Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread/Muffins (Whole Wheat)

People like to talk about seasonal food, but with modern transportation and grocery stores, it's sometimes easy to forget that most of us do not live in an area where a wide variety of produce grows year-round.  And yet even though you can pretty much always get things like lettuce, carrots, bananas, and apples, in my area there are a few staple items that stand out during the seasons.  Like zucchini.  In the winter you might be able to find a couple of sad looking zucchinis on the shelf, but in the summer it seems like they are growing from every corner!  Whether it's the grocery store, the farmer's market, your CSA, or your garden, in some parts zucchini seems to be unavoidable in late summer.  Personally, zucchini is not my favorite vegetable, but I like it enough and find myself buying entirely too much.  Luckily, I have a few go-to recipes to use it up, both for easy meals and some freezer items for those winter days when we actually start to miss them again!

My favorite easy zucchini dinner is as part of a pasta toss - sauté some zucchini in olive oil, seasoned with salt, pepper, and basil...add some grape tomatoes if they're around...squeeze a lemon over the mixture once it's soft, along with a spoonful or two of tomato sauce, and add a ladle full of pasta cooking water to make more of a sauce if needed.  Serve over whole wheat pasta - so yummy!

But when it comes to storing the zucchini for the longer term, I have two other favorite recipes to share.  The first one up is this chocolate chip zucchini bread recipe I came across a few weeks back (hat tip to my friend Amanda at Vintage Savoir Faire!).  You might remember me mentioning this as one of our road trip snacks, and let me tell you, it is delicious!  Even packed with whole wheat and zucchini, this recipe is definitely a treat - sweet, moist, chocolaty (note that I've included amounts for slightly reduced sugar and chocolate if you want to make these a little less dessert like - I've tried both variations and the healthier version is just as delicious!).  Perfect for preserving some of that summer zucchini, if they last - I just made my third double batch because we just can't seem to keep these around.  I'm going to hide some of these in our extra freezer in the basement to see if we can make them last a little longer this time!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread/Muffins (Whole Wheat)
adapted from King Arthur Flour

2 large eggs
1/3 cup honey (can reduce to 1/4 cup)

1/3 cup brown sugar (can reduce to 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup vegetable or melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
1/2-1 cup dark chocolate chips (depending on how chocolaty you want it)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional, I omitted)

Preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan or muffin tins.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, oil, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.  Add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon, mixing with a spoon until well combined.  Stir in the zucchini, chocolate chips, and nuts (if using).

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake 55 to 60 minutes for bread, or 15-20 minutes for muffins (this will vary depending on what size muffin tins you use!), until bread/muffins are completely set on top, feel a little firm to the touch, and a tester inserted into the center comes out without any batter (a little melted chocolate is ok!).

Cool bread for a few minutes in the pan before removing to a rack to finish cooling completely.

Loaf of bread will keep well wrapped in foil for a few days on the counter, or stored long-term in the freezer.  Muffins that will not be eaten within a day or 2 are best kept in the freezer and thawed in the microwave or on the counter.

Makes one loaf, 12 standard muffins, or a lot of mini muffins.

Pumpkin Muffins

A few weeks ago I ended up with some free time with the munchkin while the peanut was napping.  My freezer stock on muffins was getting low and we were having company that weekend, so I thought a baking project might be fun.  When I asked her what kind of muffins we should make, she chose pumpkin.  Hmmm...I have been trying to find a recipe for wholesome pumpkin muffins for a long time, since most traditional recipes are loaded with sugar and fat.  First I tried this one which was kind of yucky, and then I found this one which is delicious and so healthy, but not entirely pumpkin.  When scanning through my muffin recipes, though, I realized my Whole Wheat Apple Muffins might be the perfect one to modify!

My only issue with a straight substitution of the 1 cup of apple sauce for 1 cup of pumpkin, though, was that I would likely end up throwing away half a can of pumpkin puree (yes, I know, I should be able to find another use for the rest of that pumpkin but the reality is I'm not always that organized!).  So I wondered what would happen if I just threw the whole thing in the batter...and voila!  The extra veggie puree just seems to make the muffins more moist, but didn't weigh them down at all.  I love these muffins, and the munchkin LOVES these muffins - she has requested them three times since the original batch!  Unlike most heavy pumpkin baked goods, these are light and almost flaky, barely sweet, and have just enough cinnamon to highlight the pumpkin without being overpowering.  Even hubby, who is not much of a pumpkin fan, isn't opposed to eating these - I'll take that as the highest compliment of all :)

Pumpkin Muffins

Dry Ingredients
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 rounded teaspoon cinnamon

Wet Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted unsalted butter
1 14 oz can pumpkin
1 egg
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare regular or mini-muffin cups by spraying with oil or lining with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and fold together until just combined.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full with batter. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes for regular muffins (20 minutes for mini-muffins) or until muffins are puffed and turning golden brown on top. Serve warm if possible, or freeze once cool and warm in microwave just before serving.

