Corinne's Kitchen: Stretching Fresh Herbs

I HATE throwing food in the garbage! It's a personal pet-peeve of mine! After a major grocery shopping trip, I pride myself on managing the perishables, as not to waste any. I make sure to first prepare meals using up fresh produce that has a short fridge life, before making meals that I can "put on the back-burner" until later... meals that require mostly canned goods, frozen ingredients, and other non-perishables.

Fresh herbs are my nemesis. It often seems that when I purchase fresh herbs, a recipe only calls for a small portion, allowing the remaining herbs to go bad in the crisper drawer. Large bunches of fresh cilantro and parsley are particularly challenging.

Recently, I purchased both a bunch of fresh cilantro, and a bunch of fresh parsley at once. My goal was to use up every last tidbit! I carefully chose three recipes in which to successfully utilize all of my herbs. I was generous with the herbs to make sure to use them all.

Green Chile Posole With Black Beans

serves 8

  posole; pozole
[poh-SOH-leh]
A thick, hearty soup usually eaten as a main course. It consists of pork (sometimes chicken) meat and broth, hominy, onion, garlic, dried chiles, and cilantro. It's usually served with chopped lettuce, radishes, onions, cheese and cilantro, which diners can add to the soup as they please. Posole originated in Jalisco, in the middle of Mexico's Pacific Coast region, and is traditionally served at Christmastime. (This particular recipe is from Everyday Food Magazine, and it swaps the meat for black beans, also a good source of protein .)

Ingredients:

• 1 poblano pepper
• 1/2 lb fresh tomatillos, husks removed
• 2 serrano chiles, stemmed, quartered, seeded
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 6 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 (15oz) cans hominy, drained, rinsed
• 1 (15oz) can black beans, drained, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• sea salt to taste
• grated Monterey Jack cheese for serving

Directions:

1. Broil poblano until charred, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper sack or zip-top plastic bag, close it tightly, and let steam 20 minutes. Rub poblano with paper towels to remove skin. Stem, seed, and place in a blender.
2. In a large pot of boiling water, cook tomatillos until soft, about 5 minutes; drain. Add tomatillos to blender, along with serranos, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, spinach, cumin, oregano, allspice, and 2 cups broth. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour tomatillo mixture into a large pot; stir in 4 cups broth, hominy, and black beans. Bring to a boil over high; reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened, 45 minutes. To serve, stir in lime juice, season with salt, and sprinkle with cheese and cilantro.

Pasta And White Beans With Broccoli Pesto

serves 6

Another Everyday Food recipe. A magazine which I have been addicted to for years! I can never make all the recipes from the magazine I would like to, but I can't give up my subscription. I look forward to receiving it in my mailbox, curling up on the couch, paging through it, and folding down corners to mark the recipes I hope to one day try.

Ingredients: 

• 1 bunch of fresh broccoli, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
• 10 ounces of short pasta
• 5 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 oz Parmesan, finely grated (1/4 cup), plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon finely gratelemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup packed fresh parsley
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 (15.5oz) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
• sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook broccoli until tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer broccoli to a food processor. Return water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.
2. To food processor, add oil, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, parsley, and garlic. Puree until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down side as needed. Transfer pesto to pot with pasta. Stir to coat, adding enough reserved pasta water to make a creamy sauce. Stir in beans and heat over medium until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, sprinkle with Parmesan. 

Personal Note:

• I steamed my broccoli, it retains more nutrients than boiling. 

Chorizo Migas

serves 8

Migas, ("crumbs" in English), is a Spanish or Portuguese cuisine, in this case scrambled eggs with strips of tortillas.

Ingredients:

• 8oz chorizo, casings removed, chopped/crumbled
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 poblano peppers, chopped
• 1 T canola oil (optional)
• 6 (5-6 inch) corn tortillas, torn into bite size pieces
• 16 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
• fresh salsa and natural sour cream for serving

Directions:

1. Cook chorizo, onion, and peppers in large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chorizo is cooked and veggies are tender (6-9 minutes). Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
2. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan; if there is no fat in the pan, add 1 tablespoon canola oil. Add the tortillas and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until beginning to brown and lightly crisp, (4 to 6 minutes).
3.  Meanwhile, whisk eggs, oregano, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Once the tortillas are browned, add the egg mixture and the reserved chorizo mixture to the pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are set, (4 to 6 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in cilantro. Serve with salsa, sour cream and more cilantro, if desired.

Corinne's Kitchen: Cooking Healthy On A Budget

With today's economy and financial stresses, unfortunately, many of us have to live frugally at times. I, personally, hate cutting corners when it comes to what I eat. If I could, I'd shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's 100% of the time. Sadly, this is not my reality. Cooking is a passion of mine, as well as eating healthy. I decided to spend the past few weeks experimenting with preparing healthy meals on a budget. Another goal was to choose recipes that would feed my family of three not once, but multiple times, I'm a believer in leftovers! Here are a few of the recipes I have made that have passed the test.

