Banana Plum Bread

Based on Babette's Best Ever Banana Bread, this is a variation on a her theme, and a great way for me to remember her warmly by. I use whatever leftover fruit we have hanging around, even maybe sometimes a bit too soft, that's OK. Or I add frozen fruit like berries, or diced mango which is really very good! Babette was always into nuts and whole foods - and we cooked a lot of whole grains together; I also sometimes add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and/or 1 Tbsp bran or ground flax seed when the urge hits me. This makes for great variety but consistently fantastic banana bread variations. Thanks Babette!

Wet ingredients:
½ cup cream
½ cup milk
1 Tbsp white vinegar
2 ripe bananas
1 cup diced ripe plums (about 2 plums)
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. butter, melted

Dry ingredients:
1½ cups sugar
2½ cups flour
1 Tbsp ground flax seeds
3 tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325F. Oil four 16-oz or two 32-ox loaf pans. Mix together cream and milk with vinegar; alternatively you can use 1 cup buttermilk. Mash bananas in a big bowl and fold in all remaining wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Fold into wet ingredients and distribute among loaf pans. Bake 45 minutes, or until crusty and brown on top.

Holiday Turkey Roasted with Lemon, Rosemary and Savory Vegetables

This is a fairly small turkey but easily serves 8-10 people.

1 12-lb turkey, rinsed and patted dry
4 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 very large onion, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 lemon, quartered
1 Tbsp dried rosemary
1 cup white wine or water

Heat oven to 400F. Toss the vegetables in a large roasting pan and place turkey on top. Spray turkey with canola oil. Sprinkle turkey with coarse salt, freshly ground pepper, and rosemary. Carefully insert a digital thermometer into the meaty part of the thigh – not touching the bone (I think the little poppers overcook turkey and chicken, but don’t remove them because juices will be lost in the hole they produce). Bake 20 minutes, baste turkey, and reduce heat to 350F. Bake another 20 minutes. Baste again and cover lightly with aluminum foil. Bake another 30-45 minutes or until thermometer reads 175-180.

Turn off oven. Remove the turkey from the oven, and drain it carefully (VERY HOT!) into the roasting pan. Place turkey on a carving board, covered. Remove veggies to a serving bowl with a slotted spoon, cover and replace in oven. Heat juices in pan and add wine (or water). Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Strain into a grease separator and pour off the de-greased jus into a gravy boat. Slice turkey and place on platter. Add any accumulated juices to the jus in the gravy boat. Serve with the roasted veggies.

Chicken Breast with Sherried Mushroom Creme

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, slightly pounded
4 Tbsp butter
1 package mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup sherry
1 Tbsp capers, drained
1/2 cup cream

In a large skillet, sauté the mushrooms dry, until they give off their moisture. Continu cooking until a good bit of the water cooks off. Add half the butter and cook another 3-5 minutes to brown the mushrooms a bit. Add the sherry and cook until most of the liquid has cooked off. Set the mushrooms aside. In the same skillet, melt the remaining butter and sauté the chicken breasts for about 5-6 minutes per side, until the chicken is just cooked through. Set the chicken aside. Add the cream to the skillet and cook it down to about half the volume, stirring often. Return the chicken and mushrooms to the cream sauce and add the capers. Salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce all over the chicken breasts to coat. Plate the chicken with mushrooms and sauce.

Baked Spiced Cauliflower with Ricotta

1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup good real mayonnaise
1 tsp tarragon, dried
1 tsp smokey Pimenton paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
Dash red flakes
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium cauliflower, broken into small pieces, about 6 cups
1 carrot, peeled and shredded

Preheat oven to 375F. Whisk together the first nine ingredients. In a large bowl, toss in the cauliflower and the carrot. Mix well. Turn into a 2 quart oiled casserole. Bake for 20 minutes covered, and 20 minutes uncovered. Remove from oven and allow to sit for five minutes to reabsorb moisture.

Cooks note: you may want to add a teaspoon Garam Masala if you like more flavorful dishes - and we have made this dish using Greek Yoghurt when out of Ricotta - works well also!

