Jitterbug Juice is Moving Up the Food Chain!!!

Jitterbug Juice is now the food blog for a larger website, Good News Girlz, a style e-zine for women. Go to http://www.goodnewsgirlz.com and click on Steph's Blog to catch up on the latest Jitterbug Juice posts.

EAT YOUR VEGGIES!

Growing up in a Cajun culture makes it difficult for one to become a serious vegetarian; the thought of being one never occurred to me. But recently, I traveled to San Antonio to cook for my son, daughter-in-law, and new grandson. Well, I didn’t actually cook for my six-week old grandson, but in a fashion, I did. My daughter-in-law is a vegetarian and is nursing, so I needed to ramp up quickly on how to create high-impact, healthy vegetarian meals. With the assistance of a great cookbook, "A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen," I was able to learn to develop and love vegetarian meals. I made some modifications in the recipes to please my palate for strong flavors and seasonings. I think you might enjoy these as well. I have to admit that it felt really good to eat nothing but vegetarian for almost a week. My Lousiana family might not adopt this diet, but if my grandson opts for a vegetarian lifestyle, who knows how far this veggie run could last?!

Here are a few of my favorites:

Cannellini Bean and Squash Stew with Rosemary and Tomatoes

3 T olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
½ t Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
5 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 15 oz. cans cannellini beans
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 14.5 oz can diced Italian tomatoes
1 Parmesan cheese rind
3 cups vegetable broth or 3 cups water and 2 cubes vegetable bouillon
1 T fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
Fresh ground black pepper
8 Baguette slices, brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with grated cheese, and toasted

Heat oil in Dutch oven until shimmering. Add onion, Creole seasoning, and cook until golden. Add garlic cloves and cook until opaque but not brown. Add beans, squash, tomatoes, Parmesan rind, and broth. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove lid, and simmer for about 10 minutes until thickened. Discard Parmesan rind. Sprinkle fresh rosemary and black pepper over stew and serve in bowls with toast on top.


Spanish-Style Peppers and Potatoes over Wilted Greens











4 medium Golden Yukon potatoes, cut into small wedges
1 t sea salt
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced lengthwise
1 medium yellow pepper, sliced lengthwise
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 T olive oil
8 medium green olives, pitted and chopped
1 15 oz. can chopped Italian tomatoes (La Valle is my favorite)
½ cup Italian parsley, chopped
1 T capers (optional)
1 T sherry vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1 t granulated vegetable bouillon
1 lb baby spinach, kale, or hearty greens, gently wilted by steaming or microwaving

Heat potatoes in microwave, about 2 minutes, until soft enough to pierce with a fork. Remove immediately and coat with a tablespoon of olive oil. Place on cookie sheet, sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary. Roast in 400-degree oven until browned and crisp, about 20 minutes. Keep warm until ready to combine with cooked peppers over greens.

Heat 3 T olive oil in large saucepan until shimmering. Saute onion until limp. Add peppers and sauté until they can be pierced with fork, but still somewhat crisp. Add garlic and sauté until limp. Add tomatoes, parsley, capers, sherry vinegar, pepper, granulated bouillon, and olives. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until thickened.

Place wilted greens on warm plates, add tomato mixture over greens, then top with roasted potatoes.


Fettuccine with Crème Fraiche, Bleu Cheese, and Sage-Walnut Brown Butter














½ cup of crème fraiche, found in cartons in refrigerated area of grocery store
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 t sea salt
1 T bleu cheese
¼ t freshly ground pepper
¾ lb. dried egg fettuccine
4 T unsalted butter
½ cup chopped walnuts
4 sage leaves, chopped

Combine creme fraiche, Parmesan, bleu cheese, ½ teaspoon sea salt, pepper in a small bowl and beat until smooth. Set aside until it comes to room temperature. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil and cook pasta until al dente.

As soon as pasta goes into pot, melt butter in large skillet. When foam subsides, add nuts and cook over medium heat until golden brown. Add sage and ½ teaspoon sea salt.

Reserve ½ cup of cooking water from pasta and drain pasta. Add pasta and ½ cup cooking water to pan with nuts and sage. Cook over low heat until some of moisture is removed. Remove from heat and stir in cheese mixture. Garnish with sage leaves and serve with a green salad with citrus fruit and champagne vinaigrette (recipe below).

Champagne Vinaigrette Dressing
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup champagne or white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons Madhava agave nectar or honey
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon grilling salt/spice mix or Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup – ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 green onion, use green part and chop

Mix all ingredients except olive oil and onion. Whir in blender. Add olive oil in slow stream until dressing thickens. Add green onion. Serve over Boston lettuce and any sliced or dried fruit.

