FUSION: Savory Beans

An adapted recipe from The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook. Serve these beans over rice, and you will be happy.

4 TBSP olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
2 large ribs celery, thinly sliced
4 carrots, thinly sliced
2 TBSP Bragg's Liquid Aminos
4 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
4 cloves garlic, crushed
dash of ground red pepper
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 cups (or two 15-oz cans) cooked kidney beans (or pinto beans)
4 TBSP water
2 cups chopped tomatoes

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook for 12 minutes or until tender.
2. Stir in the Bragg's, basil, oregano, garlic, red pepper, and 1/2 cup of the parsley.
3. Add the beans, water, and tomatoes. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until heated through. Top with remaining parsley and cook for 2 more minutes. Serve!

SAUDI ARABIAN: Sambousek

Out of all the recipes I tried in the month of September, the only new recipe I saved for my collection was Sambousek (my pitas were delicious but incredibly pocket-less). Here's my recipe for Saudi Arabian turnovers.

Filling:
1 pound ground beef
2 grated onions
salt and pepper
1 tsp cumin

Dough:
3 cups flour
2 tsp dried yeast
1 tsp fennel
1 tsp poppy seeds
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
3.4 oz oil
up to 8 oz water

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, fennel, poppy seeds, salt and pepper.
2. Add oil to the flour mixture and mix until crumbly.
3. Add just enough of the water to the flour mixture to create a dough. Knead until smooth. Set aside, covered and warm, for 1 hour.
4. Cook beef, onions, cumin, salt and pepper in a frying pan over low heat until beef is browned.
5. When the dough is ready, roll it out and cut it into circles with an 8- to 10-cm diameter. Place 1 TBSP of beef filling in the center of each circle. Fold in half. Seal by pressing the edges, then rolling them upward in a clever pattern.
6. Heat more oil in a large frying pan and fry the sambousek on each side until lightly browned.

GREEK: Cinnamon Stewed Chicken

This is a recipe from Cat Cora's visit to Oprah. I didn't see the show, but I found the recipe recently when I wanted to use up some orzo I had in the cupboard.

• 1 chicken (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), cut into 8 pieces (legs, breast and thighs)
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 5 cloves garlic , peeled and minced
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion , peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp. dried Italian herb seasoning
• 1 cup orzo , cooked according to package directions
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preboil water with sea salt.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. A wet chicken will cause the oil to splatter while the chicken is sautéing. Mix the cinnamon, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the chicken pieces on all sides with the seasoning.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large, nonreactive, deep skillet over high heat. A 12-inch skillet with sides about 2 1/2 to 3 inches high will allow you to brown all the chicken at once. If you don't have a skillet large enough, brown them in two batches using 1/2 the oil for each batch. What's important is that the chicken isn't overcrowded, which would cause them to steam rather than brown.
4. Add the chicken to the oil and brown for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn the pieces using a metal spatula, as they have a tendency to stick to the pan. Remove the pieces when they are well browned on all sides.
5. Mince three of the garlic cloves. Lower the heat to medium-high, and add the onions and minced garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the onions have softened and are a rich golden brown. Add about 1/2 cup of the water and scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula or spoon to deglaze the pan, loosening any particles stuck on the bottom.
6. When the water has evaporated, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of water, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and remaining 2 garlic cloves, minced.
7. Return the chicken to the pan. The liquid should cover about 3/4 of the chicken pieces. Cover the pot and simmer over medium-high heat for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and thoroughly cooked. If the sauce becomes too thick, it can be thinned with a little more water. Season the finished sauce with kosher salt and pepper to taste. Serve over orzo, cooked according to package directions, and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

MOROCCAN: Chicken and Lentils

I copied several pages from Jeff's mom's cookbook at Christmas, and this recipe made me happy.

8 cups water
3 tsp sea salt, divided
1 LB dried lentils, rinsed, drained, and picked over
up to 1 cup plus 2 TBSP olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 TBSP ground cumin, divided
2 TBSP plus 2 tsp chili powder
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 LBS skinless, boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

1. Combine the water and 1 tsp salt in stock pot over high heat. Add lentils. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until lentils are soft, about an hour. Drain well. Rinse under cold water and drain well. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix up to 1 cup olive oil, the lemon juice, 2 TBSP cumin, 2 TBSP chili powder, garlic, and 1 tsp sea salt. Pour half of the dressing over lentils. Save the rest for later. Toss gently and let cool.

