the recipe calls for and added a few half teaspoons more.
Remove from heat, let cool, and fold in Greek yogurt. Top with whipped cream, or chocolate bits, or more cinnamon. I made a maple whipped cream to go on mine.
Maple Whipped Cream
Recipe is lifted from here.
2 cups heavy cream, cold
4 - 5 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ vanilla bean (seeds scraped)
Pinch of salt
This part calls for a standmixer, or a bowl and whisk attachment egg-beater. Or a lot of arm strength and determination.
Combine all ingredients into standmixer bowl with whisk attachment and set on medium low, increasing speed as the cream builds up. After about 3 - 4 minutes it should be thick and stand on its own when the whisk is removed.
One more squash to go. Next time it will be kabocha. Just need to figure out what to do with it. I'm thinking a roasted squash salad.
I don't typically get a sweet tooth when making things for myself, but I picked up some pie pumpkins and seem to be in a kick of putting things in jars.
It is honestly easiest to just buy pumpkin purée but if you want to make that part yourself you can take two small pie pumpkins, cut and clean them out, then cube the flesh from the rind. Toss in a tablespoon of oil and bake at 400f/200c for about 20 minutes. Use a food processor and a splash of warm water to liquefy the squash.
Pumpkin Pie Mousse
Recipe appropriated from here.
1/2 cup pumpkin purée
4 tbsp maple syrup
1/3 cup 2% Greek yogurt - higher % will make a creamier-tasting dessert
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
There are many ways to mix up a pumpkin pie spice, most will involve cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and mace. Make your own or trust a premixed spice.
Another simple recipe, combine the purée with syrup and spices and vanilla, mixing over low heat to incorporate fully. Play around with the spices until it has the flavor you want. I like mine a little heavier than the recipe calls for and added a few half teaspoons more.
Remove from heat, let cool, and fold in Greek yogurt. Top with whipped cream, or chocolate bits, or more cinnamon. I made a maple whipped cream to go on mine.
Maple Whipped Cream
Recipe is lifted from here.
2 cups heavy cream, cold
4 - 5 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ vanilla bean (seeds scraped)
Pinch of salt
This part calls for a standmixer, or a bowl and whisk attachment egg-beater. Or a lot of arm strength and determination.
Combine all ingredients into standmixer bowl with whisk attachment and set on medium low, increasing speed as the cream builds up. After about 3 - 4 minutes it should be thick and stand on its own when the whisk is removed.
One more squash to go. Next time it will be kabocha. Just need to figure out what to do with it. I'm thinking a roasted squash salad.
Leafbiting 2019: Squashmaus - Butternut Squash Soup
Posted 4 years agoThis year Foshu's Leafbiting Challenge has introduced to me an interest in all things squash. Butternut squash is ridiculously good. I've got some pie pumpkins ready to be made into a pumpkin spice mousse this weekend - more on this later. Kabocha are turning out to be oddly topical as well and I've yet to decide what to do with this one.
Squash is generally cheap around here, very versatile, and easy to cook once cut. Butternut squash also makes an amazing soup! With red lentils, spices, and a bit of creaminess, jarred up, it'll be surprisingly filling from how nutrient-dense it is. Very hearty and warming!
This recipe makes liberal use of a food processor, though a blender will also suffice. It also uses that vegetable stock I mentioned earlier, which is good because I made way too much of it...
Credit where credit is due, this recipe was lifted from here and adjusted to my own personal tastes, notably a red onion, turmeric, and greek yoghurt mixed in.
5 tablespoons extra olive oil divided
1 small butternut squash about 2 pounds, peeled, seeded and chopped into small cubes
salt and pepper to taste
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 medium carrots finely chopped
1 medium red onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon turmeric
6 cups vegetable stock
1 cup red lentils - rinsed and strained
16oz plain Greek yoghurt, non-fat, 2% or whole all work
Toss the cubed squash in 1 tablespoon of oil with salt and pepper, then bake on a baking sheet at 400f/200c for 25 minutes, or until squash is tender.
In a deep pot, on medium-high, heat remaining 4 tbsp oil and sauté garlic, carrots and onions until caramelized, about 10 - 15 minutes. Add spices and squash cubes, stirring for a minute. Add the stock and lentils and bring to a boil. Cover, cut the heat to medium low, and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool until no longer safe to handle, then carefully purée in small batches in food processor or blender, setting aside in a separate pot/container until fully liquefied. A ladle and a funnel help a lot with this portion. Put puréed mix back to low heat and add the yoghurt half at a time, stirring or whisking well to incorporate.
