All posts by Sam

Dairy-Free, Fall, Favorites, Rotation, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Tofu, Broccoli and Rice (Hainanese-Inspired)

November 9, 2020 Sam

This requires some work the day before or in the morning, to create a good ginger scallion sauce and also to marinate the tofu.

Print Recipe

Tofu, Broccoli and Rice (Hainanese-Inspired)

Like "Rooster & Rice" – a simple delight

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Marinating Time1

Total Time1 1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Rice, Tofu

Servings: servings

Calories: 1017kcal

Ingredients

Ginger scallion sauce

3 tbsp light oil canola, grapeseed
2 tbsp scallions minced
1 inch fresh ginger 1 tbsp minced or 2 tbsp grated
1 tbsp soy sauce

Tofu

1 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin rice wine
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
20 oz firm tofu 2 Hodo Soy packages

Rice

2 cloves garlic minced
1 inch fresh ginger 1 tbsp minced or 2 tbsp grated
1 cup long-grain rice basmati
1½ cup vegetable or no-chicken stock

Broccoli

1.5 lb broccoli
Water or vegetable stock

Serving

1 tbsp Sambal oelek or sriracha

Instructions

Ginger scallion sauce

Mince the green onion. Mince or grate the fresh ginger. Add to a storage container (like a Mason jar) along with the 3 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Allow to marinate for at least one hour and up to one week.

Tofu

Marinate the tofu in advance by mixing all of the liquid and ginger ingredients together in a sealable container. Slice the tofu into bite-size cubes and pat dry. Add to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for up to a full day.
When ready, heat 2 tbsp of a high-heat oil over medium-high heat in a large straight-sided pan or Dutch oven. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu in one layer. Cook for a few minutes on each side without disturbing before flipping, aiming for a light-brown, crisp exterior on each side.

Rice

In a large soup pot that fits a strainer attachment (you’ll see why later) over medium heat, add a few tsp oil and the 2 cloves minced garlic and minced or grated ginger. Fry a bit. Rinse the 1 cup rice thoroughly, then add the drained rice to the pot and stir well for 1-2 minutes.
Move the ginger, garlic and rice mix to a rice cooker and add 1½ cup vegetable stock. Cook until done. (Do not clean the large pot.)

Broccoli

To steam the broccoli, add 1” water or stock to the pot where the rice was briefly fried. Bring to a boil.
As it comes to a boil, chop the broccoli so you have large bite-size pieces. Once the water/stock is boiling, add the broccoli to a steamer basket and place on/in the pan.
Cover and steam for 5-6 minutes. Try to time this so it’s the final step as the rice and tofu are finishing, or even after they finish so the broccoli is very freshly steamed.

Assemble & Serve

Once the tofu, rice and broccoli are done, assemble in a bowl (recommended) by placing the rice on the bottom, with fried tofu on one side and broccoli on the other. Top with drizzles of the ginger scallion sauce and the sambal oelek, as desired.

Notes

Makes 2 very large servings, or 3-4 smaller servings

Nutrition

Dairy-Free, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Side

Best Potato Salad Ever

October 31, 2020 Sam

This is from an excellent book. You can add in chopped boiled eggs if you want to make it non-vegan and add a bit of protein. But really it works excellent on its own.

Print Recipe

Best Potato Salad Ever

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Picnic, Potatoes

Servings: servings

Calories: 292kcal

Ingredients

2 lbs red potatoes
4 large shallots thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp Dijon mustard or horseradish
½ tsp salt
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ cup olive oil
2 cups baby arugula

Instructions

Start boiling a large pot of salted water. Wash the potatoes and cut into bit-size chunks (½” pieces). Cook potato for 6 to 8 minutes, until cooked (not al dente).
2 lbs red potatoes
Whisk the sliced shallots, minced garlic, mustard, salt and several grinds of fresh pepper together with the vinegar in a large bowl. Whisk in the olive oil.
4 large shallots, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, ½ tsp salt, 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar, ½ cup olive oil
Drain the potatoes. Toss with the vinaigrette. Marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.
Rinse and dry the arugula. Fold the arugula into the potatoes. Adjust salt, pepper and vinegar to taste.
2 cups baby arugula

Notes

Serves 6 as a side dish

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Best Potato Salad Ever

Amount Per Serving

Calories 292 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Sodium 284mg12%

Potassium 792mg23%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 173IU3%

Vitamin C 16mg19%

Calcium 41mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Bread and Pasta, Indian

Best. Naan. Ever.

