DeliciousWisdom

Grape Sorbet

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:22:58 GMT

I got this idea after reading that Victoria Beckham exists on a diet of frozen grapes and edamame. Moving right past the opportunity to comment on that, let's think about sorbet made from one ingredient and the gorgeous simplicity of it.

If you want to complicate things, feel free to peel the grapes: drop them into boiling water for one minute, drop them immediately into cold water, then rub peels off. That being said, don't bother. I am just as much into the chewy bits being in the sorbet as I am into the idea making this in two minutes.

Prep Time: 2 Minutes (more if you peel the grapes)
Cooking Time: none
Yield: Varies
Ingredients:
Red or Green Grapes
Water

Freeze grapes for a few hours or overnight (or just leave them in the freezer for this or an anytime snack). Pull frozen grapes off the vine and place in a food processor. Blend until broken up and add water, a little at a time while blending, until consistency is like sorbet. Serve immediately, garnished with more frozen grapes.

Pear and Goat Cheese Salad

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:22:54 GMT

Really I'm too early on this salad. These herbs won't be popping up in your gardens for...I'm not sure how long. But I know they're not happening yet. But you can certainly buy them and the weather right now is making me want to eat stuff like this (finally), so let's think of this as an inspirational recipe. It says, "Water your herbs so you can make this salad again later-- many, many times." Or maybe it says, "Grow herbs in your window in the first place so that you don't have to buy so many types just to make a salad."

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 4-5 Servings
Ingredients:
3 Large Cucumbers
3 Ripe Pears, any type
1 Clove Garlic, minced
¼ lb Fresh Goat Cheese, soft
½ Cup Plain, Organic Yogurt
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 Tbsp Fresh Mint, chopped
2 Tbsp Fresh Chives, chopped
2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Sea Salt and Pepper, to taste

Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise and cut into slices. Cut pear into large chunks and again into smaller pieces. Combine in a large bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, mash goat cheese with a fork with garlic. Add yogurt and lemon. Mix until consistency is smooth. Stir in herbs. Toss with cucumber/pear mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours. Season with sea salt and pepper. Serve.

Whole Food Nachos

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:22:51 GMT

I’ve been a bit obsessed with the idea of dairy-free, healthy nachos lately. And not with any sort of soy cheese involved because that stuff tastes like American cheese slices with the plastic still on.

Get each ingredient into a separate bowl, give everyone their share of chips, then let people throw on their own toppings.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cooking Time: 15 Minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Chips:
12 Corn Tortillas
Sea Salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pile up the tortillas into two stacks. Cut each stack in half, then in half again, then again. In other words, cut them into chip-shaped pieces. Place in a single layer on a large baking sheet, sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 12 minutes. Don’t let them get golden in color; in this case ‘golden’ equals ‘burnt tasting’.

Chili Beans
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
1 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Chili Powder
¼ Tsp Sea Salt
1-15 oz Can of Diced or Crushed Fire-roasted Tomatoes
1-15 oz Can of Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
Heat oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add onion and cook until translucent, or about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin, chili powder, and sea salt to combine well. Add tomatoes and beans. Raise heat to bring mixture to a bubble, then lower heat to gently simmer for ten minutes.

Corn and Cilantro Salsa
3/4 Cup Corn Niblets
½ Large Cucumber, chopped into small pieces
1/3 Cup Fresh Chopped Cilantro, packed
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
¼ Tsp Sea Salt
Combine all ingredients. Set aside.

Guacamole
1 Avocado
½ Tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp Lime Juice (about ½ lime)
¼ Tsp Sea Salt
Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Mash all ingredients together with a fork until smooth.

Veggie Chickpea Vindaloo

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:22:47 GMT

I know, its alot of ingredients-- but the preparation is very easy and you've probably got most of them in your cabinet already. You can add other vegetables to this at will, so seriously just throw in whatever you've got laying around.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Yield: 4-5 Servings
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Olive or Canola Oil
2 Medium Onions, chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger, minced
2 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Turmeric
1 Tsp Sea Salt
½ Tsp Cardamom
½ Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/8 Tsp Cinnamon
3 Cups Mushrooms, sliced (or one of those 10 oz. packages, sliced)
1 Zucchini, sliced
1-28 oz Can Whole, Peeled Tomatoes with juice
3 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2-15 oz Cans Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 Large Potatoes, scrubbed and chopped pretty small
2 Cups Vegetable Broth
½ Cup Plain, Organic Yogurt (non-fat is not the way to go here)

Heat oil over medium flame in a large pan. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add ginger, garlic, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, cayenne pepper and cinnamon. Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, zucchini and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes (crush them with your hands as you transfer from can to pot) with juice, vinegar, chickpeas, potato, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and let simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Cover for most of the time or—if you want it more soupy—leave covered the entire time. Take off heat, stir in yogurt and season with sea salt and pepper. Serve.

