Twilight: Veggie Bites

Vampires.  They have nothing to do with this post about fresh vegetarian snacks.  However, you could use garlic in both dishes, making these snacks the perfect herbaceous dishes for keeping vampires away, should you find a need.  (Use on bad vampires only)

Vegetables don't have to be boring, and for those vegetarians out there, veggies often need a new look, as it's easy to get in a rut with herbivore dishes.  This week I made two interesting veggie combos that would be great as a lunch, snack, side dish, or in mass quantities as party bites.  Both of these snacks can be made with ANY garden food you have on hand.

Kitchen Sink Dumplings

Chop and steam all veg

(I chose red cabbage, sweet potatoes, celery, red onion, green onion, cilantro)

Mix all chopped veg

Add sauce

(I used soy, lime, hoisin)

Spoon mixture into dumplings

Put water on fingers and seal dumplings 

Heat oil in a pan

(I used sesame)

Sear one side of dumpling

Add splash of water to hot pan

(watch out for splash of hot oil)

Cover immediately and cook until clear

One side of the dumpling will be brown and crispy

The face up side will be clear and steamed

Serve with dipping sauce

(I used soy, sriracha, lime, cilantro)

Kitchen Sink Croquettes

Grate veggies into strands

(I chose squash and carrots)

Add chopped onions

(I chose red)

Add chopped herbs

(I chose parsley)

Add crushed crackers

(I used whole wheat saltines)

Mix with one egg

S&P

Make small balls with hands

Heat oil in pan

(I chose olive oil)

Press balls flat in pan

Flip when brown on edges

When I made these croquettes I used them as a side dish (sorry plant-eaters) and served alongside an apple spiced pork tenderloin.  Croquettes work for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and are great with any dipping sauce you can create.

Sink your teeth in!

This Is Some BS!

Wondering what veggie to cook tonight?  Try cooking up a bunch of BS!  Brussels Sprouts rule our kitchen as the favorite vegetable side.  I know there are some faces turning inside out at the thought of this kid-unfriendly dish, but I've converted a lot of disbelievers.  B-sprouts, when prepared well, are divine.

It's all about finding the taste that appeals to you, as these little garden bites are so great at soaking up flavor, it's like they were built for it.

As they are green in color, I use the old saying "if it's green, it needs lemon or it won't taste as good"... All green veggies rock when lemon-ized.

I've seen a ton of recipes with bacon, and while I'm sure it's good, I'm of the opinion that this dish can stay vegetarian, and taste even better, mouth-watering and alive.

Sprout On The Town

Cut BS stems off

Slice BS in half

Heat oil in a pan

(I chose olive oil)

Add garlic

Add onions

(I chose red)

Add nuts

(I chose walnuts)

Place BS face down in pan

Squeeze citrus on top

(I chose lemon)

When faces are brown, flip

Stir around, add more lemon

You could try an Asian version, choose sesame for your oil, orange for your citrus, almonds for your nuts.  A sweet version could involve grapefruit, ginger, and pecans... anything you can find, as usual.

Brussels sprouts arrived in America when french settlers brought them in to Louisiana.  Maybe a cajun version would be in order - creole spices!

Get sprout of the closet, let these veggies express themselves!

Why Did The Chicken Cross The Road?

Because he didn't want to be fried and there was an oven on the other side.

Faux fried chicken (and it's super healthy accompanying dishes) took such a short time, this was literally a last minute dinner...of delectable goodness.

I wanted lean protein, and nutrient packed veggies (of course) but was craving something a bit more sinful and this oven baked chicken did the trick, without all the sin.

Chix On Hash

Pour cereal in ziplock
(I chose Special K)

Add spices to ziplock

(I chose lemon/pepper)

Crush mix up 

Spread mix on pan/foil

Roll raw chicken pieces in mix

Cook in oven, 350-ish for 30 min-ish

Cube potatoes

(I chose sweet potatoes)

Brush olive oil/season

Cook in oven 30 min

Olive oil in a pan

Add tomatoes

Add onions

(I chose white)

Add cooked potatoes

In a separate pan:

Saute leeks in olive oil and lemon

A potato hash is very open to inventiveness - add any type of veggie you have.  This kind of oven baked chicken is great for parties as well, as it's easy to make a ton of.

Everyone will cross the road for your version of oven baked greatness.

This Little Piggy Went To Cuba

Cuban night!  Pork is not only the other white meat, but the more delicious white meat as well.  Cooking for carnivores may seem a little more advanced, and harder without a recipe, but after a little practice, gourmet inspired meaty meals are a cinch.

But, savory goodness isn't all pork has to offer - miss piggy is a cheaper date than her artery clogging farm pal, brown cow.  Remember, it's not bacon, it's lean white meat.  This entire meal served 6, and cost a whopping 20 bucks, all included.

