Chopped Couscous Salad

Here's a relatively easy couscous salad to put together. Most of the prep is dicing things up. You can also easily modify this with what you have on hand. You could swap cannelloni beans with garbanzos, Israeli couscous for the traditional style or even orzo, and veggies can really be anything seasonal.

 My garden is still going (and yes, it's nearly December!) with cilantro, parsley and arugula so I grabbed a bit of each to chop up which adds a great herbal tone and contrast to the sharp vinaigrette dressing.

This is great on its own, over greens, or even with grilled chicken.

Chopped Couscous Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 8.8 oz bag or 1 cup couscous (I used the Israeli style as that's what I had on hand, but either will work), prepared following directions on box/bag/etc
• 1-2 garlic cloves, grated (I like to use a microplane)
• 1/2 to 1 whole shallot, minced (can swap with some red onion)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/8 cup cider vinegar (or swap with your favorite)
• 1 TBPS honey
• 1 TBSP pomegranate molasses (optional - can find it at Whole Foods near with the molasses/baking section)
• 1/4-1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, diced
• 1-2 handfuls of cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 5-6 radishes, sliced thin
• 1-2 avocados, diced
• 1 can cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 TBSP cumin
• handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• handful fresh parsley, chopped
• handful fresh arugula, chopped
• salt & pepper

METHOD:
1) Prepare couscous per package directions.
2) In a large bowl, prepare the dressing by mixing olive oil, vinegar, shallot, honey, pomegranate molasses (optional), and lemon juice together with a whisk. Add a couple pinches of salt and pepper to taste.
3) Add cucumber, tomatoes, radishes, avocados, beans, cumin, parsley, cilantro, and arugula. Stir to combine. 3) Stir in couscous and taste for seasoning. You might need to add more salt and pepper and lemon juice to your taste.
Makes 4-6 servings.

Avocado & Chickpea Salad

Last night we needed a side to go with our burgers. Hubs suggested guacamole, but that wasn't as helpful but it did spark an idea to use the perfectly ripe avocados for a salad. I used up some "end of the week" produce and made up a dressing that was a mix between middle eastern and latin in flavor.

The result was quite tasty and can be good on a bed of lettuce like arugula. You can also easily modify it; add some diced bell pepper if you have it, radish, fresh corn, etc. Or turn it into more of a meal by adding some grilled chicken or serve it in a wrap with falafel. If you do give it a try, let me know what you think.

Avocado & Chickpea Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 15.5oz (438g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (can do 2 cans if you like)
• 1-2 garlic cloves, grated (I like to use a microplane)
• 1 scallion, cut in half and diced (could also use about 1/4 cup of finely diced red onion)
• about a thumbnail size of jalapeno, finely diced (or more if you want more heat)
• 1 cucumber, cut in half and sliced (you want half moons)
• 1-2 handfuls cherry tomatoes (cut in half) or regular tomato, diced
• 2-4 TBSP oil, enough to coat
• 2 ripe avocados
• 2-3 TBSP pomegranate molasses (you can find this at Whole Foods in the syrup area)
• 2-3 tsp apple cider vinegar
• squeeze of lemon juice (1/4-1/2 lemon - squeezed for juice)
• 1 TBSP cumin
• salt & pepper
• 2 TBSP fresh cilantro, chopped (could substitute with parsley)

METHOD:
1) Combine everything in a bowl.
2) Stir gently to combine and make sure seasoning and dressing is evenly coating. Be careful to not mash the avocado up too much. But, it will break down a bit, which will add a creaminess to the dish.
Makes 4-6 servings.

Green Chicken Chili Ramen

The last couple of weeks I've been craving something gingery for dinner. And as last night was the first frost warning of the season, it seemed like a great night to try to put something together with the fresh noodles I had sitting in the fridge and the finger of ginger I had purchased earlier in the week. Something soupy and hearty, perfectly suited to warm up on a cold night.

I spent a few minutes trying to figure out what ingredients I wanted to combine and in what order. I loosely based this recipe off the Wagamama Chili Beef Raman recipe I found and made last year (which is also very delicious!).

We had some garlic (and I mean GARLIC) haricot verts left over from dinner earlier in the week which I thought I could use up along with a small head of Napa cabbage I had recently purchased. Fresh cilantro ties the flavors together perfectly. So hence the name of Green Chicken Chili Ramen.

In the ingredient list you'll see ginger and garlic twice. It's not an error; there is some garlic & ginger used for the marinade and then some used in the base of the broth. I suppose you could simplify it and only add it at one place but I think that you get some more complexity of flavor having it layered. That part is totally up to you.