May 12th-May 15th, 2008 - The Shopping List

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:22:34 GMT

Make sorbet out of one ingredient, healthy nachos, delicious vindaloo and a fresh, creamy salad.

Click here for a PDF ingredient list for all of next week.
May 12th-15th, 2008

Cinnamon Chocolate Tofu Cream

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:29:47 GMT

I just ate this for lunch. Is that wrong?

You don’t have to be a vegetarian to eat tofu, I can assure you. This is a cold sweet treat with very little fat, no evil refined sweeteners and no ice-cream maker (perhaps the biggest miracle of all). Plus it contains calcium, protein and a slew of vitamins and minerals.

Cinnamon, one of the other ingredients, has all sorts of good things happening: iron, calcium, fiber content, etc. And several studies have shown it to have a beneficial effect on blood sugar, which makes it the perfect addition to a dessert.

By the way, you can simply mix all of the ingredients in the food processor, forget the freezer, and call it pudding. Nice. Another variation (and well worth trying, even possibly the first time you make it) is to blend in 1/4 cup of natural peanut butter at the end.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: none (but time for freezing)
Yield: 2-3 Servings
Ingredients:
14 Oz. Package- Soft or Silken Tofu
2 Tbsp Honey or Agave Nectar
1/8 Tsp Cinnamon
¼ Tsp Sea Salt
2 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

In a blender or food processor, combine 12 ounces of tofu (most of the package), honey or agave, cinnamon, sea salt, and cocoa powder. Place in a tightly covered container and freeze.

Once frozen, remove from freezer, let sit at room temperature for five minutes, and chop into chunks. Place remaining tofu from package in a blender. Drop in frozen chunks (and optional peanut butter- see above) and blend until smooth. Sprinkle a little cocoa and/or cinnamon over the top and serve immediately.

How to Make Toothpaste

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:29:41 GMT

What’s more hippy dippy than making your own toothpaste? Nothing. It does, however, feel great to clean your mouth with something that you know is totally natural and not full of things that make it chemically smooth and suspiciously sweet. Don’t be intimidated by the ingredients—vegetable glycerin and food-grade essential oil can be found in natural food stores or-- like anything else--ordered on-line. The veggie glycerin can also be found in many pharmacies.

I've got to let you know up front that it's a little salty (which provides some abrasion) and pretty intensely flavored in general. Don't expect the all-natural to have the same texture as manufactured toothpaste, but do expect your teeth to feel really, really clean. I personally love it.
Oh, and you CANNOT beat the price.

Prep Time: 3 Minutes
Cook Time: none
Yield: Varies
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Vegetable Glycerin
8 Drops Food Grade Cinnamon Essential Oil (or another edible flavor that you’d want to scrub with everyday)

Combine all ingredients. Keep in a glass container or a refillable squeeze bottle.

Dill Hummus

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:29:37 GMT

There is absolutely no excuse for buying hummus if you own a food processor. That may sound harsh and food-snobby, but if you make it exactly one time—then you’ll know what I’m saying. Why ingest preservatives and pay more for the stuff when you can whip up whatever flavor you desire in five minutes?

This hummus is so full of dill that it is actually green, but feel free to take the basic framework and replace that particular herb with sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, jalapeño, cilantro, or nothing at all. It's also very low in fat compared to most hummus recipes, which may or may not appeal to you. For a richer hummus, forget the bean liquid (which-- let's be honest-- grosses some people out anyway, though I don't mind it myself) and add in more tahini and/or a few tablespoons of olive oil.

Spread on sandwiches or use as a dip with any and all vegetables.

Prep Time: 7 Minutes
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 4-5 Appetizer Servings
Ingredients:
1-15 oz Can of Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
¼ Cup Sesame Tahini
1 Large Clove Garlic, minced
Juice of 1-2 Lemons (depending on their size, juiciness and your preference)
¾ Cup Fresh Dill, roughly chopped
Sea Salt, to taste
Olive Oil for Serving
Drain the beans, but reserve ¼ cup of liquid. Combine beans, bean liquid, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and dill in a food processor and blend until smooth. Season generously with sea salt, to taste. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil over the top.

