Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

Alright, fair warning, these are cookies, but they also taste healthy. So if you are like me and you like to pretend like your desserts sometimes boost your nutritional morality, make these cookies. But don't try to pass them off as "oatmeal chocolate chip" to your friends, neighbors, or children.

Feel free to be creative with the add-ins (i.e. dried cranberries, dark chocolate, and toasted walnuts). I think almost any dried fruit -- chopped appropriately -- would be great in these. Switch out your chocolates, toast up different nuts, whatever you're feeling.

Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

(scaled down from BH&G -- makes 6-7 cookies)

1 Tbsp butter, soft

2 Tbsp brown sugar

4 tsp white sugar

pinch each of cinnamon and salt

1/8 tsp soda

1 Tbsp egg substitute

1/4 tsp vanilla

4 Tbsp flour

3 Tbsp rolled oats

1 Tbsp flax seeds

1 Tbsp wheat germ

1/2 oz chopped dark chocolate (or choc chips)

1 Tbsp dried cranberries

1 Tbsp chopped walnuts

1. Heat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine butter, sugars, cinnamon, salt, and soda. Beat until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined, then flour. Stir in oats, flax, wheat germ, chocolate, cranberries, and walnuts (dough will be crumbly).
2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased or parchment-lined cookies sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned. Don't overbake: part of the trick to healthy cookies is supplementing them with that less healthy-tasting gooey cookieness.

Berry Bowl

Don't mean to be a downer, but if you're looking for summer fruits, just click on through.

This meal rests upon a substantial base of one of my favorite berries: wheat. I won't bore you with the wheat berry sermon again, but this is one serious grain that packs a chewy punch--right in the stomach, where it makes and keeps you full for a good long while.

As usual, this meal was kind of a fridge-sweeper, meaning it can be replicated exactly, or modified to fit your own grocery list.

Wheat Berry Bowl

(serves 2-3)

1/2 cup wheat berries

1/4 cup millet (optional)

1 bunch chard (or other green)

1/2 small onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic

4 verrrrrrrry thin slices of lemon, chopped (peel and all)

1 small tomato, diced

1/2 avocado, diced

2 Tbsp parsley, chopped

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Splash vinegar or pre-made salad dressing

S&P

1. Put a small pot of water (or broth) on to boil. When rolling, drop in the wheat berries and millet. Lower heat and simmer about 30 minutes, or until you can actually chew and swallow the berries rather than chipping a tooth or just giving up out of weariness and spitting them out. Stir occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, wash and chop the chard (or spinach or kale or turnip greens or whatever). In a large skillet, heat some oil and sweat the onions with salt about 4 minutes. Add garlic and lemon and saute one minute more. Add chard and turn, getting the greens on the bottom and the garlic off (so it doesn't burn). Stir and let wilt until super tender, 7-10 minutes.
3. When the berries-millet are ready, drain in a fine mesh sieve and divide between two bowls. Drizzle with a touch of oil and a teaspoon or two of vinegar, or just a splash of ready made salad dressing. Top with greens, tomato, avocado, parsley, and walnuts.
4. Chow down.

Some notes.....

If you don't have all the pieces, don't worry. Avocado is kind of optional, but it adds a real depth to the whole experience. Definitely toast the walnuts (pecans or pine nuts would be good too). If you don't have a lemon, but maybe you have bottled lemon juice, just toss a few teaspoons in the skillet when you add your greens. Don't forget salt and pepper.

Caponata

Caponata is an Italian relish made with eggplant, tomatoes, red peppers, and a couple other standard ingredients. I get the feeling that caponata is to Italian households like chicken salad is to American ones: you maybe have grammie's special recipe, you likely have several different variations, and you most definitely make it when it's time to clean out the fridge.

Because of the sweet-sour combination of vinegar and raisins, it's similar to a chutney in its tanginess, but with traditional italian flavors like earthy eggplant, rich tomatoes, and grassy parsley. I guess we would think of it as a dip for bread or crackers, but it also makes an excellent accompaniment to poached/broiled/grilled/baked chicken or fish, just spooned right over. It would also be great (you guessed it) sprinkled over a salad, maybe with some chunky cheese--no dressing necessary.

