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.

TOO-GOOD-TO-BE-TRUE ENCHILADAS

TOO-GOOD-TO-BE-TRUE ENCHILADAS

Ingredients:
(Makes 4 enchiladas with some stuffing leftover)

3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. Trader Joe's Minced Garlic
1/2 red onion, julienned
1/2 red pepper, julienned
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1 bag Trader Joe's fresh broccoli/cauliflower
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups Trader Joe's shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 bunch of cilantro, cut or chopped
[Optional: 1/2 bag Trader Joe’s frozen organic brown rice]
4 Trader Joe's olive oil wheat tortillas
1/2 jar Trader Joe's salsa verde
4 tbsp. Trader Joe's 2% Greek Style plain yogurt
Black pepper
Lime juice
Garlic powder
Cumin
[Optional: cherry tomatoes, radishes]

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Snip corner of broccoli/cauliflower bag; microwave on high for 3 minutes and set aside. [If using rice, snip corner of rice bag and microwave for 3 minutes.]
3. Heat oil over medium heat; saute minced garlic, jalapeno, onion and red pepper until onion is transluscent, about 4 minutes.
4. Transfer onion mixture to a big bowl; mix in veggies, beans, 2 cups cheese, and cilantro [and rice]. Add black pepper and cumin to taste. Break up broccoli/cauliflower with spoon.
5. Heat tortillas one at a time in the pan until warm but still pliable.
6. Lightly coat a baking dish with nonstick spray.
7. Place 1/3 cup of veggie mixture on one edge of each tortilla, roll, and place in dish.
8. Cover enchiladas with salsa and sprinkle with leftover cheese.
9. Bake for 15-17 minutes.10. Mix yogurt, lime juice, cumin, pepper and garlic powder [and chopped tomatoes, radishes, extra cilantro, and/or extra jalapenos] in a small bowl. Sprinkle or spread over baked enchiladas and serve with extra cilantro leaves as garnish.

Notes:

*Good as a "new baby" gift - just prepare up through step 8 in disposable cooking tray and deliver immediately with garnish and yogurt sauce in separate container. And leave out the jalapenos for nursing mamas!
*Can easily add canned chicken or cooked small shrimp to veggie mixture.
*Makes an impressive dish but is really easy and quick!
*Freeze any leftover veggie/cheese mixture and thaw before proceeding with step 5.
*Kids can help by stirring the veggie mixture.

ZESTY SUMMER WRAPS

ZESTY SUMMER WRAPS

Ingredients:
(Makes 2 wraps)

½ cup dry quinoa
1 cup veggie or chicken broth (or water)
2 large, “burrito size” tortillas
Several tablespoons hummus (about ¾ small container from Trader Joe’s)
¼ red bell pepper, julienned
8 baby carrots, julienned
¼ red cabbage, chopped
Handful fresh spinach leaves
¼ red onion, julienned
Mango-mustard salad dressing (or other fruity, vinegar-based dressing) to taste
[Optional: ½ can cooked chicken]

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa according to package (generally 2-to-1 ratio broth/water to quinoa) and set aside.
2. Tear spinach leaves into a large bowl.
3. Add cabbage, onion, and carrots.
4. Drizzle dressing over mixture and stir well.
5. Stir in cooled quinoa and let mixture sit a while, preferably a half-hour or so. [Optional: add chicken]
6. Spread hummus over one side of each tortilla.
7. Put half of veggie mixture on one edge of tortilla, leaving either end empty (about an inch or two on each end).
8. Roll tortilla until mixture is wrapped, fold in each end and continue rolling.
9. Cut in half and serve with extra hummus and dressing for dipping.

Notes:

*Great for picnics.
*Cut in quarters or smaller for preschoolers, and serve lots of extra dip.
*Surprisingly filling, even without meat.
*Kids can help by stirring veggies with dressing or spreading hummus on tortillas.