The Secrets of Orange Zest, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, and Lemon Juice

I had a lot of extra barley in my freezer, so I scrounged around on Pinterest for a good Turkey and Barley soup recipe. I found one that called for orange zest. "That sounds fun," I thought. It turned out great! Never underestimate the power of citrus! And that brings me to the amazing potential found in lemon juice. I included it in both salads I made this week. And it even found it's way into my pancakes. I've been eating a lot of roasted sweet potatoes this week. They are so good, and great additions to any salad. Baking them with their skins on really helps to keep in the flavor. 

And lastly, those marvelous no-bake cookies. I don't know how I come up with these things, but this was positively genius! Bananas and nutella have always been close friends, but then I thought of marshmallows as a bonding agent. I didn't have any rice krispies on hand, but I did have oats. After the cookies sit for a while, the oats begin to soak up the yumminess and makes these little no-bake cookies simply splendid. 

 

Turkey Barley Vegetable Soup with Orange Zest

Multiple servings (including 3 servings of vegetables)

 

1 Onion, diced

3 cloves Garlic, diced

1/2 tube of Ground Turkey

1/2 cup Carrots, diced

1 can low sodium Diced Tomatoes

1/2 cup Peas (frozen)

1 carton low sodium Chicken Broth

1 ½-2 cups cooked Pearl Barley (or 1 cup uncooked)

Black Pepper

Paprika

2 Tbsp. White Vinegar

2 tsp. Basil

1/2 tsp. Thyme

Garlic Powder

2 Tbsp. Water

1-2 tsp. Orange Zest

Saute onions, carrots, and turkey until browned/tender. Add peas, tomatoes and barley. Pour in broth, black pepper and paprika. In a small bowl, combine basil, thyme, garlic and water (to make a pseudo pesto sauce). Add 1-2 tsp. orange zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer. If using dry barley, simmer until barley is cooked. Add vinegar.

Roasted Sweet Potato, Bulgar Wheat and Spinach with Goat Cheese

1 serving (includes 2 servings of vegetables)

Vegetable Oil

1 medium/small Sweet Potato

1/4 cup Bulgar Wheat

1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

1/4 tsp. Ginger

1 cup Baby Spinach

2 Tbsp. Goat Cheese

Wash sweet potato well. Cut into 1/2 inch disks. Coat in oil and roast on a baking tray at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until browned. Flip half way through.

Cook bulgar wheat according to package instructions. Add lemon juice and ginger.

Cut disks into quarters. Add to spinach, bulgar wheat, and goat cheese.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Red Onion Kale Salad

Multiple servings (includes 3 servings of vegetables)

Sweet Potatoes

Red Onion, sliced

Kale

Red Wine Vinegar

Lemon Juice

Ginger powder

Honey

Paprika

Olive Oil

Wash sweet potato well. Cut into 1/2 inch disks, and then dice into small wedges. Coat sweet potatoes and onions in oil and roast on a baking tray at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until browned. Flip half way through.

Wash Kale and chop. In a small bowl combine ingredients for dressing. Pour roasted vegetables and dressing over kale.

Marshmallow, Nutella, Banana and Oat No-Bake Cookies

Multiple servings

1/2 stick of Butter

5 oz Mini Marshmallows (half a bag)

2 Tbsp. Nutella

1 Banana (frozen and then thawed)

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

3 cups Oats

In a non-stick pot, melt butter. Add marshmallow and stir until melted.

Discard water from thawed banana and then mash. Pour into pot with nutella, and stir well. Add oats and stir until well combined.

Spoon mixture onto wax paper. Allow to sit for 45-60 minutes before serving.

Apple Sauce Pancakes

2 Servings (includes 1 serving of fruit)

1 cup Homemade Chunky Apple Sauce

3/4 cup Milk

1 Egg

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

1 cup Flour

1/3 cup Quick Oats

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

Dash of Cloves

Combine wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients and stir. Fry on a buttered griddle.

Curry Chili and Apple Brownies

This week I decided to make a new variation of Curry Chili. I used sweet potatoes and cauliflower, which turned out very well. And then I went on Pinterest and found this great dessert recipe for Apple Brownies. They don't actually have chocolate in them, they are just the consistency of brownies. Super yummy. 

Also, this week I took a trip to the Art Institute, one of my favorite places in Chicago. They have a new selection of ancient art towards the back of the museum. I saw the middle image and was immediately drawn to it. It's a mosaic from the 2nd Century. So amazing. And of course Marc Chagall's windows are always stunning.

Curry Chili

Multiple servings (includes 3 servings of vegetables)

Olive oil

1 large Onion, diced
1 medium Yellow or Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 large Sweet Potato, peeled and diced

½ medium Cauliflower, chopped

2 cans low sodium Diced Tomatoes

1 ½ cups Garbanzo Beans (dry beans, soaked and ready to cook)

1 tablespoons Cumin

2 tsp Chili Powder

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

3 Tbsp Red Curry Sauce (see recipe below)

2 Tbsp. Honey
4-5 cups Water
1/2 cup Quinoa

Red Curry Sauce:

1 small can Tomato Paste

2-3 Tbsp Water

2 tsp Curry Powder

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/2 tsp Coriander

1/2 tsp Ginger

1 tsp Garlic powder

1/2 tsp Paprika

Sauté vegetables with olive oil in large soup pot. Add tomatoes, garbanzo beans, spices, honey, curry sauce and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for 40-60 minutes, or until beans are tender.