Steamed Salmon with Fresh Horseradish

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:29:31 GMT

Fresh horseradish is ugly, intense, tasty and well worth searching out. Or not even searching-- I've recently discovered that produce guys in big grocery stores will often order specific items if you ask. (see below for a picture so you know what to look for first) No need to use the jarred stuff when you can grate off bits of magic from the real thing.

Prep Time: 2 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 Lb Fresh, Wild-Caught Salmon
2 to 3 Tbsp Fresh Peeled and Grated Horseradish
¾ Cup Plain Organic Yogurt
1 Tbsp Fresh Dill, chopped
½ Tsp Sea Salt

Steam salmon either in a stove top or counter-top steamer for 10 minutes or until just barely cooked through and opaque. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all remaining ingredients. Spoon over steamed salmon and serve with sauteed leafy greens.

Beautiful on the inside. Horseradish.

May 5th-May 9th, 2008 - The Shopping List

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:29:12 GMT

Steamed Salmon with Fresh Horseradish...

This week, make awesome salmon in ten minutes, fresh hummus, creamy yet dairy-free dessert and... your own toothpaste.

Click here for a PDF of all of next week's ingredients...
May 5th-May 9th, 2008

Roasted Honey Almond Butter with Apples

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:08:19 GMT

Ever read the label on a regular jar of peanut butter? It's like a nightmare from which you cannot wake: hydrogenated oils (transfat!) and sugar on top of more sugar. I expect this from a peanut butter cup, but from a jar of what is supposed to be a beautifully simple and natural substance? Very disappointing. Let's all protest by making our own nut butter.

When you come across it in a health food store, please try raw honey. It’s much creamier and tastes amazing, but has not lost vitamins and minerals by being processed like most “regular” honey You can also use it as an anti-inflammatory facial mask: 20 minutes on dry skin, then rinse off with hot water and a wash cloth.

Prep and Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Yield: ¾ Cup
Ingredients:
1 Cup Raw Almonds
1 or 2 Tbsp Canola, Almond or Walnut Oil
1 Tbsp Honey, to Taste
2 Tbsp Water
Organic Apples, Rinsed and Sliced But Not Peeled

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread almonds in a single layer onto a pan and roast for 15 minutes.
Drop warm nuts into a coffee grinder (or food processor, but the coffee grinder is the best) and process until the nuts are as finely ground as possible. Transfer to a bowl and stir in oil, honey and water. Serve spread over apple slices.
Store leftovers (if there are any), covered, in the refrigerator.

Penne with Dairy Free Vodka Sauce

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:08:13 GMT

Spicy, flavorful, filling, and cream-free. Serve it to vegans, omnivores, carnivores and every other kind of 'vore.
This deliciousness is an adapted version of the Penne Vodka recipe in the amazing Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moscowitz and Terry Hope Romero.

Prep Time: 7 Minutes
Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 Cloves Minced Garlic
¼ Tsp Crushed Red Pepper
28 oz Can of Diced Tomatoes (use crushed if like a smoother sauce)
¼ Cup Vodka
¼ Tsp Dried Thyme
¼ Tsp Dried Oregano
½ Tsp Sea Salt
Ground Black Pepper
½ Cup Cashews, ground to a powder with a coffee grinder or food processor
¼ Cup Finely Chopped Fresh Basil
½ lb Whole Wheat Penne

Bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta. Preheat a saucepan over medium-low heat and add oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Saute for about a minute. Add tomatoes, vodka, thyme, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper. Bring to a bubble and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, add pasta to water and cook until al dente.
Once finished simmering, stir in powdered cashews and remove from heat. Stir in fresh basil. Serve immediately.

Sweet Potato Fries

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:08:08 GMT

I could eat these every day with unwavering enthusiasm.
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin, C, antioxidants, and a host of other vitamins and minerals. Combine these with the nutritional benefits of olive oil and you’ve got a fabulous alternative to the traditional french fry. Experiment with other seasonings, like chili powder, minced garlic, etc.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cooking Time: 20 Minutes
Yield: 4-5 Servings
Ingredients:
2 Medium Sweet Potatoes
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Sea Salt, to taste
Paprika, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash sweet potatoes. Cut into ½ inch strips and toss in olive oil to coat. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle generously with sea salt and paprika. Bake for 20 minutes, turning fries over after ten minutes. Serve immediately.

