Playing with Mussels

I've been ordering from Peapod alot lately. I've been having really good success with the quality of their produce, meat, and seafood. So when I saw they had a special on mussels I ordered some up and when looking for a healthy recipe to make with them. I decided on Mussel Chowder I found.

The first step in the recipe was to "scrub and de-beard" the mussels. I had no idea what de-beard means or how to do it so I did a quick search on YouTube and found the following video.


What really scared me was when she mentioned that submerging the mussels in fresh water would kill the mussels because I had them soaking in a bowl of cold water as I was watching the video! It was only for about 10 minutes though so everything worked out fine.

I had a hard time looking over the mussels and determining which ones were dead. I pulled out all the cracked ones but other were mostly closed, and just a little open, but when I banged them on the counter as she did in the video they didn't close. I just wasn't sure about them. But I ended up cooking them in some water and wine and they all opened up so everything was fine.

The next step was to pull out the meat from most of the mussels and then I started chopping vegetables.  It wasn't too bad... just dicing up potatoes, garlic, carrots, leeks, and fennel.

The house smelled wonderful just from sauteing the leeks! Then it was a matter of cooking the other veggies, adding in the reserved broth and letting it sit for a while. At the end I added in the half-and-half and reserved mussels. There really wasn't that much liquid left, so it was definitely a chowder. But everyone loved it! We had it for a late Sunday afternoon lunch while the Masters was on.

Love is all around you...

- Rachel

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Tasting Chicago's Best Dishes

I'm intrigued by this list of 30 dishes to eat while visiting Chicago published by the Red Eye. While I've been to about half of the restaurants featured in the list, I think I have only tasted one of the dishes, #23 Saganaki at Parthenon. But I'm not even sure because I've been to a bunch of restaurants in Greektown, and probably had Saganaki at all of them, but not 100% sure.

So this looks like a good taste challenge for the Spring and Summer!


Love is all around you...

- Rachel

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Hell No to the GMO!!! by @YumYucky

YumYucky is hilarious! Any way to get people more interested in GMO is good with me. Ew, they really need to label foods with GMO at least.


Love is all around you...

- Rachel

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Julia Child Remixed

In celebration of her 100th birthday, PBS Digital Studio produced Julia Child Remixed by John D. Boswell, aka melodysheep. Makes me smile. Love the use of the old black and white clips. "Bring on the roasted potatoes..."  Bon appetit!


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- Rachel

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Purple Cabbage Salad with Edamame, Golden Raisins, and Smoked Almonds

Photo by Rachel's Bite, Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 US licensed. 

This is a really unique salad! Packed with all sorts of good veggies, it's the sauce made of mint, lime juice, honey and chile-garlic sauce that makes this stand out. It's both refreshing and comforting at the same time. The almonds adds a bit of crunch which is nice for a dynamic texture.

Notice all the beautiful colors? It's very impressive because of both the color and the flavors. This was a great find from Vegetarian Times.

Purple Cabbage Salad with Edamame, Golden Raisins, and Smoked Almonds Serves 6 1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage 1 orange bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced 1 cup finely diced pineapple 1/4 cup golden raisins 16 smoked almonds 1/4 cup choppped fresh mint 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice 2 Tbsp. honey 1/4 tsp. chile-garlic sauce

Bring small pot of water to a boil. Add frozen edamame, and cook 10 minutes. Drain, and refresh under cold water. Transfer to large bowl; add cabbage, bell pepper, pineapple, raisins, almonds, mint, lime juice, honey, and chile-garlic sauce. Toss well, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Nutritional information provided in magazine:
Per 1-cup serving: 127 CAL; 5 G PROT; 4 G TOTAL FAT (<1 G SAT FAT); 22 G CARB; 0 MG CHOL; 33 MG SOD; 4 G FIBER; 15 G SUGARS.

Love is all around you... Enjoy!

- Rachel

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Blue Cheese-Apricot Bites

Photo by Rachel's Bite, Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 US licensed.

Sweet, savory, and crunchy! You do have to be a fan of blue cheese to enjoy these, but I think there's nothing better than a pungent cheese with a bit of sweet. I found this recipe for Blue Cheese-Apricot Bites in a 2010 Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications for Appetizers. It's the perfect party food! And these candied walnuts you end up with, you'll want to make a whole batch of just those. But be careful, they can get soggy.

