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Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

Published on April 28, 2011 in Italian, Main Courses and Sauces. 2 Comments

I really do love eggplant. I feel like it’s one of those vegetables that gets short shrift. Eggplant is misunderstood — first off, it’s sort of weird-looking, it’s purple. People fear the purple factor. And there’s this whole mysterious salting thing — necessary or not? (answer: depends). To peel or not to peel? And so on. But it really is so very tasty, and it’s excellent made this way. This way being a healthier baked-not-fried eggplant parmesan and frankly, the eggplant part is so good, half of it didn’t even make it into the rest of the dish (little hands kept dipping into the stash in the fridge, and I don’t mean mine…my hands are huge, but not in that Tina Fey Bossypants way. No man hands here, really, I swear).


I also ended up doing a shortcut version* first, which also depleted the eggplant supply (and why you’ll notice that in the photos I ended up using an 8″ square dish instead of a 9″ x 13″). I’ll probably do this version more often than the actual full-on recipe because you get all that great eggplant flavor and tomato-cheesy goodness without having to do the assembly and baking steps. Whichever version you end up making, it’s a win-win.

Notes:
A lot of recipes say to peel the eggplant to reduce any bitterness, but I was reading this book (which is amazing, btw) and she claims if you have fresh eggplant, it won’t be bitter. You also don’t have to do the salting step because you’re not frying the eggplant, so there’s no worry about it soaking up a ton of oil (because there isn’t any!). You can make it super-healthy by using all tofu rather than ricotta for the filling or half and half, which I did this time around. You can also use part-skim mozzarella instead of whole-milk, and you really don’t miss it.

Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

2 (1-pound) eggplants, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon buttermilk (water works fine too)
2 cups whole-wheat panko (the store only had Italian-seasoned ones, which worked out well)
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated (use Pecorino Romano if you’re lactose-intolerant)
Salt
Black pepper

Filling:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 container firm tofu, crumbled (or you can use ricotta or a mix of half and half, which I did this time)
1 large egg, lightly beaten

3 cups tomato sauce (like this or a good-quality jarred sauce like Rao’s)

1-1/2 cups (12 oz) part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced
4 tablespoons Parmesan, grated

Preheat oven to 375°.

Whisk the eggs and buttermilk or water in a shallow bowl. Combine panko and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano in another shallow dish. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, then dredge in panko mixture, evenly coating the slices including the sides. Place the slices on a Silpat-lined sheet pan (or use a spray) and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden, flipping each round once and rotating baking sheets halfway through.

Combine the filling ingredients (basil through egg) in a mixing bowl.

To assemble, spread 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce in bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Layer half of eggplant slices over pasta sauce. Top with about 3/4 cup tomato sauce, followed by half of the tofu mixture, then a third of the mozzarella. Repeat layers once, ending with about 1 cup of the tomato sauce. Top with remaining third of mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with aluminum foil if you have it (I didn’t). Bake for 25-30 minutes, taking off the foil for the last 5 minutes or so. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

* SHORTCUT VERSION:

After the eggplant rounds are baked, spoon a bit of tomato sauce on top of each, followed by some shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Top with a sprinkle of fresh basil and broil for about 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve on a bed of greens.

Leek & Goat Cheese Tart

Published on March 21, 2011 in eggs, French and Main Courses. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , .


I have an announcement to make. I’ve signed up for this, well, I don’t what else to call it except a diet competition. It’s called Game On, and a bunch of my friends have played it a few times. I never have, but as a part of my “health kick” (see here and here; yes, that’s about as far as I got), I’ve decided I’ve got to mix things up a bit. So, yeah, the whole controlled food intake thing is about to start happening around here — controlled being the operative word. The good news it’s only for four weeks. The bad news is butter is not allowed.

So what better way to kick off a serious health kick than with a last supper, so to speak? One that involves copious amounts of butter. I’ve been itching to make my own savory pie crust (or pâte brisée, which can be made with or without sugar, fyi), but have either been too lazy or intimidated. Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s freakishly easy. Admittedly, I had to make it in two batches because I only have a Cuisinart Mini Prep (and not a full-sized food processor), but it turned out great. You do have to keep an eye on the dough as it’s coming together as you don’t want too much water and you don’t want to overmix it. But it’s really really easy and takes about 5 minutes to make. Flour, butter, salt + ice water = MAGIC.

And then there’s the filling. I went just a little crazy with the butter here, but I’m thinking you could easily cut the butter in half and/or substitute some olive oil (although not all because you really need some butter in there). And did you notice my restraint in using whole milk rather than heavy cream? The leeks just kind of melt down into mellow stewy deliciousness. Combine that with the tangy bite from the goat cheese and the flaky, crumbly crust, and you’ve got a killer combination of goodness. And not a bad way to kick off a butter-free existence for the next four weeks.

Don’t worry, I won’t bore you with recipes for salad. I’m actually hoping I’ll come up with some new and healthy recipes that will still taste good (plus, you get one meal and one day per week “off,” so there will be opportunities for naughtier fare). Wish me luck!