The soup will keep for a fairly good time. I find small mason jars perfect for storing and making meals out of, just pop in a microwave for about 2 minutes and enjoy.
More squash to come.
Squash is generally cheap around here, very versatile, and easy to cook once cut. Butternut squash also makes an amazing soup! With red lentils, spices, and a bit of creaminess, jarred up, it'll be surprisingly filling from how nutrient-dense it is. Very hearty and warming!
This recipe makes liberal use of a food processor, though a blender will also suffice. It also uses that vegetable stock I mentioned earlier, which is good because I made way too much of it...
Credit where credit is due, this recipe was lifted from here and adjusted to my own personal tastes, notably a red onion, turmeric, and greek yoghurt mixed in.
5 tablespoons extra olive oil divided
1 small butternut squash about 2 pounds, peeled, seeded and chopped into small cubes
salt and pepper to taste
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 medium carrots finely chopped
1 medium red onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon turmeric
6 cups vegetable stock
1 cup red lentils - rinsed and strained
16oz plain Greek yoghurt, non-fat, 2% or whole all work
Toss the cubed squash in 1 tablespoon of oil with salt and pepper, then bake on a baking sheet at 400f/200c for 25 minutes, or until squash is tender.
In a deep pot, on medium-high, heat remaining 4 tbsp oil and sauté garlic, carrots and onions until caramelized, about 10 - 15 minutes. Add spices and squash cubes, stirring for a minute. Add the stock and lentils and bring to a boil. Cover, cut the heat to medium low, and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool until no longer safe to handle, then carefully purée in small batches in food processor or blender, setting aside in a separate pot/container until fully liquefied. A ladle and a funnel help a lot with this portion. Put puréed mix back to low heat and add the yoghurt half at a time, stirring or whisking well to incorporate.
The soup will keep for a fairly good time. I find small mason jars perfect for storing and making meals out of, just pop in a microwave for about 2 minutes and enjoy.
More squash to come.
Leafbiting 2019: Preparation
Posted 4 years ago Foshu's Leafbiting Challenge for 2019 is coming up next week.
I didn't participate in 2018's Leafbiting due to a move. The grocery store was too far out for me to visit as conveniently as before, when I could walk there at 2 am if I felt like it. Now the trips have to be planned a little in advance.
I'm ready. I'm planning well in advance this time. Snacks? Gotcha covered. I have some mochi aspirations for later as well. No routine eating out schedule with friends right now, which was always awkward for our gaming nights and ending up in random restaurants and trying to go vegetarian. Bojangles trip with no meat? Ugh. Kill me.
The one thing I miss most during a meatless stint is usually chicken stock. I don't make a lot of meat for my own consumption in my day to day, but chicken stock creeps into one of my favorite recipes. I've got a very good substitute for that I plan to make ahead of time this year.
One tip I can give is to make easy meals for yourself. Take time on a Sunday to cook something you can freeze in batches, such as spaghetti sauce full of veggies (made 4 quarts this past weekend and will provide a recipe shortly), or chana masala. Make a big meal you can heat up easily during the week and it will make those work nights a lot less stressful if you're used to meat in your diet for convenience. Veggies can be a lot more affordable and convenient when you get the knack for it. Frozen Chinese stirfry veggies are a great quick option - just add your favorite sauce and you've got a pretty hearty meal - especially if you add brown rice or some rice noodles. Frozen spinach, broccoli, and brusselsprouts make very solid light meals when mixed together with a bit of lemon pepper. Even a baked sweet potato can be a pleasant one-off snack.
There's no trick to Leafbiting, it's more the mental challenge and diversifying the flavors you like. To me, Leafbiting is a chance to explore different ways of cooking, to find new recipes and alternatives not just to meat but to processed foods and eating out as a whole. You can save a lot and eat more healthy by cooking for yourself, but you have to put in the time. I found a fun vegetarian cookbook a while back that I'm excited to experiment with this year.
Whether you choose to go the full challenge duration or set a shorter personal goal, Leafbiting can be a fun way of exploring your options, and it will help make you think more about what you're eating.
I didn't participate in 2018's Leafbiting due to a move. The grocery store was too far out for me to visit as conveniently as before, when I could walk there at 2 am if I felt like it. Now the trips have to be planned a little in advance.
I'm ready. I'm planning well in advance this time. Snacks? Gotcha covered. I have some mochi aspirations for later as well. No routine eating out schedule with friends right now, which was always awkward for our gaming nights and ending up in random restaurants and trying to go vegetarian. Bojangles trip with no meat? Ugh. Kill me.