October 4, 2020 Sam

There are a lot of great ways to make naan. This is the best I’ve discovered so far. It’s relatively quick and you get 12 delicious pieces of yeasted, mildly sour bread.

Print Recipe

Best Naan Ever

This excellent naan has more complicated ingredients, but remains relatively quick to make.

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Rise Time2

Total Time2 45

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Bread

Servings: servings

Calories: 195kcal

Ingredients

250 g all-purpose flour
250 g bread flour
2 tbsp canola oil
4 tbsp whole-milk yogurt
7 grams active dried yeast
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup whole milk warmed
1 tsp canola oil

Instructions

Measure the flours into the stand mixer bowl. Add the paddle attachment. Mix in the canola oil, yeast, sugar, salt and baking powder. Then add the yogurt and mix until you get a crumb-like texture. If it starts to form a ball, stop and switch to the dough hook. Once mixed, switch to the dough hook, and stir in the warmed milk until it comes together into a ball. You may need to add more flour or milk, but you essentially want to get a ball that comes together but isn’t too dry or too wet.
250 g all-purpose flour, 250 g bread flour, 2 tbsp canola oil, 4 tbsp whole-milk yogurt, 7 grams active dried yeast, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp salt, 1 cup whole milk, 1 tsp baking powder
Kneed with the dough hook for a few minutes. You want it to form a dough, but it can stay fairly sticky and formless at this point. It should be just dry and gluten-strengthened enough to not stick to the dough hook. (This will be a fairly wet dough.)
Place a teaspoon of canola oil into a large, clean mixing bowl. Pull the dough out of the stand mixing bowl and gently turn over in the oil in the mixing bowl, so it’s well-coated. Cover with a wet dish towel and set aside in a warm place. Let the dough rise for about 2 hours, until doubled in size.
1 tsp canola oil
Pull the dough from the mixing bowl and gently and quickly roll the dough into a log. Cut the log into 12 equal portions using a knife or dough-scraper. Let rest on a lightly floured work surface, covered with a dry towel (which can also be covered by the wet towel).
Heat a very large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat, about a 6.5/10. Allow it to get hot while you roll out the first naan.
Next, you will roll out each naan and then add to the hot pan. While it cooks, you will roll out 1-2 more naan. It's best if you have a willing helper to manage the rolling while you handle the cooking naan, but you can multi-task this too. More specifically: With each piece, flatten into a long round, about 4” wide and as long as needed (maybe 9”) to get a fairly thin piece of naan. You may need to use some flour to prevent sticking to the work surface, but try not use too much.
Once the pan or skillet is hot, cook each naan for about 45-90 seconds per side and then flip and press down with the spatula for another 30-45 seconds until cooked and developing color. Remove to a warmed oven, if desired.

Notes

Makes 12 pieces of naan

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Best Naan Ever

Amount Per Serving

Calories 195 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 3mg1%

Sodium 436mg19%

Potassium 85mg2%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 39IU1%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 57mg6%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Basics, Dairy-Free

Perfect Boiled Eggs

October 4, 2020 Sam

Print Recipe

Perfect Boiled Eggs

Simple, tested way to make the perfect boiled egg

Prep Time0

Cook Time15

Total Time15

Course: Ingredient, Snack

Keyword: Basics, Simple

Servings: serving

Calories: 63kcal

Ingredients

1 egg

Instructions

In a large saucepan or pot with enough room for the eggs to fit in a single layer, add 1 inch of water and a steamer basket (ideally, but not required). Cover and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, gently lower eggs into the basket or place at the bottom gently.
Cover the pot and cook the eggs for up to 11 minutes (at most, and as little as 6 minutes for a liquid yolk and just-firm whites). Drain eggs and then peel and eat immediately. You can also allow them to cool naturally before storing them for up to a week in their shell.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Perfect Boiled Eggs

Amount Per Serving

Calories 63 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 164mg55%

Sodium 62mg3%

Potassium 61mg2%

Carbohydrates 1g0%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 238IU5%

Calcium 25mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Great Leftovers, Indian, Pressure Cooker, Rotation, Weeknight Dinner

Black Bean Kofta and Tomato Sauce

September 27, 2020 Sam

This is one where the timing gets jammed up at the end. From start to finish, this could be a two-hour meal, if you include cooking the beans.

