Simplest Roasted Cauliflower

I had a doozy of a day today. Starting with the coffee I forgot to drink until it was barely tepid. (In case you're wondering, cold coffee just doesn't cut it when you're running on five hours of sleep.) Moving right along to a morning knee deep in spreadsheets and other unpleasantries. 

Heading into the afternoon with the realization that I had forgotten my lunch and my apple at home. Lunch, for the record, is simply a protein bar. But still. One does need one's mid-day calories.

And topping it off with the unfortunate realization - as I walked in the door of the house exhausted and cranky - that I had forgotten to wash the dishes this morning.

But the day was miraculously cured of all doozi-ness when my darling 5-year-old princess ran off the school bus and into my arms and announced: "Mommy, you are the best Mommy ever." It's the small things. Oh, and it went uphill from there, ending with a small piece of apple pie that had miraculously survived the kids, and - yes, in that order - a plateful of roasted cauliflower. Simply prepared but wow. Really hit the spot. 

Simplest Roasted Cauliflower
There really is nothing much to this recipe. Please use the best ingredients you can get your hands on: super fresh cauliflower (I'm partial to purple and yellow), fine olive oil and vinegar, and lovely salt. This recipe calls for one head of cauliflower, but I actually made two batches, one with each color. 

1 head of cauliflower, cleaned and broken into even size florets, 1-2 inches each
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon sea salt
pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425*. 

In a large bowl, toss together the cauliflower, 3 tablespoons of the oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Mix well (I use my hands). 

Spread the cauliflower on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the oven to 350* and roast for about 15 minutes more, till the cauliflower is soft and getting a bit glazed. 

In a small cup, whisk together the remaining tablespoon of oil and the vinegar. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and immediately pour on the vinaigrette. Gently toss to combine. Serve hot, warm, room temperature, or even cold. 

Stuffed Peppers

What a whirlwind of a week.  What a lot of adjustments. My oldest daughters (twins) are starting high school. My baby is starting 'big girl school.' And my husband is starting his first job as a Physician Assistant after five years of school.

I'm just doing the same-old, same-old. Trying to keep up with my marathon of a life. Full time pressure-cooker job. Four kids. Workouts. Groceries. Laundry. 

But somehow it all feels new. New school uniforms. New bus schedules. New friends and teachers. No more baby girl in daycare. 

But there is one constant. The peppers. They just don't stop. Our CSA just keeps 'em coming. And coming. 

Which is actually ok, because I really do like peppers. Do you? 

Stuffed Peppers (Vegan)
This recipe makes six half-peppers, enough to serve 3-6 people depending how much they like peppers and how much other food you're giving them. Confession: I ate three halves. It takes about an hour from start to finish, with about 20 minutes of active prep. 

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 onion
2 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for brushing
4 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ancho chili powder (use less if your chili is hot or you like things less spicy)

a few sprigs of oregano (or substitute ½ t dried)

a few sprigs of parsley

1 large tomato, or 2 plum tomatoes

½ cup cashews

3 large bell peppers (if yours are small, use 4)

Preheat the oven to 375*. Brush a large glass dish with olive oil.

Get your quinoa started. Measure the quinoa into a strainer and rinse well. Pour it into a small saucepan and add the water plus ½ a teaspoon of salt. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil on a high flame. Reduce the flame to low and simmer for 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat, in a frying pan. Chop your onions pretty fine and sauté them for about 10 minutes, till translucent. Chop your garlic coarsely. Add the garlic, spices, and herbs, plus the extra ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes longer just till your kitchen smells amazing.  

Chop the tomato into smallish dice and add it to the onions. Mix it up and let it cook for another minute or two. Coarsely chop the cashews and add those too. 

Pour the cooked quinoa into the onions and mix well. Taste and correct seasoning if necessary.  

Now, wash and dry the peppers. Cut off the tops and cut each pepper in half. Clean them out, removing the ribs and seeds. Brush the insides and outsides with olive oil and lay the peppers in your prepared pan. 

Put a few spoonfuls of the quinoa mix into each pepper half. 

Cover the dish with foil and bake for about ½ hour until the peppers are warmed through. (The pan should let out lots of steam when you remove the foil.) Let them sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. These are also lovely served cold. 

Linking this up to Wednesday Roundup at Savory Experiments. 

Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots

OK, so you know you take food a wee bit too seriously when your eleven-year-old son begs you to take a family trip to Whole Foods before school starts because "this is probably the last chance I'll get for a long time."

Or when you are more likely to have fresh summer fruit in your home than you are to have clean and folded clothing for your kids to wear to camp. (True story.)

But the moment I was sure it had gone too far was when my five-year-old told me nonchalantly this weekend that her best friend's hair smells so good, "it smells like produce." I figured she was mixing up her words. "Do you really mean produce, sweetie? Or did you mean something else maybe, like shampoo or flowers?"

