Holiday Cheer in the Form of Cranberry Salsa: Recipe

How delicious does that sound already? It's so good that I almost feel like I'm divulging a family secret. But this is, in my opinion, one of the best party foods for the holidays, so this one's for every holiday party planner out there.

Cranberry Salsa is like the guacamole of the winter: better than your run-of-the-mill salsa, a slightly innovative chip dip, and plenty of potential varieties for you and your neighbors to compete over.

The brilliant color paired with blue and yellow corn chips adds a punch to any array of appetizers.

It's as simple as combine these ingredients in a food processor and blend:
12 ounces of fresh cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons of lemon juice
1/4 cup cilantro
1 medium red onion
1 garlic clove
1 jalapeno (or more depending on your spicy tolerance)

Deliciousness.

Succulent Grilled Lamb Skewers

This recipe is from The Greek Cookbook by Tess Mallos, a cookbook from a neighbor of ours who is known to serve excellent lamb dishes.

I asked for the cookbook last summer when we were preparing for a dinner party grill-out in hopes of finding an excellent lamb kabobs recipe, and I certainly did.

The absolute key to this recipe, and I've decided to making lamb in general, is the marination time. This summer, I marinated the lamb over night and when we made this recipe about a week ago, we let it marinate all day. Moral of the story, the longer the better.

Marinade proportions for one leg of lamb, which should be cubed before marinating:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3-4 bay leaves
• salt and pepper
• any other herbs you enjoy: basil, parsley, mint, etc.

I think I probably ended up doubling or tripling this marinade for making a few lamb skewers to allow the meat to be submerged in marinade. To this end, don't be timid with any of the amounts above and feel free to improvise to really get the most out of the flavor and marinating time.

After marinating for several hours or overnight, thread the lamb onto skewers (metal is best for the grill, wood will also work).

Here is where the option of indoor or outdoor grilling presents itself. Last summer we seared the lamb on the grill, leaving it partially rare and it was absolutely mouth-watering. This time of year, no one wanted to be the one stuck grilling in gloves, so we used the griddle and broiled it in the oven. I would say the grill was ideal but both are wonderful.

I won't make any assumptions about how people like their meat cooked, so I'll leave it at cook it to your desired temperature. 

That being said, I would highly recommend the seared lamb (if the meat is fresh and of high quality) that leaves it somewhat rare inside, because the meat is so wonderfully flavored from swimming in the marinade for several hours.

Arugula Salad with Grapes, Gorgonzola, and Apricot-Fennel Dressing

This is a recipe my mom procured from a friend after being served this salad, an excellent indicator of the dish's credibility (and I might add these particular friends who have great taste in most things). Recipe unseen, she had to have it.

Fortunately, our friends were more than willing to share this gem of a recipe and gave us a copy from their Cook's Illustrated Cookbook.

It's an easy recipe to put together and has wonderful flavors. I love the apricot jam and fennel, I think these ingredients are less intuitively matched with the other flavors here, which is why this is somewhat of a show-stopper salad. The kind of salad someone will ask, "What is in this?!" And my mom did.

The dressing is key to the flavors of this salad. Combine the following:

• 4 teaspoons apricot jam
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small shallot, finely minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 

The Dressing

Next, chop the fennel fronds (leafy greens) to amount to about a 1/2 cup.

If you have a fennel bulb, dice it into small pieces and include them as well.

Add the fennel to the dressing 15-20 minutes before serving, you don't want it to wilt too much.

Finally, combine dressing and fennel with:

• 1 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half
• 1/2 cup toasted, chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup gorgonzola or blue cheese
• 8 cups arugula

Grapes, Dressing, Pecans, and Fennel from Mom's garden

Toss and serve. You may not think it looks like much but your tastebuds will beg to differ...this salad possesses an elegance of simplicity.

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

www.Myrecipes.com

I have found that most self-proclaimed food enthusiasts appreciate a good Thai meal. What I have also discovered is that not everyone knows about Thai Chicken Coconut Soup.

I'm not the first person I've heard call it the "nectar of the gods" and I find myself craving it when I need a truly refreshing, replenishing dish.

All credit to me ever trying this soup is due to my mother, who encouraged me to try it despite the fact that up until then, I wouldn't have considered myself a fan of coconut.

