Vegetables | Simple By Cindy

Citrus Rice Salad

Apr. 16
2018

I know that it is technically Spring, but it sure doesn’t feel like it. I am ready to say goodbye to these cold, windy days, and hello to the trees and flowers blooming. Making recipes like this one helps to curve my anticipation, which I really enjoy. Above all else, I love the crisp, yet comforting smell of springtime air.

I am so looking forward to all the beautiful fresh produce in the market, as well as the few I grow on my own. Although we are able to get most produce year-round now, there is something so satisfying about visiting the farmers market on a lovely spring afternoon.

The tart and tang of citrus makes me think of spring and summer. Since I am a lover of all things acidic, I couldn’t pass up making this recipe. The vinaigrette is the star of the recipe. It is packed with so much flavor your taste buds will tingle awaiting each bite. The combination of lemon and orange juice is perfect in every way. It is a delicious addition to the basmati rice, and I couldn’t eat enough of it.

This is definitely a short-on-time recipe. The rice cooks fast, it is easy to prepare and it all comes together quickly. There is no excuse not to whip up a batch of this refreshing dish.

This recipe is courtesy of Giada DeLaurentis and will serve 4-6 people who will be enthralled with this unique way of preparing a classic grain.

Ingredients for Citrus Rice Salad

1/2 cup of almonds
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups brown basmati rice, rinsed
3/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon, zested
1 cup thinly sliced green onions

Ingredients for the Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. honey
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Rice Salad:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven.

Arrange the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Bake for 5-6 minutes until lightly golden.

Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

In a medium saucepan. bring the chicken stock, salt and oil to a boil over medium-high heat.

Stir in the rice.

Cover the saucepan, reduce the heat, and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, about 40 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

Using a fork, fluff the rice and place in a large serving bowl.

Add the parsley, orange zest, half of the lemon zest, green onions, and 1/4 cup of the almonds.

Toss well.

For the Vinaigrette:

In a blender, combine the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, honey, and cumin.

Blend until smooth.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Pour the vinaigrette over the rice mixture and stir well.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Garnish with the remaining lemon zest and almonds

It’s that simple!

Loaded Cauliflower Breakfast Bake

Apr. 9
2018

Back when my kids were young, I made it my mission to find a foolproof method of whipping up delicious scrambled eggs for them. I did a lot of research as a young mother, reading countless cookbooks, experimenting with new recipes, asking a lot of questions and following many chefs closely. At that time, cooking was a challenge and I loved it. All my efforts may have been an indication that I would one day write my very own food blog.

That said being, I have always loved eggs. Hard boiled, soft boiled, fried, sunny side up, poached or scrambled, I could eat one every day. No matter what the recipe, if it is topped off with an egg, I’m in!

Since my family has grown older, hard boiled eggs have replaced scrambled. I keep hard boiled eggs in the refrigerator for everyone in my family. My husband grabs one each morning before his commute to work and my kids like to snack on them. They have become a staple in our home.

Years ago, quiche was all the rage. Now you have omelets and frittatas trending, scrambles and hashes, or poached over anything. Europeans have popularized the use of eggs in their dishes. They poach them over vegetables, pasta or meat. Now, we are catching up to them and we can find eggs incorporated in entrees in fine restaurants.

This recipe caught my eye because on paper, it read like a frittata and in the oven, it baked like a frittata. Regardless of their similarities, I would consider this dish a cousin of the frittata because it is also very different. The cauliflower seemed like the star of this recipe, not the eggs. This recipe is very true to its name, which is “Loaded Cauliflower Breakfast Bake”.

You can call it what you want, I call it just plain delicious. The cauliflower combined with the bacon and cheddar cheese is marvelous. If you indulge in fiery flavoring like I do, I recommend smothering your bake in hot sauce when it is done. I made this dish as a side, but it could easily pass as a main dish, and would be perfect for any Sunday morning brunch.

You are going to love this one! Trust me, it is a “keeper”.

This recipe is courtesy of Delish and will serve 6 people who will be hollering for more!

Ingredients for Cauliflower Breakfast Bake

1 large head cauliflower
8 slices bacon, chopped
10 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. paprika
1 pinch kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for garish
Hot sauce for serving

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grate or place cauliflower in a food processor and transfer to a baking dish.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon.

Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain fat.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, garlic and paprika and season with salt and pepper.

Top cauliflower with cheddar cheese, cooked bacon, and green onions.

Pour in egg mixture.

Bake until eggs are set, and top is golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

Garnish with more hot sauce and green onions, then serve.

It’s that simple!

Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli

Apr. 2
2018

Well, here in the North East we kicked off the first day of spring with a huge snowstorm. Everyone here, even though they got the day off of work or school, was disappointed by the weather to say the very least. I think the majority of us would have been much happier with a warm day that was sunny and bright. There is something about those sunny days that truly lifts us up and makes us cheerful. The day following the snowstorm began as cold and dreary as the day before, but as the day went on it became more sunny, and therefore more hopeful. Spring may well be on its way, finally!

Until spring is fully here, if I am stuck in the house I bake and cook all day! I know that does not seem fun to many of you, but while I do love the spring and summer, I also love the days when I can stay in the house and cook to my heart’s content. In the midst of our first day of the spring storm, that’s exactly what I did, so I will have some great new recipes to share with you.

This particular recipe spoke to me because it has all the essential ingredients I use when I roast broccoli. Olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice are a constant when I am cooking almost any vegetable. The recipe’s author, Ina Garten, takes these staple ingredients and transforms this dish into something truly unique and special. Honestly, she is one person I would love to have lunch with. Everything she does is sheer perfection!

The addition of roasted pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and basil gave my go-to-recipe another depth of flavor that I will be using frequently in the future. The pine nuts give it a crunchy texture, and the basil added a savory essence. I will also be including directions to roast the pine nuts for those of you who are not familiar with the process. This dish is outstanding and undoubtedly blog-worthy.

This recipe is courtesy of Ina Garten and will serve 6-8 people who will love eating their broccoli with the added crunchy goodness!

Ingredients for Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli

4 to 5 pounds broccoli
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tbsp. pine nuts toasted
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)

For the Roasted Pine Nuts:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place pine nuts in aluminum pan or baking dish and place in oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Set your timer for eight minutes and check them, because the temperature and cooking time will vary and they burn quickly!

For Roasting the Broccoli:

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks.

Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the stalks apart.

You should have about 8 cups of florets.

Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer.

Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil.

Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and basil.

Serve hot.

It’s that simple!

Cauliflower and Carrots with Smoked Paprika and Parsley

Mar. 8
2018

Maybe when you were a child, you did not want to eat your cauliflower. Well, now that you are grown-up, this is a delicious, delectable way of enjoying it!

Cauliflower on its own can be very boring. When I was growing up, vegetables were steamed or cooked until they died, leaving them soggy and unappealing. No wonder we hated them! The good news is, these beautiful white florets are such a versatile veggie, that you can use it with just about any spice. I usually pick cumin, coriander, paprika, or cayenne pepper to flavor it up. For this dish, I wanted something savory, with a little sweet and some tang to it. This dish came out exactly as I thought it would. The smoked paprika gave it that savory flavor, the honey gave it a nice sweet touch and of course, the lemon added that zip to it. This one is a “keeper”.

Of course, the best way to make cauliflower is to roast it. Mix all the ingredients together and place them on a baking sheet, with the crowns of the florets facing up. It takes a little longer to do this, but in the end, you will have perfectly browned, caramelized florets that look and taste wonderful.

This dish will serve 4 people who may end up loving cauliflower if they didn’t before!

Ingredients for Cauliflower and Carrots

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. honey
1/2 lemon, zested
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley for garnish, chopped

Preheat oven to 450F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, add the cauliflower florets, carrots, olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, honey, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper.

Using your hands, mix well to combine.

Transfer to baking sheet, making sure the ingredients are in a single layer.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until you see the crowns of the cauliflower starting to brown.

Transfer to serving dish.

Sprinkle on fresh parsley.

Ready to serve!

It’s that simple!

Rice with Tomato, Lemon and Mozzarella

Mar. 5
2018

Since everyone loved my cheddar cheese orzo recipe, I thought what if I switched the pasta for a nice, thick rice and added some cheese to the mix?

I choose to add mozzarella to the rice, because it is one of my favorites and it melts perfectly to a gooey goodness. However, you could substitute any cheese you desire. The tomatoes, when combined with the oregano, lemon and garlic give it a nice, fresh flavor. This side dish, although it may seem like a salad, contains all the ingredients that will warm you up and satisfy you on these cold days.

What makes this recipe great for everyone is, you can substitute any rice you prefer, choose a different cheese, and it would still be delicious! This dish is so versatile it would be exceptional anyway you choose to make it. It is the perfect side to any main dish.

This dish will serve 6-8 people who will thoroughly enjoy these different, delightful, combination of flavors.

Ingredients for Rice with Tomato, Lemon and Mozzarella

4 large tomatoes on the vine, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 tsp. oregano, or 4 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, shredded