Lentils de puy, or French green lentils, make a killer muhjadarrah

1. My new job is intellectually challenging and requires long hours
2. I’m a little wrapped up in just living in my new city
3. And not least of all, I’ve been sick with some chronic stomach problems

That last item, truthfully, prevents me from writing up what I’m doing in the kitchen. For the past three weeks I’ve had to cut out all processed sugar and wheat from my diet. This past week I also nixed meat and dairy, and I have another week to go as a vegan while I finish up a two week cleanse. I honestly I haven’t felt much like sharing with you the kale salads I’m throwing together every day for lunch, though I can’t complain about the food. I can eat nuts, avocado and coconut to my stomach’s content, which I would never allow myself to do before because of all the fat. But when you aren’t eating cheese and butter every day, screw it, there is plenty of room in the diet and the wallet for plant fats. I’ve given myself carte blanche on almond butter, and I don’t care how expensive it is.

For those of you that know me well, you know that I live to cook. I read cookbooks like novels and spend several hours a week just planning and shopping for my food. My boyfriend calls the kitchen my “laboratory”. I could let myself get mopey and depressed about the food I can’t make right now, which does happen for a few minutes here and there. I’d rather view this as a chance to explore culinary corners long darkened by my lack of interest, time or money.

For example, I know there is a wonderful world of online specialty food shops which I’ve ignored because it’s so easy to get the variety of food I’m comfortable with in Chicago, and because they tend to be pricey. But faced with a limited diet I feared boredom. So I’m exploring these shops for new-to-me varieties of legumes and grains. I’ve developed a bean fetish. Two of my favorite sites are Purcell Mountain Farms and Rancho Gordo. My first order from Purcell Mountain Farms included Black Beluga lentils, Kala Jeera rice and Corona beans. I got the Coronas specifically for 101 Cookbooks’ Pan Fried Corona Beans and Kale recipe, and let me say that this dish is heavenly. It’s worth finding the Corona beans to make this, I really can’t recommend it enough. The Kala Jeera rice went into one of my new favorite comfort foods, Muhjadarrah (hat tip to Hala for the recipe). Rice, lentils, olive oil, onions, salt. That’s it, and it’s magic.

Sweet brown rice with cinnamon and coconut milk. Hello, breakfast.

It's not coffee, but it IS delicious

I don’t know how much longer I will have to stick to this diet, but I think I’m going to continue it for a while longer even if my doctor says I can go back to my regular diet. Just writing this post made me a little excited about all of the new things I’m learning. Maybe I will start putting up recipes for kale salad, because it’s actually quite delicious

I’m busy, I’m packing, blah, blah, blah. You get it by now. In spite of everything going on in my life, I must take time to feed myself nourishing meals. Fast food won’t cut it for me. Maybe I’m high maintenance or a bit snobby. I’m OK with that, because I get to eat lovely dishes like this hearty concoction of winter veggies.

Last week at the market I came across no fewer than 5 types of sweet potato and I knew I had to do something with them. These beauties are high in vitamins A, B6, C and dietary fiber. Most sweet potato dishes I’m familiar with amp up the sweetness with brown sugar. I wanted to take a different approach, so I searched for a savory dish and found this recipe on Real Simple. That site ought to start paying me for advertising because I reference it here so often. It really is my go-to place for recipes when I’m keen on one ingredient.

Combining the sweet potatoes with kale and quinoa make this dish a nutrition boon that includes good doses of iron and calcium. The wine adds a complexity to an otherwise simple dish, but if you don’t have any on hand you could substitute broth. I’d recommend skipping the broth and buying a nice bottle of wine that you can finish off with dinner

Sweet Potato, Kale and Quinoa

Serves 4
Total time: 30 minutes
Cost per serving: ~$3.50

1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small sweet potatoes, about a pound
8 ounces sliced cremini or “baby bella” mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch kale
3/4 cup dry white wine (or veggie broth)
kosher salt and black pepper

Prep: Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into bite-sized chunks. Remove the stems from the kale by folding in half lengthwise and running a knife down the side of the stem. Tear the kale into 2 inch pieces and rinse in a strainer. Peel and chop the garlic.

1. In a small saucepan, bring the quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until most of the water is absorbed.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot. Don’t use a skillet here because you will never get all of the kale in there. Add the sweet potatoes and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until the mushrooms soften.
3. Add the garlic and toss with the veggies, then add the kale, wine or broth and salt and pepper to taste. Toss the kale often and cook until it starts to wilt and soften, about 10 minutes.
4. Serve the quinoa in bowls topped with the veggies.

