Homemade chocolate-peanut butter cups and almond butter cups recipe

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter or Almond Butter Cups | Pamela Salzman

It is really ironic that I try to discourage sweets but I have always have so much fun making them!  I had the best time last Christmas making gingerbread men with my kids.  My favorite part of every Thanksgiving meal for me is baking all the pies.  And more recently, I thoroughly enjoyed making these chocolate peanut butter and almond butter cups.  After my friend Rachel Sarnoff from MommyGreenest guest posted here about choosing higher quality Halloween candy, I did a little research looking for the best options (organic, non-GMO, free of artificial colors, etc.)  And then I thought it might be cool to make my own candy for when I have guests over or to give as a hostess gift.  Do not for a minute think I would ever make my own Halloween candy to give out to trick-or-treaters!  That would for sure put me over the edge.  If you do that, however, I think you are amazing.

melting chocolate

I’ve seen DIY chocolate peanut butter and almond butter cups all over the internet, so I figured that would be a good one to try.  Plus, my husband and I both love them.  Reese’s peanut butter cups were always among my favorites at Halloween.  Let me tell you, these are a cinch to make!  No candy thermometer required.  No special ingredients needed.  You probably have it all in your pantry and they come together in a jiffy (no pun intended.)

almond butter cups in the making

Even better, I made these when I wasn’t in a rush.  I wasn’t trying to beat the sunset so I would still have natural light for photographing.  I wasn’t making these at dinnertime when I had other things to tend to.  In fact, my son was sitting at the kitchen table doing his homework, quiet as a mouse, and my girls were out at their activities.  And I found making these chocolates to be almost meditative.  I can’t wait to make them again!!  In fact, if you invite me over for dinner, I will likely bring you a little box of these!

pour melted chocolate on top

I know that some of you are ready to point out to me that these candies, no matter how much love and organic ingredients go into them, are not healthful.  And you know what?  You are totally right.  I am not going to sell these to you today as something that’s going to save your life.  Are they less bad for you than Reese’s?  I can argue that yes, they are probably less bad for you than Reese’s which contains GMO-sugar, non-organic peanuts and TBHQ, a toxic preservative which is a derivative of butane.  Nope, no butane in mine, but also not exactly health food.  But it is Halloween and I think we’re entitled to a few treats now and then and that’s that.

chocolate peanut butter cups

I have already made these several times, with both dark chocolate (less sugar) and milk chocolate.   I have used (homemade) almond butter as well as organic peanut butter.  And I have sweetened the filling with powdered sugar and also with a combination of powdered sugar and honey or maple syrup.  Clearly the least bad (I know that’s grammatically incorrect) option would be dark chocolate with almond butter mixed with powdered sugar and maple syrup.  And those are so delicious I can’t even believe it.  But if you are looking to make something closer to a Reese’s peanut butter cup, then you need to use milk chocolate, peanut butter and all powdered sugar.  Those were my kids’ favorites and I have to say they taste better than the real thing!

homemade reeses peanut butter

If you’re looking for a fun activity to do with your kids or grandkids, look no further!

Homemade Reeses Peanut Butter Cups | Pamela Salzman

 

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter and Almond Butter Cups

Pamela, adapted from several sources including Top Secret Recipes, Joy of Baking, and Sprouted Kitchen
5 from 1 vote
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Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounces dark or milk chocolate
  • ½ cup natural creamy almond or peanut butter or sunflower seed butter if you’re nut-free
  • 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar or 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar + 1 Tablespoon raw honey or pure maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • sea salt flakes or pumpkin seeds for topping if desired

