As you well know- if you’ve been reading this blog any time at all- I’m obsessed with British culture. (I’m currently watching the Forsyte Saga, so good!) Including the food.

I first tried mushy peas while in London a few years back. At first, I was skeptical. Mushy peas isn’t a flattering name- sounds about as appetizing as a jar of baby food. But I assure you it’s much tastier than that. And pairs perfectly with fish and chips.

Ingredients:

1 10 oz bag of frozen peas

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cream

1 Tablespoon butter

Directions: Boil the peas on the stove top with salt for about 3 minutes, until tender.

Drain and transfer to a food processor. Add the cream and butter and pulse until just blended. A few whole or partially whole peas should remain. Don’t puree it to death.

Serve as a side dish with these panko baked fish sticks and home style potatoes.

Related posts:

1. Farfalle with Artichokes, Mushrooms, and Peas
2. Not Another Boring Potato Salad
3. Lighter smashed potatoes

Ever since making sweet potato risotto, I’ve been scheming ways to incorporate sweet potato into some of my favorite dishes.  So, when Dreamfields sent me some of their high fiber/low carb penne pasta, I knew exactly what to make.  Macaroni and cheese.  Because sweet potatoes are so creamy, they work well with traditional comfort foods.  And it’s a great way to sneak in some extra veg for the kids.

Incidentally, my coworker swears her son doesn’t like sweet potato. He won’t touch it. Not smothered in butter. Not piled with brown sugar. Not even coated in cinnamon. He simply will not.  I wonder what he’d think of this version of macaroni and cheese dish. I bet he’d develop a bit of a crush on the old sweet tater.

Originally, I’d intended to lighten up the dish by playing up the sweet potato and cutting back on cheese and butter. But when I got to work, I found I couldn’t resist making a really decadent version of macaroni and cheese. So, I used cream, butter, cheese, all of it. And it was delicious. Of course, you could easily modify this dish to cut back on calories. If nothing else, at least it’s got some veggies in there, right?

Ingredients: (makes 6 to 8 servings)

1 13 oz box Dreamfields penne pasta

1 Tablespoon butter

1 large sweet potato, cooked

1 16 oz container of cottage cheese

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Boil pasta, drain and set aside. 

Scoop the insides of the sweet potato (while still warm) into a mixing bowl and blend with the butter and cream until mostly smooth. Then, mix in the salt and pepper, cottage cheese, and brown sugar.

Next, add the cooked pasta to the sweet potato mixture and work it in until all the noodles are well-coated.

Transfer to a baking dish and top with the mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes and broil for an additional 5 minutes, until the cheese on top is golden and bubbly.

What a tease.

Thank you, Dreamfields, for helping inspire my sweet potato mac ‘n’ cheese! The penne was delicious and worked perfectly in this recipe.

Related posts:

1. Sweet Potato Gnocchi in a Brown Sugar Vanilla Cream Sauce
2. Sweet Potato Skillet Hash
3. Sweet Potato Risotto

I’m not sure that “stew” is the best or most accurate term for this dish. It’s thick with very little liquid, so you can’t really sop it up with bread. And, although it’s made with eggplant, onion, and tomatoes, it’s definitely not a ratatouille. Whatever it is, I’m calling it a stew because the vegetables are in fact stewed together until nearly all the liquid has cooked off.

My recent trip to Istanbul, where eggplant is abundant, inspired this dish. When dining out in the city (my husband and I), most of our meals consisted of some quantity of eggplant and tomatoes, as it was offered on pretty much every mezze menu. As you can imagine, I was in vegetarian heaven.

Most of the eggplant dishes were served cooked in olive oil, chilled or at room temperature. It almost surprised me that such simple food could be so satisfying and memorable- the sweet eggplant dripping with nutty, fruity oil. I also savored how such simple ingredients –like the eggplant, onions, fennel, and tomatoes in this dish- came together in a memorable, even exotic, way. I’ll always think of Istanbul when making this dish.

Ingredients:

1 large, dark purple eggplant; peeled, cubed, salted and rinsed.

