Canadian Thanksgiving

Canadian Thanksgiving is a much less stressful affair than the American version. Generally we clean out the garage, tune up the snowblower, close up the cottage — enjoy the fall colors and the fresh air before holing up inside for the long snowy winter.

At the end of the day — Sunday or Monday, there's no set rule — a simple meal of turkey and vegetables is served, maybe with a pumpkin or apple pie to finish. At least, that's how it was at my house.

This year, Larry and I celebrated Thanksgiving on Monday evening with a pumpkin stuffed with mushrooms and barley, the last harvest of green beans from our garden, a salad of crunchy lettuce with pistachios and red grapes, and an apple quince pie for dessert.

As we ate, we thought with gratitude of the organic farmers at the Hollywood Farmers Market who provided us with this bounty.

There are various ways to stuff a pumpkin. Usually I fill it with a grain pilaf and then bake it an hour or so until it is tender.

This year, however, I was late in from the garden, so I scooped out the pumpkin and baked it while I simmered the barley mushroom stuffing on the stove. Unfortunately, I baked it too long so it became soft and lost its shape. No matter, I filled it with the cooked pilaf and it made a lovely, if slightly lopsided, main course.

The mushroom barley pilaf is a delicious fall supper that is great even without the pumpkin.

Mushroom Barley Pilaf
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups chopped onion
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
3/4 lb assorted mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, cremini), cleaned and sliced thinly
1 1/2 cups barley
4 sprigs thyme
3/4 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water (I used 1 1/2 cups of my strong stock and 3 cups water)

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, carrot, celery and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms start to brown.

Add the barley and stir to coat with the pan juices. Then pour in the stock, add the thyme and salt, and a liberal amount of freshly ground pepper.

Cover the skillet and let the pilaf simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes until the barley is tender. Keep an eye on it, and add more water if it gets dry. The barley should hold its shape and be al dente when done — not mushy.

Serves 4

Note: If you are serving vegans, replace the unsalted butter with olive oil. It will still be delicious. I do prefer mushrooms in butter, though.

Omelet with Tomatillo Salsa

Sunday brunch is one of my favorite meals. We return from the market laden down with colorful produce that we unpack on our sunny kitchen table. Then Larry squeezes fresh oranges while I make some combination of eggs and carbs. We enjoy a leisurely meal with the Sunday papers. Last week, I decided to add a little zest to our brunch by pouring tomatillo salsa on our omelets.

Tomatillo salsa is easy to make. You can find my recipe for it here. Even better, it freezes well. I set some out on the counter to defrost while we were at the Market, ready to heat and serve when we returned.

The omelet was thick with mushrooms, cheese, peppers and cilantro. The sauce added zest, and a few breakfast potatoes rounded out the plate.

Sunday mornings are really great around here.

Omelet with Tomatillo Salsa
3/4 cup tomatillo salsa
4 eggs
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbsp butter, divided use
1/2 red pepper, cut into strips
5 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 cup grated cheese — half jack, half cheddar
1 tbsp cilantro

Warm the salsa and set it aside.

Whisk together the eggs, onion, salt and pepper.

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a medium cast iron skillet over medium heat. Sauté red pepper and mushrooms until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Melt 1 tbsp butter in skillet. Add eggs. Cook without stirring until they begin to set, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with vegetables, cheese and cilantro. Cover skillet and cook until the cheese melts and the eggs are set, about 2-3 minutes.

Fold the omelet in half, then cut it in half and serve on two plates. Pour the warm salsa on top.

Serves 2

Breakfast Potatoes

Sunday morning I wanted a fry-up for breakfast. Usually that means eating at the pub, but we'd been there the night before (possibly why I craved a fry-up) so I decided to make a healthier version at home.

Instead of frying the potatoes, I roasted them in the toaster oven. It was slightly healthier yet really delicious with fried eggs on the side. Actually they'd be good for dinner too.

