Lemon Herbed Grilled Salmon with Quinoa Salad

Jerry received this recipe in an email, so we tried it - very good.  Both the salmon and the quinoa salad were very tasty and fairly quick to prepare!  from Lovely Food Blog https://lovelyfoodblog.com/lemon-herb-grilled-salmon-with-quinoa-salad/?utm_source=zo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=033024_lemon-herb-grilled-salmon-with-quinoa-salad&utm_term=2FE5BC49-AEE5-489F-8737-2C84863D951E&utm_content=ff

INGREDIENTS:

Salmon:

• 2 4oz salmon fillets
• 2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed 
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried thyme

Quinoa Salad:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes sliced
• 2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed 
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red onion diced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley minced
• 1/8 tbsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Preheat your grill to medium heat.
• In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, garlic powder, parsley, and thyme.
• Place salmon fillets on a greased grill and brush with the lemon herb mixture.
• Grill salmon for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through.
• Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa salad by combining the quinoa, cherry tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, red onion, parsley, and salt in a medium bowl.
• To serve, top the grilled salmon with the quinoa salad.

 

Peach Soy Sherbet

 From Vitamin website:   https://www.vitamix.com/us/en_us/Recipes/Peach-Soy-Sherbet?referer_st=sherbert&sc=recipe#nutritional-facts

The frozen peaches I purchased were not that tasty, so I needed to add some flavor.  The helpful additions were  sprinkles of dried basil (if I had mint on hand, I would have tried it; cinnamon and freshly ground nutmeg, either together or separately; and makrut lime powder.  Ground pistachios were also good.  

Ingredients

• 1½ cup (360 ml) soy milk
• 4 (60 g) pitted dates, or honey, to taste
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
• 1½ pound (680 g) frozen peach slices (or mango or ....)

Directions

1. Place all ingredients into the Vitamix in the order listed and secure the lid.
2. Start the blender on its lowest speed, then quickly increase to its highest speed, using the tamper to press ingredients toward the blades.
3. In about 30-60 seconds, the sound of the motor will change and four mounds should form. Stop the machine. Do not over mix or melting will occur. Serve immediately.

Chef's Notes

Blending frozen fruit makes a delicious creamy texture in seconds.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size	1 serving (122 g)
Amount Per Servings
Calories	60
Total Fat	.50 g
Saturated Fat	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	25 mg
Total Carbohydrate	13g
Dietary Fiber	1g
Sugars	11 g
Protein	2g

Butternut Squash Soup - Afghan Style - with the Hashimi

This was prepared on October 11, 2021, as part of KindSoups efforts to deliver food to those in need.  Each week for the past year, we've been cooking together, making enough soup for our own family’s dinner, plus enough to freeze and deliver meals for 6 families affected by COVID19 and the resulting economic stress. More recently we've been sharing with those who have been relocated to our area from Afghanistan, so that they too can enjoy a delicious and nutritious meal!

Dr. Nadia Hashimi is a pediatrician, novelist, and a former Democratic congressional candidate for the United States House of Representatives for Maryland’s 6th congressional district!  Hashimi is the author of three international bestselling novels, The Pearl that Broke Its Shell, When the Moon Is Low, and A House Without Windows.  She and her dad, Said Hashimi, led us in conversation and instruction, for a delightful session this week.

 

Said Hashimi left Kabul, Afghanistan in 1971 and landed in New York City to begin his American Dream. He has built his American dream around food, and spent the last three decades of his official working career as the co-owner of an Italian Deli in Warwick, NY. He built bridges with people in the community and the Afghan cuisine he introduced into the weekly lunch special rotation quickly became a hit. Among his kitchen specialities were a rotation of soups for the fall and winter seasons. These days, he spends his time being a best friend, chaperone, and chef to his 6 grandchildren and volunteering with newly arrived Afghans.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP –  AFGHAN STYLE

INGREDIENTS: 

