Month: March 2009

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Beans Without Borders


These beans are spicy, tangy, and delicious. Swiss Chard adds both balancing flavor and cancer-fighting nutrition. These beans are based on a variation in Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything.” The recipe’s name is both a nod to the Mexican spices involved and what popped out of my husband’s mouth when I told him he needed to name a recipe involving beans and Swiss Chard (he was unaware that Doctors Without Borders is French-based, not Swiss). Serve with rice or a whole grain for complete protein.

Total Time: 30 minutes
Work Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 as a main course (easily doubled)

1 onion, diced
1 T olive oil
1-2 bunches swiss chard, washed and coarsely chopped
1 14.5 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
3 peppercorns (or more, to taste)
1-2 t dried thyme leaves
chili powder, to taste
salt and pepper to taste

1) Heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly until onion begins to caramelize. (Meanwhile, prep the chard and gather other ingredients).
2) Raise heat to medium-high. Add chard and sprinkle lightly with salt.
3) Stir. When chard begins to cook down, add beans and spices.
4) Salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf. Serve.

Posted on

Beans Without Borders


These beans are spicy, tangy, and delicious. Swiss Chard adds both balancing flavor and cancer-fighting nutrition. These beans are based on a variation in Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything.” The recipe’s name is both a nod to the Mexican spices involved and what popped out of my husband’s mouth when I told him he needed to name a recipe involving beans and Swiss Chard (he was unaware that Doctors Without Borders is French-based, not Swiss). Serve with rice or a whole grain for complete protein.

Total Time: 30 minutes
Work Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 as a main course (easily doubled)

1 onion, diced
1 T olive oil
1-2 bunches swiss chard, washed and coarsely chopped
1 14.5 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
3 peppercorns (or more, to taste)
1-2 t dried thyme leaves
chili powder, to taste
salt and pepper to taste

1) Heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly until onion begins to caramelize. (Meanwhile, prep the chard and gather other ingredients).
2) Raise heat to medium-high. Add chard and sprinkle lightly with salt.
3) Stir. When chard begins to cook down, add beans and spices.
4) Salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf. Serve.

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Recipe: Kale and Millet with Walnuts


Weeknight Goodness! Nutty millet is high in protein and iron.

Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 as a main dish

1-2 large bunches kale
1C Millet
3C Stock
2T olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic
small pinch saffron
red pepper flakes, to taste
handful walnut pieces

Heat garlic in olive oil. When garlic begins to sizzle, add the saffron, red pepper flakes, and millet and stir. Turn heat to low. When millet begins to toast, add kale and a pinch of salt. Add stock, raise heat, and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 10-15 minutes, or until millet and kale are tender. Stir in walnut pieces and serve.

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Recipe: Kale and Millet with Walnuts


Weeknight Goodness! Nutty millet is high in protein and iron.

Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 as a main dish

1-2 large bunches kale
1C Millet
3C Stock
2T olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic
small pinch saffron
red pepper flakes, to taste
handful walnut pieces

Heat garlic in olive oil. When garlic begins to sizzle, add the saffron, red pepper flakes, and millet and stir. Turn heat to low. When millet begins to toast, add kale and a pinch of salt. Add stock, raise heat, and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 10-15 minutes, or until millet and kale are tender. Stir in walnut pieces and serve.

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Recipe: Couscous with Leeks and Currants

Stir in your own dried fruit, nut, and vegetable touches. Add some protein to make this a main dish.

Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4 as a side dish
Handful currants
Orange juice
2T EVOO
2 leeks, whites only, cleaned and diced, or 1 onion, diced
1C couscous
1C stock or water
1 bell pepper, diced
3T fresh mint, coarsely chopped
Handful walnut pieces
pinch salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
3T Roasted Walnut Oil (optional)

1) In a small bowl, steep currants in orange juice to cover
2) Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leeks or onions and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until they begin to brown. Meanwhile, do other things, like dicing the pepper.
3) Add couscous and stock. Bring to boil, then remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
4) Stir in currants and their soaking juice, bell pepper, mint, and walnuts. Drizzle with roasted walnut oil. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

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Recipe: Couscous with Leeks and Currants

Stir in your own dried fruit, nut, and vegetable touches. Add some protein to make this a main dish.

Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4 as a side dish
Handful currants
Orange juice
2T EVOO
2 leeks, whites only, cleaned and diced, or 1 onion, diced
1C couscous
1C stock or water
1 bell pepper, diced
3T fresh mint, coarsely chopped
Handful walnut pieces
pinch salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
3T Roasted Walnut Oil (optional)

1) In a small bowl, steep currants in orange juice to cover
2) Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leeks or onions and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until they begin to brown. Meanwhile, do other things, like dicing the pepper.
3) Add couscous and stock. Bring to boil, then remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
4) Stir in currants and their soaking juice, bell pepper, mint, and walnuts. Drizzle with roasted walnut oil. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

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Recipe: Roasted Beet, Fennel, Pear, Orange, and Walnut Salad


Delicious, hearty, and healthy. A burst of color on the winter table. You can roast the beets and fennel several days ahead for this delicious salad. The beets turn everything a freakish shade of pink so I find it best to dress them separately from the rest of the salad, lay them on top, and only stir them into the salad when serving.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour or more to roast the beets; roast fennel while roasting beets
Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Serves: 4 as a main course for lunch; more with other things

Ingredients:
3 large beets
2 bulbs fennel, fronds removed and chopped roughly
2 pears (any kind)
2 oranges or clementines, sectioned, pith removed if desired
2-3 handfuls walnut halves, toasted if desired
1 handful mint, chopped roughly
2 lemons, juiced + zest of 1 lemon
1/2-1 C olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
additional olive oil
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Remove leaves from beets, leaving a few inches of stems. Rinse the beets, and while still wet, wrap them individually in foil, or place them together in a covered pan. Roast in 400 degree oven for about 1 hour until tender. (I learned this technique from Mark Bittman, who learned it from the great Jean-Geoerges Vongerichten) (You can refrigerate the beets, still wrapped, for about a week).
3. Meanwhile, remove the outer layer from the fennel and cut into small spears. Put in pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast alongside the beets for 20-25 minutes, or until beginning to caramelize (brown).
4. Make the vinaigrette. Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, 1/2-1 C olive oil, 1 clove garlic, pinch of salt, and pepper to taste in a small blender or food processor until emulsified.
5. After the beets have cooled, peel them. The skin will slide right off. (Bittman says if you use paper towels you won’t stain your fingers, but I haven’t figured out how to get away without beet on my hands).
6. Cut the beets into quarters, then into slices. Place in a bowl. Dress with 1/2 vinaigrette.
7. In another large bowl, toss together the roasted fennel, pears and oranges. Dress with 1/2 the vinaigrette. Toss with walnuts, mint, and (some) fennel fronds.
8. Lay the beets gently on top of the salad mixture, garnish with mint and fennel fronds, and serve.

Posted on

Recipe: Roasted Beet, Fennel, Pear, Orange, and Walnut Salad


Delicious, hearty, and healthy. A burst of color on the winter table. You can roast the beets and fennel several days ahead for this delicious salad. The beets turn everything a freakish shade of pink so I find it best to dress them separately from the rest of the salad, lay them on top, and only stir them into the salad when serving.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour or more to roast the beets; roast fennel while roasting beets
Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Serves: 4 as a main course for lunch; more with other things

Ingredients:
3 large beets
2 bulbs fennel, fronds removed and chopped roughly
2 pears (any kind)
2 oranges or clementines, sectioned, pith removed if desired
2-3 handfuls walnut halves, toasted if desired
1 handful mint, chopped roughly
2 lemons, juiced + zest of 1 lemon
1/2-1 C olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
additional olive oil
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Remove leaves from beets, leaving a few inches of stems. Rinse the beets, and while still wet, wrap them individually in foil, or place them together in a covered pan. Roast in 400 degree oven for about 1 hour until tender. (I learned this technique from Mark Bittman, who learned it from the great Jean-Geoerges Vongerichten) (You can refrigerate the beets, still wrapped, for about a week).
3. Meanwhile, remove the outer layer from the fennel and cut into small spears. Put in pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast alongside the beets for 20-25 minutes, or until beginning to caramelize (brown).
4. Make the vinaigrette. Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, 1/2-1 C olive oil, 1 clove garlic, pinch of salt, and pepper to taste in a small blender or food processor until emulsified.
5. After the beets have cooled, peel them. The skin will slide right off. (Bittman says if you use paper towels you won’t stain your fingers, but I haven’t figured out how to get away without beet on my hands).
6. Cut the beets into quarters, then into slices. Place in a bowl. Dress with 1/2 vinaigrette.
7. In another large bowl, toss together the roasted fennel, pears and oranges. Dress with 1/2 the vinaigrette. Toss with walnuts, mint, and (some) fennel fronds.
8. Lay the beets gently on top of the salad mixture, garnish with mint and fennel fronds, and serve.