Instructions
 

  • Line a mini muffin tin with paper liners. If you are using a silicone muffin pan, it's probably a good idea to place the pan on a baking sheet so you can transfer it more easily to the refrigerator.
  • Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Break up the chocolate into small pieces and place in a glass bowl big enough to fit over the pot of boiling water without touching the water (this is a double boiler).
  • Lower heat so that the water just simmers and place the bowl of chocolate on top of the pot. Melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, until perfectly smooth. Set bowl aside.
  • Mix the almond or peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt together in a small bowl until smooth. This mixture should be a consistency that allows you to roll it into small balls.
  • Spoon a teaspoonful of chocolate into each lined cup.
  • Scoop a teaspoon of the almond/peanut butter mixture and roll into a ball with your hands and press down slightly to flatten a little. Place in the center of each chocolate cup and push down slightly to allow the chocolate to cover the sides, but not the top of the almond/peanut butter disc.
  • Pour another teaspoon of chocolate on top of the cups covering the peanut/almond butter mixture completely. Use the back of your teaspoon to smooth out the chocolate on the tops of each cup.
  • Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt or a couple pumpkin seeds if you like and place in the refrigerator for a few hours to harden. If you need to speed this up, place in the freezer.
  • Because the chocolate is not tempered, you should keep these refrigerated.

Notes

I use this silicone mini muffin pan.  Each individual mold measures 1 1/2 inches across the top.  I found two mini baking liners at Michaels which worked perfectly, but these were just slightly too big for my pan.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

 

Butternut squash and chickpea stew recipe

butternut squash and chickpea stew | pamela salzman

I have been consistently making Monday our meatless night, although I often have another vegetarian dinner during the week as well.  This week I was excited to cook something with one of the many winter squashes I have bought recently.  I taught this vegan butternut squash and chickpea stew last February and I was waiting for the change in seasons to make it again.  As opposed to most stews, this one doesn’t take hours to cook and was perfect for a busy weeknight.  Actually, I was so busy on Monday that I had to serve it with white basmati rice instead of brown rice (nobody’s perfect!)  I also made a delicious kale salad with avocados, pomegranates and sliced almonds.  It was the perfect meal for me.  I also love this stew because it can be made the day before and reheated, or made earlier in the afternoon and left on the stove, off the heat, until dinner time.

brown onions

coconut oil and onions

 

spices

I was really delighted that my son, also known as, but soon to be formerly known as, Mr. Picky, ate everything on his plate (kale, chickpeas, carrots, onions, rice) except the butternut squash.  This is major progress and I am very encouraged by how far he has come since the days not too long ago when he wouldn’t have eaten a single bite of this stew.  Small steps, but they all get there eventually.

butternut squash

stew in the making

This stew has a little bit of a Moroccan kick to it.  I used really flavorful (and anti-inflammatory) spices like turmeric, ginger, coriander and a little cayenne.  The cayenne gives it just enough heat, but not too much that you would think this is spicy.  I think this would be delicious for a Halloween dinner, whether you are entertaining or just filling everyone up before trick-or-treating.  That’s my strategy, you know.  I don’t prohibit the kids from eating a little candy on Halloween night, but I give them a nice hearty, substantial dinner so they’re not hungry when they leave the house.  Pretty tricky, Mom!

butternut squash and chickpea stew | pamela salzman

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Stew

Pamela, inspired by epicurious.com
5 from 4 votes
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Servings 4 -6

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tablespoons unrefined coconut oil or olive oil I use coconut oil and I really like Barlean’s
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt + extra for seasoning at the end
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric feel free to add more if you like it
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • 3 cups 1-inch cubes of peeled butternut squash about 1 ½ pounds
  • 2 large carrots peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces
  • 1 pound fresh tomatoes peeled, seeded and diced or 14 ounces boxed, drained
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas or 1 15-ounce can drained and rinsed
  • a handful of golden raisins or currants
  • 1 cup chicken stock vegetable stock or water

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 1 minute or until fragrant.
  • Add salt, pepper and all spices to the onions. Sauté for a minute.
  • Add the squash and carrots and toss to coat with the spices.
  • Add tomatoes, lemon juice, chickpeas, raisins and stock/water. Bring to a boil and cover. Lower the heat and simmer over low or medium/low heat until squash is tender and flavors have melded, about 40 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add extra salt and pepper as desired.