The one thing I miss most during a meatless stint is usually chicken stock. I don't make a lot of meat for my own consumption in my day to day, but chicken stock creeps into one of my favorite recipes. I've got a very good substitute for that I plan to make ahead of time this year.
One tip I can give is to make easy meals for yourself. Take time on a Sunday to cook something you can freeze in batches, such as spaghetti sauce full of veggies (made 4 quarts this past weekend and will provide a recipe shortly), or chana masala. Make a big meal you can heat up easily during the week and it will make those work nights a lot less stressful if you're used to meat in your diet for convenience. Veggies can be a lot more affordable and convenient when you get the knack for it. Frozen Chinese stirfry veggies are a great quick option - just add your favorite sauce and you've got a pretty hearty meal - especially if you add brown rice or some rice noodles. Frozen spinach, broccoli, and brusselsprouts make very solid light meals when mixed together with a bit of lemon pepper. Even a baked sweet potato can be a pleasant one-off snack.
There's no trick to Leafbiting, it's more the mental challenge and diversifying the flavors you like. To me, Leafbiting is a chance to explore different ways of cooking, to find new recipes and alternatives not just to meat but to processed foods and eating out as a whole. You can save a lot and eat more healthy by cooking for yourself, but you have to put in the time. I found a fun vegetarian cookbook a while back that I'm excited to experiment with this year.
Whether you choose to go the full challenge duration or set a shorter personal goal, Leafbiting can be a fun way of exploring your options, and it will help make you think more about what you're eating.
Leafbiting Week 8 Recipe: Chana Masala
Posted 6 years agoHossa! Welcome to Leafbiting week 8. Each year, Foshu runs Leafbiting and invites others to join in. I use this as a means to test my resolve and to expand my cooking repertoire into more and more tasty meals I can make throughout the year. I don't tend to cook meat for myself much anyways, so this works out great for me.
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week is chickpea curry, chana masala, a very hearty and filling dish.
2 tbsp oil (olive, vegetable, or sesame seed)
1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 - 3 inch knob of ginger, peeled, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 serrano peppers (or more), stemmed, seeded, chopped
1 can (28 oz) of whole peeled tomatoes and the juice
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/2 cup water
1 cup dried chick peas
Chickpeas should be rinsed and allowed to soak overnight if dry, or use 2 cans of chickpeas. If cooking your own, bring to boil in the water they soaked in, cut heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes until tender. Rinse and set aside.
Strain the tomatoes and crush by hand, then combine with juices.
Heat oil in pan on medium high. Once hot, add mustard seeds, cumin, and the asafoetida. The asafoetida stinks, but once cooked it takes on a buttery onion flavor that goes great with this dish. Stir occasionally while heating. Once the seeds begin to pop and sizzle, add garlic and onion and cook until the onion is just turning opaque, and add the peppers.
Once tender, add the spices (masala, coriander, tumeric, salt) and stir to incorporate and cook for about a minute. Add tomatoes, water and chickpeas and stir. Cut the heat to low and allow the dish to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens. Serve with rice (basmati, or brown) and maybe lentils.
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week is chickpea curry, chana masala, a very hearty and filling dish.
2 tbsp oil (olive, vegetable, or sesame seed)
1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 - 3 inch knob of ginger, peeled, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 serrano peppers (or more), stemmed, seeded, chopped
1 can (28 oz) of whole peeled tomatoes and the juice
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/2 cup water
1 cup dried chick peas
Chickpeas should be rinsed and allowed to soak overnight if dry, or use 2 cans of chickpeas. If cooking your own, bring to boil in the water they soaked in, cut heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes until tender. Rinse and set aside.
Strain the tomatoes and crush by hand, then combine with juices.
Heat oil in pan on medium high. Once hot, add mustard seeds, cumin, and the asafoetida. The asafoetida stinks, but once cooked it takes on a buttery onion flavor that goes great with this dish. Stir occasionally while heating. Once the seeds begin to pop and sizzle, add garlic and onion and cook until the onion is just turning opaque, and add the peppers.
Once tender, add the spices (masala, coriander, tumeric, salt) and stir to incorporate and cook for about a minute. Add tomatoes, water and chickpeas and stir. Cut the heat to low and allow the dish to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens. Serve with rice (basmati, or brown) and maybe lentils.
