West African Peanut Soup

Original Recipe HERE

 

So...I don't know what to say about this recipe and its success.  I thought it was great.  *N* also requested several helpings.  The boys didn't really complain (because *J* makes it quite clear when he's horrified that I dared serve something so disgusting), but they didn't finish their bowls.  I scooped it over brown rice, and I reheated it for lunch the following two days.

 

I added some salt after taste-testing, and I think it would've been fine if I'd just chopped up fresh spinach and didn't hunt down the collard greens.  I'd also consider using powdered ginger for convenience.

 

 Ingredients

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1 sweet potato, peeled & diced into 1/2" pieces

1 large onion

1 bell pepper [I used red]

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

4 cloves garlic

1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder

4 cups vegetable broth

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

3/4 cup natural peanut butter

3/4 cup water

1 bunch collard greens

Salt and pepper

Cilantro and peanuts to garnish (optional) [I did not use]

Directions

(1) Heat sesame oil in a large pot over medium heat.

(2) Add sweet potato; saute.

(3) Meanwhile, chop onion, bell pepper, and garlic.  Grate ginger.

(4) Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, ginger, and cayenne to pot.  Cook 15 minutes.

(5) Add broth and tomatoes.  Bring soup to a simmer; cook an additional 15 minutes.

(6) Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter and water until smooth.

(7) Wash greens.  Cut out and discard stems.  Slice remaining portions into 1" pieces.

(8) Add peanut butter mixture and greens to soup.  Cook for 10 minutes.

(9) Blend about 2 cups of the soup (I used an immersion blender) for a thicker texture if desired.

(10) Season with salt and pepper.  Serve into bowls; top with cilantro and peanuts if using.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Cauliflower "Fried Rice"

Original Recipe HERE

 

My kids like Chinese food, so I thought something that tasted like it could be a winner.  They could've eaten this stuff for their entire dinner and had nothing else.  There wasn't a single scoop left in the pan...so much for seeing how leftovers would hold up.  My mom was here, and she asked several times after she left for the recipe.

 

This recipe is good because the vegetables can be increased or substituted without affecting the base.  The cauliflower didn't crisp up as much as I'd expected.  I'd followed the original recipe's instructions to cover the skillet, and I think that didn't let enough moisture escape.  Also, I'd decrease the amount of soy sauce a bit.

 

Ingredients

1 medium head (about 24 oz) cauliflower

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

2 egg whites

1 large egg

pinch of salt

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 small onion, diced fine

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

5 scallions, diced (white parts only)

2 to 3 Tablespoons soy sauce

Directions

(1) Remove the core of the cauliflower; chop into coarse florets.  Rinse and allow to dry completely (I helped this along with a colander and dish towel).

(2) Place half the cauliflower in a food processor.  Pulse until small and has the texture of rice or couscous.

(3) Repeat with remaining cauliflower.

(4) Combine egg and egg whites in a small bowl.
(5) Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add olive oil.

(6) Add eggs to skillet.  Cook, turning several times, until done.  Remove eggs; set aside.

(7) Add sesame oil to skillet.  Saute onions, scallions, peas, carrots, and garlic 3-4 minutes or until soft.

(8) Add cauliflower and soy sauce to skillet.  Cook 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until cauliflower is slightly crispy but still tender.

(9) Add egg to skillet.  Stir until all ingredients are heated through and evenly combined.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Wilted Garlic Spinach

Original Recipe found in some magazine like Taste of Home from 2002.

 

I love cooked spinach, but there are no other Popeyes in my family.  Still, even if they only ate a little of this, they'd get some health benefits from the green Super Food.  Everyone ate this except *J*, who whined and procrastinated and wouldn't even take a miniscule bite.  Eventually, he decided he'd give it a shot - and decided it was good.  Maybe not great, but after that first taste, he ate the rest with no negative commentary or delay.

 

I think the kids decided it was OK because any spinach flavor is masked by extreme garlickness and the saltiness from the soy sauce.  Cut back on the garlic if you want something a little less powerful.

