Baba Ghanoush

From Nia's dad, Clive

Baba Ghanoush is a Lebanese dip made from eggplant - it can be used as a dip for bread or veggies or as a tasty base for a sandwich. I love this stuff but was always mystified as to how it was prepared, until last summer when I was schooled in the ways of roasting eggplant by my friend Nia's dad. It's so easy and fresh tasting, I couldn't believe it took me so long to try it!

Serves about 6

1 large eggplant
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/8 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (200 C) Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Place eggplant on the baking sheet, and pierce the skin with a fork. Roast for 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally until soft. Remove and let cool. Once completely cool, peel skin off.

Place eggplant, lemon juice, tahini, and garlic in a blender and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste and slowly mix in olive oil. Sprinkle on paprika as a garnish. Enjoy!

Couscous Confetti Salad

I got this recipe from a friend and brought it to a barbecue this weekend because I hate showing up and all there is to eat are chips and cookies. At the end of the party, this salad was nearly gone, but there were several bags of sweets leftover and this got me thinking: Most adults I know are trying to maintain a healthy weight and have trouble sticking to their diets at parties. While I love a good cookie as much as the next person, I'm coming to firmly believe that you should bring healthy food to every party.

Healthy food makes everyone feel better!

2 cups cooked Couscous + vegetable bullion
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 red onions
1 red beans
1 cucumber
2 cups corn
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the couscous according to the box directions, including the bullion cube in the water for flavoring. Set aside. Cut cherry tomatoes into quarters, dice the onion thinly, chop up cucumber and mix altogether.  Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix well with couscous. Enjoy!

Carrot and Red Pepper Soup

Fall is here! We had our very first cold snap of the season (complete with a mini snowstorm) and that prompted this delicious meal. The roasted peppers add a lot of flavor and this has tons of ingredients that I usually have around the house. Not only is this very healthy, but if you use soymilk instead of milk it can be completely vegan. Bring on the cold!

Serves 4-6

1 onion, chopped
10 carrots, sliced thin
2 cups vegetable stock
2 red bell peppers
2 cups milk
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
pepper

Place onion and carrots into a pot with water or stock and simmer, covered, over medium heat until the carrots can be easily pierced with a fork. (about 20 minutes)

Roast bell peppers by placing them over an open gas flame or directly under the broiler until the skin is completely blackened. Place in a bowl, cover, and let stand for about 15 minutes. Once the peppers cool, slip the charred skin off with your fingers, then cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds.
Blend the carrot mixture along with the bell peppers in a blender in small batches. (Be very careful blending hot liquids!) Add some milk to aid the blending. Return soup to the pot and add in lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Heat until steamy and serve warm with fresh bread. Enjoy!

Pineapple Black Bean Salsa

In an effort to eat a little healthier, I made this salsa to bring to a world cup party with some friends. It was great, spicy and sweet from the pineapple and combined with the salty chips it was wonderful.

1 cup pineapple, chopped into chunks

1 bell pepper, chopped roughly

1/2 red onion, finely minced

1-3 jalapeño, minced (Add according to your heat preference. Removing the seeds keeps it mild)

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 cup corn

1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup orange juice (or pineapple juice if using canned pineapple)

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp ground chili

1/8 tsp ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Chop and combine all ingredients in a large bowl. I find that making it a few hours in advance helps the flavors to mingle a little better. Place in the fridge until you are ready to use. Serve with tortilla chips.

Mujaddara (Middle Eastern Pilaf)

adapted from Avocado Bravado

In an effort to diversify my cooking repertoire, I took a baby step with this Middle Eastern rice pilaf and was pleasantly surprised. Served with a side of greens, it was a great easy dinner that was healthy and easy on the wallet. The caramelized onions are cooked slowly to give a sweet and spicy kick to the rice and lentils.

Serves 2-3

4 onions, sliced

3/4 cup lentils

3/4 cup rice

olive oil

1/2 Tbsp sugar

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cumin

Heat oil and a dash of salt in a large non-stick skillet on medium low heat. Add onions, sugar and spices and stir every few minutes for half of an hour. At this point, the onions should be softening and turning a nice golden brown. Turn up the heat and cook the onions for an additional 15 minutes, being careful not to let them burn. Once done, set aside.

In the meantime, prepare the lentils and rice according to their package directions. (You can cook them together if you want, just add the lentils a little after the rice so they don't become too soft)

Mix together lentils, rice, most of the onions, salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm, garnished with remaining onions.

