Excuse me, waiter! There's a chard in my taco!

Wow--what a week! There are lots of changes happening in the work place, and they have been accompanied by long, long days. The worst part is, I had this absolutely great menu plan for the week, but nothing got cooked. If I ever doubted how much of a negative impact fast food has on my body, I put the doubts to rest this week. I've stayed vegetarian, but that doesn't always mean healthy. After all, french fries and a diet coke are vegan!

Last night, the walls were closing in, so I decided to load up the briefcase and come home. Foolishly, I thought I'd get some work done here. Why, I don't know, because when I'm that burned out, my self-discipline flies out the window. Instead, I pulled myself into the kitchen and happily rinsed, chopped, minced, and diced my way to a really good dinner.

I'm still cooking out of Jack Bishop's A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen. I really like the way this book is arranged by season. It helps me as I try to reduce my carbon footprint, as the seasonal vegetables tend to be grown more closely to home. This book has been on my shelf for a couple of years, and was untouched until recently. Frankly, it looked too "vegetarian" for me. It features the kind of food I was always afraid I'd have to eat if I became a vegetarian. Apparently, the only thing I had to fear was fear itself. Tonight, we had Soft Corn Tacos with Garlicky Greens, accompanied by Mexican Citrus Salad and a crock of frijoles refritos.

This was really good. Who knew? I was surprised at how flavorful and satisfying the tacos were. The chard has a nice, earthy taste, which is livened up by carmelized onions, minced garlic and jalapenos. The rustic flavor of warm corn tortillas complimented it perfectly. We topped it with a jarred salsa from Trader Joe's, but any favorite salsa would work. The citrus salad wasn't anything special, but it was an easy and quick side with a nice flavor. It is short week to use a sharp knife to trim the vibrant citrus of it's pith and rind and cut it into slices. I arranged the slices on a platter before sprinkling them with lime juice, coarse salt, a whisper of chile powder, and chopped jalapeno. I loved the way this meal looked on the plate. It was like a rainbow had landed on the table.

I would suggest a bit of pre-prep work if this is to be a weeknight dinner. If the chard is prewashed and chopped, the whole thing could go together in 30-40 minutes. I hadn't cleaned and chopped my chard, so I did that while the onions were cooking. Otherwise, I would have done the citrus salad during that time. As it was, I did the salad first, then started the main.

Given the array of power-packed fruits and vegetables, I'm going to send this one to Sweetnicks for the ARF/5-a-Day roundup. Check it out weekly for lots of good ideas on ways to incorporate more antioxidant rich fruits and veggies into your diet.

My name is Michelle, and I am addicted to Brussels sprouts

Mark Bittman wins again with these Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic. It's that simple. It's all simple, actually. Bring those Brussels sprouts home. Cut 'em in half. Heat some oil, put the Brussels sprouts in the pan. Let them cook for 5 or 10 minutes, sprinkle some salt, pepper, and peeled garlic over them. Put it in the oven. Let it cook another 20-30 minutes, and hit it with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Caramelized. Sweet. Crunchy. Crispy. Smooth. Tender. Yum. Yum. Yum. This is now my go-to Brussels sprouts recipe. The Husband even ate one and said it wasn't bad. That's actually sort of high praise. If he wants any, though, he's going to have to fight me for them. I only made a pound. He can eat ice cream.

Although I know that Cate over at Sweetnicks doesn't really love Brussels sprouts, I'm going to send these over to join her ARF/5-a-Day Roundup anyway. Maybe we'll make a believer of her.

Morphing it

Since I'm really trying to be a responsible consumer (and a wise budgeter), it was important to me not to end up throwing the leftovers of the White Bean and Tomato Casserole with Bread Crumb topping into the trash. So, as promised, I did a little work with the remainder, and I'm proud to say we've finished it off. I'm glad I didn't bake the whole casserole with the breadcrumbs, as it would have really limited my options.

Yesterday, I took all of the bean/tomato/garlic/onion mixture, tossed in about 2/3 of a can of chopped green chiles, some cumin, and handful of cilantro, and some salt and pepper, then gave it a few seconds of quality time with my immersion blender. Heated, spread on crispy tostada shells (Trader Joe's corn tortillas spritzed with a little olive oil and baked until crisp), topped with some shredded cheese (any variety would work), and shredded romaine, we had great tostadas with built-in salsa.

Today, I took the remainder of that, threw it in a gratin pan, topped with some cheese, and baked until brown and bubbly. Once it was out of the oven, I scattered it with some chopped tomatoes and sliced green onions, and it made a great bean dip. I didn't have the ingredients on hand, or I would have thrown in a few tablespoons of cream cheese and some chopped jalapeno--fresh or jarred--before baking to really make an over-the-top dip. At any rate, it made good breakfast.

This is what I hope to do more of in the coming year, as it pains me to throw things out. I find that Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian is really helping me adjust my thinking to one of adaptability. The thing I really love about his book (in addition to it's exhaustive reference capability and tons of good recipes) is that it virtually oozes flexibility. There are few recipes that aren't followed with several variations. In an effort to live more gently on this planet, we're making lots of changes in our lives. It seems to me that the most basic of these should be to not waste food. And that, at least in our household of two, means learning to do more with leftovers so that they all fuel our bodies instead of the landfill.

