grains – Page 2 – Gastography

Spring Pea and Asparagus Quinoa with Mushrooms and Leeks

April 20, 2013October 18, 2013Life, Recipes2 Comments

This dish might look like it takes a lot of pans and bother to make, but things can be simplified by cooking the mushrooms with the leeks. I left separate because I am the only mushroom-eater in the house and had a craving.

I also had leftovers for lunch the next day topped with 2 fried eggs – fabulous. The kind of fabulous that made me sad I didn’t have a larger bowl.

Spring Pea and Asparagus Quinoa with Mushrooms and Leeks

2 c. vegetable stock
1 c. quinoa
2 leeks, white and light green parts only
2 cloves garlic
1 lb. crimini mushrooms, sliced
10 oz. fresh English peas
1 shallot
1 bunch asparagus
2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. butter
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 Tbsp. chopped mint
Salt & pepper to taste

Add the quinoa and stock to a medium pan over high heat. Bring to a boil, cover, knock the heat back to a simmer and let cook 15 minutes or until curlicues open.

Slice the leeks into thin rounds and chop the garlic.

Add to a large pan with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbsp. butter. Sautee over medium 10 minutes or until browned. Season with salt and pepper. When the leeks are done, add to a medium bowl.

Add the mushrooms, 2 tsp. olive oil and 2 tsp. butter to a medium pan over medium heat. Sautee 15 minutes or until softened and browned. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice the shallot into thin rings and chop the asparagus into bite-sized pieces. Add to the vacant leek pan with the peas and 1 Tbsp. olive oil. sautee over medium-high until browned. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the shallot/pea/asparagus mixture to the leek bowl and toss to combine. Hit with the lemon juice and taste for seasoning. Add the mint and toss. Serve over the quinoa, topped with mushrooms.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.

Spring Asparagus and Broccolini Farro & Kale Pesto

March 30, 2013October 16, 2013Life, Recipes1 Comment

Farro is one of those whole grains that speaks volumes about comfort to me. It’s nutty and toothsome and just the thing to serve as a great base for any season’s fresh veggies. This dish takes all the best spring has to offer and ties it into perineal favorites like broccolini and lemon.

The picture is wonky but the dish is good. Promise :) — The picture is wonky but the dish is good. Promise 🙂

Spring Asparagus and Broccolini Farro with Kale Pesto

1/2 c. farro
1 c. vegetable broth
1 bunch broccolini
1 bunch asparagus
3/4 bulb fennel
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c. water
1 Tbsp. garlic infused olive oil
1/2 c. kale pesto
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Big pinch red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper to taste

Bring the farro and stock up to a boil in a medium pot. Cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and let sit with the lid on an additional 5 minutes.

On to the veg. Chop the broccolini and asparagus into bite-sized pieces. Slice the fennel thinly. Chop the garlic. Add all to a large pan with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and sautee 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. Add the 1/2 c. water and continue sauteeing until water cooks out and everything gets nicely browned.

Tip the veggies out into a large bowl. Add the farro, garlic-infused olive oil, kale pesto, lemon juice and red pepper flakes. Taste for seasoning. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.

Quinoa with Southern Greens, Eggs, and Carrot-Corriander Vinaigrette

March 16, 2013October 16, 2013Life, Recipes1 Comment

This is one of those recipes that started with an idea and snowballed from there. I was reading Shauna Ahern’s post on Gluten Free Girl and the Chef about what salad meant during her childhood vs. what it means now, and was struck with the regional and generational similarities between her childhood idea of salad and mine. For her in California in the 70s, salad meant iceburg lettuce, tomatoes, croutons and Ranch dressing. For me in Ohio in the 80s, salad meant much the same – iceburg, crappy tomatoes, maybe some cucumber if you’re lucky, definitely some cheese, probably bacon bits, always croutons, and a big heaping helping of French or Catalina dressing.

Now, for the both of us (and it seems the nation as a whole, by and large), salad means much, much more. I eat some variation on a salad at least once a week for dinner and usually twice or more for lunch, and not even generally a lettuce-based variety.