I happened to have A LOT of freshly baked bread (see previous post) on hand, so we just sliced it thin and used it as spoons to scoop up the goods.

Also, this stuff just gets better and better the longer it sits, so make a full batch and just let it hang out in the fridge for the next week or so, scooping at will. It makes a great appetizer to snack on if/when you're creating that night's main course.

1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 small red pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 large (or 2 small-medium) ribs celery, diced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (undrained!)
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup raisins, preferably golden
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 scant Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp capers, drained
4 kalamata olives, finely chopped
S&P

1. Take a microwave safe plate and line it with 2 paper towels. Toss eggplant with 1 tsp salt, then arrange in a single layer on the plate. Microwave for 8 minutes, taking it out and tossing it around halfway. When done, turn out onto another 3 layers of paper towels and press lightly to extract liquid.

Before...



...and after


2.While eggplant is in the micro, heat some oil over medium heat in a large skillet and saute pepper, onions, and celery with a sprinkle of salt to sweat them, about 4-5 minutes. When eggplant is ready, add to skillet and cook another 2 minutes, adding oil as necessary to prevent sticking.

3. Now add full can of tomatoes, juice and all, vinegar, raisins, parsley, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer 8-10 minutes. Stir in capers and olives. Season with salt, pepper, and extra vinegar to taste--keeping in mind that vinegar flavor will become more astringent the longer it sits.

4. Let cool to room temperature to allow flavors to meld (about 30 minutes). Store in the refrigerator and consume for days to come.

*Disclaimer: I made this about a week ago and am doing the post from memory. I'm 99% sure It's right, but if you make it and something's missing, do us all a favor and post a comment suggesting what you think it needs....

School of Bread

Today, as David and I were doing some casual shopping in Harvard Square, I started to complain. "Can we go soon? I have too much dough in my purse."

Before I even had time to catch my own pun, David gleefully pointed out the irony (no one loves puns the way this man loves puns), and made me promise I would blog about this when I got home. And so I am.

The poignancy of this particular wordplay comes from the fact that I did not have money in my purse, but actual bread dough. Of course, why wouldn't I have a purse full of bread dough? Dough that had been painstakingly kneaded and, subsequently was in the process of proofing, which required me to periodically remove the plastic bag-0-dough, punch it down, and return it to the safety of my purse. It seems like the most logical and, frankly, one of the smarter things to be stocking if some catastrophe should strike -- at least we'll be fed.

In actuality, I had spent the morning one of the best ways I could imagine: learning how to make bread at a local culinary school (thanks mom!!!). They let each of us in the class make-and-bake a loaf during class time and also knead up another batch of dough to take-and-bake at home. I had some things to do before making it that far, hence the mobile dough situation.

Pretty soon I'll be working out some of these recipes on the blog, but until then, I'll let you drool over the sampler of breads I brought home from class, all freshly baked by a kitchen full of eager novices. Between cinnamon swirl, beer-molasses, sun-dried tomato, herb-batter, braided challah, and freshly puffed pitas, I don't think I'll ever buy a loaf again...

Quiche: It's What's for Dinner

I am only minorly embarrassed to admit that David and I run through almost 2 dozen eggs every week. We love eggs. We eat them for breakfast every day (and I usually bake something with them almost every night). They are a great, lean protein and -- Get ready for another life lesson -- can be really good for you...if you buy organic, cage free, and/or free range (which basically means you can be comfortable both with what the chickens eat and how they are raised).

Alright, you've seen Napoleon Dynamite. Most chickens whose meat and eggs we have been prone to consuming are raised in high-rise, immobilizing chicken barns (where their potentially "large talons" hang out in their own scat). They make cheap eggs, yes, but those eggs are created by genetically modified birds, which are fed hormones and other foods their little chicken bodies were not designed to digest well, and sequestered into tiny pens, just begging for a chicken virus to take everyone out. I'm not talking about having happy chickens, I'm talking about us humans ingesting the best quality (or even just the least bad) foods we can--for lifelong health.