Paradise Tomato Pineapple Dip

from Paradise Bakery

I tried this dip at Paradise Bakery in Salt Lake and it was a flavor explosion. So I looked it up when I got home and whipped some up. It was simple and the unusual flavors really pop together. Be sure to pair it with a high quality baguette and bring it to your next party.

2-3 skinny baguettes, sliced

11 oz sundried tomatoes

3 cups canned pineapple

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp salt

3 oz garlic cloves, chopped

1 tsp soy sauce

6 oz olive oil

Place all ingredients except the olive oil and bread in a food processor. Process until slightly chunky. Slowly add in the olive oil and stir until combined. Refrigerate until used.

White Bean and Lentil Stew

Adapted from Dana Treat

This was a great stew. It's vegan and healthy and so tasty. Pour it on top of brown rice and be prepared to feel good about your diet.

Olive oil

1 large onion

3 garlic cloves

3 Tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp caraway seeds

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 cup dried lentils

1 15-oz (about 425 grams) garbanzo or white beans, rinsed and drained

3 carrots, peeled and chopped into matchsticks

1 Tbsp dried parsley

10 oz (about 275 grams) spinach

1/2 head cabbage, finely chopped

Lemon wedges

salt and pepper (to taste)

Heat a large pot, add oil and saute the onions and garlic until soft. Add tomato paste and spices and keep stirring until fragrant (about 1 minute). Stir in broth, water and lentils and increase the heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let cook for about 15 minutes (or once the lentils are almost tender).

Add garbanzo beans, carrots, cabbage and parsley. Cover and simmer until the carrots are very tender. Stir in spinach slowly and allow for it to wilt. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls of rice and garnish with parsley and lemon.

Hearty Cabbage Soup

Adapted from Cate's World Kitchen

Cabbage soup is the ultimate diet food. It is filling and cheap and low in calories. The potatoes and beans add a little more heft, but still this is a great way to stick to those new year's resolutions. My estimate is about 200 calories per bowl.

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, medium

3 potatoes, diced

4 cups stock

salt

pepper

1 cup pinto beans

1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced

3 carrots, julienned

1 tsp parsley

grated parmesan for a garnish (omit for vegan)

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add garlic and onion and saute until onions are soft. Add the potatoes and 2 cups of stock along with a little salt and pepper. Bring the water to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, covered. Once potatoes are very tender, carefully puree with and immersion blender until very smooth. (You may want to let the soup cool a bit!) Add 2 cups of stock and stir in cabbage, beans, parsley and carrots and bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer for about 10 minutes or until the cabbage is tender.

Serve hot and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

African Peanut Soup

Adapted from Show Me Vegan

I had seen this recipe on several blogs and finally had to try it out. It was excellent. The flavors were warm and different than the palate that I usually cook with. It was spicy and sweet and so easy that I will be making it again soon!

1 Tbsp oil

1 medium onion

3 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp fresh ginger (1 tsp dried)

cayenne pepper to taste

salt and pepper to taste

6 cups vegetable stock

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 can of tomatoes (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 cans red beans (about 2 cups)

1/2 pound cabbage, thinly sliced (kale or spinach would also work)

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

Heat the oil and saute the onion, garlic, and ginger for 5 minutes. Then add 1/2 cup peanuts, cayenne, salt and pepper and saute for about 30 seconds. Then add broth, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and red beans, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Add cabbage and simmer for about 20 minutes, then add peanut butter and brown sugar and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Serve immediately

Roasted Garlic Vegetables

adapted from please pass the pie

In my effort to someday fit comfortably in my pre-pregnancy jeans I have started cooking a virtually all vegetable diet. I tried this recipe for roasting them and was blown away by the flavor. In reality, any combination of vegetables would work well so feel free to alter the ingredients.

1/2 lb potatoes, chopped into large wedges

3-4 carrots, chopped into large bits

1 medium onion, sliced into rings

1 stalk broccoli, chopped

1 head cauliflower, chopped

5 cloves garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce:

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

2 tsp salt, divided

1/2 tsp pepper, divided

5 cloves garlic (listed above)

2 Tbsp vinegar

2 tsp dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 400 (204 C). Whisk together 2 Tbsp oil with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Toss the vegetables in the oil mixture and spread out on a baking sheet. Take the 7 cloves of garlic, still wrapped in the papery skin and place them on top. Bake for 35 minutes.