Creamy Cheesey Spinach with Toasted Tofu

2 bags spinach
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 tub extra firm tofu, cubed
garlic powder

Bechamel Cheese cream sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp canola oil
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
½ lb. cheddar (or other favorite) cheese, grated
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup white wine

Preheat oven to 350F. If necessary, stem the spinach (I almost never find it necessary). Heat a large pot with about ¼ cup water to boil. Add spinach and a bit of salt. Steam, turning every few minutes, until spinach leaves wilt and are cook through. Strain in a colander. Press to remove as much water as possible. Chop coarsely.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a non-stick skillet. Sauté tofu over fairly high heat until tofu is well toasted on all sides. Sprinkle a generous amount of garlic powder to each side to taste. Do not stir too often, so that each side browns well. Set aside in a bowl.

Meanwhile, prepare a Bechamel sauce by melting the butter with the oil in a saucepan until the butter froths. Add the flour and whisk for about 3-5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until thickened and smooth.

In a large bowl, fold together the spinach, tofu and sauce. Tip into a medium casserole and bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly.

Bulgur Rice Pilaf with Celery and Zante Currant

If you don't have Adobo spice substitute 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp garlic powder. The turmeric is not only recognized to be very good for health, it imparts a subtle flavor and a nice golden color to the pilaf. Another classic way to color a Spanish rice is to toss a few annatto seeds into the oil you fry the rice in for a few minutes. After the oil is very colored, remove the seeds (they are not edible) and voila, your rice will be typical Spanish rice yellow. But annatto really has no flavor – just color. Of course you could use saffron; that would impart not only color but a wonderful, different flavor than turmeric.

1 cup white rice
1/2 cup bulgur
4 stalks celery, diced
3 cups water
2 tsp Adobo spice
1 tsp Old Bay Spice
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 Tbsp Zante currants

Sauté then celery and rice in a good glug of olive oil in a pot, stirring very often. Cook until rice begins to turn white from translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, stir and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes until all water is absorbed.

Crab and Ziti Bake

1/2 lb ziti
12 oz. Crab meat, drained
1/4 cup flour
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 leek, cleaned and diced
3 cups milk
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
Dash red pepper flakes
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups shredded Fontina cheese
Palmful fresh parsley leaves, minced
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ziti, stir and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile make a Bechamel sauce by melting the butter and oil in a saucepan. Add the leek and cook about 6-8 minutes, until softened and beginning to brown. Add the flour and cook, whisking continuously, for about 3-5 minutes. Add about half the milk, whisking often. Bring to a boil and add remaining milk, the mustard, red pepper flakes and the dill to make a smooth sauce. Add a bit more milk if the sauce is very thick - it should not be too thick or the casserole will be too dense.

Drain the ziti and toss in a large bowl with the crab. Fold in the sauce, the cheese and parsley. Tip mixture into an oiled casserole and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake until bubbly, about 20-30 minutes.

Serves 6-8.

Three Bean Salad with Edamame

1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 can light red kidney beans, drained
1 cup frozen Edamame
¼ red Bermuda onion, minced
¼ cup shredded carrot

Vinaigrette:
3 Tbsp spiced rice vinegar
juice of ½ lemon
¼ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp dried dill weed
fresh ground pepper

Microwave Edamame for about 2 minutes in a glass bowl with two tablespoons water, for about 2 minutes. Drain and cool off in a bowl of very cold water. Drain well. Whisk vinaigrette together and toss with remaining ingredients. Allow to marinate for at least half an hour.

Cooking Orange

Frittata of Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash and Carrot, etc.1 medium sweet potato, peeled, cubed to 1/2 inch; about 2 cups
2 cups butternut squash, cubed 1/2 inch
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 large or 2 small leek, trimmed, washed and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Dash red pepper flakes
8 eggs
1/2 cup half-&-half or light cream
1/4 lb Gruyere or Swiss cheese, diced
Fresh grated nutmeg; just a bit
1/2 tsp dried dill weed

Preheat oven to 375F. In a large oven-going non-stick skillet, sauté potato for about 5 minutes in a bit of olive oil. then add squash and zucchini and cook for another 15 minutes, or just until the squash softens. Remove to a bowl. Sauté the leek for about 10 minutes then add the garlic and pepper flakes. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Whisk together the eggs, cream and nutmeg. Salt and pepper to taste. Return all veggies to pan and turn heat to high. Add eggs to pan and let eggs set a bit. Lift eggs and tilt pan to redistribute uncooked egg. I tend to pull in the eggs to the center of the pan like an omelet. Distribute cheese evenly into uncooked egg and sprinkle with dill.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until well browned.

