Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Balsamic Brown Butter (Italy), by Cheryl

I'm up to Italy in my countries theme! I had thought about doing a recipe from different regions of Italy, but I already have a bunch of Italian recipes on here, plus I can always add those later since my former neighbor still sends me her recipes from time to time. This is a recipe from the Veneto region of Italy. While visiting Verona and the surrounding area we had gnocchi around the clock - and not your typical gnocchi that we're used to here. I mean melt in your mouth, creamy, decadent, sweet, gnocchi - something that I had never experienced before. An important ingredient in the gnocchi recipes in the region of Veneto is ricotta cheese (which contributes to it's creaminess), so when Jon came across this recipe and it included ricotta cheese with sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes we knew we had to make it. The more flour you use in the gnocchi dough, the more dense it will be so you'll want to use the least amount of flour possible while still making a pliable dough. This is amahzing (definitely top 5!) and we have already made it two more times since the first time. Yum!

Ingredients: 

Gnocchi:

2 (1 lb) sweet potatoes, cooked in microwave to be fork tender

1 12oz container ricotta, strained in a sieve for 2 hours

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons salt

2.5 cups all purpose flour

Sauce:

1 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup loosely packed sage leaves

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

1) After microwaving or baking the sweet potatoes, cut them in half and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. Thoroughly mash the sweet potatoes.

2) Transfer 3 cups of sweet potatoes to a large bowl. Add the strained ricotta, stirring until thoroughly combined. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and salt, then start adding the flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Shape the dough into a large ball.

3) Lightly flour a baking sheet and set aside. Lightly flour your work surface and divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Take one portion and roll it on your work surface or between your hands until it's about 20 inches in length. Cut the dough into 20 pieces to form each gnocchi then transfer them to the flour baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

4) Using the back of a fork, press each gnocchi into the tines to form an indentation. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

5) Make brown butter sauce before cooking gnocchi. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook the butter until the foam subsides and it begins to form a golden brown color, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the sage leaves, allowing them to cook for one minute.

6) Remove the brown butter from the heat and stir in the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately with the gnocchi (after it's cooked).

7) Add a portion of the gnocchi to the boiling water, stir, and let the gnocchi cook until they float back up to the top, about 1 minute. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and repeat the process with the rest of the dough.

8) Toss the warm gnocchi with the brown butter sauce. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve. 

Homemade Oat Milk, by Diane

A while ago I made homemade almond milk, and since the process was so messy and cost more than just buying it at the store, I haven't made it since. There's been so much research lately on the terrible additives to alternative milks, and I've been trying to make better choices with what I buy. Last week I accidentally bought the wrong type of oats, and instead of tossing them I decided to try my hand at making oat milk.

I found a recipe that used a strainer rather than cheesecloth so it wouldn't be as messy and got to work. The first time I made this, I wasn't very impressed and it took about 20 minutes for 3 cups of milk (not that much for all that work). Since then, I've adjusted the recipe and the entire process takes me about 5 minutes start to finish! It's a fantastic addition to smoothies and recipes, great with cereal or oats, and best of all I know I'm drinking something fresh. It also costs just pennies per batch, and one container of oats lasts me weeks.

End result: I will definitely not be going back to buying any milk or milk substitute again at the store!

Recipe from: http://ohsheglows.com/2013/01/10/homemade-oat-milk-easy-fast-cheap/

Ingredients:

1 cup steel cut oats
3 cups water (I used spring water)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Place oats in a bowl, cover with water, and soak overnight.

2. Drain and rinse thoroughly, then add the soaked oats and 3 cups of water to a blender. Blend on a low speed for 30 seconds, then medium for 30, then high for 10.

3. Pour the ingredients into a fine mesh sieve over a bowl to catch the milk. Push down on the oat pulp with the back of a large spoon to get all the liquid out. These oats can now be used for baking or oatmeal!

4. Rinse out the sieve and blender and pour the milk from the bowl through the sieve into the blender to separate any remaining oat bits. This makes the texture of your milk smoother.

5. Add remaining ingredients into the blender and blend on low for 30 seconds.

6. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Kale and Mushroom Pasta, by Cheryl

What a healthy and easy recipe from 100 Days of Real Food! I actually needed to use up the kale and mushrooms in our fridge before we went away for vacation and when found this delicious recipe during my internet search. The sauce is really really good - I just wish there was more of it! Next time I will double the ingredients for the sauce in order to coat the pasta better. Yum!

