Butternut orecchiette with arugula

This lovely, foggy Saturday morning, Zack is out renewing his CPR certification, so I thought I would do some blog writing catch-up with a hot cup of tea. And do I have a treat for you in this particular post.

So. Butternut squash. It must be addressed because this is, in a way, a source of struggle in our household. Point blank, I love butternut squash. I don't know why. It's like I'm drawn to it. It's vibrant orange flesh and lovely, smooth yellow skin. The fact that you have to scoop out the "meat" like you would a pumpkin. Maybe it reminds me of pumpkin carvings past, I don't know. Actually, as I write, I just found out online that butternut squash is actually referred to as "butternut pumpkin" in Australia and New Zealand; had to include that here (most of you know of our love for "down under").

Anyways, let's just say, recipes containing butternut squash just flock to me. As I look for recipes/ideas for meals, I'll be like, "oh, that looks delicious," and what do you know - it contains butternut squash. You get the point. I draw this out because the funny thing is that Zack is a little squeamish about this winter squash. In fact, I took this recipe as a challenge because Zack wasn't too sure about it, but I was going to make him like it if it was the last thing I did. I had to make it good enough that he would like it. Love it. It was like a secret mission.

This recipe comes from an amazing cooking blog I have discovered through Pinterest, The First Mess. Wholesome food and beautiful, creative photography. This blog has become one of my mentors (although, Laura of The First Mess probably does not realize it).

Butternut orecchiette with arugula

As adapted from The First Mess

Serves 4.

Ingredients for sauce:

1 small butternut squash, halved lengthwise with seeds scooped out

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Handful of fresh thyme sprigs

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (or more grapeseed oil)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped

Good pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 cup vegetable stock

Ingredients for pasta:

2 heaping cups of dried orecchiette

15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup parmigiano, grated

2 big handfuls arugula, rinsed and dried

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (I did not use because I didn't have any on hand)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Scatter the handful of thyme sprigs across paper. Rub squash halves with grapeseed oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and lay face down on thyme sprigs. Roast in oven until very tender, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Once able to handle, scoop cooked flesh into a bowl, discarding the thyme sprigs.

In a dutch oven or large soup pot, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add roasted squash, stir, mashing squash down into the sautéing aromatics. Add lemon juice and vegetable stock, stirring until roughly combined and remove from heat. Puree squash and garlic mixture in a food processor (or blender), adding more stock if necessary. Return squash sauce to dutch oven over medium heat. Season with heaping pinch of salt and lots of pepper.

Cook pasta according to package instructions, reserving 1/4 cup of cooking water. Once squash is simmering, add cooked pasta, chickpeas, parmigiano, arugula, pine nuts, reserving a bit of each for garnish if you like. Add some pasta water to loosen a bit. Serve hot.

I did not have the pine nuts on hand, but I think they would definitely add a nice crunch to this recipe. Also, next time I would like to loosen the squash sauce a bit; mine wasn't completely smooth. Do this by adding a bit of the pasta water towards the end of cooking. I think I will also puree my sauce a little more in the food processor.

Sometimes I think about ways to disguise things that are good for you. You know, foods that nutrient-rich and healthy (a.k.a. foods that your kids may not like). It's one of the things I look forward to in regards to having kids someday. Arranging vegetables in a rainbow, or making macaroni and "cheese," which is actually macaroni and butternut squash sauce. Seriously, that was one of the first things I thought of when I took my first bite of this butternut orecchiette. It is so much like homemade macaroni and cheese, it's not even funny. The color, the texture, etc. - I'm definitely saving this recipe.

However, this meal is more than a macaroni and cheese look-alike. It was really delicious. So many textures and flavors. I loved it. And I'm pleased to say, Zack was pleasantly surprised (mission accomplished). Here's to eating things that are good for you, and not even remembering or realizing it. Cheers.

Tuna salad

The author of The Sprouted Kitchen calls this recipe "beach day tuna salad." I saw this in her cookbook and just had to make it. Even though it wasn't a beach day. It looked so good.

What threw me a little though was the fact that this recipe calls for raisins. It just sounded a little weird. But I have been on a bit of a raisin kick lately - think pumpkin pecan granola - so I went for it. And oh my. The raisins add this subtle sweetness that counteracts the tartness of the freshly squeezed lemon juice and the kick of the Dijon mustard. It was perfection. Spread on bread for a sandwich, or dip into with some sturdy crackers or bagel chips.