Serve with Parmesan Cheese and crackers.

Apple Brownies

Multiple servings (includes 1 serving of fruits)

1/2 stick of Butter

1/4 cup Coconut Oil

1/2-3/4 cup Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 Egg

1 cup Flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

2 medium Apples, diced

Combine wet ingredients, stir well. Add dry ingredients and apples. Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top.

Pour into greased 9x9 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Some Recipes That Got Lost in the Holidays

It's been a busy winter. But that didn't stop me from dreaming up recipes in the kitchen. Here are a few of the meals I've enjoyed while the Holidays got the better of my schedule. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Multiple Servings (includes 1 serving of fruit)

 

2 cups Flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

3/4 cup Butter (1 ½ sticks), melted

1 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup White Sugar

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 Tbsp. Vanilla

1 Egg

1 Egg Yolk

1 ½ cup Oats

Raisins

In large bowl, combine wet ingredients. In smaller bowl, combine dry ingredients. Mix together.

Spoon onto parchment paper. Bake at 325 for 14-15 minutes.

 

Spring Rolls

Multiple Servings (includes 3 servings of vegetables)

1 head Cabbage

1 head Broccoli

1 cup shredded Carrots

1/2 Onion

6-7 Tbsp. Oil

2 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

1 Tbsp. Sesame Oil

1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp. Sage

1/4 tsp. Marjoram

1 Tbsp. Ginger

1 Tbsp. Honey

1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

Rice paper

Shred vegetables in a food processor. Combine wet ingredients in small bowl. Pour over shredded vegetables.

Soak rice paper in warm water for a few seconds. Place on a large plate. Spoon approximately 1/2 cup of mixture onto rice paper. Roll rice paper around vegetable mixture, tucking in edges as you go.

Store with plastic wrap to keep from sticking together.

Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

Multiple Servings (includes 1 serving of vegetables)

 

2 Potatoes

2 Eggs

2 Tbsp. Flour

2 Tbsp. Oats

1 Tbsp. Onion, diced.

Shred potatoes in food processor. Combine with eggs, flour, oats and onion. Mix well.

Heat oil in a large, deep pot. Spoon mixture in medium-sized dollops into pot. Cook until golden brown.

Cool on a paper towel or cardboard.

Serve with Sour Cream and Apple Sauce (or Cranberry Sauce)

Pumpkin Granola

Multiple Servings (includes 1 serving of vegetables)

4 oz Oil

4 oz Honey

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1/8 tsp. Cloves

1/8 tsp. Nutmeg

1/4 cup Pumpkin puree

4 cups Oats

½-1 cup Roasted Almonds, chopped

Measure out oats, and nuts into a large bowl. In a small sauce pan, bring oil, honey and spices to a boil. Add pumpkin. Pour contents of sauce pan over oats, etc, stirring well.

Pour oats, etc. onto a greased edged cookie sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Half way through, stir to prevent sticking. When done baking, let sit in cookie sheet for 3 hours, or overnight. 

Turkey Dinner Next-Day Salad

1 Serving (includes 3 servings of vegetables)

 

Spinach

Turkey

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Green Beans

Cranberry Sauce

Olive Oil

 

Red Wine and Orange Beef with Roasted Winter Vegetables

Multiple Servings (includes 2-3 servings of vegetables)
*Inspired by Kate at the Kitchen Door 

1 Brisket or 3 lb Stew Beef

Red Wine

Black pepper

3 sprigs Fresh Thyme

1 Orange, washed well and cut into 8 wedges

1 large Onion, peeled and cut into rings

2 cloves Garlic, peeled and sliced

Olive Oil

1 6-oz can Tomato Paste

Cut meat into 2-3 large chunks. Season meat with pepper on all sides.  Place meat in a large bowl with wine, thyme, orange, onion, and garlic.  Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours, and preferably 24 hours.

Heat a deep stick-less pot.  Remove the meat from the marinade and brown the pieces on all sides.  Place meat in large crock pot. Pour the marinade (including the oranges, etc.) into the pot and bring to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes, skimming any foam from the surface.  Lower the heat to a simmer, stir in the tomato paste, and add 4 1/2 c. water.  

Pour marinade over meat and turn on crockpot. Cook on low for 8-9 hours. Remove from marinade.

2 large Parsnips

1 large Onion

3-4 large Carrots

1 large Sweet Potato

Olive Oil

Peel and cut vegetable into thin, long strips. Toss in olive oil. Place in 2 glass baking dishes, keeping onions and parsnips, and carrots and sweet potatoes together. Roast at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until vegetables begin to brown.

Serve meat and vegetables over Mashed Potatoes, with a side of Pomegranate.