Sweet Potato Tacos with Zingy Coleslaw

Why did I wait so long to post this staple to my diet? The epitome of my mantra (Tasty Cheap Easy), these tacos always hit the spot. 

Now why would anyone post a recipe for tacos? I can't think of a more elastic and widely interpreted dish. All I can tell you is that the texture/flavor mix of my favorite cheap version is really satisfying, and the keys are as follows:

Hannah Sweet Potatoes: Tan skin, white flesh. Kind of like a yukon gold, but sweeter. 

La Tortilla Factory Green Chili Tortillas: A magical corn/wheat combo that can take a lot of crisping, but stays chewy and soft. Vegan. Local.

Coleslaw that's more vinegary than mayonnaisey: What can you tell from this photo? Nothing. But I can tell you that people who hate mayonnaise like this coleslaw.

Get it Together

The Slaw
Whisk together
2T mayo
1T dijon mustard
2t maple syrup
3T apple cider vinegar
Toss in: 
Half a cabbage, shredded finely
2 carrots, shredded
1 green inion, thinly sliced
Season with black pepper (it shouldn't need any salt)

The Sweet Potatoes
Peel and slice the potatoes about 1/4" thick. Steam for about 10 minutes (til fork tender but not mushy). At this point you can use the potatoes in the tacos, or sear them in a little butter for added flavor. 

Assembly
Heat a large skillet on medium/medium-high. No oil needed. Heat tortillas until golden brown. 
At this point you can add any toppings you crave. Some combos I like include a bed of salsa-style refried beans, pepper jack, avocados and tomatoes. 

Longevity
Slaw is good for a few days, as are extra cooked sweet potatoes. So you can make several meals out of this and eat very well for a couple bucks a day. 

на здоровья! 

Curried Rice with Avocado and Tomato

It occurred to me the other day when I posted my recipe for rice patties made from leftover curry rice, that although that post includes the recipe for the curried rice, that some folks may want the down & dirty simple recipe for the rice on its own. So as I sat down to eat my easy-peasy super-cheap delicious lunch, I snapped a photo before my first bite (that took will power!)

This meal is really satisfying but doesn't leave you in a food coma, so it's great for work. You can also make 4 meals for hella cheap (depending on where you buy that avocado!)

So here's the recipe (which is really just cooking rice with a little yellow curry powder & cumin). I like to top it with avocado, freshly picked cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkle of S&P. Enjoy! 

To Make Yellow Curry Rice
Boil 1.5 cups of water and set aside (microwave for 3 minutes).
Measure 1 cup dry white rice (I find that jasmine, or any regular medium-grain rice works well)
Heat 1 teaspoon butter or olive oil in a quart-sized saucepan (one that has a lid)
Stir in the rice, & add about 2 teaspoons yellow curry (I like the Sun Brand Madras Curry), 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/4-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
Pour the 1.5 cups of boiling water over the rice. It will come to a rapid boil. Stir, cover with the lid, & turn the heat all the way down. A gas burner should be barely going. On an electric burner, use the lowest setting.
Set your timer for 20 minutes. Do not take the lid off the rice during this cooking time.
Once the timer goes off, turn off the burner but LEAVE THE LID ON THE RICE FOR ANOTHER 5 MINUTES.
Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork, top with whatever, and eat. 
If you prefer, omit or change the seasoning as desired. Just remember that salt it key. You can also use veggie or chicken broth for more flavor. Add onion, herbs, & almonds or pine nuts for a pilaf.
Store leftover rice in a container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

5 Minute Thai Cucumber Salad

OK. 5 minutes depending on your knife skills. But it's quick. And easy. And way cheaper than anything you'll get at a restaurant. For those who need their vegetables sugar-coated, this is a delicious and healthy way to get at least one serving a day.

At the very least, you can make this with 3 ingredients: cucumbers, vinegar, and sugar. With a couple more ingredients, it's fantastic. 

Clockwise from left: Shallots, radishes, cucumbers, bell pepper

Preparation

Very thinly slice one small shallot. Add to a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle with rice vinegar and sprinkle with a little sugar. Stir, and let sit while you prep the other vegetables. 

