Food Matters Project #31: Polenta with Mushroooms

It’s another Food Matters Project post!  This weeks recipe was chosen by Sandra, of Meadows Cooks.  From Mark Bittman’s Food Matters Cookbook, she had chosen the recipe for Polenta Cakes with Garlicky Mushrooms.  Check out what other Food Matters Project participants made here.  For the original recipe, check out Sandra’s post.

Sam and I have been trying to clean out (and by that I mean eat everything) from our pantry, freezer and fridge.  It’s a good way to start 2013- with some organization!  So when I read the recipe and didn’t have all of the ingredients, I decided to use what I did have.  Fortunately, Mark Bittman’s recipes are flexible and forgiving!  The only problem is, the recipe might just not turn out like you had thought.

As you check out everyone else’s posts, you’ll see that everyone has polenta cakes.  Unfortunately, ours did not settle and harden.  So we were left with just polenta- but that did not stop us from eating it.  So this version is slightly different than the original recipe, but I think it’s equally delicious and worth a try!

Polenta with Mushrooms
Inspired from: The Food Matters Cookbook & Honest Fare

Polenta:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, finely diced
2 shallots, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup corn meal
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Mushroom Topping:
1/2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 bacon strips
1/4 red onion, chopped
10-15 mushrooms, sliced
1 jalapeño, chopped (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a skillet, then add the mushrooms and shallots.  Sauté for about 5 minutes, next add in the garlic and cook for another minute.  Then remove from heat, and set aside.

In a medium pot, heat 4 cups of water until it is boiling.  Lower the heat and add the corn meal, while stirring so no clumps form.  Continue to stir the corn meal until it creamy and begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.  Then add in the salt, pepper and mozzarella cheese.  Continue to cook and stir for another 10 minutes, then remove from heat.  Add in the mushroom mixture, stir well to combine all of the ingredients.

In a skillet, heat the olive oil, then add in the bacon strips.  Allow them to cook until they are crisp.  Remove them from heat, and set aside.  Once cooled, chop the bacon into smaller pieces

In the olive oil and bacon grease, heat the onions, mushrooms and jalapeño for about 5 minutes.  Once cooked, remove from heat and toss in the chopped bacon.

Pour the cooked polenta (corn meal) into a bowl, top with the mushroom topping, and serve.

Indian Chicken Curry Wrap

My apologies (once again) for not posting as often.  It’s just that busy time of the year- and with the beautiful weather outside, it’s hard to make yourself stay in the kitchen!  Last year at this time we were preparing for our amazing European Adventure (Kraków, Vienna and Munich), this year we’re getting ready for our wedding!

At times like these I try to find recipes which are really simple and don’t take too much time to prepare.  With the extra time we can sneak in a run, some extra time with friends, or watch our favorite football games!

For this recipe I used leftover chicken, making it a whole new dish with curry flavors.  This is perfect for a lunch or dinner, feel free to add some sides!

Indian Chicken Curry Wrap
Adapted From: Cooking Light (June 2011)

1 1/4 lb coooked chicken, shredded or cubed
5 nectarines, chopped
1 mango, peeled & chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 cup chopped green onions
1 inch ginger, peeled & grated
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tbsp chopped mint
1 jalapeño, chopped (optional)
1 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp chili powder
juice of 1 lime
lettuce or arugula
tortillas or wraps

In a large bowl, combine: chicken, nectarines, mango, red onion, green onions, ginger, garlic, cilantro, mint and jalapeño.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the greek yogurt, salt, pepper, curry powder, chili powder, and lime juice.  Add the dressing to the chicken mixture.  Then stir everything together.

Add a handful of lettuce or arugula onto a tortilla, then add in the chicken curry mixture.  Roll the tortilla, and enjoy!

Tuna & Veggie Sandwich

So I’ve actually noticed the recipe for this sandwich over a year ago, but haven’t had a chance to make it.  I like tuna, but not very frequently.  But when a craving hits me, I have to have it now.

