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. 

Sauerkraut

Why make your own sauerkraut? 

• Many store-bought varieties are pasteurized as they are packaged, so they don't retain the probiotic benefits of a fresh batch. 
• It's easy. You basically squeeze salt into shredded cabbage, then let it sit in a jar for about a week. 
• It's cheap. One cabbage (about $1) makes about 3C of sauerkraut. 
• It's fun. If you're exploring making more of your own food, this is an easy way to start. 

As simple as this process is, first-time fermenters may have a lot of questions about food safety and general trouble-shooting. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I'll refer you to this wonderfully laid out blog that includes lots of pictures and step-by-step instructions. 

I just put up a batch, and can't wait to add it to roasted potatoes with caramelized onions and mushrooms, sausages, tacos, and more. 

На здоровье!

Israeli Couscous Slaw

My friend and coworker Erin asked me to share the recipe for this salad I posted on FB last week. So here it is! 

Makes 3-4 generous servings.

The Couscous
1C toasted Israeli couscous 
1T olive oil
2C hot water

The Extras
2-3T minced preserved lemon rind (or 2t fresh lemon zest)
1/4C chopped parsley
1 scallion, thinly sliced 
1 large or 2 smaller carrots, grated
1/2 a small or 1/4 of a large red cabbage, very thinly sliced
rice vinegar 
red wine vinegar 
S&P
olive oil
1/2C toasted slivered almonds 
dried cranberries (optional)

Toast the almonds in a dry pan, and set aside. 

Heat the 1T olive oil in a pot, and stir in the couscous for 3-5 minutes. Add the hot water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. (Turn off the heat when the couscous has absorbed all the liquid but still looks like it's covered in paste. This starch will absorb into the couscous as it cools.)

Transfer the couscous to a bowl and stir in the preserved lemon (or zest). Spread out the couscous in the bowl to help it cool while you prep the rest of the ingredients. 

When the couscous has cooled to near room temperature, add the rest of the ingredients. Dress it with a few dashes of the vinegars, season with S&P to taste, and drizzle with olive oil.

Reserve the almonds and cranberries as a garnish just before serving. 

Like most pasta salads, this will keep well in the fridge for a few days, and can be prepared a day ahead. Make it on a Sunday, and you'll have lunches for Monday and Tuesday. 

Notes:
For some reason the bulk Israeli couscous from Whole Foods works better for this recipe's couscous/water ratio. If using the boxed one from Trader Joe's, follow the directions on the box.

Store bulk blanched almonds in the freezer to keep them fresh.

Israeli Couscous with Preserved Lemon, Tomatoes & Parsley

And pine nuts. And shallots. Israeli, or pearl couscous is just a round pasta that you happen to cook more like rice or quinoa, so you can add whatever you like to it. Traditionally the added ingredients are Mediterranean or Middle Eastern. I made this version as a side for Easter, and my sister asked for the recipe, so here it is.

The Couscous
2C toasted Israeli couscous (Trader Joe's carries boxes, or you can get bulk at Whole Foods, etc.)
1T olive oil
4C hot water

The Extras
1 shallot, minced
3T minced preserved lemon rind (or 1T fresh lemon zest)
juice of 1 lemon
olive oil 
S&P
1/4C chopped parsley 
1C cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2C toasted pine nuts 

Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan, and set aside. Prep the rest of the ingredients. 
Heat the 1T olive oil in a pot, and stir in the couscous for 3-5 minutes. Add the hot water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. 
Remove from heat and add the lemon juice, shallot, preserved lemon and a drizzle of olive oil to the warm couscous. 
When the couscous has cooled to near room temperature, add the parsley, tomatoes and pine nuts. Season with S&P to taste. 
Like most pasta salads, this will keep well in the fridge for a few days, and can be prepared a day ahead. 