Tuna salad

As adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen - A Tastier Take on Whole Foods

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

4 (5-oz.) cans water-packed tuna

1/2 cup raisins

4 celery stalks, diced

2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

4 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard

4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 tablespoons good-quality mayonnaise (or extra-virgin olive oil)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whole grain bread or sturdy crackers or bagel chips, for dipping

Drain tuna and put into a mixing bowl. Soak raisins in warm water for 5 minutes to soften, then drain. Coarsely chop raisins and add them to tuna. Add celery, parsley, mustard, lemon juice, and mayonnaise or olive oil to the bowl and stir well to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once, or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.

These. Are. Delicious with the tuna salad. (Yes, those extra periods are for emphasis.)

This tuna salad makes for great sandwiches for a light, healthy meal. And it's a great addition to a wholesome snack or light lunch spread. Raisins...who would have thought? Cheers.

Broiled salmon with Mexican salsa verde + corn salad

Salmon is such a great fish and it is so easy to cook (not too mention oh-so-good for you). The options are endless. Furthermore, it's also good just plain and broiled. This makes for an easy weeknight meal.

I went ahead and paired it with Mexican salsa verde and a corn salad as adapted from Mighty Spice. Normally, I might just buy some good green salsa from Trader Joe's, but I'm on a roll with making most things from scratch. I've also discovered the endless opportunities for using my Cuisinart food processor (thank you, Ron). It has a new, permanent place on my kitchen counter. And we all know how I love corn, so this corn and tomato salad appealed to me.

Mexican salsa verde

As adapted from Mighty Spice Cookbook - Fast, Fresh, and Vibrant Dishes Using No More Than 5 Spices for Each Recipe

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove

1 green jalapeño chili

6 scallions

1 tomato (or a couple small tomatoes)

2 large handfuls cilantro leaves

1 large handful mint leaves

2 large handfuls parsley leaves

juice of 3 limes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make salsa verde, put all ingredients into a food processor with a scant 1/3 cup of water and blend until smooth.

Corn salad

As adapted from Mighty Spice Cookbook - Fast, Fresh, and Vibrant Dishes Using No More Than 5 Spices for Each Recipe

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup corn kernels

1 scant handful mint leaves, finely chopped

juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Pinch of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a mixing bowl, toss together the cherry tomatoes, corn, mint, lime juice, and oil and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper.

Mighty Spice actually calls for broiled red snapper for this meal, which I think would be good with the salsa and corn salad. However, Zack is not a big fan of snapper, so we opted for salmon but I think a whiter fish such as halibut could be good as well.

This was definitely better the next day, so really, the salsa and corn salad could be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. All in all, a pretty simple but good meal.

Roasting my first whole chicken (amateur, I know) as I write, so I better run. More recipes to come soon! Cheers!  

Indian chicken and spinach curry + herb and spice quinoa

Do you ever see a recipe and you are oh-so-excited to make it, but then as you realize you are not even a quarter of the way through cooking, you realize this meal is going to be a bit of an ordeal? Let's just say, it's always good when such recipes turn out well. And delicious. Especially on a weeknight. Because if they don't, doing dishes afterwards is enough to undo you. That is, if eating the meal hasn't already.

I love when cookbooks include a "goes well with" note at the end of a recipe. It's like free, professional help with food pairing. It's nice. Just remember not to bite off more than you can chew on a weeknight. This is more of a reminder to myself than anything.

All that being said, this curry and quinoa creation was pretty tasty. Maybe try it on a weekend.

Indian chicken and spinach curry

As adapted from Mighty Spice Cookbook - Fast, Fresh, and Vibrant Dishes Using No More Than 5 Spices for Each Recipe

Serves 4.

Ingredients for the curry:

10 oz. baby spinach

1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2 large tomatoes (or a few small ones), quartered

4 garlic cloves

1-inch piece ginger root, peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 jalapeño, sliced lengthwise and seeded 

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 lb. 2 oz. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces

1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

Bring large saucepan of water to boil and add spinach. Cook briefly, just until wilting, then strain, reserving cooking water. Put spinach and a scant 1/2 cup of the cooking water into a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer pureed spinach to a bowl and set aside to cool. Using the same food processor (don't worry about washing), blend garam masala, salt, onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, jalapeño, and a little water until smooth. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and throw in cumin seeds. Wait a few seconds until they start crackling, then pour in tomato mixture. Stir, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Tip in spinach, chicken, and cream (if using), and stir well. Turn up heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, 12-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.

