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Obsessed with “Grilled” Corn + Peanut Sesame Noodles

4 Aug

See that piece of corn? That is the beginnings of pretty much every meal that I have made in the last week.

Step 1: Husk your corn.

Step 2: Turn on the stove top. Place corn directly over the flame. Let is sit for a few minutes until it pops and hisses. Flip and repeat.

Step 3: Shave corn off cobb.

Step 4: Add this corn to whatever dish you are making. Or, just slather it with butter and chili and maybe some salty cheese and it is right off the cobb.

The other day I made some charred corn tacos.

Today I made some saucy peanut noodles.

These noodles are seriously dripping with peanut sauce and are a peanut butter-lover’s savory dream come true. The sauce gets spun in the blender. Couldn’t be easier. Oh, and I think the ginger is a key ingredient, so don’t leave it out. Go get the fresh stuff. And peel it with a spoon (the best trick I know!). And if you don’t use all of it, freeze it. It keeps well in the freezer. Ginger. Miracle ingredient.

I make these noodles all the time, adding different veggies etc. depending on the season and what I have on-hand.

I have a very hard time knowing when to stop eating these noodles. I always want just one more bite. They are quite heavy though, so only use half the amount of sauce to start and add more if you dare.

Peanut Sesame Noodles

adapted from Epicurious

This makes A LOT of sauce…you should make lots of pasta (like, an entire package/pound at least) or just use half of the sauce and save the other half in a jar for another time…

*Try not to let the noodles sit in the sauce very long — toss them together a few seconds before serving. If you are eating leftovers the next day, sprinkle with a tablespoon or so of water before heating to freshen up the dish.

**This is perfect for your vegan/veggie friends and meat eaters alike. Feel free to add tofu/tempeh, or some kind of chicken or meat if you wish.

For the peanut dressing:

  • 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 medium garlic clove, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil (sometimes I like to use a spicy sesame oil)
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

For the noodle salad:

  • 1 lb dried linguine fini or spaghetti (or soba noodles…)
  • 1 ear of corn
  • 3 hefty handfuls of fresh spinach leaves
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips
  • 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Prepare your dressing by placing everything in the blender and pureeing it for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl.

Boil some water, then heavily salt it, then add your pasta and cook until al dente. The last 3 minutes of cooking, add your fresh spinach. Drain.
While the pasta is cooking, take your ear of corn and set it over the gas stove burner and char it on all sides. Cut it off the cobb and set aside. Have your scallions, bell pepper chopped and ready.
Assemble the noodles: Add your hot noodles to the peanut sauce along with the veggies, sesame seeds, and whatever accoutrement you like.

Sweet and Savory Quinoa Salad

2 Jun

I’ve got another quinoa salad for you. This time I packed it with roasted cauliflower, spinach, garlic, lemon zest, dried apricots, golden raisins, and Marcona almonds. I also threw in some leftover chopped roasted chicken.

I roasted my cauliflower at a high heat (about 450-475 degrees F) and I lightly sprinkled on some Middle Eastern spices. Hawaji is a spice from Yemen, it is made of cumin, black pepper, turmeric, and cardamom. Sumac powder comes from the sumac fruit and is a red in color, and provides a tart element in cooking. Sumac is essential to making za’atar, a mix of ground sumac berries, sesame seeds, and crushed dried thyme. I also used a sprinkle of za’atar on my cauliflower. Typically za’atar is used on flatbreads and in yogurt or with kebabs or veggies.

(P.S. I researched my spices using Jill Norman’s herbs&spices)

In addition to a nice subtle flavor, I really loved the yellow-red color that the spices gave to the cauliflower. This went nicely with the green spinach and orange apricots. The whole theme of this quinoa dish is a play on the salty almonds with the sweet dried fruit, the savory roasted vegetable with the garlicky spinach and tangy lemon zest. I almost threw in some chopped mint, but in the end I decided to leave it out just for simplicity sake.

This dish would be smashing with a nice cinnamon roast chicken or a brisket or a fish or on its own with some flatbreads and yogurt dip. In other words, this dish goes with pretty much anything. Enjoy!

