Shoshana’s Quick, Cheap, Healthy, and Delicious Lunch. Yum Yum.

Prep Time: 4 minutes

Ingredients:

1 whole wheat pita

olive oil

zatar spice

hummas

½ tomato (chopped into bite-sized chucks)

A couple pinches of chevré goat cheese (Preferably from Sally Haverkamp’s goats)

Seasame seeds (Optional)

Preheat Oven Broiler to 400. Lay the pita flat on a cookie sheet and spread olive oil on the top side. Liberally sprinkle zatar spice across the top, mixing the spice and the oil. Add a pinch or two of seasame seeds if you wish.

Broil the pita until crispy (almost burnt-or in my case, fairly burnt. Go figure.). Takes about 2-5 minutes. Turn the oven off (very important step) and spread a thick layer of hummus across the pita. Add the goat cheese and tomatoes to the top, and gobble down!

Yum Yum!

Baked Grits

Not quite sure what to call this. I got the idea from the NYT magazine, but took it in a different direction. It was very yummy, rich and crispy on the top.

Ingredients
Grits (instant) - 1 cup, uncooked
Water - 2 cups
Yogurt - 1 cup
Cheese - 1 cup, grated
Onion - 1 cup, chopped
Garlic - 1 clove, crushed
Corn (canned, frozen, or fresh) - 2 cups
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste
Olive Oil - for cooking


Get those pans out!
In a saucepan or frying pan start cooking the onions and garlic over medium heat. Once they are soft, add the corn and simmer. While this is cooking, bring water and yogurt to a boil in another pot. Add grits and cook over low heat until creamy. Pour grits into onion mixture, stir, add cheese, add salt, add pepper, and stir again. Once cheese is melted then transfer it to an oven-safe pan, and pop it in the broiler until golden brown on top.

Salpicon (Tomato-Avocado Salad)

This was one Natalie made for the Guatemala portions of her Hungry Planet CR. Quite tasty and a nice alternative to guacamole and salsa. The beef is optional. Chicken would work well too.

Ingredients
Onion or scallions - 1 cup, chopped
Tomatoes -2 large, cut into wedges
Avocados - 2 to 4, cut into chunks
Olive Oil - 1/3 cup
Juice of 1 lime
Cilantro - 1 cup, finely chopped
Oregano - 1 tbs
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Sea salt - to taste
Black pepper - to taste

Chili's (Optional) - 2, finely chopped
Steak (Optional) - cooked, cooled, and sliced


Time to Chop and Mix
Mix olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, and chili's (if using). Let it stand for a half hour or so. Add tomatoes, cilantro, and onion/scallions. Mix well and place in fridge. Just before serving, add the avocado and beef.

Bananananana Bread

Old bananas. One bowl. Enough said.

Ingredients
Butter - 4 tbs.
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Eggs - 3
Bananas - 3 or 4
Flour - 3 cups
Baking soda - 2 tsp.
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp.
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Nuts (walnuts, macadamia, almonds) (optional)- chopped, 1 cup


Grab that bowl!
Preheat oven to 350. Oil/grease two loaf pans or 9x13 baking pan.

Mash bananas; add sugar, vanilla, & eggs. Beat/mix well. Add flour, baking powder, and baking soda and mix (Do not over-mix or it will get tough). Add nuts and fold them in.

Pour/slide batter into pan(s). Bake for 45 minutes or until dark-golden brown.

Simple Pasta Sauce

You only had it once a week for years, but now you can unearth the dark secrets of the sauce! Prepare to be initiated...

Ingredients
Tofu - 1 pound cubed
Zucchini - 2-3 good sized squash, sliced or chopped
Onion (optional) - 1 chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves chopped and crushed
'Green' Spice (Basil, Oregano, or Parsley) - 1 cup chopped or 2 tbs dried
Tomatoes - 3 cups chopped
Water or Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Olive Oil

Serve with
Pasta of your choice
Grated cheese
Red pepper flakes
Green salad
Garlic Bread

To the Stove!
Heat 2 tbs oil in a pan or pot and add tofu and garlic. Let it cook for a minute or two and then add zukes and onion. Cook on medium heat until browned. You may need to add a bit more oil. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and 'Green' Spice and cook for several minutes. Just before serving add the water or yogurt and stir to mix and heat.