Makes 14 regular or 28 mini-muffins

Veggie Bolognese

In my never-ending quest to find ways to eat more vegetables, I was inspired by a recent recipe posted on Weelicious for Veggie Bolognese Sauce.  What a great idea, making a chunky tomato sauce which includes multiple vegetables!  But rather than follow this recipe, I decided to adapt my recipe for basic Meat Sauce and just replace the meat portion with tons of veggies.  Carrots are a natural addition to a tomato sauce (and are already in my meat sauce anyway), and then while I was grocery shopping this weekend I saw some great looking organic zucchini and yellow squash as well.  The resulting sauce was absolutely delicious - flavorful, sweet, and a little crunchy.  I loved the combination of flavors, but feel free to make your own combination of veggies.

My first application was in Baked Ziti, since hubby has been asking me to make a veggie version for a while, and I highly recommend giving this a try (just throw in the entire recipe below as the sauce portion in the ziti recipe).  Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of the sauce before mixing it into the ziti, but hopefully you get the idea!

Veggie Bolognese Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion

2 cups (approx 8 oz) carrots

1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet.  Chop the onion, carrots, and squash by hand or in the food processor.  Add the veggies to the pan and cook for 5-10 minutes over medium-low heat, until onions are translucent and other veggies begin to soften.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, and salt.  Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, until veggies are soft to your liking and sauce has thickened.  Serve over your favorite whole wheat pasta.

Makes enough for 1 lb of pasta

Asparagus and Zucchini Ribbon Salad

Last week I told you about the Mini Spinach and Cheddar Frittatas I made for the peanut's naming.  In addition to an egg dish, I wanted to include a light and summery salad.  I had a hard time thinking of what to do that wouldn't overlap with the veggies already present as a side for the bagels or in the Lentil Salad.  Until, that is, I remembered a recent post in Smitten Kitchen for an asparagus ribbon salad.  I thought this was such a cool idea - just eating raw ribbons of asparagus.  After a little more digging, I found a similar Giada De Laurentiis recipe that combined zucchini ribbons with small asparagus pieces, also in a lemon dressing, and decided to combine the two concepts.  After being told by several people that I was crazy to make a salad for 35 people that required shredding the veggies with a peeler, I bit the bullet and allotted a decent amount of time for prep of this salad the day before the party.  I am happy to report that not only did it take way less time than I expected to make my ribbons, but the ribbons also held up beautifully in zip-top bags in my fridge (without dressing!) overnight.

On the day of the party, this salad just kept disappearing!  Despite some skeptical looks when I told guests the asparagus was raw, overall I got rave reviews, including comments from people who generally don't like asparagus telling me they loved this salad.  My serving bowl wasn't quite big enough for the amount that I prepared, and we had to refill the bowl several times as people came back for seconds...and thirds :).  I hope you'll keep this in mind as a yummy side dish for your family or as a unique dish to serve to company!
 

Asparagus and Zucchini Ribbon Salad
adapted from Food Network and Smitten Kitchen

2 zucchini

1 bunch asparagus

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1-2 ounces Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

Trim the ends off of the zucchini and then use a vegetable peeler to create long strips.  Next, lay each asparagus spear flat on a cutting board and, holding the woody end, use the vegetable peeler to make long strips from the base to tip (I found this easiest with a "Y" shaped peeler).  Discard the woody ends when you're done.  Use your peeler to create shavings of the cheese as well.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. 

Create the salad by layering veggies and cheese and gently tossing with some dressing about 1/3 at a time.  Serve immediately or up to 2 hours after dressing.

Do ahead: Prepare the veggie and cheese strips and store in zip-top bags overnight, mixing up the dressing and storing in a separate container.  Toss up to 2 hours before serving and add cheese at the last minute.