Sweet and Savory Quinoa

aka

Quinoa with Middle-Eastern Spiced Cauliflower, Spinach, Marcona Almonds, Golden Raisins, Dried Apricots, and Lemon Zest

**After rinsing my quinoa I put in in a wide and relatively shallow pot to toast with some garlic (just as you would make rice). The quinoa was still a bit wet from the rinse, but as it kept toasting on the dry pan, eventually it dried and started to do its thing (I’m not positive about the need to rinse quinoa, I’ve definitely made it without rinsing and it turns out fine, too).

1 head cauliflower, chopped
olive oil
salt
spice mixture (Hawaji, Sumac, Za'atar--or any spices you fancy...tumeric, cumin...) **you can also use harissa and spread it over the cauliflower before baking
1 cup dry quiona, rinsed
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped in half
2 cups water (or broth)
2 handfuls fresh spinach
1/2 cup dried fruit (I used golden raisins and chopped dried apricot)
1/2 cup marcona almonds
1 teaspoon lemon zest
optional: chopped chicken or garbanzo beans

1. Preheat oven to about 450 degrees F. Place your chopped cauliflower on a parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle just a touch of olive oil. Add a small sprinkle of salt, and your spices. Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes.

2. Have your 1 cup of dry quinoa ready. Heat your pan and add the quinoa with the garlic and toast for about 5 minutes. Add your 2 cups of water (or broth) and bring the mix to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once the mix starts to boil, add the spinach and reduce the heat to low. Cover and let quinoa sit for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the roasted spiced cauliflower, dried fruit, almonds, lemon zest, and chicken or beans. Serve with cracked black pepper.

Want MORE QUINOA recipes?

Steph’s Granola

Pumpkin Chickpea Quinoa with Haricot Vert and Almonds

Roasted Beets, Sauteed Chard (and Yuba) Quinoa

Quinoa with Greens, Grapefruit, and a Runny Egg

Steph’s Granola: Everything Mus(t) Go!

4 May

Yesterday:
Sipped on day-old coffee as I filtered through my closet. I have a large pile of clothes and old ballet attire to give away. Come n’ get it.

Today:
Started to read a book for fun. Made a space on my tiny porch for a towel and my body. Sunshine. Loving it.

Relaxing (-ish) sun-filled days complete with evenings entailing dinner + drinks + friends.

Can I tell you the truth? I’m not very good at this whole “relaxing” thing. But, I’m trying, and trying feels nice. Champagne helps. Champagne feels nice. Things in jars help, too.

Granola is the name of the game right now. Why are there so many “Mom’s Granola” recipes out there? Sure, Mother’s day is coming up. Sure, I love my mom. My mom has never made me granola before. “Mom’s Grilled Cheese” suits her better than granola.

Today I give you “Steph’s Granola.” Sometimes, it is all about me. Well, actually, sometimes it is all about using up the random accumulated food in your pantry/fridge before you move across the country. And thus “Steph’s Granola” was born.

Steph’s Granola was born out of multiple recipes and attempts of granola (and granola bars) as well as too many things that need to get used up before I move out of my apartment.

Things I used up:
-leftover trail mix from Trader Joe’s in which I picked out and ate all of the dried cherries, cranberries, and pineapple, and was left with cashew and almonds
-more almonds
-about half of a cup of leftover salty mixed nuts which I only left the brazil nuts and about 6 hazelnuts
-wheat germ (I have SO much left, gah help me)
-raw quinoa (adds a lovely crunch. I also recommend sesame seeds)
-a small pack (about 1/4 cup) of applesauce (helps with the “wet” ingredients and to add less sugar)
-the end of my cinnamon jar
-some almond extract
-used up about 1/2 cup of banana chips and 1/2 cup of choco chips that have been sitting in the pantry for about 7 months

More ideas that you may have to use up in your pantry:
-chopped candied ginger
-peanut butter
-pretzels, chopped
-mashed banana


Steph’s Granola

adapted from multiple recipes, today from Food & Wine’s annual cookbook 2010

Makes 7 cups

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1.5 cups of nuts (see above for what I used)
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup raw quinoa
1 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted nuts)
1 tablespoon hot water
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon agave (I think I used some random maple syrup made with agave?)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup or one of those small individual packs applesauce
a few shakes of cinnamon
a few drops of almond extract

add-ins after baking:
golden raisins, banana chips, choco chips (yes! I used up the little bit that was left of all of these)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a bowl, toss the oats, nuts, wheat germ, and quinoa. In a separate small bowl, whisk the water, salt (if using), honey/agave, vegetable oil, and apple sauce. Stir the liquid into the nuts to coat thoroughly, then spread on a large rimmed baking sheet.