Anti-Inflammatory Orange Avocado Chia Smoothie

Not trying to take credit for this one. Just sharing a tasty smoothie that has a lot of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredients, like turmeric, ginger, spinach, oranges and coconut water. 

Next time you go to Trader Joe's, add these ingredients to your cart (I'm pretty sure you can find everything you need at TJ's):

Baby Spinach
Oranges
Avocados
Ginger
Chia Seeds 
Coconut Water
Cinnamon
Turmeric Powder 

Here's the link to the recipe (it's very simple - just easier to link here), as well as good info on how the ingredients can help reduce and prevent inflammation in your body.

The ingredients in this recipe are well-balanced, resulting in a pleasant, creamy green smoothie with natural sweetness (I don't even add honey). To ensure the chia seeds get pulverized, run your blender for a good minute (maybe less if you use a Vitamix). 

Enjoy!

Gluten & Guilt-Free Black Bean Brownies

There really is no bad with this brownie. They mix up in minutes, are high in fiber and protein, low in carbs and fat, and are gluten free. Even better, they really taste good and satisfy my craving for chocolaty baked goods, without guilting me into self-flagellation afterward. 

Ingredients
1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained 
3T grapeseed or vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
3 large eggs
1/2C brown sugar, packed
1/3C cocoa powder, sifted 
1/8t fine sea salt
1t vanilla extract 

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350'. 
Oil an 8" brownie pan, or use a nonstick pan. 
Puree the black beans with the 3T oil until smooth (like hummus). Add a bit more oil if needed. (A mini prep works great for this.)
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. 
Stir in the pureed beans and cocoa powder. 
Pour into the pan, and bake until set, and the brownies come away from the sides of the pan, about 20-25 minutes. Do not overbake. 

Cool before slicing. If you cut the 8" square into 9 pieces, each serving will have about 155 calories. 

Thai Coconut Braised Spinach with Chick Peas

Until today, if I were offered a choice of beef stew or vegan stew, I would have gone with beef. 

Now, unless Julia Child floats down from the sky with a bowl of her boeuf bourguignon, I'm sticking with this vegan bowl of heaven on earth. 

A friend shared the Treehugger recipe on Facebook the other day, and I, predictably, adapted it. There is nothing wrong with the original recipe, mind you. The ingredients are simple, and once combined, may fool you into thinking you're eating at a fine Thai restaurant. That said, I only changed two ingredients because I didn't have what was called for. Instead of sundried tomatoes, I roasted some cherry tomatoes, which I'm sure weren't as flavorful, but were ok. I also substituted chili-garlic paste for the chili flakes. This was a good decision, as the paste added depth of flavor quickly. The last thing I did was serve the stew over half a roasted acorn squash. I just wanted a little more "meat" to the dish, and the squash was a perfect choice. 

Shopping List (Serves 4)

2 acorn squash , split in half lengthwise & seeded 

1C cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1# baby spinach

1 small onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1T ginger, minced or grated 

1T chili-garlic paste

1 lemon, zested & juiced (I prefer Meyer lemon here)

1 14oz can light coconut milk

1 15oz can chick peas, drained & rinsed 

olive oil

S&P

ground ginger 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400'. Lay the squash halves hollow-side up on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, coating all sides with your hands. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, and roast for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until tender. On another sheet pan, spread out the tomatoes cut-size up. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes, until caramelized but not burnt. 

Heat a 4Qt. or larger heavy pot, add about 3T olive oil, then saute the onions until they begin to turn golden. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for another minute. Stir in the chili-garlic paste and lemon zest, then add the chick peas, cooking for a few minutes. 

Next add a handful of spinach at a time, stirring and allowing it to wilt. Continue until all of the spinach is incorporated into the mixture. Add the coconut milk and lemon juice, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Season with S&P and ground ginger. 

To serve, place a half acorn squash into a bowl, and ladle in some of the stew. Top with some of the roasted tomatoes. 

(Do not eat the squash skin. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon as you eat the stew.)