Ingredients:

Whole wheat pasta
1 ounce dried mushrooms (I used regular raw ones)
2 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, diced (I used an onion)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups loosely packed kale, stems removed and cut into strips
3/4 cup heavy cream (I used whole milk)
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1) In a small pot, add the dried mushrooms and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until the mushrooms are softened, about 3-4 minutes. Drain while reserving one cup of cooking liquid. Dice the cooked mushrooms.

2) In a saute pan over medium heat melt the butter. Add the shallots, mushrooms, and garlic to the pan and cook while stirring for two minutes.

3) Pour in the white wine and turn up the heat so the mixture comes to a boil. Cook until the wine almost completely boils off, about 3-4 minutes (longer if you double the recipe).

4) Pour in one cup of reserved cooking liquid (I just added water since I didn't use dried mushrooms) and cook until reduced by half.

5) Turn the heat back down to medium and add the heavy cream, kale, salt, and pepper to the pan. Cook until the sauce thickens, 2-3 minutes. Fold in the noodles, garnish with cheese, and serve.

Japanese Restaurant Style Carrot Ginger Dressing, by Diane

I am obsessed with a carrot ginger dressing that my local sushi place makes! This version was pretty close, and I downed the salad beneath it in 5 minutes flat. This would also be a great dip for veggies too! Super easy to make- I made mine in a nutribullet and stored the rest for later!

I had to make some major adaptations to this recipe because it was incredibly sour, hot from way too much ginger and white onion, and pretty much inedible. This resulting version is MUCH better.

Recipe adapted from: http://foodbabe.com/2013/05/23/japanese-restaurant-style-carrot-ginger-salad-dressing/


Ingredients:

5 carrots
1/4 small white onion
1.5 inches ginger
2 tablespoons white miso paste
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons raw honey or brown sugar
3 tablespoons dark toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper


Directions: Throw everything into a blender and blend until creamy!

Mastava (Uzbeki Soup), by Diane

This soup is the first thing I order at a local Uzbeki restaurant. It is hearty and filling but also light and aromatic at the same time. You can use either beef or lamb in this, and the traditional way is to finely chop cooked meat to use in the soup. All the veggies are finely chopped as well. You top this amazing soup off with a sour cream sauce, which at my local restaurant is a mixture of sour cream and cream (its a thick liquid).

I never thought to make it because I thought it must be so complicated since it was so many flavors all together, but as it turns out it could not be easier to make at home. It also uses barely any ingredients! This is so good!!! I did add in turmeric and garlic, for anti-inflammatory purposes, but also because I love the flavor of both. I'm really excited to devour it this week!


Ingredients:

1 tbsp EVOO
1 lb beef or lamb, finely chopped (I cheated and used lean ground beef)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1 sweet pepper, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup white rice, uncooked
6 cups water
1 potato, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds (you can use ground cumin here if needed, 1/2 tsp)
fresh dill, chopped (about 2 tbsp)
1 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
Sour cream (add in heavy cream to make a sauce if desired)

Directions:

1. Heat a large soup pan to medium high and add in EVOO. After the oil heats, add in the meat and onions and fry until the meat is cooked through and the onions are softened.

2. Add in carrots, pepper, tomatoes, and garlic and cook until carrots and pepper are softened.

3. Add in rice and fry for 30 seconds, then add water.

4. Add potatoes and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam from the potatoes.

5. Reduce to a simmer, add in cumin seeds and dill and cook uncovered until rice is done.

6. Serve with sour cream, add in until creamy.

Wasabi Chickpea Bites, by Diane

This is a Rachael Ray recipe that caught my eye because it seemed like an idea for a new afternoon snack- I've been bored with all my regular ones lately. This came together easily and tasted like a spicy hummus ball! They are supposed to be coated with sesame seeds but I ran out. I also had to add some salt to this which was missing from the recipe (I've included it below).


Ingredients:

1 15 oz can chickpeas
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp EVOO
1 clove chopped garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp lemon zest (I omitted this, I don't like a lot of lemon flavor)
1/3 cup finely grated carrot
1/3 cup crushed wasabi peas
1/4 sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except the last 3 in a food processor and blend until smooth.

2. Add in the carrot and peas and mix together.

3. Form into 1/2 inch balls and coat with sesame seeds.

4. Refrigerate to set for 30 minutes, or until firm.

Black Bean Brownies, by Diane

In my neverending quest for delicious desserts that are actually healthy for you, I've stumbled across my latest obsession. These brownies contain no flour, no sugar, and are actually fairly nutritious and filling. How? The secret ingredient in here is beans. I promise, you won't ever notice (after several attempts at feeding these to people, no one has)! This recipe is quick and easy, as everything gets dumped into a food processor. A friend advised me to use dark kidney beans, which is what I used here, but really any bean will do. The only actual unhealthy thing in here are the chocolate chips sprinkled throughout. Otherwise the key ingredients here are beans and oats! These things are fudgy, dense, and delicious!

