Vegan vegetable "lasagna"

Gals - below is the recipe of the veggie stack I brought to Christmas Eve last night. It's super easy - you just need patience for all of the washing and slicing :)

Ingredients
3 green zucchini, very thinly sliced
3 yellow squash, very thinly sliced
1 large white onions, very thinly sliced
2 sweet potatoes, peeledes, very thinly sliced
5 Roma tomatoes, very thinly sliced
8 asparagus spears, cut into 1/2" pieces
4-5 garlic cloves, thoroughly smashed
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat large baking dish with olive oil. Layer each vegetable, except the asparagus, in the order listed above. Once you've added one later of each, place the smashed garlic across everything - don't be shy about it. Use more than 4-5 cloves if needed. Then repeat with another layer of veggies. Top with asparagus.

Whisk together a dressing with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour a healthy amount on the stack. Let it sit for 5 mins to soak in.

Bake, covered, for 25 mins. Remove cover and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Tomatoes should be wrinkled and the whole thing should be smooth and easy to cut.

I imagine a dusting of Parmesan would be amazing on this.

Serving suggestions: roasted chicken (tofu or fake chicken), couscous, quinoa, lemon/dull orzo

Whole Foods Salads

We went to Whole Foods for dinner tonight.  It is one of our favorite places for several reasons:
1. We all get to pick exactly what we want.
2. The food is good.
3. It is already noisy in there, so no one seems to notice our noisy kids.

For my dinner tonight, I chose a bunch of different salads.  They were all so good and seemed pretty simple.  I snapped a few pictures of the ingredients as a reminder - I'm always looking for good simple salad recipes, and these seem easy enough.  Thought I would post them here so we can all refer back to them when the mood strikes!

Steamed Mussels With Celery Leaves

Chris and I went to Publican for a quick dinner on Saturday night (thanks to Wes and Lexi for babysitting!).  We ordered one of our favorite dishes, the mussels, and while we were eating them a fellow diner let us know the recipe was recently posted in the Wall Street Journal.  A quick Google search and here it is!

The broth is so good - I might make it as a soup someday!

Steamed Mussels With Celery Leaves

4 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon sliced celery

1 tablespoon sliced garlic

1 tablespoon sliced shallot

1 fresh bay leaf

2 sprigs thyme

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

2 pounds mussels

4 ounces Gueuze (available at most large wine and beer outlets) or 1/2 cup white wine

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped celery leaf, taken from celery bunch's center

What To Do

1. Melt half the butter in a wide pot set over high heat. Add celery, garlic, shallot, bay leaf, thyme and chili flakes. Sweat until sizzling and richly perfumed, 1-2 minutes.

2. Stir in mussels, coating in butter. Add beer, cover pot and wait until mussels open, 3-5 minutes. Once open, keep the pot covered for 30-45 seconds longer so the mussels' flesh sets. Remove pot from heat.

3. Stir in remaining butter until melted. Season with salt and lemon juice. Stir in celery leaves and serve immediately.

Lentil Stew w/smoked turkey and sweet potatoes

Another great recipe from Williams-Sonoma Fast + Fresh! This one was delicious the night I made it, and even more flavorful for lunch the next day.

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 3 tsp. minced fresh thyme
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used veggie)
• 1 lb. smoked turkey leg, deboned, skinned and diced (about 2 cups meat) I used 2 hot Italian sausages as that's what I had on-hand...I'm sure the smoked meat would create a different flavor
• 1 1/2 cups brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 1 1/4 lb. orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 bunch kale or chard, stems removed and leaves chopped
• Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Optional: I added some diced tomatoes to this because I love tomatoes and put them in everything :)

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and celery and sauté until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tsp. of the thyme and cook, stirring, until the onion is brown, about 4 minutes. Add the broth, turkey and lentils. Cover, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes to the pan and simmer until almost tender, about 12 minutes. Add the kale and simmer until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season the stew with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining 1 tsp. thyme. Ladle the stew into warmed bowls and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Sausage and Pepper Ragout w/Polenta

I've gotten into a bit of a dinner rut. I have some great go-to meals that I can make with my eyes closed, but I've decided to make more of an effort to try new recipes at least one night per week. Good thing I have stacks of great cookbooks that have helped me spice things up in the kitchen :) 

This one comes from the Williams-Sonoma Weeknight Fast + Fresh. As with all new recipes, it took me a bit longer to prepare than it probably should have, but now that I'm familiar with the steps, the next time I make this it will be "Fast"

Olive oil, 2 Tbs

Hot or sweet Italian turkey or pork sausages (veggie sausage if you like it), 1 lb

Large red onion, 1, sliced

Large red bell peppers, 2, thinly sliced

Large poblano chile, 1, seeded and thinly sliced

Red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp

Italian tomatoes, 1 can (28 oz)

Dry white wine, 1 C (I used a sauvignon blanc...I enjoyed a glass while I cooked)

Small white onion, 1/2, chopped

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Polenta, 1 C (the recipe calls for uncooked, but I used instant polenta...just follow the instructions below, but add only about 1 C water or broth; it will need to cook just until it's to your desired warmth)

Romano cheese, 3/4 C, coarsely grated

Fresh marjoram, 4 Tbs, chopped (Whole Foods didn't have this, so I subbed with oregano)

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbs of the oil. Pierce the sausages several times with a small knife, and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer the sausages to a plate. Pour off all but 2 Tbs fat from the pan. Add the red onion, bell peppers, chile and pepper flakes, and saute until they begin to brown, stirring up the browned bits, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices and the wine. Simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Return the sausages to the pan, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, turning occasionally, until the sausages are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, warm the remaining 1 Tbs oil. Add the chopped onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add 4 C water, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and simmer slowly, stirring frequently, until the polenta is thick, about 18 minutes. Mix in the cheese and 1 Tbs of the marjoram/oregano. 

