Mushroom-Barley Soup

This weather puts me in a soup frenzy: the colder and rainier it gets, the more I crave a big steamy bowl of hot soup. Did you ever read the book Stone Soup when you were little? The old folk story tells of hungry travelers passing through a village where no dweller wants to share his food. The travelers place a stone in a pot, and gradually convince each villager to add an ingredient. When they are done, the community has created a delicious filling pot of soup for both the travelers and villagers alike to enjoy. Tonight I made Mollie Katzen's Mushroom-Barley Soup, and as I added each ingredient and watched my soup transform- first sauteing the onions in olive oil, then the carrots, mushrooms and celery, next the seasonings, barley and vegetable broth, and finally vinegar and salt- I felt like I was in Stone Soup! Of course I didn't have a village to share with, but thats one of the great things about these large pots of soup: they freeze beautifully and are easy to defrost at anytime.

Another reason I picked this soup is because it is vegan. After watching Forks Over Knives, a documentary urging Americans to eat as little animal-based foods as possible based on the scarcity of degenerative diseases in regions of the world where animal-based foods are rarely consumed, my roommate challenged herself to eat vegan for a week. As I am proactive about consuming whole foods and mindful of the negative environmental impact animal-based foods have on our earth, I became more conscious of the dairy products I was eating too.  Although not something I am going to cut out of my diet completely, I am happy to report that I was very satisfied with this soup on its own. If you are eating it for a full meal, consider adding beans for protein. If the vegan thing is too much for you, feel free to add Parmesan cheese. Remember, if you use butter instead of olive oil, the soup is no longer vegan!

Warning:  Barley takes a long time to cook! Although the prep time for this soup is a little over an hour, the active time is only about 20 minutes. Try to plan ahead so you can do something else or prepare another part of your meal during the inactive time to avoid the old "a watched pot of water never boils" adage.

Mushroom-Barley Soup (spices and extra veggies taken from Mollie's Lentil Soup. I added vegetable broth too)
Prep time: 1 1/4 hours     Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
2 1/2 cups water
1 to 2 Tbs. butter optional: I used olive oil instead
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 talks celery, diced
1/2 to 1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 to 1 tsp salt
3 to 4 Tbs. soy sauce
3 to 4 Tbs. dry sherry or red wine vinegar
freshly ground black pepper
Optional topping: freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Directions: I modified Mollie's directions so you only need to use one pot.
1. Heat butter or olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and saute for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Continue to saute, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 more minutes.
2. Add basil, thyme, oregano, and salt. Stir, and add barley. Immediately add vegetable broth and water, cover and bring saucepan to a boil.
3. When the saucepan boils, let the soup simmer until the barley is tender (20 to 30 minutes). Stir in soy sauce and sherry or red wine vinegar, and grind in a generous amount of black pepper. Simmer, partially covered, another 20 minutes over low heat. Taste to correct seasonings, and serve. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Moroccan Pumpkin Stew

Canned pumpkin basks in the limelight as my favorite cooking ingredient of the season. At around only $2 a can, its available in organic and no-salt-added varieties. Usually, fresh foods have a higher nutrient content than their canned counterparts, but you can refrain from pumpkin pulp scooping here: canned pumpkin retains its impressive chock-full nutrients of potassium, vitamin A, and iron. Versatile too, just one can has the ability to turn out savory soups, spiced muffins, sweet breads, and your classic pumpkin pie.

I found this Moroccan Pumpkin Stew recipe via Meatless Mondays. Inspired by Presidents Wilson, Truman and Roosevelt's call for America to voluntarily cut down on meat consumption during both World Wars, the current non-profit initiative aims to reduce our meat consumption by 15% in order to improve both personal health and the health of the planet.

By participating in Meatless Mondays, you can reduce your carbon footprint- the meat industry generates about 1/5 of man-made, climate change-accelerating greenhouse gas emissions- minimize water usage- an estimated 1800 to 2500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef-and help reduce fossil fuel dependence- 40 calories of fossil fuel energy goes into every calorie of feed lot beef, versus 2.2 calories of plant-based protein. Furthermore, Meatless Mondays are beneficial to your personal health: reduced risks for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity are all associated with a low-meat diet.
Check out their website for a plethora of meatless breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and snack ideas, and Join the Movement!

By the way...I am aware that today is not Monday. But the point is to cut out meat one day of the week if you can :)

I served my stew with pita chips- they added a nice crunch and were a great accessory to scooping up the chunky soup. (Check out my Fava Bean Dip with Homemade Pita chips post for the recipe.) Meatless Mondays suggested serving the stew over couscous with slivered almonds and apricots.

