Tag: Main Dish
Lemon-Dill Orzo with Chickpeas and Artichokes
I have a friend who used to say in the summer that she had “broken up” with her oven. It’s a mental image I’ve carried with me for years. I always picture this friend engaged in a painful split from Mr. Kenmore Oven. She tells him she can’t take the heat. First he wheedles, then he sends flowers, makes promises–he even bakes cookies. He writes love letters to prove his emotional range. She resists, ignoring him each time she walks through the kitchen, flaunting her new-found relationship with no-cook meals in his shiny metal face. But we know where this cat-and-mouse game ends when fall rolls around. Every year she comes running back to his warmth–how could she stay away when he’s SO HOT??–and the sizzling romance resumes. (Are you rolling your eyes at the oven puns yet?)
Awful oven puns aside, I get what my friend means. The to-oven-or-not-to-oven question is a seesaw many of us who love to cook tend to ride as seasons change. It seems counterintuitive to heat a metal box to 450 degrees in the middle of your house when every other effort you make all day is to stay cool. So while June hasn’t started off too terribly here in the Phoenix area (no temps soaring over 110–that’s what we call moderate), I still feel the pull to keep the oven off and serve something closer to air-conditioned room temperature.
When we tried this vegetarian orzo salad last night, it hit the non-piping-hot spot. The recipe does, admittedly, use the stovetop to boil the orzo, but 15 minutes on the range beats a lasagna in the oven for an hour, and the end result is a refreshing blend of cool flavors perfect for a warm day. It’s packed with:
- Chickpeas for fiber and protein (see my ode to the nutritional value of chickpeas here)
- Feta for a non-fatty cheese indulgence (the Pasta Salad Code of Ethics states that every pasta salad needs a cheese indulgence)
- Artichokes for veggie goodness including additional fiber and Vitamin C
- Fresh dill, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil to add flavor without overdoing it on calories and fat (in keeping with the ideology of the Mediterranean diet).
Put them all together and you have a quick, light one-dish dinner or a hearty potluck side. So, sorry, Mr. Oven. Like my friend, I’m off for my annual summer fling without you. Or at least a few days’ break…you know I still need you for cookies.
Lemon-Dill Orzo with Chickpeas and Artichokes
(Adapted from Cooking Light)
Ingredients:
1 1/4 c. uncooked orzo
1/2 c. sliced green onions
3/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
1 14-oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
5 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), drained
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. cold water
scant 3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. minced garlic
Directions:
1. Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. In a large bowl, combine cooled, rinsed orzo, green onions, feta, artichoke hearts, dill, and chickpeas.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, water, salt, and garlic. Drizzle over pasta mixture and toss gently to coat.
Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Serves 5-6 as a main dish, 8-10 as a side dish.
Salmon Burgers with Lemon Tarragon Mayo
We’ve all heard by now that we’re supposed to eat more fish. The positive effects of its fatty acids on brain health, reducing risk of heart disease, and reducing inflammation are well established. Not to mention all those studies about the longevity of the Okinawans, who eat three servings of seafood a day on average and have more centenarians than any other people group on the planet. Whoa, whoa, whoa–three servings a day? Like breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Or maybe snack? I’m not sure how I feel about cracking open some Alaskan crab legs for my afternoon pick-me-up–although “Alaskan crab legs” is an anagram for “Large Basal Snack.” And, incidentally, “Ransacks a Leg Lab.” Coincidence? I don’t think so. So, okay, maybe crab legs for snack. But breakfast? I’ve got nothing. I’ll bet you there’s some food blogger out there who has gorgeous naturally-lit photographs of a superfood salmon-kale-peanut-butter-protein-powder smoothie all the healthy cool kids eat for breakfast these days, but whipping up a fish smoothie just isn’t my thing. So for my purposes, let’s stick with seafood at lunch and dinner.
These salmon burgers with their delicious zesty-herby sauce would be equally at home on your lunch or dinner table. They’re hands-down the best salmon burgers I’ve ever had: light, crispy, seasoned with an excellent combination of herbs, and–perhaps most importantly–containing a hefty dose of those helpful omega-3 fatty acids (especially if the salmon is wild-caught, not farmed). While it may seem counterintuitive if you’re a fish lover to stuff a pound of beautiful salmon fillet into the grinding jaws of a food processor, rest assured that the finished product is worth it. And if you’re not a fish lover, these burgers just may be a great way to trick yourself into upping your salmon consumption. So go ahead, give those Okinawans a run for their money and add some fish to your diet in a tasty way. Just, you know, maybe three times a week, not three times a day.
Salmon Burgers with Lemon Tarragon Mayo
(Adapted from The Cleaner Plate Club by Beth Bader and Ali Benjamin)
Ingredients:
For Salmon Burgers:
2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. canola oil, divided
1 shallot, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/2-2/3 c. Panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. fresh tarragon (or 2 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
zest of 1 lemon
fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb. salmon, boned, skinned, rinsed, and patted dry
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted
For Lemon-Tarragon Mayo:
1/4 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Directions:
1. Heat 1 tsp. canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, Add the shallot and green onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Reserve the skillet and scrape the shallots and onions into a medium bowl. Add 1/2 c. Panko, tarragon, parsley, Dijon, salt, and lemon zest to the bowl, as well as a few grinds fresh-ground black pepper.
2. In a food processor, pulse half the salmon until it begins to look like a paste. Add the crumb mixture and pulse again a few times until well combined. Add remaining half of the salmon and pulse until the mixture looks like you could easily form it into patties. If it still looks too wet, add more Panko until you reach a desirable consistency. Form into 4 patties and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp. canola oil over medium-high heat in the large skillet you used for the onions. Add the salmon patties and cook for 4 minutes on each side.
4. Meanwhile, make the lemon-tarragon mayo: in a small bowl, combine all ingredients until well blended.
5. Serve salmon burgers on toasted hamburger buns, topped with mayo and any other fixings you like!
Serves 4.
Creamy Margherita Quinoa Bake
The first time I ever made this for dinner, my husband said, “This is probably one of the best things you’ve ever made.” I was stunned. (And possibly a little insulted–a quinoa bake? What about all those fancy cakes I’ve made, or herb-marinated tilapia with mango salsa? Or my chicken pot pie?) But as I kept eating, I had to agree. This initially unassuming quinoa bake is in fact a consummately delicious comfort food. With stretchy mozzarella, fresh tomatoes bursting with flavor, and strips of basil, it’s pretty much all the things you love about a margherita pizza in creamy casserole form. As if margherita pizza could be improved upon! But for a little something different, I think I actually prefer this dish to the pizza of the same name. (Pause here for horrified gasp.)
Speaking of margherita pizza, have you ever wondered who Margherita was? I have, but maybe that’s because I spend approximately 90% of my mental energy thinking about food. Supposedly, back in 1889, a Neapolitan pizza maker was commissioned to make a pizza in honor of Queen Margherita, who was visiting Naples. (Um…I want to live in a country where people get commissioned to make pizzas.) He created three different pizzas–two of which have apparently been lost to history–and the queen was thrilled with the one that represented the colors of the Italian flag: red, green, and white. Thus was the pizza named Margherita, and thus did Margherita go down in history as Queen of Pizza, which is probably the greatest honorary title ever bestowed on a human being.
So for a little twist on an Italian classic (that happens to be gluten-free, if you’re into that sort of thing), give this one a whirl. With a green salad, it’s a tasty dinner that has won my heart, and my husband’s–and probably would win the Queen of Italy’s, too.
Creamy Caprese Quinoa Bake
(Adapted from Half Baked Harvest)
Ingredients:
1 c. uncooked quinoa
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 c. tomato-basil pasta sauce
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
scant 1/2 tsp. salt
scant 1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella, divided
1 1/2 c. grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise, divided
12 large basil leaves, chiffonaded, divided
Directions:
1. Thoroughly rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve. Drain. Place quinoa in a large saucepan and cover with 2 cups water. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside in a separate container. Wipe the pot clean to be used later in the recipe.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In the same large saucepan, heat tomato paste and pasta sauce until warm. Stir in Parmesan, heavy cream, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and mix in cooked quinoa until well combined. Add half the mozzarella, half the sliced tomatoes, and half the basil leaves, stirring to combine.
4. Spray an 11 x 7 inch baking dish with cooking spray and pour quinoa mixture into the dish, smoothing the top with a spoon. Sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella and sliced tomatoes, pressing the tomatoes down slightly into the mixture.
5. Bake in the preheated oven 15-17 minutes, then turn broiler onto high. Broil 1-2 minutes (75 seconds is the sweet spot in my oven). Top with remaining basil strips and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Serves 5-6.
Simple Broccoli Quiche
It’s been a little while since I last posted, and I’ll tell you why. Of course, there’s the usual busyness of life with family, school, church, and housework (not to mention keeping up with new Mad Men episodes!), which is enough to keep me from blogging, but last week there was something else that needed my attention:
My sanity.
See, the week before last, all three of my kids had gotten sick–in the space of 24 hours, every single one of them was called home by the school nurse–and then of course I got it, too. Your basic someone-please-put-me-out-of-my-misery stomach flu. I got into bed at 7 PM that night and lay there for two or three hours just trying to pray myself out of it before I eventually fell asleep. Then, even once we all recovered, everybody was still in a funk. I’m fine overlooking cranky behavior when my kids are ill. I get it. It comes with the kid-sickness territory. But when the crankiness goes on for interminable days after the illness has dissipated, it’s hard to take. I vented my frustration to my husband one morning after dealing with some pretty extreme attitude problems, and he reminded me that it had been quite awhile since I had taken a personal retreat…or, as he likes to call it, an Emergency Vacation.