Slice a 2-3" piece of English cucumber in half lengthwise, then slice thin half moons. 

Slice a couple radishes as thinly as possible.

Dice a little red bell pepper. 

Stir the cucumber and radish into the shallots & vinegar. Adjust seasoning (if it's too acidic, add a little more sugar). Garnish with the bell pepper. Serve immediately. 

This salad is best made fresh, as the veggies will become limp if left sitting for more than an hour. Keeping rice vinegar in the pantry is a great idea. It's soft and balanced, makes great dressings, and adds dimension to all sorts of dishes. 

Fried Rice...Russian Easter Style

Restaurants are making a killing selling you a carton of leftovers for about $8. 

Next time you find yourself with leftover meat and rice, make a honkin' batch of fried rice, and feed your whole family for a fraction of the cost (and without wondering how much sodium or "mystery ingredients" may be lurking behind that carrot). 

My family only cooks a ham twice a year - at Easter and Christmas. We eat meat so rarely that when we do, we indulge in a pricier nitrite-free ham from a good butcher. And we all want leftovers, so we tend to overbuy (even for a Russian family, hell-bent on overfeeding our guests). This Easter, my Mom* wanted to try a new method she had read about - braising the whole ham in apple cider and spices. This resulted in a moist, delectable flavor, deeply spiked with apple, clove, and allspice. 

Since my Mom is highly praised for her beef Stroganoff, we had a sort of "turf & turf" Easter buffet. Cold ham served with an assortment of salads, and hot Stroganoff served with rice. It was a very warm day, and one of those years when Russian Orthodox Easter falls on the same day as the Gregorian Easter. This meant more leftovers than usual, which was fine with everyone who went home with lovely parting gifts of meat and Easter bread. 

Having cooked and cleaned for days ahead of our annual party, I was not in the mood for preparing anything at all time consuming for myself the following week. And then it hit me. Russian + Chinese makes sense in my family. After all, my Father's family came through China on their way to the U.S. My paternal grandparents were born in Shanghai. And with this Easter falling on April 20th (the anniversary of my Great Grandmother's passing), nothing felt more right than using Russian Easter leftovers to make Chinese food for an American girl. 

Now, contrary to the pomp that precedes the instructions, preparing fried rice can be quite simple and quick. I opted for using fresh veggies, which I usually have in abundance. Most people have a carrot lying in wait in the fridge, and if that bag of peas hasn't been in & out of the freezer for years of bruise-tending, it should be good to go as well. I'll list the ingredients I used, but as always, feel free to improvise. The best way to a successful dish is to prep everything ahead of time so that when you're cooking, you can work quickly. 

Pork Fried Rice
2-3T soy sauce
2T rice vinegar
1t sesame oil
pinch of sugar

3T grapeseed or vegetable oil

1C diced leftover ham
1/2C+ thinly sliced carrot
1/2C+ peas (either blanched fresh, or thawed frozen)
3-4 crimini mushrooms, sliced 
1-2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 green onion, thinly sliced
2-3C leftover white rice
pickled ginger garnish

Whisk together the first 4 ingredients, and set aside. 

Heat a large skillet or wok on high, and add the oil. 
Saute the ham until golden on the edges. Add the carrot and mushroom, and cook about 2 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning. Add the peas to heat through. Make a well in the center of the pan, and add the egg, stirring to scramble, then mix in with the other ingredients. Add the green onion and rice, stir to combine & heat through. Pour the soy sauce mixture evenly over the rice, and heat through for about a minute. 

Serve immediately, topped with julienned pickled ginger. 

Allow leftovers to cool to room temperature before storing in the fridge. 

Note: The special braise on this ham gave this dish a wonderfully authentic Chinese flavor akin to 5-spice. I have made fried rice with regular ham, chicken, shrimp, and tofu - all delicious. Have fun improvising! 


*The ham was Mom's idea, but the credit goes to my brother-in-law, who prepared and sliced the ham to perfection. 

