Pasta Salad

Culinary inspiration comes from many places.

I go to the grocery every couple of days, and unless Jake is with me, I spend at least two hours there. He’s all about accomplishing the mission. I’m all about overturning each nook and cranny of the place for my own fun. We become opposing forces.

The two hours I spend there are always about as much fun for me as browsing the Mall of America would be to a shop-aholic. Every little bag of bean sprouts has to be combed over, each apple or peach sniffed until the perfect sweetness is found, and every flavor of granola sampled (when possible.) I take my time and choose what I’m buying wisely because they are the future ingredients in all I’ll be eating that week, so it must be great. The time I invest in choosing the ingredients is the beginning of my scheming; just as the perfect head of cauliflower is found, and nestles itself in the bottom of my basket, the ways it can be prepared are rolling through my mind.

This slow time is important to the cooking process. We can’t simply buy the same foods week after week. If we move slowly about, passing boxes and barrels of produce, crates of eggs, slabs of butter, we can take the time to let our senses develop. Perfectly ripe apples must be gently squeezed and sniffed, for a firm feel and sweet scent. Avocados must have a buttery give when pressed. Eggs must be gently tapped for a firm shell, and rich color (or bought from a reliable chicken farmer.) Bread must have a firm crust, soft interior, and the deep scent of warm wheat. By only grabbing and pressing on you will miss these first steps in putting a meal together.

There are times when an off-beat ingredient is what sparks a recipe. At larger specialty groceries you’ll find rare oddities like albino eggplants or heirloom tomatoes– these foods beg to be bought and fooled with. If ever you stumble upon some ingredient you don’t know, do the polite thing. Get to know it. Buy a strange vegetable or herb, and learn about it by tasting it. Let a hearty looking loaf of rye be the inspiration for your meal.

This time I was struck hard by a beautiful bag of colorful conchiglie, or seashell pasta. The flours were tinted with carrots, beets, spinach, and red peppers. Their look had to be preserved, and so they had to become a warm pasta salad.

Pasta salad is an easy dish. It comes together with whatever leftovers you have lying about the fridge, especially cooked vegetables, a handful of herbs and cheese, and a light vinaigrette. With or without pasta, leftover veggies can still be dressed with vinaigrette, mixed with beans, and served as a warm salad. We should use the foods we have already cooked as an extension of one another, so that the act of cooking is ongoing, as hunger is ongoing. Prepare a large batch of this salad, and serve it cold the next day for a hearty lunch.

Pasta Salad

You will need:

1 1/2 cups pasta, uncooked (small spoon friendly shapes)
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, washed and sliced
1 ear sweet corn, chopped from the cob
1 15oz can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 large handful of fresh parsley, chopped
1 large handful of parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/3 cup italian vinaigrette (recipe below)

Directions: Boil pasta in well salted water, according to package directions. Drain, toss with a quick turn of olive oil, and set aside. Save pasta water, and blanch veggies in the salted water. (Blanch corn on the cob, then cut from cob after it cools. Don’t blanch green pepper, serve raw.) Toss the pasta, cheese, herbs, beans, and veggies together with the vinaigrette. Salt and pepper, if needed. Let the dish rest for as long as possible, a day even, to let the flavors marry. Serve warm or cold. Makes 4 or more servings.

Italian Vinaigrette

You will need:

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup white wine vinegar
½ tsp minced garlic
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp red pepper flake
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Mix well, let rest for flavors to develop.

Barley & Kale Soup

This soup was born out of the need for two things:

#1: Something densely healthy

#2: Something with Japanese flair

After snooping the aisles of a local japanese outlet store, my love blossomed. All the tiny, well organized little containers (made of bamboo of course), the rows and rows of beautifully decorated chopsticks, varieties of tiny floral tea cups, and my favorite of course, noodles. (Noodles are another passionate love affair of mine, born out of my Ohio upbringing, where noodles are as common a side dish as mashed potatoes. ) Any dish that is half noodles is 100% awesome in my book, which means I can often be found where the noodles are sold in the grocery store, arms full of at least six different kinds (because I can’t choose, and walking around with all of them feels good to me. I slowly put them back and choose one after an hour or so. For real.)

Noodles are the beginning of my love for japanese food, but the wonderful organizational trinkets have a huge place in my heart as well. I love organizing! (And I’m always tryyying to be better at it. Its a work in progress!) Though I am not extremely well versed in the ins and outs of japanese culture, I do know (clearly by what they sell in an outlet store) that being well organized is a must. Also from my last post, I’ve watched the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi like six times, and I’m really inspired by the dedication to work and family that is inherent in Japanese culture. The documentary gracefully emphasizes the importance of unwavering dedication to doing your work well. It also shows the dynamics of the two sons who will once day take over the restaurant for Jiro; they have so much reverence for him, and its a lovely thing.