BBQ Buffalo Wings

Ever have trouble deciding whether to go with the BBQ or Buffalo wings? Well this preparation has a bit of the best of both - which is great since this is a food we should enjoy probably only as a rare treat. It's got the smooth, round heat of the Buffalo, with the smokey, sweet of the BBQ. And garlic of course.

Sauce:
3 Tbsp Tabasco
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp BBQ sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 stick butter
5 fresh sage leaves, minced
2 tbsp Jalapeno pepper, minced (pickled)

1 dozen wings, trimmed and split

Preheat oven to 400F. Bring wings to room temperature (or the butter will gel on very cold wings). Stir all sauce ingredients together in a glass bowl and microwave for 10-second intervals with stirring, until butter melts. Toss together with wings in a large bowl, and lay out on a baking pan sprayed with a bit of oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 350F and turn wings over. Bake another 10-15 minutes until cooked through and browned.

Apple Flax Pancakes

Our kids love pancakes, but I don't like the simple-carb aspect of regular pancakes. So I beef them up with flax, bran and double the eggs. These will last you until lunch!

Dry ingredients:
2 cups white flour
1 Tbsp milled flax seeds
1 Tbsp wheat bran
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Wet ingredients:
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1½ cup milk
½ cup applesauce
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients without over-mixing; a few lumps are okay. Cook pancakes on a non-stick skillet or griddle, being sure not to over-brown, or they will be tougher and less fluffy.

Fillet Mignon Kebobs with Fresh Sage

Any fresh herbs work well for marinating fillet mignon, and if you are out of fresh, use a nice French Herbs de Provence or Italian herb mix. If you don’t have sage leaves, use basil.

2 lb beef filet mignon, tenderloin, cut into 16 1-inch cubes
16 fresh sage leaves
1 large red Bermuda onion, quartered into wedges (16 needed)

Marinade:
1 cup red wine
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, pressed through garlic press
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme, minced

Heat grill. Whisk marinade ingredients together. Marinate beef for half an hour. Skewer on 3-4 skewers, alternating onion, sage and beef. Salt and pepper to taste. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side.

Eggplant and Lamb Ragout

1 eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 lb (grass-feed, local) ground lamb (or beef)
1 large or 2 small leek, cleaned and diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried, or 1 Tbsp fresh oregano, minced
2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 10-oz package mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, strained, juices reserved
½ cup red wine

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high flame. Add eggplant and heat through with stirring for about 2-3 minutes. Then add a few tablespoons olive oil, tossing to distribute the oil evenly. Continue cooking another 5 minutes or until the eggplant is nicely browned. Set aside in a bowl.

Brown the ground lamb (or beef) in the pan in a bit of oil until cooked well through. Set aside with eggplant. In same skillet, sauté the leek, carrot and celery in a bit of olive oil until softened and beginning to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add cumin, oregano, rosemary and garlic half way through. Set aside with the lamb and eggplant.

Heat the skillet on high heat and add a bit of olive oil. Tip in the mushrooms and cook without stirring until they begin the release their liquid. Stir and cook about 8-10 minutes total. Tip into bowl with lamb and eggplant. Reheat skillet to high and add a bit of olive oil. Add the strained tomatoes and sizzle for about 8-10 minutes, stirring only every so often, so tomatoes brown a bit and begin to caramelize. Return all ingredients to the skillet, including the wine. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer with stirring. Simmer sauce for at least 30 minutes. Even best if served the next day.

Angel Hair Pasta with Zucchini and Fresh Tomato

½ lb. Angel Hair Pasta
2 large, fresh tomatoes
10 fresh basil leaves
2 medium zucchini, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
dash red pepper flakes
1 shallot, minced
handful fresh chives
¼ cup chicken broth or white wine or pasta water

Set salted water to boiling for pasta. Dice tomatoes and strain out seeds and juices. Stack basil leaves, roll and thinly slice to for a chiffonade – thin slivers. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the zucchini over medium-high heat, until beginning to brown.