Bring the sausage mixture to a boil. Mix in the remaining 3 Tbs marjoram/oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the polenta onto 4 warmed plates. Spoon the sausage* mixture on top of the polenta, dividing it among the plates, and serve right away.

*Cut the sausages at an angle into bite-sized pieces prior to serving

Pizza in a Cast Iron Skillet

My friend JJ recently posted his recipe for what he calls the "best" pizza.  The dough rises in the same cast iron skillet the pizza is eventually cooked in.  I can't wait to try it!

Here is exactly what he shared:

Here’s how I did it. Start with the dough. Store bought is fine, but making your own is so easy and much tastier. We use Pioneer Woman’s simple recipe, available here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/.../2010/02/my-favorite-pizza/
 
Once you’ve got the dough, grab a 12 inch cast iron skillet (smaller would work but then you’d probably want less dough). Drop some olive oil in the skillet, roll the dough around in the oil, cover with plastic wrap and let that sucker rise for about an hour.
 
In the meantime, make your sauce. Put a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan, get it hot over medium heat but don’t burn it! Drop in 1-2 cloves of minced garlic for like 15-20 seconds. Add a can of diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Cook that up for about 10 minutes, then add herbs of your choice. I went with straight basil but oregano would be a good choice as well. The tomatoes will cook down and you can mash them up, but I opted for an immersion blender to get it really smooth. Cook it until it reduces a bit and you look at it and say, “now that looks like pizza sauce.” Bam.
 
At some point, preheat the oven to 500.
 
When it’s time to start the fun, punch the dough down and arrange it in the pan so it covers the bottom and up the sides to your desired crust level. Put the sauce on there and whatever other goodness you crave (last night was ham, fresh mozzarella, and minced garlic). Fire up your stove-top burner at medium high and put the skillet on that for 4 minutes. This gives the crust a head start. Then, throw it in the bottom rack of the oven for ten minutes. After ten minutes, drop the temp to 400 and cook for another 5-15 minutes until done. Slide it onto a cutting board, resist the urge to attack it zealously, and let it rest for like 5 minutes.

Indian-Spiced Chicken with Chickpeas and Spinach

I found this recipe in this week's issue of The Week.  It was really easy, delicious and all of the ingredients are usually in our kitchen.  I served it with some rice.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 6 bone-in chicken legs (thigh and drumstick), skin removed
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated peeled ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
• 2 cups (or more) low-sodium chicken broth
• 5 ounces baby spinach (about 8 lightly packed cups)
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems

Preparation

• Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 325°. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt. Working in batches, cook chicken, reducing heat as needed to prevent over-browning, until golden brown on all sides, 8-10 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
• Add butter and onions to drippings in pot; season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until onions are soft and golden brown, 10-15 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne. Cook, stirring constantly, until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in chickpeas and 2 cups broth. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pot. Add more broth if needed to cover chicken about three-fourths of the way up. Bring to a simmer. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Braise chicken until fork-tender, 45-55 minutes.
• Using tongs and a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Add spinach to pot, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand until spinach is wilted, 5-7 minutes.
• Stir yogurt into cooking liquid. Season with salt. Return chicken to pot. Warm over low heat (do not boil or yogurt may curdle).
• Transfer chicken to a large deep platter. Pour spinach and chickpea sauce over. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2013/01/indian-spiced-chicken-with-chickpeas-and-spinach#ixzz2Mb03Ydwg

Google's Braised Chicken and Kale

I found this recipe in this month's Bon Appetit.  It is from Google's home office cafeteria - apparently that company makes a big effort to ensure healthy eating!  I made it last night using a whole cut-up chicken - it was super easy and very tasty.  I will definitely make it again soon!

Google's Braised Chicken and Kale

Ingredients

• 4 chicken legs, drumsticks and thighs separated
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 large bunch kale, center ribs and stems removed, leaves cut into 1-inch strips
• Lemon wedges

Preparation

• Sprinkle chicken with paprika; season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chicken skin side down and cook, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, 8-10 minutes; transfer to a plate.
• Add onion and garlic to pot and cook, stirring often, until softened, 8-10 minutes. Return chicken to pot; add broth, wine, and herbs. Bring to a boil; cover. Reduce heat; simmer until chicken is cooked through, 30-40 minutes.
• Add kale to pot. Cover; cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Discard herbs. Serve chicken and kale with lemon wedges.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2013/03/googles-braised-chicken-and-kale#ixzz2M3LuhaA4