Herb and spice quinoa

As adapted from Mighty Spice Cookbook - Fast, Fresh, and Vibrant Dishes Using No More Than 5 Spices for Each Recipe

This side dish recipe actually calls for basmati rice, but I decided to try quinoa. The quinoa was great, but be warned - it definitely does not look as pretty as the pilaf rice.

Serves 4.

Ingredients for quinoa:

1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup cashew nuts
2 cardamom pods
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 cups chicken stock
1 large handful parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 large handfuls cilantro leaves, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toast cashew nuts in a large skillet over medium heat. Shake pan constantly for 1-2 minutes. Add almonds and continue shaking pan 1-2 minutes longer until nuts are golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Split open cardamom pods on a cutting board with the flat side of a knife. This helps release their flavor. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat, add split cardamom pods and cumin seeds. Stir-fry 10-20 seconds until seeds start to crackle, then add onion, cooking 3-4 minutes until soft. Bring chicken stock to boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa, and onion and spice mixture. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until quinoa is tender and has absorbed all liquid, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat. Fluff quinoa with a fork and toss together with toasted nuts, parsley, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.

First of all, cumin seeds. They are so fragrant, not to mention the way they crackle in the pan. They are the epitome of the word "crackle." Even more so than Rice Krispies. For real. If you haven't cooked with them, you should give it a try. They're fun. Secondly, cardamom pods - at first I thought I was just going to take the easy way out and use the ground cardamom I had on hand. But then I thought, "No, this is Explorations of an Amateur Cook; I should be willing to try anything!" So I did. The funny part is that I snatched two cardamom pods out of a loose leaf tea I also had on hand to use in this recipe. No judging. Ha ha.

It was also quite humorous that the chicken thighs I had purchased for the curry went missing. Not quite sure where they got left or ended up. But Zack, being the wonderful husband and sous chef that he is, picked up some more for me on his way home from work making this meal possible.

This curry and quinoa was a little ambitious for a weeknight, but it was very tasty. Lots of steps, but satisfying in the end. And I cooked with cardamom seeds for the first time, not to mention putting my own spin on the herb and spice pilaf rice (quinoa, in this case). Plus, mixing up my own garam masala spice mixture (follow the link to it as seen in my ingredient list). An Explorations success if I do say so myself.

The recipes are coming at full force, so don't be too long before you check back here again. Cheers.

Pumpkin pecan granola

I've never made granola at home. But now I know why people do. I'm starting to hesitate more when it comes to buying pre-made salad dressings, croutons, granola, etc. at the store because I know I can make it homemade. And what's better? I mean, really. You know what's in it. It's fresher. It's better for you. And a good recipe helps...

Zack and I eat a lot of Greek yogurt. It's the perfect thing to dive into when I don't have much time for lunch at work. Or when I want something different from my usual (and I mean, very usual) weekday-morning cereal. And when I saw this pumpkin pecan granola recipe, I knew it was the perfect thing to spice up my yogurt. Plus, we all know I love pumpkin. No secret, right?

Now about the recipe. It comes from The Sprouted Kitchen, as did my recent Greek chicken with tzatziki. The author points out that she uses extra-virgin olive oil as a healthier alternative to melted butter to ensure that the granola turns crisp. I like that. Speaking of crisp, keep a close eye on your granola. I think I baked mine for 4-5 minutes too long and it was very golden as a result. Although, it's not too bad on the toastier side, I look forward to making a more perfectly baked batch of this granola. I did use Grade A maple syrup instead of the recommended Grade B; I wonder if this made a difference.

Pumpkin pecan granola

As adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen - A Tastier Take on Whole Foods

Makes about 3 cups.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves)

1/3 cup Grade A maple syrup

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup raw pecan pieces

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, and pumpkin puree; whisk to combine. Add oats, pecans, and sesame seeds; stir until evenly coated. Spread mixture on a baking sheet, keeping some clusters of oats and nuts intact so that finished granola has some chunks (don't be too rough spreading). Bake granola, stirring every so often until dry and light brown in color, 35-45 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool, then add raisins and toss to mix. Add a little more salt if needed. Cool before storing. Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

I'm still enjoying this granola. You should enjoy this granola. Cheers.

Shredded beef tacos

Creative tacos and quesadillas have become one of my favorite go-to meals. I think it's because there is so much you can do with them. And soft tortillas are the way to go with tacos, I think. A nice, soft tortilla toasted up in the oven or in a hot pan. It's just right. I like to buy a variety of 6-inch tortillas such as multigrain, corn and whole wheat blends, etc.

