A naturally hearty vegan stew: Borscht!

Those of you whose only experience with borscht is as a cold magenta liquid, perhaps served with a single boiled potato, think again! This version of borscht (there are many variations) hails from Russia & the Ukraine (the former is more the Polish/Yiddish variety), and is more like a hearty stew than a sort of beet-based gazpacho. It’s still very much peasant food, though: immensely nutritious, satisfying, and seasonal. Perfect for snowy winter nights!

It’s also effortlessly vegetarian, and even vegan if you skip the dollop of sour cream at the end, or use a non-dairy version of the sour cream.

In a nod to our fabulously frugal roots, I recommend that you resourcefully save the beet greens, saute them in a little olive oil, and serve them with a dash of sherry vinegar alongside the steaming bowls of borscht.  A recipe (if you could even call it that, it’s so simple) follows the borscht recipe.

Na Zdorov’ye! (Vodka optional.)

2 tablespoons coconut or olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, shredded
1 green pepper, diced
2-3 cups cabbage, shredded (approx 1/2 medium cabbage)
2 beets, shredded
5 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces tomato paste
8 cups vegetable broth
1 apple, diced
1 russet or Yukon Gold potato, diced
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
juice of one lemon*
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced, plus more for garnish as desired

In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium high. Saute onion, celery, carrot, and green pepper until softened, 5-6 minutes. Add cabbage and beets and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and garlic, incorporating fully, then add the vegetable broth, apple, potato, and bay leaf, raising heat to a boil. Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

Add the smoked paprika, lemon, salt and pepper to taste, then cover again and cook over as low a heat as you can manage for at least another hour; two if possible. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if using, and a generous sprinkling of fresh dill. (Don’t skip the dill, even if you omit the sour cream!)

* When Donna tested this for me, both for quality assurance and so Jim could skillfully photograph it (thanks, guys!), she tried using 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar in place of the lemon juice and dill. I personally love the dill, but you should definitely try her variation if it sounds more up your alley!

SAUTEED BEET GREENS

Reserved greens, washed, de-stemmed, and torn into approx 3-inch pieces
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sherry (or red wine) vinegar

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softening. Add greens to skillet and saute until greens are wilting and tender (not too long). Toss with vinegar and serve with a bit of salt and pepper if desired.

– posted by Anne

Farina with Fruit Swirls - shown here with strawberry and blueberry

Looking back, I was a wimp.

Those “cold” mornings when I just had to have a hot breakfast to warm me up were only in the ’50′s for a low temp. And yet. I was a skinny kid who knew no colder climes than sunny southern Arizona. My childhood was not easy or stress-free. But for just a moment once in awhile on a “cold” morning, the world was right.

The smooth, ooey gooey steamy bowl of farina goodness was my favorite comfort breakfast, and I begged my mom regularly until she gave in and cooked some. Farina, which is the polenta of the wheat world, is ground wheat germ. And my special touch: swirling in some jam right before eating.

Nowadays, I throw some fruit in the blender, or I use some of my hubby’s morning  smoothie concoction now for the swirled effect. Yum. One bite takes me back.

So, if you are lucky enough to have some cute little people cruising around your house, cook up some farina and let them swirl it with a favorite jam. Heck, try a spoonful of chocolate hazelnut spread for decadent deliciousness. You’ll be creating breakfast memories for generations to come. If you don’t believe fun food memories kids can have with a mom who cooks farina for them, check out Family Friendly Food’s hilarious post about farina porridge mess!

Happy Winter, Everyone!

– posted by Donna

So. The biggest meal of the year is over. I’m wearing my elastic-waist pants with that gravy-hangover feeling, how about you? I’m swearing off fatty foods for the rest of my natural life. Or at least until the next holiday season begins in a few days. And wondering what to do with all the leftovers. And in my momentary healthy way of life . . .  surprising combinations of foods sound like they might actually work.

A friend of mine told me she looks forward to leftover sweet potatoes every end of November to make sweet potato brownies. Hmmmmmmm . . .

