Beet + Wild Rice Grain Bowls

It has taken me seven days to put fingers to keyboard on this one, and before that, three weeks to slow down for long enough to take photos. Despite being forced to slow down in 2020, life—the world- still feels very chaotic. This makes it hard to write about something as simple as a grain bowl. Where do you begin when there are so many important things happening in the world?

Yet here, on planet Earth—the ground we all stand on- we must still eat. Food is a symbol of its own: a cultural symbol, a mark of a movement, a taste of history, a connection to the ground. When I think of this recipe, my mind goes to the earth. It boasts deep flavors that remind you of where your food came from (nutty wild rice, sweet and earthy beets, buttery feta cheese), and in that way, this meal is grounding.

I grow a small patch of beets in my garden every year. They are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, resilient and hardy. This dish puts beets, such a humble root, on show. Eat it warm on a rainy evening, or cold for a mid-day work lunch.

Beet + Wild Rice Grain Bowls

Published July 30, 2020 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

4 beets

2 cups cooked wild rice (for serving cold, allow rice to cool first — for serving warm, rice can be freshly cooked or reheated)

1 cup cucumber, sliced

1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles

1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved or roughly chopped

1/4 cup parsley, minced

For vinaigrette:

Juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Generous pinch of salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook beets: Pierce each beet with a knife (this allows steam to escape during cooking). Place beets in a large microwave-safe pyrex with a lid, and add 1 cup of water. Microwave until softened through, about 10-12 minutes. When done, beets will be softened and a fork or knife should easily go through. Allow to beets to cool 5-10 minutes.
2. While beets cool, make the vinaigrette: combine ingredients for vinaigrette in a jar. Secure lid, and shake until well mixed.
3. Dice beets into bite-sized pieces, then assemble bowls: scoop 1/2 cup of rice into each bowl. Divide beets, cucumbers, cheese, walnuts, and olives amongst bowls. Garnish with parsley, and drizzle vinaigrette to taste. Serve hot or cold.

Rainbow Soba Noodle Bowls

You would think, with the full day spent at home, I would feel like I have plenty of time to spare now. But somehow, that’s not the case. When I think about my time two months ago, I find myself wondering how I did it all—schlepping from one place to the next. We have been staying busy, mostly with house projects, which has likely benefited my sanity.

Stir fry is a go-to for me when I need dinner fast, and stir fry doesn’t have to be served over rice. This dish is essentially a stir fry, but soba noodles transform it into something different. Quick and easy—but also full of colorful veggies—this has been a regular lately. Like most stir fries I make, this one is cooked with soy sauce, rice wine, and sambal oelek (that chili garlic paste you’ll find in the ethnic food isle in the grocery store). It’s a salty-acidic-spicy sauce combination that isn’t just limited to this recipe: use it any time you’re sautéing veggies and want a little extra punch.

Rainbow Soba Noodle Bowls

Published April 30, 2020 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

1/2 package soba noodles

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 zucchini, roughly chopped

1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips

2 large carrots, sliced into matchsticks

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch ginger, minced

1 1/2 cup shelled fresh or frozen shelled soy beans (mukimame)

4-5 leaves dino (or lacinato) kale, roughly chopped

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon cooking rice wine

2 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon sambal oelek (chili garlic sauce)

1 green onion, sliced for garnish

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions:

1. Cook soba noodles according to instructions on package. When noodles are al dente, strain through a colander and set aside.
2. While noodles cook, sauté vegetables: heat coconut oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. When oil glistens, add zucchini, bell pepper, carrots, ginger, and garlic, and sauté until zucchini just starts to turn become tender. Add soy beans.
3. In a jar, combine soy sauce, cooking rice wine, cornstarch, and samba olek. Shake or whisk to combine.
4. Pour half of sauce into skillet, and allow sauce to bubble for a few minutes. Sauce will begin to thicken.
5. Add cooked noodles to the pan, along with chopped kale. Using tongs, mix everything to incorporate the vegetables into the noodles.
6. Add remaining sauce to pan, and cook for 3-5 more minutes, staring occasionally to ensure everything is coated in sauce. Remove from heat, and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve.

Lemon Ginger Pound Cake

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Even a chocoholic like me can appreciate something bright and citrusy, especially when spring is in it’s early days. We can likely all agree that this spring is unique, in that we’re all spending a lot more time at home. And I, like so many others, am making sure to bake up a storm while staying home. This cake—great with a dollop of whipped cream, and a few fresh strawberries—is a sweet treat with a cup of afternoon tea, and a welcome indulgence.

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Lemon Ginger Pound Cake

Published March 31, 2020 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 10   |    Active Time: 75 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the cake:

Butter and flour for the pan

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

3/4 cup melted unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2/3 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt, at room temperature

½ teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons juice, plus zest)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the glaze (optional):

1 cup powdered sugar

Juice from 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven, and heat it to 350°F. Butter an 8 1/2-inch loaf pan (I used this one -affiliate link!), dust with flour and tap out the excess.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and sea salt. Whisk to combine.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand-held mixer and a large mixing bowl,) cream together butter and sugar. Add in eggs, sour cream, ginger, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until fully incorporated.Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go to ensure everything is mixed.
4. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, incorporating until a loose batter forms and very few lumps remain. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
5. Using a spatula, transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes (if the cake looks as if it’s getting too dark too quickly, tent it loosely with foil) or until a toothpick, inserted into the center of the cake, comes out clean.
6. Transfer to a cooling rack, and let rest for 5 minutes. Carefully run a knife between the sides of the cake and the pan. Turn bred pan sideways. Cake should be loose in the pan. Take cake out of pan, and place on cooling rack for 1 hour.
7. Once cake is cooled, make glaze. Combine lemon juice and powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. Place cake on parchment paper or plate to catch drippings, and drizzle glaze over top of cake. Allow to set for 10-15 more minutes. Then, slice and serve.
8. Serving: Cake is good on it’s own, but also great with whipped cream and fresh berries.