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 cup finely chopped fennel

1 clove garlic, minced

1 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dried Herbs de Provence

Directions: On medium high heat cook olive oil, garlic and onions in a pot until fragrant. Add fennel and stir for another minute or two.

Next, add the eggplant and stir until it starts to wilt a bit. (Be sure to salt the eggplant before cooking. To do this, put chopped eggplant in a colander and coat with a good bit of salt. The salt will pull out the bitter juices. Let drain for at least 20 min. Then, rinse and squeeze or pat dry with a towel.)

Then add the tomatoes and the dried herbs.

Allow to stew until there’s very little water left in the pot and the mixture is quite thick.

Serve the stew with rice or fish or bread.

I really enjoyed it on a piece of baked trout.

But you could definitely serve it as a stand alone side dish to complement the main course. It passes beautifully around a family table.

Related posts:

1. Spicy Black-Eyed Pea and Tomato Stew
2. Khoresht Karafs (Celery Stew with Mint, Parsley and Dried Lime)
3. Easy “Homemade” Tomato Sauce

Ok, so this is my last post for a little while (I’m getting married on Saturday!). So I wanted it to be a good one. Something tasty and healthy. And seasonal. Did you know pears are in season right now?

You can make this salad with any kind of lettuce you like. I use bib lettuce because it’s mild in flavor, rather than bitter like mixed greens can be.  I also have a soft spot for bib lettuce. When I lived in France, I used to buy it from a local grocer who owned a small produce shop. It was actually two grocers, a crazy old couple who insisted on selling me lettuce with spots and bugs and all that natural “goodness.” Silly Americans like their lettuce pristine.

Watercress gives the salad some bite, a crisp, peppery flavor. If you can’t find it, you could sub in arugula instead.

Ingredients: (makes 2 large salads)

2 heads bib lettuce, washed and chopped

1 bunch watercress, washed and chopped (discard stems)

3 pears cored and chopped

1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries

1 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

2 Tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled

2 Tablespoons olive oil

juice and zest of 1 small lemon

pinch of salt and pepper

Directions: In a large mixing bowl, combine the lettuce, watercress, pear, and cranberries.

Next, add the toasted walnuts. (To toast the nuts, heat them on the stove top on medium heat until they become fragrant and slightly oily.)

Toss together with the lemon juice, zest, olive oil and goat cheese. Crumble the goat cheese before adding it to the salad.

Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Serve with toasted pita or a French bread.  This salad is large enough to serve as a main meal, but you could half the portion size and serve it as a side salad instead.

Now I’m off to enjoy my last week as a “Miss!”

Related posts:

1. Pear and Goat Cheese/Apple and Cheddar Hand Pies
2. Fresh Fig and Arugula Salad with Creamy Goat Cheese and Candied Pecans
3. Greek Lentil Salad

Being a southerner, I’ll eat pretty much anything fried. In fact, I like most things fried up crispy with a nice greasy sheen. Especially vegetables. And this zucchini was not able to escape my fry pan.

Thank you to my coworker, Janee, who gave me this recipe. She swears it Syrian but I say it’s southern through and through. Or maybe it’s both?  Either way it’s tasty, an easy appetizer for a dinner party or a lazy day snack.

Ingredients:

1 zucchini

salt

1/2 cup flour or cornmeal (cornmeal makes a super crispy crust)

oil

Directions: Slice the zucchini into thin coins.

Sprinkle with salt to pull the water out of the middle.

Like tasty little rain drops. These will help the flour stick.

Dip the zucchini coins into the flour, lightly coating each coin.

In a heavy skillet, pour enough oil to coat the bottom (about a quarter of an inch). Heat until the oil pops, then add the zucchini.

Fry each side until brown and crispy. Transfer the coins to a paper towel to drain off the excess oil.

You shouldn’t need more salt, but add it if you like. Serve the zucchini coins plain or with your favorite dipping sauce. Some zesty ranch sounds like a good idea. Yum.

Related posts:

1. Fried Cornbread
2. Panko Fried Green Tomatoes
3. Panko fried Okra

I apologize for my infrequent posts of late. I’m afraid things are going to be this way for a touch longer, just another month or so. I beg your patience. I’ll still be posting regularly, just a bit less often. Blame it on the wedding, I find myself doing that for everything these days.

