Ummmm! Warm, Sticky and Sweet Roasted Plantains

You may have seen these gnarly-looking-black-kind-of-bananas in the produce section of your grocery store and thought, "Ick". You were wrong.

Wait til you taste the rich, gooey sweetness of a roasted plantain. They are SO good and SO easy to make. Plantains soon will be a star on the side of your plate.

Discovering the ease and versatility of roasting has changed the veggie game. As vegetables roast, they lose moisture and their flavor is concentrated and sweetened. Broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, or any of the veggies that were on your personal "Ick" list, now taste delicious...and plantains do, too!

Native to India, but grown all in tropical climates all around the world, plantains are popular in Latin American, Caribbean and West African cooking. A little longer than a banana with a thick tough skin, the easiest way to peel them? Cut off each end and score the plantain with your knife, from one end to the other.

Once peeled, you are ready to season and roast. They are a great side to a veggie plate, as an accompaniment to a piece of grilled fish, or an sweet addition to a black bean salad!

Roasted Plantains

4 Black Plantains

2 TB Olive Oil

1 TB Smoked Paprika

1 Tsp Sea Salt

Peel and Slice the plantains into 1/2" diagonal slices. On an aluminum foil lined sheet try, toss them with the olive oil, smoked paprika and sea salt. Slide into a 400F oven and let roast for 30 minutes or until soft and caramelized around the edges. Serve and enjoy!

Meatless, Luscious, Fun - Middle Eastern Carrot Salad

I love recipes like this one. It takes a very pedestrian veggie – one that we’ve eaten thousands of times before – and with the addition of spices and herbs it makes that same “ole veg worth eating all over again. We made this salad the other day for a cooking class at Cancer Wellness and everyone raved about its bright taste and fresh flavors. I hope you will, too! Make it a meal by serving sliced tomatoes, Kalamata olives, Greek yogurt with fresh dill and a stack of warm pita pockets. 20 – 30 minutes and dinner is ready. I’ll be over in just a bit!

Middle Eastern Carrot Salad

4 Large Carrots, Peeled

2 TB Olive Oil

1 TB Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

Zest of 1 Lemon

1 Clove Garlic Grated

½ Tsp Hot Paprika

½ Tsp Cumin

¼ Cup Chopped Parsley

Step One

Put the peeled carrots in a pot of boiling, salted water and cook until crisp-tender. (This means just barely cooked.) Remove from the water and slice into ½” rounds.

Step Two

Place the carrots in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients, mixing well. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Meatless, Luscious, Fun: Pasta Puttanesca for Dinner Tonight

My husband and I love this delicious and easy pasta sauce that can whipped up in a flash, and served on pasta, quinoa or our favorite grain. Puttanesca is from Italy, where it was invented in the mid 20th century by a restauranteur. (Even though the dish is attributed to Neapolitan "ladies".) Make it chunky and serve it as bruschetta on crunchy toasted Italian bread, or use as a pizza sauce.

No need to share the all the ingredients - anchovies can be a tough sell to family or friends. You won't taste the salty fish in the finished dish, but just a wonderful briny taste topping pasta.

20 Minute Puttanesca

(Poo-ta-nesk-ah)

1 TB Canola Oil

1 Yellow Onion, Finely Chopped

3 Cloves Garlic, Minced

1 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes

4 Cups Canned Chopped Tomatoes

1/2 Cup Dry Red Wine

1 1/2 TB Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tsp Sugar

1 Tsp Each Sea Salt and Pepper

6 *Anchovy Fillets, Chopped (You can rinse the anchovies 

3 TB Capers

1 Cup Kalamata Olives, Chopped

4 Cups Cooked QUINOA

2 TB Chopped Parsley

Grated Pecorino Romano to Serve

Step One Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion and red pepper flakes over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, then the tomatoes and wine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Step Two Season with the balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Add the anchovies, capers and olives and simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until warm. While the Puttanesca is simmering, cook the QUINOA according to package directions.

Step Three Toss the QUINOA with the pan of Puttanesca sauce. Serve garnished with parsley and cheese.

*Anchovies are a dividing food - either you love them or you hate them! But even if you are not an anchovy fan, try cooking them, as in this recipe. When the anchovies are heated they simply dissolve, leaving a luscious salty flavor.

Luscious, Meatless and Fun: South Indian Butternut and Squash Stew

I am having a “Crockpot” Renaissance. I wake up in the morning, scheming about what to plop in the pot so we can have dinner together at a decent hour during the week, (not to mention eating really deliciously and well.) So here’s one of my latest creations, one that I served up at a recent class of appreciative eaters! Not only is it gorgeous with brilliant colors of orange, yellow and red, it's a great way to make a meatless meal that is so hearty no one even misses the meat. The leftovers freeze great, and a pita pocket stuffed full with the stew and a little shredded Napa cabbage makes a super lunch the next day.

