Sauteed kale with craisins

I've been indulging myself a bit since Thanksgiving with a bit of extra sweet stuff - most recently in the form of craisins added to my breakfast greens. Yum. I am still finishing up my garden kale - it is down to some of the small pieces that are also a bit tender from the repeated freezing. It tastes so good!

This is one of those recipes that you don't really measure, but I'll give some estimates to serve 2. It is sort of a hybrid of a kale recipe KP always used to make me with kale, onions and raisins, along with a raw kale craisin salad that was at a recent potluck I was at.

Sauteed Kale with Craisins
small onion, sliced thin
Kale bunch, stalks removed and chopped
2+ T fat (coconut oil is always amazing with kale, so I recommend that)
1/4 c craisins
1 T cider vinegar
salt to taste

Heat a large cast iron pot on medium heat and add fat/oil. Add onions and saute for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Add kale - pile it up - pour on the vinegar and then put a lid on the pan. Keep the heat low and stir often to soften up all the kale/make the onions translucent. The coconut oil should coat the leaves and help moisten things, but you can add a few teaspoons of water if it seem a little dry. After 5 minutes or so, add the craisins and some salt. Continue cooking another 5-10 minutes until kale, onions, and craisins are soft.  Serve! 

*Note that some toasted nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans) would all be tasty on here as well.

Creamed Spinach with Bacon (and fried fish)

I love to not drive whenever possible, and the long holiday weekend was a perfect time to just walk places and be very slow paced. One such walkable visit included my friends' new bookstore, Moon Palace Books (I did some shelving - check out the alphabetized fantasy section!) behind Peace Coffee on Minnehaha. The creamed spinach recipe I made is from the Smitten Kitchen blog - and she actually just published a cookbook. They have it at Moon Palace Books if you want to take a peak - it looks really good.

Another local visit for the weekend was Everett's grocery store (38th and Cedar) for some fish. Everett's sells frozen Pike filets (and walleye) - as well as lots of other sort of Scandinavian fish varieties that are just not all that common elsewhere. The Pike is pretty cheap at $6 a pound, and the walleye is about twice that. Both are caught in Canada.

So, those two adventures lead us to today's post of fried Pike and Creamed Spinach! I have never had creamed spinach before, and I am not sure what quite possessed me to suddenly want some, except that I had a package of frozen spinach in the freezer and the cold weather usually makes me want more cream whenever possible. My Charming Companion made the Pike exactly as if the pike were fresh and we were camping as outlined here. Meanwhile, I was sauteing onions in butter and stirring in creamy substances to make this tasty side dish. I modified the Smitten Kitchen recipe below:

Creamed Spinach (serves 2 large portions or 4 very small ones!)
1 10 oz package frozen spinach
1/4 + c heavy cream
1/4 c coconut cream (the thick part of the coconut milk when it is separated - regular coconut milk would work too)
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 T butter
1 t coconut flour
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and Pepper

1. Cook your spinach as instructed: mine was to add the spinach to a cup of boiling water and simmer, covered, for 8 minutes. Drain the cooked spinach when finished, pressing it through a sieve to get as much liquid out as you can.

My very poor quality photo of lunch!

2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter, then add onion and saute on med-low heat until translucent (about 5 minutes). Whisk in the coconut flour, stirring constantly to thicken the butter/onion mix just a bit. Add cream and coconut milk/cream slowly, whisking while you go. Add spinach, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Stir while the mixture thickens and cooks down a bit - just a few minutes. Serve right away, or reheat when ready. It's very tasty topped with some chopped bacon!

*For a VEGAN version of this dish, just use all coconut milk, omit the coconut flour, and instead of nutmeg, use 1/2 t ginger, and  a dash of cumin. It tastes delicious.

Roasted Squash with Date Relish and Pumpkin Seeds

I made a new recipe for Thanksgiving this year, and I have to say it is my favorite squash recipe ever. OMG this was so good. It comes from Bon Appetit, and it turned out totally gorgeous. I never got a photo, but I perused some online pictures to try to find one that might hint at the color and flavor combo of this dish. It was stunning and delicious.

