Dinner Party: Tri-Tip Roast

There is nothing quite like a Sunday roast for entertaining guests and filling the house with delicious smells.

For the best flavor, I suggest letting the meat marinate overnight.






Ingredients:
2 lb tri-tip roast

1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup white wine
1 cup orange juice
rosemary
thyme
salt
pepper

(optional)
sliced carrots
yellow onion
celery

Directions:
Combine olive oil, wine, juice and seasonings. Pour over meat and marinate for 12 - 24 hours, rotating occasionally.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice carrots, onions and/or celery place in bottom of roasting pan. Remove roast from marinade and place on top of vegetables.

Cook meat at 425 for 15 minutes. Lower temperature of oven to 350 degrees continue cooking for an additional 20 - 30 minutes until meat reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit (for medium rare doneness).

Remove from oven and let sit for 5 - 10 minutes to seal in juices.

Best Served With: Roasties, Yorkshire Pudding, Green Beans, Salad, Red Wine

Millet with Black Beans and Vegetables

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of millet (or quinoa)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 T minced fresh ginger
Kosher salt
1 c water

2 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2-3 baby carrots, chopped
2 baby bok choy, sliced
1/2 shallot, sliced
2-3 T chopped red cabbage
Fresh ground black pepper
Garlic, minced (optional)

Splash rice vinegar
Olive oil

Supplies:
Cutting Board + Knife
Hot plate + Pot + Lid
Pan + Spatula

Directions:

In a small pot, combine millet with black beans, water, ginger and water.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat, and simmer covered until water is absorbed.  Remove from heat and let sit.

Note:  The bean-millet mix will last for two meals - one for now and one for later when you saute up a few more vegetables.  If serving a guest, double vegetable amounts.

Then place pan on hot plate and heat olive oil, adding in garlic (optional) and shallot for about 30 seconds when pan is hot.  Add carrots and red cabbage and cook for a few minutes to soften.  Then add mushrooms, continuing to stir.  Finally, add bok choy until leaves soften and just begin to wilt.  Remove vegetables from heat.

Place half of the grain-bean mix on plate.  Top with vegetables.  Sprinkle with rice vinegar.  Enjoy!

Candida Modification:  Ditch the vinegar.

Portobello Mushroom Ravioli in a Shitaki Basil Cream Sauce

Few things more enjoyable than good wine, good food and good company - except perhaps having all three together. For my first dinner party back in a full kitchen, I choose a few of my favorite ladies, a Clos Du Bois Chardonnay and Portobello Mushroom Ravioli in a Shitaki Basil Cream Sauce. Pretty amazing combination.

Ingredients:
24 oz. mushroom ravioli
2 T butter
8 oz shitaki mushrooms (sliced)
3 green onions (chopped)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 t dried oregano
1/4 t dried basil
1/4 t dried thyme
1 can diced tomatoes (drained)
2 T fresh basil
1 c whipping cream
1/2 c parmesean chesse (grated)
1/2 t salt


Directions:

Heat water in pot and bring to boil. Add ravioli to boiling water and cook per instructions.

While ravioli is cooking, melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, green onion, garlic and seasonings to butter. Saute until mushrooms are tender.

Stir in diced tomatoes, basil and cream. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Add Parmesan cheese and salt. Remove from heat.

Drain ravioli when cooked. Add to sauce. Tossing to coat.

Served Best With: White Wine, Salad, Fresh Bread.

Rainy Day Recipe: Potato-Fennel Soup

When the weather is wet, the Spice Girl gets cooking!  After much traveling and eating on the run, I am happy to be back in the kitchen tonight.  I got my latest box of organic produce from my CSA this week and it was packed full of some hearty vegetables, including - to my surprise - a bulb of fennel.

Now, fennel is not normally a vegetable that I would pick up in the store and buy, but that's why I love my CSA box.  It pushes my creativity in the kitchen.  So with the weather outside pouring down, I decided to whip up a delicious and warm potato-fennel soup.

Ingredients:
olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
potatoes (I used about 15 fingerling potatoes)
1 bulb fresh fennel, chopped
salt
pepper
cream

Supplies:
Hot Plate
Pot
Cutting Board & Knife
Hand Blender
Ladel

Directions:
Start by sauteing the onions in olive oil over medium heat in your cooking pot.  When onions are soft and slightly translucent, add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.

