July 16, 2020

Recipe: Quick Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs ripe tomatoes

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp sugar

freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ lb whole wheat spaghetti

¼ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for topping

freshly grated parmesan for serving

Directions

While the pasta is cooking. Roughly chop 2/3 of the tomatoes. Over a large bowl, grate the rest of the tomatoes using the large holes of a box grater.

Combine the chopped and grated tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, sugar, garlic and pepper in the large bowl. Let rest 10 minutes for the flavors to combine.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Immediately place the pasta back into the pasta pot.

Add the tomato sauce into the pasta with the 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid. Cook over medium heat until hot and the cooking liquid is absorbed. Mix in the 1/4 cup chopped basil during the last minute.

Serve immediately with more basil and parmesan cheese.

~ Marla Meridith

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July 10, 2020

Recipe: Skillet Banana Bread with Double-Crumb Topping

Ingredients

Banana Bread

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg, room temperature

3 medium sized very ripe bananas, mashed (to equal 1 1/4 cups)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

Double-Crumble Topping

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

½ cup granulated sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350˚ with the rack in the middle.
Grease a 10″ cast iron skillet (or any heatproof skillet) with butter or vegetable oil.

For the Banana Bread

Melt the butter and let it cool to room temperature. Mix the cooled butter with the brown sugar in a large bowl. Mix in the egg, mashed banana and vanilla.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in another bowl.

Add the banana mixture into the flour mixture, combining well. Do not over mix.

Transfer the batter into the prepared skillet, smooth with top with the back of a spoon or spatula. Top with the crumble, pressing the crumble gently down into the batter with your fingers. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out virtually crumb free. Let cool completely before slicing and serving.

For the Double-Crumble Topping

Combine the sugars, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Add the flour and stir with a rubber spatula until mostly combine. Using clean fingers, mix until everything is well combined.

~ Marla Meridith

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July 7, 2020

Recipe: Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and cooked to package directions

½ tsp salt

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ tsp garlic powder

1 large English hothouse cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

1 orange, yellow or red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

½ chopped red onion

1 pt cherry tomatoes, quartered

6 oz crumbled feta cheese

1 (15 ounce can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

⅔ cup chopped Italian parsley

½ cup chopped fresh mint

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cook quinoa to package directions with the 1/2 tsp salt. Transfer cooked quinoa to a large bowl, fluff with a fork and let cool to room temperature.

Dressing: Whisk lemon juice and garlic powder in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil.

Toss the cooled quinoa with the dressing veggies, chickpeas, feta, mint and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

~ Marla Meridith

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July 2, 2020

Recipe: Skillet Brown Sugar Blueberry Cobbler

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp Kosher salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup whole milk

1 cup + 1 tbsp light brown sugar

juice from 1 lemon

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups fresh blueberries

Serve with

freshly whipped cream

vanilla ice cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350˚ Fahrenheit with the rack in the middle. Melt the butter in the oven in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Remove from the oven when it’s melted.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl: the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl combine the milk, vanilla, lemon juice and 1 cup of the brown sugar. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until smooth. Toss the blueberries with 1 tbsp of brown sugar. Pour the batter into the buttered skillet. Top with the blueberries.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool a few minutes then serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

~ Marla Meridith

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June 30, 2020

Recipe: Triple Berry Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 tbsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp Kosher salt

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 ¼ cups whole milk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

½ lb 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

1 cup fresh blueberries

½ cup chopped strawberries

½ cup raspberries

turbinado sugar for topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin tin with liners.

Whisk together the dry ingredients: both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. In another bowl mix together both sugars, melted butter, milk, eggs and vanilla extract. Fold in the berries.

Place 1/3 cup batter in each muffin cup. Top with Turbinado (coarse sugar) Bake for 20-25 minutes. Insert a wooden skewer in the center and if it comes out virtually crumb free then the muffins are done. Let cool a few minutes then transfer the muffins to racks to cool completely.

~ Marla Meridith

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June 25, 2020

Recipe: Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Ingredients

12 oz Cavatappi, macaroni or bow tie pastacook to package directions, rinse in cold water when done

1 (8.4 oz) pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

1 (8 oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil, no need to drain the oil

1 cup chopped red onion

1 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped

2 cups baby spinach

2 tbsp freshly chopped basil

2 tbsp freshly chopped Italian parsley

5 oz shaved parmesan cheese

Champagne Vinaigrette

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup Champagne vinegar

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp ground black pepper

1 pinch granulated sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cook pasta to package directions. Drain and toss with cold water. Set aside.

Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients.

Toss everything together in a very large serving bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

~ Marla Meridith

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June 15, 2020

Recipe: Lemon Coconut Ricotta Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

½ cup sweetened shredded coconut

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ tsp baking soda

¾ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp salt

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 ½ cups whole milk

1 cup part skim ricotta cheese

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tsp lemon zest

unsalted butter for skillet or griddle

Serve with

pure maple syrup

whipped cream

fresh berries

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, coconut, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs. Mix in the milk, ricotta cheese and vanilla extract.

Add the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix quickly to combine. Mix in the lemon juice and zest. Do not over mix the batter.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Melt some butter in the skillet. Using a measuring cup, pour 1/3 cup portions of batter onto the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes until the tops are bubbling and the edges start to turn golden brown. Gently flip the pancakes and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add more butter to the skillet as needed. Repeat with all of the batter. Serve warm with maple syrup, whipped cream and berries.