This is the first time I have ever cooked kabocha, and I love it. It is really rich and almost dry because it is so dense. It is almost like a sweet potato in dark orange color and texture. It would probably make excellent pumpkin pie filling because there is such little moisture.

The prep for this dish is a bit lengthy - mostly because you have to peel the squash before baking it. The recipe recommends that you remove the peel after halving the squash (as shown), which is what I did.

Roasted Squash with Date Relish and Pumpkin Seeds (serves 8)

Final servings looked a little like this...

1/3 c. shelled raw pumpkin seeds/pepitas
1 tsp + 3/4 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
1 4 lb kabocha squash, halved through the root end and seeded
kosher salt
1 T fresh thyme leaves
freshly ground pepper
1/4 c (or more) fresh lemon juice
1/4 c chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 bunch/4oz. dandelion greens/arugula - rough ends removed (I recommend arugula)
1 c deglet dates (*deglet is very important! other dates are too sticky), pitted and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 oz parmesan cut into 1/4" pieces (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375. Arrange racks in upper and lower 1/3 of oven. Spread pepitas on a baking sheet in a single layer. Stir them once or twice while browning on the top oven rack - about 7 minutes total, until lightly browned, puffed, and aromatic. Toss seeds on cookie sheet with 1 t olive oil and a pinch of salt. Let cool on the tray. When cool, chop as garnish for salad. (I used them whole!)

like this only with no peel!

2. Increase oven temp to 425. Place squash half cut side down on a cutting board. Carefully remove the peel with a sharp knife. Cut squash lengthwise into 3/4" thick wedges. (Again, you could reverse those steps and try removing the peel after making wedges.) Put squash wedges, 1/4 c olive oil, and thyme in a large bowl and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange squash wedges on two large rimmed baking sheets in a single layer. Bake until soft when pierced with a fork, rotating sheets one time midway through, about 25-30 minutes.
3. Mix remaining 1/2 c oil, 1/4 c lemon juice, and parsley in a medium bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and any additional lemon juice to taste. Place greens in a large bowl, drizzle 1 T of dressing over the top and toss to coat. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Add dates and parmesan (if using) to remaining dressing for date relish.
4. Arrange greens on a large platter, top with warm squash, and then spoon the date relish over it all. Top with pumpkin seeds as the garnish.

*Note: I have made a version of this dish sans greens - with only the squash (I mixed in delicata too), the dressing, pumpkin seeds, and the dates. It makes a great potluck item.

Thanksgiving Day Turkey and Veggies

I made my very first turkey!  It was definitely a proud moment when I pulled that beautiful golden brown turkey out of the oven.  I asked around to get advice from others about how to make the best turkey.  Many people mentioned a roasting bag.  Normally I would be against using a plastic bag in cooking; I'm frankly worried about ingesting toxins from the plastic.  But, people told me it was the best turkey they ever made when they used the roasting bag, so I figured I would give it a try.  It was brilliant.  I put herbs and garlic inside the turkey and covered it with coconut oil (might use butter next time), then put it in the bag inside a roasting pan and away it went.  The end result was beautiful, flavorful and perfectly done.  I even have lots of wonderful leftovers, and extra pan drippings, to heat up all week.

I also made a few sides to go with my turkey.  I am doing a pretty strict version of paleo, so I couldn't get very fancy with anything.  I did do an extra twist on butternut squash that I found on theclothesmakethegirl.com.  Instead of just roasting the squash I also pureed it in the food processor with coconut oil, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and one egg.  Then, I put it into a casserole dish and baked it at 350 for 30 minutes.  I think I was suppose to have the oven hotter than that, but it turned out really well.  The recipe called for pecans, which I would've loved to have added, but I can't eat nuts.  I highly recommend adding them if you make this version.  It was very good, but the pecans would really add a lot to the dish.  The butternut squash was so sweet, rich and creamy.  I really felt like I was having a dessert instead of a vegetable. Yum!

