Balsamic Vegetable Stir-Fry

Did You Know? In its early days, balsamic vinegar was available only to the nobility and the artisans who made it. It was believed to be a miracle cure for everything from a sore throat to labor pains, and even used as protection against the plague.

I'm trying to break up all these cupcakes with some real food, but it's been pretty hard when graduation parties and cookouts have become the norm. I made this pasta dish the other day for lunch, trying to get myself out of a sugar coma. We had spent the night before baking cupcakes and frying doughnuts (which I promise to share soon), and my stomach could not take one more ounce of frosting or sprinkles.

I pretty much scanned my fridge, and grabbed whatever seemed appetizing at the time, trying to use up some produce before we had to throw it away. Bell peppers, carrots, onions, and peas are what I used here, but definitely just use this recipe as a guideline, tossing in whatever is convenient for you. A large handful of torn basil, and some chopped scallions rounded out the flavors, and added some much needed green. I've been pretty hooked on feta these days, so I tossed a few large spoonfuls of that in too. I love the sharp flavor you get from such a small amount. Finished with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and you have yourself a pretty satisfying lunch or dinner. I enjoyed it the next day with some pan-fried tofu chunks, and highly recommend that route as well.

Balsamic Vegetable Stir-Fry

12 ounces penne pasta (I used Basil & Garlic Penne from Trader Joe's)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup fresh basil, chopped or torn
4 green onions, white and pale green parts sliced thinly
Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, and empty into a large serving bowl.

Meanwhile, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onion, cover and let cook until translucent, 5 minutes or so. Add red pepper, and season with salt and pepper. Cover again for another 5 minutes. Remove cover, lower heat a bit, and saute until onion begins to caramelize and turn golden, another 10 minutes. Add shredded carrots, and cook for another few minutes. Add chopped garlic, and cook for 2 minutes more, making sure not to burn the garlic. Remove from heat, add the frozen peas, and spoon over pasta. Add the basil and green onions, a few drizzles of olive oil and a few drizzles of balsamic, and toss together to distribute flavors. Sprinkle with feta, toss again, and enjoy!

Roasted Winter Vegetables

Did You Know? According to a 2002 survey, Brussels sprouts are the most hated vegetable in Britain.

I started this post with the intention of making a roasted Brussels sprouts and carrot dish, but I has so much varying produce on hand, I just had to throw in the lot. I serve sprouts and carrots at almost every holiday meal, with the goal of converting family members into Brussels lovers. So far so good. I don't know what it is, the name perhaps? Maybe cartoons of our youth highlighted the fear of this unknown vegetable. Whatever it is, that awful perception needs to change.

Roasting makes everything so much better, so why would Brussels sprouts be any different? I highly recommend starting a skeptic with a roasted version before any other cooking method you may want to try. The caramelization process brings out their inner sweetness, and when paired with already sweet carrots, your fearful diners are sure to hop on board. The crisp, golden-brown crust, and the tender inside have become my new favorite texture combination, and I'm pretty sure I've made these every week since Thanksgiving.

Eggplant and cremini's are what I had in the fridge, so I tossed those into the mix as well (the asparagus was hidden in the back of my fridge, but I wish I had thrown that in too). Feel free to use whatever vegetables you tend to buy or just love the flavors of. I'm positive any combination would work perfectly. Just don't forget the Brussels sprouts, because wasn't that the idea of this whole post anyways? If not for the low calories, do it for the ample amounts of Vitamin A, C, and beta-carotene.

Roasted Winter Vegetables
30 Brussels Sprouts, outer leaves removed, stems trimmed, and halved
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 2-inch chunks
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved or quartered
2 medium eggplants, chopped into 1- or 2-inch chunks
Olive Oil
Herbes de Provence
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Arrange vegetables on a couple of baking sheets and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with herbs, salt, and pepper, and toss to distribute the flavors.

Bake for about 30 minutes (depending on how tender you like your veggies - I don't like them too soft), tossing halfway through.

I made this dish the other afternoon right around lunch, so I added them to a nice salad. Baby spinach, the roasted veggies, steamed broccoli I had in the fridge, chickpeas, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries, all tossed with a sesame ginger dressing - so good. I'm going to add them to some pasta tonight for a light primavera, any other ideas?