Game Changer

I just finished reading this:

Food Matters by Mark Bittman

If you haven't read it, Bittman presents his views on food consumption, the business behind the food industry and the effects of the food we eat. He also includes a section of recipes, from the bare bones basics to more complex menus. His general premise, however, is to eat less meat, more whole foods and less junk. Kind of hard to argue with that.

I have found that I like to cook with a concept in mind, as opposed to a recipe. For example, take whatever you have and make burritos or pizza. I don't like to have to go to the store, again, because I need 1/3 of a cup of a certain ingredient that will inevitably go to waste when I don't use the remaining amount.

That is why I am loving this Mark Bittman character. :) He presents one recipe with several variations, so you can essentially use whatever you have lying around the house. Spices, produce, grains, etc.

I used his idea of creating a meal around: whole grains, beans, greens, other vegetables and a bit of cheese. Okay, he actually tells you to go easy on the cheese, but that is just not in my vernacular.

The following "recipe" is inspired by Mr. Bittman's, Food Matters.

Ingredients:

brown rice, pinto beans, olive oil, garlic, spinach, zucchini, yellow pepper, onion, goat cheese

avocado, baby heirloom tomatoes, salt, pepper

Veggie Rice Bowl:

In a bowl, combine rice, beans and sauteed vegetables. I just used a bit of olive oil with garlic and added the spinach, zucchini, yellow pepper and onion. Top rice and beans with sauteed veggies and sprinkle (okay, dump) goat cheese on top. I then added a simple tomato and avocado salad on top. I liked the contrast of the warm rice salad with the cold tomatoes.

Repeat-zza

Do you get it? That entry title shows my true dorkiness. Love it.

We eat veggie pizza once or twice a week. I always have a couple bags of Trader Joe's whole wheat dough in the freezer, just in case. Bonus: if you give the kids a bit of dough and some flour in a big baking pan, they will play on the kitchen floor almost the entire time that it takes to make this easy dinner.

I usually make two pizzas, so we can have lots of leftovers for lunch for the week. One pizza is topped with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, caramelized onions and sauteed vegetables (zucchini, spinach and mini heirloom tomatoes.) The other is topped with pesto (Trader Joe's again...obsessed, I know), sauteed tomatoes, caramelized onion and goat cheese.

I cook these in a really hot oven (500 degrees) and often put the dough in for a few minutes without toppings, since I don't have a pizza stone. It helps the dough get a little crispy before putting the toppings on it.

Do you make pizza at home? What combinations do you make?

photo from Real Simple

Too Easy to be a Recipe

It seems like, despite spending lots of dough at Trader Joe's and planning out our week's meals, I always end up in the kitchen, one night a week, wondering, "What in the world are we going to eat tonight?" Back in the day, I would have confidently answered, "Cereal," to myself. But, since the kids have most likely already eaten cereal once or twice that day (ahem), I often turn to this easy meal.

Veggie Egg Scramble and Multi-Grain Biscuits

Just like it sounds. I scramble up about 8 eggs, some milk and a bunch of sauteed vegetables (usually caramelized onion, zucchini, spinach and tomato) in a cast-iron pan. I let it cook for a while, nice and low. I am often tempted to really turn up the heat and make dinner in 5 minutes, instead of 15. But, I read in Gourmet magazine (where, no surprise here, I did NOT get this recipe) to cook scrambled eggs low and long and it really makes a difference.

In the meantime, I use the Trader Joe's multi grain pancake mix (glorified and healthy Bisquick alternative) to make some drop biscuits. They are flaky and dry, which I strangely love.

Serve biscuits with butter and honey. Serve eggs with good salt and pepper. Done and done.

For more details on perfecting your scrambled eggs, read this.

Photo from thekitchn.com

They Had Me At 'Butter'

We had an impromptu Memorial Day gathering at our house complete with wiffle ball, the kiddie pool and scooter rides. My favorite moment was when I went inside to check on dinner and when I came out all of the kids were running around naked. What is about kids and being naked? They certainly relish it.

While the kids ate mini pizzas, the "grown-ups" ate a perfect summary meal: green salad, pasta salad, crusty bread and baked tilapia. I quite consistently overcook fish, but this simple recipe helped me turn out some tasty fish that was not as dry as a bone. A miracle, so I thought I would pass it on.

Baked Tilapia

2 tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

pepper

salt

dill

paprika

4 tilapia fillets

Saute butter in pan until simmering. Add minced garlic and allow to cook for a few minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan. Brush the bottom of a baking pan with butter mixture. Place fillets on top of the butter and then brush remaining butter mixture on top of the tilapia. Bake for 25 minutes or until flaky. (I tend to add herbs and such without measuring. It is the only way I will cook a recipe more than once, because it is fast and I can make the meal from memory.)

Recipe adapted from Southernfood.about.com

Fresh Dinner for the Summer

This is one of our favorite dinners. Serve with hummus and cut-up red peppers, cucumbers and baby tomatoes. We sometimes throw some grilled chicken on top if we have leftovers. The best thing is that you can make this salad early in the day. It is actually better when it has been in the fridge for awhile. I try to get feta cheese with herbs from Trader Joe's and then omit the oregano and pepper.

S and I love this. The kids will eat it, but only after some coaxing. We start off with lots of bites with only rice and beans, and then try bits of each veggie. (I highly recommend serving this during a blackout. Those darn kiddies seriously each ate an entire bowl without a complaint. They couldn't see a thing! --True story)

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 chopped cucumber
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped red, orange or yellow pepper
• 8 cups bagged prewashed spinach (about 8 ounces)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups (8 ounces) reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 
  

Preparation

Cool rice after cooking.

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach and garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until spinach wilts.

Combine rice, sun-dried tomatoes, tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, spinach mixture, cheese, and beans. Sprinkle with nuts; serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

1 out of 10

When making my list of 10 things to accomplish in 2010, I chose "learn to make bread" for several reasons.

• To feel pretty darn cool, in that Southern California Earth Mama way.
• There is nothing like the smell of freshly-baked bread.
• The magic of flour, yeast, water, salt combining to make something so delicious.
• My family has a history with bread. NY Italian bread at Grandma's kitchen table, seeds falling into our teacups. We like sandwiches for dinner, toast for breakfast, and bread dipped in sauce for an appetizer.
• My kids. Bread-making is something they can participate in, mixing ingredients, playing with dough. And, they will actually eat the end result!

So, I borrowed Artisan Breads in 5 Minutes a Day from the library. I have had mixed results with the buttermilk bread recipe (and accompanying cinnamon raisin recipe.) A friend recommended that I let the bread sit longer than the book suggests. Also, letting the bread touch the side of the pan to help it rise. Any bread-makers out there? Advice? Recipes?

Help a wanna-be Earth Mama out.