45-60 minutes to cook the beans (including pressurizing, pressure cooking, and natural pressure release)
10 minutes for assembling kofta
25 minutes for baking the kofta
15 minutes to simmer kofta in the sauce

Tips to make this meal as fast as possible:

Ideally, you will start the beans at the very beginning of the cooking process, so they are ready early. You can start them earlier than that, even, since the method described below is supposed to be in the background anyway.
The next thing to do is prep all ingredients. The instructions include a step to puree the tomatoes, but you could consider doing that while the beans cook, if you have time before starting cooking.
Then, you can start the sauce before you start baking the kofta. The sauce will do best if it can simmer for a while on medium-low or low. So consider starting the early sauce prep before you put the kofta in the oven.

Important: this one needs a small pasta, bread, rice or naan as a side.

Print Recipe

Black Bean Kofta and Tomato Sauce

A delicious and filling Indian-inspired meal

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 30

Total Time2

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian, Vegetarian

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 398kcal

Equipment

Pressure cooker

Ingredients

Beans

350 g dry black beans
bean spices including bay leaf, kombu, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, oregano, peppercorns

Kofta

4 cloves garlic
2 inch fresh ginger peeled
2 serrano peppers stems removed
4 spring onions or 6 scallions, trimmed and chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro chopped, 1 tablespoon reserved for garnish
¾ cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp chipotle chili powder

Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large white onion finely chopped
4 lbs tomatoes or 2 28oz cans tomatoes, whole peeled or crushed
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin

Instructions

Beans

Pre-soak the beans for best results. Measure, pick-through and rinse the beans. Add to a large bowl, cover with water of 1.5% salinity (i.e. 1 liter water and 15g salt), and set aside covered for 6-10 hours.
350 g dry black beans
When you’re first starting to prepare dinner, start the beans. Drain and briefly rinse the beans. Add the beans and enough water to cover by ½" to a pressure cooker pot. In a small spice bag, add a bay leaf, 1 piece kombu, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp peppercorns, ½ tsp garlic powder and ½ tsp oregano. Throw into the pot.
bean spices
Put on the lid with a sealing ring, and set to high pressure for 6 minutes. Start it. You’re then going to leave it until it pressurizes and then naturally releases pressure. This whole process will take about 40-50 minutes, with 25 minutes of that time for depressurizing. Once depressurized, the beans should be perfectly soft and cooked. If not, cook a bit longer, but I wouldn't pressurize again or you’ll almost certainly overcook or cause more steam release than necessary.

Kofta

As the beans cook, you can prepare the rest of the ingredients per the instructions in the ingredient list.
Once everything is prepped, put the garlic, ginger and serrano peppers in a large food processor and run until you have a well-chopped consistency. (You probably need to scrape the sides several times.) Add half of the paste to a small cup.
4 cloves garlic, 2 inch fresh ginger, 2 serrano peppers
To the food processor with half of the paste, add the rough-chopped spring onions and the cilantro and pulse 5-10 times, stopping to scrape the sides, until everything is well chopped. Then add the breadcrumbs, garam masala, chipotle, and 1 tsp salt. Blend until combined. Then add the 2 eggs and blend. Finally, add the beans.
4 spring onions, 1 bunch fresh cilantro, ¾ cup bread crumbs, 1 tsp garam masala, ½ tsp chipotle chili powder, 2 eggs
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Shape the mixture into 1” balls and place on the sheet pan. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Sauce

While the kofta bake, in very large skillet or a Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium. Add the white onion and sauté until translucent and well-cooked. Add the remaining garlic, ginger and serrano paste from the small cup and cook for another 5 minutes, turning down the heat if things are cooking too fast.
2 tbsp olive oil, 1 large white onion
While that’s cooking, purée the tomatoes until smooth. Add the purée (or crushed tomatoes), coriander and cumin to the skillet. Simmer for up to 20 minutes on low or medium-low.
4 lbs tomatoes, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander

Combine

Once the sauce is done, turn heat to low (if not already there) and add the kofta to the skillet. If the sauce is too thick (or too minimal) add a bit of water so the sauce comes up about two-thirds of the way to the sides of the balls. Simmer for 15 minutes on low, gently stirring occasionally, until the kofta are warmed through and the sauce has thickened.
Serve with small pasta, bread, naan or basmati rice.

