French Lentil, Pear and Walnut Salad

If you're going to survive the holiday season relatively unscathed, you need to balance all the Halloween candy, Thanksgiving pie and Christmas cookies with some lighter meals.  This vegetarian main dish salad fits the bill perfectly while still being very satisfying with its mix of flavors and textures.  I think crunch is important in a vegetarian dish to make it feel substantial, and here the crunch comes from the walnuts and pomegranate seeds.  The French lentils are also firm while tender at the same time.

If you're not familiar with French lentils, they're a small dark green variety that you'll also see called lentils le puy or lentils du puy.  They retain their shape and firmness after cooking unlike other lentils that break down into mush.  They're my favorite type of lentils for all recipes except soups or other dishes where you actually want the lentils to break down.

The baby greens (kale, arugula or spinach) add freshness and a little bitterness, and the balsamic mustard vinaigrette ties everything together.

My local natural foods store actually carries small tubs of fresh pomegranate seeds, and I think I remember that Trader Joe's does as well.  If not, and you can't find a pomegranate, dried cranberries will work just as well.  I just like the look of the pomegranate seeds - they're like little jewels.

Last note - if you can find mild French feta, try it.  I much prefer it to the tangier and saltier traditional feta cheese.

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French Lentil, Pear and Walnut Salad

Serves 4

For the Vinaigrette:

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

For the salad:

1 cup French lentils (lentils du puy), uncooked

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1 firm pear, thinly sliced

½ cup chopped toasted walnuts

½ cup feta, crumbled

4 cups baby greens (baby kale, arugula, spinach, etc.)

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (or dried cranberries)

  

To make the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake well. Set aside.

Cook the lentils according to package directions; drain and place in a bowl to cool.  Just before serving, add the fresh thyme leaves and just enough vinaigrette to coat lightly (you'll probably have some left over).  Add the baby greens and toss gently to combine.

Divide the lentils and greens among shallow bowls and top with pear slices, walnuts, feta and pomegranate seeds.

Mujadara with Leeks and Greens

Mujadara is wonderful Middle Eastern comfort food.  Lentils and rice (or bulgur) are cooked with fragrant spices and crispy onions, then greens are added for additional flavor and nutrition.  If you think it sounds boring, it's not at all - the spices add depth of flavor and the crispy leeks add both flavor and texture to a dish that's perfect for a chilly evening or when you're tired after a long day.
I'm not a vegetarian, but I do try to eat quite a few vegetarian meals throughout the week and this fit the bill while being very satisfying and comforting.

A couple of notes - the recipe as printed in the New York Times calls for rice, but a number of reviewers stated that in their household growing up it was always made with bulgur.  One reviewer said he felt bulgur had a superior texture so that's what I used, but I can see where rice would be just as good.  Your choice.  Another note is to use the amount of salt that's called for even if you try to cut down on salt normally.  Both lentils and beans really need salt to bring out their flavor, otherwise they taste like cardboard.

And finally, the leeks need to be sauteed probably a little darker than you'd normally be comfortable with, or they won't get crisp.  You're looking for dark golden brown, just this side of burnt.  Watch them closely while they cook so you can take them out at just the right minute.

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Mujadara with Leeks and Greens

Serves 4

Notes:  Bulgur and rice have different textures but both are common in mujadara – choose your favorite.  And don’t be tempted to reduce the amount of salt – it’s necessary to give the lentils flavor.

1 cup brown or green lentils

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, roots trimmed

2 ¼ teaspoons salt

¼ cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

¾ cup long-grain rice or bulgur

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon cayenne

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

4 cups trimmed and sliced greens (chard, spinach, or kale)

Plain Greek yogurt, for garnish

Place the lentils in a bowl and add warm tap water to cover by 1 inch.  Let soak while you prep the other ingredients.

Halve the leeks lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.  Rinse and drain.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until dark golden brown and crispy, 5-10 minutes.  Transfer half of the leeks to a small bowl to use for garnish and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt.

Stir garlic into the pot with the remaining leeks and cook for 15 seconds until fragrant.  Stir in rice or bulgur and sauté 2 minutes.  Stir in cumin, allspice and cayenne and sauté 30 seconds.

