I have a pet peeve. All right, so I have more than a few pet peeves. But a major food pet peeve is when I try to serve a homemade dessert to someone, either in class, or in a social setting, and they decline. Now, if they have a health concern (diabetes, celiac, etc.) or religious restrictions, of course, I completely understand. But you’d be surprised at how often people say “no” and admit that they don’t have a good reason for turning it down.

It’s rare these days that someone offers a fresh-out-of-the-oven homemade dessert that they lovingly prepared from scratch so it’s my policy to answer in only one way: “YES, ABSOLUTELY. Thank YOU!” I often don’t take a huge piece (I can always go back for more!) and I may not eat the entire thing but my philosophy is that one never, ever turns down homemade goodies. There is something so personal about baking something from scratch - you put a little bit of yourself into each decadent bite - and it feels so good to give some of your own “sugar” to someone else.

We’re heading into holiday season and the articles and magazine covers will be pleading with you to watch what you eat - when in reality, most Americans gain only 1 pound between Thanksgiving and New Years. Of course, as a nutritionist, I encourage people to find ways to stay fit and healthy all year long - but I also think it’s important to remember to enjoy that healthy life. And homemade goods are so much a part of that.

This concept came up in my Whole Foods cooking class at Bastyr last week, when my students were indulging in the Apple and Cranberry Crisp recipe they had just finished preparing. We had an array of optional creamy accessories: organic vanilla bean ice cream, creme fraiche, or soy ice cream. When everyone sat down to eat their dessert, the room was silent - always a good sign. I reminded the class that eating “well” goes beyond nutrients and the components of food. We also have to feed the soul. Eating a homemade dish prepared by someone you know gives the cells in your body a little bit love - which they need as much as they do vitamins and minerals.

So, if you’re looking for a way to share some of your own “sugar love”, try out this stellar autumn recipe developed by a dear friend and colleague, Jennifer Clair. It’s so good, you won’t even notice that there are some nutrients and fiber in it. Seriously, you can never go wrong with a crisp -  cooked fruit with sugar on top? Yum.

Apple and Cranberry Crisp

Take the kids apple picking and have them help with the preparation of the dish: peeling, sprinkling, and squeezing the lemon are favorite tasks for them.

For the filling:
5 medium apples, such as McIntosh, Gala, or Fuji, peeled and cored
½ cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for dish

For the topping:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup chopped toasted walnuts
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
½ cup packed light-brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Vanilla ice cream or crème fraiche, for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Cut the apples into 1-inch pieces, and transfer to a large bowl. Add cranberries, lemon juice, and sugar, and toss to combine. Butter a 9×13 glass baking dish, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine all the topping ingredients and stir until combined.

Pour apples into the prepared dish. Spread the topping mixture evenly across the fruit. Bake until the fruit is soft and the topping crisp, about 35 minutes, watching carefully that topping doesn’t brown too much. Let cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or crème fraiche.

Preparation time: 1 hour
Serves 6-8
Recipe adapted from Jennifer Clair, Founder of Home Cooking New York which provides private and group cooking classes in New York City and the Hudson Valley. She is also the author of the forthcoming Gourmet Cooking on a Budget (Globe Pequot Press, Spring 2010) with Michalene Busico

While preparing for my Whole Foods Production class that I teach at Bastyr University, I came across a menu that was a hit last year - so, I thought I’d share it with you.  It’s the perfect dinner now that the weather is turning cooler.

I love Indian food - it’s rich in flavor and filling from the high-fiber ingredients like beans, vegetables and rice. I adore any kind of yogurt cucumber sauce so I always have raita on hand to cool down the heat from all of the Indian spices. (If you’re bored with your cooking, I highly recommend investing in some Indian spices from a reputable vendor - try to buy small amounts since they fade in flavor over time).

