Refreshing Cold Rice Salad for Summer

Left-over rice creates a delightful cold grain salad when paired
with vegetables and herbs. .

We eat brown rice all the time.  I always cook way too much and then try to pawn it off as left-overs for lunch the next day or two.  But this is the thing... it is like pasta in its ability to morph into salads or other side dishes for future meals.  I am learning with son #3 that we can make Giada's rice balls with cheese filling, fold it into stews and sautees, and just serve it with veggies dumped on top.  Gluten-free friends love rice and I appreciate the opportunity to discover the diversity that this grain has to offer when my pals come over.  This one is a winner.  Another bonus for the chef, this is wonderful if made early in the day so all the flavors have a chance to meld. 

Serves:  8      
Prep and cook time:  10 minutes if using left-over rice or one hour using fresh cooked rice

2 cups brown rice, cooked and cooled
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/4 cup yellow pepper, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, coarsely chopped

Dressing:
1/3 - 1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar or other sweet vinegar
dash of salt
several grinds of black pepper

Make sure your bowl is big enough to toss all the fresh herbs
and vegetables together.

Place cold rice in a bowl and add the tomatoes, red onion, yellow pepper, basil, and parsley.  Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake to emulsify.  Add just enough dressing to moisten the salad and toss well before serving.

Nutrition count:  For a non-meat option, this side dish packs a punch.  Each serving comes in at almost 2 grams each of protein and fiber and with 140 calories.  It is also loaded with mostly monounsaturated fats.  For the micronutrient breakdown, this meets a quarter of your manganese needs for the day. 

Manganese is a trace mineral.  What this means is that it is necessary to our health, and our body uses it in small but vital amounts.  Taking manganese in through healthy eating is the best way to ingest it.  Deficiencies are rare because this element is readily available in nuts, whole grains, leafy vegetables, and tea.  It functions as a cofactor for enzymes involved in bone formation and various metabolic processes.

- Kim Fielding

Chicken Broth

Freshly made chicken broth in this version has no salt,
and is flavored with our favorite herbs and vegetables.

The amazing thing about buying a whole chicken is all the ways that you can use it.  This five-pound bird gave me eight cups of delicious broth and eight cups of shredded chicken which I promptly froze in airtight containers for later suppers.  Previously, I published a chicken noodle soup recipe which is an obvious way to use the broth and chicken.  Son #3 is a whiz at making crepes so that is one way to use up the chicken.  Enchiladas is another.  Martha Stewart has an amazing chicken enchilada recipe with spinach, onions, herbs, and sour cream that is to die for.  Chicken salad made a variety of ways such as curried, Waldorf style, or for a sandwich, offers another option.  Boil up some pasta and toss in cooked chicken and jack cheese for a quick meal for kids.  You get the idea.  Versatile and inexpensive, boiling an entire chicken is something every cook should know about.  In the following recipe, all ingredients are approximate.  Use your judgement.  For example, if you don't like carrots, don't add them in.

prep and cook time:  about 1-1/2 hours

10-12 cups water, to cover chicken in the pot
2 large celery stalks, rinsed and sliced
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 shallots, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
1 whole chicken
Big handful of rinsed and crudely chopped parsley
A couple twists of ground pepper
Salt to taste, optional

a mix of chopped vegetables is the beginning

Add all ingredients to a large stockpot. If you are salt sensitive, don't add the salt.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for at least an hour or until the chicken is cooked through.  I don't usually cover this while it is cooking and add more water as needed to cover the chicken.  However, other friends put a lid on their pot and the cooking time seems to move along faster.  It is your choice.  The smells in the kitchen are very homey either way.

not exactly pretty, but underneath it all is tender, moist chicken meat

Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the broth and let cool.  When cool enough to handle, discard the bones and skin and package the chicken for future meals.

I purchased this mesh sieve from Target, but any similar one will do

Pour the broth through a fine sieve into a large bowl to remove remaining small chicken pieces and vegetable debris.  If you prefer a clear broth, pour it through cook's gauze to filter out the finer residues.

