I Love Cooking Again! or, A Night of Passionate Lasagna

Since my rededication to posting more regularly, I have been cooking more out of necessity. I mean, I figure what I really need are easy, workable, healthy recipes--and if I need them, more people certainly do!

I am having so much fun!

Seriously, I'm starting to love to cook again the way I used to do in college, when it seemed I could make anything and was always inspired to cook. Of course, this was before I was worried about how many calories were in what I cooked. I just figured that if it was made from scratch it was probably good for me.

I think there's a lot more wisdom in that than I realized at the time. I went through a no-olive-oil faze that wasn't exactly torture, but now that I look back on it was completely unnecessary. I figured out pretty quickly that my body wouldn't tolerate Pam or one of those non-fat cooking sprays, so I just cooked everything in water. I even cooked omelets in water. Don't ask me how I did that; I can't even make an omelet now without it falling apart half the time despite drowning in butter.

This isn't about eating without regard to caloric intake (although I don't count calories anymore ever). It's about eating without worrying or obsessing. And now it's about cooking without worrying or obsessing. It does help to have groceries in the house. I'm still working on getting my weekly Whole Foods bill under $100, but just having some staples around makes cooking a lot easier.

If you have a basic recipe, you can tweak it in any number of ways. I never follow a recipe exactly. For example, I promised Mike, my boyfriend, that I would make him lasagna, which he's been craving recently. His grandmother was 100% Italian, so I know he's had the real thing--but I also know he doesn't like ricotta cheese. So I decided to try to make lasagna without ricotta cheese. (And then I found out he likes ricotta cheese when it's in Italian food. But I like my "ricotta" better.)

This is what I started with:

• 1/2 lb ground beef leftover from Taco Night (yay, leftovers!)
• 1 jar Muir Glen organic tomato sauce (one of the few brands that does not contain soy or canola oil)
• 1 package Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 package Monterrey Jack cheese (also leftover from Taco Night)
• 1 egg (literally, I had one egg in the entire house)
• a little half and half
  
• fresh & dried herbs
  
• onion and garlic

All this I already had on hand. I only had to specifically buy:

• 1 pkg Bionature organic lasagna noodles
• Parmesan cheese
• really yummy bread to have with balsamic vinegar and olive oil as an appetizer

And then, based on this delicious looking from-scratch lasagna recipe I found online, I made the following (and you thought I was kidding about being a magician!):

That said, ideally you would have little more meat sauce and a lot more cheese--or you could just do two layers. With three layers, I just had to spread everything a little thinly, but it worked. Anyway, here's the basic recipe:

Almost From Scratch Lasagna
Serves 4

• 1/2 onion
• 1 Tbsp garlic
• 6 lasagna noodles
  
• 1/2 lb ground beef, already cooked
  
• 1 jar Muir Glen organic tomato sauce
  
• 2 cups Mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese
• 2 cups Parmesan cheese
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1/4 cup half and half
• a little nutmeg
• lots of fresh basil and parsley
• Italian herb mix
• red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil, then add sauce and stir. (If you are using raw meat, brown this before adding sauce
   
2. Add cooked meat, a bunch of chopped basil and parsley, and some Italian herb seasoning. Stir and simmer 10-15 minutes, depending on how much of a hurry you are in. :)
3. While meat is simmering, soak 6 lasagna noodles in water that has just boiled.
4. While noodles are soaking, grate Mozzarella and Monterrey Jack. Mix all of the Jack and 1/2 the Mozzarella with egg, half and half, and about half the Parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly with a fork till it forms a kind of paste; if it's too clumpy add a little more half and half till it's slightly liquid, but not runny. Sprinkle with nutmeg and mix in.
5. Test noodles for tenderness, then layer two noodles in the bottom of a 9x9 glass casserole dish. Top with a coating of meat sauce, (if you like red pepper flakes, sprinkle them on now) then spread cheese mixture over top.
   
6. Repeat layering: two more noodles, meat, red pepper flakes, cheese sauce; then do another layer of noodles, meat, and red pepper flakes, and top with the rest of the Mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake at 350 uncovered for 10-15 minutes (again, depending on how much of a hurry you are in) until cheese is melted on top. Serve immediately or cool, cover, and serve the next day when the sauce has had a chance to marinate. Let me tell you, the Monterrey Jack cheese really makes this good.


Now, there are no vegetables in this dish, and I'd like to try it again with a layer of zucchini strips added. But if you don't want veggies in your lasagna, there are plenty of other ways to get them.

