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Glazed Carrots Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:50:07 -0800

It isn't a true Thanksgiving meal without loads of sides, scattered around the table like banchan at a Korean barbecue. And one side (other than creamed spinach) that I can't do without is a bowl of candied carrots.

The premise behind glazed carrots couldn't be more basic: you simmer the root vegetables in some form of sweetener (sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.) until the sauce has thickened and coats the carrots.

If you're taking part in a beginner, budget-conscious, or fast Thanksgiving dinner, opt for a two-step recipe made of only four pantry ingredients. Alternately, add citrus for a side that has layers of complexity. Scope out both recipes after the break.

Move Over Cabbage, Jicama Takes Coleslaw

YumSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:00:41 -0700

Every Fourth of July, I make the ultimate burger. This year I slathered my burger with homemade mustard and ketchup and covered it with a crunchy jicama slaw. If you are not keen on coleslaw as a condiment, it's also a refreshing and crunchy side dish for hot Summer days. A complex slaw, this recipe doesn't exclusively use jicama, but combines radishes, carrots, bell peppers, and cucumbers in a sweet and spicy dressing. Although it's simple, it does take time to prepare - many of the vegetables are grated. It goes fast with one person grating and another chopping, so get someone to help you out (like I did!). To make this colorful and crisp Summer slaw, keep reading.

Healthy Cooking Tip: Cook Your Carrots Whole

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:16:55 -0700

Orange and sweet, carrots rank as one of my favorite foods. Recent research has revealed that the carrot, similar to the potato, retains more of its cancer-fighting nutrients when cooked whole.

The anticancer properties of carrots are enhanced by 25 percent when not chopped preboil. When you chop a carrot, you increase the surface area of the veggie, so more nutrients leach into the water when boiled. The researcher wholeheartedly believe that carrots taste sweeter when cooked whole, for the root veggies retain their natural sugars.

While steaming carrots is my cooking method of choice, I am not sure I will try to steam mine whole. Roasting whole carrots, on the other hand, is something I already do. How do you cook your carrots? Will you be cooking them whole from now on?

Fast & Easy Dinner: Couscous With Vegetables and Chickpeas

partysugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:50:13 -0700

Tonight, feed your family a healthy, filling salad. Inspired by Middle Eastern cuisine, this dish features the aromatic flavors of cumin and lemon. Roasting the vegetables adds depth, but you can achieve the same results by firing up the grill if you prefer.

Use the recipe loosely as a guide and toss whatever vegetables you have on hand with the couscous and beans. Interested in making this vegetarian meal? Get the recipe when you read more.

Couscous With Vegetables and Chickpeas
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1 pound carrots, sliced 3/4 inch thick on the diagonal
1 head cauliflower (3 pounds), cored and cut into florets
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup whole-wheat couscous
1 tablespoon lemon zest, plus 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 lemons)
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
6 scallions, thinly sliced
5 ounces baby arugula

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place carrots and cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet; toss with cumin and 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread half the vegetables on a second baking sheet. Roast until browned and tender, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating sheets and tossing halfway through.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/4 cups salted water to a boil. Stir in couscous; cover and remove from heat. Let stand until tender, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; set aside to cool, uncovered.
Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together lemon zest and juice and remaining tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine roasted vegetables with couscous, chickpeas, and scallions. Place arugula on a serving platter, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon dressing. Add remaining dressing to couscous mixture, and toss; serve over arugula.

Serves 4.

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Spice Up Your Summer With Chili-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

YumSugar — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 08:00:01 -0700

It's a week into June, but judging by the number of San Franciscans huddled up in coats, you'd never have known it. Since it was too cold to be grilling and chilling outside, I opted for another meat-centric meal inspired by the fiery flavors of Southwestern cuisine.

This recipe calls for baby carrots and red jalapeños, but I didn't want to waste any of the resources I already had on hand, so I used conventional carrots and green jalapeños instead. Whatever ingredients you use, the end result is full of complex flavors. To make this for dinner, read more.

Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin With Roasted Carrots
Adapted from Bon Appétit

Ingredients

Carrots:
2 pounds carrots, peeled, trimmed
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter, diced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 small jalapeño, seeded, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Pork:
2 1- to 1-1/4-pound pork tenderloins
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Prepare carrots

Prepare pork: Preheat oven to 400°F. Roast carrot mixture covered until just tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, arrange pork tenderloins on another rimmed baking sheet. Stir oregano, cumin, chile powder, smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon coarse salt in small bowl; rub mixture all over tenderloins. Heat oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork to skillet and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Return to rimmed baking sheet.
Remove foil from carrots. Nestle pork among carrots on baking sheet, arranging carrots in single layer around pork. Roast uncovered until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 145°F, stirring carrots occasionally if beginning to caramelize, about 18 minutes. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes.
Transfer pork to work surface. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange carrots on platter. Top with pork slices, drizzling any pan juices over.

Serves 6.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Spring Lamb and Vegetable Stew

partysugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 06:50:34 -0700

According to the food dictionary on Epicurious, stew is a "method of cooking by which food is barely covered with liquid and simmered slowly for a long period of time." However, this recipe proves that a rich flavorful stew can come together in under 30 minutes.

The key is to use a tender cut of meat like perfectly in-season Spring lamb. White wine, canned tomatoes, and store-bought chicken broth combine to make the simple sauce. To experiment with this quick-cooking stew, read more.

