Red Cabbage Salad...Salata de Varza Rosie

Cabbage Salad...Salata de Varza Rosie. My mom always had some sort of salad at every meal. Sometimes, she even had 2 or 3 different salads! This salad was often a side dish for many meals. Though we sometimes got kind of tired of the leafy lettuce salads, we never did get tired of the cabbage salad. Funny thing is, we all loved this salad. None of us complained. Mom always made sure we had plenty of vegetables and fruits in our diet. If she could give it to us in the raw form, she would. She did her best to provide us with the proper nutrients and a pretty well balanced diet. She often made a carrot salad that was sooo good!...grated carrots, lemon juice, a bit of sugar, and sometimes pineapple. She kept it simple, but it tasted so wonderful. We all loved it... definitely got plenty of vitamins out of it! Well, this cabbage salad was often made with red or white cabbage. We liked both. You could jazz it up with other ingredients if you like....red onion, grated carrots, dill, etc. But, sometimes simple is just as good or even better. Cabbage provides plenty of vitamins and fiber... Check out the nutrition facts here. I hope you will try this salad...simple, easy, and good for you. It is so simple to make, that I wasn't even going to post it. But maybe, just maybe, some of you might like to try it:)...

You will need: Feel free to double, triple the recipe. This recipe should feed about 4.

1/4 of large red cabbage

2-3 TBS extra virgin olive oil (though any vegetable oil will do)

2 TBS cider vinegar( or white vinegar/rice vinegar)

1/4- 1/2 tsp kosher salt/ or to taste

freshly ground pepper/to taste

Directions:

Wash cabbage. Cut a quarter.

Cut cabbage in thin strips.

Using your hands squeeze the shredded cabbage to soften it....this is key!

Sprinkle some salt and squeeze some more. You want the cabbage to sort of become limp...not so tough. This should take about a minute or so. Add oil, vinegar and pepper.

Toss to coat.

Check for seasoning and adjust. I noticed that the cabbage usually needs more vinegar than other salads...so add it to your liking. Enjoy!

Corn Parfait...or Corn Pudding.

Corn Parfait...Similar to a Corn Pudding. Sometimes I like to get out of my comfort zone and try something new. Such was the case when I made this recipe... a different side dish and yet really easy to do! You can make this for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any time of the year when you crave some real comfort food. This past summer, my husband and I went corn picking at a local farm. We loved going through the field and picking the corn. Nothing beats fresh picked corn. The taste is amazing...so sweet and creamy you could practically eat it fresh off the cob . One is never enough. My husband and I each filled our bucket...we had plenty...enough to last us for quite some time. Back home, we ended up eating a few... but we quickly realized that you can only eat so much! Even though we really like corn, we had way too much! So I decided to freeze the rest and use it throughout the winter. I have been thinking of trying new recipes with all of the corn I have sitting in the freezer. So I ventured to try this recipe...and my husband really liked it! He actually requested it for Thanksgiving dinner. It goes rather well with a meat course. The dish is creamy, and sort of like a savory pudding...actually it is:). I decided to add some dried onion flakes to the mixture , just to bring more flavor to the dish. But there are lots of other options... you could add some herbs, cheese, green chile, various spices, ...you could also add some chopped ham, bacon bits. I am sure you can be a bit creative with this recipe. If you like yours on the sweeter side, you can add some sugar. This corn parfait will puff up nicely as it bakes and gets a nice golden color. It will however, lose some of the height as it cools down. That is expected. You can also probably get away with using milk instead of the half and half. That's only if you want to cut down on some of the calories:). Give this recipe a try...you just might like it.

You will need: adapted from Jacques Pepin with a small change
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened
4 ears corn, husked*
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

2 TBS dried onion flakes( you could probably use fresh...)

*4 ears of corn=4 cups of corn (in case you would like to use the frozen corn option)

* I made another batch with bits of pickled jalapeno in the batter...it was even better:)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Get your ingredients ready.

Coat a 4 or 5 cup gratin dish with the butter or you can use small individual ramekins. Cut the kernels off the ears of corn (or you can just use frozen corn that has been defrosted).

Place the corn in the bowl of a food processor (or blender...I used my VitaMix) with the flour, eggs, dried onion, salt, and pepper.

Process until well pureed.

Add the half and half, and process for another 5 to 10 seconds.

Pour into the buttered dish, and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.

(using a larger gratin dish)

(using individual ramekins)

Bake for about 25 minutes or until nicely puffed and golden brown.

If you are using small ramekins the baking time might be shorter. The corn parfait will sink a bit as it sits.

It is best eaten warm from the oven.

