Risotto with Vegetables and Crispy Oyster Mushrooms

Risotto is paired with vegetables, crispy oyster mushrooms and fresh lemon juice. I use a Trader Joe's frozen organic "Soycutash" vegetable blend comprised of shelled edamame (soybeans), corn and red pepper, but you can substitute with any vegetable blend. The dish includes ramps too, which are generally available at farmers or whole food markets during the spring. Ramps are in the onion family and similar to leeks or scallions so you can easily substitute either one.

Serves 2 - 3

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces frozen "Succotash" or any vegetable blend 
• 1 small red onion, peel and thinly slice
• 1 purple-top turnip, peel and dice
• 2 ramps, clean, trim and thinly slice; roughly chop green tops
• 1 cup risotto
• 4 ounces oyster mushrooms, clean and roughly chop
• 2 Tbsp butter
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, add 1 inch of water and insert steamer basket. Bring water to a boil over high heat. Add frozen succotash, cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 2-3 minutes and vibrant in color. Set aside with lid off so veggies do not continue to cook. (Or use microwave.)
2. In a large pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high heat until hot. Add onion, turnip and white part of ramps; cook about 3 minutes, or until softened. Add rice and season with salt and pepper. Cook about 3 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Add 3 1/2 cups of water; heat to boiling on high. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is dente. 
3. While the risotto is cooking, in a medium non-stick pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes, or until mushrooms are golden and crispy. Set aside on plate lined with paper towel. 
4. Add steamed vegetables, butter and juice of lemon to risotto mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring continually, for a few minutes, or until thoroughly combined and heated through.
5. Divide the risotto between plates. Top with mushrooms and parmesan cheese. 

Sweet Potato and Guacamole Tostadas

In the mood for a light, healthy and refreshing meal tonight? Sweet potatoes, guacamole and pickled shallot, splashed with lime, make this crispy baked corn tostadas a real winner! There are a few steps to this recipe ~ but it's well worth the little extra effort.

Serves 2

Guacamole Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Tostadas Ingredients

• 4 corn tortillas
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1/2 Tbsp pure cane sugar
• 1/2 lime, juiced (reserve other 1/2 to serve on the side)
• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper to taste
• 2 ounces arugula
• 2 Tbsp goat cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and stir until combined. Peel and slice sweet potatoes. Place sweet potatoes on baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and toss lightly to thoroughly coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer. Sprinkle evenly with seasonings. Bake for 20 minutes, or until tender.

Place shallot, sugar, juice of 1/2 lime and 2 tablespoons of water in small pot over medium-high heat and cook, stirring continually, until thoroughly combined and sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from flame and set aside.

Make guacamole: 

Scoop avocado pulp from shell and place in medium bowl. Using potatoe masher or fork,  mash until smooth. Add balance of guacamole ingredients and stir until well blended. Set aside.

Cover another baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly coat foil with olive oil; place tortillas on foil and turn over to ensure oil lightly coats both sides. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake about 6 minutes or until lightly browned; turn over and bake an additional 2-3 minutes. 

Assemble plates:

Place arugula in small bowl and lightly drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place 2 tortillas on each plate. Spread a layer of guacamole on each tortilla. Divide potato slices, pickled shallot and then arugula evenly among tortillas. Top with goat cheese. Cut remaining lime into 4 wedges and serve 2 wedges on each plate.

~Adapted by Blue Apron

Quinoa & Brussels Sprout Salad with Asiago Cheese

It's time to get back to healthy spring salads! This vegetarian salad includes quinoa, shaved brussels sprout and fennel ~ an aromatic herb with a slightly sweet licorice flavor that's rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber. Shredding the sprouts and fennel gives these heavier veggies a nice lighter texture.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup tri-colored quinoa, rinsed
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 6 large brussels sprout, shredded
• 1 fennel bulb, stems and core removed, shredded
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (reserve other half for dressing)
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/8 tsp fennel pollen (or substitute finely ground fennel seed)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 lb green leaf lettuce
• 1/4 cup asiago cheese, shredded
• Handful of grape tomatoes

Dressing Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 Tbsp of lemon juice from reserved lemon half
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Wash and prepare produce.
2. Make dressing: Whisk all dressing ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
3. Bring quinoa and 1 cup of salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. 
4. While quinoa is cooking, in a medium skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat until hot. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until garlic is fragrant. Add the brussels sprout and fennel and continue cooking another minute or two, until veggies just start to soften.
5. Add quinoa, lemon juice, butter, fennel pollen and salt and pepper to skillet and continue cooking until heated through.
6. Place lettuce in a medium bowl and add enough dressing to moisten. 
7. Assemble Salad: Divide lettuce onto 2 plates or bowls. Top with a cup of quinoa mixture; Divide cheese and grape tomatoes evenly among plates. 

