Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple Salad

While I'm already craving spring vegetables like asparagus and peas, there is one winter vegetable that I'm not sure I'll ever tire of - sweet potatoes. I've eaten my fair share of sweet potatoes this winter as fries, soups, burgers, and hashes, mashed, stir-fried and roasted, but this is the first time I've ever put them in a salad. I had a few trimmings left over from a larger recipe, so I relied on my go-to vegetable cooking method (roasting) to make those leftover pieces the most delicious they could be. Apples and sweet potatoes are an obvious pair, so I roasted them together to sweet, caramelized perfection, contrasting those flavors with pungent blue cheese and rich and toasty walnuts. This is yet another riff on my go-to salad recipe, but one of my favorites to date, combining a host of my favorite ingredients in perfect balance. Although I'm anxious for the days when I'll be topping my salads with roasted asparagus and fresh and crunchy sugar snap peas, these last tastes of winter are still pure heaven.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple Salad
serves 2

1 small sweet potato (about 4 ounces), cut into small pieces
1 small apple, cored and cut into small pieces
Olive oil cooking spray
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces salad greens or baby spinach
2 tablespoons finely minced shallot
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
1 ounce crumbled blue cheese
Salad dressing, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Toss the sweet potatoes and apples with olive oil to coat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast until tender and browned, about 20 minutes, flipping midway through roasting.

2. Meanwhile, spread salad greens on a plate, topping with shallots. Once the sweet potatoes and are apples are done roasting, sprinkle on the salad and top with cheese and nuts. Drizzle with salad dressing of choice, and enjoy!

Salmon with Capers and Dill

With St. Patrick's Day approaching, a day that mostly centers around amateur drinking and foods with horrifying shades of green, I thought it appropriate to share a dish that would easily grace a real Irish table. Adapted just slightly from Rachel's Irish Family Food: 120 Classic Recipes from my Home to Yours and shared by The Splendid Table, this authentic meal is a lighter and healthier way to honor the Irish tradition. In addition to swimming the cold Irish rivers, salmon also plays an important role in Irish mythology. The Salmon of Wisdom was said to be a fish that would grant all the knowledge of the world to first person to eat its flesh, earning this fish a place in the hearts, minds, and bellies of many an Irish lad and lass. This recipe is brilliantly simple, the piquancy of the lemon and capers shining brilliantly against the rich salmon and butter and burst of fresh herbs. Dill is an herb sadly infrequent in my culinary repertoire, but each time I use it I ask myself why I don't do so more. If you're like me and always looking for an occasion to cook something special, why not try this meal out for St. Patty's Day? It may not grant you with the knowledge of the universe, but it is a fine start to a night of carousing or a quiet night at home with a pint of Guinness. Éirinn go Brách!

Salmon with Capers and Dill
adapted slightly from The Splendid Table
serves 4

4 tablespoons (50g) butter, diced

4 (4-ounce/125g) salmon fillets (with the skin left on, if you wish)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice mixed with 6 to 8 tablespoons water 

4 teaspoons chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried drill

1. Place a frying pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add a couple of pats (knobs) of butter, very quickly followed by the salmon, with the skin side down. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown underneath. Turn over, season with salt and pepper, and fry for another couple of minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through. (The timing will depend on the thickness of the salmon fillets and heat of the pan.)

2. Add the capers, along with the remaining butter, and lemon juice mixture and boil for 1 minute. Season to taste, adding more lemon juice or water, if necessary. Transfer the salmon onto warmed plates, stir the chopped dill into the sauce, and pour over the fish to serve.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

I very rarely order pancakes when I'm out for breakfast. I'm definitely not anti-pancake, but they're so easy to make at home and quite often turn out better. I also greatly prefer whole (or multi-) grain pancakes to those made with white flour, which are definitely harder to come by even in a wonderful food city like Madison. Fortunately for me, a big batch of these pancakes take very little time to make. Made entirely with whole grains, they're a bit denser than your average white flour pancake, but that makes them feel hearty and satisfying instead of heavy and cumbersome. They're absolutely delicious with the traditional butter and (real) maple syrup, but extras can also be repurposed with great success into breakfast sandwiches. If you have a little time and want to go the savory route, I recommend a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich (dipped into maple syrup, of course). For something a bit healthier and more suited for breakfast on the run, a smear of almond or peanut butter with sliced bananas or apples in the perfect solution. Extra pancakes freeze wonderfully so investing the time for one generous batch of pancakes can provide breakfast for days. Whether you're gathering friends and family around the table for a feast or just want a freezer full of breakfasts at the ready, this recipe is the answer.

