Monday, October 24, 2011

Farro Risotto with Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Toasted Almonds

Take that skinny jeans!

Now that the evenings are getting darker and cooler,  my seasonal food cravings are battling with my already-a-little-snug favorite jeans.  The refreshing fruits and veggies I'm naturally inclined towards in the warmer months don't hold a candle to the smokey macaroni & cheeses,  creamy pot pies, and sugary pumpkin...everythings of autumn.


I like to make a few things on a Sunday night that will last me throughout the week. This ensures that even on nights I get home too late to cook (or I get home at 6 and I'm just too lazy to cook) I finish my day with something equal parts satisfying and nutritious. Better decision making prevails.


Farro Risotto with Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Toasted Almonds
(Adapted from  Union Street Eats.)






Ingredients:
1 lb brussels sprouts, washed with outer leaves removed, and quartered
1.5 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1/2 (plus a bit for sprinkling) cup dry white wine
1 small yellow onion diced
3 cloves of garlic crushed
1.5 cups dry farro
pinch of saffron threads 
5 cups LOW SODIUM chicken broth, warmed (your risotto will be too salty if you use regular)
Salt and Pepper 
1 cup slivered (unsalted)almonds, toasted
1/4 cup parmesan, grated 


Directions:To roast brussels sprouts:

  • Pre-Heat oven to 350F. 
  • Spray a baking sheet with olive oil. Spread brussels sprouts evenly around baking sheet. Spray with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  •  Roast for 15 minutes.
  •  Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and sprinkle the brussels sprouts with white wine. Bake 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile...

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper and saute until the onions are transparent, about 4-5 minutes.
  •  Add farro and stir, toasting until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. 
  • Add white wine, butter and pinch of saffron (rub between fingers to grind threads). Stir until wine is absorbed. 
  • Then add 1/2 cup warmed broth, stirring often. Wait until liquid is almost fully absorbed and add another 1/2 cup of broth
  • Turn on some fun dance music and groove while you wait for the liquid to absorb. The Bangles are a good option.
  • Add the broth 1/2 cup at a time until farro is tender and/or broth is used up. Depending on the speed in which your farro cooks,  you may need more or less broth.
  • Add grated parmesan, stir until evenly distributed and melted.
  • Stir in chopped brussels sprouts and almonds.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Shameless Plug

You'll notice that in nearly all of my recipes, when something calls for oil I say "spray" instead of coat. How do I do this without using the gross, chemically, preservative filled spray-can options from the grocery store?

So glad you asked! 

The Pampered Chef Oil Spritzer of course! This product will change your life. The refillable pump bottle uses pressure, not aerosol, so it's good for the environment and good for you! And it's only $12.50!!!!

As luck would have it, my dear friend Tina is hosting an online Pampered Chef party this week. If you'd like to order this product, or any of their other fabulous kitchen gadgets. Click HERE. And enter the name Tina Kastner when prompted.

Spinach Lasagna

Rejected by the Red Cross. AKA... My  Adventures with Spinach

In the past few years I've attempted to donate blood four times. Four times I've waited in line, filled out all the necessary forms, and had my finger repeatedly pricked. Four times I've been rejected with a low iron count. FOUR TIMES!


After my most recent rejection I said aloud, "I'm married to an Ironman... shouldn't that count for something?" Apparently I'm not as funny as I think I am. The nurse glared and told me to take a vitamin. 


I bought the vitamins. I took them for 3 days. Now they're a paperweight.


But tomorrow my office is hosting a blood drive, and I'm DETERMINED to donate. My plan? Spinach.  






