Celebrate Resurrection

Resurrection Day is probably the most important day to celebrate in the entire calendar year. The day our Lord rose in victory after having sacrificed Himself for our sin. Most will gather with family and friends over a special meal as a way to give thanks to God.

We don't have family close by, but we have friends that are like family that we get together with each year. We also invite other friends to join us who may not have family near either. Everyone will bring a dish to share. It'll be a feast worthy of a celebration.

Even a celebration can be nutritious and since we're eager for Spring, we don't want to be weighed down with heavy ingredients. We might want to go outside and enjoy the sunshine later.  

For my part, I'll be making beef, but I haven't decided what kind yet. Any suggestions? We've done brisket, prime rib one year, and roast.  But the rest of the meal I have planned: Roasted Asparagus, Sun-dried Tomato & Goat Cheese Scones, Spinach or Arugula Salad with Berries and Orange Spice Granita layered with Yogurt for dessert (as long as we don't have more than a dozen guests, which is the number of my glasses).

Notice we've included plenty of dark green vegetables for their rich nutrient content, berries for the antioxidants as well as the vitamins, yogurt for digestion and citrus for vitamin C and the fresh taste of summer. 

Our friends will bring Ham and probably another dessert. As for the others, I have no idea, but I'm sure everything will be delicious.

No, you're not all invited, but you can make some of these recipes at home. And if you do, please let me know how you like them in the comments here.

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan from The Minimalist Entertains by Mark Bittman
2 thick slices good Bread, about 2 oz
1 chunk Parmesan Cheese, about 2 oz
3 lbs thin Asparagus, more or less
6 Tbsp unsalted Butter, extra virgin Olive Oil, or a combination
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 500 decrees F; while it's preheating, put the bread in there, and check it frequently until it is lightly toasted and dry. Coarsely grind or grate the bread and Paresan together (a small food processor is perfect for this)--if possible, keep the crumbs from becoming as msall as commercial bread crumbs.

2. Rinse the asparagus and break off their woody bottoms. Lay them in a baking dish or roasting pan that will accommodate them in two or three layers. Toss with bits of the butter, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and place in the oven.

3. Roast for 5 minutes, then shake the pan to redistribute the butter. Roast another 5 minutes, then test the asparagus for doneness by piercing a spear with the point of a sharp knife; it is done when the knife enters the asparagus but still meets a little resistance. You can prepare the recipe in advance up to this point as long as a couple of hours before serving; allow the asparagus to sit at room temperature during that time.

4. Turn on the broiler and place the rack as close as possible to the heating element. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the asparagus. Carefully brown the topping--it will only take a minute or two--and serve the asparagus hot or at room temperature.


Sun-Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Scones from Real Food magazine, Spring 2009
18 whole Sun-Dried Tomatoes, soaked in hot water (half a cup, chopped)
1 large Egg for egg wash
1 cup unbleached Flour
1 cup cake Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tsp cracked Black Pepper
6 oz Cèvre Cheese, crumbled

Rehydrate tomatoes in boiling water until tender. Drain and squeeze out excess water, then chop and reserve. Spray a baking sheet and preheat oven to 400F. Whisk one egg with one tablespoon water for egg wash.

In a large bowl, mix flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cracked pepper. Crumble chèvre and add to the flour mixture with the scallions, toss to mix. Whisk together egg and 1/2 cup buttermilk and olive oil, stir into dry mixture. If it seems stiff, add more buttermilk. Stir in tomatoes. Divide in half and scrape out onto a floured counter. Shape each half into a round and cut into wedges. Brush tops with egg wash. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden.


Spinach or Arugula Salad with Berries
Toss together:

Baby Spinach or Arugula
crumbled Feta or Gorgonzola Cheese
toasted Walnuts
fresh Berries (Raspberries, Blackberries, or sliced Strawberries)

Dressing: Raspberry Vinegar or simply Olive Oil with Lemon juice or the vinegar

Orange-and-Spice Granita Parfaits Real Food magazine Spring 2010
1 cup Water
3/4 cup granulated Sugar
2 Cardamom Pods
1 1/4 inch slice fresh Ginger
1 Cinnamon Stick
2 cups fresh-squeezed Orange Juice
1/4 cup fresh Lime Juice
2 cups low-fat or whole-milk vanilla or plain yogurt
Ground Cinnamon, optional garnish

1. Several hours or one day before making the granita: In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, cardamom pods, ginger, and cinnamon stick and heat to a boil over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let the syrup cool in the refrigerator several hours or overnight. Remove the whole spices with a perforatted spoon before serving.