And of course, you can play with veg and spiciness to your tastes as well. Give it a try.

Green Chicken Chili Ramen

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. chicken (I use breasts or tenders because I prefer white meat)
• 1-2 garlic cloves, grated
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 TBSP ginger, grated finely (I like to use a fine microplane)
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, minced
• 4 TBSP teriyaki sauce
• 2 TBSP oil
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 small head Napa cabbage, shredded
• 1 big handful haricot vert or green beans, diced or whole
• 32 oz chicken broth
• salt & pepper
• 18 oz fresh or dried asian Noodles (I used something called "Chinese noodles" that I found in the refrigerated section at my grocery store, but this is a good list of different asian noodles that could work
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1-2 tsp sriracha sauce
• 3-4 slices of jalapeno or other fresh chili
• 1/4-1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

METHOD:
1) Marinate chicken in 1-2 grated garlic cloves, 1 TBSP grated ginger, and 4 TBSP teriyaki sauce
2) Add 2 TBSP oil to a dutch oven/pan you'll use for making the soup. Once heated, add chicken and marinade. Once cooked, take out chicken (cover & set aside), leaving any garlic & ginger in pan.
3) Add butter, sliced shallot, 2 minced garlic cloves and minced ginger. Saute for 3-5 minutes.
4) Add 3/4-1 small head of Napa cabbage that has been shredded/sliced and good handful haricot verts or green beans and saute until cabbage is slightly softened.
5) Add chicken stock and then salt, pepper, red pepper flake, sriracha, and optional chili pepper slices to taste. Bring to a boil.
6) Meanwhile make noodles according to directions on package & set aside.
7) Dice chicken that had been set aside and add it and the cilantro to soup. Check seasonings and make any adjustments. Simmer for 10 minutes.
8) Place noodles in bowl for serving. Top with soup. Garnish with more cilantro & enjoy.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Pesto Chicken Orzo

I've been trying to bring my lunch to work and eat less frozen, packaged meals. Granted the ones I tend to eat are organic, GMO free, etc. But still. Cooking food gives me control of what I'm eating. Sunday as I was making my list for the grocery store this week, I tried to think about what would be good to bring. Pesto popped into my head, which it tends to do this time of year when the basil in the garden is abundant (I didn't make fresh pesto for this, instead I purchased some, but either works!)

I looked at Pinterest for some ideas and created my own dish that works hot or cold. Rather than cooking up chicken breasts, I "cheated" and grabbed one of the roast chickens from the store, which allowed me to simply pull off the white meat and not have to dirty another dish while cooking. Zucchini have looked good and are healthy and easy, so I picked up a few of those that were locally grown from the grocery store (mine have yet to produce more than flowers, so far). Mushrooms seemed like a nice pairing with the zucchini. And of course onion and garlic had to go in.

As I was cooking, I realized I had some shredded mozzarella and I added a handful of it which helped give the dish an almost risotto-like consistency. I kept the seasoning simple since pesto flavor was what I was after. I'll definitely even try this with rice as well. Because, pesto is good on EVERYTHING.

You can play with the veggies you include as well to suit your tastes or clean out your fridge.

Chicken Orzo Pesto

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cooked chicken, shredded or cut in bite size pieces (for this I got a oven-roasted one from the store to speed up time)
• 3-4 medium zucchini cut in bite-size rounds
• 1 package orzo
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1- 1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 2-4 garlic cloves, diced
• about 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded (optional)
• about 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
• 1 package (7oz) pesto (or make your own fresh)
• 2-3 TBSP olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

METHOD:
1) Cook orzo according to box instructions/al dente.
2) When done, reuse pot. Add olive oil, onion, garlic. Saute until onion starts to soften.
3) Add garlic, mushrooms. Cook down a little.
4) Add zucchini, salt & pepper to taste, and cook until veggies are tender, browned and water is evaporated.
5) Turn off heat. Taste for seasoning & adjust as needed.
6) Add cooked orzo.
7) Add cheese. Stir.
8) Enjoy.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Asparagus, Pea, and Cannelloni Bean Pasta

I love creamy pasta sauces, but they're not the healthiest. Plus, they can be very rich to boot.

After watching a few cooking shows recently that featured pureed beans, I was inspired to try using them to create a thick, rich, and creamy sauce to use on pasta.

Last night I decided to see if my idea would work out as I hoped. I debated between mashing the beans and whizzing them up in the food processor with the garlic and cheese. I ended up opting for mashing, but next time I might try whizzing, just to see what the difference will be.