Notes

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Black Bean Kofta and Tomato Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 398 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 55mg18%

Sodium 435mg19%

Potassium 1778mg51%

Carbohydrates 66g22%

Fiber 16g67%

Sugar 15g17%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 901IU18%

Vitamin C 30mg36%

Calcium 206mg21%

Iron 8mg44%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Bread and Pasta, Dairy-Free, Great Leftovers, Quick, Summer, Weeknight Dinner

Cold Sesame Noodles with Crunchy Vegetables

September 6, 2020 Sam

This is one of the best hot-weather meals there is. You only briefly heat up the kitchen with a quick pasta boil. And then everything else stays cold. And you eat it cold. Delicious!

Print Recipe

Cold Sesame Noodles with Crunchy Vegetables

Hot-weather classic

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Pasta

Servings: servings

Calories: 467kcal

Ingredients

4 cups raw, crunch vegetables snap peas, bell peppers; chopped
12 oz fresh noodles Linguine or bucatini, for example
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
½ cup tahini
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp fresh ginger minced or grated
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp hot sesame oil or more, to taste

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the vegetables by cleaning and chopping them into bite-sized pieces. Snap peas can be kept whole if not too large. Place vegetables in the fridge once cut.
Cook the noodles very quickly, following package directions. (Freshest pasta may only need 50-75 seconds). Rinse well in cold water. Toss with a few dashes of sesame oil. Store in a container in the fridge to keep cooling down.
Whisk together the sesame oil, tahini, sugar, soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, hot oil and ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Thin the sauce with 1-2 tbsp warm water until it’s the consistency of heavy cream. Store in the fridge.
When ready to eat a serving, toss the three things together – noodles, fresh veggies, sauce (¼ to ½ cup per serving).

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Cold Sesame Noodles with Crunchy Vegetables

Amount Per Serving

Calories 467 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 62mg21%

Sodium 786mg34%

Potassium 450mg13%

Carbohydrates 61g20%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 1115IU22%

Vitamin C 59mg72%

Calcium 79mg8%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dinner Party, Dry Beans, Fall, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Indian, Rotation, Seasons, Spring, Summer, Winter

Baked Rajma with Paneer

August 30, 2020 Sam

Made this and it was surprisingly great. Here is a modified version with baked paneer, a fun addition that adds some more heft to this delicious dish.

Print Recipe

Baked Rajma with Paneer

Served with rice or naan this is a filling and delicious meal

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 458kcal

Equipment

Large, oven-safe skillet or all-in-one pan
Small food processor
Water kettle
Sheet pan

Ingredients

Beans

300 g dry kidney beans
Kombu, bay leaf, other bean spices

Rajma

1 large red onion
4 cloves garlic peeled and trimmed
1 serrano pepper top removed
1 inch fresh ginger cleaned and mostly peeled
2½ tbsp neutral oil ½ tbsp for the paneer
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes or 2 lb fresh tomatoes
½ tsp ground ancho chile powder
¼ tsp garam masala
½ tsp fenugreek leaves
14 oz paneer cut into bite-sized cubes
½ bunch cilantro optional, leaves chopped for serving on top

Pickled onion:

1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ cup rice wine vinegar

Instructions

Soak the kidney beans in 1% salted water for about 6-8 hours. As the first step, before preparing ingredients, drain the soaked beans, add to a large sauce pot and cover with plenty of water. Cover and turn heat to high. While it comes to a boil, put your various bean spices (kombu, bay leaf, etc.) into a disposable or reusable spice bag and add to the water. Boil for at least 10 minutes, for kidney-bean-safety reasons. Then turn down heat to a gentle simmer and cook for another 15-45 minutes, checking frequently, until softened 99% of the way. (They will cook very slightly more in the oven.)
300 g dry kidney beans, Kombu, bay leaf, other bean spices
Prepare all ingredients as above and measure out spices as needed. Then, quarter the onion. Thinly slice half and set aside. Rough chop the remaining half and add to a small food processor with the garlic, serrano and ginger. Chop until small, scraping down the sides as needed.
1 large red onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 serrano pepper, 1 inch fresh ginger
When beans are nearly done, begin the next steps. In a large, oven-proof skillet, preferably with high walls, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium. Add the cumin and mix for 30 seconds. Then add the ginger, onion and pepper mix and cook until the excess liquid has evaporated and the mixture is just starting to darken (8-10 minutes).
2½ tbsp neutral oil, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 350ºF with a sheet pan on one shelf. Mix the cubed paneer with about ½ tbsp oil, just enough to cover, and a light dusting of salt and pepper.
14 oz paneer
Add the cooked, drained beans and the ancho chile powder to pan and mix. You can mash a small portion of the beans (1-2 tbsp worth) to help thicken the sauce, if you'd like. Add the crushed tomatoes, garam masala and fenugreek leaves to the pan. Stir well and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes on the stovetop.
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes, ½ tsp ground ancho chile powder, ¼ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp fenugreek leaves
Spread the paneer onto a sheet pan. Place the paneer in the oven and set a timer for 7 minutes (for flipping the cheese). Cook the paneer until golden on a few sides, maybe 15-20 minutes. When done, add directly to the beans/sauce and mix before allowing to cook longer.
At the same time as the paneer, add the rajma pan, uncovered, to the oven and cook for 30 to 40 minutes total, until the sauce has thickened. Stir 1-2 times while cooking, including when you add the paneer about halfway through. (See prior step.)
While everything bakes, pickle the thinly sliced onion. Boil water in the kettle. Add the sliced onions to a bowl. Pour boiling water on top and allow to sit for 30 seconds. Drain. In the wiped-clean bowl, stir together the rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt until dissolved. Add the reserved onion slices to the bowl and stir in the vinegar. Allow to marinate.
1 tsp granulated sugar, ¼ cup rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp kosher salt
When the beans and paneer is done, garnish with the pickled onion slices, letting a few drops of the pickling liquid flick over the beans to season them. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or naan.
½ bunch cilantro

