Carrot Apple Cookies – A Heart Healthy Salute to Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays.  Love is in the air, the fragrance of roses wafts around every street corner (or maybe just in my mind), and the promise of chocolate looms.  A heart in love should also be a healthy heart, which motivated me to craft a tasty cookie that is equally wholesome.  The apple and carrot in this recipe keeps the cookies moist while lending a subtle sweetness.  The whole wheat flour adds a hearty, almost nutty flavor which pairs nicely with the texture of the fruit and veggie here.  Whole wheat, carrots and apples… a love that will last forever.

Carrot Apple Cookies
½ cup grated carrot
¼ cup grated apple
1 ½ Tbs lemon zest
1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour
¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
10 Tbs butter (1 ¼ sticks butter), softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the carrot, apple, lemon, flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.  In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugars.  Add the flour mixture and stir together until thoroughly combined.  Divide the dough into two equal portions, flatten into a disk shape and wrap each in plastic wrap.  Chill the dough disks for thirty minutes.

After half an hour, remove one of the disks and place onto a lightly floured countertop or large cutting board.  Roll the dough to about a ¼-inch thickness.  Dip your cookie cutter into a small bowl of flour, then cut the cookies and arrange on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle a pinch of sugar over the cookies before baking.  Pop into the oven and bake for 12 minutes or until slightly browned.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  Enjoy to your heart’s content!  Happy Valentine’s Day!

Crispy String Beans

I grew up in a household where the pressure cooker was king.  Carrots, string beans, broccoli… it was all thrown into the pressure cooker, only to emerge limp and mushy.  It wasn’t until I was older that I realized that, golly, veggies can be crisp… and crisp veggies are delectable!

The Barefoot Contessa is my go-to resource when I’m throwing a casual get together, and she didn’t disappoint with her string bean recipe.  Crisp, green and with just a hint of onion flavor from the shallots, it is a great way to showcase fresh string beans.  Kudos to the Contessa!

String Beans with Shallots
Courtesy Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa
1 pound string beans
2 Tbs butter
1 Tbs olive oil
3 large shallots, roughly chopped
salt and ground black pepper

Prepare a large bowl with ice water and set aside.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the string beans and cook for about 3 minutes, or until they’re crisp-tender.  Immediately remove the beans and plunge them into the ice water.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the shallots and sauté for five minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.  Drain the string beans and add to the pan with a dash of salt and pepper.  Cook just until the beans are hot.  Serve to rave reviews.

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Winter’s chill might still be upon us, but that’s no reason to host a New Year’s afternoon tea for good friends.  In addition to yummy warm bites like quiche and baked brie with cranberries and pistachio nuts, chilled cucumber tea sandwiches are a perfect way to round out the offerings – and so easy to make, too.  The crunch of the cucumber and tang of the lemon zest make these irresistible.  Try using shaped cookie cutters for a fun visual appeal.  You can’t stop at just one! 

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
1.5 tbs butter, softened
Pinch of salt
1 tbs parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp lemon zest
Sliced firm white bread, crusts removed if desired

In a small bowl, mix the butter, salt, parsley and lemon zest until well combined.  Apply a small dollop of the butter mixture to a slice of bread and spread thin.  Top with cucumber slices in an overlapping pattern.  If desired, use a cookie cutter to cut the sandwiches, otherwise cut the bread slices into squares or diagonals.  Serve with tea and enjoy!

Fresh Corn Pancakes

Sometimes nothing is as relaxing as sitting on the couch bumming around the internet reading my favorite cooking blogs, pouring over delicious recipes and photographs.  There is an endless number of great foodies out there who inspire me as I read about the amazing things they are whipping up in their kitchens.  It definitely keeps me hungry and eager to continue my own exploits in front of the stove.  One of my favorite blogs is the über-popular Smitten Kitchen.  If you haven’t checked it out yet, I highly recommend it --  the recipes are great and the pictures are a feast for the eyes.

Recently Smitten Kitchen had a post about pancakes with corn, and I jumped at the chance to try it myself.  The bottom shelf of my refrigerator has at least a dozen ears of corn, and I’m eager to try creative ways to use it.  The recipe below is almost exactly Smitten Kitchen’s recipe, except I made two adjustments:  I added ground flax seed for good health, and I made my own buttermilk by using regular milk and cider vinegar.  It’s a great trick that my mother and grandmother taught me.

These pancakes are amazing, and garnered rave reviews from my guests.  They’re the perfect combination of sweet and savory.  In fact, no one used maple syrup to adorn these delectable corn pancakes.  I served them with a side of crispy bacon, and everything was gone is no time.  I definitely recommend these for your next Sunday brunch with friends.  Smitten Kitchen’s original recipe is located here.  Below is my slight variation.