Now, on to the good stuff! I conjured this salad after a strong craving for a chilled caprese salad without all the cheese (trying to keep things light around here!). Plus I’m a huge fan of wheatberries. They are chewy and nutty and burst satisfyingly between the teeth. They are also packed with protein and fiber and give nice bulk to this salad.

It’s so flavorful, you could easily leave out the parmesan for a vegan version. You could even sub in small bits of mozzarella for the parmesan. It’s great for work lunches, travels like a dream, and can be served at room temperature.

Ingredients: (makes 1 to 2 servings)

1 1/2 cups wheatberries

1 ripe tomato, chopped

5 basil leaves, finely chopped

3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions: To prepare the wheatberries, boil them on the stovetop until tender. Drain and add to a mixing bowl.

Chop the tomato and add to the wheatberries.

Next, add the basil and combine.

In a small bowl, make the dressing. Add the balsamic vinegar.

Pour in the olive oil and whisk vigorously.

Pour over the wheatberry mixture.

Combine until the mixture is well coated.

Add the parmesan cheese and mix well.

Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Garnish with a bit more basil and enjoy.

Related posts:

1. Chopped Pear and Watercress Salad with Goat Cheese, Cranberries and Walnuts
2. Stew of Eggplant, Tomato, Onions, and Fennel
3. Greek Lentil Salad

The pilot light on our oven is out. And guess when it decided to go out. After I’d prepped this pretty little casserole. That’s right. I cooked and drained the lentils, sautéed the veggies, assembled the ingredients in the casserole pan, and topped it all off with a fine coating of panko and parmesan and then I turned on the oven. But nothing. I twisted the knob again and nothing. No comforting puff of flame, no heat, no smell of gas, nothing. Perfect.

So, I tried the upstairs neighbor. He wasn’t home. So I hiked another flight up and, thankfully, the kind woman on the third floor let me use her oven. But she and her boyfriend were in the middle of taking a nap, so I had to tip toe in, through the dark living room and gingerly slide the casserole dish into the oven, shhhh. Then I padded back down the stairs to my place and waited until I thought it would be done. I wasn’t sure what temperature it should bake at or precisely how long it would take (keep in mind that nearly all my recipes are experiments) and I didn’t want to occupy her oven for too long, so I headed back up after 20 short minutes and, of course,  it wasn’t quite done. Boooo. But what could I do? I graciously thanked her for her kindness, insisting that it had baked long enough, and slinked out of the quiet, dark apartment, elbow deep in oven mits and lugging a very heavy casserole dish down two rickety flights of stairs.

Luckily, the dish tasted good. I didn’t get the golden crust I’d hoped for and the cheese didn’t melt completely, but it was tasty. And I imagine that just a few minutes more in the oven would have done the trick.

Ingredients: (makes 4 to 6 servings)

2 cups lentils

1 cup chopped onions

2 cloves minced garlic

5 oz spinach

1 cup panko crumbs

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Directions: First, cook the lentils by boiling on the stovetop until tender. Drain and set aside.

Next, on the stove top, heat the olive oil, onions, and garlic. Stir fry until onions become fragrant and translucent.

Add the spinach and cook until wilted.

Then, add the lentils, salt, and oregano and stir until combined.

Transfer to a casserole dish and cover with panko crumbs.

Then, top with grated parmesan.

Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the cheese is melted. (Notice that my cheese is not quite melted. Edible, but not ideal.)

Serve hot with a bit more grated parmesan on top.

Our pilot light has been out for over a week. I don’t think I’ve ever missed my oven so much!

Related posts:

1. Greek Lentil Salad
2. Lentil and Rice Salad
3. Simple Lentil Soup

One of my favorite things about cooking is taking seemingly incongruous ingredients and combining them to discover that they work together perfectly. On some level it makes sense that if you like foods separately, you’ll like them together, but it’s pretty amazing how often it just doesn’t work- ketchup and ice cream anyone? Actually, that might not be so bad…sounds like the latest hipster food craze- spicy tomato sorbet. If this ever happens, I totally called it!

