Pasta with Eggplant, Tomato, and Ricotta

The fancy Italian name for this dish is "Pasta alla Norma," and it involves mixing eggplant and pasta with tomatoes and ricotta cheese.  The result is a deliciously creamy and fresh pasta dish that tastes excellent with parmesian and basil. (Note: I use creamy ricotta, while the original Italian recipe calls for ricotta salata, a harder version of the cheese.)

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant
2 cloves garlic, pressed
14oz can chopped tomatoes
1 onion, chopped coarsely
pinch of hot chili flakes
8oz (~250g) pasta (I like spirals)
1.5oz (50g) ricotta
large handful fresh basil leaves, chopped coarsely
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil for frying
grated parmesian

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 400F/200C.  Trim the ends of the eggplant and slice lengthwise in half.  Cut small slices, about 1/4" thick, and set aside.
2) Coat a baking tray in non-stick spray, lay eggplant flat on tray surface, and spray the eggplant again with non-stick spray.  Alternatively you can toss the eggplant with a few T of olive oil.  Bake eggplant 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they are soft and slightly crispy.
4) Heat up a large pot of water for the pasta.
5) Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, cook onions and garlic in 1 T olive oil until translucent, about 7 minutes.
6) Add tomatoes (with juices), and simmer for 15 minutes, until sauce is reduced. When done, remove from heat and stir in the basil.
7) While the mixture is cooking, start to cook the pasta.  (You should try to time this so that the pasta and sauce are done at approximately the same time.)
8) Drain the cooked pasta, then toss it with the tomato mixture, eggplant, and ricotta. Serve with grated parmesian.

Beet and Carrot Quinoa Salad with Tahini Dressing

Thank you to my good friend Emma Preston for this delicious recipe.  The tahini dressing is key - it provides a good, tangy finish to the veggies and quinoa.

Ingredients

1 c quinoa
2 c water
oil for frying
1.5 c grated carrot
1.5 c grated beet
pumpkin (or mixed) seeds
1 onion, chopped
1 head broccoli, florets only (cut into bite-sized pieces)
1 block tofu, cut into small strips
1/4 c soy sauce
3 T cider vinegar
1/3 c tahini
1/3 c water
2 T vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, pressed

Instructions

1) Cook quinoa as directed, or simmer gently in water for 15-20 minutes, until tender but still crunchy and all water is absorbed.  (You can add more water if you need to).
2) Fry onions in 1 T oil on medium-high heat until gold brown and slightly crispy, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
3) After onions are cooked, in the same pan fry tofu in a few T oil until golden brown.  (The best method for this is to press all of the water out of the tofu before cutting it, and then to fry it on each side with minimal flipping for 5-7 minutes.) Set aside.
4) Soak broccoli in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, until tender but still very crunchy. Drain out of water and set aside.
5) For the sauce, combine soy sauce, cider vinegar, tahini, water, vegetable oil, garlic and mix well.  If you want a thinner sauce you can add more water.
6) Keep carrots, beets, seeds, tofu, and brocolli separate, or combine with quinoa and dressing.  Serve hot or cold.

Vegetable and Goat Cheese Lasagna

This recipe is an attempt to take my favorite lasagna recipe, which is packed with lots of delicious but decidedly not-so-heart-friendly cheese, and make it a bit lower in fat and higher in veggies.  The success of this recipe relies on home-made tomato sauce and freshly-roasted veggies, which although time consuming, really makes the flavors pop.

Ingredients

For the sauce

3 cans chopped tomatoes (in tomato juice)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t sugar
1 t balsamic
1 t salt
1 small jar roasted red peppers, drained
handful fresh herbs, chopped (I use basil and parsley)

For the filling

no-boil lasagna noodles
250 g mozzarella, grated
150 g parmesian, grated
250 g goats cheese, crumbled
250 g curd cheese/ricotta
1 c cottage cheese
1/2 c fresh herbs, chopped
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
egg
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 eggplant, diced
1 leek, diced
4 portabello mushroom, diced
1 zucchini, diced
olive oil for roasting

Instructions

1) Preheat the oven to 200C. To make the sauce, combine the tomatoes, roasted peppers, garlic, sugar, balsamic, and salt, and simmer over a low-medium heat for 30 minutes, until the tomato juices have reduced.
2) Add the fresh herbs to the tomato sauce, stir, and simmer for an additional five minutes.  Remove from heat.
3) When the sauce has cooled slightly, puree with a blender or hand blender.  Set aside.
4) Toss the eggplant and pepper in 1 T olive oil, and roast in a large roasting pan for 15-20 minutes, until they start to become tender.
5) toss the leek, mushroom, and zucchini with an additional 1 T olive oil, and combine with the eggplant and pepper.  Roast an additional 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are well done. Set aside.
6) To make the lasagna filling, combine the goats cheese, cottage cheese, curd cheese/ricotta, fresh herbs, salt, pepper, and egg in a large bowl, and stir until well-combined.
7) Combine the mozzarella and all but 1 c parmesian.
8) Layer the lasagna as follows: spread 1/4 c sauce over the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
9) Place 3 noodles on top of the sauce, drop 3 T of the ricotta mixture plus 1/2 c vegetable mixture down the center of each noodle, sprinkle with 1 c mozzarella, then spread 1.5 c sauce evenly over the cheese. Repeat two more times.
10) Place the final 3 noodles on top of the sauce, then spread with 1 c sauce and the remaining parmesian.
11) Lightly spray a large sheet of foil with nonstick cook spray, then tightly cover the lasagna. Bake 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until the cheese is spotty brown and the sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes.
12) Cool for 10 minutes before cutting, and serve warm.