You've heard of Omega-3 fatty acids? Then you probably know that they're very good for you. Did you know that Americans have a startling deficit of Omega-3s in our diet, and therefore in our bodies? Did you know that we should have a 3-to-1 ratio of Omega-6s (a different kind of fatty acid) to Omega-3s and that the average American diet has more of a 10-to-1 or 20-to-1 ratio? Did you know that hens fed a healthy diet can have 300% the Omega-3s that a standard-issue supermarket egg has?! That's THREE TIMES as much. Not to mention improved stats on cholesterol, certain vitamins, and a much better outlook on saturated fat. If you balk at the price of organic eggs, think of it as a small health insurance contribution. And if you don't believe me, talk to the researchers at Penn State.

(Sidenote: don't overcompensate by going for the Omega-3 enhanced eggs either. It certainly gets points for health, but these "enriched" foods are our food system's way of cutting corners on production, then applying a quick-fix enhancement at the last minute. Work on reaching back as close to the land or the animal as you can.)
I'm glad we've had this talk.

Now! On to quiche. The difference between quiche you have at a regular ole meal and quiche you have at a special calorie-unconscious ladies' brunch is the crust. Take out the lining, and you've got a super healthful meal (or two or three) that saves beautifully.
This is a basic, crustless quiche recipe for which I'll give you the proportions and let you go crazy. We used asparagus, leeks, and cheddar cheese, and it was great, but endless variations are possible here--based on what's in your fridge or on your mind.

Crustless Vegetable Quiche

(Fills one 9-in pie plate)

1 heaping cup chopped vegetables of your choice
5 eggs
1/2 cup cheese (I used cheddar)
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (meaning, tear up a slice of bread: not the stuff from the can at the store)
Plenty of S+P

1. Preheat oven to 350º. In a pan over medium-high heat, heat about 1 tsp olive oil. Add vegetables and 1 tsp salt, and saute until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
2. Whisk eggs until well beaten and uniform color. Stir in cheese and bread crumbs, and plenty of salt and pepper. Fold in vegetables and pour into greased pie plate.
3. Bake about 30 minutes. It's ok if the center is a little wobbly. It will continue to cook as it cools.
4. Slice into wedges and enjoy with a nice dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of paprika.

If you have leftovers, just keep in the fridge and slice off wedges at will. It's equally satisfying cold or warm, and could serve as breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner.

Strawberry Short(cup)cake

The title of this post comes partially from the recipe's main ingredient and partially from the lumpy shape of my failed icing, which sort of resembles that sweet-smelling cartoon field worker of my past. Really, what is with her enormous head? Which requires a tarp-sized bonnet to cover? Presumably for when she is out, defying gravity, bending over to pick strawberries and somehow returning to a standing position? Is she stashing the berries up there? Get a basket.

At any rate, these cupcakes were part win and part loss. Though the frosting never set up for me, the cakes themselves were delightful. They came from Martha's February cupcake-a-thon, and came out pretty well when divided.

Strawberry Cupcakes

(c/o Martha Stewart Living -- Makes 4-5 cupcakes)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp cake flour*

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

2 Tbsp butter, soft

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp egg substitute (or about half an egg)

2 Tbsp milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup finely chopped strawberries

1. Preheat oven to 350. Stir together dry ingredients and set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add half the flour mixture, then the milk, then the other half of the flour, mixing after each addition. Stir in strawberries.
3. Divide between 4 or 5 (depending on how big you like your cakes) liners in a cupcake pan. Bake about 20 minutes total, but start checking at 15 for doneness.

*If you don't have cake flour, that's ok. Just use 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch and the other 1/2 regular flour. Or all regular flour. Whatever.

