Raspberry Scones

Sunday mornings are one of my favorite times of the week. While my husband is typically still tucked in bed, I go for a refreshing early morning walk, pick up my Sunday paper (which hopefully has been delivered by the time I get back), and make myself a delicious breakfast. Baked steel cut oats and omelets make frequent appearances on my breakfast plate, but I also frequently whip up a batch of muffins or scones, which has the added bonus of providing extras for the work week and to freeze for later. I bought some frozen raspberries at the farmer's market for another recipe, which happened to leave me with the exact right amount to make this simple, delicious scones. If you don't want to seek out spelt flour (available at well-stocked grocery stores, health food stores like Whole Foods, and even at my local Target), I'd recommend using whole-wheat pastry flour, or at the very least a mixture of whole wheat and all-purpose flour. Spelt flour has so much more flavor than regular all-purpose flour that it only takes a bit of sweetness from some honey and fresh, tart flavor from the raspberries to round out the flavor of these delicious, healthy scones. The delicate, crumbly texture is a real treat; take care not to bake these scones too long and dry them out. I'm looking forward to adapting this recipe with other whole grain flours and berries as they come into season at the farmer's market and flooding the house with comforting aroma of fresh-baked scones for many Sundays to come.

Raspberry Scones
adapted from Food and Wine

2 cups spelt flour1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/3 cup canola oil 
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 
1/3 cup hot water 
1 cup fresh raspberries
 

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk the spelt with the baking powder and salt. Stir in the oil, agave nectar and vanilla. Stir in the hot water, then the raspberries.

2. Divide batter into six even mounds onto the prepared baking sheet and lightly brush the tops with oil. Bake the scones for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Let the baking sheet cool completely on top of a rack.

Guacamole Bacon Burgers

I'm a huge fan of routine, from the utterly mundane (my weekly schedule for laundry and cleaning) to the purely delightful and indulgent, like the weekly ritual of grilling out on Sunday night that I've reinstituted now that weather is warm again. I love pretty much anything cooked on a (charcoal) grill and burgers are another great palette for culinary creativity. This recipe certainly isn't my first foray into putting together creative burger toppings, but it may be my favorite (this burger comes in a close second). This burger brings together the creamy freshness of guacamole with savory, salty bacon and melty cheese in an exquisite union of Mexican flavors and traditional American grilling. To accompany these decadent burgers, whip up a batch of spicy black beans in lieu of the traditional baked beans to carry the wonderful Mexican flavors throughout the meal.

Guacamole Bacon Burgers
serves 2

For the guacamole:
1 medium ripe Hass avocado
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped white onion

2 whole wheat hamburger buns
8-12 ounces ground sirloin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ground chipotle pepper (optional)
3 ounces bacon, cooked (2-4 strips, depending on the thickness of your bacon)
2 ounce sliced quesadilla or other good melting cheese
Lettuce, greens, or alfalfa sprouts (optional)
Sliced tomato (optional)

1. First, make the guacamole. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. Mash the avocado into a paste using a fork or potato masher, add the remaining ingredients, and stir well to combine. Put 1/4 cup guacamole on each of the top halves of the hamburger buns, reserving any remaining guacamole for another use.

2. Meanwhile, preheat a grill pan, gas grill, or charcoal grill. Divide the ground sirloin into two patties and season each side with salt, pepper, and chipotle pepper (if using). Cook to desired level of doneness using desired method of cooking (I prefer a medium-rare burger, cooked over charcoal). When burgers are just shy of done, place cooked bacon and cheese on top of the burger and cook until the cheese is melted, just a couple of minutes. Place one burger on each of the bottom halves of the buns and add lettuce and tomato, if desired, top with upper halves of buns, and serve.

Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach, and Portobello Melt

Although I do love meat, when I'm feeding just myself I usually go for vegetarian fare. This often means my dishes are centered around eggs (frittatas or omelets with lots of veggies), beans,  or cheese (I'm a connoisseur of all manner of grilled cheese sandwiches), but mushrooms also make a great savory, hearty main course. Portobello mushroom melts are an extremely common vegetarian option on restaurant menus, usually grilled and slathered in cheese, peppers, and onions. Although that most definitely makes for a delicious meal, I went a more Mediterranean direction with my portobello melt. The intensely flavored sun-dried tomatoes are a great foil to robust and hearty mushroom, with a layer of richness from the cheese and freshness from the spinach. If you have the time, this melt would be even more flavorful if the portobello cap is marinated and grilled separately before putting the sandwich together. While the big, meaty bite of a portobello cap is satisfying, you could also prepare this melt with great success using shiitake mushrooms instead. And if you're not in the mood for a sandwich, throw this delicious suite of ingredients into a frittata for a superb breakfast, lunch, or dinner.


Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach, and Portobello Melt
serves 1

2 slices whole grain bread
1 large portobello mushroom capped, stem removed and cleaned
0.5 oz. recipe-ready sun-dried tomatoes (scant 1/4 cup)
0.5 oz. spinach
1.5 oz. mozzarella cheese
Olive oil cooking spray

1. Heat a panini or sandwich press according to manufacturer's instructions until hot. (Alternatively, heat a well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderate heat.)

2. Place portobello cap on one slice of bread, top with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and cheese, and top with the second slice bread.

3. Spray the panini press with olive oil cooking spray (or brush one side of each piece of bread with olive oil). Put sandwiches on press, pull top down and cook until sandwich is browned and crisp, 4 to 8 minutes. (If using a grill pan cook until first side is brown, then flip and continue cooking until opposite side is browned and crisp, placing a heavy pan on top of sandwich during cooking, if desired.)

Carrot-Oat Cake

I love dessert, and any day that includes some sort of indulgence is all the better for it in my opinion. Like the cookies I made last week, this cake is a way to indulge my sweet tooth but still sneak in some quality nutrition along the way. This cake is flavorful, moist, and everything I want in a snack during my morning break at work, but also healthy enough for breakfast or sweet enough for dessert.  If you're concerned about the amount of sugar in this recipe from the 1 cup of maple syrup (or simply don't want to use so much an expensive ingredient), substitute half of the maple syrup with unsweetened applesauce; honey could also be used in lieu of the maple syrup, also in combination with applesauce, if desired. Personally, I'm a sucker for anything with (real) maple syrup so I wouldn't want to subtract any of that wonderful maple flavor and aroma from this cake. Taking a few minutes to savor a cup of tea, this delicious cake, and a bit of calm goes a long way to breaking up the work day and keeping my sanity when things get hectic.

Carrot-Oat Cake
from Whole Foods
makes one 9x9-inch cake

Natural cooking spray
1 cup rolled or quick cooking oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated carrots
1 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup dried currants
1/2 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly oil a (9-inch) square baking pan with cooking spray and set it aside.

2. Pulse oats and walnuts in a food processor until coarsely ground. Transfer to a large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt and mix well. In a second large bowl, combine carrots, maple syrup, currants, coconut and vanilla. Add carrot mixture to flour mixture and stir until completely incorporated. Transfer to prepared pan and bake until cooked through and deep golden brown, about 1 hour. Set aside to let cool before cutting into squares.

Brown Rice Couscous with Chickpeas, Cucumbers and Feta

Some time ago, I bought a box of roasted brown rice couscous on sale at Whole Foods. I'd never seen it before and it seemed like a great chance to try a new whole grain. This recipe would work equally as well with whole wheat couscous or brown rice, so feel free to substitute those more readily available whole grains if you can't find brown rice couscous. The roasted flavor really adds and extra dimension of flavor to the rice/couscous, and is well worth a try if you can find it. Luckily for me, I had a host of ingredients in the pantry and fridge to make a Mediterranean inspired dish with this newly discovered grain. Although cooking with dried beans is ideal, you can't beat the convenience of canned beans when short of time trying to make a nutritious dinner. The feta cheese provides saltiness and richness and the chickpeas are a hearty and satisfying protein, but the cucumber, parsley, and lemon juice keep the dish light and refreshing. In addition to making a great, quick weeknight dinner, leftovers are great to pack for the lunch the following day.

