Birthday Tamales and Rhurbarb-Strawberry Cheesecake

My birthday is later this week. To celebrate, I invited some friends over to make tamales. I've been wanting to make tamales for a while, but needed an occasion to justify how long they take to assemble and steam!

I'm still DASHing things up, so I found a recipe on mayoclinic.com. They turned out pretty well for having no animal fat and almost zero sodium. 

Tamales

18 dried corn husks, plus extra husks to make ties

2 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen kernels, thawed
2 cups masa harina
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon white vinegar
5 tablespoons canola oil

Green Peppers

Red, Yellow, Orange Peppers

Purple Onions

Olive Oil 

Chicken, pre-cooked and shredded

Black Beans, canned or dry, soaked and cooked ahead of time

Lime

Cilantro

Chili Powder

Garlic

1. Place the corn husks in a bowl of water to soften for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse well. Pat dry and set aside.

2. In a food processor, process 2 cups of the corn kernels until coarsely pureed.

3. In a large bowl, combine the pureed corn, masa harina, lukewarm water, baking powder, vinegar and oil. Mix until well blended, using your hands if necessary.

4. Chop and saute peppers, onion, and garlic, 6 to 8 minutes. 

 

5. Douse black beans with lime juice. Add chopped cilantro, chili powder and garlic.

6. To assemble a tamale, position soaked corn husk on counter with pointy end facing you. Place 3 tablespoons of masa mixture in the center of a soaked corn husk. Flatten with your hand and form a small well in the center. Add 1 tablespoon of the sauteed vegetables, beans, chicken to the well. Overlap the edges to surround masa and innards. Fold the pointy end up and tie shut with a thin strip torn from an extra soaked husk.  

7. In a large pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Make sure the tamales are standing upright in steamer basket. Cover and steam until the filling becomes firm and the tamales are heated through, 50 to 60 minutes. Add more water as needed.

 

8. While the tamales are steaming, make the salsa. I made two different types.

Tomatillo Salsa: 

Using a food processor, combine the tomatillos, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno and 1 teaspoon vinegar.  

Tomato Salsa: 

Using a food processor, chopped cilantro, green peppers, onions. Add tomatoes (either one large can of stew tomatoes, low sodium, or 4 medium fresh tomatoes), hot pepper, 1 Tbsp honey and 1 Tbsp vinegar. Process briefly, until well blended.

 9. When tamales are done, allow to cool for a few minutes.

10. Garnish with sour cream, queso fresco, avocado, salsa.

Rhubarb Strawberry Cheesecake

1 and ½ 8oz packages of cream cheese , softened

8 oz mascarpone cheese, room temperature

2 large eggs

¾ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vinegar

Four stalks of rhubarb

A dozen strawberries

1 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp  water

2 cups rolled oats

4 Tbsp vegetable oil

¼ cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp whole wheat flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F

2. Heat oats, oil, sugar, flour and cinnamon in small pan. Press into spring form pan. Cook for 15 minutes at 350°F.

3. Make filling while crust bakes: Beat cream cheese, mascarpone, and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and vinegar and mix at low speed until combined.

4. Chop two rhubarb stalks and half the strawberries. Heat in small sauce pan with small amount of water, until tender.

5. Spray top edges of spring-form pan with non-stick spray. Pour 1/3 of cheese cake batter over crust. Spread ½ of fruit on top. Then pour another 1/3 of cheesecake, followed by the remainder of the fruit. Pour the rest of cheese cake batter and place in oven. Bake until top is slightly brown and puffed around edge but still trembles slightly when pan is shaken gently, approximately 50-60 minutes. Cool before serving.

6. Cook the remainder of the rhubarb with 1 Tbsp brown sugar and a small amount of water. Spread over cheesecake once cooled. Garnish with fresh strawberry halves.

Special Thanks to my souf-chefs: Esther, Josh, Jen R, Heather, and Jen D!

Fourth Week of Lots-O-Veggies and Fruits

It's been a little challenging coming up with new recipes each week. 1) So you, my faithful readers don't get bored, and 2) so I don't go crazy.

Chicken and Veggies over Wild Rice Medley

1 Serving (includes 3 servings of vegetables)

½ Chicken Breast, cubed

Paprika

Lemon Juice

Black Pepper

Olive Oil

Garlic

Onions

Broccoli

Carrots

Mushrooms

¼ cup water

¼ cup Wild Rice Medley from Trader Joes or similar grain

Marinade chicken in lemon juice, garlic, pepper and paprika while vegetables cook. Sauté vegetables and garlic in small amount of olive oil. Set aside. Cook chicken. Add vegetables and water, simmer until water begins to evaporate. Cook rice according to directions.

Healthy Tacos

1 Serving (includes 3 servings of vegetables)

Corn Tortillas

Onions

Yellow, Orange and Red Peppers

Tomatoes

Lettuce

Light Sour Cream

Cheddar Cheese

½ Chicken Breast, cubed

Olive oil

Garlic

Chili Powder

Sauté onions and peppers.  Coat chicken in chili powder and garlic, and cook in small amount of olive oil.

Assemble tacos as desired.

