A Veggie Venture: June 2010

Raw Beet Sandwiches ♥

June 30, 2010

Today's open-face sandwich, perfect for summer's best vegetables: Thin slices of beet, tomato and cucumber on good bread. You're gonna have to try this one to believe it, I know I did.

Okay so this is one recipe (barring the question whether a simple vegetable sandwich even qualifies as a 'recipe'?) I never imagined eating, let alone sharing. But some times you just go with your gut ... or trust the experience of a cook whose food you have learned to love – love – over the years.

Back in March, my friend Nupur Kittur who writes the food blog One Hot Stove taught a food class for a group of St. Louis food bloggers in one of the fabulous kitchens at Kitchen Conservatory, the top kitchen store and cooking school in St. Louis. "Indian Street Food" was the theme and oh my, what a feast we did eat. (Want to see more? I've posted pictures from our class on Flickr.)

But it was her simple sandwich that most captured my own attention. (Or maybe it was the beets -- you see, if I weren't the Green Bean Casserole Lady, thank you World's Best Green Bean Casserole, I'd be the Beet Queen, how many beet recipes can one person collect? Thirty-something, last count. Oh wait. I guess that means I'm both. Anyway.)

Top good bread with butter, a little hot mustard if you like, then thin slices of beet, tomato and cucumber and yes, you've got a serious sandwich. I saved the idea until now, when gardens everywhere are just beginning to belch forth the summer's bounty, the most tender and luscious beets, cucumbers and tomatoes, worth waiting for, worthy of a sandwich. It's thin, it's cool, it's rustic. It's a keeper.

This recipe is so quick and easy that I'm adding it to a growing collection of easy summer recipes published all summer long in 2009 at Kitchen Parade, my food column, and now again in 2010. With a free Kitchen Parade e-mail subscription, you'll never miss a one!

RAW BEET SANDWICHES

Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Time to table: 5 minutes
Serves 1

A slice of good bread
Good butter
A sprinkle of good salt if the butter is unsalted
A thin layer of good mustard (I love-love this gorgeous Homemade Finnish Mustard)
Thin slices of raw beet (a sharp knife will work, so would a mandoline)
Thin slices of tomato
Thin slices of cucumber

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Sandwich (How many calories in a Raw Beet Sandwich? How many Weight Watchers points in a Raw Beet Sandwich?), assumes whole-grain bread and 2 teaspoons butter: 162 Calories; 8g Tot Fat; 5g Sat Fat; 20mg Cholesterol; 394mg Sodium; 17g Carb; 4g Fiber; 5g Sugar; 5g Protein; Weight Watchers 3 points

A Veggie Venture - Printer Friendly Recipe Graphic

MORE FAVORITE BEET RECIPES
~ Raw Beet, Carrot & Kohlrabi Slaw ~
~ My Favorite Way to Roast Beets ~
~ Beets with Feta ~
~ Swedish Beets ~
~ more beet recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Those Pink Potatoes ~
~ Borscht Beets ~
~ Karelian Borscht ~
~ more beet recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade

Chilled Green Bean Salad with Rosemary & Garlic Oil ♥

June 23, 2010

Today's summer salad recipe: Just in time for the summer's first green beans, a simple salad, nothing more than beans tossed in oil infused with rosemary and garlic but somehow, somehow so much more. Low carb. Weight Watchers 1 point. Happiness Quotient 100.

Tis a magical thing, when summer and the first beans arrive on the same day, a sign that something just might be 'right' with the world. So it happened on June 21, the day of the summer solstice, the longest day of the year for those of us in the northern hemisphere, what the Finns and other Scandinavians call 'Midsummer.' I wore a dress from Finland, I cooked my favorite Finnish recipes, especially the oh-so-lovely Finnish Summer Soup (kësakeitto) and a favorite fruit dessert I intend to make all summer long, just to sample all the variations.

But the beans, oh my, the beans. They'd been off the bush no more than 10 minutes by the time they plopped into the bubbling pot of water so the only thing fresher would be dusting them off right there amid the tomatoes (doing fine, thank you, especially the cherry tomatoes I'm so fond of) and onions and cabbage and pattypan squash and cucumber, then crunching right in to taste sun and the sky captured in a bit of greenness no longer than a finger. There we were with a Finnish feast and all we could think was, "Let's make a meal of the beans."

