Mediterranean Veggies on Onion Rye

This onion rye bread was the perfect bread to heat filled with olives, vegetables and cheese.  Here's how I made it:

Onion Rye Bread

(2 baquettes)

Mix rye and whole wheat flours with yeast and sugar in mixing bowl.
1 1/2 cups whole grain rye flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon dry yeast
2 tablespoon sugar


Heat milk and water to 125 F.  Add to dry mix in bowl.  With dough hook in place, beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup water

Add oil, salt, onion, seeds and 1/2 cup flour.  Beat for 2 minutes.
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup onion, minced
2 tablespoon caraway seeds
1/2 cup all purpose flour

Slowly add remaining flour, kneading for approximately 10 minutes until dough leaves sides of bowl.
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour 

Place dough in greased bowl.  Turn to coat.  Cover;  let rise until double in bulk.

Punch dough down.  Shape and place in pan greased with olive oil spread.  Cover;  let rise until double in bulk. 

Bake at 375 F. for approximately 30 minutes.

The sandwich recipe was inspired by Rachael Ray.  I placed the olives and vegetables in a small food processor which made the hollowed out bread easier to fill.  My mix has kalamata olives, garlic, lemon juice, eggplant, yellow squash, red pepper, parmigiana cheese and fresh basil. This sandwich could be made with slices of bread or rolls, brushed with an olive tapenade, and filled with slices of vegetables and cheese.

I saved the hollowed out bread for crumbs-won't that be good on a baked casserole?

 The bread was delicious with this Harissa Bean Casserole.  As with most of the recipes I make, I add as many vegetables as I want, while controlling the amount of fats, beans, meat and cheese.

Porchnic

After spending the day on an escort with my husband, we dined by candlelight on our deck and kept our picnic streak going!  A few fireflies were out, the temperature was just right and our Sunday was spent side-by-side.  The menu featured Chili Lime Steak and Red Potato-Tomato and Fresh Pea Salad with crusty bread.

Red Potato-Tomato and Fresh Pea Salad

(Serves 3)

Cook potatoes in boiling water for 20 minutes.  
12 ounce small new red potatoes
Drain and chill.  Cut in half.

Combine oils and vinegar.  Pour over potatoes.  Add celery and fresh herbs.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup celery, diced
2 tablespoon fresh basil, snipped
2 tablespoon fresh chives, snipped

Before serving add tomato.
1 fresh tomato, diced

Microwave shelled peas in a small amount of water for 90 seconds.  Drain.
1/4 cup fresh shelled peas
Garnish potato salad with fresh peas.

 
   

 

To Do List for RDs to Be

I was honored to be the guest speaker at the 33rd annual Dietetic Internship Graduation at WVU Medicine.  Here is my presentation:

The presentation was based on a book I made for my son when he graduated high school.  The book was a list of things I hoped he'd do in his adult life.  For the interns, families and dietitians, I related that list to our profession.

 

Start the Day with a Cherry Chocolate Smoothie Bowl

Had to try this recipe from motivenutrition.com on this gorgeous summer morning.  This one has no added sugar!  I ate the delicious smoothie "bowl" with a spoon and included a glass of milk on the side to bring my breakfast protein up to about 20 grams.  My version of the recipe includes the pantry supplies I had on hand.

Cherry Chocolate Smoothie Bowl

(Serves 1)

Blend yogurt, cocoa, cherries, banana and extract until smooth.  (May need to scrape down the sides and pulse in intervals)
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt, plain, nonfat
1 tablespoon cocoa (not the Dutch process kind)
1 cup pitted fresh cherries
1/2 banana
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

Garnish with banana slices and grated chocolate.
1/2 banana
1/3 square 100% cacao unsweetened chocolate, grated

Enjoy a beautiful day!

 



   

Pungent Packets

Seafood dinners baked in packets do not require any specific fish, vegetable, grain or seasoning. Rather than a specific recipe, choose ingredients by checking the home refrigerator or pantry and using those on hand.

• Fresh herbs, onions and garlic.  Shallots, garlic, fresh ginger and fennel bulb.  Fennel adds a sweet anise flavor to foods.

• Lemon.   Slices and juice impart their flavor magic.

• Vegetables. Cut carrots,celery and squash in julienne strips though the choices are endless.  Pepper, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms, green beans, edamame all come to mind.

