Cooking Club, Part 2

A little over a month ago was the second meeting of Cooking Club! As a reminder, the guidelines we are trying to stick with are as follows:

• Fresh (or fresh frozen) veggies & fruit as much as possible
• Whole grains
• Minimally processed food
• Organic when possible and affordable
• Lower calorie dishes preferred

All the recipes below are linked back to the source if known and we don't take credit for any of them (even though with our tweaks they are NEW recipes!). We are missing Katie's recipe but hopefully she will send it over and I can update the post. Let us know what you think of these recipes as well as those from Cooking Club, Part 1!

Mia’s Contribution: Eggplant Caponata

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for grilling

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons golden raisins

2 tablespoons pine nuts

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

1/2 cup tomato paste

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons sugar, plus more if needed

1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/3 cup white-wine vinegar

Coarse salt

2 cubes TJ's basil

2 cubes TJ's garlic

1. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, raisins, pine nuts, garlic, and red-pepper flakes; cook stirring occasionally, until onion has softened, 4 to 6 minutes.

2. Add tomato paste, cocoa powder, and sugar; cook, stirring, until tomato paste is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggplant, vinegar, and 1/3 cup water.

3. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is tender and mixture is thick, 7 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and more sugar (up to 1 tablespoon), as desired.

4. Serve with crostini as an appetizer or over pasta as a meal.

Note: Raisins were not included in our version of this recipe and it turned out delicious.

Jasmin’s Contribution: Quinoa With Toasted Almonds & Dried Cranberries

1 cup quinoa

1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds

1 tsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 vegan vegetable bouillon cube

1/2 tsp salt

1 cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. Soak the quinoa 15 minutes in cold water

2. Stir the quinoa with your hand, pour off most of the water and drain through a fine mesh strainer

3. Shake dry in the strainer, then set the strainer over a bowl or pitcher

4. Heat a wide bottomed pan on medium heat and add the oil

5. Stir and toast the sliced almonds until golden, then remove from pan

6. Add the quinoa. Stir and toast until dry and turning color

7. Add boiling water, veggie cube, salt, bay leaf and cinnamon stick, and dried cranberries

8. Bring back to boil, cover, turn the heat to simmer, cook for 10 minutes or until all the water is absorbed

9. Remove from heat and allow to sit five minutes with the lid on

10. Fluff gently with a fork and serve

Note: Cooked chicken was added to our version to up the protein content of the meal.

Rachael’s Contribution: Slow-Cooker White Bean and Kielbasa Stew

1 pound dried white beans (such as great Northern or navy)

14 ounces kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2 inch thick

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 large onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

5 ounces baby spinach (6 cups)

country bread, for serving

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the beans, kielbasa, broth, tomatoes (and their juices), onion, garlic, rosemary, and 1 cup water.

2. Cover and cook until the beans are tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours (this will shorten total recipe time).

3. Just before serving, stir in the spinach. Serve with the bread.

Note: Turkey kielbasa was substituted for regular kielbasa and the spinach was left out.

Gretchen’s Contribution: Easy Lasagna

1 28 oz. jar plain Ragu or other spaghetti sauce

1 ½ lb. browned ground chuck (or leaner beef)

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 lb. low-fat ricotta cheese

1 lb. grated mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

Lasagna noodles, uncooked

1. Combine first 4 ingredients to create sauce.

2. In 9 X 13 pan: layer of sauce (1/3), layer of noodles, layer of sauce (1/3), layer ALL ricotta cheese, layer ½ mozzarella cheese, sprinkle parmesan cheese to taste, layer of noodles, remaining sauce, remaining mozzarella cheese, sprinkle parmesan cheese to taste.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 – 50 minutes. If top is dry, add a little more sauce. Let sit about 15 min. before cutting.

Note: Lots of substitutions were made with this dish. Organic marinara was used instead of Ragu. Ground turkey was used instead of ground chuck. Fat free ricotta was used instead of low fat. Low fat mozzarella was used instead of regular. Also the first layer of sauce did not have meat in it and two layers of fresh baby spinach were added after the ricotta cheese and before the final layer of mozzarella. The spinach didn't add much but was an easy way to sneak in some veggies. Next time I would add more spinach. This is also to adapt for vegetarians too. Just leave out the meat!

Cooking Club, Part 1

So this past Sunday night was the first meeting of my new Cooking Club! There are a total of 6 people in the club - size based on manageable number of portions but also providing a variety of options each time we meet. The guidelines we are trying to stick with are as follows:

• Fresh (or fresh frozen) veggies & fruit as much as possible
• Whole grains
• Minimally processed food
• Organic when possible and affordable
• Lower calorie dishes preferred

Unfortunately we did not have full participation for our first "meeting" but everyone enjoyed catching up with some light snacks and wine while exchanging delicious homemade food. Also, we are not taking credit for the recipes below but are not sure who to credit for most.

