When I was pregnant with Jacob, I had major cravings for olive tapendade. Kind of strange since I've always hated olives, but that's pregnancy for you! This time around, in anticipation of future cravings, I purchased a few jars of olive tapenade last summer. Wouldn't you know it, I had no such cravings, and still have these jars of olive tapenade in my pantry, mocking me. So I've been trying to think of how to incorporate it into some meals, and here's what I came up with:
Spinach, Feta, and Olive Pasta
3 cups short cut pasta (I used penne rigate)
1 onion, halved and sliced into half moons
1-2 T olive oil
1 pinch salt
6 cups spinach (you could also use frozen spinach)
½ c. olive tapenade (I chose Trader Joe’s jarred tapenade, but you could use any tapenade. Once April comes around I'll be getting my tapenade from my local farmer's market)
3 oz feta, crumbled
1. Put a pot of water to boil for the pasta. When the water boils, salt it and cook the pasta to al dente, 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta and reserve about 1-2 c of the starchy cooking water
2. While the pasta water is cooking, saute the onions on a dry skillet on medium heat until soft, 5-10 minutes. Add 1-2 T olive oil and a pinch of salt, continue cooking, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and caramelized, about 15-20 minutes total.
3. Add the spinach in batches, stirring in some of the starchy cooking water to wilt.
4. Add in the olive tapenade and a little more starchy cooking water. You don't want it to be too watery, so add the water in 1/4 to 1/2 c increments.
5. Add in the pasta and cheese, stirring frequently. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for later.
The nice part of this dish is that you get all your food groups in one bowl (6 cups of spinach!), but if you are more hungry, feel free to add a green salad or some bread w/olive oil to beef it up.
Wine Note: I served it with Zinfandel, but I think a sweeter white wine (like a Riesling) would work better to temper the saltiness of the tapenade and feta.
Cooking Time: about 30 min
Serves 2 (although one of those two is breastfeeding, so this may serve more)
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Friday, March 12, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Monkey Cook: Penne Carbonara
This is my take on the classic comfort food that is spaghetti carbonara. I’ve made some switcheroonies to make it a little healthier, but you may want to have a light lunch if you are serving this for dinner. Serves 2-3
Ingredients:
6-8 slices turkey bacon (feel free to use less if you are not a meat-craving preggo)
2 eggs at room temperature
6 T shredded parmesan cheese, divided
3 oz whole wheat penne
3 oz penne
Black pepper (to taste)
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400°, and bake turkey bacon in the oven for about 7-10 minutes on each side, until brown.
2. Place a large pot of water to boil for the pasta and cook the pasta to al dente (~10 min); be sure to salt the water before you drop in the pasta. .
3. While the pasta is cooking, chop the turkey into bite size pieces, and beat the eggs with ¼ c parmesan and a few sprinkles of black pepper.
4. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1c of the starchy cooking water.
5. Return the pasta to the pot, and stir in the egg mixture and the chopped bacon. The heat of the pasta should cook the egg. Add spoonfuls of the cooking water to help the egg mixture and bacon stick to the pasta (if you don't use the whole cup, that is okay). If the egg is not cooking, feel free to put the burner on low so you don’t get salmonella, which would totally suck.
6. Stir in the remaining parmesan an add black pepper to taste (I say bring it on!!)
7. Enjoy with a green salad and a nice glass of wine (optional of course)
Ingredients:
6-8 slices turkey bacon (feel free to use less if you are not a meat-craving preggo)
2 eggs at room temperature
6 T shredded parmesan cheese, divided
3 oz whole wheat penne
3 oz penne
Black pepper (to taste)
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400°, and bake turkey bacon in the oven for about 7-10 minutes on each side, until brown.
2. Place a large pot of water to boil for the pasta and cook the pasta to al dente (~10 min); be sure to salt the water before you drop in the pasta. .
3. While the pasta is cooking, chop the turkey into bite size pieces, and beat the eggs with ¼ c parmesan and a few sprinkles of black pepper.
4. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1c of the starchy cooking water.
5. Return the pasta to the pot, and stir in the egg mixture and the chopped bacon. The heat of the pasta should cook the egg. Add spoonfuls of the cooking water to help the egg mixture and bacon stick to the pasta (if you don't use the whole cup, that is okay). If the egg is not cooking, feel free to put the burner on low so you don’t get salmonella, which would totally suck.
6. Stir in the remaining parmesan an add black pepper to taste (I say bring it on!!)
7. Enjoy with a green salad and a nice glass of wine (optional of course)
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Monkey Cook: Garlic Bread w/Cheese & Parsley
If you like garlic as much as my friend P, you will love this recipe. This is yummy, easy, and fit for two or a crowd. This recipe serves 2.
