It's recipe day! What else is a blog for but to store the recipes you've cobbled together over the years to serve as an aid to your rapidly failing memory?
And this is a two-fer! At the end, I'm going to ask for your favorite way to cook either vegetables or meat, and if you comment, you get a chance to win Vickie Howell's new book: STEP IT UP KNITS, a cute look at accessories with an eye to gaining new knitting skillz.
When I was a teenager, we lived on a teeny-tiny island called Saipan. Floating in the space between the Philippine Sea and the Pacific at the edge of the Marianas Trench, it had many Filipino residents, and my family fell in love with the food. Every Sunday, we'd go to church which had no walls and was open to the ocean breeze. We could see the waves breaking from our pews.
Saipan Community Church, Susupe
After holiday services, we'd step outside from the end of the pew and take our place at the groaning tables full of of glistening pancit, crunchy lumpia, and my favorite, chicken adobo. Our Ates would load our plates, and we'd eat sitting cross-legged on the sand.
Lately, I'm all about easy meals. And lord, this one is easy. It's the perfect way to try cauliflower rice if you haven't yet (you do need a food processor for this). Now, I couldn't quite imagine adobo without rice. I'm not eating grains at the moment, and I didn't believe that cauliflower (a vegetable I've always hated) could substitute in ANY way for it. Guess what? It does. I actually like the cauliflower rice more than the real stuff.
Bonus: This is anti-inflammation diet and Paleo diet friendly. (Psst – I started eating well to feel better, but I'm sitting here in a size 10 pair of Dickies for the first time in, um, memory? I don't think I've been this weight since I was twenty-one. So that's something.)
Chicken Adobo
This recipe reminds me of my mother's, so I'm fond of it. There are approximately one thousand variations of this. Of course, I think mine is the best.
4-5 lbs chicken thighs, bone-in
1 c white vinegar
1 c soy sauce
A head (or more!) of garlic, peeled and crushed.
1 tsp black peppercorns
Marinate the above for at least an hour. (The more time the better. I like about five hours if possible, but often only do an hour.) Then bring to boil, cover, reduce to simmer for about thirty minutes. Uncover and raise the heat a touch, cook for another twenty minutes or so, until chicken is done. (The meat should be almost falling off the bone at this point.)
Cauliflower Rice
So easy! And fast! Make it at the very last minute.
Two heads cauliflower
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp red chile flakes (or more to taste)
1 tsp ginger powder
Salt to taste
Cut the cauliflower into florets, add to food processor. In approximately 10-15 one-second bursts, chop the cauliflower into pieces that resemble rice (no more, you don't want this going mushy). I usually have to stop the food processor, carefully pull out the bigger pieces that refuse to chop, dump out the rice bits, and toss the big pieces back in. Repeat till all the cauliflower is done. Over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Once it's hot, add the red chile flakes, ginger powder (or fresh! but that's not as quick), and salt. Add the cauliflower and fry it up for about four or five minutes.
Serve the chicken adobo over the rice, and add some of the marinade over the top. Then let your eyes roll back in your head in pleasure.
Servings: Lots. (6-8ish, feel free to halve the recipe)
DRAWING
Now! Leave me your fave way to fix veggies or meat–you know, that easy recipe that you don't have to look up, the one that always tastes good. Simple is best here, since I'm avoiding sugar, dairy, grains,processed ingredients, potatoes, beans, and tomatoes. I know, a challenge, right? It's not as hard as I thought it would be.
(Example: I've recently discovered making sweet potato fries in the toaster oven! Slice fry-shaped, toss with olive oil and salt, bake for 50 minutes or so, till they start to blacken. Serve with mayo/chipotle powder/garlic dip.)
One lucky commenter will win a copy of Vickie Howell's new book! I'll draw on Monday.
Our Favorite soup is vegetarian tortilla soup. I took rachel ray recipe(more for quick technique) and a recipe from all recipes.com and combined them.
1 bag of tortillas
1 bag frozen onion and pepper mix
1 can diced tomatos
1/2 bag of frozen corn (1PD)
2 avocados
1 bag of shredded chedder cheese
4 cups vegie broth ( i use better than boullion)
1 heaping tbsp of cumin
a dash of smoky paprika ( i usually add about a tsp, cause I love it)
oregano, basil, salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
In a large stockpot add the olive oil and frozen veg, cook until no longer frozen and heated through. Add cumin and smoked paprika. cook for 3 more minutes.
add vegie stock, and undrained tomatoes,and rest of seasonings. Simmer for 20 minutes.
While soup simmers peel and cut up the avocado in squares.
add frozen corn and simmer for 5 more minutes.
to serve put crushed tortillas in the bottom of the bowl, ladle soup on top of tortillas, sprinkle cheese over soup and top with avocado. yum
I make a spicy baked chicken that I love and it is super easy!
Chipotle chicken – slice a mess of onions and sautée them until soft and on their way to carmelized but not there. Throw three chipotle peppers and a bit of adobo sauce in the blender with a cup of stock and purée them. Season six bone in chicken thighs with some salt and pepper. Grease a baking dish, lay the onions down, put chicken on top and pour stock/pepper mix over top. Bake at 425 for about 45 minutes or until the thighs are done.
I like to serve this with some black beans and rice and a generous sprinkle of cilantro.
My favorite is Chinese Beef Noodle Soup:
1. take some chuck roast, cut into chunks. Saute in canola oil until outsides are brown.
2. Cover with water and bring to boil.
3. Turn down to simmer, skim off any stuff off the top. Add soy sauce, Chinese 5 spice powder, sriracha, garlic to taste.
4. Cover, simmer till tender. Check occasionally to make sure meat is covered in water. Add more as necessary.
5. When ready to serve, boil up Chinese noodles, adding chopped napa cabbage or bok choy to either beef stew for crunchier veggies, or boil with noodles for softer veggies.