~ Marla Meridith

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June 9, 2020

Recipe: Asian Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

1 English cucumber (about 1 pound)

3 tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 pinch garlic powder

1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame seeds

2 tbsp chopped pickled ginger

2 sliced green onions

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and serve immediately. Adjust any ingredients to taste.

~ Marla Meridith

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June 6, 2020

Recipe: Vegetarian Enchiladas

Ingredients

2 cups homemade enchilada sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped red onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 crown of broccoli, chopped into small pieces

1 yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped into small pieces

½ tsp smoked paprika

1 lime, juiced

5 cups baby spinach

1 (15 ounce) can black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups mexican blend shredded cheese, divided into 1/2 and 1 1/2

½ tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

8″ whole wheat tortillas

freshly chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions

Make the enchilada sauce.

Preheat the oven to 400˚ Fahrenheit with the rack in the middle. Spray a 9X13″ casserole dish with olive oil.

In a 12 inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once it’s hot add the chopped onion. Cook until fragrant about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes. Add the broccoli, cook 5 minutes or until the broccoli is bright green. Mix in the bell pepper, smoked paprika and lime juice. Mix in the baby spinach, allow it to wilt about 2 minutes. Mix in beans. Cook another 2 minutes. Mix in 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese.

Assemble the enchiladas. Pour 1/4 cup enchilada sauce into the casserole dish and spread it around. Top each tortilla with some of the veggie mixture. Lay it down the center of the tortilla and roll the sides up over it. Place each stuffed tortilla with the seam side down into the casserole dish until you have used up all the veggies. You will end up with 8 or 9 enchiladas.

Top with the remainder of the enchilada sauce. Pour the sauce down the middle of the enchiladas keeping the edges bare. Top with the remainder of the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

~ Marla Meridith

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June 1, 2020

Recipe: The Best Red Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients

2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

4 tbsp red chili powder

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp Kosher salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

a few pinches ground red pepper to taste if you want this spicy

Directions

Be sure to have all of the ingredients measured out and near the stove. This sauce comes together very quickly.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk together for a few seconds. Whisk in the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Whisk in the tomato paste. The mixture will darken a bit, cook a minute until fragrant.

Gradually add in the stock, whisking the entire time. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring the sauce to a boil and then to a simmer. Mix in the vinegar. Cook 5-7 minutes. Whisk often to remove lumps and to make a smooth sauce. Sauce will appear thin at first and will thicken as it cooks. Add ground red pepper now to taste if you want a spicy sauce. Test the thickness with a spoon. It will continue to thicken as it cools.

Transfer the sauce to a heat proof container to cool or use immediately for enchiladas. Enchilada sauce can be refrigerated and used within 5 days or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.

~ Marla Meridith

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May 18, 2020

Recipe: Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

2 tsp cornstarch

3 tbsp water

2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp Sriracha

2 tsp soy sauce or tamari (if you are gluten free)

2 tbsp peanut, grapeseed or canola oil

2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped or 1/2 tsp dried ground ginger

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ red onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

1 lb ground chicken, turkey, pork, lamb or beef

⅓ cup chopped cilantro

1 head butter lettuce or romaine hearts (you will need about 8 small to medium leaves)

Serve with

sliced green onion

chopped peanuts

lime wedges

chopped cilantro

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the water. Next, whisk in the lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, Sriracha and soy sauce (tamari). Set aside.

Heat the oil in a 10 inch cast iron or your favorite skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook a few minutes, until they become fragrant. Add the garlic and ginger cook another 1 minutes. Add the carrots, cook 2 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium high and add the ground chicken. Mix in the chicken and make sure to chop it into small pieces as it cooks. Once the chicken is white and has almost cooked through, about 4-5 minutes, pour in the sauce and mix well to combine. Cook for 1 minute until the sauce thickens a bit. Mix in the cilantro.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large serving plate. Spoon the chicken filling into the lettuce leaves. Top with any of the serving suggestions. Serve immediately.

~ Marla Meridith

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May 11, 2020

Recipe: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

¾ fl oz whole wheat pastry flour

¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

2 cups mixed chocolate, peanut butter & white chocolate chips

Directions

Brown Butter

Bring the butter to a boil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Swirl the pan a few times. The butter will bubble then foam. Once the foam subsides, swirl the pan and you will see brown flecks. The butter will have a nutty, toasty aroma. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer to a heat proof container. Let cool to room temperature.

Make the Cookie Dough

In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cooled brown butter on medium speed with the granulated and brown sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, peanut butter and vanilla. Beat on medium high speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle as needed.

Add the flour mixture to mixer bowl, beat on low until combined. Mix in the oats. Mix in the chocolate chip medley.

Transfer the dough to a clean work surface covered in plastic wrap. Divide the dough into two portions and pat them into disks. Wrap each separately in the plastic wrap. Cool the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes up to 4 days. This dough will become very firm if chilled over 1 hour. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before using it.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ Fahrenheit with the racks in the middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners. Place 2 tablespoon portions of dough 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until slightly golden brown on top.

Let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheets then transfer to cooling racks.

~ Marla Meridith

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