"No, Mommy. Like produce. Like fruits and vegetables. That's how good it smells."

Wow. I think I've taken things too far. My maybe-not-so-healthy obsession with fruits and vegetables might just be rubbing off on my loved ones. What do you think? OK? Not too cool? Would love to hear your thoughts....

In the meantime, here's a recipe from a summer-produce-obsessed gal. I saw these rainbow carrots at Whole Foods and COULD NOT resist. I have made the same recipe dozens of times with ordinary carrots, and truth be told, it tasted just the same. But isn't this just the prettiest thing?

Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots

Makes a nice large pan of carrots, enough for 4-6 as a side dish. You can also toss it with two cups of cooked quinoa to make it into a main dish. 

5 cloves garlic, peeled

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

black pepper, to taste

2 large bunches of carrots (rainbow carrots if you want to be fancy; but plain ones are JUST FINE)

Preheat the oven to 400*. 

Chop the garlic coarsely. Don't mince it too fine or it'll burn. 

In a large bowl, combine the garlic with the oil, honey, salt and pepper. Stir well with a fork. 

Next, peel your carrots and cut them into matchsticks. Yes, I know it's a nuisance and takes longer than just dumping them into the pan whole. Play some nice music or listen to your favorite podcast. And trust me on this. Your mouth will thank me for those happy shaped matchsticks. 

Put the carrot sticks into the bowl and toss them well to combine them with the honey-garlic-yumminess. 

Spray a large cookie sheet with baking spray (or brush on some oil). Pour on the carrots and spread them in a nice layer so they are not overlapping. 

Bake for 25-35 minutes - stirring occasionally - until the carrots are browning and developing a nice glaze. Eat anytime in the next few hours. (Or leave them on the counter and see how long they last.) 

Pan Fried Chickpeas (Secret Recipe Club)

I feel I owe you an apology. I sort of dropped from the face of the earth for a couple of weeks without so much as a word of explanation.

Much as I know you've got other things on your mind, other blogs to visit, other ways to fill your evening hours, it seems rude to leave you hanging.

Life's been even crazier than ever. Just when I thought it could get no busier, it did. In a good way. I accepted a promotion at work which means I'm working harder than ever. More hours at the office. Less hours at home. More stress. Less time to cook. And blog.

If things are a little quiet around here, please understand. I'm figuring out a new balance between work, home, and personal time. I hope things will settle soon. Thanks for your patience till they do.

On to my recipe of the week. This month, I was SO pleased to get Kitchen Belleicious as my Secret Recipe Club pick. I have been following Jessica's lovely blog for quite some time and had dozens of recipes bookmarked already. It wasn't easy to settle on one, but this recipe was a natural choice. It's super easy, and my kids are WILD over anything with chickpeas.

Pan Fried Chickpeas, adapted from Kitchen Belleicious 
Serves 4 as a side dish or snack


The original recipe calls for Cajun Seasoning, which I didn't have, but since we don't like things really spicy anyway, I left it out, and it was perfect. Let me know if you try it with. Here's my variation. 

1 can of chickpeas (Garbanzo beans)
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for finishing
3 tablespoons olive oil

Drain the chickpeas and spread them out on a dishtowel to dry for about 1/2 hour. In a large plastic bag, combine the spices, salt and flour. Mix well. Throw the chickpeas in the bag and mix them around so they are well coated.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and then shallow fry the beans in two batches. Shake the beans around every couple of minutes to be sure they fry evenly, and remove them with a slotted spoon when they look done (mine took a bit less than 5 minutes). Let them drain on paper towels for a few minutes.

Season with extra kosher salt and ENJOY! Jessica's recipe says that these will save in a ziploc bag or container for up to 1 week, although I have no evidence of that. They were devoured in less than five minutes.

Roasted Carrots

DISCLAIMER: Carrots are not one of my favorite vegetables. They are certainly not in the top ten, probably not even in the top twenty. But I go through dozens a week. I use them in soups and in vegetable stock. I make the occasional carrot salad and sometimes add a handful of julienned carrots to a vegetable platter.

But they are rarely the star of the show. Today was an exception. To be honest with you, I was desperate. It's a holiday weekend and I have this policy. I don't go shopping on holiday weekends. I just don't want to battle with the rest of the world, on the highway, trying to get to wherever they're going.

The thing is, we had almost no veggies stocked. So I fell back on carrots, and some fresh parsley from my fast growing herb garden. It was a revelation. These guys are good! Sweet and even elegant. Capable of starring in the show any day.

Roasted Carrots

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

about a dozen slender carrots

salt and pepper

1 onion, sliced thin
juice of 1/2 a lime or lemon, or 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
some parsley, optional, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400*. Pour the olive oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Add the carrots, salt, and pepper. Shake the pan or use your hands to roll the carrots around and get them nicely coated with oil. Be sure the carrots aren't at all crowded - you don't want them steaming.