Make it as spicy as you like. The recipe is redolent with the warm aroma of Garam Masala, an Indian spice blend including coriander, turmeric, pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon, but you can add more!  We are “pepperheads” in my family, so I add additional Garam Masala and a ½ Tsp of Cayenne to the big pot.

South Indian Butternut and Squash Stew

            1 Cup Dried Chickpeas, soaked overnight*

            2 ½ LBs Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and chopped

            2 Large Carrots, peeled and chopped

            1 Large Red Onion, chopped

            1 Cup Red Lentils**

            4 Cups Vegetable Broth

            2 TB Tomato Paste

            1 TB Grated Fresh Ginger

            1 Tsp Cumin

            1 Tsp Garam Masala

            1  Tsp Sea Salt

            ½ Tsp Turmeric

            1/4 Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper

            1/4 Cup Lime Juice

            6 Cups Cooked Basmati Brown Rice

            1/2 Cup Chopped Roasted Cashews

            1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro

Combine the soaked chickpeas through the black pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook on low until the chickpeas are tender and the lentils have begun to break down, 5 to 6 hours.  Stir in the lime juice. (Why lime juice? I don’t have to add as much salt. Citrus juice is a great substitute for salt!) Sprinkle with cashews and cilantro and serve over the basmati brown rice.

*Quick soak method:

Place beans in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. Drain when ready to use.

**Can’t find red lentils? Red lentils are a traditional “dal”, used in Indian cooking. “Dal” is the word used to describe lentils, peas and beans in India. I like them in this recipe, because they not only add golden color, (they turn from red to yellow when cooked), but they also break down easily, so the flavor incorporates beautifully into the dish. If you can’t find the reds – just use ordinary brown lentils from the grocery store. Your stew will still taste delicious!

Luscious, Meatless and Fun! Veggie Soup with Cornbread

Crockpot Veggie Soup and Cornbread

This time of year, the slow cooker makes me happy. Not only is it cold and yucky outside, but squeezing in a walk before it gets dark makes getting dinner on the table at a decent hour is tough.

Crockpot to the rescue! I can prep my veggies the night before, and allow about 30 minutes in the morning to make a super soup that will be ready for us in the evening. And not just any dinner! This is a delicious, hearty soup and a quick cornbread that will make us happy tonight. And tomorrow, for a yummy lunch filled with lots of luscious healthy veggies and a slice of cornbread on the side.

And speaking of the cornbread… its gluten free! Made with white beans, its especially moist and flavorful. And the beans give the cornbread more fiber and protein. Not bad, huh?

Crockpot Veggie Soup

1 Large Red Onion, Chopped

1 TB Turmeric

½ Tsp Black Pepper

2 TB Olive Oil

2 Cloves Garlic, Chopped

6 Cups, Chopped Veggies, your choice of broccoli, cauliflower, parsnips, carrots, turnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, etc.

1 Tsp Sea Salt

6 – 8 Cups Veggie Stock, divided

1 Can Rotel Tomatoes

1 Can Diced Tomatoes

Step One

Saute the onion, turmeric and pepper in a large skillet with the olive oil for about 6 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and cook and stir until fragrant, about a minute. Add in the chopped veggies and sauté until soft about another 5 minutes.

Step Two

Add the veggies to the crockpot. Add the sea salt,  5 cups of the stock, and both cans of the tomatoes. Turn the crockpot to low. Add the remaining 1 cup stock to the pan and cook over low heat to get all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the cup of stock with all the brown bits to the crockpot and stir. Put the top on the crockpot. The soup can cook for 8 to 9 hours – no problem!

Gluten Free but Delicious! Cornbread

2 Cups Stone-Ground Yellow or White Cornmeal

1 Tsp Baking Soda

2 ½ Tsp Baking Powder

1 TB Sugar

½ Tsp Sea Salt

1 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Cup of Mashed White or Cannellini Beans

3 Large Eggs, lightly beaten

2 Cups Light Buttermilk 

Step One

Preheat the oven to 400F. Combine the cornmeal, soda, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl and whisk together with a fork. 

Step Two

In another bowl, combine the oil and mashed beans.  Thoroughly stir in eggs and buttermilk, then add the cornmeal mixture and stir until JUST blended.

Step Three

Spoon the batter into a non-stick spray coated skillet or muffin tin and bake in the middle of a preheated 400F oven for 30 – 35 minutes. (20 -25 minutes for muffins.)  Test for doneness with a toothpick, when just a few crumbs cling to the toothpick, the cornbread is done. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then cut into slices.