You see, I have a freezer full of pureed vegetables–neatly frozen in 1 oz cubes– that my once-adventurous fressers now refuse to eat.  Never one to waste food, I’ve been looking to repurpose these colorful little cubes of wholesomeness, and have tried many different experiments to that end.

My most successful experiment to date has been the fluffy pink pancakes that resulted from adding 2 oz of thawed beet-sweet potato puree to a storebought buckwheat pancake mix.  (My kids will eat anything in a pancake form, as it turns out.)  Since the mix was not gluten-free, however, I’ve been unable to sit with them and share breakfast, which is an important part of raising good eaters.  So I turned my attention to finding a good, gluten-free buckwheat pancake recipe that the whole family could enjoy.

I love the beet-buckwheat combo for so many reasons.  For starters, buckwheat is naturally a good source of iron, which makes it a great grain for women and kids alike–gluten-free or not.  Beets are a fantastic source of folate, another female-friendly nutrient that, notably, is missing from most gluten-free flours and baked goods (whereas conventional wheat flour must be fortified with folic acid by law).  For those adults and kids who aren’t getting enough leafy greens (read: most of us), beets are a great alternative source of folate.  Beets have a natural sweetness and mild flavor to them as well, making them easy to blend into a pancake recipe.  (Because they tend to be watery, I mix them with sweet potatoes for the puree to keep it nice and creamy).  Lastly, as an Eastern European gal by ancestry, beets and buckwheat speak to my inner Ashkenazi.

Blini, for the uninitiated (or those of us who don’t get invited to fancy parties), are mini pancakes of Russian origin, traditionally made with wheat or buckwheat, topped perhaps a dollop of sour cream, and served as the base for caviar.  While bona-fide blini are made with yeast, my American-style shortcut uses a chemical leavener (baking powder) to save effort and time.  Though this recipe may seem just like a breakfast pancake by another name, these blini are decidedly in the salty/savory camp– they lack any semblence of sweetness.  If you are keen on modifying them to be more breakfasty, you could add 2 TBSP sugar to the dry ingredients.  Or just leave them as-is and top with maple syrup.

Regarding the topping: while caviar is not a staple in my pantry, Beluga lentils– the “caviar of lentils“–most certainly are.  They’re easy enough to make from scratch, but for the seriously time-pressed, note that Trader Joe’s does indeed sell pre-cooked Beluga Lentils in shelf-stable packaging.  In addition, you can add an optional dollop of sour cream, crème fraiche or plain greek yogurt to anchor the lentils in place if you wish.  A storebought horseradish cream sauce would be fabulous here as well.  Of course, you need not limit yourself to these toppings.  Savory buckwheat blini would make a fabulous, gluten-free base for a variety of toppings and spreads– smoked fish especially (think whitefish salad or herbed cream cheese with lox).

Recipe: Gluten-free Buckwheat Beet Blini with Beluga Lentil “Caviar”

Makes 24-30 blini.  Great as a party appetizer… and leftovers double as a fabulous toddler snack.

For the lentils:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup dry beluga lentils, rinsed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cups water
• Salt, to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a small saucepan.
2. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil for about 3 minutes
3. Add 1/4 dried beluga lentils, bay leaf and water.
4. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for ~20 minutes (or until lentils are tender to your liking)
5. Add salt to taste.  Remove bay leaf.  Set aside.

For the blini:

• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup beet-sweet potato puree (click here for recipe)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1/4 cup milk (you can use a dairy-free milk substitute, such as soymilk or almond milk, if you wish)
• 2 Tbsp melted butter or margarine, plus more butter for frying
• Optional garnish: sour cream, plain greek yogurt or créme fraiche

1. Cook beluga lentils as per above.
2. While lentils are cooking, combine buckwheat flour, salt and baking soda in a medium-sized bowl
3. Add beaten egg, milk, melted butter and beet/sweet potato puree to the dry ingredients
4. Stir mixture until just combined
5. Melt just enough butter in a large, non-stick frying pan to coat the bottom.  When pan is hot, pour small amount (about 2 tablespoonfuls) of batter for each blini.  Cook 1 to 1½ minutes, turning when edges look cooked and bubbles begin to break on the surface. Continue to cook 1 to 1½ minutes or until golden brown.
6. Cool blini completely before garnishing with toppings and serving.