Notes

Serves 6

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Baked Rajma with Paneer

Amount Per Serving

Calories 458 Calories from Fat 207

% Daily Value*

Fat 23g35%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 44mg15%

Sodium 977mg42%

Potassium 1069mg31%

Carbohydrates 43g14%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 22g44%

Vitamin A 393IU8%

Vitamin C 17mg21%

Calcium 414mg41%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

White Bean and Swiss Chard Stew

July 26, 2020 Sam

This is best served with a side of toasty, fresh bread (like focaccia or a a roll), so I’m including that here. Leave off if you’d like, or if you have other plans.

Print Recipe

White Bean and Swiss Chard Stew

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 442kcal

Ingredients

Beans

¾ cup cannellini beans
Bay leaf kombu, spices for beans

Soup and bread

2 tbsp olive oil
2 large cloves garlic
1 medium red onion
8 oz carrots
12 oz green Swiss chard
2 tsp smoked paprika
½ slab focaccia or other bread
1 tbsp vegan butter
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

First, make the beans. Soak the beans in advance in water and salt. Drain off nearly all of the water, to make the water less saline, and then add more water. Add the bean flavorings. Bring to a very gentle boil for 10 minutes and then turn down to a low simmer. (Given the fragile nature of cannellinis, you want to go low and slow.) When beans are done, reserve the beans and 3 cups of the liquid.
Mince the garlic cloves. Finely chop the red onion. Scrub and thinly slice carrots. Using a knife, cut Swiss chard stems from leaves. Thinly slice the stems. Halve the leaves lengthwise and slice crosswise into ½”-thick ribbons.
In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add about ½ tsp of the paprika and cook for 30 seconds. Add the garlic, diced onions, carrots, Swiss chard stems and 1 tsp salt. Stir well. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is softened, about 7 minutes.
Add the beans and 1½ cups of the bean liquid. Add smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Then add the Swiss chard leaves and cook until wilted, about 4 minutes. Season to taste.
Serve with bread.

Notes

Serves 2

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

White Bean and Swiss Chard Stew

Amount Per Serving

Calories 442 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 1g

Sodium 2005mg87%

Potassium 1176mg34%

Carbohydrates 55g18%

Fiber 11g46%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 30601IU612%

Vitamin C 63mg76%

Calcium 188mg19%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Spring, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner

Spring Veggie Farro Bowl with Feta

July 26, 2020 Sam

This was a very surprisingly delicious meal the first time we made it. There are some interesting combinations I wouldn’t have considered. It’s also fairly quick to make and healthy.

