Skillet Zucchini & Mushrooms with Chickpeas

This dish was adapted from Vera Beach's recipe Skillet Zucchini & Mushrooms. I changed up the process a tad and added roasted chickpeas to include a good protein. The result is a very good, balanced meal that is just perfect for us diabetics. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp avocado oil
• 3 tbsp butter, divided
• ~1.25  lbs zucchini - cut into bite size slices
• 1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 yellow onion - minced
• 1 lb white mushrooms - halved or quartered depending on size
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic - smash minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ¼ cup vegetable broth
• chopped fresh parsley for garnish
• grated parmesan for a light garnish - optional

Preparation:

Heat the avocado oil and 1 tbsp butter in a fry pan over medium heat. Drain the chickpeas and add to pan. Season with a touch of S&P. Toss frequently until chickpeas develop a little color, about 5 min should do it. Remove chickpeas from pan and set aside.

Add olive oil and 1 tbsp butter to a large skillet and set to medium-high heat. Add zucchini slices to the hot oil, season with S&P and cook for ~4 minutes until just tender. Remove zucchini from skillet and set aside.

Return skillet to the burner and add remaining butter; melt butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, or until just softened.

Add mushrooms and cook for ~7 minutes, or until just tender and lightly browned. Stir occasionally.

Stir in the oregano and cook for 20-30 seconds.

Return zucchini to the skillet and mix with the mushrooms; cook for 1 minute, or until heated through.

Pour in the vegetable broth and add the chickpeas. Cook for two more minutes for even temperatures throughout. Taste for S&P and adjust as needed.

Remove skillet from heat. Sprinkle with parsley and parmesan and serve.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Greek Orzo Salad with Feta

Adapted from a recipe found on Skinnytaste.com.

This Greek Orzo Salad is perfect for any outdoor gathering this summer. Your friends and family will delight in the subtle Mediterranean flavors that make this salad bright and fresh. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 5 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 16 oz orzo pasta - whole wheat preferred
• 1/2 cup pitted & halved kalamata olives - plus 2 tbsp brine
• 1/3 cup red onion - diced small
• 3 cups English cucumber - diced small
• 2 cups halved grape tomatoes
• 1 orange bell pepper - diced
• 1/2 cup feta cheese - cubed
• fresh oregano (optional garnish)

Preparation:

Cook the orzo in salted water according to Pkg directions, adding 0ne minute beyond al dente for perfect salad pasta. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Also run the pot under cold water. Let the pasta drip dry in the colander for about a minute and then transfer to the cooled pot . Blend in a little olive oil to prevent sticking. 

In a large bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Add the olives, red onion and brine from the olives and mix to combine. 

Stir in the pasta with the cucumber, tomatoes and bell pepper and toss well. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.

Add the cheese just before ready to serve.

Variations:

For added protein and still vegetarian, add chickpeas. Beef strips, shredded chicken or even shrimp will work well also.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

 

White Bean Salad - Signature Collection

This fresh and bright white bean salad is another example of a restaurant cook not willing to share a recipe back in 2013. After finishing the bacon wrapped scallops that included this tasty treat I could not stop thinking about it all through dinner. Instead of dessert I ordered a second appetizer and we deconstructed right there at the table.

What follows is my version of a white bean salad inspired by the chef at S&P Oyster Company in Mystic Seaport, CT. I hope you enjoy this as much as Carolyn and I do. :-)

I never did write up the recipe back then, but fortunately I was smart enough to take a group shot of the ingredients I used, so that gave me a place to start.

After studying the old pic it was time to get to work cutting up the ingredients using sizes best I could see in the decade old images and guessing at quantities.

This looked like a pretty good balance so I just put it all together, taking really bad notes along the way. LOL Hey... creativity is not always pretty! :-)

Now that I had my salad it was time to create a proper dressing. I could see from the old picture that lime juice was included, so I immediately went to my Luscious Lemon Vinaigrette recipe for guidance. Trial and error came up with this mix.

My mix really brought it all together to create a fresh, vibrant, flavorful salad than can actually stand alone. And finally, here is the ingredient list I can call my own... Enjoy!

Salad Ingredients:

• +/-3 cups baby spinach - should yield 1.5 cups chopped
• 2 15oz cans white beans - drained and rinsed
• 1 orange bell pepper - diced
• 1 shallot - minced
• 2 medium tomatoes - seeded and then diced
• 1/2 English cucumber - peeled, quartered, seeded and diced - should yield 1 cup

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/8 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Coconut Chickpea Curry

This recipe was adapted from the original found at allrecipes.com by replacing the white rice with barley in order to make this great dish more diabetic-friendly. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon grated or very finely minced fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 1 (13.5 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk, well-shaken (such as Thai Kitchen)
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2-3 handfuls baby spinach leaves - more if you like :-)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted cashews
• fresh cilantro or Italian parsley for garnish
• 3 cups cooked (1 cup raw) pearl barley - use vegetable broth in place of water

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about four minutes. Add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about one minute. Add red curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly darkened and vegetables are coated, about one minute. 

Stir in coconut milk, broth, and salt; bring to a boil over medium-high. Stir in chickpeas.

Reduce heat to medium and maintain a simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, 15 to 20 minutes. Use a bit of Wondra flour if you're in a hurry. LOL

Remove from heat and stir in spinach; stir until wilted, about one minute. Stir in lime juice. Serve with cashews, cilantro, and barley. Don't be afraid to blend it all together, either.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup

Here's a real winner my friend Betsy found on the New York Times site. Cauliflower by itself can be rather bland, but combined with all this roasted garlic the vegetable gets elevated to healthy greatness. Enjoy!

Credit goes to: Ali Slagle (New York Times) Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2½ pounds cauliflower (1 very large head), cut into 1-inch florets, leaves reserved
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Salt and pepper
• 1 head garlic

Preparation:

Step 1: Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, toss the cauliflower florets and leaves with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Cut off the top ¼ inch of the head of garlic to expose the top of the cloves, then place on a piece of foil, cut side up. Sprinkle exposed cloves with salt, then drizzle lightly with oil. Wrap the garlic in the foil and place on the sheet pan. Roast until the cauliflower is browned and tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

Step 2: Meanwhile, in a large pot or Dutch oven, bring 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt to a simmer over medium. Reserve about 1 cup cauliflower for the topping, then add the rest to the pot, including any browned bits on the sheet pan. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into the pot. Cover and simmer until the cauliflower is very soft, 7 to 10 minutes.

Step 3: Off the heat, using an immersion blender (or working in batches in a traditional blender), purée the soup until smooth. If thick, add water to taste. If thin, simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly. (The soup will also thicken as it cools.) Season to taste with salt.

Step 4: Serve the soup topped with the reserved roasted cauliflower, a drizzle of olive oil and more black pepper.

Asian Coleslaw

Adapted from a recipe originally posted on allrecipes.com

This is a different take on traditional coleslaw. I was introduced to this dish at a family gathering years ago and instantly fell in love with the flavor pallet. The Asian flavors really make this coleslaw pop... Enjoy!

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 6 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
• 3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
• 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, oil, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic.

In a large bowl, mix the green cabbage, red cabbage, red bell peppers, carrots, green onions, and parsley. Toss with the peanut butter mixture just before serving.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!