Curried Red Rice

This Indian-inspired recipe is what I would consider a food-geek's pantry meal.  It consists almost entirely of things that I routinely stock in my kitchen, such as frozen peas, coconut milk, and red rice.  Bhutanese red rice is available at specialty markets and is definitely worth a try if you are feeling bored with your usual whole grains.  It is an heirloom rice grown in the Himalayas with a gorgeous rosy tint and a nutty flavor.  Another advantage to red rice is that it cooks much faster than brown because, let's face it, sometimes you just don't want to spend an hour on dinner! 

If you don't stock red rice in your pantry, any ol' rice will do (you might have to adjust the cooking time).  We turned this side-dish into a meal by toasting some home-made chickpea patties, chopping them into bite-sized pieces and mixing them in just before serving.  This rice will compliment just about any protein, so use what you have or just throw in a can of chickpeas!

Curried Red Rice
Serves 4

3/4 cup red rice
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
1 T curry powder (salt-free)
2 tsp salt
1 10-oz package frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup raisins
fresh cilantro leaves

In a medium saucepan, add rice, coconut milk and water and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add curry powder and salt and stir to combine.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice absorbs most of the liquid, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Some of the coconut milk solids will have risen to the top.

Stir mixture to incorporate milk solids.  Add peas and raisins, mix to combine, and cover pan again.  Heat mixture until raisins plump and peas are heated, about 10 more minutes.  Serve with plenty of fresh cilantro leaves on top.

Brand New Garden!

Today was the first day of the Boulder Farmer's Market!  The weather couldn't possibly have been better, there were lots of new stands to enjoy and best of all... seedlings!   

This is the year we are starting our very first organic container garden and, if you can't tell, I'm super excited about it!  So far, I've got some organic sage, mint, rosemary, and tarragon, and six different varieties of heirloom and organic tomatoes.  Over the next few weeks, I hope to add some more herbs including a variety of basil, cucumbers, and whatever else looks good. 

Banana-Almond Breakfast Barley

Barley for breakfast might seem like an odd concept for some, but whole grains make truly excellent morning fare.  They have lots of fiber and even some protein, two things a good breakfast should definitely contain.  They also end up being far less expensive than packaged cereal (though you always want to try and find whole grains in bulk, as packaged grains tend to be marked up significantly).   Make it ahead of time and you'll have a hot breakfast in less than two minutes the next morning and throughout the week! 

This recipe is also a really wonderful way to use overripe bananas.  How many of us have thrown out brown bananas because we knew we'd never get around to making banana bread?  Instead, remove the fruit from its peel, throw it in a container or plastic bag and freeze it.  Frozen bananas are great to have around if you like to make smoothies, or you can think of other creative ways to use them up!

Banana-Almond Breakfast Barley
makes 6 to 8 servings

2 T butter (or non-dairy substitute)
5 overripe bananas (about 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups pearled barley
3-4 cups milk (or substitute - almond or coconut milk work best)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp herbs de provence (optional)
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Add butter to a large saucepan and melt over medium-high heat.  Add bananas and allow to lightly caramelize in the butter for about 5 minutes.  Add barley and stir.  Reduce heat to medium and add 2 cups of milk, salt and herbs de provence.  Allow barley to simmer, uncovered, reducing heat to medium-low once liquid starts to bubble.  Stir frequently until barley has absorbed most of the liquid.  Add another cup of milk and repeat the cooking process.  Barley will take at least 30 minutes to cook.  It should be chewy but not at all chalky in the center (if after 3 cups it still doesn't taste done, add one more cup and repeat cooking process).  Once the barley is cooked, add sliced almonds.  Taste and adjust salt if necessary.  Mix well and serve.

Asian Cole Slaw with Ginger-Peanut Dressing

I'll just say it right now:  I love this recipe!  The dressing is super-flavorful, tangy, garlicky and rich tasting and the vegetables are fresh and crunchy.  It is the perfect balance of healthful, wholesome food with enough good fat to make you feel satisfied.  

Asian Cole Slaw with Ginger-Peanut Dressing
serves 4

1 lb firm tofu
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup peanut oil
6 cups shredded cabbage (mixture of green and red varieties)
2 carrots, shredded
1 yellow pepper, sliced very thin
1 red pepper, sliced very thin
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 bunch scallions, sliced thin

Dressing:
Juice of 2 limes (about 1/8 of a cup)
4 garlic cloves
2 T rice vinegar
3 T soy sauce
2 T fresh ginger, minced
1 T agave syrup (or honey)
1 T sriracha chili sauce
1 T toasted seasame oil
1/4 cup peanut butter

Slice tofu into four 1/2 inch thick rectangles and drain between two cutting boards lined with dish towels (or paper towels).  Allow tofu to press for at least 30 minutes for best results.

Meanwhile, make the dressing.  Add all the dressing ingredients in a small blender and puree until it reaches a creamy, thick consistency.  Thin with a little water, if desired.

Place the flour in a small plate and lightly dredge each piece of tofu.  In a large, flat-bottomed pan, heat peanut oil over medium-high and fry the tofu pieces until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes per side.  Remove tofu from oil and drain on a paper towel.  Season with just a little pinch of salt.

In a large bowl, combine vegetables and all but 1/8 cup of dressing (enough to spread over the tofu pieces) and toss well to combine.  Spread the remaining dressing over the tofu pieces and cut into triangles.  Serve cole slaw with tofu triangles arranged on top.

Vegetable Burritos

It seems to me that one of the most common misconceptions about healthy eating is that it costs more.  In my experience, this is not so!  In fact, when I was a perpetually broke college student a whole decade ago, I ate very well on a minuscule food budget.  Lots of beans and rice, lentils, yoghurt, applesauce and other simple, wholesome foods were the staples of my diet back then.   

This burrito recipe is a perfect example of how to eat well without spending a lot of money.  All the ingredients are widely available, beans are about the cheapest source of protein there is, and the veggies can be just about anything you have in the fridge.  You can make a huge diversity of variations depending on what you have, what's on sale, or what's in season, including zucchini, asparagus, leeks, eggplant, potatoes, and just about anything else you can think of!  Choose what you like and make the recipe in big batches, because these burritos are great for freezing. 

Vegetable Burritos
makes about 6 burritos

Beans:
1 pound dried pinto beans
3 T olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T ground cumin
1 tsp cayenne
salt and pepper to taste

Veggies:
1 T olive oil
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1/2 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
6 whole wheat tortillas

First, make the beans.  Pick through beans and remove any rocks.  In a pressure cooker, add dried beans and enough water to fill half the pot.  Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to de-pressurize at room temp.  When beans have cooled, slightly, remove from pressure cooker and strain in a colander.  Rinse well.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil.  Once hot, add onions and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another minute.  Add beans, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper and stir to combine.  Use a wooden spoon to mash the beans as you cook and stir them for about 10 minutes.  If you like a smoother consistency, add about 1/2 cup vegetable stock and puree with a hand blender.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large flat-bottomed pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil.  Add peppers and onion and fry until onions darken and peppers are soft.  Add kale and season with salt.  Remove from heat and stir frequently until kale is softened by the heat of the other vegetables.

Add a large spoonful (about 2/3 a cup) of beans to each tortilla and spread around, leaving about 1 inch of room around the edge.  Top with a large spoonful of veggies and roll into a burrito.  Serve with salsa, hot sauce, fresh cilantro, avocado slices, or guacamole, if desired.