Whole Grain Linguine with Salmon and Asparagus

*This post is proudly created in partnership with Barilla.  May was Mediterranean Diet Month which was just ranked #1 best overall diet for the second year in a row. So this recipe was inspired by this special Month. Lucky for us pasta plays an important role in that diet. So really, it’s a diet I… Read more »

*This post is proudly created in partnership with Barilla.  May was Mediterranean Diet Month which was just ranked #1 best overall diet for the second year in a row. So this recipe was inspired by this special Month. Lucky for us pasta plays an important role in that diet. So really, it’s a diet I can get behind all year long.

 

If you could peer into the window on a weeknight in our home you’d probably see pasta on the table. And if you are peering through the window, just come on in because we would love to have you join us.

Pasta is my go-to weeknight meal when the cupboards and fridge are starting to look bare. I’ll often start by thinking about what vegetables I have and want to use with the pasta, from there I may add a protein sometimes in the form of an egg stirred into the sauce or the finished plate topped with a soft boiled egg. There is always some form of cheese and loads of fresh herbs.

To celebrate Mediterranean Diet Month Barilla asked if I would create a pasta using their “Italian Recipe Builder”. I realized that this beautifully illustrated flow chart is basically the same process that happens when it’s pasta for dinner. Using this chart you can create hundreds of different pasta recipes. I tend to add a bit more cheese but I don’t think the Italians mind. These are the sort of recipes I love. The ones that leave plenty of room for creativity and feel both comforting and virtuous.

I’m usually a purist when it comes to pasta but I really enjoyed the nutty heartiness from the whole grain linguine. If fresh salmon isn’t available smoked salmon works beautifully. Feel free to use dill or parsley in place of the chives.

 

Whole Grain Linguine with Salmon and Asparagus

Yield 6-8 servings

Ingredients

1 12 ounce box Barilla Whole Grain Linguine

Sea salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup shallot

12 ounces cubed salmon

2 cups roughly chopped asparagus

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup chopped chives

Instructions

Cook the pasta in heavily salted water then cook one minute less than the package directions. While the pasta cooks add the olive oil to a large skillet set over medium high heat. Sauté the shallot under tender and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the salmon and cook until opaque on the outside, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the asparagus and a heavy pinch or two of salt. Cook until the asparagus is just cooked through.

Carefully stir in the pasta with 1/3 cup pasta water. Stir in the Parmesan. Add more pasta water if needed.

Finish with chives then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Walnut Tartine with Whipped Blue Cheese and Fennel Apple Slaw

*This year I’ve teamed with California Walnuts to bring you several walnut studded recipes that I’m certain you will love. I mean have you seen our walnut cake?! Walnuts are full of good fats (2.5g/oz omega-3 ALA) and also offer protein (4g/oz), fiber (2g/oz) and antioxidants.* But my favorite thing about walnuts? They’re delicious. As… Read more »

*This year I’ve teamed with California Walnuts to bring you several walnut studded recipes that I’m certain you will love. I mean have you seen our walnut cake?! Walnuts are full of good fats (2.5g/oz omega-3 ALA) and also offer protein (4g/oz), fiber (2g/oz) and antioxidants.* But my favorite thing about walnuts? They’re delicious. As always anything you see and read here are my opinions, words and imagery but we so appreciate you supporting the brands that support the work we do. Great partnerships equals many more great recipes for all of us.

Things in the Rodriguez household have gotten a bit more complicated when it comes to food. Our tender-hearted 10 year old decided he wanted to be a pescatarian after studying about the impact much of the meat industry has on our environment. While Gabe has been put on a low-fat diet (which really is against everything I stand for – perhaps a bit dramatic, but I really am a strong believer in fat) for health related issues. And for myself, after months of feeling lethargic, foggy brained, tired, depressed and anxious I got a full lab done which revealed I’m deficient in so many many areas.

Now all of this is quite possibly more information than you bargained for if you’ve simply landed here for a recipe but if you’ve been here for longer than ten minutes you know by know that we go there. While this is indeed a food blog, what we talk about here are the things I imagine we’d discuss while sitting around my dining room table.

I’m incredibly grateful for our health, and all the things we are dealing with regarding our diets can easily be remedied, but I’d be lying if I said that it hasn’t rattled me a bit. I’ve never been one to cook several different meals for dinner for the sake of satisfying each individual in the family, but I’ve yet to really reconcile what these changes will look like at the table.