3. In a large skillet, heat 2 TBSP olive oil. Add onion and saute until well cooked, about 5 minutes. Onion should appear dark brown and soft. Add chicken and saute 2 minutes more. Add 1 tsp sea salt, 1 TBSP cumin, 2 tsp chili powder, and cinnamon. Saute until poultry is cooked through.

4. Arrange lentils on a large serving platter. Place sliced chicken on top of lentils. Use remaining dressing and pour over chicken. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve at room temperature (but we ate it warm--that's the way I like it).

Adapted from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno

FUSION: Millet Seed Patties

Although some millet patties are considered Northeast African, I don't know the origins of this particular recipe.

1 medium onion, diced
1 cup millet, cooked in 3 cups water
1/2 cup rice, cooked in 1 cup water
1 cup pumpkin seeds, ground
1/4 cup almond or cashew butter
3 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
2 TBSP powdered vegetable soup base
1 tsp sage

1. Saute the onion in a small amount of oil. Cool.
2. Mix all ingredients together. Form into patties (you'll need to press them pretty hard to get them to stick together). Brown lightly in an oiled pan.
3. Serve plain, with gravy, or with salsa. We even tried them with soy sauce.

From Everyday Vegan by Jeani-Rose Atchison

NORTH AMERICAN: Taco Salad

With an abundance of end-of-summer tomatoes and homemade ranch dressing, I decided to find a way to make a taco salad, something I haven't eaten in a long, long time.

2 heads of romaine lettuce
4 tomatoes
1 onion
1 green pepper
1 1/2 cups frozen corn (thawed)
2 cups kidney beans
8 ounces of ranch dressing (or substitute)
1 packet of taco seasoning mix
1 tsp lime juice
1 avocado
13 1/2 ounce bag of tortilla chips

1. Chop lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and green pepper. Mix together with corn and kidney beans.
2. Mix ranch dressing with lime juice and taco seasoning mix. Add to the vegetables.
3. Smash the chips into bite-size pieces. Add the chips and the chopped avocado just before you're ready to eat.

You can't save the leftovers, so make only as much as you can eat.

FUSION: Lentil/Miso Soup

1 cup lentils
5-5 ½ cups water
2 TBSP oil
½ cup sliced onions
½ cup sliced carrots
¾ cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 ½ TBSP miso creamed with ¼ cup water
2 TBSP butter
½ tsp oregano, thyme, or rosemary
dash of black pepper
1 TBSP parsley

1. After soaking overnight, cook lentils in the water by simmering them for two hours.
2. Sauté onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in oil. Add ¼ cup water, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until water is gone.
3. Stir miso, butter, spices, and vegetables into lentils. Cover and allow to stand for at least 10 minutes.

From a tofu/soyfoods cookbook

WORLD: Garlic Potatoes with Chicken

2 pounds thin-skinned red and/or white potatoes (about 18)
1 TPSP olive oil
1 onion
12 ½ oz. chicken OR veggie chicken OR 10 oz. firm tofu, cubed
1 bulb garlic, cloves peeled
3 TBSP dried tomatoes, rehydrated and minced
2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves
salt to taste (optional)
fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish

1. Scrub potatoes. In 500ºF oven, heat oil in a 10”x15” roasting pan until hot, about 1 ½ minutes. Add potatoes and onion; shake pan to coat vegetables with oil. Cook 15 minutes, then add chicken or tofu cubes and garlic and cook 30 minutes more, stirring vegetables every 10 minutes.
2. Stir tomatoes and rosemary leaves into potato mixture. Add salt to taste, if desired. Pour onto serving platter and garnish with rosemary sprigs.

Serves 6.

Note: The first time I cooked this, the veggies burned, so next time I used a little more olive oil and made sure to cut everything to about the same size.

I think this recipe was from the second Healthy Choices cookbook.

YEMENITE: Unstuffed Cabbage

From Faye Levy's International Vegetable Cookbook

This is one of my long-lost recipes. When I pulled this book off the library shelf, flipped to the Index, and saw Unstuffed Cabbage, I just stood there hugging the book for a full minute.

2 TBSP vegetable oil
2 medium onions, sliced
1 small head cabbage, shredded (1-1 1/4 pounds or 8-10 cups)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
4 plum tomatoes, diced

1. Heat oil in a large casserole or Dutch oven. Add onions and saute over medium heat for five minutes or until softened.
2. Add cabbage and salt, cover, and cook over low heat, stirring often, for five minutes to wilt.
3. Add garlic, cumin, turmeric, and rice and saute about two minutes.
4. Add broth, salt, and pepper. Stir and bring to boil, cover, and cook over low heat for fifteen minutes.
5. Sprinkle tomato on top, cover, and cook five minutes or until rice is tender. Taste and adjust seasoning.