Check out the recipes below and let us know what you think!

Rachael's Contribution: Matzo Ball Soup

A few notes from Rachael:

I cook a whole chicken in a crock pot for about 4 hours on high (6-7 on low) or until the meat thermometer reaches 180 degrees since its a whole chicken. You can also do this with some chicken thighs if you are making a small portion. Remember to remove the giblets inside the chicken and then put your "poultry bouquet" of herbs (found in the produce section) inside the chicken. Add about 2 cups of water, salt, pepper, and the veggies listed on the recipe.

After the chicken is cooked remove it from the pot and use the juices to add to the chicken stock. This homemade stock gives you all the great flavor. Once you've heated your broth, pull the chicken from the breasts to add to the soup, chop up some of the cooked carrots, add your cooked matzo balls, and then a few sprigs of dill. (Note: I chopped the dill too fine and it made the soup look green. Just chopped it a few times. I also did not use the chicken fat in the matzo balls since we wanted to keep it healthier. I cooked the balls for only about 10 mins since they were on the smaller side.)

Jasmin's Contribution: Gluten Free Baked Penne with Spinach

1 large bag of gluten free penne pasta

3 large cans of organic crushed tomatoes

1 small can of tomato paste

1 container of low cal fresh mozzarella - bocachinni if you can get it

1 small tub of low fat ricotta cheese

1 small white onion

4 cloves of garlic

1 container of grated parm cheese (the good stuff)

1 large bag fresh spinach

Fresh basil

Fresh oregano

6 pepper cloves

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbspn of olive oil

Sauce

In a large pot heat olive oil, add crushed garlic and diced onions

Once onions are translucent, add basil, oregano, pepper cloves, salt and pepper. Mix and simmer for 1 minute.

Add crushed tomatoes and stirr. Bring to boil on high/ med heat. Once boiled, stirr and reduce to simmer for 1 hour.

After an hour, add tomatoe paste and add 1/2 tub of reduced fat parm cheese. Stir, simmer for 1 additional hour.

After 2 hours, add 1 large bag of fresh spinach to sauce. Let cook/ wilt for 5 mins.

Boil pasta in separate pot.

In lasagna tray, add sauce to the bottom of the pan. Add layer of pasta. On top of pasta layer mozzarella cheese and spread ricotta cheese in a thin layer. Repeat to desired amount. Very important ( be liberal with the sauce, especially cover the sides and corners to avoid burning). When layers are completed, cover with tin foil and bake on 350 for 45 mins. After 45 mins, remove foil and bake for another 20 mins uncovered ( to allow for crisp).

And there you have it! Serves 8+. Enjoy!

Mia's Contribution: Pasta with Potatoes & Spinach

Pasta/Potatoes

1 1/2 vegetable bullion cubes

16 oz whole wheat pasta (I also use the organic brown rice pasta from TJ’s but it doesn’t taste that great the next day)

4 small caribe (or any potatoes (about 1 lb)

Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp dried basil

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup vegetable broth/stock

1 lemon juiced

4 cups amaranth or fresh spinach, washed and chopped if leaves are large

1 15 oz can cannellini beans

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp fresh basil (optional)

2 tbsp fresh chives (optional)

1) Add water to a large pot. Bring to a boil.

2) Slice potatoes: quarter, then slice lengthwise, 1/4”.

3) Once water is boiling, add bullion cubes. Stir until they're dissolved. Add potatoes and pasta (in that order). Cover. Cook until pasta is al dente and potatoes are tender/cooked all the way through. Drain and return to pot.

In the meantime...

4) In a small bowl, combine dried basil and olive oil. Mix. Set aside

5) In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add basil and warm through. Add garlic. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until fragrant and it just starts to brown.

6) Add vegetable broth and lemon juice, scraping bottom of pan with your spoon to get all the good stuff mixed in.

7) Add greens. Stir until just wilted. Add beans with just a bit of the bean water. Stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

8) In the large pasta pot (assuming it will leave room for you to stir), add sauce to the pasta/potatoes and mix it all together.

9) Garnish with fresh basil and chives if you have them lying around. I had just a few leaves of basil and barely an ounce of chives I needed to use. That’s why they’re in there.