2 wide slices crusty bread, like focaccia or ciabatta (I used Acme Herbed Focaccia slab, but for some of you, Berkeley may be too far to go)
2-3 T butter*
5-6 cloves of garlic, grated (I actually used Trader Joe’s frozen garlic cubes)
3-4 T chopped flat-leaf parsley
3-4 T grated parmesan cheese (optional)
In a small skillet or saucepan, melt the butter and garlic on low heat until the butter is half melted (you don’t want it to burn) and then turn the burner off. Stir the mixture until it is like a paste.
Spread the paste evenly on each slice of bread (don’t be stingy!). Sprinkle each slice with parmesan cheese & parsley.
Broil the toast for about 5 minutes, until the top is slightly brown. Eat, repeat. As mentioned, this can be multiplied for a crowd as the measurements are not so precise. If you are looking for specifics, sorry bout that, this is a real Monkey Brain recipe!
*To counteract the butter, I paired this with a simple chopped salad: romaine parsley, grilled chicken breast, balsamic vinegar, and about 1T of parmesan.
2 wide slices crusty bread, like focaccia or ciabatta (I used Acme Herbed Focaccia slab, but for some of you, Berkeley may be too far to go)
2-3 T butter*
5-6 cloves of garlic, grated (I actually used Trader Joe’s frozen garlic cubes)
3-4 T chopped flat-leaf parsley
3-4 T grated parmesan cheese (optional)
In a small skillet or saucepan, melt the butter and garlic on low heat until the butter is half melted (you don’t want it to burn) and then turn the burner off. Stir the mixture until it is like a paste.
Spread the paste evenly on each slice of bread (don’t be stingy!). Sprinkle each slice with parmesan cheese & parsley.
Broil the toast for about 5 minutes, until the top is slightly brown. Eat, repeat. As mentioned, this can be multiplied for a crowd as the measurements are not so precise. If you are looking for specifics, sorry bout that, this is a real Monkey Brain recipe!
*To counteract the butter, I paired this with a simple chopped salad: romaine parsley, grilled chicken breast, balsamic vinegar, and about 1T of parmesan.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Monkey Cook: Asian Beans & Greens
I am a very experimental chef. I love reading cookbooks, but have a hard time sticking to the true directions (um, Monkey Brain?) In my early cooking days, this had somewhat disastrous results, but after a cooking class and many episodes of the FoodNetwork and Rachael Ray, I’m getting the hang of things. Josh is a very good eater, but also honest enough with me about my creations. This is a recent play on “Beans & Greens,” a classic Italian Dish, but it’s an Asian twist, and it was a success so I thought I’d share it with you. It takes 30 min or less to prepare, and very comforting on a cold winter night.
Asian Beans & Greens w/chicken sausage
1T Sesame Oil (canola would work as well)
2 small yellow onions (about the size of tennis balls), or 1 big one, halved then thirded (is that a word? Basically you want larger slices like you see in Chinese food)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or grated (add as much as you want if you love garlic)
1 large package Trader Joe’s Southern Greens Blend, or about 8 cups of chopped dark greens like kale, mustard or Swiss chard
1 can black beans
10 Aidell’s chicken teriyaki sausage (3-4 sliced chicken apple sausage links will work just fine as well, as would tofu)
1/4c teriyaki sauce or marinade (I used Soy Vey Brand)
1-2 c chicken stock
1 package ramen noodles (if you don’t have these around due to early pregnancy cravings, any pasta will do or even rice. I would estimate this recipe calls for 2 cups pasta or rice, but you could add more for sure)
1. If cooking pasta, or rice, put a large pot of water to boil (or start your rice cooker). If using ramen, you can do that at the last minute.
2. Once pasta/rice is cooking, heat the oil on med-high for 1 min in a deep skillet, wok, dutch oven, or large pot. .
3. Sauté the onion & garlic until the onion gets soft, 3 min or so.
4. Add the greens in batches as they may overwhelm the pot, and toss the greens with teriyaki sauce.
5. Add in chicken stock in half cup increments with each batch of greens to help them wilt. Cover and simmer for 5 min, until greens have wilted down by half.
6. While greens are wilting, drain and wash beans (to get rid of some of the salt). Add beans to the greens.
7. Add in chicken meatballs, turn off heat, and cover pot.
8. Once pasta/rice is done, fold into the beans/greens mixture. If you did steps 1-7 before your kid got home, you may need to reheat the meal once he goes to bed.
