CURRY DELIGHT

CURRY DELIGHT
(Makes 2 side dish portions)

Ingredients:

2 red potatoes
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 small red onion, sliced
2 handfuls fresh spinach
Olive oil
Garlic powder
Curry powder
Black pepper
Chicken or veggie broth

Directions:

1. Microwave potatoes for 6 minutes (poke holes with fork prior to cooking).
2. In wok over medium-high heat, cook garbanzo beans in olive oil until lightly brown and soft.
3. Sprinkle beans with garlic powder, curry powder and pepper.
4. Dice potatoes; add potatoes and onion to beans. Stir and cook 2 minutes.
5. Add spinach to pan. Stir and cook 1 minute.
6. Add splash of broth and cook 2 minutes, or until broth is absorbed.

Notes:

*Serve with brown rice for a complete protein.
*Kids can help by cutting potatoes once they are cool (using a butter knife).
*I like to serve this as a side dish along with some garlic naan (frozen from Trader Joe's) and one of the fast and easy "Taste of India" sauces (also from Trader Joe's) mixed with rice.

SIZZLIN' VEGGIES & NOODLES

SIZZLIN' VEGGIES & NOODLES
(Makes 2 entree portions)

Ingredients:

½ red onion, sliced
Handful baby carrots, sliced
½ bag pre-washed spinach
2/3 cup mushrooms, sliced
Sesame oil
Chili oil
Salt
Pepper
Minced garlic
Garlic powder
Minced ginger
Rice vinegar
Soy sauce
Red pepper flakes, if desired
1/2 block firm tofu, cubed
2 oz. soba noodles

Directions:

1. Cook soba noodles according to package, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
2. Heat some chili oil in wok pan.
3. Add sliced onions and mushrooms. Heat for five minutes over medium flame.
4. Add carrots and stir.
5. Add spinach and stir.
6. Splash in some rice vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Add ginger, garlic, and sesame oil.
8. Remove from heat when onions are soft and spinach is wilted.
9. Splash with soy sauce.
10. Add noodles to wok.
11. In separate pan, fry tofu in a bit of sesame oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder.
12. Add tofu to wok, stir well, add red pepper as needed, and serve.

Notes:

*Kids can help by cutting mushrooms (if you're not picky about shape and size!).

EASY CHEESY CASSEROLE

EASY CHEESY CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
(Makes 2 small casseroles)

3/4 "brick" jack cheese, grated
2 zucchinis, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
[Optional: 1 jalapeno (or other hot pepper), finely diced]
1/4 red onion, sliced
2 cups cooked brown rice
black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
all-spice, to taste (approx. 1/8 tsp.)
coriander, to taste (approx. 1/8 tsp.)
basil, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
crushed garlic, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp. jarred crushed garlic)
juice of 1/2 lemon
several tablespoons of olive oil
parmesan cheese, grated, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine in a bowl rice, half of the cheese, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, all-spice, coriander, lemon juice, basil and some olive oil.

2. Heat some olive oil in pan and add zucchini, bell pepper, [hot pepper], and onion. Add crushed garlic, salt, and basil. Cook well.

3. Add veggie mix to rice bowl; mix very well.

4. Split mixture into two small casserole dishes. Sprinkle more cheese over each. Cover with foil and put in toaster oven on 375 degrees for 20 minutes or so. When cheese is melted, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over casseroles, return to oven and broil for 5 to 10 minutes more, until parmesan is slightly browned.

Notes:

*Kids can help by stirring veggie mix or sprinkling on cheese.

*Make it non-vegetarian by adding cooked ground beef (or faux beef) to the veggie mixture.

SALSA NAVIDAD

SALSA NAVIDAD

Ingredients:
(Makes approximately 4 cups)

6 Peeled baby carrots
4 Large garlic cloves
½ Habanero pepper
½ Serrano pepper
2 Roma (plum) tomatoes
1 Lime
5 Tomatillos
½ White onion
1 Bunch Cilantro
½ Tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
½ Tsp. Dried thyme
[Optional: 4 Radishes]

Directions:

Coarsely chop carrots, garlic and peppers [and radishes, if desired]. Blend all in food processor for 20 seconds, or until vegetables are finely chopped but still solid.

Cut tomatoes, tomatillos and onion in half. Put in blender with the juice and some pulp of the lime. Blend well, until liquid. Add salt, oil, thyme and two handfuls of cilantro (leaves only) (almost a whole bunch). Blend for 10 seconds. Add pepper mix. Blend for 5 seconds.

Refrigerate, and use within 3 days.

Notes:
*This is my all-time favorite recipe!
*Caution: cutting habaneros can seriously be hazardous to your health (inhalation, etc.)...please be careful!
*Caution: this is so darned addictive, you may go through a whole batch and a bag of tortilla chips standing by yourself in a darkened kitchen, telling yourself repeatedly, "Oh, OK, just one more chip won't hurt..."
*Makes great Christmas gifts when packed in ball jars with personalized labels.