Fruit-and-Egg Muffins Baked in Tomato Cups

    Serves 10

    ½ cup organic mixed dried fruit, such as raisins, cranberries, chopped apricots, chopped figs, et cetera

    10 large tomatoes

    Salt and pepper

    8 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

    ¾ cup whole-wheat pastry flour

    ¼ cup all-purpose flour

    6 tablespoons turbinado sugar, plus more for sprinkling

    1 tablespoon orange zest

    ¾ teaspoon baking powder

    ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

    ⅛ teaspoon baking soda

    ⅛ teaspoon salt

    5 medium eggs

    6 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt

    ½ teaspoon dried herbs, such as oregano, chervil, basil, or sage

1. Preheat oven to 425° F.  Place dried fruit in heatproof bowl.  Cover with boiling water, and let stand 5 minutes to plump fruit.  Drain, and set aside.  Slice tops off tomatoes, and scoop out seeds and pulp.  Place tomatoes in shallow baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray, and sprinkle cavities with salt, pepper, and pinches of cheese.
2. Combine flours, sugar, orange zest, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Whisk together eggs and yogurt in separate bowl.  Stir egg mixture into flour mixture.  Fold in fruit.
4. Fill tomato cups with batter.  Sprinkle tops with salt, pepper, herbs, remaining sugar, and remaining cheese.  Bake 20 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes in pan and serve.

Smoky Banana-Chocolate Penne with Corn, Fruit, and Cherry Tomatoes

    Serves 5

    1½ medium-size bananas

    6 ounces penne pasta

    ½ dried chipotle chile, soaked in hot water 10 minutes, or ½ chile from 4-ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

    1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

    2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

    ½ 2-ounce log goat cheese, plus more for crumbling and sprinkling, if desired

    6 tablespoons reduced-fat unsweetened coconut milk

    8 teaspoons water

    6 tablespoons vegan semisweet chocolate chips

    8 teaspoons maple syrup

    8 teaspoons chopped cilantro

    ⅜ teaspoon vanilla extract

    1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

    1½ cups strawberries, stemmed and quartered

    1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

    1½ kiwis, peeled, halved crosswise and sliced

    1 mango, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

    Salt and pepper, to taste

    2 tablespoons dried unsweetened coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Bake whole unopened bananas 15 minutes, or until black and soft.  Cut tips and squeeze flesh into bowl of food processor.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, remove seeds from chipotle chile and finely chop.  Heat ½ tablespoon oil in skillet over medium-low heat.  Add chile and garlic, and sauté 1 minute or until fragrant.  Stir in goat cheese, coconut milk, and water, and cook 3 minutes, or until smooth sauce forms, stirring constantly.  Stir in chocolate chips and simmer 2 minutes more, then remove from heat and add syrup, cilantro, vanilla, and remaining oil.  Purée sauce with bananas until smooth.
4. Drain pasta, and return to pot.  Add tomatoes, strawberries, corn, kiwis, chocolate-cheese sauce, and mango.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to warm serving bowl.  Sprinkle with coconut and extra goat cheese crumbles, and serve.

Raspberry-Cornmeal-Banana-Carrot S’mores

    Serves 6

    ¼ cup fresh raspberries

    ½ teaspoon sugar

    6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

    1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal

    ¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder

    3 low-fat graham crackers, crumbled

    ⅛ teaspoon salt

    ⅛ teaspoon baking powder

    1 carrot, grated (about ½ cup)

    2 small green onions (white and pale green parts), thinly sliced

    ½ 4-ounce bar milk chocolate, broken into ½-inch pieces

    ½ cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese (about 1½ ounces)

    1 egg, lightly beaten

    ¼ cup low-fat milk

    ½ banana, thinly sliced on an angle

    6 tablespoons marshmallow fluff

1. Preheat broiler.  Toss berries with sugar in bowl, and let stand 10 minutes.
2. Combine flour, cornmeal, mustard, graham cracker, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl.  Add carrots, green onions, chocolate, cheese, egg, and milk, and mix well.
3. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Scoop tablespoonfuls of batter into pan, then spread flat with back of spoon to about 3-inch diameter.  Cook 1¼ to 1½ minutes per side.  Transfer to baking sheet.
4. Set 1 or 2 banana slices over half of the cakes.  Top remaining cakes with raspberries.
5. Spread ½ tablespoon marshmallow fluff over each s’more.  Place 6 to 8 inches under broiler, and broil ¾ to 1 minute, or until fluff is toasty and browned.  Serve immediately.