Meanwhile cook the pasta until just al-dente; since this is angel hair, it will take only 3-5 minutes. Drain pasta and tip into serving bowl; cover. Add the garlic, pepper flakes and shallots to zucchini, lower heat a bit, and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the chives, basil and chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and fold in the tomatoes. Tip veggie mixture over the pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan Cheese.

Comfort Meatloaf with Sherried Mushrooms

1/4 cup ketchup
2 eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1small onion, finely minced
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
dash Tabasco sauce
3-5 fresh sage leaves, minced
2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
About 1/3 cup herbed Italian bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper
2 lbs ground beef chuck

1 12-oz package mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup sherry, cognac or brandy
1/4 cup cream (I use light cream)

Preheat oven to 400F. Mix all ingredients except meat together. Add beef and mix together lightly Don't over-mix as this will make meatloaf dense. Transfer to a loaf pan or casserole. If desired, top with a little tomato sauce or ketchup. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 325F and continue cooking another 30-40 minutes until meatloaf is cooked through.

Meanwhile, melt butter with oil in a large skillet until butter bubbles and spurts. Toss in mushrooms and stir to coat evenly. Cook over high heat without stirring so one side of mushrooms begins to brown. Stir and allow the mushrooms to release their water and allow them to dry up a bit. Remove from stove and carefully add the sherry. Allow the mushrooms to steep for a few minutes in the sherry then add the cream. Cook to reduce the liquid down to a thicker sauce. Serve mushrooms over the meatloaf.

Crab-Stuffed Salmon

Pan Seared Haddock with Salsa Zing

1 lb haddock fillets, enough for four
1 cup zucchini and walnut salsa verde
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil

Prepare the salsa verde about an hour or more before serving.

Heat butter and oil in a large non-stick skillet until butter darkens a bit but does not smoke or burn. Place fillets, textured-side (serving-side) down, in skillet and cook about 2-3 minutes, until well browned. Flip and cook another 2 minutes, or until fish is just cooked through, but no longer.

Transfer fillets to plates at top with one fourth of the salsa.

note: many cooks use regular skillets to pan sear fish. I do too, but you have to be sure to allow the fillet to brown without disturbing. If it sticks it still isn't done... It's the same as grilling fish on a BBQ - patience is scary but necessary. Also note that this salsa verde will go with most any fish or grilled meats as well.

Zucchini and Walnut Salsa Verde

1/3 cup chopped walnuts
2 cloves garlic
1 zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 jalapeño pepper, quartered
Palmful fresh cilantro leaves

Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for about 5 minutes or until fragrant, but not burnt. Transfer to food processor with garlic and process into a fine grind. Set aside in a bowl.

Place zucchini and all remaining ingredients into food processor and process into a fine slush. Tip into bowl with walnut mixture and stir together. Let flavor marinate in refrigerator for at least half and hour.

Makes about 1½ cups salsa.

Mutter Paneer

400 g paneer, cubes into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Vidalia or 2 medium onions, finely diced
2 large fresh tomatoes, diced or 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 stick cinnamon
1 star anise clove (or 1 tsp fennel seeds)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp fenugreek powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 1/2 cups frozen petite peas
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup half-and-half cream

In a non-stick skillet, fry the paneer in the canola oil until the paneer is slightly browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. When browned, set aside on a paper towel.

Meanwhile, sauté the onion in a bit of canola oil, until very well softened, and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook another minute or two. Set aside in a bowl.

Add the cinnamon, anise, cumin and red pepper to the skillet with a bit of canola oil. Cook for about 1-2 minutes. Add the fenugreek and turmeric powders and cook another minute. Add the tomato, salt and sugar and turn the heat high so the tomato sizzles. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, covered for 10 minutes, stirring every so often.

Spoon most of the tomato mixture (without the cinnamon and anise) into a food processor and add the onion mixture. Process to a smooth purée (but not a soup). Return to the skillet and heat to bubbling. Add the paneer and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes. Add the peas and butter and cook through, until heated, about 5 minutes. Add the half-and-half (and a bit of water if still too thick) to achieve a nice saucy consistency.

Lentil Dal with Tomato

1 cup black French Puy lentils
3 cups water

1 large onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups crushed tomatoes
1 tsp fenugreek powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp salt

Bring water to a boil in a medium pot. Add lentils and cook for about 20 minutes or just until softened, but not fully cooked. Meanwhile, sauté the onion, carrot and celery in another pot in a bit of canola oil, until very soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, Ginger, cumin, fennel, cinnamon stick, and pepper flakes, and continue cooking another 2-3 minutes.