Glorified Tomato Soup

serves 6-8

 I discovered this recipe in one of my Whole Living magazines. It is officially called White Bean and Mushroom Stew, but I like to call it a "Glorified Tomato Soup" because, frankly, that's what it tastes like. It is quite a hearty soup and is very filling.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 (28oz) can whole tomatoes, pureed in a blender
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 2 cups cooked white beans (equivalent to one 16-ounce can), drained
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, and carrot until tender, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add mushrooms, and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
   
2. Deglaze with wine, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon.
   
3. Add tomatoes, rosemary, beans, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
   
   *Personal Notes:
   
   • I substituted dried rosemary for the fresh, it was in my pantry and eliminated an additional purchase from the grocery store. I used roughly 1/2 teaspoon or so. 
   •  If possible, purchase jarred tomatoes instead of canned (although this is not always possible, depending upon where you shop). Tomatoes are naturally acidic and eat away at the lining of the cans, which contain BPA (bisphenol-A), a synthetic estrogen that may be harmful. The BPA's leach into the tomatoes. Another option is pureed fresh tomatoes. Also, choose sodium free or low sodium canned tomatoes when possible.
   • I purchased pureed tomatoes instead of whole to eliminate the blender step.
   • Serve with toasted whole grain baguette or favorite bread, lightly drizzled with olive oil. I chose a spicy cheese bread from a local bakery.  
   
   
   
   
   Hawaiian Tortilla Pizzas
   serves 8-10
   
   This is my own concoction. I've been making tortilla pizzas, using various ingredients, for some time. I appreciate the thin, crispy crust you get from the tortillas, and skipping the additional carbs that classic pizza dough packs on.
   
   
   Ingredients
   

   • one package of large tortillas (8 to 10 count)
   • one 32.5oz jar marinara sauce
   • one 8oz package natural nitrate/preservative free deli ham, chopped
   • one can pineapple tidbits in juice, drained (save juice for another use)
   • one bunch fresh scallions, chopped

    Directions

   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   2. On large cookie sheets, lay out the tortillas.
   3. Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on each tortilla.
   4. Sprinkle ham, pineapple, and scallions evenly over tortillas.
   5. Bake about 7 minutes, or until tortillas are nicely crisp (keep an eye on the tortilla pizzas, they don't take long).

   *Personal Notes:

   • Choose healthy tortilla options, such as whole grain.
   •  Choose low sodium or sodium free marinara sauce. You likely won't use the entire jar of marinara sauce. I like to buy large jars and keep them in the fridge for future use.
   • You may vouch for fresh pineapple, or even frozen, however canned is usually less expensive. Choose canned pineapple in it's own juice rather than syrup. The syrup adds unnecessary additional sugar.
   •  One tortilla pizza sliced into quarters usually is a sufficient meal for one person.
   •  I like to prepare only enough tortilla pizzas that my family will eat in one sitting (typically 3). Leftover tortilla pizzas tend to get soggy in the fridge. I make a new batch each time we eat them. If you make them all at once, you may have to do them in batches, depending upon your cookie sheet/oven size.
   • I love to make tortilla pizzas using whatever ingredients I have on hand, leftover shredded chicken, mushrooms, spinach, etc. Use your imagination!

   
   
   

   Tuna Melts With Avocado

   serves 8

   This delicious nutritious recipe is from Cooking Light magazine, which I tweaked ever so slightly. I wasn't sure what to expect with the unusual combination of ingredients, however, it was fabulous! Tuna and avocado are a match made in heaven!

   
   

   Ingredients:

   • 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
   • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced onion
   • 1 tablespoon Dijon or brown mustard
   • sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
   • 1 (6oz) can tuna in water, drained and flaked 
   • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
   • 1 avocado, skinned, pitted, and chopped
   • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
   • 1/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese
   • 1 (8 count) package whole grain deli rolls, halved

   
   
   Directions:
   

   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
   2. Toast whole grain roll halves in toaster and lay out cut side up on a cookie sheet.
   3. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well to combine.
   4. In a seperate bowl, combine lemon juice and avocado.
   5. Add avocado mixture and tomatoes to the tuna mixture, gently mix until combined.
   6. Spread even amounts of tuna avocado mixture over each whole grain roll half.
   7. Sprinkle cheese evenly over each tuna topped roll.
   8. Bake approximately 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

   
   
   
   

   Chili with Chipotle and Chocolate

   serves 8-10

   

   Another recipe from Cooking Light magazine, this is quite possibly the best chili I have ever made, the best I've ever tasted! It is the perfect amount of spiciness. Once again, I made a few subtle changes to this recipe.