Related posts:

1. The Caviar of Lentils
2. Buckwheat: The groats that float my boat
3. Red Lentil Soup

Last Thursday, the USDA unveiled the new graphic tool to depict the recommended eating pattern for Healthy Americans, and it’s a significant departure from the carb-heavy, animal-protein laden pyramid whose emphasis on number of “servings” left most people feeling pretty confused.

While it’s not perfect, the new “My Plate” logo generally gets good reviews from nutritionists, and should hopefully be easier for most people to understand.

The USDA’s key messages are as follows:

• Half of your plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables (more veggies than fruits)
• A little more than 1/4 of your plate should be grains (and at least half of those grains should be whole grains)
• The remaining less than 1/4 of your plate should be a protein-rich food, which includes animal proteins like meat and fish as well as vegetable proteins such as beans, tofu, nuts and seeds.
• Dairy is off to the side of the plate, which the USDA intends to mean that each meal would ideally include the calcium-equivalent of one cup of low-fat or skim milk–to total 3 servings per day.  According to the website, these equivalents would include 1 container of yogurt, an ounce and a half of hard cheese, a cup of soymilk, or 1.5 cups of ice cream (!!!).

Interpreting the USDA MyPlate

While the graphic seems simple enough to defy the need for interpretation, there are a few liberties I would take with these guidelines to make them more effective and realistic for my clients, many of whom are trying to lose weight, some of whom eat more than 3x/day, and several of whom are lactose intolerant.

First of all, I recommend that starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, potato-like root veggies, corn and green peas, get counted as a grain rather than a veggie.  This is how we approach meal planning for people with Diabetes, but in reality, it’s a healthy way to eat for all of us.  The nutritional profiles of these starchy veggies more closely resemble those of grains like rice, bread or pasta rather than of greens–namely, they’re substantially higher in calories and carbs.  And given that potatoes are currently the most popular “vegetable” consumed in the U.S., it’s probably worth making a point to clarify that filling up to half one’s plate with them is not really the path to optimal health or weight management.

Second, with regards to dairy, the fact that the logo depicts it off to the side rather than on the plate suggests to me that dairy can be–but need not be–part of your daily diet.  If you like it and can tolerate it, by all means enjoy it!  But if you don’t like it or can’t tolerate it, you can still be healthy without dairy, so long as you make sure to eat other calcium-rich (or calcium-fortified) foods to meet your needs.  While the USDA offers soymilk as the only non-dairy, calcium-rich option, there are plenty of others.  Check out my previous post on Calcium for the Milk Averse for more ideas, and my posts on yogurts for the lactose-intolerant and generally lactose-challenged.  And as if it needs to be said, using ice cream to meet your calcium needs is probably not advisable for anyone concerned about their weight.

With more protein per serving than 2 eggs, Greek Yogurt can count as a protein food

Third, while the plate offers a useful visual guideline for lunch and dinner, it’s harder to interpret for breakfast.  Furthermore, many of my early-waking clients have a small mid-morning snack in between breakfast and lunch that needs to be worked into the equation.  A literal interpreation of the plate can be achieved by a veggie-heavy breakfast entree like my famous Shakshouka, coupled with a slice of whole grain bread, or perhaps an omelet or frittata loaded with veggies, accompanied by a slice of toast or a modest portion of sweet potato hash for the “grain”, and accompanied by a piece of fresh fruit or small fruit salad.  Such large and labor-intensive meals, however, are more realistic for most people as weekend brunch options.