Leafbiting Week 7 Recipe: Veggie Flatbread
Posted 6 years agoHossa! Welcome to Leafbiting week 7. Each year, Foshu runs Leafbiting and invites others to join in. I use this as a means to test my resolve and to expand my cooking repertoire into more and more tasty meals I can make throughout the year. I don't tend to cook meat for myself much anyways, so this works out great for me.
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week's dish is essentially pizza and is quite simple to make.
Hopefully you have access to a bakery or grocer that makes a flatbread of some kind, anything similar to a pita and not too thick or too thin works, or you can use a pizza dough.
Depending on what you can find, there are so many options for making a relatively simple dish out of this, and there isn't really much of a recipe to follow beyond assembling the items you like.
I brushed the bread down with olive oil to start and set on aluminium foil on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 400.
Suggested toppings:
Mushrooms
Olives
Broccoli
Artichoke (<3)
Sun-dried tomatoes
Mozzarella cheese
Sauce:
4 cloves garlic
1 15 oz can tomato sauce (unsalted if possible)
Basil
Oregano
Thyme
Marjoram
Rosemary
Salt to taste
Dice the garlic, 2 - 4 cloves, saute in a small sauce pan in a little olive oil until fragrant and slightly brown, add the tomato sauce and a dash of the herbs (a standard Italian herb mix works great here). You don't need to cook this long, just warm it up and incorporate the herbs. A touch of salt to taste if using no salt tomato. Consider adding crushed red pepper flakes for more spice.
If using mushrooms, saute then pat dry with a paper towel. Dice sun-dried tomatoes into smaller bits. Cut olives in half to avoid unwelcome pit (even pitted aren't flawless). Artichoke should be jarred or from an olive bar if possible, or you can cook your own, amazing and wonderful when baked. Broccoli should use florets, cooked until just before tender, and cut short near the crowns. Frozen broccoli florets are great for this for full of nutrition.
Spoon sauce onto the bread and swirl evenly out towards the edges. Add a sprinkled layer of cheese, enough to just cover the sauce. Toppings of your choice then go on. Bake for around 15 minutes, let cool then enjoy. There's a lot of flexibility in what you put on it, just cook your veggies before hand and dry them off and they'll bake nicely on your base.
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week's dish is essentially pizza and is quite simple to make.
Hopefully you have access to a bakery or grocer that makes a flatbread of some kind, anything similar to a pita and not too thick or too thin works, or you can use a pizza dough.
Depending on what you can find, there are so many options for making a relatively simple dish out of this, and there isn't really much of a recipe to follow beyond assembling the items you like.
I brushed the bread down with olive oil to start and set on aluminium foil on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 400.
Suggested toppings:
Mushrooms
Olives
Broccoli
Artichoke (<3)
Sun-dried tomatoes
Mozzarella cheese
Sauce:
4 cloves garlic
1 15 oz can tomato sauce (unsalted if possible)
Basil
Oregano
Thyme
Marjoram
Rosemary
Salt to taste
Dice the garlic, 2 - 4 cloves, saute in a small sauce pan in a little olive oil until fragrant and slightly brown, add the tomato sauce and a dash of the herbs (a standard Italian herb mix works great here). You don't need to cook this long, just warm it up and incorporate the herbs. A touch of salt to taste if using no salt tomato. Consider adding crushed red pepper flakes for more spice.
If using mushrooms, saute then pat dry with a paper towel. Dice sun-dried tomatoes into smaller bits. Cut olives in half to avoid unwelcome pit (even pitted aren't flawless). Artichoke should be jarred or from an olive bar if possible, or you can cook your own, amazing and wonderful when baked. Broccoli should use florets, cooked until just before tender, and cut short near the crowns. Frozen broccoli florets are great for this for full of nutrition.
Spoon sauce onto the bread and swirl evenly out towards the edges. Add a sprinkled layer of cheese, enough to just cover the sauce. Toppings of your choice then go on. Bake for around 15 minutes, let cool then enjoy. There's a lot of flexibility in what you put on it, just cook your veggies before hand and dry them off and they'll bake nicely on your base.
Leafbiting Week 6 Recipe: Tahini Walnut Cookies
Posted 6 years agoHossa! Welcome to Leafbiting week 6. Each year, Foshu runs Leafbiting and invites others to join in. I use this as a means to test my resolve and to expand my cooking repertoire into more and more tasty meals I can make throughout the year. I don't tend to cook meat for myself much anyways, so this works out great for me.
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week is a sweet item, perfect for breakfast or as a dense snack.
Ingredients
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the tahini, honey and cinnamon. Mix in walnuts and oats until well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are slightly brown. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week is a sweet item, perfect for breakfast or as a dense snack.
