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Healthy Recipes

Roasted Acorn Squash with Grilled Tofu and Quinoa {And My New Approach to Change}

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Welcome to the New Year! I too have joined the masses of the “New Year, new me” campaign. I will not bore you with my enthusiastic promises and misty eyed visions of the improved me- but rather I wanted to share with you my new approach.

Are you like me? I get all jazzed up and rally myself to take on my new improved way of life. I start quick out of the box, full of determination and vigor, and then in short order start stumbling and tripping, and eventually face plant into a heap. The result is another year goes by and nothing has changed. *sigh*

So now that I know what doesn’t work, I decided to try a new approach. The truth be told I’ve been incorporating my new concept since my last birthday, 2 months ago, and it’s been working very well. The inspiration for this really came from my pal, Winnie, from Healthy Green Kitchen. The idea is not to attempt a total makeover- but to focus on one small positive thing I can do for myself, at least once a week. If I can add one positive small shift a week, by the end of the year I would have made 52 easy and gentle improvements. Isn’t that an amazing thought?!!

I say banish self control! Do away with the struggle and the guilt!

*Just do one small good and nice thing for yourself a week* Now isn’t that so much nicer? And even if I don’t compile 52 changes, at least I’m moving in the right direction.

To give an example: I have reduced the amount of sweeteners in my latte and drinks by a bunch. No real science, I’ve just dialed it down by a small amount and I continue to do that each week. The result is I have lowered my sweetness threshold without my really noticing. I’m a little concerned about putting chemicals into my body, as well as natural sugar, but I really love sweet so much! So a smidge of change over time and now I am at about half of what I was consuming 2 months ago.

Another small change I’ve made is to eat one or two more pieces of fruit a week- in my case specifically, citrus. In the past I would run out and fill a beautiful bowl of fruited bounty, all gung-ho about it. The result would be a slow degradation of my display into a wrinkly and mossy science project. The worst part is the double guilt that the sad display taunts me with- both the failed attempt at my new “way” and the terrible waste of good food.

Instead I’ve taken to buying one or two oranges and then I eat them! I don’t keep them in a pretty bowl on the counter, because it turns out I like mine cold. I perch them on the shelf in the fridge so they are right there when I open the door. This way, when I go foraging for that afternoon pick-me-up snack, my orange is right there for the grabbing.

They say that it takes 3 weeks to create a new habit and I can attest that this is true for me.

The recipe I have for you today is a delicious and healthy meatless meal. I love this dish and often make several at a time and freeze them. They reheat beautifully. The squash is Vitamin A rich, there is great protein in the quinoa and tofu, and there are healthy complex carbs and lovely fiber.

I’ve gotten word back that not everyone is keen on quinoa or can readily find it. Feel free to switch it with Amaranth- HA! just kidding-That’s another grain I’ll be getting to in the near future- You can exchange any other grain or rice that you prefer, and leftovers are perfect.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Grilled Tofu and Quinoa
This dish looks complicated but it really is not. Make extra and freeze for another day.
serves 6
 
3 medium sized acorn squash
2c of cooked quinoa, or other grain of choice
half a package of firm tofu
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
.25c red onion, diced
1 orange pepper, diced
6 handfuls of baby arugula
.25c pomegranate arils 
3T fresh lemon juice
.5c olive oil
S&P
and oil to sautee
 
Preheat oven to 350˚. Slice the squash in half, scrape out the seeds. Lightly coat the flesh with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt.
 
Place squash face down on a lined baking sheet and roast until the skin looks a little wrinkly and the flesh is soft. Depending on the size of the squash this should take about 35-40 minutes. When cool slice into quarters- you will have 12 pieces in all.
 
Remove tofu from the package and place onto a clean kitchen towel and press firmly to release some of the moisture. You can also place a plate on top of the tofu with a heavy object and leave for a few minutes to press out the liquid.
 
Heat a grill pan and lightly oil. Slice the tofu into quarter inch slices and grill on each side. Remove from the heat and cut into small dice.
 
In a sautee pan warm some oil on medium high heat. Add the garlic and sautee for 2-3 minutes to release the fragrance. Add the onions, celery and peppers and sautee for just another few minutes leaving the vegetables tender crisp.
 
