Left-Over Asparagus Couscous Pilaf

Yesterday's side dish is this day's glory!

Pilaf is traditionally a thin wheat noodle combined with rice.  Remember Rice-A-Roni?  This is a modern take on that idea:  pasta (whole grain Israeli couscous) combined with rice (in this case brown rice) and added vegetables and optional nuts.  Chicken or vegetable broth may be added as needed to moisten the mix.

Asparagus couscous is great for reinventing left-overs.  Using the asparagus couscous recipe in our previous blog, simply add cooked brown rice (perhaps another left-over?), toasted (or not) almond slices, sunflower seeds, and other vegetables as you like.  Cooked shredded carrots and zucchini, broccoli florets, and cauliflower florets, make this a multi-seasonal option.  Reheat gently and stir thoroughly to meld flavors.

Enjoy and experiment.   P.S.  Israeli couscous is the size of a small pellet.  Regular couscous is a much finer pasta.

- Kim Fielding

Israeli Couscous with Asparagus

What do you do with left-over asparagus stems?

When you trim asparagus for preparation, you snap it.  In other words, you bend the stem until it snaps at the point where the tender parts meet the woody parts.  Most people toss the asparagus bottoms into the compost pile but the woody parts are still usable and yummy.  They make a delicious stock if you are venturesome.  We like to slice and saute them to be added to whatever grain we are making that day.

Prep time:  5 minutes                             Cook time:  20 minutes
Serves:  6

2 tablespoons olive oil, or 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter
1 leek or shallot, chopped finely
Asparagus stems from one bunch, sliced
3 cups whole wheat Israeli couscous, cooked according to directions
Chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water as needed to moisten
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the leek or shallot for about 30 seconds.  Add the asparagus stems and cook until tender.

Add the cooked couscous to the pan.  Stir thoroughly then season with salt and pepper to taste.  Moisture can be added at this point but it usually isn't needed.

An easy one-pot side dish.  Add cubed tofu to make this a meal.

That's it.  I sure love easy to prepare dishes! 

Calories and nutrition for asparagus couscous: 1/2 generous cup serving offers approximately 135 calories, 3-1/2 grams protein, and almost 2 grams fiber.  This recipe rocks with a full complement of selenium (for your eyes and metabolism) and about 10% RDA for iron.

Selenium is found in grains, nuts (Brazil nuts big time), freshwater fish, lean beef and poultry.  As a micro-element, it is only needed in small quantities for our daily functioning.

- Kim Fielding

Not Corny Beef Brisket

Moist and tender, this is delicious!

Corned beef was devised hundreds of years ago to preserve meats by salt-curing.  Not everyone is a fan of corned beef though.  For that reason, I have interpreted a recipe that Tyler Florence published in Epicurious.com that is much lower in salt and fat and is very easy to put together. 

Prep time:  25 minutes          Cook time:  3-4 hours or until tender
Serves:  8

One 3-1/2 to 4 pound beef brisket
4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 carrots, peeled and cut into coins
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 large red onion, quartered
2 cans diced tomatoes
3 bay leaves
handful of chopped parsley
2 cups dry red wine

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Approximately one pound of fat was trimmed from this brisket.

Much better!

Trim most of the fat off of the brisket.  Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.

Mash together garlic cloves, salt, and rosemary.  Mix together with 2 tablespoons olive oil and set aside.  Prepare the vegetables and measure out the rest of the ingredients.

In a roasting pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil on the stove top.  Add the seasoned beef and brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.

Drizzle the garlic, salt, and rosemary slurry over the top of the meat.  Tuck the vegetables around the meat.  Top with diced tomatoes, herbs, and red wine.

Very fragrant and colorful. 

Cover the pan tightly with foil and set in the preheated oven.  Every hour or so, baste with the juices and reseal.

When the meat is tender, slice against the grain and serve with cooked vegetables.

By itself, 4 ounces of beef offers about 210 calories, a full day's worth of vitamin B-12 and about 80% of your required zinc.  Add carrots, celery, tomato, onion, and cooking broth to your plate and the calories top out at approximately 350.  This is delicious served with crusty peasant bread and a tossed green salad.