Ever since my firstborn was a toddler, I’ve tried to get away about once a year for a couple of days of quiet, prayer, and generally doing what I want, not what I have to. It’s wonderful tradition that always leaves me feeling refreshed and ready to get back to my real life. So when my husband brought it up, I didn’t need much encouragement before I jumped up, grabbed my laptop, and started making plans. Within a couple of hours, I had booked two nights doing something I’ve always wanted to try: a farm stay. If you haven’t heard of farm stays, they’re pretty much exactly what they sound like: (drum roll please…..) staying on a farm. In this case, I checked out farmstayus.com and located a small family farm outside Prescott, AZ, two hours from my home, that has a condo-sized cabin available for rent. A few days later I found myself sipping my morning coffee on a porch overlooking a beautiful valley with the sounds of chickens clucking in the background. Three Sparrows Farm was absolute bliss.
If you’ve ever had a hankering to get away from it all (but still be within driving distance of civilization), you couldn’t do much better than this place. A 2-acre property set on a hillside, 3 Sparrows has chickens, goats, and a donkey, all of which you are welcomed to feed, pet, and/or hold. (Except the donkey. Feeding and petting, yes. Holding, good luck.)
After two days of peace and quiet, including a hike up Thumb Butte and walking around downtown Prescott, I was totally pleased with my experience and definitely came home better equipped to deal with whatever life might throw at me. (Check out the farm and info about the farm stay at 3sparrowsfarm.com)
So, speaking of real life, let’s get to the other reason for this post: Broccoli Quiche. Because what’s the first things a mom has to do when she gets back from a trip? (I mean, after laundry?) Make dinner, of course! Quiche is one of my favorite go-to easy dinners, as I’ve mentioned here and here. Coming home from my getaway, broccoli quiche was a simple way to get dinner on the table without a lot of fuss. Served with roasted potatoes, it’s a satisfying but not overpowering brunch for dinner. Or just brunch for brunch. In any case, tasty, packed with veggies, and great for take-to-work leftovers.
Now that my 2015 Emergency Vacation is done, any recommendations for next year?
Broccoli Quiche
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)
Ingredients:
1 unbaked pie crust
2 Tbsp. butter
3 c. broccoli, chopped into florets
1/2 medium-large onion, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 c. shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs
3/4 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread pie crust in a 9-inch pie dish.
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onions, garlic, and broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and broccoli is bright green. Spoon vegetables into prepared pie crust and sprinkle with mozzarella and cheddar.
3. In a medium bowl, beat eggs, then mix in milk, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.
4. Bake 40-45 minutes or until eggs are set in the center. (Check quiche frequently throughout baking time, as it is notoriously finicky about how long it takes to set.) Cool at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serves 4-5 as a main dish.
Chickpea Salad Wraps
Ah, the humble chickpea! The little legume that could. If you’re not familiar with chickpeas, you may have heard them called by their alternate name, garbanzo beans. You know, like Ronald Reagan’s lesser-known cinematic hit:
Or if that doesn’t ring a bell, they’re also called Bengal grams, Egyptian peas, cecis, ceces, or chanas. Having so many different names could have to do with the fact that they’ve been around for over 7,500 hundred years, making them one of the oldest cultivated legumes on earth. Take that, Ancient Grains Cheerios!
Fortunately for all of us, chickpeas were not lost to antiquity and have continued to be cultivated to this day. Now you can find them in the grocery store in cans and dried in bags, or in this delicious lunch entree. (Or quick dinner entree, depending on your day.) On my perpetual quest to find more hearty vegetarian meals, I count these chickpea salad wraps as a watershed discovery. They’re filling, flavorful, and pack a nutritional punch that is not to be trifled with. A half cup of chickpeas alone contains over 20% of your daily value of protein and an impressive 8 grams of fiber.
In this recipe, you can pretty much mess around with the ingredients in any amount you like. I am infamously gluttonous in my fondness for mayo, so I prefer to add that with a bit of a heavy hand, but you could always cut back. Same goes for any of the other ingredients–except the chickpeas themselves, and the lavash, assuming you intend to eat it as a wrap and not straight out of the bowl. Though I won’t say you won’t be tempted…
Chickpea Salad Wraps
(Inspired by Allrecipes.com)
Ingredients:
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. onion, diced fine
1/3 c. celery, diced fine
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
salt and pepper, to taste
4 whole wheat pitas or lavash bread
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mash chickpeas until they reach a consistency you like. (I prefer them to still be a bit chunky, not too smooth.)
2. Add all remaining ingredients except pitas and mix, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve in pitas or lavash wraps.
Serves 4.