Kristen's Recipes

Fresh Brussels Sprouts

Good Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Sea Salt (I actually omit the salt, sorry foodies.)

Fresh Cracked Pepper

Preheat oven to roast at 375°F.  Peel the outer, beat-up layers of the Brussels sprouts off.  Trim the end, and then cut Brussels sprouts in half.  Toss in a bowl with enough olive oil to coat evenly, then add balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.  Lightly oil a sheet pan, and then spread out Brussels sprouts, cut side down. Roast in oven for 15 minutes.

1 bunch fresh asparagus spears
1 C. water
1 C. white wine vinegar
1/4 C. brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and julienned
4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 allspice berries
4 coriander seeds
1 small piece nutmeg or mace
1 tsp. salt
6 whole black peppercorns

Trim the bottoms off of the asparagus, and pack loosely into a 1 quart jar. Combine the water, white wine vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, jalapeno, thyme sprigs, salt, allspice, coriander, nutmeg and whole peppercorns in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and boil hard for 1 minute. Pour the hot liquid over the asparagus in the jar, filling to cover the tips of the asparagus. Cover, and cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for 24 hours to blend flavors before serving. (you could also process jar for 10 minutes in boiling water canner or pasteurize it for 30 minutes at 180 to 185 degrees. Store in cool dark place for 3 weeks before eating.

Yield: 10 servings
Calories: 38
Total Fat: 0.2g
Dietary Fiber: 1.5g

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
1/2 tsp. ancho chili powder
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 T. balsamic vinegar
3 T. tamari or soy sauce
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. fresh cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned with a damp towel

Preheat the broiler. In a mixing bowl, combine the garlic, cumin, chili powder, pepper, vinegar, tamari and olive oil. Immerse the mushrooms completely in the marinade for 10 to 15 minutes. Place the mushroom caps button-side down in a baking dish. Brush marinade onto the mushrooms. Broil for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mushrooms are brown and dry. Serve warm, or at room temperature. Note: To toast seeds, place in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast until seeds are fragrant, shaking the pan to keep the seeds from scorching.

Yield: 6 servings
Calories: 43
Fat: 2.8g
Fiber: 2g

1 pound shallots
About 1 T. olive oil
Drizzle of balsamic vinegar or finely chopped fresh herbs (optional)

Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Peel and trim the ends of the shallots. Place the shallots in a baking pan that just barely fits them in a single layer. Drizzle the shallots with the oil and toss to coat. Roast, shaking and rotating the pan every 5 minutes, until golden brown and tender when pierced with a knife, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on size. If desired, drizzle with vinegar or additional oil, or sprinkle with herbs. Serve warm or at room temperature. — Adapted from “Roasting: A Simple Art” by Barbara Kafka

Yield: 4 – 6 servings
Serving Size: 6 Shallots

Calories: 42
Fat: 2g
Fiber: 1g

1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 lb. fresh snow pea pods, trimmed
1/2 C. diagonally sliced carrot
1/4 C. sliced water chestnuts
1/2 C. canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch

Add oil to a nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add snow peas and carrots. Saut� 2 minutes. Add water chestnuts and broth. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Combine soy sauce and cornstarch, stir until cornstarch dissolves. Add to vegetable mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 50
Fat: 1.5g
Fiber: 2.5g

Cooking oil spray
1 C. mushrooms, chopped
3 C. chopped cauliflower
1/2 C. chopped sweet onions
1 T. canola oil
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. fresh ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C. chopped chives

Preheat oven to 350�F. Spray baking dish with cooking oil spray. Mix all ingredients and spread in baking dish. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring twice. Garnish with chives and serve warm.

