Wednesday Recipes

Enjoy!

SOFT GINGER COOKIES

This is from Gesine Bullock-Prado in the January 2013 issue of Runners' World, page 36 (“The Athlete's Palate”). Genise writes, “Dates keep these whole-grain cookies moist without using butter or oil. 'Crystallized ginger adds the perfect bite--spicy and chewy at the same time,' says Bullock-Prado.” Makes 30 cookies.

To view this online, go to http://www.runnersworld.com/recipes/soft-ginger-cookies.

3/4 cup hot coffee

1 cup chopped, pitted dates

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs at room temperature

1/4 cup organic blackstrap molasses

1 1/2 cups organic spelt flour or whole-wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

1/4 cup turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine coffee and dates and stir in baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Put mixture in a food processor; process until nearly smooth. In a bowl, whisk eggs and molasses. Continue whisking and add date puree. In a small bowl, whisk flour, salt, and spices. Stir into date mixture. Stir in ginger pieces until just combined. Freeze till very firm but scoopable (30 minutes). Using a teaspoon, drop dough into little mounds, a few inches apart, on a parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle sugar over cookies. Bake 10 minutes or until they feel spongy yet firm and spring back when gently poked.

Calories Per Cookie: 66; Carbs: 14 g; Fiber: 1 g; Protein: 1 g; Fat: .5 g

SMOKEY BLACK BEAN STEW

This comes from Matthew Kadey's “One-Pot Wonder” in the December 2012 issue of Runners' World, page 37. The article begins, “After a cold run there’s nothing better than sitting down to a hot meal, ideally one that’s easy to prepare. Indeed, without much time or effort you can produce flavorful results using just one pot, says chef Biju Thomas, coauthor of The Feed Zone Cookbook. Add lean proteins, whole grains, and vegetables, and 'one-pot meals supply all the nutrients runners need for training and recovery.' And, says Thomas, because you consume all the liquids in one-pot recipes, 'you don’t lose any nutrients that leach out during cooking.' These five recipes (each of which serves four) take 40 minutes or less to prepare and, once you get them going, require little more than stirring. Make one before you run, and heat upon return for a tasty reward.”

To view this online, go to http://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-for-runners/easy-one-pot-postrun-meals.2 teaspoons canola oil

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, sliced

2 15-ounce cans drained black beans

1 28-ounce can diced tomates

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup sliced roasted red pepper

1 Tablespoon minced canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

1 teaspoon cumin

salt and pepper

Zest of 1 orange

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

diced avocado

Heat oil in a pot. Cook onion and carrot for 5 minutes. Add black beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, roasted red pepper, chipotle pepper, cumin, and salt and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes. Stir in orange zest and fresh thyme. Serve with avocado.

HERB-ROASTED WINTER VEGGIES

This comes from the January 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34. It begins, “These roasted vegetables are delicious over rice or pasta. They also make a fabulous addition to frittatas.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/herb-roasted-winter-veggies/.

2 cups bite-size cauliflower florets, each halved lengthwise

2 cups halved Brussels sprouts

2 medium carrots, cut into sticks

1 medium yam or sweet potato (1/2 lb.), diced

3 Tbs. garlic-infused olive oil, divided

1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary

2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and yam in large bowl. Add 2 Tbs. oil, rosemary, and thyme, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Scatter vegetables evenly on baking sheet, and roast 20 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times with spatula. Increase oven temperature to 500°F, and roast vegetables 10 minutes more, or until tender. Transfer vegetables to large serving bowl, and add parsley, lemon juice, and remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Toss to mix, and serve.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 164; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Carbohydrates: 16 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 343 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 6 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

SOUTHERN NEW YEAR'S DAY SOUP

This also comes from the January 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 73. While we're already into the new year, this soup is still yummy.

The recipe begins, “Across the South, there are three foods that need to be eaten on New Year’s Day for good luck in the coming year: greens, black-eyed peas, and stewed tomatoes. We’ve thrown them all in this savory soup along with some pasta and Parmesan. Any type of dark, leafy green will work in this recipe.” Serves 8.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/southern-new-year-s-day-soup/.

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 large leek, quartered, white and light green parts chopped (2 cups)

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 Tbs. poultry seasoning

8 oz. kale, tough stems removed, leaves cut into 2-inch pieces (4 cups)

1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes

1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles

3/4 cup dried black-eyed peas

1 qt. low-sodium vegetable broth

3/4 cup farfalle pasta

Shaved Parmesan curls, for garnish

Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leek, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic and poultry seasoning, and sauté 1 minute more. Stir in kale, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until leaves are wilted, tossing occasionally.

Add diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes with chiles, black-eyed peas, vegetable broth, and 7 cups water; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 40 to 45 minutes. Stir in pasta, and cook 7 to 10 minutes more, or until pasta is al dente and black-eyed peas are tender. Serve garnished with Parmesan curls.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 161; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 656 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 5 g

PAELLA PRIMAVERA

This comes from the March 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 40. It begins, “Who needs a paella pan? A large skillet stands in for the wide, shallow two-handled cookware in this quick veggie-laden version of the classic Spanish rice dish. Just like its pasta namesake, Paella Primavera lends itself to endless variation. You can substitute zucchini for broccoli in the summer; in the fall, replace half the broccoli with cubed butternut squash.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/paella-primavera/

2 1/2 tsp. olive oil

1 red bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

6 green onions, thinly sliced (1 cup)

3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)

1 tsp. crumbled saffron threads

1 cup short-grain white rice, such as Valencia

3 cups broccoli florets

1 cup fresh or frozen baby peas

1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes

12 pitted green olives, halved

12 pitted black olives, halved, optional

1 lemon, cut into wedges

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper and green onions; cook 5 minutes. Stir in broth, garlic, and saffron; bring to a boil. Sprinkle rice over ingredients, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.

Sprinkle broccoli, peas, tomatoes, and olives over rice. Cover, and cook paella 8 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat, and let rest, covered, 5 minutes. Season 
with salt and pepper, if desired.

To serve, spoon paella into 6 bowls, and garnish each with lemon wedges and parsley.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 211; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 170 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

BEST APPLE CRISP

This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. She writes, “This apple crisp is my favorite, with its buttery, crumbly oatmeal and brown sugar topping. I used a combination of Granny Smith and Fuji apples in the apple crisp, but any good baking or cooking apples will work well.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 65 minutes; Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

To view this online, go to http://southernfood.about.com/od/Apple-Crisp-Recipes/r/Best-Apple-Crisp.htm.

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup quick oats

8 tablespoons cold butter, cut in small pieces

2 1/2 to 3 pounds baking apples, such as Fuji or Granny Smith, about 5 to 6 large apples

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

Heat the oven to 350° F. Butter a 1 1/2-quart baking dish or 6 to 8 1- to 2-cup baking dishes.

In a mixing bowl or food processor bowl combine the flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, salt, and butter.

Work the butter in with your hands, if using a mixing bowl, or pulse with the blade attachment of the food processor until the mixture is clumping together. Add the oats and mix or pulse to blend thoroughly. Set aside.

Peel and core the apples, then cut into wedges. Slice the wedges thinly. I like to chop a few of the apples in 1/2 inch pieces to give the filling a varied texture. Put them in a bowl with the lemon juice and toss periodically to keep the apples from becoming brown. Add the cinnamon and 1/3 cup brown sugar to the apple and lemon juice mixture.

Transfer the apple mixture to the prepared baking dish(es). Top the apple mixture evenly with the crumb mixture.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the apples are tender.