Moroccan Pumpkin Stew (adapted from Meatless Monday, I changed the recipe a bit to more closely mimic a trusty one I already had)
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into small chunks
4 small potatoes, well-scrubbed but not peeled, cut in half optional
1 15 oz can organic, salt-free pureed pumpkin
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Garam Masala spice OR:

• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground corinader
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, no salt added
1 15 oz can chickpeas
2 cups loosely packed swish chard (or another leafy green vegetable)
1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons raisins
splash of red wine vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
optional garnish: nonfat Greek yogurt, pumpkin seeds

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium head. Add onions and carrots (and potato if using), and saute for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in ginger, garlic, and spices. Saute for another 5 minutes.
3. Add canned tomato, vegetable broth, and greens. Cook covered for 5 minutes, until greens decrease in volume. Add canned pumpkin, water, raisins, and chickpeas. Bring soup to a boil, and simmer for another 5-8 minutes.
4. Stir in salt and pepper to taste, and a few drops of red wine vinegar before serving.
5. Garnish with yogurt or pumpkin seeds if desired.

Sources:

"Why Meatless?" Meatless Mondays. Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health. Web. 4 Oct. 2011. <http://www.meatlessmonday.com/why-meatless/>.

Zeratsky, R.D. L.D., Katherine. "Canned Pumpkin: Better than Fresh?" Nutrition and Healthy Eating. The Mayo Clinic, 17 Oct. 2009. Web. 4 Oct. 2011. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pumpkin/AN01754>.

Food and Wine Festival: Murray's Cheese Underground

This weekend I was fortunate to had the opportunity to volunteer at the NYC Food and Wine Festival's Murray's Cave Aged Cheese Underground. The beautiful, historic West Village Norwood House was transformed into a four story cornocopia of premiere cheeses, local jams, sugared walnuts, Francis Ford Coppola wine, and Godiva chocolates. I am so excited to share my experience with you!!

A typical display, overflowing with breads, crackers and cheese blocks

Caerphilly, Montgomery's Cheddar, Berkswell

Ossau-Iraty Vieille, Vendeen Bichonne

 Francis Ford Coppola Winery wines to pair with the cheeses

Epoisses, Uplands Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Vieux cru des Cremiers

 I love Murray's Cheese for a variety of reasons. Not only did they actively embrace the farm to table phenomenon by featuring local farms at their Food & Wine Festival event, but they even mature their own cheeses in unique cheese caves located right under their Bleeker Street shop! Custom temperature and humidity-controlled rooms allow customers to enjoy their cheeses when they're perfectly ripe. It was so cool to taste these exquisite cheeses that were created so close to our venue; they exuded an unbeatable freshness. Since cheese consumption is costly to the climate, as it has a similar environmental impact to meat, try to minimize your footprint by buying local when possible and sticking to grass-fed, pasturized animals.

Consider Bardwell Farms

Valencay

Coach Farms, one of my favorite cheeses of the day: goat cheese stuffed with fig marmalade

Hittisau, Fontina, Scharfe Maxx..chopped by me! 

What I learned...
There are over half a dozen cheese families.  I've copied Murray's/ Cork Savvy's "Wine Cheat Sheet"; pull this up next time you're having a cocktail party and forgot if that beautiful Brie you picked up goes with a red or white.

Questions to ask...
Is your cheese from a local producer? Does it come from grass-fed, pasturized animals? When it comes to picking jams, do they have any preservatives? At the Food and Wine Festival event, most cheeses were paired with Harvest Song's pectin, gluten and preservative-free jam. The jam added a vibrant sweetness to the earthy cheese and crackers. Harvest Song owner Sylvia recommended the following pairings: fig jam (my personal favorite!) with goat cheese, apricot jam with Parmigiano-Reggiano, and sour cherry preserves with cream cheese.  Congratulations, your wine & cheese party has officially elevated its status! Click here for the Daily Green's 4 sustainable wine and cheese pairings.

Harvest Song's Rose Petal, Sour Cherry, Fig, and Apricot Jams

Walnuts cured in sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Paired with blue cheese here, but compatible with any cheese!