SOAPBOX ALERT!!!!

It's funny that a choice to eat a vegetarian diet has been quickly followed by other lifestyle changes. We're eliminating bottled water, and using filtered tap water instead to cut down on plastic usage. While we do recycle most of the time, I realize that we would all be better off if plastics weren't making their way into our landfills, where they don't biodegrade, and they eventually leach chemicals into the groundwater.

We're replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs as the incandescents burn out. Right now, our lighting is a little uneven, but I think of my grandchildren living in the world I help create, and it's worth it.

We've gone to biodegradeable laundry and dish soap that does not contain animal-tested ingredients.

And I know that these changes aren't enough, that we're truly leaving too large of a carbon footprint. We will continue to do what we can as we become more knowledgeable, and will continue to love and embrace those who don't. For what, indeed, is the point of saving the world if we hate everyone else in it?

Encore, please!

I really want to like this Jack Bishop recipe. But I don't. Certainly, it's okay. But it's not stellar. It doesn't transport me. It just leaves me flat. Full, but flat. Part of it is ingredient error. I used Muir Glen brand diced tomatoes, and the pieces are too big. I should have chopped them up a bit, but I didn't. When I want beans and tomatoes, I want BEANS and tomatoes, not beans and TOMATOES. So, it's my own fault that I didn't fix that. But as usual, I was in a hurry. I also really like to follow a recipe without a riff the first time. After all, the author got paid MONEY to write their cookbook. I get paid bupkiss to cook from it. So, they must know more than me, right?

It seems like I've had a lot of uneven success with Jack Bishop recipes. When they work, they are sublime simplicity. They are always quick, and I like his balance of healthy ingredients when they work, and going with the less-healthy-but-better-in-this-dish when they don't. However, he just isn't one of those cookbook authors who I feel I could pull anything they have published and cook from it, ending with a happy dance. I feel that way about Ina Garten. I feel that way about anything Cook's Illustrated publishes. So far, I feel that way about everything I've cooked from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman. Robin Robertson never steers me wrong, either. So why is it that Bishop, a noted cookbook author, doesn't always get it right? I don't know, but I think I must turn my recipe instincts on when cooking from his cookbooks.

But wait! There's more! We haven't talked about this recipe yet. One of my issues with this was the bread crumb topping. It's not that I don't treasure bread crumbs, for I love all things yeast-based. But I had a concern about topping a 6-serving dish with breadcrumbs, then eating two servings. What, I asked, would happen to the toasty layer of bread crumbs on the remainder of the dish as it sat in the refrigerator? Here is where I must admit that I'm not a big fan of insanely, considering it nothing but soggy bread that sat too near leaking tomatoes. I could see a bread crumb version of this salad forming on top of my casserole, rendering the leftovers inedible. So, I made our servings in two ramekins (just purchased in the Crate and Barrel after-Christmas sale, thank you very much), topped them with bread crumbs, and broiled them. I then toasted the rest of the bread crumbs in a skillet and toasted them, storing them in a plastic bag after they cooled.

Well, let me tell you, the thick layer of bread crumbs in the original servings were panzanella-ish on the bottom, although nice and crisp on the top. We ate it. It was fine. I wasn't excited about eating it again. But I did--I took it for lunch today. (Yes, this is a stealth blog entry--I made this two days ago, but had to choose between sleep and posting.) It was better today, scattered with the fully toasted bread crumbs. However, it still isn't grabbing me. However, I have a plan. I think I know what to do with the remainder that will be really, really yummy. You'll have to check back, though, to find out. I think it will be tomorrow's lunch, maybe even tomorrow's breakfast. See you then!

No beauty pageant winners here!

Today started inauspiciously. When the alarm went off at 5:00 a.m., I knew I wasn't going to make it to work on time; I was in the grip of a migraine. Back to bed I went, loaded up on medication. I made a couple of false starts as the day wore on, only to be driven back to bed. At one point, I was actually dressed, wearing make up, and in the car, only to come back home before making it even a mile down the road. Not a good beginning. However, after sleeping until 4:30, I woke up absolutely ravenous, with the migraine seeming to be at bay. The only thing left on my week's menu plan was this recipe for Black Sesame Noodles from Jack Bishop's A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen. I wasn't sure it sounded good, but it was this or leftovers, so this won.

And oh, am I glad that it did. I've had a few sesame noodle dishes, which all just struck me as okay. This one, however, transported me. Like so many of his other recipes, this one came together very quickly--less than 30 minutes from the time I put the water on to boil for the pasta. I've never used black sesame seeds before, but I will again. They have a taste just a bit stronger which really shines through. This dish is served warm, but leftovers should be fine cold. Grated carrots, cucumber, and radishes add a nice, fresh note and lighten what could otherwise be a heavy dish. I used only 3/4 pound of pasta, as Bishop's recipes are usually to heavy on the pasta, and too light on the sauce for my taste. In this instance, when I make this again, I'll go with the full pound. I would also up the shredded veggies a bit, as they could have a stronger presence without overwhelming the balance of this dish. I don't often repeat dishes, but I see this one coming up again in our future.

