COUS COUS CASSEROLE

COUS COUS CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

(Makes 3-4 servings)

1 head broccoli, florets only

1/2 package Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend (Israeli cous cous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans and red quinoa) or 1 cup brown rice and 1 cup garbanzo beans

1 cup Trader Joe's canned Tuscano marinara sauce or other chunky marinara sauce

1 cup Trader Joe's shredded Quattro Formaggio or other shredded, pungent cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

6 or so heirloom or cherry tomatoes

2 tsp. crushed garlic

Garlic powder, to taste

[Optional: red pepper flakes]

Juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon

Splash of olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Steam broccoli florets for 5-7 minutes.

3. Prepare Harvest Grains according to package (using only a splash of olive oil and simmering at least 5 minutes longer than package suggests), mixing in crushed garlic and tomatoes while simmering.

4. Mix broccoli, grains, marinara sauce, lemon juice, [red pepper], most of the cheese and some garlic powder in a casserole dish.

5. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.

6. Cook uncovered in the oven for at least 15 minutes.

Notes:

*If your kid picks up a head of broccoli at Trader Joe's and says, "This one looks yummy Mommy! Let's get this!", you ask no questions, you just buy it and figure out what to do with it later. And thus, a new dish is born.

*Be careful to stir the grains well while cooking and probably add more water more frequently than package says to.

*Kids can help by stirring the mixture in the casserole dish and sprinkling the extra cheese.

*This is so easy and fast, and yet has been known to elicit the coveted "Yum!" from a real-life, picky three year old as well as a grumpy, tired hubby.

MO'ROCKIN QUESADILLAS

MO'ROCKIN QUESADILLAS

Sorry for the cheesy (ha!) name...

I use almost exclusively ingredients from Trader Joe's, so for those of you who don't live in close proximity to a TJ's...I'm so sorry. No really, I am. You have to move.

Ingredients:
(Makes 4-6 quesadillas)

3 medium yellow potatoes
1 onion, diced
[Optional: 1 jalapeno, very finely diced]
1 head "broccoflower" (broccoli/cauliflower hybrid) or cauliflower
2 teaspoons garlic, minced or crushed
Olive oil
Handful fresh mint leaves, chopped or cut with scissors
Salt
Black pepper
Cumin (approximately 2 tsp.)
Paprika (approximately 1 tsp.)
Coriander (approximately 1 tsp.)
Juice and some pulp of 1 Meyer lemon
1/2 bag Trader Joe's shredded pepper jack cheese or other shredded cheese
1/2 container Trader Joe's Raita Indian yogurt dip or plain yogurt
4-6 Trader Joe's whole wheat tortillas

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes in enough water to cover for 30 minutes.

2. While potatoes are boiling, steam broccoflower for 5-7 minutes and set aside.

3. Heat lemon juice and a touch of olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan. Add onions and garlic [and jalapeno] and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

4. Add the mint, coriander, cumin, pepper and salt to the pan and stir well. Cook 3 minutes.

5. Rinsing the potatoes in cold water, remove the skins. Add warm potatoes and broccoflower to the pan. Break up potatoes and broccoflower with a fork and stir well.

6. Add more salt, lemon juice and garlic powder to taste.

7. Cook a while longer, stirring and mixing to coat all ingredients with spices. Add a bit more olive oil as necessary.

8. Heat each tortilla over a medium flame. Sprinkle one half generously with cheese, spread with a heaping spoonful of potato mix, sprinkle with more cheese, then fold over the tortilla in half.

9. Microwave for 30-40 seconds, or until cheese is melted but not runny.

10. Serve in slices with Raita or yogurt for dipping.

Notes:

*Kids can help by sprinkling the cheese into the tortillas (something my pun'kin loves to do, though I think she eats more than she sprinkles.)

*Careful not to undercook the potatoes at all or you will think you are eating dirt (i.e., they will taste too earthy and be too grainy).

*I really think the tortillas need to be whole wheat in order for the flavors in this to come together.

*If you don't like mint, what is wrong with you? No, I mean, you could use cilantro instead.

*These aren't too bad for you since they use very little oil, and you could make it even healthier by using low fat shredded cheese.

