Steele (the Day)

Functional Foodie Friday: Spicy Tomato Soup

// January 20th, 2012 // 1 Comment » // Functional Foodie, My Fabulous Life

This soup was stolen from Giada, but there’s a back story. Isn’t there always?

Apparently my cooking has been a bit too healthy earthy for Ron Burgundy. What with my many Ball jars of grains and rice and pasta, he was obviously craving some good old fashioned (what he calls) food. I got home late from the gym and he had stopped at the local grocery and bought canned soup – tomato and chicken noodle. Yes, those were always comfort foods to me growing up, too, until I read the labels. Apparently he wanted to live in the past. No big deal. At least he was cooking!!

Open can! Add water! Heat! He COOKS!

But I shuddered when I saw the big box of salty white poison saltines. I don’t think we’ve had them in the house since the kids left – a long, long time ago, and he uses about a half a sleeve in his soup. Surely I could come up with something a little more healthy for my aging maturing husband, who so nobly gave up pop this year. And if you know him, that’s BIG. We’re talking 6-8 cans of Mountain Dew or Sundrop a day, but it was rarely consumed in my presence.

(He dislikes the eyeroll).

The next night I took some healthy cans from my pantry, armed myself with the Google, and set to work looking for something that would mimic that disgusting soup that rhymes with Rambles, but would still be healthy. Can you pronounce the things on the label? I didn’t think so. They were hard enough for me to memorize in chemistry class. Replacing the crackers with sneaky protein and whole grain pasta was brilliant, and quite obviously not my idea.

Win! He loved this. Ate two big bowls, and didn’t even mind the kick of the red pepper.

But I did see him throw a few crackers in it. He thinks I don’t notice things like that.

Spicy Tomato Soup (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can Trader Joe’s Marinara Sauce (read the ingredients! Real food!)
24 ounces unsalted chicken stock (Kitchen Basics is the BEST)
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup small pasta (I used brown rice elbows; next time I’ll use a smaller one like anellini)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
a few fat shaves of pecorino romano cheese

Directions

Tea tonight: Mystic Dragon

Functional Foodie Friday: Spicy Peanut Noodles

// July 29th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Functional Foodie, My Fabulous Life

Tofu alert! Tofu alert! But the good news is you can use chicken or shrimp or beef or anything else with a mother. In all seriousness, this recipe is better with tofu. And if you like to have prepared ingredients on hand for a quick meal like I do, you’ll have some roasted Honey Sesame Tofu in the freezer, ready to toss in this dish. OK, maybe not. Have you looked in the neighbor’s freezer?

Spicy Peanut Noodles

7-14 oz brown rice noodles (depending if you want this more noodley or more veggie)
1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame
1/3 recipe honey sesame tofu or 1 cup other protein
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts,  chopped
2 scallions, sliced thin

Sauce:
1/2 c. peanut butter, smooth or chunky (the kind with one ingredient: peanuts)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili garlic paste (more to taste)
1/4 c. Tamari sauce
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
1/3 c. warm water
2 T. sesame oil
red pepper flakes or sriracha to taste (I like mine HOT)

Prepare the tofu, or take out of freezer and allow to come to room temp. Or cook whatever other protein you have chosen. Chances are, that’s in the freezer, too.

Mix sauce ingredients in a food processor (or you can whisk them all together in a bowl if you forgot to clean it and it’s still sitting in the sink). Warm in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. Add tofu and heat for an additional 10 seconds.

Boil water and cook the noodles.They only take about 5-6 minutes to cook, or a little more if you like them soft. I like mine chewy. Throw edamame right in with the noodles for the last 5 minutes. Drain in colander, toss with peanut sauce immediately and garnish with chopped peanuts and scallions (which I also forgot in the picture above).

Tea today: Trader Joe’s organic green

Functional Foodie Friday: Coconut-Cashew Quinoa

// February 18th, 2011 // 3 Comments » // Functional Foodie

This is a totally stolen recipe from Dish by Trish. I went searching for quinoa recipes the other day and ran across this. I’m missing chewy grains (oh, I miss wheatberries!) and had picked up some red quinoa while perusing the bulk bins. It’s really pretty. Yes, I choose foods by their looks, like those adorable black-eyed peas. Don’t judge me until you’ve eaten this.

I can usually find a way to change a recipe up, but not this time, because the flavors were so unusual (to me) that I didn’t want to ruin it. I love the textures and the subtle hint of coconut, even though I haven’t quite figured out what Thai food is.

