Tag: yellow onion
Mushroom and Bean Chili with Mushroom Quinoa
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, cut into quarters
- 1 5 ounces shiitaki mushrooms, cut into quarters
- 2 tablespoons cilantro stems, chopped
- 2 tablespoons dill stems, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 medium red pepper, chopped
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds, crushed
- 1 cup tomato sauce, homemade or store bought
- 1 can red beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups mushroom broth
- 2 teaspoons salt
Heat a saucepan with 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté on medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or till the mushrooms are golden brown. Take out with a slotted spoon and keep aside. Reheat the pan and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the cilantro stems, dill stems, onion, garlic, red pepper, cumin seeds and chili powder. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and sauté for another 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the beans, mushroom broth and salt. Simmer covered for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and add the mushrooms. Take for seasonings and garnish with cilantro and dill. Serve with mushroom quinoa.
Mushroom Quinoa
- 1 cup white quinoa, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups mushroom broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
Heat a small saucepan with the oil and add the rinsed quinoa. Saute on medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add the mushroom broth and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer till the moisture has evaporated on the surface. Cover with lid and lower the heat and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes or till the quinoa is cooked through.
Herbed Ricotta and Potato Gnocchi
- 1 one pound russet potato
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ cup freshly ground Pecorino Romano
- 1 cup plus more flour
Cook the potato till soft to the fork. Take the skin off and put the potato through a potato ricer into a bowl. Add the ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, thyme, chives, egg and cheese. Mix well. Gradually add the flour, one tablespoon at a time till the dough comes together and not sticky- try not to over knead the dough. Separate into four sections and roll each into ½ inch thick logs on a floured surface. With a knife, cut bite-sized gnocchis. Place on a floured cookie sheet and let sit for an hour. Make the sauce in the meantime.
Marinara Sauce
- 1 can San Marzano tomatoes (chopped or whole, if whole, crush them with fingers)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- Salt
- Pepper
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper as necessary.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi for 2 to 3 minutes or till they float to the surface. Serve with marinara sauce and freshly grated cheese
Cauliflower and Potatoes Sauteed with Tomatoes
- 1 cauliflower head, cut into florets
- 4 to 5 medium sized yellow potatoes, cut into ½ inch wedges
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon ajwain (carom) seeds
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 2 inch ginger, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the cumin and ajwain seeds and sauté on medium high heat till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the onion, ginger and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sauté for another 4-5 minutes. Add the salt, turmeric, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well and add the cauliflower and potatoes. Mix well and lower the heat and cover for 15 minutes or till the potatoes and cauliflower are tender. Turn the heat up and uncover the pan and sauté, stirring constantly. Saute for 5-6 minutes, till the excess moisture at the bottom of the pan has evaporated. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.
Gluten Free Pasta Bake
I wanted to experiment with gluten free pasta. I actually went shopping for lasagna noodles but couldn’t find the gluten free variety. The store had run out of them, due to their popularity. I instead bought some penne and planned on layering my dish like a lasagna using penne instead lasagna noodles. It turned out delicious!!
- ½ pound gluten free penne (lasagna sheets will be great as well)
Cook 2 minutes short of package instructions. Drain and keep aside making sure
pasta doesn’t stick together.
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 yellow squash, chopped
- 2 small zucchini, chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- Salt
Heat a wide saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squash, zucchini and pepper. Saute on medium heat until the vegetables are golden brown (careful not to overcook them). Add the tomato sauce and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Check for seasonings and keep aside.
Ricotta Filling
- 1 cup low fat ricotta cheese
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 cup basil
- ½ cup parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ cup shredded cheese
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
Place the garlic, basil and parsley in a food processor and process till chopped well. Place the ricotta in a medium bowl. Transfer the chopped herbs, salt and egg to the ricotta cheese. Mix well.
Layer like a lasagna starting with the vegetable mixture (divide into 3 parts). Top with half the pasta. Place half of the ricotta filling. Repeat the layering. Top with cheese and bake for 30 minutes.
Moroccan Vegetable Tagine
Great healthy way to start off the new year!
Spice Mix
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Roast the cumin and coriander seeds in a cast iron skillet on a medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or till the seeds become aromatic. Take off the heat and grind smooth in a coffee grinder. Take out in a small bowl and add the turmeric and cayenne pepper. Keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon harissa
- 3 to 4 medium yellow potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 medium turnips, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 to 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- Salt
- 1 cup green olives, sliced
- ½ cup dried apricots, sliced
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons dried mint, crushed
Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, harissa and the spice mix. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, turnips, carrots, chickpeas, chicken stock and salt. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover with lid and cook for 30 minutes. Take the lid off and check to see if the root vegetables are tender. Mash some potatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to slightly thicken the liquid. Add the olives and apricots. Turn the heat up to cook off some of the excess liquid to get the desired consistency- it should be like a thick soup. Add the almonds, cilantro, parsley and dried mint. Check for seasonings and serve with couscous.
Chicken and Chorizo Paella
- 4 to 5 chicken thighs, with bone, skinless
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Sprinkle the salt and smoked paprika all over the chicken thighs and let sit for 2 to 3 hours.
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup dried chorizo, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium red pepper, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon Spanish saffron
- ½ cup tomato puree
- 2 cups short grain rice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- Salt
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- 1 small tomato, chopped
Heat the olive oil in a paella pan. Brown the chicken thighs on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes each. Take out and add the chorizo. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, pepper and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minute. Add the bay, saffron and tomato puree. Saute for a minute. Add the chicken thighs and cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes or till the chicken is cooked through. Take out and let cool. Add the rice and mix well. Add the chicken broth and check seasonings. Add salt. Bring to a boil and in the meantime, take the chicken meat off the bones and shred. Add the shredded chicken to the pan and mix well. Cook the rice on a simmer for 5 minutes, lower the heat and cover till rice is almost cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add the peas and tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes till the peas are warm. Stir in cilantro and parsley and serve warm.
Crispy Tofu with Lemon Grass and Snow Peas
- 1 (12 to 16 ounce) block firm tofu, drained and cut into 1 inch
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 1 teaspoon salt
Add the cornstarch and salt into a zip lock bag. Add the tofu and shake the bag until well coated.
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
Heat a non-stick frying pan. Saute the tofu till all sides are golden brown, about a minute or two on each side. Place the tofu on to a lined plate.
- 4 stalks fresh lemon grass, tender part only, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoons chili paste
- 2 tablespoons palm sugar (or 1 tablespoon honey)
- Juice of one navel orange
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
Mix the tamari, fish sauce, chili paste, palm sugar, orange juice and corn starch in a small bowl. Keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 2 cups snow peas
- Juice of a lemon
Heat a wok like saucepan and add the oil. Add the lemon grass and garlic. Saute on high heat for a minute. Add the onion and sauté for another minute.
Add the snow peas and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Add the tofu and mix well – gently, making sure not to break the tofu.
Sprinkle the lemon juice and serve.