I don’t know about you, but I am always game for one of those Guess-the-Secret-Ingredient recipes. I used my family as taste testers and all of them loved these brownies, but not a single one of them guessed the secret: sweet potatoes in brownies. Whodda thunk it???

I decided to go healthy with these. Task One:  I made them  low-sugar.  I used a little sugar for the moisture and texture.  Then, I took out the eggs and just added a little healthy oil to hold the brownies together. For the last upgrade, I used oat flour – high fiber and protein without gluten. So, yes, these are vegan brownies, low-sugar brownies and gluten-free brownies. Again, wow.

You’ll be shocked at how much these brownies taste like the decadent, fatty high- sugar originals. I know I was.

These brownies are moist and flavorful, without having one of those off-putting veggies-in-the-wrong -place kind of tastes. Highly, highly recommended to all!

Happy Meatless Monday, foodie fans!

– posted by Donna

SWEET POTATO BROWNIE RECIPE

2/3 cup well mashed roasted sweet potato (or canned sweet potato, well mashed)*
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup oat flour (or other gluten-free baking flour blend)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (optional, but encouraged!)
1/2 cup diced walnuts (again, optional but encouraged)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray an 8 inch by 8 inch baking pan** with oil.

Whisk together sweet potato, sugar, oil and vanilla until it becomes a smooth puree. Mix together the dry ingredients and stir into sweet potato mixture.  Add in chocolate chips and nuts, if desired

Spread the batter in prepared baking pan. Smooth top.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until middle is set. Cool completely before serving.

* NOTE: For the sweet potato, you will need to have it very well roasted and mashed to a soft puree. Roast the sweet potato by cutting it in half lengthwise and placing it cut side down on a baking sheet.  Roast it at 350 degrees for about an hour, until very soft. Canned mashed sweet potato works very well for this recipe.

** NOTE: Double this recipe for a 9 by 13 inch pan.

There are lots of healthy brownies out there in the blogosphere that inspired me when creating this recipe:
I loved Amanda’s almond flour brownies baked in cast iron.
Amy made Baby Black Bean Brownies at Super Healthy Kids.
Rachael, aka Fuji Mama, made dark chocolate buckwheat brownies.
A Dash of Sass made zucchini brownies look delish.
Gluten Free Goddess made healthy dark chocolate brownies.
Check out Marla’s Banana Chocolate Scones at Family Fresh Cooking
Elana calls them Chocolate Prune Bars, but they are brownie-like.

Burgerville's Pumpkin Smoothie, even healthier!

One of the most wonderful things about moving to Portland is the local chain called Burgerville, beloved to all. Yes, I’m seriously speaking positively of what is essentially a fast food joint: They have all the treats and trappings of fast food, yet manage to turn many of the negatives about fast food completely inside out. When you throw out your trash, every restaurant has it divided into three bins: Recyclables, Landfill, and Compost. You read that right: COMPOST. They reuse all of their cooking oil as biodiesel. They offer, among many healthy yet seriously delicious choices, three different kinds of veggie burgers. They source their food locally, and they also include a rotating seasonal menu. So every fall, Portland residents look forward to sweet potato fries, salmon sandwiches, and pumpkin shakes and smoothies (all locally sourced, of course).

Those shakes and smoothies, are every bit as delectable as you can imagine. The ice cream shake is like an extra-custardy pumpkin pie in a glass, while the yogurt-based smoothie is a little tangy and a bit lighter overall.  But what about vegans, or those who are intolerant or sensitive to dairy? I thought I’d try making a dairy-free version at home.

And lo, it worked! I tried it first with silken tofu, which was just okay, then with hemp milk, which (although I love hemp milk in some things) didn’t work so well with the aftertaste factor; it was also a bit thin. Finally I tried coconut milk, and that was the ticket. Coconut milk is becoming my favorite cow’s milk subsititute for many reasons, including the health benefits of its good fat (I do recommend going with normal, not “light” coconut milk here, but do what you need to do).

So if you’ve got some extra pumpkin from your jack o’lanterns, or you’re craving pumpkin pie yet want something healthier, give this recipe a whirl. It would make a great leftover recipe after Thanksgiving, or even be a great addition to a turkey day breakfast!