One of the things I'd like to do this year is participate in more Blogger events. I'm giving up my virginity in this area to the Presto Pasta Night Roundup at Once Upon a Feast--Every Kitchen Tells Its Story. This is a great site to check on Fridays before the weekend grocery shopping trip. Pasta shines in all its forms of glory.

Sunshine on a rainy day

Tonight, we pulled dinner from a new vegetarian classic, Jack Bishop's A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen. The Linguine with Orange Sauce and Cilantro couldn't have been easier. I squeezed a half dozen oranges, which yielded enough juice to set over a low boil with some crushed garlic cloves and sliced ginger. While that was reducing, I put some linguine on to cook. Strain the garlic and ginger chunks out of the orange syrup, add a little olive oil, chopped cilantro, and some pasta water and, voila, you have dinner. I will say that this probably wasn't a very good dinner on its own, speaking from a nutrition point of view. It needed a salad, or even some steamed broccoli and sugar snap peas tossed in the sauce along with the pasta. Sliced baked tofu would be good, too, and for those not mucking about with a vegetarian diet, the sauce would be great over chicken. Nonetheless, this was truly a 30-minute meal, and one that was refreshingly bright on a winter night.

I also came home to my first delivery of Rancho Gordo beans. The cooks over on the CLBB have been all abuzz about these heirloom beans, and company owner Steve Sando has even weighed in. He seems like a very nice guy, and he's very knowledgeable about his beans. Being much fresher than supermarket dried beans (and with much more variety available), this is reputed to be the beginning of a sublime bean relationship. I couldn't be more excited to get started cooking a pot or two of these, although it will probably be the weekend before I can even consider it. It's so hard to decide what to start with. Christmas limas? Good Mother Stallards? Black Valentines? Borlottis? Yellow Indian Woman? Ojo de Cabras (Goat's eye)? I might have to just randomly pluck, something out of the box and start cooking!

Tomorrow night is a meeting night, so I know there will be no cooking. We'll enjoy leftovers (the Boulangerie Beans and Potatoes from last night have melded into a wonderful, homey bowl of goodness) or planned overs (Sloppy Lentils with Wheatberries, or more of that Lentil Soup--oh, how I wish I'd had some of that for lunch, too). I hope you enjoy the night with whatever you decide to nurture yourself with.

Catching Up

It would be far too cumbersome to try to go back over everything I've added since I last posted. The holidays were busy, but my plan was to catch up while we were out of town resting until we were bored out of our heads. Unfortunately, the place we stayed had not entered the 21st Century, and therefore, I was without a reliable Internet connection. So, I'll just fill you in on some highlights.

First, I must share this French Lentil and Vegetable Soup from the Barefoot Contessa. This is everything a soup should be--rich, brothy, deep undertones. It is definitely a go-back-for-more kind of soup, one that takes any pain out of being a vegetarian. Truly, I can't imagine anyone not liking it (even you, blonde-haired mother of my grandchildren). The ingredient list isn't much different from any other lentil soup. I think the magic is in the slow saute of the onions and leeks at the beginning, and the splash of red wine at the end. Whatever it is, it is totally over-the-top good. This screams for some hearty, crusty bread to sop up any last bit of broth at the bottom of the bowl.

Another winner is Boulangerie Beans and Potatoes from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. Attractive enough to serve to company, this is hearty and melts in yourmouth. I did the variation with sauteed leeks layered between the thinly sliced potatoes and creamy white beans. I already have leftovers packed to take for lunch tomorrow.

Although I stocked up on cookbooks at The Good Cook's after-Christmas sale (as well as their before-Christmas sale), Bittman's newest book is standing out as a favorite. I have his other cookbooks, but haven't used them a great deal. However, this one is a must-have resource. The recipes aren't complicated, but like Ina Garten's, seem to be more than the sum of their parts. Many substitutions and variations are provided for almost every recipe. They are also full of REAL food, not fake meat and other not-so-good-for-you vegetarian fake-outs. You could serve these to anyone and not feel compromised. Several of the recipes are already becoming standards in our house. Check out the Buttermilk Biscuits--they were in the oven within 10 minutes, and came out unbelievably light and rose sky-high. The Bulgur Chili is another winner, with a meaty taste despite being a vegan offering.

Check the side-bar under "Vegetarian," where I've indicated in parenthesis whether a recipe is vegan, or could be modified to vegan (by using a butter substitute or subbing vegetable broth for chicken broth). Sorry--they don't all have pictures. They were good, though.

Certainly, we are finding it easier than we thought to follow a vegetarian diet. Our resolution in this new year is to move further toward the vegan end of things, for all the same reasons we became vegetarians. I hope that I can still continue to providing you solid, family-pleasing meal ideas to help keep you healthy throughout your life. We don't like weird food any more than you do--so if we like it, there's a good chance you will, as well.