I was also looking for a great quinoa main for the week and the vinaigrette sounded like an interesting new take on familiar ingredients. I stuck mainly to her ingredient suggestions for the ‘salad’ itself, subbing and adding as my pantry allowed. The vinaigrette I didn’t monkey with – over the years I have come to trust her vision regarding taste building (especially with sauces). I’m thinking about possible additions, but nothing is really resonating – I might add some smoke next time through cumin or chili powder because I’m on a smoke kick; but the vinaigrette is great without that note.

Quinoa with Southern Greens & Eggs

1 c. quinoa
2 c. chicken, turkey or vegetable broth
3 c. mixed Southern greens (collards, turnip greens, mustard greens)
1/4 c. pine nuts
4 eggs
1/2 avocado
1/4 c. or so Carrot-Coriander Vinaigrette (see below)
Salt & pepper to taste

Rinse the quinoa and add to a medium pot with the stock. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and curlicues open up.

Add your eggs to a small to medium pot and cover with water (cover + 1 inch). Put over high heat and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute, cover, and turn off the heat. Let sit 8 minutes. When the eggs are cool enough to deal with, peel and cut into quarters.

Wash, de-stem and chop your greens roughly. Bring a large pot of water about half full up to a boil. Add a palm of salt and the greens. Boil 5 minutes and drain.

In a small dry pan, toast the pine nuts until browned.

As your ingredients are ready (minus the eggs), add to a large bowl. When everything is there (minus the eggs and avocado), toss to combine. Chop the avocado and add to the bowl, along with the vinaigrette. Toss and taste for seasoning. Add more salt or dressing as needed. Spoon into a bowl and top with egg quarters.

Carrot-Coriander Vinaigrette

2 tsp. coriander seeds
2 c. carrot juice
1 medium shallot
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
3/4 c. olive oil
2 Tbsp. cilantro
Salt & pepper to taste

For instructions, see the original post from Gluten Free Girl and the Chef

Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette, Shaved Fennel & Mache

March 9, 2013October 16, 2013Life, Recipes1 Comment

I missed quinoa during my paleo excursion. I missed whole grains in general, to tell the truth. But, I feel like I learned another tool for my eating healthy and right arsenal – one that will help keep me mindful about not eating starch for starch’s sake and about nutrient quality/quantity in my dishes.

I first served this dish with the seared scallops called for in the original recipe, and man were they good. Then I ate the leftovers as-is with a bit more fennel for bulk, and that was great too. This dish is a winner all around.

Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette, Shaved Fennel & Mache

Adapted from Seared Scallops on Black Quinoa with Pomegranate Gastrique by Sprouted Kitchen

1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 c. vegetable broth
1 bulb fennel
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. chives
1 c. pomegranate arils
4 oz. mache
2 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses
3/4 c. vegetable broth

Rinse your quinoa and put into a medium saucepan with the 1 1/2 c. vegetable broth. Bring up to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and let simmer 18 minutes or until the broth has absorbed and each little grain has opened to a curlicue.

While the quinoa is working, tackle your vinaigrette and the rest of the salad. In a small saucepan, bring the pomegranate molasses and remaining vegetable broth to a boil. Let go until reduced by half or so, about 6-8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Slice your fennel paper thin (I used a mandoline). Add to a large bowl with the mache, olive oil, pomegranate arils, and chives (which you have chopped or thinly sliced). Hit with salt and pepper.

When the quinoa is done, add to the bowl. Toss to combine and dress with the vinaigrette.

Serves 2 for dinner + 2 for lunch.

Pea and Pepper Quinoa with Lemon and Miso

June 23, 2012October 11, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

This quick weeknight meal comes together in a flash. You get a great depth of flavor from the hit of miso and preserved lemon and a light, perfect-for-spring healthy meal.

Pea and Pepper Quinoa with Lemon and Miso

1 cup quinoa
2 c. vegetable stock
1 tsp. preserved lemon, diced
2 c. snap peas, tipped and chopped
1 tsp. white miso
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
S+P to taste

In a medium pot over high heat, bring the quinoa and stock up to a boil. Knock the heat back to a simmer, cover, and cook 20-25 minutes or until the quinoa curlicues open and the grain softens.

Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat in a large-ish pan. Add the pepper and sautee, stirring frequently, until the edges start to brown.

