Tomatoey Ginger, Garlic Tofu

This dish came about because I had about 3/4 cup leftover tomato sauce (just tomatoes cooked down with salt) leftover. It wasn't enough for pasta and it was too hot to make soup so I doctored it to create a savory marinade for tofu and it was delicious!   ... Read more »

Cheesy Baked White Beans & Summer Squash

This is a satisfying main dish that’s reminiscent of mac n’ cheese, although slightly lighter thanks to all the veggies. This would also be delicious with broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, cabbage or greens in place of the summer squash. If you have an oven-proof skillet, it can all be made in one dish.  Serves 4  ... Read more »

Broccoli and Greens with Coconut Milk and Curry Paste

This dish is similar to a number of dishes on this site, however, I think of it as more of a side though you could serve it over rice for a main dish.   Quantities and proportions are very flexible. Use more or less curry paste, use green versus red (red is all I had when I made this), change up the vegetables. Double the recipe and use a whole can of coconut milk to serve 3-4. ... Read more »

Noodle Salad with Peas, Mint and Lime

This is bright, just slightly spicy and so delicious. You can use frozen or fresh peas or snap or snow peas, chopped up finely.  I use fresh ramen noodles here but rice noodles, soba noodles or regular spaghetti will work just fine. The ingredient  list looks long but it's mostly pantry items. ... Read more »

Vermicelli Noodle Stir-fry Salad

This is similar to this Salad-Roll Salad but it's quicker and even more versatile. Here bean thread noodles are combined with quickly stir-fried vegetables (and meat if you like), fresh herbs and a bright fish sauce, lime dressing. You can change the ratio of noodles to vegetables/herbs to suit your likes and needs. [caption id="attachment_20643" align="aligncenter" width="660"] And a fully loaded version with lots of toppings.[/caption] Bean thread noodles aka mung bean, cellophane, glass or vermicelli noodles are made with mung bean starch. They are a popular noodle in Chinese cuisine. They're quick to prepare and can be used in salads, stir-frys and soups.  ... Read more »

Cook-with-what-you-have Chana Masala

This delicious dish is ubiquitous in northern India. I always toss in various vegetables along with the chickpeas. This inauthentic version includes potatoes, kohlrabi and greens but you can add most any vegetable or combination you like.   The ingredient list looks long but if you have the spices on hand it's really quite quick to make. It's one of those dishes that in 35 minutes can taste like it's been simmering for hours. If you have time to toast and grind whole cumin and coriander it will be extra fragrant.... Read more »

Chickpea, Potato & Tomato Stew (w/ or w/out Chorizo)

This is fantastic! The leftovers are excellent and it's simple to make. Spice it to suit your taste, use fresh or canned tomatoes, add fresh sweet and/or hot peppers, stir in a few mustard greens at the end. Just make it!... Read more »

Chickpea, Cucumber/Beet Salad with Garlic Turmeric Oil

In Indian cuisines (and other South Asian cuisines) spices are often added to hot oil or ghee (clarified butter) to temper the spices, i.e. release the spices essential oils and flavors. This flavorful oil, called a tadka, makes for a wonderful salad dressing.  ... Read more »

Spicy Tomato Bacon Noodles

These are ridiculously good and simple to make. The sauce is plenty for 12 ounces of fresh ramen noodles and stretches fine for 1 lb of spaghetti. If you can get Umi Organic Noodles by all means do.   You can use fresh tomatoes here as well and skip the added water.   This a great dish for green garlic or garlic scapes in the spring time.   --inspired by Bon Appetit  ... Read more »

Quick Ground Beef Stir-Fry (on Cabbage)

This dish was born out of haste and what was on hand. I didn't have time to cook rice but had half a head of savoy cabbage which turned into a lovely bed for this ground-beef stir fry.  ... Read more »

Random Greenery Green Sauce

I have a number of green sauces here as well as a classic Italian salsa verde. This is a template for whatever bits of greenery you need using up. It turns sad, partial bunches of greens into something rather vibrant and versatile, extending the life of the greens. In addition to the greens below, you can use sorrel, cilantro, a little arugula (a lot makes it a bit too strong), nettles (blanched), garlic scapes, tender turnip greens, a little bit of green onion tops, and mint. [caption id="attachment_18208" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Left to right: green garlic, mizuna (stems mostly), tarragon, dill, parsley, radish tops.[/caption]   Make however much or little you want. You'll need to taste and adjust ratios as you go. The whole point of this is to make it work for what you have so don't sweat the details. It should have a little garlicky punch and enough acidity to brighten but not overpower. Different greens and in different combinations will result in different tastes.   Use it: On toasted bread with chèvre and beets (pictured above) or other cheese with cooked or raw veg On any kind of sandwich Stirred into scrambled eggs or topping hard-boiled, poached or fried eggs With grilled meat or fish With roast chicken With a little mayo or Greek yogurt for chicken or egg salad On rice or other cooked grains or beans ... Read more »