Now I want to eat wine cheese and jam everyday.
Well, if you want to maintain a healthy weight, you probably can't. Nutritionists shrivel at the cholesterol in these creamy, full-fat cheeses. However, you can definitely enjoy them in moderation with these healthy recipe ideas:

• Grilled cheese with tomato and arugula: Murray's Hittisau cheese tasted like a ham and cheese sandwich in itself. Slice a few thin layers of your go-to grilled cheese block, and grill in an olive-oil or cooking spray spritzed pan (no butter!) with tomato slices and arugula between whole grain bread.
• Fig jam with non-fat greek yogurt and berries: all you need is 2 teaspoons of jam to extract its wonderful flavor. Pair with 1/2 cup greek yogurt, and a handful of fresh berries.
• Gruyere and apple: take a break from the classic peanut butter & apple snack, and try a few slices of Gruyere with a Granny Smith apple.

second floor of the beautiful, historic Norwood House

Want to learn more about cheese?

Murray's offers an array of classes at their Bleeker Street shop, including Cheese 101, The Harmony of Wine and Cheese and Mystery of the Caves. You can enroll through their website. Not a New York native? Add Murray's blog to your blogroll for updates in the cheese world.

Baked Pears with Dried Cherries, Almonds & Port Sauce

Oh the possibilities of a pear! A staple fall fruit along with apples, pears are best in the autumn season. Varieties are plentiful, so here is a simple break-down of the best uses for each type: Bartletts are best eaten raw, Anjou are versatile and fare either raw or cooked, and Bosc are great for poaching. Armed with my bosc pears from the Union Square Farmers Market, I began the search  for the perfect spiced baked pear recipe. 

               

The permutations were endless, as pears pair perfectly with so many things. To poach in chai tea, or bake in its own juices? Top with an oat and dried fruit filling, or bask in orange peel and cinnamon? Caramelize in sugar, Riesling or port?

After some  research on different types of baked pears, I ended up with my own creation. In extracting parts from Smitten Kitchen, Eating Well, and Sweet Peas Kitchen recipes, I concocted Baked Pears with Dried Cherries, Almonds & Port Sauce. Eating Well's port and dried cherries combination immediately caught my eye, as I had some leftover port straight from Portugal and envisioned the thickened, sweet sauce I knew only an hour of baking would produce. From Smitten Kitchen I stole the vanilla, and from Sweet Pea extracted some roasted nuts for a more substantial filling. 

My mixing and matching worked well. The pears produce an irresistible aroma in the kitchen that was only superseded in taste after they came out of the oven.  The resulting thickened, port sugar vanilla and cinnamon sauce was so fragrant and delicious it made the hour wait totally worth it. I like this recipe because it can be served as a healthy dessert or light snack. One bite in, and it doesn't matter if you're not sitting by a fire or in view of bright autumn foliage- fall will feel like it's here.

Baked Pears with Dried Cherries, Almonds & Port Sauce
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup port wine
1/3 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 ripe but firm pears, such as Bosc, Comice or Anjou
Optional: vanilla ice cream, crumbled almond biscotti or greek yogurt to top

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Peel, halve (through the stem) and core pears. Transfer to a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
3. Combine port and cherries in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and cinnamon and let cool.
4. Add port sauce to pears, carefully spooning cherries into the hollowed core of the pear, and distributing liquid evenly. Sprinkle the almonds on top of the dried cherries.
5. Bake pears for 55 to 60 minutes, brushing them occasionally with the pan juices. They are ready when  a pairing knife easily pokes through the thickest part, and pan juices thicken.
6. Serve warm, spooning sauce from the pan over the pears, and top with ice cream and crumbled biscotti cookies (if you want to indulge) or nonfat greek yogurt (if you're being good).

Sources:
"Pears News." New York Times. Web. 28 Sept. 2011. <http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/p/pears/index.html>.

Baked Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Dipping Sauce

With the start of football season, I wanted to offer some fun appetizers with easy prep that you can whip up for game time. This Baked Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Dipping Sauce is sure to be a crowd pleaser: baked rather than fried, these prawns offers a healthy alternative to the traditional version that does not compromise on taste. It pairs perfectly with this tangy, delicious spicy pineapple dipping sauce- I served my shrimp with rice, and ended up spooning the extra dipping sauce over the rice because I just could not get enough! (I recommend doubling the dipping sauce recipe if you can.) Come fourth quarter, no calorie-laden guilt or grease-induced stomachache can be found here.

My go-to sustainable seafood resource, Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, provided guidance on which type of shrimp are environmentally optimal to use.  "Best Choice" was the farmed, U.S. Freshwater Prawn (aka Giant River Prawn, Malaysian Prawn). These prawns use biology-friendly practices and small-scale operations. If you cannot locate U.S. farmed freshwater prawns, wild-caught U.S. and Canadian are good alternatives. To avoid: imported black tiger and white shrimp, especially from Mexico.