Gretchen's Contribution: Taco Soup

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

2 cans Rotel (comes in several flavors: original, mild, Mexican, hot)

1 15 oz. can corn, drained

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained

1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained

1 15 oz. can refried beans, fat free

2 9.75 oz. cans of white meat chicken, drained

1 packet taco seasoning mix

1-2 packets Ranch dressing powder mix (I use one, less salty)

Place all ingredients in a crockpot (break up chicken as you put it in crockpot for best results) and simmer on HIGH for about 1 ½ - 2 hours. Stir the mixture several times during the cooking process.

Serve with shredded fat free cheese (or your favorite cheese). One cup is an ample serving when you add the cheese. You can also top with crumbled baked tortilla chips, fat free sour cream or avocado.

Serves 10

Katie's Contribution: Slow Cooked Braised Pork with Roasted Tomatillo

4lb boneless pork shoulder or butt

2 cups tomatillo or salsa verde

2 1/3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

1 large onion

1 1/3 tsp. cumin seeds or ground cumin

4 plum tomatoes

2/3 cup cilantro

quinoa

1. Trim and discard pork surface fat. Cut meat apart following layers of fat around muscles to trim fat. Cut into 2" chunks and rinse with cold water. Place in a 5 qt slow cooker and cook on high.

2. Combine tomatillo, broth, onion & cumin in saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. Pour over meat, then add tomatoes and stir gently. Place lid on slow cooker and cook for 6-7 hours until meat pull apart easily.

3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pork into a large bowl. Cover and keep warm. Pour sauce and vegetables into skillet & skim fat. Bring to boil over high heat. Boil skimming froth periodically for 20 minutes. Add pork and cilantro while heating through.

4. Serve over rice/quinoa (cook per package instructions) and garnish with sour cream and cilantro.

Easy Spring Dinner

I still have two easy dinners from "Bachelor Monday" to share but with these wonderful bursts of warm weather I have been feeling like summer is just around the corner. Well, at least in LA it is (sorry to my Ohio readers who are still having bursts of winter!). A couple weeks ago I threw together a delicious warm weather dinner that was both full of flavor and light on the calories - Lemon Cucumber Quinoa and Grapefruit Avocado Salad.

Lemon Cucumber Quinoa

NOTE: I made an entire batch of quinoa but only used about 1/2 for the preparation below. This allows you to make a variety of salads out of the same batch of quinoa.

1 Cup Red Quinoa (other quinoa can be substituted)

2 Cups Water (broth can be substituted)

Cucumbers

Mint

Lemon

Olive Oil

Good Quality Salt (I like the Pink Himalayan Salt with a grinder from Trader Joe's)

1. Prepare quinoa in water in either a rice cooker or on the stove according to package directions. Allow to cool to room temperature.

2. Based on the amount of quinoa you are using with this preparation, finely chop cucumber and mint. Add to quinoa.

3. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste. You will want to make sure there is a noticeable lemon flavor but not overpowering.

4. Add a dash of olive oil and a bit of salt.

5. Stir and adjust the above as needed.

Makes approximately 8 side servings if all the quinoa is used.

For more great quinoa recipes, check out past posts here as well as The Little Red Apron - my friend Lisa's blog!

Grapefruit Avocado Salad

Butter Lettuce

Avocado

Red Onion

Pink Grapefruit

Trader Joe's Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar (regular champagne vinegar with a little orange juice would probably be a fine substitution)

Olive Oil

Good Quality Salt

1. Rinse butter lettuce (if needed) and add to salad bowl.

2. Cut up avocado, red onion and grapefruit in proportion to the amount of lettuce used. I recommend that not more than a ratio of 1/3 toppings to 2/3 lettuce be used as these are bold flavors.

3. Lightly salt the salad.

4. Mix together the vinegar and olive oil. I have found the best way to do this is to slowly add the olive oil to the vinegar while whisking. The amount will vary based on how wet a salad you prefer. Personally I feel that this salad is best with just a bit of dressing. Remember, you can always add more if you feel you went too light.

5. Toss and serve.

I served this with the Grilled Lemon Chicken from Trader Joe's however even without the chicken it was a great meal for my vegetarian friend. We enjoyed a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc with our meal however next time I would probably choose a different label. I can't wait for the weather to stay warm and enjoy more meals like this all summer long!

The Bachelor Dinner, Part 7

The Bachelor may be over for the season but that doesn't mean that the fabulous and easy meals need to stop! I have a few menus from earlier in the season to share until The Bachelorette starts in May.

Open Face Chicken BLT

Ciabatta Rolls

Chicken Breast

Bacon

Arugula

Tomato

Olive Oil

Garlic Spread (This was from the farmers market so if not available use a garlic aioli instead.)

