Mediterranean Grain or Pasta Salad

Salad:
• 1 cup cooked grain of choice (green lentils; couscous; mix of 3/4 couscous & 1/4 chickpeas; etc.) or fusilli, penne, etc.
• 1 cup chopped cherry or regular tomatoes
• ½ cup diced English cucumbers
• ½ cup diced sweet red pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped red onion
• ¼ cup chopped black Kalamata olives
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (optional)
• 2 tbsp fresh mint (optional)

Dressing:
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ tsp dried oregano, rubbed between your fingers to release flavor
• ¼ tsp dried mint
• Fresh ground black pepper and salt, to taste

Directions:
Mix together all of the salad ingredients except for the feta cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk the olive oil into the lemon juice and then whisk in the other ingredients. Add salt and pepper according to your taste. Add as much of the dressing as you like to the salad and mix to distribute. Add the feta cheese at the end and gently stir it in so that it doesn’t fall apart. Let sit several hours in the fridge before serving, to allow the flavors to blend and emerge.

Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:
o 3 cups raw vegetables - I use julienne carrot, zucchini, red pepper, frozen broccoli and peas
o 1/2 lb (8 oz/250g) angel hair pasta or whatever type of pasta you prefer
o 1 tbsp olive oil
o 2 tsp fresh garlic, chopped
o 1/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock
o 2 tbsp fresh basil, julienne cut
o 1 ½ tbsp finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (optional, but recommended)
o 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
o 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
o Reserved pasta cooking water, if needed
o Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
o Either ½ tsp lemon zest OR 1 tsp mixed Italian spices (both versions are delicious!)
o Fresh parmesan, to garnish

Directions:
1. Steam all vegetables until soft, but still retain some crunch.
2. Salt a large pot of water, bring to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
3. Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat and fry garlic for several minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil.
4. Strain pasta (reserve ½ cup cooking liquid), add both pasta and vegetables to the pan, and stir to coat. Add 1-2 tbsp reserved pasta water to moisten if needed.
5. Remove from heat and stir-in fresh basil, lemon zest (or Italian spices), parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and parsley. Toss pasta thoroughly and serve immediately. Garnish with fresh parmesan and additional herbs.

Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
o 2 lbs potatoes (6 medium potatoes or 4 ½ cups peeled and diced)
o ½ cup water
o ¼ cup olive oil
o ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
o 1/2 tsp dried oregano, rubbed between your fingers to release the oils
o ½ tsp salt
o 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place potatoes in a large baking dish, add remaining ingredients and toss until well coated. Bake uncovered for about 50 minutes until tender, turning halfway. Add a bit of water if it gets completely absorbed during the cooking process.

Middle Eastern Spiced Lentil and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• ½ cup frozen spinach
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 cups dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
• 1 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 ¼ tsp ground cumin
• 1/3 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/8 tsp hot paprika
• 1/3 tsp allspice
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/3 tsp ginger
• Salt, to taste

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent (approximately 6 to 7 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two until it begins to brown. Add the spices and cook briefly until fragrant, about a minute. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth and water and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. If you like you can puree the finished soup to your preferred consistency, but I leave it as is. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Barley and Squash Risotto

Adapted from taste.com

Ingredients:
• 1 large (1 kg) butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces – about 3 cups
• Optional - 1/2 cup peas
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup white wine (or use more stock)
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked pearl barley
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs, or 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan (more, if you like)
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking tray with foil and toss squash with 1 tsp olive oil, salt, and fresh cracked black pepper. Roast for about 45 minutes until tender, turning halfway.
2. Meanwhile, mix the water and stock and bring to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low and hold at a gentle simmer.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tsp oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for about 5-8 minutes or until the onion is soft. Stir in the barley and thyme, and stir for several minutes until lightly browned.
4. Stir in the wine and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the wine has been completely absorbed by the barley, about 3 minutes. Add the stock mixture, a ½ cup ladleful at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next ladleful, for about 30 minutes or until the barley is cooked al dente.
5. With just a small bit of liquid remaining to be absorbed by the barley, remove from heat and stir in the pumpkin and parmesan (and if desired, add 1 tbsp butter to make it even creamier). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let sit covered for several minutes. Divide among serving bowls. Top with shaved parmesan to serve.

Quick Curried Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup uncooked rice (I use 3/4 cups brown rice and 1/4 cup wild rice)
• 1-2 tsp curry paste (I use Patak's Mild Curry Paste)
• 1 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup water
• Optional: add 3/4 cup each cooked chickpeas and frozen mixed vegetables & an additional 1 tsp curry paste
• 1/4 cup raisins or currants
• Toasted sliced almonds or chopped cashews, to garnish

Directions:
Fry onion in oil over medium heat until golden. Then add rice, water, stock and curry paste, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until all the water is absorbed (this takes about 30 minutes if you are using brown rice). When the rice is almost finished cooking add the raisins, chickpeas, and vegetables. Add toasted almonds or cashews to serve.