Pasta with Green Beans and Tuna

While I'd always prefer a fresh tuna steak, sometimes I've only got the time for the canned variety. Luckily for me, there are some really stellar canned tunas available so just because it came from a can doesn't mean that it is of inferior quality. When I was kid, there was a very short list of seafood items I'd eat - shrimp (in any form), my dad's homemade cornmeal-crusted fish sticks, and tuna salad sandwiches. I wish I could go back in time and less picky with my proteins for my parents' sake (I was pretty good with the fruits and veggies), but some of the kid-pleasing choices they made to keep me fed still hold a soft spot in my heart. All that to say, I'm not giving up canned tuna anytime soon. My tuna salad recipes have certainly evolved and tuna now makes it into my potato salad and tasty pasta recipes like this one. Looking back, I may have actually eaten this as a kid, as I would happily devour greens beans and preferred whole wheat options to white ones. As an adult, I focus on the flavor tapestry that the rich and toasty almonds, refreshing parsley, sour lemon and piquant capers form, that complex and complementary set of ingredients beautifully blending the hearty pasta, fresh and crunchy green beans and rich tuna. For a simply prepared, yet sophisticated meal from a humble can of tuna, look no further than this recipe. Even if you're eating solo with little time to spare, tuna can be so much more than a sandwich.

Pasta with Green Beans and Tuna
adapted from Martha Stewart
serves 1

Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 ounces whole wheat fusilli or other short pasta
2 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved
1 can (3 ounces) chunk light tuna, packed in water, drained
1 tablespoon natural almonds, chopped and toasted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon drained capers

1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions, adding green beans 2 minutes before end of cooking. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. 

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine tuna, almonds, parsley, lemon zest and juice, garlic, and capers; season with salt and pepper. 

3. Heat olive oil over medium heat in pasta cooking pot. Add tuna mixture to oil and cook, stirring frequently, until warm, just a minute or two. Add the pasta and green beans and cook until mixture is warm. Add pasta water, a little bit at a time and stirring with each addition, until tuna mixture evenly coats the pasta. Transfer to a bowl and serve promptly.

Szechuan Tofu, Green Beans, and Mushrooms

While I love meal planning, there are some busy weeks where I'm scrambling at the last minute to get my plan together. In those cases, I'm often left designing my menu around what I've already bought at the farmers' market or grocery store. This also tends to be the case more often once the farmers' market bounty really blooms and I'm too inspired by the market's offerings to think of planning ahead. This week, I'm somewhere in between. The outdoor farmers' market started up again just a couple weeks ago and even though it's very early in the growing season, I can already see my culinary horizons expanding. I wish I could say the green beans were from the farmers' market already (they were just on sale at Whole Foods), but my recently-expanded local mushroom options are the locavore soul of this dish. Locally sourced though they may be, my cremini mushrooms take on an entirely different world of flavor thanks to a well-stocked pantry of Asian flavors. This sauce strikes a nice balance between salty, sweet, and spicy, glazing the crispy tofu, tender mushrooms and fresh green beans with a gentle kiss of complex flavor. Tomato paste and mushrooms add give this vegan dish a real meatiness and tossing the tofu cubes in cornstarch before frying creating a particularly pleasing texture. The perfect bowl of flavors to dive in to on a warm spring evening, this meal will only get better as the farmers' market has more ingredients to offer.

Szechuan Tofu, Green Beans, and Mushrooms
adapted from Eating Well
serves 2

1/4 cup water, divided
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Chinkiang vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoons sugar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch, divided
Half of a 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained
1 tablespoons canola oil, divided
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 ounces shiitake, cremini, or white mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

Cooked brown rice, rice noodles, or quinoa, for serving (optional)

Sriracha or other hot sauce, for serving (optional)

1. Whisk 2 tablespoons water, soy sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, crushed red pepper to taste and 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside. Cut tofu into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes and pat dry. Toss the tofu in a bowl with the remaining tablespoon cornstarch to coat. 

2. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and spread out across the surface of the pan. Let cook undisturbed for about 4 minutes, or until a golden crust forms (check one or two pieces after a few minutes). Gently turn and stir. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes more, depending on desired level of crispiness. Transfer to a plate.

3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add green beans, mushrooms, garlic and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 4 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup water, cover and cook until the beans are crisp-tender and mushrooms are softened, but not mushy, 2 to 4 additional minutes. Stir the reserved soy sauce mixture and pour it over the green beans. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Add the tofu and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute more. Serve warm over rice, noodles, or quinoa as a main dish, or alone as a side, dressing with Sriracha, if desired.

