FARRO FANDANGO

FARRO FANDANGO

*A heartier, vegetarian version of a Trader Joe's recipe

Ingredients:

3/4 bag Trader Joe's 10 minute farro (cooked according to package)
2 handfuls kale, chopped
3 Trader Joe's (or other) meatless Italian sausages
3 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
1 cup (2/3 large) onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
6 mushrooms, crumbled

Directions:

1.  Cook farro according to package, adding kale to the pot 4 minutes before end of cooking.  Drain and set aside.

2.  Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil or butter over medium-high heat in a saute pan.  Break up the sausages and cook until browned, adding an extra tablespoon oil or butter during cooking, stirring frequently.

3.  Remove sausage and set aside.  Heat last tablespoon oil or butter over medium heat.  Add garlic, onion, mushrooms and apple to the pan, cooking and stirring until just starting to brown.  Add sausage, farro/kale, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir and cook over low heat a few additional minutes.

Notes:

*For some reason, my kids actually ate this, kale and all.

*The hubby devoured it.

*It's even better the next day.

*If you insist, you could make this with regular chicken sausage...I'm sure it would be delicious, but it truly doesn't lose anything with the veggie sausage, so why not go veggie?  :)

*In case you're not familiar with farro, it's a slightly chewier, nuttier, more interesting version of rice.

*Ready in 15 minutes!

SWEET POTATO-AVOCADO POCKETS

Inspired by Costco's chicken and carne asada bakes.  Great for kids, picnics, potlucks & sharing!

Ingredients:

4-6 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. + 1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed according to package
1/2 avocado, diced
5-6 small tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese or mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup cooked black beans
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp. coriander powder
2 handfuls spinach leaves, finely chopped or torn
1/4 cilantro leaves, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 Tbsp. water

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375°.  In a gallon size zipper top plastic bag, thoroughly mix sweet potatoes, olive oil, 1 tsp. garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, and salt.

2.  Bake sweet potatoes on a sheet of aluminum foil on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes.  Stir around sweet potatoes with tongs and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and soft.  Set cooked sweet potatoes aside to cool.

3.  In a large bowl, mix tomatoes, 1 tsp. garlic powder, avocado, cheese, lime juice, coriander, black beans, spinach, cilantro, cooled sweet potatoes, and salt and pepper to taste.

4.  Turn oven up to 400°.  Unfold puff pastry on lightly floured flat surface.  Slice lengthwise along score marks (into thirds).  Towards one end of each piece of puff pastry (leaving approximately 1/2" of space empty at the end and 1/4" on each side), scoop in a handful of the sweet potato mix.  Fold the puff pastry over and squish together the sides, gently folding them up a bit, and roll over the ends.

5.  Brush each pocket with egg mixture and place onto a lightly oiled piece of aluminum foil on a cookie sheet.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until browned.

6.  Douse liberally with Cholula and enjoy!

Notes:

*Kids can help by squishing the sweet potatoes in the bag, mixing the veggies, filling the pockets, or applying the egg mixture.

LIFE'S A BEACH PASTA SALAD

Perfect for an impromptu beach trip or summer potluck!

Ingredients:
(Makes 4 side dish portions or 2 entree portions)

1/2 package orzo pasta
4 carrots, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 green onion, sliced
1 can artichoke hearts, drained & excess liquid squeezed out, chopped
1/2 can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Olive oil
Dried dill, 2 shakes
Dried oregano, 1 shake
Dried thyme, 1 shake, rubbed between fingers to release flavor
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Cook orzo according to package.

2.  While orzo is cooking, nuke carrots and zucchini in a bowl covered with microwave-safe plastic wrap with a bit of water, stirring once during cooking, until tender but not overly soft (approximately 3 minutes total).  Drain and thoroughly rinse cooked veggies with cold water.

3.  When orzo is done, immediately drain and thoroughly rinse with cold water to stop cooking.  Place in large mixing bowl and stir in a bit of olive oil.  Add veggie mixture and green onion to mixing bowl and stir gently.

4.  Add all remaining ingredients to bowl, mixing gently but thoroughly.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

5.  Serve with crusty French bread.

Notes:

*Try to make a couple of hours ahead and chill in fridge - flavors blend marvelously!

*To pack for the beach, make far enough ahead that toasted bread and pasta salad have a chance to thoroughly cool down before putting in cooler.

*Would be good with small, previously-cooked/thawed shrimp added and/or a shake of red pepper flakes.

*Add whatever your child's favorite veggie is to increase likelihood of consumption!  Also, using bread as a "spoon" makes eating it more fun!

*Kids can help by stirring all ingredients.

TEXMEX-ISH CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
(Makes 2 casseroles/4 servings each)

1 head cauliflower, florets only, diced
6 tomatoes, diced
1/2 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
1 can corn, drained
1 can artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
6-8 small potatoes
[Optional:  1 can red kidney beans, drained and/or 1 can cooked chicken, drained]
1/4 red onion, finely diced
2/3 bag Trader Joe's brown rice fusilli pasta
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1 cup + 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Vegetable oil
[Optional:  1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves only, chopped]

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400°.  


