boneless chicken recipes: February 2008

Scalloped Swedes & Finns ♥

Today's vegetable recipe: Scalloped potatoes and rutabagas. A 'concept' recipe. Weight Watchers 3 points.

What, you're worried that a veggie evangelist bears a grudge against Scandinavians? Not me! It's just a little Leap Year fun, something allowed once every four years on the 29th day of February -- but of course, this really is for scalloped swedes & finns because ugly rutabagas have a pretty second name 'swedes' plus the potatoes were of the yellow Finn variety. Besides, a dish this simple, this reliably delicious, this variable -- well, it deserves a clever name, yes? to receive its just due. Happy February 29th, all! May your day stand out!

CONCEPT RECIPE It's easy to 'scallop' root vegetables. Grease the baking dish, then wet the bottom with cream or half & half. Add a layer of thin-slice root vegetables (a Japanese mandoline / benriner helps), another small splash of cream, salt & pepper, a tiny sprinkling of cheese. Repeat as tall as you like, then bake for an hour (or more if thicker than an inch, say). That's all there is to it! You could layer in fresh herbs, sauté some onions to put between but all that's gilding the lily. (Beets and potatoes are especially good scalloped, I call them "Those Pink Potatoes".)

DISH SIZE It seems that as kitchens have super-sized, so too have dishes. Plates and serving pieces all seem suitable for a large family with hungry farm workers at the table - with leftovers. In contrast, the small gratin dish pictured holds a scant two cups, just enough for four small-ish side-dish servings, or two small-ish main dish servings. Especially with a rich dish like scalloped potatoes, I'm (mostly) glad when there are no leftovers.

THE YEAR OF THE POTATO Did you know that the UN has declared 2008 the Year of the Potato? So food bloggers everywhere are celebrating all things potato. This is my contribution to the potato feast at Culinary Bazaar.

MORE LEAP YEAR FUN
(Note: I'm using a piece of experimental code here and while it's been tested in other circumstances, I'm not entirely sure how it will work out here. What you should see is a growing list of posts also featuring Leap Year shenanigans. I suspect the list won't appear on e-mail or RSS subscriptions. If that's the case, please bear with me and if you like, click through to Scalloped Swedes & Finns to see my list of fun Leap Year posts from the food world. The code has great potential for many, many uses so I'd like to see how it works in a live environment.)

PIE LOVERS KitchenParade.com is hosting a special event for Pi Day on March 14th. (Get it?) Yes, we're baking pies for Pi Day, focusing our entries on the fine art of homemade pie crusts and collecting all our best pie recipes and our tips for making great pie crust.

VEGETABLE RECIPES from the ARCHIVES
~ more potato recipes ~
~ more rutabaga recipes ~
~ more casserole recipes, what some of us call "hot dishes" ~

~ one year ago this week, Slow-Cooker Onion Soup ~

SCALLOPED SWEDES & FINNS

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Time to table: 75 minutes
Serves 4

1 medium potato, about 8 ounces, washed but skin left on (or peeled if you prefer), sliced thin
8 ounces rutabaga, skin sliced off, sliced thin
Cream - it takes less than you think, maybe 1/4 cup at most
Salt & pepper
Cheese (I used 1/4 pound fresh mozzarella plus a little grated Parmesan on top for browning)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease a casserole dish. Wet the bottom with cream. Arrange a layer of potato or rutabaga, season with salt & paper, wet with cream, sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 60 minutes or until cooked clear through.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 169 Cal (44% from Fat, 20% from Protein, 35% from Carb); 9 g Protein; 8 g Tot Fat; 5 g Sat Fat; 1 g Mono Fat; 15 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; NetCarb13; 4 g Sugar; 56 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 193 mg Sodium; 22 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 3 points

PRINT JUST A RECIPE! Now you can print a recipe without wasting ink and paper on the header and sidebar. Here's how.

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Eat more vegetables! A Veggie Venture is the home of Veggie Evangelist Alanna Kellogg and is the award-winning source of free vegetable recipes, quick, easy, and yes, delicious. Start with the Alphabet of Vegetables or dive into all the Weight Watchers vegetable recipes or all the low carb vegetable recipes. © Copyright 2008

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Carrot Dip ♥

Today's healthy appetizer recipe: Carrots cooked with cardamom and bay leaf, then puréed with orange syrup and yogurt. Weight Watchers zero points.

Earlier this month, Lara from the beautiful Seattle food blog Cook & Eat shared recipes for some tasty vegetable dips. I could have dipped a chip into any one of Lara's dips but somehow, the simple carrot dip called to me most plaintively.

It was the cooking method: chunks of carrots oven-simmered with cardamom pods and a bay leaf. Oh people, let me tell you, the scent that filled the house was heavenly ...

Even with the cardamom and orange syrup and yogurt, the dip remains distinctively 'carrot', just slightly sweeter, slightly lighter, slightly ... may I say, improved?

MORE VEGETABLE RECIPES
~ appetizer & snack recipes ~
~ vegetable dips & spreads ~
~ more carrot recipes ~

~ one year ago this week, my recipe for Homemade Mushroom Soup ~
~ two years ago today, Sun-Dried Tomato & Fennel Salad, the last of a collection of fennel recipes collected from food bloggers and the start of my own collection of many great ways to cook and eat fennel ~

CARROT DIP

See Lara's inspiring recipe for Carrot Dip
Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Time to table: 2 hours
Makes 1 1/4 cups

1 cup orange juice (Lara used the juice from a blood orange; another time I'd use a tablespoon or two of frozen orange juice concentrate and skip the cooking-down process)
1 teaspoon sugar (skip this if using orange juice concentrate)

1 pound carrots
4 cardamom pods
1 bay leaf
Water

4 tablespoons yogurt (I used non-fat Greek yogurt which happened to be on hand and worked perfectly)
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a small saucepan, cook the juice and sugar on MEDIUM HIGH, stirring often, til it becomes thick and syrupy and reduces to about 1/3 cup.

