Turbot with Mushrooms

From food network.com   http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/recipes/2010/03/katies-healthy-bites-introducing-hake-turbot-2

Turbot With Wild Mushrooms  - 1/3/2018

Tired of salmon?  Turbot comes from European waters from Iceland to the Mediterranean.  It is considered a flatfish, with firm, lean white flesh with a mild flavor.  It may also be used to refer to several types of flounder in the Pacific Ocean.  It is usually imported frozen to the United States.  It was light but filling and I'll definitely be using this recipe again!

In this recipe you can substitute lemon sole, halibut or any white flaky fish instead of turbot.

Servings: 4
Ingredients: 
1 1/2 pounds turbot, split into 4 pieces
1-2 lemons, juiced
2 teaspoons lemon zest
4 cups wild mushrooms
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place turbot in a baking dish, skin side down. Season fish with salt and pepper and the juice of one lemon. Bake in oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until flaky but moist.

2) While fish is cooking, heat the oil in a sauté pan. Add the mushrooms, the juice of the other lemon and the lemon zest. Cook 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add the parsley and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook 1 to 2 minutes and then top each piece of fish with 1/4 of mushroom mixture. Serve.

Nutrition Info:
Calories: 212, Fat: 8.7 grams, Saturated Fat: 1.81 grams, Protein: 29.5 grams, Carbohydrates: 4.3 gram, Cholesterol: 81 milligrams, Sodium: 325 milligrams, Fiber: .79 grams

See the same food network entry for a recipe for hake, which is a saltwater fish found in the Atlantic and northern Pacific.  It too is a white fish that is  low in fat and has delicate flavored meat

Orange Black Beans with Cumin

Recipe Finder Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/orange-black-beans-with-cumin/7647/?utm_term=.cb992b083453

APR 6, 2005
Thanks to the orange and cinnamon, this is a very simple but interesting variation on black bean salad.  Although it only cooks for 90 minutes in the slow cooker, the low heat allows you to ignore it once you mix all the ingredients together.  There's nothing to sauce ahead of time.  Just a few ingredients to chop, an orange or two to squeeze and you're done.  I changed the spices a bit because I don't love cumin, but the combination below came out great.  Very light.  I forgot to top with cilantro and tomatoes, but I think those would be great additions.  I enjoyed it cold as well as gently heated.

"These beans have enough flavor of their own to serve as a main-dish match with rice or as a side dish with similarly inspired chicken or beef. Mushy they are not."

SERVINGS:  4

Ingredients:

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1 medium shallot, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon coriander     ---  I think this is the combination I used
Light sprinkle of ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For serving: 
2 cups rice or couscous, cooked
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

Directions:
1) Combine the beans, brown sugar, shallot, celery, orange juice, broth, and spices in the slow cooker.
2) Cover and cook on high for about 1 1/2 hours.

Season with salt and pepper and serve hot, ladled over rice and garnished with the cilantro and tomatoes.  Or serve cold with a salad.

Onion Roasted Chicken

One pot roasted chicken and vegetables.  Looks great for a shabbat dinner.

http://passthechallah.com/popular-recipe-2016-onion-roasted-chicken/

slow cooker suggestions

Washington Post suggestions for recipes to make in slow cooker.  These can be adapted:

Smoky Black Bean and Sweet potato chili
https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/smoky-black-bean-and-sweet-potato-chili/15086/?utm_term=.90783cd5d670

Red lentil chili
https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/red-lentil-chili/16104/?utm_term=.eff46e217da7

Orange Black Beans with Cumin
https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/orange-black-beans-with-cumin/7647/?utm_term=.5d5cf5e1daa5

Tarragon - Dressed Broccoli (or green beans)

I found this recipe recently while going through an old pile of recipes that I reluctantly tossed because I will never get to prepare them. The dressing was meant for green beans, but I thought the sauce would be taken up better by broccoli.  Since we had a ginormous Costco bag of broccoli to get through, I took a chance this evening.  It was so nice and light.  I'll definitely try it again, perhaps on other vegetables as well.  But it works wonderfully for broccoli.  Always nice to have a new dance with an old friend.  As noted below, it can be served cold as well.  If there were any left over, I might be able to try that ;-)

Ingredients:  

1 pound of broccoli, steamed for 3-4 minutes

1 Tbsp coarsely chopped tarragon leaves 

1/4 cup scallions, white and light green parts

1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar

2 Tbsp mild olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1) In a small bowl, combine the tarragon, scallions, vinegar and salt and pepper.  Whisk in the oil. 