In the meantime, chop potatoes and fennel and add to pot.  Cook for approximately 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are soft.

When potatoes are soft remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.  Then puree the vegetables using the hand blender until smooth.  Add salt, pepper and dash of cream to taste.

Simple, absolutely delicious, and extra servings store well for lunch.  Bon apetit!

Homemade Turkey Stew

I had already taken a bowl
before the picture :)

On a rainy day like this, there is nothing quite like a stew to warm the soul.

This cleanse-friendly stew is my first meat recipe on the blog.  After many years of vegetarian- and pescetarian-ism, I began eating organic meats in small portions when my body was encountering some health problems and I had to go off of carbohydrates for a while (my vegetarian diet being very carb-heavy).  So now instead of calling myself "vegetarian" or "pescetarian," I've settled for "I'm just particular."  :)  I was never much into labels anyway. 

I hope you meat-eaters out there enjoy the recipe. 

Ingredients:
1 lb turkey thighs or breast, cut into cubes
1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 qt vegetable or chicken broth
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into slices
1 medium turnip, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
(parsnips, rutabagas and beets are all good subs/additions too)
1/2 t salt
pinch of rosemary
pinch of thyme
pinch of basil
fresh ground pepper to taste
garlic to taste
olive oil

Supplies:
Hot Plate
Toaster Oven
Shallow Oven-Safe Dish with Lid
Cutting Board + Knife

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Place pan on hot plate and heat small amount of olive oil over medium high heat.  Add turkey pieces and brown, 2-3 minutes on each side.  Add onions and celery to pan.  Cooking for 2-3 more minutes until onions start to become slightly translucent.

Add salt and 1/2 the broth.  Bring to simmer.  Cover and place pan in oven, cooking for one hour.

After an hour, remove from oven and add the rest of the vegetables, herbs and stock  Return to the oven and cook until vegetables are tender - approximately one hour.

Remove and let cool slightly before serving.

Apple Cider-Acorn Squash Soup

Speaking of eating in-season.  This delicious winter soup uses acorn squash and in-season honeycrisp apples.  A small acorn squash produced two perfect single servings - one for dinner and one for lunch tomorrow.  (Also great for guests!)

Like any good soup, the  recipe is a little in-exact.  Just taste and alter to your liking and squash size.

Ingredients:
1 small acorn squash - the size of a large grapefruit
2 apples
1 cup vegetable broth
1 T butter
honey
cinnamon
nutmeg
allspice
salt and pepper

Supplies:
Toaster Oven and Baking Dish
Large Pot
Juicer (or just buy the apple juice/cider instead)
Hand Blender
Spoon

Directions:
Cut the acorn squash in half.  Spoon out seeds.  Place 1/2 tablespoon of butter in each half and drizzle with honey.

Roast the acorn squash in the toaster oven at 400 degrees.  Cooking time will vary based on your oven and squash size.  But 30 - 45 minutes is a good window.  Poke squash with fork and remove when soft.  Set aside to cool.

In the meantime, chop and juice the two apples.  Mine made about 12 ounces of juice.  Place apple juice in large pot and dash with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.  Bring to boil and reduce to simmer.  Cook for 5 - 10 minutes.

Add 1 cup vegetable broth and cook for a few more minutes.  Remove from heat. 

Drizzle any liquid butter and honey from the center of the squash into the pot, then scoop the squash out of its skin using a spoon.  Put squash in pot with juice/broth, throwing away the skin.

Using hand blender, puree squash into soup.  Add more broth as necessary for appropriate thickness.   Taste.  Add salt and pepper as desired.

Served Best With:  Fresh Bread

Candida Modification:  Lose the honey

Salmon Enchiladas

Intimate homes may only host intimate gatherings ... Here's a great recipe for dinner for 2.

Ingredients:
1 pound salmon
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 t chili powder
1 t cayenne
2 t diced green chilis
1 t minced garlic
1/8 t cumin
2 T minced white onions
4 tortillas
shredded mexican cheese
sour cream

Supplies:
Hot Plate + Large Pot + Small Pot
Toaster Oven + 9" Square Baking Dish

Directions:
Begin by preparing the salmon - you can boil, grill, barbeque, etc.  With the Spice Studio Setup, boiling seemed most practical.  When salmon is cooked, remove from heat and drain water.  Set aside to cool.