While the orange juice cooks down, peel the carrots and cut into chunks. With the cardamom and bay leaf, place in a baking dish large enough to keep the carrots in a single layer. Add water, about half as high as the carrot layer. Cover with foil and bake for an hour or until the carrots are very soft. Let cool. (If there's water left, you may want to either drain it or remove the carrots so they don't get soggy.)

In a food processor, whiz the carrots til smooth. Add a tablespoon or two of the orange syrup (or the orange juice concentrate if using that) and the yogurt. Season to taste. Chill until ready to serve.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Assumes non-fat yogurt
Per 2 Tablespoons: 29 Cal (4% from Fat, 13% from Protein, 82% from Carb); 1 g Protein; 0 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 0 g Mono Fat; 6 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; NetCarb5; 2 g Sugar; 16 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 34 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 0 points

Per 1/4 Cup: Per Serving: 57 Cal (4% from Fat, 13% from Protein, 82% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 0 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 0 g Mono Fat; 12 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; NetCarb9; 5 g Sugar; 32 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 67 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 point

KITCHEN NOTES

Be sure to start with whole carrots, not the 'baby carrots' which are really just big ol' honkin' carrots, drilled into bullet shapes. They're handy for snacking but have zero flavor after cooking.

If the cardamom pods are soft after cooking, consider throwing them into the food processor too.

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Quick Corn & Coconut Soup ♥

Today's soup recipe: Bell pepper and frozen corn warmed in coconut milk and rice milk, spiced with curry and Thai curry paste. Weight Watchers 3 points. Vegan.

Want to eat more vegetables? Cook soup. There are just so many great soup recipes and nearly all of them call for large quantities of vegetables. And even if they don't call for vegetables, adding them is a no-brainer.

Today's soup recipe is inspired by Nava Atlas' new Vegan Express. Her version calls for frozen corn, I substituted an enticing bag of roasted corn from Trader Joe's with my perfect one-item ingredient list: "Corn" -- and grown in Washington State, not in China. The coconut-corn-curry combination really works - especially with a bit of heat from the Thai curry paste.

And it's definitely another quick soup -- just 10 minutes of prep time and on the table in 25 -- and way tastier than a canned soup.

NEXT TIME I prefer soup with more substance so next time I will either use half the liquid or add another bag of frozen vegetables, probably broccoli or spinach.

Who has tried rice milk? This is my first time. Despite the common name of 'rice milk, the Trader Joe's package calls it 'rice drink' and it definitely isn't a dairy product but a commercial rice product. For drinking, it's perhaps an acquired taste? I found it both sweeter and pastier than expected. Next time I'd use regular milk but I see why vegans use rice milk, the consistency is the same, there is a definite 'mouth feel' of whole milk. And perhaps some brands are better than others?

LEFTOVER REPORT This soup tastes plenty good right away but the flavor does deepen after sitting 24 hours. I was so sorry for this soup to run out!

KITCHEN PARADE Did you miss Friday's Quick Supper recipe from Kitchen Parade? The one with roasted poblano and pork? The one called Pork & Poblano Skillet? The one that's paired with dried beans cooked in a slow cooker (no soaking required)? If you've relied on announcements here on A Veggie Venture to learn about new Kitchen Parade recipes, please know that I'm phasing them out since the readers of the two sites are increasingly different. If you want notification of Kitchen Parade recipes, you'll need a separate RSS subscription or separate e-mail subscription. Please? Thanks!

PIE LOVERS & FOOD BLOGGERS KitchenParade.com is hosting a special event for Pi Day on March 14th. (Get it?)

Yes, we're baking pies for Pi Day, focusing our entries on the fine art of homemade pie crusts and collecting all our best pie recipes and our tips for making great pie crust.

VEGETABLE RECIPES from the ARCHIVES
~ more soup recipes ~
~ each month's favorite soup recipe ~

~ one year ago this week, Slow-Cooker Onion Soup,
"the food of kings that even peasants can afford" ~
~ two years ago today, Candied Fennel Ice Cream ~

QUICK CORN & COCONUT SOUP

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 25 minutes
Makes 7 cups

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped (I used a red pepper from a jar)
4 or more green onions, chopped (Nava cooks the white parts with the garlic and pepper, adds the green parts later)
3 garlic cloves, minced (I used garlic from a jar)
2 teaspoons curry powder (I used madras)
1/4 teaspoon (or less) Thai green or red curry paste, stirred with a splash of water
28 ounces (2 cans) canned light coconut milk (next time, I'll use just one for a 'meatier' soup unless adding more frozen vegetables)
1 1/2 cups rice drink (also called rice milk but it's non-dairy)
16 ounces frozen corn (I really liked the Trader Joe's roasted corn)
16 ounces another frozen vegetable (recommended if you like more "stuff" than broth in a soup)
Salt to taste

In a large pot, heat the olive oil on MEDIUM until shimmery. Add the bell pepper, green onion and garlic as they're prepped, cook til just soft. Stir in the curry and Thai curry paste-water mixture and stir til smooth. Add the corn (and another vegetable if using) and the remaining ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil. Adjust heat to maintain a slow simmer for 5 minutes.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Cup: 193 Cal (53% from Fat, 5% from Protein, 42% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 11 g Tot Fat; 6 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 20 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; NetCarb18; 4 g Sugar; 6 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 21 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 3 points

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Kohlrabi & Apple Slaw with Creamy Coleslaw Dressing ♥

A recipe for an unusual and refreshing coleslaw made with kohlrabi, apple and fresh mint. Weight Watchers 0-1 points but tastes like more.

