As much as I wish that I could meal plan and cook every night of the week, I have times where my job is too busy and I just don’t have time. During these busy periods, I usually order Blue Apron meals so that at least the meal planning and grocery shopping is done for me.
One of the meals a few months back had a side of black lentils with sauteed kale and onions that was absolutely fantastic. Since then, a version inspired by the original recipe has become a staple in my house.
Lentils in general are an awesome source of protein, and black lentils are no different. Sometimes called beluga lentils, they are named for their likeness to caviar. Black lentils hold their shape better than some other types of lentils, so they add great texture to meals.
The spice used in this recipe, ras el hanout, is a Moroccan spice blend that differs depending on the shop, so your version may come out slightly different than mine. The name, which means “head of the shop” (which is similar to the English expression “top-shelf”) is a mixture of the best spices the seller has to offer. As such, there is no definitive ras el hanout recipe. Common ingredients include cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, coriander, paprika, and turmeric. I’m a huge fan of this spice blend, mainly because it takes a lot of the guess work out of seasoning — plus it tastes amazing! You may remember me using it in my One Pot Moroccan Chicken recipe earlier this year.
One of my favorite new-ish shows is PBS’s No Passport Required with Marcus Samuelsson. Each episode explores the immigrant communities and food within different U.S. cities. There have only been 6 shows, but I’m hooked. Each episode includes Chef Samuelsson meeting, hanging out, and eating with members of the different immigrant communities in Detroit, New Orleans, Chicago, Queens, Miami, and Washington, D.C.
Not only is the show really interesting and informative, it’s difficult to not get hungry while watching,! PBS luckily includes some recipes on their website. But there was one I was hoping they’d post and at least as of this post, it’s not there: Ful Medames from the Washington, D.C. episode which highlighted the Ethiopian community in our nation’s capital.
Ful Medames is a breakfast dish of mashed fava beans, topped with hard boiled eggs, feta cheese, tomato, and jalapeno. I’ve had a bag of dried fava beans sent to me from Bob’s Red Mill in my pantry for a while now, and I knew they were destined for this recipe. Not only does Ful Medames sound fantastic, but my husband is currently training for a marathon, and this sounded like the perfect fuel after a long training run.
Ful Medames gets a lot of its flavor from a spice blend called berbere. Berbere is an Ethiopian spice mixture that usually includes chilies, garlic, ginger, basil, fenugreek, coriander, and cardamom. It is spicy, but I adjusted so this version doesn’t have too much heat. Feel free to add more for spiciness. For my local Philadelphians, I found berbere in The Head Nut in Reading Terminal, but there are recipes online to make your own at home if you don’t live near a spice shop. Penzey’s also has a version of berbere.
My version isn’t terribly authentic, but the general idea is there. I used soft boiled eggs instead, solely because I don’t love hard boiled eggs. Feel free to substitute in hard-boiled.
Note: Before cooking with the fava beans, be sure to soak them overnight.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups dried fava beans, soaked overnight
5 cups water, plus more as needed
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons berbere, divided
3/4 teaspoon cumin, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 eggs (omit for vegan)
1 tomato (or ~4 oz cherry tomatoes), finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, finely chopped
I don’t think you can ever have too many side dishes to rotate for different dinner combinations, including ones you can make on the grill, like this Grilled Fennel with Parmesan recipe.
One of my favorite ingredients is fennel. When raw, it has a nice anise (licorice) flavor with great crunch. When cooked, fennel becomes sweeter and the licorice flavor more subtle. Typically, you’d roast fennel. But hey, it’s summer. Let’s bring it outdoors!
This recipe is based off a Giada De Laurentiis recipe, and is a tasty side with any grilled protein. I particularly love it with a lemony grilled salmon!
Ingredients: (serves 4)
4 fennel bulbs, tops removed, cut into thick slices, leaving the core intact
Note: I was sent Northwest Cherries in order to write this post and recipe for Chocolate Cherry Banana Bread. All opinions are mine alone.
My husband and I were recently invited to go down the shore with our friends, and I wanted to bring something as a thank you for a weekend at the beach. Luckily, I had some overripe bananas sitting on my countertop, so I made this chocolate cherry banana bread to bring with us.
As I mentioned in my recent post, I have quite a few cherries in my house at the moment, so I decided to snazz up the banana bread with some fresh chopped cherries and chocolate chips.
Have you ever purchased an ingredient at the supermarket that you have no clue how you’re going to end up using it? Months ago, I purchased a tube of prepared polenta and honestly just forgot I even had it. During a recent cleaning of my “pantry” (also known as a cabinet that holds dry goods), I came across it again and decided it was time to find a use for it! So now, I present you Grilled Caprese Polenta Rounds!