6. Serve noodles topped with beef stew, broth, chopped green onions, a dash of sesame oil. I like to also add a squeeze of lime.
This is easy comfort food for an afternoon at home. You can also do the stewing in the slow cooker if you won’t be home for hours.
Here’s a recent article about this recipe as comfort food in my local paper. Yes, I’m bragging a little bit. But look how cute my baby is!
http://www.accessatlanta.com/news/lifestyles/food-cooking/comfort-foods-evoke-fond-memories/nStPh/
Roasted veggies all the way. Especially now that the cold weather is here. Chunky veggies tossed in the best olive oit you have and seasoned with sea salt and ground pepper. Fennel and red pepper are among my favourites, but really, they all work. Beets, heirloom carrots and parsnip is another fave.
OMG! I’m so glad you’ve stumbled across this way of eating! I’ve been wanting to mention it forever but hate sounding preachy about food and diet. I thought it might do wonders for your migraines. Bex and I have been on a pretty strict (but easy!) paleo diet for over a year and a half and I have seen the most amazing results in my health: allergies-gone, headaches-gone, back pain-gone, fatigue-gone. Not to mention 40lbs-GONE …without going to the gym!
This recipe looks freakin amazing. I love adobo and boy do I miss lumpia from my days of working in the city.
If you haven’t already, check out http://www.chowstalker.com. Also the Weston A. Price conference is this weekend at the Santa Clara convention center and there are going to be a ton of Real Food producers and bloggers there. I’ll be there too. I’m flying into town for it!
My go to recipe at this point is for my slow-cooker and it’s from http://www.nomnompaleo.com:
* 2 small onions, thinly sliced
* 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
* ½ pound baby carrots
* Kosher salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 3 pounds of pork shoulder, cut into 1.5 inch cubes or a 4 pound bone-in pork shoulder roast
* 1 tablespoon Sunny Paris seasoning
* 1 tablespoon Red Boat Fish sauce
* 1 small cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
* 1 cup Rao’s marinara sauce (buy at Whole Paycheck)
Throw all of that, in that order, into a slow cooker for 6 hrs on high or 8-10 hrs on low.
Love it!
My new favorite is a beef stew by Jacques Pepin. Super easy.
2 lb beef, chuck or whatever in chunks
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp flour
garlic to taste
1 package baby carrots
15 pearl onions
8 oz of mushrooms
chopped fresh parsley
salt
pepper
bay leaves
sprig of fresh thyme or 2 tsps dried
1 bottle of red wine
Brown meat in butter or olive oil in oven proof pot, about 8 minutes. Add onions, chopped, and garlic.Ass flour, mix well. Pour in entire bottle of wine (!!), add bay leaves, thyme,salt, pepper, bring to boil, cover and put in 350 degrees oven for 1 1/2 hours.You can do this the day before if necessary. Half hour before done: put 1 tbsp olive oil in saute pan, put pearl onions, carrots, bacon or pancetta. Cook briefly , add 1/4 cup water, dash of sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, simmer covered about 15 minutes, uncover and cook until browned and liquid gone. Mix vegetables into the stew meat and voila!
This is super easy and fabulous. I did not have the pearl onions and it was great without them. You could put it over your cauliflower rice or mashed potatoes if you are avoiding grains.
I love roasting things in the fall. Potatos, beets, carrots chopped and drizzled with olive oil, a sprinkling of salt and roasted at 425 til they’re all browned and yummy. Paired with a chicken that’s been rubbed with somthing tasty (we like greek seasoning, but use what you like), perched on a beer can and barbequed for about 40 minutes. Delicious.
The church in Saipan sounds wonderful!
I make this recipe all the time as a dip for my vegetables.
White Bean Dip
1 cup of Great Northern white beans (or any other white beans) soak, cook as instructed on package and rinse. Place in food processor.
Add handful of cilantro, two cloves of garlic, juice from half of a lemon, 5 glugs of olive oil, pinch or two of salt. Blend in food processor.
That’s it! I don’t measure so you have to adjust this recipe to your tastes.
My favorite fall go to dinner is a Moroccan-ish tagine dish (thought I just use a deep skillet) Here is the recipe I originally used. Now I use it mostly as a guideline; I love adding almonds, eggplant, and dried fruit,often skip the sugar, and use fresh tomatoes instead of canned. yum!
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped
1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with
juice
1 (14 ounce) can vegetable broth
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 dash cayenne pepper
Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, onion, and garlic until browned.
2. Mix the squash, garbanzo beans, carrot, tomatoes with juice, broth, sugar, and lemon juice into the skillet. Season with salt, coriander, and cayenne pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, and continue cooking 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
Chili
2 lbs ground beef
1-2 large vidalia onions
1 large can of tomato puree
2 small cans tomato paste + 3-4 cans of water
1 large can of goya small red beans (kidney beans work, but small red beans are more tender)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1- 1 1/2 tablespoons McCormick Mexican Chili powder
t teaspoon of paprika
* all of the spices can be adjusted to individual taste. for instance, i might use a little more black pepper and a little more chili powder
slice onions, so that they are in onion ring shape.
brown hamburger, breaking it up as it cooks.. when it is 1/2 cooked, you can drain off some of the grease, then add the onion rings. when the onion rings become translucent, add the spices and the goya small red beans (don’t drain them), the tomato puree and the tomato paste and water.
stir well to mix it all up, then let simmer for 20-30 minutes to heat through, stirring to make sure it doesn’t stick on the bottom of the pan.
serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, crackers, or put on top of hot dogs for chili dogs….
This is SOOOOOPER boring but is our go-to dinner at home.
– oven at 400
– boneless chicken thighs in a glass pan; pour in a couple of teaspoons of olive oil and flip and squish around to coat
– sprinkle on a spice rub (I like this one http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/vertical-roasted-chicken-with-poultry-rub-recipe/index.html)
– bake for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through.