I have made this recipe several times. I usually make a double batch because you only end up with 16 and I always eat 3 or 4 while I'm putting them together because they are so yummy. I have tried these with organic apricots which is a bit better for you, but the organic apricots are darker and might look strange to some. Being an appetizer people just think they are dark because they are cooked, but I wanted to warn you of the discoloration in case you try those out.

Blue Cheese-Apricot Bites
Makes 16 appetizers

2 tsp. butter
2 Tbsp. finely chopped walnuts
2 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. snipped fresh rosemary or ¼ tsp dried rosemary, finely crushed
¼ cup crumbled Gorgonzola,Roquefort, or other blue cheese (1 ounce)
1 ounce cream cheese
16 dried apricots
Snipped fresh rosemary (optional)

In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add wlnuts and sugar; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until walnuts are lightly toasted. Stir in ½ teaspoon fresh or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary; cook and stir for 30 seconds more. Transfer nuts to a foil-lined baking sheet; cool.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine Gorgonzola cheese and cream cheese. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.

Spoon about ¾ teaspoon of the cheese mixture on top of each dried apricot. Sprinkle with nuts. If desired, garnish with additional fresh rosemary.

Per appetizer: 33 cal., 2 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 5 mg. chol., 24 mg sodium, 3 g carb., 0.3g fiber, 1 g pro.


Love is all around you... Enjoy!

- Rachel

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Very Green Lentil Soup

Photo by Rachel's Bite, Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 US licensed.

Is there anything that makes you feel more healthy than loading up your shopping basket with a bunch of green vegetables? I find it especially comforting when they are to make a big pot of healthy soup. I knew had to try this recipe for Very Green Lentil Soup when I saw it featured in "The Soup of Life", an article highlighting green soups made with lots of veggies from the September/October 2011 issue of Eating Well magazine.

Lentils are a super food, right? They are high in nutritional value, easy to prepare, and cheap! I know some people are afraid of them, but I am so glad I got into eating them. They fill you up and mostly take on the flavor of whatever you are cooking. To me, they are a comfort. This recipe calls for French green lentils, which are available in many specialty markets or natural-foods stores, but you can also use plain brown lentils if you can't find them.

This soup has a bit of an Indian flavor due to the cumin and coriander, but the fresh lemon juice makes it super fresh. And of course the feta cheese adds a wonderful richness that really makes this soup have several layers of flavor.

Very Green Lentil Soup
Makes 8 services, about 1⅔ cups each

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
2 large yellow onions, chopped
1¼ tsp. salt, divided
1 cup French green (Le Puy) or brown lentils
8 large green chard leaves
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, scrubbed
12 cups gently packed spinach (about 10 ounces), any touch stems trimmed
4 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 cups vegetable broth
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 Tbsp. cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
½ tsp. ground coriander
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
½ jalapeno peppe, minced
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
Crumbled feta cheese for garnish

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onions and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add 2 tablespoons water and cover. Cook stirring frequently until the pan cools down, and then occasionally, always covering the pan again, until the onions are greatly reduced and have a deep caramel color, 25 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, rinse the lentils and pick out any small stones; combine the lentils with the remaining 4 cups water in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to aboil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Trim the white ribs out of the chard; chop the greens and slice the ribs (keep in separate piles). Cut potato into ½-inch dice. Chop spinach; set aside.

When hte lentils have cooked for 20 minutes, stir in the chard ribs, potato, scallions, broth and remaining 1 teaspoon salt; return to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Stir in the chard leaves, broccoli, cumin and coriander. When the onions are caramelized, stir a little of the simmering liquid into them; add them to the soup. Return to a simmer, cover and cook 5 minutes more. Stire in the reserved spinach, cilantro, mint, jalapeno and pepper; return to a simmer, cover and cook until the spinach is tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes more. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice and/or pepper if desired. Garnish each bowl of soup with a drizzle of olive oil and crumbled feta cheese.

Per Serving: 191 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrate; 9 g added sugars; 10 g protein, 9 g fiber; 735 mg sodium; 793 mg potassium.


Love is all around you... Enjoy!

- Rachel

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Spicy Shirataki Noodles

Photo by Rachel's Bite, Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 US licensed.  