*A dude with a steel rod through his eyebrow at Trader Joe's told me that "raita" is pronounced "rye-tha." I chose to believe him.

KID-FRIENDLY KALE SIDE DISH

KID-FRIENDLY KALE SIDE DISH






Ingredients:
(Makes one kid-sized bowl full)

3 large kale leaves, ribs removed and leaves torn into bite size pieces
Garlic powder
Black pepper
1/2 Meyer lemon
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese
2 small fresh sage leaves, torn into small bits

Directions:

1. Heat some olive oil in a wok over high heat.

2. Add kale and toss with tongs. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, stirring to prevent burning or sticking.

3. Squeeze lemon juice over kale and stir.

4. Sprinkle with garlic powder and black pepper to taste.

5. Drizzle more olive oil and add sage leaves.

6. Continue cooking until completely soft and wilted (if your kid is a bit neurotic, like mine, and won't eat anything the least bit raw-like).

7. Serve in kid-sized bowl, sprinkle liberally with Parmesan cheese, and cut into even smaller bites (see number 6 above re: neuroses).

Notes:

*Kids can help by sprinkling on the Parmesan (and then licking it off their palms).

*For bigger kids (i.e., spouse, etc.), add more sage and cook slightly less to retain more of the crunch.

*If necessary, you can disguise the entire dish with pasta sauce.

DECEPTIVELY-YUMMY CABBAGE STIR FRY

DECEPTIVELY-YUMMY CABBAGE STIR FRY

Ingredients:
(Makes 2-3 entree portions)

1 Meyer lemon, sliced in half and de-seeded
1/4 head Napa cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, thinly sliced
6 green onions, sliced
Handful cilantro
Brown rice vinegar
2 heaping spoonfuls crushed garlic
1 heaping spoonful minced ginger
Black pepper, to taste
1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces
1 bag Trader Joe's Organic Frozen Brown Rice, cooked according to package
3 free range, organically raised chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces OR 1/2 brick firm tofu, cut into bite size pieces

Directions:

1. Heat some vinegar (enough to cover bottom of non-stick wok and then some) over high heat, until it is just starting to brown and evaporate.

2. Add juice from half of lemon, then chicken or tofu and cook 3 minutes.

3. Add 1 spoonful of garlic, carrots and bell pepper and cook 2-4 minutes.

4. Add other spoonful of garlic, juice from other half of lemon, black pepper, ginger and cabbage.

5. Stir well and cook few more minutes, then add cilantro and onions.

6. Stir well, and continue cooking (covered if you want to retain liquid), until chicken or tofu is done to your liking.

7. Serve over brown rice.

Notes:

*Kids can help by cutting tofu with a butter or toddler knife.

*If you're not as concerned about sodium, use seasoned rice vinegar or a splash of soy sauce to add more flavor.

*If you can find them, use different colored carrots (purple and white) for a beautiful bounty of color.

*Be careful not to burn the vinegar in step 1 or else your spouse is liable to walk in the door from work and say, "Ugh! What is that god-awful smell?!" (Thanks, honey!)

OPEN FACE SOUTHWEST SANDWICH

OPEN FACE SOUTHWEST SANDWICH





Ingredients:
(Makes 1 serving)

1/4 baguette, sliced in half lengthwise
Handful Trader Joe's Shredded Pepper Jack cheese
Olive oil
Garlic powder
6 cherry or plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 avocado, sliced into pieces


Directions:

1. Preheat toaster oven for 5 minutes on broil/toast setting.

2. Drizzle each half of sandwich with olive oil; sprinkle with garlic powder.

3. Layer slices of avocado on each slice of bread.

4. Layer with tomato slices.

5. Sprinkle liberally with cheese.

6. Place on foil in toaster oven on broil/toast setting for 5 minutes.

Notes:

*This seems really gourmet when you're eating it and is a nice change of pace, but it couldn't be any easier or faster to make...can't beat cheesy, toasty & yummy in under 10 minutes!