Did I mention the EASY? It’s easy.

PUMPKIN SMOOTHIE A LA BURGERVILLE, MADE VEGAN

1 cup pumpkin
1 14 ounce can coconut milk
1 banana
1/3 to 1/2 cup brown sugar or maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6-8 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender and – take a guess  . . . that’s right, blend until smooth. That’s IT!

Note that you could, instead of the individual spices, use a pumpkin pie spice blend, approximately 1 tablespoon’s worth (you’ll have to taste test as you go). You could also freeze the banana in advance (I recommend doing do in pieces, rather than whole), and reduce the number of ice cubes a bit – see how icy you personally prefer.

– posted by Anne

Caprese Parfaits

For years, like many members of  the last few factory-farmed, shrink-wrapped, additived-and-preservatived generations, I thought I detested fresh tomatoes. Mealy and bland, almost always refrigerated, only acceptable in thoroughly stewed or sauced form. My mom used to nostalgically describe picking tomatoes as a child, out of my grandma’s garden in upstate New York, and eating them like apples. I could hardly imagine anything more revolting at the time.

Now, of course, we’ve all become much more sophisticated, in our current local, sustainable, seasonal collective consciousness. We know that what we really loathed were the out-of season supermarket imposters, mass-produced and shipped thousands of miles to your January attempt at a  salad (probably involving iceberg lettuce, which, I notice, is making an odd sort of comeback; perhaps it’s ironic, the produce equivalent of a hipster’s PBR). A truly fresh tomato, procured in its natural habitat and life cycle, that is a completely different experience.

I can think of no better expression of Tomato, its essence, the thing-in-itself, than the caprese salad. The first time I tried one, well into my twenties, was a revelation. Not as singularly defining as Julia Child’s sole meuniere moment, but akin to it, one of a series of palate-paradigm shifting moments. My first taste of pesto was another, as was cilantro.

But that first caprese, simple and brilliant – never had I experienced such perfect tomatoes, at their pinnacle in ripe flavor, firm but not tough, supple, not the slightest suggestion of mealiness. And the pairings, oh the harmonious flavor pairings, the basil and fresh mozzarella, with extra-virgin olive oil (used as it is meant to be used, not as an all-purpose cooking fat) and just the most delicate drizzles of balsamic vinegar (another revelation all on its own).  In short, it rocked my world.

This is so simple it hardly warrants a Formal Recipe; heck, I’m not sure it warrants an entire blog post, but I thought they came out so nicely I figured, why not share? Tomatoes are finally starting to ripen, at least around here; it’s been a late season, according to more adept gardeners than I. So I offer up not anything groundbreaking, but just an alternate way to present it as we all savor these tomato days, fleeting as they are and are meant to be.

CAPRESE PARFAITS

A pint or so of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
A cup or so of basil, chiffonaded
16 ounces or so of fresh mozzarella, sliced and then cut into wedges
1/2 cup or so prepared pesto (optional; also fine with olive oil alone)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

If you’re using the pesto, add a few tablespoons of olive oil to make it more pourable. Aside from that, my only advice is to layer in the order of tomatoes – mozzarella – basil and then drizzle a bit of pesto, if using. If not, this is where a touch of olive oil comes in for each layer. Repeat until glasses are full. Top with the prettiest tendrils of your chiffonade.

You might note the absence of balsamic in this; I do love it, but decided to keep the visual Viva Italia color scheme intact. Feel free to choose your own adventure here.

Salute!

– posted by Anne

P.S. I now completely understand the urge to eat a perfect, fresh tomato like an apple. My grandfather’s predilection for slicing  red onions and eating them in thick, buttered slabs, that’s a different matter.

Hummus meets hen.

Hummus: So delicious, so open to endless variation, so healthy . . .  SO annoying to photograph. It is beige mush. Blah in color and devoid of shape. It takes a truly gifted food stylist/photographer to really make it look good, aesthetically speaking.