Mine is a northern soul but if these beans are a sign of the summer to come, bring it on.

TESTIMONIALS
"I tried this tonight and you are so right the beans are so wonderful and delicious." ~ Sherry
"What a terrific dish! I've made it 3 times already!" ~ Anonymous
"Tried this dish last night. ... Even my guest asked for the recipe." ~ Sparkling Mimi

CHILLED GREEN BEAN SALAD
with ROSEMARY & GARLIC OIL

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 45 minutes
Serves 4

ROSEMARY & GARLIC OIL
1/4 cup olive oil
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife

BEANS
Big pot of well-salted water
1 pound fresh green beans, ends snipped
Big bowl of ice water

TO FINISH
Fresh basil, chopped into thin ribbons
1 bulb shallot, peeled and sliced thin on the cross-wise
Good salt, such as Maldon or fleur de sel or another large-grain flaky salt (don't skip this - it somehow makes the dish)

ROSEMARY & GARLIC OIL In a small saucepan, gently warm the olive oil, rosemary and garlic just until the garlic begins to sizzle. Turn off the heat and let the rosemary and garlic flavors infuse the oil.

BEANS Bring the water to a boil. Drop in the beans and let them cook for about 7 minutes, until done but still bright green and quite crispy. Drain the beans and immediately immerse into the ice water, let cool for a minute or two and then drain again. Place the beans on a double layer of paper towels and pat to dry.

TO FINISH Toss the beans with about 1 tablespoon of the oil, reserving the rest for another purpose (or more beans, tomorrow). (Stop here if making ahead of time.) Arrange on a serving plate, sprinkle with basil, shallot rings and salt.

TO MAKE AHEAD Cook the beans, toss in the oil, then refrigerate. Arrange on a serving plate, let warm to room temperature, then sprinkle with basil, shallot and salt.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving (How many calories in Chilled Green Bean Salad? How many Weight Watchers points in Chilled Green Bean Salad?): 66 Calories; 3g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 7mg Sodium; 9g Carb; 4g Fiber; 2g Sugar; 2g Protein; Weight Watchers 1 point

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES

Be generous with salt in the water and on top, they really 'make' green beans, even beans fresh from the garden. Health-wise, if we eat "no processed food", we have few worries about salt intake.

I've learned that two garlic cloves are really important to this, as is 'smashing' the garlic vs just chopping into two or three pieces: it makes sense, a smashed clove has more surface area from which to release its natural oils.

MORE FAVORITE GREEN BEAN RECIPES
~ Fresh Three-Bean Salad ~
~ Green Beans with Lime Jalapeño Butter ~
~ World's Best Green Bean Casserole ~
~ more green bean recipes ~
~ more Weight Watchers recipes ~
~ more low-carb recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Eggplant & Bean Thai Curry ~
~ Make-Ahead Fresh Green Bean Casserole ~
~ more green bean recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade

Weight Watchers Spinach Dip ♥

June 15, 2010

Today's healthy veggie dip recipe: My variation of the spinach dip from Weight Watchers. Just 1/2 a point and low carb too.

On warm summer nights, I love that 'gathering moment' before supper. The meat is on the grill, the salad waiting in the refrigerator. In hand is a glass of something cold and wet, occasionally what my sister Adanna calls an 'adult beverage'. These few minutes bridge the day's busy-ness and the evening's relaxation.

So during the summer, I make one homemade veggie dip after another, some quick concoction that will last a few days, one celery stick at a time. This is my adaptation of the Feta & Spinach Dip from Weight Watchers. I've modified it some, starting with 4X the spinach and substituting low-fat sour cream for non-fat sour cream, which I find too gloppy and sweet.

Feta cheese is a brilliant addition to cream-cheese based dips, adding both moisture and 'tang' that really revs up the flavor profile. It's also featured in this tzatziki-ish dip from Kitchen Parade, Cucumber Dip with Feta. If you like feta, you'll love these dips!