2) If you have a pot with a steamer, boil water and add the steamer insert for about 3-4 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green.  Remove from heat.

3) Toss with the dressing if planning to serve immediately.  

4) Otherwise, you can place the veggies in a plastic food storage bag after they cool, remove all the excess air and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.  When ready to serve, place the veggies in a serving bowl, add the dressing and mix to combine.  Serve immediately.

Sweet and Spicy Roast Chicken with Carrots, Dates and Pistachios

Sweet & Spicy Roast Chicken with Carrots, Dates & Pistachios
https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/sweet-spicy-roast-chicken.html?recipe_print=yes

By Jennifer Segal
Adapted from Melissa Clark's recipe in The New York Times

 I was a bit nervous making this for guests without trying it first, but it was totally awesome!  Everyone went back for seconds!  I served it with totally plain bulgur and string beans, and it was perfect.  I used skinless thighs and

bone-in chicken breasts, left them bone side down for cooking, left out the broiler step to crisp the skin, and left them to rest in the sauce, bone side up for 2 days.  Before serving, I took the chicken off the bone to soak in the sauce.  It was delicious!

3/1/19 - tried it again with boneless chicken breasts, and it was good, but definitely not as moist as with bone-in.  Definitely use all the sauce to pour over the chicken.

Servings: 4-6
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes, plus at least 6 hours marinating time
Prepared October 27, 2017


Ingredients:
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
1 teaspoon orange zest
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice, from 2 oranges
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
6 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2½ teaspoons salt  (I used maybe 1.5 tsp salt)
4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks and breasts)
3 cups ¼-inch sliced carrots
1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced dried dates
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
2 scallions, light and dark green parts, thinly sliced, for garnish
¼ cup chopped salted pistachios, for garnish


Directions:

1) Make the marinade: In a medium bowl whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, mustard, honey, red pepper flakes, garlic, thyme, and salt.

2) Place the chicken, carrots, onions, and dates in a large sealable plastic bag. Add the marinade and seal shut. Massage to make sure everything is evenly coated with the marinade. Place the bag on a rimmed sheet pan to protect against leakage and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

3)Preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.

4) Transfer all ingredients from the bag, including the marinade, to a rimmed sheet pan (do not line the pan with foil). Turn the chicken skin side up. Roast until chicken is lightly browned and cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes. About halfway through cooking, stir the carrots so that they don’t burn around the edges of the pan.

5) Turn on broiler (leave pan on middle rack), and cook 1 to 3 minutes more, or until skin is golden brown and crispy. Watch carefully: the honey in the marinade can cause the skin to burn quickly.
Transfer the chicken, carrots, onions and dates onto a platter, along with the sauce in the pan. Sprinkle the parsley, scallions and pistachio nuts over top and serve.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

Per serving (6 servings)
Calories:1,022
Fat:62g
Saturated fat:15g
Carbohydrates:59g
Sugar:49g
Fiber:6g
Protein:60g
Sodium:1306mg
Cholesterol:227mg

Mashed Butternut Squash with Maple Syrup

From Nourish indulgently healthy cuisine
by Scott Uehlein and Canyon Ranch

Butternut squash provides as much beta-carotene, potassium and fiber as sweet potatoes but with fewer calories because of its higher water content.

After scooping out the seeds, you can rinse them and let them sit in a colander for a while.  Separate the seeds from the squash that was attached.  Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment and pat the seeds dry.  Bake ~ 15 minutes at 275 degrees or until they start to pop.  Mine were thin and did not actually pop, but I removed them when they started getting toasted, sprinkled them with salt and pepper and enjoyed them as is, shell and all.  Careful if you have diverticula, though.  This probably wouldn't be a good idea!

Makes 6  half cup servings

Ingredients: 
3 pounds butternut squash
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
Pinch sea salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons unsalted butter

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2) Cut the squash in half (which wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be), scoop out the seeds an place the halves in a large baking pan cut side down.  Add enough water to barely cover the bottom of the pan.

3) Bake for 50- 60 minutes, or until the squash is very tender

4) Scoop out the cooked squash and transfer it to a medium mixing bowl.  Add the maple syrup, salt and pepper and butter.  With an electric mixer, at medium speed, beat until smooth.

