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For the inaugural run of the new Breville juicer, I made something plebeian:  celery and carrot juiced to make a broth to simmer a Channa dal dish.

I branched out on day 2 with what turned out to be a great combination:



I adapted it from the recipe that came with the juicer:  carrot, celery, roma tomatoes, English cucumber (could use those little Persian ones), parsley, onion, red bell pepper, fresh garlic.



Juiced Gazpacho for lunch.  I loved it.  Next time I'll add some spinach.

        

I've had an ancient and somewhat ineffective juicer for ages and finally decided to replace it with a Breville. I wanted the Green Star too (for its ability to juice greens more effectively), but the budget doesn't allow that. I decided I'd buy the Breville Fountain Elite with its two speeds, which will do a great job on vegetables and fruits plus it will juice greens (just not as effectively as the Green Star).  I bought mine at Bed Bath and Beyond (with a 20% off coupon).

I don't know about you, but I've got finite kitchen counter real estate. So if something arrives and wants to reside on the counter... something has to say Adios!

So I'd like to say a fond kitchen counter farewell to my stand mixer:



You have been lovely to look at and met every challenge with grace. But I don't use you but once every 6 months (maybe). You have a great dough hook but I only bake bread about once or twice a year. I don't do any traditional baking, so I'm not mixing things that require you. I don't whip egg whites. I don't whip cream. Therefore, you must take up residence in the garage with the other seldom used things (as pretty as you are).

Welcome to the counter I say to Ms. Juice Fountain Elite.



May we live long and prosper.

        

Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year!

If you've vowed to improve your diet in 2010, this post is for you.  Eating more healthily doesn't have to be complicated but it can require that you change your thinking about food.  Consider this approach to eating:



It can be quite simple.  Base your diet on fruits, vegetables, beans/legumes, with some whole grains and nuts.  Limit all animal products, oils, processed foods, and sweets.

This food pyramid was created by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, who is also the author of many books related to nutrition, diet, and health.

Reading one of his books, Eat to Live, changed my life.  By adopting his suggested eating approach, I lost 25 lbs almost effortlessly.



If you're ready to be inspired to change your eating habits, I highly recommend reading Eat to Live.  Dr. Fuhrman's scientific approach to nutrient-density makes a lot of sense.  The book includes a beginning six  week plan including recipes.

Since then, Dr. Fuhrman has also published a two book set, Eat for Health, that offers a more gradual way to change your eating habits, including a four phase approach with lots of recipes.



Many have found his phased approach to changing cooking and eating habits is an excellent way to move their diets from the standard American diet which is full of fat and cholesterol, and often devoid of nutrition to a more healthful approach which promotes well being and weight loss. 

        

A tasty, healthy, smoothie  with chocolate made in the Vita-Mix to start your day off right:



1 apple, cored and quartered
1 small tangerine, peeled
1 cup frozen papaya chunks
1 cup frozen dark sweet pitted cherries
2 TBSP raw cocoa powder
1/2 cup water
3-4 oz baby spinach or kale (added after the fruit is blended a bit to allow room)

Blend the fruit, cocoa powder and water using the tamper at a lower speed at first.  When there's room, turn off the machine, then add the greens, then blend on high until smooth.



Now this is my idea of a chocolate "milkshake".  Delicious!

A happy, healthy holiday to all.

        

When you see a label on orange juice that says "100% Pure Juice" or "Not from Concentrate" do you assume it is an entirely natural product?  Not so for most commerical orange juice.

        

If you're buying presents for someone who truly loves to cook, I might have some suggestions.  This post comes with a warning, though.  Don't buy kitchen stuff for anyone who doesn't LOVE cooking.  Make sure your intended likes receiving kitchen stuff (like me) or is someone who has some dire need like setting up his or her first abode... and even then I would tread with care. 

Some ideas are pricey... some are stocking-stuffer priced.  So, in no particular order, some kitchen things I'd want as presents if I didn't already have them.  

• The top 'o the line blender extraordinaire:  a Vita-Mix (www.vitamix.com). I'm not sure you can still get one delivered in time, but heck, even the promise of one might be welcome.  I use mine at least once a day.  Price tag:  $400-$800.
• The best slow cooker I've ever owned - the big All-Clad Stainless Steel.  It's souped up with a cast iron insert that can go on the stovetop to sauté in before slipping it back into its very attractive stainless steel home.  Available at Williams-Sonoma  and probably other places too.  I love mine.  Price tag:  $300-$500 depending on sales and discounts etc.  Try www.chefscatalog.com too.  They often have good prices.
• A fresh nutmeg mill that also houses whole nutmegs well.  Fabulous idea.  Works well.  Looks cute.  Price tag:  $30.  Available at Sur La Table and probably other places.
• A simple but ingenious garlic peeler.  Why would one want one?   If I'm going to chop garlic, I usually just whack it with a knife, take the peel off and chop.  But if I want to use whole intact cloves to impart a more delicate flavor to a dish (as in garlic mashed potatoes), this peels the cloves beautifully.  Price tag:  $9

 I'm thinking of buying myself a new electric pressure cooker for Christmas this year.  My pressure cooker was ancient and scary so it had to go.

        

Another dish that was extremely well received at my Thanksgiving dinner was the Wild Rice Mushroom & Lentil Timbales.  These were excellent!  Quite easy to prepare too.

Click here to see the recipe on Susan V's blog for Wild Rice Mushroom & Lentil Timbales.