Jam Jar Vinaigrette

I never could stand store-bought salad dressing. But if I make a big batch of my own, and buy a honkin' tub of organic greens, I'm sure to eat my vegetables every day. The sweetness of the jam balances the acid from the citrus and vinegar. Herbs, shallot, and ginger add layers of flavor and dimension, making this vinaigrette (and hence, your veggies) irresistible. 

This is may favorite combination of ingredients, you can have fun using different vinegars, jams, and herbs. The measurements I give are just guidelines. I encourage you to taste as you go, and adjust whatever you like to suit your palate. 

Shake it Up

Add all ingredients to the jam jar, shake well to dissolve all the jam, and adjust ingredients to taste. If you have time, make it ahead and allow the flavors to develop in the vinegar before adding the oil. Otherwise, add oil to taste. I like about 3 parts vinegar, etc. to 1 part oil. 

Rice Vinegar - about 1/4C

White Balsamic Vinegar - about 2T 

Meyer Lemon Juice - about 2T

Orange Juice - about 3T 

Red Wine - 1-2T

Shallot - 1T finely minced 

Ginger - about 1t, either in a chunk or grated

Kosher Salt - about 1/2t

Grapeseed Oil - about 1/4C (grapeseed oil is just as healthy as olive oil, but has a milder flavor, and doesn't coagulate as much in the fridge)

Herbs: You can add a sprig of thyme to the jar, and the flavor will infuse the dressing, or mince a few leaves of basil or tarragon. 

So next time you polish off a jar of your favorite jam, save the jar and turn it into a cup of goodness. 

Let sleeping ingredients steep before adding oil.

Under 300 Calories. Less than $2. Delicious. Nutritious. Real Fast Food.

 

It's hot. You're busy as ever with work, friends, family, the gym...

You want to eat something substantial, yet light. Delicious, yet healthy. Oh, and p.s., you're too busy to cook, and you have no money. 

Never fear! Behold the first of several of my favorite meals that address all of these issues.

Organic Girl Super Greens with Warm Roasted Potatoes and 

Kicky Pickled Ginger Vinaigrette 

1.25 oz greens (10 calories!)
1 medium yukon gold potato (about 110 calories)
2T vinaigrette (about 150 calories)

I am just crazy about this mix. Contrary to the serving suggestion, I find that when topped with something hearty like a potato, I can get about 4-5 servings from a 5oz package. 

For years I have agonized over the limpness of traditional "spring mix" greens. 

When the weather turns warm, I'm all about creating quick, satisfying salads topped with anything from potatoes to steak, and this uber nutritious mix of baby red chard, baby tat soi, baby spinach, baby green swiss chard, & baby arugula stands up to whatever I throw on it. Get the big container, make a big batch of dressing, and you'll find yourself eating and loving your veggies every day.

The Potatoes
I like any thin-skinned variety, and prefer fingerlings, as they are pretty small, roast quickly, and have an irresistible creamy texture. 

Rub potatoes with a little bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper, and roast at 375' until tender (when pierced with a knife they offer some resistance), about 20-25 minutes. Larger potatoes like yukon golds can take longer to roast. If you have a microwave you can nuke them for 1-2 minutes to give them a running start, but be sure to finish them off in the oven to bring out their flavor. 

Vinaigrette
While the potatoes are roasting make a quick vinaigrette. I don't seem to tire of this basic recipe. Make about a 1/2 pint so you have it ready to go. Take half of it to work with you.

Ginger (peel & thinly slice about 5 slices; soak in about 1/3C of Seasoned Rice Vinegar for about 20 minutes)
Shallot (finely mince about 2 teaspoons)
Citrus (I like a couple tablespoons of freshly squeezed OJ)
Olive or Grapeseed Oil (the latter is just as healthy as the former, has a more delicate flavor, and doesn't congeal as much when refrigerated)
Salt & Pepper

Mince the pickled ginger, and combine with the vinegar, OJ, and shallot in a 1/2 pint jar. Sprinkle with a bit of salt & freshly ground pepper, and add about 1/4C of oil. Seal the jar with a lid and shake the hell out of it. Open it up, taste it, and adjust the seasoning. You may want to add 1t of honey or a bit of Tapatio (yes, Tapatio) to round it out. 