Moroccan Chickpea and Sweet Potato Stew

This recipe is a spin-off of the Moroccan tagine, a North-African stew made inside of a big earthenware pot.  The original recipe I used can be found here.  This dish goes well with cous cous, and should be served with a garnish of yogurt and chopped coriander.

Ingredients

3 small onions or 2 large onions, thinly sliced

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 T fresh ginger, minced

water or broth for sauteing

1 T cumin

1 T cinnamon

1 T paprika

1 t tumeric

1 t coriander

1 t crushed red pepper flake (more or less as desired,  I use much less for the kids)

2 cans chickpeas, with liquid

1/2 t salt

3 sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 to 2" chunks

1/2 c diced dried apricots

3/4 c raisins

juice from 1 lemon

1/2 c apple juice

1 can chopped tomatoes

olive oil for cooking

Instructions

1) On medium-high heat, cook onion in 1 T olive oil for 5-7 minutes until browned. 

2) Add garlic, ginger, and additional spices, and cook uncovered for 1 minute.

3) Add the sweet potatoes, apricots, raisins, tomatoes, and apple juice, and cook 15-20 minutes at a gentle simmer.

4) When the sweet potatoes are tender but still firm, add the chickpeas and lemon juice, cooking until the chickpeas are heated through. Season with salt to taste.

Spinach and Onion Tart

This tart is full of spinach and tastes great with a dash of truffle oil (if you have it).  Otherwise, I've made this recipe a lot less healthy and probably more tasty, so if you're looking for something easy on the arteries refer to the original link.  Adapted from the NYTimes Recipes for Health.

Ingredients

Crust

1.25 c flour
1T + 2t corn starch
pinch of salt
6 T butter, cut into small chunks
1 egg

Filling

12oz baby spinach
1 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1 t dried thyme
3 eggs
1/2 c cream
1/2 c milk
1/2 to 3/4 c gruyere, grated
1/4 to 1/2 c parmesian, grated (adjust the amount of cheese depending on how strong you like the flavor)

Instructions

1) In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, and salt.

2) Using a pastry cutter or food processor, cut in the butter until the texture is like course sand.

3) Add egg and mix well with a fork - the dough should be like wet, clumpy sand.

4) Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 12" circle.

5) Press dough into a greased 9" circular pan, and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or freeze for 10-15).

6) Preheat the oven to 180C, and steam spinach until wilted.  You can do this easily in the microwave by heating the spinach in two batches in a microwave-safe bowl with a few tablespoons of water, covered, for 2-3 minutes.
7) Heat olive oil over medium heat, and saute onion until translucent, about 8 minutes.
8) Combine onion with spinach, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
9) Combine eggs, cream, and cheeses in a large bowl.
10) Combine spinach mixture with cheese mixture, and pour evenly into the tart pan.
11) Place in oven and bake 40-45 minutes, until the eggs are well set.  Allow to cool for several minutes before serving.

Pasta with Purple Broccoli and Pecorino

I don't usually cook simple pasta dishes, or things with anchovies, but this is really more-ish and worth the minimal effort.  Use high-quality broccoli and hard pecorino for the best effect.

Ingredients

1kg purple sprouting broccoli
1 t chilli flakes
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small tin anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and chopped
12 oz your favorite type of pasta
1 c hard pecorino cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
high-quality olive oil

Instructions

1) Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2) Trim the broccoli of the stems and outer leaves, and cut into 1/2" (bite sized) pieces.
3) Heat 3 T olive oil over medium heat, add garlic, chilli, and anchovies, and fry for a few minutes until fragrant.
4) Add broccoli and cook until tender but still crunchy.  Remove from heat and set aside.
5) Cook pasta in water until al-dente, 7-12 minutes depending on the type of pasta you use.
6) Before draining pasta, add a small ladle of cooking water to the broccoli mixture, along with another 2-3 T olive oil.  (This should form a thin sauce).
7) Toss drained pasta with broccoli mixture, combine with 1/2 c cheese, and serve immediately.

Nectarine Chickpea Couscous

This simple and tangy dish goes well with any Mediterranean dish.

Ingredients

1 c couscous

1 2/3 c water, boiled

2 nectarines, chopped

4 T fresh lime juice

2 T honey

2 T olive oil

1/2 t salt

1 t cumin

1 t coriander

1 can chickpeas, drained

2 T fresh parsley, chopped

olive oil for frying

Instructions

1) Fry chickpeas in a few T olive oil until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Drain on a plate covered in a paper towl.

2) Combine lime juice, honey, olive oil, salt, cumin, coriander and set aside.

3) Combine couscous with boiling water, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.

4) Toss couscous with sauce, nectarines, chickpeas, and parsley.