Roast for about 20 minutes. Add the onions to the pan and give another shake or mix to coat. Also use this opportunity to turn the carrots over so they roast evenly.

Roast for another 20-30 minutes, until the carrots are evenly browned and tender enough to pierce with a fork. If the carrots are different thicknesses, you may want to remove the thinner ones sooner, and leave the thick ones longer.

Remove from the oven and allow to come to room temperature. Transfer to a platter. Before serving, pour the lemon/lime juice or vinegar over the vegetables, and garnish with parsley if desired.

Linking this up to Real Food Wednesday and Ultimate Recipe Swap.   

Braised Radish

I used to teach first graders and always planned a special activity for the first day of school, to break the ice and get to know the children. One of my favorite first day activities was asking them what fruit or vegetable they most resembled. We had loads of apples and pickles (what is it about kids and pickles?), quite a few tomatoes and carrots, and even an occasional lettuce or spinach.

But there was never a single radish. Not once did any of my students express a desire to be a radish. Not a white one or a red one. Not a round one or a long one. Why? Because radishes are lowly and humble. They're unexciting and boring. Sure, they pack a punch and can clear your sinuses like few other vegetables can. But they are certainly a side show in my kitchen and at my table.

That's all changed for me now that I've discovered Braised Radish. Just a quick saute followed by a braising with some aromatics is enough to elevate the lowly radish to something elegant. Something worthy of starring in any show. This radish can easily take front stage. I'd be happy to be a radish like this one any day.

Simple Braised Radish
Serves 2-4; 30 minutes prep

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 scallions, white and light green parts, sliced thin

1/4 teaspoon grated ginger

1 12-oz bag of radishes, trimmed and rinsed

2 tablespoons sake wine

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoon water

Heat the oil in a large cast iron frying pan. Add the scallions and ginger, and saute for a few minutes, stirring frequently, till soft. 

Add the radishes, wine, soy sauce and water. Cover, bring to a boil, and then lower the heat. 

Cook for about 20 minutes (time will vary based on the size of your radishes), stirring from time to time to distribute the flavors. When the radishes are cooked to your liking, uncover the pan and cook for another few minutes so the juices get more concentrated. 

Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Linking this up to Frugal Food Thursdays. 

Simple Garlicky String Beans (and Eat. Live. Be. WEEK 12)

If you've been following my other blog, you know that I ran out of onions last week. I know, I know. You just don't run out of onions. Milk, maybe. Eggs, maybe. But onions, never.

Well I did, and it sparked some creativity in my kitchen. Almost every savory dish I make starts with a sliced or diced onion.

This dish was a product of my poor organizational skills. (So was the Garlicky Vegetarian Stew over on my other blog.) And it was quite a delicious accident!

Now to move onto my "Eat. Live. Be." theme. This week on "Eat. Live. Be," we're giving concrete examples of how we are tackling our healthy living goals. For me, it's clearly not by staying organized and making lists. It's mostly about making a point of enjoying a wide variety of simple healthy foods. This week, it was string beans and garlic. Next week, it'll be something else easy and healthy. I find that if I keep it simple, eating healthy really isn't very hard. And it's lots of fun!

Simple Garlicky String Beans
This recipe uses just four ingredients. As with all really simple recipes, the quality of your ingredients matters. Use a good quality sherry (not a cooking wine, please). I use Tio Pepe extra dry light sherry. Don't skimp on the olive oil, either. 


3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound French beans
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup good dry sherry

Heat  the oil in a heavy bottomed skillet. (I used my good old faithful cast iron skillet. Can't live without it.)

Add the garlic and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, for about 2 minutes, just till fragrant. Be sure not to burn it.

Add the string beans and cook, stirring from time to time, for about 5 minutes, until the beans are warm and nicely coated with the oil and garlic bits.

Add the soy sauce and wine and cook, stirring from time to time, for another 5-10 minutes or so. The beans should be heated through but still nice and green. (Try one if you're not sure.)

Here's a list of other bloggers participating in the Eat. Live. Be. Challenge: Sarah, Cate, Maris, Chris, Faith, Kristen, Emily, Jenna, Joanne, Casey, Patsy, Tri-Fit Mom, Claire, Allison, Jen and Leslie.


Linking this up to Weekend Bloggy Reading.

Creamy Sauteed Daikon

It's rare in the life of an ordinary cook. Especially one who works full time, has a family, and is usually Very Hassled.

But every once in a while I come up with an inspired new recipe. One that uses common ingredients in a new unexpected way. Jackpot!

This recipe starts with an ordinary daikon. I buy daikons from time to time. We enjoy them raw, sliced up and eaten cold. This time, though, I decided to try it sauteed and cooked up with some cream. (To be honest, the daikon was getting a little soft and I didn't think it would taste very good raw.) If you have never had cooked daikon, you are in for a treat.