Drain lentils and stir in the pot.  Add 4 cups water, 2 teaspoon salt, bay leaf and cinnamon stick.  Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low for 15 minutes. 

Rinse greens in a colander and spread the damp greens over the lentil mixture.  Cover and cook 5-7 minutes more (depending on how sturdy your greens are), until the rice (or bulgur) and lentils are tender and the greens have wilted.  Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. 

Serve sprinkled with reserved crispy leeks and dollop with yogurt.

Tuna, White Bean and Fennel Salad

Last Year's Post:  Curried Chicken Salad
Two Years Ago:    Chicken with Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Rice

Tuna and white beans are a time-honored Italian combination for a salad that usually also includes red onion and a lemony dressing.  I recently came across this recipe from the New York Times that includes the fresh flavor and crunch of fennel, which really appealed to me. I decided to adapt it by using canned tuna rather than fresh, and adding some kale to the fennel to make it even healthier.  You could certainly grill some fresh tuna in place of the canned tuna, but I love a good canned tuna salad on occasion and it makes things much simpler and faster.  My personal preference is a high-quality tuna canned in oil because I think tuna packed in water is bland.  I've also heard the tuna packed in pouches tastes fresh, but whichever way you go make sure it's the best tuna you can find.

The key to any great salad is to have a variety of flavors and textures.  This one has creamy beans, meaty tuna, crunchy fennel, tart red onion and bright lemon.  And it's extremely healthy as well, with high-quality protein from the tuna and beans, omega-3s, and all that dark green leafy goodness from the kale.  It's very easy to prepare - can you say no cooking?  (Perfect for a hot summer day...)  All you have to do is make the vinaigrette, chop a few things, and assemble. The recipe recommends serving the salad at room temperature, but the leftovers were just as good cold the next day and the salad keeps extremely well.  Leftovers would be great in a pita at work for lunch.

Have the salad for a light dinner on one of the first warm spring days with a glass of rose wine and imagine you're sitting on a terrace overlooking the Mediterranean.  Ahhhhhh

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Tuna, White Bean and Fennel Salad

Serves 4

½ small red onion, diced

4 cups cooked cannellini or other white beans (or 2 cans of beans, rinsed and drained)

Salt and pepper

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 garlic cloves, pressed or grated

1 large fennel bulb

3-4 large leaves of Tuscan kale, washed, stripped from the stems and thinly cut crosswise

1 (5-6 oz) can tuna (preferably packed in oil), drained and flaked into chunks

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds

1 lemon, quartered, for garnish

Soak the diced onion in ice water for 10 minutes (this will tame its bite), then drain.  Drain the beans and put in a bowl.  Add a generous sprinkling of salt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and the onions and stir.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat.  Set aside.

To make the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons lemon juice, the lemon zest, garlic, a pinch of salt, and 3 tablespoons olive oil.  Set aside.

Cut the fennel tops off and reserve some fronds for garnish.  Cut the bulb in half and cut out the core, then cut crosswise into thin slices.  Add the fennel slices and kale to a bowl, then lightly salt and toss with just enough dressing to barely coat.

To assemble the salad, divide the fennel/kale mixture among 4 plates.  Top with the bean mixture and tuna flakes.  Drizzle a small amount of dressing over each salad, then garnish with parsley, fennel fronds, and lemon quarters.  Serve at room temperature.

Citrus Chicken Bowls

Last Year's Post: Grown-Up Tuna Salad Sandwich
Two Years Ago:   Baked Oatmeal

Citrus is in season all winter and it seems particularly bright and refreshing on a cold dreary day, don't you think?  This recipe calls for two different citrus fruits in the form of lemon juice and blood orange or tangerine slices.  I used a few of both for the picture, but that's not necessary.  It was actually the result of having most of the blood orange slices fall apart on me, so its a good thing I had a tangerine in the refrigerator as well.

Like all good bowls, this one has a wide range of tastes and textures from the creamy avocado sauce to crunchy nuts, refreshing citrus, healthy kale and meaty chicken.  And it's packed full of fiber and nutrition.  The downside is that it's a fair amount of work, but it's easy if you cook the chicken and rice in advance.  Then all you have to do is a quick saute of the onion, kale and rice, and buzz the avocado sauce which means it could qualify for a weeknight meal.  I briefly debated just using avocado slices instead of making the sauce for simplicity, and I don't think you'd lose much in terms of taste if you go that route.  The major advantage to the sauce is that it's easier to get a little in every bite.

