Citrus Lentil Soup with Collard Greens

I haven't posted here in forever! I have been cooking, but haven't been writing down recipes. I managed to get this one, though :)

This delicious, hearty soup is nutritious and has a bright, fresh taste from the lemon juice. I really enjoy the strong citrus flavor - my husband said it was overpowering, so if you think you might have an issue with it, add a little at first and more if you'd like.

I used green lentils and a Yukon gold potato; feel free to experiment.

Citrus Lentil Soup with Collard Greens

• 1 onion
• 2 small or 1 large carrots
• 1 medium potato
• 1 jalapeno
• 1 bunch collard greens
• 1 cup lentils
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4-1/3 cup lemon juice
• olive oil
• sea salt and ground black pepper 

Heat some olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Chop the onion and carrot and saute in the pan for about five minutes. Stir in the lentils and vegetable stock, cover, and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and cook for about ten minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the potato into small cubes and place in a small pan with enough water to cover. Heat to boiling and cook until the potato is tender, about fifteen minutes. Drain when finished.

Remove the stem, seeds and rib from the jalapeno and mince. Remove the stems from the collard greens and chop the leaves into small pieces. After the lentils have been cooking for ten minutes, stir in the collard greens, cumin, cinnamon, garlic and jalapeno. Put the lid back on and simmer until the lentils and greens are tender, another fifteen to twenty minutes.


When finished, remove from heat and stir in the potato and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and let sit for about ten minutes before eating.

Balsamic Risotto

I love my whole grain rice, but sometimes I get cravings for white rice - sometimes plain as a side to a saucy Asian-style dish, usually in the form of risotto. Arborio rice is a little bit more expensive, but it is the only kind you can use to get the creamy texture of risotto.

This dish requires some time and effort, standing at the stove and stirring. I enjoy making these sorts of dishes because I enjoy standing in the kitchen and stirring a pot on the stove :)

For the broth here, I cheated a little bit. I used this:  Better than Bouillon Organic Mushroom Base. Instant bouillon is my one processed food kitchen weakness that I just can't seem to get over! It doesn't taste as good as homemade, but then again, I don't like the idea of buying a bunch of vegetables simply to boil them away, and while I do save the ends of my carrots and celery and onions and such they don't gather up enough to make a stock as often as I need one. So, whenever this is on sale at Whole Food Market, I pick a couple up. I used mushroom in this dish because mushrooms are a common companion to risotto.

I used chicken in here, but it is completely optional. Neither my husband and I are vegetarians, but him and I both did separate seven year stints as vegetarians before we knew each other. I have been eating meat sparingly, mostly seafood, for about two years now and him for about six. If you haven't been able to tell by reading my blog, most of the meals I cook are vegan. Part of the reason is because it is healthier, part of the reason is because I simply don't have a taste for meat more often than every once in a while, and part of the reason is because less-cruel organic meat is very expensive and we both don't like the idea of eating factory farmed meat that was fed genetically modified food and/or whatever else (so we only buy the $7.99/pound organic chicken, etc). Nonetheless, he misses meat more than I do, so every few weeks he will say "....can we have meat for dinner this week?" So I'll thaw some out and cook it. It is completely optional and you may leave it out if you wish. Make this vegan by using a vegan butter, or by simply leaving it out.

Balsamic Risotto

• one 4-6 ounce chicken breast (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 4-5 cups stock
• 3-4 stalks of kale
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons butter (vegan or dairy)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (separated)
• olive oil
• sea salt and ground black pepper

Rinse the kale and remove the thick stalks. Chop the leaves into small pieces and set aside.

Heat the stock in a medium sized pan but do not allow to boil. In a separate, large pot, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.

If using chicken: season each side of the chicken breast with sea salt and pepper. Place in the plan and cook for about two minutes on one side, to make a nice brown crust, and then flip over and cook for two minutes on the next side. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cut the lemon in half and squeeze one half of the juice into the pan and add in two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Cover and cook until the chicken is done, flipping over once, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Heat some more oil in the pan (if necessary), chop the onion and add to the pan along with the rosemary and thyme and saute until soft and translucent and the spices are fragrant, about five minutes. Add in the rice and saute, stirring occasionally, for another five minutes. Mince the garlic cloves and stir those in. Ladle in one ladle full of the warm broth and stir until the liquid has absorbed. Add in another ladle full and stir until the liquid is absorbed - repeat this process. When you've used about half the stock, add in the kale and carrots and continue the process until the rice is soft and the texture is creamy.