I made some modifications to the original recipe, which I've posted below. The first is I would decrease the vanilla by half (it was 2 tsp but the taste is too strong). Second, the original recipe said that honey could be substituted for the agave/maple syrup, which is what I did since that's what I had on hand. But the honey made it too sweet and so next time I'll use maple syrup. Finally, the recipe also called for stevia or splenda in addition which I thankfully omitted because they were already sweet enough. 

One very important note: Do not attempt to eat these straight out of the oven like regular brownies!! You will not like them. I nearly threw the batch away. But, after letting them cool in the fridge overnight, I tried one in the morning and had to stop myself at 1/4 of the pan! Come on, they are a healthy breakfast right?!?

Recipe adapted from: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/09/06/no-flour-black-bean-brownies/

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups black beans (1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup pure maple syrup or agave
1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8x8 baking dish and set aside.

2. Blend all ingredients in a food processor except the chocolate chips until completely smooth.

3. Stir the chocolate chips in, and pour the mixture into the baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes, and let cool in the fridge or on the counter overnight (or at least a few hours!).

Avocado Hummus (Israel), by Cheryl

So hummus is a staple in Israel (and in that entire region). Avocado hummus... not so much, but I wanted to spice up a very common dish that can be used for my country theme while also be usable for my home. This was the easiest recipe ever - everything is just thrown in and blended together! This is perfect to make for when people come over or if you just want a healthy snack in the fridge. Yum!

Ingredients: (recipe from Giada De Laurentiis):

One 15-oz can of cannellini beans
1-2 avocados
1/2 packed cup arugula
1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon, plus extra, salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1) Combine all ingredients except the oil in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Gradually add the olive oil until the mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Best Of: Edition One, by Cheryl AND Diane!

We are celebrating over 5 years of our blog and over 20 years of friendship today! We decided to get together and cook our top 5 favorite meals for each other, but there were so many favorites that we decided to compile them together into 3 meals. Each meal has two apps, one entree, and two desserts.

For meal one today, we chose Diane's maple bacon wrapped blue cheese stuffed dates and pao de queijo for the apps, Cheryl's eggplant curry for the entree, and Cheryl's chocolate chip banana bread and Diane's apple dumplings for dessert.

Here's a picture of the apps and entree:

And a photo of the desserts:

This meal was amah-zing and we were definitely stuffed and happy at the end! Our ranking for the meal put both desserts in first place. We can't wait to see what's up for meal two next month!

Curried Chicken and Avocado Crema Collard Wraps, by Diane

I made these on a green cutting board so they look SUPER green!!

I have seen collards subbed in for tortillas in tacos and burritos, but always shied away from using them because they are notoriously bitter. But I tried a raw fallafel taco recently that was wrapped in a collard leaf and it wasn't bitter at all, in fact it had the best crunch to it. As it turns out, collards only get bitter when you cook them. In their raw state, they are crunchy, fresh, and delicious!

So when I found this recipe I was doubly excited because in addition to my first attempt at a collard wrap, I got the chance to learn a new chicken curry recipe that doubled as an Indian taco filling! Nothing excites me more than fusion cooking, and Indian and Mexican are my two favorites!

This recipe really could not have been simpler or cheaper to make. The chicken curry was made in the slow cooker and would have been a great meal on it's own over rice. My only change was that there was no actual curry in this recipe- unacceptable (and silly- why would you call it curry then?). At any rate, the standout star here was the avocado crema- I could have eaten the entire mason jar. That I will DEFINITELY be making again....

For my fillings, I decided to use the red cabbage for a crunch factor and for color, and then I brought back my pickled red onions because they are just the perfect topping in general and I love making them! You can really customize this any way you want!

One final note- I would get extra large leaves next time. It was hard to make them stay wrapped even though I thought I was getting large enough leaves.


Recipe adapted from: http://healthynibblesandbits.com/slow-cooker-curried-chicken-tacos-avocado-crema/

Ingredients:

Curried Chicken:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 tbsp coriander seeds, ground
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
1½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp curry
½ medium yellow onion, chopped
3 chiles de arbol, roughly chopped (I subbed red chili flakes here)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 star anise
½ cup chicken stock


Avocado Crema:
2 large ripe avocados
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
5 tbsp plain yogurt
1½ tbsp lime juice
1 to 2 tsp onion powder
1½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt


16 extra large collard leaves

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients for the curried chicken well in the bottom of your crockpot. Set the heat on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours. Shred the chicken 20 minutes before it is done and return to the pot to cook covered for the remaining time.