Breakfast Potatoes

2 medium red potatoes (about 8 oz total)

4 cremini mushrooms

1 small shallot

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

10 grinds pepper

Preheat toaster oven to 450°F.

Peel the potatoes and cut in 1/2" dice. Cut the mushrooms in quarters. Peel the shallot, halve lengthwise, and slice thinly. Toss these all together with the oil, salt and pepper. Spread out in a small roasting pan and cook for about 18 minutes until they are tender and golden. Stir after 10 minutes, making sure to scrape any browning onion bits back to the center of the pan.

Serves 2

Memorial Day Barbecue

We had a wonderful Memorial Day barbecue on Sunday. Larry grilled a portabello mushroom to perfection (apparently his burger was pretty good too), and he grilled a couple of slices of red onion for our arugula salad.

It was a simple meal: grilled burger / portabello, black beans, potato salad, and homegrown arugula salad. Dessert was our first ripe blackberries and blueberries on homemade peach ice cream.

The mushroom benefitted from being brushed with a zesty marinade while it was cooking. It was juicy and flavorful. It would probably have been good on a bun, but I enjoyed eating it with a knife and fork.

Here's how we made it.

Grilled Portabello Mushroom
3 oz olive oil
juice of 2 limes
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 shallot, peeled and minced

Combine all the ingredients. This is enough marinade for 4 portabellos. Leftovers last well in the fridge and make a good salad dressing.

Remove the stem from the portabello. Brush off any dirt.

Put it on a grill over high heat. Brush with the marinade. Grill a few minutes, turning and brushing often. Larry's secret is he pours a little of his beer on it as well during the cooking.

Serve immediately.

I sometimes add a tsp of fresh chopped rosemary to the marinade, which adds a little more depth of flavor.

A simple rice cooker meal

There's something cool about appliances doing all the work. I don't mean actually choosing my options - that's my job. But I do enjoy leaving dinner to cook without worrying about it burning or boiling over. It lets me go putter in the garden, knowing that when I'm ready for dinner, it will be ready for me.

The other night I made this great spicy mushroom rice dish in my rice cooker. I have a very low-tech rice cooker - turn it on and let it do its work. No fuzzy logic. No bells and whistles. And it works great. When the rice is done, the cooker turns to low and keeps it warm until I remember it's time for dinner. A simple salad or a steamed vegetable can round out the meal.

I sautéed leeks and mushrooms, added chipotles in adobo, then stirred in raw rice. I poured the whole thing into the rice cooker. When I have some smoked jack in the fridge, I stir in about half a cup diced at the end to add a "bacon-y" flavor. But the chipotles add enough flavor that it's not necessary. (Chipotles in adobo are dried smoked jalapeños in a spicy tomato sauce. You'll find them in cans in the international section of the grocery store. I use what I need then store the rest in a jar in the refrigerator where they'll last for a few months.)

Spicy Mushroom Rice
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
4 small leeks
2 chipotles in adobo, chopped
4 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup brown rice
2 1/2 cups water

Warm the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cut the roots off the leaks, then cut them in half lengthwise. Wash them well to get dirt out from between the layers. Thinly slice the white and pale green parts and add them to the warmed oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Raise the heat to medium and add the chopped chipotles, sliced mushrooms and chopped garlic. Cook until mushrooms darken and are tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the salt, pepper and brown rice. Pour into the rice cooker. Add the water. Lower the lid and turn on the cooker.

Serves 4-6.

This reheats well. It also freezes and defrosts well. It's a great go-to easy dinner dish.

Penne with Broccoli, Mushrooms, Rosemary and Thyme

I ventured out between the rain showers the other day to pick some rosemary and thyme to add vigor to this simple pasta dish. The aroma of the fresh herbs elevated this easy supper to another level, yet it was still quick to prepare.

One of the pleasures of living in Southern California is the ability to grow herbs outside year round. While they may not be at their most fragrant after all this cold rain, they still add pungency and freshness to a meal.