– serve with sauteed spinach…sweet potatoes…whatever tickles your fancy.
I read an article in Runner’s World that said to use boneless thighs as opposed to breasts; yes, there’s negligibly more fat (but if you’re doing Paleo you know that’s not a bad thing) but there is also a lot more iron and other nutrients. I think they taste better.
Making roast chicken or turkey I always brine. It makes a HUGE difference in keeping the meat moist and flavorful.
I love to roast vegetables, either in the oven or on the Treager with lots of garlic and olive oil! I am also loving all the recipes this post has generated. That makes us all a winner!
BUTTERNUT RANCHEROS!: http://www.theppk.com/2010/11/butternut-rancheros/
Vegan so it’s dairy free. 🙂 I love love love this meal, and it’s great because once I get the squash in the oven, I can get the rancheros going AND have time leftover to clean up and pet the cats. I make this even simpler by user ground cumin and coriander and skipping the blending step – a chunkier sauce but still delicious. I like to add some avocado and cilantro on top for extra yummy.
Oh my lord, I love adobo. My mom usually throws in a bay leaf or two.
Here’s another Philippino comfort food for you:
Sotanhong (sardine style)
tin of sardines in tomato sauce
1-2 c. water or broth
veg. oil for sauteing
garlic (lots)
ginger chopped or grated
sotanhong noodles-also called cellophane noodles. They’re mung bean based, so might be okay for someone not eating grains!
Pepper, chicherons (crushed, deep-fried pork rind) and chopped green onions to taste for garnish
soak sotanhong in boiling water for 1-2 minutes until soft (see package instructions). drain.
in small pot, heat oil then add ginger and garlic. saute until fragrant (1-2 mins)
add water or broth and tin of sardines. simmer 5-10 mins, then add sotanghon, cook until heated through.
I usually serve in a cup or bowl with rice on the side (but you can skip the rice and pretend it’s soup!)
Garnish to taste with ground pepper, chicherons, and chopped green onions.
regarding the above chili recipe- i wanted to say, it’s not spicy, just flavorful of tomatoes, onions and ground beef; sometimes i mix very lean beef and ground turkey. this is fast, and great on wintery nights!
This time of year, especially, our favorite is oven roasted root vegetables.
This will work with any firm root vegetable, but our favorites are white/yellow/red/blue potatoes, onions, parsnips, turnips, beets, carrots, and brussels sprouts (okay, these aren’t root vegetables, but they roast well and we love them).
Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces, toss with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, thyme, and rosemary. Spread in an even single-layer in a roasting pan and roast at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until tender, stirring every 15 minutes.
YUM!
Well, yeah, we like anything coated in olive oil and roasted till done. Sunday supper is best when everything roasts in the oven and you don’t have to do anything but sit back and sniff.
One favourite is peppers, onions, an eggplant, coat in olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then roast till done. Toss with some balsamic vinegar and dried basil before serving. Nutritious and delicious!
This sounds awesome so I’ll have to try it!
Well, my FAVORITE is probably not OK for your diet. Any hunk of meet, especially beef but chicken works too, in a crock pot with a beer. Always turns out awesome. Chicken with a beer like Trader Jose or Coronas have a zingy taste. You can also toss in a small bottle of spicy barbecue sauce. The beer will water it down so if you can’t handle spicy you are OK.
Now for something that might be more in line with your diet. I tried something out the other day and it was wonderful! I wanted to make a Mediterranean chicken so I put a little olive oil in the bottom of my crock pot, threw in some frozen chicken strips, a jar of Trader Joe’s red pepper paste, capers, garlic, marinated artichoke hearts and a sprinkle of sea salt (add the ingredient portions however you want). I served it over Quinoa but it doesn’t need to be over anything. It turned out really good. Way better than I even thought it could.
Dear Rachael and all her readers,
You are making me hungry! Also, now I have to try all your recipes. Thanks!
If I can get permission from my sister I will share her recipe for Gypsy Stew she came up with for a class project back in college. It is great!
Wow, I’m going to have to come back and read all these recipes later!
The slow cooker has become my #2 favorite cooking implement. (#1 is a meat thermometer with remote probe and temp alert, only $15 but has saved me sooooo much meat-cooking angst.)
A chunk of beef roast (bottom round roast, butt roast, whatever is cheap and looks best) + 1/2 c water + splash of soy sauce + 2 bay leaves, 12-20 hours in the slow cooker on low. Best roast beef ever! You don’t even have to brown it first; if you cook it long enough, it browns in the slow cooker.
You get a really delicious broth out of it, too.
I love taking any fresh veggies with a dollop of butter, wrapping them in foil and tossing them on the grill. I also like soaking corn on the cob(husks attached)in cold water for at least 30 minutes and putting them on the grill just like that, wrapped in nothing. Indirect heat works the best.
Veggies on the grill – yum!
Cut your veggies into pieces that will cook in about the same amount of time. Coat lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Grill in a basket over high direct heat, stirring frequently, until desired firmness is reached.
The basic recipe is delicious, but it is easy to modify to complement whatever else you’re eating. Just sprinkle in a few dashes of seasoning. Garlic, cumin and chili powder; soy sauce, ginger and garlic; oregano, basil and garlic; paprika and dry mustard — you get the idea.
Cutting out grains and diary eliminates so many of my favourite recipes! Kudos to you for finding tasty recipes you love under the restrictions you’ve set.
But! I do have a beet recipe I adore!
Begin by caramelizing onions in olive oil (2 large vidalias are awesome). At the same time (since the onions will take a while) steam a bunch of diced beets (maybe about 2c?) — and you don’t have to peel them, just scrub the skins well. When the onions are good and soft, toss in a teaspoon or so of cinnamon, stir it up, then add the beets. Finish all this off with a cup or two of diced apples, and just stir in the skillet until everything’s warm and coated with the cinnamon/onion/beet/apple juices. It’s amazing served warm, and the leftovers are equally delicious as a cold salad!
