Being Healthier

Grains, Vegetables and Legumes Lab

Our guidelines for recipe selection were similar to the Appetizers and Hors D’Oeuvers lab. Grains, Legumes, Vegetables Lab (3 recipes)

• choose 1 grain OR 1 legume OR 1 combination recipe
• choose 1 non-starchy vegetable recipe (think beyond lettuce and tomato)
• choose 1 starchy vegetable recipe (think beyond the white potato)
• use no more than 4-5 ingredients (excluding herbs, seasonings)
• use a majority of seasonal/local ingredients (all seasonal for fresh produce)
• keep it simple yet elegant; focus on presentation
• use different cooking methods and equipment (e.g., baking and sautéing)
• yield 4 portions each

Our team came up with Herbed Quinoa, Sauteed Kale with Garlic, Shallots and Capers, and Sugared Pumpkin , Lentil and Goat Cheese Salad.  I really enjoyed all of our recipes but I also enjoyed every other lab groups’ dish as well so I am posting the recipes, sources, and photos for all, Bon Appetit!

Team AD: Herbed Quinoa

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa (1/2 pound)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallion greens
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Preparation:
Rinse quinoa in 5 changes of water in a bowl, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off water (if quinoa does not settle, drain in a large fine sieve after each rinse).

Cook quinoa in a large saucepan of boiling salted water 10 minutes. Drain in sieve and rinse under cold water.

Set sieve with quinoa over saucepan filled with 1 1/2 inches boiling water (sieve should not touch water) and steam quinoa, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, 10 to 12 minutes. (Check water level in pan occasionally, adding water if necessary.)

Toss quinoa with oil and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Cool, then toss with scallion and thyme.

( click for recipe source)
Cooks’ note: ·Quinoa (without scallion greens and thyme) can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature and toss with scallion greens and thyme.

Team AD: Spiced Pumpkin, Lentil and Goat Cheese Salad

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup green lentils
• 6 cups 1-inch pieces peeled seeded sugar pumpkin or butternut squash (from about one 2-pound whole pumpkin)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika ( we used regular)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 cups baby arugula
• 1 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Preparation:
Place lentils in small bowl. Cover with cold water and soak 10 minutes; drain.

Cook lentils in boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Drain lentils. Rinse under cold water, then drain.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place pumpkin in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika, and sea salt. Arrange pumpkin in single layer on baking sheet; roast 20 minutes. Turn pumpkin over. Roast until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.

( do not do this next step- see note!)Combine lentils, pumpkin, and oil from baking sheet with arugula, half of goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates; sprinkle remaining goat cheese over. ( click for recipe source)

***Our notes:
- We subbed cubed butternut squash which worked well. You can also sub Sweet Potato, which might be easier to chop and sweeter.
- Do not complete the last step combining the lentils, pumpkin and oil with the greens etc. Combining all of it just makes it grainy from the lentils being tossed, and too creamy from the room temperature goat cheese. Instead, set up your arugula, layer with lentils and pumpkin and goat cheese- drizzle with dressing.

Team AD: Sauteed Kale with Garlic Shallots and Capers

* Jeff said this Kale tasted even better than collards made with fat back!!! I think everyone really loved it as well !

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (about 2 large)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons drained capers, chopped
• Coarse kosher salt

Preparation

Bring extra-large pot of salted water to boil. Add kale and cook until almost tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Rinse kale under cold running water. Drain again. Coarsely chop kale. DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Heat oil in large pot (preferably nonstick) over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and capers; stir 1 minute. Stir in kale and sauté until tender and heated through, about 7 minutes. Season to taste with coarse salt and pepper. Transfer kale to large bowl and serve. (Click for Recipe Source)

Team CF: Nutty Greens with Bacon and Blue Cheese

* These were by far the best green beans I have ever had! The toasted pecans are way better than the usual almond, and the bacon with blue cheese was just incredible in pairing flavors with the green beans!

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 1 pound haricots verts, trimmed
• 3 slices bacon
• 4 ounces blue cheese, cut into small chunks
• 1 1/2 cups toasted whole pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the haricots verts and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove the beans from the water and immediately place in a bowl of ice water. Remove the haricots verts from the ice water and set aside in a medium bowl.