So although the hummus in the picture above looks TERRIBLE, aesthetically speaking, I decided to share this shot because of the honest-to-gods spontaneous chicken photobomb. I was trying my dangdest to get a decent angle and utilize some good natural light, moving around the backyard. I added the dry chickpeas to get some shape and texture in the mix, and, this being a Portland backyard, it has chickens. These happened, also, to be hungry chickens, who thought I was bringing them a fabulous treat. In the above shot, girlfriend is actually pecking at the jar.

On to today’s recipe: This was shared by a friend in a Facebook mom’s group, and I liked her hummus history and recipe testing so much that I decided I just had to share it here, with her permission, as a guest post.

So I hereby happily present Hedy Bartleson’s Hummus, hen not included:

A few weeks ago, one of the ladies in my co-op group was talking about how she would shell garbanzo beans with her grandmother. And I thought to myself… “Wow. I was right about that. That MUST be what they do in the restaurants to get the right texture.” See, I really have no frame of reference, and have never bothered to look up a recipe for this stuff. I’m lazy that way sometimes, and I don’t fully trust recipes I find online.

I suppose that is a bit on the ironic side, and OK, it’s only happened once, but the chocolate disaster cake I made years ago (which was supposed to be this beautiful mix between fudge and cake, but ended up a crumbly, disgusting mess that I threw away before anyone saw it,) was enough to make me question things, and try to figure them out myself.

Yes.

If you know me, you know this. I’m the type who will go to a city she has never been to and purposely get lost so I can learn my way around. That always works, and then I can go back when I want to and find things again.

My method is uncertain. It’s a mess, but it’s workin’. (Stole that from a song, but you get the point.) So, this now comes to you from my YEARS of tinkering and trying to guess with my own palette the inner workings and nuances of really great hummus.

I can take you through my evolutionary trail from when I first tried to make it for a party about 10 years ago with my sister-in-law. We REALLY knew not what we were doing at the time, and we bought a can of garbanzos, threw it in the food processor with some cumin and called it hummus. It was dry, and completely hideously bad.

How bad was it?

So bad we laughed about it, along with EVERYONE else who came to that party. Yes. I believe, if I remember correctly, it had to do with my own stupidity, and my inability to bring the correct blade. That’s right. We attempted to make hummus with the slicer/shredder blade, not the other pulverizing one that would have been oh so much more appropriate.

Not only did I try to make hummus that night, but I also made a very poor attempt at salsa that resulted in a bizarre bowl full of sliced peppers, tomatoes, and onion. I still ate it, though no one else did, hence the longish slices of hot peppers… and we laughed about that as well.

Live and learn. That is what culinary evolution is all about, ‘non?

For a couple of years after that I bought that awful hummus mix, and actually thought it was good. Then I decided to get serious about it, and found out that tahini and oil helped the texture out a bit, but something was still… well? Slightly amiss.

One day, I made cannelini in the crock pot. They ended up so very very tender, that I decided to try honing my hummus skills once again. Well? It was better, but still not quite there. Still… just slightly grainy.

So, finally I decided to try sprouting, cooking, then shelling the beans. Sprouting is actually kind of important, as it helps to make the beans more digestible as well as adding more of a nutritional component than boiling alone, or even soaking overnight. This works best in a good sized jar, with a screen on top. First you soak them for 8-12 hours. Then, you add them to a sprouting jar, where you rinse and drain them, cycling once every 8-12 hours for 3 cycles. Yes. Rinse and drain. Wait. Rinse and Drain. Wait. Rinse and drain.

So… give yourself time to prepare. Couple days.

You of course, don’t have to sprout them. Soaking them overnight is enough if you are pressed for time. Or… if you are REALLY pressed for time, you can always boil them off for 1 minute, remove from heat, cover and let sit for one hour before cooking. Any of these methods will suffice.

I also switched the brand of tahini I was using from Maranatha to Arrowhead Mills. What is the difference between these two tahinis? A whole world. Truly. AM is slightly more expensive, but it’s much smoother, and not settled like Maranatha. That isn’t to say that it’s hydrogenated. It just has a higher oil content, and seems to be better pulverized. Not grainy. Not at all. The price difference is about $2, but well worth it. Seriously, what a difference! I think I can finally say with some confidence that it’s there! After 10 years of tinkering. And all you have to do is read the recipe and make it once. I promise. This time it’s the real deal, people! Yes. This time it is.