Yield: 6 servings
Calories: 45
Fat: 2g
Fiber: 2g

2 T. sesame seeds
1 1/2 T. each: fresh lemon juice, soy sauce, vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. Asian sesame oil
1/4 small red cabbage, finely shredded
1/4 medium napa cabbage, finely shredded
6 small carrots, cut into fine strips
1/4 lb. daikon radish, peeled, cut into fine strips
1/2 tsp. each: salt, freshly ground pepper

Toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk the lemon juice with the soy sauce, vegetable oil and sesame oil in a small bowl. Mix the cabbages, carrots and daikon in a large bowl. Add the dressing; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Yield: 6 servings
Calories: 95
Fat: 6g
Fiber: 2.4g

olive oil vegetable spray
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
2 scallions, white part only, thinly sliced
1 lb. small zucchini, diced
1/2 C. frozen corn kernels
1 sprig fresh cilantro, chopped
freshly ground pepper to taste
6 lettuce C. from Boston or romaine lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, 8 oz. seeded and chopped
sprigs of cilantro for garnish (optional)

Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Over medium heat, saut� the garlic and scallions for 2 minutes. Raise the heat to high and add the zucchini and corn. Stir constantly for 2 minutes until the zucchini is hot, but still crisp. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the cilantro and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat. To serve, place a lettuce cup on each plate. Pile the warm vegetables into the cups and top with chopped tomatoes. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if using.

Yield: 6 servings
Calories: 34
Fat: 0g
Fiber: 2g

2 small eggplants
2 pieces yellow squash, small to medium size
4 Roma tomatoes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Garlic powder
2 T. real bacon bits
1 T. red bell pepper, small diced
1 T. green bell peppers, small diced
1 T. red onion, small diced
3/4 C. grated Parmesan
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut off ends and slice in half lengthwise both the eggplants and yellow squash. Lay cut side up and close together on a small greased sheet pan. Then cut the tops and a very small piece of the bottom off the Roma tomatoes and stand them up with the squash. Sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper, garlic powder, bacon bits, peppers, and onions. Next, carefully pile high the Parmesan over every piece, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for about 12 minutes, or until they start to turn golden brown. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 165
Fat: 9g
Fiber: 6g

4 slices bacon
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 head cauliflower
1/4 C. sliced stuffed olives

Chop the bacon into small bits. Spray a large, heavy skillet with nonstick cooking spray and then add the bacon and begin frying it over medium-high heat. When some fat has cooked out of the bacon and it is starting to brown around the edges, add the pepper and onion to the skillet. Saute until the onion is translucent and the pepper is starting to get soft. After the bacon starts frying, chop the cauliflower, including the stem, into 1/2-inch chunks. Transfer to a microwaveable casserole with a lid and add a couple T. of water. Cover and microwave on high power for 7 minutes. When the cauliflower is done, add it to the skillet, without draining, and stir (the extra little bit of water is going to help dissolve the bacon flavor from the bottom of the skillet and carry it through the dish). Stir in the olives. Cook for 1 more minute, stirring. Serve.

Yield: 5 servings
Calories: 84
Fat: 6g
Fiber: 2g

2 tsp. olive oil
14 oz. bok choy, rinsed and roughly torn
1 tsp. grated fresh root ginger
1 tsp. garlic stock powder
2 T. oyster sauce

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok. Add the bok choy and stir fry over a high heat for 1 – 2 minutes. Combine the remaining ingredients. Add to the wok and stir fry for a further 30 seconds. Serve immediately.
Serve as an accompaniment to a main meal.

Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 55
Fat: 2.5g
Fiber: 1g

 

6 large slender eggplants (aubergines) (~700 g / 1lb 7 oz)

1/3C. olive oil

1 T. olive oil, extra

2 onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

14oz can diced tomatoes

1 T. tomato paste

3 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

1 T. chopped fresh oregano

1 tsp sugar

4 1/2 oz mozzarella, grated

 

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Cut the eggplants in half lengthways, keeping the stems attached. Score the flesh by cutting a criss-cross pattern with a harp knife, being careful not to cut through the skin. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan, add half the eggplant and cook for 2-3 minutes each side, or until the flesh is soft. Remove and repeat with the remaining oil and eggplant. Cool slightly and then scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/8 inch border. Finely chop the flesh and reserve the shells.  In the same pan, heat the extra oil and cook the onion over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomato, tomato paste, herbs, sugar, and eggplant flesh, and cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and pulpy. Salt and Pepper to taste.  Arrange the eggplant shells in a lightly greased baking dish and spoon in the tomato filling. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.  Leftover Tip:

We had a few left over, so the next day I scooped out the filling (tossing the shells) and heated it with some leftover, plain pasta I had. Topped with a touch of Parmesan cheese – and it was delicious.