• Whole Grain.  Quinoa, brown rice, bulgur, farro, kashi, corn-here's your chance to use that little bit left in a bag or a large jar that's been sitting on the shelf. Simply cook the grain prior to assembly-or use leftover cooked grain.

• Seafood.  Salmon, tuna steak, scallops, shrimp or any variety of raw fillet works.  It's alright to make one packet with one variety and another packet with a different fish if one of this and one of that is what's on hand.  

My packets today included garlic scapes, fennel, lemon, carrots, zucchini, red pepper, corn cut off the cob, fresh basil and thyme.  The seafood choice are shrimp with tail.  (I removed the shell) The seasoning was a lemon-citrus blend of coriander, mustard and lemon zest.

Coriander-Mustard Seasoning Blend

(Serves 6)

Toast seeds for 5 minutes.  Cool.  Grind in a coffee grinder that's used just for grinding spices (not coffee).
2 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoon mustard seeds

Add lemon zest.
Lemon zest from 1 lemon 

My packets today were foil pieces with a non-stick lining.  These were baked for 20 minutes in a toaster oven.  They can also be grilled.  To take the flavor up a notch, use banana leaves to wrap the edibles.    See blog post.  

 

Fathers Day Faves Picnic

It's Bob's day, so he picked the menu, the location and the spot.

Our menu featured the Mid East Chicken Kebabs with Almond Yogurt Sauce and homemade pita bread.  The kebabs are great hot or cold.  (See recipe)  While I've been making the Arab Bread for years (See recipe) , I discovered a new trick yesterday:  I rolled each dough ball on a piece of aluminum foil with a non-stick finish on one side.  I simply lifted the individual pieces of foil with rolled dough ball into the oven and placed the foil and all directly on the baking stone to bake.  The pitas puffed beautifully!

Bob missed buying his favorite dessert at yesterday's Farmers Market, so I made him a coffee cake with a ground pecan topping.  We both have some dental issues, so grinding the nuts made it senior citizen friendly and ever so tasty.  Here is the recipe I put together with a topping from one, a batter from another, and making my own adjustments to reduce the sugar, use half whole wheat flour and good fats.

Pecan Upside Down Coffeecake

(Serves 8)

Topping
In small food processor, grind pecans.  Add sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Pulse in vanilla and buttery spread.
1 cup pecans
1/4 cup & 1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread
Press into bottom of small 7 1/2 inch spring-form pan.

Batter
In mixing bowl, beat egg and sugar for several minutes.
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg

In a separate bowl, mix flours, salt and baking powder.
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
 
In another bowl or measuring cup, mix milk, buttery spread, applesauce and vanilla.
3/4 cup skim milk
2 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread, melted
3 tablespoon applesauce, unsweeted
1 teaspoon vanilla 

Add 1/2 of dry mix to egg-sugar bowl, then 1/2 of liquid mix.  Repeat, mixing just until blended.  Do not over mix at this point!

Bake at 350 F. for 40 minutes.  Cool on rack for 20 minutes.  Invert and remove pan.

Bob picked the spot-Casselman River State Park near Grantsville, Maryland- 40 minutes from home.  My Dad used to drive over this bridge on old route 40 (the National Road) with Mom in their early courting days!

Thank you to all the men in our lives!

 


   

Sheet Pan Pizza

When the power went off yesterday during a storm, I delayed this meal a day.  We took our hazardous foods to Bob's work place to refrigerate and iced down other fresh foods in our refrigerator to prevent wasting.  Fortunately, the tightly closed refrigerator stayed cold during those 10 hours of power loss.  The thawing pizza dough in our home refrigerator was rising nicely when I shaped it today.

I made the dough Saturday and froze two thirds of the recipe to use later.  2 days ago, I moved it to the refrigerator where it thawed an extra day than planned.  The dough recipe was posted Sunday.   Here's how I put it together:

Sheet Pan Pizza

(Serves 4)

Pesto Sauce
Process garlic, Parmesan, almonds, herbs, oil and lemon juice in mini food processor until smooth.
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoon sliced almonds
2 tablespoon fresh basil, snipped
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, snipped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon olive oil

Topping
4 small red potatoes, sliced very thin
4 button mushrooms, sliced
1 small shallot, sliced
1/4 cup red peppers, diced
1/3 cup fresh Mozzarella, shredded

Assembly
Roll dough on a floured surface into a long oval.  (I used corn flour)
Brush with pesto sauce.
Alternately arrange potato and mushroom slices to cover pizza.
Sprinkle with shallot slices.
Sprinkle red peppers down center of pizza.
Cover with shredded mozzarella.
Pinch ends of dough together.
Bake at 400 F. for 15 minutes.