If you’re grossed out by that thing that looks like a little worm, it’s not. It’s just the germ. OK, that sounds even worse, but it’s a good thing, and this is delicious. Lots of healthy protein. PETA adores me right now. (Hope they don’t see that picture of me wearing Mom’s mink coat).

I don’t recommend anything other than fresh pineapple and ginormous cashews, though. This reheated well for lunch the next day, but I needed a few more fresh, crunchy cashews.

Who doesn’t? Anything good is better with nuts.

And this tastes like Spring in a bowl, which is really what we need here right now.

Coconut-Cashew Red Quinoa

1/2 cup coconut milk, unsweetened
2 shallots, sliced
1 small red onion, chopped
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups red quinoa, uncooked (I rinse for several minutes in a fine strainer first)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen or fresh pineapple chunks, unsweetened and chopped
1/4 cup salted cashews, chopped

Heat coconut milk in a large saucepan. Add shallots and red onion and cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add water; bring to a boil. Add quinoa, sugar, salt and pepper; cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Add pineapple and cashews and cook for additional 3-4 minutes, or until most liquid is absorbed. Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro (I used cilantro). Serve hot.

Serves 6 at 3/4 cup each. 3/4 cup is an awfully small portion. Just sayin’.

Tea today: Young hyson

Functional Foodie Friday: Roasted Pumpkin with Brown Rice and Goat Cheese Stuffing

// February 4th, 2011 // 5 Comments » // Functional Foodie, My Fabulous Life

Yeah, yeah. Halloween is long past and the abundance of pumpkins is lacking. But if you happen to be lucky enough to still find these cute little sugar pumpkins in the store (I think Trader Joe’s still has them), here’s a fun and healthy way to serve them up. What? You don’t LIKE veggies and whole grains?

Fine. Then roast yourself up a centerpiece because this is adorable.

I actually made this last fall and am finally getting around to posting. Lame, I know. You could also use any kind of squash – acorn squash would be really good but if you’re going to try to stuff a butternut squash, well, good luck with that.

This dish provides its own edible bowl and can also be used for soups and stews. (Note I said used, not reused).The stuffing base can be just about any grain like quinoa, millet, or wild rice (yes, you can even use meat), a few veggies like peppers, celery, or asparagus, and something to give it some color.

Roasted Sugar Pumpkin with Brown Rice and Goat Cheese Stuffing

(makes 1 hefty serving)
1 small sugar pumpkin
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 teaspoon butter/canola blend
Fine grain sea salt
4 chopped white mushrooms
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 tsp fresh chopped thyme
1/4 tsp fresh chopped marjoram
3/4 cup cooked brown rice (cooked in chicken stock/broth)
2 T dried cranberries
2 T chopped pecans
2 oz goat cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°. Slice top off pumpkin and scrape seeds and strings clean from the inside. Be sure to rinse and save the seeds to roast later. (I hate to waste a good pumpkin seed!) Rub the inside and outside with canola oil, sprinkle sea salt on the inside, replace the top, and roast in oven for one hour. Inside of pumpkin should be fork-tender.

Melt butter blend in medium skillet. Add mushrooms, onion, herbs, salt and pepper and sauté until onion is tender. Mix rice, cranberries, pecans in a medium bowl; add mushroom mixture and goat cheese, mixing well. Stir in parsley; salt and pepper to taste. At this point if the mixture is really cool, put it in the microwave for about a minute on half power to get it good and melty.

Fill roasted pumpkin with rice mixture and return to oven with lid on pumpkin. It should just need warming up at this point, probably about 15 minutes, depending on how hot your pumpkin and rice were to begin with. Be sure goat cheese is good and melted before serving.

Eat.

Mmmm. Cheese. You’re welcome.

Tea today: Genmaicha

Functional Foodie Friday: Artisan Mac and Cheese

// January 28th, 2011 // 7 Comments » // Functional Foodie, My Fabulous Life

You know how sometimes a post is really good (not this blog … others) but then the comments begin, giving the post a heartbeat and a life of its own?

This is about that.

The food? Not quite as functional as my usual fare, but I did my best to healthify it. Whole grain pasta and lots of calcium? That’s the healthy part. Moderation, people, moderation.

Mr. Bradley J. Moore started it with a great post called “Your Artisanal Life” over at the High Calling. He asked the question “What if we viewed our jobs – all of them – as divinely artisanal?” after describing a little shop he passed on his way to a meeting and pondering the word “artisan.” His post was thought-provoking and insightful, in true Brad form.

The picture he posted was of cheese. Yum, cheese.

