Food Matters Project #30: Broccoli & Cherry Rice with Acorn Squash

With the start of 2013, we’re back to doing Food Matters Project posts!  I apologize for neglecting this awesome weekly project, but after missing it for a couple of months, we’ll be doing them again!

This weeks recipe was chosen by Gracie, of Food Fascination.  Her choice was Hippie Rice, from Mark Bittman’s Food Matters Cookbook.  Check out how others have adapted and made this recipe here.  See what other recipes we have made: Fifth Floor Kitchen Food Matters Project.

As always, I love recipes from this cookbook, since they can really be adapted to what you have in your fridge or pantry.  If I’m in the mood, I love to take the idea and run with it.  So here’s my recipe, inspired by Mr. Bittman- a great veggie, non-dairy dish to get you back into the healthy groove after all those holidays!

Broccoli & Cherry Rice with Acorn Squash
Inspired from: Food Matter’s Cookbook

1 acorn squash
1 tsp salt
1 cup rice, uncooked
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 head of broccoli, chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/3 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.  Cut the acorn squash in half, horizontally.  Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and toss them out.  Lay the squash halves, cut side down, on a greased foiled lined tray.  Bake for 40 minutes, or until the acorn squash is tender inside.  Scoop out the acorn squash with a spoon or fork, add it to a medium bowl.

Meanwhile, cook your rice according to package instructions.  Remember to add 1/2 tsp salt into the pot.  Once it’s cooked, add to the bowl with the acorn squash.

Heat up a medium skillet, and add 2 tbsp olive oil.  Allow to heat up, then add the onion.  Sauté the onion for about 3-5 minutes, then toss in the garlic and cook for another 3 minutes.  Finally, add in the broccoli and soy sauce, cook for another 5 minutes.  Once it’s finished cooking, mix in the ingredients with the rice and acorn squash.

Lastly, add in the dried cherries, pumpkin seeds, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper- mix all of the ingredients together.  Spoon the rice mixture into the 2 halves of the acorn squash.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sam and I are running the So Others Might Eat Turkey Trot 5K this morning- I hope everyone has a great run or walk!  I can’t wait to find out what you all are having on your Thanksgiving tables!

As I’m getting older, I’ve been able to appreciate holidays more- concentrate on what matters: time with family and friends, delicious food, and a whole day focused on gratitude!  Have a great holiday!

If you’re in search of any last minute Thanksgiving ideas, here are some of our favorites we’ve posted in the past:

Appetizers:
Apples, Blue Cheese & Honey
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Entree/Sides:
Deep Fried Turkey
Pomegranate and Kale Orzo Salad
Cauliflower Soup with Croutons
Butternut Squash & Pomegranate Panzanella Salad
Leafy Brussels Sprouts with Nuts

Dessert:
Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins with Cranberries
Cranberry Cake

Fall Granola

Everyone is running around to finish up their Thanksgiving shopping list- it’s a little hectic!  Although Thanksgiving may not be one of my favorite holidays (my Birthday is #1), it’s definitely up there near the top.  It’s the one time out of the year that everyone considers what/who they are grateful for, and shares the day with loved ones.

Sam and I will be staying in D.C.- after a long honeymoon, our annual leave has to be replenished.  We’re starting off Thursday morning with a Turkey Trot- it’s been our little tradition since we first started dating.  We’ll be running the So Others Might Eat Turkey Trot 5K!  Are any of you running tomorrow?

Since all of us may be eating too much during the day, I thought a great way to start the morning would be with some fall granola!

The fall flavors in this granola are slight, and a perfect pairing with Greek yogurt, or mixed with fresh milk.  This recipe is very flexible- if you don’t have a specific ingredient, feel to swap what you do have in your cupboards this fall day.

Fall Granola
Adapted from: Eat, Live, Run

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp brown sugar
4 cups old fashioned oats
1 tsp salt
1 cup maple syrup
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup dried cranberries

In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice to make the spice mix.  Set aside.