Assemble Your Salad
Top greens with sliced potatoes, or leave whole if they're smaller. Drizzle with some dressing, and enjoy! Take extra potatoes, greens & dressing to work for a perfectly satisfying lunch that won't weight you down.

(Nutritional Facts for a Yukon Gold Potato)

Pitter-Pat Rice Patties (Glorious Leftovers for a Rainy Day)

It is a universal (to me) truth that the more I have to do, the more I will take on. Somehow in the ADD din, this comforts & makes sense to me. Today I am committed to many projects, including making gnocchi, & finishing a costume for SFBP tomorrow night.

So what do I do? Make a delicious brunch, of course! Since it's raining, I wanted something hot, & luckily this meal was simple to prepare. The hardest part was stopping to take photos before I ate.

I've seen several variations on how to turn leftover rice into a tasty hot patty, but I think the one I made up worked very well. I used just enough egg to bind the rice together, and a little cheese to add creaminess and character. Depending on what kind of rice you have, add complimentary ingredients & moisture as needed. Goat cheese would make an amazing binder for these cakes. Instead of mixing it into the batter, I would hide a dollop of it inside each patty, or let it melt on top of the fried patties.

I started with leftover yellow curry rice. I make this rice often & eat it with diced tomato, avocado, salt & pepper. See recipe for rice below. Since this blog is about the leftovers, I will start with the patty recipe.


To Make the Rice Cakes
2 cups leftover curried rice
2 large eggs
1/2 an onion, diced
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (or goat cheese if you have it)
1/2 cup chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
Sriracha or other hot sauce
salt
pepper
butter
olive oil

Saute the diced onion in some butter & oil until brown & caramelized. Take about 1/2 cup of the rice along with the cooked onions, and blend them in a mini prep or blender until somewhat emulsified. This step is not necessary, but will add a creamier texture to your patties.

Combine the rice, eggs, rice/onion mixture, parmesan cheese, most of the parsley (leave some for garnish), in a bowl. Season as desired with hot sauce, salt & pepper. Since the eggs are raw here and I can't taste, I go easy on the salt & sprinkle a bit more on before frying.

Form into patties and refrigerate for about 20 minutes (also can be left overnight, but who can wait that long?) Chilling will help set the patties and ensure they stay together when flipped.

Heat the pan from your onions, and add more butter. Once it starts to sizzle, add the patties and fry for 4-5 minutes on each side. You want a nice crispy crust on these, so be patient and only flip once.

I served these with a fried egg on top, extra hot sauce & parsley. Aside from adding color, the parsley kicked the flavor into high gear.

A hot cup of cardamom coffee is a delicious accompaniment to this dish. Simply add a 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom to 2 packed tablespoons of grounds. Makes 3-4 cups, depending on how strong you brew it.


To Make Yellow Curry Rice
Boil 1.5 cups of water and set aside.
Measure 1 cup dry white rice (I find that jasmine, or any regular medium-grain rice works well)
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a quart-sized saucepan (one that has a lid)
Stir in the rice, & add 1 tablespoon yellow curry (I like the Sun Brand Madras Curry), 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt.
Pour the 1.5 cups of boiling water over the rice. It will come to a rapid boil. Stir, cover with the lid, & turn the heat all the way down. A gas burner should be barely going. On an electric burner, use the lowest setting.
Set your timer for 15 minutes. Do not take the lid off the rice during this cooking time.
Once the timer goes off, turn off the burner but LEAVE THE LID ON THE RICE FOR ANOTHER 5 MINUTES.
After the full 20 minutes, remove the lid, and fluff the rice with a fork.
If you prefer, omit or change the seasoning as desired. Just remember that salt it key. You can also use veggie or chicken broth for more flavor. Add onion, herbs, & almonds or pine nuts for a pilaf.
Store leftover rice in a container in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!