FUSION: Eggplant Pizzas

From The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook by Marjorie Hurt Jones, one of the greatest gifts I ever received (thank you Boyd parents!) during my struggle with food allergies.

1 medium eggplant (about 1 ¼ pounds), peeled and sliced ½” thick
Olive oil cooking spray
1 TBSP olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ tsp mixed Italian herbs

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mist both sides of each eggplant slice with the cooking spray. Arrange slices on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, pepper, tomatoes, and seasoning and cook for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the garlic.
3. Place a heaping teaspoonful on each eggplant slice.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Top with grated or crumbled hard goat’s-milk cheese, if desired.

You can make this recipe ahead. Simply refrigerate the topped eggplant slices, then when ready to serve, bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until heated through.

MEXICAN: Taco Filling

From Simply in Season, a cookbook I got last Christmas from Ten Thousand Villages. The book is written by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert.

1 pound ground meat or 2 cups kidney beans (cooked)
¾ cup onion, chopped
½ cup green pepper, chopped
1 carrot, shredded
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 TBSP fresh cilantro, or 1 tsp dried
1 TBSP fresh parsley, or 1 tsp dried
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
Dash of chipotle pepper or other hot chili pepper
¾ cup cooked rice

1. In a large frypan, sauté the meat, onions, green peppers, and carrot until the onions are clear and the meat is browned. If using beans, drain them, reserving the liquid, and set aside. Do not cook them with the onions, etc.
2. Add the garlic, cilantro, parsley, chili powder, lime juice, cumin, salt, and hot pepper. Sauté until the garlic is cooked. If using beans, add to the mixture with enough liquid so that it can simmer without getting dried out. If using meat, add liquid if needed so that it can stew a little, allowing flavors to blend.
3. Add the rice and stir well. Use mixture to top tortilla chips or to fill taco shells or tortillas. Garnish with any of the following: grated sharp cheese, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, sliced jalapeno peppers, olives, shredded lettuce or spinach, fresh cilantro, chopped avocado, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, or plain yogurt.

WORLD: Autumn Vegetable Soup

Another recipe from Simply in Season.

½ cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup each kale, cabbage, carrots, red or green sweet pepper, chopped
½ tsp each salt, dried basil, dried oregano
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup tomato juice
¾ cup cooked beans
½ cup corn
2 tsp dried instant barley
2 tsp alphabet or orzo pasta
½ cup tomatoes
1 TBSP fresh parsley

1. In soup pot, sauté onion in 1 TBSP olive oil over medium heat until soft. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute.
2. Add kale, cabbage, carrots, peppers, salt, basil, oregano, and pepper. Sauté a little, then turn heat down to low, cover pan, and let cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add broth, tomato juice, beans, corn, barley, and pasta. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer about 15 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and parsley. Simmer another few minutes.

FUSION: Curried Tofu and Broccoli

I got the original version of this recipe from More Choices by Cheryl D. Thomas Peters. I’ve made some adjustments.

1 10-oz. package firm tofu, cut in 1-inch cubes
2 tsp curry powder, divided
2 tsp olive oil, divided
½ cup onion, chopped
½ cup water
2 tsp Bill’s Best Chik’nish Seasoning
1 ½ cups broccoli florets
½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
Brown rice

1. Sprinkle tofu cubes with curry powder and chicken seasoning. Marinate overnight.
2. Next day, heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu; sauté 2 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned. Remove from skillet, and keep warm.
3. Heat remaining olive oil in the same skillet. Add onion, sauté 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water and broccoli, red bell pepper, and reserved tofu. Bring to a boil. Cook until water has basically boiled off. Serve over rice.

MEXICAN: Tostadas

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. I just ate them on store-bought tostada shells.

4 9-inch burrito size flour tortillas
cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow or green pepper
2 tsp bottled or fresh minced garlic
1 20-oz. package ground turkey
2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup salsa
1 15-oz. can refried beans
1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or sliced green onion

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange tortillas on large baking sheet; coat with cooking spray on both sides. Bake 5 minutes. Turn; continue to bake 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

2. Meanwhile, coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Crumble turkey into skillet; sprinkle with cumin and salt. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup salsa; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Meanwhile, combine beans and remaining 1/4 cup salsa; heat in microwave oven or small saucepan until hot. Spread bean mixture over tortillas; top with turkey mixture, cheese, sour cream, if desired, and cilantro. Serve with additional salsa, tomatoes, lettuce, olives, or whatever toppings you choose.