Grilled Italian Zucchini & Squash

• 1/2 lb (about 2 large) each zucchini and summer squash, sliced in chunks
• 1 large white onion, quartered and then sliced in half

Marinate for one hour in:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
  
• 1 Tbsp or 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Italian herbs blend, or chop a bunch of fresh basil, parsley, sage, and oregano
• red pepper flakes to taste

Skewer onion, zucchini, and squash alternately and grill or broil for about 10 minutes, till tender.

If you'd rather cook on the stove, an alternative is to slice the veggies thinner and saute them in the marinade.

Balsamic Mushrooms
There is nothing like mushrooms with balsamic vinegar.

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
  
• 10-12 mushrooms, sliced
• 3-4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 5 sprigs of thyme, stripped
• dash salt

Saute those babies! Or leave them whole, marinate for one hour, and stick on the skewers with zucchini and squash, and head for the grill.

Tomato Cucumber Salad
This is a great recipe of my mom's.

• 1 pkg cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup cucumber chunks
• 1 cup green pepper chunks
  
• lots of fresh basil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Mix everything in a bowl and marinate in the fridge for at least an hour, mixing occasionally.

I hope you noticed--no kale anywhere in this post!

Taco Night!

Taco Night is my favorite night in the kitchen, for so many reasons. First of all, it's fun and easy to make. You can whip up the basic ingredients in a few minutes and let everybody fix his or her own. Second, it's a great clean-out-the-fridge meal; I like to saute whatever veggies I have lying around. (This is how I created my fantastic Sesame Cabbage recipe.) Third, it's a great option for vegetarians, vegans, and meat-eaters alike--all at the same time.

Here's my Taco Night basic grocery list.

• hard or soft tacos (I prefer Ezekiel tortillas)
• organic ground beef, chicken, or your fave meat/meat alternative (preferably tofu or tempeh rather than a processed soy meat substitute)--or you can simply leave out the meat option
  
• Monterrey Jack cheese (raw is great, but get your fave kind)
• cheddar cheese (again, I like to use raw)
• chili powder
  
• pickled jalapenos (no preservatives/colorings, etc.)
• jarred salsa (again, no preservatives, etc.)--or make your own
  
• canned corn and/or black beans (no salt added)
• Romaine lettuce or arugula
  
• red and/or white onions
• cilantro
  
• whatever veggies you have on hand. The recipes below include bell peppers, squash, zucchini, cabbage, celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, kale (of course), arugula, you name it.
  

Just adapt the recipes below to ingredients you have on hand, or use them to build your own specific grocery list.


Basic Taco Beef (serves 4)

• 1 lb ground pasture-fed beef
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• salt to taste

Add beef, chili powder, and salt to large saute pan (I like a cast iron skillet). I don't usually cook my beef with any oil because if you start off cooking on medium heat and cover the pan after a few minutes, beef will create its own "oil." However, if you need a little liquid to get started, the juice from a jar of pickled jalapenos adds some great seasoning!


Honey Lime Chicken (serves 4)

• 1 lb chicken
  
• 3 Tbsp honey
• juice of one lime
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp chili powder
  

Marinate chicken in honey, lime juice, salt, and chili powder for one hour, then grill or bake 15-20 minutes till cooked through, turning once. Slice chicken and serve.


Sunset Pepper Stir-fry

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 purple onion, halved and sliced in thin strips
• 2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, halved and sliced in thin strips
• 1 yellow bell pepper, halved and sliced in thin strips
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
  

Saute onion and celery in olive oil on medium heat for 5 minutes; add peppers and saute 3 minutes. Sprinkle with lime juice; you don't need other any seasoning on these veggies; they add a sweet flavor and colorful enhancement to your tacos.


Taco Rice

• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1 8-oz can tomatoes
• 1 8-oz can black beans
• 1 8-oz can corn (or corn sliced from 2-3 fresh ears)
• 1 cup cooked rice (leftover rice from my "Not-so-boring Brown Rice is great for this!)
• chili powder and salt to taste
• 1 tsp cumin (optional)

Add onion and tomatoes to fry pan and simmer on medium heat for five minutes. Add black beans, corn, and rice; stir and simmer on medium-low heat for another five minutes. Add chili powder and salt to taste. If you're using plain brown rice, a teaspoon of cumin spices up this dish. Sometimes I like Taco Rice on the side and sometimes I like it in my taco. It all depends on your mood.