Spinach Mashed Potatoes

I don't know about you, but I am always looking for ways to eat more vegetables.  Despite my passion for wholesome cooking, my friends are often shocked to find out that integrating veggies into my family's diet does not come naturally at all!  So I'm sure the munchkin's aversion to most veggies is directly related to lack of exposure, but one thing I have been lucky with is that she happens to like spinach.  Go figure, right?  Fortunately, frozen chopped spinach is a great thing to keep in the freezer - if you buy it in a bag (instead of a box), you can use a little bit at a time, which works great for us - we often mix some frozen chopped spinach into eggs (either scrambled or omlets). I have also used frozen spinach to make pesto and these cute little dumplings. 

Recently I had the thought that spinach might make a nice addition to mashed potatoes, too.  I started experimenting, and after 2 tries I think I found a formula that works pretty well.  This is not the most gourmet recipe, and you can certainly adjust to your taste, but I think it's a great way to take an easy every day side dish and make it that much more nutritious!

Apologies for no picture...I promise to update next time I make this!

Spinach Mashed Potatoes

2 pounds yukon gold potatoes
2 cups frozen chopped spinach (measured while still frozen)
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk

Cut unpeeled potatoes into approximately 1 inch chunks.  Place in a pot and cover with cold water by about 1 inch.  Place on the stove top, bring to a boil (watching for overflow!), and cook until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. 

In the mean time, defrost the spinach and drain well (I do this by squeezing in a clean kitchen towel).  You want as little moisture left in the spinach as possible; otherwise the mashed potatoes might have a weird consistency. 

Drain cooked potatoes and place back in hot pot over very low heat.  Add spinach, salt, and butter and start to mash to combine.  Add milk a little at a time, starting with about half, mashing with each addition until you have the consistency that you like.  Try not to overmash; a little lumpiness is ok and too much mashing can make the potatoes gummy.

Serves 4

Butternut Squash Soup

A few years ago, I hosted Thanksgiving for the first time for a very small group - just my parents, hubby's parents, and the 2 of us.  At the time I was in a small apartment and just starting to practice my cooking skills, which led to a menu including an overcooked turkey breast, stuffing made from store-bought cornbread that was not much of a hit, and my basic smashed potatoes.  But the star of the evening was a recipe I found for butternut squash soup on Epicurious that tasted so decadent and yet was so easy and healthy!  Everyone was amazed that this soup wasn't loaded with butter and cream.  When I made it that first time for the holiday, I also made the fried sage leaves that Epicurious recommends, but have since decided that they're not really worth the effort. 

The only hard part of this recipe is peeling and cutting a butternut squash, so my solution has been to wait until I see pre-cut organic butternut squash at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods and seize the opportunity!  But this is also a great option if you have a butternut squash sitting on your counter that you don't know what to do with.  I have made it twice already this year and am hoping to make one more batch before the squash are out of season, although I also bought some canned squash puree and plan to experiment substituting it for the fresh.  I will keep you posted on how that goes, but in the mean time, if you see that pre-cut squash, pick up a couple of packages and make this soup!

Butternut Squash Soup
adapted from Epicurious

1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 2 3/4-pound butternut squash, halved, peeled, seeded, chopped (or about 2 lbs pre-cut)
5 cups low-salt chicken broth
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese
Salt and pepper

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion; cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add chopped sage; stir 1 minute. Add squash and broth. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. Puree soup right in the pot using an immersion blender, or cool slightly and puree in batches in blender until smooth. Mix in cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Do ahead: Can be made 1-2 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen well in advance.

Makes 8 bowls

Caesar Salad

Historically, I have not been especially good at serving a vegetable with every dinner.  In an effort to be better at this, salad has become my back-up veggie when I don't have something else specifically planned.  Generally I get some mesclun greens and toss with whatever other veggies we have around (carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc) and some dried fruit and nuts.  But every once in a while I like to have something a little more special.  I am a big fan of caesar salad in restaurants, but it barely qualifies as healthy - some lettuce drowning in creamy dressing, cheese, and greasy croutons!

Well, at home it's possible to make a caesar salad that is yummy AND healthy!  Ellie Krieger has a recipe for dressing that is delicious - so flavorful and yet fairly light.  I've also found that you can make homemade croutons out of whole grain bread that add that nice crunch to a salad without all the grease.  You could also add some grilled chicken or shrimp to make this a complete meal, but even as a simple side this was a big hit in my house - let me know what you think!

Caesar Salad
adapted from Food Network and Martha Stewart

Dressing
1/4 cup pasteurized egg whites (this takes care of the salmonella risk in raw egg)
1 clove of garlic, minced (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste (comes in a tube - very handy!)
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together the egg whites, garlic (if using; I didn't!), anchovy paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking the whole time. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
 
Croutons
2 slices of your favorite whole wheat/whole grain bread
Olive oil spray
Salt & pepper (or whatever seasoning you like - an italian blend would be great, too!)
 