Add the peas and continue cooking until they are crisp-tender.

Add the miso and stir until combined.

Add the cooked quinoa and preserved lemons. Toss. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.

Spring Pea Risotto

May 24, 2012October 11, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

This dinner comes together in about half an hour – perfect for a fulfilling and rather healthy weekday comfort food dish. I served this risotto with meatballs made from leftover chicken dumpling filling.

Spring Pea Risotto

1 cup arborio rice
1 cup leftover pea dumpling filling
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 bulb fennel, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 tsp. lemon thyme, chopped

Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the fennel and cook until starting to brown around the edges.

Add the rice, stir well and cook 2-3 minutes.

Add the wine and cook until mostly absorbed.

Add the stock, half a cup at a time, until the rice stops absorbing liquid. Stir frequently. This should take 20-25 minutes.

When the rice is finished, stir in the pea purée and thyme.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.

The ‘I Need Healthy In My Life’ Grain Salad

October 29, 2011October 10, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

Radish&PecanSaladw — This light & cleansing dish will set you back on track

The ‘I Need Healthy In My Life’ Grain Salad

This is a great good-for-what-ails-you one bowl dinner, perfect to get yourself back on track after a weekend of decadence.

Adapted from Radish and Pecan Grain Salad from Food 52

2c. mixed cooked farro, pearl barley and brown rice
1c. arugula
1c. parsley
1/2 c. fresh tarragon
1/2 lb. pecans, toasted and chopped
1/4 c. walnut oil
1/4 c. tarragon vinegar
1 c. radishes, sliced wafer thin
1/4 c. shallot, minced
1/4 c. olive oil

Set a large pot of salted water on to boil while you prepare the salad.

While the water is coming up to a boil or while the grains are cooking, mince the parsley, tarragon and shallot. Slice your radishes wafer thin.

When the water has come up to a boil, add the farro, pearl barley and brown rice. Cook until tender, 30 – 45 mins. If you’re worried about everything not cooking at the same time, cook big batches of each separately and freeze the leftovers in zipper bags for a quick weeknight meal base.

When the grains are done to your liking, drain into a colander and set aside to cool.

While the grains are cooling a bit, place your pecans into a dry pan over medium-high heat. Toast until fragrant and beginning to color. Remove from the heat and chop.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl of grains, toss, season to taste with salt & pepper and serve.

Serves 2 for dinner with enough leftover for lunch.

Fiesta Quinoa

October 10, 2011October 10, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

_DS37194w — Informed by a vague Mexican vibe, this lively (and healthy!) salad packs a nice kick

I didn’t tinker much with this recipe. The fresh healthy combo of Mexican-ish ingredients looked intriguing and I thought this dish would be just the thing to cure our recent string of ‘no taste dinners’ (at least so says my DH. I’ve been tinkering on my own for awhile and have been kind of stuck in an olive oil/garlic/parsley/Parmesan rut).

I did however, significantly up the spice quotient in my version of the recipe. The original called for timid half teaspoons; as we all know, I just can’t live with half a teaspoon. I estimate I actually used a little over a teaspoon of each spice in my final version. I went with the more reasonable doubling of the original spice for clarity purposes here.

A note on chipotle powder: Don’t be scared. This isn’t cayenne. Chipotle powder is mildly spicy and has a nice deep smokiness that works really well here. Sure you’re getting smokiness from the cumin, but the smokiness you get from chipotle powder is a little different and totally worth checking out if you have not already.

Fiesta Quinoa
Adapted from Spicy Black Bean and Quinoa Salad by lastnightsdinner on Food 52

1/2 c. quinoa
1 c. water
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. chipotle powder
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 scallions, sliced thin
2 roasted red peppers, chopped
1 15oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
Kosher salt

In a small pot, bring the quinoa and water to a boil. Cover and drop the heat to simmer. Simmer about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa coils release and the water has been absorbed.

While the quinoa is working, make the dressing. Whisk the lime juice, lime zest, big pinch salt, chili powder, chipotle powder and cumin. Stream in the olive oil and beat until a nice dressing forms.

Combine the cooked quinoa, beans, red peppers, scallions and cilantro in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss well to incorporate.