On a skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter.  Then add the pumpkin seeds and 1 tsp of the spice mix.  Toast seeds for about 3 minutes, or until they are lightly browned.  Then add the honey and brown sugar.  Continue to cook until they are incorporated, for another 3-4 minutes.  Next, spread out the seeds onto a sheet tray, allowing it to cool for at least 15 minutes.  Once it’s cooled off, break it apart using a spatula.

In a large bowl mix together the rest of the spice mix, oats and salt.

Add the maple syrup and coconut oil into a small saucepan over high heat.  First, bring to a boil and then simmer for an additional 2 minutes- continue to stir.  Pour the maple syrup sauce over the oats mixture into the large bowl.  Toss well until everything is evenly coated.

Preheat the oven to 325ºF.  Spread out the oats onto a sheet try (or two).  Bake for 25-30 minutes, moving and flipping the oats every 5 minutes.  Allow the oats to cool.

Lastly, toss the pumpkin seeds, oats mixture and dried cranberries together.  Eat it as a snack, or over yogurt.

Fall weather & activities!

When you get a chance, check out and Like the Fifth Floor Kitchen Facebook page!  You’ll know of new blog posts even faster!

I hope all of you have gone apple picking or carved pumpkins.

And if you’re living in the DC area- wine tasting!

I’ve been lucky enough over the last couple of weekends to do a little bit of everything.  Fall is wonderful in Virginia, leaves turn wonderful colors and the weather is perfectly crisp.  Is it like that where you live?

It’s always fun to carve pumpkins…

…and then eat the seeds!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds*

olive oil
salt
pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F.  After taking out all of the pumpkin seeds out of the pumpkin, rinse them off.  Then spread them out on a cooking sheet.  Pour olive oil over the pumpkin seeds, and mix it together so each seed is covered with olive oil.  Then sprinkle salt and pepper over the pumpkin seeds.  Mix all of the ingredients together once more.

Bake it in the oven for about 20 minutes.  Keep checking on the seeds, once they are golden brown they are ready.  Take them out of the oven and let them cool off.  Enjoy!

*There are no specifics for this recipe.  This all depends how many seeds you have and how much salt/pepper you like.

Spicy Asian Salad with Sunflower Seeds

This past weekend, my friend PB* (Happy Birthday!) and I took a walk on the Theodore Roosevelt Island.  If you live in the D.C. area, or are visiting- this is definitely a relaxing walking/running path that does not make you feel like you’re in the city.  We got to see the flowers that have bloomed, and the leaves with their deep green colors.  We also got to see some animals:

All the greenery made me think of foods that take you back to basics.  Earthy flavors.  So, this is a different type of a salad which we had this week (it’s a green one!).  I’ve actually made this for a couple of friends before (C* this is for you, but I’m sure you already know the recipe by heart!), and decided we needed to have it for lunch because it was that delicious.

I’m sure recipes like this one are floating around somewhere.  From a nutritional standpoint, many salads miss out on the flavor and the nutritional boost.  This salad definitely does not lack on either.  I don’t always feel like making a salad, no matter how easy it might be to make.  I love to eat them out, but at home I feel like they are a little too much work?  (I know, this sounds silly).  But when you see how good this is for you, and take the first bite, you’ll start to crave it!

One of the distinct changes I had made from the original recipe was that I used sunflower seeds rather than pumpkin seeds.  Both are delicious, I just couldn’t find pumpkin seeds in the store- come October it’ll be the perfect addition.  Until then, find the seeds that you prefer!

Spicy Asian Salad with Sunflower Seeds
Adapted from: Vegetarian Times

Salad:
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup carrots, grated
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 green onions, chopped

Dressing:
juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp Asian Stir-fly Oil
1/2 tsp sriracha chile sauce
1/4 tbsp ginger, grated

Coat a skillet with cooking spray, and heat it over medium heat.  Pour eggs into the skillet, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until firmly set.  Transfer the omelet to a cutting board, and let it cool.  Once it’s cooled, chop the omelet into 1/2-inch strips.

To make dressing, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Add the spinach leaves, bean sprouts, carrots, sunflower seeds, green onions and egg pieces to a large bowl.  Finally, add the dressing, and toss to coat.