If you are among the people who has yet to appreciate this soup, it's described on Thai Thai II's menu as "the most aromatic herb soup: chicken with coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir leaves, mushroom, chili and lime juice."

Bethlehem's Thai Thai II (see the urbanspoon.com page here) #15 Tom Kha Gai is the best of this soup around. San Francisco's Citrus Club on Haight Street (click here for their website) also has a great version that includes noodles.

As much as I like this soup, and have always wanted to attempt to make it myself, it requires some ingredients that are slightly obscure if you don't live next to an Asian grocery. To be honest, I'm still not sure what exactly galangal is.

Despite that, if you're willing to try here's the recipe from www.myrecipes.com that looks like most recipe versions I've seen.

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken or medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
• 2 (13.5 ounce) cans canned coconut milk
• 2 cups water
• 1 (1 inch) piece galangal, thinly sliced
• 4 stalks lemon grass, bruised and chopped
• 10 kaffir lime leaves, torn in half
• 1 pound shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon green onion, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1. Saute chicken in a little oil (sesame, olive, vegetable) until it turns white. For a shrimp substitute, bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil the shrimp until cooked, about one minute. Drain shrimp, and set aside.

2. Pour the coconut milk and 2 cups of water in a large saucepan; bring to a simmer. 

3. Add the galangal, lemon grass, and lime leaves; simmer for 10 minutes, or until the flavors are infused. Strain the coconut milk into a new pan and discard the spices. 

4.Simmer the shiitake mushrooms in the coconut milk for five minutes. Stir in the lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Season to taste with curry powder. 

5. To serve, reheat chicken/shrimp in the soup, and ladle into serving bowls. Garnish with green onion and red pepper flakes.

Other versions I've tried have also included bamboo shoots, cilantro, minced fresh ginger root, scallions, carrots, and turmeric.


I have a feeling I'll fold and make a recipe some day, but until then I'm really quite happy ordering it at Thai restaurants almost because it's worth ordering for it's labor and complexity

Coconut Carrot Ginger Spiced Chicken with Roasted Broccoli and Rice

This recipe was a bit of a flavor gamble and I definitely took home the winnings. You can too if you feel like attempting, and you don't have to wonder whether it will taste good or not!

There are two parts to this recipe: the broccoli and the chicken. And an optional third in the rice.

First, the Roasted Broccoli, which can be made as a separate dish any time.

1. Toss the following ingredients and then combine in a pan over medium-high heat in a pan or griddle (the exact same preparation is delicious for on the grill or broiled in the oven on a cookie sheet as well):

• Broccoli, cut into small pieces
• Olive oil and salt enough to generously coat the broccoli
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/4 red onion, sliced

2. After the broccoli appears cooked, turn to high heat until the broccoli cooked roasted and browned, turn the broccoli crowns as necessary to even the braising.

Part II, Coconut Ginger Carrot Chicken.

1. In a stovetop pan, combine:

• 1 chicken breast, diced
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• juice of half a lemon (or less)

2. Use a food processor (Cuisinart, etc.) to blend:

• 1/2 cup carrots (I used a handful of baby carrots)
• 1 inch peeled fresh ginger

3. Add the blended carrots and ginger to the pan with the chicken and bring all to a medium-high heat.

4. Stir-fry the ingredients, allowing the liquid to cook off. Don't be afraid to taste and add more of the spices (maintaining proportions if desired-I did this half way through my cooking).

5. Add roasted broccoli and red onion to chicken towards the end of cooking and stir-fry together.

If Coconut Ginger Rice is a desired accompaniment, 

1. Make rice to the regular specifications (2:1 liquid to rice) and use the remaining coconut milk as part of the liquid. 

2. Add small pieces of fresh ginger as well to add incredible flavor to the rice as it cooks.

This recipe combined some of my favorite flavors in Thai and Indian foods and I will most definitely be combining them again. I'm sure lime or lemongrass, celery seed, or perhaps bok choy rather than broccoli would be a nice complement to any of these flavors as well. 

Rosemary Garlic Steak with Caramelized Onions

This is a great straightforward way to prepare steak: sure to please and easy to make.