Add the lentils to the veggie mixture, and stir in the tomatoes, fenugreek, coriander and salt. Cook another 20-30 minutes until the lentils are nice and soft. Add water as needed to maintain a nice saucy consistency.

Cold Sesame Noodles with Tofu

1/2 lb spaghetti or lo-mien noodles
1 cucumber, peeled, cut into matchsticks, seeds excluded
1 red pepper, cut into thin matchsticks
1/4 cup shredded carrot
8 oz firm Asian-flavored tofu

Sauce:
1/4 cup tahini paste or peanut putter
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lime, about 1 Tbsp
1/4 tsp Chinese chili paste with garlic
Toasted sesame seeds

Cook pasta in salted water until just past al dente. Rinse in cold water to cool completely and drain well. Place all sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add water as necessary to get a sauce that is just pourable.

Toss noodles with a bit of canola oil in a large bowl. Toss well with the dressing and gently fold in the veggies and tofu. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Grilled Swordfish with Romesco Sauce

1 1/2 lb fresh swordfish, in 4 portions
Romesco Sauce (see below)
dried dill weed
1 lemon, quartered

Heat grill. Spray fish with oil. Place fish on grill and allow to cook 3-4 minutes without disturbing. check if fish releases from grill. When it does (don't cook more than 5 minutes), flip and cook other side for 3-4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and dress with a sprinkling of dill weed.

Plate fish and top with Romesco sauce. Serve with a wedge of lemon.

Romesco Sauce

1 red pepper
1 lb tomatoes, 3-small (size of lemons)
Head of garlic
1 tsp Pimenton, smokey paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 slice stale bread
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Heat oven to 375 to roast the tomatoes and garlic. Core the tomatoes and cut in half. Slice the top end of the garlic head off to expose the top of each clove. Place the garlic head and the tomatoes on a baking sheet and dress with a bit of olive moil on top of each.

Roast for about an hour, basting with the oil every 15 minutes, until the veggies are browned but not burned. Toast the almonds, spread evenly on another baking sheet, for 3 minutes (watch carefully that they do not brown and burn!). Char the red pepper either on a grill or on a gas stove until the skin is charred on each side. Place pepper in a paper or plastic bag to steam for 3-5 minutes. Peel charred skin off pepper; core and seed. Chop in quarters.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, process the almonds until very, very fine, but not puréed. Tip into a mixing bowl and set aside. Process the bread until very fine, and add to the almonds. Slip the garlic cloves out of each skin into the food processor. Tip the tomatoes and the pepper into the processor and blend to a coarse paste. Transfer tomato-pepper paste to bowl with almonds. Add the salt, cayenne, vinegar and pimenton. Stir well to mix. Allow flavors to meld for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Sage and Bacon

Labor Day end of summer grilling with the last of the roses.
2 pork tenderloins
10 slices smoked apple-maple bacon
8-10 fresh sage leaves
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds

Heat grill. Lay tenderloin on wax paper, each atop five strips bacon, evenly spaced. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with seeds and top with basil leaves. Use wax paper to help roll the tenderloin to cover with bacon. Secure bacon with tooth picks.

Grill tenderloins, turning every few minutes until internal temperature is above 140F for medium; about 10 minutes total. Remove tenderloins to cutting board and cover with foil; allow to rest 8-10 minutes. Internal temperature should rise to about 150F (medium). Remove toothpicks! Slice on a bias and serve with a good mustard.

Last roses of summer...

Eggplant Couscous with Red Beans

1 cup couscous
1 cup water
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 medium eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 purple Bermuda onion, diced
1 red bell beeper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced
1 can pinto or red beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 tsp favorite curry powder or masala
Dash red pepper flakes
Palmful fresh cilantro leaves, minced

Prepare couscous by bringing water with oil and salt to a boil. Add couscous, stir, cover and remove from heat.

Meanwhile, sauté the eggplant in a bit of olive oil in a non-stick skillet until well browned. Don't stir too often so sides brown well. Set aside on a bowl. In same skillet, sauté red pepper and onion for about 6-8 minutes, until softened and beginning to brown. Add ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook another 2 minutes. Add the beans and curry powder and heat through.