Meanwhile, butterfly the chicken and chop into small pieces. Add to the finished risotto, along with the butter, the remaining two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, and the last half of the lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and serve immediately.

Fruit and Citrus Tea (caffeine free)

Some mornings I don't feel like drinking caffeinated beverages, and I especially never drink any at night. I came up with this gentle, unobtrusive tea that is full of flavor. The ginko in the tea gives you a boost of brain power, and the cool, fruity flavors of rosehips and lemongrass keep you calm.

I used a peel from a clementine that I dried myself and had stored in a glass jar. I would use some other type of orange peel - orange, blood orange, tangerine, so on. 

To dry your own citrus peel, simply peel it off the fruit (it's easy to do this in one piece with mandarins, but oranges have a thicker peel so it will be in many pieces) and lay someplace where air can get to it on all sides. I rigged mine up to the handle of a cabinet using string and clips. Let it sit for a day or two until it is hard, and store in a glass jar or airless plastic bag.


This recipe makes a tea concentrate - that is, you keep it around a mix it with water to make the perfect cup of tea. I like to make concentrates because they are easier to store in my refrigerator (I can't ever seem to have enough room in there) and I can still have the same cup of tea all week with minimal effort. To make the perfect cup of tea from the concentrate, simply follow these instructions:

• To make hot tea: Heat one part tea concentrate with one part water in a saucepan. Let simmer for a second and sweeten to taste using raw honey, honey, agave nectar or your favorite sugar (if desired).
• To make cold tea: Mix one part tea concentrate with one part cold water and some ice. If you'd like sweetened cold tea, follow the instructions to make hot tea, add in the sweetener and then chill before pouring over ice.
• To make caffeinated tea: After bringing the tea concentrate/water to a boil, simply use that as your steeping water. I haven't tried any yet, but I'm guessing this would be delicious with black, green, oolong or white tea!  

Alternately, you could simply mix together all of the herbs and store it in a glass jar, taking out one teaspoonful at a time to brew one cup of tea at a time the way that you normally do; however, simply steeping the tea blend won't produce as strong of a flavor as simmering it for a longer amount of time. 

Alternately again, to simply make tea that you and some friends would like to drink in thirty minutes or so - double the amount of spices but keep the amount of water the same. Strain and enjoy.



Fruit and Citrus Tea
Yields enough concentrate to make about eight to ten cups of tea.
All ingredients are dried

• 4 tablespoons ginko
• 4tablespoons lemongrass
• 4 tablespoons rosehips
• 2 tablespoons peppermint
• 1 small or 1/2 large dried citrus peel
• 10 green cardamom pods
• about 4 cups water

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over low heat until the tea is dark and fragrant - about half an hour. Alternately, put everything into a slow cooker and simmer over low heat for 8 hours.

Simmering tea, relaxing me...

Red Potato and Pesto Bake

I made this as a quick lunch out of things that were already in my kitchen. The recipe is for one serving, but you could easily double-triple-quintuple the recipe to make enough. I imagine it would be very good for breakfast, also!

The specific pesto that I used here is my own Broccoli Pesto that I had in the refrigerator, but you could use any favorite pesto of yours.

Red Potato and Pesto Bake

• 1 medium red potato, fully cooked and chilled, thinly sliced
• 1 roma tomato, thinly sliced
• two thin slices of red onion
• 1/2 a small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• small block of feta cheese
• 1-2 tablespoons prepared pesto sauce
• 1 teaspoon or so of fresh squeezed lemon juice
• freshly ground black pepper

Preheat an oven to 350°. Spray a small baking dish with a little bit of olive oil. Layer the ingredients in the following order: potato, half of the pesto, onion, tomato, the remaining pesto, feta cheese, bell pepper. Bake in the oven until warm, about ten to fifteen minutes. Squeeze the lemon juice on top and season with black pepper.

Cruciferous Rice and Quinoa

Cruciferous vegetables.... a large group of tasty plants with lots of wonderful nutrients, beneficial enzymes and other good stuff. Vegetables in this family include:
radishes (including red and daikon), brussels sprouts, cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, canola, mustard seeds, arugula, cress (like watercress), rutabaga, wasabi....


Here I've chosen to use three of those - broccoli, kale and cauliflower - with a mix of two grains that I had on hand in the pantry in a one-bowl meal that is filling and refreshing.