HOT PLATE TIP:  I like to heat the water up in the electrical kettle first before putting it in the pot, because the hot plate takes a while to get water boiling on its own.

In the meantime, mix the water, tomato paste, oil, seasonings and onions in a small pot.  Place on hot plate and cook on medium heat for several minutes until onions begin to soften.  Remove from heat.

Preheat the toaster oven to 350 degrees.

Place several spoonfuls of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and spread across the bottom.  Take a tortilla, spread the inside with a spoonful of enchilada sauce.  Fill with salmon and cheese.  Fold tortilla over and place in pan.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Top enchiladas with remaining sauce and desired amount of cheese.  Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until cheese is melted and edges of tortilla are slightly crisp.

Remove from oven.  Top with sour cream and serve.

RECIPE NOTE:  These enchiladas are fairly spicy.  Use less cayenne if you don't like them so spicy.  And for more spice, add additional cayenne or serve with pico pica hot sauce.

Best Served With:  Corona w/ Lime, Corn on the Cob, and/or Chips w/Salsa and Guacamole.

Special thanks to my beautiful dinner company who joined me for libations, satiation and good conversation last night.

Mini Mushroom Quiche

Excuse the absence, Spicerettes and Spiceroids.  (Is it ok if I call you that?)

I'm back and in action - whisk in hand and hot pad ready.  A good friend and a good yoga class has inspired tonight's cooking frenzy.  And for your pleasure (or rather mine, because I'm the one eating it), a mini-dish for a mini-kitchen.  Tonight, the wonderful, the delicious, the bite-sized mushroom-cheese mini quiches.

Great for breakfast, great for lunch and great for dinner.  Feel free to mix up the recipe by using your favorite filling - ham, bell peppers, bacon, chives, leeks, you name it.

Ingredients:

The Post-Yoga Cooking Sessions

Quiche Pie Crust
1 1/4 cups flour (I used whole grain, but all purpose is good too)
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cold water

Quiche Filling
3/4 cup half n half
2 eggs
1/8 t salt
Shredded Gruyere and Swiss cheese (Trader Joe's has a great pre-shredded pack)
Parmesan cheese
Sliced Crimini Mushrooms

Supplies:
6-Muffin muffin tin
Mixing bowl (2 if you got them)
Cutting board
Knife
Fork

Whisk

Coffee cup

Toaster Oven
Hot Plate + pan

Directions:
Preheat toaster oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease muffin tin (I use spray olive oil - seems like a reasonable choice).

Blend flour and salt in mixing bowl.  Cut in shortening with pastry blender (or rather a knife and fork).  Add water and continue to mix with fork.  Use hands to blend into ball.

Place dough on lightly floured cutting board.  If you have a rolling pin, now would be a good time to use it.  However, I don't, so my two freshly washed hands did a sufficient, albeit probably lumpier, job.  Try and get it thin and even across the cutting board.

Use a large cup or small bowl to cut circles into the dough.  I used my favorite wide-mouthed coffee mug.  Remove circles and line muffin tin cups with dough.  When done, mix eggs, half-n-half and salt in a bowl.  Whisk well.

Heat up the hot plate and place a lightly greased pan on the burner.  When heated, lightly saute mushrooms.  Spoon mushrooms into muffin tins.  Top with shredded cheeses.  Then pour egg mixture into muffin tins to fill.

Place quiches in toaster oven and bake.  This will vary from oven to oven, but mine took about 15 - 18 minutes to thoroughly cook the egg and lightly brown the crust.

Remove from oven.  Let cool.  Consume.  Enjoy.  Clean up.

Served Best With:  Side Salad, Bacon, Orange Juice, Coffee

Candida Modification:  Forget about it.  Just make yourself some scrambled eggs.

Baked Tomato Tilapia

As a single person cooking for one, the butcher and seafood section at your grocery store are your friends.  Fresh and in just the right portion, buy a single fillet or a single steak.  Here's a light dinner favorite.

Ingredients:
1 - 2 tilapia fillets
nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes, chopped (or other tomatoes)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoo red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/2 tablespoon lime juice
salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Supplies:
Toaster Oven
Baking Dish
Cutting Board + Knife

Directions:

Preheat the toaster oven to 400 degrees.

