Category Archives: Nourishing, Fast, Fresh Recipes

Easy All-Purpose Tomato Sauce

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I make this when great fresh tomatoes aren’t in season and I need a basic tomato sauce for pizza or pasta. The trick these days, of course, is finding preserved tomatoes in a BPA-free container. While many manufacturers are working to phase out use of BPA in canned goods (Muir Glen is using its first BPA-free cans for this fall’s tomato pack), right now the only way to know your tomatoes are BPA free is to buy them in an aseptic or glass container. Adding a dash or two of Worcestershire deepens the flavor of this tomato sauce recipe.

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Quick-Pickled Red Onions

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The bright flavor and crunch of these pickled red onions makes them a perfect accompaniment for Carnitas de Lia or on a sandwich with roasted chicken, Spiced Pork Roast or Devilish Egg Salad. I also like to add them to quesadillas. You can alter the flavor profile by using a different type of vinegar and changing the herbs and spices.

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Spiced Pumpkin Harvest Bundt Cake with Pecans

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By Linda West Eckhardt

Pumpkin makes a terrific addition to Bundt cake. It adds rich autumn flavor, plus fiber and vitamins A and C. Start with a fresh 2- to 3-pound sugar pumpkin or winter squash, cook it in the microwave until tender (about 10 minutes), then scrape out the flesh, peel and mash. Or even simpler,  use 1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin (make sure you pick up pumpkin puree and not premade pumpkin pie filling). Buy the freshest nuts you can find; the cake will have a lovely caramel color and bright, complex flavor from the marriage of squash and spices dappled with this season’s nuts.

pumpkin bundt cakeCake:
4 large eggs
Nonstick cooking spray with flour (such as Spectrum Canola Spray with Flour)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1-1/4 cups canola oil
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups mashed pumpkin OR 1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Glaze:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans

Place eggs in a bowl of hot tap water (to quickly bring them to room temperature so they beat to maximum volume). Position oven rack in the middle of  oven. Preheat  oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan with cooking spray.

To prepare cake, sift together flour and next 6 ingredients (through ground cloves) onto a sheet of wax paper.

Place oil and eggs in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer to combine. Add granulated sugar and vanilla; beat well. With the mixer running, gradually add flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at low speed. Beat in pumpkin, zest and 1 teaspoon juice. Fold in 3/4 cup nuts.

Scrape batter into prepared pan (pan will be very full). Bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of pan; carefully turn pan and rack to gently remove cake from pan. Cool cake on wire rack.

To prepare glaze, place butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer to combine thoroughly. Add powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix thoroughly. Scrape glaze over the top of  still-warm cake and spread over the top with an offset spatula (glaze will drizzle down the sides of the cake). Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons nuts.

Serves 16

Linda West Eckhardt is a James Beard Award-winning author of more than 20 cookbooks, including Cakes from Scratch in Half the Time (Chronicle Books).

Super Succulent Five-Spice Pork Shoulder

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This ridiculously simple dish is a riff on Carnitas de Lia, another of an endless variation of “dry braises” you can make with your own mix of spices. I like to top bowls of Simple Udon Soup with a generous mound of shreds, or serve an Asian take on fajitas with scallion pancakes, plum sauce and griddled scallions.

2-1/2 tablespoons five spice powder
1 tablespoon coriander
½ to 1 teaspoon ground Szechwan pepper
2 tablespoons kosher salt
3–4 pound boneless pork shoulder roast

Preheat oven to 275. Mix together spices and salt in a small bowl. Take pork out of its netting and rub the spice mixture all over, getting it into the nooks and crannies.

Place pork in a Dutch oven, cover and bake in the oven for 3–1/2 to 4 hours, until pork falls apart with the touch of a fork.

Serves 12

Note: If you’d like to crisp up either medium-sized chunks or fully-shredded meat, saute in a bit of the pork fat or canola oil.

Maple Caramel Popcorn

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Think of this caramel popcorn recipe as Cracker Jacks with an upscale theme. I’m into Chinese five spice powder these days and like the bright note it lends to the caramel. If you don’t have it on hand, you can substitute ground cinnamon. Because this caramel is made with maple syrup and agave nectar, it doesn’t change color dramatically, so this is a good recipe to use a candy thermometer or digital thermometer. You can break this popcorn into bite-size pieces or form it into popcorn balls.

maple-caramel-popcorn-balls10 cups plain popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup unpopped)
3/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons raw organic blue agave nectar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Place popped popcorn and peanuts in a large, lightly oiled bowl. Combine salt, Chinese five spice and baking soda in a small bowl. Lightly oil 2 silicone spatulas or wooden spoons. Set aside.