The broccoli and mushrooms cook while the pasta boils, and the dish is ready in under half an hour.

There is no real sauce per se, so save a couple of ladlefuls of pasta cooking water to add at the end to loosen it up if necessary.

Penne with Broccoli, Mushrooms, Rosemary and Thyme
1 (10 oz) head broccoli
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 dried chili pepper, crushed into pieces
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
parmesan to serve (optional)
1/2 lb penne pasta

Cut the florets off the broccoli stems and set aside. Peel any tough skin off the broccoli stems and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Sauté the onion in the olive oil until it's browned around the edges. Add the chopped broccoli stems and stir for a minute. Add the mushrooms, salt, rosemary, thyme, chili pepper and sunflower seeds. Stir another minute or so. Add 1/4 cup water to the pan. Place the broccoli florets on top of the vegetables, cover the pan, reduce the heat and let it all steam, covered, 13-15 minutes until the stems are soft and the florets are cooked but still have some bite.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water, following the directions on the package. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water.

When the sauce is cooked, stir in the pasta along with a little pasta water if desired.

Serve sprinkled with parmesan if desired. (If you're not using parmesan, a little extra salt might be necessary.)

Serves 4

Mushroom Oat Soup

This photograph does not do justice to this soup.

I love to switch up my grains. Last week I made mushroom barley soup with oat groats instead of barley. It was yummy.

Oats are fabulous healing foods. They are good for the heart, help lower cholesterol, and contain beta glucan — an excellent immune booster. And they aren't just for breakfast.

For this soup I used the whole groats - not the ones with husks on that are used for sprouting. They look a lot like barley, and add a similar silkiness to soups when cooked.

The parsnip adds an underlying richness to the soup. If you don't have one, just omit it. Or stir in a couple of teaspoons of tamari at the end to deepen the flavor.

You can use any combination of mushrooms that total approximately a pound. And if you're not able to go outside and pick a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary, you can use dried instead. Start with a sprinkle and let it cook a while before you decide whether to add more. They should enhance the flavor, not stand out too much.

Also, if you're using fabulous roasted vegetable stock, you'll only need a couple of cups in the large pot of soup. Use water for the rest of the liquid.

Mushroom Oat Soup
1/2 cup oat groats
1/2 oz dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms
3 medium leeks
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 lb oyster mushrooms
1/4 lb shiitake mushrooms
1/2 lb (or 6 oz) cremini mushrooms
6 cups vegetable stock
2 medium carrots
1 medium parsnip
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp minced thyme
1/2 tsp minced rosemary
2 tbsp minced parsley to serve

Put the oats in a bowl with water to cover by 2 inches and leave to soak 6 hours or overnight. Drain.

Put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave until softened, about 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the liquid and slice them thinly. Reserve the liquid.

Cut the hairy root end off the leeks, then slice them in half lengthwise. Wash them thoroughly in cold water, making sure to rinse any dirt out from among the leaves. Thinly slice the white and pale green parts.

Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Slice the oyster, shiitake and cremini mushrooms thinly and add to the pot. Cook about 10 minutes until the mushrooms have released their liquid and it has evaporated.

Peel the carrots and parsnip and slice thinly crosswise.

Add the reserved mushroom liquid, drained oat groats, vegetable stock, carrots and parsnips to the pot. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, thyme and rosemary. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook until the oats are tender, about 35 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley. Serve hot.

Serves 8

This soup reheats well too.

Goat Cheese and Spinach Phyllo Extravaganza

I'm not sure what to call the delicious vegetarian entrée I served at Thanksgiving. Layers of phyllo pastry top and bottom, a filling of spinach, goat cheese and mushrooms - all baked free form on a cookie sheet. I think Extravaganza is the only word for it.

I'm not really good with phyllo - to make it good and crispy requires a lot of melted butter, and I find myself going with the minimum. It's still delicious, even if the layers of dough don't hold together as well as they could.