Ingredients
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the tahini, honey and cinnamon. Mix in walnuts and oats until well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are slightly brown. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
Leafbiting Week 5 Recipe: Italian Goulash
Posted 6 years agoHossa! Welcome to Leafbiting week 5. Each year, Foshu runs Leafbiting and invites others to join in. I use this as a means to test my resolve and to expand my cooking repertoire into more and more tasty meals I can make throughout the year. I don't tend to cook meat for myself much anyways, so this works out great for me.
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week is a dish I call Italian Goulash. Goulash isn't Italian, so I really need a better name for it eventually. It is essentially a chicken parm recipe I removed chicken from then added bulk to.
2 bay leaves
4 - 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 - 2 tbsp crushed red pepper
Mushrooms, optional but tasty (mix of button, portobello, shiitake, and oyster work well, neatly chopped)
1 package firm tofu, cubed
1 15.5 oz can low sodium black beans
Kalamata olives, pitted, diced fine, 1 - 2 palms worth depending on your tastes
1 28 oz can crushed tomato
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
Pinch of thyme
Pinch of rosemary
Salt to taste
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese
Drain and rinse the tofu and the black beans separately and let them dry while preparing dish. Using a deep sauce pan with just enough light olive oil to coat the bottom, bring oil to temp over medium high heat and add bay leaves, garlic and onions. Saute until fragrant and onions start to soften, about 2 - 3 minutes. Add bell pepper, and red pepper and cook, stirring for another minute. Add mushrooms, beans and tofu and cut heat to medium, cover and let cook for another 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add olives, tomato and spices and reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Remove, and discard the bay leaves. Optionally add a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, just enough to add a light sheen to the stir, a little goes a long way though so only a bit.
Preheat oven to 375. In a glass dish, pour the contents from above and top with mozzarella and sprinkling of Parmesan. Baked at 375 for 15 - 20, until cheese top is bubbling and browning, then let cool before serving.
I find an olive bar is great for this and other sauce recipes, pitted olives and sun-dried tomatoes go great in it.
This is a fairly dense meal, a lot of flavors and textures going on. Consider serving with polenta or salad. If you have a decent name for this, please let me know!
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week is a dish I call Italian Goulash. Goulash isn't Italian, so I really need a better name for it eventually. It is essentially a chicken parm recipe I removed chicken from then added bulk to.
2 bay leaves
4 - 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 - 2 tbsp crushed red pepper
Mushrooms, optional but tasty (mix of button, portobello, shiitake, and oyster work well, neatly chopped)
1 package firm tofu, cubed
1 15.5 oz can low sodium black beans
Kalamata olives, pitted, diced fine, 1 - 2 palms worth depending on your tastes
1 28 oz can crushed tomato
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
Pinch of thyme
Pinch of rosemary
Salt to taste
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese
Drain and rinse the tofu and the black beans separately and let them dry while preparing dish. Using a deep sauce pan with just enough light olive oil to coat the bottom, bring oil to temp over medium high heat and add bay leaves, garlic and onions. Saute until fragrant and onions start to soften, about 2 - 3 minutes. Add bell pepper, and red pepper and cook, stirring for another minute. Add mushrooms, beans and tofu and cut heat to medium, cover and let cook for another 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add olives, tomato and spices and reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Remove, and discard the bay leaves. Optionally add a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, just enough to add a light sheen to the stir, a little goes a long way though so only a bit.
Preheat oven to 375. In a glass dish, pour the contents from above and top with mozzarella and sprinkling of Parmesan. Baked at 375 for 15 - 20, until cheese top is bubbling and browning, then let cool before serving.
I find an olive bar is great for this and other sauce recipes, pitted olives and sun-dried tomatoes go great in it.
This is a fairly dense meal, a lot of flavors and textures going on. Consider serving with polenta or salad. If you have a decent name for this, please let me know!
Leafbiting Week 4 Recipe: Lentil Curry
Posted 6 years agoHossa! Welcome to Leafbiting week 4. Each year, Foshu runs Leafbiting and invites others to join in. I use this as a means to test my resolve and to expand my cooking repertoire into more and more tasty meals I can make throughout the year. I don't tend to cook meat for myself much anyways, so this works out great for me.
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week is lentil curry!
This is a recipe under construction, and I plan to adjust it a bit as time goes by.
