Summer is tomato season, and cherry tomatoes are some of the most beautiful to be had. There are so many things you can do with tomatoes, and like any Italian will tell you, one of the best ways is to put fresh tomatoes on pizza or focaccia.
I like to make my own personal focaccia using 8-inch flatbread rounds. With so few ingredients, the fat and calories are kept on the low side. And by using whole wheat flatbread, I’m upping the health factor. Yet it’s filling and satisfying.
This flatbread focaccia is so simple and quick to make, you can have it any night of the week. Pair it with a fruity white wine or a cider and you’ve made the perfect light summer meal.
Cherry Tomato Flatbread Focaccia
Makes 1 serving
1 (8-inch) whole wheat flatbread 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon sea salt Freshly ground black pepper Herbs or seasonings of your choice (such as basil, oregano, cayenne) 2 tablespoons parmigiano
Toast the flatbread in the oven or toaster oven, just until it starts to firm up.Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, oil, salt, pepper, and herbs or seasonings, if using.Spread the tomato mixture over the flatbread. Sprinkle the parmigiano over the top. Put it back in the oven and toast until tomatoes soften and bread is fully toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Cut in half or quarters. Enjoy!
The fun thing about pasta is that it comes in many shapes, sizes, and flavors. You can play around with it almost endlessly. When I saw this particular pasta, I was drawn by its beautiful red color, which comes from tomatoes. Once it’s cooked, it retains a soft reddish color and a mild tomato flavor.Continue reading →
So, I’ve been fortunate enough to attend several events hosted by The French Cheese Board in New York City. This past month, I attended a soiree at their new location in in Little Italy. (Although, judging from the hip space and chic crowd, I’m tempted to call it a Soho party.) There was an amazing selection of cheeses and I had my fill, for sure.
Anyway, the very nice people at The French Cheese Board were gracious enough to offer me some cheeses to experiment with. And who am I to turn down such generosity? No one, that’s who. I requested three kinds of cheeses, and below is the first recipe I came up with. This one uses one of my new favorite cheeses, Mimolette.
Mimolette is a sharp cheese, and has nutty, fruity undertones. It’s easily spotted within a selection of French cheeses because it’s the color of cheddar (except more vibrant), and has a thick, granular-looking crust.
I thought that both the color and flavor would go well with vegetables, so I decided to make Caramelized Onion Rings with Chipotle Cream and Mimolette. Caramelized onions are incredibly divine, but if you’re not a fan, try this with grilled asparagus or grilled or roasted sweet potatoes slices. Continue reading →
Hash is one of those kitchen sink recipes—it can be made with anything you have on hand—but usually requires potatoes to be considered hash. It used to be a way for restaurants to salvage scraps of food, leftovers from other dishes. And while it’s still a utilitarian dish that helps people use up scraps, it’s become standard dish in its own right. It’s become a breakfast staple with many variations. This is a healthy version because it features tempeh.
Originally from Indonesia, tempeh is a fermented soybean cake. Indonesians consider it a meat substitute and, in fact, it is high in protein. It makes the perfect meat alternative for vegetarian dishes, as it does in this hash recipe. Have it for breakfast, or any other meal.
So, after I made Butternut-Black Bean Tacoslast week, I had some butternut squash left over. There were many things I could have done with it, but after finding a beautiful head of kale, I decided to make butternut and kale soup.
This soup is packed with nutrients and it’s just plain delicious. Enjoy.Continue reading →
Why butternut and black bean tacos? Why not? Butternut squashes are fabulous. Anything inside a taco is fabulous. So butternut squash in a taco is…well…doubly fabulous.
Butternut squash is my favorite squash because it’s so versatile, and its flavor is so delicately sweet. It’s not fun to peel, but once you get past that part, you can do pretty much anything with it. So for this recipe, I’ve paired it with black beans, not just for the protein but because the two ingredients make such a beautiful contrast. Throw in some red bell pepper and it’s a sight to behold.
Asparagus and cheese go beautifully together, and in this recipe I pair asparagus with cheddar for an open-faced sandwich.
