Pumpkin baked beef stew

It's that time of year when pumpkin starts invading any and all other foods, even in the most unsuspecting places, pumpkin bread, pies, muffins, lattes, pasta, ice cream, beer, where does the madness end...? Well if I had it my way, it never would.  Everything is better with a little pumpkin! 
Well now I think I've jumped off the pumpkin deep end.  This innovative squash recipe comes from a family friend who's entire family looks forward to the fall season because it means one thing: Pumpkin baked beef stew... you heard that correctly, it's beef stew, IN A PUMPKIN!  It's like the modern day peanut butter and jelly, a culinary match made in heaven!! Now it's time for you to hop on the pumpkin bandwagon.  Although somewhat labor intensive, it's quite simple in terms of culinary talent-- and it makes for a great presentation!  This was my first go around at beef stew and with some coaching from my mom, I think it came out great.  I definitely would not hesitate to make this recipe again real soon.  Loaded with seasonal veggies and very hearty, this filling recipe can feed an army at a very reasonable price. 

Pumpkin baked Beef Stew (serves...a TLC sized family)
1 medium-large pumpkin (make sure you can fit it in your oven and you can lift it)
2 tbsp margarine
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb stewing beef
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 bag carrots 
5 medium potatoes 
1/2 large or 1 small turnip 
1 large yellow onion
1-2 cups green beans
5 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp cinnamon (use a cinnamon stick or two if you have them around)
water


You can either make this a two day event, or it you have a whole day to spend in the kitchen, you can knock it out in one fell swoop.  Use any veggies you like, I stuck with the classics.  Start by prepping all your veggies, rinsing, peeling and chopping.  You don't want to cut them too small because they'll cook down.  Chop the turnip and potatoes in equal size pieces, slice the carrots, cut the green beans about 1 inch thick, and chop the onions.  Set aside.

First, flour the beef.  Add the flour to a shallow dish or plate.  Drop each piece of meat into the flour, shaking off any excess.  The flour will coat the meat when you brown it, and will help add a little bit of thickness to the broth.

Now that all the meat is floured, heat the 2 tbsp oil in a large pot on medium heat. Make sure you have an ample pot to cook with, I unfortunately made the mistake of using a pot too small and had to transfer to the crock pot midway through, avoid this extra step!  Once the oil is hot, add the meat.  You don't want to cook it all the way through, just brown it up, flipping it after a few minutes. 

 Once the meat starts to brown, turn the temp down a little and add the onion, stirring frequently.  I add the onions first to maximize the flavor.

 Now add the vegetables in order of hardness, turnip, carrots, green beans, and lastly the potatoes.  You want to add the potatoes last because the starch will break down if they're overcooked.  Mix the vegetables as you add them, and next add the water. Fill it as high as the veggies & meat in the pot.  

 Once the broth is hot, add the bouillon cubes... depending on how much water you add will determine how many you need.  Add three to start, stir and taste then go from there.  Next add the cinnamon.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the hardest vegetables are tender (1-2 hours).  Now you can either call it Christmas and store the beef stew in the fridge for a night, or power through and continue the recipe (but this is a great stopping point).

Start buy cutting the top off your pumpkin and clean out the insides, use a sturdy soon to get out as much of the stringy inside as you can.  Save the seeds to make pumpkin seeds to snack on later (spray a pan, sprinkle with salt bake on 400 degrees til brown, flippin' em half way through)!  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, make sure you move the rack to the lowest possible position and take any extra racks out that might get in the way.  Next add equal parts margarine and brown sugar to a small pan to melt.  then add the mix to the pumpkin-- pick the pumpkin up and whirl it around to coat the sides evenly. 

Place the pumpkin in a baking dish or on a strong baking sheet, something that will make it easier to handle a very hot and very heavy pumpkin (not an easy feat).  Add the HOT stew to the pumpkin.  If you refrigerated the stew overnight, heat it up first, then add it to the pumpkin before you bake it to make sure everything is heated evenly throughout.  The safest/easiest way to do this is by spooning all of the solid stew then pouring in the liquid.  Bake it in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour.  

Another option to this recipe is to buy smaller personal pumpkins, especially if you are having a dinner party.  Each guest will be able to enjoy there own special bowl, and what a nutritious alternative to the carb-heavy bread bowl!! This is definitely a MUST-TRY recipe, enjoy :)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

If ten years ago you had put a plate of Brussels sprouts in front of me, I can guarantee I would have turned my nose up at them.  My family never ate them growing up and I remember one aunt boiling them and the smell alone made me cringe.  But since then, I've dabbled in vegetarian life and have really opened up my mind to try new things.  I tried these little green delights for the first time in my college dining hall and who would of thunk it, they were actually pretty good! 
Roasting vegetables in the oven enhances the flavor and gives a sort of earthy-nutty taste.  If you are skeptical, even more the reason to try them!  They are loaded with fiber and actually have 3 times the vitamin C of an orange, and for only 10 calories a pop that is a very nutritious bang for your buck!!  

