Moosewood Mondays: Beans for Breakfast?

Do the words Bean Porridge sound appetizing to you?  No, not so much?  How about Bean Risotto?  Still no?  Try as I might to come up with a better, more appetizing name, I just couldn't.  I can tell you that this dish, which Mollie Katzen refers to as Bean Porridge, is a thick, creamy, garlicky, wonderful bowl of cooked and mashed beans which I topped with a fried egg for breakfast.  It is also wildly delicious.  As in double the recipe wildly delicious.  

Better yet, it's good for you and you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry/refrigerator. Winner, winner, winner.

Bean Porridge

Serves 2 (take my advice and double the recipe)

Prep Time: 45 minutes (5 minutes of work)

1-1/2 to 2 cups cooked white beans (or a 15oz. can)

1/2 cup water (possibly more)

1 medium clove garlic, peeled

1/4 teaspoon dried sage or thyme (I used a sprinkle of Italian seasoning)

Coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Chopped flat-leaf parsley

*1 fried egg for each serving (or any other topping of your choice)

Without rinsing or draining them first, transfer the beans directly from the can or cooking liquid to a small to medium saucepan.  Add 1/2 cup water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and partially cover.  Cook for 30 minutes.

Add the garlic and the sage or thyme, partially cover again, and let it simmer another 10 minutes.  (Check the water level during this time.  It should be fine- slightly soupy-but if for some reason the beans are running dry, add more water, a tablespoon or two at a time.)

Remove the pot from the heat, and use a potato masher to mash the beans until they turn thick and creamy but still retain some texture.  You can be the judge of how far to take this.

Season to taste with coarse salt and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.  Serve hot or very warm, in bowl, topped with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a small splash of balsamic vinegar, and a sprinkling of minced parsley.  Additionally, top with a fried egg or any other topping.

HOW WOULD YOU TOP YOUR BEAN PORRIDGE?

Notes/Results:  I love beans, so this was a total winner for me.  In fact, I can see it as my new breakfast obsession with all sorts of different toppings.  This bean porridge is ultimately satisfying and oh so creamy and delicious.   I really wish I would have made a double batch and would advise you to do the same should you decide to make this.

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Moosewood Mondays: Homemade Protein Bars

For the past few weeks I've been successfully going to the gym.  There are two reasons why I've been successful.  The biggest reason is that my friend joined the gym and we have been going together. Just knowing that she is waiting for me is enough to get me up and out of the house.  It's a great motivator.  The second reason I've been successful is because my friend and I LOVE the Aqua Zumba class.  Neither one of us looks forward to putting on our bathing suits, but we do look forward to the class.  It's fun, it's somewhat relaxing being in the water, and it's just a great workout.

Even though I grab something to eat before the class, I am absolutely famished, starving, and ready to eat everything in site when I'm done with the class.  Being in that water makes you really hungry!  Last week I was unprepared and made some really bad food choices.  This week I am trying to get a bit more organized and think ahead.  I decided to make these Homemade Protein Bars so that I could pack them in my gym bag and have something to eat on the way home.  These homemade protein bars are great for anyone on the go.  They're delicious, filling, and very satisfying.  I think they'll do the trick just fine!

Homemade Protein Bars

Adapted from Sunlight Cafe by Mollie Katzen

Yields about 20 bars

Nonstick spray

1 cup soy protein powder

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup oat bran (I subbed wheat germ)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 2/3 cup (packed) brown sugar (I used 2/3 cup)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1-1/2 cups plain or vanilla yogurt (I used vanilla Greek yogurt)

1/4 cup canola oil (I subbed 1/2 peanut butter) *see list of variations below

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F (325F for a glass pan).  Lightly spray a 9-by 13-inch baking pan and a baking tray with nonstick spray.

Mix together the protein powder, flour, oats, oat bran, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.  Crumble in the brown sugar, rubbing it with your fingers to break up any clumps.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Measure the yogurt, oil, vanilla into a second bowl, stirring until well combined.  Add the wet mixture to the dry, and mix patiently until thoroughly blended.  (You may have to use your hands - it will be a thick batter, verging on a dough).

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, patting it evenly into place with your hands.  Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes, the remove from the oven and cut into bars of any size or shape.  Place the bars on the prepared baking tray and bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden around the edges.  (For extra-crunchy bars, turn off the oven and leave them in there for up to 45 minutes longer.)  Remove the bars from the oven, and place them on a rack to cool.

Eat the bars within a few hours, or seal them in a heavy zip-style plastic bag and store in the freezer.  For maximum crispness, "refresh" them in a toaster oven after defrosting.