And for those of you who want to start integrating more whole grains into your diet, I included a basic recipe for brown rice. I prefer long-grain brown rice over short-grain, since long-grain is a little less chewy. You can cook it in a rice cooker and make extras to keep in the fridge for last minute meals. Of if you prepare it on a stove, remember to never stir it (or any other whole grains!) while it’s cooking. Check to see if it’s done by sliding a knife down the side of the pan and pushing the rice away to see if there is still water in the bottom of the pan. If there is just a little bit of water left, turn the heat off, leave the lid on and let the rice finish cooking on it’s own. Wait about 10 minutes and then stir and fluff with a fork before serving. Enjoy!

Chana Masala (Curried Chickpeas)
Served with rice, this delicious vegetarian dish is hearty enough to be served as a main course. However, it’s also great served with a variety of other dishes such as dal and grilled pappadums.

2 large onions, finely diced
5 tablespoons ghee (or clarified butter)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
4 on-the-vine tomatoes (approx. 3 cups), cored and cut into medium dice
2 - 14 ounce cans chickpeas
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 cloves garlic, crushed into a paste
1 1/2 inch piece ginger, minced
2 green small green chili pepper, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon Kashmiri powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup water

Garnish:
Juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup whole milk plain yogurt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Heat large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat and melt ghee. Add the onions followed by salt. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas under cold water and set aside. Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, finely grind coriander and then add cumin and grind.

When onions are soft and golden, add garlic, ginger and chilies. Stir to coat with ghee and let cook for a minute or so until they release their aroma. Then add the coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, and Kashmiri powder and fry just until they release their fragrance.

Turn heat up to medium, add tomatoes and stir to combine. Add salt and cook until the tomatoes start to break down and soften, about 10 minutes. Once the tomatoes are soft, add the chickpeas and water. Stir to coat with onions and spices. Bring the mixture to a quick boil and turn down the heat to low.

Cover but leave the lid slightly ajar. This will allow the moisture to evaporate very slowly, while the chickpeas cook. Simmer and cook for about 20 minutes in total, stirring occasionally to ensure nothing is sticking. After about 10 minutes, check to see how much moisture remains. If there is still moisture, continue to cook.

When it’s reduced and thickened with just a little liquid left, squeeze the lemon juice over top and cook for another minute or so. Turn off heat and stir in yogurt. Just before serving, fold in cilantro and test for seasoning. Adjust seasoning accordingly and serve warm over rice.

Preparation time: 1 hour
Serves 4-6
Recipe adapted from the online cooking school, www.rouxbe.com, where you can view the video of this recipe.

Cucumber Raita
Raita is used in Indian cuisine as a cooling balance for spicy dishes. Try it with curries or as a condiment for grilled meat or poultry.

1 cup whole milk plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Combine yogurt, lime juice, garlic, cucumber, cumin, salt, pepper and mint in a small bowl. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
Make ahead tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Preparation: 10 minutes
Yields 1 1/2 cups
From EatingWell Magazine Spring 2003

Brown Rice

1 cup brown rice
1 ¾ - 2 cups water (pinch sea salt)

Rinse and drain rice. Place rice in pot with and water; bring to boil. Turn heat low. Cover pan and let rice simmer for 45-50 min. or until water is absorbed. Don’t stir while cooking.

Preparation time: 40 minutes
Serves 2-4
Recipe from Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair (Moon Smile Press, 1998) and co-host of the online cooking show, Cookus Interruptus

I taught a double yesterday at Bastyr University - I was the substitute teacher for two cooking classes (combined with nutrition lectures).  In the kitchen, some of my students hesitantly approached me to ask basic cooking questions - and I had to assure them that no question was too trivial. As I mentioned in my last post, “Mr. Pollan, People Need Cooking Lessons,”  it’s difficult to learn how to cook from a piece of paper. And it’s even more challenging for a novice cook to be able to tell if a recipe is even worth making.

I’ve noticed that since the explosion of cookbooks and recipes on the internet, that it’s not always easy to find a truly well-tested recipe that turns out right. More accomplished cooks are able to adjust a vague recipe but new cooks just end up thinking they are terrible cooks - which I often hear about in class.

