On The Menu: Spaghetti with Shaved Asparagus

We belong to a wonderful CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture), The Hamlet Organic Garden, here on Long Island.  If you aren't familiar with CSA's... they are fabulous!  You purchase a share in a farm, and each week receive a portion of the farm's veggies.  Not only are you eating locally grown, fresh produce (which is healthy for you and the environment), supporting real family run farms, but also it forces you to expand your cooking repertoire.

To find a CSA in your area check out Local Harvest ...

"The best organic food is what's grown closest to you. Use our website to find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area, where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies."

Last weekend I visited our CSA and picked up some fresh asparagus.  We love asparagus and normally we broil it with some olive oil, salt, pepper and tons of garlic, and a squeeze of lemon when it is finished; but this week I decided to make something a little different.

I got the recipe from the April 2009 issue of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food.

Spaghetti with Shaved Asparagus

Course Salt and Ground Pepper
12 ounces of spaghetti
1 bunch (1 pound) of asparagus, tough ends removed, and shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 strips of lemon zest, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 Tablespoons of butter
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
Add the asparagus and lemon zest to the pot; immediately drain the pasta mixture, and return to the pot.
Add the butter and lemon juice.
Season with salt and pepper, toss, adding enough pasta water to create a thin sauce.
Top with parmesan.

My Changes:
I added garlic, of course, since I add garlic to almost everything.  How much?  I probably added three cloves, minced, when I added the butter and lemon juice.  You can add garlic to your taste.
I also substituted  2 Tablespoons of olive oil, for two of the four Tablespoons of butter (just because we like to use olive oil).

Hint:
To make the asparagus, all you do it shave it with a vegetable peeler.  What worked best for me was to hold the asparagus down on the counter and shave off pieces (vs. turning the asparagus like you do when peeling a carrot).

Enjoy!
I am hoping to post more recipes this spring and summer using the veggies as the come into season.

What's Cooking? Pasta with Chickpeas and Charred Tomatoes

Pasta with Chickpeas and Charred Tomatoes is on the menu here at Chez Eclipse tonight.  So get ready!  I have made this three times before, and it was a winner all three times... so, now I will pass the recipe on to you.  Lucky Duck!


I found this culinary delight in the Feb 2011 issue of Bon Apetit.   This is one of the magazines I subscribe to, and always seem to find something yummy.  I do wish they had more vegetarian recipes, but I guess that is why I also subscribe to Vegetarian Times.

One of the great things about this recipe is that it is high in protein (from the beans) and low in fat (it is vegan).  Very filling.  Very easy.  Can be adapted easily - I'll share my changes with you after the original recipe.

Get out your skillet.  Boil some H2O.  Set the table.  Bring your appetite.  And Enjoy!


Pasta With Chickpeas and Charred Tomatoes

8 oz. penne pasta
1/2 cup plain hummus (store bought, unless you make your own)
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-12 oz. bags of cherry tomatoes
1 - 15 oz. can of garbanzo/chickpea beans, drained
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 c. halved, pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Cook the pasta.  ****reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water (I almost always forget this part)****.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over high heat.  Add the tomatoes and sprinkle with salt an pepper.  Cook until they are blackened in some spots, shaking the skillet occasionally, about 8 minutes.  Mix in the chickpeas/garbanzos, garlic and paprika.  Crush some of the tomatoes to release juices.

Mix the hummus with the reserved pasta water (hope you remembered to reserve it).  Add hummus mixture to the pasta, mix to coat.  Mix in the chickpea mixture, olives and cilantro.

My changes:
I used rice pasta instead.  There are some really nice organic, brown rice pastas readily available.  We have been trying to reduce our gluten intake and rice pasta fits the bill.  It has a good texture, not the same as white flour pasta, but good.
We also quadruple the amount of black olives!  Seriously, we use like 2 cups.  John and I think that the olives make the dish, and the Kid absolutely loves olives.
I also only use dried beans; as I have said before, we do not eat anything from a can.  There is BPA in the lining of cans, and I don't want that crap in our bodies (this is nearly impossible to avoid, but that is a topic for a different discussion).  So I rinse the dried beans, and then boil them on high for a while (40 minutes maybe), turn the burner off and let them stand in the hot water for maybe an hour.  Then I taste test to see if they are cooked... if not I just repeat the process.  OK, I know this sounds like more work, but it isn't, and it is worth it.  Then you just measure the beans you need, and freeze the rest.

This is delicious, easy, and healthy!  Let me know what you think.

What's Cooking? Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup (with Quinoa)

Ahhhh yes another winner this weekend!  Again from the fabulous cook book: Quinoa 365.
I have to tell you that I really love this book.  Everything that I have made from it is fabulous.  This weekend I made the Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup.  It is vegetarian and can easily be vegan.  I will first give you the original recipe, then how I adapted it....


Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
3 Tbsp Butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
One 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 cup diced roasted red peppers
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
2 tsp white or cane sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup quinoa flour
                                   1 cup half and half cream


Melt the butter is a medium saucepan on medium heat.  Saute the onion until tender - about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, red pepper, basil, sugar and salt.
Whisk the stock and flour together in a medium bowl.  Slowly stir the mixture into the saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then lower the temp for five minutes.
Remove from heat and puree the cooked mixture with a hand blender (or in small batched in a food processor or blender).
Return the soup to the lowest heat setting.  Stir in cream and adjust seasoning as needed.  Serve immediately.