Print Recipe

Spring Veggie Farro Bowl with Feta

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keyword: Inspired by Marley Spoon, Spring

Servings: servings

Calories: 461kcal

Ingredients

4 oz farro
4 oz radishes
½ lb asparagus
1 Fresno chile or 1 Anaheim chile
1 oz scallions
¼ oz fresh dill or thyme
4 oz feta
¼ cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 tbsp red wine vinegar or other sweet vinegar
¼ tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 oz pepitas optional

Instructions

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil with plenty of salt. Add ⅔ cups farro and cook for 15-20 minutes, until cooked. Drain well and shake to get most of the liquid out.
While that is cooking, prepare the eggs. In a large saucepan or stock pot, add about 1" water and a steamer basket. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling heavily, gently lower the eggs into the pot. Cover and cook the eggs for about 8 minutes to get a semi-soft interior texture.
Preheat oven to 450ºF, with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Trim ends from the radishes and cut into ½” wedges. Trim the woody ends from the asparagus. Halve the Fresno chile, discard the stem and seeds and finely chop.
In a small bowl, whisk 2 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp vinegar, a ¼ tsp each sugar, salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped pepper and set aside to marinate.
On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the asparagus and radishes with 1 tbsp oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast on the upper rack until the asparagus is bright green and everything is cooked, about 8-10 minutes.
Trim the scallions and thinly slice. Roughly chop dill fronds and tender stems (or thyme leaves). Crumble the feta into a small bowl and add the ¼ cup sour cream and mash together with a fork. Stir in the scallions, dill/thyme and 2 tbsp water. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve farro, topped with radishes and asparagus, then topped with the feta cream mix, then the eggs (sliced in half). Sprinkle on pepitas and drizzle on the chile and vinaigrette.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Spring Veggie Farro Bowl with Feta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 461 Calories from Fat 234

% Daily Value*

Fat 26g40%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 207mg69%

Sodium 1361mg59%

Potassium 589mg17%

Carbohydrates 40g13%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 20g40%

Vitamin A 1381IU28%

Vitamin C 16mg19%

Calcium 290mg29%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Basics, Pressure Cooker, Projects, Snack, Summer

Mixed Berry Jam

July 26, 2020 Sam

You want sugar content, by weight, to eventually equal 65% of the mixture. I’d start with 50%-55% sugar by weight, so you don’t get too sugary a result. Going lower than this could cause you to cook the jam too long to remove water, and the long cook will make it less fresh tasting (and remove the natural pectin). You could adjust with added pectin and/or acid too, if you drop the sugar.

Print Recipe

Mixed Berry Jam

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 30

Total Time2

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American, Classic

Keyword: Gift, Jam, Summer

Servings:

Ingredients

500 g strawberries
550 g other berries e.g., ½ raspberries, ¼ blackberries, ¼ loganberries
550 g sugar
¼ cup lime juice ~3 limes
1 tbsp pectin

Instructions

Put spoons in the freezer. First, clean and crush the berries. Start by washing them and picking through for any obvious issues. Remote the tops from the strawberries. Roughly chop the strawberries. Add everything to a very large pan – preferably one that is both wide and quite deep. Weigh out the sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle just a small amount of the sugar onto the berries and toss. Let sit for a few minutes while you prep jars and clean up a little, to get ready for the next steps. (Clean the jars, lids and bands, prepare the water bath canner for sterilizing jars, etc.)
Once you have everything else ready, more or less, crush the fruit some (it should have sweat some, from the sugar). Put the berries over a medium heat, add about half of the lime juice, and stir until everything is liquid. Now, add the rest of the sugar and the pectin and cook over medium-low, stirring frequently. Watch for foam and stir it down when needed.
Sterilize the jars, since you’ll be processing them for less than 10 minutes. Do this by filling the canner you’ll be using with the empty jars and boiling for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180ºF, so you can keep them warm. Remove each and drain the water back into the canner, for use during processing. Place sterilized jars in a large Pyrex baking dish and place in the oven while you finish the jam. Leave the water and canning setup.
At this point, the jam will hopefully be reaching temperature. You need it to get to 217ºF to 226ºF, which demonstrates enough water has evaporated that the mixture is now 65% sugar. If you haven’t quite reached this temperature, turn up the heat some and stir until water evaporates away.
Once it reaches the correct temperature, test the consistency with the spoon test. (Take a frozen spoon, dip it in carefully and put in the fridge for a minute or so. Test consistency once it’s cooled.)
When it’s done, remove the jars from the oven and turn off the oven. Turn the heat back on for the water bath canner. Fill each of your jars with jam, leaving just ¼” headroom. Place lid on top and screw the lid on finger-tight. Place in the water bath canner, careful not to tip them over.
Bring the canner to boiling for 5 minutes. Then turn off the heat for about 10 minutes and then remove the jars. Do not disturb for 12-24 hours. Then you can remove the lids and check seals.