Have a great weekend!

 

    

Farmers Market Food Finds Outside of Produce

The local farmers market offers meats, dairy and grains outside the summer produce growing season.  This meal featuring Apricot Stuffed Turkey with Bean and Grain Risotto is made with local turkey tenderloin, mozzarella cheese, wheat berries and garlic. 

The poultry recipe is inspired by Family Circle Magazine. 

Apricot Stuffed Turkey Tenderloin

(Serves 3)

Cut a pocket in center of turkey tenderloin. Unfold and flatten turkey.
1-6 ounce raw turkey breast tenderloin

Combine cheese, nuts and apricots.  Cover turkey tenderloin with mixture.  Fold up tenderloin with filling on the inside.  Press and shape turkey into a roll.
1/2 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 1/2 teaspoon ground pistachios, unsalted
6 dried apricots, chopped

Combine nuts and wheat germ in a zipper bag.  Brush outside of rolled turkey with egg white.  Place in zipper bag to coat with nuts and wheat germ.
1 1/2 teaspoon ground pistachios
2 tablespoon wheat germ
1 egg white

Place turkey roll on a baking pan with a non stick finish.
Bake at 375 F. until center reaches 165 F. (about 40 minutes).

Slice with an electric knife.

The risotto recipe is inspired by Clean Eating magazine. 

Bean & Wheat Berry Risotto

(Serves 5)

Saute garlic, fennel and celery in olive oil.  
1/4 cup garlic, minced
1/4 cup fennel bulb and fronds, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced
1 teaspoon olive oil

Add vegetable broth and wheat berries.
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup wheat berries (dry volume)
Cook wheat berries covered for 1/2 hour in a pressure cooker or 1 hour in a saucepan on stove top.

Add dry beans.  Cook 1 more hour until beans are tender (berries remain chewy).
1/2 cup northern beans (dry volume)

Stir in peas, asparagus and thyme.  Keep warm for service.
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup asparagus tips, cut in 2 inch pieces
2 tablespoon thyme sprigs
    
Even meats and grains have "seasons".  Free range poultry, raised in West Virginia, are only available in  summer when the climate is suitable for raising animals outside.  The farm saved these tenderloins for me last season and froze until needed.  Grains and dry beans are generally harvested in the fall.  Cheese are made year round.

  

   

Pasta Puttanesca

For many weeks, the California Walnuts ad for this recipe has enticed me.  Monday (Meatless Monday) I gave it a try.  Like with most recipes, I substituted or added vegetables I had on hand,

Pasta Puttanesca

(Serves 4)

Cook pasta in boiling water.
2 cups pasta, dry volume

Saute fennel, shallots, garlic and mushrooms in olive oil on stove-top for about 5 minutes.
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoon fennel, diced
2 tablespoon shallots, diced
2 tablespoon garlic, smashed
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

Add tomatoes and paste.  Turn heat to simmer.
1 16 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, no added salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Stir in olives.
1/3 cup mixed olives, pitted and sliced

Drain pasta.  Divide onto serving plates.

Garnish with walnuts, herb and cheese.
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoon fresh oregano, snipped
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano cheese

Tuesday, June 14th, is flag day.  My red, white and blue dessert features strawberries, blueberries and Greek yogurt. I enjoyed that with breakfast today too!

The Walnut Crusted Salmon recipe from California Walnuts was also very good. 

 
   

Flour Pot Pizza (Picnic)

The small clay flower pots made perfect bakeware for these individual pizza breads.  Our picnic menu featured:

Pizza Bread with Olives & Mozzarella

Lemon Zested Tuna with Vegetables

Over Assorted Farmers Greens

Fresh Grapes

I only used 1/3rd of the dough I made for these 2 pizza breads, and froze the rest to thaw and shape later.

Pizza Dough

(6 Servings)

Mix 1/2 cup each flour, yeast and sugar in bowl of electric mixer.  With dough hook in place, gradually add warm water.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Turn speed to low.

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 1/4 teaspoon rapid rise yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup warm (125 F) water 

  

Add whole grain cornmeal, salt and oils.  Beat for 2 minutes.  Slowly add remaining flour, kneading with dough hook for approximately 10 minutes until dough leaves side of bowl.