A few weeks ago our friends Kyle and Chrissy came over. I saw an opportunity to try it out on someone, and took it. And… I just have to say… yes! That was the missing link! Now, it really is just like the stuff you can get at Hoda’s.

So, without further adieu, I give you:

HUMMUS

2 cups dried garbanzo beans
8 ounces tahini
4 medium cloves garlic
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 c olive oil (or more, depending . . . )
1/4 c water
1/4 cup lemon juice (or more, depending. I used three lemons this last time)
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon red sumac powder

Soak then sprout the garbanzos. (See above in body of post.)

Once sprouted, rinse thoroughly, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn them down to a high simmer, and simmer for about 2 hours, until tender. Allow to cool enough to be handled.

Once ready to be handled, rinse them well, then place into a bowl, set this next to the food processor. Set another bowl on the other side of the food processor. Shell the beans into the food processor, dumping the shells into the empty bowl adjacent to the food processor until done.

Add the garlic cloves, and start the processor. When you get a somewhat smooth consistency, turn off the processor, remove the lid, and add the tahini paste.

Next, replace the lid, start the processor again, and stream in the water. This will emulsify beautifully, and start to make the hummus creamy. It’s important to do this AFTER the tahini paste, so this happens. Once the water is fully incorporated, stream in the olive oil until you have a somewhat loose, smooth consistency.

Next, the cumin powder and the salt. You should be able to place a butter knife in shallowly to taste at this point, so you won’t have to stop the processing. Just be careful!

Let it go for another minute, and voila!

Chill for at least 2 hours, stir in lemon juice, and place into a pretty bowl. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of red sumac powder on top.

I wait until the hummus is cold to add the lemon juice so it doesn’t fade into the background, and actually remains one of the main flavor components.

This recipe does make a LOT of hummus. It freezes well, but due to its popularity, this may not be necessary.

-H

One last attempt to present hummus appetizingly, using Trader Joe's Cilantro-Jalapeno in the middle there.

]]> http://www.apronstringsblog.com/appetizers/hedys-hummus/feed/ 6 http://www.apronstringsblog.com/entrees/zucchini-shirred-eggs-recipe-meatless-monday/ http://www.apronstringsblog.com/entrees/zucchini-shirred-eggs-recipe-meatless-monday/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2011 06:18:25 +0000 Donna http://www.apronstringsblog.com/?p=3712

Lower-fat Zucchini Shirred Eggs Baked in Ramekins

Shirred eggs are delicious and creamy on their own, but they are a little on the bland side. Just eggs baked in cream, basically. So, I decided to experiment with adding produce from our garden. I tried Swiss chard, spinach – but honestly, they were nothing to write home about. Then, I thought about slicing zucchini into paper-thin planks and use them like you would a leafy green to cradle the eggs. This was the winner by a landslide!

The roasted zucchini adds a subtle garden freshness to the eggs and dairy, and improves on the one-note flavor of the baked eggs. I also healthified it even more by using lower fat dairy than is usually called for – and a teaspoon of half and half instead of a tablespoon of cream.

In the early ’70s, I remember laughing out loud the first time I heard of a thing called “Zucchini Bread.” WHat?! Zucchini in Bread?! Absurd. Ridiculous. And then I tasted it. I was in shock for days. And  I never looked at zucchini the same way again.

This recipe is one of those recipes. You will look at zukes in a different way.

If you need to get rid of some zucchini, I highly recommend baking it with some eggs. And what the heck, you could even serve it as a Meatless Monday entree!

If you need more inspiration to get rid of zukes, I highly recommend South Beach Food Blogging Goddess Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen – 20 Zucchini Recipes. Can’t go wrong with anything Kalyn makes!

ZUCCHINI SHIRRED EGGS

Total time 30 minutes
Serves 6

1/2 cup low fat ricotta
1/2 cup low fat plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick planks
7 large eggs, divided
2 tablespoons half and half
Salt and pepper, used sparingly

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together the ricotta, yogurt, Parmesan and one egg, and spread 2 tablespoons in the bottom of each of 6 one-cup ramekins.