My other veggie was carrots.  I got the most beautiful and delicious carrots at the Midtown Winter Farmer's Market a couple weekends ago.  They are literally the best carrots I have ever had.  I pretty much couldn't screw up cooking them.  I decided to do them two ways.  I roasted some of the carrots with a little coconut oil, salt, and pepper in the oven for an hour.  I selected the most delicate of the carrots to cook on the stovetop in a little water and butter.  The recipe calls for honey, which of course I can't have, but these carrots were so sweet and tender, the honey would've been too much sweetness I think.  They were spectacular.  What a way to celebrate the harvest.

I was so proud of my turkey and all of the food I was able to make today.  It was a small gathering, just me and my parents, but we had a nice time sharing a meal and spending time together.

I have loved exploring different foods and recipes this fall.  Thank you Megan for inviting me to this blog and for sharing all of your food adventures.  You continue to inspire me.  Everything you post I want to try.  Pressing apple cider sounds pretty exciting.  I've got that on my list for next fall.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Glazed Delicata Squash

It seems that this month is the one to eat copious quantities of squash. I have some kind of squash pretty much everyday, sometimes more. Yum. Last night I went to my friend and neighbor's Harvest Dinner, which is a lovely gathering to celebrate the harvest, friends, and gratitude. This year I used some of the delicata and herbs from the garden, and also some cider from apples I helped pick and press last year. It turned out pretty delicious - sweet and tangy, with some savory herb bites.

I stayed fairly true to the original recipe, but did not peel the squash. I find it so novel that you can eat delicata peel that I just can't imagine why I would go to the trouble. I also baked it all in the oven instead of cooking it on the stove top, which worked nicely for a larger batch (I made extra), and it turns out I needed less cider that way.

Serves 6-8

2 medium delicata squash (about 2 pounds total)
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/4 cups apple cider
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Salt and pepper
 
1. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut each piece in half lengthwise again, and then crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Heat oven to 375.
2.  Melt butter in a heavy large skillet over low heat (or in the oven in a large baking pan). Add the herbs. Cook, stirring, until the butter just starts to turn golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes (don’t brown the herbs). Add the squash to the skillet/pan. Toss to coat. Add cider, vinegar and salt to taste. Bake in the oven, stirring occasionally, at 375, until the liquid has boiled down to a glaze and the sauce is tender, about 20 to 30 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water if the glaze gets too thick (I did not need to do this, and this happens quickly. The pan goes from cider-y to glazed in a few minutes!)
3. Season with pepper and additional salt, if necessary.

Pumpkin pancakes (paleo)

My friend Mary started a small farm venture last summer, including lots of amazing squash. She gave me a huge one - i don't even know the name of it - and I finally cooked it up in preparation for my future pumpkin dessert making plans. I had plenty of puree, so I've been seeking out a couple of recipes to use it in. This morning I made pumpkin pancakes and they turned out delicious!  They are basically just pumpkin puree, eggs, a little coconut flour, and butter/coconut oil. The texture was really nice, a little more thin than fluffy, with a hint of pumpkin taste.

Here is my slightly modified version that made 6-8 pancakes:
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1-2 Tbsp coconut flour (not necessary if using canned pumpkin, which is thicker)
2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tbsp honey (optional)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch salt

1. Whisk the eggs, canned pumpkin, pure vanilla extract, and honey together. Mix the coconut flour, spices, and baking soda in a small bowl, and then whisk into the wet ingredients.
2. Mix the melted butter into the batter.
3. Grease a skillet and spoon the batter into the skillet to make pancakes of your desired size. When a few bubbles appear, flip the pancakes once to finish cooking.
4. Serve! I had mine with some blueberries heated up with a little coconut cream. Sauteed apples would also be good, or just butter and cinnamon.

Coconut chips!

I came across this little snack chip on The Clothes Make the Girl blog, and tried it this morning to bring as a treat with my lunch. It's like a salty/sweet coconut flavor that is really good and so easy. (I could just make these and the seaweed chips non-stop, eating them as they are ready!)

From Clothes Make the Girl blog

All you need is large coconut flakes/chips (they sell them in bulk at the Seward), salt, and cinnamon. I also added in a little chipotle to mine, and that was tasty too. There are lots of variation options: some vanilla for something more sweet, some slivered nuts, paprika for a savory snack, etc.