Fluff the couscous and toss gently in a serving bowl with all the veggies. Top with cilantro.

Serve with Cool Herb Tsatsiki Aioli sauce.

Black Bean and Toasted Corn Burgers

1 cup cooked short grain brown rice, or other leftover rice
1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
2 15-oz cans black beans, drained
1 small carrot, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded
Palmful fresh cilantro
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup Besan (chick pea flour)

If the rice is cold, zap it quickly in the microwave to make it warm and sticky. Toast the corn in a non-stick skillet in a bit of olive oil over medium-high heat, stirring often until the corn begins to brown. Meanwhile, chop the carrot, onion, jalapeño and cilantro in a food processor until finely ground but not puréed. Set aside in a large mixing bowl. Add the cumin, chili powder, salt, corn, Besan and cheese to the veggies in the mixing bowl.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the black beans and add to the mixing bowl. Process remaining beans in a food processor until well chopped but not fully puréed. Add to mixing bowl and mix well. Allow to cool in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.

Fry burgers in a large non-stick skillet in a good bit of canola oil over medium high heat. Flip very carefully after about 3 minutes, or when the first side becomes nice and crispy but not burnt.
note: the Besan was very important to bind everything together - if you leave it out, the burgers will not hold together. Whole wheat flour, or a mix of whole wheat flour and corn starch, may also do the trick, but I have not tried that yet - just in case you don't happen to have Besan hanging around...

Warm Salad of Grilled Vegetables With Peas

1 red pepper, seeded and quartered
1 yellow pepper, seeded and quartered
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise in quarters
1 purple Bermuda onion sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1 cup frozen petit peas, thawed
White Balsamic Sesame Mint Dressing

Spray or toss veggies with cooking oil and pepper them generously. Grill on hot grill for about 3-5 minutes per side. Blacken the side of the peppers with the skin. Meanwhile, cook the the peas in a microwave for one minute. Drain and set aside in a bowl. Make the dressing by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Put well-charred peppers in a paper or plastic bag, seal and allow to steam the skins for at least 5 minutes. Cut the other veggies into bite-sized pieces and tip into the bowl with the peas. Remove the blackened skin from the peppers and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Add the peppers to the bowl of veggies.

Add the dressing to the warm veggies and toss gently together. Allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

White Balsamic Sesame Mint Dressing

2 Tbsp white Balsamic vinegar
2 tsp low-salt soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
2 tsp fresh mint, minced

Whisk all ingredients together.

Curried Lime-Dill Shrimp Kebabs

24 large fresh shrimp, peeled
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp favorite curry powder or Garam Masala
1 tsp dried dill weed
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 inch fresh peeled ginger, minced
Dash red pepper flakes
1 tsp Nam Pla, Thai fish sauce
1 red bell pepper

Toss the shrimp with the remaining ingredients except the bell pepper in a large bowl and allow to marinate for at least half an hour. Meanwhile soak six wooden skewers in water, to keep them from burning when cooking, and preheat a grill. Skewer four shrimp on each wooden skewer, alternating with the bell pepper. Grill over very high heat about 3 minutes a side. Serves four to six.

Chickpea Sandwich Spread

1 carrot, peeled, cut into 6 pieces
2 green onions, cut into 6 pieces
1 clove garlic, peeled
palmful fresh cilantro, or parsley
1 15-oz can chick peas, drained
½ tsp salt
½ tsp favorite curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp good real mayonnaise
juice of ½ lime

In a small food processor, chop the carrots until very fine. Turn into a mixing bowl. Then chop the onions, garlic and cilantro until minced. Tip into mixing bowl with carrots. Then process the chick peas by pulsing and stirring several times, until chick peas are finely chopped but not puréed. Turn into mixing bowl with carrots. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve over crackers or in a sandwich.

Tofu & Zucchini Parmesan

1 brick extra firm tofu
1 large zucchini
1 rounded cup fine Italian bread crumbs, or more as needed
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
1/4 cup pesto
1/2 lb Mozarella cheese, sliced
About 2 cups pasta tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed
4 fresh sage leaves, minced

First slice the tofu about 1/4 inch thick and press between paper towels to remove excess water (I put a cutting board on top of the slices with a few cans of beans to weigh it down). Slice the zucchini steeply on a bias to get oblong ovals, about 1/4 inch thick - you should have about 10 slices. In a shallow dish or plate, beat the egg and the milk together well. Place the bread crumbs in a shallow dish.

