The Green Monster

To show some Boston pride, I've made some Green Monster pasta: pesto packed with all things green:

Pesto made with: peas, spinach, pistachios, parmesan, blended with basil-infused and spicy garlic oil 

Even spicier alternative: pesto of arugula, spinach, jalapeno, and walnuts

Fresh for Spring

When spring finally comes (in Boston it really popped this morning) it's time for quick, simple, light cooking. Here are some ideas I've done this April:

Teryaki salmon skewers with fresh pineapple, red bell pepper, and scallions

 

Cut salmon into chunks and veggies into large dice for grilling and marinate in a sesame-soy-ginger-teryaki mixture, then place on soaked skewers and grill.

 

 

Spring pea salad with walnuts and dates

 

 

Boil fresh peas and blanch snow peas and sugar snap peas so that they still retain a bright green color. Saute a medium shallot in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss the three types of peas with shallots, cayenne pepper, walnuts, slivered dates a drizzle of walnut oil.



Cava

Cava Mezze Grill is a more recent Bethesda restaurant addition that does "upscale fast food" right. A Mediterranean cafeteria, Mezze allows you to customize your meal with fresh, interesting ingredients - it's the antithesis to McDonalds in every way except for speed.

You start with a base: pita, bowl, mini pitas, salad, to start building your sandwich/wrap/etc.
Next you can choose from their tasty dips and spreads: hummus, eggplant & red pepper, tzatziki, roasted red pepper hummus, and "crazy feta."
Then you select your protein: chicken, grilled meatballs, lamb, beef, or falafel (which I chose, and they were crispy, used with fresh chickpeas for that lovely hint of green and amazing texture.)
Then you add your toppings: tomato and onion/cucumber salad, cabbage, feta, kalamata olives, diced cucumbers, basmati rice, fresh mint, lemon, pickled onions, etc.
and dressing: yogurt dill, lemon herb tahini, spicy harissa, and Greek vinaigrette.
Warning: I got some harissa on my salad (with falafel, roasted red pepper dip, feta, and lemon herb, the bright pop of green on top) and it is extremely spicy. I've had harissa in Morocco, and knew what to expect, but if you're not big on spice then taste it with caution. It's intense. Awesome, but admittedly intense.

Cava is a bit pricier than other quick lunch options, certainly more than a dollar menu or sub chain, but you get the quality you pay for. The portions are massive, the veggies are crisp and the dips authentic, and even though it's a quick-order line, the interior of the cafe is very cozy if you do want to stay rather than take it to go. A great choice for lunch with friends. 3 stars.

In the Morning

Quinoa may not come to mind as an obvious choice for breakfast food, but it's a protein-packed grain to fuel you with energy in the morning, and a neutral flavor - a blank canvas - to season savory or sweet as you please.

Quinoa simmered in almond milk (or soy or dairy milk) with maple syrup or brown sugar, 

topped with sliced banana, crunchy almonds, and dried or fresh berries

Greek yogurt is another breakfast favorite of mine. Here are some different ways I recommend plain non-fat Greek yogurt:

• drizzled with agave and topped with slivered almonds
• honey, banana slices, and walnuts
• maple syrup, pecans, and blueberries
• with a spoonful of jam (raspberry or apricot for fiber)
• berries (strawberries or raspberries are my favorite) and a few dark chocolate chips - a great dessert!

Curried Collards

We eat a lot of greens in my kitchen, from kale, chards, to collards, so I'm always trying to think of new and interesting ways to cook them. My latest experiment was spicy curried collard greens - here's how I did it:

Ingredients
Large bunch collard greens
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small ginger root, minced
Red chili pepper to taste
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2+ tbsp. curry powder
1 tbsp. Thai red curry paste
1/2 can light coconut milk
Sriracha to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Water

Method
1.) Wash and drain collard greens, stripping leaves from the stems.
2.) Heat olive oil in a large pan and add minced garlic, ginger and red chili to taste - can be dried red pepper flakes or fresh Asian chili pepper (jarred), or both.
3.) Add collard greens to the pan and toss with garlic, ginger and chili to distribute around evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for a few minutes.
4.) Add water to the pan - just enough to cover about half of the greens but not completely. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes or until the collards have gone from pale to bright green. (Braise the greens, essentially. Vegetable or chicken broth could be used in place of water for added flavor.)
5.) When the greens have simmered to change color, remove the lid and turn up the heat to boil off some of the excess liquid. Add the diced onion, curry powder, and Thai curry paste, stirring with a wooden spoon to spread/cook the spices. (I added the onion here rather than at the beginning so they retain some texture: in the end they should be translucent but not mush.)
6.) Reduce the heat to low and add a dash of Sriracha (or in my case five) and light coconut milk to finish, stirring so the curry sauce is even throughout. Serve hot, over coconut jasmine rice if desired.
*Note: for protein, adding crispy tofu on top of the curried greens would be great.

Superbowl Snacks

A couple of my favorite Superbowl Sunday snacks:

Chili cheese fries: using homemade baked sweet potato fries for more fiber and nutrients, and my Dad's classic chili recipe - okay with a few of my touches. I can't help but experiment.

Spinach and artichoke dip: when made fresh and baked until warm and bubbly in the oven, this vegetarian-friendly dip is easily as delicious as the various meat dishes (and I appreciate good hot wings.) Serve with veggies and pita chips.

Pigs in blankets: for a kid-friendly item, nothing beats the simple Crescent roll-hot dog-cheddar cheese combination. They're quick and easy - it takes about a minute to assemble a tray - and let's be honest, whether serving to five- or twenty-five-year olds, they get demolished.

Soup Ideas

Arctic January in Boston means lots of soups. Here are the soups I've tried this year:

Healthy Tomato soup: I added spicy Hungarian paprika to basic tomato soup and finished it with nonfat Greek yogurt (rather than cream) for a protein-packed yet creamy consistency.

Kale, White bean, Sausage soup: iron-rich kale and lean chicken or turkey sausage create great flavor for this winter soup.

Ribollita: Following the traditional Tuscan recipe in the Italian cookbook La Cucina Fiorentina, this hearty vegetable soup uses both collard greens and kale or chard, and both whole and blended white beans for varying textures. Ribollita means "reboiled" in Italian, so this soup should be made the night before serving, then bring to a boil again the next day, hence boiling twice, for a thick, rustic result.

Roasted Cauliflower soup: I roasted both white and golden cauliflower in the oven and then created a three-cheese sauce using blue cheese, gruyere and extra-sharp white cheddar. This is snow day comfort food, best served bubbling hot.

Lentil soup: stewed lentils with sweet potato, carrots and spinach for a fiber-filled winter meal. When it's bitter cold below freezing, spiced lentil stew does the trick.