Seasonal Pizza

My husband and I are pizza lovers. (Is there anyone who isn’t?!) In the past we would order in or go out for pizza, or occasionally we would enjoy a Kashi frozen pizza. But last December when I was testing recipes for We Can Cook, I made pizza at home and we really loved it. (The only other time I have ever made pizza at home is on Passover when I make matzo pizza.) Although I didn’t make the dough from scratch, it was still really fun to make the pizza – rolling out the dough, choosing the toppings, and seeing it turn into a delicious meal. Not to mention that it was so much cheaper than getting it ready made!

Last week when I made the cucumber soup I decided to make pizza to round out the meal. I had beautiful farm-fresh cherry tomatoes, basil, summer squash, and some leftover roasted broccoli on hand as toppings. I bought the whole wheat pizza dough from Trader Joe’s, divided it in two to make two pizzas, topped each crust with tomato sauce, part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese, and veggies, and watched it cook. Ten minutes later we had two Nutritioulicious pizzas (plus enough for lunch leftovers).

Margarita Pizza with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

Summer Squash and Broccoli Pizza

If you’re going out for pizza, be sure to check out my tips for how to make it a healthy slice!

Have you ever made pizza at home? What are your favorite pizza toppings? 

Chilled Cucumber Soup

It’s that time of year again – lots of cucumbers available fresh from the farm. A couple of summers ago I shared a recipe for a new twist on traditional cucumber salad. With the plethora of CSA cucumbers that have piled up I decided to try another new recipe showcasing this nutritioulicious vegetable.

My cucumber soup recipe was inspired by the one from Eating Well, with just a few modifications. It was really easy to make, and quick too!

Chilled Cucumber Soup
Serves 4; Serving Size: ~1 cup

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
• 4 cups peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced cucumbers, plus 1/4 cup chopped cucumber for garnish
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Pinch of chili powder
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• Diced tomatoes for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, shallots, and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 1 to 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and cook for 1 minute. Add the 4 cups of cucumber slices, broth, salt, pepper, and chili powder and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook at a gentle simmer until the cucumbers are soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Transfer the soup to a blender. Add avocado and parsley and blend on low speed until smooth. Add the second tablespoon of lemon juice to taste and blend. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Pour soup into a serving bowl and stir in the yogurt. Refrigerate until chilled.
3. Serve the soup garnished with diced cucumber and tomato and the chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Nutrition Note: Cucumbers are in the same family of fruit and vegetables as squash, watermelon, and cantaloupe. Nutritionally, cucumbers are a good source of phytonutrients that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. They are also a good source of the antioxidants vitamin C and beta-carotene. Because they are water-rich, cucumbers are excellent low-calorie vegetables.

What are your favorite ways to enjoy cucumbers? 

Tomatoes and Basil

As you may know from summer’s past, I love farm-fresh tomatoes. What I love even more is the simple yet nutritious and delicious combination of tomatoes and basil. Lucky for me I have both from my CSA this week, which makes me so happy! This afternoon as I was looking in my fridge and pantry for an afternoon snack, I thought “Why not make a little tomato and basil salad?” In less than three minutes I had this beautiful salad, which paired with some cheese made for a filling and balanced snack!

How good does that look?!

Ingredients:

• Handful cherry tomatoes
• 2-3 basil leaves
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Aged balsamic vinegar
• Salt & freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. Rinse tomatoes and basil in cold water and pat dry. Slice tomatoes in half and add to a small bowl. Tear basil leaves and add to tomatoes. Drizzle olive oil and vinegar on top of tomatoes and basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy the fresh flavors of the summer!

Looking for another tomato recipe? Try the Tomato Jam I made last fall.

Do you like tomatoes? What’s your favorite way to enjoy them?

Roasted Fennel, Garlic Scape, and Sweet Onion Dip

What do you do when you have a handful of uneaten CSA vegetables and another delivery coming the next day? Roast them up and make them into a dip! At least that’s what I did the other night. I had one fennel bulb, a handful of garlic scapes, and three small sweet red onions. I also had half a dozen farm-fresh eggs to use. I decided to roast the vegetables and make a pesto with them, but in the end it came out more like a dip. A very tasty dip that was used to top the eggs and spread on some leftover challah bread.