2. Combine the cooled syrup and orage and lime juices in a shallow metal pan. Place in the freezer, stirring the solid edges into the center as the mixture freezes. For a grainy texture, continue to stir the granita. For a smoother texture, let the mixture freeze solid, break into chunks, and puree until smooth in a food processor, or process the mixture in an ice-cream maker. Transfer to a plastic container and freeze until ready to serve.

3. To serve. Place a generous spoonful of the yogurt in the bottom of four tall parfait glasses. Add a large scoop or two of the granita and top with a dollop of yogurt. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon, if using, and serve at once.

Chinese Hot Pot (Soup)

Recently we had a few people over for dinner. The problem was that several of them were fasting various things in observation of Lent. I came upon a great Chinese Soup that is vegetarian and has no offensive ingredients for our Lent observers.

Chinese Hot Pot is a healthy soup. It's full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and is a good soup for cleansing. But whether you're cleansing, fasting or just hungry for a great soup, this recipe is delicious. I received several compliments on it. And, when you add some sticky rice, it's hearty enough to serve as a meal by itself.

Chinese Hot Pot
Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker 
by Robin Robertson


"Hot in temperature and flavor, this vegetarian verson of the classic Chinese soup is fragrant and delicious. I like to add some cooked rice at serving for a substantial one-dish meal."

1 small, yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on a diagonal
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced on a diagonal
6-oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp. peeled and grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
5 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp. tamari or other soy sauce
8 oz. extra-firm tofu, drained and diced
4 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and caps thinly sliced
1 oz. snow peas, strings trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 scallions, chopped
1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil or Chinese hot oil

*In a 4-quart slow cooker, combine the onion, carrot, celery, water chestnuts, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Add the stock and tamari. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
*About 20 minutes before serving, add the tofu, mushrooms, snow peas, and scallions. Drizzle on the sesame oil. Cover and cook until the mushrooms and snow peas are tender. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Irish Recipes for the Saint

Saint Patrick's Day. Since I have Irish blood on both sides of my family (added all together I could be 1/3 Irish) I thought I'd honor the saint who made Jesus known to Ireland by offering two recipes in one post. What a deal!

Here's a great scone recipe, only slightly adapted from The Joy of Baking. Enjoy them alongside a cup of English tea with milk and honey. 

Irish Soda Scones:

3 cups (390 grams) all-purpose flour (or a mixture of whole wheat flour and white flour)

1 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) buttermilk

Optional: ½ C currants, dry cranberries or other dried fruit; or ½ C shredded, cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add most of the buttermilk. Using one hand, or a wooden spoon, mix (adding more buttermilk if necessary) until you have a soft, moist dough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough into a 7 - 8 inch (18 - 23 cm) round. Cut this circle into 6 triangular sections. Place the scones on your prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with a little extra buttermilk and then dust with a little flour. This gives the baked scones a wonderful floury brown crust.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of a scone comes out clean. Test by tapping the bottom of a scone - it should sound hollow. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. These scones are best served warm from the oven with a little butter and jam.

Makes 6 large scones.

Read more from The Joy of Baking here.

Today I received the following recipe from the VegNews e-newsletter. It looks great and I can't wait to try it. Could be a creative way to introduce the children, and husband ;-) , to greens! The website has other great Irish treats if you're looking for more. www.vegnews.com

Irish Colcannon (It's like a potato mountain!)

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone! Whether you're watching a parade, or simply enjoying a parade of delicious Irish treats, we hope you revel in the holiday. This traditional colcannon by Robin Robertson mixes the best of Irish culinary tradition: mashed potatoes and kale. 