The nice thing about open-faced sandwiches is that if you’re using fresh, flavorful ingredients—in this case, asparagus and shiitake mushrooms—their flavors won’t be crowded out or buried by all the bread. Yet you can still have the easy, quick convenience of a sandwich. It’s also easier on the carb intake. But it still satisfies your hunger.
Give it a try when you want a quick but delicious meal. Enjoy!
Asparagus-Cheddar Open-Faced Sandwiches
½ lb. asparagus 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms 2 slices whole grain bread 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Garnish: 1 or 2 tablespoon finely diced red bell pepper
Toss the asparagus with 2 tablespoons oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Spread out on a baking sheet and broil, turning over once, until browned on both sides, about 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus.Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a small skillet. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and sauté about 3 or 4 minutes, or until nicely browned.Toast the bread until medium brown. On each slice, place half the asparagus, half the mushrooms, and top with half the cheese. Place I toaster oven or oven or broiler until the cheese melts.Sprinkle with red pepper, if using. Serve hot.
I love cooking with quinoa. It’s not only one of the most nutritious grains—a so-called “superfood”—it’s also deliciously nutty and the texture is slightly crunchy, even while it’s tender.
If you’re already cooking with quinoa, and other nutritious grains, such as amaranth and millet, you’re doing a good deed for your body. Quinoa is one of the only grains that has protein and, of course, it’s gluten free. But if you want to take your healthy ways a step further you might want to incorporate sprouted grains into your diet. You may or may not have heard about sprouted grains, but they are now available as uncooked grains, in dried pastas, and breads, as well as other products.
So what’s the deal with sprouted grains?
Grains contain phytic acid, which is also referred to as an “antinutrient” because of its tendency to block absorption of certain minerals. Phytic acid binds to such nutrients as calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc. So, while quinoa is a good source of these nutrients, the phytic acid can block them from being aborbed into your system.
Sprouting neutralizes phytic acids, as well as enzyme inhibitors, making the grains’ nutrients more bioavailable. Essential amino acids, such as lysine, also get blocked. Quinoa is one of the few grains on earth that contains lysine, so sprouting quinoa, in particular, is advantageous. Plus, germination produces vitamin C and increases the grain’s (or bean’s or seed’s) B vitamins. Sprouted quinoa looks and tastes just like regular quinoa, except with the added benefits.
You can find packages of sprouted quinoa in health food stores, but considering how much standard supermarkets’ shelves have expanded to include products for health-conscious consumers, who knows, you might be able to find sprouted quinoa in your neighborhood supermarket—if not now, then in the near future.
Sprouted Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables and Roasted Garlic Dressing
Makes 6 servings.
1½ cups diced eggplant 3 cups diced zucchini ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon + a pinch kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 3 large plum tomatoes 4 garlic cloves, skin on 1 cup sprouted quinoa ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
¼ teaspoon sea salt ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet, or line it with foil or parchment paper. Do the same with a small baking sheet.
Combine the eggplant and zucchini in a bowl. Pour in 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, grind in some black pepper, and toss to coat. Spread the vegetables out on the large baking sheet. (You can line the sheet with aluminum foil or parchment, if you like.)Roast, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, about 20 to 30 minutes.Cut the tomatoes in half and removed the seeds. Dice the tomatoes and place in a medium bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of kosher salt. Lay the tomatoes out on the small baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally until tender and browned, about 30 minutes.Place the garlic cloves on a piece of aluminum foil. Pour 1 teaspoon olive oil on them, and wrap the foil. Place on a small baking sheet (you can place the packet on one of the baking sheets the other vegetables are on).Roast until soft, about 20 minutes.While the vegetables are roasting, combine the quinoa with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, half covered, until the water is absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.Unwrap the garlic. When it’s cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic out of the skin into a small bowl. Add the extra virgin olive oil, mustard, vinegar, and sea salt. Whisk until well blended.
In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and quinoa. Add the dressing and mix well. Mix in the parsley. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.
