Chilled Cucumber Soup with Avocado Toast

 Full credit goes to Melissa Clark (New York Times) - Serves 4

This chilled soup will delight your diners on a hot summer day. The flavor pallet is quite intriguing and may need some personal tweaking to suit your tastes. Experiment and enjoy!

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 2 cups buttermilk (or use 1½ cups plain yogurt plus ¼ cup water)
• 1 large clove garlic - smash minced
• 2 anchovy fillets (optional - leave out for vegetarian)
• 2 small whole scallions - trimmed
• ½ jalapeño - seeded, deveined and chopped
• ½ cup packed mixed fresh herbs (like mint, parsley, dill, tarragon, basil and cilantro)
• ½ tsp sherry or white wine vinegar - more to taste
• ¾ tsp kosher sea salt - plus more to taste
• 4 slices baguette or other bread - toasted
• 1 avocado - pitted, peeled and thinly sliced
• ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
• Extra-virgin olive oil - for serving
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ear of corn - shucked, kernels sliced off
• Fresh dill for serving

Preparation:

In the bowl of a blender or food processor, combine cucumber, buttermilk, garlic, anchovy, scallions, jalapeño, fresh herbs, sherry vinegar and salt. Blend until smooth and adjust seasoning as needed.

Smash avocado slices and spread on the toasted bread. Sprinkle with crumbled feta, squeeze the juice of the lemon half over the top and finish each with a drizzle of olive oil and some pepper. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Distribute soup between 4 bowls and garnish with raw corn kernels and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve avocado toast on the side.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Lima Bean & Sauerkraut Soup

Credit for this delicious soup goes to my friend

Lori Lynn, owner of Taste with the Eyes.

Sauerkraut soup, also known as kapuśniak in Polish, is a traditional Eastern European dish that features fermented cabbage as a key ingredient.

Kapuśniak typically contains a variety of vegetables such as carrots, onions, and potatoes. These vegetables add sweetness and depth to the soup. Instead of potatoes, this version features plump large lima beans. A good source of protein and fiber – large lima beans have a creamy texture, and a slightly sweet, buttery flavor.

Smoked sausage or kielbasa are often added to sauerkraut soup too, as I did here in my version, but the soup can easily be vegetarian by leaving the sausage out and switching to a vegetable stock. It’s a great comfort food, and many variations of the recipe exist, allowing for personal preferences and regional differences.

Dill is popular in Polish cuisine – bright and grassy, herbaceous and aromatic, fresh dill enhances the overall sensory experience of soup. And here, a generous dollop of sour cream balances out the sauerkraut. A good artisan bread with butter is the perfect accompaniment for dunking in the savory sour broth. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 carrots - sliced
• 1 celery rib - thinly sliced
• 1/2 onion - diced
• 4 garlic cloves - thinly sliced or smash-minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice
• 2 cups reserved bean water
• 2 cup chicken stock (use vegetable stock for vegetarian version)
• 1 1/2 tsp whole grain mustard (I use Gulden's Spicy Brown Mustard)
• 2 cups cooked lima beans - bean water reserved
• 14-15 oz can sauerkraut - well-drained (and rinsed if less sour flavor is preferred)
• 8-12 oz low sodium turkey kielbasa - sliced to bite size (leave out for vegetarian version)
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add carrot, celery and onion, cooking until softened. Add garlic, thyme, and allspice and cook a few more minutes, stirring frequently.

Add bean water, chicken stock, mustard and sauerkraut. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes, then add the lima bean mix and kielbasa to heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

How to cook raw lima beans:

• 8 oz dried large white lima beans - rinsed and sorted
• 1 medium carrot - rough chopped
• 1 medium celery rib - rough chopped
• 1/4 yellow onion - rough chopped
• 4 garlic cloves - smashed
• a few glugs of olive oil
• sea salt to finish

Place beans, carrot, celery, onion, and garlic in a pot. Add filtered water to cover by two inches. Add olive oil. Boil for 15 minutes then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until beans are tender, usually 1-2 hours. Add salt to taste near the end of cooking. Pour mixture into a suitable strainer and reserve the cooking water.