You can reheat it, if you like.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Orange Maple Glaze

Roasted Root Vegetables with Orange Maple Glaze ...I thought I would share a side dish for Thanksgiving(or any other day for that matter)that is quite easy to put together. I love making this dish....just because of all the health benefits. Plus, I think it is a colorful addition to any dinner menu. I love the fact that you can use a variety of vegetables or use just a few. I used what I had at the moment. You can omit the glaze if you like. I love the roasted flavor of the vegetables... but I have to admit, that I didn't quite care for the addition of the beets. When I was done with roasting the vegetables, I decided I would leave half of the vegetables without the beets. I liked them better that way. Maybe its just a matter of taste. Next time, I think I will substitute some purple potatoes or purple carrots...because I rather liked the purple color:). But you might like the beets...so use them if you like. Beets are really good for you, but somehow I prefer them boiled and tossed with some olive oil and vinegar instead. Feel free to add any herbs you like and toss some garlic cloves in for good measure(which I forgot to do this time around). I love the way the house smells when you roast the vegetables.... a comforting and cozy kind of feeling. This recipe omits the addition of butter, cream or marshmallows. In case you feel like trying out a healthier side dish, here is my version...

You will need:~

Serves about 4.... sort of inspired by Bon Appetit

1 carrot

1 parsnip
1 beet (or next time, I would use purple potatoes or purple carrots)

1 potato (or use a sweet potato)

1 yam
2 oranges (or orange juice)
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup(or use honey)
salt

garlic cloves (I forgot to add this, but I am sure it would be a wonderful addition...)

herbs of choice...try rosemary, thyme, parsley...

~ you can also use rutabaga, turnip, celery root ,fennel or omit any vegetable you don't like...

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400˚
Wash and peel the vegetables.

Cut them into 1-2 inch pieces.

Place them in a bowl. If you are doing beets, place those separately in another smaller bowl. Juice one half of one of the oranges (or use some orange juice) and whisk in the olive oil. Take one tablespoon of this mixture and drizzle it over the beet and mix to coat.
Pour the rest of the mixture over the other vegetables.

Toss to coat.
If you are doing beets, place the cubed beets in a separate parchment lined baking sheet.

This will ensure that the rest of your vegetables won't get stained. Place the rest of the cut vegetables in a separate parchment lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle both pans with salt and herbs.
Bake for 30 minutes or until tender when stuck with a fork.
Juice the remaining orange and a half and put the juice into a small heavy pot with the maple syrup.

Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook on low till the sauce thickens, stirring it every now and then.

Mix the beets with the other vegetables and pour the glaze over everything.

Serve immediately.

Easy, Creamy Butternut Squash Soup...Perfect as an Amuse Bousche

Easy, Creamy Butternut Squash Soup...Perfect as an Amuse Bousche. I often get inspired by the places I visit... along with the food that I might eat there. I usually come home and try to duplicate/create a recipe that has left its mark on me. This was one of them...though slightly changed. While in Ireland, my husband and I had the opportunity to dine at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant. We were served an amuse bousche.... pumpkin soup, compliments of the chef. I thought it was sooo good! It was rather creamy and luxurious, and the small amount of soup was just perfect. It wasn't too heavy, as if I would have eaten a whole bowl . I guess I also loved the fact that it was served in an espresso cup :)... So, I came home and thought of creating a soup similar to the pumpkin soup. I had bought a butternut squash and wanted to use that... feel free to use pumpkin instead. I found a recipe by Gordon Ramsay... a Spiced carrot and butternut squash soup and started adapting it. This is my version, but feel free to make the original. This soup comes together so quick, that it is amazing! The color is really bright and so beautiful...perfect for the fall. Last, but not least, the soup is quite economical and quite healthy for you....if you don't overdo the cream:). Since we are quite close to Thanksgiving, I thought it would be nice to share at least one recipe with you:)! This soup would be perfect as an amuse bousche...a fine tasting of what is yet to come on your Thanksgiving table. If you are expecting a rather large group you can easily double or triple the soup. The soup is also easy to tweak to your liking. Try changing the herbs and spices ..add some curry, ginger, or even some garam masala. But, I loved the tinge of smokiness and spice the chipotle added.... and since I had some fresh thyme growing in a pot, I used that as well. But, I also happen to love using thyme in my soups. Overall, a lovely and delicious soup! The soup makes about 3-4 (1 cup) servings or easily 8 espresso cups. Hope you enjoy...

You will need: inspired and slightly adapted from Gordon Ramsay's... Spiced carrot and squash soup

1/2 butternut squash, diced (about 2 cups)

1-1 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

1/2 onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbs olive oil

2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only

1/8 tsp nutmeg, freshly ground

1/4-1/2 tsp chipotle pepper powder or use chile flakes

salt/pepper, to taste

1/4-1/3 cup half and half, (you could use cream, milk or even chicken stock)

croutons for garnish

Parmesan for garnish

fresh thyme for garnish

Directions:

Peel and dice butternut squash.

Peel and dice carrot and onion. Mince garlic.