Preheat the oven (or toaster oven) to 400.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with olive oil.  Cut bread into cubes and place on baking sheet in a single layer.  Spray cubes with olive oil and season with a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper (or other seasoning).  Cook until golden and crisp, approximately 10-12 minutes.  Cool completely before serving.  According to Martha, these can be stored for up to 4 days at room temperature in an airtight container.
 
Salad - putting it all together
Romaine lettuce, cut or torn into bite size pieces (Ellie's recipe also includes some baby spinach - I'm a purest with my Caesar, but feel free to throw some in for a nutritional boost if you'd like!)
Parmesan cheese
Grilled chicken or shrimp (optional)

Toss enough lettuce for 4 people with dressing.  Top with croutons and toss again to combine.  Top with a sprinkle of cheese and grilled chicken or shrimp if you're serving this as a main course.

Serves 4

Edamame Hummus and Spiced Pita Chips

I love to entertain, but at some point I got into a rut where every time I had people over and needed snacks and/or appetizers, hummus with veggies and pita chips from a bag appeared on the table.  Yummy, but boring.  So a couple of years ago when I volunteered to bring munchies to a potluck lunch, I decided I was going to find something interesting AND healthy to bring.  I took a risk with two Ellie Krieger recipes and got the most amazing feedback - the group seemed genuinely impressed.  The best part was, not only was this recipe healthy, but it was also incredibly easy to make - the hardest part was cooking the edamame in the microwave!  

This past weekend I was having a few friends over, so I decided to dig up the hummus recipe and found that it is no longer on the Food Network website!  Ack!  Fortunately another blogger out there had it posted on her site, and now I'll share it with you :)  I didn't make the chips this time around, but I'm including that recipe below as well, just in case it disappears one day too!  I highly recommend this winning combination when you're entertaining or just as a healthy snack/lunch to have around for yourself - it's really that easy!

Edamame Hummus
adapted from Food Network, found reposted here

2 cups (1 10 ounce bag) shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions
1 cup silken tofu, briefly drained of excess liquid
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1-2 cloves garlic (original recipe calls for 3 cloves, but this was WAY to overpowering for me!  I used 1 this time around and it tasted great; you could also try roasting 3 cloves for a more mellow garlic flavor)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice, plus more, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, plus more, for garnish
Add all ingredients to a food processor and process for 2-3 minutes, until smooth.  Adjust seasonings (salt, cumin, lemon juice) as needed.  Garnish with extra edamame and/or cumin if desired.

 
Spiced Pita Chips
adapted from Food Network
 
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 whole-wheat pitas, cut into 1/8's

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine olive oil and all spices in a large bowl. Add pita wedges and toss to coat, Spread in 1 layer on a baking sheet (I have allowed for some overlapping and they still worked) and bake for about 15 minutes, tossing once, or until pita is brown and crisp. Cool completely before serving (chips will crisp up more as they cool).

Roasted Asparagus and Smashed Potatoes

I thought that maybe I should tell you about the sides that I served with my yummy Meat Loaf - Roasted Asparagus and Smashed Potatoes.  These barely count as recipes since I have no idea what the measurements are, but here's what I do in case you're in need of some inspiration!  I love this asparagus recipe because it has very simple ingredients and takes almost no time at all, but still has interesting flavor.  And these potatoes are my favorite for at home - yukon golds are so creamy without much butter or any cream, so you can get away with using chicken stock for moisture and keep these super-healthy.

Roasted Asparagus

adapted from Epicurious

1 bunch asparagus

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

Balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 500.

Trim asparagus spears by gently bending each one and allowing them to snap at the natural point close to the end.  Place in one layer in a shallow baking pan (or baking sheet coated with foil).  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, and roll around to fully coat.

Roast for 8-10 minutes, depending on thickness of asparagus, shaking pan once in the middle of cooking.  Asparagus should be tender but not soggy when finished.  After removing from the oven, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and toss one more time to coat.  Serve immediately.

Smashed Potatoes

Yukon gold potatoes, skin on

Butter (optional)

Chicken stock

Salt & pepper

Cut potatoes into approximately 1/2-1 inch chunks, and place in an empty pot.  Cover with cold water and bring to a boil on the stove top.  When the potatoes are cooked (they can be pierced easily with a fork and start to fall apart when pierced), drain in a collander and return to the hot pot.