2. Bake for 40 minutes in the center of the oven, stirring every 10 minutes, until nearly dry. Turn off the oven and prop the door open halfway; let the granola cool in the oven, stirring (I only did this for a few minutes because it was too hot to leave the oven open). Toss the granola with the raisins, banana chips, and choco chips. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Want more granola recipes?
–Extreme Granola
–Homemade Granola Bars

>Polenta Circles with Shrooms, Flowers n’ Beans

28 Apr

>
Plating food on a square white plate makes me feel all fancy pants.

A drizzle of balsamic is my go-to for a finishing touch.

A sprig of something green (in this case, a snip of carrot top greens) makes all the colors pop.

Crisp browned edges are my weakness.

Hi dinner.


Polenta Circles with Shrooms, Flowers n’ Beans

vegetarian, gluten-free

serves 4

1 large head of cauliflower, chopped
8 oz of mushrooms, sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tube of already made polenta, sliced into circles
1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

olive oil
salt
pepper
balsamic

Heat the oven to 475 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Spread out your chopped cauliflower and drizzle with a touch of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, until nice and browned around some of the edges.

Meanwhile, heat a (cast-iron, if you have it) skillet with some more olive oil. Add as many polenta circles as can comfortably fit in the pan and fry on each side until crisped looking with a little color. Repeat with remaining polenta circles.

While the polenta cooks, heat a clean pan without oil and add the mushrooms. Saute for a few minutes. Then add some oil and sliced red onion. Let cook until soft and colored.

Add the beans and roasted cauliflower to the pan with the mushrooms/onions. Drizzle in some balsamic.

Serve next to or atop polenta circles. Use a square white plate if you’re feelin’ fancy pants. Or add a “not-so-fancy-pants” sprig of green to appear fancy-pants.

WANT MORE POLENTA RECIPES?
–Basic polenta
–Polenta cake with olive oil and rosemary
–Mushroom etc. and sausage ragu over polenta

Pumpkin Chickpea Quinoa with Haricot Vert and Almonds

13 Apr


Oh hey, remember like half a year ago when I made my own pumpkin puree? And then I made mac n’ cheese with it? Yep. Me too.

Well I froze a few large yogurt containers-worth of puree. I let one thaw out in the fridge over night yesterday. And today I added a bunch to some quinoa, along with some sauteed onions and haricot vert, chickpeas, and slivered almonds (I also added about a tablespoon of nutritional yeast for some hidden protein).

Yum.

(I’m sort of sick of quinoa, though)

I promise that I will bake you something soon.

I promise that in addition to a tray of garlic-y rosemary roasted potatoes and cauliflower I will soon give you fresh-baked cookies.


I promise that I’ll stop posting about quinoa and find another grain to fall in love with (I have my eye on farro…).

Spare me, for now.


Pumpkin Chickpea Quinoa with Haricot Vert and Almonds

Serves 6

1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups water
1 small onion, sliced thin
large handful of haricot vert (green beans), cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup of pumpkin puree (or squash)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon cumin
salt, pepper
1 can garbanzo beans
1/4 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
grated cheese (Pecornio or Parmesan)

1. Prepare the quinoa. Add 1 cup of dry quinoa and 2 cups water to a saucepan. Boil. Turn heat to low, simmer, cover, and leave it for about 15 minutes until done.

2. Saute the onion in olive oil until transluscent. Add the green beans and cook for about 4 more minutes. Add the pumpkin, nutritional yeast, cumin, salt, pepper. Add the cooked quinoa, garbanzo beans, almonds, and raisins. Grate cheese over the top.

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