PORTION CONTROL for WEIGHT WATCHERS When we simply 'dip' into a common dip dish, it's easy to lose track of how many points we consume. To carefully track points, portion out however many points you've allowed into your own 'dipping' plate, then 'dip' to your heart's content!

TESTIMONIALS
"This was delicious. I added chopped water chestnuts to make it more like the spinach dip recipe (full fat) I usually make." ~ Anonymous
" tried your recipe and it was a fave amongst the guests." ~ Hummus

WEIGHT WATCHERS SPINACH DIP

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Time to table: 15 minutes but flavors meld and improve if chilled for a couple of hours
Makes 2 cups

Well-salted water to cover
8 - 16 ounces fresh spinach (see TIPS)

1/2 cup low-fat cream cheese, also called Neufchatel (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream (about 4 ounces)
1/4 cup feta cheese (about 2 ounces)
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup fresh chives
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

CLEAN & COOK the SPINACH Bring the water to a boil. Meanwhile, wash the spinach well under running water, rubbing the leaves with your fingertips if they're at all gritty. If they are really gritty, let soak in cold water for a few minutes, then rinse well until you can no longer feel the grit. To be sure, do a taste test. If the stems are thick, cut them out and discard or compost. Drop the spinach into the boiling water, in batches if need be, and cook until just done but still bright green -- again, a taste test help. Drain well in a colander, press with the back of a spoon to release as much liquid as possible.

MIX the DIP Place the cooked spinach and the remaining ingredients in a food processor and process until light and fluffy and the spinach is evenly distributed.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Tablespoon (How many calories in Weight Watchers Spinach Dip? How many Weight Watchers points in Weight Watchers Spinach Dip?): 20 Calories; 2g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 5mg Cholesterol; 41mg Sodium; 1g Carb; 0g Fiber; 0g Sugar; 1g Protein; Weight Watchers 1/2 point

Per Quarter Cup (How many calories in Weight Watchers Spinach Dip? How many Weight Watchers points in Weight Watchers Spinach Dip?): 82 Calories; 6g Tot Fat; 4g Sat Fat; 21mg Cholesterol; 167mg Sodium; 3g Carb; 1g Fiber; 1g Sugar; 4g Protein; Weight Watchers 2 points

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION
Adapted from Weight Watchers

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES

The Weight Watchers recipe called for only 2 ounces of fresh spinach, I started with 8 ounces of fresh chard (including the stems, which are cut off after cooking) and next time, would start with even more fresh greens for a more spinach-y and less cream cheese-y dip.

Bags of baby spinach are convenient but the leaves are so tender, they're best for salads, not cooking. A better choice is fresh leaves of curly spinach. I also wouldn't hesitate to use a bag of good frozen spinach for this dip.

Watch for blocks of feta cheese, versus the expensive crumbles.

No fresh chives? Substitute two or three green onions.

Add water chestnuts! This is a great suggestion from a reader, who's made the dip and added chopped water chestnuts to make it more like her usual full-fat spinach dip. The water chestnuts add bulk and crunch, with no added calories! GREAT idea!

MORE FAVORITE RECIPES for DIPS & SPREADS
~ Tuna & White Bean Dip ~
~ Baba Ganoush (Middle Eastern Eggplant Spread) ~
~ Pumpkin Dip ~
~ more recipes for Dips, Spreads & Pestos ~
~ more Weight Watchers recipes ~
~ more low-carb recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Spinach Dip ~
(made with frozen spinach & ricotta)
~ Blueberry Salsa ~
~ Olivada ~
~ more appetizer recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade

Southwestern Potato Salad ♥
Weight Watchers Friendly Potato Salad

June 8, 2010

Today's recipe: A new take on potato salad, laced with southwestern-style flavors such as chipotle, lime and cilantro. Dramatically lightened with my new technique for mayonnaise-based salads, the addition of buttermilk. Weight Watchers, you'll love this potato salad, it adds up to just 1 point, down from 4 points in the inspiring recipe.

Survey a potluck table and one ingredient will stand out: mayonnaise.