Recipe:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup rosemary, minced (also good split with parsley)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Generous amounts of salt and pepper
• A dash of paprika or chili powder if you're up for it

1. At the very least, coat the steak in the above ingredients before putting it in the pan. Ideally, let them all hang out together and marinate for as long as you can allow.

2. Sear on both sides over high heat, allowing each side to visibly cook

3. Turn down to medium to cook meat to your desired temperature.
At this time, add sliced red onions to allow to caramelize until the meat is finished cooking.

*I often place the top of a pan over the steak in the skillet while it's cooking to lock in moisture and flavors during any of these stages. This helps to keep your meat from becoming dry or rubbery as well.

This kind of steak is excellent with dijon mustard, which can be incorporated into the marinade (read my whole post about it here, especially the Garlic Aioli Dijon Mustard from Trader Joe's) or as a side condiment for dipping.

If serving this steak over a salad, then turn the dijon mustard into a dressing by adding balsamic vinegar and chopped rosemary until the desired viscosity is achieved.

Healthy, Fresh Vodka Sauce Recipe

I have always been a fan of Penne a la Vodka, mostly for the sauce, but had never really attempted to make this dish for myself.

Time to broaden my horizons. I searched for a basic recipe and found one on Cooks.com.
My healthier, fresh-ingredient interpretation of the recipe is this:


1. In a sauce pan, turn heat to medium-high and combine the following:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of butter
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup minced onions (I say red, white, shallots are all acceptable depending on what you have and prefer, I used red)

2. Saute until the onions are clear. Then add:

• 1/3 cup vodka (Skyy worked well yet is probably the minimum quality vodka you'd want to use)
• 3 peeled Roma tomatoes, minced. (Substitute for recipe's 1 can peeled tomatoes)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely minced

3. Keep the heat at medium-high and slowly add:

• 1/2 cup half and half (substitute for recipe's pint of heavy cream)
• Salt and pepper to taste

4. Cook until the sauce reduces a bit. Add pre-cooked ingredients to be combined with vodka sauce. Suggestions:

• pasta or quinoa
• broccoli, zucchini, asparagus
• chicken, shrimp
• parmesan, etc.

I made this with broccoli and quinoa, sprinkled with parmesan and thought it was fabulous. 

Take note that while this is healthier than the traditional vodka sauce, it will turn out less creamy than your favorite local Italian restaurant's hearty Penne a la Vodka because of using half and half as opposed to heavy cream. That's your prerogative.

I also thought upon finishing about blending the ingredients/final result in a food processor to make the sauce smoother, although I thought the minced ingredients made for a pretty presentation as well.

Hot Apple Cider: Sweet, Spiced, Citrus-infused, or Spiked?

http://i.ehow.com

I think everyone who truly enjoys cooking likes most the potential for improvisation and improvement of a recipe or food combinations. It's the time of year for apple cider, and a perfect standard fall drink with which to have fun.

So we've got a basic drink: apple cider. Buy it in cartons, as a mix, or if you're in a do-it-yourself kind of mood, or went apple picking recently, or just have a lot of apples, click here to learn how to make your own apple cider.

The point here is that there are many ways to turn a basic apple cider recipe into your own, based on your preferences and what's in your kitchen.


For sweetness:

• honey
• maple syrup
• brown sugar

For flavor:

• cinnamon- sticks or a sprinkle of the dried spice
• cardamom
• cloves
• nutmeg
• ginger-tiny amounts of freshly grated or crystallized ginger (available at grocery stores)
• ground allspice
• a dash of other fruit juices: pear, orange, grapefruit
• berries, fresh or frozen
• citrus: lemon or orange peel (in dry spice form or actual grated)

These flavorings can be infused into your apple cider in a few ways:

1. Added and heated with the apple cider in a saucepan
2. Placed in loose tea strainer/filter (or within a cheesecloth if flavor sources are small enough) 
3. Heated in a pan with butter or cream to create a spiced topping
4. If only adding dry spices, whipped into whipped cream

Want to spike your apple cider? Remember to add alcohol at the end rather than heating it with the other ingredients. Recommendations:

• Brandy plus cinnamon, cardamom, curry powder. Rachael Ray version
• Rum, plus orange spice tea, apple cider, cinnamon, brown sugar, butter. Allrecipes.com version
• Bourbon, plus apple cider, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, cinnamon sticks, allspice, cloves, brown sugar. Recipe from Recipehound.com 

Get creative! Now you have the know-how to make the exact mug of hot steaming apple cider you desire.