~recipe & photo updated 2010~

2008: What a salad! With ribbons of fresh mint, it has a summery taste and feel. The kohlrabi and apple meld so beautifully together that for anyone prone to hiding vegetables amid fruit, well, you're not likely to get caught. And I love-love-loved the dressing, just a small bit of cream whipped into pillows, then stirred with lemon juice, good mustard and salt and pepper. It occurs to me -- ha! -- that homemade creamy coleslaw dressing is what creamy coleslaw dressing is supposed to taste like! It's that good! This dressing will be repeated, truly, perhaps to change it up some times, with sour cream or Greek yogurt, with lime juice or maybe a delicate vinegar.This salad is almost like a sweet-ish Celeriac Rémoulade and in fact, I'd interchange the sauces and the vegetables for these two recipes in a heartbeat.

IS RED KOHLRABI RED INSIDE? A grocery-store scout tipped me off that a local store was carrying 'red kohlrabi', whose color must have been named by someone color blind for red kohlrabi is the the same color as, um, oops, red cabbage -- that is, they're both purple. But red kohlrabi is white inside, just like green kohlrabi, just like a red-skinned apple is white-fleshed. (Photo of red kohlrabi and green kohlrabi.)

2010: Once again, I'll say, what a salad! This is such a sweet change from cabbage slaw, lighter, less picnic-ish, a lovely bed for fish, say, Roasted Salmon & Asparagus. The dressing is light and airy, not in the least bit heavy like commercial salad dressings. This recipe is a complete keeper. I did get out the Benriner to cut the kohlrabi and apple which made, I thought, for nice presentation.

KOHLRABI & APPLE SLAW with CREAMY COLESLAW DRESSING

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 25 minutes
Makes 4 cups, easily adapted for less

DRESSING
1/4 cup cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon good mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt & pepper to taste - go easy here
Fresh mint, chopped

1 pound fresh kohlrabi, trimmed, peeled, grated or cut into batons with a Benriner
2 apples, peeled, grated or cut into batons (try to keep equivalent volumes of kohlrabi:apple)

Whisk cream into light pillows - this takes a minute or so, no need to get out a mixer. Stir in remaining dressing ingredients, the kohlrabi and apple. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Half Cup: 46 Cal (26% from Fat, 9% from Protein, 64% from Carb); 1 g Protein; 2 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 0 g Mono Fat; 8 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; NetCarb5; 5 g Sugar; 21 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 24 mg Sodium; 5 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 0 points
Per Cup: 93 Cal (26% from Fat, 9% from Protein, 64% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 3 g Tot Fat; 2 g Sat Fat; 1 g Mono Fat; 17 g Carb; 5 g Fiber; NetCarb12; 10 g Sugar; 43 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 48 mg Sodium; 10 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 point

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION Gourmet October 1992

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES

2008: The inspiring recipe called for a tart Granny Smith. I used sweeter apples and liked it fine - but tart would be good, too. 2010: I used a Granny Smith apple, the tartness is excellent.

Once grated, the apple begins to brown instantly so move it straight into the dressing and toss right away.

That said, once the apple/kohlrabi were in the salad, it didn't turn brown for a couple of hours (if it would have stayed white longer, I don't know, it didn't last!)

2008: NEXT TIME For a less rustic presentation, I will get out the Benriner and use the medium blade. It would also be pretty with just a spoonful or two tucked into a pocket of Boston lettuce.

A Veggie Venture - Printer Friendly Recipe Graphic

MORE FAVORITE RECIPES
~ more kohlrabi recipes ~
~ more salad dressing recipes ~
~ more recipes mixing fruits & veggies ~

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Pepper Sandwiches with Goat Cheese Pepper Spread ♥

A sandwich 'vegged' up with inexpensive peppers

Today's product tips: Jarred peppers from the grocery and fresh mini peppers from Costco. Today's recipe: A 'vegged up' ham sandwich with an easy goat cheese-red pepper spread.

Pound for edible pound, fresh peppers are increasingly expensive. Here in St. Louis, the everyday supermarket price ranges from $1.50 to $2.00 a pepper -- per pepper! Demand is high, so sale prices are rare. For a few weeks in early fall, locally grown peppers are plump and plentiful (and cheap, say $.25 each) at the farmers market -- even while the grocery stores are charging the same $1.50 to $2.00 for peppers imported from somewhere. (Wouldn't you know it? This week my local supermarket has peppers on sale for $1 apiece. I bought several!)

So I keep my eyes peeled for pepper products -- and have two to recommend.

JARRED PEPPERS - For $2 to $3, I find jars of (slightly pickled) peppers and jars of roasted peppers. Each jar holds six or more whole peppers, so they'll go a long way. But forget the regular supermarkets for the lower prices. Here I find them at an Italian market (for St. Louisans, Viviano's on The Hill) and at an international market (for St. Louisans, Global Foods in Kirkwood) but of course, you'll need to keep your own eyes peeled. They keep - so it's easy to stock up on a jar or two.

MINI PEPPERS - A two-pound bag of these gorgeous mini peppers was $5 at Costco - and to my wallet, worth every cent. They make great snacks, plus it's also easy to chop one or two for an omelet or garnishing a soup -- so there's little waste. Plus, they're just so darn 'cute', yes?

YOUR EXPERIENCE - What's your experience with pepper prices, both fresh and in 'convenience products' like these I recommend? Are they in your budget?