In this recipe, I use my own recipe for Broccoli Pesto. You can most certainly use any of your own favorite pesto recipes, or something store bought - if you do this I would add some broccoli florets in place of half of the cauliflower. Feel free to experiment with the grains, too - all quinoa, all rice, or any other combination you have on hand.

Eden Foods Organic Seaweed Gomasio Sesame Salt is a fabulous product that I always keep on hand in my kitchen. I like to use it in place of regular sea salt. It had ground sea vegetables and sesame seeds, packing in extra flavor and a small dose of nutrition. It is available at most health food stores or to order on the internet. You can leave it out if you'd like, but be sure to season with sea salt and plain sesame seeds, if you have them.


Cruciferous Rice and Quinoa

• 1/2 cup red or regular quinoa
• 1 cup vegetable stock or water
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1/2 a small head of cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 2 cups)
• half a bunch (3-4 stalks) of kale, stem removed, leaves torn into small pieces
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup prepared Broccoli Pesto (or your favorite pesto sauce)
• 2 tablespoons Eden Foods Organic Seaweed Gomasio Sesame Salt
• fresh ground black pepper 

Bring the vegetable stock or water up to a boil in a small pot. Stir in the quinoa and cover. Let cook until the quinoa is soft and the grains have popped, revealing a light colored white circle - about 15-20 minutes. Set aside.


Heat a couple of tablespoons of water or vegetable stock in a medium sized pot and add in the cauliflower. Cover and let steam over medium-low heat for about five minutes. Add in the kale and the lemon juice, stir and cover until the vegetables are cooked to your desired tenderness - five to fifteen more minutes.


Uncover and add in the quinoa, rice and pesto sauce. Mix thoroughly, and then taste. Season with black pepper and/or lemon juice, if desired. Right before serving, stir in the sesame salt.

Broccoli Pesto

This is the second left-of-center pesto sauce I've made in the last few days.


I've always lamented the loss of so much vegetable whenever I throw out broccoli stems. You can't really use them for stocks and they have a tough, fibrous peel. So I've been brainstorming ideas on how to use them so I don't have to throw away half of the weight of the broccoli, and one of those ideas was this pesto sauce.


I made this specifically to go with Cruciferous Rice and Quinoa, but I imagine it could be used wherever else you might use pesto. It has a much lighter flavor than typical pesto sauces, with bright tones of lemon and raw garlic. I'm imagining it mixed with mayonnaise, sour cream or plain yogurt as a dip for crudites, as a spread on a pita sandwich, or mixed into a hot bowl of plain rice or pasta.


If anyone else has any ideas for how to use broccoli stems, please let me in on your secret!

Broccoli Pesto
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

• 2-3 broccoli stems, florets removed
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1 clove of garlic
• about 1 cup of baby spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice 
• 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Cut off the ends of the broccoli stems and remove all branches until you have just the stem. Using a sharp knife (be careful!), remove the tough, fibrous outside layer of the stem. The inside should be a very light green color, almost white. You can test whether or not you've gotten off all the tough pieces by pricking them stem with a fork - it will pierce the fibrous skin but will poke into the inner layers easier. Repeat this with all large portions of the branches, using a paring knife if you'd like, discarding ones that are too small to safely cut. Dice the stems into smaller pieces.


Heat a quarter of a cup or so of water in a medium pan and add in the broccoli stems. Cover and steam until they are tender but not mushy - about ten minutes. Remove from heat and chill to room temperature.


Add the chilled broccoli stems, cashews, garlic and spinach to a food processor. Give it a few pulses to chop everything, scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary. Once it is chopped, set the processor to on and stream in the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil through the top. Let mix until a paste forms. If you desire a thinner sauce, add in more lemon juice, olive oil or water or vegetable stock.

Green Rice

I always have a large variety of green vegetables and seasonings hanging out in my kitchen - today I decided to use them all together! This recipe is very easy and quick to make and very filling. Serve it hot or cold!

The specific pesto sauce that I used in this recipe is my own Spinach and Squash Pesto, however, feel free to use your favorite pesto - homemade or store bought.

Green Rice
Serves 3-4

•  olive oil
• sea salt and ground black pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried peppermint
• 1 cup green peas (thawed)
• 1 cup baby lima beans (thawed)
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon kelp powder
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
• 2 cups cooked brown rice

Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the onion, oregano, basil, thyme and peppermint and saute until the onion is soft and translucent, about ten minutes. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Add in the peas, lima beans, brown rice, pesto sauce, kelp powder and lime juice and mix well. Taste, and add in more lime juice, salt and pepper, if desired.