Preheat oven to 375F. Heat about 1 cup canola oil in a large skillet to medium high. Dip the zucchini and the tofu into the egg and then the crumbs. Brown in batches in the oil until brown and crispy, and then drain on paper towels.

Spread the pesto on the bottom of an oiled casserole. Layer the tofu on the pesto. Top with half the cheese and sauce. Layer the zucchini onto the tofu layers. Top with the remaining cheese, the garlic and sage leaves and then the sauce. Bake for about 30 minutes uncovered, or until hot and bubbly.

Quick Tomato Sauce

Grilled Tofu Pimenton

1 pkg extra firm tofu, drained and sliced 1/4-inch
1 Tbsp Pimenton Spanish smokey paprika
2 Tbsp olive oil

In a flat dish, stir together the oil and paprika. Flip the tofu in the oil mixture several times and allow them to sit for about 10-15 minutes, for some of the spice to absorb into the tofu a bit. Salt and pepper tofu generously.

Meanwhile, heat a grill. Grill tofu slices carefully on the oiled grill, until browned, flipping once. You could also use a grill pan. Serve with a Tsatsiki yogurt sauce.

Curry Raita Sauce

I use non fat Greek Yogurt - it does not have the fillers like carrgeenan etc., and it is thick and rich. You could also use regular yogurt and strain it in a coffee filter to remove much of the moisture. You can also add finely chopped cucumber (peeled and seeded for a nice crunch).

1 cup Greek Yogurt
1 tsp curry powder or favorite masala
1 tsp smokey Pimenton paprika
1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp powdered cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together and allow flavors to meld for at least 20 minutes.

Garbanzo Falafel Burgers

My quest for the perfect veggie burger continues with this version, which is basically Falafel. You can vary this with curry powder or other veggies for many fine alternatives, I am sure.
1/3 cup bulgur wheat
¼ cup Besan (chick pea flour)
1 15-oz can chick peas, drained
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smokey Pimenton paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
palmful of fresh cilantro leaves
freshly-ground black (or mixed-color) pepper

First soak the bulgur by bringing 1-cup water with 1-teaspoon salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the bulgur, stir, cover, take off the heat and let soak for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place two-thirds of the chick peas in a food processor along with all the remaining ingredients (that is except the bulgur and Besan). Pulse to form a mixture with coarse texture (the chick peas should be well chopped, but NOT pureed). Tip into a bowl.

In the same food processor, puree the remaining one-third of the chick peas to paste. Add to mixture in bowl. Strain the bulgur and press to remove most of the water. Add the bulgur and the Besan to the mixture on the bowl. Stir to mix well. Allow to chill in refrigerator for about 1-2 hours (I have not experimented with this, but read this in MANY bean burger recipes – it allows the patties to form better.)

Form chick pea mixture into 4 patties. The mixture uncooked will look like this.
Heat about ¼ inch canola oil in a large non-stick skillet. Cook burgers about 4-5 minutes per side over medium-high heat, so that the surfaces crisp up well. Take care to flip burgers carefully (I use two spatulas) as they will split easily.

Tomato and Avocado Salad with Feta

2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced
½ cup Feta cheese
¼ cup Balsamic Vinaigrette

Gently toss tomatoes with vinaigrette in a bowl. Fan the avocado slices onto four salad plates.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed in garlic press
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup olive oil
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Whisk all ingredients together. Makes 1 cup.

Warm Potato Salad with Whole Grain Mustard

2 lb red skinned potatoes
3 green onions, sliced
Palmful fresh parsley, minced
1 Tbsp small capers

Dressing
2 Tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper

Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt and cook at a low boil, just until tender. Drain in a colander and allow to cool.

Meanwhile whisk dressing ingredients together. Put onions, parsley and capers in a large bowl. Slice the potatoes and tip into bowl. Pour dressing over veggies and fold gently to mix. Tip into serving bowl. Top with a small crumble of feta if desired, mostly for looks.