Have you heard of no-calorie noodles? I had just heard about them when I saw the feature "Oodles of Noodles" in the January/February 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine. The noodles featured are Shirataki noodles which do have a few calories per serving, but very minimal. Instead of regular flour, they are made with Asian yam flour. I have see tofu shirataki noodles at Whole Foods and other natural food stores.

This is a quick and easy stir-fry that ends up light and fresh. The noodles do taste like a light noodle! The consistency is pretty much the same, it's just a light bit on the chewy side. As you can imagine, the don't have much taste on their own to having the proper amount of sauce and seasoning is important.

Note: if you want to make these vegan, make sure the noodles you buy are marked as vegan. Some brands add calcium derived from shellfish.

Spicy Shirataki Noodles Serves 4 4 Tbsp. gluten-free, reduced-sodium tamari 2½ Tbsp. lime juice 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar 2 tsp. sriracha sauce 1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil 2 Tbsp. chopped jalapeno chile 3 cloves garlic, minced (1Tbsp.) 1 onion, sliced (1 cup) 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced 2 8-oz. pkg. tofu shirataki fettuccini, prepared according to package directions ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn

Whisk together tamari, lime juice, brown sugar, and sriracha in bowl. Set aside.

Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat. Add jalapeno and garlic, and cook 1 minute. Add onion and bell peppers, and stir-fry 5 minutes. Add tamari mixture and shirataki, and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, then toss with basil.

Nutritional information provided in magazine:
Per 1½-cup serving: 130 CAL; 5 G PROT; 4 G TOTAL FAT (<1 G SAT FAT); 19 G CARB; 0 MG CHOL; 770 MG SOD; 4 G FIBER; 8 G SUGARS.

Love is all around you... Enjoy!

- Rachel

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Slow-Cooker Black Bean-Mushroom Chili

Photo by Rachel's Bite, Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 US licensed.   

I try to make as many recipes as beans as possible. They seem like a miracle food! Cheap, healthy, and filling. I order often from Rancho Gordo because I think their beans are high quality and I never know how long a pack of beans have been sitting around on a shelf at the store. It's not that they go bad or anything, but I find fresher beans more flavorful.

This recipe for Slow-Cooker Black Bean-Mushroom Chili appealed to me not only for the use of beans, but also because I am a huge mushroom fan AND you get to use your slow cooker! You do end up with a really tasty dinner but it is nothing like traditional chili. The use of tomatillos and chipotle peppers gives it a really great flavor and I find those ingredients fun to play with.

The recipe for Slow-Cooker Black Bean-Mushroom Chili is available on EatingWell.com.

Love is all around you... Enjoy!

- Rachel

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Chard and Tofu Wontons in Sambal Soy Sauce

Photo by Rachel's Bite, Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 US licensed. 

Be prepared for some time in the kitchen to make these wontons. It doesn't take too long, but you do have to hand fold about 30 wontons which does take a bit of time. I just cranked up the music and sipped some wine while putting these together and it was kind of meditative. And yum did they taste good! Way better than frozen wontons you can buy at the store. But if you do use wontons from the store, this sambal soy sauce recipe is delicious so try and make that on your own.

I did have one issue though when I made the wontons ahead of time and froze them. They stuck together because I let them sit on top of each other in the freezer bag, so definitely free them on a parchment-lined baking sheet before transferring them to the freezer bag. Cooking them practically tore them apart when I cooked them in a big lump.

The recipe calls for "baked soy-seasoned tofu" which I could not find anywhere. I used a recipe for Basic Baked Tofu from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's "Appetite for Reduction"which is my favorite vegan cookbook. Cut pressed tofu into 8 equal pieces and marinade in ¾ cup vegetable broth, 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce, 1 tsp. dried thyme and 3 cloves of minced garlic. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, spoon on some marinade and bake for another 10.

Chard and Tofu Wontons in Sambal Soy Sauce
Serves 10

Wontons
2 tsp. roasted sesame oil
1 medium carrott, finely chopped (½ cup)
4 cups chopped Swiss chard leaves
6 oz. baked soy-seasoned tofu, chopped
1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
⅛ tsp. ground white pepper
1 12-oz. pkg. wonton wrappers
3 green onions, chopped, for garnish
¼ cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

Sambal Soy Sauce
6 Tbs. Chinese malt vinegar or 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar plus 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
6 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sambal oelek
4 tsp. maple syrup
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

To make Wontons: Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrot, and stir-fry 3 minutes. Add chard, and cook 5 minutes, or until wilted. Transfer mixture to food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. Add tofu, and pulse until combined. Transfer to bowl, and stir in soy sauce and white pepper.

