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A Good Dish

making food simpler

My New Favorite Breakfast – Add Greens!

March 8, 2017

Scrambled eggs with arugula
Terra Cotta plate by Mary Briggs

You may not ordinarily think of making a vegetable for breakfast, but tossing a couple of handfuls of quick cooking greens in your pan a minute before adding your scrambled eggs takes a ordinary breakfast up a nutritional notch. If you are vegetarian or vegan, simply add the greens to your tofu scramble or beans. If you like savory oatmeal, corn grits, congee or another porridge rather than sweet to start your day, adding greens is a no-brainier. Keeping some fresh arugula or spinach in your refrigerator is an easy way to insure you always have greens to cook. You can get one or two servings of veggies out of the way before you leave home in the morning.

Keep fresh quick cooking greens on hand in the fridge
Frozen vegetables can have more vitamins than fresh!

You could make a sandwich out of your scramble or eat it straight up. (If you don’t eat bread, adding vegetables is a way to bulk up your breakfast). If you wanted to enrich your eggs even more, you could sauté an onion before adding your greens or simply toss in some leftover vegetables from your previous meal. Peas, asparagus, sautéed or steamed greens, mushrooms and even zucchini all work well. I never use broccoli or cauliflower because I can’t handle the aroma early in the day but if you are careful not to overcook and the smell doesn’t bother you, go for it. Full disclosure – someone (who shall remain unmentioned) went through a broccoli in the morning phase and since she often overcooked it, we’ve had trouble even thinking about using it ever since! Keeping some vegetables in your freezer means you’ll have a veggie on hand to add. Frozen peas, green beans, artichoke hearts and mixed vegetables all work well. Just heat them in a little butter or oil to take the cold edge off (they are already cooked) and add your eggs to scramble. Grating in some fresh (or a pinch of dried) turmeric makes it healthier (anti-inflammatory/antioxidant) and spicier. Or try a handful of chopped fresh herbs (dill is especially good but even parsley works) to your scramble – already an improvement!

Sautéed arugula only takes a minute to prepare
Scrambled eggs with mushrooms, baby kale and turmeric

Another possibility, if you prefer fried or poached eggs, is simply to cook or warm your vegetables (with arugula or spinach it only takes a minute) and top the greens with your eggs or put it all on a piece of whole grain toast. If you don’t eat bread but do eat grains, topping leftover quinoa, grits or kasha with greens and poached or fried eggs is delicious and quite filling. Whichever way, you’ve bettered your breakfast without much effort. Without the effort of an omelet or frittata, adding greens easily ups both the nutritional profile and satiety level of your breakfast. It is eye pleasing and, best of all, tasty!

Green Breakfast Sandwich

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Filed Under: Breakfast, leftovers, Recipes, Vegetables

A Good Dish – Favorites From Our First Year

January 4, 2017

A Good Dish got up and running in 2016!
A Good Dish got up and running in 2016!

Looking back over all of the recipes I posted last year in A Good Dish, there are some standouts I make over and over. These are the cool weather dishes my family and I don’t tire of, the ones I fall back on when I don’t have another meal in mind and the ones that guests are happy being served and often ask for the recipe. If you didn’t start reading the blog from day 1, you may have missed some. So in the spirit of holiday sharing, here are the links to a dozen of our regulars made with ingredients available now. (No tomato salads or steamed asparagus, for example). Let me know if you add them to your favorites. Happy New Year, happy cooking and happy eating!