9. Eat.
Serves 4, or 2 with leftovers for 1 if one of you is pregnant.
Asian Beans & Greens w/chicken sausage
1T Sesame Oil (canola would work as well)
2 small yellow onions (about the size of tennis balls), or 1 big one, halved then thirded (is that a word? Basically you want larger slices like you see in Chinese food)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or grated (add as much as you want if you love garlic)
1 large package Trader Joe’s Southern Greens Blend, or about 8 cups of chopped dark greens like kale, mustard or Swiss chard
1 can black beans
10 Aidell’s chicken teriyaki sausage (3-4 sliced chicken apple sausage links will work just fine as well, as would tofu)
1/4c teriyaki sauce or marinade (I used Soy Vey Brand)
1-2 c chicken stock
1 package ramen noodles (if you don’t have these around due to early pregnancy cravings, any pasta will do or even rice. I would estimate this recipe calls for 2 cups pasta or rice, but you could add more for sure)
1. If cooking pasta, or rice, put a large pot of water to boil (or start your rice cooker). If using ramen, you can do that at the last minute.
2. Once pasta/rice is cooking, heat the oil on med-high for 1 min in a deep skillet, wok, dutch oven, or large pot. .
3. Sauté the onion & garlic until the onion gets soft, 3 min or so.
4. Add the greens in batches as they may overwhelm the pot, and toss the greens with teriyaki sauce.
5. Add in chicken stock in half cup increments with each batch of greens to help them wilt. Cover and simmer for 5 min, until greens have wilted down by half.
6. While greens are wilting, drain and wash beans (to get rid of some of the salt). Add beans to the greens.
7. Add in chicken meatballs, turn off heat, and cover pot.
8. Once pasta/rice is done, fold into the beans/greens mixture. If you did steps 1-7 before your kid got home, you may need to reheat the meal once he goes to bed.
9. Eat.
Serves 4, or 2 with leftovers for 1 if one of you is pregnant.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monkey Cook: Brussels Sprouts
I was not a fan of veggies as a kid, and Brussels sprouts were the worst. Limp and bitter after their long trip from wherever to a box in our freezer and steaming or boiling, they were gross. Dis.Gus.Ting. My brothers and I devised several ways to get out of ingesting them, from slipping some to the dog (who soon wised up and refused to eat them), folding them into a napkin, or sneaking off to the powder room to flush them down the toilet.
I didn’t eat brussels sprouts once I was able to be vocal enough about my food choices and planned on never eating one for the rest of my life.
And then, I moved to California.
In 2004, my brother Ben came to visit and we went to Firefly restaurant in San Francisco. A typical SF venue, Firefly served yummy veggies off a seasonal menu, and since it was the fall, roasted BS was one of the choices. To my surprise, Ben suggested it and I was like, “Um, did you block out our childhood?”
“Trust me,” he said, “They’re actually good when fresh.” So I did, and OH MY GOD.
Crispy and caramelized, the bitterness tempered by a touch of oil and some nutty parmesan, I was experiencing a come-to-Jesus (if JC were a cruciferous vegetable) moment. Since then I’ve roasted them, sautéed them with nuts and maple syrup, even simply steamed them with some butter & parmesan.
I want to start a Church of the Roasted Vegetable and target market to well-intentioned mothers steaming the crap out of vegetables in the name of health and vitamins. And so I present to you:
Brussels sprouts, another way
Brussels sprouts
Olive oil, enough to coat the veggies
Maple syrup (1t or so)
Salt & pepper (I like By the Sea herb blend)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a cast iron skillet. Place in the oven and roast for about 30 min, until the sprouts are blackened and yummy.
Note: There are two keys to this recipe (and in my opinion, all veggie recipes, especially for fickle little eaters)
1. Cast iron skillet. Add some oil, salt & pepper and the pan will do everything else.
2. Roast the crap out of them. You don’t need much oil and with the heat of the pan they get all yummy & caramelized. Dee-li-cious!
I didn’t eat brussels sprouts once I was able to be vocal enough about my food choices and planned on never eating one for the rest of my life.
And then, I moved to California.
In 2004, my brother Ben came to visit and we went to Firefly restaurant in San Francisco. A typical SF venue, Firefly served yummy veggies off a seasonal menu, and since it was the fall, roasted BS was one of the choices. To my surprise, Ben suggested it and I was like, “Um, did you block out our childhood?”
“Trust me,” he said, “They’re actually good when fresh.” So I did, and OH MY GOD.
Crispy and caramelized, the bitterness tempered by a touch of oil and some nutty parmesan, I was experiencing a come-to-Jesus (if JC were a cruciferous vegetable) moment. Since then I’ve roasted them, sautéed them with nuts and maple syrup, even simply steamed them with some butter & parmesan.