Freeze portions of the broth as you desire and use up fresh broth within five days. 

If anyone has ideas for using left-over chicken, let us know! 

- Kim Fielding

Sprouted Bean Salad

Sprouted mung beans, green lentils, and adzuki beans get
a kick from pineapple, red pepper and basil.

If you are looking for fiber in a food that actually tastes good, you should try this simple recipe.  Scrounging through the refrigerator, I found fresh pineapple that I needed to finish up.  There you go - the inspiration for this dish.  The beans are available at Costco and other stores.

serves:  6                    prep and cook time:  15 minutes

1-1/2 cups tru Roots sprouted Bean Trio
1/4 cup diced pineapple
1/4 cup diced red pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Oil and rice wine vinaigrette

Sprouted and dehydrated makes these beans
more digestible and faster cooking.  Any similar
bean trio will suffice if you can't find this mix.

Boil the dried beans in 4-5 cups of water for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit for another 10 minutes then drain.  Put the beans in a bowl and add the pineapple, pepper, and basil.   Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, sea salt, and cracked pepper.  Add to moisten the salad and serve.  You may adjust seasoning as needed.

Each serving offers about 180 calories, almost 10 g each fiber (!) and protein, and 20% of your RDA for iron.

- Kim Fielding

Hot and Sour Broth with Mushrooms

Aromatic broth, mushrooms, and green onions enhance
tofu, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots.

I love hot and sour soup.  Whenever we eat Chinese food, I end up finishing everyone's soup off for them.  After taking a look at a variety of recipes over the years, I never quite found one that was easy or quick enough to prepare.  Until recently.  Fellow blogger Stephanie O'Dea has a slow cooker website that features her version of Hot and Sour Soup.  The men all liked it as do I.  Even with a couple of variations, this is a super simple recipe.

serves:  6                     prep time:  10 minute
cook time:  4-5 hours on high, 8-9 hours on low

I bought this crockpot at Costco decades ago.  Nowadays,
they are more sophisticated.  But this one still works great.

4 - 5 cups water
8 ounces firm tofu, cubed
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
7-8 fresh shitakes, stems removed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons low sodium Tamari (soy sauce)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Better than Boullion broth base
1 can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
1 can sliced water chestnuts. drained
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Green onion, sliced, for garnish

Place all ingredients in a crockpot except the green onions.  Put the lid on and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.  If you like soup that is more sour, add more rice wine vinegar.  If you like hot, then add more hot peppers.  This soup can accomodate other ingredients if you wish to experiment - egg, seaweed, Scriacha sauce or Sambal Oleek, and even shredded chicken.  Serve with sliced scallions on top.

Each cup of soup provides approximately 85 calories, 20% of your daily requirement for riboflavin, 18% of iron needs, about 40% for copper, and about 295 g sodium.

- Kim Fielding

Egg in a Green Nest

A slice of whole grain toast or a side of roasted potatoes
would compliment this meal nicely.  Earthy greens with an egg -
talk about power foods!

Dark leafy greens are a regular part of our diet.  My men all like them as does Zub the tortoise.  The three sons in college are all about quick, easy, and filling foods whenever they decide to spend time in the kitchen.  This meal was crafted on the fly with them in mind and what was available in the garden and in the fridge.

For each serving, start with a handful of greens - in this instance we used about a cup each of garden arugula and baby spinach.  Saute the greens with a small amount of olive oil (teaspoon or two) in a skillet until barely tender.

Once the greens soften, pile them in the middle of your pan and create a well to crack your egg into.  Cover the skillet with a lid so that the egg can cook through to your liking.  When done, scoop out with a spatula and plate.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Hubby likes hot sauce on his which is delicious.  You can also add a hint of garlic powder to the greens when cooking.

Calories for one egg with greens is about 160 and is a great start on your day's requirements for most vitamins.

- Kim Fielding