But right now it’s just me at the table. It’s lunchtime, the pescatarian is at school (although he would happily eat what’s in front of me right now), and the low-fat dieter is away working. Lunch is my time to satisfy my own needs  both for nourishment and pleasure. And while sometimes I admit, lunch for one is a scoop of peanut butter and a banana, today it’s a thick slice of homemade walnut bread still warm from the oven topped with blue cheese whipped until a blue streaked cloud forms then topped with a sweet, tart and licorice tinged slaw heavily laced with dill and lemon. This is lunch for one, and it is healing for so many reasons.

Walnut Tartine with Whipped Blue Cheese and Fennel Apple Slaw

Ingredients

2 thick-cut slices of walnut bread

4 ounces blue cheese, room temperature

2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 green apple, cut into matchsticks

1/4 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

2 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped dill

Zest and juice from 1 small lemon

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt & pepper

1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Instructions

In the bowl of a food processor combine the blue cheese and cream cheese. Process until creamy and light. You may need to scrape down the bowl a couple of times to make sure everything is well combined.In a medium bowl combine the apple, fennel, scallion, dill, lemon zest and juice, olive oil and a hearty pinch of salt (I like flake salt here for the crunch) and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.Slather the bread (toasted or untoasted – the choice is yours) with half of the blue cheese mixture then top with slaw and walnuts. Enjoy immediately. Save the rest for tomorrow’s lunch.

Toasted Walnut BreadFrom Date Night IN

3 1/4 cups/1 pound all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups/ 400 g lukewarm water

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon yeast

1 cup / 3 ounces toasted walnuts

In a large bowl stir together the flour, yeast, salt, 1 3/4 cups/ 400 g lukewarm water, and walnuts. It will be slumped and very wet.Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let sit overnight. You can also refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days.Grab a bowl a bit larger than the volume of the bread dough. Lay a clean towel in the bowl and cover the towel generously with flour.Dump your dough onto a heavily floured surface and add more flour to the top of the dough so your hands don’t stick. The wetness of the dough creates a light and almost velvety texture to the final bread but don’t be afraid of using flour here so you aren’t covered in wet dough.Form the dough into a round by gently tucking the edges under while turning the dough.Lay the round into the bowl with the floured cloth so the seam is exposed. Cover the dough and let rise for an hour or until it feels airy, light and slowly springs back when gently pressed.  While it rises, place a 3 or 4 quart oven safe lidded pot in the oven and preheat to 450°F for one hour.Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Place the round of bread into the pan seam side down.There’s no way to avoid this being a messy and awkward step. I assure you that even after dozens of homemade loaves I still look a bit disheveled in this.Give the pan a gentle tap on the counter to distribute the dough. Cover and return to the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the crust is golden and the loaf sounds hollow and looming when tapped.

Remove the loaf from the pan. If you want a deeper set and more intensely caramelized crust you can return the loaf to the oven outside of its pan for another 5 to 10 minutes.

*2 Walnuts offer a variety of antioxidants (3.721 mmol/oz), including polyphenols (69.3 ± 16.5 μmol catechin equivalents/g) and gamma tocopherol (5.91 mg/ounce). The data for antioxidant capacity of foods generated by test-tube methods cannot be extrapolated to human effects. Clinical trials to test benefits of dietary antioxidants have produced mixed results.

Green Bean and Shiitake Stir Fry

*This post is created in partnership with Rioja Wines. There are two things that get me real excited about these wines. First of all they are only released when they are ready to drink so I don’t have to worry about aging them (something I’ve never been very good at). And secondly they are beautiful… Read more »

*This post is created in partnership with Rioja Wines. There are two things that get me real excited about these wines. First of all they are only released when they are ready to drink so I don’t have to worry about aging them (something I’ve never been very good at). And secondly they are beautiful with food. As always the words, images and recipes are mine. Thanks for supporting the brands that support the work I do here. Cheers!

 

“The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little.”

Jon Kabat-Zinn

 

One of the first things I do when I step into the kitchen to make dinner is to pour myself a glass of wine. This simple act goes beyond the wine itself in its significance. I watch the glass as the earthy red tint of the wine hits the bottom then dances up the sides. In that moment I slow down, become mindful of the process of cooking and attempt to shift my often distorted perspective from thinking of cooking dinner for my family as a chore to remembering it’s how I best love them. And what a gift and privilege it is to have the time and resources to do so.

Now of course this mindful moment doesn’t have to be instigated with the pouring of a glass of wine but for me it has become something sacred that pulls me into the present. Something I have been trying to do more and more lately. A moment to arrest the fretting about the past (even the past of 10 minutes ago) and to cease the fear of the future. The same intention can happen in the slicing of an onion, the process of making a cup of tea or plucking fresh herbs of their tender stems. All it requires is a brief moment to remind yourself of where you are and the gratitude to be there.