Like lasagna, once all the parts are assembled, it's a quick dish to prepare. The longest part is cleaning the spinach and mushrooms. Working with whole food takes more time, but it's worth it for the great taste.

This dish is great leftovers - fortunately because it makes enough for 8-12 people. I've been enjoying it cold for lunch - the crust is not as crisp, but the flavor is great.

Here's the recipe in case you want to serve your own Extravaganza!

Goat Cheese and Spinach Phyllo Extravaganza
1 packet whole wheat phyllo (16-18 sheets)
2 tbsp olive oil, divided use
1/2 red onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced, divided use
3/4 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
2 bunches spinach, washed and heavy stems removed
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, marjoram and thyme
1 lb ricotta
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp grated parmesan
1/4 cup melted butter (or more)
1/3 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/4 lb goat cheese, crumbled

Take phyllo out of freezer to thaw in its box.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, 1/4 tsp salt and a little pepper. Sauté about 5 minutes until onion begins to soften and release its moisture. Add half the garlic and cook another 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Heat another tbsp in the unwashed skillet. Sear mushrooms over high heat with 1/4 tsp salt and a little pepper. Cook about 7 minutes until golden-brown. Add remaining garlic and sauté another minute. Add wine to deglaze pan and cook until pan is nearly dry again. Add the mushrooms to the bowl of onions.

Again, don't wash the skillet. Add the spinach, 1/2 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook over high heat, letting the spinach wilt. Then drain well and let cool a little. Squeeze out the moisture - it should be damp but not wet. Coarsely chop and add to onions. Stir in the fresh herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, 1/2 tsp salt, a few grinds of pepper, and the parmesan. Mix thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Unfold phyllo and cover with a damp towel.

Grease a 9x13 inch baking sheet. Lay a piece of phyllo on it, brush lightly with butter, and sprinkle with a few pistachios. Continue with 8-9 more sheets, brushing butter and sprinkling nuts, using about half of each.

Spread the ricotta mix on the phyllo, almost to the edges. Spoon the spinach mixture on top. Sprinkle the goat cheese over all.

Layer on the last sheets, brushing each lightly with butter and scattering with nuts. Brush the top layer thoroughly with butter.

Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Cut off excess dough at edges if necessary. Cut the Extravaganza into 8 squares, but don't separate them. This makes it easier to serve.

Bake at 375°F for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Cut each square into triangles or rectangles, and serve.

Serves 8-12

Mushroom Pie

I had a picture in my mind of what I wanted the vegetarian Christmas entrée to be. I did not want to cook another squash or pumpkin - I did that at Thanksgiving - I wanted something warm and winter-y.

I wanted a non-meat meat pie.

So I created it with mushrooms and pastry, and I served it with mushroom gravy. To my surprise, it turned out just like I had imagined.

I started by baking a mushroom pâté in a seven-inch round cake tin. Then I lined an eight-inch springform pan with pastry and dropped in the cooked pâté. I covered it with a crust, which Mum helped me decorate with holly leaves and berries made from scraps of dough. I brushed it with egg and baked it, and it came out looking spectacular.

It was very moist so it didn't need the mushroom gravy I made, and it reheated well as leftovers.

The mushrooms were delicious, but I think I could have used any bean or lentil loaf as the filling. Non-meat meat pie will show up again on our winter table, I am sure.

Mushroom Pâté
1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp white wine
2/3 cup pinquitos (or other small beans) cooked
1 egg, beaten
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and line a 7" diameter cake pan.

Cook the mushrooms, onion, garlic, red pepper, water and wine in a saucepan over medium heat about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly.

Put the mushroom mixture in a food processor along with the cooked beans and process until smooth.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the egg, bread crumbs, thyme and rosemary. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Level the surface. Bake about 1 hour until set and browned on top. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Serve as pâté with crackers, or use in a pie as described above.