Zinc is involved in numerous aspects of cellular metabolism and one of the best sources is lean beef.  Zinc is important for catalyzing enzymes in our bodies, wound healing, immune system support, to name a few.  Zinc is not stored in our bodies so a regular daily intake of this mineral is required.  Thankfully it is found in many of our commonly eaten foods.

- Kim Fielding

White Beans with Bacon

Our same white bean recipe with a little added bonus!

In our previous post, I outlined the basics of making white beans.  To jazz them up for a second or third meal, we add bacon and shallots to this version.  Granted there are already onions in the basic recipe, they melt away during cooking for the most part.

Serves:  8
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes

4 cups pre-cooked white beans
4 slabs bacon, preferably organic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped

Cook the bacon and set aside.  Keep the residual fat in the pan.

Pat as much grease off as possible.

In the same skillet, add the chopped shallots and cook in the bacon fat. 

Sautee until tender and slightly golden.

Add cooked bacon and shallots to 4 cups Basic White Beans.  Voila!  That is it.

Nutritionally speaking, bacon adds sodium and fat to the recipe so if you are salt-sensitive, forgo this recipe.  Flavor-wise, this is a yummy way to extend the beans and adds more protein to make a meal.  Left-over vegetables may be added such as cooked chopped zucchini, peppers, fennel, eggplant, root vegetables, and tomatoes to name a few.  Use what is fresh and in season.   Per serving, bacon adds about 40 calories to the Basic White Bean Recipe. 

Don't waste food.  Beans act as a wonderful camoflage for using up left-over veggies.

- Kim Fielding

Basic White Beans

White beans with onion and garlic.  You can use
any type of bean you wish of course, these just happen
to be navy beans.

Has anyone noticed how much food prices have gone up lately?  It is disheartening to think that with high unemployment and inflation, people are going hungry around our nation.  There are some basic food items however that are affordable and healthy. 

Beans, peas, and legumes are a great example of bang-for-your-buck healthy living.  One pound of dried beans costs very little.  Canned beans are also inexpensive.  Beans take a while to simmer on a stove, but the prep time is quick and easy.  Bean cook times will vary based on the type of bean you are using.  Check the back of the bag for directions.

Serves:  12
Prep time:  20 minutes                        
Cook time:  up to two hours

1 pound bag of dried beans
1 onion
1 small head of garlic
Seasoning to taste after cooking

Place the beans in a large pot and pick through to remove any stones or shriveled beans.  Add water to cover by an inch.  Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes.  Remove the beans from heat and allow to cool.

Peel and chop the onion into large wedges.  Slice the top off the garlic head to expose the cloves.  Set these aside while you drain the "quick-soaked" beans.  Return the beans to your pot and add the onion, garlic, and water to cover by 2 inches.

Notice that I left the papery skin on the garlic. 

Boil for about two hours or until the beans are tender.  Drain the beans.  Using your hands, gently break up the onion and squeeze the tender garlic cloves out of their skins.  Discard the skins.  Incorporate the onion and garlic into the beans and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Fresh boiled beans have such a wonderful taste and can accompany most meals.  In Italy, they are often paired with pasta!  Beans will take the place of bread at a table.

A couple of ideas for beans with dinner:  roast chicken, white beans, green salad and roasted broccolini.  Or, grilled lean beef such as flank steak or skirt steak, beans, and roasted peppers and red onions along with green salad.

Store in the refrigerator for up to three days after cooking.  They can be mixed with other ingredients, such as chopped roasted vegetables, toasted nuts, or herbs, for variety in future meals.

A pound of navy beans serves 12 people.  One half cup serving has a nutritional content that includes less than 200 calories, 8.5 grams protein, 6 grams fiber, one third your requirement for iron and an abundance of manganese.  (Manganese acts as a "cofactor" to many enzyme-related functions in our bodies).  This is a power food.

- Kim Fielding