Arugula Walnut Pesto

I've mentioned my love of pasta, right?  Well, last week hubby asked me why we never have pasta anymore, which was kind of a shocking question.  But when I thought about it, I realized that I've been doing such a good job of trying new recipes that I forgot about the basics!  Well, that had to be fixed asap.  Especially with Passover coming up, last week was the perfect time to load up on pasta.  One night we just had spaghetti with sauteed veggies (I buy frozen mixed veggies so I always have something easy on hand), a little tomato sauce, and lots of romano (really, the whole meal was about the cheese!), and then another night I had some wild salmon to cook up, and decided a pesto pasta could be perfect.  I had also just bought some arugula for hubby's new favorite salad, and decided to try a pesto made with arugula as a complement. 

I did a quick search and came across a recipe on Simply Recipes that looked really exciting.  In some ways it was a pretty standard pesto, but included two new techniques that I had never seen before - did you know that you can "roast" garlic in minutes without any oil by putting cloves in a saute pan with the skins on?  And that you can "toast" walnuts in the microwave??  I had to give this a try!

The result was great.  In my opinion it's really hard to mess up pesto, and this one had a nice bright flavor from the arugula.  I also loved the roasted garlic - lately I've ended up with some really potent heads of garlic, and have been having a hard time finding the right balance when using it raw.  But the roasting allowed a nice subtle garlic taste without overdoing it.  It was a hit with hubby and the munchkin, too, and, like Spinach Walnut Pesto, is a good way for me to integrate more greens and nuts into our diets.

Arugula Walnut Pesto
adapted from Simply Recipes

6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/2 cup walnuts
2 cups packed baby arugula leaves
1/2 cup grated romano cheese
1/2 cup olive oil

Brown 6 garlic cloves with their peels on in a skillet over medium high heat until the garlic is lightly browned in places, about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pan, cool, and remove the skins.

Toast the walnuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly brown, or heat in a microwave on high heat for a minute or two until you get that roasted flavor.  The walnuts didn't actually get brown, but they definitely took on a toasted smell without risk of burning :)

Combine the arugula, walnuts, and garlic into a food processor. Pulse just to combine, and then drizzle in olive oil while running continuously.  Remove the mixture from the processor and put it into a bowl. Stir in the cheese and season with a few grinds of black pepper to taste.

Mix with cooked pasta, adding some of the starchy cooking water or some extra oil if necessary. 

Makes enough for approximately 4 servings of pasta

Spanakopita

As a little background, I started this blog as a kind of personal food diary.  I've found that being a mom has made me completely incapable of staying organized or remembering much of anything without detailed documentation, which meant that keeping track of recipes was becoming a huge challenge.  So one day I decided that if I post my recipes and reactions on the internet, then I can't lose them!  Along the way it occurred to me that there might be 1 or 2 people out there who are also interested in my recipes, so I started writing to a theoretical audience, although, despite the occasional person who assures me that they do read this site, I am still somewhat convinced that I am talking to myself!  The reason I'm giving this context now is that this post is an example of how this blog is more of a food diary than tried and true recipe recommendations like some other food blogs. 

Recently, my friend Kristin at Brooklyn Forager posted a recipe for spanakopita that looked interesting.  I have not historically been a huge fan of feta, but recently it has been growing on me, and spanakopita seemed like such a wonderful way of eating spinach.  The munchkin really likes feta and I have had luck with spinach in a few recipes for her, so I even thought this could make a good dish for the whole family.  Plus, I know Kristin is a great cook and my last recipe from Brooklyn Forager was a big success so I was excited to try something else! 

The first pitfall, though, was that I couldn't find phyllo dough that meets my definition of wholesome - even after scouring 2 grocery stores and 2 health food stores, I could only find it with scary chemicals and preservatives.  But I was already committed to trying the recipe, so I figured I'd get the scary kind and if we liked the outcome I'd worry about finding something better next time.  I also wanted to try this with frozen chopped spinach instead of fresh for simplicity, so I needed to adjust the recipe somewhat.