Halloween Pumpkin

When I saw black quinoa in the cupboard and a small pumpkin on the counter, I knew I had to combine them for a festive Halloween dish.

I had found Organic Royal Black Quinoa at my local grocery store. It's organic and fair trade from Bolivia, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Larry was dubious - he said this dish looked unattractive but tasted good, which I take as a compliment.

I was surprised to find the texture and look of the black quinoa more appealing than the red or white kinds, and combined with shiitake mushrooms and cashews it had great flavor.

I could have served the quinoa as a side dish instead of in a pumpkin, but I enjoyed the combination. If you don't have a pumpkin, any squash like an acorn or delicata or hubbard will work just as well. Cook it in the same way, checking for doneness more frequently if it's a small squash.

Black quinoa keeps its color

Halloween Pumpkin
1 small pumpkin or other winter squash
1 cup black (or other color) quinoa
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced scallions, white and green parts
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup roasted, salted cashews
1 lime

Make a few slits around the top of the squash (to make sure it doesn't explode while cooking) and bake it in a 375°F oven for 30-60 minutes until a thin knife slides in easily. Set aside.

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine mesh sieve, using hot water and then cold, to wash away the bitter saponins that coat the grain. Put it in a pot with 1 1/2 cups water. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce the heat so it simmers, and cook until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shiitakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are slightly crisp. Stir in the scallions and cook, stirring frequently, until they wilt. Remove from heat and stir in the soy sauce and vinegar. Stir in the quinoa and cashews, making sure to combine well. Then grate the zest of half the lime over the grain, and squeeze the juice from one half. Taste and add pepper and lime juice to taste.

Slice the top off the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and stringy insides. Pile the quinoa inside - there will be a lot leftover to serve on the side.

I carved the pumpkin into wedges to serve, and spooned the quinoa filling alongside on the plate. The quinoa did not hold together, but it all looked pretty together. I also could have scooped the flesh from the pumpkin along with some grain. Or just eaten the quinoa alone, which we will be doing as leftovers.

Serves 4-6

Awesome Eggplant

Many years ago, when if you had told me I'd marry an American and move to Los Angeles I would have scoffed, my mother and I made this eggplant dish for Canadian Thanksgiving.

It was just the two of us, and we thought eggplant was an excellent celebratory dish. Cooked this way, a recipe from Annie Somerville's book Fields of Greens, we were right.

The recipes in this book are a little more complicated than I usually make, but that adds to the layers of flavors that make these dishes extra special. It comes together in about an hour.

Roll forward many years, and my American husband Larry and I returned home to Los Angeles from our trip back East last week to find one of our pathetic eggplant plants actually had a large purple eggplant. This was cause for celebration, so I dug out this recipe. Awesome!

Awesome Eggplant
1 eggplant (3/4 lb)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced onion
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp white wine
2 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp almonds, slivered
3 tbsp parmesan

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Scoop out the center, leaving about 1/4 inch shell. If the flesh is very seedy, discard some of the seeds. Cut the flesh into dice.

Combine the tbsp olive oil and small clove of garlic. Brush the insides of the eggplant shells with this, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and put cut side down on a cookie sheet. Bake until tender, 10-15 minutes.

The bottom eggplant is the one we ate. The upper
one will be made into dinner later in the week.

Sauté onion in 1 tbsp oil with salt and pepper for about 5 minutes until tender. Add the diced eggplant and 1 minced clove of garlic. Sauté 5 minutes until the eggplant is tender. It will be dry and sticking a little to the pan, that's okay. Transfer to a bowl.

In the same skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper. Stir occasionally. When golden brown, about 5 minutes, add the remaining clove of garlic and cook another couple of minutes. Add the wine and simmer 1-2 minutes until the pan is almost dry.