Notes

Feel free to stir some spinach or chopped chard leaves in at the end.  Delicious served over quinoa, millet, rice, spaghetti squash or couscous.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Balsamic-roasted broccoli and cherry tomatoes recipe

balsamic-roasted broccoli and cherry tomatoes | pamela salzman

I’d like to sneak in a nutritious recipe before Halloween if you’ll let me.  I need to one last swan song before local tomatoes go out of season until next June.  Moment of silence.  Until then, I am enjoying these sweet little orbs as much as I can.  I have always had a soft spot for cherry tomatoes, which seem to be consistently sweet as sugar.  I love to make a quick sauce out of them for pasta and they don’t weigh down salads like a chopped up beefsteak.  And as sweet as they are raw, they are even more so and more tomato-y roasted.

chop your garlic

This is a super easy and delicious way to enjoy broccoli and tomatoes while they are in season at the same time.  What I love about this combo is how the juice from the tomatoes mingles with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil and gets trapped in the nooks and crannies of the broccoli florets.  So delish.  You can keep it really simple here and just roast the veggies with garlic, balsamic and oil or add a little fresh basil at the end like I did.  If you want to get fancy, toss on some toasted pine nuts and a few shavings of Parmesan cheese.  You can’t go wrong.  I think you could also make the same thing with eggplant and cherry tomatoes or zucchini and cherry tomatoes.  I served this the other night with some roasted salmon and corn-chimichurri sauce.  Yum!

balsamic-roasted broccoli and cherry tomatoes | pamela salzman

balsamic-roasted broccoli and cherry tomatoes | pamela salzman

Forgive the short post today, but as I mentioned in a previous post, I’m not very organized in areas of my life that don’t relate to food.  As I predicted, Mr. Picky’s birthday party is being held tomorrow, 3 1/2 weeks after his real birthday.  I can’t remember the last time his party was actually in September.  Am I lame, or what?  He’s being a good sport about it and said, “That’s okay, Mom.  It makes my birthday last longer.”  Love that little guy.  I was actually so proud of myself that my son and I pulled together his Halloween costume already.  That’s about 2 1/2 weeks earlier than normal!  And then I opened my mail today and saw two catalogs for holiday cards.  I mean, really.

balsamic-roasted broccoli and cherry tomatoes | pamela salzman

balsamic-roasted broccoli and cherry tomatoes | pamela salzman

Balsamic-Roasted Broccoli and Cherry Tomatoes

Pamela
4.67 from 3 votes
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Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound broccoli crowns cut into florets and stems sliced
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 3 garlic cloves chopped (or halve the garlic cloves for a more subtle flavor)
  • 2 Tablespoons unrefined olive oil or melted coconut oil I prefer the taste of olive oil here.
  • 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar don’t use the super expensive kind in this recipe
  • ¾ teaspoon fine ground sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper to taste
  • some fresh slivered basil to garnish optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place the broccoli, tomatoes and garlic on the prepared pan. Drizzle with oil and vinegar and toss to combine. Spread out in a single layer on the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Roast for 30 minutes.
  • Serve hot or at room temperature. Garnish with fresh basil if you have it. Don’t worry about it if you don’t.

Notes

Broccoli "crowns" refer to just the tops, with minimal stalks.  I use the stems for juicing or for this delicious Broccoli Stalk Soup.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Vegan mac and cheese recipe

Vegan Mac & Cheese|Pamela Salzman

If someone tried to coax me a year ago with a “vegan mac and cheese” recipe, I would have politely said, “no, thank you.”  First of all, I actually don’t really like mac and cheese.  Not the boxed kind and not even the homemade kind.  Weird, I know.  And sad for my husband who looooooves it.  I used to have to make him the famous “Ronald Reagan’s favorite mac and cheese” recipe all the time when we first got married.  Tons of butter, cheddar cheese, milk, stomach ache for me.  Just not my thing.  It’s now the 21st century, and we’re both eating differently and I am open minded to alternative recipes.