The end result was just ok, but I can't tell whether that was because I just don't like spanakopita, I screwed something up, or it was too healthy!  The flavors were nice - I could definitely detect the mint and the hint of red pepper, but there was something about the texture that just didn't excite me.  Hubby's biggest complaint was that I made it as a main course and he thought it was too light - he would have liked it better as a side, and he actually ended up using the filling on day two in an omlet, which worked really well.  So despite the fact that this is not the most enthusiastic endorsement, I wanted to document the recipe and put it out there in case any of you want to play with it and see if you can make it work for you :)

Spanakopita
adapted from Brooklyn Forager

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 small sweet onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (this yielded very mild heat; feel free to use up to 1/4 tsp as per original recipe)
12-16 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly squeezed out in a towel
1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
1 large egg white
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
4 sheets phyllo dough (whole wheat if you can find it), 13x18 inches each
Additional olive oil in mister or spray

Preheat oven to 375.

Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and pepper flakes and saute for about 2 minutes. Add spinach and sautee for a few minutes to heat through and combine with onion mixture.  Transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool while prepping other ingredients.  When mixture has cooled, add dill, mint and egg white. Mix well. Fold in feta cheese and set aside.

Mist an 8x8 inch casserole dish or baking pan with olive oil. Cut or gently tear each phyllo sheet into 4 strips lengthwise. Place 3-4 strips across casserole, overlapping slightly and letting phyllo hang over both ends of dish. Place an additional 3-4 strips going in the opposite direction. Mist strips with olive oil. Continue layering until all strips are used, misting each layer.

Spoon spinach mixture into center of dish and gently spread evenly across phyllo. Fold strips over to cover all spinach. Mist lighly with olive oil.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly brown and crispy. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Makes about 4 lunch portions or 6-8 side portions

Baked Salmon with Dill

Earlier this week, I set out to make an ambitious dinner menu - Maple Glazed Salmon with Pineapple, broccolini, and sweet potato fries.  After starting after 7pm and hacking away at 3 large sweet potatoes, my motivation waned and I decided I couldn't quite take on the pineapple, too.  Instead, I remembered that I had dill in my fridge for an upcoming spanakopita meal (stay tuned!), and realized that making salmon without using the fresh dill that I had way too much of in the fridge would be a crime.  So I did a quick search for an easy recipe and came across one that was originally published in Cooking Light.  It was perfect - minimal prep and minimal ingredients that were all in my kitchen.

The resulting dish is definitely a keeper.  It was so easy to prepare and really made a weeknight salmon dinner a little more special.  Unfortunately I can't say the same for the broccolini and sweet potatoes that went along with it - I way overcrowded the pan for the broccolini so they really didn't get the full effect of the butter and garlic I intended to toss them with, and I am still trying to figure out how to make baked sweet potato fries that are crunchy (please let me know if you have suggestions!).

Baked Salmon with Dill
adapted from Cooking Light

2 6-ounce salmon fillets (preferably wild)
Oil spray
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 350.  Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray with oil.

Place fish on the baking sheet and lightly spray fish with oil.  Sprinkle fish with dill, salt, and pepper. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.  Squeeze lemon over salmon before serving or serve with lemon wedge.

Makes 2 servings

Banana Wheat Germ Muffins Revisited

Back in December, I made Banana Wheat Germ Muffins from Weelicious.  The were delicious, but my only complaint was that they didn't contain 100% whole grains - there was a cup of all purpose flour along with the cup of wheat germ.  Wheat germ is packed with nutrients, so the recipe probably works out to be as  wholesome as whole wheat muffins, but I'm greedy so I wanted to see if we could do better!  I just made these muffins again, but this time I replaced a half cup of the flour with whole wheat pastry flour, and I could not tell the difference!  Next time I'll try all whole wheat pastry flour and see if they still hold up.

The other change I made this time was to skip the hand mixer, as per my friend Julie's advice.  I just whisked the dry ingredients, then the wet, and added dry to wet in 3 stages.  This switch is up to you - the hand mixer's not that hard to clean, but I store mine on a shelf that I can't reach without a step stool, and the whisk is right on my countertop, so this approach is much easier for me (another example of my lazy chef approach!).

