Pasta with Chard and Tomatoes

This is a modified version of a recipe I received last week with my CSA box, which made use of several vegetables which I received in the box.  How thoughtful of them to provide me with recipes.  The greens cook down so much, I usually add any extra greens I can find in the frig - kale, spinach, etc.

I shared a link to this recipe at Just Another Meatless Monday at the blog Hey What for Dinner Mom? and My Meatless Mondays at the blog My Sweet and Savory and Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays at Midnight Maniac.

2 tablespoon olive oil
2 - 4 large shallots, minced
1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch red chard (remove central rib and chop)
1 cup white wine
2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes
handful of Kalmata olives, chopped finely
1/2 cup vegatable stock
salt & pepper
red pepper flake
4 servings of pasta, cooked al dente (corn, kamut, rice, wheat ...)
parmesan cheese (optional)

In a large saute pan heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add shallots and saute until soft and translucent, about 3 - 4 minutes.  Add mushrooms tossing to coat with oil and cook until browned and soft.  Add chard and toss until wilted.  Add the wine and bring to a simmer, scaping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.  Simmer until about half of the wine has cooked away.  Add tomatoes, olives, and stock and cook for 5 - 8 minutes, until tomatoes begin to soft and break down.  Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flake to taste. 

Serve over pasta and top with parmesan if desired.

Chicken and Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

This is for my non-vegan friends, they are all lovely people and deserve some attention!

4 Tablespoons butter

2 shallots, minced
4 - 6 cups of mushrooms, sliced
Salt & pepper
Red pepper flake
3 - 4 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup white wine
1 1/2 - 2 cups non-fat evaporated milk (this has the exact consistency of half-n-half)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 cup or so of parmesan or pecorino cheese
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 or 2 heads of broccoli, cut into large pieces
1/2 - 1 pound pasta (try whole wheat pasta, )

In a large Dutch oven, melt butter and saute shallot for a few minutes.  Add mushrooms and seasonings, and saute at medium high heat until mushrooms begin to brown.  Sprinkle with the flour and stir until the flour cooks a bit (a few minutes).  There should be a nice brown roux as a result (the roux should not burn - so if it seems to be cooking too fast, turn down the heat). 

Deglaze pan with the wine over medium heat, stir and it should thicken.  When wine it entirely incorporated, start adding the milk, add 1 cup or so and add more if needed to make a nice sauce.  Turn heat under pan to low and add a handful of cheese and cream cheese, stir to combine.  Add a bit more milk if your sauce is too thick - however as the chicken and broccoli cook in the sauce, they will both give off moisture, so err on the side of too thick.  Taste your sauce and add more parmesan to your taste.

Add chicken and stir into sauce.  Place broccoli on top and cover.  The chicken will cook gently in the sauce and the broccoli will steam.  Check the chicken for doneness after about 12 - 15 minutes.  Continue to cook on a low heat if necessary.  Check for seasoning and adjust.    Serve over pasta with more cheese on top.

Options:
- this can be made without the chicken, add more veggies, such as red pepper, sliced fennel, whatever you like.  Saute addition veggies with the onions and mushrooms.
- use the gluten-free pasta of our choice
- use coconut milk instead of milk, use vegan cream cheese, use coconut oil instead of butter
- there really is no substitute for parmesan (if you find one, let me know)

Veggie Curry with Coconut Milk

2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil (or olive oil)
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
1 large onion, finely diced
2 – 6 garlic cloves minced or pressed (garlic lovers: use the entire bulb of garlic!)
2 – 4 teaspoons ginger finely chopped or use a microplane
2 tablespoons curry paste (I use Patak’s Madras HOT Curry Paste) use a milder version, or use less
2 – 3 cups vegetable stock
1 can coconut milk (full –fat)
2 sweet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
1 head cauliflower cut into small flowerets
2 – 4 medium tomatoes, diced (canned tomatoes or fine)
1 – 2 cups cooked chickpeas
Handful of golden raisins
Brown Basmati Rice

Heat coconut oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat.  Add mustard seeds and onion and let sauté until onion is soft and translucent.  Add garlic and ginger (turn the heat to low if necessary, garlic and ginger burn easily).  Add curry paste and continue to sauté (allowing the spices to ‘bloom’). 