Prepared, or tubed, polenta is firm and can be sliced into rounds which makes it perfect for grilling. I figured it would make a great summery appetizer, topped with melted mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, and a balsamic reduction!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 (16 oz) tube prepared polenta, sliced into 16 rounds
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 (8 oz) container cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (directions below)
Note: I was sent Northwest Cherries in order to write this post. All opinions are mine alone.
July is peak cherry season, which means I have A TON of cherries in my fridge! I was sent quite a few bags of cherries from Northwest Cherry Growers, and had to dive right in to using them! Fun fact: Northwest Cherry Growers is a group of 2,500+ farms that produce at least three-quarters of the nation’s entire sweet cherry crop.
Source: nwcherries.com
Northwest-grown sweet cherries tend to boast the highest fruit sugar content of any cherries. The naturally high sugar content makes them such a yummy snack on their own, or great in baked goods and other recipes. They are also one of the lowest fruits on the glycemic index. (In case you’re wondering, a general rule of thumb is that the darker the cherry, the sweeter it is.)
Cherries are also a superfruit and have been credited with reducing the risk of some serious diseases. Published research points to the health benefits of sweet cherries, including a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The study discovered consuming sweet cherries can help prevent chronic inflammatory diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis and cancer. These powerful superfruits also contain melatonin, which may increase your quality of sleep and reduce jetlag.
Cherry season is pretty short, from July to mid-August, so I’m excited to have the opportunity to use these beautiful cherries in a bunch of different recipes. Fresh cherries keep for approximately two weeks when refrigerated in a sealed bag or container. If you want to enjoy them year-round, you can also freeze cherries by rinsing, drying, and packing them up in freezer bags.
Source: nwcherries.com
I’m kind of in a canning state of mind after making my Blueberry Chia Seed Jam a few weeks ago, so I wanted to can some of these beautiful cherries. You may have noticed I’m a fan of cocktails, so I just had to make homemade maraschino cherries!
Maraschino cherries are named for the Marasca cherry grown originally in Croatia, which when distilled, produce a liqueur. Whole cherries that are preserved in this liqueur became known as Maraschino Cherries.
These maraschino cherries are not those bright red guys you’ll find in a Shirley Temple. No no, these are the adult, more refined version. There is no artificial coloring, and much less sweetener added. And they are perfect for cocktails and adult ice cream sundaes!
One of my favorite summer foods is corn. A nice grilled corn on the cob just makes my day!
But I had never tried Elote before, so I figured it was time to do so!
Elote, or corn on the cob in Spanish, is a Mexican grilled corn brushed with a creamy mixture of mayo, sour cream, cotjia cheese, chili powder, and cilantro.
The result is absolutely crave-worthy!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Cotija cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon chili powder, plus more for serving
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus more for serving
4 ears corn, shucked (if possible, keep an inch or so of the stalk for easy eating)
Note: I was sent a box of Vidalia onions to make this post for Farro with Vidalia Onion and Asparagus. Opinions are mine alone.
I’m still working through my box of Vidalia onions. No complaints here, they are incredibly versatile! These sweet onions are perfect for low and slow cooking that allow the sugars to caramelize and develop another layer of flavor.
I know it’s difficult to even see the Vidalia onions in the final photos of this Farro with Vidalia Onion and Asparagus, but I promise you, they are the star of this dish — their flavor is in each and every bite, and results in one of the best sides I’ve made in a long time!
This recipe for Farro with Vidalia Onion and Asparagus from Trisha Yearwood is definitely a keeper. Plus, it comes together pretty easily!
Note: I was sent a box of Vidalia onions to make this post. Opinions are mine alone.
When I first received a box of Vidalia onions, I knew I had to make French Onion Soup. The sweetness of the onions, especially after caramelizing, is perfect for this recipe.
French Onion Soup is a favorite of mine. Who doesn’t love comforting soup with a bunch of bread and cheese goodness on top?
My version below is adapted from a recipe I found on Food Network.
Note: I was sent a copy of The Freds at Barneys New York Cookbook for review. All opinions are mine alone.
The Freds at Barneys New York Cookbook is the definitive cookbook by the celebrated chef and managing director (Mark Strausman) of Freds at Barneys New York, one of New York’s most beloved restaurants with locations in Los Angeles and Chicago.
Barneys New York, with its flagship store on Madison Avenue, is a world-famous cutting-edge fashion destination, and a true New York phenomenon. And since 1996, Barneys’ restaurant Freds at Barneys New York–named after found Barneys Pressman’s son Fred–has been offering in food what Barneys offers in fashion: a luxury destination that provides a level of personal service second to none, where the food keeps their celebrity clientele coming back for more.