MEXICAN: Black Bean Tortilla Casserole

2 large onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped green pepper
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup picante sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
8 ounces shredded cheese

TOPPINGS:
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives

1. In a large saucepan, combine the onions, peppers, tomatoes, picante sauce, garlic and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in the beans. Spread a third of the mixture in a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Layer with four tortillas and a third of the cheese. Repeat layers; top with remaining beans.
2. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with toppings.

From Allrecipes.com

LATIN AMERICAN: Oven-Baked Refried Beans

1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups cooked pinto beans (save broth)
½ cup tomato sauce
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp cumin
½ tsp salt
Cilantro, to taste

1. Simmer onion and garlic in a little water until soft.
2. Process all ingredients in a blender to desired consistency, using broth as necessary.
3. Bake in a sprayed casserole dish at 325 F for 20-30 minutes, or simmer in a skillet, stirring frequently.

From Weimar Institute’s Newstart Lifestyle Cookbook

ITALIAN: Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna

I’ve made this recipe on both sides of the globe, with Gary and the gang in Korea (his first visit to our house) and with my family for Christmas dinner.

2 cups diced mushrooms
1 cup diced onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach
1 cup ricotta cheese substitutes (recipe following)
½ cup liquid egg substitute
¼ cup fresh basil (chiffonade)
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
½ pound dried lasagna noodles (no egg)
3 cups nonfat marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought
2 ounces (1/2 cup) grated nonfat mozzarella cheese substitute
1 TBSP grated nonfat parmesan cheese substitute

1. In a saucepan, combine mushrooms, onion, garlic, and ¼ cup water. Simmer, covered, until onion is soft, about five minutes. Uncover and simmer until liquid evaporates, about three minutes.
2. Put frozen spinach in a bowl and microwave until hot throughout, about five minutes. Do not drain. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in ricotta substitute, egg substitute, basil, salt, nutmeg, and the cooked mushrooms, onion and garlic. Stir well.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
4. Cook lasagna in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender (check package directions for timing). Drain well. Spread one cup marinara sauce in bottom of a rectangular baking dish approximately 8 x 12 inches. Top with a layer of noodles, arranging them side by side without overlapping. Top with half of the filling, spreading it evenly, then another layer of noodles. Top with remaining filling and a final layer of noodles. Spread two cups marinara sauce evenly over the surface. Top with mozzarella and parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until hot throughout, about thirty minutes. Let stand ten minutes before slicing.

Based on the recipe from Everyday Cooking with Dr. Dean Ornish

MEXICAN: Chili con Carne with Beans

So, this is one of three things that I make that my dad will actually eat seconds of.

1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
4 tsp minced garlic
1 ½ TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP Essence of Emeril (recipe following)
½ tsp salt
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 (15-oz.) can whole tomatoes
3 TBSP tomato paste
1 (15-oz.) can beans of your choice
1 tsp sugar
2 cups water

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the meat and stir to break up the pieces.
3. Cook, stirring, until the meat is brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the onion, green bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, Essence, salt, cumin, and oregano, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes.
5. Put the whole tomatoes in a large mixing bowl and squeeze them with your hands to break them into pieces.
6. Add the squeezed tomatoes and their juices, the tomato paste, beans, sugar, and water to the pot.
7. Stir well and bring to a boil.
8. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

I got this recipe from Recipezaar.com.

INDIAN: Tuna Curry in a Hurry

Something Angela ate at least once a week during the summer of 2002.

2 TBSP Earth Balance margarine
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 (6-oz) can tuna, drained and flaked
1 cup sour cream substitute
1 tsp curry powder

1. Over medium-low heat, melt butter in a large saucepan. Add garlic, onions, and green pepper. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft.
2. Stir in tuna, sour cream, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Heat until warm and serve.

From allrecipes.com.

MIDDLE EASTERN: Lentil Chili

We first ate this on a campout with the Kondeks and the Krupps.

4 cups lentils, rinsed and picked over
Water
1 TBSP olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
¼ cup tomato paste

1. Combine lentils and 7 cups of water in a Dutch oven.
2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
3. Peel and chop the onions. Peel and mince the garlic, and put it in a small bowl with all the spices.
4. Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the onions until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and spices and sauté for a minute, then add the seasonings.
5. Stir in 2 cups of water with the onions. Add the onion mixture to the lentils.
6. Partially cover and cook for 45 minutes more, stirring every 10 minutes until thick.
7. Add the vinegar and sprinkle with a little chopped cilantro if desired.

From Recipezaar.com.