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and place on paper towels. Add the beans to the bacon drippings and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the blue cheese and toss just until it starts to melt. Break the cooked bacon into bite-size pieces and add to pan. Finish by stirring in the toasted chopped pecans. Season with the freshly ground black pepper and just a tiny pinch of kosher salt. Serve immediately. (click for recipe source here)
Team BE: Bulgur Pine Nut and Red Pepper Pilaf ( bottom left)

Yields: 2 generous servings

• 1 small onion, chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
• 3/4 cup bulgur*
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted lightly
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh chives

*available at natural foods stores and many supermarkets.

Preparation

In a small heavy saucepan cook onion in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until softened.

Stir in broth, bell pepper, and bulgur and bring liquid to a boil. Cook mixture, covered, over low heat 12 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.

Remove pan from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in pine nuts, chives, and salt and pepper to taste. (click for recipe source)

Team CF: Maple Glazed Acorn-Squash with Currants

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 acorn squash (each about 1 1/2 pounds), halved crosswise and the seeds and strings discarded
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons dried currants

Preparation

Spread the cavity of each squash half with about 1/2 teaspoon of the butter, sprinkle the halves with salt and pepper to taste, and arrange them, cut sides down, in a large baking pan. Add enough water to reach about 1/4 inch up the sides of the squash halves and bake the squash in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 30 minutes. While the squash is baking, in a small saucepan combine the remaining butter, the maple syrup, the allspice, the currants, and a pinch of salt and heat the mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, until the butter is melted and the currants are plumped. Remove the squash from the oven, turn it cut sides up, and brush it generously with some of the maple mixture. Return the squash to the oven and bake it, brushing it with the maple mixture occasionally and adding more water to the pan as necessary to keep the bottom covered, for 20 to 30 minutes more, or until it is very tender. Season the squash with salt and pepper. (click here for recipe source)

Team CF: Green Lentil, Sun-dried Tomato and Feta Salad ( top, center)

Yield: 4 side dish servings
Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 8 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1 cup drained coarsely chopped sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
• 4 cups lentilles du Puy (French green lentils) picked over and rinsed
• 2 cups crumbled Feta cheese (about 2 ounces

Directions

In a large bowl whisk together oil, vinegar, thyme, tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Add lentils to a large saucepan of salted water and bring water to a boil. Cook lentils at a bare simmer until just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain lentils in a sieve and rinse gently. Toss lentils well with dressing and gently stir in Feta. ( click here for recipe source)

Team BE : Butternut Squash and Radicchio Pappardelle

Yield: 4- 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 3/4 pound radicchio, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 (8-to 9-ounces) package pappardelle (preferably egg pasta), broken into large pieces
• 1/2 cup coarsely grated ricotta salata or Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 ounce)

Preparation

Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, then continue to cook until it is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add oil, then nuts, and cook, stirring, until nuts are golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate.

Add squash to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add radicchio and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until wilted and just tender, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pappardelle in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoon salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta. Add pasta to radicchio mixture with 1/2 cup cooking water and toss over low heat until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Add more cooking water to moisten if necessary.

Serve topped with nuts and cheese. (click here for recipe source)
Team BE: Celery Root and Beet Salad

(far right)

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 6 medium beets (2 1/4 lb with greens), trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached
• 1 (1-lb) celery root (sometimes called celeriac)
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus additional to taste
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (2 oz), toasted and cooled

Preparation

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

Wrap beets tightly in foil to make 2 packages (3 beets in each) and roast until tender, about 1 1/4 hours.

While beets roast, peel celery root with a sharp knife and cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks. Whisk together lemon juice, shallot, oil, salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl until combined well, then add celery root and toss until coated. Keep at room temperature, covered, until ready to add beets.

Carefully unwrap beets and, when just cool enough to handle, slip off skins and remove stems. Cut beets into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks and toss with celery root.

Let salad stand, covered, at room temperature 1 hour. Taste salad and season with more lemon juice and salt if necessary, then toss with walnuts. ( click for recipe source)