The older I get the more I realize that our life is lived in the little moments. The moments where we rest in the present.

This dinner takes about a half a glass of wine to prepare. The key to a successful stir fry to have all of your ingredients prepped before you start preheating the wok as the cooking goes quite fast, leaving little time to chop in the in between moments.

Since I’m feeding heat averse children I tend to leave out any chili and play it safe on the Sichuan peppers but you should feel free to add more based on your appreciation of heat. Also, this recipe would work well with ground chicken or pork and that would also be a nice fit with the wine.

Green Bean and Shiitake Stir Fry

Adapted from Melissa Clark via The New York Times

Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral oil (rice bran, peanut or sunflower)

8 ounces sliced shiitake mushrooms

1 teaspoon sea salt, divided

12 ounces trimmed green beans

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon (about 5 cloves) minced garlic

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, roughly cracked in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle

1 teaspoon Sichuan Peppercorns, roughly cracked in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

Rice, for serving

Instructions

Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat for two minutes. Add the oil then wait another minute.

Add the shiitake mushrooms and half of the salt then sauté until deeply caramelize, about 5 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

Add the green beans, red pepper, and the remaining salt and sauté until the green beans have blistered and brightened in color, about two minutes.

Stir in the ginger, garlic, coriander and sichuan peppercorns and sauté until fragrant, 1 minute more.

Finally add the vinegar, soy sauce and sugar then cook a few minutes until the liquid has nearly evaporated.

Serve while warm with rice and more soy sauce and rice wine vinegar.

Finish with chopped cilantro or toasted sesame seeds if desired.

Squash Toast with Smoky Onion Jam

For my first time dining at ABC Kitchen my friend and dining companion forced the squash toast on me. I read that menu with as much enthusiasm, delight and excitement as I did reading Harry Potter 7 (I just finished rereading the series and am deeply missing it). Each dish ignited inspiration – except for… Read more »

For my first time dining at ABC Kitchen my friend and dining companion forced the squash toast on me. I read that menu with as much enthusiasm, delight and excitement as I did reading Harry Potter 7 (I just finished rereading the series and am deeply missing it). Each dish ignited inspiration – except for the squash toast. Squishy ricotta, on squishy bread with squishy squash. But she insisted.

 

I love it when I’m wrong. When I’m reminded of the very thing I teach my children on a daily basis, “Don’t judge something before you’ve tried it.” (Same goes for people, places, experiences, etc.)  Before I even realized it I’ve made up my own mind, somehow convincing myself of the truth when really I know nothing.

 

So here I give you my recipe for humble pie. Otherwise known as Squash Toast.

 

I have made this recipe several times since our dinner at ABC Kitchen. I’ve used butternut squash, as they do at the restaurant but I’ve since switched to delicata as I love that the squash doesn’t squish into the jam. Instead the skin (also, no peeling!) crisps in the oven so you get a lovely tender crunch. I also think the little roasted half moons are so stunning sitting atop a bed of creamy ricotta. However, no one complained when I used butternut squash so feel free to decide for yourself.

 

This dish can skew towards the sweet so don’t be shy with salt and heat. I have also added smoked paprika to the original recipe because, well, you know me, I love smoke.

 

Now I am the one insisting you try this recipe. Trust me.

 

Squash Toast with Smoky Onion Jam

Yield 4 servings

This recipe is my version of the iconic toast served at ABC Kitchen. 

Ingredients

Onion Jam

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

Pinch salt

Pinch chili flake

3 thyme sprigs

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Roasted Squash

1 delicata squash, halved and seeded

2 tablespoons Olive oil

Sea salt

Chili flake

Toast

4 thick cut slices of bread

Olive oil

salt

1 cup whole milk ricotta

1/4 cup mint leaves, torn or chopped

Instructions

For the onion jam:

In a large skillet or dutch oven set over medium heat, add the olive oil, butter, onions and then a pinch of salt. Stir in the chili flake and thyme sprigs.

Cook the onions slowly until they start to soften and then eventually brown. If the edges start to brown and crisp turn down the heat so as to gently encourage the natural sugars in the onions to caramelize. This, like so many of life’s finest things, takes time. So give it that. 45 minutes to an hour is fine. You could go longer and your patience would be rewarded.

Once the onions match the color of a fine aged cigar (first reference that popped into my head – Gabe is really into cigars right now) stir in the vinegar and maple syrup. Reduce until sticky – neither soupy or dry, about 3 minutes of cooking. Turn off the heat, wait for it to cool a bit then pluck the thyme sprigs from the jam. While the jam cools roast the squash.

For the squash:

Line a sheet pan with parchment and preheat your oven to 400°F.