Fried Rice Noodles

Aaahhh, Pat Thai! So many noodles, so little time. This is a recent variation that worked pretty well. It is just as good without tofu but makes a complete meal with it. If you are feeling carnivorous, cooking a little chicken or shrimp with it is good as well.

Ingredients
Rice Noodles - 1 large package
Sliced vegetables - (Peppers, mushrooms, spinach or bok choi, green onions, hot peppers)
Tofu (optional) - 1 pound cubed
Egg (Optional) - 2, beaten
Soy sauce - 2 tbs
Cilantro - 1 cup chopped
Sugar - 1 tbs.
Chicken or Veggie broth - 1 cup
Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed
Ginger - 2 tbs, grated
Sesame oil - for frying

Sides
Chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts, soy sauce, hot pepper paste, and lime wedges

Wok it up
Soak noodles in hot water for at least 20 minutes. Chop vegetables and place in separate bowls or piles. Mix broth, soy sauce, cilantro, sugar, and ginger in a small bowl.

Drain noodles and set aside. Heat up large frying pan or wok and then add 1 tbs oil. Pan should be hot. Add egg and quickly stir, then let sit so they form a solid disk. You may want to flip it to brown the other side. Take the egg 'pancake' out of pan and put on chopping board. Add 2 tbs oil to pan and add garlic. Stir for one minute and then add tofu. Keep stirring and then add vegetables, one kind at a time, from hardest to softest (Peppers before mushrooms before spinach for example). Keep stirring and flipping so they don't burn or stick. When the vegetables are soft, add the noodles. Cook for 5 minutes, mixing regularly. As the noodles soften and things look ready to eat, add the broth mixture to the pan. Let this heat up, but not boil away completely. Remove from heat and serve.

In between stirs of the wok, you should slice the egg into strips and place in a bowl as a topping. Along with the egg, serve with peanuts, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, soy sauce, and pepper paste.

FRUIT PIE!!!!

This really deserves more than one entry, since there are a lot of filling variations. This will get you on the road to developing your own mixes and tastes. The measurements are approximate and you may need to adjust as you go. You will need a pie plate or a small baking dish and wax paper.

Crust Ingredients
All Purpose Flour - 5 cups
Butter - 1 stick softened
Vegetable oil - 1/3 cup
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 2 tsp
Sugar (White or Brown)- 1/4 cup
Nutmeg (Optional) - 1 tsp
Vanilla extract - 2 tsp
Cold water (or ice water) - As needed

Filling
6 cups chopped fruit (Apples, peaches, berries come to mind; or a mixture of several fruits)
Cinnamon - 2 tsp
Honey, Sugar, or Maple Syrup - 1/3 cup
Cloves (Optional) - 1 tsp
Nutmeg (Optional) - 1 tsp
Vanilla extract - 2 tsp

Peach Pie (Maple Syrup, cinnamon, Vanilla extract)
Apple (Honey, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg)
Berries (Sugar only)
Go nuts, experiment!

Time to Rock...
Preheat oven to 375. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and spices. Add butter and vegetable oil. Mix with a fork or fingers until crumbly. Add vanilla extract and a couple tablespoons of cold water. Mix and add water (a LITTLE at a time) until the dough just sticks together. Set aside.

Chop fruit and place in large bowl. Add other ingredients and mix.

Place a sheet of wax paper on counter and put 2/3 of dough in middle of the paper. Press down with your hands to flatten. Put another sheet of wax paper on top of the dough and roll out in circle to less than a 1/4 inch thick with a rolling pin. Remove the top sheet of wax paper and place the pie plate upside down on top of the circle of dough. Flip the whole thing over so the wax paper is now on the top, dough in the middle, and pie plate on the bottom! Remove the wax paper and press the dough into the pie plate. Remove excess dough from around the edges and fill in the holes. You now should have a pie shell!

Dump the filling in the pie shell and even it out. Repeat the dough rolling procedure with the remaining 1/3 of the dough and remove the top sheet of wax paper. You should have a rough circle of dough. You now have a choice. You might have enough to make a complete top for the pie or you can cut the dough circle into 1/2" strips to make a lattice top. If you make a complete top, pinch the edges of the top and bottom crust together and poke holes in the top. If you make a lattice top, alternate directions so it looks like it is woven.