I actually used coconut rice (white rice cooked with half broth, half coconut milk) simply because I had some left over, and it tasted great in the bowl although I almost lost the coconut taste with so much else going on.  If I didn't have leftovers I'd probably cook some brown rice for the added fiber.

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Citrus Chicken Bowls

Serves 4

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion

6 cups Lacinato kale, de-stemmed and thinly sliced crosswise

¼ cup pine nuts (or other nuts of your choice)

4 cups cooked brown or white rice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 blood oranges or tangerines, peeled and cut crosswise into thin slices

1 whole lemon, cut into four wedges

For the avocado sauce:

1 ripe avocado

½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon white wine vinegar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Lightly pound the chicken breasts if they’re very thick, then season both sides with salt and pepper.  Grill or pan sauté until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the kale and nuts and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the kale is wilted and softened and the nuts are toasted.  Stir in the rice and lemon juice and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.   Keep warm.

To make the avocado sauce, place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. 

To assemble the bowls, cut the chicken crosswise into thin pieces.  Divide the rice and kale mixture between four shallow bowls, then top with chicken slices, orange or tangerine segments, a dollop of avocado sauce and a lemon wedge.

Tuscan Barley Soup

Last Year's Post: Chicken Limone Pasta

Two Years Ago:  Seared Scallops with Herb-Butter Sauce

I made this soup for a friend who was scheduled for knee surgery so she wouldn't have to worry about having a warm, comforting supper when she got home. When I brought it over to her house and described the contents, her husband gave me a skeptical look and said "sounds healthy". But after they had it for dinner he made a point of calling me to tell me how delicious it was, which made me very happy.  (It's an accomplishment when you can make something that's very healthy AND delicious, even for the skeptics.)  This soup has no less than six different vegetables (interestingly, no potatoes or tomatoes) and the nutritional benefits of barley.  I chose to add some Italian sausage but you could certainly leave it out to go vegetarian.

Your chopping skills will get a workout with those veggies - I timed myself and the prep took about 30 minutes (including time out for pictures, of course).  This would be a perfect little project for the weekend so all you have to do is warm it up during the week when you're tired and it's raining or snowing, and it tastes even better after it sits for a day. Add some crusty bread (and maybe a nice glass of red wine) and you've got yourself a delicious meal.

So, the six vegetables are:  carrots, zucchini, parsnips, leek, fennel and kale.  A somewhat unusual combination, but interesting, don't you think?

After all that chopping, the rest is easy - saute some Italian sausage, toast the barley in the same pot, then dump everything else in and let it simmer for about 50 minutes.

90 minutes after you start, you have an enormous steaming hearty pot of deliciousness.  Not bad.

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Tuscan Barley Soup

Serves 6-8

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped chives would make a nice garnish.

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 sweet or spicy turkey sausage links, casings removed

1 cup pearl barley

12 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into ½” rounds

2 medium parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced into ½” rounds

2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into ½” sliced

1 fennel bulb, cut in half, cored, and thinly sliced (longer pieces may be cut in half)

1 medium leek, white and light green part only, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 bunch of Tuscan kale, center stems removed and leaves thinly sliced

1 Parmesan cheese rind, optional

1 dried bay leaf

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Prep all the vegetables before starting.

In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces, until cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Remove the sausage and reserve.

Add the barley to the pot and cook stirring constantly until lightly toasted, about 4 minutes.  Add 10 cups of broth (reserving the rest for later), carrots, parsnips, zucchini, fennel, kale, cheese rind (if using), bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the barley is tender, about 50 minutes.  Add the sausage back in during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.  Stir the pot occasionally and add additional broth if needed to make the soup your desired consistency.