Easier Oatmeal

Steel Cut Oats with Seeds, Bananas and Nuts
Steel Cut Oats with Seeds, Bananas and Nuts

Sautéed Radishes

Sautéed Watermelon Radishes Bowl by Silvie Granatelli
Sautéed Watermelon Radishes
Bowl by Silvie Granatelli

Sautéed Watercress

Sautéed Watercress Bowl by Mary Barringer
Sautéed Watercress
Bowl by Mary Barringer

Wild Salmon Burgers

Salmon burgers Plate by Chandra DeBuse
Salmon burgers
Plate by Chandra DeBuse

Tossed Soba

Tossed Soba Plate by Michael Hunt & Naomi Dalglish - Bandana Pottery
Tossed Soba
Plate by Michael Hunt & Naomi Dalglish – Bandana Pottery

Coconut Red Lentil Soup

Curried Lentil Soup Porcelain bowl by Andy Brayman
Curried Lentil Soup
Porcelain bowl by Andy Brayman

Sautéed Broccoli Rabe or Broccoli

Broccoli Rabe with Garlic, Currants and Chili Flakes Flameware Casserole Dish by Robbie Lobell
Broccoli Rabe with Garlic, Currants and Chili Flakes
Flameware Casserole Dish by Robbie Lobell

Black Pepper Pasta with Green Vegetables

Black pepper pasta with vegetables Earthenware dish by Ayumi Horie
Black pepper pasta with vegetables
Earthenware dish by Ayumi Horie

Simmered Fruit

Simmered apricots, cherries, pineapple and lemons Depression glass compote
Simmered apricots, cherries, pineapple and lemons
Depression glass compote

Pumpkin Pudding

Pumpkin pudding with nuts, seeds and currants Carved mugs by Matthew Metz
Pumpkin pudding with nuts, seeds and currants
Carved mugs by Matthew Metz

Ginger Tea

Warming Ginger Tea Mug by Ayumi Horie
Warming Ginger Tea
Mug by Ayumi Horie

Vermouth Cocktail

Continental Drift Porcelain Tumbler by James Makins
Continental Drift
Porcelain Tumbler by James Makins

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Drinks, Recipes, Salads, Soups, Starches

A Quick and Festive New Year’s Breakfast – Cranberry Torte

December 28, 2016

Slice of warm cranberry torte Earthenware plate by Lisa Orr
Slice of warm cranberry torte
Earthenware plate by Lisa Orr

Holidays are a time of indulgence and baking a cranberry torte is an easy way to put out a festive breakfast on New Years morning. Alongside a bowl of hard-boiled eggs or a frittata, yogurt, fruit and granola, there will be something for all to help themselves to eat as they stumble into the kitchen. This is a very easy recipe and saves you from being a short order cook.

 We first ate this torte at a lodge in Sedona. The innkeeper generously shared the recipe, although I had to divide it by 5 since it was meant to feed 50 guests. It is delicious both warm and room temperature, freezes well and can sit out on the counter for a couple of hours since it is quite moist. I imagine it would be good made with blueberries or raspberries, either fresh or frozen, or chocolate chips, if you want to try it a different way. We can deal with resolutions after breakfast….

Cranberry Torte cooling
Cranberry Torte cooling

BRIAR PATCH INN CRANBERRY TORTE

 Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 stocks) butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries or 3/4 cup dried cranberries, plumped in water (fresh will be tarter and dried will be sweeter)

Mix butter and sugar and then beat in eggs completely.

Add flour and nuts and cranberries and mix until just combined.

Scrape batter into a greased 8″ round or square cake pan.

If you want your cake glittery and a bit sweeter, sprinkle it with a little sugar before baking.

Bake about 1 hour or until golden brown.

Cool slightly and cut into wedges or squares.

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Filed Under: Breakfast, dessert, Recipes

Granola – A Pretty Healthy, Tasty and Useful Gift from Your Kitchen

December 7, 2016

Homemade Granola Wood fired Porcelain Mug by Perry Haas
Homemade Granola
Wood fired Porcelain Mug by Perry Haas

I make granola about 3 times a year. Once for the birthday of a dear friend who loves it, perhaps once a year when out-of town friends visit and I need a breakfast to leave out and once at the end of the year for holiday gifts when I don’t feel capable of assembling something more complicated. Granola only takes about an hour to bake, is easy to make and fun to vary.