To Serve Finished Soup:

• fresh dill
• sour cream
• your favorite artisan bread & butter

Ladle hot soup into warm bowls. Top with fresh snipped dill and a generous dollop of sour cream. Serve with bread and butter.

Carnivore Bowl

Vegetarian Bowl

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Bean Sprout Stir Fry

I must have looked over 50 or so recipes for bean sprout stir fry on the Net. In the end I decided to create my very own, making sure the composition was going to satisfy my need for diabetic friendly ingredients and provide great flavor as well. Serve this as a side to my Soy Sauce Salmon and you're in for a culinary delight with many flavor levels. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 12 oz mung bean sprouts
• 2 stalks green onion (scallion)
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper - minced
• 3 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp agave syrup
• 2-3 grinds from black pepper mill

Preparation:

Place bean sprouts in a colander and rinse/drain well. 

Chop the garlic, mince the red pepper and cut the scallions two ways. The white stem should bet cut to small disks, and the green tops can be cut at an angle so the look pretty.

Mix together sesame oil, light soy sauce, agave, salt & pepper and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok, or as I like to use, a large non-stick Dutch oven. Saute the garlic and white from scallions over medium/low heat until fragrant. Do not let these items brown.

Next add the sprouts and red pepper. Turn to medium high and toss/cook for about a minute. Finally add the sauce and the green scallion cuts. Toss to heat through  and enjoy!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Pinto Bean Cakes & Avocado Salsa

 Credit for this vegetarian beauty goes to The Washington Post

Servings: 4 (makes 8 cakes)

Ingredients:

For the Bean Cakes

• Two (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added pinto beans (3 1/2 cups total), drained but not rinsed, with liquid reserved
• 1/2 cup fine or medium-grind cornmeal
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion (from 1/2 of a 12-ounce onion)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Cilantro leaves, for garnish
• Lime wedges, for garnish

 For the Avocado Salsa

• Flesh of 1 ripe medium avocado, diced
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup diced red onion (from 1/2 of a 12-ounce onion) medium red onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated or pressed
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste

Preparation:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and set a large, rimmed baking sheet on it. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Make the bean cakes: In a large bowl, use a potato masher or fork to mash together the pinto beans, cornmeal, onion, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper until well combined. Taste, and season with more salt as needed. If the mixture isn’t holding together well, add the bean liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it holds together but isn’t wet.

Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions (about 1/3 cup each). Wet your hands and shape each portion into a patty about 3 to 4 inches in diameter and 1/2-inch thick.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until it shimmers. Add 4 patties and cook until a crisp, dark golden brown crust forms, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the baking sheet in the warm oven. Repeat with the remaining patties, using the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and heating it before frying.

Make the salsa: In a medium bowl, gently toss together the avocado, tomato, onion, garlic, lime, cilantro and salt. Taste, and season with more salt as needed.

To serve, divide the patties among 4 plates and top each portion with about 1/3 cup salsa. Serve warm.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Quinoa Lentil Salad & Lemon Vinaigrette

 Credit for this bright & tasty salad goes to The Sweet Pea Chef.

Lacey Baier, aka The Sweet Pea Chef, put this recipe together after sampling a similar salad on a California family vacation. She describes her delicious version as follows:

"Quinoa is an amazingly healthy addition to this salad because it is packed full of yummy goodness, like protein, fiber, vitamins, and all nine essential amino acids, which most other grains lack. Combined with leafy greens and iron-and-magnesium-rich lentils, this quinoa lentil salad is seriously one of my favorite things to eat right now.  It's so tasty, filling, and good for you."