And then the comments. Somehow they morphed into delightful wordplays, some heady discussion (i.e., over my head) and a mention of mac and cheese. Soon I was smitten and salivating.

(Actually the comments took many rabbit trails and it would be well worth your while to read them. Go ahead. I’ll wait).

Welcome back!

All I could think about after Jennifer Dukes Lee mentioned mac and cheese was one of my very favorite recipes I haven’t made for many years. Then Brad pipes up and said he’d eaten some fancy schmancy mac and cheese with lobster and by that time I was drooling in my tea.

So this had to be done. And I didn’t start it until 9 pm so call me the crazy old lady who’s a cheese snob. It matters not. I only had 8 oz of pasta, no lobster, and I’m left with twice as much of the ooey gooey sauce than I needed. Far be it from me to do the math and make half the sauce. Fondue? Drizzle over scrambled eggs? I will probably do my usual awakening at 3 am (why do I do that?) and think a spoonful of it might just be the thing to put me back to sleep.

I think things taste about 147% better when you’ve been craving them, you’re starving, and then you finally get to sit quietly and slowly savor those awesome married flavors and textures as they tingle your taste buds. I felt so … artisan. And somewhat like a “cross-eyed trendmonger.”

So, dedicated to Brad, Jennifer, and all the mac and cheese lovers out there, I present to you … One. Fabulous. Dish.

ARTISANAL MAC AND CHEESE
(Note: I made this gluten free. The GF substitutes are in parentheses & italicized)

2 ounces Earth Balance buttery sticks
1/4 cup flour OR (1/4 cup minus 1 T brown rice flour + 1 T potato starch)
1 3/4 cups skim milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I left this out. Not because I’m a Christian, but because I thought the cheese was salty enough. It was).
1/8 teaspoon  pepper
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/8+ teaspoon cayenne pepper
10 ounces goat cheese, broken into pieces
4 ounces fontina cheese, shredded
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 pound  medium pasta shells OR (I used Ancient Harvest corn/quinoa pasta shells. These are small and don’t hold a big puddle of sauce, but I like the flavor even better than regular semolina shells)
1 1/4 cups fresh bread crumbs OR (GF crumbs; I grind the heels of my GF bread in the food processor and keep them in the freezer for such a time as this)
About 15 large shrimp, cooked and chopped (I had cooked, frozen shrimp that I thawed in a bit of olive oil on the stovetop)

Melt butter in saucepan. When it starts to bubble, stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. In a separate pot, heat the milk to just below boiling. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture whisking constantly. Cook until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Remove the pot from the heat and add the spices and cheeses, stirring until melted and well blended. (I always go a little heavy on the cayenne).

Tea today: Genmaicha

Functional Foodie Friday: Azteca Squash Soup

// January 14th, 2011 // 6 Comments » // Faith, Family, Functional Foodie, Hover over my pictures

You guys (and girls) are going to have to trust me on this one. Come on, step out in faith. Like Peter, getting out of the boat.

Twice.

Last Sunday’s message is still fresh in my head. Loved it. Even the third time.

You’ll love this soup, too. It is awesome, almost spiritual. Even though it seems weird. Trust me.

And it’s nothing but good for you.

Why am I writing in these weird short sentences?

I consulted the internets after roasting a couple of adorable butternut squash. (Surely I’m not the only one who refers to food as “adorable.”) These are particularly good roasted rather than steamed or simmered. Really brings out the natural sugars.And of course, I got to use my all-time favorite kitchen appliance.

Vrooooom!

I started with this recipe and made a few switcheroos. Wish my avocado had been ripe enough to use.

Azteca Squash Soup

olive oil spray (I used my Misto)
2 lb butternut squash
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
2 garlic cloves, minced fine
6 cups chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
15 oz canned black beans, rinsed, drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 large diced jalapeño pepper
1 avocado, sliced

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Spray baking sheet with olive oil, sprinkle halves of squash with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Place cut side down on baking sheet. Roast squash until tender, about 1 hour. Scoop squash into medium bowl and park it in the kitchen somewhere to hang out.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute until almost carmelized, about 12 minutes.

Mix in celery, carrots, and garlic; then add 1 cup broth. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add squash, 5 cups broth and cumin. Cover and simmer 20 minutes to let the flavors fall in love with each other. And marry.

Puree soup using immersion blender (or regular blender) until smooth. Add black beans, corn, bell pepper, cilantro, thyme and serrano chili. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.

Season to taste with sea salt & pepper and top servings with sliced avocado and a dollop of plain greek yogurt.

Tea today: Trader Joe’s Jasmine