Set 1 wonton wrapper on work surface. Spoon 1 tsp. tofu mixture in center of wrapper. Brush wrapper edges with water, and fold wrapper into triangle around filling. Press edges to seal, and place on lightly floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

Bring large pot of water to boil. Cook 10 Wontons at a time in boiling water 90 seconds. Remove from pot with slotted spoon, and place in bowl.

To make Sambal Soy Sauce: whisk all ingredients together in small bowl. Top Wontons with Sambal Soy Sauce, and garnish with green onions and cilantro.

Per serving (5 wontons plus 1½ Tbsp. sauce): 168 cal; 8 g prot; 3 g total fat (<1 g sat fat); 26 g carb; 3 mg chol; 736 mg sod; 2 g fiber; 3 g sugars

Love is all around you... Enjoy!

- Rachel

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The Yoga of Food

Image © Monika Wisniewska - Fotolia.com

Are you like me and love yoga but have never made it to any of the Yoga Journal Conferences? I've been wanted to go to one for years. Luckily for use they post several of the Audio Recordings online. And I thought many of  you might be interested in one I found on The Yoga of Food. It's really inspiring to eat well and interesting how they discuss practicing yoga and having a relationship with your food are both always evolving and changing.

Dayna Macy, author of Ravenous, moderates the panel discussion with Cyndi Lee who wrote Yoga Body, Buddha Mind, Steve Nakon, Seane Corn, and Aadil Paklhivala, author of Fire of Love.

The panel discussed various topics around how yoga effects our eating and healthy eating in general. One point made is that yoga helps us become more conscious of our bodies and get in touch with our breath. As this happens our tastes change. We become more aware of what we are eating and make better choices. And over time, just like our relationships change, our diet changes as well. A good diet is a practice just like all other practices, including diet.

It is proposed that when deciding what is the best way to eat, think "simple and elegant" and don't make things too complicated. Keep things in line with what feels good for you and don't make any judgments.

Advertising by the food companies aimed at both children and adults is also discussed. We often get seduced by marketing of agribusiness and start thinking certain things are healthy or unhealthy for us. But we are an over-weight nation full of sickness and fatigue.  Pay attention to the energy food gives you. When you eat something does it make you tired and lazy? Does it give you energy?

Four things to eliminate from our diet as quickly caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, and refined sugar. Artificial chemicals must be avoided by everyone. There is nobody who can benefit by ingesting artificial chemicals and toxins into their body. So a good shift to work towards is to go organic. When you dine out, ask what is organic on the menu (even if you know there is nothing organic) because that helps breed awareness among the restaurants.

Pay attention when you are eating because many time we over eat simply because we are not paying attention. This is a culture that eats the most and is also the most under-nourished. Our stomachs are meant to be incredibly acidic for easy digestion but most people's stomach acid is way too low. Stress and chemicals both destroy your body's ability to produce acid. Eating as close to nature as possible is the best way to eat. And it is also important to "eat with happiness" because it's all about the joy of food.

One of the themes that comes up over and over is to not feel guilty or fearful when making your food choices. Try to be smart and stick with it.

Listen to the 2011 Yoga Journal Conference Midwest Panel Discussion: "The Yoga of Food" with Seane Corn, Cyndi Lee, Steve Nakon and Aadil Palkhivala. Moderated by Dayna Macy.

You can view all of the audio recordings here.


Love is all around you...

- Rachel

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Linguine with Frenched Green Beans and Parsley "Pesto"

Photo by Rachel's Bite, Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 US licensed.

I just had to make this dish. While flipping through my old copy of On Top of Spaghetti I was struck by the photo of this dish using green beans with the pasta. And it called for a green bean slicer which I had never heard of so of course I ordered up that neat little gadget just so I could play. The beans turned out sliced nicely but it was kind of a pain to push them through one by one.