Spring Lamb and Vegetable Stew
From Real Simple

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds lamb steaks (top round or shoulder), bones removed and meat cut into 2-inch pieces
kosher salt and black pepper
4 carrots, cut into 3-inch sticks
1 onion, sliced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
4 ounces green beans, cut into small pieces (about 1 cup)
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season the lamb with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, until medium-rare, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate.
Add the carrots, onion, and the remaining oil to the pot. Cook until beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and scrape up any brown bits.
Add the broth, tomatoes, and beans. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the lamb, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Spring Fish in Parchment

partysugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 06:50:23 -0700

I love the French cooking technique en papillote. It's a simple, healthy, and quick way to make a fish dinner. I also enjoy opening the parchment paper package at the dinner table!

This version combines lots of vegetables - tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, carrots, and garlic - with plump, succulent sea bass. White wine and tangy olive tapenade further season the moist fish.

For the virtually effortless recipe to this delicious dish, read more.

Spring Fish in Parchment
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1/2 pint grape tomatoes
1/2 pound green beans, halved
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced on an angle
2 small carrots, shredded
1 red onion, quartered and thinly sliced crosswise
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
1 large lemon, cut into 8 slices
Four 6- to 8-ounce pieces sea bass
1/2 cup white vermouth or dry white wine
4 teaspoons black or green olive tapenade or chopped olives

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°.
On a baking sheet, toss the tomatoes and green beans with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until the tomatoes burst and the beans are tender, 10 minutes.
Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper the size of a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, carrots, onion, garlic and herbes de Provence. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Divide the seasoned vegetables among the pieces of parchment; top each with 2 lemon slices, the tomatoes and green beans and a piece of fish. Douse with the vermouth, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Dot the fish with the tapenade.
To seal, fold over the long sides of the parchment together twice, then roll in the short sides to form a pouch.
Roast until the fish is just opaque, about 12 minutes.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Loaded Spinach Salad

partysugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 07:50:41 -0700

Sometimes it's nice to have a satisfying salad for dinner.

This spinach variation is full of colorful beets, sweet carrots, crunchy pecans, and hard boiled eggs. To cut back the calories, the recipe discards the majority of the egg yolks.

Although a store-bought dressing is delicious, if you have time, make the creamy blue cheese dressing that accompanies the salad recipe. For this quick vegetarian meal, read more.

Loaded Spinach Salad
From Eating Well

Ingredients

8 large eggs
6 cups baby spinach
4 tablespoons Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing (recipe follows), divided
1 8-ounce can beets, rinsed and sliced
1 cup shredded carrots
2 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted

Directions

Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook at the lowest simmer for 10 minutes. Pour off the hot water and run cold water over the eggs until they are completely cooled. Peel the eggs, discard 6 of the yolks, chop the remaining yolks and whites.
Toss spinach and 2 tablespoons dressing in a large bowl. Divide between 2 plates.
Top with chopped eggs, beets, carrots and pecans. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons dressing.

Serves 2.

Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing

1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk or nonfat milk
1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar or white vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (1 ounce)

Whisk mayonnaise, buttermilk (or milk), yogurt, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Add cheese and stir, mashing with a spoon until the cheese is incorporated.

Makes 1 1/4 cups.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Skillet Vegetables on Cheese Toast

partysugar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:50:12 -0800

Make sure your loved ones get their fill of veggies by serving this simple but scrumptious vegetarian meal. Crusty, thick-cut wheat bread is topped with creamy goat cheese and quick-sauteed vegetables. Once you read the recipe's technique, get creative: the bread, cheese, and vegetable combinations are virtually endless. Dislike mushrooms? Sub in butternut squash. Goat cheese not your thing? Use an herbed cream cheese. To look at the basic recipe and go from there, read more.

Skillet Vegetables on Cheese Toast
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

8 slices rustic wheat bread
1/2 of an 8-oz. pkg. peeled fresh whole baby carrots, halved lengthwise
1 8-oz. pkg. button mushrooms, halved
4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 small red onion, cut in thin wedges
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 oz. soft goat cheese (chevre)
Fresh basil (optional)

Directions

Preheat broiler. Place bread on baking sheet; set aside.
In large skillet cook carrots, mushrooms, garlic, and onion in hot olive oil over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes, until vegetables just begin to brown.
Add 2 tablespoons water; cover and cook over medium heat 5 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring once. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, for cheese toast, lightly toast bread 3 inches from boiler heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Spread goat cheese on one side of each slice. Broil 3 inches from heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until cheese is softened.
On plates, top cheese toast with vegetables. Drizzle with additional olive oil; sprinkle with fresh basil.

Serves 4.

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Fast and Easy Dinner: Steak With Root Vegetables

partysugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:30:43 -0800

Expand your horizons with this recipe that pairs a classic steak with root vegetables. Carrots, parsnips, and beets are cut like french fries, but cook up quicker than the average potato.

Chopped tarragon adds freshness. For an alternate presentation, slice the vegetables into thin coins before sautéing. Serve with a glass of wine, sit back and enjoy the weekend! Look at the recipe: read more.

Steak With Root Vegetables
From Real Simple

Ingredients

4 8-ounce New York, strip, or sirloin steaks, about 1-inch thick
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, cut into thin strips
2 parsnips, cut into thin strips
2 beets, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon

Directions

Season the steaks with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the steaks and cook to the desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
While the steaks rest, wipe out skillet. Heat the remaining oil over medium-low heat. Add the vegetables. Cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Season with the remaining salt and pepper and the tarragon. Serve alongside the steaks.

Serves 4.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 497.22(42% from fat); FAT 23.48g (sat 6.46g); CHOLESTEROL 97.97mg; CALCIUM 82.94mg; CARBOHYDRATE 19.28g; SODIUM 708.51mg; PROTEIN 50.61mg; FIBER 4.3g; IRON 3.99mg

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