RECIPES from the ARCHIVES
~ more vegetable convenience products I like ~
~ more sandwich recipes ~
~ from Kitchen Parade, sandwich & cracker spreads, "turn an every-day sandwich into something special" ~

~ one year ago this week, Green Monster Soup, from Simply in Season, a kids cookbook ~
~ two years ago today, Cape Breton Cabbage, cabbage that is "sweet and fresh-tasting" I wrote, just 1 Weight Watchers point ~
~ two years ago today from Kitchen Parade, vegetables with sour cream,
you just know these are good! ~

PEPPER SANDWICHES

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Time to table: 15 minutes
Serves 1 - as needed

GOAT CHEESE PEPPER SPREAD - per sandwich
1 tablespoon goat cheese
1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
Chopped fresh or jarred red peppers (or sun-dried tomatoes)
Chopped herbs - cilantro or basil or dill, say
Bit of liquid to thin - I used liquid from the pepper jar
Red pepper flakes to taste

SANDWICHES
Good bread - I used a salty foccacia (for St. Louisans, from BreadSmith)
Smoked ham - leftover from Christmas, Note to Vegetarians
1/2 a roasted/pickled pepper - from a jar
Spinach, lettuce, more fresh basil maybe (not used but recommended)

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Too varied to say

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Kitchen Parade Extra: Tiapinno ♥

Today at KitchenParade.com, look for one of my oldest favorite recipes, one for tiapinno, the classic Italian fish stew. It's perfect for meatless Fridays during Lent, also for dieters since a hearty serving has only 3 Weight Watchers points. It's making me hungry, just looking at the photo!

Note to Vegetarians

Who missed last week's recipe for Cinnamon Sugar Cookies? If you learn about new Kitchen Parade recipes via an announcement here on A Veggie Venture (which didn't happen last week, by accident), may I suggest a separate subscription? I'm going to phase out making Kitchen Parade announcements on A Veggie Venture since the two sites have increasingly different readers. Just sign up for Kitchen Parade via e-mail or Kitchen Parade via RSS. Many thanks!

Don't forget the special event for Pi Day the week of March 10 - 14th at KitchenParade.com.

SO WHAT IS KITCHEN PARADE, EXACTLY? Kitchen Parade is the food column that my mom started writing for our family newspaper when I was a baby. Today it's published in my hometown newspapers in suburban St. Louis and features 'fresh seasonal recipes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences'. Want to know more? Explore KitchenParade.com, including Kitchen Parade's Recipe Box!

WHY DOESN'T THIS POST ACCEPT COMMENTS? Because I hope that you'll click through to the actual column and comment there!

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Stir-Fried Brown Rice ♥

A 'concept' recipe for a colorful brown rice side dish, one that invites adaptations and substitutions based on what sounds good, what's on hand, what's in season

Today's 'concept' recipe: Cooked brown rice stir-fried with edamame, bell pepper, bok choy, then tossed with tangerine and cashews.

What a great rice dish! With cooked rice using the great oven-baked brown rice from Kitchen Parade, it flew from stove to table in just 15 minutes. I call it a 'concept' recipe because it will adapt easily to what's on hand. But the combination of edamame beans, bell pepper, bok choy, tangerines and cashews was as flavorful as it was colorful, a definite keeper.

THE COOKBOOK Today's recipe comes from the brand-new cookbook from Nava Atlas, Vegan Express. During my vegetarian years, I cooked one recipe after another from Nava's Vegetarian Celebrations; later, it became the one vegetarian cookbook among many that continued to appeal to a new omnivore. I think the new Vegan Express will have similar cross-over appeal, in part because recipes call for ingredients that are 'whole' and 'real' (i.e., no processed veg(etari)an food products) and so are both familiar and easy to find without an extra trip to a health food store. Vegan Express might well appeal to:

health-conscious cooks building more vegetables and plant-based foods into their diets
home cooks feeding vegetarians and omnivores at the same table
veg(etari)an cooks needing a reliable source of protein-rich recipes

Three more great features of Vegan Express:

the recipes were developed while Nava was back in grad school and feeding hungry teenagers so they're quick, easy and family-friendly
each recipe includes nutrition analysis! (may this please-please-please become a mandatory feature of all cookbooks and food magazines?!)
the gorgeous photos are the work of fellow food blogger Susan Voisin from Fatfree Vegan Kitchen

MORE to COME I've already made two other recipes from Vegan Express, both with fewer calories/Weight Watchers points than many vegetarian main dishes seem to add up to. One's a soup that makes up in minutes -- I've been longing for a second batch ever since finishing the first. And just wait til you see the bok choy salad inspired by the leftover bok choy!

DISCLOSURE
Many thanks to Nava Atlas for a complimentary copy of her new book Vegan Express and the invitation to participate in this week's book launch. As always, readers can trust that I only write about cookbooks and products I really like. For more recipes from Nava, be sure to check out her own blog full of exploration, curiosity and of course, recipes -- it's called In a Vegetarian Kitchen.

Note to Vegetarians

VEGETABLE RECIPES from the ARCHIVES
~ more edamame recipes ~
~ more bok choy recipes ~
~ more recipes with vegetables and rice ~

~ one year ago this week, Armenian Tahini Bread, "Flaky yet chewy, utterly seductive" ~

STIR-FRIED BROWN RICE

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Time to table: 15 minutes (with cooked rice)
Makes 4 cups

2 cups cooked brown rice, half of Oven-Baked Brown Rice (Nava uses 2x more rice and cooks it on the stove, see Kitchen Notes below)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1 bell pepper, chopped (I used orange but next time will use use red for more color contrast)
6 stalks baby boy choy, the stalks sliced on the diagonal and the leaves, chopped (next time I'll use more of this, it was really good, especially the leaves)
4 green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 - 4 tablespoons teriyaki sauce or soy sauce (I used shozu, a fruity soy sauce)
1 - 2 teaspoons fresh or jarred ginger
Freshly ground pepper
1 tangerine, sections cut into pieces (Nava uses 2, I used one clementine)
1/4 cup toasted cashews (Nava uses 1/2 cup)

