Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry

Since I went full-time at my practicum in June, I have been all about crock pot meals. This one is a favorite and one that I like to make on Sunday afternoons. I love how good our house smells when we walk in the door after church. I like to serve a yummy salad and garlic naan or grilled pita with olive oil and garlic with this meal.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

•  1 cup of brown rice
• 2 cups of water
• A handful of baby carrots, cut into thirds
• 2 potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1 zucchini
• 1 15-oz. can of garbonzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
• 1 cup of coarsely chopped onion
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2-3 tsp. curry powder
• 1 tsp. ground corriander
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 14-oz. can or vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
• 1 14-oz. can of diced tomatoes, undrained 
• cashews
• Shredded mozzarella or Parmesan cheese
• lemon pepper

You could cook your rice separately but I throw mine in the crock pot with everything else, adding the water for the rice (ingredient number two on the list).  You could also replace the water with broth. Then add everything else and cook on high for 3.5-4.5 hours. Before serving, sprinkle with lemon pepper, cashews, and cheese.

While this is a vegetarian dish, you could easily add some chicken, or cook some up and have it separately. Whatever you do, don't put your hot crock pot on your table with only a thin towel under it. It will ruin your table and you will be grumpy. Enjoy!

Festive Tossed Salad

I got this yummy salad recipe from my mom. I took it to our friends' house for Easter Dinner and everyone really liked it. It's simple but also perfect for special occasions. Enjoy!

10 cups torn romaine
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (or mozzarella)
3 medium apples, cored and cubed (soak them in Sprite to keep them from turning brown)
1 medium pear, cored and cubed
1/4 to 1/2 cup cranberries
1/2 cup to 1 cup chopped cashews

Dressing

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cider or red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil (I use olive oil)*
2 to 3 Tablespoons poppy seeds**

In a blender or food processor, combine the sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, onion, and salt. Cover and process until blended. With blender running, gradually add oil. Add poppy seeds and blend. In a salad bowl, combine the romaine, cheese,e apple, pear, and cranberries. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing. Add cashews and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Yield: 8-10 servings.

*I only use 1/3 cup of oil and I think it is plenty.
**I think 3 Tbsp. of poppy seeds is too many.

Simple Corn Chowder

You won't believe how fast and easy this is to make.

Step 1:
 2 c. water
1 c. carrots
1 1/2 c. diced potatoes
a little bit of chopped celery
Cook vegetables with salt for 10 min.


Step 2:
1/4 c. butter
2 c. milk
1/4 c. flour
Boil until thick. Add vegetables and water to the sauce. Add 1 can of creamed corn. Serve topped with grated cheese.

*I also like to add some frozen corn and peas as well as some rosemary, thyme, and fresh pepper to season it. I also recommend doubling this recipe so there is plenty to go around (and some for leftovers the next day - yum).

Recipe compliments of Rebecca Cooper.

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

This is a dish that tastes much better than it photographs.

3 Red Bell Peppers
2 Tb pine nuts (optional, but I love that nutty flavor)
1/2 Medium Onion, finely chopped (I only use a quarter)
3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
Fresh Parmesan, shaved
1/2 to 1 lb Pasta

Roast the red peppers until the skin is blackened, place in a Ziploc to steam and remove skins. Remove seeds and set aside. (More detailed directions here.)

Lightly toast the pine nuts over med-low heat for about 5 min, tossing every now and again.

In a blender process the peppers and pine nuts until smooth.

Cook pasta.

Drizzle some Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the onion and saute until it is beginning to be translucent and add garlic. Heat until fragrant. Pour in puree and add plenty of salt tasting as you go. Continue to heat over LOW heat to allow flavors to combine while the pasta finishes.

Pour in cream and stir to combine. Add more salt if needed and add drained pasta. Toss to coat and top with Parmesan shavings.

Recipe compliments of Sweet Basil

Sauteed Carrots with Honey and Rosemary

I made this tasty side dish to have with our dinner today and loved it. Here's what you need:

1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 3×1/4×1/4-inch sticks
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoons honey (such as heather, chestnut, or wildflower)

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and add carrots. Sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and pepper. 2. Sauté until carrots are beginning to brown at edges, about 12 minutes. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. 3. Add butter, rosemary, and honey to vegetables. 4. Toss over medium heat until heated through and vegetables are glazed, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Recipe from eat, make, read.

Tri-Colore Orzo

I think this is my favorite recipe on this blog. I'm actually eating it right now as I post. Here's what you need:

1 pound orzo pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup*
2 cups fresh arugula (about 3 ounces**
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (ricotta salata cheese)
1/2 cup dried cherries
12 fresh basil leaves, torn
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts***
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and put the pasta on a large cookie sheet. Drizzle the pasta with 3 tablespoons olive oil, toss, spread out, and set aside to cool.

Once the orzo is cool, transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently to combine. Serve.