Popeye-Worthy Spinach Lasagna
Ingredients:
  • 1 plastic produce bag stuffed tightly full of spinach (preferably not baby spinach)
  • 15 oz. partial-skim ricotta
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 head cauliflower florets and some stem, cut small
  • 2 large (28 oz.) cans plain tomato sauce
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons red wine
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper (and additional salt & pepper to taste)
  • 1 pound (or less) whole wheat lasagna noodles (soaked in hot water to soften)
  • 1/4 lb grated mozzarella
  • 1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, diced
  • 2 oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions: 
  1. Pre-heat your over to 375 F. Clean the spinach well and wilt it, cool, squeeze out all water, stir it into the ricotta, all mozzarella, along with the nutmeg. Salt and pepper to taste, then beat in the eggs.
  2. Saute the onion & garlic  in the olive oil, add the cauliflower and saute 5 minutes, add the tomato sauce, lemon zest, wine, oregano, and pepper  simmer 5 minutes, salt to taste
  3. Spray an 11" x 13" pan (at least 2" deep) with olive oil. Build your layers beginning with noodles, followed by the sauce/veggies, and finally the cheese mixture. Be sure to cover the noodles with the sauce. You'll likely have 2 complete layers. Cover the final layer of cheese with noodles. Finish by sprinkling the top with the the grated Parm.  
  4. Bake at 375 F., covering with tin foil part of the time if needed to avoid overbrowning. It is done when internal temp is say 170 F. (check a few spots). In my oven this was approximately 40 minutes. When it's done you'll easily be able to pierce the noodles with a fork, and the sauce will be bubbling around the sides.
  5. Broil if you desire a crispy brown top (personally, I like my cheese melty).
  6. Allow to rest at least 15 minutes before serving so it has time to set.
  7. Eat your delicious, nutritious lasagna.
  8. Chuckle, and challenge someone to an arm wrestling contest. 

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Butternut Squash & Kale Bread Pudding

Healthy Comfort Food: Not just for Oxymorons..

It was a perfect autumn afternoon in Brooklyn. The leaves were falling, the air was crisp, and I was feeling romantic.  

Unfortunately, my husband was on flight to glorious Pittsburgh, where he'll be working for the next four months.

Enter comfort food.

I found a recipe for Butternut Squash Bread Pudding that was so deadly fattening, it's title would be considered 'deceptive advertising' if it were being tried in a court of law. But oh boooooooy did it look good!!

So I did my "Lighten Up!" thing, and happily enjoyed the leftovers everyday for a week. Ok, some days I ate it twice. Regardless, I was guilt free. 

Butternut Squash & Kale Bread Pudding


Ingredients:
2 pounds peeled seeded butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt plus additional for sprinkling
4 Eggs
1/3 cup egg whites
1 cup of half an half
1 1/2 cup of low fat milk
6 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
3 sage leaves diced
Ground black pepper to taste
1 day-old baguette (do not remove crust), torn into 1-inch pieces (about 10 cups)
1 cup chopped shallots (about 4 large)
2 bunches Tuscan kale (about 1 pound), ribs removed, kale coarsely chopped
3 ounces low fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until squash is lightly caramelized, turning with spatula occasionally, 25-30 minutes.

Whisk eggs and egg whites in large bowl. Add half and half, milk, wine, mustard, and pepper whisk to blend. Add baguette pieces; fold gently into egg mixture. Let soak 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots, thyme,& sage and sauté until shallots are soft, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add kale and a dash of salt; cover and cook 2 minutes. Uncover and stir until kale is wilted but still bright green, about 5 minutes (kale will be a bit crunchy).

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking dish with olive oil. Using slotted spoon, transfer half of bread from egg mixture to prepared baking dish, arranging to cover most of dish. Spoon half of kale over bread. Spoon half of squash over bread and kale; sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat with remaining bread, kale, squash, and cheese. Pour remaining egg mixture over bread pudding.

Cover bread pudding with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered until custard is set and bread feels springy to touch, about 20 minutes longer.

Preheat broiler; broil pudding until cheese browns slightly, about 2 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and serve.

Welcome to my table!


For the past four or five years, I've been harassing my parents, brother, uncle, in-laws, and close friends with "look-what-I made-for-dinner-last-night" emails. I have a formula. First, I tell them how delicious it was. I mention all of the fabulous yummy noises my devoted (totally unbiased) husband makes during the meal. Then, I include the link for the recipe, followed by my adaptations, substitutions, or total bastardizations. I often include a crudely taken cell-phone snapshot, and conclude with "YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS".


I'm fairly certain no one reads those emails. 


Given my current success rate, I decided I'm well on the way to a career as a food writer. Welcome to my table, I hope you enjoy the meals!