Toss the mushrooms with the eggplant mixture. Scrape the pan well so all the browned parts are added. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and almonds. Stir in all but 1 tbsp parmesan. Place the eggplant shells in a casserole dish and mound in the filling. Cover and bake 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and bake uncovered 5 minutes.

Serves 3-4 as a main course.

Warm leftovers in the oven - they are almost more delicious than the original.

Barbecued Mushrooms

We had our Labor Day weekend barbecue on Sunday. Larry cooked a hamburger for himself, using grass-fed organic beef from Rocky Canyon Farms, and some shiitake mushrooms for me.

I selected large mushrooms at the market, removed the stems, and cut shallow slits in the side with gills. I mashed 3 cloves of garlic with the leaves from a dozen sprigs of thyme - it turned out to be equal quantities of garlic and thyme. I pushed this into the slits and filled the caps with the remainder. I brushed the mushrooms with olive oil, and then Larry grilled them for about 5 minutes until they were soft.

This simple recipe was delicious. The mushrooms were fragrant and earthy, altogether a great dish to celebrate the start of autumn.

Beans and Greens and Mushrooms

I was buying cilantro and chard at the South Central Farmers Cooperative stall at the Hollywood Farmers Market on Sunday when I noticed some beautiful burgundy leaves. I was told they were amaranth, a green that we have not eaten before. So I bought a bunch to try.

When I nibbled a leaf, I found it was surprisingly bitter. So I decided to cook it with some curly kale (for texture) and beet greens (for sweetness). I combined them with mushrooms and white beans for a simple and nutritious dinner.

You could make this recipe with any combination of greens you like. I recommend the curly kale because it bulks up the dish - it doesn't shrink quite as much as chard and other types of kale. Some arugula or rapini would be nice for flavor. And a gentle green like collards or beets is always appreciated.

I used a variety of mushrooms because I was feeling adventurous at the market. Plain creminis would be fine too, or even white mushrooms.

The white beans look pretty against the greens, but any bean can be used. If you don't feel like cooking your own, drain a 14-oz can of whatever strikes your fancy.

Beans and Greens and Mushrooms
1/3 cup dry white beans
2 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots
2 cloves garlic
1/2 lb mixed mushrooms (I used oyster, shiitake and cremini)
1 bunch curly green kale
greens from 1 bunch of beets
1 bunch purple amaranth

Cook the white beans in plenty of simmering water until tender, about 90 minutes depending on the beans. Drain and set aside. (At this point they can be refrigerated overnight if needed.)

Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Peel and chop 1 shallot and 1 clove garlic and add to the oil. Cook, stirring, until onion is translucent and garlic is golden but not brown.

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth. Remove the base of the stem if it's dirty, and remove woody stems from shiitakes and oyster mushrooms. Slice the mushrooms and add to the skillet with 1/4 tsp of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are brown, about 5 minutes. Remove them to a bowl and set aside.

Wash all the greens. Cut the tough stems from the kale and discard them. Slice the leaves into 1/4 inch ribbons. Cut the beet stems at the base of the leaves and discard them. Slice the leaves crosswise. Remove the stems of the amaranth and discard. Chop the leaves coarsely.

Put the skillet back on the heat. Warm 1 tbsp oil and peel and chop the other shallot and clove of garlic. Add to the pot and cook until soft. Add the curly kale, stir well, season with a little salt and pour in about 1/4 cup of water. Stir again, then cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes until the kale is wilted and cooked down a bit. Add the beet greens and amaranth, a little more salt and pepper, stir well, then cover and cook another 10 minutes until all the greens are tender.

Add the reserved mushrooms and white beans to the skillet, and cook some more until everything is warmed through. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

New Year's Eve Pasta

I recently found the most interesting pasta at my local independent grocery store.

It's organic artisan pasta made in Puglia, Italy, and while I shudder at the fuel dollars that were spent shipping the pasta halfway around the world, I feel good supporting organic farmers and artisan pasta makers in Italy.