I was also lucky enough to get to spend some time with Maki Kashimura and her nephew Ryusei Matsumoto, who came to Illinois all the way from Japan a month ago to spend three weeks with Jake’s parents. Maki and her sister Kana have visited the Lucas family on and off for the past ten years I believe! I got to hear many awesome stories of their past visits (like how much they love my father-in-law, Mike, who is seriously the sweetest man alive. Today is his birthday. Happy Birthday Mike Lucas!!) It was also really enriching to just be in their presence and share a day in Chicago with them. We took Maki and Ryusei around the city and had a blast. They had never met me before, but brought me a whooolle bunch of amazing little gifts from Japan. So cool and kind! With hope, the Lucas clan with travel to Japan someday and visit them in their homes (and eat their amazing cooking).

Ryusei was the sweetest little man.

A little Lucas boys tom-foolery…

I love this picture of Maki. She’s such a hip lady.

I’m super thankful they decided to share their lives with us, I’m betting it will only become more and more awesome to know them. Always learnin’ going on when you meet new folks.

But back to the recipe…

I scour pages upon pages of vegetarian japanese recipes online, and most of my favorites are comprised of a savory, light broth, and some intensely green leafy goodness. So naturally, this is what I had to recreate.

Japanese food lends itself to being so nutritious, aesthetically pleasing, and of course, delicious. I plan on getting deeper and deeper into the cuisine (and the tiny bamboo spoons and boxes and whatnot.)

My dish didn’t actually have noodles in it this time (nooooo), only because I didn’t have any on hand. I used barley instead, and it was delicious– truly you can use any grain or noodle thing. Also, if I had miso, I would be using it. Until that time, I’ll keep working around it.

Barley & Kale Soup:

3 c. light vegetable broth
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. sesame oil
1/2 c. barley
3 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 c. green onions, thinly sliced
1 c. kale, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed

Directions: Heat the broth to a simmer on medium heat, add the carrots, oil, barley, and soy sauce. Let simmer with the lid on for 15-20 minutes, or until the barley is fully cooked. Add the kale, green onions, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.

Our friend Josh was over getting his hair cut (Jake is a would-be barber) and I had just prepared this dish. I offered him some, but sort of hesitated, because well. Josh (a great and wonderful friend mind you!) sort of prefers sinking his teeth into meaty dishes than greeny ones. So I sold it as: “Hey Josh, I sort of made this food if you’re hungry. It has a lot of Kale in it so…like if you don’t like that sort of thing… its totally cool.” He sniffed it first. Then went and got a bowl. Then ate it all! So don’t let the extra leafy texture turn you away. Even meaty men liked it.

The look of love on Jake’s face is a littttle disturbing.

Quinoa, Carrot, and Collard Greens

Things in my household have been picking up as of late; Jake is busy with all his band mates filming performances and traveling, I’ve been working late, caring for the home (frogs and kitties included!), and still trying to find quality time for a cup of coffee or window shopping with friends. Unnoticed, unanticipated, a thief dashes in overnight, finds the places all your spare time is stashed, and eats it up. He wastes it happily, putting you on hold for 40 minutes with your electric company (blast you ComEd!), extends the lines at the grocery check out (then makes your cashier the most unmotivated person alive), or fills the streets with innumerable cars, forcing you to search for parking like its a game of Tetris.

Feeling like you have no time to yourself is a horrible, cramping, demotivating feeling. I personally require a healthy amount of me time, for reading, for sipping tea (with cream and sugar!), or sometimes for doing nothing at all. Most of the people in my life struggle with being extra-crazy, running on empty busy, and usually the first thing to go is feeding themselves properly. In our mad dashes out the door, the to do lists we intend to complete never seem to add “eat a healthy lunch.”

This recipe helps to amend that situation. Especially for those of us who are cooking for more than just ourselves, feeding people is both a pleasure and a problem. Let me explain; I absolutely love cooking for others. It is my love language… I adore surprise guests who, after some reluctance, reveal that, yes they could eat. So I get a little giddy that I could wow them with something extra tasty and special, and run off to my kitchen to see what happens. It is always a joy. But for those of you who are the sole food provider, daily cooking can become taxing. I am especially guilty of handing off a bowl of cereal to Jake, or just attempting to seem reaaally into a particular article I’m reading when I see his forlorn, hungry little eyes wander my way and say, “Ehh, I’m starving.” In these moments, I have to go into ‘feed mode.’

Feed mode is simple; its about filling a stomach, not about pleasure, or fun, or complexity. It is the front lines of this epic war I’m waging with my constantly hungry stomach (we duke it out daily.) The goal is to kick hunger with a simple, nutritious dish. Emphasis on the simple.

For these times I have been resorting to this dish, a one pot meal that is flavorful, easy, and nutritious. So don’t throw in the towel when your life is being chaotic, just simplify your cooking to meals like these, that are hearty, and gracefully uncomplicated. Few things will ease the tension in your shoulders and your mind than a warm, simmering pot on your stove.

Quinoa, Carrot, and Collard Greens:

1 Tbs olive oil
1 C. quinoa
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
half a small onion, chopped
1 C. collards, rinsed and chopped
2 C. mushroom broth (or whatever you like)

Directions: In a large pot on medium heat, add olive oil and your chopped veggies (exclude the greens.) Let the onions sweat for a few minutes until translucent, then add your quinoa.

Mix and let the grain toast for a few minutes, then add your broth and greens (I toast all grains before adding water. Something my grandma did that just stuck.)