• 3 Large Butternut Squash peeled and cut in small cubes (I cheat and buy it pre-cut)
• 4 Large Carrots Pealed and cut in small cubes (add or sub sweet potato)
• 2 Large Onion cut in small cubes
• 6 Cloves of Garlic peeled and chopped
• 1 Bunch of Cilantro washed and chopped
• 2 Teaspoons of salt
• 2 Teaspoons of white pepper
• 1 Tablespoon of Curry powder or Ground Turmeric
• 2 Tablespoon of powdered Vegetable Base or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in a small amount of water (I use vegetarian Better Than Bouillion)
• 3/4 Cup of Vegetable oil
• 2 Quart of boiling Water
• One small spoon of sour cream for each serving of the soup

DIRECTIONS:

1- Heat oil in a 10 Quart Pot.

2- Add onions to hot oil and stir until they are almost brown.

3 – Add garlic and stir for one minute at medium temperature.

4- Add the salt and stir for one minute.

5- Add the cubed butternut squash and carrots in the pot and stir for around 5 minutes. Add Curry powder (or Turmeric), Vegetable Base, white pepper, and most of the chopped cilantro. Stir for few more minutes.

6- Add two quarts of boiling water to the pot or enough to just cover all the vegetables. Stir it and cover the pot. Cook on medium heat and stir once in a while until the squash and carrots are soft enough to be cut by a fork or spoon,  then turn off the heat.

7- Now it is time to pour it in the blender in batches, pouring the blended portions into a separate pot. Repeat until the full pot has been blended.  Some blenders don't tolerate hot liquids, so you may need to let it cool.  Leave plenty of room at the top of your blender container, and you can remove the center part of the lid and cover with a clean dish cloth. 

8 – It’s ready to serve in a bowl. Consider adding a small spoon of sour cream mixed with mashed garlic and garnish with touch of cilantro. Enjoy! 

Aracosia's Aush - Afghan noodle soup with KindSoups

 

I'd say this is the most delicious of all the KindSoups yet.  It would probably be good to do a vegan version of it with non-dairy yogurt.  The yogurt should be whipped up, and you can add a few spoonful of the soup liquid to make it a good consistency.  Add as much mint as you'd like.  I used fresh mint.  If it's dried, be sure to crush it in your hands before eating it.  Somehow the combo of mint and yogurt and the spices tasted almost lemon-y. SO delicious!  One hour from start to finish - 

Aracosia’s Aush (enough for 15-20):

1 medium onion (chopped)

1 can (15oz) of Tomato sauce - Rao's tomato basil.

2 cans (15oz) of Garbanzo beans

1 can (15oz) of red Kidney beans

8 garlic cloves ( crushed) 

Salt ( to taste) - shy of 1 Tbsp

1 tablespoons of Turmeric

Black pepper (to taste) - 1 Tbsp

Noodles (eggless, preferred)- use max 16 oz; noodles expand, leave almost no liquid

12-15 cups of water - use 16 cups 

Labne or Greek Yogurt - ~ 8 oz

Dry Mint ( as desired) - used lots of fresh, ? 1/3 cup finely chopped

Red Crush Pepper (pinch)

DIRECTIONS:

1) Place oil in a pot and turn on heat to medium high.

2) Once oil is hot place chopped onions and sauté until a golden color is reached and onions are tender

3) Once desired color is reached, put in the tomatoe sauce, spices and 1/2 of the crushed garlic.

4) Stir and pour in your water.

5) Put into the pot the 2 cans of Garbanzo beans and 1 can of kidney beans ( Liquid drained for both)

6) Let this boil for about 5-8 minutes

7) After about 8 minutes of boiling, put into the pot the noodles.  Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the package.

8) While the noodles and beans are cooking, please check salt level and water level.

9) At this time you can also get your Labne or Greek Yogurt ready.

10) In a separate bowl empty the desired amount of Labne or yogurt, mix in the other half of the crushed  garlic and a pinch of salt.  Mix well

11) When noodles are ready.  Turn the heat off, so it stops boiling.

12) Take the dry mint and crush it into your palms to bring out the fragrance and drop that into the pot.

13) Take a pinch of Red Crush pepper and put that into the pot as well.