For weekdays, then, when breakfast tends to be more grain-focused (cereals, oatmeal), I suggest thinking of your overall morning eating routine in terms of the breakfast plate.  That is: breakfast may be grain-heavy (a cup of oatmeal or a bowl of whole-grain cereal topped with banana or berries), but a mid-morning snack could be grain-free and more protein-focused, coupled with some more fruit or veggies.  I often recommend fat-free, plain Greek Yogurt with fruit as a satisfying mid-morning snack; and since a typical container has more protein than 2 large eggs, I consider it a protein food.  Other good morning snack options include an apple smeared with peanut butter/almond butter/sunflower seed butter or a hard boiled egg with some fruit salad or sliced melon.  If you have a higher-protein breakfast cereal, like a Kashi Go Lean, for example, then some simple sliced veggies and hummus would be an appropriate mid-morning snack.

For the gluten-free crowd, remember that there are plenty of good, whole-grain gluten-free breakfast options.  In the cooked cereal department, Bob’s Red Mill makes Certified gluten-free Oats (both rolled and steel cut), Brown Rice Farina, a multi-grain Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal, Whole Grain Millet Grits, and Whole Grain Creamy Buckwheat Cereal.  For dry cereals, I’m partial to Barbara’s Bakery Multigrain Puffins or Nature’s Path Mesa Sunrise.  In a pinch, you could try a whole grain (brown) puffed rice cereal– now that Kellogg’s is offering offering a gluten-free, brown-rice version of Rice Krispies, you should have no trouble finding one in a supermarket near you!  Note that puffed rice cereals, even when made from brown rice, are still quite low in fiber; if this is your cereal of choice, I might suggest topping it with 2 TBSP of ground flaxseeds to boost the fiber content and get a hefty dose of essential omega-3 fats to boot.

Lastly, if you’re seeking weight loss, the USDA plate proportions should still work well for you.  Just be sure to use a smaller plate than usual!

No related posts.

But I’m back now, and we ‘ve got lots to catch up on.

Starting with a host of new gluten-free products I’ve tried out recently that represent a sea change in GF products for two reasons: Texture and Fiber.

I figured it was just a matter of time before food companies figured out they could make a lot more money if their gluten free breads and pastas actually had appealing textures.  And I was hopeful that the next generation of GF products would be made with less white rice flour and tapioca starch and more whole grains and seeds; after all, gluten-free breads and cereals are notoriously higher in carbs and lower in fiber than their conventional counterparts.  While I have yet to come across products that I would consider high-fiber by conventional standards (5g or more per serving), there are a growing number of products featuring a respectable 3g of fiber per serving, which is a vast improvement over the typical <1g for such items.  Progress!

So without further ado… here are some great new gluten-free products sure to please my fellow carbophiles:

RP’s Pasta Company Gluten-free Fresh Pastas

This is the first time I’d seen fresh GF pastas sold in the refrigerated section of my grocery store (with the exception of a pretty unimpressive gnocchi, now that I think about it), and I wasn’t so keen on trying it.  After all, there are plenty of very good dry GF pastas made from brown rice, and I didn’t see how a more expensive fresh pasta could really be that much better.  Still, my husband decided to splurge on it, and boy am I happy he did!  We tried the fusili, since it was destined to be the base for a pesto-and-asparagus dish (and the pesto gets stuck in all the little spiral crevices; yum!).  It cooked in 2 minutes, and when finished, the texture was so plump and creamy that it reminded me of dining out in trattatorias during my pre-celiac days.  *Sigh*.  Better still, each serving contains 3g of fiber, which is more than that 1g typically found in a dry, GF brown rice-based pasta.

La Tortilla Smart & Delicious Ivory Teff Wraps

I’ve blogged previously about Teff flour, and privately bemoaned the fact that this super-nutritious grain was not yet available in mainstream products.  As luck would have it, the clairvoyant people at La Tortilla Factory read my mind and developed a fabulous GF wrap made from whole grain millet and whole grain teff (and, admittedly, some tapioca starch as well), each of which contains 3g of fiber, which is roughly equivalent to the fiber content of a similarly-sized Whole Wheat tortilla.  These have a much better texture than the GF Brown rice wraps I’d been buying from other brands, which tended to have a rubbery/plastic texture when defrosted.  The company also sells a similar product under the Sonoma brand name.  Look for them in the frozen section of your grocery store.