The Frosting Question

I totally flopped on the strawberry buttercream martha says to put on this. For an easier and slightly more fool proof frosting, I'd do a basic vanilla buttercream, either stirring more chopped berries in or using pureed strawberry as the liquid instead of milk. It'll go something like this:

4 Tbsp soft butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1-2 tsp milk (or strawberry puree?)

First, beat butter till creamy, just about 30 seconds. Then, on low speed (so you don't end up white-faced), mix in powdered sugar and vanilla. Pump up the jams to a higher speed and beat until incorporated, another 30 seconds. Add liquid and mix till combined. Then just let 'er rip for 2-3 minutes, until super fluffy.

For me, frosting is not an exact science. Sometimes it's really dry and I'll add more milk (a TEENSY bit at a time). Sometimes it's really soupy and needs more powdered sugar (same caveat). Don't be afraid to tweak a little, but do it judiciously. It's hard to un-do.

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Can I get an "Ole!"? We are total suckers for stuffed peppers because they are so easy, so filling, and such a cinch to quadruple or divide. Plus they basically use one dish: our cast iron skillet. The classy container you see in the above photo is the tupperware David took for lunch, because I threw this together real quick-like in the morning to send with him before he left for the day. No. Time. At. All. The only caveat is precooking your grains...see my soliloquy on wheat berries, below.

Here are some tricks to good (and speedy) stuffed peppers: First, microwave your peppers so they're soft and compliment the rest of the dish. Second, grains + beans + cheese = a complete meal; riff at will. Third, don't even think about doing this without sauteed onions. Just don't do it. Fourth, saucing. See soliloquy number two on sauces, also below.

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

(serves 2)

2 red, yellow, or orange peppers

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup broth, divided

1 1/2 tsp each of salt, cumin, and chili powder

1/2 cup salsa

2 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves (1/4 cup frozen spinach, thawed, will do fine)

1/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (plus extra for sprinkling)

1/2 cup wheat berries (or other whole grain), cooked

1 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Fresh lime juice

1. Cut out an inch-wide wedge the full length of your pepper (or cut in half long-ways and eat both halves for your dinner, or just slice off an inch of the top, stem and all). Reach your hand in and carefully fish out the ribs and seeds. Wrap in plastic and microwave 4 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, saute the onions in some olive oil (with a little salt) over medium heat until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, cook one minute more. Toss in the broth and beans and using a flat wooden spatula or a potato masher, roughly mash the beans so you have some mush and some whole beans. Add seasonings and cook until broth is absorbed.
3. Now, add salsa and spinach, allowing the moisture from the salsa to wilt the spinach. When the salsa is sufficiently wilted, turn off heat and stir in cheese, wheat berries, and cilantro. Season with salt, pepper, and lime juice to taste
4. CAREFULLY remove plastic wrap from peppers and stuff generously with your bean/grain mixture; top with sprinkled cheese. If you have the time, place peppers on a pan and roast in a 375º oven for about 20 minutes, until cheese is melty and pepper is nice and warm.

Do you share my gnawing conviction that a dish is not a dish without some kind of sauce? I think probably the annual income of the Heinz corporation alone will corroborate my theory. So for Mexican-type foods, I love to combine sour cream, cilantro, and lime in some way and drizzle it over whatever we're having--from tacos to peppers to quesadillas. So get about 1/4 cup sour cream and thin it out with some milk until it's pourable. Add 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro, salt, pepper, and 2-3 wedges of squeezed lime juice. Whisk and pour.

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Now, for a word on eating more whole grains. Do it. Wheat berries are a new favorite of mine. They're basically the entire kernel of wheat before it's been refined into different types of wheat flours. Along with other winners like pearled barley, whole spelt, kamut, and wild rice blends, they are a much more satisfying choice than plain white or brown rice and do more for you in the long run. So buy a bunch of wheat berries and cook a big pot one day. (Treat it like pasta: boil it for about 30 minutes or until tender, then drain.) Keep the cooked berries in a tupperware in the fridge and eat them for breakfast with yogurt and honey, or stir fry them with diced vegetables, or put them in soup, or basically use them wherever you would use rice. The end.

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