Heat the oil on medium high til shimmery in a large skillet. Add the edamame, pepper, bok choy stems (not the leaves, yet) and cook, stirring often, just until the bok choy is beginning to cook. Stir in the bok choy leaves and green onions as they're prepped, cook for another minute or two. Stir in the cooked rice and sesame oil, let warm through. Season to taste with the teriyaki sauce, fresh ginger and pepper. Stir in the tangerine pieces and cashews. Serve at once.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Cup: 309 Cal (35% from Fat, 12% from Protein, 53% from Carb); 10 g Protein; 12 g Tot Fat; 2 g Sat Fat; 6 g Mono Fat; 42 g Carb; 6 g Fiber; NetCarb36; 5 g Sugar; 66 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 531 mg Sodium; 3 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 7 points

KITCHEN NOTES

Nava's instructions for cooking brown rice: Rinse 1-1/2 cups long-grain brown rice and combine with 3 -1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently until the water is absorbed. (Note: I like to switch the proportion of starch:other so if you like this idea, too, cook 3/4 cup of brown rice to yield 2 cups cooked brown rice.)

Edamame beans are fresh green soybeans. I find them in the frozen section at Trader Joe's and in my usual supermarket in both shelled and unshelled. Nava suggests thawing the edamame beans but I had no trouble using them straight from the freezer

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Meyer Lemon Crème Fraîche Pasta with Broccoli Rabe ♥

An easy, romantic side dish or entrée. Pasta tossed with lemon zest, lemon juice, crème fraîche, Parmesan and broccoli rabe. Vegetarian.

All my favorite California food bloggers rave about Meyer lemons, those little 'droplets of California sunshine' that appear in their back yards and roadside orchards this time of year.

Thanks to the miracle of our modern food distribution system -- aka the non-local bandwagon that sustains a 2000-mile diet -- some appeared right here in the middle of the country. Just like that, I snapped up a dozen. Lemon curd, yum. Lemon meringue pie? Oh yes. And now, here, a lemon pasta dish.

If you happen onto Meyer lemons, perfect. But honestly, this recipe is as much about the magical blend of toothsome pasta and slightly bitter broccoli rabe and creamy crème fraîche as lemon. Use any lemon, I think you'll fall in love. (Valentine's Day, anyone?)

HOW TO MAKE CRÈME FRAÎCHE AT HOME Don't waste $5 when all it takes to make crème fraîche at home is a cup of cream and two tablespoons of buttermilk -- and 24 hours, so do plan ahead. Here's my recipe for crème fraîche.

ST LOUISANS The Meyer lemons came from Global Foods in Kirkwood.

MORE EASY ROMANTIC MEALS from the ARCHIVES
~ Lavender Steak, a real man pleaser ~
~ Cauliflower Risotto, all the richness but won't weigh you down ~
~ more Valentine's Day recipe ideas from Kitchen Parade ~

~ more broccoli rabe recipes ~
~ more vegetarian supper recipes ~

~ one year ago this week, Curried Red Lentil Soup, spiked with lemon! ~
~ two years ago today, Fennel Puree, a lower-carb mix of fennel and potatoes ~

MEYER LEMON CRÈME FRAÎCHE PASTA with BROCCOLI RABE

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 25 minutes (for 2 servings)
Serves 1 - many

Per serving

Good pasta, linguine or egg noodles - I allow 2 ounces per serving but people are much more accustomed to the 'usual' 4 ounces
1/2 ounce of fresh Parmesan, grated
Zest & juice of 1/2 a lemon (Meyer lemons are great)
1/4 cup crème fraîche
Fresh ground pepper (I used lemon pepper)

1/2 tablespoon butter
Handful of fresh broccoli rabe, the 'broccoli' tips and some leaves, cut in strips

For garnish, a little extra Parmesan & lemon zest

Cook the pasta in well salted boiling water until done. Drain in a colander and return to the hot pan. While the pasta cooks, grate the cheese, zest and juice the lemon. Put aside for the moment.

While the pasta cooks, in a skillet, melt the butter on MEDIUM til shimmery. Add the broccoli rabe (the tips first since they take a little longer to cook) and cook for 2 - 3 minutes until just tender.

Once the pasta is drained and back in the hot pot, add the Parmesan, lemon zest and broccoli rabe, then the lemon juice. Stir in the crème fraîche and pepper. Serve immediately - it doesn't hold heat well.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 523 Cal (48% from Fat, 14% from Protein, 39% from Carb); 18 g Protein; 28 g Tot Fat; 17 g Sat Fat; 8 g Mono Fat; 51 g Carb; 5 g Fiber; NetCarb46; 2 g Sugar; 215 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 344 mg Sodium; 81 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 12 points (YIKES - and that's with 2 ounces of pasta versus the usual 4)

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION
Adapted from Amanda Hesser's "Cooking for Mr. Latte"

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High-Fiber & Low-Fiber Vegetables

"All the experts tell us to eat high-fiber vegetables. But which vegetables are high in fiber? Are all vegetables high in fiber? Aren't there low-fiber vegetables too?"

So queried a reader recently, frustrated by nutrition advice long on principle and short on specifics.

For those who follow a high-fiber diet or those wondering how to increase fiber in their diets (or even those who must avoid fiber in their diets), here's a quick reference list of the fiber grams for common vegetables. I hope it becomes a useful reference!