Serves 6

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 leek (white part only), rinsed and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups kale, finely shredded

3 cups green cabbage, finely shredded

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup non-hydrogenated margarine

3/4 cup hot soymilk

1. Place the potatoes in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, salt the water, cover, and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.



2. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, and garlic, cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the kale and cabbage, season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.



3. When potatoes are cooked, drain and return to the pot. Add the margarine and soymilk, and mash with a potato masher. Stir in the kale and cabbage mixture, season again if necessary, and serve hot. 


Hummus Dip

The Mediterranean diet has long been famous for it's high nutritional value. This is the food we eat most often in our home, not only for the nutritional content, but also for the great flavors. Mediterranean food pleases the palate every time. Think: Greek, Italian, Arabic, Moroccan.

The key to great taste and the highest nutritional value is fresh, high-quality ingredients. Always try to buy fresh, organic and/or local produce.

For hummus, I use dry Chick Peas (also known as Garbanzo Beans), which keeps costs down--besides, I couldn't find fresh chick peas in Minnesota if I tried. Chick Peas are good for the heart and blood and as part of a healthy diet, they can help keep blood sugar in check. Hummus could be a good food for Lent. It's been around since long before Jesus walked the earth, it's possible He ate it, or something similar, Himself.

The other ingredients in Hummus are great for overall health too. Things like Olive Oil, Garlic, Lemon Juice and Cumin are all well-documented nutritional giants.
(For more info. on the health benefits of hummus click here).


Enjoy this dip with fresh, raw veggies or pita wedges.

Hummus


2-3 Garlic cloves, chopped or mashed
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cumin, ground
2 C cooked Chick Peas
1/2 C Tahini (sesame seed paste-found in health food stores, Middle-Eastern stores, or grocery stores in the health or ethnic section of the store)
1/4 C Lemon Juice, or to taste
Reserved liquid from beans as needed
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Paprika


Place all ingredients, except for the paprika and bean liquid, in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add some of the reserved liquid from the beans if the hummus is too stiff. Taste. Add a little more salt, cumin or lemon juice if you like. Spoon the hummus onto a plate or shallow bowl, drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with paprika.


Hummus freezes well too.

For information about the Mediterranean diet and a similar recipe from the net, click here. (You can also see where I borrowed the beautiful picture from).


We like hummus with warmed pita or on Gyro sandwiches. It's even good on salads. It's also great as a veggie dip. You can add Sun-dried Tomatoes for a different flavor or experiment with your own hummus creations. And please let me know what you come up with!

On the Lighter Side

I guess Meat Pie wasn't the best entry for the beginning of the Lenten season. Please forgive me, for those of you observing a meatless Lent.

How about something on the lighter side this time? Ever tried Frisee, also known as Curly Endive?

It looks like a head of lettuce whose roots got shoved into a light socket. The result: Frisee, French for 'frizzy'.

It's fresh and crunchy. Frisee is packed with nutrients and very low in calories. It's an excellent source of folic acid, vitamin A and vitamin C. Frisee lettuce is also a good source of vitamin K, and manganese. Vitamin K is a wonderful, healing, vital nutrient, but it's not easy to get the necessary amount, so if you're looking for Vit.K add Frisee to all your salads.

Walnut oil is healthy and great for salads. It's high in Omega 3 fatty acids, but it loses health benefits if heated and tends to go bad quickly, so keep it refrigerated. 

This recipe is from "A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen" by Jack Bishop.

Frisee Salad with Gorgonzola and Walnut Vinaigrette

2 Med heads frisee, tough outer leaves discarded, torn into bite-sized pieces (about 8 packed cups)
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
Salt & freshly ground Pepper (grinding yourself makes a huge difference in taste)
1 1/2 Tbsp Walnut Oil
1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil
2 oz Gorgonzola dolce chesse (dolcelatte), crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 Cup Walnuts, toasted

Place the frisee in a large bowl.

Whisk the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste together in a small bowl. Whisk the oils until the dressing is smooth.

Drizzle the dressing over the frisee. Sprinkle the cheese and nuts over the salad. Toss lightly and serve.

This would be great served with warmed pita triangles!