2.  Pierce potatoes with a knife.  Nuke on a plate for 2-3 minutes (until semi-soft), turning over once.  Set aside to cool.

3.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water with salt and oil to a boil.  When boiling, add pasta, cauliflower, bell pepper, and onion.  Cook until pasta is tender, approximately 8 minutes.  Drain and spray with cold water.

4.  Chop potatoes into chunks.

5.  In a large glass bowl, mix pasta combo, corn, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, potatoes, [beans/chicken], [cilantro], lemon juice, and all spices.  Mix well, adding 1 cup of cheese.

6.  Grease two square casserole dishes and spoon in the pasta mixture.  Bake for 15 minutes.

7.  Top each casserole with 1/4 cup cheese and bake 15 minutes more.

Notes:

*Gluten-free!

*Could also make with brown rice instead of pasta, but if your kids are anything like mine, they won't eat rice unless it's disguised as pasta.

*I made mine with the artichoke hearts sprinkled on top instead of mixed-in (to entice my artichoke-loving daughter to try it), which makes for a nice presentation.  If you do it that way, be careful that the artichokes don't burn during baking.

*Excellent served with avocado slices and spicy salsa on top.

*Kids can help by stirring all the ingredients and scooping it into the dishes.

FUEGO VERDE SALSA

When I make salsa, I try to make only as much as we can eat in a day or two, so I almost always make it in the small food processor attachment that came with my hand blender.  So if you want more than a small batch (enough for two people to dip chips in or pour on tacos for a day or two), then just multiply all the ingredients in proportion to one another and make it in a larger food processor or blender.

Ingredients:
(Makes small batch, about 3/4 cup)

3 jalapenos (less for the tender-tongued)
2 green onions, torn in half
6 or so stalks of cilantro, leaves only
Juice of 1/4 lime
1 tomatillo, cut in half
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 tsp. - 1 Tbsp. Trader Joe's Green Plant Juice (if you're not familiar, it looks like ground up beetles and is made with kale and broccoli but tastes like mango and bananas)

Directions:

1.  Blend all ingredients in a hand blender food processor attachment until well-blended, approximately 1 minute.  Add more Green Plant juice to taste.

ZESTY TOFU SALAD

Ingredients:
(Makes 2 entree portions)

Several leaves green lettuce, chopped
Handful shredded/chopped green cabbage
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 carrot, diced
3 shitake mushrooms, diced
1/2 brick firm tofu, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. + 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. + 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. crushed ginger
3 Tbsp. orange juice
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
Black pepper, to taste
Lemon juice, just a squeeze

Directions:

1.  Heat canola oil in wok over high flame.  Add tofu and mushrooms, stirring gently.

2.  Continue cooking tofu, allowing it to just start to brown on one side before stirring and turning, unsticking as you go.

3.  Add 1 Tbsp. sesame oil, 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp. garlic, and 1 Tbsp. ginger to the wok, stirring to coat tofu thoroughly.

4.  Continue cooking tofu until browned on all sides.

5.  Combine all remaining veggies in medium bowl.  Lay cooled tofu over the top.

6.  Mix orange juice, soy sauce, black pepper, lemon juice, and remaining garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.  Pour over salad and serve.

Notes:

*Great to take with you to work or school for lunch.  Just separate the tofu from the veggies and keep dressing in a small container.

*To make kid-friendly, cook veggies (minus lettuce and cabbage) with tofu and add spinach leaves.

HEALTHY NO-COOK DINNER

Well, OK, it IS cooked, but the microwave doesn't really count, right?  The main point is that there are no pots and pans to scrub, or stove to wipe down!  :)

Ingredients:
(Makes 2 servings)

1 package Trader Joe's frozen organic brown rice
1/2 package Trader Joe's pre-cooked lentils
Handful organic spinach leaves
2 green onions
Sprinkling of Trader Joe's lite Mexican shredded cheese
1/2 lime
1/4 jalapeno, diced
4 Tbsp. Trader Joe's Chipotle Sauce (or equal parts ketchup + Worcestershire sauce + Tabasco Chipotle Sauce + mayonnaise)
1/2 avocado, sliced
Few sprigs of cilantro

Directions:

1.  Snip corner of rice bag and nuke for 3 minutes.

2.  Divide rice between two bowls.

3.  Top each bowl of rice with half of lentils and half of spinach.  Cut one green onion over each bowl with scissors.  Sprinkle each with cheese and jalapeno.  Squeeze lime juice over each.  Drizzle half of chipotle sauce over each.

4.  Nuke each bowl for approximately 1 minute.  Top each with avocado slices and cilantro.

Notes:

*Find the lentils on the vegetable wall at TJ's.

*Note that if you use Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, it contains anchovies and therefore is not vegetarian, but other brands are swimmer-free.

*If you prepare this all the way to the last step but don't cook, you can easily take it with you to work or school and nuke in the kitchen there...easy, fast, cheap, delicious & healthy!

*I use scissors to cut the jalapeno, too, and I slice the avocado in its skin in my hand with a dull-ish knife, so there is literally nothing to clean after cooking this except the scissors, the knife, and the bowls and forks.  Heaven!

*Leave out jalapeno and use sweet barbecue sauce for kiddos.