One day my husband and I were watching the shopping network because we were too lazy to get up and change the channel after a hard day working in the yard. They had a fancy pressure cooker on there and my husband bought it on a whim. Best thing he ever did! I can brown the meat and garlic in it, season it, and then pressure cook it for a short time, and there you are! I was always terrifed of them since my gran blew her old style one up all over the ceiling. Not anymore-this new one is the best!!
Neither meat nor veggie, but shoyu eggs:
Hardboil and peel 4 eggs
Mix up the following:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vinegar (rice vinegar if you have it, or whatever kind you have)
tsp sesame oil
1/2 cup of hot black tea brewed very strong (1 teabag for a half-full mug is fine)
1 piece of star anise
and pour over the eggs in a bowl or container. Marinate overnight in the fridge, or for several days. Slice and eat for breakfast or a snack. Yummy!
Curious about how the anti-inflammation diet is going. I generally eat fairly paleo, but I’m really a lover of the nightshade; tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplants, and dammit, I have all these arthritic issues going on, and am just about ready to do something about it dietetically. sigh.
I’m a steamer – I love steamed brussels sprouts, with a little butter or olive oil, salt and pepper. Easy – done in under 10 minutes and so delicious. More recently, I’ve been learning how to crock pot cook (huzzah for coming home at 5:30 and having a meal ready to serve two starving/growing girls!) – one recipe I found takes vegetables (whatever you like), layers them, add meat if you like (we added sausage), add some stock or water, and cook. Voila, a complete meal!
I hope you can eat chickpeas because here’s my all-time fave hummus recipe.
Basic hummus: drain 15 oz. can chickpeas (reserve liquid), put into food processor with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 cloves garlic (can add more to taste), a pinch of salt. Process into a smooth paste adding either a tablespoon of reserved liquid (if you remember to keep it) or water at a time until desired texture is reached.
Variations I’ve tried:
add 1-2 oz. roasted red pepper (water pack jar)substituting pepper liquid for water;
add 1/2 cup mixed olive salad or giardinara with accompanying liquid;
process in 1 cup fresh basil leaves;
or MAKE UP YOUR OWN FLAVOR, THE SKY’S THE LIMIT.
serve on crackers or toast, use as a dip, or a sandwich condiment.
I love the sweet potato fries in the toaster oven-to kick it up a little, add rosemary. It is so, so yummy!!!!!!
Love to cook the veggies in broth!
I’ve become a huge fan of roasted beets.
2 or 3 large beets, peeled and cubed.
2 tablespoons canola oil
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Toss the cubed beets in the oil and salt and pepper to taste.
Spread out on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil and roast for about 10-20 minutes, or until fork tender.
They are very yummy and make your poop an amusing shade of purple. (I’m a mother of a potty training child, so we have poop on the brain in our house.)
Very easy and very good – my go-to dish for company.
Balsamic Chicken Thighs
8-10 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 red bell peppers sliced thin
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2-3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in large skillet (non stick OK)
Add chicken thighs and cook on each side until browned
Add balsamic vinegar (stand back — fumes!)
Add red bell pepper slices
Stir to coat and even out thighs and peppers in pan
Lower heat and cover
Cook for 15 mins turning thighs in vinegar to coat several times.
You want the vinegar to be a thick, syrupy sauce so add more vinegar as necessary.
Serve thighs with balsamic sauce poured over.
I’m not a big meat eater but I love veggies. This time of year my favorite way to eat them is roasted. The other day I did fennel, eggplant and fresh figs with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Yummmm!
Chychees – http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/grec58.htm
3 cups chickpeas, dried or canned
the cloves of 2 whole garlic bulbs, peeled but left whole
olive oil
1/2 tsp. each pepper & cloves (or season to taste)
pinch saffron
dash salt
If using canned peas, rinse well and drain; place chickpeas in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in a 400° F oven for approx. 45 minutes, turning the peas midway through roasting to evenly cook. (Less time may be required when using dried.) Be sure that they are completely cooked through – the texture and aroma will be that of roasted nuts. Remove from oven; place chickpeas in a pot with the garlic cloves; add enough water to come to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the top of the peas. Top off with olive oil, adding enough to just cover the peas. Add spices, and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and continue cooking until garlic softens, about 10-15 minutes. Drain well or serve in the broth; serve hot. Serves 6-8.
The dried chickpeas when roasted will turn colors that make it a pretty dish. You can also use a vegetable broth along with the water for a bit more flavor.
I take this to potlucks and rarely have leftovers to bring home.
Wow, tons of great food! My go-to veggie is cucumber with vinegar. Marinate if there’s time, or just sprinkle on the cucumber rounds. Use whatever vinegar you like, though light-colored vinegars look best.
What’s Digit been up to lately? Does he use the hammock?
I used to hate brussell sprouts until I had them this way:
1 container (pint?) of brussell sprouts – cut off stem and quarter – try to separate out the leaves a bit so they almost shred apart
butter
Sautee sprouts in butter until soft and slightly browned then just before serving squeeze lime juice over them. Yum!
My absolute favorite way to cook a roast is the simple way. I get a good chuck roast because my family just likes the flavor of the meat best. I will place enough water into my crockpot to cover the bottom. Then I place in my frozen roast… yep, frozen. I pour Worcestershire sauce all over the top, sprinkle some minced onions, shake on some ground dried mustard to cover the top, a bit of parsley and regular salt and pepper to taste. Then I turn my crockpot on low and walk away.
My house starts to smell fabulous within the hour and by the time we’re ready to eat (usually it’s been cooking for about 8 to 10 hours, depending on the size), I’m dying! It is so moist and juicy and tender. It’s just heavenly. I usually serve it up with mash and a veggie the first time and for leftovers, I’ll make a brown gravy from the saved juices and serve it over rice… good stuff, I swear!