It was the form of the pasta that caught my eye - it was called sagne torte, and looked like long twisted fettucine. I felt it would be an excellent match with a rich mushroom sauce on New Year's Eve.

And it was. It was thick and chewy and tasty, and it absorbed the cream sauce well. It even retained some of its twists after cooking. Larry found it a little too long - it turns out it was folded in half in the package, so each strand was about 2 feet long - but I felt that made it more entertaining.

The green beans were young tender beans from McGrath farms. I used brown cremini mushrooms, but the white kind would be okay too. Make sure to use organic whipping cream. One of our basil plants is still going, and the fresh basil made a great flavor pop, but the dish will still be good without it.

This is not a health food recipe. However, it is delicious, so save it for a special occasion and drink a glass of red wine with it to help your arteries.

Happy New Year!

Creamy Pasta with Mushrooms and Green Beans
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup vegetable stock
8 oz green beans, trimmed and cut in two-inch pieces
12 oz fettucine
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 egg
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
shaved parmesan to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, another minute. Add the wine, cream and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the green beans a couple of minutes into the cooking time.

Cook the fettucine according to package directions. If the sun-dried tomatoes are in oil, cut them in thin strips. If they're dry, pour hot water over them and let them soften a few minutes, then drain and cut in strips.

Turn the heat under the skillet to low. Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl. Whisk in a little of the hot creamy liquid, stirring constantly. This warms the egg so it doesn't curdle when you add it to the skillet. Pour the egg mixture slowly into the skillet, stirring constantly for about a minute. Keep the heat low so it doesn't boil. Add the basil and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir gently until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir sauce over the warm pasta. Garnish with shavings of parmesan.

Serves 3-4

Whole Oat Pilaf

Oats are one of the best foods we can eat to keep our inner microbes happy. There are a wide variety of microbes living inside us - the ones we hear most about are the ones in the large intestine that benefit from yogurt and other probiotics, but there are many many more -  and the fiber and natural sugars in oats do a great job of keeping them balanced and harmonious, which in turn helps us stay healthy.

Rolled oats serve this purpose, so granola is a good way to start the day.

However, whole oat groats are even better for the body.

And they make a fine substitute for brown rice when you're looking for a grain to round out a meal. Make sure to buy hulled oat groats, not the ones with the husks on that are used for sprouting. They should look similar to brown rice or barley.

I took advantage of the fresh peppers at the market to make this cheerful fall pilaf that I served with a bean stew, beets with mint, and wilted greens. It was a colorful meal that our bodies really appreciated.

(And it tasted good too!)

Whole Oat Pilaf
1 cup whole oats
1 jalapeno
1/2 red peppers
1/2 orange pepper
4 mushrooms
2 shallots
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh basil

Bring three cups of water to a boil, add 1/2 tsp salt and the oat groats, cover and simmer until cooked, about 20 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile dice the peppers and shallots. Chop the mushrooms and mince the garlic.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the peppers, shallots, mushrooms and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes until crisp tender, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and add the cooked oats. Season with salt and pepper. Toss so all is warmed through. Stir in the basil and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Fennel and Mushroom Salad

I love meals of beans and rice, but a little crunch is needed alongside.

Last week I pulled some fennel and mushrooms from the fridge, and made this simple little salad that added zest and crunch to the meal.

Fennel and Mushroom Salad
1 fennel bulb
2 cremini mushrooms
1/4 red pepper
1 tsp fresh snipped chives
parmesan
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small clove garlic, mashed

Quarter the fennel lengthwise. (Remove and discard fronds if they are attached.) Remove the tough core in the center, and slice the remaining fennel thinly.

Slice the mushrooms and red pepper thinly and toss with the fennel and chives. Use a vegetable peeler to shave a few pieces off the block of parmesan into the bowl.

Separately, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil. Stir in the mashed garlic.

Toss the dressing into the vegetables and serve the salad immediately.