   
   

   Ingredients:

   • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
   • 2 cups diced onion (about 1 large)
   • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
   • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
   • 1 1/2 lbs lean ground turkey
   • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
   • 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
   • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
   • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
   • sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
   • 2 (15oz) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
   • 2 (14.5oz) cans low sodium diced tomatoes, drained
   • 1 (14oz) can low sodium chicken broth
   • 2 chipotle chiles, canned in adobo sauce, minced
   • 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
   • 1 cup natural sour cream
   • chopped scallions for garnish (optional)

   
    Directions:
   

   1. Heat olive oil over med-high heat in a large pot or dutch oven.
   2. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and turkey to pot and saute' about 8 minutes or until turkey is browned and veggies are tender.
   3. Add sugar and next 8 ingredients (through chipotle) to pot, stirring to blend, bring to boil.
   4. Reduce heat, simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.
   5. Add chocolate to pot, stirring to melt.
   6. Ladle chili into bowls and serve with a dollop of sour cream and chopped scallions.

   
   *Personal Notes:
   

   • I opted for a green bell pepper instead of red since red peppers are more expensive.
   • If you don't like too spicy, opt for regular chili powder instead of ancho chile powder, or use one tablespoon each. 
   • I keep extra chipotle chiles in adobo in a jar in my fridge. I like to add a little of the adobo to the chili as well, it has a great smokey flavor.
   • You may also serve this chili with whole grain saltines, or toasted baguette or your favorite bread.

   
   
   
   

   
   

Corinne's Kitchen: Leftovers!

I'll bet there is a good chance that over the holidays some leftover turkey, stuffing, or mashed potatoes may end up lurking in the corner of your refrigerator. Once you've become bored with the side dishes, you can hardly imagine taking another bite! You may decide to freeze them, or even contemplate throwing them out! Don't do it! I have a couple of suggestions to use up those lingering leftovers, giving them brand new life!

 Turkey Pot Pie

serves 8

 Ingredients:

• 1 lb leftover turkey, shredded
• 1 C carrots, sliced
• 1/2 C celery, diced
• 1 3/4 C low sodium chicken broth
• 1 C frozen green peas, thawed
• 1/3 C unsalted butter 
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 C all-purpose flour
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 t celery seed
• 2/3 C milk
• 2 (9 inch) ready made pie crusts
•  1 T olive oil
• 1 egg white, beaten

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
• In a saucepan, combine carrots, celery, and chicken broth. Cover, bring broth to a boil, then allow to simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Remove from heat, add peas, and set aside.
• In another saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and saute for a few minutes until tender and translucent. Add the garlic and saute for another minute or two. Stir in flour and season with salt, pepper, and celery seed.
• In small portions at a time, add the broth & veggies, and milk to the flour mixture, stirring to combine. Once combined, add the shredded turkey.
• Lightly brush one side of a single pie crust with olive oil. Place the olive oil side down into a deep dish pie pan.
• Pour the turkey & vegetable mixture into the crust. 
• Top with the second pie crust and seal. 
• Lightly brush the top crust with egg white. Using a knife, place a few slits in the crust to allow steam to escape.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Alow to sit for 10 minutes prior to serving. 

Stuffing Breakfast Frittata 

serves 6

  Ingredients:

• 1 T olive oil
• 2 1/2 C leftover stuffing
• 1 1/2 C shredded monterey jack or cheddar cheese (or combination)
• 8 large eggs
• 1 C milk
• 1/2 t mustard powder
• 1/4 t ground nutmeg
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 T fresh herbs, finely chopped (such as sage, parsley, or scallions)

Directions:

• Preheat broiler.
• Lightly brush a cast iron or ovenproof skillet with olive oil. 
• Place the stuffing into the skillet. 
• Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the stuffing.
• In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, nutmeg, salt & pepper. 
• Pour over the stuffing and cheese. 
• Cook on stovetop over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes .
• Transfer the skillet into the broiler and broil for another couple of minutes, or until frittata is cooked through and top is golden brown.
• Sprinkle with fresh herb of choice.

Mashed Potato Pancakes 

serves 6

Ingredients:

• 4 C leftover mashed potatoes
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 1/2 C fresh green onion or scallion, diced
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 2/3 C shredded cheddar
• 4 T canola oil
• seasoning salt to taste
• katsup or sour cream for serving

Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine first 6 ingredients.
• Form the mashed potato mixture into mini cakes, about 5 - 6 inches.
• Heat canola oil skillet over medium heat.
• Fry on each side for about 4 - 5 minutes or until golden brown.
• Transfer to a paper towel to drain oil. 
• Season to taste with seasoning salt (Lawry's is recommended).
• Serve with katsup or sour cream. 

These mashed potato pancakes are a great substitute for hash browns with breakfast. May serve along with Stuffing Breakfast Frittata.