Pancit bihon noodles are long, thin noodles made from cornstarch and are used widely in Philippine cuisine. They’ve got a nice firm texture and can be used in pretty much any recipe that calls for long, spaghetti-like noodles. And they are gluten free.
Noodles were introduced to the Philippines by the Chinese. It’s said that the word pancit comes from Hokkien, a southern Chinese dialect: pian e sit, which means “something conveniently cooked.” Pancit noodles became a staple—in fact, national—dish of the Philippines.
The recipe I offer here today is a basic Asian noodle dish, and you can add or remove anything you like. Look for pancit bihon in Asian markets.
Pancit Bihon Noodles with Snow Peas
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
½ lb. snow peas 8 oz. pancit bihon noodles 2 teaspoons cooking oil (such as grapeseed or sunflower) 3 large garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon soy sauce Sea salt, if desired
Trim the snow peas and either cut into strips or just chop coarsely.Bring a medium-large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and stir them in. Cook until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.Drain in a colander and run under cool water to stop the cooking. Set aside.In a wok or wide frying pan, heat the cooking oil, then add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the snow peas and sauté a few minutes until softened but still crisp.Add the noodles, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Mix well with tongs.Taste for seasoning and add a little salt, if needed. Serve hot.
Leave the zucchini and other fair-weather vegetables to summer. Winter calls for thick-skinned squashes.
My favorite is butternut squash. In my opinion, it not only has the best flavor, but the best texture as well. When cooked down, it’s creamy and smooth, and incredibly diverse.
Roasting brings out the sweetness and beauty in most vegetables, but this is especially true of squash. My mother wanted me to roast squash for Thanksgiving and I wanted to come up with something that was familiar, that I knew would be liked, but something every-so-slightly different. I came up with an easy, delicious honey-soy-mirin glaze and honey-pomegranate sauce…because, you know, pomegranates.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard how healthful pomegranates are. Here’s a quick rundown of their health benefits:
Based on US RDA, one cup of pomegranate seeds contains 7 grams fiber, 3 grams protein, 30% vitamin C, 36% vitamin K, 16% folate, and 12% potassium. They have antiinflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.They help fight cancer, especially prostate and breast, and heart disease, and have been known to improve memory function.
Delicious AND healthy. Do you need anything more? Give this a try on a cold winter day…or even a warm one. Enjoy!
Roasted Butternut Squash with Honey-Soy-Mirin Glaze and Honey-Pomegranate Sauce
1 pomegranate 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon white wine or ginger ale
Grease a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel and seed the squash. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices and place them in a large bowl.In a small bowl, mix together the honey, olive oil, soy sauce, mirin. pour over the squash.
Sprinkle in salt and pepper. Use your hands to spread the mixture over both sides of the squash. Lay the slices neatly on the baking sheet in a single layer.
Roast until almost tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Turn the slices over and continue roasting until fully tender and golden brown at the edges.Meanwhile, make the Honey-Pomegranate Sauce. Cut open the pomegranate and place the pieces in a large bowl of cool water. Separate the seeds from the membrane and discard the skin. Let the membranes rise to the top and scoop them out.Drain in a mesh strainer and rinse.Measure out ½ cup seeds and place in a small pot. Reserve the remaining seeds for the top or another purpose. Mix together the honey and wine and add to pomegranate seeds. Cook over medium-low heat until thickened, about 10 minutes.Transfer cooked squash to a serving platter. Drizzle sauce over top, sprinkle on some fresh pomegranate seeds, and serve.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, oil, salt, pepper, and herbs or seasonings, if using.
Spread the tomato mixture over the flatbread. Sprinkle the parmigiano over the top. 
Put it back in the oven and toast until tomatoes soften and bread is fully toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Cut in half or quarters. Enjoy!
Why butternut and black bean tacos? Why not? Butternut squashes are fabulous. Anything inside a taco is fabulous. So butternut squash in a taco is…well…doubly fabulous.
Miz Chef 