I want to start a Church of the Roasted Vegetable and target market to well-intentioned mothers steaming the crap out of vegetables in the name of health and vitamins. And so I present to you:
Brussels sprouts, another way
Brussels sprouts
Olive oil, enough to coat the veggies
Maple syrup (1t or so)
Salt & pepper (I like By the Sea herb blend)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a cast iron skillet. Place in the oven and roast for about 30 min, until the sprouts are blackened and yummy.
Note: There are two keys to this recipe (and in my opinion, all veggie recipes, especially for fickle little eaters)
1. Cast iron skillet. Add some oil, salt & pepper and the pan will do everything else.
2. Roast the crap out of them. You don’t need much oil and with the heat of the pan they get all yummy & caramelized. Dee-li-cious!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Monkey Cook: Roasted Asparagus
Did you know that most of us get “Asparagus Pee,” but some of us don’t have the genes to smell it? Don't just take my word for it, though. Go ahead, grab a trusted friend with the right olfactory genes and check it out. Here’s a recipe to get you started:
Best Roasted Asparagus Ever
Some asparagus (enough to fill a big cast iron skillet)
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Note: I like “By the Sea Salt,” which is a salt and herb mix from Martha’s Vineyard. While one may purchase it online, I make my sister get some on her annual summer vacation on MV. (Crap, as soon as my sister reads this I’m going to have to start buying it online.) This makes it seem much more precious and the food tastes better. Seriously, if you think that you have a one of a kind product, it tastes better. Kind of like artisanal items.
Turn your oven on to 375 degrees.
Cut off the ends of the asparagus, place in skillet (or roasting pan or baking sheet, but if you don’t use cast iron I can’t guarantee that this will be the best you’ve tasted) and cover with olive oil, salt & pepper. Stick it in the oven and don’t take it out until the spears are all shriveled up and slightly black, 30-45 min. While the asparagus is roasting, drink as much water as you can stand.
15 min after enjoying the BRAE, get thee to a commode and tell me how it goes.
Best Roasted Asparagus Ever
Some asparagus (enough to fill a big cast iron skillet)
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Note: I like “By the Sea Salt,” which is a salt and herb mix from Martha’s Vineyard. While one may purchase it online, I make my sister get some on her annual summer vacation on MV. (Crap, as soon as my sister reads this I’m going to have to start buying it online.) This makes it seem much more precious and the food tastes better. Seriously, if you think that you have a one of a kind product, it tastes better. Kind of like artisanal items.
Turn your oven on to 375 degrees.
Cut off the ends of the asparagus, place in skillet (or roasting pan or baking sheet, but if you don’t use cast iron I can’t guarantee that this will be the best you’ve tasted) and cover with olive oil, salt & pepper. Stick it in the oven and don’t take it out until the spears are all shriveled up and slightly black, 30-45 min. While the asparagus is roasting, drink as much water as you can stand.
15 min after enjoying the BRAE, get thee to a commode and tell me how it goes.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Monkey Cook: The preggo Arnold Palmer
Ice
Water
Decaf Black Tea (I use Lipton)
Powdered lemonade (such as Country Time)
Make a cup of tea and let it steep for a couple of minutes. Add an ice cube or two to the tea.
Fill a large cup with ice halfway. Add the tea and fill the rest of the cup with water.
Add a spoonful of the lemonade powder, stir, and enjoy
This drink is especially good if you are pregnant and water makes you gag.
Water
Decaf Black Tea (I use Lipton)
Powdered lemonade (such as Country Time)
Make a cup of tea and let it steep for a couple of minutes. Add an ice cube or two to the tea.
Fill a large cup with ice halfway. Add the tea and fill the rest of the cup with water.
Add a spoonful of the lemonade powder, stir, and enjoy
This drink is especially good if you are pregnant and water makes you gag.
Monkey Cook: PB&J Sundae
Vanilla ice cream
Barbara's Bakery Peanut Butter Puffins cereal
Trader Joe's blueberry sauce
Whipped cream (optional)
layer the first three ingredients (amts vary to taste and whether or not you are hungry or just had a bad day) and fold them with a spoon so that you get a nice mix of sweet cream, savory crunch and berry goodness.
Barbara's Bakery Peanut Butter Puffins cereal
Trader Joe's blueberry sauce
Whipped cream (optional)
layer the first three ingredients (amts vary to taste and whether or not you are hungry or just had a bad day) and fold them with a spoon so that you get a nice mix of sweet cream, savory crunch and berry goodness.
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