I can’t believe how much vitamin A and C is in this dish, and check out the iron, protein and fiber content. What this label doesn’t show is the nice dose of the B vitamins and vitamin K you get, too. This one is going to stay in my repertoire for when I’m feeling the winter doldrums in Chicago.

I’m sure every kid ever faced with a helping of Brussels sprouts never imagined that they could, in fact, be made to taste GOOD. I love Brussels sprouts steamed with a little salt and butter, but I can see how they are an acquired taste for many. This recipe is like a subdued yet tangy sauerkraut flecked with pungent little caraway seeds. The scent that wafts from the oven reminds me of a Jewish deli. I’m proud to say that these Brussels sprouts are boyfriend-approved, though I have yet to try them out on any kids. If you get a thumbs up please let me know in the comments. Kids are tough critics when it comes to veggies!

Tips for prepping the Brussels sprouts: Pick small, tightly closed sprouts for the best flavor. I remove the tougher outer leaves and then trim down the stem end. You’ll end up with a more tender end-product that way.

Tangy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Adapted from New Vegetarian Cuisine
Serves 4 as a side dish
Total time: 45 minutes, though 35 minutes are hands-off

24 small Brussels sprouts
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup raisins
Juice of half a lemon
1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (don’t skip, they make the dish)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the sprouts and remove any tough or raggedy outer leaves. Trim the stem ends. Cut each sprout in half and place in a baking dish.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the sprouts in the baking dish and stir around to coat.
3. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and return the dish to the oven to bake for 10 more minutes, or until the sauce reduces and becomes slightly thick.

If you can get your family to eat Brussels sprouts, you should congratulate yourself. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and provide a good dose of vitamin A, calcium, iron and fiber.

Stew can be quick if you use the right ingredients. This recipe from New Vegetarian Cuisine is a perfect example. The trick is to use red lentils if you can find them, which are actually yellow lentils with the outer husk removed. Whole Foods has them in the bulk section, but you may also be able to find them at larger grocery stores amongst the dried beans. They are a bright orange color and turn yellow once they are cooked. Bonus points: Lentils have plenty of iron, protein and fiber. If you can’t find red lentils you can substitute green or brown, but the cooking time will need to be extended by 10-15 minutes.

I modified the recipe in New Vegetarian Cuisine by using yellow potatoes, which hold up better to cooking than regular baking potatoes. If, like me, you like chunks of potato in your stew try using Yukon Golds. I also switched out the tarragon for basil because I had some left over from the Mediterranean Olive Bread I made, and it’s easier to find in most grocery stores. If you use a food processor to shred the veggies, this dish comes together in minutes. Did I mention how much I love my new food processor? I don’t even mind that I have to wash it by hand (since I don’t have a dish washer).

Balsamic Lentil Stew

Lentil Stew Action Shot!

4 cups water
1 1/4 cups red lentils
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
ground black pepper
5-6 green onions
2 carrots
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
2 large cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1. Cut the potatoes into cubes. In a large pot, combine the water, lentils, potatoes and pepper (to your liking) and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes.
2. While the lentils are cooking, chop the green onions and grate the carrots, zucchini and squash. You can also use the grater on a food processor for the veggies. Finely chop the garlic.
3. In a large no-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, veggies and garlic and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Once the carrots are softened, add the veggie mixture to the lentils. Mix in the basil and vinegar and heat through another 2-3 minutes. Serve in big bowls. You won’t need another meal for about 8 hours.
   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/11/04/quick-and-cheap-dinner-balsamic-lentil-stew/feed/ 5 http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/11/01/food-pr0n-mediterranean-olive-bread/ http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/11/01/food-pr0n-mediterranean-olive-bread/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:35:33 +0000 drmiggy http://www.drmiggy.com/?p=1004 In spite of my initial failures, I’ve had one vegan baking success this weekend. This aromatic quick bread caught my eye while flipping through The Joy of Vegan Baking because it looked foolproof. What can I say, my ego took a beating and I needed a sure thing.

