Crunchy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

About a month ago, I found my new favorite snack. And just last weekend, I found my new second favorite snack. Although I'm not at all surprised that the gods of precision cooking at America's Test Kitchen have created this fantastic recipe, I just can't get enough of these delicious granola bars. The best way I can describe them is like Nature Valley peanut butter crunchy granola bars, but much better. When I'm short on time, I won't hesitate to reach for one of the Nature Valley variety, but if I can spare an hour or so, I'll be going straight for this recipe. Just one batch of these granola bars will provide me with enough mid-morning work snacks for a couple of weeks (if I don't have to share), which is well worth the couple of minutes invested for each. These granola bars are just the right combination of saltiness and sweetness, with each carefully chosen ingredient contributing something to these perfect little squares of happiness. Once I finish making my way through this initial batch, I already have plans to swap out the almonds for the peanuts and almond butter for the peanut butter for what I think will be a different, but equally tasty, riff on these granola bars. That is, if I can resist the urge to try out their chewy granola bars first...

Crunchy Peanut Butter Granola Bars
from the America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook
makes 16 bars

3/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped coarse
3 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup honey
1/2 packed (3 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons peanut butter

1. Adjust an oven rack tot he middle position and heat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a 13 by 9-inch baking pan with an aluminum foil sling and coat lightly with vegetable oil spray.

2. Toast the peanuts in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the oats and oil to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the toasted oats to the bowl with the peanuts and stir in the salt.

3. Add the honey and brown sugar to the skillet and simmer gently over medium-low heat, stirring often, until sugar is fully dissolved, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, and peanut butter.

4. Working quickly, stir the hot honey mixture into the peanut-oat mixture until thoroughly combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and pack very firmly into an oven layer. Bake the granola until golden, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

5. Let the granola cool for 10 minutes, then remove it from the dish using the foil and cut into 16 bars. Let the bars cool completely before serving.

Miso Soup with Shrimp

Like so many of the less-than-standard ingredients I have at home, the red miso and shiratiki noodles in my refrigerator were bought on a lark. Inspired by the many bowls of miso soup I've enjoyed while out for sushi, I make simple miso soup at home on a regular basis, but a healthy supply of miso paste still remains in the fridge without any particular destiny. I typically think of miso soup as a light side, but a recipe from Whole Foods Market inspired me to make this much more substantial dish.

Even though I used what is considered a relatively intense miso (red), but I still found this soup to be full of flavor without being overly assertive. A welcome change from my usual weekly fish/seafood dinner, this combination of delicious shrimp and fresh broccoli, accented by a touch of spice, is far more satisfying than something so surprisingly low calorie seems like it could be. Shirataki noodles, although becoming much more common in grocery stores, may be impossible to find for those not in larger cities, so feel free to use 4 ounces of udon or soba noodles (or even whole wheat spaghetti) instead (as in the original Whole Foods recipe).

In addition to relishing in the beautiful flavor profile, I was particularly delighted by how quickly this entire meal came together and that none of the ingredients need much in the way of prep. A great way for fans of Asian food to enjoy classic flavors, but also a gentle introduction to the uninitiated, this soup (or some variation thereof) is sure to make it back onto my dinner table, hopefully getting a chance to grace yours as well.

Miso Soup with Shrimp
adapted from Whole Foods Market
serves 4 as a first course or 2 to 3 as a main

6 cups vegetable or low-sodium chicken broth
8 ounce package tofu shirataki noodles (I used spaghetti-style)
1/2 pound frozen peeled and deveined shrimp, uncooked
1/2 pound (about 2 1/2 cups) fresh or frozen broccoli florets
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons miso (darker miso will have a more intense flavor; I used red)
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Cook shirataki noodles according to package directions and set aside.

2. In a large pot, bring broth to a boil. Add shrimp and broccoli, cover and simmer until shrimp are just cooked through and broccoli is bright green, 4 to 5 minutes.  During the last few minutes of cooking time, add the shirataki noodles and cook until warmed through. Meanwhile, whisk together water, miso and ginger in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside.

3. Turn off heat and uncover pot. Stir in miso mixture and green onions then transfer soup to bowls. Garnish with pepper flakes and serve.

Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Black Olives, Garlic, and Feta Cheese

Monday night is the definitely the night when I have the least ambition to make dinner. No matter how relaxing Sunday might have been and how much sleep I might have gotten, I am always dragging when I get home from work on Monday. I've also probably eaten too much less-than-healthy food over the weekend, so Monday demands a quick, healthy, preferably vegetarian meal. I adapted this recipe, originally intended to feature the fresh tomatoes of the summer, to use canned tomatoes, the best option in winter when only long-travelled anemic tomatoes can be found in supermarkets. Despite a lack of meat, this is a really satisying meal where salty olives and cheese mingle beautifully with roasted tomatoes and fresh parsley, accented perfectly by unexpected vinegar-y pops of capers. With a nice side salad and glass of wine, this meal is the perfect remedy for the frustration and exhaustion that all-too-often comes with a return to work on Monday.

Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Black Olives, Garlic, and Feta Cheese
adapted from Food and Wine
serves 4

3/4 pound whole wheat spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, fire-roasted if possible
1/2 cup Kalamata or other black olives, pitted
3 tablespoons drained capers
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled

1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghetti until just done, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain.

2 .Meanwhile, in a medium frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors are blended and sauce is warm, about 10 minutes (or really as long as you like-reduce the heat if you'd like to simmer the sauce for a long time).

3.  A few minutes before serving, add olives and capers and cook until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add parsley and cooked pasta and toss well to coat. Divide pasta between 4 bowls or plates and crumble one-fourth of the feta cheese over each. Serve warm.

Blueberry Spelt Muffins

There's nothing that makes my Sunday morning ritual of reading the newspaper and watching CBS Sunday  morning with a hot cup of coffee more special than muffins or scones fresh from the oven for breakfast. When the farmer's market isn't on the Square and I can't get a scone from my favorite healthy scone purveyor each Saturday, I like to bake something special, freezing extras to be had for weekday breakfasts. Recently I was gripped by a craving for blueberry muffins, which were more than satisfied by this healthy and flavorful recipe. For those looking to explore "alternative" flours, spelt, which pairs beautifully with berries, is a great place to start, but even if you don't have an eclectic collection of flours as I do, these are still delicious when made with whole wheat pastry flour or a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour. Subtly sweet, tender, and moist, these muffins are a great way to start any day, whether a relaxing weekend morning or hectic weekday, and healthy enough that you can indulge in the jumbo size without any guilt (as I did). On that note, because I made jumbo muffins instead of standard size (and my oven often seems to run a bit hotter than it should) I've left the baking instructions as written by Whole Foods, but I would encourage you to start checking the muffins early so they don't dry out. A solid version of an old standard, these muffins are sure to please almost any palate and a great way to get your family to enjoy whole grains.

Blueberry Spelt Muffins
makes 1 dozen regular-size muffins, or 6 jumbo muffins
from Whole Foods Market

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) softened butter or canola oil, plus more for greasing the pan
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
1/2 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper muffin liners. In a large bowl, cream together butter or oil and sugar. Stir in applesauce, eggs, orange juice and vanilla.

2. In a second large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, zest and salt. Stir flour mixture into butter-egg mixture until just combined. Gently stir in blueberries. Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Thai Carrot Burgers

This has been one of those weeks at work where the demands on my time never seem to cease. During those weeks when work is particularly chaotic, having a delicious and nutritious lunch is more important than ever, particularly if it doesn't take me very long to throw together at night. One of my favorite solutions to this problem is whipping up a batch of veggie burgers on the weekend for lunches during the week. My recently rekindled obsession with veggie burgers (thanks Moosewood!) has led to me start tackling the long list of bookmarked recipes I haven't yet made from Veggie Burgers Every Which Way, starting with Sesame Sweet Potato and Cabbage Burgers and most recently leading me to these vibrantly flavored Thai Carrot Burgers. Fans of the cuisine of Southeast Asia will be delighted by this melange of sweet, spicy, fresh, and earthy flavors, reveling in the cloud of spices that fills the kitchen while these burgers are cooking. Sweet carrots play beautifully with the spicy serrano,  rich and creamy peanut butter, and fresh cilantro in this powerfully aromatic burger that has more flavor than anything that healthy has a right to. Although best fresh out of the oven, these will still delight even if (unideally) frozen and reheated in the work microwave. As corny as it sounds, even when life is crazy, try not to lose yourself in the shuffle-staying healthy and energized with meals like this is the best way to make it through.


Thai Carrot Burgers
from Veggie Burgers Every Which Way by Lukas Volger
makes four 6-inch burgers

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch scallions, including one inch into the dark green parts, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 Serrano pepper, finely chopped (seeded or not, depending on your personal heat threshold)
4 cups grated carrots (about 8 medium size carrots)

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter

Juice of 1/2 lime 

1/4 cups roughly chopped cilantro
1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Heat a large lidded saute pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil. When hot, add the scallions and cook just until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and chile pepper and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in the carrots, salt, coriander, tumeric, and cinnamon. Cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the carrots are soft but not mushy.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg whites, peanut butter, and lime juice. Stir in the carrot mixture and the cilantro. Fold in the bread crumbs. Let sit for about 10 minutes, allowing the crumbs to absorb some of the liquid. Adjust seasonings. Shape into 4 patties.