To a soup pot, add 2 TBS olive oil. Heat oil and add chopped onion and garlic. Season with a bit of salt.

Saute on med/low heat till onion is soft...about 5-7 minutes.

Add diced carrot and squash.

Saute for a minute or so. Add 1 cup chicken stock, making sure the vegetables are pretty much covered in liquid. Add chipotle pepper or chile flakes, thyme and nutmeg. Season with a bit more salt, if needed.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until squash is tender. This can be anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. Since I live at a higher altitude, mine cooks faster. Place cooked squash and liquid in a blender(I used my VitaMix).

Blend till smooth.

Place the pureed mixture back into the pot. It is at this point that you can leave it the way it is...it is a bit thicker... or you can thin it out with some sort of liquid. You can definitely use heavy cream...it will be luxuriuous! Or you can opt to use a lower fat...like I did, by using half and half. There are other lower fat options: you could use milk or even add more chicken stock. You might need to adjust the amount of half and half by adding more or less ...depending on how thin or thick you want your soup to be.

Pour the soup in espresso cups and garnish with thyme leaves,croutons, Parmesan cheese or just leave it plain.

You can likewise pour it in soup bowls.

Black Bean Brownies with Orange Zest

Black Bean Brownies with Orange Zest... Well, here it is! Finally, the long awaited Black Bean Brownie Recipe...at least for me anyway:). You see, I have been wanting to try this recipe for a long time now, but didn't have the guts to make it until recently. Many of you may have seen this recipe, others may have even tried it, while others may be thinking, "No way!". Come on, with a name like that?...I wasn't about to waste my time... I mean, really,.... bean brownies?!! I know, I know... but that's exactly what I was thinking. The recipe for black bean brownies has surfaced all over the blogging world and many have raved about it. There are all sorts of variations, some use different sweeteners, some use coconut oil, others don't use any leavening, but the main ingredient is always black beans. The first time I heard about it, I thought very little of it. You see, I love brownies and don't care to mess around with the ingredients too much. But, as time went by, I thought about it again. I mean we all love to eat healthier, don't we? So, why not make healthier brownies and eat them without so much guilt. Well, I decided it was high time that I tried them for myself. I knew instantly that I would add some additional flavors to the basic recipe, so I chose to bring in the orange flavor. I love the combination of orange and chocolate,.... though you can do a variety of flavors such as: peppermint/raspberry/mocha/Irish cream/Kahlua flavor. I also knew that I would like to use some sort of of leavening. I had seen too many pictures of the brownies that didn't use any baking powder/soda... and they all looked too flat. I came across this recipe that used baking powder to give the brownies some height. Because I chose to use the extra dark cocoa, the brownies baked darker in color than normal and were probably more chocolaty in flavor. The recipe uses the regular cocoa, so feel free to use that.
Ok, so how did I like them? Well, I thought they were very good. I did think they were a bit grainy, which I kind of expected. So, if you can get past that, I think you will like them. I did not taste the beans in the brownies at all! They were chocolaty, moist and fudgy. The orange flavor really stood out and I think was the key ingredient. There was something about the brownies that made me go back and grab another piece....trying all the time to see if I liked them or not:)! My only problem with this recipe, is that it uses 3/4 cup of white sugar. Somehow, I have mixed feelings about them being extra healthy. I feel that the brownies could definitely be healthier if I used another natural form of sweetener...maybe honey, date sugar, etc. I am not a big fan of artificial sweeteners. I would love to make them healthy enough so that I could eat a piece without worrying about the sugar content. Eventually, I would like to experiment with them. If you do try these, and use another type of sweetener, will you let me know how they come out? Even if you try them with the regular sugar, I would love to now what you think of them.

You will need:adapted from here with a slight variation.

15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed very well

3 large eggs
3 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used EXTRA DARK...therefore the EXTRA DARK chocolate color:)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips, divided

1 TBS grated orange zest

1/2-1 tsp orange extract

I think this brownie needs additional flavoring to bring it over the top...

I chose to do mine with orange flavor but you can easily add a variety of flavors such as:

add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, subsitute chocolate chips with Andes chocolate chunks

add 1 TBS Irish cream and 2 tsps instant coffee

add Kahlua flavoring

add raspberry flavoring

add nuts

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8 X 8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. I like to use parchment paper for mine...just as an extra precaution.
Place the black beans in the bowl of a food processor Process until smooth and creamy. I used my VitaMix for this to ensure absolute creaminess, but you don't need to. Just process until smooth. Add the eggs, oil, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, orange extract, orange zest, baking powder, and salt.

Process until smooth.

Add ¼ cup of the chips and pulse a few times until the chips are broken up a bit.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle the top with the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips(or nuts if using).
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges start to pull away from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Mine was done in 30 minutes. Cool in the pan before slicing.

This would be extra good with some vanilla ice cream.