Author: smartgreengourmet

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It’s Picnic . . . It’s Picnic Time!

Spring has sprung in Boston. And it’s hard to stay inside. So I packed up a picnic for some visiting friends, using the three recipes below.

“This is fascinating!” said the process development engineer as I demonstrated proper fruit soup assembly. “Quinoa . . . I’ve never had this before . . . this is fantastic!” said the aspiring nurse, as her 3-year-old gnawed happily at a strawberry. “Who knew that a bunch of vegetarian dishes could destroy me like this?” exclaimed the leukemia researcher, rubbing his highly carnivorous belly in satisfaction. “She has a food blog, you know,” added the newly minted Organizational Behavior Ph.D. When they whipped out their iPhones to jot down the URL, I knew I had scored big.

My friends do good work; they deserve to be fed well. I hope you’re lucky enough to have such wonderful company to go along with these three great recipes. They’re not my original recipes — a first here at Smart Green Gourmet — but are being posted by popular demand. All can be made in advance, and each in 10-25 minutes. So you’ll have plenty of time to get on with the other business of your day.

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Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad

Eye-poppingly colorful and tongue-teasingly textured and tasty.

Adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Time: 25 minutes with cooked quinoa, 40 minutes with uncooked quinoa
Serves: 4, or 4-6 with other dishes
Make Ahead: Yes

Ingredients:
2 1/2 C cooked quinoa (or other grain), or 1 C raw
2 sweet potatoes, in roughly 1/2″ cubes
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 C EVOO
2 T sherry vinegar (or balsamic or red wine vinegar)
1/4+ C minced fresh parsley, chives, or mint for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

1) Cook quinoa in 1.5 C water with a pinch of salt and a splash of EVOO. Bring to a boil and simmer ~20 minutes. Fluff with fork.
2) Boil sweet potatoes in salted water about 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain. (Chop other things while quinoa and sweet potatoes are cooking).
3) Whisk together oil and vinegar.
4) Toss together all ingredients. Add 1/2 dressing, then more to taste. Add salt and pepper and garnish with parsley, chives, or mint. If making ahead, add the herbs just before serving.

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Chilled Berry Soup

Amazing. Looks impressive, yet so easy. Can be an appetizer, dessert, or even breakfast. Defrosted frozen berries actually are better to use than fresh here because of the their beautiful swirly juices. You can make the soup ahead and then combine just before serving with the berries and mint.

Prep Time: 10-15 Minutes
Servings: 4-6
Modified from Mollie Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook

3 C orange juice
3 C buttermilk or yogurt
1-2 T fresh lime or lemon juice
1-2 T sugar or honey (I use it!)
2-3 C frozen defrosted or fresh of any kind or combination. Larger berries should be sliced.
Optional: Pinch of cinnamon, to taste
Optional: Pinch of nutmeg, to taste
A handful of fresh mint, minced

1) Whisk (or stir) together orange juice and buttermilk or yogurt. Add lemon or lime juice and optional sugar or honey (or not), and cinnamon and nutmeg, to taste. Cover and chill until serving time.
2) To serve, place about ½ c berries in each bowl and ladle soup on top. Make pleasing swirls. Garnish with mint.

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Simple Edamame Salad

So easy. So good. Two tips: steam the edamame rather than boiling them to keep them crunchy. Shave the cheese rather than grating it for ultimate texture. Any hard, salty, flaky, buttery cheese will work — I’m partial to sheep’s-milk cheeses, especially those from Spain. Leftover vinaigrette goes well on tomatoes or other vegetables. Can be made ahead, with the cheese and mint added just before serving.

Inspired by Mark Bittman, the Minimalist

Serves: 4-6
Time: ~20 minutes
Make Ahead: Yes

1 package frozen shelled edamame
~3 oz pecorino romano or other similar cheese
handful minced mint

Dressing:
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2T red wine vinegar
~4T EVOO
sea salt
lots of freshly ground black pepper

1) Steam edamame for 5 minutes or until just tender. Rinse with cold water; drain well.
2) Meanwhile, whisk together dressing ingredients. Don’t skimp on the paper.
3) In bowl, slowly add dressing to edamame. You want the beans to look slick, but not be swimming in liquid. Toss and adjust seasoning to taste.
4) Add shavings of cheese (use a vegetable peeler) and garnish with mint.