2. After you've shredded the chicken and returned it to the pot, start making the crema. Blend the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Note: any extra crema should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, with plastic wrap pressed against the surface of the crema to prevent browning.

3. To prepare the collards, trim off each stem. Then, placing the leaf dark side down, cut the protruding stem away until it's even with the leaf. This will make it easier to fold!

4. Make your wraps by stacking two leaves side by side and overlapping each other by about 5 inches (see photo for reference!). Then load on your toppings and the chicken closer to one side of the leaves. Fold the sides in and start to wrap like a burrito, keeping the sides tucked as you go.

Irish Stew (Ireland), by Cheryl

Next up is Ireland! I was hoping to get to this stew before the weather turned warm, but that didn't happen, so here it is in 78 degree weather! We were definitely sweating while eating it, haha. Anyway, the best thing about this dish is the broth. The Guinness really stood out as we were eating it and it went so nicely with the vegetables. The aroma in the house while this was cooking was mouth watering! The only thing is that my beef came out so tough, when the recipe said it would be so tender you could pull it apart with your fork. I felt like my jaw was going to fall off from the amount of times I had to chew it! I'm not sure what went wrong there - maybe I didn't use the right meat? But the meat I bought was specifically for stews...

I may try this again since it was an easy recipe and it sat in the oven for 90 minutes. We paired the stew with some leftover pao di quejo rolls from our top 5 cook-off! Yum!

Ingredients (Recipe from Inspired Taste ):

3 tbsp olive oil
2 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup flour
2 cups coarsely chopped onion
2 cups coarsely chopped carrots
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 11.5 oz Guinness Stout beer
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups beef stock
salt and pepper

Directions:

1) Heat oven to 275. Pat the beef dry, season with salt, then roll each in flour until lightly dusted.

2) Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven. When hot, add beef in one layer (might have to do in batches) and brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve for later.

3) Add onions, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to soften. Add the garlic for one more minute.

4) Pour in the Guinness and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan.

5) Add the reserved beef, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, paste, beef stock, and salt. Stir, the cover with lid and place in the oven. Cook one hour then check on the stew. If the top of the stew is dry, add some extra beef stock or water. Taste for seasoning and add salt/pepper as needed.

6) Cover again and cook for another 30 minutes to an hour until beef is tender and can easily be pulled apart with a fork.

Qabuli, by Diane

I made this dish last night for our Afghani-themed spread at book club. We read The Pearl That Broke It's Shell, by Nadia Hashimi, and it was set in Afghanistan (an excellent read!!). I've had this dish both at Afghani and Uzbeki restaurants (in Uzbekistan it's called Plov), and it's delicious. Traditionally it is served on a bed of rice, but since some of our bookclub members were keeping Passover, I omitted that part. I also used meat from kubideh kabobs that I purchased at a local Afghani restaurant, but traditionally qabuli uses lamb that is cooked in onions and spices (a google search brings up all kinds of recipes for how to cook it this way). I'm posting the recipe as I made it, which was cheap, quick, and surprisingly simple! This was a big hit at the bookclub, and I'll definitely make it again for lunch or dinner during the week.

*Note: traditionally I've seen this dish made with candied orange peels (which you would create by adding orange peels into the carrot step), saffron (also added into the carrot step), pistachios instead of or with almonds, and rose/orange blossom water (added in with the raisin step or to cook the rice in). Afghani food is very fragrant and uses a lot of ingredients that have a variety of good scents! All taste amazing and you can customize how you want! Last night was a busy one so I picked the easiest of all options and it still wound up tasting delicious!*

Ingredients:

2 kubideh kabobs
2 tbsp EVOO
1 lb shredded carrots
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp garam masala
1 cup black raisins (golden raisins are also used in this dish)
1 cup slivered almonds
Rice (basmati works best!)

Directions:

1. Soak the raisins in a bowl with hot water for 10 minutes (you want them to be plump and juicy!).

2. In a large saucepan heat EVOO on medium high. Add in carrots, brown sugar, and garam masala and cook until the carrots are slightly browned and tender. 

3. Drain the raisins and add them into the mix. Cook another 2-3 minutes until raisins are warmed and set aside in a bowl.

4. Add the almonds into the pan and lightly toast. There should be some reminants of the oil and spices left in the pan for the almonds to absorb. Make sure to watch these as they will burn easily! Add to the bowl and mix together.

5. Serve your dish with rice on the bottom, meat, and then the carrot/raisin/almond mixture on top.