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 - 3 inches of fresh ginger, grated or diced fine
6 garlic cloves, diced fine
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander, ground
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp madras curry powder
Optional heat: 1 - 2 tsp cayenne pepper
11/4 tsp salt
14 oz can coconut milk, light or full fat
5.5 oz can tomato paste
2 cups green lentils, uncooked & rinsed
3 cups boiling water
Saute the onion, ginger and garlic in a heavy pot, such as a cast iron dutch oven. Add the spices (everything else above the coconut milk) and stir frequently for 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk, tomato paste, water, and lentils and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 40 - 45 minutes. Cut the heat and let cool a little before serving with rice of your choice, basmati or Jasmine work great.
This recipe was yanked online and added to to suit my tastes. The next time I make it I plan to add a bit of heavy cream, just a little, prior to serving to make it a bit of a richer curry. Possible additions might include green peas, potatoes, more fenugreek (methi), or serrano peppers for heat. Hopefully you enjoy lentils as much as I do. Good luck!
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week is lentil curry!
This is a recipe under construction, and I plan to adjust it a bit as time goes by.
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 - 3 inches of fresh ginger, grated or diced fine
6 garlic cloves, diced fine
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander, ground
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp madras curry powder
Optional heat: 1 - 2 tsp cayenne pepper
11/4 tsp salt
14 oz can coconut milk, light or full fat
5.5 oz can tomato paste
2 cups green lentils, uncooked & rinsed
3 cups boiling water
Saute the onion, ginger and garlic in a heavy pot, such as a cast iron dutch oven. Add the spices (everything else above the coconut milk) and stir frequently for 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk, tomato paste, water, and lentils and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 40 - 45 minutes. Cut the heat and let cool a little before serving with rice of your choice, basmati or Jasmine work great.
This recipe was yanked online and added to to suit my tastes. The next time I make it I plan to add a bit of heavy cream, just a little, prior to serving to make it a bit of a richer curry. Possible additions might include green peas, potatoes, more fenugreek (methi), or serrano peppers for heat. Hopefully you enjoy lentils as much as I do. Good luck!
Leafbiting Week 3 Recipe: Curry Noodles
Posted 6 years agoHossa! Welcome to Leafbiting week 3. Each year, Foshu runs Leafbiting and invites others to join in. I use this as a means to test my resolve and to expand my cooking repertoire into more and more tasty meals I can make throughout the year. I don't tend to cook meat for myself much anyways, so this works out great for me.
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week's recipe is curry noodles. The originally recipe was taken from here and it is a wonderful, simple meal.
The recipe below is borrowed verbatim from the link above, and all credit belongs to the original author. I tend to exclude the mushrooms for personal taste. Be cautious when purchasing curry paste as some of them have fish oil byproducts. The sweet soy sauce listed also goes by tamari.
1 cup broccoli (cut into florets)
1 cup carrots (julienne cut)
1/2 cup scallions (cut on the bias)
1/2 cup red peppers (julienne cut)
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1 T fresh ginger (peeled & chopped)
1 T Thai curry paste (red or green)
1 T canola oil
1 can “Lite” coconut milk (from your favorite Asian market)
1 T sweet soy sauce (from your favorite Asian market)
1/2 cup sweet Chile sauce (from your favorite Asian market)
1 t black sesame seeds (from your favorite Asian market)
1 lb rice noodles (from your favorite Asian market)
Preparation:
Soak noodles in lukewarm water for 30 minutes. Drain and cool in ice water. Drain, let rest & toss with oil. Blanch broccoli & carrots in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain, cool down in ice water, drain and set aside. Place large sauté pan over high heat. Add canola oil and sautéed mushrooms until lightly golden. Add coconut milk and Thai curry paste. Add carrots, broccoli, peppers, scallions, ginger, sweet Chile sauce, sweet soy, and noodles to pan in that order. Toss once or twice to coat all ingredients well with sauce. Place on platter and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week's recipe is curry noodles. The originally recipe was taken from here and it is a wonderful, simple meal.
The recipe below is borrowed verbatim from the link above, and all credit belongs to the original author. I tend to exclude the mushrooms for personal taste. Be cautious when purchasing curry paste as some of them have fish oil byproducts. The sweet soy sauce listed also goes by tamari.