Notes:
*(I actually omitted this 1/4 cup and it was still really good).
**You can find this in the organic produce section of your grocery store or next to the bagged salads / spinach.
***I used way less than 1/4 cup since pine nuts are expensive. I used approx. 1 TBSP. To roast the pine nuts, put them in a pan on the oven (without oil) on low-medium heat for a few minutes, string frequently. Watch them closely so they don't burn.
*If you only use 2 tsp. olive oil, this recipe is 6 WW points+ per cup. I can't really tell a difference by cutting the olive oil - it's still really good.

Recipe compliments of Giada De Laurentiis.

Chickpea Salad

2 cans of chickpeas
a couple of handfuls of grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 cucumber, chopped into small pieces
several cubes of haloumi cheese
lots of parsley
olive oil
lots of lemon juice
a sprinkle of cumin

Put it all together and you have one yummy (and healthy) salad.

*Recipe compliments of Laura Chau.

Garden Risotto

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used vegetable broth)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (I use cooking wine but you could omit this if you want)
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 lightly packed cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 pound asparagus, steamed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Bring the broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup of the hot broth, the salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper and simmer, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot broth, about 3/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the broth to be absorbed before adding more, until rice is almost tender and creamy-looking, about 18 minutes.

Add the spinach and peas and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the asparagus and cook just until the vegetables are hot. Stir in the Parmesan and more broth if the risotto seems too thick. Serve in soup plates.

*Recipe compliments of thefoodnetwork.com

Lemon Fusilli with Arugula

*This is not a low fat meal. But man, it is delicious. Of course, I have a thing for arugula. Ever since my friend Stacey introduced it to me a couple of years ago, I have been hooked.

1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 cups heavy cream (I also think half and half would work if you want to cut out some fat and calories)
3 lemons (or one fresh lemon and some lemon juice from concentrate - adding by taste)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch broccoli
1 pound dried fusilli pasta
1/2 pound baby arugula (or 2 bunches of common arugula, leaves cut in thirds)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 60 seconds. Add the cream, the zest from 2 lemons, the juice of 2 lemons, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli in florets and discard the stem. Cook the florets in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain the broccoli and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the package, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta in a colander and place it back into the pot. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook it over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until most of the sauce has been absorbed in the pasta. Pour the hot pasta into a large bowl, add the arugula, Parmesan, tomatoes, and cooked broccoli. Cut the last lemon in half lengthwise, slice it 1/4-inch thick crosswise, and add it to the pasta (this is really only for looks and isn't necessary if you don't want to add it). Toss well, season to taste, and serve hot.

*I like it vegetarian as is, but you could add some chicken for protein.
*If you know you won't eat it all in one night, you can save some of the sauce separate from the salad and mix it together the next day when you are going to use it. Or just pour it all on and then reheat it the next day like I did. It was just as good as left overs.

[Recipe compliments of Barefoot Contessa]

Citrus Asparagus

1 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed
1 lemon
2 T. olive oil
1 1/2 T. garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 T. freshly chopped parsley


Slice each of the asparagus stalks diagonally into 1/2-inch thick pieces, but leave the tips 2-3 inches long, and set aside. Cut the lemon in half. Cut one half of the lemon into wedges, place them in a small dish, and reserve for service. From the other half, remove the zest, reserve the lemon half for use in the cooking process, and set it and the zest aside. In a non-stick skillet, saute the asparagus in the olive oil for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, the reserved lemon zest, season the mixture with a little salt and pepper, and saute an additional 2-3 minutes or until the asparagus is tender. Add the chopped parsley, squeeze some juice from the zested lemon half, and toss well to combine. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve the reserved lemon wedges along with the asparagus. Serves 2-4

*Recipe compliments of www.veganchef.com

Roasted Garlic on Focassia Bread

Roasted Garlic

2 whole garlic heads (bulbs)
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel the outer skin of the garlic only but leave the garlic bulb whole. Slice 1/2 inch of the pointed end of the garlic bulbs. Put the garlic head in a small oven proof dish, garlic roaster, or pan. Pour 1/2 tsp. of olive oil over the top of each bulb and let it sink in between the cloves. Wait two minutes and then repeat with another 1/2 tsp. of olive oil over each bulb.

Cover and bake one hour or until cloves are browned at the exposed end and soft throughout. Remove from oven.

Allow garlic to cool and remove cloves from head as needed. Garlic may be stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for several days. To puree, crush garlic cloves with the flat of a knife.

For the bread I made, I didn't have any extra garlic. I bought crumbled gorgonzola cheese and poured it on top of the bread. Then I melted it in the oven on 250 degrees for a few minutes (not completely melted though). Then I put the roasted garlic on top.

You can also put in on flat bread, or on baguette bread with cream cheese.

Simple Spinach Salad

Very simple, consisting of spinach, red onion, yellow pepper, Gorgonzola cheese, ground pepper, and then I added some peas as an afterthought after I took the picture (frozen peas which I put in the microwave for about 20 seconds so they weren't frozen but still cold). I also used Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette dressing on this salad. Yum.