1 c. coconut chips
1/4 t salt
1/4 t cinnamon
pinch chipotle

Mix salt and spices together in a small bowl. Put a dry cast iron skillet (or non-stick pan) on medium heat. Lay coconut flakes evenly across the pan, stir frequently. It just takes a few minutes for the flakes to brown, so stay nearby. Remove from heat when browned, transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle/shake with the spicy salt. Let cool, then store in an airtight container. Or just eat em all up!

Sweet Potato, Carrot, Fruit Casserole

I finally got around to making this casserole recipe that is similar to my fave camping breakfast (dried sweet potato and carrots with cream and cinnamon). It tasted so good and oatmeal like! It does not seem to have been originally conceived as a breakfast dish, I just highly recommend it that way.

I edited the original recipe a bit, primarily to include less sugar/fruit, and it still was plenty sweet and delicious. You could still remove the prunes and it would be good too. I ate it this morning with some cream and coconut flakes on top. Mmm. Though the original recipe calls for peeling everything and cutting it small, I went the less fussy way and just cut everything up. Still good! I could see the high maintenance way being nice if you were hosting a fancy party or something. I mean, the photo is quite lovely with hose perfectly diced and peeled things. This makes a lot - I halved it and had enough for several meals. The recipe here serves 8.

2+ tablespoon butter 
6 medium carrots (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut in 3/4-inch dice
3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds), cut in 3/4-inch dice
2 Granny Smith (or other tart) apples, cored and cut in medium dice
1/4 cup pitted prunes, quartered
2 tablespoons mild honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)
2/3 cup water
lemon (or orange) zest (of half a fruit or so)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in a 3-quart baking dish in the oven while it preheats.
2. Place the carrots and sweet potatoes in a steamer set above 1 inch of boiling water, and steam for five to 10 minutes, until just tender. Drain and toss with the remaining ingredients in the buttery baking dish. Place in the oven, and bake 40 to 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes and carrots are thoroughly tender. Dot the top with a little more butter, and bake another 10 minutes until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the heat, and serve hot or warm.
Advance preparation: You can assemble this dish several hours before baking. You can bake it a day or two ahead of serving; reheat it in a medium oven.

Kimchi Jjigae

Early this fall I got several Korean cookbooks out of the library and copied out a few tasty looking recipes. One of my favorite cookbooks is called The Kimchi Chronicles, which it turns out is also a show on PBS! I am particularly excited because I made a (double) batch of kimchi last month, and I have 4 jars to use in some new recipes.

The show and the food look amazing, as you can see in the clip below. This clip includes the kimchi jjigae, as well as another kimchi soup with seaweed in it (I happened to copy that recipe out before returning the library book too). I love PBS. There are several recipes on the site, including the Kimchi Jjigae that I modified slightly, below, as well as a Grilled Steak with Kimchi Butter that I want to make soon.

 

This soup tasted AMAZING, and it is super simple. The seaweed "garnish" is really good - I ended up using twice as much because it was such a nice taste combo. My soup ended up being a bit too salty due to my lack of salt calculation for bacon vs. pork belly + my extra salty kimchi, so I added in some chicken broth. That was great too and made a slightly thinner soup.

 

From the Kimchi Chronicles

Kimchi Jjiage:

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 pound bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cups coarsely chopped kimchi with a bit of its liquid (use the most pungent, sour kimchi available)
• 1 t. anchovy paste due to my gluten intolerance
• 5 scallions, thinly sliced
• About 1/2 cup thinly sliced nori for garnish

Heat the sesame oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the pork belly/bacon, season with pepper, and cook, stirring now and then, until rendered, browned, and crispy, about 10 minutes.

Add the onion and kimchi and stir to combine. Add enough water to nearly cover the pork mixture (5 or 6 cups), cover, and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat and simmer until the onion and kimchi are softened and the soup is quite thick, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the anchovy paste and scallions. If it’s too thick for your liking, thin the stew with water or broth. Cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes to combine the flavors. Serve steaming hot sprinkled with gim/nori.