 

Whole Wheat Pancakes

adapted from Martha Stewart

makes about one dozen 4- to 5-inch pancakes, serving six

1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk (I used powdered buttermilk, following the instructions on the package)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Vegetable-oil cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Whisk together flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk in buttermilk, oil, and eggs. Let stand 10 minutes (if batter thickens, stir in 1 tablespoon water).

2. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Spoon in 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook until bubbles appear. Flip, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Keep warm in oven while you cook remaining batter.

Southwestern Squash Burgers

I've gone through a number of veggie burger phases in the past, and think this recipe may be starting a new one, thanks to a need to use up squash puree. I was a little skeptical of these burgers at first because they didn't have any beans and just 1/2 cup of squash puree is used to blend all the ingredients together, but they turned out absolutely wonderful. Whole wheat bread crumbs and wheat germ, which serve to bind and give body to the burger, also had a real contribution to the flavor, which I found surprisingly pleasing. Corn and peppers bring freshness and a bit of texture, with the squash puree adding a subtle hint of sweetness and sticking everything together. The cheese blended into every bite prevents the burger from feeling too healthy, it's smokiness blending beautifully with the smoky cumin and ancho chile powder. Unlike many veggie burgers, these hold together well, their texture solid enough to get a delightful brown crust when fried. Essential for busy professionals and families alike, extra uncooked burgers can be frozen so you're never more than a few minutes away from a tasty meal.


Southwestern Squash Burgers
adapted from Eating Well
makes 4 burgers

6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red or green bell pepper
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder (I used ancho
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Tomato Salsa, optional (recipe follows)
1/2 cup canned unseasoned pumpkin or other winter squash puree
1/2 cup shredded smoked or sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup fine dry whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 8-inch whole wheat flour tortillas, (soft-taco size)
Shredded lettuce, for serving (optional)

Salsa, for serving (optional)

Sour cream, for serving (optional)

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in bell pepper, corn, garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl; let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

2. Add pumpkin, cheese, wheat germ, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt and pepper to the onion mixture; mix well. With dampened hands, form the vegetable mixture into four patties.

3. Preheat oven to 325°F. Stack tortillas and wrap in aluminum foil. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes to heat through. (Alternatively, stack tortillas between two damp paper towels; microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds, or until heated through.)

4. Using 2 teaspoons oil per batch, cook 2 to 4 patties at a time in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned and heated through, about 4 minutes per side. Adjust heat as necessary for even browning. Wrap the patties in tortillas and serve immediately, garnished with lettuce, salsa, and sour cream, if desired.

Winter Squash Orzo with Sage

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you may be sick of squash recipes by now. But then you'd also know how I love local, organic ingredients and hate waste, so you may still have an appreciation for the plethora of squash recipes. Luckily I've managed to find enough variety in my recipes to use up my freezer squash cache that I'm not sick of it just yet, but I may feel differently when it truly feels like spring around these parts. Until then I'm going to keep looking for new and different ways to enjoy many members of the gourd family. I've made quite a few pastas with a squash-based sauce, but this stands out as one of the creamiest, silkiest indulgences yet. The squash itself is mildly sweet and very smooth, with a little bit of butter and milk enriching the sauce enough to form a full background against which the sage and Parmesan shine. For me, sage is decidedly a harvest and winter herb, and this perfectly seasonal bowl of flavor is a fine way enjoy the (hopefully) impending end of winter.

Winter Squash Orzo with Sage
adapted from Serious Eats
serves 4

8 ounces whole wheat orzo
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups winter squash puree (pumpkin, butternut, acorn, etc.)
1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup milk
1 shallot, diced
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving

1. In a large saucepan, bring 3 cups of broth and 3 cups of water to boil over high heat. Add orzo. Return to a boil and cook for 7 or 8 minutes or until pasta is just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, sauté shallots in butter for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add 3/4 cup of broth and 1/2 cup of milk. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes or so.

3. Add squash puree to simmering broth and stir well. Add salt, pepper, sage and remaining 3/4 cup of broth. Reduce heat and simmer on medium low for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until sauce is slightly thinner than the desired consistency.

4. Add orzo, stir thoroughly, and continue to cook for an additional few minutes until the orzo is cooked and sauce is the desired consistency, adding additional water or broth if sauce is too thick. Stir in Parmesan cheese and serve hot, serving with more cheese on top, if desired.