The good news is that the result was amazingly delicious. And, it is a good source of protein and minerals. Bonus!

It's a quick, simple recipe to put together. It also can be enjoyed without the pasta. I was originally going to add chicken but our vegetarian cousin was visiting so it got left out. You definitely could add it in, but you certainly do not need it.

Asparagus, Pea, and Cannelloni Bean Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 oz. peas (fresh or frozen)
• 1 bunch asparagus, diced into bite sized pieces (close in size to peas)
• 1 onion, diced
• 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 15.5 oz. can of cannelloni/white beans, roughly mashed with fork
• 1 package spaghetti or linguine
• 1 cup reserved pasta water
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 4 TBSP butter (more or less)
• 1 TBSP dried oregano
• 1 TBSP fresh basil (can also use dried)
• pinch red pepper flakes
• salt & pepper to taste
• OPTIONAL: <a href="http://www.fullmeasureofhappiness.com/2011/10/12/oven-roasted-tomatoes/">oven-dried tomatoes</a>, diced to garnish

METHOD:
1) In saute pan, add 1 TBSP of butter and let it melt. Once melted and starting to foam, add diced onion and saute on medium or medium high heat until softened and starting to get some good brown color - about 10 minutes.
2) Heat water in pot for pasta and bring to boil. Once boiling, follow package instructions. Be sure to salt your water.
3) Add diced asparagus and peas. Stir well.
4) Add oregano, basil, pepper flakes.
5) Add mashed beans 3 TBSP of butter, stir, then add garlic.
6) Add mozzarella and Romano or Parmesan cheeses. Stir well until incorporated evenly.
7) Slowly add pasta water bit by bit to thin out bean/cheese mixture to a consistency that will coat pasta. You might not need all 1 cup of it. Do this to your preference. Just go slow. You can always add more water, but you can't take it away.
8) Add salt and pepper to taste.
9) Serve over cooked pasta or eat it by itself.

Sadly there's not plated photo for you to see because we were hungry and devoured it before I got the chance. Oops. Maybe next time I make it I'll try to remember to snap a pic.

Mother's Day Puffed Cauliflower Cheese

For Mother's Day I made Puffed Cauliflower Cheese to go along with some BBQ Chicken and grilled asparagus. I love cauliflower and feel it's underused. So I went looking for an interesting recipe to try. I was really tempted to try a souflee, but I got a bit chicken. I still haven't attempted one yet.

I made a few changes to the recipe. I sauted some onions and garlic in the butter. And when I steamed the cauliflower I threw in a smashed garlic clove. During the cheesy roux making process I threw in a few red pepper flakes. Everyone was happy with the result. I think this is a recipe I might play with a bit.

Give it a try.

Recipe: Middle Eastern Inspired Chickpea Salad

I love chickpeas. And I've been trying to think of ways to incorporate them more into my cooking. Last weekend I bought some supplies to make a chickpea salad, but didn't get around to actually making it. But today I did and I was pleasantly surprised at how it came out.

I kept it pretty simple, which is what I've learned to do when I'm first "creating" a recipe. In the past I got too creative and ended up with stuff that wasn't so tasty. But starting basic, with combinations you know are good together (like carrot and cumin), make for a good foundation to see how it works. Then, you can go crazy. ;) I think this would also be good with the addition of artichoke hearts, corn, and maybe even some marinated mushrooms.

Ingredients:
- 2 cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 red onion, diced or minced
- 2 cucumbers, seeded and diced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 1/2 red pepper, diced
- 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
- 1 TBSP apple cider vingar
- 1/4-1/3 cup olive oil (I didn't measure but it's around there...taste as you add)
- 1-1/2 TBPS Dijon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 TBSP cumin
- 2 TSP oregano
- 2 TSP onion powder
- 2 TSP garlic powder
- Salt & Pepper to taste (Wait to add salt until it's sit for a bit, because you don't want the salt to pull too much moisture out of the veg).

Directions:
In a bowl, mix your vinaigrette dressing by combining the vinegars with the olive oil and whisking together. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, onion and garlic powder. Whisk again to combine. Add in the onion, chickpeas, cucumber, carrot and red pepper. Stir to coat with dressing.

Then put it in the fridge to let all the flavors combine for at least an hour or two.

Then add in some fresh chopped parsley, and grape tomatoes if you desire. You could also add in some cilantro and feta.

Eat it as is, or serve in pita pocket with dollop of tahini or thick yogurt (like greek style).