Add 1-2 tablespoons of butter (depending on the size of your batch) and a splash of chicken stock to get started.  Smash with a potato masher, adding additional stock as needed to get desired consistency.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Potatoes will stay hot covered in the pot for approximately 15 minutes if needed.

Kale Chips

Last summer, we joined a CSA (community supported agriculture), which meant that we became shareholders in a local farm and received a selection of fruit and vegetables weekly from May through November.  I loved having fresh organic produce, and was especially happy to be forced into finding uses for items I may have never purchased on my own.  Some of my experiments were failures (I was never quite able to make bok choy taste good!), but we discovered some new favorites in the process.  Like kale chips. 

Did you know that if you bake kale leaves that they get light and crispy and melt in your mouth??  I would have never guessed - I always think of cooked greens as soggy and bitter, but something miraculous happens when kale is cooked in the oven just lightly tossed in olive oil and sprinkled with salt - hubby and I start fighting over who gets to finish the leafy greens :)

Kale Chips
adapted from too many sources to list

1 bunch kale (any kind should work)
olive oil
sea salt

Preheat oven to 350, and cover a large baking sheet (or 2!) with foil or parchment for easy clean-up.

Remove the stems and center ribs from kale leaves and cut or tear into pieces.  Place in a large bowl and toss with a drizzle of olive oil.  Place on prepared baking sheet(s) in a single layer and sprinkle with salt.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crispy.  The chips do not need to be turned, but I'd recommend starting to check on them after about 15 minutes to make sure they don't burn.

Carrot Zucchini Muffins

Well, I'm sad to report that my recent Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins, which I said may be perfect, are not - while I still stand by the deliciousness and healthfulness claims, they have the fatal flaw of being completely rejected by the munchkin.  And while hubby thought it was good news that there would be more left for him, a big reason I make muffins is so that I can have healthy snacks on hand for the munchkin.  I'm pretty sure that the reason she didn't like them was the walnuts and cranberries, so I decided to make a similar veggie-packed muffin without the mix-ins.  I could have remade the same recipe, but I have been wanting to make my Carrot Cupcakes again as a muffin (i.e., no glaze), so I thought maybe I could use that recipe and replace half of the carrots with zucchini.  And while I was at it, I decided to play around with an agave-sugar mixture instead of all agave in order to test a hypothesis that agave makes things brown a lot and also leads to stickiness.

In the end I didn't quite solve the stickiness problem, but they sure came out tasty.  Next time I'll try without any agave and possibly cut down on the sugar amount altogether (they have a moderate amount, but are pretty sweet anyway).  In the mean time I'd just recommend greasing the pan really well or using muffin liners when you make these, because the result is delicious and packed with wholesome ingredients.  And they even passed the munchkin test - what more can I say :)

Carrot Zucchini Muffins
adapted from me!

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350. Line 1 1/2 muffin tins with paper liners or spray well with oil (I got 24 mini + 6 standard muffins).

In a medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.  In a large bowl, mix together carrots, zucchini, coconut, agave, eggs, applesauce and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir just until well blended. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes for mini and 25 minutes for regular muffins until brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pans.
 
Makes the equivalent of 18 standard or 36 mini muffins

Broccoli Mac & Cheese

Mac & cheese is one of those foods that generally comes to mind when we think of unhealthy comfort foods.  But does it really have to be unhealthy?  The basic ingredients are actually pretty wholesome - pasta, cheese, and milk are good for you in moderation.  So my goal is to find a great mac & cheese recipe that is satisfying but can actually be a guilt-free part of my family's diet.  I've already shared with you my version of Ellie Krieger's Mac & Cheese with squash, but I recently had the thought that the dish could taste great with broccoli. 

Apparently I'm not the first to think of that idea because I was able to find plenty of recipes to work from!  I ended up choosing one originally from Cooking Light as a base, but then I tweaked and simplified since there were a lot of steps and the reviews weren't that great!  Major changes include using whole wheat pasta, a cheddar/romano mix instead of fontina/asiago (I mean really, mac & cheese without cheddar??), and skipping the onion and garlic (which sounded like too much work).  I also processed the broccoli into small pieces instead of florets and skipped the crushed red pepper to make it more munchkin-friendly.

