Whole Wheat Nutty Quick Bread

Here is the recipe for the bread that I suggested you serve with the Comforting Corn Chowder, posted below.  I've tried all different kinds of bread baking techniques and currently this is my favorite.  Why even bother with yeast breads when you can make this quick bread in an hour?  A quick bread does not use any yeast, relying instead on baking powder and soda for leavening.  So that means no kneading AND no waiting.  It's a little sweeter than you'd want for a sandwich bread, but it is amazing with soup or for a snack.  I make a double recipe, leave half of one loaf out to eat fresh, and then cut up the rest into slices and freeze them individually wrapped to bring for snacks at work.  The following recipe makes one medium-sized loaf, but feel free to double them.

Comforting Corn Chowder

Check out the new poll feature and vote on your favorite comfort food!  The current poll question is inspired by this corn chowder recipe which is such a great comforter on cold winter days like this one.  The chowder is thickened by pureeing some of its potatoes and corn so it doesn't contain any heavy cream or butter and is completely non-dairy.  If you can find organic potatoes then you can leave the skins on for extra fiber and nutrients.  PJ doesn't usually have a great food memory and often forgets a dish we've eaten by the next day, but he actually asked for me to make this one again!  So it must be pretty good. 

Rustic Vegetable Soup with Chicken Meatballs

I just found out that I'll be starting my new job tomorrow and my first reaction was a panicked trip to the grocery store so I could fill up my freezer with as much food as possible before my time is consumed with work. One of the things I made was a big pot of this soup and put half in the freezer so I'll have lunches ready to bring to work with me or quick dinners if I get home late. I guess it's irrational, but now that my freezer is full I feel calm and prepared for the new job! I also made my favorite quick bread and another great soup that I will share later. This soup is really filling because of the chicken and beans and tons of vegetables so I think it makes a great one-dish meal. The small handful of cheese could certainly be omitted from the meatballs if you're not a dairy person or if you don't mix meat and milk. And for those who don't eat meat, it's still a great soup on its own without the meatballs.

Asian Avocado, Mango, and Chicken Salad

This is my own variation of a salad I've been making for years inspired by Wolfgang Puck's Chinois Chicken Salad. When I met my husband he was a very picky eater and among the many things he thought he didn't like were salad, avocados, mustard, vinegar, and all sauces or dressings. I proved him wrong with this amazing salad though, and now it is one of our favorite meals.

Warming Winter Beet Borscht with Dill

Here is another beet recipe, but this time it is a warm hearty portion of borscht. I never thought that I'd like borscht, mostly because the name is unappealing but also partly because it seems kind of simple and old-fashioned. But I had to share this recipe because it is really amazing! For the little money it costs for the ingredients, you get a huge reward of color, comfort, and taste. I make this in my pressure cooker and it only takes 6 minutes on high pressure, but if you don't own one I've included how to make it by simmering.

Party H'ors D'oeuvres: Golden Beet Bites with Smoked Trout

My sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law are engaged! I threw a small party last month in their honor and made all the food bite-sized and passable. This was one of the most popular bites, and it was so easy to make! All the prep was done the day before and then I assembled them just before the party. Use golden beets so that the color won't bleed onto the crackers while they are sitting, or if you can't find them just use red beets and try not to let them sit for too long.

The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Potato and Bacon Tartlets with Reblochon Cheese (With a budget-friendly alternative recipe, too!)

Everyone needs a little bit of bacon sometimes! Okay, well maybe not my husband's ulcer, or my kosher parents. But for everyone else, this recipe is truly one of the best things I've ever eaten and you must indulge at least once to try it. Just the memory of the salty sweet goodness of this tart is enough to get my taste buds watering! I've made this both as mini tartlets, which work great as appetizers or if you want to make sure you control your portion, and as a whole tart to serve family style. Either way, you'll need a good metal tart pan with a removable bottom. If you don't have, it is well worth the small investment to be able to make professional looking savory and sweet tarts and tartlets to impress yourself and all your friends! Here is the recipe:

Trio of Healthy Heaven: Sweet Potato, Quinoa, and Haricots Verts (And a bonus Moroccan Chicken recipe!)

I've been cooking dinners for a neighbor, Eleonore, for a couple of years now . If you can believe it, she has even more diet restrictions than my husband who is trying to cure an ulcer and lower his cholesterol. But she has proved to me that having a fickle diet doesn't have to mean bland food, well, not all the time anyway. This is my favorite Eleonore-inspired dish that I make frequently when I need a quick healthy meal that doesn't sacrifice portion or flavor. Once you have a bite of the warm and comforting sweet potato with the textured and nutty quinoa you will understand where I'm coming from. It's healthy heaven! And the crisp, salty haricots are just the refresher you need before you go back in for another bite of mushy goodness.

Customizable Whole Wheat Linguine with Vegetables and Herbs

This is one of the easiest and tastiest ways I know to make a quick and healthy dinner. All you need to do is make a stir-fry of whatever vegetables you have in your refrigerator and then add it to whole wheat pasta. If you keep a box of pasta in your pantry then this is a great way to use up the vegetables that are left at the end of the week. I sometimes like to do the opposite, though, and I buy lots of vegetables specifically for this dish. Then for the rest of the week I not only have yummy leftover pasta to munch on but also a lovely assortment of raw vegetables to roast, steam, or saute for snacks and sides.

My husband is still about three weeks into recovery from an ulcer he developed around Christmas, so I am trying to cook very simple foods without a lot of spices, garlic, dairy, fat, citrus, tomatoes, vinegar....oy the list is too long. We've been doing a lot of veggie stir-fries over rice with fish or chicken, but putting the same stir-fry into a little bit of pasta is a great change! You'd be surprised how much wonderful flavor you get just from the herbs, veggies, and a good whole wheat pasta. This is a dish to play with - everything (except the pasta) is optional so if you don't like an ingredient or are trying to avoid certain foods feel free to look at the variations and customize the dish to your liking.