Add vegetable stock and bring to a simmer, add coconut milk.  Taste for seasoning, you may want to add a bit more curry paste, or add additional cumin, cardamom, etc.  I do not add salt, but you may want to.  

Add the veggies, chickpeas, and raisins and simmer gently until veggies are cooked thru.  You may want to add more stock or coconut milk to achieve the consistency you like.

Serve over rice.

To cook the rice:  Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add 1 ¼ cups of brown basmati rice and gently simmer, covered, until done (about 30 minutes, but times may vary).  Fluff with a fork.  If the rice is not quite cooked, but the water is all gone, add a bit more water, turn off the heat, and let steam, covered for a few minutes.

Options:

- use whatever veggies you like
- add meat
- don't have black mustard seeds?  leave them out, but they add an interest texture and appearance
- serve over quinoa instead of rice
- add more stock to make a soup

Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce (with a Turkey Meatball option)

2 - 4 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped

2 - 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or put thru a garlic press)

1 6 oz can organic tomato paste

1/2 cup red wine

2 14 oz cans organic diced tomatoes (fire-roasted is best)

1 tablespoon dried oregano

Red pepper flake (as much as you like)

Salt & pepper

Whole wheat penne pasta

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or large skillet, add onion and carrot and saute until vegetables are  slightly caramelized.  Lower the heat a bit and add the garlic, (I hope you feel free to add as much garlic as you want) stir and continue to saute for a few more minutes.  Add the tomato paste and continue to stir and saute for a few more minutes as all ingredients become incorporated and tomato paste starts to caramelize.  Add wine to deglaze the pan.  Stir and cook until bubbly.  Add diced tomatoes.  Add salt and pepper.  Cover and gently simmer, stir occasionally for at least 30 minutes, but if you have the time, cook the sauce for a few hours, the flavor will deepen the longer you let it simmer.  Adjust seasoning according to your taste.

Cook pasta in boiling, salted water.  Serve the sauce over pasta.

Options:

Add a 1/4 - 1/2 cup pesto

Add frozen artichoke hearts

Add kalamata olives, chopped

Top with parmesan or pecorino cheese, grated

Add sauteed chicken Italian sausage

Serve with meatballs (see below)

Turkey Meatballs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoon ground flaxmeal
4 tablespoon coconut milk

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 - 2 tablespoons Worcestshire sauce

3 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Salt & pepper
red pepper flakes (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Saute onion in the olive oil.  Meanwhile, mix together flaxmeal and 4 tablespoon coconut milk and allow to set for a few minutes.  Add all of the ingredients (including the sauteed onion and the flaxmeal mixture) to the large bowl.   Mix thoroughly and form into about 12 balls.  Place balls on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake for 20 - 25 minutes (the internal temperature of the meatballs should be about 160 degrees). 

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Double this recipe and have fabulous left-overs.  We even eat these for sometimes for breakfast.  Note for the super-organized: bake the sweet potatoes the night before when you have something else in the oven.

I shared a link to this recipe Allergy Friendly Friday at Cybele Pascal's blog.

4 medium-large red garnet yams (sweet potatoes)
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup black beans
1/4 - 1/2 cup vegan sour cream
handful of cilantro, chopped roughly
chipotle hot sauce to taste
sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Pierce yams in several places with a fork.  Bake in a 350 degree oven until pierced easily with a fork (usually 45 - 60 minutes, depending on the size of your sweet potatoes). 

Meanwhile, heat olive oil  in a skillet, add onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onion are caramelized.

Allow yams to cool enough to handle.  Slice in half length-wise and scoop out the flesh leaving a shell about 1/4 inch thick.  Mash the pulp a bit and stir in black beans, sour cream, cilantro, and hot sauce.  Mix well.  Fill the shells with the mixture.  Top with cheese in desired (if you use very sharp cheddar, you can use very little and still have great that great cheddar taste).

Return to the oven until hot and tops are golden brown. 

Options:

- obviously real sour cream can be used

- omit the cheese for a vegan option

- add steamed broccoli chopped very small to the filling mix

- substitute chickpeas, parsley, and curry powder, for the black beans, cilantro, and hot sauce

- use your imagination!