Hubby and I were very pleased with the result!  Just like the squash version, this is definitely wholesome - no pasta swimming in a bowl of melted cheese like you'd get at a restaurant, but there was plenty of cheese, the texture was good, and I thought the broccoli was a nice addition!  It was a bit droopy when we first cut it (as you can see in the second picture), but actually firmed up and reheated nicely from the fridge, so I'm thinking if we'd had the patience to let it sit for a few minutes before cutting we could have actually cut it into squares.  Hubby's only complaint was that I made it as a main course and he thought it would be better as a side, but next time I'm going to try to work some chicken in so that this can really be a one dish meal.  Unfortunately the munchkin didn't love it, but then again, despite loving both pasta and cheese, she has not managed to like any mac & cheese I've given her (even a homemade version without veggies, and yes, even Kraft!).  But despite my finicky toddler, this recipe is definitely a keeper, and hopefully she'll come around one day :)

Broccoli Mac & Cheese
adapted from Cooking Light

1 pound broccoli
4 cups whole wheat elbow pasta (about 12 ounces)
3 3/4 cups 1% milk, divided
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons grated romano cheese, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of ground nutmeg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (fresh or dry, whole wheat or at least without hydrogenated oils if possible)
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°, and spray a 9x13 baking dish with oil.  Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil.

While the water comes to a boil, chop broccoli into chunks and then process to very small pieces in a food processor. 

If you have time, here's some other prep work:
1) whisk together flour and 3/4 cup of milk
2) shred cheese (if necessary)
3) make topping by mixing bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons romano, and olive oil in a small bowl

When the water comes to a boil, add pasta, and then add broccoli 1-2 minutes before the end of the cooking time.  Drain both when the pasta is very al dente, and set aside.

Add milk/flour mixture and remaining 3 cups of milk to the pot and place over medium-high heat.  Bring milk to a boil, whisking regularly (this is another opportunity for prep work in between whisking).  Once it comes to a boil, whisk constantly for 1 minute or until thickened. 

Turn off heat and stir in cheddar and 1/4 cup romano, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Add pasta and broccoli to milk mixture, tossing gently to coat. Pour into prepared baking dish and top with bread crumb mixture.  Bake at 400° for 18 minutes or until the top is brown and cheese is bubbling.  If you have the patience, let sit for a few minutes before cutting.

Makes 8 servings

Zucchini Patties

In my ongoing quest to find creative ways to make veggies more interesting to the munchkin, I came across a post on Itty Bitty Bistro for Zucchini Nuggets.  They sounded very similar to the Cheddar-Broccoli Sticks that were a huge hit, so I thought I'd give them a try.  The biggest difference is that they were pan fried instead of baked.  They ended up having a very different consistency - softer and more moist, but I thought they were delicious - better than the Cheddar-Broccoli sticks in fact!   On the first try the munchkin seemed to disagree, but on the second try I remembered that she is more willing to eat new foods off a fork than with her fingers (odd, but true), and she ate a few bites this way.  It remains to be seen if these become a favorite, but even if they don't for the munchkin, these are something I will be very happy to eat!

Zucchini Patties
adapted from Itty Bitty Bistro

3 small zucchini, grated (by hand or with a food processor)
2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (I just buzzed a few slices of whole wheat bread in the food processor)
2 tablespoons flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar)
canola oil

In a large bowl, combine zucchini, bread crumbs, flour, eggs, and cheese.

Preheat a pan with enough canola oil to thinly coat the bottom over medium heat.  Take a spoonful of the zucchini mixture (I used my 3 tablespoon scoop, although these would work well a little bit smaller, too) and roll into a ball.  Flatten into a patty shape and place in the hot pan, repeating until the pan is full without overcrowding.  Cook approximately 3-4 minutes on each side until golden.  Cook the rest of the mixture in batches, adding more oil as needed.

Makes 16 patties

Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins

I have very stringent criteria when it comes to muffin recipes - because I like to always have muffins on hand in my freezer as a wholesome snack for my whole family, I'll generally only make ones that are actually healthy. So when I'm looking at recipes, I look for whole grains (no refined flour if possible), moderate sugar (approximately 1/2 cup for a 12 muffin recipe), and moderate fat (1/2 cup or less for a 12 muffin recipe, and oil instead of butter if possible).

I think these criteria are perfectly reasonable, but apparently I'm in the minority because it's very hard to find recipes that meet all of them.  Which is why I was excited when I came across a recipe for zucchini muffins on a food blog I just discovered called Kalyn's Kitchen.  I made some slight changes to the original - replaced an agave and splenda blend with all agave, and used a combo of walnuts and cranberries instead of pecans. I also used whole wheat pastry flour instead of white whole wheat flour, and put them in the oven hoping that they would actually taste good.