4. In an oven-safe skillet or nonstick saute pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the patties and cook until browned each side, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the burgers are firm and cooked through.

Salmon in Luxurious Green Sesame Pipian

Oh, Rick Bayless, can you do no wrong? In addition to being consistently delicious, my favorite thing about recipes from Rick Bayless is how they make me rethink what Mexican food is, perpetually discovering new and delicious flavor combinations as well as making uncovering new ways to use favorite ingredients. I'll confess I'm no master seafood chef, but this has to be the most delicious dish I've ever made with salmon, with the added bonus of being really easy and quick to prepare. The combination of the creamy tahini and spicy tomatillo salsa is unexpectedly delicious, perfectly contrasted by the bright and fresh flavor from the cilantro and peas. The flavor of the salmon is strong enough not to disappear in this vibrantly-flavored dish, staying irresistably moist and succulent while simmering in the sauce. Served over a bed of brown rice or other grain, this is a complete, sneakily nutritious meal that could as easily be served at a dinner party as on a busy weeknight. Any fan of Mexican food or fish would be greatly remiss if they didn't give this at least give it once chance to grace their dinner table; if you are one of that legion, go forth and try a new recipe under the wise (cookbook) tutelage of the inimitable Rick Bayless.

Salmon in Luxurious Green Sesame Pipian

from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless
serves 4

2 cups store-bought or homemade tomatillo salsa
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
Salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 heaping cup peas, fresh or frozen
Four 4- to 5-ounce (1 to 1 1/4 pounds total) skinless fish fillets (such as salmon, halibut, walleye, snapper or striped bass)-buy about 1 1/2 pounds if using fish steaks
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
About 1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped cilantro, for garnish

1. In a blender or food processor, process the salsa to a smooth purée.

2. Heat oil in a very large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high. When it is quite hot, add salsa all at once. Stir as salsa reduces to consistency of tomato paste, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in broth and tahini. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon, and a little sugar. (The sugar will help balance the natural tartness of the salsa). 

4. While sauce is simmering, pour the peas into a microwaveable bowl, sprinkle on a tablespoon of the water, cover with plastic wrap and poke a couple of holes in the top. Microwave on high (100%) until the peas are hot and tender, anywhere from 1 minute from frozen peas to 4 or 5 minutes for fresh peas; discard water.

5. When the sauce has simmered for 10 minutes, nestle the fish fillets in it, completely submerging them. Continue simmering gently until the fish flakes when pressed firmly, usually 5 to 6 minutes for 1/2-inch-thick fillets. (Check it by lifting up a fillet on a metal spatula and pressing with your finger or the back of a spoon.)

6. Transfer a fish fillet to each dinner plate. Spoon a portion of the sauce over top. Strew with the peas, sesame seeds and cilantro, and you're ready for dinner.

Whole Wheat Flax Pancakes

Two of my favorite rituals when I was a kid were Saturday morning pancakes or waffles and breakfast for dinner. As an adult, these still feel like special events and with football season over (for Packer fans), I'm switching out my weekly Packer snack for breakfast for dinner on Sunday nights. I love ritual and routine, so having this to look forward to goes a long way toward ameliorating the dread of returning to work Monday morning that so often creeps in on Sunday night. Since I've probably gorged myself on a meal out during the weekend, I want my breakfast for dinner to be at least somewhat healthy (most of the time), and that's where these whole wheat flax pancakes come in. Much more flavorful and hearty than their white flour counterparts, these nutty pancakes are the perfect companion to a healthy pat of butter and generous drizzling of maple syrup (and a side of bacon or sausage doesn't hurt either). If you've cooked up a batch of bacon before starting the pancakes, fry the pancakes in the bacon grease for extra crispy edges and just a bit of smoky flavor. Homemade pancakes take just a little more time than the just-add-water-mix kind, so next time the craving hits, whip up a batch of these pancakes instead and reward your efforts with flavor and nutrition.

Whole Wheat Flax Pancakes
makes about 12 pancakes
adapted from King Arthur Flour

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup dried buttermilk powder*
2 tablespoons brown sugar, maple sugar, maple syrup, or honey
1/3 cup whole flax meal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter
1 1/2 cups water*
*Or substitute 1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) of buttermilk in place of the buttermilk powder and water

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Whisk together the eggs, oil or melted butter, vanilla, and water (and honey or maple syrup, if using).

3. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, and whisk until blended. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes (it will thicken slightly). Add extra water or flour to adjust the consistency for thinner or thicker pancakes.

4. Preheat a griddle to medium high (350°F), and grease it well.

5. Scoop the batter by the 1/4-cupful onto the griddle.

6. Cook until bubbles on the top begin to pop, then turn and brown the other side.

7. Serve hot with maple syrup, or fresh fruit and yogurt.