potatoes, carrots, shallot, onion cook the veggies in water, but cover them everything into the blender"cheese sauce"

Although open minded or not, I’ve always felt if I’m not going to like the real deal, why would I like something pretending to be the real deal?  And most vegan mac and cheese recipes call for fake processed cheese or nutritional yeast and they’re just not that tasty, in my opinion.  Are you with me?  Well, according to myself and according to Mr. Picky who still doesn’t like cheese except Pecorino Romano in some soups and on pizza crust, this mac and cheese is the bomb.  I think it’s better than mac and cheese and he likes it because he has watched me make it and is confident there is not a morsel of cheese, real or fake, anywhere in this dish.

bread crumbs

 

You may have seen on a month ago a picture I posted of “vegan nachos” I made for the kids.  Here it is below.  That’s the same sauce for this!  You may have also seen a strange looking bowl of yellow stuff on my baked potato bar.  Same vegan cheese sauce!  Do you see the potential here?  What about as a dip for steamed veggies?  I might even make a soup out of this.  We are not just talking about a mac and cheese recipe.  We are talking about a life-changing delicious not-cheese sauce.   This sauce is a miracle.  It is made from potatoes, cashews, carrots, onions and a bunch of other completely natural foods blended into creamy, cheesy deliciousness.  Completely digestible (unless you are nut-free, in which case I am so sorry.  Buggers.)  I know I sound crazy.  I wouldn’t believe me either.

vegan nachos | pamela salzman

vegan mac & cheese|pamela salzman

vegan mac and cheese | pamela salzman

The only trick with this recipe is that you have to follow it exactly!  No eyeballing measurements.  No leaving things out.  Anytime I have guesstimated an amount with this recipe, it hasn’t worked quite as well, especially with ingredients like cayenne, lemon juice (you can leave this out, but just don’t add more than indicated) and garlic.  Some of the images on this post were taken of light spelt macaroni and some of whole spelt macaroni.  My family much prefers the light spelt pasta with this sauce, but you should use whatever suits you.  I have also tried this with brown rice pasta and a corn-quinoa pasta — both super!   Once I threw some small cauliflower florets into the pasta pot two minutes before the pasta was done and made a cauliflower mac and cheese.  (See above.)  I’m sure broccoli and kale would be great, too!  Can you see how much fun we are going to have with this??!!

vegan mac and cheese | pamela salzman

Vegan Mac & Cheese|Pamela Salzman

 

 
 
 

 
 
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A post shared by Pamela Salzman (@pamelasalzman)

 

Vegan Mac and Cheese

Pamela, adapted from VegNews
4.86 from 14 votes
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Servings 6 as a side dish

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounce package elbow macaroni pasta I like spelt.
  • 2 slices bread torn into large pieces (whole grain works!)
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter not vegan or organic Earth Balance (vegan), divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped shallots
  • 1 cup about 7 ounces chopped Yukon gold potatoes (you can leave the peel on)
  • ¼ cup chopped carrots about 1 small carrot
  • 1/3 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup raw cashews soaked for 1-5 hours and drained if you your blender is weak
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt use 1 ¾ teaspoons if using Earth Balance
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic minced (about 1 medium clove)
  • ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice optional
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • pinch of cayenne pepper

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan, add the shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion and water and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente, drain and put back into the pot.
  • Put the bread pieces, 1 Tablespoon of butter and paprika in a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until combined to a medium-fine texture, set aside.
  • Place the cashews, salt, garlic, 5 Tablespoons butter, mustard, lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne in a blender or food processor. Add the softened vegetables and cooking water to the blender or food processor and process until perfectly smooth.
  • Pour the “cheese” sauce over the cooked pasta and combine until completely coated. Spread the mixture into an un-greased 11 x 8 casserole dish, sprinkle with prepared breadcrumb mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden brown. If you add veggies (such as 1 or 2 cups of blanched cauliflower or broccoli) to the macaroni, cook in a 13 x 9 dish.