Amber’s Spicy Tarragon Sweet Potato, Peach, and Red Lentil Stew with Crumbled Roquefort

    Serves 6

    ½ tablespoon vegetable oil

    1¼ tablespoons flaxseed oil

    ¾ tablespoon balsamic vinegar

    ½ yellow onion, diced

    4 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 4 teaspoons)

    1 canned chipotle chile, drained

    2 slices Yves Canadian Veggie bacon, diced

    2 tablespoons dry white wine

    1¾ cups low-sodium vegetable broth

    1½ cups water

    2 medium-size peaches, peeled and cut into thin slices

    ½ cup red lentils

    1 medium-size sweet potato, peeled and cubed (1½ cups)

    1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon

    ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

    Salt and pepper to taste

    2 small corn tortillas, cut into thin strips

    2 tablespoons crumbled Roquefort or other blue cheese (about ½ ounce)

    4 tablespoons vegan sour cream

    1 green onion, chopped

    Cilantro, for garnish

1. Heat oils and vinegar in large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Sauté onion and garlic 5 to 7 minutes or until onions are translucent.  Be careful not to burn garlic.
2. Add chopped chipotle chiles, veggie bacon, and wine, and sauté 1 minute more.
3. Add broth, water, peaches, lentils, and sweet potatoes; cook 20 minutes, or until lentils fall apart.  Stir in tarragon and cinnamon; add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cook tortilla strips in small skillet over high heat 3 to 5 minutes, or until crispy.  Set aside.
5. Ladle stew into bowls, and top each serving with ⅔ tablespoon sour cream, ⅓ tablespoon cheese, green onions, and tortilla strips.  Garnish with cilantro, and serve.

Big, Beefy Fry-Grilled Mushroom-Lemon-Cheddar Melts

                Serves 2

                ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

                8 teaspoons floor

                8 teaspoons sherry

                2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

                ¼ teaspoon salt

                Coarse black pepper to taste

                1 small lemon, thinly sliced

                2 large, firm Portobello mushroom caps (at least 1 inch thick), gills scraped and caps sliced horizontally into 2 disks

                Sea salt to taste

                1 cup vegetable oil

                2 slices extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese

                2 brioche rolls, lightly toasted

                2 thick slices heirloom tomato

                A handful watercress or other spicy greens

                Dijon mustard or other mustard of choice

                Salt-and-vinegar potato chips

1.       Combine olive oil, flour, sherry, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper into a dish and mix with your fingers or a whisk.  Dredge lemon slices and mushroom disks in the sauce as you add them to the dish; season with sea salt.  Let marinate for 30 to 45 minutes, turning occasionally.

2.       Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.  Heat vegetable oil separately, in large skillet, until hot but not smoking.  Fry lemon slices and mushroom disks, turning once, 1 to 1½ minutes.  Transfer lemon slices and mushroom disks to grill and grill, turning once, until well marked, 2 to 3 minutes.

3.       Make 2 stacks in this way: mushroom disk, cheese slice, several lemon slices, mushroom, and cheese.  Place on the grill until cheese melts, about 1 minute.  Transfer the stacks to the roll bottoms and top with tomato slices; season with salt and pepper.  Add the greens.  Slather the bun tops with mustard and set in place.  Serve with chips.

Pineapple-Pumpkin-Mojito Chiffon Cake

            Serves 10

            ½ cup flour

            14 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

            ½ bunch fresh mint, stems discarded

            ½ tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

            ½ teaspoon baking powder

            1 lime, chopped

            ¼ teaspoon salt

            ½ cup pineapple juice

            2 eggs, separated, plus 3 egg whites, at room temperature

            ½ cup canned crushed pineapple

            ½ cup canned pure pumpkin puree

            ½ cup light rum

            2 cups ice cubes, divided

            ½ cup club soda, divided

1.      Preheat the oven to 325°.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 10 tablespoons granulated sugar, mint leaves, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, lime, and salt, making sure to crush the mint leaves.  In a medium bowl, combine the pineapple juice, egg yolks, crushed pineapple, pumpkin puree, and rum.  Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture until smooth.

2.      Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the 5 egg whites at medium speed until foamy, about 2 minutes.  With the machine on, gradually whisk in the remaining sugar; increase the speed to high and beat until stiff but still moist, 1 to 2 minutes.

3.      Add one-quarter of the egg white mixture, ½ cup ice cubes, and 2 tablespoons club soda to the pumpkin batter, folding with a rubber spatula just until no streaks remain.  Repeat with remaining egg white mixture, ice cubes, and club soda.  Pour the batter into a 10-inch tube pan with a removable bottom.  Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, 55 minutes.

4.      Let cool for 5 minutes, then invert the pan onto a narrow-necked bottle; let hang upside down until completely cool, about 1½ hours.  Place the cake right side up and remove the pan.  To serve, dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Quick Asian-Jellied Grape Cole Slaw

                Makes about 6 cups

                2 tablespoons soy sauce

                2 cups 100% grape juice

                1½ tablespoons rice vinegar

                3½ cups shredded red cabbage

                8 teaspoons freshly chopped mint

                ½ tbsp. powdered pectin

                2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter

                ¼ cup finely chopped mango

1.       Bring soy, juice, vinegar, cabbage, and mint to simmer over medium-high heat in large saucepan.  Whisk in pectin and peanut butter and cook, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes.  Lower heat to medium low; add sugar and mango, whisking until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.

