Super Smoky Mac and Cheese with Butternut Squash and Kale

9 Mar Bowl

Though Asian food is my general go to, there are two American comfort classics that hold a special place in my heart/favorite food list: mashed potatoes and mac and cheese.

Oh how I love mac and cheese: baked with a bready crust, tangy with sharp cheddar, spicy with green chile – the combo doesn’t really matter as long as it has the gooey deliciousness.  Well this “healthy” version has it.  Though the calorie content is not too different, the squash and kale add tons of vitamins.  Greek yogurt and almond milk replace butter and milk for an extra creamy delicious consistency. I opted for brown rice pasta as well, though any pasta would work.

You may be skeptical of adding all the veggies, but I promise you this won’t disappoint. It is outrageously good and I had to hold myself back from eating the whole pan.

Ingredients:

8 oz elbow noodles, cooked (I used brown rice noodles – Tinkyada are my favorite, they have a normal noodle texture)

3 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1/4 inch cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cups kale, de-stemmed and roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small shallot, minced

6 oz smoked gouda, grated

1.5 oz monterey jack, grated

1/3 cup non-fat Chobani greek yogurt

1/3 cup almond milk

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, pureed

salt

Directions:

Put water on to boil for pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil. Put the squash  in the skillet with a dash of  salt and saute until soft and a bit browned, stirring occasionally.

After about 5 minutes, add  the chipotle peppers and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until tender.

Once the squash is tender, add the kale and cook until wilted, about 4 minutes. You can add water if needed but the you probably won’t need it.  Add the minced garlic and shallot and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.  Cover the pan until the pasta is done.

When the pasta is done, drain it, reserving some of the past water. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, squash/kale mixture, cheese, yogurt, almond milk, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Add pasta water and more almond milk as necessary to get desired texture. Serve immediately.

Adapted from A Couple Cooks

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Hamentashen – Allergy-free and (almost) perfect

6 Mar BakedCookies

Purim is one of the most fun and exciting holidays on the Jewish calendar, but also one of the most overlooked in America. It is a celebration of the survival of the Jewish people living in Persia (long ago) from extermination.

Each Purim, we read the biblical story of Esther. The heroes of the story are two jews, Esther and her cousin Mordecai, while the villain of the story is Haman. Loooong story short, Esther is able to save the Jews and we celebrate her victory. We eat cookies shaped like triangles, that are the same shape as the villain’s (Haman) hat – thus the name hamentaschen. We also give gifts of food (enter cookies again) to friends and loved ones and donations to charity.

The reading of the book of Esther is a celebratory occasion, where the story can be acted out and people dress in costume. Every time Haman’s name is read, we make loud noises to “blot” out his name. It is also commanded that we eat, drink, and celebrate – it is suggested that one drinks until they cannot tell the difference between Haman and Mordecai – though opinions vary on how drunk this is.

Yesterday, I made cookies for the students that participate in our school’s Jewish affinity group to celebrate Purim. Baking for kids with allergies can definitely prove trying, so these cookies prevent (almost) any issues – they are gluten, soy, egg, nut, and dairy free!

Even if you aren’t Jewish, or in need of allergy free treats, these are tasty cookies for anytime of year, so give them a whirl.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup gluten free all purpose baking flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup arrowroot powder

1 3/4 tsp xanthan gum

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted before measuring (or canola oil)

1/3 cup light agave syrup

3 tbsp vanilla extract (gluten free – I use Singing Dog vanilla)

1 tsp lemon zest

1/4 cup to 1 cup warm water

1 cup of fruit preserves and/or allergy safe chocolate chips (EnjoyLife makes a pretty tasty one)

Directions:

Sift together flours, arrowroot powder, xanthan gum, baking powder and cinnamon.  Set aside.  In a small bowl, whisk together coconut oil, agave, and vanilla.  Add to dry ingredients, stirring lightly with spatula to combine. It should form a thick, dry mixture.  Stir in 1/4 cup warm water.  Dough should come together and be slightly tacky.  Add additional water, a tablespoon at a time until it is not crumbling, but is not too sticky when touched. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 30 mins.

Preheat oven to 325 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Roll out half of the dough between two sheets of parchment paper until it is 1/4 inch thick.  Peel up one side of the paper and then replace it.  Flip dough over and remove bottom parchment paper (this side will be stickier).

Cut dough using 2″ round cutter – I used one with a scalloped edge for fun.  Remove excess dough to re-roll later.

Place teaspoon of jam/fruit preserves or a small heaping of chocolate chips. Dip your finger in water and lightly wet the edge of the circle.

Take three equidistant points on the circle and fold up to create a triangle, pinching two sides together at a time to form a point.

Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 12 mins and then rotate and bake for 8 additional minutes.

If you forget to wet the edges or don’t pinch hard enough, some of your triangles will open.  This happens to me every year.

Adapted from BabyCakes Covers the Classics.