Bake in oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

Thai Basil Tofu & Miso Soup

This is kind of a cool combo meal and would be good with rice or a noodle dish. The tofu can be very spicy, depending on the pepper variety you have available.

Ingredients
Tofu - 1 pound, cubed
Miso - 1/3 cup
Veggie broth (8 to 12 cups) or broth powder (8 to 12 cups water and 5 tbs broth powder)
Hot pepper, any variety - seeded and diced
Lime juice - juice of one lime
Soy sauce or Tamari - 2 tbs
Thai Basil (or regular fresh basil) - 1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped
Sesame oil
Sugar - 1 tbs
Garlic - 3 cloves, crushed
Black pepper - 1 tsp

What Next?
Bring veggie broth to boil and add tofu, black pepper, and half the garlic. Simmer for 1/2 hour. Mix the hot pepper, lime juice, soy sauce, basil, and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.

When the tofu is done, use a slotted spoon to retrieve the cubes from the broth and place them in a bowl. Add the miso to the broth and stir to break up the miso. Continue simmering until ready to serve.

Heat oil in a hot pan and add the rest of the garlic. Cook for 1 minute and then add the tofu. Cook and stir frequently for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add the hot pepper-basil mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for a few minutes and serve hot.

Accompany with chopped peanuts, cilantro, and more soy sauce.

Ginger Eggplant Slices

A nice way to make warm, crispy eggplant.

Ingredients
Eggplant - Sliced in quarter inch sections
Sesame oil - 1/3 cup
Adobo seasoning - 3/4 tbs
Ginger - 1/3 cup grated

Time to Cook!
Preheat oven to 400. Mix adobo and sesame oil in small bowl. Dip each slice of eggplant in the mixture and place on baking sheet in a single layer. Place a dollop of ginger on each slice and spread with fingers or the back of a spoon.

Bake for 30 minutes or until somewhat chewy and crispy.

Standard Will Casserole

Well, you have looked through your cupboards and found some pasta and some old chips; a couple of vegetables are languishing in the fridge and you have a scrap of cheese. Time to combine them all!

Ingredients
Noodles - 1 pound or so
Vegetables - 3 to 6 cups chopped (Onions, zukes, celery, peppers, eggplant, kale, etc)
Tofu (Optional) - 1 block chopped
Ground mustard - 1 tbs.
"Green' Spice - 2-3 tbs. (Parsley, oregano, basil or all three!)
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste
Yogurt, Milk, or Rice Milk - 2 Cups
Crushed chips - 2 Cups when crushed
Cheese - 1 cup grated (Parmesan is good, but any cheese works)
Olive Oil - 1 tbs.

Mix it up!
Cook noodles until a little underdone. While noodles are cooking, heat pan and add tofu and onions. Cook for a minute or two and then add other veggies. Add mustard, salt, and pepper. Cover and let them soften.

Turn Oven on to 375. Crush chips in a bowl. Add cheese and mix well

In baking dish or oven-proof pot, mix noodles, cooked vegetables, yogurt/rice milk/milk and 'Green' spices. Make sure mixture is flat and then spread the chip/cheese mixture on top. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Top should be golden brown.

If you are in a rush, mix the yogurt/milk/rice milk with the vegetables in the pan and heat it up. Then mix with noodles, place chip/cheese on top and broil it for 4 or 5 minutes. The vegetables and noodles should be hot anyway, so you just need to brown the top.

Should serve 4 or 5 with some leftover.

Crazy Pita Sandwich

Well, you wanted the recipe so here it is...

Ingredients
Pita bread
Cheese
Baba or hummus
Zatar Spice mix
Fresh vegetables

To Concoct
Cut up or slice cheese and lay on pita. Sprinkle Zatar to taste over cheese. Put in pan on low heat and cover. Heat until cheese is soft then remove from heat onto plate. Pile on the fixin's!

Grilled or Baked Chicken

Start with good chicken, none of that anemic grocery store stuff. Find a good free range, grass fed chicken somewhere; it makes all the difference! The skin has most of the fat, so get skinless if you are thinking about that. The skin also provides moisture (oil) when it is cooking, so it tends to be less dry. If you want all the pieces done at the same time, cut the breasts so they are thinner. Getting boneless breasts makes this easier.