I don’t have a very measured recipe for the dip since I was adding ingredients as I went along, but here’s basically what I did:

Roasted Fennel, Garlic Scape, and Sweet Onion Dip
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 fennel bulb, cut into chunks
• 4 garlic scapes
• 3 small sweet red onions, cut into chunks
• olive oil (about 1/3 cup plus more for roasting)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Parmesan cheese, grated, to taste (I used about 1/4-1/3 cup)

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the fennel, garlic scapes, and onions in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes until soft. 
2. Let vegetables cool slightly and then transfer to a food processor. Pulse for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until big chunks have broken down. Add in the cheese and continue pulsing until combined. Drizzle olive oil slowly and pulse, stopping to scrape the sides, until you get to desired consistency. You may want to add more cheese as you go. Flavor with salt and pepper. 

What do you do with leftover vegetables? 

Cherries Are In Season!

You all know I love eating based on what’s in season, so when it comes to the summer months I’m basically in foodie heaven. There is so much produce available in these warmer months and I start getting my CSA deliveries, which I’m always excited about!

Some of my favorite fruits of the season are stone fruits, including cherries. As you could see from my Recipe ReDux post yesterday, I have already been busy using cherries to make cherry chutney and I love having a handful with breakfast and for an after dinner snack too.

There are different varieties of cherries, some of which are sweet and some sour. All cherries are a good source of vitamin C and beta-carotene, although sour cherries have higher amounts of these nutrients and are a little lower in calories. Cherries have been shown to help improve arthritis and gout thanks to their level of anthocyanins, antioxidants found in red, purple, and blue fruits and vegetables. Half a cup of sweet cherries provides 45 calories, 11 g carbohydrate, and 2 g fiber.

Do you like cherries? How do you enjoy eating them? 

White Bean and Kale Soup

Now that the cool, crisp fall weather is here, I am always in the mood for meals that will warm me up. People often gravitate toward so-called comfort foods when the cold weather hits, but many of those foods are full of fat and too high in calories for an average meal. So instead of feasting on heavy meals that may warm the belly but also make it expand, I often make soups that are light, yet filling and satisfying.

Recently I had a bunch of kale from my CSA and instead of making kale chips like I have in the past, I decided to make white bean and kale soup — a popular combo, but one I have never made. I found a recipe that sounded good and gave it a try (with a few modifications). Unlike most white bean soups I have had, which are white and creamy in the end, this one had a reddish-orange colored broth and was more of a vegetable soup.

White Bean Soup (original recipe from Cooking Light, March 2002)
Serves: 12; Serving Size: About 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 whole garlic head
• 8 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 12 cups low-sodium vegetable Stock
• 1 (16-ounce) can no salt added cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (16-ounce) can no salt added navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 4-6 cups chopped fresh kale
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Remove white papery skin from garlic heads (do not peel or separate the cloves). Brush each with 1 teaspoon olive oil and wrap in foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves and squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium-heat. Add onion and salt; sauté 5 minutes. Add carrot and the next 3 ingredients (carrot through tomato paste); cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add vegetable stock and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
4. Stir in garlic and kale; simmer 10 minutes or until kale is tender. Stir in lemon juice and pepper. Sprinkle each bowl with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese and serve hot.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 173calories, 7 g protein, 25 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 476 mg sodium

Swiss Chard and Green Bean Stew

Last week I told you about my CSA dinner and shared the recipes for my Grilled Corn, Basil, and Tomato Salad and Roasted Red Potatoes, Kohlrabi, and Spring Onions. The third side dish I made for that meal was inspired by Food & Wine’s Quick White Bean Stew with Swiss Chard and Tomatoes. Since I had Swiss chard, green beans, garlic scapes, and onions, I figured I’d make my own version of this stew:

Swiss Chard and Green Bean Stew

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch Swiss chard, large stems discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 2-inch strips
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3-4 garlic scapes, chopped (woody ends removed)
• crushed red pepper, to taste
• 1 medium onion, sliced into half moons
• 1 bunch green beans
• 1 cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup water
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the chard and simmer over moderate heat until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain the greens and gently press out excess water.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Add the garlic scapes and crushed red pepper and cook over moderate heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the onions and sauté until they are translucent. Add the green beans and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Combine the broth and water and add to the saucepan. Simmer for about 3 minutes. Add the chard and simmer over moderate heat until the flavors meld and most of the liquid has absorbed. Season the stew with salt and pepper.