Remove the Parmesan rind and bay leaf, then season the soup with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Last Year's Post: Grilled Salmon with Kale and Maple Mustard Vinaigrette
Two Years Ago:   Chocolate Honey Almond Tartlets

Pretty much everyone likes Chinese Chicken Salad, and there are a million recipes out there.  What makes this recipe a little unusual is the addition of kale and the red chile peanut dressing, courtesy of Chef Bobby Flay.  Don't be scared by the red chile part - there are only 2 teaspoons of chipotle pepper puree which gives a tiny bit of kick.  The dressing is actually quite delicate with a hint of peanut butter, and very good.

Those aren't red jalapenos, they're actually the little mini bell peppers that come in a bag.  But you could certainly add red jalapenos (also called Fresno peppers) for a little extra spice.

I personally like Chinese Chicken Salad with a small amount of pasta added, but it's up to you to add it or leave it out.  The salad requires quite a bit of prep between making the dressing and chopping all the ingredients, so if you want to do some of it ahead of time you could make the dressing and chop all the ingredients (except the herbs, they wilt fairly quickly).  Put the cabbage, kale, carrots, snow peas and green onions in a big bowl and place in the refrigerator, covered.  Shred the chicken and put it in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator. Leave the peanuts out on the counter. Then all you have to do at the last minute is cook the pasta, chop the herbs, toss the salad with the dressing, and serve.  The reason why I don't recommend cooking the spaghetti in advance is because it clumps together in a big ball if you leave it too long after draining.  If you really want to cook it in advance, add a teaspoon or so of oil to the spaghetti and toss it around to make sure everything is coated, then refrigerate.

Chinese Chicken Salad is a healthy and popular choice for a light dinner on a warm day.

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Chinese Chicken Salad with Red Chile Peanut Dressing

Serves 6

For the dressing:

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

1 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons chipotle pepper puree (from a can of chipotles in adobo)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

½ cup canola oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the salad:

½ large head Napa cabbage, shredded

7-8 leaves Tuscan kale, stripped off steams and thinly sliced into ribbons

2 carrots, coarsely shredded or julienned

¼ lb snow peas, trimmed and each cut into 3-4 pieces on a diagonal

½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

¼ cup thinly sliced green onion

4 ounces spaghetti, cooked, rinsed in cold water and drained

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken or turkey

½ cup chopped roasted peanuts

¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves

Combine all dressing ingredients by whisking in a bowl or shaking in a jar.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Combine cabbage, kale, carrots, snow peas, red bell pepper, cilantro, green onion and spaghetti in a large bowl.  Add dressing gradually, tossing until everything is adequately coated to your liking (some dressing may be left over to pass at the table).

Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and top with the shredded chicken, peanuts, and mint.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Last Year's Post: Miso-Glazed Scallops with Quinoa and Grilled Pineapple
Two Years Ago:  Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Smoked Mozzarella

I remember disliking stuffed peppers as a kid - bland ground beef stuffed in a green pepper, then baked until the pepper was gray-green and mushy.  Bleh.  This is definitely not that recipe.  Quinoa is combined with kale, spices, pepitas and your choice of protein (spicy, mild, or vegetarian), then quickly baked to heat everything through.  The result is a crunchy , bright blend of flavors and the pepper is basically warmed through but still retains its own crunch.  It's served with an tomatillo avocado sauce for even more flavor, and I added some sour cream on the side because my protein of choice was Mexican chorizo and I needed a little something to tame the spice.  The whole thing is very healthy, delicious and colorful.

I prefer red quinoa's color and think it's slightly more crunchy than white quinoa, but you could certainly substitute white, or even farro or barley or rice.  After cooking the quinoa, you cook your protein - spicy Mexican chorizo, or mild ground turkey.  (If you used tofu of course you don't have to cook it.)  Add in some kale, the quinoa, and some pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds).  If you can't find pepitas, use toasted pine nuts.

While everything is cooking, the peppers are cut open and seeds removed.  I like this method of cutting them open on their side rather than from the top because they're less likely to tip over and they're easier to stuff.  Top the stuffed pepper with a little panko/Parmesan mix for crunch, then bake.

For the tomatillo avocado sauce, you start by roasting the tomatillos. Tomatillos look like little green tomatoes covered in paper - they should be firm to the touch with no soft spots.  Remove the outer papery layer and wash them because they're sticky.  After roasting, throw them with the rest of the ingredients in the blender and puree.