Easier to print version:

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup gluten free all purpose baking flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup arrowroot powder

1 3/4 tsp xanthan gum

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted before measuring (or canola oil)

1/3 cup light agave syrup

3 tbsp vanilla extract (gluten free – I use Singing Dog vanilla)

1 tsp lemon zest

1/4 cup to 1 cup warm water

1 cup of fruit preserves and/or allergy safe chocolate chips (EnjoyLife makes a pretty tasty one)

Directions:

Sift together flours, arrowroot powder, xanthan gum, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together coconut oil, agave, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients, stirring lightly with spatula to combine. It should form a thick, dry mixture. Stir in 1/4 cup warm water. Dough should come together and be slightly tacky. Add additional water, a tablespoon at a time until it is not crumbling, but is not too sticky when touched. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 30 mins.

Preheat oven to 325 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out half of the dough between two sheets of parchment paper until it is 1/4 inch thick. Peel up one side of the paper and then replace it. Flip dough over and remove bottom parchment paper (this side will be stickier). Cut dough using 2″ round cutter – I used one with a scalloped edge for fun. Remove excess dough to re-roll later.Place teaspoon of jam/fruit preserves or a small heaping of chocolate chips. Dip your finger in water and lightly wet the edge of the circle. Take three equidistant points on the circle and fold up to create a triangle, pinching two sides together at a time to form a point.Repeat with remaining dough. Bake for 12 mins and then rotate and bake for 8 additional minutes. If you forget to wet the edges or don’t pinch hard enough, some of your triangles will open. This happens to me every year.

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Nutty and Spicy North African Squash and Sweet Potato Soup with Kale

5 Mar AboveFeature

Ok, I’m going soup crazy lately.  It could be the sudden turn for the worse weather-wise in Boston (we had one first/last snow storm) or perhaps the exciting SoupaPalooza.  Whatever the reason, my tummy has not been suffering.

This soup is awesome. It has an incredible combo of flavors – the peanut butter and Harissa sauce (a nod to North African cooking) make this soup nutty, sweet, spicy and smoky all at once.

It is the perfect soup to spice up a grey New England day (or a grey day anywhere). The addition of kale (yum) is obviously divine.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups leeks, white and light green parts cleaned and thinly sliced

1 onion, diced

2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes

2 med sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin slices

3 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp natural peanut butter

3 tablespoons harissa (store bought or homemade – see recipe below)

3 cloves garlic

1 1/2 tsp ground tumeric

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

3-5 cups low sodium broth (I use Better than Bouillon with twice the recommended amount of water ) – enough to cover veggies

3 packed cups thinly sliced kale

Directions:

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add leeks and onions and saute until they are lightly golden, 5-7 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, peanut butter, harissa, garlic, and spices.  Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

Add squash, sweet potatoes and enough broth to just cover.  Bring to a boil and then cover and turn to medium-low heat.  Cook 20-30 minutes or until squash is soft when poked with a fork.

Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth.  Add more broth if needed for desired consistency.

Add kale and cook until soft, 3 minutes.

Enjoy!

Harissa

Ingredients:

10 dried cayenne peppers (chile de arbol)

2 dried ancho chiles

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain. Remove stems and seeds.  In a food processor combine chili peppers, garlic, salt, and olive oil. Blend. Add remaining spices and blend to form a smooth paste. Store in airtight container.

Another recipe for SoupaPalooza! Come join SoupaPalooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored byKitchenAid, Red Star Yeast and Le Creuset

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Jenifer’s (World’s Best) Pasta Fagioli

4 Mar FinishedSoup

Soups are one of my favorite things to make.  They warm my belly, make my house smell nice, and they feed tons of people (or make lots of leftovers when I am living alone).  During the winter, I typically make at least one pot of soup a week. Sunday is the perfect day for soup making because I always have some lunches pre-made for the week and I can be in and out of the kitchen as it cooks.

This recipe comes to me courtesy of Susan, Dr. J’s grandma (also the chef behind some of the beautiful desserts at our thanksgiving table this year).  As a white bean lover, this soup rocks.  It is incredibly flavorful (all that celery does wonders to the broth) and hardy. If you are looking for something to make today, give this a whirl!

Ingredients:

scant 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

8 cloves garlic, diced

1 large bunch celery, cleaned, trimmed and coarsely sliced

4 cans (15 oz. each) cannellini beans, not drained

2 cans  of 8 oz. no-salt-added tomato sauce

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (or to taste)

bag fresh baby spinach

1 cup fresh basil leaves

box ditalini pasta, cooked al dente

fresh grated pecorino romano

Directions:

In a large braising skillet or dutch oven, sauté the garlic in olive oil on medium heat until it just starts to turn golden.

Add the celery and stir to disperse the garlic throughout. Continue to cook over medium heat for 25 minutes, covered but stirring occasionally.

Add the beans with their juice. Fill each bean can with water, and add to the soup. Add tomato sauce and crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer for 25 minutes, covered for the first 15.

When ready to serve, stir in spinach and basil. Put some cooked pasta in individual bowls, and ladle hot soup over it. Serve with crusty bread and grated cheese.

The original recipes specifies that the pasta should touch the soup in the individual bowls and never be cooked together
to prevent the pasta from getting mushy – I was trying to fit this into a 30 minute lunch period and serve 10 co-workers, so I stirred in the cooked pasta at the end.  If I was making this for myself, I would add the pasta as I went.