It completely loses its bite and is transformed into a mild, delicately flavored dish. The texture is almost creamy, with a hint of crunch as you bite in. Even the kids enjoyed it, which is saying a lot.

Creamy Sauteed Daikon
This recipe is super quick and simple. Serve it as a side dish with a fish- or bean-based dish. Be sure the butter doesn't brown, or the daikon will look muddy (it'll still taste good, but just won't look as pretty!).

1 tablespoon butter

1 scallion, white and light green part only, sliced thin
1/2 a large daikon, cut in matchsticks
2 tablespoons heavy cream
salt to taste

Heat the butter in a medium, preferably cast iron, skillet.

When the butter is warm but not yet browning, add the scallion and cook, stirring, for a minute or two, over medium-low heat.

Add the daikon and saute for a few minutes, stirring from time to time. The daikon should be heated through and through and beginning to brown.

Add the heavy cream and salt. Cook for another few minutes, stirring to remove the glazed bits from the bottom of the pan. The dish is done when it's bubbling and letting off a wonderful buttery aroma. Serve hot or warm.

Submitting this to Kitchen Belleicious.

Roasted Vegetables, and Eat. Live. Be. Week 7

I know. It's getting tiresome. All this talk about roasted veggies. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. Roasted Acorn Squash. Roasted Broccoli. Roasted Vegetable Soup. Green Salad with Roasted Vegetables.

What can I say. Winter is upon us. If I can't have fresh New Jersey basil and tomatoes, roasted vegetables are the next best thing. They keep me going till summer comes around. They keep the summer-produce-cravings at bay, and help me make it through these months of snow and drear.

Roasting vegetables makes them sweeter and tastier. You can use any combination, really, but my favorite is carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips. (Sometimes I throw in a few potatoes for the potato-lovers in my household.)

Carrots and garlic are SUPERSTARS, according to The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. Sweet potatoes aren't too shabby either. Which brings me to this week's Eat. Live. Be theme - "straight from the experts." My favorite expert is Jonny Bowden, author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth and Healthiest Meals on Earth. I love how he lists the health benefits of loads of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and other foods. And, I love how he identifies the SUPERSTARS - the ones you should make an effort to have most often. My favorite superstars are almonds, avocado, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, coconut, garlic,  mushrooms, onions, pecans, and swiss chard. Amazing that such delicious foods are so good for you!

Do you follow the advice of any food experts?

Simple Roasted Vegetables
Feel free to play around with the vegetables to find a mixture that suits you. I often use butternut squash instead of the sweet potatoes, or turnip instead of parsnip. You can also use slice onion instead of garlic for a different flavor. 

2 parsnips
2 carrots
2 sweet potatoes
1 potato
10 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425*. Peel the parsnips, carrot, and potatoes. Cut them in even cubes (about an inch wide).

Pour the olive oil onto a large aluminum baking sheet. Add the vegetables plus the peeled garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix well.

Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, stirring a few times to be sure the vegetables brown evenly. (Roast them for longer if you like a darker crust.)

Serve immediately.

Here's a list of other bloggers participating in the Eat. Live. Be. Challenge: Sarah, Cate, Maris, Chris, Faith, Kristen, Emily, Jenna, Joanne, Casey, Patsy, Tri-Fit Mom, Claire, Allison, Jen and Leslie.

Linking this up to Weekend Bloggy Reading. 

Roasted Broccoli

I hate covering up my gas grill at the beginning of the winter. It means many months without grilled chicken, fish, and meat. Months without freshly grilled vegetables and breads.

But there is one winter food that comes close: roasted vegetables. I have learned that you can roast most anything. String beans. Potatoes (white and sweet). Peppers and tomatoes. Butternut squash, carrots, and parsnips. Onions, garlic, and zucchini.  

Today I tried roasting broccoli for the very first time. I came across this recipe on The Amateur Gourmet. In a word - wow. Forget about the steamed or sauteed stuff. I will never prepare broccoli any other way. As the Amateur Gourmet put it, this is The Best Broccoli of Your Life. Really.

Roasted Broccoli
The key to success with this recipe is to make sure the broccoli is in a single layer. Otherwise it'll steam instead of roasting. 

1 head broccoli
4 cloves garlic, cut in half lengthwise
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
zest and juice of 1/4 lemon
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400*.

Clean the broccoli and dry it very thoroughly. Cut it into large, even florets.On a large baking sheet, toss the broccoli and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread it evenly over the baking sheet in a single layer.

Roast for 20-25 minutes, giving the pan an occasional shake to be sure the vegetables are browning evenly.

When the edges are beginning to brown, remove the vegetables from the oven. Place in a serving dish and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and Parmesan cheese.

Serve warm or at room temperature.