Cut the squash into 1/4 inch thick half moons. Add to the sheet pan then toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and a pinch of chili flake. Roast until tender and caramelized in parts. I don’t even mind a few bits that are crisp and charred.

Gently fold the roasted squash into the onion jam. Keep warm for the toasts or make ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Rewarm before serving.

Assemble the toast:

Drizzle the bread with olive oil then toast in a hot skillet, grill pan or on an actual grill. You want a good bit of color on the exterior crust while maintaining some softness within. SO use a very hot pan.

Top the bread with ricotta then add a nice pinch of salt. Add to that about 1/3 cup of the onion/squash mixture. Finish with salt and fresh mint. I like to add a bit more chili flake to mine too but that is up to you.

Celeriac, Green Apple and Walnut Soup

There are a few simple things that I utterly embrace during this season of gray. Warming cups of tea in the dark evening light, long walks in the drizzling rain while sufficiently bundled, a mantle full of lit candles while the flames in the fireplace whip below, and soup. Steaming bowls of soup with a… Read more »

There are a few simple things that I utterly embrace during this season of gray. Warming cups of tea in the dark evening light, long walks in the drizzling rain while sufficiently bundled, a mantle full of lit candles while the flames in the fireplace whip below, and soup.

Steaming bowls of soup with a thick cut slice of bread and a slather of butter spread on like frosting. I’m certain I could eat that meal for week on end without feeling one bit sad about it. In fact, this time of year that’s pretty much what I do.

While I tend to shy away from cleanses and goals about diets that I will dismiss after day two, this time of year I do long for a reprieve from the holiday fare. A bowl of soup is quite possibly one of my favorite ways to disguise comfort with health. Over the last several years I’ve taken great pride in my soup-making abilities in that I’m able to whip up a smooth and creamy bowl that tastes, well, like it’s loaded with cream. And this recipe that I’m sharing today is my proudest soup achievement. The walnuts are added directly to the pot along with the vegetables. The key to a hearty, almost smokey flavor is to caramelize the vegetables until nearly charred in parts. The walnuts deepen color and add to the roasty flavor of the final soup. They also add an incredibly rich creaminess that mimics cream and butter like nothing I’ve ever tried.

The resulting soup is somehow decadent and does well with a bright lift from the lemon tinged Toasted Walnut and Rosemary Gremolata. It’s the sort of dish that perfectly strikes that balance of being utterly satisfying and yet also pleasantly healthful.

 

*This post was created in partnership with California Walnuts. The words, recipe, photos and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting me and the work I do by supporting the brands that partner with me.

Celeriac, Green Apple and Walnut Soup

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium leek, halved, white and light green parts thinly sliced

1 large (1 lb) celeriac root, trimmed and roughly cubed

4 garlic cloves, peeled

1 Granny Smith apple, core removed and roughly chopped

1 cup walnuts

1 medium potato, roughly cubed

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

Toasted Walnut and Rosemary Gremolata

1/3 cup walnuts, toasted, finely chopped

2 tablespoons rosemary leaves, finely minced

Zest from one lemon

1 garlic clove, finely minced

Salt

Instructions

For the soup:

In a large dutch oven set over medium high heat add the olive oil. Stir in the leeks and sauté until just softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the celery root, garlic, apple, walnuts, and potato. Sauté the vegetables and nuts are deeply caramelized in parts, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Carefully pour in the stock and add a couple of hefty pinches of salt and a good bit of freshly cracked pepper. Bring the pot to a rolling boil then cover mostly and turn down the heat so the soup gently simmers.

Once all the vegetables are tender carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until completely smooth.

Add more stock or a bit of water to get the desired texture. Taste and add more seasoning as needed.

Serve while warm with a generous shower of the walnut gremolata.

For the gremolata:

Combined the walnuts, rosemary, lemon zest and garlic in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and taste to adjust seasoning.

Store any leftover gremolata in a well sealed container in the fridge. Add to salads and soups as needed.

A food processor works wonders for the task of chopping all of these ingredients into a course sprinkle of sorts.

Turkey and the Wolf’s Collard Green Melt

The thing about doing the same thing again is that you get a clear window into your growth as a person. Let me back up and try to have this make some semblance of sense. There I was in a hot yoga studio with plenty of bright natural light and bending myself into pretzel like… Read more »

The thing about doing the same thing again is that you get a clear window into your growth as a person. Let me back up and try to have this make some semblance of sense.