Beautiful green nutrition!

Orange-Ginger Tofu Triangles

If you're skeptical of tofu, don't be. It is pretty bland by itself, but soaks up the flavor of any marinade like a sponge. This Chinese takeout inspired recipe will make light and delicious tofu that anyone will love. Slicing the tofu thinly and baking it in the oven gives it a nice firm texture to serve as a main dish.

Serve these tofu triangles atop brown rice and sauteed or raw vegetables, such as bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, peas and onions. The recipe makes enough sauce to enjoy this way. Use the red pepper flakes and Szechuan peppercorn to make this as mild or as spicy as you'd like.


Orange-Ginger Tofu Triangles

• 1 block of firm or extra firm tofu
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup Bragg liquid aminos
• 4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger root
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more)
• freshly ground Szechuan peppercorn
• 2 tablespoons organic cornstarch

Turn the tofu block on its side and slice into three thick slices. Cut each slice on the diagonal to make six triangles. In a long, flat container with a tight fitting lid, mix together the orange juice, vinegar, aminos, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and ground Szechuan pepper. Dredge each piece of tofu in the marinade, then lay in a single layer, if possible, or a double layer. Attach the lid and let marinade in the refrigerator for two hours, or overnight if possible, flipping once halfway through.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove each tofu slice from the marinade, shaking off any excess, and place on the paper in a single layer. Bake until golden and firm to your liking, anywhere from 20 minutes to 45 minutes. Check often to ensure the edges don't burn. Flip the pieces over once in the middle of cooking.

To serve, mix the reserved marinade with the cornstarch in a small pot over medium heat until thick. Pour over the top of the tofu triangles.

Millet and Vegetable Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers are fun to make and fun to eat. They're pretty and always something special, even on a weeknight. They take a little bit of time and effort but are relatively easy and the results and delicious and fun. 

If you've never had millet before, you're in for a treat! This was my first time using millet and I am very satisfied. Toasting the millet before boiling gives it a nutty flavor and helps cook the grains evenly on the inside and outside. Unfortunately, I accidentally left the lid off the pot for a little while, so I don't think I cooked the millet in the correct way, nor do I know exactly how much liquid I used. I started with one cup, but I ended up adding quite a bit more before the millet got tender. Fortunately, it isn't like rice and is very forgiving if you make a mistake - I had the lid on and off, adding more liquid and stirring, quite a bit and the texture was just perfect.

Grind the hazelnuts in a blender or a food processor, or place them in a sturdy plastic bag and give them a few whacks with a hammer or a mallet.

These stuffed peppers are hearty, filling and nutritious but not heavy. You don't have to use the kale, broccoli and corn listed here - experiment with whatever vegetables you have on hand. The nutty flavor from the millet and the hazelnuts is very warm and pleasant. This is a good meal to have if you are serving meat lovers or if you are transitioning to more vegetarian meals - it is hearty, full of flavor, and using a knife and fork to cut the pepper mimics the cutting of meat. Enjoy!


Millet and Vegetable Stuffed Peppers

• 1/2 cup millet
• about 2 cups vegetable stock or water at room temperature (see note above)
• 4 large bell peppers, any color 
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4-5 stalks of curly green kale, chopped in small pieces
• florets from 2 heads of broccoli, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 cup corn kernels
• 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• sea salt
• olive oil
• Topping ideas (optional): tomato sauce, yogurt raita, warm salsa, fresh herbs

Preheat the oven to 350°. Slice off the tops of the peppers and reserve for another use. Remove the seeds and ribs from the peppers. Heat a few cups of water in a pot large enough to fit all the peppers until simmering. Add in the peppers, lower the heat and cover. Let steam until they are tender but still firm enough to stand up - ten to twenty minutes, depending on your preference. When finished, remove the peppers but reserve some of the cooking liquid.

Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a medium sized pot. Add the millet and toast, stirring, over medium heat until the millet becomes golden and fragrant. Add in the vegetable stock and cook, covered, until the millet becomes tender and the mixture becomes thick, about fifteen to twenty minutes. If there is too much liquid, take off the lid for a few minutes while cooking - if there is not enough, add more and stir. The millet is done when it is soft or slightly crunchy (depending on how you want it).