Rudi’s Gluten-free bread

I’ve written previously about Udi’s Gluten-free breads, but in an apparent case of one-upmanship, Rudi attempted to outmaneuver Udi, both by virtue of having an additional letter in his/her name as well as by having an even better, softer, fluffier, gluten-free bread.  While neither variety wins any medals for fiber content (1g per serving), at least each slice contains a respectable 90 calories, which is on par with most conventional breads.  Currently, Rudi’s has my vote for the best-textured, packaged, gluten-free bread.  (Mariposa bakery still wins for best-textured fresh GF bread, but San Francisco is an awfully long way for me to travel for a sandwich).

Udi’s Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns

Hooray!  This summer, I no longer have to eat my grilled veggie burgers on toasted GF bread, as Udi’s has finally launched a soft and completely functional hamburger bun.  (I use these descriptors deliberately, as I once attempted to use a tapioca-starch based burger bun by a competitive brand that shall remain nameless, and it was a gluey, crumbly mess).  I road-tested Udi’s new Whole Grain Hamburger Buns last night at dinner, nuking a frozen one for 45 seconds, and was delighted at its moist, soft texture and appropriate size.  Each bun also has 6g of fiber, which is among the highest I’ve seen out there.

Feel Good Food’s Frozen Dumplings

Okay, okay.  So dumplings are not exactly health food, but given the tremendous popularity of my previous Gluten-free Guide to Chinese Food, I suspect there are throngs of you out there who have been jonesing for a dumpling for quite some time now.  If you fall into this camp, your prayers have been answered by the husband-and-wife team behind Friedman’s Deli in NYC’s Chelsea market (where, incidentally, all sandwiches are available on GF bread).  As a bonus, each of the four dumpling varieties is accompanied by a GF dipping sauce.  (Classy!)  Each dumpling has about 75 calories (before you fry it) and 11-12g of carbohydrate; adding the dipping sauce packet tacks on another 45 calories, so budget accordingly.

Related posts:

1. My Great San Franciscan Gluten-Free Sandwich Bender
2. The Gluten-free Grammys
3. Gluten-free Energy Bar Roundup

I decided on a black quinoa-stuffed acorn squash, both because the colors were right and because they are incredibly nutritious and delicious foods in their own right.  (Subliminally, the fact that acorn squashes kind of look like mini pumpkins may have played a role, too.)  Since I’m also on the hook to come up with a vegetarian entree option for our family’s Thanksgiving meal this year, I figured that developing this dish would give me a good practice run for the big day next month.  It was the Thanksgiving angle that inspired the flavor profile of the quinoa stuffing, in fact.  Why not stud it with Thanksgiving-stuffing-ish ingredients like savory sauteed onions, chestnuts, mushrooms, and sage to offset the sweetness of the squash?  And why not top it with a garnish of roasted squash seeds while I was at it?

It was all sounding so delicious that for a moment I almost believed squash and quinoa could be the next classic Halloween combo–right up there with chocolate and peanut butter.  (Alas, my husband assured me that it could not be, but conceded that it was damn delicious nonethless.)

Recipe: Black Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

Serves 6

3 acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds and stringy membranes scooped out and set aside.

Olive oil

1 cup black quinoa, rinsed well

1 cup diced onion

1 tsp minced garlic

2 cups diced mushrooms

1 cup diced peeled chestnuts (from a jar; equivalent of about 1/2 cup of whole chestnuts)

6 fresh sage leaves, minced

1 tsp dried thyme

Salt

To garnish: Roasted acorn squash seeds (see instructions below)

Directions:

1. Roast the acorn squash as follows: using your hands, rub the exposed squash flesh (flat part as well as the scooped-out cavity) with a thin layer of olive oil and sparse sprinkle of salt.  Place squash halves flesh side up on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees until the flesh is soft and cooked through.  (Depending on your oven and the size of the squash, this may take anywhere from 30-45 minutes, so keep an eye on them.  ).  When squash halves are roasted, remove from heat and set aside.
2. While squash is roasting, cook the quinoa as per package directions and set aside when done.
3. While squash is roasting and quinoa is cooking prepare the vegetables as follows:
   • Heat 1 TBSP olive oil in a large saute pan; when hot, add minced onion and cook until it starts to soften and become translucent, about 4 minutes.
   • Add minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds
   • Add the minced mushrooms and chestnuts to pan, stir constantly until vegetables are well-blended and mushrooms cook down
   • Add the minced sage leaves and thyme leaves; stir until blended.
4. Add the cooked quinoa to the vegetable mixture in the saucepan and stir until well-blended.
5. Add salt to taste
6. Fill the hollowed-out squash with quinoa/vegetable mixture
7. Garnish with roasted acorn squash seeds (see directions below) and serve!

Recipe: Roasted Acorn Squash Seeds

• Rinse seeds in a colander under running water to remove excess flesh/stringy membranes.
• Spread clean seeds on a paper towel and allow to dry thoroughly
• When dry, toss seeds with just enough olive oil to coat and sprinkle with salt
• Spread seeds out on a baking tray so that they’re not overlapping
• Bake for 15 minutes at 275 degrees (preferably in a counter-top toaster oven, or until golden brown)

Related posts:

1. Going Wild for Thanksgiving

The biggest obstacle most people seem to encounter, though, is not having ingredients on hand when the desire to cook strikes.  But  keeping the fridge stocked with fresh ingredients is not realistic, since work schedules are often such that most of the groceries go bad before the opportunity to cook presents itself.  And so, the vicious cycle endures, and most meals continue to be take-out.

My own solution to this same problem has been to curate a well-stocked pantry of healthy but sturdy foods that aligns well with a dozen or so standby recipes that I practically know by heart (or are forgiving enough to be adapted based on availability of ingredients).

When I say “sturdy,” I refer to items that will last at least 2 solid weeks if properly stored.  So this includes shelf-stable/dry goods, but also frozen foods and some more enduring fresh foods, like onions, garlic, eggs, etc..

While it may take some time to find the combination of pantry items and recipes that suit your individual tastes, it’s a worthwhile exercise.  Grocery shopping becomes less overwhelming and more routine, and eating at least 2 meals per day prepared from home becomes a breeze.  Of course, when you have the hankering for something different or seasonal that involves a fresh vegetable or piece of meat, you can always pick up a fresh item or two on the way home from work to supplement your stocks.  But if it were blizzarding outside and you were stuck home with no access to fresh anything, a good pantry should be able to provide a few meals that are flavorful and way healthier than some processed, just-add-water meal kit.

Solution Part A: My Well-Stocked Pantry

I will warn you in advance that my pantry staples would horrify Mark Bittman, whose shuns many of the convenience items (like canned beans, storebought stock, bottled lemon juice) that I rely on in his personal pantry.  But Mark Bittman is not pregnant with twins, and if he has the time and inclination to simmer homemade stock after a long day at work or the foresight to soak beans a day in advance, then I hope to live next-door to him one day so that he can share the wealth.

So without further ado… here’s what you’ll find in my kitchen at any given moment:

Dry Goods

• Canned diced tomatoes (no salt added)
• Canned artichokes
• Canned beans (preferably no salt added): a variety.  I always have black, kidney, garbanzo and cannelini on hand.  Pintos or gigantes on occasion.
• One can of Light Coconut Milk
• Canned Light Tongol Tuna in Water
• Dry lentils/split peas: a variety.  I always have plain (brown lentils), French lentils and green and/or yellow split peas.  In the winter, I like to have red lentils on hand for soups, and if I come across Beluga lentils, I always grab a bag.  All of these cook up fast–within 30 minutes– and make for an excellent, filling protein ingredient when you haven’t had the chance to buy fresh fish or meat.
• 1 lb bag of pasta: (I’m partial to the shorter cuts of gluten-free brown rice pastas from Tinkyada, but if you can eat gluten, just keep whatever you like on hand.)
• Whole grains: I always have a bag of quinoa and millet on hand (both cook up in about the same amount of time as white rice), as well as a bag of (gluten-free) Rolled Oats for breakfast.  I do also keep a variety of whole grain rices (brown, black) on hand, but these tend not work as well for quickie weekday dishes, as they take longer to cook.  Back in my gluten-eating days, a jar of Whole Wheat couscous was a huge time-saver… it cooks up in 5 minutes.  (If this idea appeals to you but you’re gluten-free, Lundberg offers a great Brown Rice “Couscous” that cooks up in just 15 minutes.)
• Other grains: I keep polenta on hand as well, since its gluten-free, fast to prepare and tasty.
• Garbanzo bean flour: sounds random, but when mixed with water, it can be easily transformed into a fast, high protein/high fiber falafel patty or hummus dip.
• Alliums: Onions, garlic and one shallot.
• Vegetable or Chicken Broth, preferably low-sodium.  I like to keep a few quarts on hand, but bouillon cubes are another good option.  They’re way more economical, take up less space–and have saved my dinner on more than one occasion.
• Dried herbs/spices: Again, these will vary depending on what your favorite cuisines are, but I rely most heavily on: Cumin, Coriander, Ginger, Cinnamon, Thyme, Oregano, Cayenne pepper and/or Red Pepper Flakes.
• Olive and Organic Canola oils
• Nuts: Sliced almonds, cashews and/or peanuts (a perfect protein-rich addition to veggie stir-fries)

Freezer

• Frozen peas (and/or if you eat soy, I’d add frozen organic shelled edamame to the list)
• Frozen spinach
• Frozen shrimp (of domestic or Canadian origin)

Fridge

• Lemon juice
• Parmesan cheese
• Eggs
• Reduced sodium soy sauce (For gluten-free, I use Reduced Sodium Wheat-Free Tamari)

Solution Part B: My Go-To, Lazy-day Healthy Pantry Recipes

Now, here is a partial list of recipes on my speed dial when I’m too tired to be creative with dinner or my access to fresh ingredients is limited to whatever they sell at the bodega on my way home from the subway.

1. Yellow Lentils with Spinach and Ginger.  If you can, pick up some fresh cilantro and/or sesame seeds for a flavorful garnish.
2. Mulligatawny (spicy Indian lentil soup).  Note: Requires a deeper bench in your spice cabinet than the bare essentials listed above.
3. Artichoke, Onion & Thyme Frittata. In a large (10″), oven-safe skillet, saute sliced onion in olive oil and season with dried thyme.  Add 1 can of drained and chopped artichoke.  Beat 8 eggs in separate bowl and add 1/3 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, salt & pepper.  Pour egg mixture into saucepan.  Bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes (or until set).   (If you happen to have fresh mushrooms, you can slice them up and add to the pan after finishing onion but before adding the artichoke… they make a lovely addition.)
4. Pasta with White Beans, Tuna and Artichoke.  Cook 1 lb pasta per package directions, drain well and return to cooking pot.  Separately, heat olive oil in a saute pan and saute a few cloves of minced fresh garlic, 1 can drained Cannelini  (white) beans, and 1 can drained and chopped artichoke. Add sauted vegetable/bean mixture to the pasta along with 1 can drained tuna and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.  (If you have some fresh baby spinach, you can toss the leaves in to steaming hot drained pasta, cover, and let spinach wilt before adding the other ingredients. If you have some fresh mushrooms, slice them and add to the saute pan with the veggies.)  Salt to taste.
5. Shrimp & Vegetable Fried Brown Rice. Cook 1/2 cup brown rice according to package directions (or use leftover brown rice from last night’s takeout) and set aside. Dice a half of an onion and measure out 1/2 cup frozen peas or edamame.  If you have a carrot lying around (baby carrots work, too) dice it as well, as would any ol’ veggies you have on hand (string beans cut into 1″ pieces, 1/2 cup shredded cabbage, some sliced mushrooms…)  Heat 1 TBSP canola oil in a wok or large saute pan.  Scramble 2 eggs in the oil.  Add 3 oz frozen shrimp and continue sauteing until shrimp are cooked/pink.  Add diced veggies and frozen peas and continue sauteing until veggies soften.  Toss in 1 cup cooked brown rice and stir until well blended.  Season with soy sauce/Tamari sauce to taste.  Serve.  (Try it with a hot chili sauce like Sriracha.)
6. 