In The Freds at Barneys Cookbook, Strausman invites you into the kitchen of this restaurant institution and teaches you how to bring a piece of New York chic into your own home. The cookbook is filled with awesome recipes from the restaurant, such as Belgian Fries or Estelle’s Chicken Soup, Mark’s Madison Avenue Salad or Chicken Paillard, Traditional Bolognese (or Vegan!) or Cheese Fondue Scrambled Eggs, and commemorates all of the delicious recipes Freds has served over the years at the Madison Avenue, Chelsea, Beverly Hills, and Chicago locations.
This recipe for sauteed hen of the woods mushrooms caught my eye. I love mushrooms, especially hen of the woods mushrooms. Also known as maitake mushrooms, these mushrooms have a feathery texture but pack some hearty flavor.
Note: I was sent a bottle of Chabé® Sambal Chili. All opinions are mine alone.
We are big fans of spicy foods in my house. So whenever I am given the opportunity to try a new hot sauce or paste, I always jump at the chance.
Since the moment this little bottle of Chabé® Sambal Chili entered my home, my husband has basically put it on everything. Sambal is a hot sauce or paste made with chili peppers found in Southeast Asian cooking. Chabé® Sambal Chili’s secret formula uses fresh chilies, garlic and a unique artisan technique that adds an explosion of heat and flavor to just about anything you add it to. It’s fairly thick and is incredibly flavorful, so a little bit goes a long way. What I really like about this sambal is that it has a balanced heat — you get the hit of spiciness up front, but it has a hint of sweetness toward the end.
The story of Chabé® Sambal Chili begins in the late 1900’s in the lush islands of Indonesia. The founder’s late grandfather developed one of the earliest recipes for sweet soy, a flavorful base ingredient that was once only available to the locals & chefs in Southeast Asia. Passionate about introducing more sauces that boast indigenous ingredients of Java and share a rich culture with the world, the founder launched a 50-year-old family recipe of Chabé® Sambal Chili. A flavor-rich, savory & sweet blend of fiery Cayenne and Bird’s Eye chili peppers, harvested from the tropical, mountain-side farms of Indonesia, combines with fresh garlic and tropical spices.
source: https://www.chabechili.com
This Spicy Cucumber Salad really shows off the flavors of Chabé® Sambal Chili, and would be awesome as a side at a barbecue. It’s also great as a snack!
Ingredients (makes 4 servings, multiply as needed):
8 mini seedless cucumbers
1/2 cup chopped scallions, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
To make, cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and then chop crosswise into bite-sized pieces.
Add to a medium-sized mixing bowl along with the scallions, cilantro, and chopped peanuts. Toss to combine.
In a separate bowl, mix together the Sambal Chili, toasted sesame oil, white wine vinegar, salt, and garlic cloves.
Pour the mixture over the cucumber mixture, tossing to combine.
Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Add to a serving bowl and top with more chopped scallions, cilantro and peanuts. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes on top, and serve.
I really love spicy cucumbers. The crunch of the cucumbers with the spicy dressing is just so satisfying!
The Sambal Chili is the start of this dish. It complements the freshness of the cucumbers nicely. The peanuts add another layer of crunch and flavor as well.
You can make this ahead of time, just keep in mind the longer it sits the more time the sauce has to soak into the cucumbers.
This Sambal Chili clearly has a permanent home in my fridge. You can pick up your own bottle on the Chabé® Sambal Chili website.
I’m on a bit of a feta kick at the moment. I absolutely love French feta, which is a bit more mild and creamier than the more tangy, crumbly version most people associate with feta cheese.
When I came across a recipe for Feta Dip, I loved the concept, and knew French Feta would be perfect for it.
This dip is a nice alternative to the normal dips found at parties. The flavors are similar to tzatziki; serve with toasted pita or pita chips.
Ingredients:
12 oz French feta
1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
My husband and I have had some fairly heavy (but delicious) food recently. So this weekend, I was in search of something a bit lighter for lunch that would still fill us up, like this creamy avocado soup.
I realized this weekend as I was making some of my favorite St. Patrick’s Day foods that I have not written a post on Colcannon!
Colcannon is mashed potatoes with sautéed greens mixed in, typically either cabbage or kale.
It’s pretty awesome Irish comfort food in my opinion. It’s so engrained in Irish cooking that it even has it’s own song!
Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream? With the greens and scallions mingled like a picture in a dream. Did you ever make a hole on top to hold the melting flake Of the creamy, flavoured butter that your mother used to make?
This version uses shallots, leeks, and kale, but this recipe can easily be adapted to incorporate any green you prefer.