Potato salad. Cole slaw. Broccoli salad. Pasta salad. Seven-Layer Salad. So many favorite summer salads are dressed in mayonnaise. To my taste, this makes them all taste the same: like mayonnaise. To my taste, a mayonnaise dressing is too thick, too gloppy. Plus, we all know the calorie implications of heavy mayonnaise salads.

I loved the idea of a potato salad with southwestern flavors, I even thought about roasting some poblanos and roasting some corn, akin to Sweet Potato Salad with Roasted Poblano, Roasted Corn & Chipotle. (One reader made it over Memorial Day weekend and called it 'wonderful'!)

But instead, I decided to lighten the dressing. The recipe called for a cup of mayonnaise, I used only 1/3 cup of mayonnaise but then — this worked brilliantly — stirred in an equal measure of buttermilk. This made the dressing more liquid, so it would distribute more evenly. It also added 'tang' and removed some of that too-distinctive commercial mayonnaise taste. (Yes, I could have made my own mayonnaise. But ...) This is a technique I'll use again, for sure. UPDATE: And so I have, see the yummy Cold Shrimp in Creamy Dill Sauce with Capers!

SOUTHWESTERN POTATO SALAD

Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Time to table: 30 minutes but improves if left to sit for at least a couple of hours
Makes about 8 cups

Water to cover plus 1 tablespoon table salt
2 pounds potatoes, cleaned well, left whole (see TIPS)

DRESSING
1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons good mustard such as Dijon
1/4 cup chopped red onion
3 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped jalepeño
1 clove garlic, minced
Zest and juice of a lime (about 2 tablespoons juice)
1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder

1 large tomato, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

POTATOES Set up the water and salt to boil, add the potatoes as they're prepped (the water need not be boiling) and bring to a boil. Adjust heat to maintain a good simmer, cover and let cook until the potatoes are cooked through, the actual time will vary based on the size of the potatoes. Drain and let cool until cool enough to handle. Cut into bite-size pieces, leaving the skins on if you like or slipping off if you prefer.

DRESSING Meanwhile, whisk together the dressing ingredients in a large bowl.

COMBINE Fold the still-warm potatoes into the dressing, turning well to coat evenly. Stir in the tomato and cilantro. Serve immediately to serve slightly warm or cover and refrigerate to serve cold later.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Made as Written, Per Half Cup (How many calories in Southwestern Potato Salad? How many Weight Watchers points in Southwestern Potato Salad?): 64 Calories; 1g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 1mg Cholesterol; 35mg Sodium; 13g Carb; 1g Fiber; 1g Sugar; 2g Protein; Weight Watchers 1 point

Made with 1 cup Regular Mayonnaise, as in the Inspiring Recipe, Per Half Cup (How many calories in Southwestern Potato Salad? How many Weight Watchers points in Southwestern Potato Salad?): 153 Calories; 11g Tot Fat; 2g Sat Fat; 1mg Cholesterol; 98mg Sodium; 12g Carb; 1g Fiber; 1g Sugar; 2g Protein; Weight Watchers 4 points

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION
Adapted from Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook: Explosive Flavors from the Southwestern Kitchen

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES

For potatoes, I used tiny new red potatoes and cooked them whole, then cut into halves and quarters for bite-size pieces. When I make potato salad with Yukon gold or large red potatoes, I leave the skins on, scrub them well, then cut into cubes for fast and even cooking. Plus there's no need to handle hot potatoes before stirring into the dressing, a good thing!

For mayonnaise, my choice is always Hellman's (Best Foods in the western part of the U.S.) and always the low-fat version. I'm not a fan of either the non-fat version or the full-fat version.

Update: My cousin Sharon just wrote to say that she is nixing Costco potato salad for this recipe for a wedding rehearsal dinner in July. This got me to thinking about how to make this salad ahead of time for a small crowd, maximizing make-ahead convenience with freshness. If it were me, I would cook the potatoes the day before, mix the dressing the day before (except I'd leave out the onion), then a couple of hours before serving, I would combine the potatoes, dressing, onion, tomato and cilantro.

