dinner

middle-eastern meat and potatoes

dinner

ingredients

for the baked kibbeh:

  • 1 cup bulgur
  • 1 lb impossible beef
  • 1/4 cup grated onion
  • 2 cups sliced onion, 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

for the potatoes:

  • 2 pounds potatoes, cut into 2″ chunks
  • 4 garlic cloves peeled and halved
  • 1/2 cup low-fat yogurt
  • 1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • roasted veggie of your choice (broccoli, green beans, asparagus, etc.)

instructions

  1. To make the kibbeh:
    –
    Rinse the bulgur well, then cover with cold water and soak for 20 minutes. Drain well.
    –
    Put the drained bulgur, lamb, grated onion, cumin and cayenne in a large mixing bowl. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix well with your hands to distribute the seasoning. With a wooden spoon, beat in about 1/2 cup ice water. The mixture should be smooth and soft.
    –
    Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and fry gently, stirring occasionally, until they soften, about 5 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Raise the heat and add 1/4 cup of the lamb mixture. Continue frying, allowing the meat to get crumbly and the onions to brown nicely, another 10 minutes or so. Stir in the pine nuts and taste. Let cool to room temperature.
    –
    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a shallow 9-by-13-inch baking dish, then press half the remaining lamb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Spread half the onion-pine nut mixture over the meat. Add the rest of the meat to the pan, patting and pressing it with wet hands to make a smooth top. If desired, score the top with a sharp paring knife to make a traditional diamond pattern at least 1/2-inch deep.
    –
    Bake uncovered for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden. Spread with the remaining onion-pine nut mixture. Serve warm, at room temperature or cool, with a dollop of yogurt.
    –
  2. To make the potatoes:
    –
    Bring a pot of water to boil. Add cubed potatoes and halved garlic. Boil until potatoes are tender.
    –
    Add yogurt, broth, and butter; mash gently with potato masher. Serve!
    –
  3. To make the veggie:
    –
    Toss 1lb of veggies with a tsp of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake at 425 for 15 minutes.

Kibbeh recipe from: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013841-baked-lebanese-kibbe
Potatoes adapted from: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/healthy-mashed-potatoes/
Green bean recipe from: https://cookieandkate.com/roasted-green-beans-recipe/

(O)mega healthy one-pan dinner

dinner

ingredients

  • 2 filets frozen salmon (or fresh if you can ofc)
  • a green veggie, like broccoli, asparagus, green beans
  • brown rice, cooked and tossed with 1 tsp olive oil

instructions

  1. Lay veggie and and rice in a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil and bake, loosely covered with foil) at 400 for 20 minutes.
    –
  2. Reduce heat to the directed temperature for the fish.
    _
  3. Push rice and veggies to the side and bake with fish for cooking time recommended on package.

quinoa tortilla soup

dinner, mexican

ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa, cooked
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 14oz can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 quarts chicken stock, vegetable stock, or garlic broth
  • 6 corn tortillas, cut into strips or some tortilla chips
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 tbsp lime juice

instructions

  1. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and chili powder and stir together for a minute, then add garlic and continue to cook, stirring, for another minute, until fragrant.
    –
  2. Add tomatoes, stir well to deglaze bottom of pot, and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste. Add stock or broth, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
    –
  3. While soup is simmering, toast tortilla strips in batches in microwave. Place in a single layer on a plate and microwave at full power for 1 minute. Turn strips over and microwave for another minute. Repeat if necessary for 30 seconds, or until crisp and light brown. Set aside.
    –
  4. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. Bring back to a simmer and stir in cilantro. Simmer for 1 minute. Taste and adjust salt. Stir in lime juice.Distribute toasted tortilla strips and quinoa among soup bowls and ladle in the soup. Top with crumbled cheese and serve.

Lightly adapted from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017116-tortilla-soup-with-roasted-cauliflower-rice

fish tacos w/corn salsa

dinner, mexican

ingredients

  • 2 servings of a fish of your choice
  • tortillas and brown rice for serving
  • 4-6 ears sweet corn
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 diced, ripe avocado
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
  • 1-2 medium jalepenos, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp cumin

instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place fresh/defrosted salmon on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle with panko, chili powder, and cumin, maybe a squeeze or two of lime juice. Bake 18-20 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside. (if using a different fish, cook in the way that particular fish should be cooked)
    –
  2. In a large bowl, combine the sweet corn kernels with the remaining ingredients and mix to combine.
    –
  3. Serve with brown rice and tortillas. Option to serve also with a sriracha-mayo as fish tacos often are.

Corn salad from https://cookieandkate.com/fresh-corn-salsa-recipe

Broccoli Brown Rice Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

asian, dinner

ingredients

  • plain brown rice, boiled and drained
  • 1-2 heads broccoli
  • one package of a protein of your choice (tofu, seitan, etc, meat maybe)

For the peanut sauce

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
  • pinch red pepper flakes

instructions

  1. Rinse the rice thoroughly. Boil in water and drain like pasta after 30 minutes. Drain and return to pot. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Set aside.
    –
  2. Make the sauce. Combine all the ingredients and whisk together until smooth. Set aside.
    –
  3. Stir ya fry. Sautee your protein until it’s ready to go. Set aside. Sautee broccoli on medium-high heat for about 8 minutes (higher heat and shorter cooking time is the key to a good vegetable stir fry).
    –
  4. Add the sauce. Add the sauce to the stir fry and stir until combined over medium heat. Serve over the brown rice.