Baked Eggplant, Banana, and Zucchini Enchiladas Falsas

                Serves 5 (serve family-style)

                1 cup tomato sauce, divided

                4 egg roll wrappers

                ½ small eggplant, cut into long slabs, divided

                1½ bananas, sliced into ½–inch rounds, divided

                1 small zucchini, cut into long slabs, divided

                ½ cup shredded fontina, divided

                ½ cup shredded parmesan, divided

                1½ tablespoons Nutella, divided

                8 teaspoons torn basil, divided

                1 tablespoon melted butter

                ½ tablespoon confectioner’s sugar

1.       Spread ¼ cup sauce in 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

2.       With point of wrapper facing you, spread with 1½ tablespoons sauce; top (in center) with 1 layer eggplant, 1 banana slice, 1 layer zucchini, 1 tablespoon of each cheese, ½ teaspoon Nutella, and 1 teaspoon basil.  Repeat layering once.  Brush edges with butter, roll up like a burrito.  Brush with butter. 

3.       Cook enchiladas falsas in nonstick skillet over medium heat, 4 minutes.  Transfer to baking dish.  Bake for 12½ minutes at 400°.  Dust with sugar

Shrimp in Cantaloupe-Coconut-Yogurt Curry

                Serves 2

                ½ cup cubed cantaloupe

                1 serrano chile, halved and seeded

                ¾ tablespoon honey

                ½ carrot, peeled and quartered

                ¼ cup 2% greek yogurt

                ½ onion, quartered

                10 tablespoons ice

                ⅜ ounce fresh ginger, peeled

                2 tablespoons vegetable oil

                ½ 13.5-ounce can coconut milk

                ¾ teaspoon curry powder

                ½ lb. peeled, deveined shrimp

                Salt

1.       Pulse cantaloupe, serrano, honey, carrot, yogurt, onion, ice, and ginger in food processor.  Heat oil in skillet over medium heat; add vegetables and cook to soften, 3 minutes.  Add coconut milk and curry powder and bring to simmer; add shrimp and simmer until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.  Season with salt and serve over rice.

Roasted Sicilian-Style Jalapeño and Carrot Puree

            Makes 1¼ cups

            1½ oil-packed anchovies

            1 clove garlic, minced

            1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

            ¾ lb. carrots, sliced

            2½ jalapeño chiles, quartered and seeded

            Pinch salt

            2 tablespoons chopped parsley

            3 tablespoons water

1.      Combine anchovies, garlic, and ½ tablespoon oil.

2.      Toss carrots and jalapeños with remaining oil and salt.  Roast at 425° for 20 to 25 minutes.

3.      Puree roasted vegetables with anchovy sauce and parsley in mini food processor or blender with water.

September Menu

Course #3.5

1. Quick Asian-Jellied Grape Cole Slaw
2. Amber’s Spicy Tarragon Sweet Potato, Peach, and Red Lentil Stew with Crumbled Roquefort

Course #4

1. Shrimp in Cantaloupe-Coconut-Yogurt Curry

Course #4.5

1. Pineapple-Pumpkin-Mojito Chiffon Cake
2. Fruit-and-Egg Muffins Baked in Tomato Cups

Course #5

1. Big, Beefy Fry-Grilled Mushroom-Lemon-Cheddar Melts

Course #7

1. Chocolate-Green Bean-Silken Tofu Spaghetti Carbonara
2. Roasted Sicilian-Style Jalapeño and Carrot Puree (side dish)

Course #7.5

1. Baked Eggplant, Banana, and Zucchini Enchiladas Falsas 
2. Raspberry-Cornmeal-Banana-Carrot S’mores 
3. Smoky Banana-Chocolate Penne with Corn, Fruit, and Cherry Tomatoes

Chocolate-Green Bean-Silken Tofu Spaghetti Carbonara

                Serves 3

                ½ lb. spaghetti

                6 oz. green beans, cut into bite-size pieces

                ¼ lb. bacon, chopped

                ½ medium onion, finely chopped

                7 oz. soft silken tofu

                1 egg

                2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

                2 tablespoons agave nectar

                ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese

                ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

                Salt and pepper

                ¼ cup fresh raspberries

                1 tablespoon chopped pistachios

1.       Cook pasta according to package directions, adding beans halfway through cooking time; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons cooking water.

2.       Brown bacon in large skillet over medium heat; add onion and soften.  Deglaze with reserved cooking water.

3.       Puree tofu, eggs, cocoa, agave, cheese, and vanilla in food processor.

4.       Off heat, add pasta, beans, and puree to skillet and toss; season with salt and pepper and top with berries and nuts.