Smoked Salmon Asparagus Quinoa Cake Eggs Benedict Mothers day is almost here and what better way to show her that you care than by making her a nice home cooked meal? A great way to do this is in the form of a breakfast or brunch for her after wakes from sleeping in. A while ago I made some quinoa cakes, basically a fritter made with quinoa, and I thought that they would also be great when made with different flavours such as asparagus which is in season right now. The asparagus quinoa cakes are pretty easy to make; you simply give some fresh asparagus a few pulses in a food processor and mix it in with the cooked quinoa along with some eggs and flour to bind everything together. After the quinoa cakes are made it were it starts to get tricky and you will start wishing that you had four arms. Alternative: Prosciutto would also be great in these eggs benedict instead of the smoked salmon. Tip: If you do not have a double boiler, and I don't, you can use a small pot and a large bowl. Smoked Salmon Asparagus Quinoa Cake Eggs Benedict
Ham & Cheddar Quiche For some reason, up until recently I was never inspired to make a healthy quiche. It’s a dish I’ve loved for ages; I mean, what is there not to love? Creamy eggs baked in a buttery pie crust with whatever add-ins you’d like. Rich and indulgent, quiche – for me – was relegated to the category of food to enjoy every once in a blue moon instead of a homemade staple. The turning point was when I came across this olive oil press-in quiche crust from Once Upon A Plate . I subbed in whole wheat pastry flour for the all-purpose, and was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to press the dough into a pie plate. Easy peasy. As for the filling, I winged the egg-milk ratio and ended up happy with the result (plus, it fit perfectly into my pie plate without overflowing). The baked quiche will puff up in the oven, but the filling will deflate & settle after cooling for a few minutes. Quiche is really quite versatile. All of the flavor and texture is still there, though! Prep Time: 15 minutes
Vegetable Pasta Salad | Katrina Runs For Food I’ve mentioned before that I’m not crazy about cold cream based salads. So when I made some a few weeks ago, I made it and put the bowl in the fridge so it would cool off and kept a bowl of warm pasta on the counter for me. I don’t need it real hot, I just like to eat it as soon as I add the hot pasta. I’ve been craving artichokes lately so I made sure the other vegetables would work with those. Black olives, green beans, red beans, and the very last jar of roasted cherry tomatoes all work to balance the salty of the artichokes. I use Lindsay’s Naturals brand of olives because the brine water is not NEAR as salty as other cans. Vegetable Pasta salad –6 WWP+/ serving. What you need to have ready: big bowl for mixing, large stock pot for pasta 2.5 cups of tri-color spiral pasta 1 large can of black olives, drained 1 can of quartered artichoke hearts, drained 1 can of green beans, drained 1 can of red beans, rinsed and drained. 4-6 sliced grape or cherry tomatoes. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Meatless Monday: Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes I keep a lot of random lists in Evernote, one of which includes things I want to cook (typically, ideas I have for original recipes). One of the items I have on that list is “stuffed sweet potatoes (black beans, queso fresco, chipotle, etc.)” So clearly when I came across Nikki’s post for Southwestern stuffed sweet potatoes and realized someone had already done all the work for me, I added these to our menu. I had high hopes for these, because I love all the ingredients. These sweet potatoes are packed full of our favorite things – black beans, chipotles, spices, corn, and lots of cheese. I made the entire meal, from start to finish in the cast iron skillet (baked the potatoes, sauteed the corn and onions, put the stuffed potatoes back in there and stuck it under the broiler). Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Adapted from Pinch of Yum, via Pennies on a Platter Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Saute the corn in a dry heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium high heat.