I think I may have found the perfect wholesome muffin.  Not only did last night's creation meet all of my basic criteria, but they also included a fruit, veggie, and a nut with healthy omega-3's.  Oh, and they tasted delicious - moist, sweet, and flavorful.  Hubby even declared them one of his favorites.  Could you ask for anything more in a breakfast or snack?

Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins
adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Agave nectar
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini (I got this from 2 small zucchini, about 2/3 pound total)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
good pinch of salt
1 cup mix-ins (I used half chopped walnuts, half dried cranberries; pecans are suggested in the original recipe)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray a mini-muffin tin with oil or line with papers.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Grate zucchini by hand or using a food processor, then gently squeeze grated zucchini to remove some of the water. Measure 1 1/2 cups (packed) zucchini for this recipe, and if you have extra, freeze it for another time.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat egg, then mix in vanilla and agave. Stir in the grated zucchini, then the oil. Sprinkle baking soda and salt over the top of this and mix in.

Stir dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture, then fold in mix-ins.

Scoop into muffin tins (I was able to get 20 mini-muffins, but you could stretch it to a full 24 minis or 12 standard muffins).  Bake 15-20 minutes for mini-muffins (probably 25-30 for standard, although I didn't try this), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Note that agave makes baked goods brown quite a bit, so make sure they are cooked through when you take them out.  Let muffins cool a few minutes in the muffin tin, then remove and cool a few minutes more.

Makes approximately 20-24 mini-muffins

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

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!

Chicken Piccata with Pasta and Arugula Salad

When I was trying to decide what to call this blog, the first thing that came to my mind was "The Lazy Chef."  This is because I am constantly looking for short cuts, taking the most simple recipes and making them even simpler.  Sometime I find easier ways of doing things that don't compromise the end result, and sometimes I decide a little compromising in the end result is worth the savings in time, money, or effort.  This meal is a combination of both!

The first part was inspired by my sister-in-law, who made a delicious chicken picatta meal for a large group a few weeks back.  Despite the fact that she was in the kitchen for ages, she promised me that making chicken picatta for a few people was actually really simple.  Only problem is that most picatta recipes have a good deal of butter in them, so I searched for a lighter recipe and found one at Recipezaar.  Here's where my laziness came in: I immediately decided that I didn't need to include the fresh parsley because I really don't love the taste and I hate buying a big bunch of fresh herbs only to throw out most of it.  Then, as I sat down to review the recipe before starting to cook, I realized that we didn't have any white wine on hand that's suitable for cooking, so chicken stock had to fill in!

The salad was inspired by our recent vacation to Turks & Caicos.  On the last night, we went to an Italian restaurant that served an arugula salad tossed with olive oil, garnished with some shaved parmesan and a lemon wedge.  It was so simple and so delicious!  Hubby hasn't stopped talking about it since our trip and I thought it would tie in perfectly with our lemony entree, so I added it to this menu.  Talk about lazy - this salad didn't even require cutting vegetables or mixing up a vinaigrette!

So did my compromises work out?  I would consider this a very successful weeknight meal.  The chicken was good - not as yummy as my sister-in-law's, but really tasty and, in my opinion, well worth fewer ingredients and less butter.  Wine probably would have added a nice complexity to the sauce, but the lemon and capers added good zing and it still reduced nicely.  And the salad was as delicious as the one we had on vacation - in this case I don't think the simplicity is a compromise at all, and I would happily serve this to company.

Chicken Piccata
adapted from Recipezaar

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
*2 teaspoons butter, divided
*1 1/2 cups chicken stock (or white wine)
*4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approximately 1 lemon)
*2 tablespoons capers
Cooked pasta for serving (optional; I used whole wheat spaghetti)

Place chicken breasts, one at a time, in a zip-top bag or between two sheets of plastic wrap/parchment paper/wax paper.  Pound to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness using a meat mallet, rolling pin, heavy skillet, etc.  Remove from the bag and dredge with flour mixed with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 teaspoon each of oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Sautee chicken breasts for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.  Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in two batches.  If so, use half of the oil and butter for the first batch and add the rest for the second.  I also got the first piece sauteeing and pounded/dredged the second piece while the first was cooking to save time.  Once cooked, remove the chicken pieces to a plate.
Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, and capers to the pan, scraping up the brown bits.  Cook for about 5 minutes or until thickened.  Add all of the chicken back to the pan, turning to coat with the sauce, and simmer for an additional 2 minutes.  Remove the chicken to a plate and stir one teaspoon of butter into the sauce.  Pour sauce over chicken.  Serve chicken with pasta or any other side you prefer.
 