 

Ingredients

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon sugar

2 Tablespoons broth

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

6 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 Tablespoon olive oil

3/4 pound fresh spinach [I used a 9 oz. bag]

 

Directions

(1) In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, sugar, broth, soy sauce, and sesame oil until smooth.

(2) In a medium or large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.

(3) Saute garlic for 1 minute.  Do not let it brown.

(4) Add broth mixture to skillet.  Cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened.

(5) Add spinach.  Cook and stir until spinach is just wilted and coated with sauce (approximately 2-3 minutes).

 

Kid Participation: None.

Korean Beef

Original Recipe found in my mom's recipe collection

 

This is a meal from my childhood that is pretty common.  It tastes just as I remember it, and my kids gobbled it up just as my brother and I did.  This time I served it over barley and with broccoli, though my mom usually used asparagus.

 

The sugar amount can be reduced, depending on personal preference on how sweet versus salty you like your Asian-inspired food.

 

It can be made two ways: as listed below, or just dumping the beef and liquid into the pan and allowing it to all cook together.  It can be hard for me to keep track of the color of the beef when it's cooking in the liquid, so I prefer to separate the two.  Except on nights when I feel lazy and remind myself that meat can be medium-well and perfectly safe to eat.

 

Ingredients

1 lb piece of beef

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce [I used low sodium]

3 Tablespoons sesame seeds

4 green onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

3 Tablespoons sesame oil

 

Directions

(1) Slice beef very thin (less than 1/4").  Put into a large mixing bowl.

(2) Sprinkle sugar over beef.  Toss to coat.  Allow to sit 20-30 minutes.

(3) Add all other ingredients.  Toss to coat.  Allow to sit an additional 20-30 minutes.

(4) Heat a large wok or pan on medium heat.  Use slotted spoon to remove beef from liquid; add to pan.

(5) Cook beef in several batches (if necessary to avoid crowding), tossing and moving it so no sides burn.  Adjust heat as needed.

(6) Remove beef from pan.  If desired, pour liquid into pan and allow to briefly bubble and slightly reduce.

(7) Serve beef and liquid over rice.

 

Kid Participation: None, except giving me deja vu.

Wheat Berry Salad

Original Recipe HERE

 

The only time I've ever seen - and thereafter consumed - wheat berries was at the Whole Foods fill-your-container bar thing.  There was a salad that looked good, so I got some.  I liked it, and then I forgot about wheat berries.  Until the next time I was at Whole Foods fill-your-container bar thing.  Repeat, repeat (probably literally...I go to Whole Foods maybe twice a year).  When I came across this recipe in my bookmarks, I thought it might be a good accompaniment to our Christmas dinner since all the other dishes were hot.

 

The kids ate it but didn't ask for more.  Upon pressing him to rate the holiday menu items, Husband hesitated on this one, which is the indicator that he wasn't a big fan.  However, my mom and I thought it was great.  I really like the texture of wheat berries: you actually feel like you're chewing something instead of the mush of similar grain-based dishes like quinoa and bulgur (and couscous, which has flour, which is made from a grain, so I'll include it here).

 

I didn't have all the ingredients, so I substituted with what was in my kitchen.

 

Ingredients

2 cups wheat berries

6 cups water

2 Tablespoons honey

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 Tablespoon lemon or lime juice [I used lemon]

1 Tablespoon rice vinegar

2 Tablespoons peanut or sesame oil [I used sesame]

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raisins or dried currants or craisins [I used currants]

1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

1 cup fresh or frozen peaches or mangoes, defrosted & chopped small [I used frozen mangoes]

1 small red bell pepper, chopped small

1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped [I did not include]

 

Directions

(1) Put wheat berries in medium saucepan.  Cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer, uncovered, for 60 to 90 minutes or until desired tenderness is reached.  Add more water if needed.

(2) Pour wheat berries into a strainer.  Rinse, drain, and cool.

(3) Whisk honey, garlic, lemon/lime juice, rice vinegar, oil, and salt in a large bowl.

(4) Add wheat berries, raisins/currants/craisins, peanuts, peaches/mangoes, bell pepper, and spinach to the bowl with the dressing.  Stir to coat thoroughly.  Serve chilled or room temperature.

 

Kid Participation: None.