I’m the first to admit that it isn’t easy to write a recipe. I often end up editing the same recipe every time I teach it over the span of several years. I’m a pretty detailed oriented person but I still find it challenging to write a recipe that is clear, detailed, and gives enough information to follow it with confidence but not too much information that it feels overwhelming.

The good news it that I have collected a few tips on how to quickly review a recipe to see if it’s worth making. These days, nobody has the time or money to prepare a dish that doesn’t turn out well. I’m probably missing a few things here (inevitable) and will up editing this list several times…but here it goes:

1) Determine the source. There are some authors who always write solid recipes - the kind of recipes that you can cook for a dinner party even if you’ve never made it before (although this is not recommend for brand new cooks). I made a list that I rely on for guaranteed winners - please note that there are many, many other accomplished cookbook authors that could also be listed but I can’t fit everyone! (see list below)

2) Review the ingredients list and instructions. Are the ingredients in the order that they are mentioned in the instructions? Is there enough information so that you won’t be confused at the store (”4 - 6 oz salmon fillets, skin on” versus “4 salmon fillets”) or when you are preparing the dish (”3 medium yellow onions, diced into 1/4-inch squares” versus “3 onions, diced”) - a well-written recipe that has been tested several times will give you very specific information.

3) Details mean someone took the time to really test it. Does the author give you a preparation time and serving size? Does the time suggested look appropriate to the length of instructions? If the suggested prep time looks too short for the recipe length, I’m immediately skeptical about the entire dish. I’m also wary of recipes that don’t mention salt (preferably kosher or sea salt) or a salt alternative like soy sauce or miso. Salt is an important ingredient for almost every dish - even baked goods - and makes all of the flavors “pop.” (I also like seeing “freshly ground pepper” - I can’t live without it.)

4) Does the author give some background information or ideas on how to alter it? Extra information means that the author has made it several times and knows the dish well enough to offer you substitutions or alternate ways of preparing it.

5) You should be able to visualize it. Does the author recommend which kind of pan to use? The amount of heat? A detailed explanation on when to move to the next step? Ideally, you should be able to read the recipe and be able to visualize each step and the equipment you’ll need - even if you aren’t an experienced cook.

6) And finally, does it make your mouth water? Or do you look at the combination of ingredients and feel doubtful? I’ve heard many stories from students who said they thought a recipe looked “kinda weird” but made it anyway - and ended up being disappointed. Trust your instincts - they are your best asset in the kitchen besides your taste buds and sense of smell.

Check out the previous blog post down below for an example of a well-written recipe. It’s from The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison and Edward Espe Brown.

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My list of sure-fired cookbook authors (please note that there are many, many others that could easily belong on this list - I’m just offering you a few):

Martha Stewart, Mark Bittman, Julie Child, Mollie Katzen, Deborah Madison,  Alice Waters,  Tom Colicchio (I love his older Think Like a Chef cookbook), Ina Garten (again, love her older stuff), anything published by Cooks Illustrated, of course - and also, the magazine, Eating Well.  Two chefs I’ve had the pleasure of working with also write fantastic recipes and I love their cookbooks, Myra Kornfeld and Peter Berley. I also love collecting cookbooks from other countries when I travel…but that’s a whole other blog post….

I love buying cookbooks. I’m thinking about buying the Kindle but even if I do, I will still always buy cookbooks. There are some incredibly well-written cookbooks that have been published in recent years but I tend to prefer the old school stuff.  I’ve found that the older cookbooks (prior to 1995 or so when cooking became a TV star) are often sure bets. For example, the recipe below is from Deborah Madison’s Greens cookbook which was first published in 1987 (she is well-known for her Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone which was one of my first cookbooks).

I’m constantly asked by students for recipes on how to cook greens and I came across Madison’s book in my collection the other night so I thought I’d pull a recipe from there since there are so many wonderful greens available this month.

I haven’t made this recipe before but I trust Ms. Madison - and my instincts - that this will be a delicious addition to your summer recipe repertoire. Please note how detailed her instructions are - she tells you everything you need to know including how to garnish it! If she were one of my students and this is what she submitted for my “Recipe Writing Assignment,” she would lose only one point for omitting the preparation time - otherwise, this recipe is a great example of a well-written recipe. Enjoy!