My favorite veggie is an adaptation of Pasta with Garlicky Broccoli Rabe (which I’ve made with Kale or Swiss Chard)usually made without the pasta. (from smittenkitchen.com )
1 pound pasta, whatever shape you like (but chunky ones will match up better with the rabe)
1 pound broccoli rabe, heavy stems removed, remaining stems and leaves cut into 1- to 2-inch sections (I attempt to match my pasta in length)
1/2 cup olive oil
5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more or less to taste
About 1 heaping teaspoon Kosher salt (or more to taste)
To serve: Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Bring a huge pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and five minutes before its cooking time is up, add the broccoli rabe. It will seem like too much for the water, but with a stir or two, the rabe should wilt and cook alongside the pasta. Drain rabe and pasta together and pour into serving bowl. In the same pot or a tiny one, heat the olive oil with the garlic, pepper flakes and Kosher salt over moderate heat, stirring frequently for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the garlic becomes lightly golden. Pour mixture over pasta and toss to evenly coat. Shower with freshly grated cheese and eat at once.
Crockpot BBQ beef is a great one for this time of year. Hunk of meat, brisket is what the recipe calls for, what’s on sale is what the wallet calls for. Fat side up if it has one, sprinkle on a generous amount of chili powder and toss in a couple of bay leaves. Cover and let go until dinner time, usually 8-10 hours. The beauty of this is that it makes a ton, use as big a piece of meat as your pot will hold. At this point I will pull it out of the pot, in several pieces as it is already breaking into shreds. Shred it up and mix with BBQ sauce, use whatever sauce you like with meat. This is a twofer deal as the cooking meat has released a lot of juice into the pot which makes the most amazing beef stock. I always save a piece of the meat without sauce and use the stock to make vegetable beef soup. Warning, the stock is so rich it will turn to jelly and need a bit of water to thin it when you make the soup. Sweet potato fries or a baked sweet potato split and loaded up with the shredded meat is a great dinner. Lots of times I’ll make coleslaw too— looking at the nasty weather outside my window I’m wishing I’d set the pot going this morning.
I say amen to roasting. Toss Fall veg in olive oil, suffer it at 425 for about 25 minutes, then as soon as it comes out give it a drizzle of fancy balsamic vinegar and a shiver of salt. Pass a little Parmesan.
Size 10 Dickies! Good grief – don’t disappear! I love cauliflower and am definitely going to try it your way. We like to do veggie stir frys and we also like to slice zucchini and saute it and sprinkle Parmesan Cheese on it. My dh is a curry lover and the hotter the better (I would be on fire!), easy to throw together meals are the ticket these days and now that the weather is finally getting cold (not that I want it to) stews with meat, potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, etc. will be back on the menu. Hope all is well. Maybe I will l have a chance at the book. Darn, now I am hungry!
Chicken in crockpot
Chicken breasts can be frozen 4 hr
Cover in broth
Cumin
Garlic
Abode chile whole
Cook on high until done
Perfect to shred for taco meat or eat as sandwich with mustrad or make chicken salad out of….
What a great idea! I love asparagus. So, I grill it on the grill. Place fresh asparagus on foil and add salt, pepper and garlic, with a little drizzle of olive oil. Wrap and place on grill. I like mine a bit crunchy. Off the grill, I add balsamic vinegar and shredded parmesan. Tasty.
Grate a lot of carrots (or process in food processor). Add one bunch of parsley, all chopped up (or process in food processor).
Add as much garlic as you want.
Dress with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
My favorite veggies are zucchini or eggplant or even corn grilled on the BBQ with just a touch of olive oil so they don’t stick and get a little bit of a crispy crust. The second best part, aside from the veggie yumminess, is that there is no clean-up!
Okay, my answer is maybe a little boring, but very simple. I preheat the oven to 400, sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of a boneless skinless chicken or turkey breast, and bake it for 35 to 60 minutes, depending on thickness. Along with that I usually bake either a sweet potato, some frozen onion rings, or frozen french fries for whatever time they require. Sometimes in corn season I’ll boil an ear of corn instead. When the chicken or turkey is almost done, I rinse some fresh organic broccoli, put it in a coffee mug and microwave for 60 seconds. It’s an easy, no fuss, reasonably well-rounded dinner for one.
Now that cold weather is upon us, I love love love to roast veggies! Green beans or carrots, spritzed with a little olive oil in a mister thingie, and sprinkle with seasoning of your choice. Right now in my house that would be The Gourmet Collection Chili Lime seasoning. Served with a little sriracha mayo it’s HEAVEN! :^)
My 9 year old does the most amazing roasted veges using olive oil and fresh herbs over chopped potatoes, pumpkin, kumara and added a little later than the rest zucchini. Yum!
I love grilling seasonal veggies. Right now my favorite is Grilled Sweet Potatoes. Slice clean, unpeeled sweet potatoes 1/4″ thick. Coat lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Grill until done enough for you.
Roasted vegetables. Just cut the veggies up in uniform size, toss with a few tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and then broil for about 10 -15 minutes at 400 degrees F.
I like combining butternut, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and carrots. I dice them all about an inch big, then roast them together for about 15-20 minutes.
While the veggies are roasting warm up 4-5 cups of broth (chicken, veggie, or both) on the stove or microwave.
When the veggies are done place them in a blender (you will need to do this in batches) and add enough broth to puree the veggies into a soup consistence you like.
Or do this in a big soup pot with an immersion blender.
Wow, I’m hungry just reading all the comments! Going to have to print them out and get into the kitchen.
I’m with all the folks that mentioned oven roasted veggies. I could eat them every day. I even roast them before I add them to soups and stews, because I think they taste so much better that way. I especially love brussell sprouts; have yet to cook enough to have left overs, because I just keep on grabbing just a few more through the evening until they are all gone.
GREAT idea, Rachael! I’m hopping on the Roasting Train, but with BACON ….