Spray baking dish with vegetable oil spray.

Arrange fillets flat in baking dish.

Mix remaining ingredients and spoon evenly over fillets.

Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until fish flakes easily.

Serve With:  Rice; Cooked Green Veggies; Salad; and/or White Wine

Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

Portobello Mushrooms are another great item that you can buy in single portions. This is one of my favorite dishes - meaty, filling and vegetarian. Enjoy!

Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

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Ingredients:
1 Portobello Mushroom
1 Bell Pepper - Red or Orange are my favorite, but pick any color
Red Onion (optional)
Lettuce (optional)
Pesto (alternative: olive oil and vinegar OR garlic aioli)
Mini Baguette, Panini, or 2 slices of regular ol' bread

Supplies:
Cutting Board + Knife
Toaster Oven
Hot Plate + Pan + Spatula (optional for sautéing onions)

Directions:

Preheat Toaster Oven using Broiler setting. Once preheated, place bell pepper in oven close to broiler. Let pepper skin blacken. Now walk away and straighten up your apartment or put on the DVR or dance to some good tunes. In a toaster oven, roasting regrettably takes longer than a conventional oven - mine took about 20 minutes. Occassionally check in to rotate pepper until all sides are blackened.

Once the entire pepper is blackened, remove pepper from toaster oven. Place in plastic bag and tie closed. Place bag in fridge to cool.

In the meantime, place mushroom in oven (cap side down, gills up) to broil. While mushroom is cooking, chop onion. Turn on hot plate and heat small amount of olive oil in pan. Add onions and saute. When onions are soft, remove from pan.

Check on your mushroom. Poke with fork to see if done. Remove mushroom when soft. Set aside to cool.

Get pepper from fridge and remove from plastic bag. Peel skin off of pepper using knife or fingers. Cut the pepper open and remove seeds and stem. Cut into 1" strips.

Spread pesto or other dressing on bread. Layer grilled onions, lettuce, roasted bell pepper and mushroom.

Viola! Portobello Mushroom Sandwich.


Great Alone, But for a Larger Meal Consider Serving With: Garlic Mashed Potatoes; Salad; Chips; Potato Salad; Glass of Wine

Eggplant Parmesan

For all the talk about the birds and the bees, I still believe Mother Nature was a free spirit and a solo bird. Take eggs or peaches or avocados, for example - all perfect single portion foods. An eggplant is no exception. Here's a favorite dinner for one.

Eggplant Parmesan

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Ingredients:
1 Eggplant (preferably American or Italian)
Salt
1 Egg
Splash of Milk
1 part Breadcrumbs
1 part Flour
Olive Oil
Parmesan
Tomato Sauce (fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano)

Supplies:
Cutting Board + Knife
Hot Plate + Pan + Spatula
Toaster Oven + pan or pie plate or other baking dish that fits
Hand Blender (optional - for tomato sauce)

Directions:

Cut the eggplant into slices and sprinkle with salt. Cover eggplant pieces with a cutting board or plate and put a weight on top (such as a can) and let eggplant sit for about 30 minutes to drain excess water.

In the meantime, prepare tomato sauce by pureeing 2-3 Roma tomatoes (or any other type of tomato will do), 1 clove of garlic and 2 large basil leaves using your Hand Blender. Add salt, pepper and dried oregano to taste. (Skip this step if you are using a pre-made pasta sauce, which is a great quick and easy alternative - or embellish this sauce using your own ingredients such as parmesan, mushrooms, thyme, shallots, etc.).

Pour half the tomato mixture to coat the bottom of the baking pan.

After approximately 30 minutes, remove weight and plate or board from eggplant and pat dry.  Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. Beat egg in a bowl with a splash of milk. On a plate or in a shallow pan, mix 1 part breadcrumbs with 1 part flour. Dip eggplant in egg then coat in breadcrumb mixture. Cook in pan until breadcrumbs on both sides are lightly brown.

Place eggplant in baking dish.  Once you have breaded/pan-cooked all the eggplant, pour the remaining tomato sauce over the eggplant.  Sprinkle generously with parmesan.  (You can also add other cheeses such as mozarella or asiago, as desired.)

Cook in toaster over at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.


Served Best With:  Salad; Glass of Wine; Garlic Bread

Candida Modification:  Lose the milk and cheese