There I was in a hot yoga studio with plenty of bright natural light and bending myself into pretzel like positions for the very first time in my life. I’ve done yoga in the privacy of my own home with only my puppies watching me and judging my bent knees while attempting “downward dog”. But I was in New Orleans and Joy suggested we go to a yoga class. I gave a hearty yes and the enthusiasm was straight up sincere but that didn’t mean I didn’t feel uncomfortable about the situation. I did it and towards the end as we were a bit sweaty and asked to breathe and think about our intention for the day and to give ourselves the proper accolades for having just spent an hour getting sweaty and being all mindful tears welled up in my eyes. I felt peace and lightness in a season where I had not anticipated such a gift.

What a difference this book release has felt to the first one. With any firsts there are so many unknowns. I don’t know about you but I don’t do very well with unknown. If I knew what the end result would be then I could have so much more chill, unfortunately life is a journey with an unclear destination. Because of that though there is so much opportunity for growth (basically a positive way of saying a challenge).

I’ve learned a lot about my process and I’ve learned a lot about myself. In my younger years my first step was always to try and change myself in order to fit into the mold that I assumed was right. These days I’m assured in myself and now the goal is to set up my surroundings in order to fit myself. The point of all of this? Not sure exactly but I see growth and wanted to take a minute to celebrate that and also, I ate the best sandwiches of my life and I needed to share that with you all. Because you get me and you understand why this sandwich brought a literal tear to my eye.

I am not always hip to the latest coolest restaurants on the scene so before Joy mentioned lunch at Turkey and the Wolf I had no idea that Bon Appetit had named it the best restaurant in the country in 2017. Now I’m a full-fledged fan. We ordered the Bologna sandwich with layers of fried bologna, shrettuce (shredded lettuce), special sauce, american cheese and housemade vinegar potato chips. And we had the Collard Greens Melt. Back at Joy’s house later that evening I did some Googling and found the recipe on Bon Appetit. Immediately I ordered Duke’s Mayonnaise and Creole seasoning so it would be at my door by the time I arrived home.

Make this sandwich. Yes, time is involved but you can not deny the tears I cried.

 

The Collard Green Melt

Yield 4 sandwiches

From Turkey and The Wolf as printed on BonAppetit.com

I followed this recipe exactly as written from the site, although when I ate the leftovers I didn’t make it a triple decker as instructed here and it was just as delightful.

Ingredients

Collards

 

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

 

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

 

½ cup red wine vinegar

 

¼ cup sugar

 

2 teaspoons Creole seasoning (such as Zatarain’s)

 

1 teaspoon kosher salt

 

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

 

10 cups (packed) torn collard green leaves (from about 4 bunches)

Slaw

 

¼ head of green cabbage, thinly sliced

 

¼ small white or yellow onion, thinly sliced

 

⅓ cup mayonnaise

 

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

1 tablespoon (or more) distilled white vinegar

 

Kosher salt

Russian Dressing

 

½ cup mayonnaise

 

¼ cup chopped pickled hot cherry peppers

 

1 teaspoon hot sauce

 

1 teaspoon ketchup

 

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Assembly

 

12 thin slices caraway rye or whole wheat bread

 

8 thick-cut slices deli-style Swiss cheese

Instructions

Collards

 

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add vinegar, sugar, Creole seasoning, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and ¼ cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Add collards, tossing in liquid to wilt. Cover pan, reduce heat to low, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until collards are dark green and very soft, 2½–3 hours. There should be very little liquid left—just enough to coat greens. If there is too much, cook uncovered until you have the right amount.

 

Do Ahead: Collards can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

Slaw

 

Toss cabbage, onion, mayonnaise, pepper, and 1 Tbsp. vinegar in a medium bowl to combine. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

 

Season with salt and more vinegar if needed just before using.

 

Do Ahead: Slaw can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Russian Dressing

 

Mix mayonnaise, cherry peppers, hot sauce, ketchup, and pepper in a small bowl to combine.

 

Do Ahead: Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Assembly

 

Heat broiler (rack should be in highest position). Place 8 slices of bread on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, checking every 30 seconds, until golden brown, 1–2 minutes. Turn and toast second side until golden brown, 1–2 minutes. Top each toast with a slice of cheese and broil until melted and starting to brown, 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a work surface.

 

Place remaining 4 slices of bread on same baking sheet and toast, checking every 30 seconds, until golden brown, 1–2 minutes. Turn and toast second side until golden brown, 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

 

If collard greens are cold, reheat in a large skillet over medium until hot, about 5 minutes.

 

Divide 2 cups slaw among 4 cheesy toasts. Top with remaining 4 cheesy toasts. Using a slotted spoon (or you’ll end up with a soggy sammy), divide collard greens among cheesy toasts. Generously spread one side of plain toasts with dressing and place dressing side down on collard greens to close sandwiches. Cut sandwiches in half diagonally and serve with lots of napkins.