14) Finally add your Labne or Greek Yogurt to the pot or individual bowls as desired.

broiled salmon with scallions and sesame

                    https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/broiled-salmon-with-scallions-and-sesame

If you don’t want to invest in a sizzle platter, you can also make this recipe using a rimmed baking sheet. 

Ingredients

3 SERVINGS

2

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3

tablespoons fresh lime juice

2

tablespoons soy sauce

2

teaspoons honey

1

tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

½

teaspoon sesame seeds, plus more for serving

3

8-ounce skin-on center-cut salmon fillets

Kosher salt

1

bunch scallions

1

Fresno chile, thinly sliced

Preparation

Step 1

Whisk garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, 1 Tbsp. oil, and ½ tsp. sesame seeds in a small bowl. Season salmon fillets with salt and place in a resealable plastic bag; add half of marinade. Seal bag, pressing out air, and let salmon sit 30 minutes. Reserve remaining marinade.

Step 2

Preheat broiler. Toss scallions with remaining 2 tsp. oil on sizzle platter; broil until lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Remove salmon from marinade and set on top of scallions. Spoon some reserved marinade over and broil until salmon is charred around edges, about 6 minutes (watch closely to keep from burning). Spoon more marinade over; top with chile. Broil until salmon is charred and medium-rare at thickest part, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with more sesame seeds.

APRIL 2016INGREDIENTS

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon sesame seeds, plus more for serving
• 3 8-ounce skin-on center-cut salmon fillets
• Kosher salt
• 1 bunch scallions
• 1 Fresno chile, thinly sliced

ALL THE WAYS DAILY HARVEST MAKES MY LIFE EASIER, FROM MORNING TO NIGHT

— SPONSOR CONTENT DAILY HARVEST —

RECIPE PREPARATION

• Whisk garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, 1 Tbsp. oil, and ½ tsp. sesame seeds in a small bowl. Season salmon fillets with salt and place in a resealable plastic bag; add half of marinade. Seal bag, pressing out air, and let salmon sit 30 minutes. Reserve remaining marinade.
• Preheat broiler. Toss scallions with remaining 2 tsp. oil on sizzle platter; broil until lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Remove salmon from marinade and set on top of scallions. Spoon some reserved marinade over and broil until salmon is charred around edges, about 6 minutes (watch closely to keep from burning). Spoon more marinade over; top with chile. Broil until salmon is charred and medium-rare at thickest part, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with more sesame seeds.

Sweet, salty, spicy pecans

From Once Upon A Chef cookbook by Jennifer Segal

These are great.  Jennifer writes that these nuts are addictive - perfect to serve with cocktails, toss over salads, give as a homemade gift, or just snack on.   The whole process takes about 15 minutes.

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
3/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I usually use less)
2 cups whole pecans

Directions: 
1) Preheat the oven to 350 and set an oven rack in the middle position.  Line a rimmed 13x18" baking sheet with parchment paper.

2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt and cayenne.

3) Add the pecans to the sugar mixture, along with 4 teaspoons of water.  Stir until the sugar is dissolved into a sticky glaze and ll the nuts are evenly coated.  If the mixture is still too powdery after stirring for a while, add a few more drops of water - just don't add too much.

4) Transfer the pecans to the prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer.  Scrape every last bit of glaze from the bowl and drizzle over the nuts.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the pecans are crusty on top and caramelized and golden on the bottom.  Immediately slide the parchment off of the hot baking sheet and allow the pecans to cool completely on the countertop.  Once cool, remove the pecans from the parchment, breaking apart any clusters if necessary, and store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.  Do not freeze.

Roasted string beans (green beans) with shallots

From epicurious.com

Comments from site: shallots make the dish.  Consider adding garlic as well.  And some people said a capful of lemon juice. 

The beans shrink a lot.  Cooking time should be increased and some cooked the beans with oil and salt for 20 minutes first, then added the shallots and garlic for another 10-20 minutes.  Be careful not to burn the shallots.  Consider adding shiitake mushrooms.

Made it with a head of cauliflower and that was good as well.  Should start the cauliflower first because it takes time to caramelize. 