Romaine and Summer Vegetable Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

1 head romaine lettuce or several heads red and green garden romaines
1 small red onion, quartered thinly sliced
2 small yellow pattypan squash or zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
16 yellow pear or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red pepper or a mixture of different colored peppers (long, slender Gypsy peppers are ideal), thinly sliced into rounds or strips
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (optional)
4 large red radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup jicama, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large avocado, peeled and sliced
2 lemon cucumbers, sliced into wedges
Lime Vinaigrette (see below)
1/2 cup dry jack cheese, grated
1 to 2 tablespoons chives, sliced into small rounds for garnish
Long sprigs of cilantro, for garnish

Remove the large outer leaves of the romaine, and cut the crisp heart leaves into pieces about 1-inch square. Wash and dry them, wrap them lightly in a kitchen towel, and put them in the refrigerator until needed. Cover the onion slices with cold water and refrigerate [julie note: this is a technique to mellow out the taste of raw onions].

Bring a quart of water to a boil and add a teaspoon of salt. Add the squash, boil 30 seconds, and then remove it to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Set it aside on a kitchen towel to drain.

Cut and prepare all of the vegetables. If lemon cucumbers aren’t available, use another kind of cucumber and slice it into rounds.

Prepare the vinaigrette.

Just before serving, drain the onion slices and add them to the rest of the vegetables. Pour most of the vinaigrette onto the vegetables and gently mix it in with your hands [julie note: I prefer tongs!]. Dress the lettuce with the remaining vinaigrette. Lay the lettuce around the sides of the bowl and set the vegetables in the middle. Grate the cheese over the top, garnish with the chives and the cilantro, and serve.

Lime Vinaigrette

Grated peel [zest] and juice of two limes
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 clove, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive oil

Combine the lime peel and juice, vinegar, and herbs and seasonings in a bowl, and then whisk in the olive oil. Taste, and adjust for salt and tartness.

Serves 4-6
Recipe from The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison and Edward Espe Brown (Broadway Books, 1987)

NOTE: If you are wondering if you can call a recipe your own, you must make 3 significant changes to it - when in doubt, please always credit the original author by stating “Adapted from Deborah Madison’s cookbook…” and if you are simply reprinting someone else’s recipe, always give credit!

Ragout, which means “stew” is usually more of a winter dish - however, I’ve found it’s a delicious way to use up vegetables and fresh herbs (even if they are bruised or starting to wilt!) from the market or your CSA. This recipe is just a guide, so feel free to experiment. It lasts in the fridge for several days and will actually taste better the longer it sits. Throw in some white beans or chickpeas for protein and you have a complete meal.

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 medium eggplant, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
6-8 medium beefsteak tomatoes - ones that are bruised will work well (or one 28 oz can, whole peeled tomatoes)
1 bunch kale, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 tablespoon fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Extra basil for garnish

Sauté onion in oil over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until translucent. Sprinkle in garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add carrots, eggplant, zucchini, and squash and sauté for about 10 minutes.

Add fresh or canned tomatoes and half of the fresh herbs and cook, stirring occasionally, for around 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender and tomatoes have broken down. Toss in kale and cook for for 4-5 minutes until kale is bright green and wilted.

Pull off heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Stir in second half of fresh herbs and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour ragout over pasta, couscous, or quinoa and garnish with extra basil.

Preparation time: 1 1/2 hours (but mostly inactive cooking time)
Serves 6
Recipe by Julie Negrin

You can also view this post on Sustainable Table’s blog!

A few years ago, I was chatting with my Uncle Raymond, the youngest brother of my Papoo Albert (my grandpa) about how they ate as kids. He told me that the family of 9 ate vegetarian meals during the week and saved a meat meal for the Jewish Sabbath on Friday night. I was shocked! People in MY family eating mostly vegetarian? They are HUGE  meat-lovers.

My uncle went on to explain that in the 1920’s and 1930’s, large families could not afford to eat animal protein during the week. They ate vegetables and beans on weekdays and saved up for a decadent meat meal on Friday nights.