Transfer the vegetables and the tofu into a large bowl and add the quinoa. Gently stir to combine. Add S&P to taste.
 
Mix the lemon juice and oil to make a dressing. Add a few tablespoons into the quinoa mixture then use the rest to dress the arugula.
 
Lay down a nice layer of arugula for each serving, top with the squash and then fill with the quinoa. Finally sprinkle the pomegranate arils over the top and serve 2 quarters per person.

Coral Rigatoni: A Twist on a Traditional Dish

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It has been a fun week of socializing and celebrating. I made it down to Louisiana in the midst of the storm before Christmas. Dashing through the snow it was not. Traveling was a long day of waits and multiple connections, but as anyone that travels during the holidays knows- that’s pretty much par for the course.
Once I finally arrived here I hit the ground running- or rather eating. I have already overindulged in some incredibly delicious ham, gumbo and jambalaya. I just love me some Southern cooking! Ettouffe, sweet Gulf Shrimp, Red Beans and Rice!
I’m starting to think I may need to put some devoted time into becoming a respectable Southern cook. I may be able to discuss long and hard the best NYC pizza, or where to get the quintessential bagel- but I can’t even begin to compete in a discussion on roux making! {not yet that is…} There will be no complaints as this will be no hardship in our newly renovated kitchen.
As many of you know, my fiancee and I have been remodeling our kitchen this Fall. I did the planning when I was here over the summer. We hired an amazing contractor, and with the aid of FaceTime on Pam’s iPad, she managed the job while here and kept me updated, while I was in NYC frustrated and antsy. This week was the first time I got to see my new playground- and it is giggle deliciously wonderful! I give Pam a boatload of appreciation for doing such a beautiful job and making sure that my vision was maintained. It turned out better than I had imagined it!!
The final details, such as painting, are the project of the week. When it’s done I promise a reveal. {Can NOT wait to show you!}
But now back to this dish. I call it Coral Rigatoni because the tubes remind me of some exotic sea creature. The tubes bend and yawn with with open mouths, revealing deep pockets of goodness. There is an organic wave to the up-righted pasta, which I find so much more appealing than laid down straight soldiers. It’s a bit more work, but guaranteed to garner you oohs and ahhs at the buffet table.
The rigatoni are stuffed with kale and mustard greens in low fat cheese, and then baked in a lightened bechemel sauce. The result is a super tasty, much lower in saturated fat, much lower in overall calories, and a good daily dose of healthy greens. For a big flavor punch while keeping things on the lights side, I topped off the dish with some grated asiago. A pungent and tasty hard cheese that goes a long way when using just a little.
Coral Rigatoni Stuffed with Winter Greens
 If you are not a fan of kale and mustard greens you may swap for equal amounts of spinach.
serves a generous 8, or modest 10
 
1# dried large rigatoni
1-16oz container, fat free ricotta- best quality
1-16oz container, part skim ricotta- best quality
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, minced
1# frozen greens- kale/mustard greens etc., defrosted
2 large eggs
S&P
 
Bechemel
 
1 stick unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 good sized shallots, minced
.75c all purpose flour
4c skim milk, room temp or warmed
S&P
 
2c grated asiago for the topping
 
 
 
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the rigatoni and gently stir.
 
Boil for 5 minutes- only half way- they should be undone in the middle. Drain, rinse and set aside.
 
In a sautee pan add a tablespoon of olive oil and on medium heat sautee the onion and the garlic for 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
 
Drain the greens and give them a hearty squeeze to release as much water as your hands can muster. Chop finely. Add them to the pan and gently sautee for a minute as you stir and combine the onions and garlic. No need to cook the greens, just warm them through and thoroughly mix.
 
In a large bowl dump the greens along with the two ricotta cheeses and the eggs, S&P. If you like your filling cheesier you can some parmesan. 
 
Prepare the Bechemel: In a medium sized heavy saucepan, gently melt the butter over medium low heat, add the garlic and the shallots and gently sautee for 2 mins.
 
Dump in the flour and continuously stir for 3-4 minutes on low. You want to cook the flour taste out while taking care not to scorch the roux.
 
