Blue Cayenne

Glazed Shiitakes With Bok Choy

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Ingredients

• 1 pound baby bok choy
• 2 T. vegetable oil
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms (stems removed and caps sliced)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1/2 T. grated ginger
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 t. sesame oil
• 2 T. tamari or soy sauce
• 3 scallions (sliced diagnonally for garnish)
• 1/2 T. roasted sesame seeds for garnish
• Red peppers for garnish

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Prepare the bok choy by cutting off the stem ends. Separate the leaves. Wash thoroughly. Drop the leaves into boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes. The bok choy will be barely cooked and will be a pretty bright green. Remove from boiling water, rinse in cool water, drain and pat dry. Arrange the leaves on an ovenproof platter and set aside.
2. Heat a large wok or cast-iron skilled over high heat. Add oil and heat the oil until it is very hot, almost smoking. Add the hot pepper flakes and the shiitake mushrooms to the pan and stir to coat in the oil. Add salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly and add the garlic, ginger, sugar, sesame oil and tamari. Continue to stir fry for one more minute.
3. Spoon the stir-fryed shiitake mushrooms and their juices on top of bok choy.
4. Serve this dish at room temperature or slightly warm. If you want to serve it warm, cover it with foil and reheat it in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes.
5. Garnish the dish with chopped scallions, sesame seeds and a couple of fresh red peppers.

Nutrition

Calories

603 cal

Fat

17 g

Carbs

53 g

Protein

73 g

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Chickpea Soup With Orzo And Spinach

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Ingredients

• 2-3 T. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium carrots (peeled and chopped)
• 1 small fennel bub (or 2 celery stalks-chopped)
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 t. minced fresh rosemary (optional--you can use less to your taste)
• 2 C. vegetable broth
• 2 C. water
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
• 3/4 C. roughly chopped cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1/2 C. orzo
• 1 quart loosely packed baby spinach (or mustard greens)
• Salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
• Sliced jalapeno peppers to garnish
• Grated Parmesan to garnish

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the carrots, fennel (or celery) and onion to the hot oil. Saute until the vegetables are tender. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper and rosemary if you are using it. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth plus two cups of water and bring the soup to a boil. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes and orzo to the boiling soup. Reduce heat of soup to a simmer, cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Check to be sure the orzo is tender. Uncover the soup and add the greens to the simmering soup. Cook until the greens are soft. This will take about 2 minutes.
2. Add more water (I added about 2 cups) to make the thick vegetable mixture more like a soup. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Garnish with grated cheese, sliced jalapeno, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve.

Nutrition

Calories

164 cal

Fat

3 g

Carbs

27 g

Protein

8 g

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Guinness Baked Beans

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Ingredients

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 onion (quartered)
• 3/4 C. ketchup, barbecue sauce, or tomato sauce mixed with 1/8 C. brown sugar
• 1/2 bottle Guinness beer--plus extra to add to beans as they are baking to keep them moist
• 1/8 C. apple cider vinegar
• 1/8 C. molasses
• 1/8 C. Dijon, yellow or grainy mustard
• 4 C. cooked small white beans
• 1 Granny Smith apple (peeled and chopped)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garnish with chopped parsley and/or a pretty radish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Using a large heavy bean pot (I used my old Le Creuset Dutch oven), heat the olive oil and saute the chopped onion until it is tender and beginning to brown. This will take about 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomato product you have chosen to use (I used ketchup), the Guinness, vinegar, molasses, mustard, beans and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the quartered onion and the chopped apple. Cover the pan and put it in the oven to bake for at least one hour. I baked my beans for several hours, adding additional liquid to keep the beans moist. I used the extra Guinness, but you could also use apple juice.I turned down the oven heat to 300 degrees F. after the first hour of baking. You will want to bake your beans until the sauce on the beans is thick and bubbling.

Nutrition

Calories

385 cal

Fat

1 g

Carbs

89 g

Protein

4 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info