You could easily stuff the peppers and make the sauce in advance, then just bake right before serving so this makes a great weekday meal or a gift meal for someone special.

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Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Serves 4

Quinoa:
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup red quinoa (or white quinoa)

Peppers:
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound lean ground turkey, Mexican chorizo, or diced tofu
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 clove minced garlic
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup white wine
2 large red bell peppers
2 large green or yellow bell peppers
2 cups lightly packed stemmed and julienned kale leaves
1/4 cup toasted pepitas (or pine nuts)
1 1/2 cups finely ground panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Sauce, recipe follows, for garnish
Fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, for garnish

Sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Sauce:
6 medium tomatillos (about 8 ounces), husked
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 jalapeno, coarsely chopped and seeds removed
1/2 sweet onion, like Maui or Vidalia, rough chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves

Peppers:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

For the quinoa: Over medium-high heat, bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. As the broth is coming to boil, add the quinoa, then stir and cover. Reduce the heat to a simmer and steam the quinoa until the grains pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

For the peppers: Set a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and add the turkey or chorizo, crushed red pepper flakes and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until well browned, 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring with a wooden spoon and breaking up the pieces. Deglaze with the wine. While the turkey or chorizo is browning, rinse the peppers and pat dry. With the pepper lying down on its side, cut off the top and remove the seeds and membrane. Repeat for the remaining peppers. Leave the stem on the top for presentation. Set aside.

Once the meat is browned, shut off the heat and fold in the quinoa, kale and pepitas (add the tofu at this point, if using). Mix to incorporate all ingredients thoroughly. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if required.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the panko and Parmesan. Add a drizzle of olive oil to lightly moisten and season with salt and pepper. Set the peppers on a roasting tray cut-side up and stuff each with filling. Top each pepper with 1-2 tablespoons of panko-Parmesan topping. Cover loosely with foil, place in the center of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove the foil and turn on the broiler. Cook under the broiler to brown and crisp the panko breadcrumbs, 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully so they don’t burn. Remove the peppers from the oven and allow to rest before serving.

Place 1/4 cup of Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Sauce on each plate and place the roasted, stuffed pepper halves in the middle of sauce. Garnish with parsley sprigs and an optional dollop of sour cream.



Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Sauce:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the tomatillos onto a baking sheet. Toss the tomatillos with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place into the oven. Roast until nicely charred, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Combine the tomatillos, 1/4 cup water, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, avocado, garlic, jalapenos, onions, lime juice and cilantro in a blender and puree until completely smooth. Place in the refrigerator and allow the sauce to settle before serving, so it is smooth.

Grain Bowls with Halloumi Cheese

Last Year's Post: Seared Scallops with Herb-Butter Sauce
Two Years Ago:  Rustic Greens and Potato Pie

I recently came across an article in Bon Appetit about how to make the best grain bowls.  It started by discussing the grains and suggested using a combo such as black rice with red quinoa.  Hmm, I thought, I just happen to have both.  It went on to suggest greens such as kale or napa cabbage (I just happened to have a half head of napa cabbage sitting in the refrigerator).  Another suggestion to add was winter squash with Gochujang (who has Gochujang hanging around?  me!).  I felt like it was a sign that I needed to make this right now - all I needed was some butternut squash and halloumi.  Now, I realize that most normal people will not have all those ingredients but don't worry, there are many other options listed below.

As for halloumi, I've been wanting to try it for a while.  It's a cheese with a high melting point so you can grill or pan-fry it for a nice brown crispy exterior without it melting all over.  I remembered seeing some at the natural foods store but wanted to see if my neighborhood Safeway carried it since I was there anyway.  While I was checking out the cheese case I asked The Lawyer to talk to the deli employee to see if she knew whether they carried it.  The following conversation is absolutely true:

Me:  "Could you ask to see if they carry halloumi?"
The Lawyer:  "Do you carry hallooni?"
Me:  "Halloumi"
The Lawyer:  "Hallooni"
Deli Employee:  "Hallooni?"
Me:  "Halloumi cheese"
Deli Employee to 2nd Deli Employee:  "Do we carry hallooni?"
2nd Deli Employee:  "Hoonoony?"
Me:  "Never mind".  (Sigh.)