Roasted Brussels Sprouts (serves 2)
1 heaping cup brussel's sprouts
1 tbsp olive oil
a generous sprinkle of garlic powder... the fresh stuff is even better! 
a light dash of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Start by trimming up each sprout.  Peel back the dark outer leaves and trim the stems with a small paring knife.

When you buy them, it'll look like this

After you trim it, it should look like this.

  Then score them buy cutting an "X" on the leafy tops.  Give them a good rinse, there might be some dirt wedged in the tight leaves. 

Place them in a baking dish and drizzle them with oil, give the pan a shake to spread the oil on all sides... If you have the time and patience, you can use a basting brush to oil each one.  Sprinkle them with salt and garlic powder.  Fresh garlic will add a stronger flavor, just use crushed or finely mince your own with a knife or garlic press.  Roast them in the oven for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until they've softened up and the outer leaves brown up.

Eggplant parmigiana

I know what you're thinking-- Eggplant, AGAIN?!  This girl has a sick obsession with that stuff!!  Well, I am well aware of this vegetable monopolizing the blogisphere, but a) it IS delicious and b) they were only a buck a piece at the Brookline farmer's market, how could I resist!  
Oh and yes, you read that correctly, I've moved back to the city!! Actually since my last post, I've signed a lease and scored an apartment in Cleveland Circle AND started a new (and AMAZING) job... full-time with benefits baby, wooo!  Why do I digress you may be asking yourself.  Well this move does in fact impact your life directly... living in an apartment with no momma to cook or dad to grill can only mean one thing, MORE blogging, win! 
I think the weather may have officially changed for the season and now it's time to pack away your bathing suits and beach chairs, dust off your oven get your apron on!  Tonight I did just that, with a Sunday sauce and eggplant parmigiana.  I make a good sauce, but I am still tweaking and fine tuning-- once I've got it perfected I'll let you in on the recipe, but for now stick with what you know and use what you're used to whether it be grandma's classic sauce or a jar of ragu! (please don't admit to me you use ragu though.)

Eggplant Parmigiana (serves 6)
Ingredients:
3(ish) cups tomato sauce 
1 eggplant, peeled
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg 
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
~1 cup mozzarella cheese 




Start by thinly slicing the peeled eggplant in half vertically. Then slice each one in half.

After you've sliced the eggplant, set up a station to bread it.  On one plate, dish out the flour.  In a flat deep dish bowl, add the egg and milk and beat it together.  In the third plate, add the Italian bread crumbs.  Have an extra large plate near by stack all the breaded eggplant.

 Once your all set up, dip each eggplant slice in the flour and shake off the excess.  The flour will help the egg mixture to stick.  Next, dip the floured eggplant into the egg, and lastly hit it with the bread crumbs. 

step 1: flour it

Step 2: dip it in the egg

Step 3: bread crumbs

 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Spray the bottom of an 8x8 inch baking dish with a little non-stick cooking spray, then spoon a little tomato sauce into the dish, you don't need a ton or it'll get too saucy and soggy.  

Then start stacking the eggplant.  Add a little sauce every 2 layers of eggplant, and add a little cheese in the middle.  I didn't measure the sauce or cheese, just look at the pictures and eye ball it.  Just remember, you want to be able to taste the eggplant, not be overwhelmed with cheese and sauce. 

Once the dish is full, spoon a thin layer of sauce onto the top.  Chop the basil and spread it evenly on top, and add more sauce, probably between a half to a full cup.

 

 Bake it in the oven for about 40 minutes, stick a fork through it to see if it's soft.  Remove it from the oven and add the remaining cheese in an even layer.  Bake it in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. 

 

 In lieu of spaghetti, I served the eggplant with roasted Brussels sprouts and a warm baguette. If you like a lot of sauce, add extra once it's plated. 

  I'll blog the roasted Brussels sprouts tomorrow, I never knew I liked them--honestly, I actively avoided them, but then I tried them roasted (in my college dining hall, go figure) and wow, so yummy!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

spicy eggplant basil stir-fry

When I hear eggplant and basil, my mind goes straight to the delicious Italian dishes I grew up with but tonight I'm straying from the norm.  Our basil is growing like weeds out back and I just got an eggplant and jalapenos fresh from a family friend's garden (my eggplants aren't quite ready for harvest just yet).  I've had eggplant basil dishes at Thai restaurants before and love the Asian inspired flavors, but could do with out the crazy amounts of extra sauce so I thought I'd give the dish a go.  