My Favorite Summer Salad

For this salad I used:
*Organic greens (because they were on sale) and Spinach
*Strawberries
*Avocado (I like to squeeze some lemon juice on the cut up avocado so it doesn't turn brown).
*Red Onion
*Mushrooms
*Gorgonzola Cheese (crumbled) (I found this in both the deli area and cheese isle at my grocery store)
*Fresh ground pepper

I also sometimes add almond slivers and I think peas would be good in this one too. I just made this up so I don't have exact amounts - but just use however much you need for how many you are feeding. (I took this to a dinner for six people so I made a lot.) Then, and this is very important for the salad to have the full effect, I use Brianna's Blush Wine salad dressing, as pictured above.

My Favorite Sandwich

This thing is heaven. So delicious. Trust me, you want to make this.

Here's what you need:

A bagel, bread of your choice, or bagel bread (my favorite but I didn't have any when photographing this so I used a bagel, which worked fine). I like the Everything variety. You will also need mushrooms, a bell pepper (whatever color you like), onion, avocado, sprouts, a tomato, olive oil, garlic powder, lemon pepper, cheese (not pictured) mustard, and honey (or honey mustard from the store if you prefer). I also sometimes add spinach, lettuce, smoked honey turkey from the deli...whatever sounds good.

1. Heat up your George Foreman grill while you cut up some pepper and onion (or you can use a skillet if you don't have a GF grill). Put a little oil on the grill and start get the onion and pepper grilling.

2. Cut up some mushrooms and tomato and add those to the grill.

3. While all of this is grilling, cut up some cheese (my favorite is Tillamook medium or sharp cheddar) and put that between your bread (also add some turkey now if you want to). Brush both sides of your bread with olive oil. Put your grilled veggies aside on a plate and put the bread on the grill for a few minutes. I usually keep it on there until the cheese barely starts to melt and the bread looks a little grilled. Meanwhile, sprinkle some garlic powder and lemon pepper on the veggies.


4. Mix together some mustard and honey in a bowl (or use the stuff from the store if you have some).

5. Once your bread is grilled to your preference, take it apart and add some the veggies, your honey mustard, some avocado, the sprouts, and spinach or lettuce (it's nice to add a piece of lettuce of spinach if you're using a bagel to cover the hole so everything doesn't fall through. Speaking from experience here...)


There you have it. Yum.

Kamarah's Yummy Salsa

My friend Kamarah brought this to dinner one time when we had them over and from the first bite I knew I had to have the recipe. I am a salsa junkie so I was all over this delicious stuff. (Thanks, Kamarah, for bringing this salsa into my life!)

1 jalapeño (or if you don't want it too hot, substitute a few drops of Tabasco sauce instead. I've done this when forgetting to buy a jalapeño and it's yummy).
2 bunches of green onions (I've also used half green and half red onions for this)
7 roma tomatoes
1 6 oz. can of tomato paste
1/2 can El Pato sauce (8 oz.) (you can get this in the Hispanic food isle in the grocery store)
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1/2 tsp. salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder (to taste)
1 avocado (I added this because I adore avocados and I think it makes this salsa even yummier. Do what you wish).

(Kamarah tells me her friend from Mexico gave her this recipe and told her that it's important to hand cut everything. I personally don't have that kind of patience, so I hand cut most things. But I do put the cilantro and onion (if using one other than green) in a food chopper.)

So just cut everything up, pour in the tomato sauce and El Pato sauce (and I add a little water because it's kind of thick without it), cover and chill. This makes a lot (but doesn't last long if it's anywhere near me).

Enjoy!

Easy Roasted Potatoes

(These are so yummy and I almost always have people ask me for the recipe when I serve them. I started with a recipe in Better Homes and Gardens and altered it a little).

Here's what you need:

3 medium potatoes, quartered
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
lemon juice / lemons
cilantro (optional, to sprinkle on top after they come out of the oven)

1. Wash the potatoes and cut them into wedges (the thinner ones usually go first because they are a little crispy and extra yummy).

2. Place potatoes in a greased 9x9x2-inch baking pan (or use two pans depending on how many you're making). Combine oil, seasoning, and however much lemon juice you want (I usually use 1-2 lemons, which are very painful to buy here since we had a lemon tree in our backyard in Arizona. I miss that). Your sauce will look like this:

Drizzle over potatoes, tossing to coat. I also cut one lemon up and put the slices on top of the potatoes while they cook. Bake, covered, in a 325 degree oven for 45 minutes (or to speed it up, you can cook them uncovered at 450 degrees for 30 minutes, which is what I usually do). Stir potatoes. Bake, uncovered, 10 - 20 minutes more or until potatoes are tender and brown on edges. This makes 4 servings. They come out sizzling and yummy.

* I triple this recipe at least. I usually fill two full glass pans (or cookie sheets) with potatoes, which is at least 10 potatoes, and this recipe only calls for three potatoes, so I just keep tripling the ingredients for every three potatoes I add. They go fast, so you probably want to make more than what this recipe calls for.*