Brown Rice Couscous with Chickpeas, Cucumbers and Feta
serves 4 to 6

One 1-ounce box brown rice couscous
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

1. Cook the brown rice couscous according to the package directions. Meanwhile, to make the vinaigrette whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, and coriander in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Once the couscous is cooked, add the the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss well to even coat the couscous with the vinaigrette. Add the chickpeas, cucumber, feta and parsley and mix well to distribute the ingredients evenly. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.

Italian Sausage and Shiitake Sloppy Joes

Like most people, I loved sloppy joes as a kid, but as an adult, I no longer find the combination of Manwich and ground beef so appealing-Manwich is just way too sweet (not to mention unhealthy) for me to eat now. I've made my own ground beef sloppy joes from scratch before, loading them peppers, onions, and spices, for a delicious and nostalgic dinner, but I thought it would be fun to make a more sophisticated, flavorful, adult version of the sloppy joe. I had some absolutely incredible Italian sausage from Pecatonica Valley Farm and shiitake mushrooms, both acquired at the farmer's market, so I only had to combine them in tomato sauce with just a bit of salt and pepper for some incredible sandwiches. (If you don't have wonderfully flavored Italian sausage, you may want to add some oregano, basil, fennel, Italian seasoning or other spices to punch up the flavor.) This dish is tremendously simple and pays you may times over for your efforts in flavor, so indulge your inner child and sophisticated adult sides with this meal tonight.

Italian Sausage and Shiitake Sloppy Joes
serves 4

8 ounces bulk Italian sausage
1/2 cup diced white or yellow onion
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, destemmed and sliced
8 ounce can tomato sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 whole-grain hamburger buns

1. Preheat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add Italian sausage to pan and break up into small pieces. Once the sausage has started to render some fat, add the onion and cook until onions are just starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add sliced shiitakes and continue to cook until the Italian sausage has cooked through and mushrooms are tender, but not mushy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomato sauce and continue to cook over low to medium-low heat until mushrooms are cooked to desired tenderness and flavors are blended. Season mixture to taste with salt and black pepper, divide mixture evenly among buns, and serve hot.

Caprese Omelet

Traditional Caprese salad, a common Italian antipasto, consists of fresh buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, dressed simply with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Ordinarily I have no interest in anything labeled Caprese (in the style of Capri) because that usually means it includes raw tomatoes, the food I dislike above nearly every other (and yes, I realize it is strange that there are sun-dried tomatoes in this recipe, which I like). However, I am borrowing that label for this omelet, which in generous terms also falls under the Caprese category.

When I'm only cooking for myself because my husband isn't around (or awake yet), I often turn to eggs. They're healthy, quick-cooking, and omelets and frittatas are a great opportunity for creativity and to use up orphaned bits of ingredients remaining from other recipes-the sun-dried tomatoes were originally purchased for Avocado-Dressed Shrimp a la Mexicana and the mozzarella to make pizza. Combine that with a recently acquired basil plant, and a Caprese dish seemed only natural. This fresh and flavorful omelet is great any time of the day and becomes a complete meal with toast and a side salad or piece of fruit.

Caprese Omelet
serves 1

2 eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil cooking spray
1/4 cup chopped basil, plus additional for garnish
1/4 cup chopped recipe-ready sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
2 tablespoons shredded or finely cubed mozzarella cheese

1. In a small bowl, beat the eggs until frothy and well-combined and season with salt and pepper. Preheat a small nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add the eggs and stir with a heatproof rubber spatula, while shaking the skillet, until the eggs are nearly set.

2. Add basil, tomato, and cheese to center of the eggs. Shake the skillet to loosen the omelet, then use the spatula to fold one-third of the eggs over the filling. Fold the opposite third over the filling, place the lid on the skillet, and cook briefly until the cheese is melted. Remove the lid and tilt the skillet to turn the omelet onto a plate. Garnish with additional basil, if desired, and serve warm.