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan. Add in the onion and turmeric and cook until soft, about five minutes. Add in the garlic, ginger, kale, broccoli and about a quarter cup of the boiling water from the peppers. Cover and steam over low heat for about ten minutes. Remove the lid and add in the corn, lemon zest and juice, balsamic vinegar and hazelnuts. Let cook until the kale and broccoli are as tender as you'd like and the corn is thawed and warm, five to fifteen more minutes.

Place the peppers standing upright in a baking sheet or dish. A muffin tin works nicely to ensure they don't tip. Lightly spoon the filling into each pepper and bake in the oven until they are golden brown and the peppers are only beginning to wrinkle around the edges - ten to fifteen minutes.

If you'd like, serve these on their own or with a sauce of your choosing.

I prefer red peppers :)

Masala Tofu Sandwiches with Sweet Curry Spread

I got this inspiration from the Curry Tofu Salad available in the prepared foods section of Whole Foods Market. Instead of making a salad, I decided to make sandwiches with a spread and sliced tofu. The Sweet Curry Spread is a delightful shade of deep yellow and the tofu is firm enough to please a meat eater.

As I was making this, I thought of all the uses: individual sandwiches for lunch, or a vast array of appetizers. If you'd like to make appetizers, simply cut the tofu into smaller pieces before marinating.

The tofu makes enough for either three large, two-tofu-slice sandwiches or six smaller once-tofu-slice sandwiches, or 12 more appetizers with a half of a fourth of a slice each. The spread recipes make enough for this amount of sandwiches.

For your outside pieces, I make the following suggestions:

• naan or chapatis
• pita
• whole grain sandwich bread
• cocktail bread, such as rye or pumpernickle to make appetizer sandwiches
• whole grain or sprouted raw crackers 
• thick slices of cucumber
• thick, sturdy pieces of hearty lettuce, such as romaine or kale

Masala Tofu Sandwiches

• 1 block of tofu, cut into six wide, thin slices
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about one lemon's worth)
• 2 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos (or 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce + 1 tablespoon water)
• bread of choice
• garnishes: romaine lettuce, curly green kale, baby spinach, shredded carrots, alfalfa sprouts, cucumbers, sliced onion

In a long, shallow container with a tight fitting lid, mix the lemon juice, garam masala, sesame oil and liquid aminos. Add in the tofu slices, one at a time, coating each one in the marinade. If it is not possible to stack them separately, stack them side by side, three slices high. Place the lid on the container and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour, or overnight if possible, flipping the container over once halfway through.


After marinating, preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the tofu slices in a single layer. Bake until they are firm and brown, about 20-30 minutes. Let cool completely.

When ready to serve, spread some of the Sweet Curry Spread on your outside piece. For large sandwiches, top with two slices of tofu and for small, one slice. If you are making appetizers with the crackers, cucumbers or lettuce, cut each tofu slice in half or in fourths and use the spread as "glue" for the tofu to stick. Top with any desired toppings.


Sweet Curry Spread

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 3 tablespoons raisins
• 3 tablespoons dried cherries
•  1/4 cup shredded coconut

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until a thick, creamy paste forms - just a little bit thinner than mayonnaise consistency. Chill until ready to use. As it chills, this spread will thicken considerably but will still be spreadable.

This also works as a delicious dip with bread, chips, crackers or crudites. If using as a dip, use a little bit more coconut milk, and a little bit less cashews to make it less thick.

Citrus Fish with Subtle Garlic Lime Vegetables

I love to eat fish. When I first started cooking, I had a lot of trouble replicating the delicious fish I had in restaurants. It would stick to the pan, it would be overcooked, it would be flavorless, something was always wrong. One day I decided to bake it, and I have never turned back. With baking, it is much easier to ensure the fish doesn't loose its seasoning and tastes lighter and fresher (like it should) because it hasn't been covered in oil in a frying pan.

Fish is a bit more pricey, especially if you are concerned about sustainable fishing practices. When I notice that fish is on sale, I buy a ridiculous amount - twenty pounds sometimes - and keep it in the freezer in single portion bag. This way I have delicious fish until it goes on sale next. White fish is my favorite, as its texture is light and flaky and it lends so easily to all sorts of subtle flavors.

For fish, vegetables are a match made in heaven, as is citrus and fresh herbs. I made this specific meal for lunch. If you'd like to bulk it up for dinner, add a side of brown rice or quinoa.