 

Superseed Bar

I'm no paragon of health and fitness, but even still I have a few coworkers who like to give me crap about my healthy diet. Although it wasn't always the case, I have no problem passing up the many mass-produced "treats" that show up at my workplace on a regular basis. There is a time I would have just mindlessly chowed down, but now I actually far prefer foods like this snack bar, which satisfies my sweet tooth (and chocolate tooth!) but is still packed with whole grains, nuts, and seeds. I love the deep chocolate flavor with only a mild sweetness, allowing the nuances of the chocolate flavor to shine without being buried in saccharinity. Given my propensity for making granola and granola bars I always have lots of nuts and seeds in my pantry, but feel free to swap in whatever you'd like for what I have listed here. These bars are dense bites of energy, and although I used them to fuel my all-too-stationary laboratory workday, they would be perfect to take along on a hike, bike ride, or canoe trip. To form perfect squares I used my individual brownie pan, but I've included the original directions for shaping and cutting the bars since it's an uncommon piece of bakeware. One batch makes enough work snacks for two weeks and the extras hold up splendidly in the freezer. With spring fully in swing and dreams of spending the days outside a reality, a few minutes in the kitchen aren't too much to ask to fuel up for the day.

Superseed Bar
adapted from CHOW
makes 10 bars

Oil, for coating the pan
1 1/2 cups crispy brown rice cereal
1/2 cup raw sliced almonds
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw wheat germ
2 tablespoons whole sesame or chia seeds
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
1 cup dried Medjool dates (about 6 ounces), pitted
1/4 cup natural smooth unsalted peanut or almond butter
1/4 cup honey or brown rice syrup
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup high quality natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with butter; set aside.

2. Place rice cereal, almonds, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, sesame or chia seeds, and flax seed meal on a rimmed baking sheet, toss with your hands to combine, and spread in an even layer. Bake, stirring halfway through, until almonds are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

3. Place cereal mixture in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and pulse until the mixture is broken up and the largest pieces are about the size of uncooked grains of rice, about 5 (1-second) pulses. Transfer to a medium bowl; set aside.

4. Place dates in the food processor and process until finely chopped and a ball forms, about 15 seconds; set aside.

5. Place peanut butter, honey rice syrup, salt, and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until mixture is combined and runs like slow-moving lava, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, immediately add reserved dates and cocoa powder, and, using a wooden spoon, stir, smashing down on the dates, until well combined and no streaks of cocoa remain. Add reserved cereal mixture and stir, pressing as you do, until evenly combined. (This takes some muscle and time, about 5 minutes.) Transfer to the prepared baking pan and, using your hands, spread and firmly press the mixture into the pan. Let cool completely.

6. Remove the date-seed slab from the pan. Cut it in half to form two rectangles, then cut each rectangle widthwise into 5 bars to form 10 bars total. Wrap each bar in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks; let frozen bars come to room temperature before eating.

Sesame-Honey Tempeh and Quinoa Bowl

I typically choose non-soy protein sources when I eat vegetarian (beans, nuts, cheese, etc.), but every so often I'll make a meal with tofu or tempeh. It's not that I'm anti-soy protein, but all too often soy proteins are pretending to be meat instead of just simply enjoyed for what they are. If you make this recipe expecting it to feel like a dish made with ground meat, you'll be disappointed, but if you're looking for a hearty vegan meal full of bright flavors and satisfying protein, this is just the ticket. (If tempeh really isn't your thing, ground pork or chicken could be substituted for a vaguely larb-like dish.) This recipe gets an even bigger protein boost from quinoa, a trendy grain I've now been eating and adoring for years. Periodically I get into a real quinoa kick and sneak it into every recipe I can, swapping it for all manner of grains and even tossing it on my salads. Here quinoa serves as a traditional grain base, eagerly soaking up a vibrant Asian-inspired dressing, its chewiness the perfect textural contrast to crunchy carrots and firm tempeh. The flavors used here are pretty common and traditional, but they appear frequently in Asian cooking because they are so wonderfully balanced and complementary. If you need to fill up in the healthiest way, this is absolutely the meal for you. Packed with protein, whole grains, and a healthy helping of veggies, this vibrantly flavor bowl has enough fuel for even the most arduous days.

Sesame-Honey Tempeh and Quinoa Bowl
adapted from Eating Well
serves 2

Quinoa and Carrot Slaw
1 cup water
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup grated carrots (1-2 large)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus additional for garnish
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted (see Tip)
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

Sesame-Honey Tempeh
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 8-ounce package tempeh, crumbled into bite-size pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish (optional)
Scallions, for garnish (optional)
Sriracha or other hot sauce, for topping (optional, unless you're me)
Freshly squeezed lime juice (optional)

1. To prepare quinoa: Bring water and quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook until the water is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover and let stand.

2. To prepare carrot slaw: Meanwhile, combine carrot, cilantro, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. To prepare tempeh: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tempeh and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 7 to 9 minutes.

4. Combine honey, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the pan and cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened and coats the tempeh, about 1 minute.

5. Divide the quinoa between 2 bowls and top each with half the slaw and half the tempeh mixture. Sprinkle with garnishes and topping of choice.

Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque

With very few exceptions, sweet potatoes are better than potatoes in my book. Not only do sweet potatoes nail the savory options, they also get to participate in the worlds of sweets and baked goods, a feat potatoes don't dare fathom. When presented with the option, I'll always choose the sweet potato option for fries, hashes or almost any other dish you can think of. And if presented with a potato soup or sweet potato soup, I'll choose the sweet potato option. Sweet potatoes can take on many flavors that potatoes can't, like the rich and creamy peanut butter that features so prominently in this soup. The sweet potato and peanut combination has a distinctly African feel to me, creating a heartiness than feels appropriate even in the warmer months. That deep comfort is contrasted perfectly by the spice of the chiles, brightness of the garlic and ginger, and freshness of the cilantro. I love these bold flavors in my food, but you may want to hold back on the chiles and cilantro for those with less adventurous palates or those you're slowly trying to introduce to a wider experience of flavor. Although unintentional on my part, this recipe has the added bonus of being both vegan and gluten-free, allowing you to accommodate adventurous eaters with all sorts of dietary restrictions (my apologies to those with peanut allergies) in fabulous fashion.

Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque
adapted from Eating Well
serves 2

1/2 tablespoon canola oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1/4 cup diced green chiles (about half of a 4-ounce can)
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes (10-12 ounces total), peeled and diced
3 cups reduced-sodium tomato-vegetable juice blend or tomato juice
1 cup vegetable broth or water, plus additional for thinning
1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)
Chopped salted peanuts, for garnish (optional)

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over mediumheat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until it just begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chiles, and allspice and cook, stirring, until mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add diced sweet potatoes to the pot and stir to thoroughly coat with the onion mixture. Add tomato juice and water and bring mixture to a simmer. Cook, covered, until sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Remove pot from heat, add peanut butter, and stir. Puree with an immersion blender to desired consistency, thiining the bisque with additional broth or water, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat until hot. Garnish with cilantro and peanuts, if desired.

Coconut, Oat, and Quinoa Granola

There are infinite combinations for delicious homemade granola. I'm constantly mixing up the fruits and nuts that I throw in to my granola, but the one element I do neglect to change up enough is the grains. Granted, granola is pretty much defined by rolled oats, but there's certainly room for adding other grains, especially protein-rich quinoa, which adds a lovely nutritious crunch. Millet would also be a welcome addition, but it doesn't come with quite the nutritional bonus of quinoa. The remaining ingredients are a particularly delightful melange of nuts, seeds, coconut, and dried fruit that become wonderfully crunchy and subtly sweet when slowly baked in a light glaze. I typically eat granola for breakfast, but this also makes a wonderful topping for frozen yogurt or ice cream and is special enough to give as a gift. So much of my eating follows the seasons, but granola always has a place in my diet, from spring to winter, breakfast to dessert.

Coconut, Oat, and Quinoa Granola
adapted from Aida Mollenkamp
makes about 3 cups

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or virgin coconut oil
2 tablespoons honey, maple syrup, or brown rice or agave syrup
1.5 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1.5 cups old-fashioned oats (not instant)
1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds
1/2 cup packed unsweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cup uncooked quinoa, flaxseed, or hemp seed
1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/4 cup raisins, currants, or dried cranberries

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Combine butter or coconut oil, honey, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a small pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Pour mixture into a bowl, add the oats and nuts and toss until evenly coated.

2. Spread the oat mixture in a thin, even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then stir in the coconut, quinoa or seeds, and pumpkin seeds, and spread out into a thin layer. Continue baking until the granola is very golden brown and smells toasted, about 10 to 15 minutes more. (Note : Granola should be golden and slightly crisp -- remember that it will crisp even more as it cools. Keep an eye on the granola at this point because, depending on the thickness of your baking sheet, it will cook faster or slower than mine did.)

3. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and cool the granola to room temperature, at least 15 minutes.
When the granola is cool, add the dried fruit and toss to combine.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Red Cabbage

Did you try the super simple Roasted Salmon, Red Cabbage, and Potatoes yet? If so, you may be have some extra red cabbage in the fridge that you need to use up. Before stumbling across this recipe, I never thought to put red cabbage in a warm pasta dish. I've tossed it in many Asian noodle bowls and sauteed it to accompany sausage, but this is the first time I've put those concepts together. Red cabbage is a particularly nice complement to nutty whole grains like barley or whole wheat pasta, its flavor and color bleeding and mixing beautifully with the hearty base. Slightly mellowed sharp red onions peek in and out of the cruciferous crunchiness of the cabbage boldly accented by salty pops of feta in each bite. The season for this pasta is nearly over, it's heartiness most at home in the cooler seasons, but it fits in perfectly with the cold and rainy days we've been plagued with lately here in southern Wisconsin.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Red Cabbage
adapted slightly from Food and Wine
serves4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pounds red cabbage, thinly sliced (4 cups)
1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti or linguine
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup Greek feta cheese, crumbled (2 ounces)

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the sliced onions, cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until they are very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the sliced red cabbage, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the linguine until it is al dente. Drain the pasta well, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot.
Scrape the cabbage over the pasta. Add the reserved pasta cooking water and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowls, top with the feta and serve.