Moderation & variation

Whole Grain Tabouleh

Recommended by: Nancy Martin, Mount Pleasant BIC (Mount Joy, Pa.), BICWM administrative support coordinator
From the kitchen of: Simply in Season (p. 106)
Yield: 6 cups / 1.5 L

1 c / 250 ml uncooked bulgar, quinoa, or couscous

Prepare, fluff lightly with fork, and cool.

For bulgar: Rinse and drain. Add 2 cups / 500 ml boiling water, cover, and simmer about 10–15 minutes or until water is absorbed.
For quinoa: Rinse and drain. Add 2 cups / 500 ml boiling water, cover, and let stand 10-20 minutes or until water is absorbed.
For couscous: Add 1 cup / 250 ml boiling water or broth, cover, and let stand 5–10 minutes.

¼ c / 60 ml green onions or onion (chopped)
2 red or yellow tomatoes (seeded and chopped)
½ c / 125 ml fresh cilantro, parsley, or mint (chopped)
1 c / 250 ml fresh vegetables: cucumbers, green or red sweet peppers, hot peppers, carrots, summer squash (diced)
1 c / 250 ml cooked chickpeas (optional)

Add to cooled grains

2 Tbs lemon or lime juice
2 Tbs olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Mix and pour over salad. Toss gently.

This healthy recipe is a summer staple for our kitchen. The basis for a tabouleh salad is any cooked grain mixed with vegetables. We prefer to use bulgur wheat because it is quick and simple to cook. Any fresh vegetables can be added to make this a truly versatile dish. It keeps for up to one week in the refrigerator and is a nutritious pick-me-up during the hot humid days of summer.

Bistek Ranchero

Recommended by: Lori Cassel, BIC missionary in Mexico
From the kitchen of: My Mexican neighbors!
Yields: 3–4 servings

½ of a green pepper (diced)
2–3 Tbs onion (diced)
1 tsp garlic (minced)
1 chili Serrano or jalapeño (diced & seeds removed)
2 Tbs vegetable oil

Saute the green pepper, onion, minced garlic, and chili pepper in about

2 Tbs oil until slightly tender
2 roma tomatoes, diced

Add the diced tomatoes to the veggie mixture and sauté another couple minutes.

1 lb. / 450 g (or less) beef (cubed)

Add the meat cubes and continue stirring with the veggies until beef is done.

1 large or 2 small tomato bouillon cubes
½ to 1 tsp beef bouillon granules
1 c / 250 ml water

Add the tomato bouillon cube(s), beef bouillon granules, and water. Let simmer, covered for about 15–20 minutes for the flavors to blend well. Can be served with rice and/or tortillas.

Salsa Mexicana (Pico de Gallo)

Recommended by: Lori Cassel, BIC missionary in Mexico
From the kitchen of: My Mexican neighbors!

3 ripe, firm Roma tomatoes (chopped)
½ c / 125 ml onion (chopped)
3–5 fresh chiles serranos or jalepeños (chopped)
½ c / 125 ml cilantro (chopped)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp lime juice

Combine the tomatoes, onion, chiles/jalapeños, cilantro, salt, and lime juice in a sauce dish. Stir well and correct the seasonings to taste. This can be served with chips as an appetizer or as a main/side dish over rice best.
Tips: This is best if prepared about an hour in advance so the flavors will blend. Also, the ingredients for this salsa should be finely chopped and not put in a blender.

Oatmeal sandwich bread

Recommended by: Dulcimer Brubaker, Dillsburg (Pa.) BIC
From the kitchen of: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
Yields: Three 9-inch loaves

2 c / 500 ml old-fashioned rolled oats
2 c / 500 ml water
2 c / 500 ml whole milk (warm)
6 Tbs unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
2 Tbs unsalted butter
6 Tbs honey
6 c / 1500 ml bread flour (or a mixture of bread flour and whole-wheat, plus more for dusting)
1½ Tbs rapid-rise yeast
4 tsp salt 

Bring the water to boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the oats and cook until softened 1– 2 minutes. Let cool until just warm. (You can also do this in the microwave, but be prepared to put in more flour to compensate for moisture levels.)

Whisk the milk, 6 tablespoons of the butter, and the honey together in a very large liquid measuring cup or medium-size bowl. Mix the yeast, salt, and 5 ½ cups (1375 ml) of flour together in a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the milk mixture and oats until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes.

Increase the speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (If, after five minutes more flour is needed, add the remaining ½ cup flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough clears the side of the bowl but sticks to the bottom.)

Turn the dough onto a clean, lightly dusted counter and knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball, about 1 minute. Place the dough in the largest bowl you have, lightly oiled, and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1–1½ hours.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and divide in three pieces. Press each piece into a 9-inch square. Roll each square into a tight cylinder and pinch the seam closed. Place each loaf seam-side down in a 9-inch loaf pan, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until it has nearly doubled in size and springs back slowly to the touch, 1–1½ hours.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat to 350° F (175° C). Fill a metal loaf pan two-thirds of the way with water and set on a lower rack as the oven preheats. When the oven is ready, place the three loaves on the middle rack. Bake until golden and the center of the bread registers 200° F (90° C) on an instant-read thermometer, 45–50 minutes. Flip the bread out onto a wire rack. Brush loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter and let cool to room temperature before slicing or freezing, about 2 hours.

Butternut and bacon soup

Recommended by: Dulcimer Brubaker, Dillsburg (Pa.) BIC
From the kitchen of: Dulcimer Brubaker

8 oz / 230 g bacon (cut into ½-inch pieces)
1 large onion (minced)
4 c / 1,000 ml butternut squash purée (canned is fine here, but you may need to add more stock)
3 c / 750 ml chicken broth (or more, as needed)
Fresh kale (chopped)
1 sprig rosemary (leaves removed and torn / chopped roughly)

In a saucepan or Dutch oven, fry the bacon until crispy, 5 minutes.

While the bacon is frying, mince the onion. Remove the crispy bacon bits and set them aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Drain the bacon, reserving 1 tablespoon of the fat and add the onions, rosemary, and kale to the pot. Sauté until softened, 4–5 minutes.

Add butternut purée and chicken stock. If soup is too thick, add additional stock until you reach the desired consistency. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and serve this steamy soup topped with bacon bits.

Roasted eggplants with spring onions

Recommended by: Dulcimer Brubaker, Dillsburg (Pa.) BIC
From the kitchen of: Dulcimer Brubaker and Best-Ever Curry Cookbook
Yields: 4 servings

Brown jasmine rice (cooked)
2 large eggplants (or 5 of the small, long Asian variety)
3 Tbs olive oil
½ tsp yellow mustard seeds
1 large bunch spring onions (finely sliced)
4 oz / 110 g button mushrooms (halved)
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
1 fresh red chili (or equivalent amount of any hot pepper)
½ tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
14.5 oz / 411 g can diced tomatoes
1 Tbs fresh cilantro (chopped), plus a few extra sprigs for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400° F / 200° C. Place eggplants on a baking sheet and brush with 2 Tbs of oil. Prick each one with a fork, then roast until soft, about 15 minutes for the small Asian variety and 30–35 minutes for large conventional eggplants.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil and the mustard seeds in a large skillet for about 2 minutes on medium-high heat (the seeds may start to splutter). Add the onions, mushrooms, garlic, and chili pepper, and stir fry for 3–4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

While the tomatoes are simmering, cut the eggplants in half and scoop out the soft flesh into a bowl. Mash the flesh with a fork.

Add the eggplant flesh to the pan, along with the chopped cilantro. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Serve over brown jasmine rice, garnished with cilantro.