2018 RECIPE NINETEEN: Tuesday April 24 - kale salad with mango

BACK STORY:
As part of the clean eating challenge at work I needed to eat something with kale. And I also had a mango that was starting to go bad, so I did a quick Google search to find a way to combine them!

NOTES:
Massaging the kale made a HUGE difference and it was so fast! Half a lemon with some oil and salt, and I used my hands to squoosh the kale around in the dressing mixture. I cut up the mango and added that with some sunflower seeds and almonds (I didn't have any pepitos). I didn't add the honey as the mango is very sweet and ripe, so I just left the oil and lemon as the dressing. 

STARS: 
4 out of 5. Worth exploring more options with the massaged kale as base. So good!

RECIPE:
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/massaged-kale-salad-recipe-1952450

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale (black kale is especially good), stalks removed and discarded, leaves thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons honey
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 mango, diced small (about 1 cup)
• Small handful toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), about 2 rounded tablespoons

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Directions

Watch how to make this recipe.

In large serving bowl, add the kale, half of lemon juice, a drizzle of oil and a little kosher salt. Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside while you make the dressing. 

In a small bowl, whisk remaining lemon juice with the honey and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stream in the 1/4 cup of oil while whisking until a dressing forms, and you like how it tastes. Pour the dressing over the kale, and add the mango and pepitas. Toss and serve.

2018 RECIPE EIGHTEEN: Saturday April 21 - rocca salad

BACK STORY:
We ate rocca salads almost every day in Amman, so I wanted to find a recipe I could make at home.

NOTES:
I wanted this to be a bit fuller so I added some things to the recipe. In addition to the candied walnuts and goat cheese with the arugula, I added sliced radishes and sliced tomatoes. I think you could also add cucumber or green pepper for some crunch too. The candied walnuts were a bit gummy (I used brummel and brown instead of real butter) but it was still a nice touch. I didn't have real lemon juice so I used a squirt from a bottle and also used a real lime. 

STARS: 
5 out of 5. I had nearly all the ingredients except arugula, but I will definitely make this as a side dish to bring to any party. It was so great!

RECIPE:

ROCCA SALAD

COURSE: SALAD

CUISINE: MEDITERRANEAN

PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 5 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTES

SERVINGS: 2

CALORIES: 423 KCAL

AUTHOR: IMAN

This Rocca salad paired with creamy goat cheese and candied walnuts is so light and simple, it will brighten up any main course.

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INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups Arugula
• .5 cup Candied Walnuts
• .25 cup Goat Cheese
• 2 tsp. Olive Oil
• 1 tsp. Lemon Juice
• .25 tsp. Black Pepper

CANDIED WALNUTS

• .5 cup Whole Walnuts
• 1 tb. Butter
• 2 tb. White Granulated Sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash the Arugula leaves and set aside to dry
2. Make the vingarette by mixing the freshly squeezed lemon juice with the olive oil and black pepper. 
3. Crumble the goat cheese into little chunks.

   Combine the Arugula, walnuts and goat cheese and top with the vinaigrette.
4. Serve immediately. This salad is best eaten on the same day.

CANDIED WALNUTS

1. In a non-stick pan, combine walnuts, butter and sugar. Toss together until the butter has fully melted and the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Empty the walnuts on to parchment paper and separate them so they don’t stick together once they dry. 
2. Roughly chop 1/2 cup of candied walnuts.

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Steps

1 DONE	Wash the Arugula leaves and set aside to dry.
2 DONE	Make the vingarette by mixing the freshly squeezed lemon juice with the olive oil and black pepper.
3 DONE	CANDIED WALNUTS In a non-stick pan, combine walnuts, butter and sugar. Toss together until the butter has fully melted and the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Empty the walnuts on to parchment paper and separate them so they don’t stick together once they dry.
4 DONE	Roughly chop 1/2 cup of candied walnuts.
5 DONE	MIX THE INGREDIENTS Crumble the goat cheese into little chunks. Combine the Arugula, walnuts and goat cheese and top with the vinaigrette.
6 DONE	Serve immediately. This salad is best eaten on the same day.

2018 RECIPE SEVENTEEN: Friday April 6th - spinach and chickpeas

BACK STORY:
Saw this on the Smitten Kitchen Instagram and loved the simplicity. And short of the spinach, I had all ingredients on hand.