Serves 2 for dinner with enough left over for lunch.

Israeli Lentil, Leek and Onion Salad with Spice Spiked Yogurt

September 25, 2011October 10, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

_DS37243w — There’s something magical about the combination of lentils, leeks, butter and sweet nutty maillard that’s intoxicating in this dish

This dish makes a wholly satisfying weeknight meal with tons of flavor and texture. Don’t skimp on the yogurt sauce when making this meal. The buttery, nutty lentil salad is intoxicating on its own, but the yogurt adds a nice little spicy counterpoint to the rich butteryness and should not be missed.

Israeli Lentil, Leek and Onion Salad with Spice Spiked Yogurt
Adapted from Mujaddara with Spiced Yogurt from Food 52

Salad

3/4 c. green lentils
Salt
1 c. long grain white rice
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 leek, washed, halved and thinly sliced

Yogurt Sauce

1/2 c. plain fat free Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. spicy Hungarian paprika
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
Juice and zest of half a lemon
Salt

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

While the oven is going, start your lentils. Combine lentils, big pinch salt and 4 cups water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil. Once your pot is up to the boil, kick the heat back and simmer the lentils until they are cooked but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain and add to a large bowl.

While your lentils are going, combine the rice, another big pinch of salt and 1 1/2 cups water in an oven-safe pot on medium heat. Bring up to a boil. Once the water reaches a boil, cover and transfer the whole pot to the oven. Cook for 17 minutes until the rice is cooked. Remove from the oven, uncover and fluff with a fork. I didn’t think this cooking method would work either, but the geniuses at Food 52 were right and it went off without a hitch. Add the rice to the lentil bowl.

While all this is cooking, set your largest sautee pan over medium low heat. Add the butter and 2 Tbsp. olive oil. When that has melted down, add the leeks and onions and toss to coat. Cook gently for 5 minutes or until the mixture has softened slightly and begun to release its liquid. Kick the heat up to medium and cook, stirring occasionally and adding dashes of water if things start to stick, until the onions and leeks are well browned. This will take you 12-20 minutes, depending upon your pan and the day. You’re not looking for burnt here, just a nice deep brown nuttiness. Once the mixture is looking good, add the last Tbsp. olive oil and crank the heat to high. Cook 3-4 minutes until the bottom layer gets a little char. Still not burnt, but crispy.

Add to the lentil & rice bowl and let sit 15 minutes to allow the flavors a chance to get to know each other.

While the ingredients are mingling, combine all yogurt ingredients together and stir.

To serve, scoop servings of lentils into a bowl and top with a dollop of yogurt.

This recipe makes enough for 2 for dinner and lunch the next day (and its perhaps even better the next day, too).

Great Grains: Red Rice

July 4, 2011October 10, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

Red rice, aka Himalayan Red Rice, is a short-grain rice native to South Central Asia, but is also grown in parts of France. Similar in shape to brown rice, red rice has all the nuttiness of it’s dun-colored brethren with a pleasing deep rose hue.

Red rice contains a higher fiber content than white rice and more flavor than either brown or red rices. Nutty, earthy and very aromatic, use this as a departure from the same-old same-old.

Since red rice is dark colored and contains more natural bran than white rice–it has a longer cooking time–on par with brown rice.

Simple Savory Red Rice with Fried Artichoke and Wilted Escarole

This recipe makes a hearty but light, satisfying meal. If you don’t happen to have escarole on hand, substitute any green you are trying to unload. Even broccoli would be great. Same goes with the artichoke. I like its golden brown & delicious taste in this recipe, but you can certainly do without. Roasted broccoli or cauliflower would do nicely.

1 c. red rice
2 c. water
pinch salt
1/2 onion, chopped
2 artichokes, chopped and cleaned
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 head escarole, chopped and cleaned
Hot chili oil
hot paprika
Salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Combine water, salt and rice in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook approximately 45 minutes or until the rice is done and the water is absorbed.

While your rice is cooking…

Saute onion and artichokes in olive oil on medium heat until browned.

Add escarole. Saute until wilted. Toss with the rice, hot chili oil, hot paprika and salt & pepper to taste. Sprinkle with good-quality Parmesan and serve.

Serves 3

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