Chickpea Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes

I'm always looking for ways to eat more sun dried tomatoes. This recipe is inspired by the chickpea salad at Bloomingfoods. Great for potlucks! 

Ingredients:

1 c chickpeas, cooked

1 c brown rice, cooked 

1/2 c sun dried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 c parsley, chopped

1 c celery, chopped

1/4 c olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk oil and vinegar together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add all other ingredients and combine. 

Mushroom Bolognese

My brother Mike is a picky eater. To this day, he's never eaten a green vegetable. Growing up with a single-mom who worked and a picky sibling meant that our family had a limited range of meal options that worked for everyone. One thing Mike liked was spaghetti. Spaghetti with ground beef and jarred tomato sauce, to be exact. 

"Spaghetti? Again?" sums up home-cooked meals in the Wooten household through the 90s and 00s. What my brother chooses to eat amazes all of us. At a recent Thanksgiving, my sister nudged me and nodded towards Mike. Mike, totally oblivious, had his usual massive helpings of turkey and rolls, but on the side he had a tiny spoonful of something else: Stove top stuffing. The rest of the table slowly realized the magnitude of this event, eventually bursting into laughter. Of course, Mike only said "What?...What's so funny?" This was the first time anyone had seen Mike eat stuffing. It was a Thanksgiving miracle.

I've got my fingers crossed for mashed potatoes this year.

Mike's spaghetti habit meant that we consumed countless gallons of meat sauce over the years. Brown 1 pound of ground beef. Add a jar of sauce. Boring, basic meat sauce. I am so over it.

But, I am so not over pasta. I needed to get creative with my tomato sauce. And here's the answer: mushrooms. Mushrooms are a great meat-substitute for an unconvinced carnivore. This Mushroom Bolognese is my vegetarian answer to the traditional Bolognese, typically made with ground pork and/or beef. You could use any fresh mushroom you like, but I used cremini. Take your time and let the flavors develop. Feel free to make less pasta and freeze leftover sauce for later. Vegan? No problem, just skip the butter and Parmesan, and replace honey with agave or sugar.

Mushroom Bolognese
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 T. butter (optional)
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 lb. mushrooms, diced
• 1 t. garlic, minced
• 2 16 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• 1/4 c. red wine
• 1 t. Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 pinch pepper flakes
• 1 T. honey
• water
• Parmesan, grated (optional)
• 1 lb whole wheat pasta

In a large skillet, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and mushrooms, and cook for 15 minutes until caramelized and fragrant, seasoning with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and pepper flakes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, and cook briefly. Add tomatoes, wine, and honey. Stir and simmer on low until reduced by half (about 20 minutes). Add water to cover about 1 inch, and simmer on low until reduced by half (about 20 minutes). At this time, bring large pot of water to boil to cook pasta.

Remove the sauce from heat. Puree sauce with an immersion blender or a food processor. Drop the pasta and cook until al dente. Return sauce to heat, and taste. Season as needed. You may need extra honey if it is too acidic. The flavors will continue to develop the longer the sauce simmers. Add pasta water to thin if necessary. Serve over cooked pasta with Parmesan if you like. Enjoy!

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

I'm one of those people who gets overly excited about kitchen appliances. For some time now, I've been eying those immersion blenders. And this year, I finally broke down and bought one. I couldn't be happier with my purchase. I adore soup, and immersion blenders make it so easy to whip up all kinds-- from black bean to potato to broccoli cheese. Last night, I decided to try making my first ever pumpkin soup.

I've always been a huge fan of sweet pumpkin dishes, and I can easily put down an entire pumpkin pie by myself. So, I was a little skeptical of trying this soup recipe.

I apparently had nothing to worry about. Turns out, the pumpkin flavor is super comforting in savory form. Make this now! Seriously!

If you can't find a fresh sugar pumpkin, try substituting a can of pumpkin puree. Or, you could use any variety of winter squash in place of the pumpkin. This recipe can be made vegetarian or vegan with some easy changes.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup
(Adapted from Bittman's How to Cook Everything)

Ingredients:

• 2 T. Butter (or olive oil)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2-3 carrots, chopped
• 1 lb. pumpkin, peeled and cubed
• 4 c. chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 1 c. half-and-half (or coconut milk)
• pinch chili powder
• salt and pepper 

In a big pot, cook onions until soft in butter over medium heat, seasoning liberally with salt and pepper.  Add carrots and pumpkin, then pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer for about 30 minutes, or under pumpkin is very tender. Remove from heat, and carefully puree with an immersion blender (or transfer mixture to a large food processor). Return to a low heat, and add half-and-half. Adjust thickness with additional chicken broth or water if you like. Add chili powder, and taste to adjust other seasonings as needed. Serve hot.

Tofu Bake

I just moved to Bloomington, IN to begin a Master's of Public Affairs at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Finally, I'll be able to combine my interest in politics with my passion for food as I delve into the world of food and agriculture policy. First of all, here is a glimpse of my new place.

After 4 years in a dark, tiny kitchen in Chattanooga, I now have a great spot for shooting! The pink table is older than me. My dad and I had to sand our way through 4 or 5 layers of paint to the bare wood to get a good surface for refinishing. I'm very proud of it! My roommate and I spray painted the old metal folding chairs. We are all about the DIY'ing in the Wooten family.

As I'm settling into the new town, I've found some really fantastic places to grocery shop. One of my new favorites is this tiny, cramped oriental grocery store about 1 mile from my apartment. Here I can find really inexpensive veggies like baby bok choy, ginger, and my personal favorite, Chinese egg plant. Plus, they have all of the staple Asian sauces. And so, this is where I purchased the tofu.

Tofu is kinda scary. Let's be honest. It is bouncy, gelatinous, mushy, and tasteless. So why do we eat this stuff? Well, tofu is a fantastic source of plant-based protein, and it's super versatile. Tofu is sponge-like in that it will soak up the flavor of pretty much anything. RP Tracks in Memphis, TN makes some BBQ Tofu Nachos that are to-die-for. The trick is to cook it enough so that it gets crusty and chewy. That's my opinion anyway.

The recipe I'm sharing today is super easy. I learned it from my fabulous vegetarian friend Anna. What makes this recipe so great is that you can alter it based on what veggies you have on hand. Potatoes or squash would be a great addition.

Tofu Bake
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 package firm tofu, drained and cubed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 c cauliflower, cubed
• 1 c broccoli, cubed
• 1 c grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 c baby carrots, sliced in half
• 1 c celery, sliced in 2'' pieces
• 1/4 c ketchup
• 2 T soy sauce
• 2 T hot sauce
• 1 T minced garlic

Preheat oven to  375 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking dish. Combine veggies with tofu in the dish, but be careful not to break up the tofu. In a small bowl, combine ketchup, soy sauce, hot sauce, and garlic. Pour mixture over veggies and tofu. Gently combine. Clean hands are the best way to do this! Bake for 35-40 minutes, until tofu is golden brown on edges and veggies are tender. Serve with brown rice for a hearty, nutritious meal!