VARIATIONS & PROTEIN BOOSTERS

Replace the canola oil with 1/2 cup peanut butter or almond butter (softened in a microwave).

Replace the flour with quinoa, ground to  a powder in a blender or an electric spice grinder.

Replace the yogurt with mashed silken tofu (soft or firm).  Add an extra pinch of salt.

Add 2 - 3 tablespoons powdered egg whites.

Add up to 1 cup chopped nuts and/or sunflower seeds.

Notes/Results:  I think I'm somewhat obsessive about making homemade granola bars of any kind.  I always feel drawn to these types of recipes because of all the variations.  I made a couple of substitutions with these bars.  I subbed peanut butter for the canola oil, used wheat germ in place of oat bran, subbed milk chocolate chips for semi-sweet, added about 1/2 honey roasted peanuts, and added about 1/4 cup honey.  Also, I baked mine in the pan for the full 30 minutes and then removed them to let them cool on the countertop.  The recipe indicates to bake them for 15 minutes and then cut them into bars, place on a cookie sheet, and bake individually for another 15 minutes.  I felt like doing all that was too much work and also that the bars wouldn't have held together.  I think that baking them 30 minutes in the pan was definitely the way to go and I would do that again.   

I loved the bars and will make them again.  They remind me of  very thick and dense oatmeal cookies, but with peanut butter and nuts.  I found them to be very filling and satisfying.  Next time I'd like to make them with the ground quinoa just to up the protein in the bars. 

Moosewood Mondays: Fresh Strawberry Mousse

 

My four-year old son, Jackson, has a long list of food allergies.  The allergies include, but are not limited to: beef; pork; turkey; eggs; wheat; all nuts, beans, legumes and lentils; and soy.  His diet is pretty limited, so I'm always on the hunt for recipes that he can enjoy. This recipe for fresh strawberry mousse is perfect for him since it doesn't call for eggs or flour, neither of which he can have.  I'm always thrilled when I can find something new for him that we can all enjoy together as a family.

Fresh Strawberry Mousse

Adapted from www.molliekatzen.com

Serves 4-6

4 cups sliced strawberries

6 tablespoons cornstarch

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1/2 pint heavy cream, whipped

OR 

1 cup firm yogurt (nonfat ok), stirred until smooth

Place the strawberries in a medium-sized saucepan.  Cover and cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes, until it looks like soup.  Transfer to a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

Without washing it first, use the same saucepan for this step.  Combine the cornstarch, sugar, and lemon juice in the pan, and whisk until uniform.

Pour the still-hot strawberry soup back into the cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly. Return the pan to the stove, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick.  (This should take about 5 minutes.)  Remove from heat, and stir in the lemon rind.

Transfer back to the same bowl the strawberries had been in, and cool to room temperature.

Puree until smooth in a food processor or blender, and return to the bowl.  Cover tightly and chill until cold.

Fold in the whipped cream or yogurt and serve.

 

Notes/Results:  We all loved it! The mousse was sweet and creamy with quite a bit of thickness to it which made it a very filling dessert. I halved the recipe and still had enough for 4 large portions.   I used the whipped cream this time around but also like the option of subbing yogurt, specifically Greek yogurt, in place of the whipped cream in this recipe.  Either variation would make for a heavenly dessert.

Moosewood Mondays: Bulgarian Pepper Casserole

Lately I've been obsessed with the glorious combination of sausage, peppers, and onions.  I think I've indulged in this heavenly trinity of ingredients at least once a week for a full month now.  When I saw this recipe for Bulgarian Pepper Casserole, I knew it was something I had to have.

This recipe for Bulgarian Pepper Casserole was written meat-free, a combination of colorful bell peppers mixed with brown rice, lots of onions, 8 cloves of garlic, as well as tangy feta cheese and some very creamy whipped ricotta.  I added 1/2 pound of ground Italian sausage because I had some on hand.  Katzen suggests topping the casserole with sliced tomatoes and olives.  I didn't have any fresh tomatoes on hand so I just sprinkled with olives and popped it in the oven.  The end result was a gloriously cheesy, fully flavored, delicious casserole that is reminiscent of a stuffed pepper.  A great recipe!