– Dice & fry 3-4 slices of bacon in a cast-iron (or similar oven-safe pan) until crispy, pour off fat.
– Wash & prep a bunch of brussel sprouts & broccoli (bite-size pieces).
– Mix veg with bacon, lots of fresh garlic, a glug of olive oil & your choice of spices (red pepper flakes for me)
– Roast until tender …. Yummmmo!
p.s. I heard Enya’s “How Can I Keep From Singing” in my yoga class the other day and was reminded of your earlier, very inspirational post – So happy to hear that you’ve regained your song! <3
Kalua Pork
3 lb. pork butt roast
2 c. water
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/4 c. Hawaiian sea salt or other coarse salt
Preheat to 400 degrees.
Place pork fat side up in roasting pan. Add liquid smoke to water, and pour over meat. Sprinkle salt over meat. Cover and roast for 3 hours.
It’s done when it shreds easily. After cooking, shred entire roast.
To my taste, this comes out quite salty, but the people I’m usually eating it with like it that way. If you wanted, you could cut the salt down a bit.
Roasted winter vegetables.: Spray or drizzle cookie sheet with olive oil. Peel and slice butternut squash, carrots, rutabega, turnips, and brussels sprouts. Put on the cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme. Mix to cover with the olive oil and bake at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes. Easily modified for other vegetables.
What can be any easier than grilled asparagus and wild salmon? We have a small Weber Q no-frills gas grill. Preheat the grill (I preheat the Q to high or medium depending on the thickness of the asparagus). Trim the tough ends of the asparagus, toss with extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper to your liking and grill until done. You’ll need to watch closely since asparagus is easy to overcook; it shouldn’t take any more than 5 minutes.
For the salmon, rub the filets with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, or coat with your favorite grill rub. Grill skin side up for about 2 minutes, flip and grill skin side down for about 2 minutes. Remove from grill, let rest for a couple of minutes. I serve the salmon with Rasta Fire Hot Hot Hot Sauce or a salsa verde. Yum!
I love kale made this way:
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil with 1T. salt, 4 cloves of crushed garlic, 3T. lemon juice, and a splash of olive oil. Add 8 cups (or one bag) of cleaned and cut kale. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until as tender as you like. Remove from cooking liquid and enjoy!
I really want to try your recipes and look through all the posted comments. What a fun idea!
I love making Mashed Cauliflowers, takes the place of Mashed Potatos.
Basically you put the florets into a microwave steamer. Nuke it to death, about 10-12 minutes, then mash with a potato masher.
Then add whatever you usually add to mashed potatos, butter, salt, pepper, cheese. I recently started putting in 1 wedge of Laughing Cow cheese, any variety is good.
I had steamed our veggies for our entire marriage (since ’76!) – a vast improvement over the canned vegetables, always in a white sauce, that I was raised on. To the steamed vegs, I would add just a bit of butter and a squeeze of lemon, salt…pretty good. Sometimes a salad dressing drizzle.
But lately – and I know this isn’t new – I’ve decided that my favorite is some form of a stir fry. We love slender asparagus tossed in a good, fresh olive oil, then just…..well, “roll-fried.” 🙂 Sometimes I’ll add just a few drops of sesame oil to the olive for a little extra jazz in the flavor. Just for a little bit, still crisp, a bit of sea salt….yum!
Been doing this with broccoli florets, too.
I’ve also been roasting veggies more lately – also not new, but new for me. 🙂
I love this spice mixture with veggies but think it would work with chicken or shrimp also. Make mix and use however much you want.
2 tbs garlic powder
2 tbs paprika
1 tbs cumin
Add salt and pepper to taste to your dish.
I also use this with cayenne pepper for seasoning for chili.
Ouick Vege Chili
Saute a large onion, a couple of grated carrots, 3 cloves of crushed garlic in 1 tbs of olive oil. Add large can of crushed tomatoes in juice (remove the stem ends), 2 tbls chili powder, 1 tbs cumin,1 tea oregano. Add one can (drained and rinsed) of each kidney bean, black bean, pinto bean AND one can of Amy’s mild vege chili….simmer for 30 minutes and YUMMY!!!! oh, salt to taste!
Oh. My. God. So, so, SO many great recipes! I am totally bookmarking this page until I can copy them all off!
My fav easy recipe does contain some bread, but I’m wondering if substituting the processed cauliflower wouldn’t work well as asubstitue…?
Meat Loaf
Mix ground beef and ground pork, to make about 1.5 lbs
1 large or 2 medium eggs
Onion, 1 whole chopped, plus 1/4 sliced thick
Garlic, 2-3 cloves
Parsley or Cilantro (not everyone likes Cilantro)
1/2 c bread crumbs (here’s where I wonder about cauliflower)
Approx 1 tsp spices of choice… lots of playing room here. I like cumin or curry, but any spice that goes well with ground meat would work.
Mix well and shape into loaf (or two). Layer a baking pan with onion slices and place loaf(s) on top. Bake at 350 for 45 min or until done (no pink, about 155 deg).
I like my meatloaf with a crust so I add no topping sauces. And the onion slices in the pan keep the bottom of the loaf dryer as it cooks as well.
I consider this an easy recipe because it all goes in one bowl with minimum chopping.
If you don’t want to use ground pork you can substitute turkey, but add 1 tsp of olive oil to make up for the decreased moisture.
I have two:
Chicken tenders, as many as you want, in foil or foil covered baking dish. Drizzle w/ olive oil and sprinkle liberally w/Mrs. Dash Original and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Chicken is tender, tasty and goes with everything.
Cabbage and onion:
Saute slices of onion in olive oil until slightly wilted. Add cabbage, sliced in narrow wedges or shredded. Saute until cabbage is soft (or steam slighty at the end). Serve with vinegar, butter or salt and peper (or all three) to taste. Very good with crumbled bacon or bacon bits if your diet allows.