1 cup broccoli (cut into florets)
1 cup carrots (julienne cut)
1/2 cup scallions (cut on the bias)
1/2 cup red peppers (julienne cut)
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1 T fresh ginger (peeled & chopped)
1 T Thai curry paste (red or green)
1 T canola oil
1 can “Lite” coconut milk (from your favorite Asian market)
1 T sweet soy sauce (from your favorite Asian market)
1/2 cup sweet Chile sauce (from your favorite Asian market)
1 t black sesame seeds (from your favorite Asian market)
1 lb rice noodles (from your favorite Asian market)
Preparation:
Soak noodles in lukewarm water for 30 minutes. Drain and cool in ice water. Drain, let rest & toss with oil. Blanch broccoli & carrots in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain, cool down in ice water, drain and set aside. Place large sauté pan over high heat. Add canola oil and sautéed mushrooms until lightly golden. Add coconut milk and Thai curry paste. Add carrots, broccoli, peppers, scallions, ginger, sweet Chile sauce, sweet soy, and noodles to pan in that order. Toss once or twice to coat all ingredients well with sauce. Place on platter and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.
Leafbiting Week 2 Recipe: Spice Rice
Posted 6 years agoHossa! Welcome to Leafbiting week 2. Each year, Foshu runs Leafbiting and invites others to join in. I use this as a means to test my resolve and to expand my cooking repertoire into more and more tasty meals I can make throughout the year. I don't tend to cook meat for myself much anyways, so this works out great for me.
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week's dish doesn't have a proper name, I just call it spice rice - as it is reasonably spicy - and it is one of my favorite meals even outside of Leafbiting. Spicy, heavy on the peppers and cumin, it is technically a Texmex goulash.
The dish usually calls for chicken stock, but you can find a really good substitute here, or using Better Than Bouillon. The recipe also uses a rice cooker, and though this isn't necessarily required, a rice cooker is an amazing addition to your kitchen if you eat a lot of rice, lentils, or beans. A food processor/chopper is required. The difficulty isn't very high, easy to medium, but there is a lot of pepper chopping involved. I highly recommend you wash your hands with soap after chopping the peppers and prior to the next time you touch your face, eyes, or anyone's genitals.
1 and 1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup green lentils
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chipotle powder (optional but amazing)
1 tbsp cumin seeds, whole
3 gloves garlic, diced (Or more. I use dried garlic here for convenience)
A pinch of dried cilantro
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 can diced tomatoes, no salt
4 cups stock (see above)
Toss all the above in a rice cooker. If using stove stop, bring to boil then simmer for about 40 minutes.
While that is going, prepare the following:
Puree 1 small container of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in a food processor, and set aside.
1 tsp cumin seeds, whole
(if using fresh garlic, consider using it here instead of the rice cooker)
1 large, white onion
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 Anaheim pepper
1 cubanelle pepper
1 poblano pepper
4 jalapenos
3 red jalapenos (if available. They are typically thinner here and add a bit more color)
(really, at this point, if there is a large, attractive pepper in the produce bin, toss it in. Variety makes the pepper medley great)
1 can of black beans, low sodium (rinse in colander and set aside to drain)
Dice the onion and keep separate, then all the peppers.
Over medium - high heat in a large pan with enough light olive oil to coat the bottom, saute onion and cumin seed until fragrant and starting to get clear. Add peppers and cook for 3 minutes, then reduce heat and cover, stirring every so often until all the diced bits are tender, about 10 - 15 minutes depending on how many peppers you added. Add black beans and stir. Cut the heat.
Set oven to 375 to preheat.
When the rice and lentils are done, dump the onions and pepper medley into an oven-safe dish that will be large enough everything. A typical glass casserole dish will do. Mix in the chipotle puree, and 1 8 oz package of shredded "Mexican" blend cheese. Let the rice cool briefly, then dump into the pepper medley, stirring well to incorporate everything. I typically also add hot sauce at this point, Valentina's is my choice. Optional, but recommended, and covers the lack of salt not already in the cheese.
Bake at 375 for 25 - 30 minutes, then do whatever you want with it. This should make enough to feed one person for quite a few meals. It is amazing with sour cream, or fine just as it is.
A bit more complicated this time, but much more balanced and delicious. If you decide to make some, let me know how it turned out. I hope you enjoy some spicy peppers!
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week's dish doesn't have a proper name, I just call it spice rice - as it is reasonably spicy - and it is one of my favorite meals even outside of Leafbiting. Spicy, heavy on the peppers and cumin, it is technically a Texmex goulash.
The dish usually calls for chicken stock, but you can find a really good substitute here, or using Better Than Bouillon. The recipe also uses a rice cooker, and though this isn't necessarily required, a rice cooker is an amazing addition to your kitchen if you eat a lot of rice, lentils, or beans. A food processor/chopper is required. The difficulty isn't very high, easy to medium, but there is a lot of pepper chopping involved. I highly recommend you wash your hands with soap after chopping the peppers and prior to the next time you touch your face, eyes, or anyone's genitals.
