colorful baked rice with mint, feta and pomegranate

January 19, 2016 radish*rose 0 comment

Sometimes a recipe just catches your fancy and you want to make it immediately. I saw this baked rice recipe on bonappetit.com and added everything to my shopping list right away so I could make it that same night! It’s so colorful and has many flavors I love – salty, sweet, tangy, minty. Oh, and there’s some butter. That always increases the deliciousness factor! I also was curious about this baking method for rice. It worked perfectly and now I plan to try it using other herbs – like maybe some dill, and then you could serve it with some delicious salmon, and… I’m getting carried away. Continue reading

eggplant chickpea bake with feta and pine nuts

September 27, 2015 radish*rose 0 comment

Eggplant is something people have strong opinions about. I happen to love its hearty texture and delicate flavor, but I prefer it when baked instead of fried, because eggplant likes to soak things up, and frying can cause it to soak up too much oil. For this Mediterranean-inspired eggplant chickpea bake, we are going to broil the eggplant instead of frying it. Then we layer it with yummy things like tomato sauce with oregano, tangy feta, and hearty chickpeas, and we bake it. While baking, the eggplant will soak up beautiful, sunny Mediterranean flavors from the sauce, rather than oil from frying. I call that winning at eggplant! Continue reading

mediterranean zoodle salad with tomatoes, feta, and pine nuts

August 2, 2015 radish*rose 1 Comment

Zoodles seem to be taking over the world. What are zoodles? They are zucchini “noodles” made using a spiralizer, which creates long thin strands out of vegetables. I’m highly entertained by the fact that the British call them “coodles” because they call a zucchini a “courgette”. Coodles, zoodles, whatever you call them – they’re a perfect way to use up those zucchinis / courgettes that are everywhere this time of year. Low-carb fans often substitute zoodles for pasta noodles, but I like to make salads with them since I prefer them cold. This particular salad features a lemony oregano dressing with tomatoes, feta cheese and toasted pine nuts. Just the thing for a hot summer day! Continue reading

mini crustless spinach feta quiches

March 8, 2015 radish*rose 4 Comments

These easy mini crustless quiches work very well for a weekday breakfast (make ahead on Sunday, then grab and go) or lazy weekend brunch (with bloody Marys or mimosas, am I right?). But it also works for dinner. You could make the 9-inch pie version, then serve a wedge with a simple green salad on the side, a glass of crisp white wine, and a happy sigh. To make the mini version, you use something you probably already have: a muffin tin. That’s right. Mini or regular. Your choice! The recipe magically makes exactly 12 mini-quiches or one 9-inch pie. Continue reading

smoky butternut squash and black bean ragout with pepitas and feta

October 19, 2014 radish*rose 1 Comment

Ah, fall. Don’t you just want to curl up with a fuzzy blanket, a fluffy pillow, maybe a cat on your lap if that’s your thing, and a bowl of yum? Smooth butternut, smoky chipotle, savory beans, crunchy pepitas, salty feta, and bright lime make a savory combination of flavors that will make your taste buds *pop*. Thanks Vegetarian Times! One thing I’ve always wondered about using chipotles in adobo – what the heck do I do with the leftovers? Chipotles are smoked jalapenos. What?! Keep reading – I’ll post about ways to use the remaining smoky spicy goodness next. Continue reading

chilled green pea soup with mint, tarragon, basil, and goat cheese

July 12, 2014 radish*rose 1 Comment

This is one good-looking and delicious chilled soup. We could not stop eating it. A most excellent light and guilt-free appetizer for your summer nights. Serve it in martini glasses for guests – and it’s great for guests because there is a nice make-ahead trick. Also, you can pretend you’re in Spain because it’s from a super-awesome Spanish cookbook. What’s not to like? Continue reading