Simple Turkey Chili

I had one pound of ground turkey in the freezer all winter and kept thinking I'd make chili someday, but didn't get around to it until today. It's been cold and rainy here lately, so I decided to warm myself up with a hot bowl of chili.

Ingredients
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1lb ground turkey
3 Roma tomatoes, finely diced (puree for a paste-like consistency if you'd like, but I thought a fine chop was good enough)
1 can (15oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

Seasonings to taste
salt
cayenne pepper
paprika
oregano

1. Mix in some amount of the seasonings with the ground turkey. I'd say, 1 tsp salt and oregano, 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper and paprika. You'll def have to do more adjusting, but it's nice to give the meat some flavor as well.

2. In a medium stockpot over medium-high flame, saute the onions until slightly browned. Stir in the ground turkey, making sure to break up clumps. When there's only a little bit of pink left, stir in the beans and tomato. Turn the heat down and let it simmer for a few minutes; stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

3. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with a dash of chives, a sprinkle of grated cheese, a dollop of sour cream, a handful of tortilla chips... whatever you desire. :)

Rosemary Flatbread

I considered making focaccia, but I'd already made the dough for Light Whole Wheat Bread from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Oops. I went through with the remainder of the instructions anyway, and the result turned out pretty well, though with a harder crust than I expected, so I'm not comfortable calling it focaccia. Taking 1lb of your typical bread dough, preheat the oven to 425F. Grease the bottom of a baking sheet with olive oil. Make a round dough, then roll it out to about 3/4in thickness. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and 1 Tbsp dried rosemary on top. You can also add some lightly sauteed onions, or in my case, sliced olives (I love olives). Drizzle the top with some olive oil. Pop into oven and pour 1 cup hot water into a broiler tray, then quickly close the oven to seal in the steam. Bake for 25min, adjusting for thickness of dough.

Banana Carrot Oatmeal Pancakes

Adapted from this recipe, these pancakes are superhealthy, and reheat incredibly well. I've been making them over the weekend and enjoying them all week long, topped with various fruits, like apples, bananas, and strawberries instead of syrup.

Yield: 8-10 pancakes

1 1/4 c whole wheat flour

2 packets (~1/2 c) instant oatmeal (any flavor will do, but I prefer plain or something NONfruity)

2 heaping teaspoons baking powder

dash of salt

1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)

1/2 tsp ground ginger (optional)

1 1/2-2 c soymilk (i've been using the sweetened soy milk and omitting sugar in the recipe)

2 eggs

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 carrots, peeled and grated

1 ripe banana, mashed

Combine flour, oatmeal, baking powder, salt, and spices (if using) in a large mixing bowl. If using sweetened instant oatmeal, I like to sieve it first to get rid of all the excess sugar. Measure out 1 1/2 c soymilk and mix together with eggs, oil, carrots, and banana. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just moist. Depending on how thick you like your pancakes, add more soymilk (I end up adding at least 1/2 c more). Heat a griddle or nonstick frying pan over medium high to high heat and lightly coat with oil. When the pan is ready (a few drops of water should spatter around when dropped on a ready griddle), pour about 1/4-1/2 c of batter onto the pan. Use the back of a spoon to quickly spread it out a bit to the desired thickness. Cook for a couple minutes, until the top of the pancake changes color slightly and bubbles form. Flip the pancake over and cook for another few minutes, until both sides are golden brown. Enjoy right away, or refrigerate and pop in the microwave for 30 seconds. These taste great with a little syrup, some butter and cinnamon, warmed jelly, or simply sliced fruit!

Grilled asparagus with a twist

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs asparagus
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 clove garlic
3-4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
Zest of 1 orange
Small handful of finely chopped almonds

Remove fibrous ends of the asparagus, and the cut stems in half. Heat olive oil in a stir fry pan. Keep at medium heat. Add in asparagus. Roll each stem around in the oil so it is coated. Sprinkle the salt and pepper. Once asparagus has been in for a couple minutes, add the garlic, and 3/4 of the lemon zest. Mix in. After another couple minutes, add the butter (in thin slices). Total cook time is 5-7 minutes, but keep taste checking to make sure the asparagus doesn't get over cooked. Once cooked, immediately transfer to a cool serving bowl. Pour the excess oil/butter from the stir fry pan over the asparagus. Top with the remaining orange zest and almonds.

Breakfast, Desi Style: Akoori

Yield: 2-3 breakfast servings

6 green onions, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, grated

1 tsp ginger paste

3/4 tsp cayenne pepper or 1 green chili, sliced lengthwise

3/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cumin-corriendar powder

2 small roma tomatoes, finely chopped

4 eggs

salt to taste

vegetable oil

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Sautee the onions for 1-2 min until slightly softened. Add the garlic, ginger paste, and green chili (if using), and sautee for another minute. Add the remaining spices and the tomatoes, and cook until the tomatoes have released their water and the water has evaporated. Add the eggs and scramble. Cook to desired done-ness. Add salt to taste. I love to eat this with toasted english muffins with a light layer of mayo, or fresh hot rotis. mmm

Salmon Cakes with Papaya Salsa

I was craving crab cakes (but I only had salmon), and I found an incredibly cheap papaya from the Milk Pail Market, so I came up with a tasty way to combine them!

For the salmon cakes:

1 pound salmon

2 cloves of garlic, grated

1 slice of bread, toasted and crumbled

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tsp black pepper

5-10 stalks of parsley, minced

1 egg

1 carrot, peeled and grated

For the salsa:

1/2 papaya, cut into small cubes

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

10-15 stalks parsley, minced

Heat the salmon in the microwave until half cooked, until it is easy to flake (2 min or so). Place it into a large mixing bowl with the other ingredients for the salmon cakes and combine everything together. Heat a griddle or nonstick frying pan and lightly coat with olive oil. Take a small amount of the salmon and form a patty with your hands (as large or as small as you'd like). Place on the hot griddle and cook for a few minutes until golden brown (~4 min). Turn the patty over and cook on the other side for a similar amount of time. To make the salsa, combine all ingredients. Place the salsa on top of the cooked fish and enjoy!

Dosa: South Indian Crepes

Dosa is a thin crepe made from a paste made of soaked rice and beans. They're filled with all sorts of (savory) things, most often potatoes and peas. Sometimes, they are made really large (up to 18in). Here's a picture of a couple of smaller ones cooking on the griddle...you can tell how thin they are because you can see the griddle itself through them!

And here's a terrible-no-good picture of a typical potato and pea filling (I got too busy eating to remember to take another pic! oooops)