Baked Whole Wheat Donuts

Who doesn't love donuts? The sheer fact that there are gluten-free donuts, vegan donuts, and ones topped with bacon proves that there's one out there for almost everyone. I'll admit I've never had a Krispy Kreme and just had my first donut from Dunkin' Donuts a couple of weeks ago, but I've sampled donuts far and wide from many small bakeries. In Madison, Greenbush Bakery has to be my favorite and I've never passed up an apple cider donut at an orchard, but I've long been meaning to try making them at home. And only 6 months after I bought the donut pan, I finally did! I'll be the first to admit these are not the be-all and end-all of donuts - they are a basic recipe and baked instead of fried - but their simplicity is the very reason I chose to share them. I always like to start with the basics before making too many tweaks to a recipe and this recipe is an ideal jumping off point for my own recipe development. As written here, these are nutty, subtly spiced with a lovely tender crumb, but they can be easily elevated with the glaze of your choice. This can be as simple as a smear of peanut butter or jam or as culinary as a lovely homemade caramel, or even a simple dusting cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar. Though these won't take the place of a deep-fried donut from your favorite bakery, they are a lovely healthier alternative for a weekend morning when you aren't ready to get out of your pajamas and face the world.

Baked Whole Wheat Donuts
adapted from King Arthur Flour
makes 6 donuts

1 cup (4 ounces) whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons dried buttermilk powder
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water


1. Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, oil and water (or buttermilk or yogurt) until foamy.

3. Pour the liquid ingredients all at once into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

4. Butter or grease the doughnut pan; non-stick pan spray works well here. Note: even though the pan is non-stick, since the doughnuts are low-fat they may stick unless you grease the pan first. Fill each doughnut form half full.

5. Bake the doughnuts in a preheated 375°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes. When done, they'll spring back when touched lightly, and will be quite brown on the top.

6. Remove the doughnuts from the oven, remove them from the pan, and allow them to cool on rack. Glaze with icing, or coat with cinnamon-sugar or any non-melting sugar.

Mediterranean Salad with Hummus Pesto Dressing

It's a little strange that I chose to share a recipe for a hearty soup on day that held promise of the spring to come and this salad just a few days after the snow just wouldn't stop falling, but during the tumultuous transition between winter and spring, it can be a little hard to eat with the weather. But even though this is a salad, it certainly leaves you plenty satisfied and full of energy to tackle shoveling or more optimistically, take a long walk with the dog on a sunny spring day. Perhaps the Mediterranean Salad moniker is a bit too liberal or a bit too generic, but it is a collection of many ingredients often used in Mediterranean cooking that I absolutely love. It's a riff on my typical salad recipe, a plethora of raw and roasted veggies with cheese and nuts, but made particularly rich-feeling by the creamy hummus pesto dressing. The roasted red pepper adds an element of smokiness, the marinated artichokes spiciness and astringency, the olives and cheese both richness and saltiness, all finished with a sprinkling of crunchy, toasty walnuts. My initial instinct was to toss this salad with balsamic vinaigrette, but when I saw some lonely last bits of pesto and hummus in the fridge, I immediately thought of transforming them into a simple, flavorful dressing that became the pièce de résistance that finished this salad. It's perfectly filling as is, but if you're feeling particularly ravenous or want to stretch this to feed two, some chickpeas or grilled chicken certainly wouldn't be out of place. It may not be a warm Greek beach looking out upon cerulean waters, but perhaps these collection of flavors will take you away from the toils of winter for just a lunch.

Mediterranean Salad with Hummus Pesto Dressing
serves 1

2 cups chopped fresh spinach, lettuce, or salad greens (about 2 ounces)
1/2 jarred roasted red pepper, sliced (about 2 ounces)
4 or 5 jarred marinated artichoke hearts, drained and sliced (about 1.5 ounces)
2 tablespoons black olives
2-4 tablespoons crumbled goat or feta cheese (1/2 to 1 ounce)
2 tablespoons chopped toasted pine nuts or walnuts
Hummus Pesto Dressing, for serving (recipe follows)

1. Spread greens evenly on a large plate and top with peppers, artichokes, olive, cheese, and nuts. Drizzle with Hummus Pesto Dressing (or other dressing of choice) and enjoy!

Hummus Pesto Dressing
makes about 3/4 cup

1/2 cup roasted garlic, roasted red pepper or regular hummus
2 tablespoons prepared pesto
1/4 cup water

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl or jar and whisk or shake to thoroughly combine.