My changes...
I sauteed the onions in olive oil (instead of the butter).
We also don't eat anything from a can (due to the BPA lining in all cans, except for Eden products), so I roasted the red peppers in my oven.
We used vegetable stock instead of the chicken stock.
I used Quinoa flakes, instead of the Quinoa flour, because that is what we had in the house.
I omitted the cream, it really didn't need it.  The soup was thick and tasty without the cow's milk.


I loved this soup!  Loved it.  So glad that I doubled the recipe.


Try it and enjoy.  Also check out the book.  It really is terrific.

What's Cooking? Falafel... and it is delicious!

I have been far more successful planning meals lately; this was one of my myriad of New Year's resolutions.  We found another winner this past week, and it will be on the weekly rotation.  I made Falafel, and yes, from scratch.  Meat has been almost completely eradicated from our diet, and has been replaced by beans.  Beans are cheap, easy, healthy and a great protein source.  Protein is a major focus for us to aid in muscle repair after rock climbing.


Falafel
1 1/2 cup dried garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup fresh parsley
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp olive oil - for cooking
Garnish:
4 Pita Pockets
4 Lettuce leaves
1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
GreekYogurt
More chopped garlic
Cucumber


1.  Boil a large pot of water.  Add the garbanzos and cook until slightly softened, but still very firm in the middle.  About 10 minutes.  Drain and cool slightly.
2.  Using a food processor: combine beans, onion, garlic and parsley.  Process until coarsely pureed.  Transfer to a bowl and mix in the baking powder, salt , cumin and red pepper flakes.  Chill until cold - about an hour.  
3.  Shapes mixture into patties - about 1/4 cup each.  Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.  Cook until browned about 4-6 minutes on each side.
4.  Mix up the yogurt with chopped cucumber and garlic.  This part depends on your taste!  Add some pepper.  
5.  Stuff each pita with lettuce, a falafel patty, tomato and the yogurt mixture.


We love the garlic yogurt mixture, so I make a lot of it!  We also think that the cucumber really makes the mix.


I made the garbanzo mixture the night before and left it in the fridge.  It was totally delic!


Enjoy!

What's Cooking? Quinoa, Carrot and Lentil Stew

What is cooking in my kitchen this week?
Well, it has been a banner week as far as I am concerned; we have not eaten hummus all week.  Here's the deal:  Martha Stewart would run shrieking from our home and lifestyle.  I am a very fun wife, but haven't yet learned to be a productive housewife.  When John and I got married I really did not do the whole 'wife' thing; meaning I didn't cook very often, and was a rotten house keeper.  We both had other priorities: climbing and camping every weekend, training at the rock climbing gym two nights a week, creating in the pottery studio two nights a week... oh and I had two jobs.  John and I did all of this together, and dinner was whatever we could scavenge.  That was a typical week.
Anyway, part of my journey now is trying to learn how to run a household... and still train at the gym and find an outlet for my creative needs. 

Now it is also super important that we have healthy good food for our son. Although hummus is healthy, I just wouldn't feel right about feeding it to him twice a week for dinner.


But, this week was a banner week for cooking!  I made something delicious!


From "Quinoa 365  The Everyday Superfood", by Patricia Green & Carolyn Hemming





Quinoa, Carrot and Lentil Stew
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup red lentils
4 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock
1 cup diced red onion
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 cup diced red pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro


Combine the quinoa, lentils, stock and water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the carrots, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the red pepper and cook for 5 more minutes.
Add the cilantro and adjust the seasoning.  Serve immediately.


I have made this soup several times and it has always turned out great. Cilantro has been out of season in my garden since I started making this soup, so I have never used it.  Today was the first time I found organic red peppers in the market, and this batch was the first that I used the red pepper.  What I am trying to say is that this is a very forgiving recipe! Fast, easy and forgiving!  And great for this chilly winter.


"Quinoa 365" is a great cookbook.  I have made this soup, a moist chocolate cake (wheat free), chocolate chip cookies and chocolate chocolate chip cookies.  All were fabulous, and all use Quinoa (of course).


Enjoy!

Six of Me

If there were six of me... would it be enough?
Let's imagine...

1 - This 'me' would be the Wife and Partner.  I would get to give my wonderful husband the attention he deserves.
2 - The Mom.  Technically there could be two of these "me's" - but let's not be greedy.
3 - The House Wife 'me'.  A semi-clean home, dinners prepared (hummus twice a week does not count), and the yard looking good would be killer.  No, I am not talking house beautiful or Martha; but it would be great to find my clothes when I need them, be able to walk through a room without kicking toys, have a few options for healthy dinners, and not look out into my yard and feel overwhelmed.
4 - This 'me' is the Badass Rock Climber.  My core still needs work (a baby and emergency c-section will wreck your core, in case you didn't know that), actually everything needs work who am I kidding.  I could hit the climbing gym when I want, go out for sessions on our wall, and skip out to the beach boulders... whenever the mood strikes.  Start sending V4 and 5.12.... sigh.
5 - Artist 'me'.  With all of the projects rolling around in my head... there could be two or three of these 'me's'... but again, we won't be greedy.
6 - The 'me' that would actually take care of me.

Yeah, I think six would be enough, at least to start.