Fresh Corn Pancakes
2 tbs butter
Corn kernels cut from one fresh ear of corn
Dash of salt
1 egg, beaten
1 ¼ cups milk (I like a combination of regular and skim)
2 tbs cider vinegar
½ tsp vanilla
1 tbs sugar
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda

To begin, combine the milk and the vinegar in a bowl (or measuring cup) and let it sit for at least 20 minutes, but 30 minutes would be preferable.  You’re creating your own buttermilk!

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the corn and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the fragrance of corn fills the air and they are just beginning to brown.  Add a dash of salt and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and baking soda.  Set aside.  When the buttermilk has curdled, add it to a large bowl with the egg, corn, vanilla and sugar.  Whisk.  Then gently stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, being careful not to overbeat.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and grease with a pat of butter.  Drop the batter into the pan by even ladlefuls.  Flip when the pancakes have tiny surface bubbles and the edges are ever so slightly brown and crispy.  Cook for an additional two to three minutes, or until done.  Enjoy with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, maple syrup or just alongside a platter of hearty bacon and sausage!

Garden Bounty Coleslaw

Summer is the perfect time for coleslaw.  Just about any combination of veggies tastes good in a slaw.  My kitchen is overrun with fresh veggies, thanks to my local CSA membership.  But what to do with all that cabbage?  It’s too hot to make stuffed cabbage.  Ditto for cabbage soup.  Cole slaw is the best option.  The cool crunch of the cabbage, combined with the equally crunchy bell peppers and onion make this colorful salad a great accompaniment to turkey burgers (my favorite) or just about any grilled entrée.  Use the sliced cabbage as your base and throw in any veggies you have on hand.

Garden Bounty Coleslaw
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
1 tbs sugar
2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ tsp celery salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
5 cups sliced or shredded cabbage
1 carrot, grated
1/3 cup sliced red bell pepper
1/3 cup sliced green bell pepper
1/3 cup sliced red onion

In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice salt and ground black pepper.  Add the veggies and toss carefully to combine.  Chill for at least two hours, then serve with your next sandwich, burger or barbecued chicken.  Delicious!

Quick Worknight Dinner: Pseudo Souffle

Sometimes inspiration comes in a flash.  My goal was simply to find a tasty way to use the zucchini that is currently overflowing in my kitchen.  Zucchini pancakes sounded like a great idea – and a fast way to put dinner on my plate.  I soon found that pancakes made with a minimum of flour and no egg yolks stick to a pan like magnets.  As I was trying to scrape the pancakes off of the bottom of the pan I realized that my experiment with egg whites and zucchini could be an almost-soufflé.

Technically, a soufflé is made with both egg yolks and egg whites, as I understand it.  In my effort to eat healthier, I omitted the yolks from my zucchini pancake batter.  My concoction was also devoid of butter and milk.  But when making the pancake batter I made sure that the egg whites were beaten to a stiff peak, and I knew they would puff in the oven.

So I forged ahead and poured the remaining batter into a small baking dish.  Hoorah!  The pseudo soufflé turned out to be as light, airy and tasty as I had hoped.  Sometimes kitchen accidents turn out truly appetizing!  Paired with a basil cream, it was doubly delicious, and so fast, too!  A fast and easy (and tasty) quick worknight dinner!

Pseudo Soufflé
5 cups zucchini, coarsely grated
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 egg whites

Place the grated zucchini in a colander.  Toss with the salt and let sit for 15 minutes to drain.  When drained, place the zucchini in a large bowl and add the flour, sugar and pepper.  Mix well to coat.  Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.  Now is also a good time to preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Carefully add to the zucchini mixture.  Gently pour the mixture into a small baking dish.

Bake the pseudo soufflé for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the eggs are no longer loose and the top is ever so slightly browned.  Eat immediately and enjoy!

Hearty Stuffed Peppers

It is zucchini time at The Delectable Kitchen.  The CSA to which I belong has been delivering a bountiful crop of zucchini lately.  Sometimes if I don’t use the zucchini right away, I find that it gets a bit bitter with age.  The best way to mask the slightly off-flavor is to combine it with other, bolder, flavors.  A stuffed pepper is a great way to incorporate vegetables and grains into a really tasty mélange.

Usually when I make stuffed peppers I’ll use brown rice as the starch.  This time around, I was looking for something different to bind the mix.  A long time ago I purchased a bag of mixed grains from Trader Joe’s.  It has languished on the pantry shelf for almost a year.  A mix of couscous, orzo, quinoa and beans, it suddenly seemed perfect for an appearance in a stuffed pepper.  I’m happy to report that it was a success!  The varying textures of the mixed grains create a unique balance of tender and firm, which compliments the softer blend of vegetables.  Of course, you can use your favorite starch… white rice, brown rice, even torn pieces of fresh bread!  Just make sure to slightly undercook the grains, since they’ll continue to cook inside of the pepper.  Impossible not to be delectable!