Combine sugar and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Place a heatproof bowl in the top of the saucepan for 2 minutes; the condensation will wash away any sugar that has crystallized on the side of the pan. Remove bowl. Cook sugar mixture until it registers 300 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the salt mixture (the caramel will bubble).

Pour caramel over popcorn mixture. Toss to combine with two lightly oiled silicone spatulas. When the mixture begins to set (it should be cool enough to handle; otherwise wear a pair of latex gloves), lightly oil your hands and, working quickly, break it apart into bite-size pieces or form it into 2-inch balls. Place on a baking sheet to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Serves 20-25

Chai-Spiced Amaranth Pudding

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Bulk-bin buys are the basis for this recipe, starting with amaranth seeds, a high-protein grain, along with golden raisins, pistachios, and the fancy salt for the brittle. Cooked amaranth has a gelatinous quality that lends itself to pudding. If you have a chai spice blend on hand, substitute 1 teaspoon for the cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. This pudding caused a little controversy in our household. I loved the flavor and aroma of the warm spices. Richard liked the texture, but would have preferred it plain, without the spices–”like a proper English pudding.” Of course, not too many English puddings are made with amaranth, but a version of this sans spices would be a kid- and Englishman-friendly dessert.

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Apple Pie with Chinese Five Spice & Hazelnut Crumb Topping

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A few things set this apple pie apart. Sauteing the apples in browned butter, then letting them cook down with sugar, a touch of lemon juice and Chinese five spice results in a filling reminiscent of caramel apples. Chinese five spice powder is a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns, and it lends the filling a bright note. You can substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon each of ground ginger and cloves. Because the filling is cooked, this recipe calls for blind-baking the crust. You can use blind baking beans or dried beans (which you can cool after baking and reuse for future blind-baking). A sprinkling of crumb topping adds extra texture and sweetness.

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Toasted Nut Pastry Dough

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By Kathleen Kanen

Ground nuts and a touch of whole-wheat pastry flour give this pastry dough recipe a healthier edge. It also has less fat than traditional pastry, yet there’s enough to make it satisfyingly tender. As with any pastry, handle the pie dough gently (so it doesn’t get tough) and don’t skip chilling it for 30 minutes. That helps the gluten relax and makes a more tender crust. Use the chilling time to peel the fruit and assemble the filling. This dough is terrific for seasonal fruit-filled pies, such as our  Apple Pie with Chinese Five Spice and Hazelnut Crumb Topping in fall or our Kathleen’s Fresh Peach Pie in summer.

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Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage

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This dish is the epitome of comfort for me (it’s also a great example of my “double-up/halvsies” guideline) and is a tradition for Christopher and me upon returning from the road. For us, any season of the year really, this bowl says “welcome home.”

1 spicy Italian sausage, removed from casings
Sea salt, to taste
3 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chicken stock
1/2 pound orecchiette pasta
2 bunches of broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
Finishing salt (such as Maldon salt) OR grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Sauté sausage in a large pot over medium heat until browned, breaking up into pieces with the edge of a spatula. Set sausage aside to drain on paper towel and wipe out the pot. Fill the pot with water and bring to a boil with a generous pinch of salt.

While waiting for water to boil, mash the garlic to a paste in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt. Whisk in chile flakes, olive oil and chicken stock, and set aside.

When the water comes to a rapid boil, pour the pasta into the pot. Cook for 8 minutes and add broccoli rabe to pot. Cook another 3 minutes, until pasta is al dente. Drain pasta and broccoli rabe, return to the pot and toss with the garlic and olive oil over low heat. Add sausage and toss well.

Top with an extra dose of sea salt (Maldon is our favorite) or a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Serves 4

Creamy Millet with Blueberry Compote

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If you haven’t tried millet, this recipe from Rebecca Katz’s The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen (Celestial Arts) is a great introduction. As she notes, it looks very similar to quinoa, and it’s also gluten-free and a good source of protein. Millet and orange have anti-inflammatory properties, while spices like allspice, cardamom, ginger and cinnamon aid digestion. Coconut oil has antibiotic properties (you can find it with the other oils in health-food stores), and blueberries are rich in cancer-fighting phytochemicals. This is a nice make-ahead breakfast–just stir in a little extra almond milk and warm it up in a saucepan over gentle heat. It’s a powerfully nourishing start to your day.

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