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Whole-Wheat Pasta with Balsamic Chicken Livers and Kale

When you only eat a little meat, sometimes you want to make it count. Inspired by Mario Batali to try new cuts of meat, I introduce this recipe. 1 cup of chicken livers provides 90% RDA daily iron, 373% Vitamin A, 65% Vitamin C, and 34.2 grams of protein. And they’re cheap! The balsamic and lemon flavors in this recipe blend with the chicken livers to make them taste deliciously meaty, not game-y. A wonderful and different surprise for your palate.

Serves: 2 (easily multiplied)
1/2 lb whole wheat pasta (half of a standard package)
1/4 c EVOO
1 red onion or regular onion, diced, or 2 leeks
1 c Chicken livers
1 bunch kale, cleaned and coarsely chopped
1/2 c balsamic vinegar
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4-1/2 t red pepper flakes (to taste)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil water for pasta and cook according to package directions. Add kale to pasta cooking water for last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta and kale together. Return to pot. Kale should be on top.
Meanwhile . . .
2. Heat EVOO in a 10-12 inch skillet over medium-high heat until just short of smoking.
3. Brown chicken livers for ~8 minutes. Break up with spatula in pan. Transfer to plate.
4. Add more oil or butter to skillet if necessary. Add onion to skillet and cook until softened, ~6-8 minutes.
5. Return chicken livers to pan. Add vinegar (watch out for fumes). Use tongs to add the kale (or most of it). Cook until liquid is reduced by half.
6. Add vinegar mixture to pasta. Add lemon juice and zest. Toss thoroughly for 1-2 minutes over low heat. Serve.

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Recipe: Tortilla Espanola (Spanish Omelette)


Easy! Versatile! Can be served hot or cold. Can be an appetizer cut into small pieces, a sandwich filling, or enjoyed plain. Can go for hours without refrigeration. Perfect for Passover; pretty enough for any other holiday. This is my go-to dish for potlucks, and I bring it by request to all family events. Directions for both the traditional and modified (easier) methods are below. Both are equally delicious.

Servings: Flexible – ALWAYS keep the 2 eggs per potato ratio straight, and you can make as much as will fit in your pan.

Prep time: 30-45 minutes

1.Place potatoes and onions in skillet. Pour olive oil over them and toss to coat. Add more oil if necessary to ensure that they’re well-coated.
2.Sauté over medium-high heat until potatoes begin to brown. Add more oil as needed, but be sparing.
3.Meanwhile, beat the eggs together into a large bowl. Stir in salt to taste. If using green pepper or other add-ins, add to eggs.

Traditional Finish:
4.When potatoes are beginning to brown, remove from heat. Stir potato mixture into egg mixture. Mix until well combined.
5.Warm skillet over medium-high burner. Add a bit of oil if pan is dry.
6.Add mixture to pan. Run spatula around edges and under tortilla and slap pan against burner to avoid sticking.
7.When bottom part of tortilla starts to solidify and become slightly golden, here comes the only challenge:
8.Remove skillet from heat. Place plate over mouth of skillet, and turn entire tortilla out onto the plate.
9.Place skillet back on burner (add oil if necessary to avoid sticking), and slide tortilla back into the pan to cook the other side.
10.Again, run spatula around edges to avoid sticking. When bottom is browned and solid, turn tortilla out on a plate. Serve hot or cold.

Oven Finish:
4.When potatoes are beginning to brown, add egg mixture directly into pan and stir until just combined.
5.Run spatula around edges and under tortilla and slap pan against burner to avoid sticking.
6.When bottom of tortilla starts to solidify, transfer pan to preheated 400-degree oven.
7.Bake for 12-15 minutes or until center is solid. If necessary, finish by running under the broiler for a few minutes, but check often and be careful not to burn!

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Recipe: Za’atar Roasted Cauliflower


Think you don’t like cauliflower? Try roasting it. Roasting eliminates that soggy, watery, veg-all taste and replaces it with crunchy-on-the-outside, crispy-on-the-inside flavor. Za’atar is a Middle-Eastern thyme-based spice blend. You can try this recipe with other spices or spice blends too. Serve alone as a side dish, or toss with whole-grain pasta, lemon juice, zest, a drizzle of olive oil, and maybe some yogurt and/or hot pepper flakes.

Total Time: 30 minutes
Work Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 2-4 as a side dish

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower (try orange, green or purple cauliflower — more nutritious, and cheaper!)
~2 T za’atar
pinch salt
olive oil to lightly coat (~1/3-1/2 cup)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice cauliflower into florets. Toss with olive oil and sprinkle with za’atar and salt. If desired, sprinkle in some paprika or hot pepper flakes.
3. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until florets begin to brown.

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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.

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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.