Hearty Stuffed Peppers
½ zucchini, shredded
¼ onion, finely diced
½ green bell pepper, finely diced
2 whole green bell peppers
1 cup ground turkey, cooked
½ cup rice or barley or your favorite grains, slightly undercooked
1 tsp thyme
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Slice off the top eighth of the whole green bell peppers.   Discard the seeds and set the large peppers aside.  Dice the remaining pepper tops (making sure to remove the stem) and place in a large bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix until well incorporated.  Scoop the mixture into each of the two large bell peppers.  Place in a baking dish and cover with foil.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot.  Serve alongside a refreshing cucumber salad and a loaf of crusty bread.  So delicious!

Sausage and Spinach Balsamic Linguini

The dry cleaner lost my favorite new dress today.  When I came home tonight and turned on the kitchen light, the circuit breaker tripped.  Oh boy.  Today is a day that calls out for a comforting dinner.  Maybe pasta and a side salad… or maybe pasta combined with a salad!  Here was my thought process: I love a simple spinach salad with tomatoes, red onion and a balsamic vinaigrette.  But salads aren’t really comfort food, per se.  On the other hand, pasta and sausages can really hit the spot when I’m craving something easy and warming, but I really should try to incorporate more veggies into each meal.  Why not mesh the two into a balsamic linguini with sausage and spinach?

This may sound like a bizarre combination, but I was surprised at how tasty it turned out.  The balsamic vinegar is used sparingly which lends a subtle flavor without overwhelming.  I’m happy to report that my dinner made the trials of the day drift away.  At least until tomorrow.

Sausage and Spinach Balsamic Linguini
½ lb linguini pasta
1 tbs olive oil
1 large red onion, sliced and divided in half
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 good quality sausages, cut into large pieces
12 grape tomatoes
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Begin by cooking the linguini according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.  In the meantime heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add half of the sliced red onion and all of the garlic.  Stirring occasionally, cook until the onion is soft, about four minutes.  Add the sausages and cook until done.  Toss in the spinach and continue cooking until the spinach has wilted slightly.  Finally, add the pasta to the pan, along with the remaining half of the sliced onion as well as the tomatoes, vinegar, salt, pepper and basil.  Continue cooking until the pasta has heated through.  Remove from heat and add the cheese.  Stir well and serve.  Enjoy while sitting on the couch, watching your favorite movie and letting the day sleepily drift away.

Chicken Florentine

Recently, the spring weather has turned colder than expected.  Today’s rainy, chilly weather put me in the mood for curling up on the couch with a dish of something hot and savory.  Chicken Florentine to the rescue!  This dish is so easy to make (you could even prepare it the night before and pop it into the oven when you come home from work).  I was inspired by a recipe from Paula Deen, but modified it a bit to save a few calories.  After all, a girl’s gotta watch her figure.

This dish is perfect with a loaf of crusty bread and a glass of wine.  End the meal with a hearty brownie and a glass of milk and you’ve turned even the dreariest of days into a great day.  What was I saying about calories…?

Chicken Florentine
1 (10 oz) package chopped spinach, thawed if frozen
1 lb cooked chicken breast, sliced
1 (10 ¾ oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
½  cup mayonnaise
½  cup sour cream
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
3 tbs fresh lemon juice
½  tsp curry powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine

In a large bowl, mix together the soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, Cheddar, lemon juice, curry powder, salt, pepper and wine.  Add the chicken and spinach and combine thoroughly.  Pour into a baking dish (I used a 10-inch round ceramic dish) and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Super easy and tasty!

Chunky Chili With Pumpkin

Chili is such a wonderfully versatile dish.  Whether thick or slightly brothy, meaty or full of beans, spicy or (as with this recipe) just a hint of sweetness… it is the perfect one dish meal.  It reheats very well, too, and I often pack it for lunch.

I was a bit skeptical when I first read about adding pumpkin to chili, but the idea was too intriguing to pass up.  I really like how it turned out, and I bet you’ll enjoy it, too!  Pureed pumpkin adds a smooth, velvety background to this very chunky and hearty chili.  The natural sugars in pumpkin come through with just a trace.  I add ground turkey to all of my chilis, but you could substitute ground beef or even forego the meat altogether.  Still delectable!  To make the conglomeration of flavors even deeper, try adding one bottle of your favorite beer.  Amazingly delicious!

Chunky Chili with Pumpkin
1 lb ground turkey
1 cup roughly chopped onion
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
16 oz chunky salsa
1 cup corn kernels
15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz pumpkin puree
1 tbs ground cumin
1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, brown the ground turkey.  Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook 2 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients (salsa through cayenne pepper).  Add up to 1 cup of water to thin the chili if too thick.  Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Serve topped with your favorite garnish.  I like chopped scallions and a sprinkle of shredded cheese (preferably a sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack).  Bon appetit!

