10 Minute Meals with Om Chef Prep kits Aug, 2011

Spelt Pilaf

Steamed Spelt*, dill, tarragon, parsley, lemon, walnut, and a splash of walnut oil

Spelt, use any whole grain or a mix of whole grains.  Herbs can be changed up as well, try basil in place of tarragon and dill, or mint with dill is a yummy flavor combo. Switch the walnuts for pumpkin seeds and use cilantro in place of the other herbs for a little Latin mix. Don't have walnut oil? No problem, use olive oil or skip the oil altogether.  No lemon, no worries, add a squeeze of orange, lime or grapefruit. Or skip the citrus juice and add a little pomegranate or cranberry juice........I could go on and on here, but I think you get the concept....be creative and have fun with it!!

Cider glazed red cabbage, purple onion and mustard seed..........heat a saute pan over medium heat, add mustard seeds and toast for 1 min, add a shredded raw cabbage and a tablespoon or three of apple cider vinegar, cook for two or three minutes

Lightly steamed carrots, fennel, fennel seed and orange glaze........heat a saute pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and heat for one minute, add fennel seeds and toast them for one minute, add sliced, chopped or shredded carrot and fennel and cook for one, add juice of one orange and cook until carrots are just tender.

Steamed broccoli and quinoa with a splash of olive oil and squeeze of lemon

Steamed quinoa with wilted Dino kale and toasted hazelnut

Don't have kale in your kit this week? Use spinach or even a handful of your spring mix-yum!

Walnuts, almonds, pecans or pumpkin seeds work just as well as hazelnuts

Herb Roasted Japanese Eggplant, Fennel, and Carrot

 

Vegetables love to be roasted!

All that fabulously fresh farmers market produce can be simply dressed in olive oil, whole garlic cloves, plenty of fresh herbs and roasted in a hot oven (450) for an awesome dinner tonight, and two or three more meals over the next several days.

After roasting, cool and refrigerate in sealed containers, ideally glass. 

Roasted veggies turn simple mixed leaf lettuce in to a gourmet salad, sandwiched between artisan slices of bread with a few slices of chesses and grilled creates a superior hot sandwich,  or  gently rewarm the veggies and serve with a cooked whole grain such as kasha (buckwheat), brown rice or quinoa

Veggies shown here are from the 7th and Fig Farmers Market in downtown Los Angeles. Thursdays from 10-3

Cali Buddha Winter Dinner

Crimini mushrooms tossed in rosemary, thyme, garlic and a splash of olive oil...broil 5-7 minutes.

Broiled, herbed mushrooms have a special connection with brown rice, and you need little else for a delicious dinner.  A few shavings of Parmesan may be added, and a tiny splash of Balsamic vinigar for something extra special.

Short grain brown rice simply steamed. Bring 4 cups of cold water to a boil, add a dash of sea salt and 2 cups brown rice, return to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low simmer, cook 40 minutes, and no matter how tempted you may be, DO NOT remove the lid before 40 minutes, after 40min. remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes...and it will be perfection

Baby Bamboo...asparagus is at its best simply steamed, and this can be done in the microwave in 40 seconds, the microwave works remarkebly well for vegetables and even fish, but make sure you use absolutely no plastic, ever, in the microwave, only glass. A squeeze of meyer lemon makes it complete

Purple carrots poached in fresh ginger spiked orange juice. May be poached on the stove top or the microwave. Don't over cook, they should have a nice crunch, and yes, orange or gold carrots work equally well, as do beets. 

Angou Pear, walnut, winter lettuce such as Mizuna, dried cherry, red wine vinegar macerated red onion, and Roquefort cheese combine for a heavenly salad that loves to be with brown rice

Om Carrot, Pink Lentil, and Pistachio, Mint Salad

Pink lentils have a delicate flavor, and cook in 5-7 minutes, as opposed to the stronger flavored, longer cooking (40ish minutes) green lentils.  Do not boil pink lentils, a medium simmer, and not overcooking preserves the shape.  While the lentils cook shred carrots, Eastern purple, and yellow carrot mixed with the the traditional, Western orange carrots are fab in this salad, chop plenty of fresh mint, or basil as shown, or combine cilantro and mint,allow lentils to cool, add pistachios, chopped mint, combine with carrots, and toss with vinaigrette...enjoy!

this is also the beginning of an excellent veggie burger

Citrus vinaigrette: equal parts citrus juice, orange in particular, Extra virgin olive oil, and fresh mint, or basil, minced fresh ginger.

Carrots of many colors