Marinated Portobellos, Grilled Veggies, and Barley Risotto

Please indulge me for a moment on a slightly heavier-than-normal issue. When I hear people my age talk about why they exercise and try to eat well, a lot of times those reasons reside in the future. They want to live longer, avoid cancer or a heart attack, have a healthy pregnancy, or lose weight for some future event. I know that Joe and I try to encourage each other to take care of our bodies in hopes of being together for a really long time. But that can give us a false sense of control, even potentially manifesting itself in a kind of disordered eating dubbed orthorexia. If we can just eat “perfectly”, whether that’s avoiding BPA, HFCS, meat, soy, or gluten (or all of the above), nothing will happen to us.

Ultimately though, we’re not in control. Susan over at The Great Balancing Act is active, even working as a personal trainer, eats well, and is my age. She was also recently diagnosed with Hodgkins’ Lymphoma when an x-ray discovered a huge mass in her chest. You can help her out with medical expenses and such today at The Great Fundraising Act. Susan’s honesty about her cancer and how it has effected her has been really moving and certainly gives a different spin to what “health” means.

And yesterday, a very good friend and training partner of an online running friend of mine, someone my mom has run with, an Ironman triathlete, was found dead of a massive heart attack at 64. A healthy man, younger than my own father. While the loss of this man is certainly unnerving and devastating for those who love him, it’s a good reminder for me that I am not in control, that there is a power much bigger than I, something I struggle with accepting a good amount of the time.

So instead of informing you about all of the virtuous health and nutritional benefits of eating your vegetables and whole grains, I’m going to tell you how the bite of the barley risotto is the perfect complement to the texture of the grilled vegetables. And the marinade on the Portobello mushrooms makes them taste shockingly close to steak. Because eating good food with the people you love is important when it’s impossible to control or predict the future.

Marinated Portobellos, Grilled Veggies, and Barley Risotto
Inspired by Ming Tsai’s Grilled Vegetable Barley Risotto with Marinated Portobello Steak

Ingredients

4 Portobello mushroom caps, gills removed
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup red wine
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise, 1/4” thick
1 large summer squash, sliced lengthwise, 1/4” thick
Olive oil
2 tbsp butter
4 minced shallots
2 cups barley
2-3 cups vegetable stock

Preparation

1. Combine mustard, garlic, soy sauce, oil, red wine, and pepper together. Taste for seasoning. Marinate mushroom caps for 1 hour.

2. Toss the squash and zucchini with olive oil and season to your liking.

3. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable stock in a small saucepan until hot. In another pot, add the butter and saute the shallots. Add the barley and toast. Ladle in the stock, one ladle at a time, stirring until the barley is creamy and al dente. Season with salt & pepper and add the cheese.

4. Heat the grill to medium-high. Cook the mushrooms, zucchini, and squash until tender.

5. Place a mound of barley risotto on the plate. Slice the marinated Portobello like a steak and serve in front of the barley with the zucchini and squash to the side.

Spring Vegetable Carbonara

When I think of pasta carbonara, I think of a rich, decadent dish with bacon and eggs and cream. This definitely has the bacon and eggs but adds some delicious vegetables. Basically, it tastes worse for you than it actually is. Some people have criticized Cooking Light lately for making some changes with their recipes and including more seemingly bad foods like bacon and publishing recipes that require frying. But this is exactly how I like to eat. Four slices of center-cut bacon adds a ton of flavor without a lot of meat, and I also used reduced-sodium to cut out some salt. Spring vegetables, bacon, and pasta? As Ina Garten would say, "How bad could that be?"

Spring Vegetable Carbonara
source: Cooking Light May 2010

Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
12 oz asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz uncooked cavatappi pasta
1/2 cup (2 oz) grated pecorino romano cheese
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
4 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped and seeded

Preparation
1. Boil a pot of water, and cook peas and asparagus in boiling water for 3 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender; drain. Plunge into ice water; drain. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta into a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Combing pasta, peas, and asparagus.

2. Combine cheese, salt, pepper, and eggs in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add hot pasta water to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, and reserve 1 tbsp drippings from pan. Add cooked bacon to pasta/vegetable mixture. Cook bell pepper in pasta drippings for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pasta mixture; cook 1 minute until thoroughly heated. Remove pan from heat and stir in egg mixture. Return pan to low heat. Cook for 2 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring constantly.

Nutritional Info
Yields 4 servings
Calories: 425, Fat: 14.4 g, Protein: 22.2 g, Carb 52 g, Fiber 5.4 g, Sodium 614 mg

Spring Peas with Mint

One day before theology class, I was sitting in the common room at the Divinity School when a friend came up to me and said that he had some food-related questions. On any given day, I would much rather talk food than theology. He asked me about this dish, which his wife had seen in Food and Wine magazine, and wanted to know what it would go with. I imagined a nice lamb dish with these peas as a side for a lovely Easter supper. A few more people started gathering around, and we had a very nice conversation about things that were totally not school-related!

Well, he got these peas stuck in my head, and they ended up as a side for our Easter supper, which also included the free Christmas turkey from Vanderbilt that we didn't have for Christmas because we were traveling. Whether they're for an Easter supper or just a nice spring dinner out on the patio, these peas are delightfully easy and flavorful. The red onion adds just enough bite to the vinaigrette, and who doesn't love mint? It's yet another example of how easy something can be when you have good ingredients.