~ Alanna

Quick List
High-Fiber Vegetables

Vegetables with Eight+ Fiber Grams

About the Fiber Gram Calculations

The vegetable nutrition information here was calculated using Accuchef, which relies on the same USDA database used by all similar nutrition analysis programs. Still, the information here should be considered estimates.

For easy apples to apples (or would that be asparagus to asparagus?) comparison, unless specified, Fiber Grams are based on a serving size of 1/4 pound of the raw vegetable.

For more detail on each vegetable, please see nutrition data for common vegetables.

About A Veggie Venture
If you're a first-time visitor and follow a high-fiber or low-fiber diet, welcome to A Veggie Venture, where each vegetable recipe includes nutrition information, including Fiber Grams, Net Carb counts and Weight Watchers points. You'll also want to check out my online food column called Kitchen Parade. There too, all recipes include nutrition analysis, including Fiber Grams.

More High-Fiber & Low-Fiber Resources

Once you identify a favorite high-fiber vegetable, find hundreds of vegetable recipes via the Alphabet of Vegetables. Recipes are also easy to find and organized by course.

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Vegetables with Eight+ Fiber Grams
Avocado, California (1 cup) - 16 (Avocado Recipes)
Tomatoes, Fresh Sun-Dried - 14 (Tomato Recipes)
Avocado, Florida (1 cup) - 13 (Avocado Recipes)

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Vegetables with Seven Fiber Grams
Artichoke (1 choke) (Artichoke Recipes)
Lima Beans, Baby (Lima Bean Recipes)

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Vegetables with Six Fiber Grams
Edamame (Edamame Recipes)
Jicama (Jicama Recipes)
Lima Beans, Fordhook (Lima Bean Recipes)
Parsnips (Parsnip Recipes)
Peas, Green (Pea Recipes)

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Vegetables with Five Fiber Grams
Garbanzo Beans (Garbanzo Bean Recipes)

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Vegetables with Four Fiber Grams
Brussels Sprouts (Brussels Sprouts Recipes)
Cabbage, Savoy (Cabbage Recipes)
Edamame (1/2 cup) (Edamame Recipes)
Eggplant (Eggplant Recipes)
Endive (Endive Recipes)
Fennel (Fennel Recipes)
Green Beans (Green Bean Recipes)
Kohlrabi (Kohlrabi Recipes)
Okra (Okra Recipes)

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Vegetables with Three Fiber Grams
Beets (Beet Recipes)
Broccoli (Broccoli Recipes)
Broccoli Raab (Rabe) (Broccoli Raab Recipes)
Cabbage, Green (Cabbage Recipes)
Carrots (Carrot Recipes)
Cauliflower (Cauliflower Recipes)
Corn (Corn Recipes)
Hearts of Palm (Hearts of Palm Recipes)
Mushrooms, Enoki & Oyster (Mushroom Recipes)
Peas, Sugar Snap (Pea Recipes)
Peas, Snow Peas (Pea Recipes)
Potatoes, White (Potato Recipes)
Rutabaga (Rutabaga Recipes)
Sweet Potato (Sweet Potato Recipes)

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Vegetables with Two Fiber Grams
Arugula (Arugula Recipes)
Asparagus (Asparagus Recipes)
Bell Pepper, Red & Green (Bell Pepper Recipes)
Cabbage, Red (Cabbage Recipes)
Celery (Celery Recipes)
Celeriac (Celeriac Recipes)
Chard (Chard Recipes)
Chayote (Chayote Recipes)
Daikon (Daikon Recipes)
Jerusalem Artichokes (Jerusalem Artichoke Recipes)
Kale (Kale Recipes)
Leeks (Leek Recipes)
Lettuce, Romaine (Lettuce Recipes)
Onion (Onion Recipes)
Potatoes, Red (Potato Recipes)
Pumpkin (1 cup purée) (Pumpkin Recipes)
Radish (Radish Recipes)
Rhubarb (Rhubarb Recipes)
Spinach (Spinach Recipes)
Summer Squash, Yellow (Summer Squash Recipes)
Tomatillo (Tomatillo Recipes)
Turnips (Turnip Recipes)
Winter Squash (Winter Squash Recipes)

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Vegetables with One Fiber Gram
Bell Pepper, Yellow (Bell Pepper Recipes)
Bok Choy (Bok Choy Recipes)
Corn, 1 ear (Corn Recipes)
Cucumber (Cucumber Recipes)
Lettuce, Iceberg, Red Leaf, Green Leaf & Butter (Lettuce Recipes)
Mushrooms, Button & Crimini (Mushroom Recipes)
Potatoes, Russet (Potato Recipes)
Pumpkin (Pumpkin Recipes)
Radicchio (Radicchio Recipes)
Tomatoes, Fresh (Tomato Recipes)
Zucchini (Zucchini Recipes)

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Vegetables with Zero Fiber Grams
None! But then we knew that, right? Vegetables are naturally high in fiber.

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Tonight, in One Small Town Called Kirkwood

Tonight, the dog and I walked downtown. It should have been a quiet walk, just footsteps echoing along dark streets. Instead, helicopters throbbed overhead, police cars flashed, television cameras and reporters gathered. The Kirkwood City Hall so many will see on the morning news is just a block from the farmers market where I buy so many of the vegetables you see on this site. The five people who were murdered there tonight, the two police officers, the three city employees, the two who were injured, the mayor critically -- and the gunman, too -- they and their families, they're all from my small town.

But aren't we all from some small town, even those in cities where streets and neighborhoods and buildings are the communities in which we live our lives. Countless times I've sobbed to hear of lives lost to suicide bombers, to natural calamities, to inexpressible tragedies. Tonight I spoke with a man from Lebanon who knows that in the morning, his parents will newly worry for his safety because he lives in such a dangerous place, America. We all live in small towns, wherever we live. We all mourn, wherever we live.