Leek & Goat Cheese Tart

Crust:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4+/- ice water

Filling:
2 large leeks, white and light green parts only
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese*

Combine flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor (or you use a pastry blender). Add the butter cubes and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky, no more than 30 seconds. To see if it’s ready, squeeze a bit between your fingers. If it’s crumbly, add more ice water, a tiny bit a time. If it holds together, it’s ready. Flatten the ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Chill in the fridge for at least one hour before using.

While that’s chilling, start the leeks. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and soak them in cold water, then rinse under running water spreading the layers to make sure any dirt is rinsed off. Cut again in half lengthwise (if they’re really thick) then into 1/4″ slices. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and stir to coat them in the butter. Add a sprinkle of salt and about a tablespoon of water. Turn the heat down to low, cover and cook, stirring regularly, until leeks are tender (about 20-25 minutes).

Preheat oven to 375ºF/190ºC. On a lightly floured surface, roll out slightly softened dough to a thickness of 1/8″. Roll the dough over the rolling pin and unroll it into a 9″ round tart pan (with removable bottom). Push the dough into the bottom and up the sides. Using the rolling pin, roll the excess dough off the top of the pan. Line the pan with a circle of parchment and add either dried beans or pie weights (if you’re serious and have things like pie weights). Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the crust turns a light golden color.

While the crust is cooling a bit, whisk together the milk, egg, egg yolk, salt and pepper. Dot half of the goat cheese in the bottom of the warm crust, then add the leeks. Top with the remaining half of the cheese, then pour the egg mixture over the top. Bake until the top is golden in spots and the liquid is set, about 40-45 minutes. Let cool slightly; remove the top part of the tart pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

* You can also use an aged one, like Bûcheron; if you do, cut off the rind

Black Bean Burgers

Published on March 11, 2011 in Beans + Legumes and Main Courses. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

This recipe is an adaptation of the infamous lentil burger recipe, which is, in essence, the basis for just about any “burger” type recipe. That is, protein + egg + bread crumbs = burger. But it’s the details that take a burger from basic to bananas (to quote Rachel Zoe, whose show, the aptly named Rachel Zoe Project, is a guilty pleasure of mine).

Like, in this particular recipe, I think the chipotle peppers are essential. They add that smoky spiciness that you wouldn’t get without them. However, I did do half the batch without them for the hombrecito, who likes spicy foods, but not necessarily hot-spicy, you know? But if your kids like spicy, then go for it. The cilantro is key too, and lemon always adds a lovely freshness that I like.

These burgers are so easy to make and so much better than those frozen hockey pucks masquerading as veggie burgers you find in the grocer’s freezer section (yes, I’m looking at you, Boca Burger). You can make up a big batch and cook however many you plan to eat (cook a few extra, they are that good). The uncooked mixture will keep for another day, but as there’s raw egg in there, best to cook it up fairly quickly — they taste better hot off the grill.

Also, sorry for my radio silence this week. Things seem to be so busy and I honestly haven’t been doing much new cooking — lots of zucchini pie and homemade pizza…let’s call it my late-winter blogging/cooking slump week. I’m over it and will be back on track next week.

Now for a bit of shameless promotion…ignore this part if I’ve already harassed you.

Babble.com did a “Top 100 Mom Food Bloggers” story and while we’re not in the top 100, you can still vote for your favorites and Whisk It Good needs some love! Please click here and find “Whisk It Good” and “like” it — we’re on page 2 right now, but movin’ on up. It only takes a second — thanks and feel free to tell all your friends.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Black Bean Burgers

2 15-oz/425g cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup frozen edamame, defrosted
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce plus a bit of the sauce
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1 onion, chopped
Zest of one lemon
1 cup bread crumbs or panko
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the beans, edamame, eggs, half the onion, cumin, cilantro, and salt in a food processor. Purée until the mixture resembles thick hummus. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the rest of the onion and zest. Add the breadcrumbs, stir, and let sit for a couple of minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture.

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat and add 3 patties (if you’re making standard burger-sized ones), cover, and cook for about 5 minutes or until the bottoms begin to brown and firm up. Flip the burgers and cook the second side for about 3-4 minutes or until browned.

I often eat these on top of a piece of toast — a bun is too much bread, I think. Or they’re great plain too or even sandwiched between big leaves of romaine. Top with mayo (chipotle mayo would give a nice extra kick of heat, but as you can see from the photos, sriracha sauce works in a pinch) and slices of avocado.

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

Published on February 28, 2011 in eggs and Main Courses. 2 Comments

So, did you watch the Oscars? Did you win your office pool? Can you believe she wore that? Inquiring minds want to know.