Notes

I actually don't make the vegan version for us because we can eat butter.   But I have made this with Earth Balance (which is vegan) many times and it has always turned out great.  I have never made this without the bread crumbs, though.  I think they provide a nice contrast in texture to the soft and creamy macaroni, but if not everyone will eat the bread crumbs, I am sure you can leave a square of the baking dish free of them.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Apple-Dipped Pancakes recipe

apple-dipped pancakes | pamela salzman

Huh???  What is an apple-dipped pancake?  I know.  It’s really the silliest name, but I didn’t want to call these beauties “apple pancakes” because that makes me think of something that these are not.  These are better than just dropping a few pieces of diced apple into pancake batter or using apple cider instead of milk. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.  These are literally slices of apple dipped in pancake batter and then cooked so there’s a tender apple slice nestled inside the pancake.  Beyond delicious!!!  The first time I made these, Mr. Picky asked, “Mom, I can’t figure out how you got the apple in there.”  And then he ate six.  And then I ate six.  And so did everyone else in the kitchen because they all woke up to the house smelling like apple cinnamon doughnuts.  Deep inhale.  Can you imagine that?  Heaven.

apples

dip the apple slices in pancake batter

Here’s the deal — even though I am sharing a fantastic spelt pancake batter with you that is perfection with apple slices, you can dip apples into whatever pancake batter you like.  Just add a little cinnamon and nutmeg so you get that apple pie thing going on.  The only trick is to slice your apples just so.  Not too thick or they’ll stay crunchy in the middle.  But not too thin or you’ll have a hard time dipping them into the batter without breaking.  You can use a skewer or a toothpick  to dip them in and out, but I found my fingers to be perfectly fine for the task.

cook them until dry on the sides and bubbles on top

 

apple-dipped pancakes | pamela

My husband observed that these pancakes hold their heat longer because of the apples.  So you can make a whole bunch at once and have them ready for everyone for breakfast.  I know you may think these are impossible on a weekday, but if you start making your pancake batter the night before , these are a snap in the morning!

apple-dipped pancakes | pamela salzman

 

apple-dipped pancakes | pamela salzman

Apple-Dipped Pancakes

Pamela
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Servings 4 -5

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large or 3 medium apples cored and sliced crosswise into ¼-inch slices
  • 1 2/3 cups whole spelt flour or 1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour*
  • 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 2 cups buttermilk or plain unsweetened kefir**
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon 100% pure maple syrup
  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • Melted unrefined coconut oil for brushing the griddle

Instructions
 

  • Preheat a griddle to 400 degrees or medium heat.
  • Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
  • In a medium bowl or 4-6 cup measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, maple syrup and melted butter until well blended. (A blender can do this easily, too.)
  • Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
  • Grease the griddle with a little coconut oil.
  • Dip the apple slices one at a time in the batter and turn to coat. I like to use a toothpick or a wooden skewer to do this.
  • Cook dipped apple slices like you would regular pancakes, flipping once the bottoms are golden and the edges are dry. Cook until the second side is golden brown and the pancake is cooked through.

Notes

*Gluten-free: substitute half buckwheat flour and half brown rice flour for the spelt flour. Or you can use GF oat flour, too, such as part oat flour, part buckwheat flour and part brown rice flour.
**No buttermilk? Sub half unsweetened yogurt and half whole milk. Or use milk or an alternative milk and add 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Indian basmati rice with peas recipe

Indian basmati rice with peas | Pamela Salzman

I am 100% Italian and I absolutely love pasta, but I also looooooove rice.  Love!  I am crazy about all kinds of rice and it shows in my pantry.  I have so many varieties of both white and brown rice and I never get tired of it.  Overeating pasta doesn’t make me feel great and makes it very hard for me to maintain any semblance of an ideal weight.  But I digest rice really well and I think it’s so versatile and really easy to pair with food from any cuisine, even Italian!