Off to the natural foods store.  Halloumi is a white cheese typically is sold in a block and packaged in plastic.  It may also be referred to as "grilling cheese".  You can find it in natural food stores, cheese shops, and some high-end grocery stores.  It has a mild taste similar to mozzarella and is not as salty as feta.

Grain bowls are fun and easy to customize with different grains, vegetables, greens and vinaigrettes.  I loved the idea of the spicy, creamy butternut squash with crunchy cabbage and halloumi cheese, but you could go with broccoli, tomatoes and kale, for example.  If you don't feel like trying halloumi, substitute feta or mozzarella or Jack cheese.  And use any one or more grains that you happen to have on hand, and any combination of nuts and seeds.  The maple mustard dressing goes particularly well with spicy foods and bitter greens such as kale, but you could also use a bottled balsamic vinaigrette.

We loved the butternut squash with Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) but it will likely require a trip to your local Asian market.  You could substitute a little hot sauce, harissa or sriracha and get much the same effect, or leave it out entirely and just roast the squash with a little olive oil, salt and pepper if you don't want the heat.  Carrots or sweet potatoes could also substitute for the squash.

There is so much going on here in terms of flavor and texture between the grains, nuts and seeds, squash, cabbage, cheese and vinaigrette that you'll never notice the meal is both vegetarian and good for you.  Although there are a number of ingredients and steps, note that the grains, squash and vinaigrette can all be made in advance.  The remaining prep and toasting the seeds, nuts and cheese takes just minutes so this actually could be a great weekday dinner with a little advance planning.

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Grain Bowls with Halloumi Cheese

Serves 4

Note:  If you don’t want to make the Gochujang Squash recipe, just roast squash according to the directions and either eliminate the heat or substitute a small amount of hot sauce, harissa or sriracha

1 1/3 cups uncooked grains such a quinoa, rice, farro, or bulgur, or a mix (I used 50/50 red quinoa and black rice)

2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into bite-sized pieces and roasted (see following recipe)

Maple Mustard vinaigrette (see following recipe) or bottled balsamic vinaigrette

2 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage or Tuscan kale

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

½ cup mixed seeds and small nuts (I used sesame, poppy, caraway, fennel and sunflower seeds plus pine nuts)

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 (1/4-inch) slices of Halloumi cheese

Micro-greens, for garnish (optional)

Make ahead:  cook grains according to package directions and cool.  Cook squash according to directions (below) and cool.  Make maple mustard vinaigrette and refrigerate.

Shortly before serving, slice the cabbage or kale and put in a medium bowl with the apple cider vinegar.  With your hands, gently squeeze the cabbage or kale with the vinegar – this will soften it slightly.

Heat the olive oil in a medium non-stick skillet and add the seeds and nuts.  Toast, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.  Remove the seeds and nuts from the skillet with a slotted spoon but do not drain the remaining olive oil.

Toast the Halloumi slices in the remaining oil over medium heat until golden on one side, then remove to cool.

To assemble, divide grains between four shallow bowls.  Top with cabbage, squash, seeds and nuts, two slices of cheese per bowl, and micro-greens.  Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.

Gochujang Roasted Squash

1 teaspoon Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 teaspooons minced chives

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Whisk Gochujang, soy sauce, oil, and sesame seeds in a medium bowl.  Add squash and toss to coat.  Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes until tender and browned on the edges.  Let cool; top with chives and salt.

Maple Mustard Vinaigrette

1/2 c walnut oil or canola oil
1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 c cider vinegar
2 T mustard
1 T soy sauce
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate, covered, for up to two weeks.

Chicken Pho

Last Year's Post: Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Smoked Mozzarella
Two Years Ago:  Balsamic Vinegar Chicken with Almond Peppers

Pho is very popular, but it's always been somewhat of a mystery to me - what is it, exactly, and how do you pronounce it?  Turns out the "what is it" part is a little easier to explain than the "how do you pronounce it" part.  Basically, pho is a hearty Vietnamese soup that typically contains either chicken or beef, noodles, and vegetables.  I think of it much like the Mongolian hot pots that were so popular a decade or two ago, where you put a bunch of ingredients in a big bowl and then pour hot stock over the whole thing.