Spicy Eggplant Basil Stir-fry (serves 4)
1 medium eggplant
1 tsp crushed garlic
3 green onion stalks
1/2 red bell pepper
 2 jalapeno peppers
1 generous handful fresh basil
1 package firm tofu, drained and pressed 
4 tbsp teriyaki sauce
1 tsp Siracha sauce (optional if you like things HOT)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup water

Start by prepping the tofu.  Cut it into smaller chunks, place it on a bunch of paper towels, fold the paper towels to cover the tofu, then place your cutting board on top.  The added weight of you chopping the veggies will help the tofu to drain a little quicker.  Don't let the tofu deter you from this recipe.  If you're not down to give the tofu a try, opt for chicken or lean beef... you need some protein to balance out the meal. 
Next, prep the jalapenos.  It seems like common knowledge but, be careful handling hot peppers!  Don't touch your face, especially your eyes... Slice the peppers in half then take out the seeds and ribs.  If you like things hot leave some of the insides and just give them a good chop. 

 Then cut the green onions (otherwise known as scallions) about an inch long.  Cut the red bell pepper into thin strips.  Next chop the eggplant, I like to leave the skin on, but do whatever floats your boat. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok on medium heat.  Add the eggplant to the pan.  Add the water as needed so the eggplant doesn't stick, you may not need to add the entire 1/2 cup.  Once the eggplant starts to soften, add the peppers, green onion, garlic, and teriyaki sauce. Reduce the heat a little bit. 

Then add the tofu. Be careful when you stir so the tofu pieces don't crumble.  If you like things really spicy, add some Siracha sauce or some other hot sauce of your choice.  Taste it before you add the sauce, the heat from the jalapeno can sneak up on you.  I like it hot, but not inedible.  Lastly, add the basil and cook for another 5 minutes or so, just long enough to wilt the leaves.    

I served the stir fry over brown rice garnished with a sprig of fresh basil. Yum! 

Calorie Count: This recipe contains approximately 195 calories, not including the brown rice. 

Good Enough to Blog About: The Rustic Leaf Bistro

In addition to sharing recipes and healthy tid-bits of information on the blog, I'd like to start a new series of restaurant reviews!  I'll be scoring the restaurants with a total of 20 possible points, with three subscales including taste/quality of ingredients (10 points), location/ambiance (5 points), and value (5 points).  To kick things off, I'd like to share my recent experience at The Rustic Leaf Bistro in Milford New Hampshire.  

 A friend of mine from Nashua NH discovered this restaurant and after hearing about her experience and reading their website, it didn't take much convincing for me to cross state borders to try it for myself.   The green cuisine offered at the Rustic Leaf changes with the season to ensure customers are being offered the highest quality ingredients at their peak freshness.  The produce served on each dish is either purchased at local farms or grown in the owner's personal garden.  Entrees include locally inspired vegetarian fare, free range poultry, grass fed beef and lamb, and day boat caught fish. 
The Rustic Leaf Bistro ditched the ol' bread and butter basket for a small bowl of seasoned shelled edamame.  I do love my carbs but the edamame was actually a refreshing and far less filling stray from the norm.   I ordered roast duck breast with fruit chutney served with mashed sweet potatoes and fresh seasoned green beans.   The fruit chutney (apples and dried cranberries) was a very flavorful not too sweet complement to the juicy duck.

 My friend and future fellow dietitian Juliana had gnocchi with eggplant, summer squash, broccoli, mozzarella balls, with fresh tomato pesto.  I snagged a few bites and it was delicious!  Full of fresh veggies and bold flavors.

With all appetizers under $10 and entrees ranging from $14-$23 The Rustic Leaf Bistro is definitely reasonable for the quality and quantity of the dishes.  If you aren't from the area, the restaurant is sort of in the middle of nowhere but definitely worth the drive if you are into healthy eating.  The interior was quaint featuring a few small dining rooms, clean with white table cloths and oddly enough decorated with rustic leaves... how clever!  If I had to point out a flaw in this lovely establishment, I'd say the service was mediocre... our server was not cheery at all and slightly awkward, but no major blunders.  
I'm going to give The Rustic Leaf Bistro a total of 15.5 out of 20 points, 8 of 10 in taste, 3 of 5 in location, and 4.5 of 5 in value.  Great experience for the health conscious diner, and I'm definitely looking forward to their fall menu, pumpkin makes everything taste better :)

cous cous with crunchy roasted chick peas

This recipe is a product of scouring my cabinets and throwing together some hodge-podge ingredients to make a quick and simple meal... I was in a dinner pinch, I was pressed for time and definitely would have settled for a baked sweet potato for a quick dinner but I was ridden with guilt because my last blog post was well over a week ago.   So desperate to create a blog worthy recipe without going to the grocery store, I gathered some classic staple ingredients and got to work.  I just chopped up some veggies in my fridge, including some garden grown zucchini squash from a family friend, whole wheat cous cous, and roasted chick peas.