I have made rice into pudding, baked it with eggs and vegetables for a scrumptious breakfast, wrapped seaweed around it, and topped it with beans and vegetables.  This week I made a delicious vegetable paella for dinner which I know I am going teach in a class one day.  Total winner!

rice, turmeric, butter, salt, garlic

I know rice has gotten some bad media attention in the last year due to some scary reports about unsafe levels of arsenic found in many rice products.  Please read this article I wrote last year so that you are informed and don’t get freaked out.  There are ways you can significantly reduce any arsenic present in whole rice (not much you can do about arsenic in rice cakes or rice cereal, which is why I have reduced the kids’ exposure to rice-derived products.)  Basmati rice, which I think has the best flavor and is my favorite variety, also seems to have the least amount of arsenic.  Lucky me!

all in the pot

I have a beautiful and very healthful rice recipe I’d like to share and I don’t want you to get scared off by the unusual color or that I labeled it “Indian.”  I know there are some of you out there who think you don’t like Indian food.  And maybe you tried some from a not-so-great place and it was lousy.  In that case, I don’t blame you.  BUT.  Let’s leave the past behind and look forward to something that IS delicious.  Furthermore, this rice recipe is so basic and neutral.  It’s not spicy nor doesn’t it have a flavor that is outside of most people’s comfort zone.  It will go with that roast chicken you’re making later or my spice-rubbed salmon.  And if you’re vegetarian, you can just eat this bowl of golden goodness with a green salad or some roasted vegetables (eggplant is nice right now) and you’ll be all set.   Rice and peas together will give you plenty of protein, not to worry.

bring to a boil

The crazy beautiful color of this rice comes from turmeric, the most talked about, most popular spice of the moment that is basically anti everything you don’t want.  Anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, etc.  Someone just told me that there was a study done on Indians (people living in India) because they have the lowest incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and it is attributed to their abundant intake of turmeric.  I try to use fresh turmeric when I juice and I have been using it in place of saffron, as well (like in that vegetable paella I was talking about.)   I have also included turmeric in my DIY taco seasoning and Chicken and Vegetable Curry.  Just be forewarned, it stains like mad so use extra caution when serving anything with turmeric, even be careful of your countertops.  (As a last resort, I have had success using a drop of Clorox Clean-up to get out a stubborn turmeric stain in my white marble countertops.)

If you have leftovers of this rice, definitely consider using it in lunchboxes the next day.  Are we surviving making lunches??  See this post if you’re still at a loss.  Back to rice — make this!  Try something new!  Let me know how it goes!

Indian basmati rice with peas | Pamela Salzman

Indian Basmati Rice with Peas

Pamela
4.82 from 11 votes
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Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups basmati rice either brown or white
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter coconut oil or olive oil (I think butter tastes best.)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric you can use more, but you’ll taste it
  • 2 cloves crushed garlic
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • chopped cilantro to taste if desired

Instructions
 

  • Rinse your rice in a fine mesh sieve, if desired. Transfer rice to a medium saucepan and add all ingredients except peas and cilantro.
  • Bring to a boil, cover and lower to a simmer. Cook white rice for 18-20 minutes, brown rice for 45-50 minutes, or until all water has evaporated.
  • Add frozen peas to rice and allow to sit, covered, for 10 minutes.
  • Fluff rice with a fork and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, if desired.