Sunday Egg Scramble: Spinach, Sausage, Roasted Potatoes, Mushrooms, Cheddar and Tomatoes

www.tasteofhome.com

Some weekends, all I want when I wake up is an egg scramble. It's one of my favorite things to order at Blue Sky in Bethlehem (the Charlotte) and also one of the easiest breakfasts to make on my own.

One of the best combinations I have had we made a week ago in San Francisco.
Here's the recipe, for two:



Ingredients:

• 5 eggs
• 2 cups of spinach
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1/4 cup of red onion, minced
• 2 sausages
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 12 red potatoes, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup fresh tomatoes, diced

1. On medium high heat, fully cook the potatoes in olive oil, salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon of paprika and 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary.

2. In a separate pan, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil and spinach, mushrooms, and red onion over medium high heat.

3. Cook until the spinach has wilted.

4. Add sausages, sliced, and let cook until the sausages begin to brown.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk the 5 eggs until smooth, add a 1/4 cup of milk if desired.

6. Add the cooked potatoes, 5 eggs, and grate cheddar into the mixture.

7. Continue to stir the combination until the mixture is scrambled and the eggs are cooked.
8. Add tomatoes so that they cook just a minute before taking the mixture off the heat (to preserve freshness, although this is really a matter of taste).

9. Add salt, pepper, and hot sauce if desired.

10. Serve on or with toast for total happiness.

Zucchini As Pasta - I finally made it!

This recipe came as part of a Twitter dialogue, demonstrating the good things that can come from this program. Believe me, before taking this class, I was the first person to say how much I couldn't stand the idea of Twitter, how it was like the worst parts of Facebook combined with people just reporting the fact that they went to the grocery store. But I, @imanihamilton, have seen the light. This recipe is one of many reasons why.

First, I Re-tweeted this Food and Wine Recipe (@fandw) recipe using zucchini as pasta, which led to another Twitter user (@foodiesatwork) reply that directed me toward this zucchini pasta recipe from the New York Times. The basic idea of preparing and cooking the zucchini is as follows:

1. Slice 2 zucchinis lengthwise with a vegetable peeler, making wide pasta-like strands. I actually used a cheese grater because I discovered I don't have a vegetable peeler here at college. I was happy with the results.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat, add half of the zucchini. Cook the other half exactly the same way, but breaking into two groups allows each half to cook better.

3. Add salt and ground pepper to the pan and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon, stirring occasionally to let the zucchini cook evenly.

4. While the zucchini cooks,

• grate 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

These are my additions to the recipe:

• mince 1/4 cup parsley
• slice into very thin strips 2 salami slice- I used Genoa Salami

4. When the zucchini becomes slightly transparent, remove from heat.

5. Add 1/2 of the toppings listed above and eat while still warm, allowing the parmesan to melt.

6. Cook the other half of the zucchini the exact same way, and add the other half of the toppings.

Your favorite pasta sauce, of any type, would also be great with this. I leave town for San Francisco  tomorrow (totally just mentioning that because I'm so excited) for a week and didn't want to open a whole jar, so I did without and while I tend to love tomatoes in any form, I was still very happy with this dish sans-tomatoes.

Don't short change yourself on the cheese! You've already done yourself a favor by making pasta from a vegetable so don't hold back. The parmesan is one of the elements that transforms this dish from the flavor of most other zucchini you've tried to tasting like a better version of pasta.

Another Twitter reply from @Chefamom mentioned that she prepares this dish for diabetics, bringing up another point that clearly, this makes a healthy, diabetic-friendly substitute for pasta.
Even if you haven't been diagnosed as a diabetic, there are warning signs we should all be looking out for it: http://www.defeatingdiabetes.com/diabetes-statistics.htm.

Now you can enjoy this dish even more knowing you're doing good things for yourself. And not lacking anything in the flavor category.

My Go-To Asparagus

Asparagus is one of my favorite stovetop vegetables. It tastes amazing and is incredibly easy. This particular way of preparing it will give you a well-cooked, lemon-flavored asparagus dish that makes a perfect side to anything. I will sometimes also turn this into a stir-fry with meat, as pictured left.