Sesame Cabbage
This might not sound like a Taco Night recipe, but it's absolutely delicious in a taco, and satisfying like meat, especially when you include taco mushrooms.

• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 head organic green cabbage, chopped
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tsp cumin

Saute onion in coconut oil for one minute on medium-high heat; add cabbage, sesame seeds, and cumin, and saute till cabbage is tender, about 8 minutes.


Taco Mushrooms
I LOVE mushrooms on my tacos! They're meaty and juicy and add great texture and flavor to tacos.

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup white onion, diced
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
  
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Saute onion in olive oil on medium heat for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, chicken broth, lime juice, and thyme; simmer on medium low for 5 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs and serve.


Spicy Greens
This is an adaptation of one of my favorite greens recipes, courtesy of my good friend Lori.

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced (try grating it with a lemon rind or ginger grater)
  
• 1/2 bunch kale (I'm loving lacinto these days), collards, or mustard greens
• 2 cups baby arugula (this is great just raw on your tacos, too, like lettuce)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt to taste

Saute garlic in olive oil on medium heat for 1 minute. Add greens and saute 2 minutes; then add lemon juice, chili powder, and salt. Saute 5 minutes or until greens are slightly translucent.


Salsa Relish
I made this recipe up when I had a bunch of old tomatoes I didn't want to throw away. They were far from bad, but wrinkly, squishy tomatoes gross me out--so I cooked them.

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 leek, sliced
• 1-2 fresh jalapenos, sliced and de-seeded
• 2 lbs tomatoes, preferably blanched and peeled
• 1 tsp salt
• fresh cilantro

Saute leek and jalapeno in olive oil on medium heat for 3 minutes. Chop tomatoes coarsely and add to pan along with salt; simmer on medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Serve with fresh cilantro on top.

Now you're ready to build your tacos! Add jalapenos, cheese, salsa, lettuce, sour cream, lime juice...whatever sounds good to you, as long as it's as fresh and whole as possible!

And for dessert...cherries and peaches, and maybe a little vanilla ice cream, too.

What's your favorite taco topping?

Who Wants to See a Magic Trick?

I may not have mentioned this, but I am an amateur magician. For my next trick I will transform boring, ordinary foods into a delicious concoction of culinary delights!

Item 1: flaky white fish, such as cod, sole, or halibut

Item 2: brown rice

Item 3: vegetables

Watch very carefully as I marinate the fish in olive oil, minced onion, oregano, paprika, and salt (enough of each to create a light dusting on each side of the fish) for an hour, then grill for approximately 10 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the fish.

All afternoon I have been soaking a cup of brown rice, which has removed the phytic acid that interfere with nutrient absorption and also reduced the rice's cooking time. The longer you soak, the less time you have to cook. I soaked for about four hours, so the rice cooked in about 20-30 minutes.

I've always found brown rice boring, so time for a little magic! Mix in with the rice a little olive oil or butter (pasture butter is best), about a tablespoon of ground coriander seed, a tablespoon of Herbes de Provence, a teaspoon of curry, and a teaspoon of salt.

While the fish is grilling, I chop one shallot and saute it in olive oil on medium heat for two minutes. I thinly slice one carrot diagonally and saute it with the shallots for three minutes, covered, then add one cup sliced summer squash (local from John's Island!) and saute another three minutes. Add more olive oil, water, or a little chicken broth to help the veggies cook and keep them from sticking to the pan. Finally, add kale--I chose both lacinto and red kale--and stir frequently for another 2-3 minutes until lightly cooked. Sprinkle with Herbes de Provence, coriander, and salt.

Voila! A beautiful, healthy, delicious meal!

I'm trying to make recipes downloadable in PDF format, but for now, they are listed below:

Sole with Oregano and Paprika (serves 4)
1 lb sole or other flaky white fish such as code or halibut
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp each paprika, oregano, and salt

Coat fish in olive oil, then dust each side with spices. Turn to coat and marinate at least 1 hour. Grill or bake in oven approx 10-12 minutes or until opaque, turning once.

Not-so-boring Brown Rice (serves 4)
1 cup brown rice
1 Tbsp butter or olive oil
1 Tbsp each ground coriander seed and Herbes de Provence
1 tsp curry
1 tsp salt
kombu seaweed (optional)

Soak rice in water at least one hour, then rinse and bring to boil with two cups fresh water. Add a strip of kombu seaweed for additional nutrients. Cook 20-30 minutes, depending upon how long rice has soaked. Remove seaweed and discard. Add butter, herbs, and salt. Mix and serve.