   Photo credit: whfoods.org

   Moroccan-style Chick Pea “Tagine.” You will need a butternut squash or 2 large sweet potatoes for this recipe in addition to the pantry staples.  Get a pot of whole wheat couscous, brown rice “couscous,” millet or quinoa cooking on the stove before you start.  Then, just add one 15-oz can of chick peas to this easy recipe for Steamed Butternut Squash with Chili Sauce and you will have a super-fast, healthy Moroccan-style tagine to serve over the cooked grain. (Hint: go ahead and use 1 TBSP of oil to saute the onion… no need to use the broth method suggested in the recipe. A little smidge of fat will help you absorb the squash’s Vitamin A.)

7. Indian-style bean stew. Get a pot of your favorite whole grain cooking before you start.  Saute a thinly sliced onion in canola oil until soft.  Add: cumin, coriander, ginger, salt and a touch of cayenne pepper and mix until onion is coated.  Add 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can kidney beans and 1 can garbanzo beans.  Stir until ingredients well-blended, taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.  Let simmer until flavors blend and excess liquid cooks off, about 7-10 minutes, and serve atop cooked grain.  If you have fresh cilantro, that makes a nice garnish.
8. Shakshouka.  You will need 2 large bell peppers for this recipe in addition to pantry staples.  Serve it atop pita bread, crusty bread or the toast of your choice if you wish.  If you have hummus in the fridge, smear some on the bread before topping with Shakshouka.

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Wild rice is a whole grain variety of rice that’s even more nutritious than brown rice. It’s super high in protein– a standard serving (1/4 cup dry) has 6g of protein—ranking it right up there with king quinoa as far as protein content goes. Most people don’t like to bother with it once they learn of its 50-minute cooking time, but it’s not like you have to stand there and stir it while it cooks.  Just bring the water and rice to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and go bake a Thanksgiving pie or something.  Or watch someone else bake a Thanksgiving pie on the Food Network.   Of course, if you feel like being productive during that 50-minute cooking time, get going on this addictive recipe for Koshari for dinner and put that wild rice to good use.

Since Chef George never did get around to detailing the exact quantities of the ingredients in his recipe for me, I was forced to play around with the inputs a bit until I landed on the proportions that suited my tastes.  By all means, add more or less of any ingredient to your liking.  However you put them together, the recipe is a cinch.

A Thanksgiving-worthy side dish that's a little bit chewy, a little bit sweet and a little bit tangy.

Recipe: Chef George’s Wild Rice Salad (serves 6)

1 cup wild rice/wild rice blend  (I used Lundberg’s Wild Blend)

2 scallions, thinly sliced (~1/3 to 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

1/2 cup chopped pecans (if you have the time or inclination to toast the pecans before chopping, all the better)

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar

2 TBSP olive oil

1. Prepare the wild rice according to package instructions (probably 2 cups water to 1 cup rice).  When finished, set cooked rice aside to cool.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to the cooked rice and mix until well-blended.
3. Salt to taste.
4. Serve warm, room temperature or cold.

Note: You can make the rice up to a day in advance and keep refrigerated in a sealed container.  Don’t mix in the rest of the ingredients until just before serving.

Nutrition info per serving: 225 calories, 29g carbohydrate (of which 3g are fiber), 5g protein, 11g (healthy, mostly monounsaturated) fat.

No related posts.