   I prepared the recipe almost as directed and scraped it into a springform pan, just for shits and giggles. You could also make a loaf if you don’t have a round pan. I omitted the sun-dried tomatoes, simply because I really don’t care for them and they are expensive. The rosemary and freshly baked bread aroma that filled my little apartment had me drooling in anticipation. It was torture to let the loaf cool. I popped open the springform pan and immediately cut the loaf into wedges. The texture is similar to focaccia, and the pungent olives, piney rosemary and sweet crunch of the walnuts complement each other perfectly. This bread would be great along side an autumn lentil stew or a minestrone soup. Alternatively, you could just eat half the loaf by yourself for dinner, which I totally didn’t do.

   

   Mediterranean Olive Bread

   Adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking
   Yield one standard sized loaf

   no-stick spray
   1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
   3/4 cups whole wheat flour
   2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
   1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
   2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
   1/2 teaspoon salt
   4 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer
   6 tablespoons water
   1 cup soy milk
   1/4 cup olive oil
   1/3 cup chopped walnuts
   1/3 cup chopped pitted black olives

   1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan (square, rectangle or round, whatever curls your toes) with no-stick spray.
   2. In a large bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, chopped herbs and salt. Set aside.
   3. In a blender combine the egg replacer and water until thickened a little. The recipe calls for enough egg replacer for 3 eggs, so I suppose you could just use eggs. I didn’t test it, though. Add the soy milk and olive oil to the blender and mix until combined.
   4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold until almost all of the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the walnuts and olives and fold in just until combined. Don’t over mix or the bread will get tough.
   5. Scoop the batter into your prepared pan, evening it out with a spoon or rubber spatula. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes depending on the pan you use. Just check it after 30 minutes and if the knife is goopy then let it bake for 5-10 minutes longer. The top crust should be a light brown and feel hard to the touch. My round pan only required 30 minutes, but an 8-inch loaf pan will probably need the entire 40 minutes.
   6. Let the bread cool in the pan on a rack or trivet for at least 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely, if you can stand the wait.
   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/11/01/food-pr0n-mediterranean-olive-bread/feed/ 2 http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/10/31/vegan-quiche-fail-vegan-scramble-win/ http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/10/31/vegan-quiche-fail-vegan-scramble-win/#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:03:10 +0000 drmiggy http://www.drmiggy.com/?p=990 I had the Tofu Quiche Salad from Field of Greens, and ever since I've been hankering for mini tofu quiches. I may not have succeeded with making quiches, but the tofu scramble that resulted was dee-licious!]]> The vegan baking experiments that have emerged from my kitchen of late fall into two categories: Brilliant or Unspeakably Bad. For example, the vegan gingerbread cookies I made two weeks ago from a recipe in The Joy of Vegan Baking (I’ll post the recipe soon) were moist and spicy, with a perfect crumble and texture. My coworkers wolfed them down, marveling that vegan cookies could taste so much like their non-vegan counterparts. This initial success gave me the confidence to tackle more challenging vegan recipes, like a pumpkin spice quick bread and these tempting vegan tofu mini quiches from the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen. If the combo of fat free and vegan sounds like no fun at all, I challenge you to browse the site. With so many yummy looking recipes, it’s going to be a regular stop for me.

   The pumpkin bread, also from The Joy of Vegan Baking, was such a miserable failure that I threw the entire loaf out. I underestimated the cooking time and over mixed the batter, resulting in a super dense and chewy brick. I learned from it, though, and I think the next time I attempt the recipe the bread will come out better.

   Earlier this week I had the Tofu Quiche Salad from Field of Greens, and ever since I’ve been hankering for mini tofu quiches. I quick google search pointed me to The Fat Free Vegan Kitchen’s version. Off I went to Whole Foods in search of nutritional yeast and tahini. Exotic ingredients be damned, I had to have those quiches.

   

   When life gives you failed quiches, make scrambled eggs

   The recipe was easy enough to follow, especially since I bought a food processor. But again, I underestimated the cooking time and totally forgot to spray the muffin cups with no-stick spray. Even if I were able to extract the quiches from the muffin tin, they would have fallen to pieces. I was frustrated with myself because I hate wasting food. I scraped some of the quiche out of the tin with a spoon and ate a few bite. Wow. The stuff was delicious! So what if it doesn’t look like a fancy quiche? I scraped all the mess out and put it in a pretty bowl with a garnish. Now I have fancy tofu scrambled eggs

   The coolest thing about this recipe is that it actually tastes like egg, and the texture is spot on. I think most folks would be surprised, and many would ask for seconds.