Wheat Crackers with Sea Salt

Most of us don't have time to make homemade crackers on a regular basis 😅, but everyone should make them at least once 😉. And they're actually easy to make since there's no yeast / no kneading. I found a spelt sea salt cracker recipe in Kroger's, My Magazine and the crackers looked so darn cute, I just had to try it. I used white whole wheat flour instead of spelt and had to increase the amount of buttermilk to get the dough to form a ball. When you have a little extra time, give this recipe a try. These crackers taste a bit like Wheat Thins (but no additives ;o) They are delicious with any cheese ~ and also avocado dip!

Ingredients

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp cold butter, cut into chunks
• 1/3 cup and 2 Tbsp cold buttermilk
• Just a little sprinkling of sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix flour, salt and sugar together. Add flour mixture to food processor; add butter chunks and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse corn meal.
2. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of buttermilk evenly over flour mixture and pulse a few minutes; add remaining 2 tablespoons of buttermilk and continue to pulse until dough forms a ball.
3. Remove dough to a lightly floured surface.  Using a rolling pin, working from the center of the dough out, roll into a 10-inch by 12-inch rectangle, making sure the dough is not rolled thinner near the ends.  (Do not over-roll the dough or the crackers will be tough instead of crisp.) Trim uneven edges with a sharp knife. Sprinkle very lightly with sea salt and gently press salt into the dough with rolling pin. 
4. Score the dough into cracker-sized grids. (I used a clean ruler and sharp knife to make even 1-inch by 1-inch squares.) Using a fork, prick some holes over the knife lines to prevent puffing ~ this will also make it easier to break the sheet into crackers after baking. Transfer dough to a baking sheet.
5. Bake crackers in preheated oven for 20 minutes (rotating tray after 10 minutes); reduce heat to 200 degrees and cook an additional 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown (but not overly-browned). 
6. Transfer crackers to a wire rack to cool. Break into crackers. Store unused crackers in an airtight container. Mission accomplished!

Mexican Tri-Color Quinoa Salad

What's not to love about Buttercrunch Lettuce...  tender leaves, a slightly sweet taste, and it's nutritional value with high amounts of fiber and beta carotene. And to top it off, its eloquent looking leaves make a beautiful salad.

This salad pairs several traditional Mexican ingredients (black beans, corn and avocado) with quinoa, for added protein, and a tangy creamy avocado dressing ~ not only healthy, but totally delicious😋

Serves 2 (main dish)

Salad Ingredients

• 4 cups Buttercrunch Lettuce
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• Fresh-cut corn kernels from 1 ear of corn 
• 1/2 cup cooked black beans
• 1/3 cup tri-color quinoa (or substitute any quinoa)
• Handful of grape tomatoes

Dressing Ingredients

• 1 soft avocado
• Juice of 1/2 small lime
• 2 Tbsp apple cider
• 2 Tbsp virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1. Run cold water over quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer until water is clear.  In a small sauce pan, add 1/3 cup of quinoa and 2/3 cup of water to small sauce pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer and cover. Simmer 15 minutes, or until all water is absorbed. Set aside.
2. Clean and cut produce. 
3. Cook husked ear of corn in boiling water about 5 minutes, or to desired tenderness.
4. Divide all salad ingredients onto 2 plates. Pour dressing over salad; garnish with lime slices from the remaining 1/2 of lime, if desired. 

Dressing: Using fork, mash avocado. Add other dressing ingredients and whisk until smooth.

Hearty Vegetable and Super Grains Soup

It's mid-May but a cold and rainy day here in Columbus, Ohio, so I thought I'd make some healthy vegetable soup... red potatoes, carrots, zucchini and french-style green beans, along with some super grains and a splash of crushed red pepper flakes to add a nice zing.

I used a super grain blend of buckwheat, millet, red quinoa, and white quinoa, but you can use any one or a combination of these grains.

A delicious, healthy and hearty soup ~ enjoy😘

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 cups of any super grain (e.g., buckwheat, millet, red quinoa, white quinoa or a blend)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups carrots, cubed
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 cups red potatoes, cubed
• 8 cups low-salt organic (or homemade) vegetable broth
• 1 Tbsp parsley
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 cups zucchini with skins, cubed
• 1 12 ounce bag frozen french-style green beans
• 1/2 - 1 tsp crushed pepper flakes

1. Cook super grains, per package instructions. Set aside.
2. Wash and cut up produce.
3. Heat oil in large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots and red bell pepper. Cook, while stirring continually, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until veggies have softened.
4. Add potatoes, broth and seasonings (except pepper flakes), and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 30 minutes.
5. Add cooked super grains, zucchini, green beans and pepper flakes and cook an additional 15 minutes. Soup is thick; add more broth or water to thin.