I’m participating in SoupaPalooza! Come join SoupaPalooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored byKitchenAid, Red Star Yeast and Le Creuset

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Smoky Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup with Quinoa and Kale

1 Mar Featured

One of the things I love most about having a food blog is the interactions it allows me with people.  I love that my friends and family are constantly emailing me recipes or telling me about something wonderful they’ve recently eaten or cooked.  Food has an amazing power to connect people; it brings them together at meals, it allows shared traditions, and it evokes strong emotions.  Sharing my love of food on my blog reminds people that they can share their love of it with me.

Similarly, I love cooking for people and having them love what they are eating.  I like to observe their reactions to exciting flavors or rich desserts; sometimes I wish I could do it as an invisible observer, as praise often overshadows my inherent pleasure in actually feeding people.  Though I don’t mind the question that often comes now, “Is this on your blog?”  Inevitably, if they are eating it, the answer is always, “no.”

I made this soup for a group of my co-teachers the other day at our weekly rotating lunch share.  So for all my lovely co-workers, here you go – it’s on the blog.

This was lunch for 15 people, though it was so delicious we were all left wanting a little more.  Perfect for 8 hungry people with a leftover lunch or two! Feel free to cut recipe in half for a smaller crew.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 jalapeño, seeded and diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1/2 cubes

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

2 small parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2 pieces

2 chipotles in adobo sauce

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 heaping tablespoons cumin (to taste)

1 heaping teaspoon red chile powder (or to taste)

4 32-oz cans of black beans, 2 in their juices and 2 drained, rinsed, and reserved

4-8 cups low sodium vegetable broth – enough to cover sweet potatoes (I use Better than Bouillon and use about half the suggested ratio) and any left over reserved for later

1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked to perfection

1 bunch kale, stems removed and cut into thin ribbons.

Salt to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large soup pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add onions and saute until they start to be translucent, about 5 mins.  Add jalapeños and garlic, cooking until fragrant – 2 mins.

Stir in celery and parsrnips, cooking until the celery begins to sweat, 5 mins.

Add sweet potatoes.

Stir in chipotle, tomato paste, and spices, evenly coating.  Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

Add 2 cans of beans with juices, and enough broth to cover the sweet potatoes.  Bring to a light boil, turn heat down a bit, and cover.  Cook for about 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are just soft with a fork.

Meanwhile, cook quinoa to perfection and chop kale.

Scoop out as many sweet potatoes as you can (I got about half) and puree the rest of the soup using an immersion blender (or regular blender – but I LOVE my immersion blender).  Add back in sweet potatoes, remaining 2 cans of beans (rinsed), cooked quinoa, and kale.

The heat from the soup should cook the kale pretty quickly, but if it doesn’t just return the soup to the stove for a couple minutes.  If it is too thick, add in some additional broth.

Serve with warmed corn tortillas or corn bread.  You can also do sour cream, cheese, or avocado, but they aren’t necessary – this soup rocks.

Easy to print version (for my lovely coworkers):

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 jalapeño, seeded and diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1/2 cubes

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

2 small parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2 pieces

2 chipotles in adobo sauce

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 heaping tablespoons cumin (to taste)

1 heaping teaspoon red chile powder (or to taste)

4 32-oz cans of black beans, 2 in their juices and 2 drained, rinsed, and reserved

4-8 cups low sodium vegetable broth – enough to cover sweet potatoes (I use Better than Bouillon and use about half the suggested ratio) and any left over reserved for later

1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked to perfection

1 bunch kale, stems removed and cut into thin ribbons.

Salt to taste

Heat olive oil in large soup pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add onions and saute until they start to be translucent, about 5 mins.  Add jalapeños and garlic, cooking until fragrant – 2 mins. Stir in celery and parsrnips, cooking until the celery begins to sweat, 5 mins. Add sweet potatoes.Stir in chipotle, tomato paste, and spices, evenly coating.  Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add 2 cans of beans with juices, and enough broth to cover the sweet potatoes.  Bring to a light boil, turn heat down a bit, and cover.  Cook for about 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are just soft with a fork. Meanwhile, cook quinoa to perfection and chop kale.

Scoop out as many sweet potatoes as you can (I got about half) and puree the rest of the soup using an immersion blender (or regular blender – but I LOVE my immersion blender).  Add back in sweet potatoes, remaining 2 cans of beans (rinsed), cooked quinoa, and kale.  The heat from the soup should cook the kale pretty quickly, but if it doesn’t just return the soup to the stove for a couple minutes.  If it is too thick, add in some additional broth.Serve with warmed corn tortillas or corn bread.  You can also do sour cream, cheese, or avocado, but they aren’t necessary – this soup rocks.

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I’m also posting this for SoupaPalooza.  I’m “souper” excited to be joining a crew of wonderful bloggers as we warm up with some delicious soup.  It came just in time for one last snow.

Come join SoupaPalooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored by KitchenAid, Red Star Yeast and Le Creuset

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