Italian Fried Rice

I learned to make fried rice from my friend from Hong Kong.  I adapted her recipe to make this Italian style fried rice.  The beans give the dish a great heartiness and the Favas have such a meaty unique flavor.  I used all fresh veggies and brown rice just to be healthier.  It turned out to be a delicious comfort food dish.

Ingredients


1 cup fresh shelled Garbanzo Beans
1/2 cup fresh shelled Fava Beans
4 cloves sliced Garlic
1 cup fresh chopped Spinach
1/4 cup fresh chopped Basil
1/4 cup fresh chopped Parsley
1-2 T. Olive Oil
2-3 chopped Plum Tomatos
2 cups Brown Rice (cooked)
Coarse Sea Salt to Taste


Heat the Garlic in the Olive Oil over medium to medium high heat.  (I again used my trusty cast iron skillet) Add the Beans and sauté for about 5 minutes until they turn a deeper green.  Then add the Spinach, Basil and Parsley and sauté for a couple of minutes before adding the Tomatos.  Cook until most of the liquid from the Tomatos is gone and then add the Rice.  (use the back of the spoon and mash down any clumps of Rice to break it up).  Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring and mixing the whole time.  Add the Salt to taste and maybe some cayenne or red pepper flakes if you'd like and cook for a couple more minutes  before serving.  

Greens (and Reds) over Orecchiette

I'm Italian.  I love Pasta.  I love Olive Oil.  I love Garlic.  I love 'Greens'.  I love this dish I just made for dinner.  Some tips - use De Cecco Pasta - it's just the best (and it's from near my home town in Italy)  and use the red stalks of the Chard too, they add color and a nice crunch.  Delicious, simple dish.

Red Chard over Orecchiette

Ingredients

1/2 box Orecchiette
2 T. Olive Oil (more or less)
5 cloves Garlic (chopped)
1 bunch Red Chard (coarsely chopped, include the stalks)
Coarse Sea Salt to taste
Hot Red Pepper Flakes (if you want)

Bring a spaghetti pot full of salted water to a boil.  Throw in the Orecchiette and let cook for 9 minutes (2 minutes under recommended time).  In the meantime sauté the Garlic in the Olive Oil, add the stalks and let cook for a couple minutes then add the leafy parts.  Cook over medium heat, add Salt and Hot Pepper Flakes.  Drain Pasta and add to the Chard.  Let it all mix well and sauté for 2 minutes more until pasta is nice and al dente.  Serves 2, but in my case it served 1.

Stir Fried Baby Bok Choy with Tofu and Green Beans

This dish is fast, easy and tastes great.  My friend from Hong Kong has taught me many things about stir frying.  For example she taught me to freeze tofu and then thaw it in the fridge when you want to use it.  To cook,  drain it of all the excess water before slicing then stir fry in hot oil, the hotter the better.  The tofu turns out much better; its consistency stays firmer.  Another lesson I took from my Chinese friend is to use high heat and Canola oil and always start with fresh Ginger.  All these tips came in handy for this recipe.

Ingredients


1-2 T. Fresh Ginger (cut in strips)
2-3 Baby Bok Choy (cut into quarters)
1/2 C Fresh Green Beans
1 Pkg. Firm Tofu (thawed, dried and sliced in triangles)
1 T. Canola Oil
Soy Sauce to taste

Heat the Canola Oil over high heat in a wok or cast iron fry pan.   Par boil the Green Beans for about a minute.   When the Canola Oil begins to smoke add the Ginger, then the Baby Bok Choy and Green Beans.  (Careful as water will make the hot oil splatter) After a minute add the sliced Tofu.  Stir Often!  After a couple minutes the Tofu will begin to brown; add the Soy Sauce and stir fry for a few more seconds before plating it.  Serves 2.

Guess what, more beans

Chunky Refried Bean Dip with Tomatillo

I didn't realize that a bag of those dried beans I got at the 99¢ store would make so much.   That pound bag has been feeding me for a few days now, I got beans coming out my ears.   I had some fresh made tortilla chips so I thought a dip would be in order.  I came up with this recipe and it turned out swell;  spicy, tangy and kinda addictive.

Ingredients


1 cup Black Beans (cooked)
1 cup Pink Beans (cooked)
1 Onion, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
2 Tomatillos, diced
2 Cloves Garlic, diced
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Fine Sea Salt to Taste
1/2 T. Olive Oil

Sauté the Onions, Bell Pepper and Garlic in the Olive Oil over Medium Heat (I again used my cast iron skillet - I find I use less oil in my cast iron because it's so well seasoned).  After 5 minutes or when onions are translucent add the Beans.  Mash the bean with the back of a spoon until they're not quite a refried bean consistency, in other words leave it a little chunky.  Add the Tomatillos and Seasonings and cook for another five minutes and then turn down the heat and let simmer for at least another 10 minutes, stirring often. Serve with some tortilla chips and you're good to go. Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional Info (per serving)

Calories: 350
Fat: 5g
Carbohydrates: 78g
Protein: 22g
Over 100% US RDA of Vitamin C

Pink and Black Sweet Potato Burgers

I never have been a fan of the frozen veggie burgers; I find them to be dry and tasteless.  So I thought I'd try to make my own.  The results for this first time experiment were stellar.  Nights ago I had made some beans in my crock pot and decided to use them to make some burgers.  I was worried that they'd fall apart but they didn't.  They tasted great and are super nutritious.