Take two planks of zucchini and place them around the inside edge of each of the ramekins. Crack one of the remaining eggs into each ramekin. Drizzle one teaspoon half and half around the top of each egg. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how firm you like your egg yolks.

Happy August, Everyone!

]]> http://www.apronstringsblog.com/entrees/zucchini-shirred-eggs-recipe-meatless-monday/feed/ 10 http://www.apronstringsblog.com/entrees/pesto-pecan-chicken-3-ingredient-entree/ http://www.apronstringsblog.com/entrees/pesto-pecan-chicken-3-ingredient-entree/#comments Fri, 29 Jul 2011 06:00:28 +0000 Anne http://www.apronstringsblog.com/?p=3700

Pesto, presto.

Here’s a short, simple, yet highly scrumptious one for Friday: The title essentially gives you the recipe. This was a gem I found in Rozanne Gold’s “Low Carb 1-2-3″. Kind of a dry name, but honestly, the recipes are anything but! As long as you have a jar of prepared pesto on hand, it really is 3 ingredients. And feel free to make your own pesto – I love to do so, myself, but if you’re in a time crunch, it’s a big help. Use a Parmesan-free pesto and it’s not only low-carb, it’s also paleo-friendly.

PESTO PECAN CHICKEN

4 ounce jar pesto
3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste (these don’t count as official ingredients by the 1-2-3 standard, which makes sense to me)

Preheat oven to  425.  If the breasts you’re using are very thick, you may want to pound them flatter first – I like to do so between 2 sheest of wax paper. Lay breasts in baking dish. Spread a thick layer of pesto on top of each breast, then press the pecans gently into the pesto, covering each breast as completely as you can.

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes covered, then 15 minutes uncovered (otherwise pecans may get too well-done). Ms. Gold then recommends drizzling any pan juices over the top.  This is also a fabulous leftover dish, either reheated OR cold.

Revel in your new easy weeknight fix!

– posted by Anne

No-Cook Raw Corn Chilled Soup with Shrimp, Avocado and Cherry Tomato Garnish

About a year ago I discovered raw corn.

Oh, sure, I have feasted for years on the whole-cob hot-and-steamy dripping-butter-to-your-elbows cooked corn. Summer just isn’t complete if you haven’t had your fill of that all-American summer staple. But RAW corn? I never would have tried it in a dish until the last few years of my adventurousness in the kitchen.

Let me tell you what: this soup will make you a believer in raw corn. This is not just any old raw corn recipe. This is Oooh and Aaaahhhhh raw corn. Crave-worthy raw corn. Raw corn to write home about.

This soup, the creation of my culinarily talented mom, Carol, takes minutes to make and yet is sublime and elegant. (Did I just say “elegant” and “corn” in the same post?) I was lucky enough to be in Carol’s kitchen and she and I made it together for the very first time.

Do yourself a huge favor: RUN – do not walk – to your nearest corn stand and scoop up a trunkful of cobs and make this soup. Today. Best summer dish I have had in years!

Carol Hicks and her Raw Corn Chilled Soup

– posted by Donna

“Cooking” is synonymous with “love” in Carol’s kitchen. Each meal is custom made to fit you. What you love, what you need, what fits you perfectly will be found there. No matter what weird diet you’re on, what odd thing you’re craving, she will make the earth move to get that to you on a plate.

I was lucky enough to be in  mom’s kitchen in my home town of Tucson, Arizona recently. Sure, Mom always has the old stand-bys but she also is always trying new things, new recipes,  and experimenting to make her food healthier, yummier, better. I thumbed through her cookbook collection and each book was stuffed with recipes from magazines, internet and newspapers. There are lots of yummy things on Carol’s “Must-Try” list. I wish I were there to try them all!

This visit there was Corn Soup that mom and I made together. Not just any corn soup, but a no-cook raw corn soup served with diced shrimp, avocados and cherry tomatoes. It was absolutely sublime, and I just had to share here.

So, whip out your blender and make this amazing feast in a bowl. I’m betting you will feel that same zen I feel every time I am in Carol’s kitchen.