1. Cook chicken and bacon in your preferred style. We cooked the chicken in a grill pan and the bacon on a baking sheet in the oven.

2. As the meats finish cooking, place ciabatta rolls in the oven to warm and lightly toast. Note: You are only using half a roll per person as this is an open face sandwich.

3. Spread rolls with garlic spread and begin assembling the sandwich. Chicken, bacon, tomato, and arugula.

4. Top with a drizzle of olive oil.

Bruschetta Quinoa Salad

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups Chicken Broth (Vegetable Broth or Water can be substituted)

1/2 Container Bruschetta Sauce from Trader Joe's (Diced tomatoes, garlic, basil & olive oil can be substituted)

Mini Sweet Bell Peppers

Cucumber

1. Prepare quinoa with chicken broth in either a rice cooker or on the stove according to package directions. Allow to cool to room temperature.

2. Dice mini sweet bell peppers and cucumber. Quantities will vary based on size and desired taste. It is better to start out with less and add more to taste. We used approximately 3 peppers and 2/3 a cucumber. Add to cooled quinoa.

3. Using a slotted spoon, add bruschetta sauce to cooled quinoa. Stir.

4. Taste and adjust quantities of add-ins as needed.

Makes approximately 8 side servings.

Unfortunately I don't have any photos of these dishes but they are pretty simple. The great thing about the quinoa salad is that it keeps for days. You can make it at the beginning of the week and enjoy it as a side with a variety of other meals.

The Bachelor Dinner, Part 6

So this week was the finale of this season of The Bachelor so we decided to go all out for our last dinner of the season. What we came up with was a healthy menu with strong herbal and Asian influences.

Thai Basil Crusted Chicken

Thai Basil Sea Salt

Chicken Breast (single cut breasts are better than the double cut as they will cook more quickly without getting too browned)

1. Cover each side of the each chicken breast with a light coating of the Thai Basil Sea Salt.

2. Let sit at least 20 minutes.

3. Grill until done or if cooking inside use a grill pan for best results.

The Thai Basil Sea Salt was amazing and we plan to experiment with it and other meats too. I think it would also be great on tofu.

Quinoa Salad

2 Cups Chicken Broth (Vegetable Broth or Water can be substituted)

1 Cup Quinoa

1 Clove Garlic, chopped

1 Carrot

2 Celery Stalks

2 Sprigs of Green Onion

1/2 Red Pepper

Handful of Baby Heirloom Tomatoes (Cherry Tomatoes can be substituted)

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1.5 Limes, juice only

Cilantro, Basil, Mint, Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Prepare quinoa with chicken broth and garlic in either a rice cooker or on the stove according to package directions. Allow to cool to room temperature.

2. Dice carrot, celery, green onion, and red pepper. Add to cooled quinoa.

3. Thinly slice tomatoes. Add to cooled quinoa.

4. Finely cut up cilantro, basil and mint. Add to cooled quinoa.

5. Add olive oil and lime juice to quinoa and vegetable mixture. Stir.

6. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Makes at least 8 side servings.

Sauteed Bok Choy, Broccolini & Green Cabbage

Equal amounts of Bok Choy, Broccolini, & Green Cabbage

12 Cloves Garlic

Grapeseed Oil (another oil can be substituted if need be)

Toasted Sesame Oil

Sesame Seeds

1. Saute bok choy, broccolini, green cabbage and garlic in an appropriate amount of grapeseed oil.

2. When vegetables are nearly done, add a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and the sesame seeds.

Very Herby Salad

1 Bag of Herb Salad from Trader Joe's (If this salad is not available, use regular mixed greens and add cilantro, parsley and dill)

5-7 Basil leaves, finely chopped

4-6 Chives, finely chopped

Lavender Herb Dressing

Fresh shaved Parmesan, optional

1. Empty Herb Salad into a large bowl.

2. Add basil and chives.

3. Add parmesan if you wish.

4. Add dressing and toss.

Makes approximately 4 side servings.

We also enjoyed a cheese plate as a pre/post dinner snack as well as the Mango on Sticky Rice for dessert from Trader Joe's. The Mango on Sticky Rice is a large dessert and very filling due to the large amount of rice. We shared a piece and probably could have shared with another person too.

As for wine, we started with a glass of The Prisoner, followed by a Riesling from Silverlake Wine, and finished the evening with Pierre Sparr Cremant Brut Rose from BottleRock LA.

Even though The Bachelor is over for the season you won't have to wait until The Bachelorette starts up again for new recipes! I still have three weeks from earlier this season to share! Don't forget to comment if you try any of the recipes. Cooking isn't a perfect science so I would love to hear what works and what doesn't work for you.