Baked herbed salmon « Snixy Kitchen With a trip to Boston smack dab in the middle of finishing a first draft and making serious revisions to my paper, every dish I make gets added to an ever-growing queue waiting to be shared with you. I can’t keep up! On our whirlwind three-day MIT reunion excursion, Lucas made sure to introduce me to the fantastic seafood of the Northeast. It’s been awhile since salmon has been on my kitchen table. The inspiration for breaking my streak is unclear, but with Monterey Fish Market down the street it was inevitable. Baked herbed salmonServes 2 2 salmon filets½ teaspoon dried sage1 teaspoon dried thymeKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste1 teaspoon olive oilLemon, quartered (optional)Preheat the oven to 350ºF.Sprinkle the top each filet with sage, thyme, salt, and pepper.Heat olive oil in cast iron skillet over high heat (Note: I didn’t do this step in the pictures above, but would do it next time). More from Snixy Kitchen: Tags: fish, herbs, lemon, sage, salmon, seafood, tyme
Fettuccine Alfredo | The Pursuit of Hippieness Goodness. It’s been so long since I put together a recipe that I feel like I forget how to do this! Luckily, what’s coming your way doesn’t need much of an introduction. I first discovered the power of pureed nuts with my walnut whipped cream. Obviously that’s a sweet recipe, but if we’re going on texture, the creaminess is something that I knew could definitely translate over to a savory recipe. I’ve tried cashew cheese, and it’s amazing… especially in mac & cheese. But alfredo sauce is obviously a different breed- a different cheese. Perfection. And, the flavor is dead on. Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo 1 cup almond milk 1 cup walnuts, soaked 2 tbsp nutritional yeast 2 tsp lemon juice 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp vinegar 2 tsp dried basil or oregano salt and pepper to taste pinch of guar or xantham gum (optional) your choice of pasta (or spaghetti squash!) After soaking the nuts for 1-2 hours, drain them and put in a blender or food processor with the almond milk.
A Recipe for Cheesy Bean Pie and Tips for Cooking the Perfect Dry Beans | Meal Makeover Moms' Kitchen I recently attended the Beans for a Better Life conference in Austin, TX, and when I returned, I was determined to try my hand at cooking dry beans. I typically rely on canned dry beans, so I was looking forward to the cooking challenge. Would I be able to produce the same smooth and tender consistency you get from canned beans? Lynne Bigwood from the Northarvest Bean Growers Association, assured me that if I followed a few simple steps, my beans would rival those from a can. So off I went to the grocery store for a pound of dry pinto beans. Read on for Lynne’s fool-proof cooking method and a recipe for Cheesy Bean Pie. This pie, made with rice, beans, cheese, and lots of other comforting ingredients hit the spot this weekend. Cheesy Bean Pie Makes 8 Servings I found this recipe in The Bean Cookbook by the Northarvest Bean Growers Association and adapted it a bit by using melted butter instead of margarine in the crust and leaving the parsley out since I didn’t have any on hand. 1. 1. 2.
Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe | Los Angeles If you want to do something right, ask the French. (See: kissing, child rearing, six-week vacations, macarons.) Which is why we couldn’t wait to read Karen Le Billon’s book French Kids Eat Everything. She was one of us, a food-bribing parent who understood the value of a well-timed snack, until she moved her brood to Northern France. There she discovered the truth about her family’s eating habits and committed to make a change. After devouring her insightful book in one sitting (how very American of us), we asked her to share a favorite family recipe. If cooked the right amount of time, the tomatoes are firm yet melt in your mouth; the squishy middle part is removed prior to baking. Tomates Farcies (Stuffed Tomatoes)Serves four Ingredients2 tbsp. olive oil1 sm. onion, minced½ lb. ground beef4 lg. tomatoes1 red or yellow pepper, diced (optional)¼ c. bread crumbs2 tsp. dried parsley and/or oreganoSalt and pepper to taste¼ c. grated Parmesan 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Stir-Fried Pasta Primavera Stir-Fried Pasta Primavera This is a great Spring dish with lots of vegetables. Of course the heavy cream and parmesan cheese don’t exactly make this a healthy meal, but I say just ignore that part and think about the veggies. This was a great quick meal, and something different than we usually have. Stir-Fried Pasta Primavera Ingredients:3 cups broccoli florets 12 ounces fettuccine pasta 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 red onion, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick 4 carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved Salt and pepper 3/4 cup heavy cream 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh basilDirections:In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the broccoli until bright green, about 60 seconds.