 NO-COOK CHILLED RAW CORN SOUP 
with SHRIMP, CHERRY TOMATO AND AVOCADO GARNISH

Total Time 20 minutes

Serves 4 to 6

5 or 6 large ears of corn
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup 2 per cent milk
3 tablespoons lime juice (juice from 2 limes)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound cooked frozen and thawed shrimp, shells and veins removed
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, peeled and diced

With a large chef’s knife, remove kernels from corn cobs. With a butter knife, press and slide along corn cobs to remove liquid left in cobs. (NOTE: this should yield about 4 cups kernels and 1/3 cup liquid.)

Reserve about 1 cup of corn kernels. Working in two batches, blend in blender 3 cups of corn, liquid from cobs, yogurt, milk, lime juice and hot sauce. Strain through a sieve and discard solids. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Cover and chill for about 30 minutes.

Dice most of the shrimp, reserving a few whole shrimp as garnishes. Stir reserved 1 cup of corn kernels and diced shrimp into soup. Spoon soup into bowls and then garnish with reserved whole shrimp, diced tomato and avocado pieces. Serve immediately.

Other food bloggers do corn soups:
Chilled Corn Soup, Cooking with Amy
Chilled Corn Soup, Yum Sugar
Summer Corn Soup, The Kitchn
Chilled Corn Soup, Apples and Butter
Chilled Corn and Golden Beet Soup, No Recipes

– posted by Donna

Spinach Ricotta Roll

Some flavor combinations stand the test of time: garlic and onions; lemons and raspberry; peanut butter and chocolate. One of my favorite combos: spinach and ricotta. I was thrilled to find this easy and elegant way to pair spinach and ricotta in a dish that so pretty you could serve it to Martha Stewart for brunch: a savory take on a sponge cake roll.

We have joined the Secret Recipe Club – a once-a-month blog hop over at Amanda’s Cookin – an event with food bloggers supporting each other by sneakily making each others’ recipes. Don’t you just love the secret part?! And that’s how I came across this recipe.

Our assigned blog to cook from this month is cookingrookie.blogspot.com, a lovely blog from a blogger in Vancouver, Canada. We chose a vegetarian recipe with a stunning presentation: Spinach Ricotta Roll. It is low carb and I made it lower in fat than the original recipe by using low fat cream cheese and ricotta. I also added a few sprinkles of nutmeg into the spinach mixture to add some sassiness!

I used to make a pumpkin cream cheese cake roll, and the look of this dish reminds me of that dessert. So pretty on a platter – perfect for a  Meatless Monday feast!

This recipe was so fun to make! It is basically a savory sponge roll with a ricotta filling. The only thing that was a bit challenging was translating the recipe from grams into ounces, so I have added the ounces below.

Thank you, Cooking Rookie, for a fabulous new recipe ~ I’ll definitely make this again!

– posted by Donna

SPINACH RICOTTA ROLL

Serve 6 to 8 as a side dish

For spinach roll:

5 large eggs
2 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
A pinch of nutmeg
2 boxes (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend in blender until smooth the following: eggs, cream cheese, flour, salt and baking powder. Stir this mixture into spinach.

Spread spinach mixture in a 9 by 13 inch pan that has been lined with aluminum foil and lightly sprayed with oil.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until set in center.

Ricotta filling:

15 ounces part-skim ricotta
2 tablespoons light sour cream
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons diced sun dried tomatoes
2 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese

Mix together ricotta, sour cream, garlic powder and tomato bits.

Spread Parmesan cheese over a sheet of parchment paper that is at least 9 by 13 inches. INvert spinach mixture onto Parmesan cheese, and then peel foil off of spinach.

Spread ricotta mixture over top of spinach. Roll like you would a jelly roll from wide end, using parchment paper to help roll stay round.

Chill for at least 4 hours, up to 24.

Slice and serve, spiral sides up.

NOTE: You can serve this roll either warm or cold. We reheated it in the microwave oven and then sliced it. DE-lish.

Check out the other bloggers’ fabulous dishes by clicking on the photos below: