Dairy-Free – Page 10

Spanish-Leaning Spinach and Chickpea Dip

Posted on May 11, 2010 by Lia Huber — 8 Comments ↓

I waffled about whether to name this “hummus” or “chickpea dip,” but ultimately thought it veered far enough from tradition — thanks to the addition of spinach and smoked paprika — to go with the latter. (And my choice should satisfy purists like Cheryl Sternman Rule — check out her tongue-in-cheek thoughts on the matter the hummus debate here.) It is, in any case, delicious. If you’ve ever had any doubt as to the strength of pounded garlic, this little dish will set you straight.

3 cloves garlic, peeled and pounded to a paste in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt
2 cups cooked chickpeas
12 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine garlic, chickpeas, spinach, lemon juice and tahini in a food processor, and blend until smooth.

Warm olive oil in a small pan over medium-low heat and add spices. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes, until just fragrant. Scrape oil and spices into bowl of food processor, add a pinch of salt and process until well blended.

Serves 8

Roasted Cauliflower with Meyer Lemon Fauxaioli

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Lia Huber — 4 Comments ↓

This is my secret weapon dish for all who say they don’t like cauliflower. High-heat roasting encases the florets in a savory crispness while turning the insides creamy and even a touch sweet … enough to win over the most ardent naysayers. I call this a “fauxaioli” because it’s essentially a gussied-up, lightened-up store-bought mayonnaise, but it’s one I turn to again and again when time is short. This whole recipe, as a matter of fact, came about after having cauliflower in a fritto misto in Italy. I wanted to replicate the effect–crunchy, creamy, salty, sweet and pungent–without the hassle (or calories) of a full-blown fried affair with homemade aioli. And, based on the raves this dish has received (I’ll often serve it as an hors d’oeuvres with a jar of toothpicks nearby), I’d have to claim success.

1 head cauliflower, cut into small, bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice (or regular lemon)
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast for 25 minutes, turning often after the first 10 minutes.

While cauliflower is roasting, mash the garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle, and stir in mayonnaise, light mayonnaise and lemon juice. Scoop into a serving bowl and sprinkle with about a half-teaspoon of the parsley.

Transfer cauliflower to a serving platter and scatter the remaining parsley over top. Serve with fauxaioli.

Serves 4

Spiced-Rubbed Skirt Steak

Posted on April 15, 2010 by Lia Huber — No Comments ↓

Skirt steak is a great choice for a weeknight meat craving: It cooks up superfast and takes great to rubs. A few slices served with a plateful of veggies (like our Romaine Slaw) and whole grains (like our Herb-Flecked Bulgur) brings something traditionally thought of as a nutritional no-no (steak) into a more nourishing category. Make up a big batch of the spice rub to keep on hand for even faster dinners on the fly.

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Mama Kourtesi’s Beet and Green Salad

Posted on March 10, 2010 by Lia Huber — 5 Comments ↓

This salad, which I learned from Mama Kourtesi in Greece, is the essence of “whole eating.” She boils both beets and their greens and tosses it all in a simple dressing of oil and vinegar for a surprisingly tasty, super-versatile salad or side dish.

1-1/2 pounds baby beets with greens attached
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Trim the leaves from the beets a half-inch from the base of the stem. Wash, dry and chop the leaves.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add beet roots, lower heat to maintain a vigorous simmer, and cook for 20-35 minutes (depending on size), until the tip of a sharp knife can penetrate to the beet’s center without resistance. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beets to a bowl and let cool until manageable. Peel and cut into 1/2-inch wedges.

Bring water back up to a boil and add beet greens. Boil for 5 minutes, until greens are wilted and stems are tender. Drain well.

Mix together beets and greens in a large salad bowl ,and toss with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4

Guatemalan Guacamole Avocado Salad

Posted on February 5, 2010 by Lia Huber — 1 Comment ↓

This take on guacamole comes from a Guatemalan recipe for avocado salad. There’s nothing quite like the buttery flesh of an avocado, made even better by the fact that it’s loaded with healthy fats. Do be aware, though, that those same fats make this a calorically dense dish . . . so just be conscious of your bites.

2 large, ripe avocados
1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and coarsely mashed
1/4 cup jicama, peeled and cut into a 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup lime juice, divided
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh hot chiles
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Scrape the flesh from the avocados into a bowl and roughly mash them with the egg. Mix in the jicama, 2 tablespoons lime juice, onion, oregano, chile and salt and pepper to taste. Mix enough to blend the ingredients, not so much so that it becomes smooth. This should be a chunky guacamole.

Serves 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Braised Chicken and Chickpeas with Smoked Paprika

Posted on January 18, 2010 by Lia Huber — 9 Comments ↓

This recipe works wonders with the Valu-pak of frozen chicken thighs you bought last month at Costco (or was that me?). If you don’t have smoked paprika on hand, just use a twist of freshly ground black pepper. Or experiment with other combinations of spices in your pantry. Serve over brown rice, whole wheat couscous or bulgur to soak up the flavorful juices.

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 pounds chicken thighs and legs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes (I recommend Muir Glen)
1 cup chicken stock
2 (14-ounce cans) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

Place flour in a plastic zip-top bag. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and paprika, and drop half in the flour. Seal bag and shake until well coated. Remove, shake off any excess and transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan and brown well on all sides, working in batches if necessary so you don’t overcrowd the pan, about 6 minutes total per batch. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add onion to Dutch oven and sauté 4-5 minutes or until tender and slightly browned. Pour in vinegar, scraping pan to loosen browned bits on the bottom, and cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates.

Add tomatoes and chicken stock to pan. Stir in chickpeas and bring to a boil. Place chicken on top of chickpeas and sprinkle with an additional pinch of salt and paprika. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and chickpeas are tender.

Serves 8

White Bean and Kale Ragout with Turnips and Sausage

Posted on January 12, 2010 by Lia Huber — 7 Comments ↓

This ragout is meant to be a throw-together-fast-on-a-weeknight kind of meal. If you have sweet potatoes instead of turnips, use them. If you have Swiss chard in the fridge but no kale, sub it instead. You may be surprised by how much flavor you can coax, with the help of a well-stocked pantry, out of the ingredients you have on hand.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Italian chicken sausages, cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups de-stemmed, chopped kale (about 1 bunch)
1/2 cup chicken or mushroom stock
2 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute onion and turnips for 8 minutes, or until bronzed. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add sausage and garlic to pan. Cook for 2 more minutes, then add kale and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender.

Serves 4

Asian Turkey Salad

Posted on November 27, 2009 by Lia Huber — 3 Comments ↓

This fresh, bright turkey salad with Asian flair is quite a departure from the usual all-American Thanksgiving leftovers. But after the big day, it’s a nice, light respite. This salad would also be great any time of year with shredded chicken.

Dressing
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 (1-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger
1 serrano pepper
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce OR gluten-free tamari
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Salad
4 cups finely shredded Napa cabbage
2 cups skinned, boned and shredded turkey
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, plus additional for garnish
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts
1/4 cup sliced scallion

To prepare dressing, combine vinegar, garlic, ginger, serrano pepper in a blender or food processor and pulse until garlic, ginger and serrano are minced. Add oil and remaining dressing ingredients and blend until smooth.

To prepare salad, toss cabbage, turkey, bell pepper, 1 cup cilantro and red onion in a large bowl. Mix well with dressing. Divide evenly among 4 plates and garnish with peanuts, scallion and additional cilantro.

Serves 4

Pumpkin Curry with Chicken Thighs

Posted on November 23, 2009 by Lia Huber — 1 Comment ↓

Any Gewurztraminer left over from Thanksgiving will go beautifully with this creamy, spicy, aromatic pumpkin curry. If you have a lime tree, crumple up a leaf and throw it into the curry as it simmers (then discard)—it will perfume the dish, much as kaffir lime leaves do. Serve over rice.

1 tablespoon Canola oil
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-3/4 cup light coconut milk
1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
6 cups pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1-1/2 pounds chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large, deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat and sauté onion for 10 minutes, until deep golden-brown. Add ginger and garlic, and sauté 1 minute, until fragrant.

Pour in 1/4 cup coconut milk and stir in both curries until blended. Add remaining coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce and sugar. Add pumpkin chunks and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium to retain a vigorous simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add chicken and pepper and bring back up to a simmer. Cook for another 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and pumpkin is tender.

Stir in lime juice and top with cilantro.

Serves 6

Braised Kale Trio

Posted on November 13, 2009 by Lia Huber — No Comments ↓

Use a mixture of different varieties of kale–like red Russian, Tuscan and Portuguese–if you can get your hands on them. A local farmer, Bibianna Love, opened my eyes to the incredible variety of flavors and textures between them. Together, they elevate a simple side dish of greens.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
16 cups kale, zipped, cleaned and roughly chopped
1/4 cup vegetable broth
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large, deep saute pan or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add garlic. Saute for 1 minute, until golden brown and fragrant. Add kale and vegetable stock to pan, season with salt and pepper, and toss well to coat. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 2-5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until kale is crisp-tender.

Remove lid and increase heat to medium-high. Continue to cook for 2-5 more minutes, until any remaining liquid has evaporated and kale is tender but still vibrant.

Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Serves 4