Poco-Cocoa

Last night Lindsay and Chad came over for a veggie dinner. I was attempting to use up more CSA produce, so we started with this slaw. Ohmyga! It is so delicious. The dressing is super-tasty, and of course the fresh-from-the-garden cabbage was so sweet. We finished a huge bowl of this, and Justin has already asked me to make it again. I think this is how we will use up our cabbage from now on. The original recipe calls for green and red cabbage, carrots, red or yellow bell peppers, and green onions, but it was perfect with just the cabbage and carrots.

Today has been such a good day. How can you beat a leisurely morning…reading, doing word puzzles, drinking tea, and cuddling with a cat? Then lunch with my beloved, then an afternoon nap, then a walk around the neighborhood while listening to Deepak Chopra, then an evening at BookPeople to hear Jeffrey Alford speak about his new book, Mangoes and Curry Leaves, then home to be with my love and watch a funny movie (Saved). Life is good.

Cabbage Slaw with Ginger-Peanut Dressing

• 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

• 8 cups shredded cabbage
• 2 cups matchstick carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Whisk first 7 ingredients in a small bowl to blend.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine.

Last night we found a green that Justin actually likes…kale. He’ll eat raw spinach, or maybe a bit of greens in a dish, but not if it’s the main ingredient. I decided to try a kale and potato soup, and I used the entire bunch of kale from the farmer’s market. The result was a very green soup. I was worried that Justin wouldn’t like it, but he ate the whole bowl, greens and all! He likes the crunchy texture, and the fact that it’s not slimy or bitter. During the meal, he said that kale was different…”those other greens…they’re like weeds.” It was too cute.

I also went to an advanced Hatha flow yoga class last night, which was wonderful. It was challenging but fun, and I was able to do a headstand on my own for the first time ever. It was a good night.

Kale and Potato Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 5 red potatoes (1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 3 (14.5-ounce) cans vegetable broth
• 1 bunch (12 ounces) kale, stemmed and chopped
• 2 links of Boca smoked sausage

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute more. Add the red pepper, potatoes, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Puree half the soup, using a blender or immersion blender.

While potatoes are simmering, heat the sausage links in the microwave 1 minute (pierce a hole in each package). Slice into half-moon shapes. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and saute 4 or 5 minutes, until slightly browned.

After pureeing the soup, add the kale and the sausage and simmer 10 to 15 minutes more, until kale is wilted.

Makes 4 servings.

Adapted from Everyday Food magazine.

Have any of you ever seen the film Babette’s Feast? If not, you should. It’s a great foodie flick. This feast, however, was brought to you by our beloved Bearette, who shared the recipe a few days ago. It’s so simple, but so delicious.

Speaking of Bearette, guess what I’ll be doing this weekend? I’ll be meeting other bloggers! I’m so excited about it…I feel like these people are already close friends. Blogging has introduced me to so many people…people that I would have never met otherwise. For example, Bearette’s from New York. How cool is that?! I never would have known her without this amazing blog world. Lisa, Bdogg, LostInTX, and New Mezger will also be attending. I can’t wait!

I have a few new blog toys to play with if you’re interested. Kickpleat turned me on to last.fm, so you can now visit my music page to see what I’ve been listening to. I’ve also added some photos and some poems. Just random fun stuff, all clickable from the list on the right.

Brown Rice with Broccoli, Tomatoes, and Feta

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups cooked brown rice (I used Texmati and steamed it in vegetable broth)
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add tomatoes, broccoli, oregano, and water; cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until broccoli is bright green and tender. Stir in brown rice and add salt to taste. Top with crumbled feta.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: The lovely Bearette.

Did I mention that this is a chocolate-covered blog? Tonight I was craving chocolate, as usual. Not just any chocolate, but chocolate cookies. I considered making chocolate chip cookies, but I wanted something new. I decided on these Mexican chocolate cookies, and I’m so glad I did.

They’re so delicious! It’s like drinking a cup of Mexican hot chocolate…warm with a hint of cinnamon. I changed a few things from the original recipe, adding chocolate chips and changing the shape a bit. I’ll definitely make these again.

Mexican Chocolate Cookies

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Generous pinch of black pepper
• Generous pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg white
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine the flour, cocoa, soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly with a whisk; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with sugars, cinnamon, peppers, and vanilla. Beat in egg white. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until thoroughly combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Chill dough for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325ËšF. Roll rounded tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper 2 inches apart; flatten slightly. Bake for 12 minutes or until cookies are just set. Cool on wire racks.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Adapted from foodtv.com.

Last night, our friends Rob and Shara hosted a Tapas Night (which the guys called “Topless Night”…much to their disappointment, there was only tapas), and each couple brought a few snacks to share. Everything was so delicious! Shara made Brie and apple crostini (on the left), spicy yam chips (bottom right corner), and dumplings (top right corner). Chad and Lindsay brought walnut-stuffed mushrooms (bottom center) and tiny spanikopita tarts (top center). I brought some little Swiss chard frittatas (top left), and chocolate-dipped bananas (I forgot to take a picture of them).

After dinner, we watched Spanglish, which turned out to be a really good film. After watching the preview for it, I thought it would be another Adam Sandler funny flick, but it’s a bit more serious, and more engaging.

Lindsay asked for the recipe for the frittatas, so here’s my attempt at remembering how I made them.

Tiny Swiss Chard Frittatas

• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 large bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves sliced into ribbons
• 6 eggs
• 3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375ËšF. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper, and saute 1 minute. Add Swiss chard and saute for 5 minutes, or until chard is wilted. Let cool, then spoon an equal amount of chard into each muffin cup.

Whisk eggs together in a medium-sized bowl. Add the cottage cheese, salt, and black pepper, and whisk to combine. Spoon an equal amount of egg mixture into each muffin cup, moving the chard around a bit to make sure some egg reaches the bottom of the cup. Top each cup with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until eggs are set.

Makes 12 mini-frittatas.

Source: poco-cocoa.