Oats are the main ingredient but everything may be modified to suit your taste. Use part rolled oats and part rolled barley. If you don’t like almonds or walnuts, use pistachios or hazelnuts. If you prefer pumpkin pie spice or cardamom to cinnamon, go for it. If you want to add dried cherries, goji berries, mulberries or pineapple instead of apricots, dates or raisins, substitute as you please. Even the sweetener is flexible – if you don’t want to use or don’t have maple syrup, use agave, honey or brown sugar. Vanilla is a choice. You could use maple or almond extract or leave it out altogether. You could grate in some lemon or orange zest or add shredded or flaked coconut. The recipe below is the way I prefer it but if you have strong preferences, try them.

Sheet Pan of baked Granola
Sheet Pan of baked Granola

How you package your granola to gift is also up to you. Glass jars are perfect for storing granola so I usually use a Mason jar, with raffia tied around the lid if I am gifting. Cellophane bags wrapped with ribbon work well as would ziploc bags with a pretty label affixed. Including a printed or hand-written recipe is a nice touch and makes it an even more useful present (just punch a hole in the corner of the recipe card and you can tie it on with the ribbon or raffia).

Quart of homemade granola packaged and ready to gift
Quart of homemade granola
packaged and ready to gift

This recipe is lower in oil and sugar than most but it is still not a low calorie food. I enjoy a bowl of granola with milk or yogurt each time I make it but I can’t keep much of it around or I would constantly be snacking on it. Like candied or curried nuts, for me, granola is best made and given away or stored in the freezer for when guests visit. You may have better self-control and in that case, keep a jar in your kitchen for hurried mornings or light dinners on nights you come home too late to cook. At this busy time of year, any lucky recipient will appreciate your healthy and delicious gift.

Granola in a wood fired cup by Perry Haas
Granola in a wood fired cup by Perry Haas

GIFTABLE GRANOLA

  • 6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking, not steel-cut)
  • 1-1 1/2 cups raw pumpkin seeds, hulled
  • 1-1 1/2 cups raw sunflower seeds, hulled
  • 2 cups raw nuts, shelled and coarsely chopped (I use almonds and walnuts but pecans, hazelnuts and pistachios all work)
  • 3 TBs flax seeds
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or avocado, coconut or grape seed)
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup maple syrup (or honey, agave or brown sugar), depending on how sweet you like it
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, optional
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice, ginger or cardamom), optional
  • 1 tsp salt

Possible add-ins after baking:

  • 1-2 cups of any combination of raisins, currents, chopped dates or apricots, dried cranberries or cherries, chopped dried mango or pineapple, goji berries, mulberries, chopped dried figs, toasted coconut flakes or shredded coconut, chopped dried apples or pears
  • 1-3 TBs chia and/or hemp seeds

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Mix oil, syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

Add oats, seeds and nuts and stir until well combined.

Spread the mixture in an even layer on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet (the parchment just makes clean up easier).

Bake, stirring about every 10 minutes, until oats look toasty, about 45 minutes but watch carefully at the end.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with a little salt if you like, and cool completely.

When completely cool, add chopped dried fruit, or whatever you like, and package in jars or bags.

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Products, Recipes Tagged With: breakfast, granola

Pumpkin Pudding, Not Pie, for Thanksgiving This Year

November 2, 2016

Pumpkin pudding with nuts, seeds and currants Carved mugs by Matthew Metz
Pumpkin pudding with nuts, seeds and currants
Carved mugs by Matthew Metz

Although the main star of Thanksgiving dinner is usually turkey, the food I look forward to most is pumpkin pie. This may seem unusual as pie crust is far down on my list of reasons to eat simple carbs. On the other hand, the silky pumpkin pudding that fills a fall pie is a good enough excuse for me to eat sweets! Something about the combination of pumpkin custard and spices just hits the spot.

Because I don’t care about the crust, I simply make a straightforward pumpkin filling, substituting maple syrup for sugar. Yes, maple syrup is still a sugar but a naturally occurring one with some minerals. At least, that is what I tell myself to justify occasional use! I’ve noticed that not eating sugar helps relieve my joint and muscle pain but every once in a while it’s festive to partake in a sweet to celebrate an occasion. After a big meal, I rarely feel like a heavy dessert but it is satisfying to have something with which to finish. There have been Thanksgiving meals we have ended with applesauce and molasses cookies but I think we will have pudding this year. And, as Anthony Bourdain suggests, there is always cheese.