Can I just say that you’ve made me so happy? I lived a summer with my aunt and uncle, and my uncle is from the Philippines. If there are 2 things that I miss from my time there, it’s Chicken Adobo and Pain de Sal.
I don’t have a recipe so much as an idea. I do this all the time.
Find a squash you like, cut it in half, take the seeds out.
Put said squash in a crockpot.
Saute some onions.
put some onions in each half. Put some rainsins/craisins and some walnuts or chestnuts in.
Put your favorite grain (I do rice, wild rice, rice and lentils or quinoa) in the squash, I do about a quarter cup per good sized acorn/buttercup squash.
Fill squash w/ a half cup of stock or water and whatever spices float your boat.
Cook until the grain is done. Usually about 6 hours on low.
Sometimes, when I need some cheese in my life, I throw some cheese on the top before I eat. Sometimes just a dab of butter.
Peel and chunk fresh carrots. Saute in extra virgin olive oil till almost tender. Add chicken broth or a tube of swanson flavor boost and a dash of pepper. Simmer till tender. So simple its scary, very little fat. Never any leftovers when i fix these. Enjoy!
I’m definitely going to be trying some of these recipes! Your adobo recipe sounds like mine except I usually add pickling spice and onion and I don’t marinate the chicken. I think I’ll try that next time.
I know it’s been posted a few times but…roasted veggies! Especially zucchini and yellow squash. A little bit of olive oil and then I change up the seasonings to go with whatever else we’re having.
Brown chicken breast in a bit of olive oil in a skillet. Both sides. Pour in balsamic vinegar and diced canned tomatoes. Slap on a lid and turn down the heat. Cook for a short time until done. Serve on rice if you wish but I’m not eating it right now either. I think I will try your cauliflower version.
I love it but there is just one problem. I also taught my daughter how to make this. She takes turns cooking dinner with the rest of us and we get served this at LEAST 3 times a month. She knows how to make other things but seems stuck on this one dish right now.
Oh well, can’t kill you.
Broccoli Salad (no cooking, 15 minute prep time. My family always asks me to bring this to family events)
This does contain dairy, but I’m sure you could find a way to make it just as well without.
Broccoli, pulled or cut into tiny pieces
Raisins (Craisons are good in this too, but more expensive! They can be nice and festive for holidays)
Walnuts (make sure the pieces are big enough to crunch, but not too big)
Cole Slaw Dressing (alas, contains dairy. I just buy the premade stuff at the store)
Bacon bits (I like the smokiness of the little packets in the salad section, but I’ve made this with turkey bacon before and it’s fine. Once I forgot to add bacon and I’m not sure anyone noticed)
Make sure your broccoli is finely chopped. I like to pull it apart by hand, but that’s time consuming. Combine all the ingredients. I just do it in handfuls; it’s not very exacting. Make sure there’s enough dressing to coat the broccoli, but not enough to make it creamy.
Refrigerate at least an hour or until broccoli has softened. I prefer it overnight.
This dish is best eaten within two days of preparation and has a total shelf-life of about four. (Raisins expand after a day or two, which I don’t prefer, but my mother-in-law loves). Keep refrigerated.
Best stew ever! And soooo easy. Hopefully it’s adaptable to your dietary needs. I use chuck stew meat and whatever beer I have in the house btw…
Carbonnade a la Flamande (Belgian Beef, Beer, and Onion Stew)
Published November 1, 2004. From Cook’s Illustrated.
Top blade steaks (also called blade or flatiron steaks) are our first choice, but any boneless roast from the chuck will work. If you end up using a chuck roast, look for the chuck eye roast, an especially flavorful cut that can easily be trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces. Buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes make excellent accompaniments to carbonnade. The traditional copper-colored Belgian ale works best in this stew. If you can’t find one, choose another dark or amber-colored ale of your liking.
Ingredients
3 1/2 pounds blade steaks, 1-inch-thick, trimmed of gristle and fat and cut into 1-inch pieces – I USE CHUCK STEW MEAT
Table salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds yellow onions (about 3 medium), halved and sliced about 1/4-inch-thick (about 8 cups)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 cups beer (12-ounce bottle or can)
4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, tied with kitchen twine
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 300 degrees. Dry beef thoroughly with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke; add about one-third of beef to pot. Cook without moving pieces until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes; using tongs, turn each piece and continue cooking until second side is well browned, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer browned beef to medium bowl. Repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and half of remaining beef. (If drippings in bottom of pot are very dark, add about 1/2 cup of above-listed chicken or beef broth and scrape pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits; pour liquid into bowl with browned beef, then proceed.) Repeat once more with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef.
2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty Dutch oven; reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and tomato paste; cook, scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, until onions have released some moisture, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and stir until onions are evenly coated and flour is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in broths, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits; stir in beer, thyme, bay, vinegar, browned beef with any accumulated juices, and salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to full simmer, stirring occasionally; cover partially, then place pot in oven. Cook until fork inserted into beef meets little resistance, about 2 hours.
3. Discard thyme and bay. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste and serve. (Can be cooled and refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat over medium-low heat.)
My favorite is butternut squash soup.
Roast the squash in the oven with a few cloves of garlic and a red pepper or two. When it’s done, add chicken stock (either store bought or your own) and use a mixer or food processor to blend it all up. That’s it.
You can make butternut squash fries the way you make your sweet potato fries too. We like spice in our house. 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/2 tsp of each ground black pepper, cumin, paprika, and salt. Toss with squash. Bake @ 450 20 mins …. Flip occasionally.
Favorite super easy side, thar gets some extra veggies it
Bunch swiss chard cleaned leaved and chopped
1 large Beet chopped
Like 1/4-1/2 cup Golden or regular rasins
Feta cheese (you can omit since its dairy, I’ve made without bunches)
Heat some olive oil in a frying pan. Toss in stems of chard first to soften, then add leaves and beets. Sautee untill wilted, add rasins (and cheese). Eat!