For any time you make asparagus, be sure to wash it and rather than cutting the ends off, take each and snap the end off. This way, the not tender, not cook-able part will be disposed of.
Here's what I do with asparagus in a skillet:

1. Put the skillet on high heat and add:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bunch of asparagus, cut into segments if you choose

2. Let the asparagus cook for a minute, then add:

• the juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt and pepper to flavor
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts- pecans or almonds is what I tend to add

3. Optional additions to this asparagus at this point (as pictured):

• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 1/4 cup minced red pepper
• sausage, chicken, steak, or shrimp

4. There should be enough lemon juice to cover the bottom of the pan but then cook off. Cook all of the above until the asparagus becomes a bright, almost neon green. 

5. Note: Asparagus can definitely be overcooked, it will be almost floppy when it is and probably not taste great. So when you think it may have reached the bright green point, try one. If is tender yet doesn't respond too much to gravity, take it off the heat and enjoy! If it is still a bit too crunchy, let it cook a little longer until it's reached the desired consistency.

6. Also--if you're a fan of polenta, all of these ingredients plus a little cheese can make an incredible polenta dish. Cook these first then add into the polenta with cheese to finish cooking. 

That's all for today! For tomorrow: making zucchini pasta!

Red Grapes, Parsley, Pecans, and Quinoa Salad

Another quinoa recipe! I promise the last for a while but these colder days make me want grain, so I decided to look for a new way to prepare quinoa. This recipe is inspired by several others, as well as ingredients I have on hand.

1. Cook quinoa on high heat until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water (boil water and quinoa together in 2:1 water to quinoa ratio)
2. Take off heat, let cool or refrigerate to allow quinoa to cool.
3. Combine the following with 1 bowlful/plateful of quinoa:

• half a juice of lemon
• 1 teaspoon of sherry vinegar (white or red wine vinegar would work as well)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/3 cup minced red onion
• 1/2 cup minced parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (almonds or other nuts would work also, adapt to your taste)
• 1 cup red grapes, quartered
• salt and pepper to taste
• goat cheese or feta cheese optional

I'm totally happy with discovering this new combination of yummy flavors. The acidity and bitterness of the lemon juice and vinegar combine nicely with the sweet grapes, and contrasts the hearty quinoa and pecans. I would imagine carrots could also be a nice addition to this recipe.

Soup Weather is Here and All I Want is Mom's Tuscan Bean Soup

www.blogs.targetx.com

The title says it. Fall has arrived; leaf colors are turning warmer, and so are our preferences.

During the last two days of downpours and cloudiness that has apparently descended upon the whole east coast, all I've been craving is a bowl of the Tuscan Bean Soup my mom always makes this time of year.

I'm going camping this weekend, but I'm certainly planning to get the ingredients to make it next week. Here's the recipe, it does any heart good this time of year. (Most of the credit is due to Mollie Katzen for her Tuscan Bean Soup recipe in Still Life with Menu.)

My mom has also added a ham bone to this recipe to hearty-it-up. If there is a Honeybaked Ham in your area, or a similar deli, you can purchase (for almost nothing) the ham bones from which the ham has been carved. Often, there is some ham left which does wonders for flavoring soups.

Tuscan Bean Soup
1. In a large soup pot, combine and saute the following:

• 2 medium sized cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 medium sized carrots, sliced
• 1/2 lb. fresh green beans, cut in 1-inch lengths
• 6-8 scallions, minced (white part only)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• lots of ground black pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons of dried basil

For the first five minutes, cook on medium heat, then turn down to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Next, add:

• 1 1/2 cups dried white beans (or a can of cannellini beans)
• 2 1/2 cups water or stock (from soaking beans)

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Then, add

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

and cook for 10 more minutes.

Serve it hot, garnished with parmesan and parsley.

Alright, so I want this dish even more now that I've written this. Invite me over if you're making it before I do.

Mustard as a Marinade

www.dressingsontheside.com

This is a plug for my favorite marinade and/or dressing: Trader Joe's Aoli Garlic Mustard Sauce. This mustard sauce is perfect with both vegetables and meat.

For example, I just made myself some excellent grilled vegetables using this mustard as a marinade. I had zucchini, red onion, and red pepper on hand for my recipe today, but the flavor is great with almost any vegetable.