Multicolored Summer Vegetable Sautee (serves 4)
1 small shallot, diced
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chicken broth (optional)
2-3 organic carrots, diced diagonally
1 cup summer squash, sliced
2 cups lacinto kale (approx half a bunch)
2 cup red kale (approx half a bunch)
1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
2 tsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp salt

Saute shallot in olive oil on medium heat for two minutes. Add carrots and saute for three minutes, covered, then add summer squash and saute another three minutes. Add more olive oil or chicken broth or water to help the veggies cook and keep them from sticking to the pan. Finally, add kale and stir frequently for another 2-3 minutes until lightly cooked. Sprinkle with Herbes de Provence, coriander, and salt.

More Great Recipes Sites from Readers!

So...got some reader responses from last week's blog recommending some more good recipe sites!

Emily C., fashionista and grad student extraordinaire of Sartoriography, one of my fav non-food-related blogs, recommended an all-vegan site, which was conspicuously missing from my list! Fashion and food have a lot more in common than you might think--you gotta eat right to feel comfortable in your favorite clothes, and Emily clearly does.

If you're a vegan or vegetarian, Hell Yeah It's Vegan is written by Claryn, who "doesn't believe in buying food" and also is "just about as far as you can get from being a health food junkie." Therefore, her recipes involve buying and doing things that normal people do (rather than people like me who love to visit the tiny Middle Eastern food market in North Charleston, where I got a free--and very painful--reflexology treatment).

Seriously, Claryn might be far from a health-foodie, but she's got gluten-free and raw recipes, among others--but let me tell you, this gal doesn't skimp on desserts! She says she has "never eaten so well" since going vegan, and I believe her. Everything on her site looks amazing and truly homemade. She does include soy milk and soy cheese in some of her recipes, but everything is in moderation and most of it is whole-food oriented.

Rochelle D., web series producer, designer, online marketer and brand developer, blogs about anything related to marketing, social media, and web production; however, I know from personal experience that she's also a whiz in the kitchen. She loves Simply Recipes, which is a great site for entertaining, specifically unique brunch recipes, which as a Charlestonian I'm partial to.

This site makes great use of herbs and spices, and offers vegetarian, low-carb, and gluten-free recipes in addition. It advocates: "Do not use cheap vegetable oil (corn, canola, etc) as a substitute because you will definitely taste the olive oil in the final dish." I agree from a taste as well as a health standpoint. Elise Bauer, who writes the blog, believes in "a varied, healthy diet, using real butter, real cream, eggs, lots of green vegetables, and protein from meat, fish, beans, and cheese." Hear hear!

Yes, these two ladies are good friends of mine, but you don't have to know me to have your fave recipe site featured on my blog. I'll check it out, critique it for pros and cons, and share it with my readers!

My Favorite Recipe Sites

Over time I've compiled a list of some of my favorite sites to search for recipes when I'm feeling uninspired.


Real Simple Magazine's recipe section is one of the best I've found for easy, inspired meals. You can search by ingredient, I probably use this site the most of all of these, though be sure to stick to the recipes made with whole foods and avoid canned soups, precooked meats, and other highly processed ingredients. They will also send you a recipe each day if you sign up; I just delete the recipes I don't like or have time to get to, but I always have inspiration.

Integrative Nutrition has a recipe resource on their website. Many of these are simple, basic how-to's for those new to the kitchen. There's definitely an Asian flair to some of the recipes, but it's a great introduction to incorporating nourishing sea vegetables and expanding your seasoning repertoire. You can search by food type (grains, greens, proteins) or meal type (breakfast, dessert, etc.).



The Nourished Kitchen is one of my favorite sites simply because it contains beautiful photography. It is the absolute best resource for learning how to lacto-ferment, which is a lost art and absolutely vital to maintaining gut health (and immune health). Every recipe contains whole foods with a focus on seasonal cooking, and there is a wide range to choose from.




Eating Well is a great magazine, and their site is packed with all-natural, simple, gourmet recipes with a seasonal focus. They offer some of the best ethnic food recipes available, so expanding your palate is easy.





Epicurious is an online eating community. If it relates to cooking good food, they've got it, from a seasonal eating menu to a shopping list generator to a food dictionary. It's a great resource for do-it-yourself entertaining, and you can save your most successful recipes in your own recipe box.




Let me know which sites you search when you're looking for recipes! Bon appetit!