Spring Peas with Mint
source: Food & Wine Magazine

Ingredients
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cups fresh baby peas or thawed frozen green peas (The frozen peas worked just great.)
1/2 small red onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 cup loosely packed mint, torn
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation
In a bowl, whisk the olive oil with the vinegar. Add the peas, red onion and mint and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Vegetarian Chili Mac and Cheese

There is nothing quite as comforting as a big bowl of cheese and noodles. It's my two weaknesses together. The addition of beans and Ro-tel bulks it up and adds some color. The spices really give this dish some great flavor. Joe loved it, and it took much less time to make than I thought it would. Although not the healthiest, this will definitely be on the rotation as it gets colder.

Stovetop Vegetarian Chili Mac and Cheese
source: A Year in the Kitchen

Ingredients
1/2 red onion, minced

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

salt and pepper

2 tbsp. flour

2 c. milk

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

6 oz. elbow macaroni

1 12 oz. can Ro-tel with lime and cilantro (I just used plain Ro-tel)

1 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp. coriander

2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. chili powder

cilantro, for garnish

Preparation
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt and add pasta.

Heat a deep skillet over medium.

Add onion, EVOO and butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Sweat out onions for 2-3 minutes, sprinkle flour over onions and whisk to cook off flour.

Add milk, turn heat to high and bring to a bubble.

Drain rotel and add to the milk, whisk in cheddar cheese and spices.

Once cheese is melted and incorporated, add beans.

Drain macaroni and add to the pot.

Stir well, serve with cilantro.

Peanut Soy Chicken, Cold Noodle, and Veggie Bowl

I swear that I could cover anything in spicy peanut sauce, and Joe would eat it. Not once did he comment on how many vegetables there were in this dish or how much green there was. My noodles were a little more lukewarm than cold, which is how I preferred them. This meal came together quickly and was plentiful. I added some Sriracha and reflected that below in the ingredient list. It's hard to go wrong with peanut sauce and noodles!

Peanut Soy Chicken, Cold Noodle, and Veggie Bowl
adapted source: A Year in the Kitchen

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, pounded very thin

3 tbsp. creamy peanut butter, separated

1/2 c. lite soy sauce, separated
2 tsp Sriracha, separated

black pepper

6 oz spaghetti

1 can water chestnuts, sliced

1 bell pepper, sliced

1 bunch scallions, green parts only, sliced

1 6 oz. bag snap peas

1 bunch cilantro

Sesame seeds, sesame oil, grated ginger, or any other garnish

Preparation
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Preheat grill pan or skillet to medium-high heat.
In a shallow dish, whisk 2 tbsp. peanut butter with 1/4 c. soy sauce and 1 tsp Sriracha.
Microwave for 45 seconds if necessary, to loosen peanut butter.
Add black pepper, whisk.
Pound chicken thin between saran wrap.
Spray pan with nonstick spray.
Dip chicken in peanut sauce, then place on the grill pan. Cook for 4 minutes.
Drop the pasta in the water, cook for 6 minutes.
Chop the veggies.
In another large bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp. peanut butter, 1/4 c. soy sauce, 1 tsp Sriracha and pepper.
Again, microwave for 45 seconds if necessary.
Flip the chicken, cook for another 4 minutes, or until done.
If desired, during the last minute of cooking pasta, add the snap peas to take off the bite.
Drain and rinse with cold water, pour into the bowl with sauce. Toss to coat.
Add the veggies, toss again.
Take the chicken off the grill pan.
Plate the noodles, slice the chicken, place on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Cauliflower-Chickpea Tagine

First off, Happy New Year! 2008 was a crazy year for me, so I'm hoping 2009 will be a little calmer. If you're like most people, including me, you probably are wanting a break from the overindulgent foods associated with the holidays. This is a wonderful, flavorful dish that will keep you warm through January while still being healthy and full of vegetables. You don't have to eat salads to eat healthy!

I especially liked the way the raisins plumped up during the cooking. They added a hint of sweetness that contrasted with the spice of the cayenne pepper.

Cauliflower-Chickpea Tagine
source: Big City Cooking

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, slices

1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets

3 carrots, sliced thinly

1 15-oz can of chickpeas, drained (I used 2 cups of cooked dried chickpeas)

1 15-oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 cup vegetable broth

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tsps cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat, and sauté onions until translucent. Add garlic and sauté another minute. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer. Cook covered for about an hour, or until all vegetables are soft. Serve over whole wheat couscous.

Whiskey-Glazed Carrots

We needed some sort of vegetable for Christmas dinner, and I wanted to do something different from the green beans we had for Thanksgiving. I love carrots, and Joe loves whiskey, so I thought this would be a nice touch of color and flavor to our dinner. I halved the recipe, but I wish I had made the whole thing. The carrots nearly disappeared on the first trip around the table!

Pioneer Woman’s Whiskey-Glazed Carrots

source: The Pioneer Woman Cooks

2 - 3 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into thick circles
1 stick (1/2 cup…1/4 lb) butter
1/2 cup Jack Daniels or other whiskey
3/4 to 1 cup brown sugar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper

Melt 1 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add carrots in two batches, cooking for 60 to 90 seconds each batch. Remove from skillet.
Pour in whiskey and allow to evaporate 30 seconds.
Reduce heat to medium, and add remaining butter.
When butter melts, sprinkle brown sugar over the top.
Stir together, then add carrots to skillet.
Cover, and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
Remove lid and add salt and pepper. Continue cooking until carrots are done and glaze is thick, about 5 more minutes.
Pour onto a platter and serve immediately. Sprinkle with chopped chives if desired