Serves up to 4
 
*There was just enough sauce for the chicken.  If you'd like enough to toss with pasta (or if you just like a lot of sauce), I'd recommend doubling or even tripling the sauce ingredients.



Arugula Salad
adapted from Bella Luna restaurant in Grace Bay, Turks & Caicos
 
Ok, this isn't really a recipe because I have no idea how much of each ingredient I used.  But here is the basic idea in case you'd like to try on your own!
 
Arugula
Olive oil
Salt
Lemon wedges
Chunk of romano or parmigiano-reggiano
 
Place enough arugula in a bowl for the number of people you are serving.  Season with salt and toss with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the leaves.  Serve with a lemon wedge and a few shavings or a thin slice of romano.

Spinach Ricotta Dumplings

One of the earliest recipes I found on Weelicious was for "Spinach Gnocch-wee", which, aside from having such a cute name, looked irresistably adorable in the picture.  I read the recipe and filed it away until my recent effort to compile links to all of the recipes I want to try, when I came across it again.  And now, with my ongoing attempts to get more vegetables and dairy into the munchkin, I realized that this recipe could be perfect.

So I set out to give them a try and found the mixture (dough?  batter?) came together really easily - you really can't beat instructions to throw all of the ingredients into the food processor.  But when it came time to make those perfect little balls I was inspired by, well, I have absolutely no idea how she did it.  I tried flouring my hands, but they were so sticky there was no way I was going to be able to make them round!  Enter plan B - take a cookie scoop (most useful kitchen tool ever!) and dump them directly into the boiling water to cook.

And the result?  Delicious - even the munchkin gobbled them up! - but not nearly as pretty as the ones in the picture.  Oh, well...not everything needs to be perfect!  Also, another change I made was to the name...I couldn't really figure out how these related to gnocchi (the shape maybe?  or soft texture?), so I decided to just call them dumplings.  But whatever you call them, these are definitely a keeper in my house!

See?  Not the most elegant, but they sure tasted good!

Spinach Ricotta Dumplings
adapted from Weelicious

10 oz box frozen chopped spinach
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
2/3 cup romano cheese, plus extra for serving
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp flour

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Defrost the frozen spinach (I did this in the microwave).  Squeeze all of the water out of the spinach by dumping it in a clean kitchen towel, making a pouch, and twisting until you can't get any more liquid out (don't worry, the green comes out in the wash!).

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth and thoroughly combined

Using a cookie scoop (you could probably also use 2 spoons), take approximately 1-2 teaspoons at a time and dump directly into the boiling water.  Do not overcrowd the pot - you'll probably need to do 2-3 batches.  Cook the dumplings for about 5 minutes (the last ones in probably cooked a little less than that).  Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.  They will be very soft when they first come out but firm up a bit as they cool.

Serve sprinkled with additional romano cheese.

Makes approximately 6 servings

Lentil Salad with Grapes

A few weeks ago I made Avocado Lentil Salad, and promised another favorite Lentil Salad recipe.  Well, I finally had a chance to make it last night!  This recipe is adapted from Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network and is delicious.  The two recipes are very similar - both have grape tomatoes, pistachios, and a lemon dressing, but this one has grapes instead of the avocado.  There are also some cucumbers and scallions for added crunch and flavor.  I don't know what it is about the combination, but the grapes in a lemon dressing mixed with all of the other ingredients is really great.  In my mind the lentils are kind of irrelevant - just some extra nutrients added to a really yummy combination of fruit, veggies, and nuts - how can you go wrong?

I made some changes from Giada's original recipe - she includes red bell peppers, which hubby and I don't love, so I subbed tomatoes.  Also, she uses hazelnuts, but the first time I made this I didn't have any around and ended up using pistachios instead - I loved the results so I haven't tried it the original way.  But I'm sure you could include whatever veggies and nuts appeal to you if you don't like my substitutions!

We ate this salad for dinner with some whole wheat bread, but it would also make a great side dish for a party or barbeque, especially if you have vegetarians in your crowd who will appreciate something hardy.

Lentil Salad with Grapes
adapted from Food Network

1 pound cooked lentils
2 scallions, chopped
2 cups seedless grapes, cut in half (red, green, or a combination of both)
1/2 English cucumber, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios (I use roasted and salted)
2 teaspoons lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)

Dressing
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 1 1/2 lemons)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine dressing ingredients and whisk well.  Pour over salad and toss until all ingredients and dressing are well distributed.  Serve, or refrigerate for later - this is one of those salads that gets better with a little time.

Makes approximately 4-6 main course servings