You do have to plan ahead to make this dish, unless you routinely happen to have already cooked wild rice and lentils on hand.   But that's the only tricky part about the recipe.  Otherwise, they are quite easy to put together in the food processor.

You take a couple of large slices of bread (whole wheat is great), pulse to crumbs, then add mushrooms, tofu, garlic and sherry (if you're using it), then pulse until smooth.  The lentils, tomato paste, and herbs are pulsed next, before you turn the mixture out into a bowl and stir in the cooked wild rice.

They are cooked in ramekins placed in a water bath.  I loved their texture.  Creamy with a slight chewiness of the wild rice.  I served them with mushroom gravy on the side.



They can be made somewhat ahead and then just reheated in their water bath.  I really enjoyed them and will certainly make them again.

        

I attempted a dessert for Thanksgiving dinner.  I don't usually bake since I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but I knew my guests would enjoy a cheesecake if it turned out.  I had a backup plan in case it failed, but I'm happy to say I didn't need to invoke it.

The recipe I tried is from Susan V's blog, Fat Free Vegan.  Well, except in this case, while it is a vegan dessert, it wasn't fat free.  Let's say it was lower fat.

Click here to see the recipe for Double-Pumpkin Cheesecake on Susan's blog.

So, it's a winner!  My guests enjoyed it and they aren't vegetarian or vegan, so that tells you how good it is!



I hope everyone who was celebrating had a great Thanksgiving.  I know I did.

        

Yesterday I posted about a Middle Eastern salad using roasted eggplant purée topped with tomatoes, scallions, and fresh pomegranate seeds.  (Click here to see that recipe.)

Today's recipe is an entrée from the same great cookbook, Arabesque, A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, & Lebanon, by Claudia Roden. 



The success of this dish is hinged on using pomegranate molasses, which can be found in Middle Eastern grocery stores and some specialty grocers' shelves too.  If  you can't find it, you can make a credible imitation by simply taking pomegranate juice and cooking it down to a molasses-like consistency.  You can add sugar or not as you see fit.  Click here to see recipe for pomegranate molasses.  It uses sugar, but  you could minimize it or leave it out. 

Moussaka'a Menazzaleh
Eggplants with Tomatoes and Chickpeas

Ingredients:
2 eggplants
extra virgin olive oil (you can substitute a quick spray of oil)
salt (to taste)
2 to 3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 lb tomatoes, skinned and chopped (good canned ones would be absolutely fine, drained by reserving liquid)
2 tsp sugar (or sweetener of your choice or you could leave it out)
black pepper
1.5 TBSP pomegranate molasses
2 cups of cooked chickpeas (cooked from scratch if you have the time; they have a better texture than canned, but canned would be just fine)
2 TBSP minced fresh  flat-leaf parsley.

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and then into 1/2 inch slices.  Brush them with oil (or a light spray) sprinkle with salt if using, then broil them under the broiler for 15 minutes or cook them on a hot griddle, turning them over once.  They do not need to fully cooked because they're going to cook further in the sauce.  Set aside.

In a large saucepan, either heat the garlic in olive oil or use spray or water sauté briefly until it just starts to color.  Add tomatoes and squash them gently with a wooden spoon in the sauce.  Add sugar, salt and black pepper then cook for 15 minutes.  Add some of the tomato liquid if it gets too dry.  Add the pomegranate molasses, eggplant slices and chickpeas and simmer for another 20-30 minutes or until eggplants are very soft.  Garnish with chopped parsley to serve.

 

This can be served hot as an entrée or side dish or cold as a salad.  It has a very nice delicate sweet and sour taste.

        

I love pomegranates and look forward to seeing them in the market each year.  They can be a messy occupation, but they're oh so good! 


Pomegranates also score highly on the nutritional front.  Click here to see video about the potential health benefits of eating pomegranates or drinking (100% pure) pomegranate juice.

If you've never had one, you're in for a treat.  There are various ways of attacking a fresh one, such as scoring them, peeling them, then opening them in a bowl of water to reduce mess.  Personally, all I do is cut them in half, then score each half a bit, then pry them open.  Delicious!

Over the next couple of days, I'm going to post recipes featuring pomegranates.  Today's is Middle Eastern in origin and from a great cookbook, Arabesque, A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, & Lebanon, by Claudia Roden.

 

Batinjan Raheb
(Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Salad)
Serves 6 to 8
This ends up being an absolutely beautiful salad and holds well on a buffet table.

Ingredients:
2 to 3 eggplants (weighing about 2 lbs total)
juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon, depending on size and your taste
3 garlic cloves, crushed
4 TBSP olive oil (you can minimize this or omit; I do the latter)
salt and pepper to taste
large handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
4 sprigs of fresh mint, leaves chopped
4 scallions, thinly sliced
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
handful of fresh pomegranate seeds

Prick the eggplants in a few places and roast them, bake them, or broil them until they are soft.  Cool, peel, then place flesh in a sieve or colander with smaller holes and let them drain a bit, pressing on them.  While still in the colander, chop them up with a knife, then mash with a fork or wooden spoon, letting the juices escape through the holes.

Mix the eggplant puree with the lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, chopped parsley, and mint (saving a bit of parsley and mint to garnish).  Spread this mixture on a serving plate.  Top with tomatoes, scallions, pomegranate seeds, and the remainder of the herbs.  Serve at room temperature.



I love this salad.