Borscht with Chives

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:08:02 GMT

The color alone makes this worth it. Then, as a bonus, it tastes really good and is ridiculously good for you. I could list all of the benefits of beets here, but the moral of the story is that the same stuff that gives it that amazing color is the stuff that fights a variety of cancers. Beets also reduce inflammation and are an excellent source of folate. Plus, this soup contains red wine (good antioxidants), lemon juice (good for the liver) and yogurt (good bacteria and improved digestion). Its almost too much goodness to handle. The recipe is a heavily adapted and healthified version of one from Best of Gourmet Magazine 1989.

The beet greens: Rinse them, chop them, steam them, and toss them with oil and lightly toasted garlic. Serve them with the soup.

And don't forget your inner hippie cosmotologist. Rub some beet juice on your lips for a natural stain.

Prep Time: 7 Minutes
Cooking Time: 60 Minutes (plus time to chill)
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
2 lbs Beets, trimmed and scrubbed, with roots and 1” of stems attached
3 Cups Vegetable Stock
2/3 Cup Dry Red Wine
1 Large Onion, chopped
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Agave Nectar, Honey or Real Maple Syrup
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
½ Cup Plain Organic Yogurt, plus more for garnish
Lemon Juice, to taste
Fresh Chives, snipped into pieces

In a large pot, combine beets, stock, wine, and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes or until beets are tender. Remove beets with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking liquid, and peel once cool enough to be handled. Roughly chop the peeled beets and set aside.
In a very large sauce-pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onions. Cook until softened, then add sweetener and vinegar. Stir to combine, then add 5 cups of reserved cooking liquid and beets. Bring to a boil then let simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth, in batches. Transfer to a large bowl, stir in the yogurt, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Stir in lemon juice, to taste. Top each serving with yogurt and chives. Serve.

Molasses Quinoa Burgers

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:07:56 GMT

Quinoa is not usually mistaken for a juicy burger, and it probably never really will be. But this comes closer than most and is tastiness incarnate. Plus quinoa is high in protein, so it makes a worthy burger base.

1-15 oz Can of Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Small Onion, finely chopped
1/2 of a Jalapeno Chili, seeded and minced
2 Cups Cooked Quinoa
2 Tbsp Molasses
1 Tsp Sea Salt
1/4 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Chili Powder
1 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

In a large bowl, combine black beans, onion, jalapeno, quinoa, 1 tbsp molasses, sea salt, cumin, and chili powder. Smoosh everything together with clean hands, mashing the beans into the other ingredients. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1 tbsp of molasses and apple cider vinegar. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pan. Form mixture into four patties and place in hot pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes on one side, drizzling half of vinegar/molasses mixture onto top of patty. Flip over, drizzling other half of mixture onto the other side of the patty. Serve on a toasted whole grain roll with pickle, tomato and raw onion.

April 28th-May 2nd, 2008 - The Shopping List

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:06:03 GMT

Sweet Potato Oven Fries...

Sumptuous Molasses Quinoa Burgers, Roasted Honey Almond Butter, Sweet Potato Oven Fries and more...

Click here for a PDF shopping list of all next week's ingredients:
April 28th-May 2nd, 2008

Eggs in a Nest on the Grass

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:10:40 GMT

Maybe this is just a thinly veiled attempt to get you to eat greens with your breakfast by calling it a 'recipe' and giving it a cute name. The point is, its fun to cut the middle out of a piece of whole grain bread and cook an egg in the middle-- and adding a bed of greens actually makes the whole thing pretty healthy.

The “grass” doesn't necessarily have to be swiss chard, but can be anything from baby spinach to kale to bok choy. You can use the open end of a drinking glass to cut out the circle. The extra bread from the center can evolve into breadcrumbs by letting it go stale or toasting in the oven, then blending into crumbs in a food processor. Season breadcrumbs with sea salt and pepper if desired. Keep in a tightly covered container.

Prep Time: 3 Minutes
Cooking Time: 6 Minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 Cups Swiss Chard, rinsed and well chopped
Pepper, to taste
Dash of Tamari
4 Eggs
4 Pieces of Whole Grain Bread, sprouted if possible
Preheat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, heavy pan over medium heat. Prepare bread by cutting a hole, about 2 inches in diameter into the center of each slice. Drop chard into the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until almost softened. Season with pepper and a dash of tamari. Push greens to the side of the pan (if there’s room) or get another pan, add the remaining oil, and drop in slices of bread. Crack one egg into the hole in each slice of bread. Let cook until egg has firmed up enough to survive a flip, then use a spatula to flip each piece. Cook until whites are firm and yolks are as firm as desired. Season with sea salt and pepper. Lay greens onto plates and place one piece of egg/toast onto each. Serve with hot sauce if desired.