Made this several times for Thanksgiving with Futrans.  Can use a little less oil, and can roast for only 12 minutes or so.  

YIELDMakes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds string beans
2 large shallots cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Toss the beans and shallots with the oil and salt on a baking sheet. Roast, stirring twice during roasting, until the shallots have caramelized and the beans are beginning to brown and wilt, about 25 minutes. (Check after 10-12 minutes, especially if you like the beans al dente.). Sprinkle with pepper and serve hot.
Variation: Roasted Asparagus
Substitute asparagus and roast about 10 minutes.

Baby cauliflower with crispy shallots and sesame seeds

Adapted from Veganomicon 10th anniversary edition

This recipe was meant to be used with baby bok choy, but TJs and Whole Foods didn't have any - they did have these cute little baby cauliflowers, though.

Tried again with baby bok choy - and mushrooms - very good.

.  I haven't met a vegetable I'm not willing to try cooking - at least once!  Turned out great.  How bad could agave and tamari sauce be, with a sprinkling of shallots, ginger and toasted sesame seeds?!  

The baby cauliflower was tender and had a light taste.  The sauce did not adhere well to the veggies - which just means fewer calories.  But the taste was great, especially with dipping into the sauce a bit.

Ingredients:
1 pound baby cauliflower
2 small shallots, sliced into very thin rings
1" fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 Tbsp agave nectar or mirin
1 Tbsp tamari
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
1) Heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the sliced shallots and remove with a slotted spatula when lightly browned, otherwise they burn quickly.
2) Drizzle extra oil if needed, then add the ginger for 15 seconds, add the cauliflower and stir fry until they soften a little.  Add the mirin or agave and tamari, cover and steam on a very low flame.
3) Transfer to a serving plate, top with the shallots and sesame seeds.

The same recipe can be used for bok choy or baby bok choy.  They would need to be soaked in cold water and swished around several times to remove any sand.  Then cut thicker stems into chunks and saute the chunks first for a few minutes before adding the green leafy parts.

Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce

Washington Post 8/21/2019

The recipe said it would take no time - which is usually a lie - but in this case, it was the truth.  I had lots of tomatoes and some onion from our morning at Oasis farm, and we were told we should use them quickly.  I also had some tomatoes in the refrigerator, which we always do, since my husband is a tomato addict.   This time of year, you can get good looking tomatoes at the farmers markets.  Even though most look better than they taste, this recipe makes the most of them.  You can refrigerate the sauce up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 6 months.

So there went all my tomatoes, into the sauce.  There was hardly any liquid in the pot initially, so I thought I'd need to add some, but in no time, it was a mushy mess.  And quite delicious.  I put in all different tomatoes, even though plum tomatoes were recommended.  It was all good.  I didn't remove the skins, which you can do by briefly tossing the tomatoes into boiling water, but that adds more time and effort (and pots) to the process.  This way, it was easy as could be.  Once the tomatoes are cooked,  if you choose, you can press them with the back of a large spoon, and the skins come off easily.

Ingredients:
5 large cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
12 large fresh basil leaves, torn
1/4 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt, or more as needed
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or more as needed
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 1/2 pounds plum or Roma tomatoes, cored and quartered

Directions:
1) In a 4 quart saucepan, combine the garlic, basil, onion, salt, pepper, tomato paste and olive oil.  Heat over medium-high heat for 30 seconds.  You should be able to smell the ingredients, but they shouldn't be burning.  Add the tomatoes, breaking ghtem up a bit more with your hands as they go into the pan.  Bring to a lively bubble, uncovered, and cook 30 minutes, or until the same is thick and reduced by half.  Stir often, watching for sticking or scorching.

2) Remove the pan from the heat, and cover.  Let stand 15 minutes.  Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.

3) If you prefer a smoother texture, pass the sauce through a food mill or process it with a blender, immersion blender or food processor until in small pieces.  Serve warm, with pasta or roasted veggies, or your dish of choice.

Roasted Carrots and Thyme

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/roasted-carrots-with-thyme.html

Simple and very tasty! The carrots do shrink.