No words explain this madness. "What has happened to our little Mayberry?" my friend Marie writes. My only answer is quiet -- and the same sob when this happens on the other side of the world, when what has happened here, now, in my own small town.

To all the families, to the Kirkwood police force, to the people who witnessed the killings, to the city employees, to the people who gather for coffee across the street, to the teachers who will listen to students tomorrow, to the pastors who will attempt to console, to all the people who call this small town 'home', we mourn with you, we mourn together. We are you, we are your small town.

Hug your families, all.

More Information from the local paper where Kitchen Parade is published

Finding the Words video from KSDK

Mediation between Cookie Thornton & Kirkwood officials -
by Frank McCallie, Kirkwood High principal for 22 years

A Terrible Night in the Queen of the Suburbs

Sometimes the Real World Intrudes

eye witness from across the street

Feb 8th 8:15 am update -- FINDING WORDS

From Marie, again "... Last night, as we watched the horror unfold on television, my confident, increasingly independent 16 year old daughter curled up next to me on the couch and put her head in my lap. How do you explain something to your children when you have no concept of it yourself? I know I’m the parent and am supposed to be strong and comforting to my children, but I’m afraid I am failing. Truth is, all I can think about right now is how I wish I had a lap to curl up into so someone would stroke my hair and tell me it’s going to be okay. Deep down I know we’re going to come together as a community and be whole again, but right now I’m just “sad beyond words” as others have so accurately put it."

From Randy, a local fire fighter, "As an emergency service worker, my heart goes out to you and the Kirkwood community. This kind of thing could happen anywhere at any time. It's the kind of thing I get called to on the job. I am trained to handle horrible or dangerous or tragic situations very methodically and with a cool, almost machine driven head. People who often see the news don't realize the impact an incident like this has on the community and on the emergency workers on the scene. They don't get emotional while handling the incident, but later, they have to each deal with it in their own way. Much like the residents of the community in this case. ... This kind of thing could happen in any of our little 'burbs' around this area. All we can do is our part... both in tangible ways in getting involved, and in our own personal ways by spiritually holding our highest thoughts for our community and its leaders."

From Linda, "... It has to be difficult for all of Kirkwood, and it impacts all of St. Louis. How very sad. Kirkwood is 'community' ... I hope it continues to have sound minds prevail. It will also take a lot of love and reaching out to neighbors to help everyone deal with this tragedy."

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Lemony Leaves of Love ♥

Today's vegetable recipe: Leaves of Brussels sprouts sautéed with shallot and pistachios, drizzled with Meyer lemon juice. Vegan. Low carb. Weight Watchers 2 points.

I've been captivated by the innovative vegetable recipes in the February issue of Bon Appetit. (Remember the salt-roasted beets?) With this recipe, the magazine promises to convert all who hate Brussels sprouts. Me, I make no such promise but this, for baby-cabbage lovers, is one more good way to cook Brussels sprouts.

The technique is to remove the leaves and discard the cores. Task-wise, this felt like teeeeeeedious prep, sprout by sprout, leaf by leaf, core by core (although a glass of wine might have helped!) and resulted in considerable waste: a generous pound of Brussels sprouts trimmed down to half that.

It also took a good 20 minutes. Some forewarning from the magazine about prep time would have been appreciated, especially since the stated cooking time of 4 minutes created the impression of a 'quick' recipe. And then -- after those prescribed 4 minutes, the leaves were still completely raw and took a good 15 minutes to cook. (Ha! Maybe the conversion idea was that people who hate cooked Brussels sprouts will love raw ones? Too bad, there's actually a chemical reason why people don't like Brussels sprouts.)

Still, all these things aside, taste-wise, the combination of the shallot, pistachios, lemon and Brussels sprouts leaves is a complete keeper, even if time-, waste- and looks-wise it's more frog than prince.

FOR THE RECORD
This is my contribution to the annual Valentine for vegetables called Vegetable Love at FatFree Vegan Kitchen. Susan is collecting recipes for vegetable recipes that are vegan and low-fat. (Hmmm ... I wonder how many recipes on A Veggie Venture would qualify. A bunch, I bet!)
Note to Vegetarians

PIE LOVERS KitchenParade.com is hosting a special event for Pi Day on March 14th. (Get it?)

Yes, we're baking pies for Pi Day, focusing our entries on the fine art of homemade pie crusts and collecting all our best pie recipes and our tips for making great pie crust.

VEGETABLE RECIPES from the ARCHIVES
~ more Brussels sprouts recipes ~
~ two years ago today, Fennel, Leek & Mushroom Sauté ~

LEMONY LEAVES of LOVE

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 40 minutes
Serves 4 (yes, even with only half a pound of edible leaves, this was quite filling)

1 pound Brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon olive oil (reduced from 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil)
1 large shallot, chopped (increased from 1 tablespoon shallot)
1/4 cup shelled pistachio nuts (reduced from 3/4 cup)
Water

Salt & pepper to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice

PREP: Wash and cut off the stem end of each Brussels sprout, cutting about 1/3 into the sprout itself. Slice in half vertically. Remove the core with a v-shaped cut. Separate the leaves from the core. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. etc.

Heat the oil til shimmery on MEDIUM HIGH in a large skillet. Add the shallot, stir to coat with fat and cook for a minute. Add the leaves and pistachios and stir to coat with fat. Cover and let cook for a couple of minutes, checking to make sure they're cooking. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. etc, adding splashes of water for moisture as needed until the leaves are tender.