Since we are talking about meat and it’s a hot topic, I will disclose my stand on it. I’m frequently asked, “Is meat bad?” And my answer is always the same: “No food is bad. It’s the quality, the source, and the amount of it.” I remind my students that people used to hunt their own meat which burned up a lot of calories and the animals were very lean from running in the wild. And each animal had to last as long as possible in case another hunt wasn’t possible, so 12 oz steaks were not a typical dinner.

I think it’s pretty clear that all of us, including the planet, would be better off eating less meat. However, eating vegetarian “style” can be hard for some people to swallow. Instead of thinking of it as restrictive, consider it as an opportunity to explore new ingredients, dishes, and cuisines. This picture is of the bulk bins at PCC Natural Markets. I realize that not everyone has access to stores like this but I wanted to emphasize how many different ingredients there are to try out and how inexpensive they are (since we keep hearing how health food is so pricey  - which is the case for some items but not all). Bhutanese red rice, Thai sticky rice, French lentils, fava beans, beans you’ve never heard of (just try typing “beans” into the search box at 101 Cookbooks), nuts, and seeds - all packed with fiber and nutrients but costing only $1-3 per pound. Save money and stay trim? Can’t beat that.

For more on this topic, check out Meatless Mondays. Or try out Seattleite, Michael Natkin’s gourmet vegetarian recipes at Herbivoracious. Cheap Healthy Good is also a good resource. I love the cookbooks, Seductions of Rice by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid, who traveled all over the world collecting exotic rice recipes and my friend, Myra Kornfeld’s book, The Healthy Hedonist - she has GREAT recipes.

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Last week I was at my cousin Sonya’s house. Her husband, Etan and I created this recipe for veggie burgers using cheap, healthy ingredients that we found in the pantry. I know it’s not the same as a juicy burger for you meat-lovers but I like to think that these patties are something my great-grandmother would have cooked for her family.

Straight from the Pantry Veggie Burgers

Matzoh meal can be found in most major supermarkets – it’s a great binder but you can use breadcrumbs too. And feel free to use whatever you already have in the house – use any beans, nuts, seeds or spices – make sure you use roughly the same amounts as this recipe. The entire dish costs around $10 (plus cheese), will serve 4 people for dinner and still leave you with enough leftovers for lunch.

1 small onion, finely diced
¼ teaspoon each of the following: cumin seeds, mustard seeds, celery seeds, ground ginger, ground mustard
1-2 garlic cloves, minced (or crushed garlic from a jar to save time)
1 small sweet potato, finely diced
¾ cup almonds
¼ cup sunflower seeds
1 15 oz can garbonzo beans
1 15 oz can kidney beans
2-3 tablespoons matzoh meal (or breadcrumbs)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Optional: havarti cheese and mini hamburger buns

In a medium skillet, sauté onion on low heat for 10-15 minutes (the longer you cook them, the sweeter tney become). Add spices to onions and cook for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sweet potato and cook for 20 more minutes or until sweet potato is very tender. (If you’re short on time, combine ½ teaspoon of water with diced sweet potato in a glass dish with a lid and microwave for about 5 minutes and then add to onions).

Meanwhile, grind the almonds and sunflower seeds in a food processor (or use an inexpensive coffee grinder but use a “clean” one that’s only for nuts/seeds/spices because the coffee flavor is too strong.) Set aside.

In a large bowl, mash garbonzo beans and kidney beans with a fork. Add ground almond and seeds and stir well. Stir in 2 tablespoons of matzoh meal, onions and sweet potatoes.  The texture should be soft and form into a patty easily. You may need to add more matzoh meal if it’s not binding well. Make around 16 or so patties – keep them small and thin so that they cook through easily.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté patties until golden – about 5 minutes and flip over. Add more oil if necessary. Melt cheese on top and serve with or without buns with a salad and vegetable side dish.

Preparation time: 40 minutes to 1 hour
Yields 16-18 patties
Recipe by Julie Negrin and Etan Basseri © 2009