Cheesy Potato Leek Chowder

It is unofficially soup week at The Delectable Kitchen.  After enjoying the last drop of Pumpkin Bean Soup, I was on a quest for more hearty fare.  Cheesy Potato Leek Chowder to the rescue!  I adapted this recipe from a similar one in Cooking Light, but you would never know that it is a lighter soup.  The little bit of Swiss cheese melts beautifully and gives this chowder a thick, creamy base.

I don’t often cook with leeks, but I’m always delighted by their subtle flavor.  I’ve read that the green stalks of a leek are often bitter and should be discarded.  Always the conservationist, I tend to use every bit.  I think that the slight sweetness of the carrots and half-and-half in this chowder help to offset any potential bitterness.  Then again, the bitterness theory could just be an old wives’ tale because this soup is delicious!  Only savory flavors here!


Cheesy Potato Leek Chowder
1 tbs olive oil
2 leeks, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup cubed carrots
1 cup cubed yellow squash
2 15.75-oz cans chicken or vegetable broth
3 bay leaves
1 cup cooked wild rice
1 cup half-and-half
½ cup Swiss cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste, and parsley for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the leek and garlic and sauté 3 minutes or until tender.  Add potatoes, carrots, squash, broth and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat.  Simmer at least 20 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender.  Puree half of the soup in a blender and return to the pot.  Or, you can use a stick/immersion blender if you have one, to puree half of the soup in the pot itself.  Add the wild rice, half-and-half, Swiss cheese, salt and pepper.  Heat until cheese melts, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle with parsley to garnish.

Pumpkin Bean Soup

Soup is so easy to make; I often wonder why I don’t make it more often.  Sure, there are a few fairly decent soups found in a can, but nothing can compare to the flavor of fresh ingredients or the joy of standing over a large pot, stirring and swirling the simmering broth.

This soup is wonderfully hearty.  The firm kidney and black beans in the smooth pumpkin base make the perfect foundation for the burst of flavor from the fresh cilantro and other spices.  It really is perfect for a cold winter’s meal.   As a bonus, this meatless soup hits the elusive triple whammy: low in calories, high in fiber and high in vitamins (vitamin A in pumpkin and vitamin B1 in the kidney beans).  You could try adding different types of beans or even toppings like grated cheese and a dollop of sour cream.  Delicious!  What are your favorite “triple whammy” dishes?

Pumpkin Bean Soup
1 tbs olive oil
1 bunch scallions, sliced (reserve a handful for garnish)
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp thyme (dried) or 1 fresh sprig, minced
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can pumpkin
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste
cilantro, chopped for garnish

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the scallions, bell pepper and garlic.  Cook for 5 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally.  Stir in cumin and thyme; cook for one minute.  Add beans, pumpkin, tomatoes (and juice) and chicken stock.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.  Add the salt and cayenne pepper.  Serve with a garnish of chopped scallions and cilantro.  Enjoy!

Mexican Bulgur Salad with Citrus Jalapeno Vinaigrette

Chilled salads, to me, are usually reserved for the heat of summer.  A spoonful of cold and crunchy goodness is the best lunch on a torrid August afternoon.  So I surprised even myself when I found Cooking Light’s recipe for a bulgur salad in my recipe folder and had the urge to make this right away – in the bitter cold of February.  And, yes, I’m so glad that I did!

This was my first experience with bulgur.  If you haven’t tried it yet, I would describe the taste and texture as quite similar to brown rice.  And you’ll love it in this dish!  I wanted to diminish the spiciness, so I opted for regular Monterey Jack instead of cheese with jalapeno peppers.  The slightly crunchy texture of the beans and zucchini contrast nicely with the softer cheese and bulgur wheat.  The vinaigrette could have used a little more of a citrus kick, so next time I might increase the amount of juices.  How about you – what is your favorite way to prepare bulgur?

Mexican Bulgur Salad with Citrus Jalapeno Vinaigrette
(adopted from Cooking Light)
1 cup uncooked bulgur or cracked wheat
1 cup boiling water
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup lime juice
2 tbs minced, seeded jalapeno pepper
1 tbs olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cumin
1 ½ cups diced zucchini
1 cup corn kernels
¾ cup (approx 3 oz) diced Monterey Jack cheese (or Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers)
3 tbs fresh cilantro, minced
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
lime wedges and additional cilantro, for garnish

Add the bulgur to the pot of boiling water.  Cover and let stand for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the orange and lime juices, jalapeno pepper, olive oil, salt and cumin.

In a large bowl mix the zucchini, corn, cheese, cilantro and black beans.  Add bulgur and toss gently to combine.  Pour the juice mixture over the bulgur salad and again toss gently to combine.  Serve warm or chilled, as desired.  Garnish each serving with a lime wedge and sprinkle with additional cilantro.