 

2 T. olive oil

1 C. chopped green onions, including green ends

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pound baby bok choy, rinsed, larger leaves separated from base, base trimmed but still present, holding the smaller leaves together

1/2 tsp. dark sesame oil

Salt

1/2 C. chopped, roasted, salted cashews

 

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add onions, then garlic, then bok choy. Sprinkle with sesame oil and salt. Cover, and let the baby bok choy cook down for approximately 3 minutes. (Like spinach, when cooked, the bok choy will wilt a bit.) Remove cover. Lower heat to low. Stir and let cook for a minute or two longer, until the bok choy is just cooked.  Gently mix in cashews.

1 large cauliflower (white, purple or orange)

1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil

4 plump garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

 

Tear off the outer leaves of the cauliflower and core it, separating it into florets. Next, cut the florets into slices roughly 1/2″ thick.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-low heat. Scatter the garlic slices and pepper flakes into the oil, and cover them with the cauliflower; sprinkle the salt over the florets, toss everything together well, and cover. Let the cauliflower sweat for about 4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, then toss thoroughly with a spoon. Cover, allow to cook for another 3 minutes or so, and toss again. The edges of the cauliflower should be starting to brown; if not, turn up the heat a little. Continue cooking in this fashion until the cauliflower is tender and beautifully caramelized, about 12-15 minutes total time.

 

1 T. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

1/4 C. vegetable broth

2 T. toasted pine nuts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 T. freshly grated parmesan cheese

 

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add garlic and brussels sprouts, and cook until brown and softened, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add broth and cook until sprouts are tender but not soggy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add pine nuts and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small dish and sprinkle with parmesan.

3 zucchini

3 yellow squash

1 ½ tablespoon kosher salt

½ black pepper

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

 

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Peel vegetables and slice into ¼ inch thick slices.  Assemble vegetables to your preferred dish and drizzle olive oil on top. Finish preparation with kosher salt and black pepper. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes.

 

2 lbs Brussels sprouts

1 T. vegetable oil

8 ounces pancetta, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch wide strips

Salt, to taste

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

3-4 T. toasted & chopped cashews

1/4 C. freshly grated parmesan cheese, romano cheese or asiago cheese

 

Using a sharp knife or mandoline, thinly slice brussels sprouts crosswise, discarding root ends. (The “shaved” sprouts should resemble confetti.). Pour vegetable oil into a large pot over high heat; add pancetta and stir until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high, add brussels sprouts, and cook, stirring often, until sprouts are bright green and tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, & cashews and toss to warm. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano or Asiago cheese. Serve hot.

1 very large head of cauliflower (or 2 medium), broken up into bite sized florets

1/4 cup chopped shallots

2 tablespoons capers, drained

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

 

Steam cauliflower until just tender.  You want the cauliflower to still have a bite to it, so don’t overcook.   Transfer to a large bowl.  Whisk together vinegar, shallots and mustard in a small bowl.  Add some salt and pepper.  Pour in the oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly.  Pour vinaigrette over warm cauliflower.  Add the capers and parsley.  Stir to combine.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Serve chilled or at room temperature.

 

 

1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), (eyeball it)

5-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 T. chili powder

1 T. grill seasoning blend (such as Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick brand Grill Mates)

1 large head broccoli, cut into thin, long spears

 

Pre-heat oven to 425°F. Place EVOO, garlic, chili powder and grill seasoning in the bottom of a large bowl and add the broccoli spears. Toss to coat broccoli evenly then transfer to a large nonstick baking sheet. Roast the broccoli until ends are crisp and brown and stalks are tender, 17-20 minutes.