Because we don't have a grill at our apartment, we're making do with an All-Clad stovetop grill pan (from Williams-Sonoma) and we're totally happy with it. It even gives the appearance of being grilled with the charred lines from the raise divets in the pan. Before putting the vegetables in the pan, I tossed them in the mustard, a little olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and then let them cook to perfection on high heat.

This mustard sauce is also excellent as a chicken or porkchop marinade. I should also mention of course that it has a really great flavor for any of your other mustard applications- I think it's smoother than most Dijon mustards and equally flavorful.

Another Reason for Popeye (and You) to Eat Spinach

http://bornbackwards.com

Put down the can, Popeye, we've got a better spinach recipe for you to try. Really though, spinach is one of my favorite greens to have on hand to make any of the following recipes quickly.

It can be served raw in salads with apples, walnuts, cranberries, a little feta or goat cheese, and a balsamic vinagrette, for example.

Or, my favorite, sauteed.
Heat the skillet to medium-high, add copious amounts of spinach (it cooks down to nothing), drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with seasoned salt and you've got yourself a winner. Let it cook until the spinach wilts and the olive oil and spices are well distributed. This is a great side to any meat dish, or combined with fresh tomatoes.

Another favorite sauteed spinach dish: on medium-high heat, combine spinach, olive oil, thinly sliced apples, red onion, salt, pepper, and cheddar. Saute until the spinach is wilted and the apples are cooked. The cheddar can be added after you've taken it off the heat or at the end so that it melts a little.
Ta-dah! No more boring spinach.

Quinoa: It's Better Than Rice

I like rice, but I love quinoa. It is a better grain than rice for every reason except for sushi applications.
Quinoa is faster and easier to cook- 2:1 water to quinoa, combine, bring to a boil until water is absorbed.
1 cup of quinoa will take about 15 minutes for all of the water to evaporate. If seasoning beforehand is desirable, the quinoa can be toasted with a little olive oil and spices before adding water.
Quinoa also keeps longer and fresher in the refrigerator without congealing to an unappealing block. I often make batches for a week and then add fresh ingredients when I want to eat it.

Here's what I've been adding to a single-person serving of quinoa, kind of tabouleh-inspired:
Change the proportions to your taste.

• Add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1 minced garlic clove
• Equal parts of chopped tomato and minced red onion (approximately a half cup)
• Parsley and Feta (approximately a quarter cup)
• Salt, ground pepper

Delectable.
*Also great with tomato, basil, feta/mozzarella combinations

Still wondering exactly quinoa is? Here's some background from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa. Scroll down to Nutritional Value for a good summary.

Fresh Corn? Try This Southwest Salad.

So this is probably one of the last few weeks that fresh corn is available (like the corn I've been picking up at the Bethlehem Farmers' Market), but if you can find some, this recipe is worth your while. I've been putting together a batch every Sunday to enjoy for lunches throughout the week and it hasn't gotten old yet!

It's based on the Southwest Black Beans and Corn Salad from Mollie Katzen's Still Life with Menu cookbook (one of my mom's favorites of which I have inherited a copy).

• 2 ears of corn
• 1 can of black beans or 2 cups of black beans should you choose to cook them yourself
• 2-3 minced garlic cloves
• 1/2 red onion, minced to about the size of corn kernels
• 1 medium bell pepper, minced to corn kernel size as well
• 1/2 cup of olive oil, or enough for a light coating of the salad components
• 1/2 cup (handful) Cilantro or Parsley or both--Lately I've only been able to get Parsley and have been really enjoying a slightly mellower flavor than cilantro, which is what I typically use from Mom's garden at home
• Dash of cayenne pepper, adjust to your spicy tolerance
• A teaspoon of ground cumin
• Juice of a Lime
• Salt to taste (Sea Salt is both good for you, has better flavor, and requires less)
• Ground Pepper- also to taste

Mix, enjoy. Adjust any of these amounts or proportions to your personal taste, you really can't go wrong. It is excellent by itself or as a contrasting, palette-cleansing side for richer, heavier meat or seafood dishes. Mollie Katzen recommends it in a tortilla, also yummy.
The best news of all: this a recipe which actually improves with time as the flavors exchange and marinate in your fridge.