Butternut squash and tahini spread

From Jerusalem, A Cookbook by Yotam Ottalenghi and Sami Tamimi
Posted with some corrections LDCC  10/12/17

One of the most delicious parts of this book is the introduction that describes the growing relationship between the authors - two young men who were born the same year in Jerusalem, one in the Jewish west, the other in the Muslim east areas.  They didn't know each other growing up, but eventually met and became close friends and business partners.  They explain how Jerusalem is a tapestry of cultures - so much so that you can't tell where any food originated, as similar dishes blend together and reflect many origins.  They dare"... --to imagine that hummus will eventually bring Jerusalemites together, if nothing else will."  

After trying a chicken with barberry recipe, I saw some enticing spreads - this one and one with burnt eggplant that were very enticing! I promised a friend I'd bring a few dips to dinner this weekend, but that I'd be experimenting on her and her guests.  So, I tried this dip first - what good fortune ... for ALL of us!

Previous tins of tahini that I had tasted were very thick and pasty, making it difficult to work with and to taste anything but thick goo.  Truth be told, the large cans of tahini that I purchase for a particular recipe often stay in the back of my fridge, unused until they're finally discarded, because they're so difficulty to scoop out after refrigeration.  Any of you who know me, know that I do NOT like discarding any food! For this recipe, my husband picked up a jar of tahini from TJs that was thinner and easier to work with and had a much more subtle taste than the usual.

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash (~ 2.5 pounds) peeled and cut up into chunks
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
5 Tbsp light tahini paste (Trader Joe's Organic Tahini)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 small cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp mixed black and white sesame seeds (or just white , if you like)
1 1/2  tsp date syrup
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
1) Spread the squash out in  a medium roasting pan.  Pour over the olive oil and sprinkle on the  cinnamon and 1/2 tsp salt.  Mix together well and cover the pain tightly with aluminum foil and roast in the oven for 60 minutes, stirring once during the cooking.  Remove from the oven and leave it to cool.

2) Transfer the squash to a food processor along with the tahini, yogurt and garlic.  Roughly pulse into a coarse paste, without the spread becoming smooth - or use a fork or potato masher.

3) Spread the butternut in a wavy pattern over a flat plate and sprinkle with the sesame seeds, drizzle over the syrup and finish with cilantro, if using.

I tried to use pomegranate syrup or molasses in place of the date syrup, but preferred the date syrup most - or even omitting it.  The dip is an interesting change from usual hummus.  I didn't read the instructions carefully and made it smooth - which was good - but I'll try it chunky next time.

Dairy free frittata

https://spoonuniversity.com/recipe/frittata-dairy-free-garden-that-perfect-for-sunday-mornings

Looks good with lots of  veggies

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 medium avocado
1/2 red onion
1 tablespoon + 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon diced garlic
1/3 pound baby spinach
8 eggs
1/2 cup almond milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350° F.

Dice the onion and avocados into small pieces. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Set aside.

STEP 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. First, add in the spinach, then garlic. Sauté the spinach until wilted and set aside.

STEP 3
Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Cook onions in oil for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside.

STEP 4
In a large bowl, crack and mix the eggs.

STEP 5
Add almond milk, salt, and pepper into the eggs. Stir the mixture.

STEP 6
Add the sautéed spinach, cherry tomatoes, and avocado into the egg mixture. Stir to distribute the vegetables throughout the mixture evenly. Pour egg mixture back into skillet.

STEP 7
Cook egg mixture on medium heat for 5 minutes or until the edges start to pull from the side of the skillet.

STEP 8
Transfer hot skillet to oven. Let bake for 16 minutes, or until frittata is set.
Cool for 5 minutes ->  enjoy!

Persian Chicken with Pomegranate and Walnut - Fesenjan

Adapted from The Paleo Slow Cooker - Healthy Gluten-Free Meals the easy Way by Arsy Vartanian. Page Street Publishing Company, 2013.

This is a special Persian dish, high in omega 6's thanks to the walnuts and very high in protein with the combination of chicken and nuts.  On the recommendation of a Persian friend, we used pomegranate molasses (from a Persian grocery store) instead of pomegranate juice, and was delicious meal.  He also prefers the dish made with beef or dark-meat chicken rather than chicken breasts.  As with many dishes in sauce, it was infinitely better 2 and 3 days later.

Ingredients:
3.5 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, breasts and legs
1 tsp sea salt
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups water
4 cups walnuts, coarsely ground, some of it more finely ground to thicken the sauce
1.5 cups pomegranate juice
1/2 cup pomegranate molasses
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp ground saffron
Salt and pepper just before serving
Pomegranate seeds for garnish

Directions:
There were directions for browning the chicken, sautéing the onion and spices and forming a paste with the walnuts, but I always disregard those instructions for slow-cooker recipes.