*Nice way to use up pieces of bread that you steal, uh, I mean, rescue from being thrown out at restaurants. Not that that's what I did. But thank you, Cheesecake Factory, for your endless baskets of tasty bread. :)

*If you have the time and patience, tomatoes would be even better if more thinly sliced.

KITCHEN SINK, MEXICAN STYLE

KITCHEN SINK, MEXICAN STYLE

So, the hubby is trying to eat a low-sodium/low-carb/no oil diet, which makes cooking with flavor sometimes, uh, challenging. But I'm adapting...here's something I threw together last night that turned out really well...but I didn't expect it to be particularly good, so I didn't get a picture of it. Next time!

Ingredients:
(Makes 2-3 entree portions)

1/2 Meyer lemon
10-15 baby carrots
Crushed garlic (approximately 1 Tbsp.)
1/2 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 yellow squash, chopped
2 zucchinis, chopped
1 small white onion, thickly sliced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped (top 2/3 only)
1 bay leaf
Dried oregano (approximately 1/2 tsp.)
Garlic powder (approximately 1 tsp.)
Cumin powder (approximately 2 tsp.)
Black pepper (approximately 1/2 tsp.)
Dash of paprika

Directions:

1. Squeeze most of the lemon juice into a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add a few spoonfuls of water.

2. Once it's steamy, add carrots. Cook for 1 minute and add crushed garlic and whole lemon half. Stir well and cook for a few more minutes.

3. Add all other ingredients except cilantro. Stir well, cover and cook for approximately 7 minutes.

4. Remove cover, add cilantro, and cook 5 more minutes or until veggies and beans are tender.

5. Remove lemon and bay leaf. Serve with brown rice cous cous (made by Lundberg and available at health food stores).

Notes:

*For truly "no salt" diets, look for no sodium canned garbanzo beans (Fresh & Easy sells them).

*For more flavor & less healthfulness, top with a generous sprinkling of Trader Joe's Mexican Shredded Cheese and/or your favorite salsa.

*Kids (at least my picky eater) seem to like the brown rice cous cous better than brown rice or cous cous. Go figure.

*Kids can help by cutting zucchini or squash with a butter knife if you're not concerned about uniformity of chunk size, or can sprinkle on the optional cheese (always a crowd pleaser).

*Have I mentioned that Meyer lemons are what all other lemons aspire to be? I wouldn't try making this with a regular lemon - probably too sour and not enough depth of flavor.

COLORFUL CURRY

COLORFUL CURRY
(Makes 3-4 entree portions)

Ingredients:

1-2 cups free-range, organic chicken or veggie broth
2-3 tsp. crushed garlic
Juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 russet potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
10 baby carrots, sliced diagonally into thirds
1 bag Trader Joe's fresh broccoli/cauliflower
1/2 red onion, thickly sliced
10 tomatoes (Roma or similar), chopped
1-2 tsp. curry powder
1-2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 can Trader Joe's light coconut milk (or other milk/cream)
1/4 cup seedless raisins

Directions:

1. Place potato chunks in a covered casserole dish and microwave for 7 minutes, stirring once or twice.
2. Cover the bottom of a deep sauce pan with broth and heat over low-medium heat.
3. Stir into broth crushed garlic, lemon juice and cumin. Heat until fragrant and beginning to bubble, approximately 3 minutes.
4. Add potato to pan and mix well.
5. Cover pan and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add carrots and broccoli/cauliflower to pan, stir, recover, and continue simmering for a few minutes.
7. Add tomatoes and onion. Add additional broth as needed to keep mixture moist and with a bit of liquid in the bottom of the pan. Recover and continue cooking for a couple of minutes.
8. Stir in raisins, curry powder, garlic powder, salt, and coconut milk. Recover and continue cooking.
9. Continue stirring and cooking until some of potato and tomato are disintegrated and mixed in with sauce, and broccoli and cauliflower are tender, approximately 5-10 more minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sauce from sticking to the pan.
10. Serve with brown rice and garlic naan.

Notes:

*Add garbanzo or lentil beans to make a complete protein, or serve with a lentil dish on the side.

*My favorite tomatoes are the small, on-the-vine Campari tomatoes from Costco.

*Add chili powder along with curry powder for more of a kick.