Winter Bowls

The season for healthier dinners has arrived! Each January inspires a renewed energy and recommitment to healthier habits. Winter grain bowls are a delicious way to achieve those goals! This tasty bowl features baked tofu with quinoa, roasted beets, and arugula all dressed with a flavorful turmeric tahini dressing.

Winter Grain Power Bowls
Makes 4 large bowls

Winter Grain Bowl Ingredients:
1 block extra firm tofu
1 large purple beet (or two small beets), peeled & diced into 1/2" cubes
1 large golden beet (or two small beets), peeled & diced into 1/2" cubes
1 fennel bulb, stalks removed, cored, and thinly shaved
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 red onion, thinly sliced with a mandoline
1 large carrot, shaved and rolled
4 cups arugula
1/3 cup shelled pistachios
Fresh mint leaves, torn for garnish

Turmeric Tahini Dressing Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
2 tablespoons water (as needed, to thin)
1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:
1. Prepare the tofu by slicing it into 1" thick slices. Lay the slices on a paper towel-lined baking sheet, then cover the tofu with another layer of paper towels. Place a cutting board on top of the covered slices to press out the excess water from the tofu. (Place a cookbook or a heavy pot on top of the cutting board to help apply weight and pressure so that extra water is forced out of the tofu. This pressing and draining step will help the tofu achieve a better texture when baking.) Press and drain the tofu slices for about 20-30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In two separate bowls, prepare the beets and fennel. Toss the diced beets with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Toss the shaved fennel with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place the prepared beets and fennel in a large roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes or until the fennel starts to turn golden brown. Remove the fennel and continue roasting the beets for another 15 minutes, or until the beets are fork tender.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa on the stovetop using a 2:1 liquid-to-grain ratio. Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and add the quinoa. Stir, cover, and turn down the heat to low. Check after 15 minutes to see if the quinoa is tender, or if more liquid is needed to finish cooking. The small kernels expand as they soak up the cooking liquid. When tender and ready, you’ll see a tiny curlicue emerge; this is the beginning of a quinoa sprout, (and a sign of doneness.) Remove from the heat when done.

4. After the tofu has drained, remove the weights and paper towels and cut the tofu slices into 1" cubes. Gently toss the tofu cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch until evenly coated. Spread the tofu cubes across a lined baking sheet and bake in the oven at 400°F for 30 minutes. Half way through baking, turn the tofu pieces. Bake until the tofu is baked and crisped on all sides.

5. Prepare the turmeric tahini dressing by whisking all of ingredients together until the dressing is combined.

6. Thinly slice the red onion using a mandoline. Shave the carrot into ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Tear the mint leaves for a garnish.

7. Once all of the ingredients are prepared, assemble the bowls. Add a scoop of cooked quinoa to each bowl, then add the roasted beets, roasted fennel, and baked tofu. Continue building the bowl by adding a few slices of red onion, a few ribbons of carrot, and a handful of arugula. Drizzle the bowl with the dressing and then garnish with pistachios and fresh mint leaves.

Easy Tikka Masala & Basmati Rice

In this recipe, we bring the wonderful flavors of chicken tikka masala to the table on any day of the week, thanks to the amazingly fast electric pressure cooker! Serve with fragrant basmati rice and generous sprinkles of chopped cilantro. YUM!

Easy Chicken Tikka Masala
Serves 4 - 6

Bring the wonderful flavors of this delicious dish home any day of the week thanks to the amazingly fast electric pressure cooker! This recipe calls for a lighter approach using slightly less butter than other recipes. A combination of Greek yogurt and coconut milk (instead of heavy whipping cream) adds a bit of extra tanginess to the global flavors. Savory spices mingle with fresh garlic, ginger, and tomatoes. The coconut milk creates a dreamy, silky sauce. Serve with fragrant basmati rice and generous sprinkles of chopped cilantro.

Ingredients:
4 large boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1” chunks
5 cloves garlic, finely minced
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely grated
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2-1/2 teaspoons Garam Masala, divided
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
4 tablespoons butter, sliced into tablespoons
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced, plus additional for garnish

Electric Pressure Cooker Directions:
1. Prepare the garlic and ginger. Mince the garlic finely and grate the ginger into a fine paste. 

2. Place the cut chicken in the bottom of an electric pressure cooker and then toss with the garlic and ginger.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes until well combined.

4. Add the spices to the tomato mixture: 2 teaspoons Garam Masala, cumin, paprika, cayenne, coriander, Kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir until well combined.

5. Pour the spiced tomato mixture over the chicken. Toss until coated.

6. Cover, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.

7. Carefully release the pressure according to your appliance’s instructions. Check that the chicken is fully cooked and is at 165 degrees F. If the chicken needs more time, continue to cook on the simmer function until the chicken reaches 165 degrees in the center.

8. Once the chicken is fully cooked, add the coconut milk, yogurt, butter, 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala and minced cilantro. Stir until combined and a sauce begins to form. If the sauce needs additional time to thicken, switch to the simmer function, and stir and simmer until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.

9. Serve warm over basmati rice. Garnish with additional minced cilantro.

Basmati Rice:
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons shallot, minced
2 cups basmati rice, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
3-1/2 cups water

Rice Directions:
1. Rinse rice with cold water until the water runs clear.

2. Using a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, sauté the shallot in the butter until the the shallot becomes translucent. Add the rice, and stir it until coated and every grain has a sheen.

3. Add the water and salt, and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally to make sure that the rice doesn't stick to the bottom. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer the rice on low for 18-20 minutes or until the rice becomes tender.

4. Remove from heat, and let set for 10 minutes with the lid still on. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Sweet Potato Tacos

This time of year we love any excuse to use our grill.

IN THIS ISSUE, we feature roasted sweet potato tacos with grilled sweet corn and tangy guacamole. Good tacos are the product of many quality parts, and wow, are these parts tasty! 

Sweet Potato Tacos with Grilled Corn and Avocado 
Makes 12 small tacos

We love any excuse to use our grill. This recipe features roasted sweet potato tacos with grilled sweet corn and tangy guacamole. Good tacos are the product of many quality parts, and wow, are these parts tasty!

For the Roasted Sweet Potatoes:
2 sweet potatoes peeled and cubed into 1” pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

For the Simple Guacamole:
2 avocados
1 clove garlic
1 jalapeño
1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 small lime, juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, cumin, cayenne and salt. Roast the sweet potato cubes in a large roasting dish for 30-40 minutes until tender and the edges begin to brown.

2. Prepare the guacamole by combining all of the guacamole ingredients in a medium bowl and mash with a fork until creamy. Transfer the guacamole to a serving bowl, and set aside.

3. In a medium pan over medium heat, cook the onion in the olive oil until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the black beans, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally to the beans don’t scorch.

4. Oil and preheat grill. Drizzle the corn with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the corn over direct heat for about 10 minutes, turning often until charred all over. Remove from the grill and let the corn cool slightly. Cut corn from the cob.

5. While the corn cools, grill the flour tortillas until grill marks appear.

6. Remove the potatoes from the oven and assemble the tacos, first layering the beans, then the sweet potatoes, then the corn, and finally the guacamole. Top with crumbles of cotija cheese, sliced green onions, and a squeeze of lime.