Grilled Corn, Basil, and Tomato Salad

As I mentioned yesterday, last weekend I made dinner using my CSA veggies. Included in the bundle were 3 ears of corn and some basil. I also saw grape tomatoes on sale at Fairway (my local, awesome supermarket!), and decided to make one of my favorite nutritious and delicious combinations: Grilled Corn, Basil, and Tomato Salad.

Ingredients:

• 3 ears corn, shucked
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Fresh basil leaves, torn

Directions:

1. In a pot of boiling water, cook corn for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. Spray a grill pan or outside grill with nonstick spray and heat on medium-high heat. Grill corn for 10 minutes, turning every couple of minutes until all sides have grill marks. Remove from grill and set aside to cool.
3. Once corn is cool enough to touch, use a paring knife to cut kernels off cob into a medium bowl. Be sure to cut very close to the cob to use as much corn as possible. Add tomatoes to bowl.
4. In a small dish, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Add to corn and tomatoes and toss to mix.
5. Before serving, add torn basil leaves and toss corn salad once more.

The dressing on this salad is very light to allow the flavors of the fresh ingredients to shine!

The truth about corn:

Corn gets a bad rap, but it actually has many nutritional benefits. Whole corn is a whole grain and a good source of dietary fiber, the B vitamins folate and thiamin, and antioxidants vitamin C and lutein.

How do you like to eat corn?

CSA Dinner

Every Monday I get a delivery from a CSA (same one as last year), so by the end of the week I need to make sure there’s room in the fridge for a new batch of goodies. This past weekend I had a lot leftover from the previous delivery, so I got cooking! I made the following dishes:

• Simply grilled chicken breast
• Grilled corn, basil, and tomato salad
• Roasted red potatoes, kohlrabi, and spring onions
• Swiss chard and green bean stew

Over the next few days I will share with you how they were all prepared. Here is what the dinner plate looked like with all four dishes:

What do you do with your farm-fresh vegetables?

Tofu Stir Fry

Something I strongly encourage my clients to do is eat a variety of food. Having too much of anything isn’t good for anyone. So I myself try to change up my meals, and avoid eating the same type of food or source of protein every day of the week. Lately I’ve been trying to incorporate more vegetarian food into my repertoire, which has actually been easier since having the CSA delivery. There has never been a shortage of fruits and vegetables in my house, but it’s so much easier to have them delivered to you! Plus, you’re more likely to try new things!

One of my favorite vegetarian dishes is stir-fried tofu. Since tofu has a very neutral taste, it’s really versatile to work with and enjoy because it absorbs the flavors with which it’s cooked. Tofu comes in multiple varieties — silken, soft, firm, and extra-firm. I like firm and extra-firm the best for my cooking purposes. Since tofu is packed in water, it’s important to drain it before cooking so that it isn’t too moist to cook and browns nicely. In restaurants, tofu is often dredged with flour to absorb the moisture — this means extra calories for you. Here is my recipe for Tofu Stir Fry using some of this week’s CSA vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 1 package firm or extra-firm tofu
• nonstick cooking spray
• 1 head of broccoli florets
• 1/2 pound string beans
• 1/2  red pepper, cut into strips
• 1/2 green pepper, cut into strips
• 1 bulb of leeks, cut into rounds
• Stir fry sauce, as needed (I like Soy Vay sauces)

Directions:

1. Drain tofu and slice into 5-6 equal rectangular portions. Drain on paper towels to get rid of most of the moisture. You will need to change paper towels periodically.
   

   Draining tofu

2. In a wok or medium sauté pan, sauté vegetables over medium heat. Add some sauce and cook until vegetables are cooked. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside.
3. Add sliced tofu and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Return veggies to wok or pan over tofu and add some more sauce. Cover and let heat for 2-3 minutes. Serve.

Before

After