It is of course nutritious - a lean protein dish is the perfect meal following a muscle building workout, and served along with something fresh and green, it can't be beat.

Pork and Knife Sandwiches

In a dutch oven, heat a swish of oil

(or cast iron skillet with lid)

Toss in your spices

(I used ginger and serrano peppers)

Add onions and cook down

(I used red onions)

Brown pork ribs

(I chose boneless, lean cuts)

(*browning is on high heat, short time)

Turn heat down to a simmer

Squeeze oranges in the pot

S&P

Let simmer for 2 hours covered

Take lid off and pull apart pork with tongs - it will then soak up all of the juices it cooked in

Toast a healthy whole grain slice of bread

Top with sauteed red cabbage if you like

Add juicy pork to sandwich

I served this Pork And Knife Sandwich with steamed swiss chard (a yummy green) with lemon on it, and whole grain rice, as well as a relish for the sandwich.

There are so many great options for relishes that can spice up any type of dish - here are 3 options I came up with for cuban night (you really only need just one!)


Relish Trio

Slice up ingredients and mix:

(or throw them in a food processor if you are rich)

(I sliced everything by hand, with one great knife)

Jicama, Orange, Pistachio, Mint

Avacado, Jalapeno, Onion, Lime

Mango, Tomato, Onion, Cilantro

Relishes are a great way to experiment with food pairings and combos, as they can be added (or not) by your guests.

Viva Cuba!  Swine flu be damned!

Why Learning To Cook Matters

More clever and fun ideas coming soon, but on a serious note - there is no better reason to try to learn to cook than explained here by Jamie Oliver. If you don't have the 20 minutes to watch, here's a great thought:

If you teach three people how to cook, and they teach three people, when repeated 25 times that would reach everyone in America. As he says, it's a romantic idea - but imagine what it could do for our combined health as a country...



Food is the fuel that runs our bodies, let's spread the word on learning how to cook fresh food to live better!

And to lighten the air - I leave you with this... a few shots of our gravy boat collection... for gravy only, like it says:

These Lettuce Wraps Are Radicchio!

Lettuce discuss a better wrap for this awesome Asian lunch - Iceberg can be pretty thin, and the yummy insides end up in a pile on your plate (or lap), so I chose a heartier wrapper, colorful and crunchy radicchio leaves.

Lettuce wraps are often offered at restaurants in the chicken variety, but I liked the way ground turkey absorbed all of the distinct and savory flavors.  This dish is so open to inventiveness - try making a mixture of whatever you have on hand.

Rad Turkey Wraps

Heat oil in pan

(I chose sesame oil)

Add finely chopped ginger

Add onions

(I chose red)

Add ground turkey

Break turkey up in pan while cooking

Add a splash of lite soy sauce

(I also used a squeeze of hoisin)

Add cilantro

Add S&P

Add green onions

Add bean sprouts

Squeeze of lime

Peel leaves from radicchio

Spoon turkey mixture into each leaf

Top with pickled ginger

Cucumber salad

Slice cucumbers

(I chose Japanese cucumbers)

(They are smaller and skinnier) 

Splash rice wine vinegar

(you could use ponzu or just lemon)

Sprinkle sesame seeds on top

This lunch was quick, the presentation is guest worthy, and of course, it's healthy and lite - making it a tasteful afternoon dish.

Sir Salmon Rushdie

There will be no assassination attempts on this salmon - it's too delicious. I love a grilled salmon, or salmon fired on a cedar plank, but when low on resources and time, this is the perfect, delectable fish dish.

We all hear about getting fish oils in our supplements, and how important omega-3's are to our diet, I find the easiest way to go about ensuring my intake is to eat "delicious fishes" every week, which for me include salmon, tuna, red snapper, and orange roughy. Salmon is a great choice for those looking to have a "less fishy" fish.

Salmon Rushdie

Heat oven high, 450-ish
Spread sliced shallots on pan
(any onions would do)
Place fresh Salmon filet over shallots
Sprinkle with S&P to taste
(I used celery salt)
Cover Salmon with herbs
(I used parsley, dill is great)
Add a few capers
Cover with sliced whole lemon

Cook for 10 minutes in oven
Cool under a foil tent for 10 more minutes

This salmon is so good you'll be writing controversial and award winning novels about it in no time.


What's that next to the salmon? That is flowering kale, which is an awesome "green" although it's purple. I serve something green with every meal I cook. This was prepared by chopping, steaming, and adding some lemon. You'll be amazed how good that tastes compared to frozen spinach!

Toast points made with whole grain bread, smoked cheddar, and fresh tomato grilled in the oven finish this salmon dish off beautifully.

This meal was made in under 30 minutes!