Notes

If you are concerned about arsenic, you should soak your rice in water for 1-8 hours before using it.  That process also makes brown rice more digestible.  If you do soak the rice, you will cook it in less time and you can use a few Tablespoons less water, depending on how long you soaked it.  Test brown rice for doneness after 35 minutes, and white rice after 15 minutes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Lentil and rice-stuffed baby eggplants

Lentil and Rice Stuffed Baby Eggplants | Pamela Salzman

Lentil and Rice Stuffed Baby Eggplants | Pamela Salzman

I had a dream the other night that I was swept away by a strong current of water and I was being pulled quickly down a stream.  My head was above water, barely, but I could not neither stop the raging rapids nor could I find a way out of the water.  And then I saw the sign, “Welcome to September.”   Seriously, this month has been a whirlwind, a blur.  My three kids started school (three different schools, mind you), I cooked and cooked for the Jewish holidays which came very early this year, I resumed teaching cooking classes four days a week, soccer season started and two of my kids have September birthdays.  I told Mr. Picky that his birthday party, as usual, would be in October.  Can I ask you people a question?  How do you do it all?  I am in awe!

slice from the bottom of the eggplant leaving the stem intact

 

scoop out the flesh of the eggplant

Quite honestly, the only area of my life where I am organized is food.   I sit down every Sunday night and plan my meals and grocery list for the whole week.  If I didn’t do that, I can guarantee we’d be eating cereal and not-homemade almond milk for breakfast, lunch and dinner, or at least meals that could be prepared at the last minute.  And whereas there are a lot of fabulous quickies out there, I would hate to miss out on a recipe like this one here.

this is your stuffing mixture

Lentil and rice-stuffed baby eggplant will never win an award for fastest dish in the West, but it’s also not that complicated either and it is mighty, mighty tasty.  In fact, it is one of my favorite vegetarian entrees.  I only make it in summer and early fall when I can find these adorable baby eggplants, sometimes referred to as Italian eggplants, Baby Bells or bambino eggplants.  So cute!  By the way, eggplants contain many heart-healthy nutrients including dietary fiber, folate, Vitamins B3 and B6, magnesium and potassium.  Eggplant is also rich in many phytonutrients and antioxidants which are important for reducing free radical formation and preventing cellular damage.  However, eggplant is a member of the nightshade family of vegetables which also includes tomatoes, potatoes and peppers.  Nightshades can aggravate nerve-related or inflammatory health conditions, such as arthritis.  Just good to know.

Finish cooking on the stove, covered

My family loves this dish, although Mr. Picky will only eat the rice and lentil mixture from the inside.  No problem.  The recipe that inspired this one was a meat and rice-stuffed eggplant, which is good, but I like this veggie version much more.  I almost always do this dish ahead or in stages, so at the end of the day all I have to do is put it back on the stove to simmer and cook through.  You can prep all the ingredients in advance and then sauté and cook everything later.  Or you can go so far as to stuff the eggplant and refrigerate everything in the pan until the end of the day.  Keep in mind this recipe calls for uncooked white rice because uncooked brown rice wouldn’t cook properly inside the eggplant.  If you wanted to use brown rice, you will have to precook it.  Use 1/2 cup raw or 1 1/2 cups cooked.  You can also use precooked lentils and this recipe is much quicker.

Lentil and Roce-Stuffed Baby Eggplants | Pamela Salzman

I have even eaten this eggplant the next day as a cold or room temperature leftover and it is delicious.  I hope you try this one!

Lentil and Rice Stuffed Baby Eggplants | Pamela Salzman

Lentil and Rice-Stuffed Baby Eggplants

Pamela, inspired by epicurious
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Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup uncooked black or French lentils or 1 ½ cups COOKED
  • 6 6- to 7-inch long small Italian eggplants (about 7-8 ounces each)
  • ¼ cup unrefined cold pressed extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 pound fresh tomatoes peeled, seeded and diced or boxed/canned with juice
  • 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons sea salt divided
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup uncooked long-grain white rice I like basmati
  • 3 Tablespoons golden raisins
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon ground allspice
  • a few tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish optional, but pretty
  • ½ lemon