White Bean Dip with Herbs

You can use herbs in quantity and in many different combinations here. However, make it even if you’re short on herbs. It will still be good. This is a great way to use parsley and cilantro stems.   Variations Use 1-2 teaspoons sage or rosemary instead of tender, leafy herbs. You’ll want to use much less as they are more strongly flavored. Add the zest of 1⁄2 a lemon in addition to the juice for a more lemony version. You can garnish this dip with capers and if you have a spare minute, fry the capers in a little olive oil until crisp and sprinkle over the dip. ... Read more »

Green Garlic Parmesan Biscuits

  Fragrant, flakey, buttery and so delicious. . . I used half whole spelt flour and half all-purpose flour in this batch. The sweet nuttiness of the spelt with the green garlic and Parmesan is pretty amazing. By all means play around with different flours. The recipe works well with a good % of whole grain flours but if all purpose is all you have that's fine too.   Have these with a bowl of beans for dinner or with an egg for breakfast or just with butter or with nothing at all warm out of the oven.   I use my pie-dough technique when making biscuits, described below, but if you're used to just cutting the butter in with a pastry cutter do that.... Read more »

Rice and Herb Patties

Using up random bits of things (and freeing up fridge space) AND making something delicious with said bits is one of my greatest pleasures. These quick rice patties came about one Saturday when we returned, very hungry, from a soccer game. And this template of a recipe is yet another reason to cook more rice than you think you'll need so that you can make these on the fly a day or two later.   You can make these with nothing but leftover rice, a couple of eggs, and a few herbs or spices but there are so many options! And ratios and quantities are totally up to you and what you're needing to use up. This batch included about 2 tablespoons of leftover Green Sauce (the simplified version w/out egg). Just be sure to add more eggs and/or cheese if you increase the amount of rice so that the patties stick together.... Read more »

Grated Vegetable Sauté

A box grater (or grating blade on a food processor) can turn any number of vegetables into a form that will cook quickly, brown easily and absorb and/or combine with myriad flavors. It's a good method to have in your cook-with-what-you-have repertoire when you have random bits to use. It's delicious with a piece of good bread and maybe an egg or as a side to most anything. It's delicious the next day so make plenty.   Variations: Use any vegetable you can grate such as turnips, kohlrabi, sweet potatoes, potatoes, summer squash/zucchini, beets, broccoli stems. 1 stalk green garlic or 2-3 cloves garlic, minced Tender greens such as spinach, beet greens or mustard greens, finely chopped are a great addition, add toward end of the cooking time. Herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil or mint, chopped; add toward end of the cooking time. ... Read more »

Green Garlic, Garlic Scape and Spring Onion Panade

In the spring farmers markets and CSA shares in the Pacific Northwest feature lots of alliums like green or new garlic, garlic scapes, spring onions, and leeks. You can mix and match the garlic and onion and ratios thereof based on what you have. It's very forgiving. The combination of these alliums, gently cooked with some thyme and/or sage and then layered with stale bread, broth and a bit of cheese is amazing. You can add a few handfuls of leafy greens if you have them. This is very similar to this kale panade and this chard and onion panade. ... Read more »

Beet & Walnut Dip with Dill, Cilantro and Feta

This dip is a riff on this one and is also inspired by Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi, but employs the nuts in the dip instead of as a garnish and adds lots of fresh herbs to give it its own place in the collection.  Use toasted bread to dip or dollop on hardboiled eggs or spread on a sandwich or in a wrap or eat it by the spoonful or serve it as a side with meat or fish.  ... Read more »

Pasta with Green Garlic and Parmesan

If you have access to fresh pasta, buy or make some! I used fresh spinach pasta from a local market but also enjoy this method with regular, dried pasta.... Read more »

Minestrone

Talk about a template; minestrone is a bean and vegetable soup and, loosely defined, can use any bean, any shape of pasta (or no pasta), most any vegetable and herb, meat or no meat (diced bacon or a little sausage is good, added when cooking onions) be hearty and stew-like or light and brothy. For me, what makes or breaks minestrone are the beans and the bean broth. You can certainly use canned beans but home-cooked beans with their broth are what gives minestrone its richness and complexity.   Dishes like these are why I try to keep cooked beans (in their broth/cooking liquid) in the freezer and at the ready. It makes a soup like this, that cooks in 20 minutes, taste like it's been simmering for hours--in a good way!   Variations A variety of vegetables are well-suited for this recipe and can be used individually or in combination, such as: a bunch of leafy greens, such as chopped kale or spinach 2 cups trimmed and chopped greens beans 1 cup shelled peas and/or diced fennel 2 cups diced zucchini If adding pasta, use the smaller volume for small pasta shapes like tubes, as pictured, little elbows, orzo, or the larger shells, etc. Any type of garlic is great in this recipe, such as 1 head new garlic, 2 stalks green garlic or garlic scapes, thinly sliced. Vegetable broth or water are a great substitute for bean broth if unavailable or in a pinch. ... Read more »

Salmon with Chard and Parsley Pesto and Lemon

You can bake, pan sear or grill the fish, all with good results though timing will vary and you'll want to keep a close eye on it as it's terribly easy to overcook. The pesto gets thinned with lemon juice and provides a wonderful crust/sauce for the fish. A classic basil pesto works here as well but I really like this lighter, milder version with blanched chard, parsley and sorrel--you can just use chard as well. ... Read more »