Baked Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Dipping Sauce (original recipe via Tablespoon here)
Yield: 24 shrimp
The shrimp preparation is actually really fun: line up your cornstarch, egg whites, and flaked coconut assembly-line style, and dip away. I mostly stuck with the original recipe here, but added some chopped red onion to the pineapple dipping sauce and doubled the jalapeño.

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh jalapeno pepper

1 Tablespoon diced red onion

1/2 cup pineapple preserves

1 pound uncooked large shrimp peeled and deveined

2 egg whites

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine lime juice, jalapeno pepper, onion, and pineapple preserves in a small bowl and mix well. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

3. In a small bowl beat egg whites with a hand mixer until soft peaks form.

4. Place cornstarch and coconut on two separate plates. Hold shrimp by the tail and dip and coat the shrimp with cornstarch. Next, dip the shrimp in the egg whites and finally in the coconut coating well.

5. Place shrimp on the cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until coconut is a golden brown. Make sure to turn it once halfway through (around 8 minutes into cooking time) to make sure both sides brown.

6. Serve with pineapple dipping sauce.

Southwestern Roasted Chicken and Squash

Yay, fall is here! Just as a fashionista gets excited for her scarves and boots, this foodie can't wait to get her hands on local autumn produce. It's shopping time....for pumpkins, beets, sunchokes, and every variety of winter squash under the sun.
I chose to feature butternut squash in this easy, fall-inspired Southwestern Roasted Chicken and Squash dish. Squash is one of those great hearty vegetables that is cheap and filling, perfect for those shopping on a budget. (Yesterday, Slow Food hosted a national $5 Challenge, urging people to create a fresh, healthy meal under $5 per person- the same price as a fast food meal. Squash immediately came to mind as a staple ingredient.) In addition, its versatile: puree for an autumn squash bisque, or roast tossed in spices as I did in this dish!
This recipe is easy to make, brimming with flavor and healthy. Smoky spices like chili powder and paprika are paired with sweet lime and honey and topped with a generous sprinkle of cilantro.

Southwestern Roasted Chicken and Squash
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil

4 tsp lime juice plus lime wedges for serving

2 tsp honey

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp. paprika

½ tsp chili powder

salt & ground pepper to taste

2 pounds chicken breast

3 cups cubed (3/4”) pieces butternut squash

2 medium onions, peeled and cut into ½” wide wedges

1 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Coat a large roasting pan with a layer of heavy duty tin foil and  cooking spray or a mist of olive oil.  Mix all ingredients together except cilantro/parsley.  Bake uncovered until chicken is cooked and veggies are tender, about 25-35 minutes.  Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Last week I gave you the "I can't believe these are healthy and taste so good!" brownie. This week I present to you the "this is so amazing I think I'm going to die" sinfully decadent tri-layered ganache/cookie dough/brownie, aka Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies.

No, these are not the slightest bit healthy but yes they are every bit as wonderful as the combination sounds. Brownie? Please. Cookie Dough? Yes. Top it off with an extra layer of chocolate? Why not! It's like someone mined through a pint of Ben and Jerry's Half Baked Ice cream, picked out every morsel of cookie dough/brownie batter and pieced them together in this dessert.

The endless rain and sadness that summer is officially over put me on a baking spree, but I have to thank the recipient of these superbrownies (Happy Birthday Alicia!) for this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies (recipe courtesy of Sweet Pea's Kitchen. I did substitute half the butter in the brownies for Canola oil, see Fudgy Black Bean Brownie Bites post for accurate butter to oil conversions.)

Yield: 24 brownies

Ingredients:

For the Brownies:

1. 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
2. 1 cup butter, at room temperature
3. 2 cups light brown sugar, packed
4. 4 large eggs
5. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6. 1 cup all-purpose flour

For the Cookie Dough:

1. 3/4 cup butter
2. 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3. 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
4. 3 tablespoons milk
5. 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
7. 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the Ganache:

1. 6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
2. 1/3 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 13×9 inch metal baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they have baked.) Butter the parchment.
2. Place chocolate in a 1 cup glass measuring cup. Microwave for 1 minute and stir. Continue to microwave in 30 second increments until chocolate has completely melted; set aside to cool slightly.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and brown sugar until combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in melted chocolate until combined. Mix in flour mixture until just incorporated.
4. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake 25 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool completely.
5. To make the cookie dough layer, In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in milk and vanilla until combined, about 1 minute. Mix in flour just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Spread cookie dough over the cooled brownies.
7. To make the chocolate ganache, heat semisweet chocolate and milk in the microwave for 30 seconds then stir. Continue to microwave in 15 second increments until smooth. Pour over cookie dough layer. Transfer pan to the refrigerator to let  chocolate ganache set up completely.