Never a big pesto fan, I've been won over this past year. A few different things I have made call for making your own pesto and I really like it! It's so simple to just blend up a bunch of herbs and you get some really great flavors.

And this recipe has a bunch of neat tricks! It made me feel really Italian by putting the pesto in the bowl BEFORE the pasta and then tossing it with a cup of the reserved pasta water to complete the sauce right there in the bowl. I also liked the instruction to pour drain the pasta over the beans to re-warm them.

Linguine with Frenched Green Beans and Parsley "Pesto" Serves 6 as a first course 8 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into thin slivers 2 cups gently packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 10 large fresh basil leaves 1 small garlic clove, trimmed and peeled 1/2 cup light-flavored extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon sea salt Pinch or more of cayenne 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus more to pass at the table 8 ounces dried linquine

Cook the green beans in boiling salted water until tender. They should yield easily under the pressure of your teeth. Drain in a colander and set aside next to the sink to await to pasta.

While the parsley, basil, garlic, olive oil, salt, and cayenne in a blender until you have a chunky puree. Pour into a warmed, but not hot, serving bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano.

Generously salt the pasta water and drop in the linguine. Cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, then pour the remaining water and pasta into the colander over the beans. This will warm the beans if they have cooled. Transfer the pasta and beans to the serving bowl and toss with the sauce and cheese. Add enough reserved cooking water, a tablespoon at a time, to loosen the pesto. There should be a small puddle of sauce on the bottom of the bowl. Serve right away with extra Pecorino Romano passed at the table.

P.S. Mer Soleil is a super yummy chardonnay that, in my opinion, always goes well with dinner preparations.

Presto Pasta Night #236 is being hosted by HoneyB of The Life & Loves of Grumpy's Honey Bunch. See the full recap of all entries here.

Mediterranean Barley

Photo by Rachel's Bite, Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 US licensed.

This super fast and healthy recipe for Mediterranean Barley is from the April, 2001 issue of Cooking Light magazine. It's been sitting in my pile of dishes I want to make for a while and when I saw a bunch of fresh arugula at the grocery store I grabbed it with this in mind.

I did make a few adjustments to the recipe. I cooked my barley in vegetable broth as it is my favorite way to prepare barley that I'm going to eat without a sauce. I also added half of an English cucumber that I had leftover from lunch and I cut back on the sundried tomatoes to only about 1 Tbsp. because I'm not a big fan. I didn't have any pistachios so I meant to substitute by sprinkling with pine nuts but I forgot. The extra crunch would have been nice so next time I'll definitely remember to add some nuts on top.

The ingredients may seem a bit boring, but I was pleased with how tasty this actually turned out. Goes to show how much flavor you can get from simple ingredients.

Mediterranean Barley with Chickpeas & Arugula Serves 4 1 cup uncooked pearl barley 1 cup packed arugula leaves 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper 3 Tbsp. finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil 1 (15½-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. crushed red pepper 2 Tbsp. chopped pistachios Cook barley according to package directions, omitting salt. Combine barley, arugula, bell pepper, tomatoes, and chickpeas in a large bowl. Combine lemon juice, oil, salt, and crushed red pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over barley mixture, and toss. Sprinkle with pistachios. Serving size is 1¼ cups barley mixture and 1½ teaspoons pistachios.

Nutritional Information per serving as published in the magazine
Calories: 360; Fat: 10.1g (sat: 1.4g, mono: 6.1g, poly: 2g); Protein: 10.1g; Carb: 59.9g; Fiber 12.4g; Chol: 0mg; Iron: 2.9mg; Sodium: 682mg; Calc: 55mg.

Ingredients: A Documentary Film

Ingredients is a documentary film about the local film movement. It's just over an hour long and is definitely worth watching. Starting with the recent history of farming, it highlights farmers all around the United States and identifies the changes in farming since the 1980s. Many farmers and chefs are involved with their local communities and there are some really great programs to offer education and awareness. One scene that really struck me was when some school children came to the farm and when asked what vegetables are one of them said they are what vegetarians eat! And then it was followed up with the point that if children are involved in the growing or harvesting of vegetables they are likely to eat them. This is a film that all parents, and any adult, should see. Maybe they won't learn anything new but there are many interesting points worth discussing.

Quinoa Puttanesca

Photo by Rachel's Bite, Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 US licensed.