   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/10/31/vegan-quiche-fail-vegan-scramble-win/feed/ 6 http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/10/14/quinoa-qurispies-an-easy-way-to-get-more-iron/ http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/10/14/quinoa-qurispies-an-easy-way-to-get-more-iron/#comments Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:24:40 +0000 drmiggy http://www.drmiggy.com/?p=933 In my quest for nutritional balance there is one nutrient that eludes me almost daily: Iron. Good Gods, no matter how I try it’s always a struggle to get my RDA, and I’m taking a supplement that provides 50%! But I’m not giving up. My list of iron-rich foods is growing daily, as is my roster of simple recipes. Which leads me to Quinoa Quripsies. BTW, Do you like what I did with “Qu” there? I thought I was being cute, but maybe it’s a little forced Quinoa is not only a complete protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids, but it has MAD IRON. It’s like meat for vegetarians, minus the cholesterol, fat and the vitamin B12. And with that statement, I am now officially a nutrition nerd.

   This recipe really couldn’t be easier. I even hesitate to call it a recipe.

   Quinoa Qurispies

   Adapted (barely) from this recipe
   Makes 4 servings
   Cost: pennies per serving
   Total time: 10 minutes tops

   1 cup uncooked quinoa (find it in the bulk bins at Whole Foods or boxed in the health food or pasta aisle)
   1 Tablespoon agave nectar, syrup or honey
   1 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

   1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
   2. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and spread the mixture on a cookie sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the quinoa starts to turn golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.
   3. Add the qurispies to your morning cereal or yogurt. I especially love the extra crunch and sweetness they give to yogurt.

   I may experiment with the sweetener and use molasses for an even bigger dose of iron. I told y’all, I’m not messin’ around.

   Photo Credit SweetBeetAndGreenBean
   

   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/10/14/quinoa-qurispies-an-easy-way-to-get-more-iron/feed/ 0 http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/09/20/quick-and-cheap-dinner-broccoli-and-rice-confetti-salad/ http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/09/20/quick-and-cheap-dinner-broccoli-and-rice-confetti-salad/#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:06:50 +0000 drmiggy http://www.drmiggy.com/?p=834 I’m no longer merely flirting with vegetarianism. I have tackled it to the ground and am humping it’s leg. We aren’t going steady yet, as I have had a few meatful meals in the last several weeks. I just can’t make the commitment, at least not until I get to know it better.

   Wow, I rode the wheels off that metaphor, but dangit it was fun. This is a lovely salad that I modified from a recipe in Quick Vegetarian Pleasures. The rice will take 45-60 minute to cook depending on how you go about it. I like to cook rice in a steamer so it takes me closer to an hour. Most of that time is hands off because the rest of the recipe comes together quickly. I know the raisins sound freaky, but trust me they add a nice sweetness to the flavors. Skip them if you are being a wuss and I’m sure the salad will turn out fine. Wuss.

   Broccoli and Rice Confetti Salad

   Serves 2-3 as a main dish
   Total time about 1 hour, though only 20 minutes is hands on
   Cost per serving about $3
   

   

   It's a veggie landscape!

   For the salad:
   1/2 cup brown rice
   1 head of broccoli
   1/3 cup raisins
   2 carrots
   1/4 of a small red onion
   2 tablespoons basil

   For the dressing:
   1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
   2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
   1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
   1 tablespoon olive oil
   1/4 teaspoon salt
   ground black pepper to taste

   1. Cook the rice as you normally would. If you cook it directly on the stove, combine the rice with 1.5 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until all of the water is absorbed, about 45 minutes. I steam rice because it never burns or sticks to the bottom of the pan that way. It requires a steamer, though.
   2. Chop the broccoli into florets. Cut the carrots into sticks then dice into small chunks. Place the broccoli in a saucepan with about 1/4 cup water, cover the pan, and heat over medium heat for a few minutes. The broccoli will be bright green and tender-crisp. Drain off any remaining water.
   3. Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk for a minute or two. Set aside.
   4. Mince the onion and basil. Set aside.
   5. When the rice is done, combine it with the broccoli, raisins, carrots, onion and basil. Mix in the dressing and toss to coat. Serve at room temperature.

   This salad is even better after it’s marinated in the fridge for a day. If you feel the need for more protein in your meal, maybe you could add some tofu…or just lick some peanut butter off a spoon

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