Lemon Tuna and Vegetables over Whole Wheat Pasta

1 Serving (includes 3 servings of vegetables)

Onion

Garlic

Red Peppers

Tomatoes

Broccoli

Olive Oil

1 Can of Tuna

1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

2 tsp. White Vinegar

Black Pepper

Whole Wheat Pasta

Sauté vegetables and garlic in small amount of olive oil. Drain and rinse tuna, add to pan. Add lemon juice, vinegar and pepper. Cook pasta according to directions.

 

Chick Pea and Green Bean Marinara over Quinoa

1 Serving (includes 3 servings of vegetables)

Onions

Garlic

Olive Oil

Green beans, frozen or fresh

Italian Herbs

1/3 can of chick peas

Heart Healthy Tomato Sauce

Fresh Mozzarella

¼ cup Quinoa

Sauté onions, garlic and green beans. Add chick peas and Italian herbs. Once cooked, add tomato sauce. Cook quinoa according to directions. Top with fresh mozzarella.

Zucchini and Mushroom Pad Thai

1 Serving (includes 3 1/2 servings of vegetables)

Onions

Olive Oil

Garlic

Zucchini

Carrots

Mushrooms

Basil

Paprika

Dijon Mustard

Black Pepper

1 egg

¼ cup water

¼ Rice

Sauté onions, garlic, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms in small amount of olive oil. Add basil, paprika, mustard, pepper and water. Pour in egg and beat with vegetables. Add water. Cook until water evaporates.

Cook rice according to directions.

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These next two recipes were made for a church potluck this last Sunday.

When I began this blog, I had the idea of incorporating vignettes from some of my favorite novels. And finally I have a chance! This lime-dosed recipe is dedicated to Amy March, youngest sister in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. As you will remember, Amy has a rather unfortunate run-in with the zesty fruit.

" I'm dreadfully in debt, and it won't be my turn to have the rag money for a month."

"In debt, Amy? What do you mean?" And Meg looked sober.

"Why, I owe at least a dozen pickled limes, and I can't pay them, you know, till I have money, for Marmee forbade my having anything charged at the shop."

"Tell me all about it. Are limes the fashion now? It used to be pricking bits of rubber to make balls." And Meg tried to keep her countenance, Amy looked so grave and important.

"Why, you see, the girls are always buying them, and unless you want to be thought mean, you must do it too. It's nothing but limes now, for everyone is sucking them in their desks in schooltime, and trading them off for pencils, bead rings, paper dolls, or something else, at recess. If one girl likes another, she gives her a lime. If she's mad with her, she eats one before her face, and doesn't offer even a suck. They treat by turns, and I've had ever so many but haven't returned them, and I ought for they are debts of honor, you know."

---------------

Next day Amy was rather late at school, but could not resist the temptation of displaying, with pardonable pride, a moist brown-paper parcel, before she consigned it to the inmost recesses of her desk. During the next few minutes the rumor that Amy March had got twenty- four delicious limes (she ate one on the way) and was going to treat circulated through her `set', and the attentions of her friends became quite overwhelming.

---------------

"Miss March, come to the desk."

Amy rose to comply with outward composure, but a secret fear oppressed her, for the limes weighed upon her conscience.

"Bring with you the limes you have in your desk," was the unexpected command which arrested her before she got out of her seat. 

And as you will remember, Amy is ordered to throw the limes out the window and her teacher strikes her across her palms. Such sorrow for the sake of limes.

  

Cilantro Lime Chick Pea Salad

(Includes 3 servings of vegetables)

3 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Spinach, 4 cups, loosely packed

½ Onion

Juice from 4 limes

1 bunch of cilantro, 1 cup, loosely packed

1 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Garlic

Black pepper

1/2 Tbsp chili powder

1/2 cup olive oil

 

Chop the spinach very finely. Add the chickpeas, onion, and spinach to a large bowl.  In the medium bowl mix lime juice, cilantro, honey, mustard, pepper, garlic, chili powder, and olive oil.  Stir together until it resembles a dressing.  Pour over the chickpea mixture and stir to combine.  Let sit for about 10 minutes on the counter.

Adapted from http://www.heathersdish.com/1/cilantro-lime-chickpea-salad/

Whole Wheat Pasta tossed with Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes

(Includes 3 servings of vegetables each)

20-24 small Asparagus spears

3 Tbsp Lemon juice
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 bag or box of Whole Wheat Pasta

1 cup Cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 cup Green Onions, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic
2 tablespoons Basil

Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

In a glass baking dish, add the asparagus, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Toss to coat evenly. Bake uncovered until tender-crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta thoroughly.

Add the pasta to a large bowl. Drizzle the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil over the pasta and toss gently. Add the tomatoes, garlic, basil, asparagus, remaining lemon juice, Parmesan cheese and pasta. Toss to mix evenly.

Adapted from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00578

Caribbean Beans and Rice

1 Serving (includes 3 servings of fruit and vegetables)

Onions

Green Peppers

Garlic

Olive Oil

1/3 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed

Tomatoes

½ Mango, cubed

Chili powder

Lemon Juice

¼ cup water

¼ cup Rice

Sauté onions, green peppers and garlic in small amount of oil. Add beans, tomatoes, mango, chili powder, lemon juice and water. Simmer until water is evaporated.

Cook rice according to directions.