Baeta’t Tdamata

I’ve scoured websites and cookbooks looking for Assyrian recipes that my son will eat. This recipe from Cardamom and Tea is one that gets 5 stars from him! We have been meaning to try it with a dairy-free feta, but we haven’t done it yet. We enjoy these eggs and tomatoes at breakfast with our favorite flatbread.

1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon spice blend(equal parts black pepper, paprika, and cumin) + 1 pinch for garnish
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
Salt to taste
3 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons crumbled feta
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped parsley
Serve with bread

1. Pre-heat a 10-inch frying pan over medium-low heat for two minutes.
2. Add the tablespoon of oil, swirl it around in the pan, and add the spice blend. Cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and some salt to taste.
4. Turn the heat to medium-high and stir the tomatoes around for about 4 minutes until they start to break down and turn into a chunky sauce.
5. Spread the chunky sauce into one even layer (about 1/2 inch) and lower the heat to medium. Crack the eggs directly onto the tomatoes, sprinkle them with some salt, don’t disturb them, and immediately cover the frying pan with a lid.
6. Set a timer for 4 minutes if you prefer very runny egg yolks, or 5 minutes if you prefer slightly runny, custardy egg yolks.
7. Check the eggs by poking the white near the yolk with a knife and gently poking the yolk with your finger. If the whites do not ooze and the yolk still feels jiggly, they should be perfect. Once they are done, remove from the pan immediately. If the whites are not set, continue cooking them covered, checking every 45 seconds to see if they are done.
8. Garnish with feta, parsley, and a pinch of spices.

Vegetarian Chili

Thanks, Gastronomy, for this yummy vegetarian chili recipe. I’ve had to adjust the amount of spice, but I think I’ve finally gotten it worked out so the baby doesn’t cry when he eats it.

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped fine
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• Salt
• 4 (15.5 ounce) cans of kidney, pinto, or black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions, bell pepper, chili powder, and cumin. Cook until the vegetables have softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds.

Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, water, the whole chile, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.

Add the beans and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the chili is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.

I walk the chili by checking it’s level of spiciness while it cooks. When it gets as spicy as I want it to be, I pull out the whole chile pepper.

Stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Guacamole

This is actually a recipe I’ve carried around in a notebook for a few years and have never transferred it here to the blog. We made it first in September 2013 when J and I were in the middle of an experiment. We spent the month eating the staple foods available to the poor of Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, and Guatemala. When we got to the last two weeks and got to add avocados to our diet, we just died of happiness. It was an important month for me to walk in the footsteps of my students. Here’s a bit of Mexican joy.

• 2 avocados, mashed
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• 2 TBSP chopped onion (or 1/2 tsp onion powder)
• 1 small tomato
• 2/3 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 tsp fresh minced garlic

1. Mix avocado and lime juice immediately.
2. Stir in the onion and tomato.
3. Add the cumin, salt, and garlic to finish things off.

Skillet Rice and Beans with Corn and Fresh Tomatoes

Tonight I’m taking some time to record some of the recipes we’ve come to love in the last several months. Here’s another survival recipe from our first year as parents (see the Island Bakes blog as a source). I woke up exhausted one Saturday morning and searched our cupboards and freezer for something I could take to potluck. I had all of the ingredients I needed for this tasty recipe.

• 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed
• 12 ounces grape tomatoes, quartered
• 5 scallions, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1 TBSP lime juice

1. Microwave rice, 1 1/2 cups broth, and 3/4 tsp salt together in a covered bowl until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook onion and 1 TBSP oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until softened and slightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in corn and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in rice mixture, beans, and remaining 1 1/2 cups broth and bring to simmer. Cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Meanwhile, combine remaining 1 TBSP oil, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, and lime juice in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle tomato mixture over rice and beans before serving.