Bulgarian Pepper Casserole

Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook

Serves 6-8 easily

1-1/2 cups uncooked brown rice

2-3/4 cups water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2-3 tablespoons freshly minced dill (or 2 tsp. dried dill)

1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups minced onion

4-5 medium green and or red bell peppers, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

3/4 teaspoon salt (more, to taste)

fresh black pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

2 teaspoons basil

8 medium cloves garlic, half of them minced, half of them sliced (keep minced and sliced garlic separate)

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1-1/2 cups cottage or ricotta cheese (may be lowfat)

2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes

1 cup whole Nicoise olives (or sliced, pitted Kalamata olives) possibly more, to taste
Optional: 1/2 ground Italian sausage, cooked (my addition)

Place rice and water in a saucepan.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down as low as possible, and simmer without interruption for about 40 minutes, or until the rice is tender.  Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and stir in lemon juice and dill.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Add onions, and saute over medium heat 5-8 minutes, or until the onions become soft.  Add peppers, salt, pepper, and herbs, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 more minutes, or until the peppers are tender.  Stir in the minced garlic (save the sliced garlic for later) and cook for just a minute more.  Remove from heat, and stir in the feta cheese.

When you are ready to assemble the casserole, preheat the oven to 375F.  Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Place the cottage or ricotta cheese in a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade, and whip until smooth.

Combine rice, pepper saute, and whipped cheese in a large bowl, and mix until very well combined.  Transfer to the prepared pan, and spread into place.  Top with tomato slices, then scatter olives and slices of garlic in a liberated, random fashion over the tomates.

Bake uncovered at 375F until bubbly- about 30 - 40 minutes.  Serve hot or warm.

Notes/Results:  Something about this casserole just screams old-fashioned food to me.  It reminds me of my Mom's stuffed peppers, but in a casserole form.  I'm finding that Katzen's recipes are full of herbs, aromatics, and seasonings  which makes her recipes extremely flavorful.  I loved the use of all the fresh herbs in this recipe, as well as the use of 8 cloves of garlic.  I'm all for bringing on the flavor!  This is a keeper recipe and one that would feed a crowd.

If you're interested in participating with Moosewood Mondays, please click HERE for more information.  If you would like to play along, but don't have any Moosewood books, there is a wonderful website full of recipes HERE.

Moosewood Mondays: Orange Cake

 

The smell of oranges is seductively intoxicating, one of my favorite scents in all the world.  Anytime I find a recipe that allows me to fill the kitchen with one of my favorite scents I am always tempted.  A quick glance into the kitchen proved that I had more than enough oranges on hand to make this beautiful cake.  I chose to ignore the fact that this cake has three sticks of butter.  Instead, I focused on all the fresh orange juice and yogurt and declared this cake part of a perfectly well-balanced breakfast.  What can I say?  I'm good at rationalizing.

My talented friend Natashya, of Living in the Kitchen with Puppies, has decided to dust off her  Moosewood Cookbooks and celebrate them each Monday, hence Moosewood Mondays.  Mollie Katzen's 15th Anniversary Moosewood Cookbook happens to be one of the first cookbooks I bought for myself back in my vegetarian years.  

Back then, Katzen was one of the only vegetarian cookbook authors and her books were like a goldmine for me.  I've always enjoyed her recipes and loved the style of her cookbooks, most of them being handwritten. 

I love the handwritten style of Katzen's cookbooks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Orange Cake isn't the healthiest of Katzen recipes, but it does highlight the scope of her recipes, as well as the beauty of her food.

Orange Cake

Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen

Serves 12-16

Ingredients for the Orange Cake:
Butter for the pan

1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened

1-3/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon grated orange rid

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoons orange extract (my addition)

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream or yogurt

1/2 cup orange juice

Ingredients for the Orange Glaze:

1/2 cup orange juice

1 to 2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2-3 tablespoons Orange Liqueur or Dry Sherry (I used Grand Marnier)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Butter a 10-inch tube or bundt pan.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.

Stir in the orange rind, vanilla, and orange extract.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup sour cream or yogurt, and the 1/2 cup orange juice.  Set aside.

Sift together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add this to the butter mixture alternately with the combined sour cream (or yogurt) and orange juice, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix by hand after each addition - just enough to combine well.

Turn into the prepared pan.  Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted all the way down comes out clean.  Cool for about 15 minutes, then invert onto a plate.  Allow to cool completely.

Combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for about 3 minutes.  Pour the hot glaze onto the cooled cake.  Let stand for at least 10 minutes before slicing so that the glaze has an opportunity to soak into the cake.

Sift together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add this to the butter mixture 

Notes/Results:  This Orange Cake was incredible.  Everyone raved about it!  The cake itself was very reminiscent of a pound cake, both moist and dense.  We found the orange flavor spot on, not too mild or too strong.  I do want to note that I added 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract, just because I had it on hand.  I do think it helped to bring out the orange flavor, but don't think it's a necessary ingredient.  This cake is great served right away, but is even better when the orange glaze has had time to soak into the cake.
 
Note: I used Navel Oranges in both the cake batter and glaze.  The blood oranges were used only as a garnish.