Anyway, this couscous salad is tasty. It may sound weird, but trust me, it’s goooood. Great for lunch or dinner and leftovers too!

Ingredients: (about 4 servings)

1 cup dried Israeli couscous

1 11 oz can of mandarin oranges

1 15 oz can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup almond slivers

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 packed cup of mache rosettes (or arugula)

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

juice of 1/2 a lemon

salt and pepper

Directions: First, prepare the couscous.

Bring 1 cup of dried couscous to a boil in 1 cup of water. Cover, reduce heat and cook for about five minutes and then fluff with a fork. The couscous will look plump and chewy. Set aside.

Next, make the dressing. Drain the juice off the mandarin oranges into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice and olive oil to the orange juice and whisk together. Set aside.

In a large salad bowl, toss together the couscous, mandarin oranges, almond slivers, mache, red onions, and white beans. 

Pour the orange juice dressing over top and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill and serve.

I love the chewy couscous pearls.

This couscous salad is truly one of my favorites. The red onion balances out the sweetness of the mandarin oranges, the beans add bulk, and the almonds and mache give it great crunch.

I hope you like it as much as I do!

Related posts:

1. Black and Pinto Bean Salad with Lime and Cilantro Dressing
2. Easy Orange Creamsicles
3. Spicy Almond Green Beans

It strikes me as funny that as I write this post for a summer recipe, I’m listening to a band called The Decemberists (if only if were so cold outside).  But I find the music comforting, kind of like this risotto. And when when you’re sweltering in the summer sun, everyone should come into the cool for a bite of comfort food.

Just because it’s summertime, that doesn’t mean it’s all popsicles and ice cream (though I wouldn’t mind that at all). We’ve got to get those veggies in. Hidden in creamy risotto works for me.

Ingredients: (makes about 6 servings)

Adapted from Herbivoracious

6 cups vegetable broth

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup minced onion

2 cups arborio risotto

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 zucchini diced

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 Tablespoon fresh chopped basil

1/2 cup or more grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot. Sauté the onion for a couple of minutes until softened but not browned. Add the rice and sauté for a minute or two until it turns slightly translucent.

Add the wine and stir until absorbed.  I had a pretty generous hand with the wine, so feel free to add extra if you like the flavor. Boozy risotto is not a bad thing.

Next, add the broth one ladle at a time, stirring very frequently. When the rice begins to dry out, add another ladle. After about 15 minutes, begin to check the grains. When the rice begins to break down but is still slightly tough inside, add the vegetables, basil, salt and pepper. 

Add the last few ladles of veggie broth and work in the vegetables. If you’ve run out of broth, use water and add salt, if needed.  Within 5 to 10 minutes, the rice will become tender and creamy. Once the mix is thick and starchy, take it off of the heat and stir in the cheese.

Garnish with a bit more basil and more cheese. A squeeze of lemon would also be tasty if you’ve got one handy.

Bright and summery and oh, so comforting.

Related posts:

1. Sweet Potato Risotto
2. Summer Dream Weaver Soup
3. Summer Corn and Clam Chowder

Lately, I’ve been riding my bike to and from work everyday. It’s great exercise, but it’s hard to ride with a packed lunch- unless that lunch is light.

In the summer, I like cool salads like this tangy lentil salad. It’s filling yet light and is an absolute cinch to travel with. You could eat this plain or atop a bed of lettuce. It would even be great over rice. Love versatile summer dishes like this one.

Ingredients: (makes 4 servings)

2 cups lentils (soak for several hours to reduce cook time)

1/2 cup chopped onion

juice and zest of 1 lemon

2 cloves of minced garlic

1 cup diced tomatoes

1/2 cup crumbled feta

1/2 cup chopped back olives

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Boil lentils on the stove top until tender.  In a skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until fragrant and tender. Stir in lentils and lemon zest and remove from heat.

Add the tomatoes, feta, and olives. Stir until well combined.

Next, add the lemon juice and remaining olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Chill and serve.

This dish is great with a side of hummus and grape leaves. Enjoy!

Related posts:

1. Lentil and Rice Salad
2. Lemon Pepper Asparagus Salad
3. Simple Lentil Soup