MORE FAVORITE SUMMER SALAD RECIPES for POTLUCKS
~ Mom's Potato Salad ~
~ Classic Seven-Layer Salad ~
~ Summer Orzo ~
~ more potato salad recipes ~
~ more cole slaw recipes ~
~ more jello salad recipes ~
~ more pasta salad recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Holy Slaw! ~
~ Quinoa & Black Bean Salad ~
~ Cauliflower Salad with Fresh Herbs ~
~ more salad recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade

Asian Greens ♥
(How to Cook Fresh Greens with Asian-Style Taste)

June 1, 2010

An easy way to cook fresh greens (such as kohlrabi leaves, beet greens, chard, and other greens) and then season with Asian-style flavors. Low carb. Weight Watchers 0 points.

So maybe I should set up a challenge, "Never again throw away fresh greens".

We all know the drill, right? We love the fresh beets from the farmers market. We're enchanted by the perfect globes of kohlrabi in our CSA box. But the greens? The beet tops? The kohlrabi leaves? Not so much.

Last week, after making a big batch of Roasted Kohlrabi, I started to throw away the kohlrabi leaves -- and then stopped myself, knowing that it was wasteful, financially and nutritionally. But what to make with kohlrabi leaves? I considered the technique from Greek Greens, my favorite way to cook greens when they're fresh, to hold for a day or two, then took inspiration from a recipe by Ivy Manning published on Culinate.

Yay - an Asian twist to cooking fresh greens! In fact, while I used the recipe for cooking kohlrabi leaves, I would recommend this simple technique for the many greens found in Asian markets.

ASIAN GREENS

Hands-on time: 15 minutes (see TIPS)
Time to table: 30 minutes (see TIPS)
Serves 4

Big pot of well-salted water
1 bunch fresh greens - kohlrabi leaves, beet greens, chard, kale, turnip greens, mustard greens, etc.

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Red pepper flakes (see TIPS)

WATER Bring the water to a boil, be generous with the salt. Use a pot that's big enough for water and the greens, you don't want to 'pack' the greens into the pot, they need room to cook, plenty of space to swirl around in the boiling water. If need be, you can cook the greens in batches.

WASH Meanwhile, wash the greens well under running water. If the greens are clean, a quick rinse will do. If they're just dusty, wash under running water, rubbing the surface of the greens with your fingers to clean. If the greens are extra dusty or dirty, soak them in cold standing water for several minutes to soften and loosen the dirt, then rinse under running water. As you wash the greens, throw away any greens that are extra tough looking or blemished.

PREP With a knife, remove the stems and ribs. If you like, these can be chopped up and sautéed separately. Stack several leaves on top of one another, roll up into a 'cigar' shape, then cut cross-wise into ribbons.

COOK Drop the greens into the boiling water a handful at a time until the pot is full but not packed. Chances are, you'll be able to add still more after a minute or two, as the greens begin to collapse in the heat. Cover and let cook until done but still bright green -- the timing will vary based on the variety, age and thickness of the greens but will range from a couple of minutes to 20 minutes or so. I keep a fork nearby to pull out a ribbon of greens for a quick taste-test. Drain well in a colander, squeezing out the excess water if need be. If you like, chop the greens a bit more for bite-size pieces.

SEASON Toss the greens with the sesame oil and soy sauce. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

SERVE Serve hot if you like but I found it surprisingly good at room temperature. I would also make these ahead of time and then serve for a couple of days, stirring into salads, slipping into a sandwich, etc.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving (How many calories in Asian Greens? How many Weight Watchers points in Asian Greens?): 43 Calories; 1g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 255mg Sodium; 6g Carb; 4g Fiber; 0g Sugar; 4g Protein; Weight Watchers 0 points

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES

Time-wise, prepping and cooking greens can vary by a lot. If the greens are so dirty that they need soaking and careful washing, allow extra time. If the greens are less than perfectly fresh, or quite thick, allow extra time for cooking too.

The inspiring recipe from Culinate used a spice mix called 'shichimi' which I managed to find but might be difficult for many. It's a mix of red pepper, roasted orange peel, yellow and black sesame seeds, Japanese pepper, seaweed and ginger. I liked it a lot, but it's the 'heat' of the red pepper that makes it useful in the greens.