As for how to pronounce it,it looks like you should pronounce it "foe" but the correct pronunciation is actually "fuh".  Click here to hear it pronounced. (Isn't technology great?)

Although this is a recipe for chicken pho and therefore technically for chicken soup, it's a long way from any chicken soup you grew up with.  First, there's the chicken - boneless skinless thighs that are roasted in a dark and flavorful sauce of honey, mirin, soy sauce, fish sauce, and minced jalapenos, then thin sliced before adding to the soup.  The vegetables - shiitake mushrooms, leeks, and kale - add addition flavor, texture, color and nutrition.  The noodles aren't ordinary egg noodles, they're rice noodles, and the broth is boosted by the addition of lime juice and ginger.  The soup is finished with fresh cilantro sprigs and a few additional slices of jalapeno just to make sure you're awake.  A note about the jalapenos - I really wanted to use a red jalapeno for the garnish on the top to make it even prettier, but for some mysterious reason not one single store in my area had them.  If you can find them, it would be a great addition - colorful food always looks best - but it's a very beautiful soup with the green jalapenos anyway.

The resulting soup is complex in its flavors and textures while remaining true to the genre in terms of its wholesome goodness and comforting, healing properties.  Yes, it's some work, but so is homemade "regular" chicken noodle soup, and this version is ever so much more interesting.  Any college students you know will think you're very cool, because they eat it all the time.  AND you know how to pronounce it.

You start by making the sauce and roasting the chicken.  The sauce calls for dark soy sauce rather than regular soy sauce, which is darker, thicker and more intense in flavor.  You can find it at your local Asian market but regular soy sauce will work almost as well (the sauce won't be quite as thick).

Then you saute the mushrooms and leeks while slicing some kale, heating the broth, and softening the noodles. I used Tuscan kale, which I find to be less tough and bitter than curly kale.

After that it's pretty much just assembly.  I wanted a very chicken-y tasting broth so I added a little chicken base to the chicken broth when I was heating it, but you can leave it out if you prefer.  It gave the broth a nice dark color also.  I was really happy with the results.

printable recipe

Chicken Pho

Serves 4

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 jalapenos, divided

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs

3 ounces shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and sliced

1 leek, white part only, sliced lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

6 coin-sized slices of fresh ginger

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons chicken base or chicken bouillon cubes (optional)

2 cups shredded Tuscan kale (ribs removed first)

6 ounces rice noodles

Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400d.

In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, honey, mirin, and fish sauce.  Mince one of the jalapenos and add it to the sauce.  Add the chicken thighs, turning to coat, then place them on a small aluminum foil-lined roasting pan.  Pour the remaining sauce over the chicken. Roast the chicken, turning over in the sauce several times, for 30 minutes.  Remove and cool before slicing thinly.  Set aside.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, then add the olive oil and mushrooms.  Sauté for 2 minutes, then add the leek and turn the heat to medium low.  Sprinkle with salt and sauté for 5-7 minutes until tender.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan add the chicken broth, chicken base (if using), ginger and lime juice.  As it approaches a boil add the kale and let cook for 2-3 minutes.  Remove the kale with a slotted spoon to a small bowl; set aside.  Remove the ginger with the slotted spoon and discard.  Keep the broth hot; season with salt to taste.

At the same time that the broth is heating, bring a bowl of water to a boil and add the rice noodles, letting them soak according to package directions (typically 8-10 minutes).  Drain.

Stem and with a small knife remove the seeds from the remaining jalapeno, then thinly slice into rings.

To assemble, place the chicken, mushrooms, leeks, kale, and noodles in wide shallow bowls.  Carefully pour the hot broth over all and garnish with cilantro leaves and jalapeno rings.  Serve immediately.

Rustic Greens and Potato Pie

Last Year's Post: Lentil Soup with Spicy Italian Sausage
Two Years Ago:  Savory Breakfast Scones

We all know that dark leafy greens are really good for us, but getting them into your diet is sometimes the hard part.  We also know it's good to eat vegetarian once in a while.  This rustic pie is a delicious option to meet both of those goals.  It's very flavorful and has a rich, creamy texture from the potatoes and cheese.   It's warm, earthy and hearty, perfect for a fall dinner on a cool night.  Serve it with a bright salad of corn, cherry tomatoes and green onions to balance all those earthy flavors.