1 and 1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup green lentils
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chipotle powder (optional but amazing)
1 tbsp cumin seeds, whole
3 gloves garlic, diced (Or more. I use dried garlic here for convenience)
A pinch of dried cilantro
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 can diced tomatoes, no salt
4 cups stock (see above)
Toss all the above in a rice cooker. If using stove stop, bring to boil then simmer for about 40 minutes.
While that is going, prepare the following:
Puree 1 small container of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in a food processor, and set aside.
1 tsp cumin seeds, whole
(if using fresh garlic, consider using it here instead of the rice cooker)
1 large, white onion
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 Anaheim pepper
1 cubanelle pepper
1 poblano pepper
4 jalapenos
3 red jalapenos (if available. They are typically thinner here and add a bit more color)
(really, at this point, if there is a large, attractive pepper in the produce bin, toss it in. Variety makes the pepper medley great)
1 can of black beans, low sodium (rinse in colander and set aside to drain)
Dice the onion and keep separate, then all the peppers.
Over medium - high heat in a large pan with enough light olive oil to coat the bottom, saute onion and cumin seed until fragrant and starting to get clear. Add peppers and cook for 3 minutes, then reduce heat and cover, stirring every so often until all the diced bits are tender, about 10 - 15 minutes depending on how many peppers you added. Add black beans and stir. Cut the heat.
Set oven to 375 to preheat.
When the rice and lentils are done, dump the onions and pepper medley into an oven-safe dish that will be large enough everything. A typical glass casserole dish will do. Mix in the chipotle puree, and 1 8 oz package of shredded "Mexican" blend cheese. Let the rice cool briefly, then dump into the pepper medley, stirring well to incorporate everything. I typically also add hot sauce at this point, Valentina's is my choice. Optional, but recommended, and covers the lack of salt not already in the cheese.
Bake at 375 for 25 - 30 minutes, then do whatever you want with it. This should make enough to feed one person for quite a few meals. It is amazing with sour cream, or fine just as it is.
A bit more complicated this time, but much more balanced and delicious. If you decide to make some, let me know how it turned out. I hope you enjoy some spicy peppers!
Leafbiting Week 1 Recipe: Sesame Noodles
Posted 6 years agoHossa! Welcome to Leafbiting week 1. Each year, Foshu runs Leafbiting and invites others to join in. I use this as a means to test my resolve and to expand my cooking repertoire into more and more tasty meals I can make throughout the year. I don't tend to cook meat for myself much anyways, so this works out great for me.
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week is sesame noodles!
I was introduced to this by two women in the Virginia Appalachians when I was a young teen, and I loved it so much that I begged off the recipe from them. I only recently found where I hid the darn thing, and thought it would be a great intro dish for week one. No cooking even needed, apart from boiling a pot of spaghetti noodles. This is purely a Mediterranean-style comfort food, carbs and tasty things, so use as a side dish and eat plenty of other things with it.
5 tbs sesame tahini
5 - 7 cloves garlic, ground or diced fine
3 tbsp ground ginger root
2 tbsp powdered ginger
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup tamari sauce (sweet soy sauce)
2 tbs sugar
Blend above ingredients and toss with 1/2 lbs of noodles. Top with sesame seeds (white or black), crushed red pepper, nasturtiums, and scallions.
Easy enough, and quite tasty. If you're joining in for Leafbiting, or just dropping by, I hope you'll enjoy this. See you all next week!
I'll look at posting some of my favorites each week until the start of December.
This week is sesame noodles!
I was introduced to this by two women in the Virginia Appalachians when I was a young teen, and I loved it so much that I begged off the recipe from them. I only recently found where I hid the darn thing, and thought it would be a great intro dish for week one. No cooking even needed, apart from boiling a pot of spaghetti noodles. This is purely a Mediterranean-style comfort food, carbs and tasty things, so use as a side dish and eat plenty of other things with it.
5 tbs sesame tahini
5 - 7 cloves garlic, ground or diced fine
3 tbsp ground ginger root
2 tbsp powdered ginger
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup tamari sauce (sweet soy sauce)
2 tbs sugar
Blend above ingredients and toss with 1/2 lbs of noodles. Top with sesame seeds (white or black), crushed red pepper, nasturtiums, and scallions.
Easy enough, and quite tasty. If you're joining in for Leafbiting, or just dropping by, I hope you'll enjoy this. See you all next week!