Here's my way of doing it:
1) Put all ingredients in the slow cooker.
2) Cook on low for 4 hours.  Remove chicken, debone, shred with 2 forks and place back in slow cooker on high with lid removed.  Cook for 30 minutes to thicken the sauce.
3) Salt and pepper to taste, then serve - but it's much better if you wait a few days.

Maple-Mustard Glazed Chicken

From   1000 Lowfat Recipes by Terry Blonder Golson  1997


The marinade itself can stay for weeks, as long as it hasn't been in contact with raw chicken

Ingredients:
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast

Directions:
1) In a small saucepan combine the maple syrup, vinegar, water, mustard and salt.  Bring to a boil, immediately reduce to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the oil.   Cool to room temperature

2) Cut the chicken into pieces weighing about 4 oz each.  Put them in a shallow dish or sealable plastic bag and coat with enough sauce to cover.  Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.  Turn several times.

3) Preheat and prepare the grill.  Grill the chicken for 4 minutes, then brush with the marinade, turn and continue to cook until done, about 5-8 minutes longer.  Although the dark grill marks look and taste wonderful, this recipe can also be broiled.  Cook the chicken about 6 inches from the heat source, basting and turning once.

Aloo gobi

From Great Curries by Manisha Kanani  1997

We had a wonderful version of aloo gobi at our favorite local Indian restaurant - Kadhai - in Bethesda last week.  At about the same time, I was looking through my cookbooks to see what I could give away.  As you could imagine, I have collected more cookbooks over the years than I could ever use.  That's in addition to stacks of recipes from newspapers and magazines, lady docs blog and so many others in 'recipe' files online.

I saw this recipe as I was skimming through and decided to try it.

Ingredients:
1 pound potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks (classically with white potatoes, but you can try sweets)
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 green chili, finely chopped
1 pound cauliflower, broken into florets
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
chopped cilantro to garnish

serving suggestion:  with tomato and onion salad

Directions:
1) Parboil the potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes.  Drain well and set aside.
2) Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the cumin seeds for 2 minutes until they begin to sputter.  Add the chili and fry for another minute
3) Add the cauliflower florets and fry, stirring, for 5 minutes
4) Add the potatoes and the ground spices and salt and cook for another 7-10 minutes, or until both the vegetables are tender.  Garnish with cilantro and serve with tomato and onion salad, if available

Slow cooker aloo gobi with tomatoes

I'm on a new kick to avoid wasting any food.  In the past, some part of my produce could be found languishing in the corners of my refrigerator bins.  In the quest to use these up, I've turned to stir fries and slow cooker meals.  In some cases, I use oil, vinegar, soy and maybe date syrup for added taste, or some other favorite combination.  In this case, it's a combination of Indian spices.

In my quest to have a variety of simple weekday meals, I tried to make aloo gobi - a classic cauliflower and potato dish in the slow cooker.  I wanted to use up everything I had in the fridge - so this is how I prepared it, but many variations are possible.  I had sweet potatoes on hand, so used these instead of white potatoes, which is good healthy alternative.  The ingredients looked so dry in the slow cooker, I added a large can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes.

Great dish - and plenty of it!  Hopefully it freezes well, because that's what I did with the leftovers after about 3 meals/side dishes worth of it.  An added bonus is that it includes turmeric, a spice that is rich in anti-oxidants.  To add protein for a complete meal, add chick peas and/or top with pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets
2 sweet potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 28-oz can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 shallots
1/2 onion (yellow, red or mixed)
1 very small jalapeño
1 Tbsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
1 1/4 tsp salt
Chopped cilantro to top, optional

Directions:
1) Put all ingredients in the slow cooker on low for 6 hours.  Enjoy!

Green Pea Dip

This is a lower fat version of guacamole - and it's bright green, so won't be easily confused with it.  I needed an excuse to use the herbs and chile pepper from our garden, and the scallions that were on their last leg in the fridge.  Perfect recipe for all that.

This is different than the other pea dip recipe. I prefer the other, but this is a good alternative.

Juice of a lime (plus more)
1/2 fresh green chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped - added 1/8 tsp cayenne also
2 Tbsp fresh parsley (I used mint and oregano)
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro
1.5 cups frozen peas
5 scallions, chopped

Directions:
Puree in a food processor, refrigerate, eat -- easy, right?!
Photo : green pea dip 7/9/2017