I was so excited to open up Might Spice Cookbook, a gift from my mother-in-law, this Christmas. The pictures are beautiful. And the shredded beef tacos from this cookbook are beautiful.

Shredded beef tacos

Adapted from Mighty Spice Cookbook - Fast, Fresh and Vibrant Dishes Using No More Than 5 Spices for Each Recipe

Serves 4. 

Ingredients:

1lb. 2 oz. skirt steak

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 tomatoes, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 green jalapeño chili, seeded and finely chopped

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

a pinch of sugar

8 6-inch tortillas, heated

scant 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (optional)

1 head of romaine lettuce, shredded

4-6 radishes, thinly sliced

3 oz. feta cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring large saucepan of water to boil. Add beef, turn heat down to low, and simmer 30 minutes, or until beef is cooked through. Remove beef from water and set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, 6-8 minutes, or until onion is golden. Add tomatoes, oregano, thyme, jalapeño, vinegar, tomato paste, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 20 minutes, or until mixture gets thick. Flake cooked beef and add to pan with tomato sauce. Turn up heat to medium and cook 3-4 minutes until beef is hot. To assemble tacos, place heaping tablespoon of beef into middle of tortillas with a bit of Greek yogurt. Scatter on lettuce, radishes, and feta, and enjoy.

I used some skirt steak I had leftover and frozen from another recipe. I also opted to top my tacos with some Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, as the recipe suggests. 

The beef and tomato mixture was so delightful. This sounds kind of funny to say, but Zack and I thought it almost tasted like beef bolognese. Must have been the oregano and thyme that gave the dish this influence? That being said, these were delicious. The beef is so flavorful, the lettuce adds crunch, and the radishes give it a slightly bitter bite that is really growing on me. "Mighty Spice" was mighty good. You'll be seeing more recipes from this cookbook in the near future.

You regular readers may have noticed that I am now including the recipes, typed-out, in my actual post. That way, you can see adaptations I have made to the recipes. Exploratory, right? And here is a link to the original recipe, for your convenience: Shredded beef tacos.

See you back here, soon. Cheers.

Greek chicken with tzatziki

Cookbooks just might be one of my favorite presents to receive. Especially if they are wholesome and healthy with beautiful picture spreads throughout. I can read about recipes for days, but it's those pictures that spike my appetite and make me cook after a long day at work. So. Thank you, Mom, for The Sprouted Kitchen cookbook.

Today wasn't too long of a day (although, it was my first day back after a nice, long Christmas vacation). I've got some spiced quinoa cooking for tonight's dinner, so I thought I would do some blog catch-up. I still have recipes from last week to share!

I've grown to love tzatziki. Which is saying a lot. Because this girl used to not even like yogurt. Not to mention Greek yogurt. But I love it now, and that is all the matters. When you see this tzatziki, you will understand why I chose to make it. It's actually almost like a salad. Or a cucumber salsa (is there such thing...?). Whatever you prefer. Anyways, it is so cool (in a "taste" sense of the word), but so zippy as well. The combination of fresh mint and dill is fabulous. 

Furthermore, the chicken marinade, which has a lot of the same ingredients used in the tzatziki, is great. Awesome, fresh recipe that I think will be even better in the spring or summer (I want to try this chicken grilled as the recipe recommends).

Greek chicken with tzatziki

Adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen - A Tastier Take on Whole Foods

Serves 4.

Ingredients for the marinade:

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 lemon, juice and zest

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to even thickness of 1/2 inch)

Mix all the ingredients together in a shallow baking dish and toss chicken breasts. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes or for several hours in the fridge.

Ingredients for the tzatziki:

2 English cucumbers

¼ red onion, finely diced

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

1 garlic clove, minced

⅓ cup Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make tzatziki, slice cucumbers in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out seeds in the center. Slice each half lengthwise into four or five long sticks, then dice. You should have about 3 cups. In a mixing bowl, stir together the cucumbers, red onion, mint, dill, and garlic. Add the yogurt, lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste. (Stir in yogurt and salt at last minute to prevent watery tzatziki (cucumbers release water a soon as they are mixed with salt).)

The recipe suggests grilling, but it's kind of chilly. So I simply sautéed the marinated chicken breasts in a pan and finished off in the oven until they reached an internal temperature of 170-175 degrees F. Let rest and serve with a large scoop of tzatziki and some warm brown jasmine rice.

Enjoy.