The original recipe is titled Pan Bagnat.  Which is a French sandwich, made out of white bread, which has raw vegetables, hard boiled eggs, anchovies, and tuna.  And the recipe, which I found here playing off of the Pan Bagnat, instructs you to put the whole sandwich together to be eaten the next day.

Although it’s a great idea to think about tomorrow’s lunch, I wanted the tuna today.  So a little spin, and some additional veggies had to be added!  This is very filling, so a great light dinner (and fast to make) or a bigger lunch.

Tuna and Veggie Sandwich
Inspired by: Waverly at Food 52

3 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz of tuna, drained
1 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup black olives, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
6 oz artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
1/4 cup basil, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4 ciabatta square buns, halved lengthwise

In a large bowl, toss together: garlic, tuna, Kalamata olives, black olives, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, red onion, parsley, artichoke hearts and basil.  Stir well so all of the ingredients are combined.

In a small bowl whisk together: lemon juice, olive oil and pepper flakes.  Once combined, pour over the tuna and vegetable mixture.  Add the salt and pepper, and then stir to combine all of the ingredients.

Finally, add the tuna and veggie mixture into each ciabatta bun.

Black Bean Citrus Salad

Corn is just overflowing at our farmer’s market.  This summer we’ve been trying to eat mostly fresh ingredients (lots and lots of tomatoes!), and corn is a summer-must-eat on my list.  So when I was browsing the Eat, Live, Run blog, I noticed Jenna posted a great lunch salad and it had corn- I was excited.

Naturally, I assumed you’d have to cook the corn, and then add it to the salad.  Boy, was I wrong!  Yes, you can eat raw corn- I never knew that.  And it’s so delicious, clearly I’ve been missing out.

If you’re like me, you might ask how this is possible.  What you have to do is peel of the corn husks, peel of the silks (the hairy stuff) and wash the corn.  Cut off an inch off of the pointy side of the corn, so you can set it down on a flat surface.  Grasp the stalk end holding it vertically over a cutting board, and carefully slice downward over the cob cutting off the kernels.

Great salad that incorporates the fresh vegetables available this month, and it’s very healthy!

Black Bean Citrus Salad with Quinoa
Adapted from: Eat, Live, Run

1 cup quinoa, uncooked
2 15oz cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 red onion, diced
1 large grapefruit, divided into segments & chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 ears of fresh corn, kernels chopped off
1 jalapeño, optional
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
juice of 2 limes
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 large avocado, diced

Cook quinoa per package directions.  Once cooked and cooled, add to a large bowl.

Into the bowl, add the: black beans, red onion, grapefruit segments, bell pepper, corn kernels, jalapeño and cilantro.  Toss well to combine.

In a small bowl whisk together the lime juice, olive oil and salt.  Pour dressing into the bowl, and toss well to combine.

Once you divide the salad over bowls or plates to serve, top off with avocado pieces.

Lentil & Summer Vegetable Salad

I cannot believe that it’s August, I feel like summer is flying by!  We’re trying to enjoy the the summer fruits and vegetables every single day.  There are many fresh tomatoes, zucchini’s and cucumbers in our fridge.

I’ve been trying to make easy salads that incorporate summer vegetables.  This is a salad which was not only nutritious, but also delicious (sorry, that’s so cheesy!).  But it’s true!  Definitely a keeper for a lunch salad.  It’s great with a slice of fresh bread or a pita.

Lentil & Summer Vegetable Salad
Adapted from: Fresh 365

1 cup of uncooked lentils
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
10 radishes, sliced
1-2 bell peppers, chopped (use colorful one’s)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup kalamata olives, sliced in half
1/4 cup capers, drained
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups feta cheese, crumbled

Cook lentils in boiling water for about 20 minutes.  Drain, and add to a large bowl.  Add the tomatoes, red onion, radishes, bell peppers, cilantro, kalamata olives, capers, olive oil, lemon juice and feta cheese.  Toss all of the ingredients together before serving.