Ingredients:

For the Quinoa Lentil Salad:

• ½ cup cooked quinoa
• ½ cup cooked lentils
• ¼ cup kale, packed
• ¼ cup cooked garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup cucumber, peeled and diced
• ¼ cup carrot, ½ carrot, diced
• ¼ cup grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1 tablespoon red onion, finely diced
• ½ tablespoon raw sunflower seeds

For the Lemon Vinaigrette:

• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoon raw honey
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation: 

If cooking the quinoa and lentils, prepare well ahead and cool.

To prep the kale, remove the leaves from the spine and then break the kale into bite size pieces. Toss the kale with a little olive oil and rub all over the kale, massaging it until the kale reduces in volume and becomes less stiff. (This makes a huge difference in the texture of the kale.)

To make the lemon vinaigrette, combine the freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, raw honey, dijon mustard, sea salt, ground black pepper, and olive oil in a small mixing bowl, and whisk together until well combined.

To assemble the salad, combine the cooked quinoa, cooked lentils, kale, garbanzo beans, diced cucumber, diced carrot, quartered grape tomatoes, finely diced red onion, and raw sunflower seeds in a large mixing bowl. Toss to combine.

Drizzle over a few tablespoons of the lemon vinaigrette, and toss once more.

For garnish, sprinkle a few more sunflower seeds over the top.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Portobello Marsala

Adapted from a recipe found on TWO SISTERS MIX IT UP 

Fresh baby Portobello mushrooms and shallots are simmered in a decadent Marsala wine sauce and served over wild rice or barley. This (possibly vegetarian) Portobello Marsala recipe has all of the traditional Chicken Marsala flavors but with the benefits of the nutritious plant powerhouse, Portobello Mushrooms, as the star of the show. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 shallot - finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (vegetarian)
• 3/4 cup marsala wine
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley - chopped
• 1 cup canned peas
• 2 cups cooked wild rice or barley

Preparation:

Prepare rice/barley according to directions on the package.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Add sliced Portobello mushrooms and sauté for 5-7 minutes.

Remove from the skillet. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan and sauté the shallot for 2-3 minutes.

Add the broth and the Marsala wine to the skillet and bring to a low boil. Continue to cook on a low boil for 10-12 minutes or until reduced.

Mix the corn starch with about 1/2 cup liquid from the pan. Add the corn starch mixture back into the pan and stir with a whisk for 3-4 minutes or until the sauce just starts to thicken.

Add the mushrooms back to the pan along with the parsley and peas and cook for 1-2 minutes until everything is warmed through.

Serve each serving over about 1/2 cup wild rice.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

 

Asian Coleslaw

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!

Slow Cooker Black Beans & Barley

Legumes are among some of the very best foods for us diabetics. There's a reason I devoted a whole Weekend Ramble to them a while back. Visit The Health Benefits of Legumes for more information.

Today I share with you a recipe found in one of my favorite recipe books, The Comprehensive Diabetic Cookbook for Beginners by Keith Laurence. In this dish he combines black beans (GI 30) with my absolute favorite grain barley. The recipe calls for hulled barley (GI 20-25) but if that is hard to come by, pearl barley (GI 30) will work equally well.

I personally prefer to use more than three cloves of garlic, but... well that's just me. LOL

The key to making this butt-ugly protein work is to pair it with something that will create a party in your mouth, because it certainly is NOT pretty to look at. The whole concept of attractive plating is just out the window with this one, so don't even think of a party for your eyes! LOL. I've found that an Italian tomato salad or my German Cucumber Salad take care of this nicely and will bring about the always loved Yummy Noises. :-)

I hope you enjoy this earthy dish as much as I do, and as always... feel free to make it your own with seasonings and sides that YOU like. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups hulled barley
• 2 cups dry black beans - rinsed and drained
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 1 lge yellow onion - chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Preparation:

Mix all the ingredients in a 6 qt slow cooker.

Give all ingredients a good stir.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until beans and barley are soft.

Remove the bay leaf and discard. Serve warm with a tossed green salad, traditional Italian tomato salad or my German Cucumber Salad.

For a breakfast treat next day form small patties, dip in egg and panko and fry to a crispy golden brown. 😊

Blessed be... and happy cooking!