Here's the updated recipe:

Banana Wheat Germ Muffins

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup toasted wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 medium very ripe bananas*
1/2 cup agave
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with cups.

In a small bowl, whisk together flours, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, mash the 3 bananas with a fork. Add agave, oil, vanilla, and egg and whisk together until well combined and fairly smooth (small bits of banana are fine). Add dry ingredients in 3 stages and quickly whisk together until just combined. Do not over-mix.

Fill prepared muffin cups 3/4 full with batter. Bake 15 minutes for mini muffins or 20 minutes for regular muffins, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 24 mini or 12 standard muffins

*Freezing bananas to use in baking works really well!  I peel mine and dump them in a zip top bag in the freezer, and defrost on the counter or in the microwave when I need them.  Note that a lot of the juices come out when they defrost, so make sure you add those juices back into the recipe.

Marinated Flank Steak

When hubby and I first met, he did not eat chocolate or red meat.  Given that these were two of the most important staples in my diet at the time, I decided these food restrictions made us incompatible and told him at least one would have to change if our relationship were to succeed.  I'm not kidding about that - I really did insist he start eating either chocolate or red meat!  Well, as it turns out, I managed to win him over on both fronts.  We can now share a chocolate dessert, and he has learned to appreciate a good steak on occasion.  He is still particular about his meat, however, and really doesn't like fatty cuts.  Which means when we go to steakhouses, he generally gets filet mignon.  But filet is such an expensive cut that I'm worried if I cook it myself I'll ruin it, so at home we stick to flank steak, which is inexpensive and very lean.  It is also incredibly easy to cook, although you do have to know what you are doing.

Flank steak is a tough cut of meat, which means that it really benefits from being tenderized by a marinade, and should be cooked quickly to sear the outside but leave the inside medium-rare.  Well done flank steak will be very chewy and less enjoyable.  It also needs to be sliced thinly, against the grain, for further tenderizing.  I have tried many flank steak recipes over the years, and just came across another one on Simply Recipes which looked  delicious.  This recipe has the benefit of including only a few simple ingredients that I pretty much always have on hand.  She also suggests scoring the meat before marinating, something I've never done before but sounded like a good idea.  The main change I made was the cooking method - living in the city, I do not have a grill, and while I do enjoy the taste of cooking on a grill pan, I do not enjoy the smoke or the clean-up.  So my new preferred method is broiling, which is so easy and much neater - simply cover a pan with foil and throw the foil away when you're done (assuming you're more talented than me and don't drip the juices on the pan as you're removing the foil ;).  You don't quite get the same crust on the outside, but in my opinion the meat is more evenly medium-rare throughout rather than being well done at the edges and rare at the center.

The steak came out great.  Not quite the best flank steak I've ever had (my mom makes a marinade with hoisin sauce which is really hard to beat), but definitely a good recipe to keep in the rotation!  The vinegar gives it a really nice tang, which is balanced nicely by the honey.  If you go to Simply Recipes, there are also a bunch of suggestions for different recipes in the comments section if this doesn't strike your fancy :)

Marinated Flank Steak
adapted from Simply Recipes

Marinade Ingredients
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Other ingredients
2 pounds flank steak
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Score the surface of the steak with 1/4 inch deep knife cuts, about an inch apart, across the grain of the meat. Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Place steak and marinade ingredients in a large zip top bag and ensure the steak is completely coated. Seal the bag and place in a bowl in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
 
Take the steak out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.  Coat a baking sheet with foil, and preheat your broiler on high.  Take the steak out of the bag, letting the extra marinade drip off, and place on prepared pan.  Generously sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper to help the steak to form a savory crust*.

Broil the meat 3-4 minutes on each size for a thin steak (I had a 1 lb steak, and this was perfect for me), 5-6 minutes for a thicker cut.  When the steak has cooked to your preferred level of doneness, remove from the pan and place on a cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil to hold in the heat and to keep the steak from drying out, and let rest for 10 minutes**. 