Serves 2

Portobello Mushroom Burger

Who needs meat when you have a portobello mushroom?

I had the most delicious burger ever on Memorial Day.

It was a portobello grilled with a marinade of 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp tamari. Larry did the cooking, and says he poured a little beer on it to make it extra good. I believe him, although he was drinking Corona which doesn't really have a lot of flavor.

Then I placed it on a mediocre Whole Foods bun spread with chipotle mayonnaise, and added a slice of grilled red onion and a few wedges of avocado. What a feast!

It's easy to make your own chipotle mayonnaise. Start by puréeing a small can of chipotles in adobo sauce. Store this spicy paste in a jar in the fridge and add spoonfuls to soups, stews - anything that needs a kick. Stir a little into mayonnaise along with a squirt of lemon or lime juice for a zesty spread that will improve any sandwich or burger.

Saying good-bye to 2012

I could think of no better New Year's Eve dinner than a feisty dish of wild arugula and gorgonzola.

The arugula is lightly sautéed with mushrooms and diced tomatoes. The gorgonzola melts when tossed with hot pasta, and the ingredients meld together to create a dish that is even better than the sum of its parts.

It was a great way to see 2012 out with gusto.

Penne with Arugula and Gorgonzola
16-oz package penne
3 tbsp olive oil
6 oz crimini mushrooms
14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 bunch arugula
6-8 oz gorgonzola

Cook penne in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the directions on the package.

Cut the mushrooms in quarters (or sixths if they're large). Wash the arugula, remove the bigger stems, and tear it in large pieces. Sauté the mushrooms in the olive oil for five minutes. Drain the tomatoes, saving the juice for another use, and add them along with the arugula. Sauté another couple of minutes. Spoon into a large serving bowl. Cut the gorgonzola in large dice and stir it into the vegetables.

Drain the pasta well and add it to the bowl. Add freshly-ground pepper and toss well.

Serves 4-6.

It even looks like health food (before the pasta and cheese are added).

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

This was our Thanksgiving day menu:

Halftime appetizer:
Pumpkin empanadas with cilantro-mint dipping sauce

Dinner:
Honey-baked ham (for Larry and Trace)
Homemade bread with honey butter
Green bean and mushroom casserole
Baked kabocha squash
Spicy brown rice with mushrooms and chipotles
Kohlrabi greens and roots with garlic
Beets with mint
Salad with persimmons and pomegranate seeds

Dessert:
Lemon pudding cake with cranberry syrup

Eat organic

I'm fortunate to be able to eat a wide variety of organic produce. It helps to live in southern California and shop at the Hollywood Farmers' Market.

I know that not everyone is as lucky as me, so here is the annual list of foods that are safe to eat even if they are not organic.

Every year the Environmental Working Group tests US-grown food for pesticide residue. Although we don't know what long-term use of pesticides does to the human nervous and endocrine system, there are standards as to what is too much to consume.

The first list, The Dirty Dozen, refers to foods that should never be eaten unless they are organic, because the pesticide residue is too high in the conventionally-grown kinds.

The second list is of foods which have a minimal level of pesticide residue when conventionally grown.

Notice that greens must be organically-grown. Don't let that stop you from eating greens. Instead ask your produce manager or favorite organic farmer to stock organic greens. They're available, they're delicious and they're healthy. And even at $2.50 a bunch, they're a better deal than a multi-vitamin.


Dirty Dozen: eat only if organic
apples
bell peppers
blueberries
celery
cucumbers
grapes
green beans
kale / greens
lettuce
nectarines - imported
peaches
potatoes
spinach
strawberries

Low Pesticide Residue: These 15 foods are lowest in pesticide residue, and are considered safe to eat even if not organic.
asparagus
avocado
cabbage
cantaloupe
corn (probably gmo if not organic)
eggplant
grapefruit
kiwi
mangoes
mushrooms
onions
peas
pineapples
sweet potatoes
watermelon