Every year, I am enthralled by the high drama of Hollywood award season. And the pièce de resistance is, of course, the Oscars. Never mind that I’ve seen only a handful of this year’s nominees; it’s the spectacle that I enjoy more than anything…the red carpet arrivals, rewinding and watching the reactions of the nominees who *don’t* win (how good of an actor are they at that moment?), and the fashion dos and don’ts. I love it all.

Naturally, we have a special day of eating for the Oscars. It’s never the same thing, but you must have champagne and you must also have assorted hors d’oeuvres (pronounced “horz doo-vores”) to recreate that cocktail party atmosphere. So we had these and this and to counteract the massive intake of ice cream (also required), broccoli cheddar quiche (you know, because there’s a green vegetable in there amongst all that cheese). It would be cute and cocktaily to do little individual ones, but um, well, I didn’t (I did mention that Oscar viewing starts pretty early in this house, yes? One doesn’t want to be too encumbered with cooking on Oscar day.).

So, I enjoyed the telecast overall, despite the fact that James Franco completely checked out about 15 minutes in and Anne Hathaway was forced to literally sing and dance to make up for it (and that became rather tiring after awhile). And while there weren’t too many fashion missteps (unfortunately), there wasn’t anything really mindblowing. My favorite comment of the night from Ryan was in response to the commentators referring to nominee Michelle Williams as the “perfect pixie”: “Too much pixie. Not enough dust.” Which is what you could say about the whole telecast. Too much pixie. Not enough dust. Good thing we ate well.

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

1 9-inch pie shell
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme (fresh basil would be nice too)
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets and sliced stalks
4 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sauté the onion and thyme in a 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat (if you’re really pressed for time, you can just put the onions into the egg mixture). Steam the broccoli for 2 minutes. Whisk the eggs with the milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Press about half of the cheese into the crust of the pie shell. Add the steamed broccoli, then pour the egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake at 375° for 35 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Tempeh-Stuffed Peppers

Published on February 23, 2011 in Grains + Rice, Main Courses, Side Dishes and Tofu + Tempeh. 2 Comments Tags: , , , .

As I’ve mentioned many times before, my mother is an excellent cook. So much so that it is possible for me to name the exactly three times Mom made something that was just not up to snuff. I’d say that’s a pretty good record for any cook, let alone one who had four kids in five years and cooked pretty much every meal we ate.

Two of the recipes were admittedly experiments — recipes pulled from magazines with the promise of a catchy name or an exotic list of ingredients. The first one, “chicken in a biscuit” was a misguided attempt at creating a casserole out of bone-in chicken pieces and biscuits. Soggy, unattractive and just not right. The second, cheese blintzes, had too much going on. I seem to recall some kind of sweet sauce that perhaps would’ve been better served with a dessert blintz rather than a savory one.

The third — and my siblings may disagree with me on this one — was stuffed peppers. I think part of the problem was that I really hated green peppers — this is back when a mellower-flavored yellow or red pepper was not an option. They were just so strong, as was the filling, and my youthful taste buds just couldn’t take it. To be honest, I’m still not crazy about green peppers, but am working on learning to like them (cooked, not raw).

All of which is to say, I’m not sure what possessed me to make stuffed peppers. I suppose it was the lovely peppers I found at the market, combined with a surplus of tempeh, along with some leftover brown rice that needed to be put to use. Stat.

And I must say, they turned out rather well. I would even venture to say this would make a nice side or main dish at a dinner party. I mean, come on — things in edible packages are cute and festive (with lids to boot!). I stuffed the peppers with a Spanish style filling, but you could go in lots of different directions here: Mexican (cumin/chili powder/chipotle), Indian (curry/cumin/turmeric), Italian (basil/lemon/oregano), Asian (sesame/soy/satay)…you get the idea.

So maybe it was just me. Maybe Mom’s stuffed peppers were actually really good, and I just was too young to appreciate them. But I’m still not going to attempt chicken in a biscuit. Not a chance.

Tempeh-Stuffed Peppers

4 peppers (in the color of your choosing)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion (~1 cup), finely chopped
16 ounces tempeh
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup of veggies (corn, carrots, edamame, peas all work well), fresh or frozen
1 cup crushed tomatoes (or pasta sauce in a pinch)
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
Salt
Red pepper flakes (optional)
3/4 cup cheese, shredded (provolone, mozzarella, fontina, cheddar all work)

Preheat oven to 375ºF/190ºC.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove stem, seeds and white ribs. Cook the peppers (and tops) in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove with a strainer or tongs and drain in a colander.

While the peppers are cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Crumble the tempeh into the pan, and cook until tempeh browns, 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add veggies, rice, spices and tomatoes and stir to coat. Add the stock a bit at a time if the mixture is dry. Add salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Remove from heat.

Arrange the peppers cut side up in an 8″ square pan coated or sprayed with olive oil. Fill the peppers with the tempeh mixture, then place the tops back on each pepper. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and tuck the pepper tops along the sides of the pan. Sprinkle each pepper with a couple tablespoons of cheese. Bake uncovered another 15 minutes, or until tops are browned.