It would make a wonderful meal for any vegetarians you might happen to know.  Or, you could always add cooked sausage or bacon to the pie if you're serving people who really want meat - and they'll still get the nutritional value of the greens.

I always like to talk about ingredient substitutions.  In this recipe you can use any combination of greens that you want - I chose half kale (bold flavor) and half spinach (milder flavor) but chard, collard greens or mustard greens would also work.  Regarding the cheese, I think you could substitute pretty much any cheese you want for the Gruyere - blue cheese would be an especially interesting choice.  If you go for blue cheese, for some reason a little voice in my head tells me that chopped walnuts would be a good addition.  Blue cheese and walnuts go well together.

This type of rustic pie is also called a galette or a tart.  As I mentioned, it's hearty enough to be a dinner entree, or you could cut it in small pieces served cold for a tapas party.  I particularly like this type of rustic pie because you don't have to be overly perfect with the pie crust - if the edges crack when you roll it out, no big deal - it's just that much easier to fold over the filling. 

The key is to make sure the greens have released their liquid and the liquid has evaporated prior to taking them off the heat, otherwise the filling may give up a little liquid when you cut the pie.  One tip is to set the greens aside for a few minutes to cool.  Drain any liquid that may have accumulated in the bottom of the bowl or pan before adding to the potatoes.  By the way, this goes for any greens added to any pie or quiche - you'll often see recipes for chopped spinach that tell you to squeeze all the liquid out prior to adding it to the other ingredients.  Same principle.

After that it's really easy to add the filling to the pie crust, fold the edges up and over, brush with a little egg and bake.  Although I didn't try it myself, I don't see any reason why you couldn't prepare the pie in advance and refrigerate it covered with plastic wrap, then bake it after coming home from work.  It might take a few more minutes in the oven since it's cold.

If you've been having a hard time figuring out how to get those dark leafy greens into your diet, this might just be the way.

printable recipe

Rustic Greens and Potato Pie

Serves 4-6

Note:  A simple salad of cherry tomatoes, corn and green onions dressed with a little olive oil is an excellent accompaniment.

1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought)

¾ lb small boiling potatoes, such as Yukon Gold or Red Bliss

1 medium onion

2 pounds cooking greens, such as chard, spinach, kale, collards, or a mixture

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 ounces Gruyere cheese

1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 cup ricotta

1/8 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Scrub the potatoes and cut them into 1 ½” pieces; place in a medium saucepan.  Add cold salted water to cover by 1”.  Bring the water to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender when pierced with a knife.

Meanwhile, finely chop the onion (about 1 cup).  Thoroughly rinse and spin dry the greens, remove the tough stems, and chop the leaves (about 24 cups).  (The tougher the greens, the finer you should chop.)

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until hot.  Reduce the heat to medium-low; add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add half the greens and cook for 4-6 minutes, until wilted.  Remove the greens with tongs to a medium bowl.  Repeat with the remaining greens.  Return the first batch of greens to the skillet and cook everything for 2 minutes more, or until any liquid that collected in the skillet has evaporated.  Set aside.

When the potatoes are done, drain and mash using a potato masher.  Combine the potatoes and greens in a large bowl and set aside to cool slightly.

Roll the pastry out to make a 12” round.  Fit the pastry into a 9-inch pie plate; press against the sides of the plate allowing the excess to hang over the edges.  Put the pie plate in the refrigerator while preparing the remaining ingredients.

Grate the Gruyere (about ½ cup) and Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1/2 cup); fold the cheeses into the potato mixture along with the ricotta, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly beat the eggs, reserving one tablespoon.  Stir the rest of the eggs into the potato mixture and spoon the filling into the pie plate.  Gently fold the overhanging pastry over the filling, pleating as necessary to make it fit.  It will make a border covering the edges of the filling but the center will be uncovered.  Brush the pastry with the remaining 1 tablespoon egg.

Bake the pie for about 40 minutes or until the filling is heated through and the pastry is golden.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.