Instructions
 

  • Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and add the uncooked lentils and a healthy pinch of salt. Simmer 20 minutes and drain. Skip this step if you use cooked lentils.
  • Slice a sliver off the bottom of each eggplant and discard. Using a melon baller, a mini ice cream scooper or a small metal measuring spoon, hollow out each eggplant while keeping the skin intact. Reserve scooped out eggplant flesh, if desired.
  • In a large 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Fry the pine nuts until golden, about 1 minute. Do not walk away from the pan! Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
  • Sauté onion and garlic in the skillet until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer ½ cup of onion mixture to the bowl with the pine nuts. To the skillet add the tomatoes, a little of the reserved eggplant flesh if you want, stock, 1 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer while you stuff the eggplants.
  • Add cooked lentils, rice, raisins, cumin, allspice, 1 ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste to the bowl with the onions and pine nuts. Combine well. Stuff the mixture into the eggplants and transfer the stuffed eggplants to the skillet (along with any unstuffed filling). You don’t have to fill the eggplants to the top since the stuffing will expand a bit. Simmer, covered, carefully turning once (if you remember), until everything is cooked through, 50 – 60 minutes.
  • Squeeze lemon over everything and sprinkle with parsley.

Notes

You can substitute ¾ lb. ground beef or lamb for the lentils. If using grass-fed beef, add a few tablespoons of olive oil to the meat mixture, otherwise it will be too dry.
You can also use this mixture to stuff halved bell peppers.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Overnight Refrigerator Oat and Chia Porridge Recipe

overnight refrigerator oat and chia porridge | pamela salzman

I know not all my dear readers and cooking class students have children, and therefore are not likely submerged chin-deep in back-to-school chaos right now.  You lucky ducks.  I have three kids in three different schools and I can’t keep track of all the back-to-school nights and picture days.  And it’s only September!  I’ve got my priorities straight though.  Mr. Picky hasn’t had a haircut in three months, but I’ve got a freezer full of blueberry-banana bread and vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough.  Yes, ma’am.

chia seeds, then rolled oats

The point I was actually trying to get to is that these most recent posts aren’t just meant for those whose Monday-Fridays are considered “school days.”  I’d like to think all the recipes I post are relevant to anyone trying to eat well.  And one thing we all have in common these days, whether you have kids or not, is lack of time.  Unfortunately, I don’t think little old me is going to change that.

what it looks like before refrigerating

I used to think that it was silly for me to post recipes with 3 ingredients, that take 30 seconds to make, and that have probably been pinned more than a certain VMA performance has been viewed.  (Sorry for the reminder.)  But then my students plead with me, “we want more 30 second recipes!”  So if you haven’t been introduced to raw chia and oat porridge, and at least one person on instagram asked for the recipe last week when I posted a picture of my breakfast, here it is!  I probably eat this 3-4 times a week from July through October, because it is a refrigerated dish and slightly cooling so it’s better for you during the warmer months.  It is super healthful since the oats are soaked overnight, which makes them much more digestible.  On its own, this is a well-balanced breakfast with protein, fiber, complex carbs and high quality fat.  But we usually add either fresh or dried fruit to it.   And like I said, it is a cinch to make, almost disappointingly easy.  But this time of year, I’ve got nothing to prove.  Enjoy!

overnight refrigerator oat and chia porridge | pamela salzman

Overnight Refrigerator Oat and Chia Porridge

Pamela
4.50 from 2 votes
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Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tablespoons chia seeds I like Barleans
  • 1 cup rolled oats look for certified gluten-free oats to make this a gluten-free recipe
  • 2 cups almond milk preferably homemade, or milk of choice
  • sweetener of choice to taste if desired

Instructions
 

  • Place chia seeds and oats in a 4-cup container. Pour almond milk and sweetener, if using, over mixture and stir to combine, making sure to break up any clumps of chia seeds.
  • Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight so the mixture has time to thicken. Stir before serving.
  • This will last as long as your almond milk, meaning if you use homemade almond milk, this porridge will only stay fresh a few days.

Notes

I usually use date-sweetened almond milk and no other sweetener, or unsweetened almond milk and a couple drops of stevia.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!