Main

Minestrone

Ingredients Step
oil
1 large white onion, diced
3 carrot, diced
3 celery stalk, diced
Saute in large pot until translucent.
2 cloves garlic, minced Add. Cook 30 seconds, until fragrant.
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 qt. stock
4 T. (¼ c.) tomato paste
1 t. oregano
1 t. basil
1 t. marjoram
½ t. thyme
½ t. rosemary
Add. Bring to simmer.
1 zucchini, quartered and sliced
1½ c. (1 can) white beans
1½ c. (1 can) kidney beans
½ c. frozen green beans
½ c. small shell pasta
Add. Simmer 10-15, until pasta and vegetables are tender.
2 c. fresh spinach Stir in. Cook until wilted.
salt
pepper
Season to taste.

Source: inspired by the Olive Garden

Kale Dal

We make this recipe regularly. It's one of our favorite uses for greens.

Toor dal are also known as pigeon peas.

Ingredients Step
Heat Instant Pot on saute until hot.
1 T. oil Add.
2 t. mustard seeds
2 t. cumin seeds
Add. Cook until seeds start to sputter.
4 garlic cloves, chopped (1 t. powder)
1 onion, chopped (1 T. powder)
¾ t. salt
½ t. turmeric
1 c. toor dal
4 c. water
1 serrano, chopped (opt.)
½ t. cayenne (opt.)
Add. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom.
6 c. kale, chopped Place on top.
Cook 10NR10 on high.
juice of 1 lemon Add. Stir well to make a smooth lentil mixture. Serve.

Source: Pavani Nandula's Vegetarian Indian Instant Pot Cookbook

Kookoo Kadoo

A Persian zucchini frittata. Yes, it is as delicious as you expect Persian food to be -- an explosion of sour, sweet, savory, and floral flavors. A great choice for the summertime zucchini bounty, and also entirely feasible to prep ahead for a holiday meal.

Ingredients Step
Preheat oven to 375.
2 zucchini
2 yellow summer squash
2 t. salt
Grate, then sprinkle with salt. Toss to combine, then set in a colander over the sink. After letting it sit a bit, squeeze out as much water as possible -- first by hand, then via cheesecloth. This step is good to do slowly, while cooking the onion.
2 T. olive oil
1 onion, diced
Cook in small skillet until golden.
1 t. dried mint
pinch of salt
Sprinkle on top of cooked onion and stir together.
2 garlic cloves, diced
⅓ c. dried tart cherries, chopped as needed
zest of 1 small orange
In a large bowl (possibly with a lid), combine additional moist ingredients with the squash and onion. This mixture can go into the fridge overnight.
3 T. flour
¼ t. cinnamon
¼ t. turmeric
¼ t. ground dried rose petals
⅛ t. ground saffron
⅛ t. nutmeg
⅛ t. black pepper
Combine spices. This mixture can be stored overnight.
2 T. olive oil Pour into an 8x8" pan, then use your fingers to coat up the sides of the pan.
Toss together the vegetable and flour mixture until well-combined.
5 eggs, ideally room temperature Whisk the eggs together, then stir them into the vegetable and flour mixture.
Put the oiled pan in the preheated oven for 1 minute, making sure to set a timer. Then pour the batter into the hot pan and smooth it into an even layer.
1 T. olive oil Bake in two sessions. First bake for 20 minutes, until mostly set. Remove the pan, make 3 cuts each direction to produce 16 pieces, and drizzle 1 T. olive oil into the dividing cuts. Then return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes, until fully set and crisp on top. Serve warm. (Cool or even cold leftovers are tasty too.)

Source: Eats Well With Others, originally from Naz Deravian's Bottom of the Pot

Ginger Soba Noodles

Delicious broth and flavored breadcrumbs.

This recipe is a fair amount of work and only serves 4 as a light meal as written, so doubling is worthwhile. We stretch it even further with marinated tofu dominoes, red cabbage, roasted broccoli, boy choy, soft egg, and/or peppery greens.

Prepare the chili oil first:

Ingredients Step
2 T olive oil Heat in a skillet over medium until quite hot but not smoking.
¼ t. sweet paprika
¼ t. smoked paprika
1½ t. red pepper flakes (optional)
Place in small heatproof bowl. Pour hot oil on top. Set aside to infuse.

And then prepare delicious crunchy gingery breadcrumbs:

Ingredients Step
2 T. olive oil Heat in the same skillet until hot.
2 inches ginger, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
Add ginger and shallot to the hot oil. Cook, stirring often, until starting to brown.
¼ c. panko
¼ t. salt
Add to hot oil. Cook 4-6 more minutes, stirring often, until nicely toasted. Transfer to bowl and set aside.

And then prepare a delightfully tangy broth:

Ingredients Step
2¼ c. broth
4 inches ginger, roughly chopped
1 shallot, roughly chopped
1 small head of garlic, halved crosswise
¾ c. water
1 t. salt
Bring to simmer in medium lidded saucepan, then cover and cook for 25 minutes.
Drain through a sieve set over a bowl, discarding solids.
strained broth
1¼ c. hot water
Return to saucepan and keep warm until ready to serve.

And finally prepare the noodles:

Ingredients Step
7-9 oz. soba noodles Boil according to package instructions, drain then run under cold water. Return to saucepan.
2 T. lime juice
2 T. soy sauce
⅓ c. cilantro, roughly chopped
Toss noodles with seasoning.

Source: Yotam Ottolenghi (NYT Cooking)

Deconstructed Falafel

Like falafel, but much less messy and much less work.

Ingredients Step
3 c. chickpeas (2 cans, 1 c. from dry) Pat dry.
2 T. oil Heat in a large frying pan, then add chickpeas and saute for 10 minutes.
2 t. cumin powder
2 t. paprika (part smoked)
¼ t. cayenne
¼ t. salt
Combine, then toss with fried chickpeas.
1 T. lemon
1 T. oil
¼ t. black pepper
Blitz dressing together.
8 c. arugula Toss with dressing.
3-6 pitas Serve chickpeas in pita with dressed arugula, tomato, tzatziki, peperoncini, etc.

Source: Cooking Light (May 2013), as "Fried Chickpea and Arugula Pita Sandwiches with Lime Tzatziki"