With some help from:
– https://www.thekitchn.com/brown-rice-pasta-technique-22997438
– https://themodernproper.com/tofu-stir-fry-with-peanut-sauce
– peanut sauce adapted from Love Real Food, Cookie + Kate

mom’s baked french toast

breakfast, Seitan

ingredients

  • 4-5 cups cubed french bread
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup milk/buttermilk (for buttermilk, mix some greek yogurt into your milk to the consistency of heavy cream)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp salt

instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8×8′ pan with pam. Arrange bread cubes in pan evenly.
    –
  2. Beat egg. Add milk, sugar, cinnamon, and salt to eggs and beat again.
    –
  3. Pour egg mixture over bread. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes.
    –

Brown Rice Pilaf

dinner, new american, pasta/grains

ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 cups long grain brown rice
  • 1 small/medium onion, chopped
  • 4 cups stock (chicken or veg)
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley
  • salt & pepper

instructions

  1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet with a lid. Add the rice and onion. Saute until the rice the becomes opaque and the onion starts to become translucent.
    –
  2. Add the chicken broth and parsley and bring to a slight boil. Cover and reduce the heat. Cook for 40 minutes, covered, until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

From: https://goodcheapeats.com/simple-rice-pilaf/

Simple Brown Fried Rice

asian, dinner

ingredients

  • 2 cups dry brown rice
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas and or corn
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce (careful not to overdo it, this should be enough)
  • 4 eggs, whisked
  • dash sesame oil, dash olive oil

instructions

  1. Rinse the rice thoroughly. Rinse three times, wash (soak 10 sec while agitating then drain) four times, rinse once more. Should be good.
    –
  2. Cook the brown rice. Place the 2 cups of rinsed rice in a small pot with 4 cups of water and 1 tsp olive oil. Bring the water to boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer about 45 minutes (until rice is tender and has absorbed all the water).
    –
  3. When the rice is done, cool it off. You can wait it out or place it in the freezer (but careful not to freezer burn the rice!)
    –
  4. Fry the rice! Fry in two batches, each time with a dash of sesame oil and a dash olive oil (or a little Pam). Fry. Patience can take the place of extra oil. It’s not fried until the rice is visibly different. Remove from the pan.
    –
  5. Cook the eggs, add the rice, add the corn. Finally, add the soy sauce and mix thoroughly and WAIT before you think about adding extra soy sauce. Don’t ruin it!

With some help from: https://www.loveandlemons.com/how-to-cook-brown-rice/

sloppy joe cornbread casserole

classic american, dinner


ingredients

the joes

  • 1 lb ground impossible beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 15oz tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp packed brown sugar
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp mustard

the cornbread

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 2 tsp baking power
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 cup “buttermilk” (greek yogurt mixed with milk to the consistency of heavy cream)

instructions

  1. Make the Joes and Preheat the oven to 400°F. In your cast iron skillet, cook the onions. Then addd the beef and cook until brown. Stir in tomato sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until boiling. Remove from heat and set aside.
    –
  2. Start on the cornbread, browning the butter by microwaving the butter in a microwave safe bowl covered with a plate, until it browns like the below. Could take 6-12 minutes. Set aside.
    –
  3. Combine dry ingredients (flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt).
    –
  4. Combine the wet ingredients, except for the butter (eggs and honey, then “buttermilk”).
    –
  5. Finish the batter. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Gently combine. Then pour browned butter into the batter and stir until just combined (don’t overmix!).
    –
  6. Pour evenly over joes in your cast iron skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center of the cornbread comes out clean. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.

From:

– https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cornbread-topped-sloppy-joe-casserole/45c44eb3-8e61-4641-91bd-11fe5d97f515
– https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/cornbread-recipe
– https://www.tastesoflizzyt.com/how-to-brown-butter
– https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/comment/543801?gclid=CjwKCAjwx46TBhBhEiwArA_DjFA3lD2PBCGoI3outIChFh3GsXJ5KvlwgnkTez-jk6fPxu-weAuHCxoC708QAvD_BwE

broccoli cheddar soup (nytimes)

classic american, dinner

ingredients

  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 lbs broccoli, florets with stems peeled and trimmed to 3 inches
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 8oz very sharp cheddar
  • Olive oil

instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.
    –
  2. Add broccoli, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is bright green and slightly tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a large cooking spoon, transfer broccoli mixture to a medium bowl and set aside.
    –
  3. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in the same pot over medium heat (don’t worry about any remaining broccoli bits). Add flour and whisk constantly, cooking until the mixture has turned a pale golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
    –
  4. Gradually whisk in chicken broth until no lumps remain (it’ll thicken considerably at first), followed by milk. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes and then stir in cheese and the reserved broccoli mixture.
    –
  5. Reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid has thickened and reduced by about 1/4 and the broccoli is completely tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
    –
  6. Using a hand blender, purée the soup to desired consistency. (Some like to leave bits of broccoli in there. It is up to you how smooth or chunky the soup is.) Alternatively, transfer to a blender and purée to desired consistency.
    –
  7. Season soup with salt and pepper, and divide among bowls. Top with remaining 1 cup broccoli, more Cheddar (if you like), and lots of freshly ground pepper.

Adapted from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019106-broccoli-and-cheddar-soup