Citrus Fish with Garlic Lime Vegetables
serves 2

• one half pound firm white fish fillets (such as tilapia, pollack, swai, flounder, etc) - each portion should be about 4 ounces
•  one small red onion, sliced into very thin rings
• two cloves garlic, minced
• one clove garlic, smashed
• one lemon
• one lime
• 4 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
• one small Japanese eggplant
• one zucchini squash
• sea salt and ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Arrange the whole rings of red onion at the bottom of a baking pan. Sprinkle a little bit of olive oil onto them (very little). Place the fish fillets on top and sprinkle with the black pepper and minced garlic. Halve the lemon and the lime. Squeeze about 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice from the lemon, being careful to avoid seeds, and spread over the fish (this should use the whole lemon). Squeeze about a tablespoon of lime juice from the lime and spread over the fish (this should use half the lime - save the other half). Place the used lemon and lime halves at the edge of the baking dish and place in the oven. Cook the fish until it is firm and flakes easily, about 15-20 minutes.

Serve the fish fillets on top of the crispy-sweet red onion rings, each portion topped with a tablespoon of chives, alongside the vegetables.

Subtle Garlic Lime Vegetables

Cut the ends off the eggplant and zucchini. Halve lengthwise, then cut into 1/2 inch half-moon shapes. Sprinkle liberally with the sea salt, making sure to coat the pieces well. Leave to sit for about 20 minutes in order to draw out excess moisture and bitterness. Rinse the salt off, then pat dry.

Heat about two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a frying pan. Add the smashed clove of garlic and saute just until browned and fragrant, then remove from the pan and discard. Add in any leftover red onion you might have had from the fish and the completely dry eggplant and zucchini pieces. Saute over medium heat until crisp-tender, about 5-10 minutes. Squeeze the remaining lime half over the top and toss in about two tablespoons of the chives, mix to coat and remove from heat.

Beautiful fish and vegetables, pictured here with a wedge of Spinach Asiago bread from Bread of Life Bakery

Honey Balsamic Beans and Rice

Beans and rice are a natural combination. From spicy, stew-like Cajun/Creole one dish meals to salad toppers to vegetarian burgers, beans and rice are a powerful duo that bring lots of nutrition, texture and taste to any dish. Here I decided to combine them into a cold salad. I've had many cold rice salads and many cold bean salads - so why not both? The honey balsamic dressing is one that I've made before to put on traditional lettuce salads. I've had sweet rice puddings and desserts before, but something told me the beans would like to be sweet.

Chinese long beans are available at my local farmer's market in the spring and summer. They look like two foot long green beans... or they can be red, purple, yellow, green or a combination! The ones I've used in this recipe are simply green, and are soft enough to eat when raw. Other varieties may need to be parboiled longer to be softened. If you don't have Chinese long beans available, use fresh green beans, and parboil them 4-5 minutes.

The brown rice is essential in making this salad wholesome and filling. Also, do not use canned beans. Even organic canned beans may have weird stuff added to them. Always use from dried. It takes extra time but it is worth it. See my "Tips and Tricks" page for how I deal with and prepare dried beans.

This honestly works as a breakfast, a lunch, or a dinner. To fix it up a bit more, add in some chopped lettuce or spinach or garnish with fresh herbs. This will keep in your refrigerator for about a week.

Honey Balsamic Beans and Rice

• 1 ½ cups cooked, cold brown rice
• 1 cup cooked, cold black beans
• 1 cup cooked, cold pinto beans
• ¾ cup cooked, cold northern beans
• 1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, minced
• 1 cup Chinese long beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ cup green onions, sliced diagonally in 1-inch pieces
• ½ cup toasted, unsalted almonds, roughly chopped 
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• For the dressing
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice (squeezed from a lemon)
• 1 ½ tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Bring four or five cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium pot. Add the salt and the cut long beans. Blanch for three minutes, then transfer the long beans to a bowl of iced water. After they have rested for a few minutes, drain and let dry.

To make the dressing, add the olive oil, honey, vinegar, lemon juice and tarragon to a small container with a tight-fitting lid. Place the lid on tight and vigorously shake until well blended.

In a large bowl, add the rice, beans, jalapeno, almonds and onions. Give the dressing another shake and pour all over the top. Toss everything together well, being careful not to smash too many beans.

Chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before eating.

An array of colors, protein and wholesome sweetness