Baked Pumpkin Pudding
Baked Pumpkin Pudding

This is the basic recipe that comes on every label of canned pumpkin with a few changes. I used maple syrup instead of sugar, added some spices and an egg, and substituted organic evaporated milk instead of cream or half milk/half cream. I tried the recipe with home baked butternut squash (2 cups) and I thought it was tastier than the canned pumpkin, if slightly more labor intensive. Next time you are baking a squash, just cook an extra to make this pudding. I also tried buttermilk, cream, sweetened condensed milk (I reduced the syrup to 1TB) and coconut milk with mixed results. The buttermilk version was tangy and a little too watery while the one with coconut milk was tasted good but might have been better with another egg to help it firm up. The batches with cream and sweetened condensed milk were denser and delicious, as you might imagine, but rich for my palette. I prefer to save the cream to whip separately with a little bourbon or vanilla to dollop on top of the pudding.

Organic pumpkin comes in cans and shelf stable boxes
Organic pumpkin comes in cans and shelf stable boxes
Organic evaporated and sweetened condensed milk is now widely available
Organic evaporated and sweetened condensed milk is now widely available

My favorite version, with evaporated milk, is mildly sweetened and highly spiced. In addition to dessert, it is delicious for breakfast (maybe even better because it firms up overnight in the refrigerator) with chopped walnuts, dates or raisins, chia, hemp and ground flax seeds. You can make it in individual ramekins (I don’t have any so I used small ceramic bowls and cups) or in a single pie plate or Pyrex. You can bake it without the water bath but it won’t have the same custardy consistency. If you put it in when you take out your turkey, it will be ready and warm for dessert. Or you can make it ahead and keep it overnight to stiffen up in the refrigerator.

Unbaked Pumpkin Pudding in Cups and Bowls in a water bath ready to go into the oven
Unbaked Pumpkin Pudding in Cups and Bowls
in a water bath ready to go into the oven
Baked Pumpkin Puddings
Baked Pumpkin Puddings

If you really want to make a pie-like dessert but without crust, you can layer the pudding with crumbled ginger cookies (try the hard-to-stop-eating Tate’s gluten-free version (or the Trader Joe’s Ginger Chunk knock off) or even graham crackers. Add lightly toasted walnuts or pumpkin seeds, chopped dates, raisins or currants and bourbon or vanilla scented or plain whipped cream or yogurt to create a lush parfait.

Pumpkin Pudding Parfait with crumbled ginger cookies, walnuts, whipped cream and nutmeg Glass Compote Dish by Fossil Glass/Christina Salusti
Pumpkin Pudding Parfait
with crumbled ginger cookies, walnuts, whipped cream and nutmeg
Glass Compote Dish by Fossil Glass/Christina Salusti

PUMPKIN PUDDING

Blend together until smooth:

  • 1 can (15oz.) organic pumpkin (or 2 cups baked and mashed pumpkin or squash)
  • 1 can (12oz.) organic evaporated milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp bourbon (optional)
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsps cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1 shake cayenne (optional)
  • 1 tsp grated organic orange peel (optional)

Pour into a glass pie pan or 6 6oz ramekins. If using ramekins, set in a baking dish and pour in boiling water half way up the ramekins, being careful not to splash the puddings.

Put in a preheated 375 degree oven and bake until puffed and browned, 30 minutes-1 hour depending on size.

Serve warm or cold with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle of nuts.

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Filed Under: Breakfast, dessert

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Welcome to A Good Dish

Here you will find recipes and ideas for easy to make and tasty meals, sources for interesting dinnerware on which to serve those meals and resources for ingredients, classes and food related travel. My goal is to make daily cooking simpler and to inspire you to try different recipes beyond the handful you already make repeatedly. I hope that relaying my experiences will enhance yours. Follow along and let me know about your own cooking and food journeys.

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