NOTES:
As per usual I made some substitutions. I tried using some frozen spinach I had, augmenting with the fresh stuff, but the frozen wasn't so good so I kind of jeopardized the whole recipe from the get-go. I also didn't have fresh bread but used a piece of frozen naan which fried up and pulsed nicely. And I used tomato sauce from an unknown jar in my fridge, which still tasted fine. Ultimately a good recipe but it dried up while cooking and I wish I had continued to add water (as recommended) as the chickpeas and then spinach warmed. I also think you could skip the spinach cooking step and just add it and some spices at the end for a fresher taste. 

STARS: 
3 out of 5. 

RECIPE:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/03/spinach-and-chickpeas/

Serves 4

1/2 pound (230 grams) dried chickpeas, cooked until soft and tender* or two 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound (450 grams) spinach, washed
A hefty 1-inch slice from a country loaf or about 2 slices from sandwich loaf bread (2.5 ounces or 75 grams), crusts removed and cut inset small cubes
1/2 cup (4 ounces) tomato sauce (I used canned stuff I keep around)
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika**
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon juice, to taste

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add half the olive oil. When it is hot, add the spinach with a pinch of salt (in batches, if necessary) and stir well. Remove when the leaves are just tender, drain in a colander and set aside.

Heat 2 more tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the bread for about 5 minutes or until golden brown all over, then the remaining tablespoon of oil and the garlic, cumin and pepper. Cook for 1 minute more or until the garlic is nutty brown.

Transfer to a food processor, blender or mortar and pestle along with the vinegar, and mash to a paste. Return the mixture to the pan and add the drained chickpeas and tomato sauce. Stir until the chickpeas have absorbed the flavors and are hot. Season with salt and pepper.

If the consistency is a little thick, add some water. Add the spinach and cook until it is hot. Check for seasoning and serve with paprika on top, or on fried bread toasts (as the Spanish do).

2018 RECIPE SIXTEEN: Wednesday March 7th - mango, avocado and black bean salad

BACK STORY:
Bought a mango for the black beans over rice recipe from the LVC cookbook, but decided to make this salad to use up some other fresh food before leaving for Jordan!

NOTES:
I had nearly all of these ingredients, except limes. I dropped everything into a big bowl, layering as I went along - black beans and corn (rinsed) first, then chopped romaine, red pepper, avocado, onion, one mango, a few cherry tomatoes (chopped), jalapeno, and finally oil and lemon juice on top. I also added a squirt of lime juice from the jar along with salt and pepper and chili powder. I didn't really follow the portion requirements, chopping up whatever I had. Eat with corn chips - delicious!!

STARS: 
3 out of 5. Fresh and good, but ingredients just enough out of the ordinary that it's not 4 or 5 stars. A perfect complement for a summer barbecue meal, but also good just on its own as a salad.

RECIPE:
https://recipes.heart.org/recipes/1223/mango-avocado-and-black-bean-salad

Ingredients

6 Servings

• 15 oz. canned, no-salt-added black beans (1 can), drained, rinsed
• 15.25 oz. canned, no-salt-added or low-sodium whole kernel corn (1 can), drained, rinsed
• 1 cup avocado (1 medium or 2 small), halved, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 mangos (about 2 cups), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 green onions (cut into 1/2-inch pieces)OR
• 1/2 small red or white onion (about 1/4 cup), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 red or green bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 or 1/2 jalapeño pepper, stems discarded, seeded, finely chopped, optional
• 1 head romaine lettuce (chopped)
• 3 Tbsp. fresh, or, bottled lime juice
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro (chopped)
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt

 1.98 Priceper serving

 218 Caloriesper serving

 1.0 g Sat. Fatper serving

 128 mg Sodiumper serving

VIEW FULL NUTRITION INFO

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Quick Tips

Cooking Tip: You can serve this with crunchy vegetables like cucumbers and/or jicama, cut into ¼ inch slices and used like chips.

Keep it Healthy: When using canned beans, drain and rinse under cold water for a minute to remove some of the sodium.

Tip: You can also enjoy this in a sandwich or wrap. It is a great dish to bring to potlucks or picnics.

Tip: This salad will keep in the refrigerator for a few days and the flavors keep improving.

Directions

Tip:  Click on step to mark as complete.