Cut against the grain on an angle to make very thin slices. 

If you want, you can take the excess marinade and bring it to a boil, simmer for several minutes, and serve with the flank steak.   My steak was less than 1 pound, so I ended up with tons of marinade that I didn't want to throw out, so we did this.  I thought it was delicious, but hubby thought the flavor was a bit strong.  The oil will separate when you boil it, so you'll need to either whisk it back in or skim it off, depending on your preference.
 
Serves 3 people per lb of meat
 
*I have to confess that I completely forgot this step, but it sounds like a great idea so I wanted to share with you all!  Only thing is that the sauce is pretty salty, so you might not need/want the sauce if you have a salt crust.

**Ok, while I'm being honest, I put the meat in too late and the Red Wine Barley Risotto, despite taking forever to make, was ready by the time the steak came out of the oven, so my steak only got about 3 minutes of resting before I lost patience.  It was still good but the juices definitely came flowing out, so I'd highly recommend trying to give the steak its full resting time!

Red Wine Barley Risotto

Recently, my friend Kristin at Brooklyn Forager blogged about her Red Wine Risotto recipe, and it sounded so good it immediately went on my "to make soon" list.  When I finally had a chance to make it, I was torn - it sounded perfect as is, but, if you recall, the last time I blogged about risotto I swore off arborio rice in favor of the much more nutrient packed pearled barley.  And so, despite the box of arborio rice sitting right in my pantry, I decided healthfulness would win and reached for the barley instead!  The only other change I made was to use half an onion instead of the shallot because that was what I had on hand.

The result was really yummy, although I think the barley worked a little better in the veggie risotto recipe because the flavor of the barley is strong, so we didn't get the full effect of the red wine.  Although it did still have beautiful color, and hubby and I both thoroughly enjoyed it served with marinated flank steak (recipe to come soon!).  One thing I didn't mention the last time, though, is that barley takes a LONG time to cook!  I think it took over an hour for the risotto, but that is not all active time.  While it was cooking I managed to empty the diswasher and prep muffins (more to come on that, soon, too!), and I could have definitely done more in the kitchen had I been so motivated.  So my recommendation if you're short on time (and who isn't??) is to have some other kitchen activities planned while the risotto is cooking since really all it needs is a stir and the addition of more broth every few minutes.

Red Wine Barley Risotto
adapted from Brooklyn Forager

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup pearled barley
3/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
Salt and pepper, to taste (I used Romano, which I thought took care of saltiness, but did add several grinds of black pepper)

Bring chicken stock to a simmer on the back of the stove.

Melt butter in a small/medium pot.  Add garlic and onion and cook until fragrant.  Add barley and toss to completely coat in the butter mixture.  Let cook for a minute,  stirring constantly, and then add red wine.  Stir until wine has reduced almost completely.

Add 1/2 cup chicken stock and stir.  Stir every couple of minutes until it is almost absorbed, and repeat with remaining broth until barley is cooked through but still has a little bit of chewiness.

Stir in peas, cheese and seasoning.   Serve with additional cheese if desired.

Makes 2-3 servings

Turkey Meatloaf Mini-Bites Revisited

After a week of feeding the munchkin french toast and scrambled eggs for dinner, I decided it's time to restock my freezer with some quick, go-to meals.  I've also been trying to figure out what to make with the ground turkey in the freezer and realized that my Turkey Meatloaf Mini-Bites would be perfect!  The only problem was that I didn't have any zucchini at home.  So rather than go to the store on a rainy, yucky day, I realized that I had some formerly-frozen chopped spinach in my fridge that I've been adding to the munchkin's scrambled eggs, and decided to see what would happen if I used that instead of zucchini.

I kept everything the same except I used about 3/4 cup of the spinach instead of the zucchini.  My first observation, not surprisingly, is that the mini-bites are green!  But as far as taste, they are just as yummy.  I couldn't detect any spinach flavor, but was happy to add a nutritional boost.  In fact, this experiment has made me wonder how much veggie goodness I can pack in - stay tuned to see what happens next time!