Okay, the picture might now do this dish justice. You wouldn't believe how many wonderful flavors this recips for Quinoa Puttanesca by the wonderful Isa Chandra Moskowitz has! I am a fan of traditional Pasta Puttanesca (a/k/a "pasta of the whore's" which cracks me up), but this is a vegan version made super healthy by serving over quinoa instead of traditional pasta.

It's quick and easy too. The only chopping is for some garlic and olives which doesn't take long at all. And while the recipe is made to serve four, they are really hearty servings. This is one of those dishes that is great to make on a weeknight and then take for leftovers a couple of days during the week. It lasts well for a few days and heats up great in the microwave.

Quinoa Puttanesca Serves 4 2 cups cooked quinoa Sauce 2 tsp. olive oil 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tsp. dried thyme 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes A generous pinch of dried tarragon A generous pinch of dried marjoram 1/4 cup white wine 1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped roughly 1/2 cup capers 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes Freshly ground pepper

Preheat a saucepot over medium heat. Place the oil and garlic in the pot and stir for about a minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the herbs, spices, and wine; cook for about a minute.

Add the olives, capers, and tomatoes. Cook for about 15 minutes. You can serve by scooping quinoa into individual bowls and pouring the sauce over it. Another way is to just mix everything into a bowl together.

Spicy Shrimp Quesadillas

These are SO good! And the best part is they are made from all leftovers! The December, 2011 issue of Bon Appetit magazine had a feature where you'd make one dinner and then specifically have enough leftover to use for a second meal in a different recipe. I thought that was so neat I just had to try it.

These Spicy Shrimp Quesadillas are made using the leftover Shrimp and Coconut Curry with Green Beans and Fresh Orange-Apple Chutney. And honestly, they are even better than the original dinner. But maybe that's because of all the cheese :)

Spicy Shrimp Quesadillas Makes 4 2 cups reserved Shrimp and Coconut with Green Beans (see recipe) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus additional (for garnish) 3 jalapeno chiles, seeded, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons chopped shallot 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 2 cups coarsely grated Jack cheese 8 7- to 8-inch diameter flour tortillas 8 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Drain sauce from curry; place 2 tablespoons in bowl. Chop shrimp and beans; add to bowl. Mix in 2 tablespoons cilantro, chiles, shallot, and lime juice. Spread filling, then cheese over 4 tortillas. Top each with another tortilla.

Heat 2 large nonstick skillets over medium-high heat; add 2 teaspoons oil to each. Place 1 quesadilla in each pan. Cover; cook until bottom is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn; cook uncovered 2 to 3 minutes longer. Repeat with remaining quesadillas and oil. Top quesadillas with additional cilantro and Fresh Orange-Apple Chutney.

Shrimp and Coconut Curry with Green Beans

Yum! This recipe for Shrimp and Coconut Curry with Green Beans is one of those recipes that you won't believe you can actually make something that tastes this good. It's nice and rich and the green beans are a fun ingredient to have in curry.

Shrimp and Coconut Curry with Green Beans 4 Servings 3/4 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 3 lemongrass stalks 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro 2/3 cup coarsely chopped shallots 1/4 cup coarsely chopped seeded jalapeno chiles 2 tablespoons Indian curry powder (such as Madras) 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped peeled fresh ginger 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil plus sliced leaves (for garnish) 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk 2 1/2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined Lime wedges

Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain. Cut 2 inches from bottom of each lemongrass stalk; discard tops. Thinly slice bottom pieces; place in processor. Add next 5 ingredients, chopped basil, and 1/4 cup water. Blend until paste forms.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add curry paste; cook, stirring often, until dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk; bring to simmer. Add shrimp; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Add green beans; stir to heat through. Season curry with salt and pepper. Transfer 2 cups curry to bowl; cover, chill and reserve for quesadillas. Transfer remaining curry to serving bowl; garnish with basil. Serve with lime wedges and Fresh Orange-Apple Chutney.

Fresh Orange-Apple Chutney

This is some tasty chutney, but I probably wouldn't have made it just on it's own. It is used for the Shrimp and Coconut Curry with Green Beans recipe from the December, 2010 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. There's lots of chopping involved in this one and there is tons left over. But it goes great on all kinds of leftovers (see the recipe for Spicy Shrimp Quesadillas).