1/2 cup whole grain cornmeal

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon olive oil

Turn dough into a bowl greased with olive oil spray.  Cover and let rise until double.

Punch dough down.  Divide in thirds.  (At this point, I froze 2/3 of the dough to thaw and shape later).

Roll dough piece on a floured surface to a rectangle, about 6 X 9.  Brush dough with marinara sauce.  Sprinkle with olives, oregano and cheese.

2 Servings Filling

2 tablespoon marinara sauce

1/4 cup chopped green olives, stuffed with sun dried tomatoes 

2 tablespoon fresh snipped oregano

1/3 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded

Roll dough tightly from the short end.  Cut in half.  Place pizza roll in a small clay pot, greased with olive oil spray.

Bake at 400 F. for 20 minutes.  Cool on wire rack. 

To 1 can of albacore tuna (canned in water, drained), I added 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons garlic scapes, 2 radishes, 1/4 cup tomatoes,  2 stuffed green olives, and 2 tablespoons celery.  All the vegetables were minced.  The 1 can of tuna made about 4 servings.

  

Our picnic was at Coopers Rock State (WV) Forest in the rock city area. (not far from home)  

Garden Variety Supper

The 4 Bean Soup and 3 Fruit Shortcake combination proved a satisfying meal on this cool late spring evening.  

After browning 2 garlic cloves and 1/4 cup each shallots and celery in 1 teaspoon olive oil, I cooked the dried beans in my counter top pressure cooker for 1 hour.  (1/3 cup each black beans, adzuki beans and soy beans with 2 1/2 cups water and 1 reduced sodium vegetable bouillon square).   The green beans for garnish were slivered and microwaved for 2 minutes. I ate 3/4 cup of the beans with 1 tablespoon hemp seed meal.  There are more beans to eat hot or cold over the next few days.

I love the shortcakes and will make these again:

Semolina Shortcakes

(Serves 9)

Mix dry ingredients in a food processor.
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoon semolina flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar

Cut in buttery spread.
6 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread

Mix in egg yolks and milk.
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup evaporated skim milk
Portion with 2 tablespoon dipper onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 350 F. for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven.
Brush with cold evaporated skim milk.
Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
2 tablespoon evaporated skim milk
1 teaspoon turbinado sugar
Turn oven to broil.
Return shortcakes to oven and broil 1 minute to brown tops.

Fruit Topping
Cook rhubarb, and berries in lime juice and sugar over medium heat for 10 minutes.
1 cup rhubarb, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 cup blueberries
2 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoon sugar

Add peach.  Cook 5 minutes.  Turn off stove and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
1 peach, peeled and diced 

My shortcake is garnished with plain yogurt.

 
 
   

 

 

Friendship Picnic with Herbed Turkey Meat Loaf

We did not journey far for our Sunday picnic, taking the first opportunity of the day when the heavy rain showers subsided to travel some 15 miles to Friendship Hill National Historic Park and picnic under a shelter.  Our menu today included:

Herbed Turkey Meat Loaf

Potato Salad with Bleu Cheese
Blueberry-Peach Cobbler

The meat loaf recipe was inspired by Rachael Ray.

Herbed Turkey Meat Loaf 

(Serves 3)

Wrap the grated zucchini in a clean wash cloth to squeeze out extra moisture.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor to grind and blend.

Form into 3 round loafs-about 1/4 cup each.

Bake at 400 F. until internal temperature of meat reaches 165 F.  (Check at 30 minutes.)

1-6 ounce turkey tenderloin

1/2 medium zucchini, grated 

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 cup fresh basil

2 garlic cloves

Blueberry-Peach Cobbler

(Serves 5)

Combine fruit and juice.  Place in bottom of baking dish greased with an olive oil spread.

3 cups fresh blueberries and diced peaches (combined)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine flour and sugar.  Mix in 1 beaten egg and melted buttery spread.  Scoop over fruit in baking dish.

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

6 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery spread, melted

Bake at 375 F. for 30 minutes.

For the picnic, the cobbler was garnished with yogurt and honey, then with grated nutmeg.  At home, the cobbler was served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Our picnic today was at Friendship Manor National Historic Park in Point Marion, Pa.  This was the home of Albert Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury in the days of Thomas Jefferson.  There is a beautiful mansion, historic displays and walkways with wild flowers.

We did not roam the grounds today, but enjoyed our meal under a shelter.