• 1Wash and dry lettuce, then chop or tear into 2 inch pieces and divide into 6 bowls or plates.
• 2Combine the black beans, corn, mango, avocado, onions and jalapeño pepper. Do not mix until you add the dressing.
• 3Combine the lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, chili powder, black pepper and salt together in a jar with a secure lid, shake together until mixed well and pour over the mango and avocado mixture.
• 4Toss gently to coat and serve over the lettuce and mixed greens.

2018 RECIPE FIFTEEN: Monday March 5th - cauliflower cheese

BACK STORY:
Looking for something delicious with cauliflower on an unexpected snow day while I was working from home. This has all the makings of things I love - cauliflower! cheese! - so I was eager to test it out.

NOTES:
I did a few replacements - half and half instead of milk (they don't sell milk in small enough bottles to justify buying for only 2 cups), and dijon mustard instead of powdered. I used a sharp cheddar from the wedge and put in the whole block, which was probably more than needed but you can't go wrong with more cheese, right? I boiled the cauliflower for about 6 minutes and let it dry while the sauce thickened. This would have been much better if there was twice as much cauliflower, or something else hearty in the sauce. It ended up being very saucy without much substance. Still good though!

STARS: 
3 out of 5. Might add some beans or more veggies to the leftovers.

RECIPE:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2014/10/cauliflower-cheese/

Cauliflower Cheese

I think a dish like this could have endless variations. You could infuse the milk, warming it, with a bay leaf or minced clove of garlic. You could stir chopped parsley into the sauce for color. If you don’t have dry mustard, you can add two teaspoons smooth Dijon or an English mustard to the sauce along with the cheese. You could sprinkle some plain breadcrumbs on top for extra crunch. Finally, I saw a version online in which the chefs had grilled pork sausages and sliced them up into the dish, baking them with the cheese sauce as well for more of a meal-in-one dish.

Serves 4 as a side

1 medium head (about 2 to 2 1/4 pounds) cauliflower
4 tablespoons (55 grams or 2 ounces) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons (30 grams or 1 ounce) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons mustard powder
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper or ground cayenne
2 cups (475 ml) milk, whole is best but low-fat will probably work just fine
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (about 155 grams or 5 1/2 ounces total) grated cheddar, the strongest you can get, preferably English or Irish
Chopped chives or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish (optional)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Trim cauliflower and remove tough core. Cut into 1 to 2-inch florets. Steam (for about 10 minutes) or par-boil (6 to 7 minutes) florets until firm but tender. Drain, if needed, and spread florets on a towel so that it can wick out as much moisture as possible

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk to combine; cook for 1 minute to ensure you get rid of the floury taste. Add mustard powder and a pinch of cayenne or few grinds of black pepper, and stir to combine. Drizzle in milk in a thin, steady stream, whisking the whole time so that no lumps form. Season with salt and bring mixture to a simmer, stirring with a spoon; mixture should thicken. Stir in 1 1/4 cups cheddar, a handful at a time, letting each handful melt before adding the next. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings if needed.

Spread cauliflower florets in a 2-quart baking ovenproof baking dish. Spoon sauce over florets and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese. Bake until until bronzed and bubbly, about 30 minutes. For reference, f I wasn’t in such a rush to get dinner out on the table, I’d have baked mine a minute or two longer, up to 35 minutes.

Sprinkle with herbs, if desired. Eat with abandon

2018 RECIPE FOURTEEN: Thursday March 1 - shakshuka

BACK STORY:
Quick! Easy! Needs to be made with things I have on hand! This recipe fits all the criteria. Though it turns out I made this as my first recipe of 2017 (on March 18th! I had really fallen behind). I'm still counting it though. These are my rules and I can break them any time I want.

NOTES:
I halved this recipe, kind of. I used one onion and 5 garlic cloves, but only half the spices and a can of 14oz diced tomatoes instead of crushed. I also eyeballed the water (by rinsing out the can, then pouring it back into the pan) and cooked it for an unknown time while I was doing other things (ahem, Instagram). It was delicious! Easy peasy.

STARS: 
3 out of 5. Mostly fast and a good alternative to fried eggs. 

RECIPE:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/shakshuka/

Shakshuka [Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce]
Adapted from Saveur

Serves 4 to 6

1/4 cup olive oil
5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalape&#241os, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped (I was nervous and only used 2 Anaheims; I would go for 3 or 4 next time for a more moderate but still gentle kick)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
Kosher salt, to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Warm pitas, for serving

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.

Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.

Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.