I believe the original recipe had bacon too, but we never have that in hand, so I never make it that way, but you can!
Kale chips, kale chips, kale chips!! But I think you already know how to do that. Olive oil, salt, 10 minutes in the already-hot oven. I’m committing to having kale (or even collards, they work too) around at all times, so that any time I have my oven on for something else, I can pop in some kale chips. mmmmm!
I love to roast my vegetables in the oven or on the grill. Chop up your choice of veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, beets…whatever you like) drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and roast at 400 degrees until browning but still have some crunch. Yummy!
I would have to say roasted brussel sprouts are my fav… olive oil, garlic, salt yummmmmm I could eat them every day…
Beef roast cooked in the cast iron dutch oven. Just seasoned with salt and pepper. Mom used to put hers in the over froze and cook it slow all day. It would just melt in your mouth…
Pork Roast (Boston Butt cut) or Beef Roast (chuck cut) in a slow cooker all day, or in a covered stone baker for several hours until the meat comes to proper temperature; add onion, carrots and/or sweet potatoes, and dump a bottle of Italian style dressing (or throw in the basic Italian dressing ingredients straight out of your pantry.) THAT’S IT!
I love a super easy chicken/kale/potato recipe my aunt gave to me – take your kale (I use about 2 bunches) and a chopped white onion and several yukon potatoes (if you don’t want taters, leave them out – it tastes just as good without!) sliced and toss with olive oil. Put into a roasting pan. On top add two chicken thighs and sprinkle paprika over all of it. Cover with foil and pop into the oven at 450 for about 30 minutes, then uncovered until the chicken is cooked (usually about 15 more minutes). Super easy and SO good. It’s my go to meal.
I just like roasting vegetables on a cookie sheet, like cauliflower with a little olive oil and parmesan cheese.
I love grilled veggies, especially asparagus. We rinse the asparagus, snap off the woody ends and place them in a shallow pan. Pour a little olive oil over them (sparingly!), rub and roll til coated, them sprinkle with a yummy seasoning of your choice- curry seasoning, parmesan and sun dried tomato, tomato and basil, garlic and onion… Then grill until tender-crisp. They even taste good cold from the frige the next day. If you can’t or don’t grill, put the pan in a 425deg oven and roast for 15-20 min (or til your desired degree of doneness). If you have a grill basket (or oven), this method works great for peppers, potatoes (sweets or purple and yellow fingerlings- YUM!), squashes, green beans, etc also.
For veggies: Roasting. I’ll eat just about anything roasted with olive oil and a little salt. Roasted Cauliflower is my favorite, though. LOVE it.
A favorite go-to recipe for me is the Pioneer Woman’s pot roast recipe. I also have a recipe for a knock-off of Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana that’s even better than the original, especially as I add TONS of kale.
My favorite way to cook both is in the slow cooker:
2 lbs pork tenderloin, rub with commercial “poultry seasoning” till well coated
Dice rutabaga
Quarter small red potatoes (skin on)
Slice 2-3 carrots
Cut 1/2 head cauliflower into florets
Mince 2-3 cloves garlic
Dump all in slow cooker
Pour in 4-6 oz V-8 juice (low sodium works well)
Turn cooker on low & leave home for 8 hours
Come home & get happy!
This also works, with some minor changes to the seasoning, for the cheaper cuts of beef roast.
The slow cooker is the busy gal’s best friend.
Grilled vegetables drizzled with runny pesto sauce. Easy.
I don’t know if others would consider it easy, but I make smoked chicken in the Weber grill all the time (doing it right now, actually…I should go check on that). It takes a fair amount of time overall, but very little active engagement. The chicken thighs get doused in lemon juice and whatever spices you like for a day (or more if you’ve been to two births in three days like me). Then start some coals in the weber, piled all on one side, with some real wood on top for extra-smokey flavor. The chicken goes on the other side, so that nothing is on direct heat, and smokes up for a couple of hours. Add wood every now and then, then eat your delicious meat with some steamed veggies and congratulate yourself on how healthy you are.
Steam up some brussels sprouts. Spritz them with (or roll them in) a little olive oil. Put them in a 350 degree F oven for 20-30 minutes, until the insides are creamy and the outsides are slightly browned and crispy. Sprinkle with sea salt before serving.
This is great to take if you’re going to a friend’s home for a meal. You can bring the steamed spritzed sprouts with you, and pop them into your friend’s oven for the finish — that’s how we discovered this recipe.
The best way (I think) to eat veggies is fresh – salad stuff chopped big and sprinkled with a little dressing (Wishbone makes a raspberry/hazelnut viniagrette that is to die for). Oil and vinegar with spices is also awesome. Lettuce and spinach, bell peppers in every color, mushrooms, sometimes I toss in berries or nuts. I don’t cook much and this works great for me.
Roasted vegetables — ANY combination, really. Beets, onions, potato, sweet potato, squash, turnip, carrots . . . cut up and tossed in olive oil, sea salt, fresh cracked pepper. Roast roast roast, and toss in a teensy “broil” at the end. Leave on stovetop to cool . . . and feel free to end up eating them from there ALL DAY while you sew or knit nearby. Not that I would know anything about this.
OK, you did it again. Now I will eat califlower just about any old way, raw, cooked, baked, grilled. I like califlower. However, not everyone in my house shares my enthusiasm(sp?). So today for lunch I decided to give The C-Rice receipe a try, and use it as a side dish with the pork tenderloin that was on the grill. Can I just say that I may never eat Califlower any other way again in my life? I was GREAT! I will definetly try it as a rice substitute, however love it as a side! Who do I credit with this yumminess? Published receipe, or original Rachael?
Do you use real soy sauce or tamari? I hate tamari, especially with chicken adobo but we’re avoiding grains also, including wheat which soy sauce is made with. Inquiring minds want to know. Are you eating real soy sauce with no problems?