 

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 green onions, finely chopped

4 bacon strips, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 T. plus 2 tsp. butter

1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1-1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2-1/2 C. milk

3 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/2 C. half-and-half cream

 

In a large skillet, cook the onions, bacon and garlic in butter over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in spinach and cream; cook 3-5 minutes longer or until spinach is heated through.

 

 

2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen corn

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 C. chopped celery

1/3 C. butter, cubed

2 T. minced fresh parsley

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried savory

1/2 tsp. white pepper

3/4 C. sour cream

1 tsp. lemon juice

 

Cook corn according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, sauté onion and celery in butter until tender. Stir in the parsley, salt, savory and pepper. Drain corn; add to onion mixture. Stir in sour cream and lemon juice. Serve immediately.

 

4 C. Shredded cabbage

1/2 C. Diced bacon

1 T. Flour

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Paprika

1/8 tsp. Pepper

1 C. Milk

1 C. Soft bread crumbs

 

Preheat oven to 400°. Boil cabbage 7 minutes; drain and place in a 1 quart casserole.. Fry bacon; remove and drain all but 2 T. drippings. Stir in flour, salt and paprika; add milk slowly and cook until thickened. Pour sauce over cabbage, top with bread crumbs and sprinkle with bacon. Bake 15 minutes

1 head cabbage

8 to 16 ounces bacon

1/2 C. chopped onion

Garlic salt

Salt and pepper

Pimiento — optional

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Fry bacon. Add onion and chopped cabbage to the bacon drippings. Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle with garlic salt generously. Add salt and pepper according to taste. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and serve.

 

1 head Cabbage

½ Stick Butter (or more)

Salt and Pepper

 

Preheat a very hot oven. Bring a large pot of water or stock to a boil. Remove a minimal amount of the outer leaves and quarter the cabbage, leaving the core intact. Place quarters into pot and boil for 8 minutes or so. While this is going, melt some butter separately in a small saucepan. After the cabbage is done, drain well and take out a baking dish. Pour in a small amount of the melted butter to coat the bottom and then place the drained quarters cut side up in the dish. Pour over the remainder of the melted butter and season very well with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. The cabbage is very sweet and so the bottom and the upper parts should blacken and caramelize.

 

Cabbage – 1, any size

Butter – 50g (2 oz)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Cut the cabbage in quarters, wash well and remove the stems with a sharp knife. Plunge the cabbage into the boiling water, cover the pan only until the water returns to the boil, which must be as fast as possible. Remove the lid and let the cabbage cook gently until just tender and still a vibrant green. Drain in a large colander, slicing through the chunks with a knife until all the water has drained away and the pieces are a manageable size, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) or so across. Return to the pan. Smother with at least 50g (2 oz) of butter, season and stir over a very low heat for 5 minutes. Serve piping hot.

6 shallots, peeled and quartered

3 baskets cherry tomatoes, stemmed and washed

1 C. vegetable stock or chicken stock

1 T. sherry vinegar

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Preheat oven 375°.  In a large ovenproof sauté pan heat olive oil until very hot. Add the shallots and cook over high heat until the shallots brown about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cover and place in the oven. Cook about 20 minutes until the tomatoes are tender. Remove from the oven and add the vinegar and season well with sea salt and black pepper. Serve warm.

 

Preheat the oven to 400F. Break up a head of cauliflower into small florets, smaller than thumb size. The smaller the pieces, the higher your ratio of golden roasted bits to white will be. In a bowl, toss the florets with (at least) 2 tsp of oil and salt with 2 large pinches of salt. Spread out on a half sheet pan. Cook in the preheated oven, tossing and stirring up the florets every 10 minutes till golden brown.

 

Flavor Variations- toss raw with Parmesan cheese, or chili flakes, or lemon zest, or garlic, or rosemary, or sliced onions, or curry powder or …