Steph's Mardi Gras Gumbo

Seasoning Mix:
2 t sweet paprika
1 ½ t Tony Chachere’s seasoning
¾ t dry mustard
¾ black pepper
½ ground cumin
4 bay leaves
2 T vegetable oil
2- 3 lbs. roasted chicken, smoked turkey, or whatever smoked poultry you have on hand
2 cups chopped onions 8 green onions, chopped
2 cups chopped green pepper
12-15 cups chicken broth
1 t minced garlic
2 links smoked sausage, beef or turkey
2 cans Trappey’s okra gumbo
1 cup prepared roux (found in a glass jar in spice section of grocery store)
cooked rice
Gumbo file
Season at end with peppers in vinegar or jalapenos

Heat 2 T vegetable oil in stock pot. Saute all raw vegetables. Add another T vegetable oil and roux. Stir together. When heated, add broth, seasoning mix, canned okra, sausage and chicken. Simmer for 2-3 hours on low heat or until visibly thickened. Cool in refrigerator overnight. Adjust seasoning, if needed. Reheat and serve with rice, gumbo file, and peppers in vinegar.

Southwestern Shrimp Ceviche

Makes 1 quart

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 T. shrimp boil or seasoning mix
3 green onions, chopped
½ cup chopped cilantro, chopped
1-2 T. hot or tame pickled jalapenos, diced
¼ cup jalapeno juice
2 T. olive oil
2 fresh limes, juiced
1 T. ground cumin
1 large avocado, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, chopped
2 ears of roasted corn, kernels cut away from cob
1 can black beans, drained

Heat a gallon of water in large saucepan to boiling. Season with shrimp boil. Add shrimp and heat for only 2 minutes or until opaque. Remove quickly from water and drain. Add all other seasonings, diced vegetables, and ingredients while shrimp is still hot. Allow mixture to cool and refrigerate. Ceviche is better the second day when marinated. Serve as dip with toasted tortillas or as a salad or topping for grilled fish.

Oatmeal, Raisin, Bran Muffins

3 cups of bran cereal
1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal (not instant)
1 cup boiling water
½ cup peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 cups raisins or mixture of dried cranberries, blueberries, and raisins
2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
1/4 cup Agave nectar (I use Madhava Amber Nectar)
1/8 cup dark molasses
1-1/4 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour
2-1/2 tsp. baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

In a large bowl combine cereal, dried fruit, oil, and oatmeal. Pour boiling water over mixture. Let stand for 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed and mix has cooled. In another bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, nectar, and molasses. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Combine all and let stand another 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a spray oil to grease 24 muffin cups and divide batter among them, filling each cup about ¾ full. Bake 20-25 minutes until very brown.

Serve with nectar, honey, lemon curd, or jam.

Orzo with Chicken Pesto Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

Serve 6

2 cups dried orzo
2 cans low sodium chicken broth
½ cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
¼ cup parsley, chopped
4 T olive oil
4 chicken pesto or chicken Italian sausages, diced (I buy these at Central Market)
1 can chopped Italian tomatoes (I like La Valle)
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
½ lb goat cheese
¼ cup of fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Empty canned broth in deep saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add orzo, cook for 20 minutes until most, but not all, of broth is absorbed. Turn off heat, cover, and allow orzo to sit until all liquid is absorbed. In meantime, sauté diced sausage pieces in olive oil. Add garlic and parsley. Add canned tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes and cook until sun-dried tomatoes are softened. Combine cooked orzo, basil, tomato mixture, goat cheese, and grated Parmigiano. Stir well and serve warm over cooked spinach or with another green vegetable or salad.

Chicken Chili Verde with Tomatillos and Cannellini Beans

Serves 4-6

4 T. olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, diced
2 t. ground cumin
2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans
1 can low-sodium chicken broth (or 2 cups stock)
1 lb. roasted Anaheim or Hatch peppers (I buy them frozen, already roasted), chopped
6 large tomatillos, roasted until brown and very soft, blend until it turns to puree
1 large red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
3 cups of chunky diced roasted chicken
1 T. Vegeta (a soup base) and/or roasted chicken demi-glace ( I use “More Than Gourmet’)
1 cup cheese, a grated mix of Mexican cheeses: Oaxaca, Queso Blanco, Monterrey Jack
4 T. fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, sautéing until soft. Add red bell pepper, sautéing until soft. Add green chile peppers. Then, add garlic, cooking until soft but careful not to burn. Add spices; add roasted and pureed tomatillos; soup base and demi-glace, if you have both; cook until simmering. Add chopped roasted chicken and 2 cans beans; simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and spoon into oven-safe bowls. Place on a cookie sheet, top each bowl with grated cheese mix. Heat under broiler until cheese is brown. Top with cilantro and serve with a side salad (See “Tangerine Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette" in July Post below) and tortillas or cornbread.