Spaghetti with Breadcrumbs

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:10:35 GMT

I actually heard someone (ok, Carnie Wilson) say on television the other day that one of their goals is to eat 'as few carbs as possible'.  But Carnie, listen. Your problem is not that you eat too many carbs, but that you are eating the wrong kind: The kind that has been stripped of everything that made it 'food' in the first place and left with only a sugary, white flour-y center. The kind that goop up your body and give you headaches later on from sugar withdrawel. The kind that only contribute to the national constipation problem.

But there is a whole category of carbs that has kept humanity alive--and pooping--for ages. Those, my good woman, are whole grains. Your ideal choices are the grains themselves, like brown rice, quinoa, millet, barley, etc. Whole wheat pasta will bring you closer to the original product in that it still contains the original bran and germ. And these parts are where the fiber, vitamins and goodness live.   So make this recipe, chew it well, and make your new goal to eat 'as many whole carbs as possible'. Thank you.

This recipe is adapted from one in Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison.


Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 20 Minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
12 oz Whole Wheat Spaghetti
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
4-6 Garlic Cloves, sliced
½ Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
½ Cup Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
Small Handful Flat-leaf Parsley, chopped
½ Cup Parmesan, grated
Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Boil enough water for pasta in a large pot, add a dash of sea salt, drop in spaghetti, and cook until al dente. In a small pan, heat olive oil over medium-low and add sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute until soft, but not yet golden. Add breadcrumbs, stir and continue to sauté until everything is slightly browned but not burned (which can happen easily, so be careful). It should look a little like wet sand. When spaghetti is cooked, drain and toss with bread-crumb mixture, parsley, and parmesan. Season with sea salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

White Beans with Sage and Sweet Potato

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:10:26 GMT

In the mood for a bowl o' beans? This can be served over brown rice (for the gluten avoiders) or crusty whole grain bread chunks (shown with an extra toasty garnish piece, which you should definitely do too for some textural contrast).

Cayenne pepper is good for encouraging circulation, but keep it to a minimum if you’re feeding this to children. Their taste buds are more sensitive than those of adults.

Prep Time: 7 Minutes
Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
2-3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp Fresh Sage Leaves, chopped or ½ Tsp Dried
1 Sweet Potato, peeled and cubed
2- 15 Oz. Cans of Cannellini Beans, with liquid (if making fresh, reserve 1 ½ cups cooking liquid)
1 Cup Vegetable or Chicken Broth (or water)
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
Juice of ¼ of a Lemon
Sea Salt and Pepper, to taste
Chunks of Whole Grain Bread, to taste OR Cooked Brown Rice

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over a medium flame and add onion. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, sage, and sweet potato and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Stir in beans with liquid, broth, tomato paste and cayenne. Bring to a bubble and let simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add lemon juice, as well as sea salt and pepper to taste. Place chunks of bread or brown rice in serving bowls and ladle servings of beans over them. Let sit for 5 minutes and serve.

Simple Scallop Tacos

Delicious Wisdom — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:10:05 GMT

This is an incredibly easy way to prepare fresh scallops. If you don’t have a shallot on hand, substitute finely minced red onion, cucumber, a good salsa and/or avocado. The idea is to have something cool to contrast against the warm scallops, so feel free to make up variations on what that is.

You can use most any type of dark leafy green here, even if it wouldn’t normally occur to you to serve it raw. Swiss chard, for instance, works beautifully when chopped into delicate ribbons and piled under the scallops.

Prep Time: 7 Minutes
Cooking Time: 10 Minutes
Yield: 4-5 Servings
Ingredients:
Juice of 1 Lime
1 Tsp Chili Powder
Sea Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 Lb Fresh Sea Scallops
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Bell Pepper, chopped into strips (any color)
½ Cup Plain Yogurt
1 Shallot, diced
Dark, Leafy Greens
4-5 Corn or Wheat Tortillas, small
(If using wheat tortillas, warm them in an oven set on low temperature.) In a small bowl, combine lime juice, chili powder, sea salt, pepper and scallops. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over a medium flame and add bell pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add scallops and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until they are opaque and cooked through. Meanwhile, stir shallot into yogurt and season with sea salt and pepper. (If using corn tortillas, remove scallop/pepper mixture from the pan when done and cover to keep warm. Without cleaning the pan and with a low flame, cook tortillas for one minute on each side to warm them.) To create each taco on a plate: tortilla, then greens, then scallop mixture, then a spoonful of yogurt mixture on top.