Fresh Orange-Apple Chutney Makes 2 cups 1½ navel oranges 1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, cut into ⅓-inch cubes 1/2 red onion, coarsely chopped 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon chopped seeded jalapeno chile 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey 1 teaspoon (generous) garam masala 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger

Cut and peel all white pith from oranges, following contour of fruit. Cut segments into ⅓-inch cubes; place in medium bowl. Add all remaining ingredients; toss to blend. Season with salt.

Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Celery, Grilled Grape and Mushroom Salad

Okay, I better fess up that this salad cost over $40 to make! But that is probably because I bought all organic at Whole Foods. And also since the recipe was from the June, 2011 issue of Food and Wine magazine I should have known it would be a bit more on the pricy side. It was SUPER yummy though and is a great addition to a buffet. I made this for 4th of July and we had it with some steaks, grilled vegetables and other traditional salads (potato salad, coleslaw, etc.). It was a really classy addition to our dinner.

Also, this lasts surprisingly well as leftovers. Maybe I got lucky, but since there isn't too much lettuce there wasn't really anything to get soggy from the dressing.

I think the most fun part is that we grilled grapes. I know I've had grilled pineapple and peaches before, but grapes are novel. We just put them on the fire in a veggie basket and they cooked up great! ("We" really equals the guys who did the grilling and thought I was nuts.)

Celery, Grilled Grape and Mushroom Salad 6 servings 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice ½ tsp. celery seeds ¼ tsp. Dijon mustard 2 small garlic cloves, minced ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing ¼ cup roasted almond oil Salt and freshly ground pepper ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves ½ cup tender celery leaves (from one head) ¼ cup salted roasted almonds, chopped 1 pound king oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise ¼-inch thick 2 cups green grapes (12 ounces) 2 heads butter lettuce, leaves separated 2 cups very thinly sliced celery

In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar with the lemon juice, celery seeds, mustard and half of the garlic. Gradually whisk in ¼ cup of the olive oil and the almond oil until emulsified. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

In a mini food processor, combine the remaining garlic with the parsley,c elery leaves and almonds nad pulse until finely chopped. Add another ¼ cup of the olive oil and puree to a chunky paste. Season the pesto with salt and pepper.

Light a grill. Brush the mushrooms with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat, turning once, until tender and browned, about 5 minutes. In a bowl, toss the grapes with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until the skins begin to blacken in spots, about 3 minutes; line the grill with perforated foil if the grapes will fall through. Transfer the grapes and mushrooms to a large bowl and toss with the pesto.

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter and drizzle with half of the dressing. Spoon the mushroom-and-grape salad onto the lettuce. Toss the celery with the remaining dressing, spoon it on top and serve.

Spiced Lentils with Mushrooms and Greens

I'm always on the lookout for a way to incorporate lentils into my diet as well as more greens. So this recipe for Spiced Lentils with Mushrooms and Greens from the February, 2011 issue of Food and Wine magazine is perfect, especially since I think nothing with mushrooms can ever be bad. And there is nothing I love better than when foods that seem somewhat boring on their own (i.e. dry lentils and Swiss chard) get tossed together with some spices and end up super tasty as a result! And this is exactly what I got with this one. In fact, it was so good I didn't eat it as a side-dish as suggested in the recipe, I ate it stand alone as a light meal.

Spiced Lentils with Mushrooms and Greens 4 side-dish servings 1/2 cup brown or green lentils 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced 1/4-inch thick Salt 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp ground coriander 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/8 tsp turmeric 1/2 pound Swiss chard or other tender greens, large stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped 1 Tbsp chopped parsley

In a small saucepan, cover the lentils with 2 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the shiitake and season with salt. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stiffing, until the mushrooms are tender and starting to brown, 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil along with the garlic, cumin, coriander, pepper and turmeric and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the greens and cook, stirring, until wilted, 2 minutes.

Add the lentils and their cooking liquid to the mushrooms and simmer for 3 minutes. Add up to 1/4 cup water if the lentils are too dry. Season with salt. Ladle the lentils into bowls, garnish with parsley and serve.

My Legume Love Affair (MLLA) was originally started by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook. This month's MLLA #33 is being hosted by Ammalus Kitchen