Summer and Fall Flavors

To me, nothing beats the summer flavors of tomato and basil. A simple caprese salad (tomato, basil, mozzarella, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil) is one of the most satisfyingly delicious meals you can eat. And after purchasing an additional 20 pounds of tomatoes from our CSA, Brendan and I had our fill of the tomato-basil combo. But just as satisfying as those summer flavors is the warm taste and smell of fall vegetables being roasted in the oven, with just a hint of olive oil, salt, and pepper. This post is a tribute to the best of summer and best of fall flavors.  

Best of Summer: Tomato-Basil Quinoa
Serves 4
Ingredients:
-1 cup quinoa
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-1 tablespoon tomato paste
-3 small tomatoes, diced
-1 bunch of swiss chard, chopped
-1/4 cup basil, chopped
-1 15oz. can low-sodium navy beans, drained & rinsed
-Parmesan cheese
-salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Cook quinoa according to package
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and stir for another 1 minute. 
3. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes
4. Add chopped swiss chard and cook until wilted (3-5 minutes)
5. Toss in the basil, beans, and cooked quinoa. Mix well to make sure everything is heated through (particularly the beans).
6. Serve with Parmesan cheese grated on top. 

Best of Fall: Roasted Harvest Vegetables 
Modified from: Fight Back With Food, by Editors of Reader's Digest
Serves: 6

Ingredients: 
-1 pound brussels sprouts, halved
-1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
-1 head of cauliflower, chopped into bite-size pieces
-2 apples, chopped into large chunks
-1 onion, quartered (skin still on)
-3 tablespoons olive oil (remember, 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon)
-1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
-2 green onions, sliced
-1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
-1 tablespoon dried rosemary
-2 teaspoons garlic powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mix brussels sprouts with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Mix well.
3. Spread sprouts on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, until browned and crispy. 
4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 for squash, cauliflower, and apple. Spread onion quarters with remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil and roast on the corners of one of the baking sheets.
*My oven fits two baking sheets, so I was able to do two rounds of roasting veggies.
5. When onions are done, peel off the skin and chop the roasted onion into bite size pieces. 
6. Combine all roasted veggies (and apple!) in a large bowl. 
7. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl (sun-dried tomatoes through pepper) and mix well. 
8. Serve hot or at room temperature. 

Best of Summer & Fall: Roasted Beet Salad with Basil Dressing
Modified from Cooking Light
Serves 6

Ingredients for salad
-4 beets, roasted and sliced 
-1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
-fronds from fennel bulb, chopped
-1 small head of endive, sliced
-1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
-6 cups baby spinach, or any other type of salad greens
-3 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese (or whatever type of cheese you prefer)
-salt & pepper, to taste

Ingredients for salad dressing
**The salad dressing is out of this world, crazy-good. Be prepared to fall in love. 
-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
-1 tablespoon honey
-1 teaspoon grated orange rind
-orange juice from 1/2 an orange (should be about 2 tablespoons)
-2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
-2 teaspoons olive oil
-2 teaspoons dijon mustard
-1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
You can follow the exact directions from Cooking Light, but I recommend my way of roasting the beets. And you can add the cheese at the very end.
To roast beets: 
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Place whole beets (with skin) in an oven-proof container, with just a bit of water in the bottom, covered with aluminum foil. 
3. Roast for 50 minutes. 
4. When you can easily pierce the beets with a fork, the beets are cooked. 
5. Let the beets cool. 
6. Once you can handle the beets, use your hands to peel off the skin--it should slide right off. 
7. Cut the beets into slices for the salad.

Fabulous Fall Flavors

As some of you know, I love summer. That said, I am also an avid fan of fall. Predominantly because the foods are all so enjoyable...pumpkins, apples, and baking...fantastic! Thus far, I have taken full advantage of fall flavors, but last week I went to a whole new level of fall fun. You may recall that I am subscribed to a couple of food magazines (remember: make use of magazines). Over the past two months I giddily accumulated this year's fall-themed editions and slowly made my way through a few recipes. And last week I binged...I went on a cooking spree of recipes from these magazines. SUCH a good use of time...for me, anyways. All the recipes are scrumptious, easy to make, and great for your health. Enjoy these fabulous fall flavors...I sure did!

Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese (adapted from Bon Appetit)
I won't bother rewriting the recipe, since I only made one modication: I used low-fat milk instead of heavy cream, otherwise the recipe is super easy and insanely delicious! My grilled cheese was country bread from Iggy's Bread with some sharp cheddar cheese (grated).

Warm Salad of Bulgur and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries & Walnuts

(modified from Vegetarian Times)

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

-1 lb. Bussels sprouts, quartered lengthwise

-3 tablespoons canola oil

-1 cup bulgur

-1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

-1/2 cup dried cranberries

-1/4 cup parsley, chopped

-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

-1 tablespoon maple syrup

-1/2 lemon, juiced

-lemon zest from 1 lemon

-salt & pepper

Optional:

-1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

-1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees fahrenheit. Bring bulgur and 1 3/4 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to a simmer and cook 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed.

2. Combine 2 tablespoons of oil and Brussels sprouts in a bowl. Arrange in a 9x13 inch baking dish in a single layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes until brown and crispy.

3. To make dressing: whisk together vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, zest, and 1 tablespoon of oil. 

4. Combine bulgur, sprouts, walnuts, cranberries, parsley, pomegranate seeds & cheese (if using), in a medium bowl. Add dressing and mix well. Season with salt & pepper.

Pumpkin-Pear Bread (from Vegetarian Times)

Makes 16 servings

Ingredients: 

-3/4 cups sugar

-1 cup all-purpose flour

-1 cup whole-wheat flour

-2 teaspoons baking powder

-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

-1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

-1 teaspoon baking soda

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1/2 cup vegetable oil

-1 large egg

-1/2 cup low-fat milk

-3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

-1 teaspoon

-1 15oz. can pears (canned in 100% juice!), chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Coat 8 or 9 inch bread loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. Whisk together sugar, flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. 

3. Whisk together oil and egg in a bowl until smooth. Whisk in milk, pumpkin, and vanilla. 

4. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold in pears. 

5. Spread batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Butternut Squash & Broccoli Rabe Lasagna (modified from Bon Appetit)

This recipe is more of a commitment. But the flavor is SO spectacular, that I highly recommend taking the time to make this recipe. If you follow the ingredient amounts from the original Bon Appetit recipe (but still use low-fat milk instead of cream!), then the lasagna will make 10-12 servings...freeze half of it for another time!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Filling

-1 butternut squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices

-2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra

-1 lb. broccoli rabe, tough stems removed

-crushed red pepper flakes

-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

-2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese

-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

-2 teaspoons fresh sage, minced

-1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced

-salt & pepper

Bechamel Sauce & Assembly

-2 tablespoons unsalted butter

-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

-2 cups low-fat milk

-pinch of ground nutmeg

-1 bay leaf

-1/2 lb. lasagna noodles

-1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Mix squash, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl together; place squash on a baking sheet and bake in oven for about 15 minutes.

2. Quickly blanch broccoli rabe, about 1-2 minutes. Drain, briefly cool under running cold water, and coarsely chop. Transfer to bowl, season with salt & pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil. 

3. In a bowl: mix together mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, sage, and rosemary. 

4. Bechamel: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until slightly thickened (make sure mixture doesn't turn brown), about 2-3 minutes. Increase heat slightly and slowly add milk. Add nutmeg and bay leaf. Simmer and stir constantly until shake-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper.

5. Cook lasagna noodles according to package. Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.

6. Ladle 2 tablespoons bechamel into an 8x8 pan. To layer: line with single layer of noodles (cut noodles as fit), add 1/3 of butternut squash on top, followed by 1/3 of broccoli rabe, then dollop 1/3 of mozzarella-ricotta mixture randomly on top. Drizzle 1/4 cup of bechamel sauce. Repeat process 2 more times (total of 3 layers). 

7. Finishing layer should be noodles, topped with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. 

8. Bake lasagna uncovered until bubbly and starting to brown, approximately 45-55 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.