In the meantime, assemble the rest of the oil, salt and pepper with vinegar and mustard. After the 35 minutes are up, put the vegetables in a bowl, remove the garlic, take off the skin and put the now soft pulpy center in the small bowl with the vinegar/mustard mix. Blend the mixture until it is smooth and pour the contents over the vegetables. Toss to coat evenly and serve warm.

Tasty Three Bean Salad

adapted from Cooking Books

This is a quick side that is bursting with flavor and vitamins.


1 can (16 oz) chickpeas
1 can (16 oz) white beans
1 can (16 oz) kidney beans
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/3 cup chopped parsley (2 Tbsp dried)
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Drain and rinse beans, and gently toss in a bowl with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.

Mulligatawny Soup

from Michelle Chen

Mulligatawny means "pepper water" and is an invention of English/Indian origin. I always stayed away because it had a funny name. I am glad to have gotten over that prejudice. Just don't let this enormous list of ingredients scare you away.

1 Tbsp Butter or Olive Oil

1 medium Onion

2 cloves Garlic

1 tsp Ginger

1 Green Chili Pepper, chopped

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Cloves

1 tsp ground Coriander

1 1/2 tsp ground Cumin

1 tsp Tumeric

1 tsp Cardamom

1 Tbsp Curry

1-2 Carrots, chopped

1-2 Apples - peeled, cored and chopped

1-2 Potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cup Masoor Dhal (red lentils) - you can also use other beans

4 cups stock

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

2 Cups coconut milk

2 Tbsp Cilantro (garnish)

Heat oil in a large pan on low heat, saute onion, garlic, ginger, chilies, and spices. Do not over brown the onion or it will give the soup a burnt taste. Add broth, carrot, apple, potato and lentils, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Puree (or mash) soup mixture in batches, then add lemon juice and coconut milk and serve once it is heated though.

Feel free to add chicken if desired and sometimes served with heavy cream.

This soup had so much flavor, it really was amazing. Next time, I would probably add more chilies to pack in more heat, but as is, it was wonderful.

Serves 4

Sweet Potato Soup

If Fall (the season) and India (the country) got married and had a soup baby, this would be their love child. This is a very hearty recipe and has a nice sweet and tangy flavor.

4 cups Stock (chicken or vegetable)

2 lbs Sweet Potatoes, cubed

1 medium Yellow Onion, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, minced

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Curry

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

1/2 cup Rice

1 cup Plain Yogurt

Mint (garnish)

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Once soft add stock, and spices and bring to a boil. Then add Sweet potatoes, and let simmer for 20 minutes until soft. Mash potatoes (or puree in batches until smooth) and the soup will take a thicker quality. Add rice and simmer 20 more minutes or until rices is cooked. When serving, add a dollop of plain yogurt and garnish with mint.

Serves 4

Braised Kale

Adapted from Emeril's New New Orleans Cooking

This dish looks much more complicated to make than it is.  When you are finished it looks beautiful and tastes great.  Plus Kale is very good for you, which means you can have extra dessert.  

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 medium Onion, sliced into slivers

1 Red Pepper, sliced into slivers

2 Tbsp minced Garlic

4 cups torn and stemmed Kale pieces

2 cups Stock

1 splash of Cider Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

Heat oil in large skillet over high heat.  Add onions, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper, and stir fry for 2 minutes.  Next add the stock and kale and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes.  Splash on a little vinegar and cook for one last minute.  Remove from heat, drain excess fluid and serve immediately.  

Minestrone Soup

From Dinner on a Dime

I made this for the missionaries when they came over and it was a huge hit! The soup had a very hearty flavor and was filled with lots of healthy goodness. It had a lot of ingredients, and I had to stay near the pot while it was cooking, but this is definitely a soup I will be making again.

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion

2-3 carrots sliced into thin pennies

2-3 celery stalks, sliced into thin pennies

2 cans of tomatoes (feel free to use flavored or fresh!)

2 cans stock

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

2 tsp parsley

1 tsp salt

Pepper

1 can beans (kidney or white)

1-2 cups of cabbage sliced thin

zucchini

1/2 cup elbow macaroni

Saute onion, garlic, carrots, celery in the bottom of your soup pot. (Fewer dishes to clean later) Then add tomatoes, broth, spices and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add beans and 2 cups of cabbage. Simmer for 10 more minutes. Stir in thinly sliced zucchini and 1/2 cup of macaroni. Simmer 10 more minutes, and serve. Top with Parmesan or other hard cheese. Great with fresh bread!