Season and sprinkle with lemon juice. Cover again and let cook another minute or two. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
As Made, with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 cup pistachios
Per Serving: 114 Cal (51% from Fat, 13% from Protein, 36% from Carb); 4 g Protein; 7 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 4 g Mono Fat; 11 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; NetCarb8; 2 g Sugar; 40 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 18 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points

As Written, with 3 tablespoons oil, 3/4 cup pistachios
Per Serving: 249 Cal (71% from Fat, 10% from Protein, 19% from Carb); 7 g Protein; 21 g Tot Fat; 3 g Sat Fat; 13 g Mono Fat; 13 g Carb; 5 g Fiber; NetCarb8; 3 g Sugar; 51 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 17 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight 5 points (YIKES)

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Brown Rice Pancakes ♥

Pancakes for Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday

Today's recipe: Pancakes for supper, a Shrove Tuesday "Pancake Day" tradition. Made with cooked brown rice and corn meal.

We interrupt this recipe for a Missouri weather report: Two January Sundays warm enough for raking leaves in shirt sleeves. And now, two weeks in a row, two 24-hour periods ranging from hot 70s to hard snow. Despite 8 inches of that fluffy white stuff I love just four days ago, yesterday people filled the streets in shorts and t-shirts, and kids, bare feet even -- 75 it was.

Faced with such a winter, what's a seasonal cook who chooses salads on summery days and soup on wintry ones to do? Well, on a Tuesday in February, this Tuesday in February, this day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, whatever the weather, there's just one thing for supper and that's pancakes. It's a Christian tradition but perhaps more specifically Episcopalian according to my 20-some year long friend Lisa (now the brand-new Portland food blogger at My Own Sweet Thyme) who shared her recipe for Overnight Pancakes this week. No matter: pancakes for supper, it's a good tradition, faith aside.

And no, there are no 'vegetables' in these pancakes but they are based on leftover oven-baked rice (both brown rice and wild rice), so 'plant' food shall suffice for today -- nutty and flavorful, steamy hot and substantial both. I would make these again in a heartbeat -- and of course will be back to vegetables tomorrow.

So Shrove Tuesday pancakes it is, then tomorrow I'll plant Lenten grass, another old tradition, this one from Finland and a lovely way to mark the quiet season of Lent with children. Too bad Ash Wednesday comes quite so very early this year, I'd hoped to share flowers blooming on the Lenten Rose in the front garden, perhaps soon, after another summery day, another snowfall.

BEATING EGG WHITES You know how they say that egg whites won't beat if any yolk or another fat gets mixed in? Well, they're half right. My egg-cracking was sloppy (who else finds that the shells on farm-raised eggs are less predictable crackers than those from the grocery?) and a fair measure of yolk slipped into the whites. I decided to beat them anyway, just to see. And truth is, even cold (and egg whites do whip higher when warm, a good thing to remember when making meringue) the whites tripled in volume, more frothy than whipped, but still. I wouldn't use them for meringue but they were plenty light enough to thin and lighten a heavy pancake batter quite well.

MORE SHROVE TUESDAY TRADITIONS Lenten Buns from Estonia

First Cookbook from an English girl

Swedish Lenten Buns (Semla) from Sweden

Traditional Irish Pancakes from Ireland

Mo's Famous Pancakes, from America

FOR THE RECORD This recipe is inspired by the Peruvian food blog Canela & Comino.

PIE LOVERS KitchenParade.com is hosting a special event for Pi Day on March 14th. (Get it?)

Yes, we're baking pies for Pi Day, focusing our entries on the fine art of homemade pie crusts and collecting all our best pie recipes and our tips for making great pie crust.

PANCAKE RECIPES from the ARCHIVES
~ Carrot Buttermilk Pancakes ~
~ Potato Pancakes ~
~ Potato Latkes ~
~ Cucumber Pancakes ~

~ Cottage Cheese Pancakes from Kitchen Parade,
plus my mom's favorite pancake mix and how it came to be ~

~ more Lent & Easter recipes from Kitchen Parade,
including a great selection of meatless recipes ~
~ more rice recipes ~

~ one year ago today, Curried Tomato Soup ~
~ two years ago today, Lentil, Pepper & Spinach Supper,
"this vegetarian supper was absolutely delicious!" ~

BROWN RICE PANCAKES

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 25 minutes
Makes 8 pancakes

DRY INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups flour, fluffed to aerate before measuring
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup whole wheat flour (I used more cornmeal)
2 tablespoons sugar (the inspiring recipe uses just 1)
1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 cup cooked brown rice (if you like, made with wild rice, how to cook brown rice in the oven)
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup skim milk (I used part buttermilk, part cream, what was on hand)

2 egg whites, whipped til frothy

Maple syrup (traditional)
Cranberry sauce (very good)

In a food processor, whiz the dry ingredients once or twice, just enough to mix. Add the rice, yolks, butter and milk and process til just blended. Fold batter mixture into the egg whites. (The batter is quite thick. If I'd had more milk I would have thinned it a little.)

Butter a large skillet and heat til shimmery. Add dollops of pancake batter to the skillet, using a spatula to flatten a bit if needed. Cook til brown on one side, just a couple of minutes. Flip and continue cooking til brown.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Pancake: 223 Cal (25% from Fat, 12% from Protein, 63% from Carb); 7 g Protein; 6 g Tot Fat; 3 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 35 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; NetCarb34; 3 g Sugar; 58 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 183 mg Sodium; 63 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 4 points

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Pages

SCALLOPED SWEDES & FINNS

CARROT DIP

QUICK CORN & COCONUT SOUP

KOHLRABI & APPLE SLAW with CREAMY COLESLAW DRESSING

PEPPER SANDWICHES

STIR-FRIED BROWN RICE

MEYER LEMON CRÈME FRAÎCHE PASTA with BROCCOLI RABE

LEMONY LEAVES of LOVE

BROWN RICE PANCAKES