Basic Ingredients
Chicken breast (slice into strips about an inch thick for even cooking)
Other chicken parts (Optional)

Options
Rub chicken with chili powder (or other barbeque seasoning) and salt and let it sit for an hour or so before cooking.
Marinate chicken in lemon juice, soy sauce, and honey for a couple of hours in the fridge before cooking.
Marinate chicken in red wine vinegar, chopped garlic, and salt.
Rub with thyme, garlic, and olive oil.
Rub tapenade onto breast filets and then roll them around green onion pieces. Secure with a toothpick and then cook.

Cooking
Grill on medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through.
Bake at 375 or 400 in baking dish for 30 to 40 minutes or until cooked through.
Broil at 500 for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

How do I know if it is done?
Cut into the thickest part of the piece and look for flaky flesh. If it is clear or watery looking it is not done yet. Cooked chicken is white and drier than raw chicken.

Coconut Curry

This is a hearty stew/soup that is good in the fall and winter. You can substitute chicken for the tofu if you want. This is another recipe where additional vegetables are more than welcome. It is a good way to use up languishing veggies as well. Broccoli does well in this, as do other harder vegetables (turnips, potatoes, tomatillos, carrots, etc). This will serve 4 with some left over.

Ingredients
Coconut milk - 2 cans either regular or 'Lite' (Lite has less fat)
Tofu, cubed - 1 pound
Squash, peeled, cored, and cubed - 1 large squash (butternut is good, but acorn works well too, as do patty pans or zukes)
Red Pepper, chopped - 1 to 2 peppers
Eggplant, cubed - 1 medium eggplant
Onion, chopped - 1 onion
Garlic, crushed - 1 or 2 cloves
Thai red curry paste - 1 tablespoon (or more if you want it spicier!)
Lemon Juice - Half a lemon
Basil - 1 tbs dry, 2 to 3 fresh
Water as needed
Sesame or Peanut oil

Garnish
Lime wedges
Cilantro
Peanuts
Red pepper paste

Ready to Cook?!?
Heat oil in a large pot and add onions and garlic. Saute until soft then add curry paste and cook until it begins to smoke. Quickly add the coconut milk and a half can of water (more if you want it soupier). Stir.
Add all other vegetables and ingredients. Simmer over low heat until squash and eggplant is tender. Serve over rice

'Asian' Noodle Salad

This is a quick and easy way to use leftover spaghetti, rice noodles, or soba noodles. You can definitely add more vegetables. This will serve 4 pretty easily as long as there is something else to eat!

Ingredients
Noodles - one pound, cooked and cooled
Red Peppers, chopped - 1 to 2 cups
Green Peppers, chopped - 1 to 2 cups
Carrots, grated - 1 to 2 cups
Cabbage (Napa is good), chopped - 1 to 2 cups
Green Onions, chopped - 1/2 to 1 cups
Sesame seeds - 1/4 cup
Sesame oil - 1/3 cup
Tamari or soy sauce - 1/3 cup
Hot pepper - 1 teaspoon OR Hot pepper paste - 1 tablespoon

Garnish
Lime wedges
Peanuts, chopped
Cilantro, chopped

Super Easy One-Step Preparation
Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Serve chilled.

Baked Stuffed Squash

This can actually be used as a stuffing for tomatoes, zukes, or even potatoes. A good ratio is one person to one-half squash or one zucchini, but it depends on how big the squash are and how hungry the person is!

Ingredients
Squash or zucchini - as many as you have or want to make. The following amounts will fill 3 medium sized squash. You may have to adjust the amount depending on the size of the squash.
Bread crumbs - 1 cup
Matzo meal - 1 cup
Onions, chopped - 1 cup
Garlic, crushed - 1 or 2 cloves
Olive oil - as needed
Oregano - maybe a tablespoon
Cheese (Parmesan works well, but any harder cheese is a fine substitute, such as cheddar) - 1 cup
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste

Now What?
Preheat oven to 375. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Arrange in a baking dish or on a cookie sheet, scooped side up.
Heat oil in a pan and saute onions and garlic until soft. Mix in a bowl with bread crumbs, matzo meal, and all other ingredients until everything is coated with the crumbs and meal. Scoop into the hollowed out squash so that it makes a little mound and then drizzle with a little olive oil. Rub some olive oil on the rest of the squash as well.
Place in oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until squash is tender.