While stirring with a whisk, add the milk a third at a time to get a smooth creamy sauce. Continue to cook on medium low for 10 minutes until thick and bubbly. Again- you may make your dish more cheesy here- Honestly, I found it didn’t need it.
 
In a 9×13 inch pan, place a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom before filling the rigatoni.
 
Either in a large pastry bag or a large plastic bag with the corner cut in a .5″ slash, add the filling and use to pipe the cheese into the rigatoni. Twist off at the top of the cheese so the filling doesn’t ooze out the top, pinch the twist with your thumb and first finger and use the rest of your hand to squeeze out the mixture.
 
Fill a couple of tubes about 3/4’s full. When you have a small batch you can start to stand them up next to each other. Leave a little space between for the sauce to reach.
 
When all the tubes are filled and the pan is completely full, carefully spoon the bechemel over the top and especially between the tubes.
 
Top the whole thing off with the asiago.
 
Place into a 375˚ oven and bake until the tops of the pasta are crispy and golden and the sauce is bubbly.

Petite Buche de Noel ~Bourbon Laced Apple and Walnut Filled Rolls

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This was fun. I’ve had this idea to do a mini Buche de Noel rattling around in my head for awhile now. I spent the better part of an afternoon working out the details. Aren’t they just SO cute??? and frightfully delicious too.

Traditionally I make the classic Buche de Noel cake every year for my holiday table. I vary the insides but typically it’s a vanilla sponge cake with a chocolate mousse filling. The outside is covered in chocolate icing and sculpted to look like a log. I would make gum paste holly leaves and marzipan mushrooms to decorate it. All that sprinkled with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Not a thing wrong with any of that- it’s just that I wanted to try something different.

I got to thinking that the papery layers of Filo dough could be made to look like a shaggy bark- So maybe this is more of a Birch tree bark and not such a deep brown one, but you’ll work with me on that, right? I made cuts and snips in the dough on my various attempts and this is what I came up with.

The recipe is a Bourbon laced browned butter apple and walnut filling, inside layers of crunchy dough on the outside. The first batch turned out to have too much pastry and too much bite to contend with in order to get to the sweet center. I played around with proportions and thicknesses and came up with what I felt was a great balance. Lots of lovely crunch of the delicate layers on the outside to the right amount of sweet soft warm filling.

So maybe they’re more of a shaggy mini apple strudel if you really want to get technical, but I believe in the magic of Christmas, and my imagination is my best toy. You are welcome to call them whatever you wish- either way, they’ll make a great addition to any dessert table.

Petite Buche de Noel
You can premake the rolls and store them unbaked in the freezer until needed, when you can put them directly into the oven from the cold. They are great on their own, but a sauce of creme anglaise on the side is a nice touch. If you’re not into the boozy aspect of the dessert you can simply omit.
 
makes 6 5″ buche
 
2 large granny smith apples, peeled and fine diced
.5c walnuts, toasted and chopped
2T sweet butter
2T bourbon or calvados (optional)
3T sugar
2T flour
pinch of salt
3 sheets of filo dough
powdered sugar to decorate
 
Preheat oven to 350˚ and prepare a baking sheet, either greased or lined with paper
 
In a large sautee pan, warm the butter over medium heat until the butter browns. 
 
Add the apples, sugar and bourbon and sautee for a quick 2 minutes. You want the apples half cooked, not turned to mush.
 
Remove from the heat and transfer to bowl, reserving the pan. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and gently toss to incorporate
 
Lay one sheet of filo dough out and spray lightly with cooking spray. Fold in half bringing two short ends together. Spray the dough again.
 
At the bottom of the rectangle lay down an even 1″ layer of filling, or a third of the mixture, along entire length of the dough. 
 
Loosely roll up the filling. Trim one end on an angle, then cut in the center on an angle. 
 
With the sharp tip of a knife, make a series of small cuts in the outer layers of the dough, especially starting from the outer edge. Carefully roll each piece in the reserved sugar/butter that remains in the cooking pan, then set onto the baking sheet.
 
Repeat this process 2 more times for a total of 6 rolls.
 
Bake for approx 25 mins in the center of the oven. Allow to cool on a rack for 10 mins, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.