By Jennifer Segal
Servings: 4
Total Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients: 

2 pounds fresh carrots, peeled
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (can use a little less)
1/2 (use less) teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried) - good with combo of basil, thyme, Herbes de Provence

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2) Slice the carrots on the diagonal about 1-½” thick. Make sure all pieces are approximately the same size to ensure even cooking.

3) Combine the carrots, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme in a large bowl and toss well. Transfer the carrots to the prepared baking sheet and roast, stirring once mid-way through, until nicely caramelized and tender, 20-25 minutes (cooking time will depend on thickness of carrots). Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Chocolate Granita

From The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

This gives you a very rich taste of frozen chocolate - delish! Doesn't last long in this house!

Container for freezing - preferably 2" high and 8-10" long oblong container

4 cups water
1 cup sugar (3/4 cup is enough - keep trying to decrease)
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder  (used TJs cocoa powder)
4 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (chips melt without chopping)
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, whisk together the water, sugar, salt and cocoa powder.  Bring to a full boil and continue to boil, stirring occasionally for 15 seconds.

Remove from heat and add the chocolate.  Stir the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted, then add the vanilla

Pour the mixture into the dish and place in the freezer.  Once it starts to freeze around the edges(check after about an hour), take a fork and stir the mixture, breaking up the frozen parts near the edges into smaller chunks and raking them toward the center.

Return the dish to the freezer, then check the mixture every 30 minutes afterward, stirring each time and breaking up any large chunks into small pieces with a fork, until you have beautiful fine crystals of homemade granita.  If it freezes too hard, simply leave it out at room temperature for a few minutes until it softens enough to be stirred again with a fork, and rake it back into crystals.  Then return to the freezer.

Spoon over ice cream or sorbet, or top with sweetened whipped cream.

One Pan Frozen Fish Dish

I read an article recently about how flash frozen fish is as fresh, if not more fresh, than what you buy in the fish department at even the best grocery stores.  Those fish too, although sold thawed and ready to cook, have previously been frozen.  Then you're obligated to purchase and cook them within a day or two.  I had tried frozen fish before, but wasn't happy with the outcome.

This time, I bought a Costco-size bag of frozen mahi mahi, individually wrapped, thinking that if it worked, it would save me a special trip to Whole Foods to prepare dinner.  And it worked!

Tonight I defrosted some fillets - as directed on the package.  I just soaked them in their packaging in water for 20 minutes or so.  Meanwhile, I chopped onion, shred a yellow squash, grated some ginger and covered it all with Rao's sauce.  I heated that in the oven while the mahi mahi defrosted.  Delicious dinner with little fuss, and no trips to the store.  Perfect!

Ingredients:
MahiMahi fillets - defrosted, sprinkled with salt and pepper
1/2 large Vidalia onion, chopped in large pieces
1 yellow squash shredded spaghetti style (I used a zester - you can use a vegetate)
2 Tbsp grated ginger
Rao's sauce to cover

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake the vegetables for about 15 minutes, until bubbly.

2) Turn heat down to 375 degrees.  Add the fillets to the casserole and cover with sauce.  Bake for about 5-6 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

That's it!
For more info and recipes for mahi mahi, check this out :
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/mahi-mahi-healthy-5223.html

one pan fish dinner - 7/9/2018

simple salmon

I wanted the quickest main dish possible so here it is:


Preheat oven to 385 degrees.
Spray baking dish with canola oil

1 lb salmon fillet
Brush with olive oil
Sprinkle with ginger powder and garlic powder
Drizzle teriyaki marinade over it lightly

Bake at 385 for about 18-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillet.

Done!

Roasted Tomatoes

From epicurious.com

INGREDIENTS

1. • 4 large plum tomatoes (1 pound), trimmed and halved lengthwise
   • 1/2 teaspoon salt
   • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. 1. DIRECTIONS: 
   2. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
   3. Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up, in 1 layer in an 8- to 9-inch glass baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
   4. Roast until skins are wrinkled and beginning to brown, about 50 minutes. Keep warm, covered with foil, until ready to serve.

Each serving (2 tomato halves) contains about 22 calories and less than 1 gram fat.