the constant hunger

Chickpea Casserole

My coffeemaker broke this morning. We've had it for years and never had a problem with it. Then, all of a sudden, this morning when I flipped the switch to "ON" the little orange light that fills me with joy every morning failed to light up. I tinkered with the machine for a bit but soon came to the realization that my trusty coffeemaker had brewed its last cup. R.I.P. Cuisinart DCC-1200. 

I'm tempted to purchase a French press but it does seem like a little more work than I want to put in early in the morning. Grinding fresh beans while I am still half asleep is not very appealing. But I know that the quality of the coffee is superior to that of a drip coffeemaker. I also thought about one of those one-cup deals like this, but it is a pricey way to get a cup of coffee in the morning. Many options will need to be considered.

Now on with the show. Yesterday I decided that I would make three casseroles during the week, all vegetarian. I am not a vegetarian but I often choose to not eat meat, especially when cooking just for myself. Plus, my gorcery bill for the week was next to nothing.

I came across this chickpea casserole recipe a couple of weeks ago and immediately put it on my list of must-try recipes. There is a fair number of ingredients that go into the casserole (I bought cottage cheese for the first time in my life).

As a side note, I am totally enjoying cooking in my new kitchen. Though the layout is not as practical as my New York kitchen, I love cooking with the back door wide open and catching glimpses of my backyard.

{Yes. I always have a glass of wine while cooking.}

This turned out better than I expected. The lemon gives it a fresh flavor. (Is there any smell better than lemon zest?) The shallots give the casserole a nice bite and really make the dish, in my opinion. The next time I make this, I will switch up the quantities of yogurt and cottage cheese. I definitely want a creamier, less dry consistency which I think can be achieved by using more yogurt. I will also use less breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan to cover the top. They really soaked up a lot of the liquid. Using a bit less will still allow you to have a golden brown, almost crunchy crust but you'll also get that creamy texture.

Happy cooking! 

 

 

Foods That Make Us Beautiful

Monday evening I went to try out a yoga class at Yoga to the People. They have studios in New York and San Francisco and there is no contract or even registration. Just show up to a class and donate what you can. Great concept! Although the class was packed Monday, it was still pleasant. I had planned on going back tonight after work. I got there 30 minutes before class and there was a line-up practically down the block. I had no desire to be in a hot and humid studio, packed in like a bunch of sardines. I am currently researching new yoga studios in my area. 

My desire to eat healthier and exercise (in an attempt to shed some of this winter weight) sparked an interest to research foods and their health benefits. Not just disease prevention, which is certainly important, but I mean more along the lines of foods that improve our appearance. Our skin, hair, etc. Here are some of my favorite foods and their "beautifying" benefits.

I love, love, love salmon. If it's on the menu, I am ordering it. It's loaded with iron, vitamin B-12 and, of course, omega-3 fatty acids. The nutrients in salmon help promote a healthy scalp and everyone knows that a healthy scalp is essential for healthy hair. Salmon does double duty and gives you great skin, too. 

Legumes are chock-full of protein, zinc, iron and biotin. These nutrients help promote hair growth. Make a three-bean salad for a quick health boost. And add some spinach. Full of vitamins A and C, as well as iron and calcium, spinach or any dark green leafy vegetable will prevent your hair from being dry and brittle. 

I love eating berries in the summer, especially blueberries. Blueberries are full of antioxidants. We all know how important antioxidants are in preventing the deterioration of skin cells. Add some to yogurt or your morning smoothie.

The most important thing to remember is to drink lots of water. For properly hydrated skin, meaning skin that is healthy and youthful-looking, get in about two liters of water every day. 

 

Spicy Chickpea and Tomato Stew

What a week I had! Between a quick trip to LA to a heavy work load, I didn't have time to post all last week. So many new developments in my life and new directions it's going in. The only constant thing is my hunger and my love of cooking in my cozy kitchen in my cozy apartment in New York City.

Today's recipe is perfect if you work all day and barely have any time to make dinner (yet still want a home-cooked meal). It's healthy and easy to make. It's literally about popping open a couple of cans and creating some magic in a saucepan. 

Spicy Chickpea and Tomato Stew

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

one medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cans chickpeas, thoroughly rinsed

1 large can crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon hot paprika

1/2 tablespoon dried oregano 

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups couscous cooked according to package directions

 

Method: 

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute till soft. Add chickpeas, incorporate and cook for about 3-4 minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Incorporate and bring to a boil. Lower heat to low and let simmer for about 30-45 minutes. (the longer you let it simmer, the better it'll taste)

Serve over coucous. 

Happy cooking!

Country Pork Ribs with White Beans and Kale

I have been planning a weekend trip to Hudson, New York for a few weeks now. I am hoping to go there for my one-year anniversary. Because I know that men need obvious hints, I decided to write an article about my ideal weekend. Check it out here. Now on to today's recipe...

When I was little, I used to love going to Tony Roma's for ribs with my mother. I can still taste that rib sauce slathered all over my baby back ribs. I haven't been there for at least 15 years and I am thinking of dining there the next time I'm in LA, you know, to remember my childhood. 

These days, the only times I eat ribs are at the occasional barbecue. I never thought to make ribs in my oven until I came across today's recipe from Tasting Table. I was worried that they wouldn't be tender and I'd need a chainsaw to bite into them, but they were juicy and oh-so-tender. I think next time I make this dish I will leave out the white beans and replace them with black-eyed peas. 

 

Country Pork Ribs with White Beans and Kale from Tasting Table

Ingredients:

½ cup orange juice

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon grated ginger

½ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon hot smoked paprika

3 pounds country spare ribs

1 bunch (about ½ pound) kale, stems removed, leaves finely shredded

One 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup of your favorite rib sauce (optional)

 

Method:

In a blender, combine the orange juice, olive oil, garlic, ginger, thyme and paprika and blend on high until emulsified, about 30 seconds. Place the ribs in a shallow dish, pour the marinade over the ribs and turn to coat. Refrigerate for two hours.

Remove ribs from fridge and let them reach room temperature, at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, toss the kale, white beans, salt and pepper. Lay the pork ribs on top of the kale and beans and reserve marinade.

If using rib sauce, mix with reserved marinade. Pour some of the mixture over the ribs and vegetables. Make sure to pour marinade over ribs even if you haven't mixed it with ribs sauce. Reserve some for basting. Season the tops of the ribs with salt and pepper.  

Preheat the oven to 425º.

Bake in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes and baste. Continue cooking until the rib meat is cooked through and very tender, about another 30 minutes. Serve each rib with a scoop of the beans, kale and sauce that forms during baking. 

Happy cooking!

Cauliflower Soup

Has anyone read the March issue of Food & Wine? It is all about "healthy recipes, big flavors." Since I am trying to eat better (and splurge one day a week), I was thrilled to read so many delicious recipes that wouldn't hurt the waistline. I want to try every single recipe in the issue! 

Today's recipe is a silky cauliflower soup that I adapted from the issue. Although it was a "healthy recipe" issue, this particular soup used a whole stick of butter to saute the cauliflower. Not sure how that is healthy. I used a bit of olive oil instead. I also found the soup was a bit on the water-y side, maybe because it was lacking butter. I added a couple of dollops of calcium-rich Greek yogurt to help thicken things up. This is a quick, one-pot meal that I served with a green salad. 

Silky Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients: 

2 tbs. olive oil

1 onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, sliced

One 2-pound head of cauliflower, cut into medium-size florets

4 thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 cups water

2-3 tbs. Greek yogurt

Salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Method:

In a soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the cauliflower, thyme and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and water and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf and discard.

With a stick blender, puree the soup until smooth. Add yogurt and stir to incorporate. Serve with a green salad.

Happy cooking!