White Bean, Zucchini, and Heirloom Tomato Gratin

My left hand is on fire from making the sriracha. And now it’s worse after making this gratin. I have no idea why.

In other news, I have been looking for healthy and inspiring things to pack for lunch. Something that inspires me to actually pack it in the morning instead of getting a burrito from down the street. This is pretty and healthy. I was so proud that I brought it into the living room to show Henry, who was playing Minecraft.

But seriously. I feel like I am dying. A slow, fire is creeping up my left hand kind of death.

Ingredients:

• two heirloom tomatoes, large, sliced
• one large zucchini
• one can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 twig of rosemary
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper
• red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• olive oil

Method:

Saute onions until golden. Salt and pepper. Add minced garlic, rosemary, minced, and beans. Saute briefly, then add stock. Reduce for a few minutes.

Start by placing your beans into a deep casserole dish.

Add one layer of tomatoes, salt and pepper them, and drizzle with olive oil. Add another layer of tomatoes, this time, adding the cheese on top. Add one more layer of tomatoes, salt and pepper, then add the zucchini in a nice layer. You can do whatever permutation of layers of vegetables as you have the vegetables, creativity, and patience for.

Bake in the oven at 350 until bubbling and slightly brown on top.

Rosemary Mustard Beef Kabobs and Vegetable Tian

School starts tomorrow. PowerPuff Girls is on. Meat is in the fridge, marinating, and the oven is preheating. I still have homework to do for my Master’s before the night is over. But laundry is done, the five year old starts kindergarten tomorrow, and it’s so muggy in this apartment. Ugh. I’m all over the place. But dinner will be good.

This recipe is adapted from a grilled chicken recipe. I just slathered the marinade on some beef and I’ll grill that instead. 

Ingredients:

• some sort of protein
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• juice from one large lemon
• two cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced, fresh rosemary

Grill the marinated meat. The end

Tian:

Ingredients:

• Some combination of veggies. I chose sweet potatoes, red potatoes, onion, summer squash, and zucchini.
• 2 T butter
• 1 T rosemary
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Method: I caramelized the onion first. Then I sliced all of my veggies about a 1/4 inch thick. Then I layered them in a casserole dish. Then I dotted them with butter, salted and peppered them. Then layered the onions on top, with the rosemary and garlic sprinkled on top of that. Then, cover tightly with foil and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Take the foil off, add some Parmesan cheese to the top, and bake another 30 minutes, uncovered.

 

 

Muffin Sunday: Experimenting with Chia Seeds

Muffins are a perfect thing. Just as long as you don’t turn them into cupcakes, convincing yourself they have some sort of redeeming quality, you’re fine. They are easily adaptable. You can swap out the butter and eggs for things like apple sauce and yogurt or even avocado. They are forgiving and easy to fortify with foods you might not eat on their own. Like chia seeds.

When Henry leaves for work at 5:30, I like knowing he has a muffin to throw down his maw as he’s biking to work. The kids would eat them all in one sitting, if I let them. And I can pack them for work. Perfection.

 

Peach Chia Muffins, yield 12 large dozen

• 2 cups flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 stick softened butter
• 1 cup sugar (half white and brown)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 jar peach pie filling (mine is heavily spiced and includes raisins)
• chia seeds (I have no idea how much I used. I just dumped some.)

Mix together the wet and dry separately. Fold together wet and dry. Bake at 350 until a toothpick comes out clean.

Zucchini Pineapple Chia Muffins, yields 12

• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 3 eggs
• 1 medium zucchini, grated and squeezed dry
• 10 ounces of pineapple, chunked or crushed. Squeezed dry.
• Some chia seeds

Mix the wet and dry separately. Mix the wet with the dry. Bake at 325 until toothpick comes out clean.

Summer Tagliatelle

Ingredients:

• 5 tomatoes, diced
• 2 zucchini, sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 large handfuls mushrooms, your choice, sliced
• 1 handful of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
• some dried oregano
• some fresh basil
• two handfuls of Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper
• olive oil and butter

Method:

1. Drop a knob of butter and some olive oil in a frying pan, which should be heating up at a medium high temperature. When the butter and oil are a bit foamy, saute onion, garlic, zucchini, mushrooms, artichokes, etc., one at a time, building the flavors of each as they meld together to form the sauce.
2. Season the vegetables with salt, pepper, and oregano. Add the tomatoes last and simmer the sauce until the pasta is done.  Add basil and cheese last minute.
3. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. 
4. Mix the pasta and sauce.
5. Try not to be discouraged because you are still without a camera and cannot provide any pictures.
6. Eat away your sorrows.

Daily Dishes: Recipes that Caught My Eye

Roasted Asparagus and Cherry Tacos  This is, by far, the most intriguing recipe I’ve come across in awhile. The key here would be to try to get both the asparagus and cherries in season, which might be hard to do in some places.  Asparagus season ended a couple weeks ago and cherry season is in full swing now.

Butterbean and Almond Hummus  I am forever on the hunt for new hummus recipes.

Salted Pumpkin Caramels  This is a bit out of season–more suited for fall, but it sounds delicious.

Marinated Zucchini Zucchini is cheap and plentiful during summer months, and I always run out of creative ways to use it.  I think everyone can fess up to just being fed up with zucchini by the end of the summer–there are only so many things you can do with it.  This recipe might stave off the zucchini boredom of late summer.

Russian Pickled Watermelon I could eat watermelon every night for dinner during the  summer.  I cannot get enough of it.  I don’t know if I think this recipe is brilliant or an abomination.  I’ll let you know what I decide.

Sunday Afternoon Lunch: Roasted Asparagus, Sweet Onion, and Zucchini in a Lemon Vinaigrette

• Two zucchinis
• half of an onion
• 1 pound of asparagus
• Juice of half of a lemon
• Some olive oil
• S & P
• A squirt or two of dijon mustard

Method:

Roast vegetables at 450 until they are sufficiently roasted.

Make the vinaigrette (lemon juice, olive oil, dijon mustard, salt and pepper).

Dress the vegetables.

Eat.

Nearly Vegetarian Tortilla Soup (without the tortillas)

Going off this recipe, I came up with my own version.  Here is the ingredient list from the changes I’ve made:

• 1 can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of diced tomatoes, drained
• 1.25 cups of red rice
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 pasilla pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp mexican oregano
• 1tsp pasilla chili powder
• s & p
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cans broth
• 1 cup water
• 10 ounces enchilada sauce
• 1 cup of frozen corn

Directions:  Chop and dice. Measure. Open cans. Pour.  Season. Taste.  Stir.  It’s done when the rice is cooked.

Garnish with sour cream, cilantro, avocados–tortilla chips.  Shredded lettuce or cabbage.  Salsa.

P.S. Don’t forget to take out the bay leaf.