WORLD: Creamy Pinto Bean Puree

Another recipe from the Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet

• 2 16-oz. cans pinto beans
• 1 14.5-oz can Muir Glen fire roasted adobo seasoned diced tomatoes
• 1 cup plain dairy-free yogurt (Amande Cultured Almondmilk is what I used)
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• 1 tsp chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until pureed. For a soup with added texture, reserve ½ cup or so of the pinto beans, then stir into the pureed mixture. Stir in 1 cup water. Heat if desired, but I believe it is best at room temperature or just barely warmed.

MEXICAN: Pico de Gallo

I learned yesterday at church that my current favorite fresh salsa recipe was, in fact, pico de gallo. I took about 6 quarts to potluck, and it was a hit. It’s based on the recipe for Fresh Summer Salsa in Simply in Season.

• 6 medium fresh tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 large green pepper, diced
• 2 hot chili peppers, diced
• ¼ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 TBSP fresh basil, chopped
• 1 TBSP lime juice
• 1 TBSP lemon juice
• ½ tsp salt

Combine in a bowl. Let it stand 30 minutes and serve.

FUSION: Savory Beans

An adapted recipe from The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook. Serve these beans over rice, and you will be happy.

4 TBSP olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
2 large ribs celery, thinly sliced
4 carrots, thinly sliced
2 TBSP Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
4 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
4 cloves garlic, crushed
dash of ground red pepper
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 cups (or two 15-oz cans) cooked kidney beans (or pinto beans)
4 TBSP water
2 cups chopped tomatoes

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook for 12 minutes or until tender.
2. Stir in the Bragg’s, basil, oregano, garlic, red pepper, and 1/2 cup of the parsley.
3. Add the beans, water, and tomatoes. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until heated through. Top with remaining parsley and cook for 2 more minutes. Serve!

NORTH AMERICAN: Taco Salad

With an abundance of end-of-summer tomatoes and homemade ranch dressing, I decided to find a way to make a taco salad, something I haven’t eaten in a long, long time.

2 heads of romaine lettuce
4 tomatoes
1 onion
1 green pepper
1 1/2 cups frozen corn (thawed)
2 cups kidney beans
8 ounces of ranch dressing (or substitute)
1 packet of taco seasoning mix
1 tsp lime juice
1 avocado
13 1/2 ounce bag of tortilla chips

1. Chop lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and green pepper. Mix together with corn and kidney beans.
2. Mix ranch dressing with lime juice and taco seasoning mix. Add to the vegetables.
3. Smash the chips into bite-size pieces. Add the chips and the chopped avocado just before you’re ready to eat.

You can’t save the leftovers, so make only as much as you can eat.

FUSION: Miso Chili

1 onion, chopped

½ cup water

red or green pepper, seeded and chopped

½ tsp ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ TBSP dried oregano

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

2 tsp chili powder

1 ½ cups kidney beans

chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa

14 oz can stewed tomatoes

2 TBSP miso

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, and garlic, cooking until softened.
2. Add tomatoes, beans, grains, and dried seasoning.
3. Dilute miso in ½ cup water and add to saucepan. Simmer 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and garnish in individual bowls with cilantro.

From a tofu/soyfoods cookbook

WORLD: Garlic Potatoes with Chicken

2 pounds thin-skinned red and/or white potatoes (about 18)
1 TPSP olive oil
1 onion
12 ½ oz. chicken OR veggie chicken OR 10 oz. firm tofu, cubed
1 bulb garlic, cloves peeled
3 TBSP dried tomatoes, rehydrated and minced
2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves
salt to taste (optional)
fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish

1. Scrub potatoes. In 500ºF oven, heat oil in a 10”x15” roasting pan until hot, about 1 ½ minutes. Add potatoes and onion; shake pan to coat vegetables with oil. Cook 15 minutes, then add chicken or tofu cubes and garlic and cook 30 minutes more, stirring vegetables every 10 minutes.
2. Stir tomatoes and rosemary leaves into potato mixture. Add salt to taste, if desired. Pour onto serving platter and garnish with rosemary sprigs.

Serves 6.

Note: The first time I cooked this, the veggies burned, so next time I used a little more olive oil and made sure to cut everything to about the same size.

I think this recipe was from the second Healthy Choices cookbook.