Ingredients


1/2 cup Pink Beans (cooked)
1/2 cup Black Beans (cooked)
1 baked Sweet Potato
1 T. Flax Seed
2 T. Sunflower Seeds
2 T. Corn Meal
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
Fine Sea Salt to Taste
1/2 T. Canola Oil

Mash the Beans (use your hands and fists, it's fun) in a mixing bowl and then add the Sweet Potato and mix some more.
Add the Flax and Sunflower Seeds, Corn Meal, Cumin and Salt.  Blend well until you get a ball that stays together, if not staying together add more Corn Meal.
Separate Ball into four equal parts, and form each part into a Patty.  Place Patties on wax paper and place in the fridge to firm up for about 30 minutes.
In a skillet (I used my trusty cast iron) heat the Canola Oil over medium heat and then place in the Patties.  Cook for five minutes before flipping and cook for another five until each side is nicely browned.  Serve on a bun and add all the fixings you like.  I ate mine bun-less with some salad greens and a nice miso vinaigrette and it was super delicious.

Nutritional Info
(per Patty)

Calories: 158
Fat: 4g
Carbohydrates: 31
Protein: 8g
Over 100% US RDA for Vitamin C, A and Potassium

Whole Grain Penne Primavera Mexicali

I finally decided to use the box of Barilla whole grain penne that's been staring at me from inside my cabinet for months.  I gathered some fresh produce at my local Mexican grocery made a quick and easy primavera sauce and spiced it up a bit.  It turned out muy bueño.



Whole Grain Penne Primavera Mexicali

 Ingredients


1 Poblano Pepper chopped
1 Yellow Onion chopped
2 cloved garlic chopped
1 Zucchini sliced into half moons
1 Yellow Squash sliced into half moons
2 Plum Tomatos chopped
2 tsp Olive Oil
1/4 cup Cilantro
1 tsp Chli Powder
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Paprika
Red Pepper Flakes to taste
Sea Salt to taste
7oz. (1/2 box) Barilla Whole Grain Penne

Sauté the Poblano Pepper, Onion and Garlic in the Olive Oil over medium-medium high heat.
( I used my cast iron skillet which I love for this one)
After about 5 minutes add the Zucchini, Squash and Seasonings.
After 3 minutes add the tomato and Cilantro and let simmer for 10 minutes.
In the meantime cook the Penne in boiling salted water for 7 minutes (2 minutes under the recommended cooking time).
Drain Penne and then add to the other ingredients in the skillet.
Let it simmer in the sauce for 2 more minutes until al dente.  Makes 2 generous servings.

Nutritional Info

Calories: 450
Fat: 7g
Carbohydrates: 76g
Protein: 15g

Beet It - a Vegan Dinner Option

Roasted Beets and Potato with Sauteed Beet Greens and Fresh Garbanzos

I never had beets other than at a Sizzler's Salad Bar until this week.  One of the great things about turning VEGAN is that I feel like I don't waste food, like in this beet recipe.  I told my Mom I was having beets for dinner and being the good old Italian lady she is, she told me 'eat the beet greens too', so I did, and ooh was I glad I did - so delicious!
I picked up some fresh Garbanzos at an ethnic grocery store here in Los Angeles.  If you never have had fresh Garbanzos you're in for a treat as well.  They come in pods and usually there are one or two beans in each pod.  When cooked they turn a deeper green and have a nutty almost creamy consistency, so much better than the canned varieties.

Roasted Beets and Potato

Ingredients
1 bunch of Beets cut in chunks
1 Potato cut in chunks
1 T. Olive Oil
Coarse Sea Salt to taste.

Preheat oven to 400.  Scrub then cut the veggies and place on a foiled baking sheet, reserving the beet greens  (you can peel the veggies, though the beets are easily peeled once cooked).  Pour on Olive Oil and sprinkle on Sea Salt.  Mix around with your hands until all pieces are coated.  Place in oven and let roast for 40-45 minutes.  (You can put the beets in a separate "foil packet" if you choose but I like the beet juice to run all over and bake into the potato)

Sauteed Beet Greens and Fresh Garbanzos

Ingredients
Beet Greens, keeping some of the stem as well
1/2 cup fresh, shelled Garbanzos
2 cloves Garlic, diced
1 T. Olive Oil
Coarse Sea Salt
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

In sauté pan heat the Olive Oil, Garlic, and Red Pepper over medium high heat, making sure not to burn the garlic.  Add the Beet Greens, after a minute add the Garbanzos, cook for another couple minutes then sprinkle on the Sea Salt to taste.  Cook for a minute more then serve.

Nutritional Info
calories: 575
fat: 12g (from the Olive Oil)
carbohydrates: 100g
protein: 14g
Vitamin A: 100% RDA