Cous Cous with Crunchy Roasted Chick Peas (serves 5)
1 cup plus 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth (use veggie broth to make this vegan)
1 cup dry whole wheat cous cous
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 large vidalia onion
1/4 red pepper
1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup zucchini
1 can chick peas, drained
2 large garlic cloves
salt, garlic powder, paprika to taste
fresh basil to garnish

First preheat the oven to 375 degrees.   Spray a baking sheet with a little cooking spray and spread out the rinsed and drained chick peas in a single layer.  Sprinkle the peas with the salt, garlic powder, and paprika.  Shake it around a little to coat all the peas.  Place in the oven and bake approx. 30 minutes or until the peas brown up and get crunchy.  

 Meanwhile, start chopping the veggies.  You can really add any veggies you like... I just happened to have the onions, pepper, mushroom and zucchini in my fridge.  Add the olive oil to a large skillet on medium heat.  Smash the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and add the smashed garlic to the oil (crushed garlic also works).  Next add the veggies and cook until the veggies soften, then reduce to low heat.  

While the veggies are cooking, add the broth to a small sauce pan, boil on high covered.  When the broth is boiling, remove from heat and add the dry cous cous.  Leave covered for 5 minutes.  Now if you've timed everything just right your chick peas should be just about ready and look like this...

 

 After the five minutes, fluff the cous cous with a fork then add it to the skillet of veggies.  If it looks a little dry, add more broth just a few tablespoons at a time.  

Lastly, add the roasted chick peas to the cous cous.  The chick peas add a nice texture and add enough protein to make a balanced vegetarian meal.  These roasted chick peas make a great substitute for nuts... season with any flavor you like (curry is really good!).   Add a bunch of fresh basil to garnish and even slice up a little more for extra flavor.   

Cooking vegetarian meals every now and again is great for the wallet as well as the environment.  If you can, try to cook at least one meatless meal a week.  If nothing else, it'll force you to think out of the box when planning your meals :)

tomato and eggplant bruschetta

The basil growing just steps from my kitchen has proven to be a powerful inspiration lately.  Today I made a delicious bruschetta if I do say so myself!  My aunt and owner of Espresso Restaurant in Gloucester has an amazing eggplant bruschetta on her menu and I wanted to try to recreate it myself.  Rather than breading and pan frying the eggplant, I let it marinate in a little olive oil, lots of garlic and crushed red pepper then sauteed it.  It's a really simple and inexpensive recipe and definitely worthy of serving at a party as an appetizer.  With robust flavors of fresh local ingredients, you really can't go wrong! 

 Tomato and Eggplant Bruschetta (serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 ripe tomatoes
approx. 1/3 eggplant
3-4 cloves garlic, divided
crushed red pepper, to taste (~1 tbsp)
1 handful fresh basil (about 1/4 cup chopped)
1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tsp olive oil, divided
1/8 c. vegetable broth
2 tsp grated parmesan cheese
salt, to taste
basil leaves to garnish


Start by chopping the eggplant into cubes.  Place in a ziplock bag, add 2 tsp olive oil, 2 large cloves fresh garlic, pressed or finely chopped and the crushed red pepper.  I did this about 2 hours before I started preparing the rest of the bruschetta.  

 When you're ready to start, heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a sauteing pan on low heat and add the eggplant.  Stir constantly so the eggplant doesn't stick.  Add the vegetable broth and cook until the eggplant softens, about 10-15 minutes.  I added a little extra basil in the pan too.  Set aside (cool in the fridge).

Next chop the tomatoes into chunks and place in medium bowl.  Add a light sprinkle of salt.  Then chop the basil and add it to the bowl.  Next add two more cloves of garlic, pressed or finely chopped.  And then add the balsamic vinegar. 

Once the eggplant is no longer hot, add it to the bowl.  Then add the grated cheese.  I used Kraft reduced fat grated cheese (it comes in a green container). 

The longer the bruschetta sits, the more the flavors will marry and the better it gets!  
To serve, I bought a loaf of sliced Tuscan whole wheat bread and I used two slices, cut in half.  I sprayed a piece of tin foil with a little cooking spray, spread 1/4 tsp light Smart Balance "butter" spread on each slice, then sprinkled with garlic powder.   I cooked the bread at 350 degees, flipped the slices after 5 minutes or so, cooked another 5 minutes then put them directly on the rack for another 2-3 minutes.  Just stand close to the oven and watch so they don't burn.  This is one of my favorite recipes on the blog thus far, you definitely have to make this!  

Calorie Count:  Eggplant bruschetta yields approximately 65 calories per serving.  If served atop two whole slices toasted Tuscan wheat bread calorie count increases to 240 calories.