Color Kitchen

Rice-Less Paella!

This is actually not at all paella, since you can’t have paella without rice. But it sort of LOOKS like paella, and you really can get all the flavors in the mix.

The version above is a paprika shrimp dish that is easy and savory. Read and learn:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large shallow pan.
• Add 1/2 tablespoon of paprika and allow to cook in the oil on medium heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. You should start to smell the paprika smoking, but don’t let it burn.
• Add in 1/2 pound of shelled shrimp, raise heat to high and mix while cooking. 
• When shrimp begins to turn pink (this should take about 30 seconds), add 1 cup of sweet corn kernels (frozen is fine) and 1/2 cup of sweet peas (frozen is fine).
• Keep heat high and continue mixing for about 5 minutes, until shrimp is fully cooked and the vegetables have been fully coated in the paprika oil. 

Serve hot and enjoy!

(Photo by Mia Tramz)

Ready, Set, Dip!

This is the easiest thing in the whole wide world. And it’s yummy. And addictive. And cheap. And did I mention it’s easy?

Mix the following in a food processor/blender:

• 1 cup undrained black beans
• 2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese (yup, this is the secret ingredient)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt— ONLY if your beans are “no salt added.”

Blend until smooth.

Add 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, and mix in by hand.

Top with a few cubes of ripe avocado and dust with cayenne. 

Start dipping your chips! Or spoon… or finger… or face.

(Photo by Mia Tramz)

Snack attack!

Something about summer makes me want to eat little portions— constantly. 

This means I find myself making lots of little toasts and crackers— finger-foods and picnic portions! So it helps to have special spreads on hand, like this sun-dried tomato and goat cheese treasure.

You can make this as needed, or whip up a big batch and stick it in the fridge for future munching. It’s a simple equation:

1 tablespoon chopped sun-dried tomato + 3 tablespoons goat cheese + food processor (or fork and strong wrist) = yum.

Sometimes I add 1/2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to thin the cheese into a more spreadable consistency.

If you don’t feel like making toast, this is great with pretzels!

(Photo by Mia Tramz)

Apples and Oranges.

You can’t compare them, but you can mix ‘em!

Fruit hybrids are fun! Pick two fruits of different colors but complimentary shapes and sizes. Slice and stack into a new creation, and make everyone chuckle! Confuse a kid!

(Photo by Mia Tramz)

Adding roasted beets to your hummus adds and earthy flavor and a fun rosy shade. To make the mix from scratch you’ll need a food processor or a blender. 

First, quickly toast 1/4 cup of sesame seeds by spreading them on a piece of tin foil in a toaster oven. Don’t let them turn brown!  Put these into your blender first, with two tablespoons of olive oil. Pulse for about a minute. Add one clove of garlic (slicing before you put in the processor isn’t a bad idea, to avoid chunks later). 

Now add one can of drained garbanzo beans, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Blend until smooth.

You can add a pre-cooked beet here, or a fresh-roasted one. You really only need a small beet (1.5 inches diameter), so you can roast this pretty quickly (wash, coat in olive oil, wrap in tin foil, place in oven or toaster oven at 400F for 20 minutes. Done when easily pierced by fork). A fresh roasted beet will lend quite a bit more flavor, but if it’s only the color you’re looking for, a pre-cooked will do. 

Blend again, with the beet, until the mix is even and smooth. You can add some hot water (by the tablespoon) if you wish to thin the mix. 

*If you’re feeling particularly lazy, you can add a roasted beet to your favorite store-bought hummus and get the same effect. But making it on your own is so much more satisfying!

I made this burger for a few friends the other day, it was coined the “unusually good” turkey burger!

The turkey mix can be made hours, even a day, in advance— just wrap in saran wrap and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to grill. 

For one pound of ground lean turkey, you’re going to add in:

1 small zucchini, grated.

2 tablespoons red onion, very finely chopped (you can use a food processor).

1/4 cup raw almonds, ground. If you don’t have a food processor to grind your almonds, you can place them in between some paper towels and use a fist or hammer to smash into small pieces. 

In a large bowl, mix your turkey, zucchini, onions and almonds. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.

Using wet hands, mix the ingredients until even. 

Once you’re ready to make the burgers, heat your grill (or your non-stick grill pan). Scoop enough turkey mix to fit in the palm of your hand. Roll into a ball, then flatten into a thick patty and place on the hot grill/pan. 

Cook three minutes on each side, then another 1 minute on each side. Serve on a whole-wheat bun with your favorite condiments, or on  bed of lettuce for a light lunch. 

To make a classic pasta salad more colorful, use tricolore fussili!

This mix is easy and fool proof:

In a large bowl, mix 1/4 cup fresh chopped tomatoes with 2 cans of italian tuna in olive oil, and 1/2 cup pitted  and chopped kalamata olives. 

Cook 2 cups of pasta according to the directions on the box, and rinse in cold water immediately afterwards. Toss your cold pasta into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. 

Who doesn’t love a pretty piece o’ bread? I’ve been playing around with colorful dips and spreads, and I think I found a winner with this one (or two).

The pesto spread can double as a pasta sauce, so make a ton! Here is goes:

First, tear up enough fresh basil to PACK two cups. Put all the basil in a food processor (or blender, if you don’t have one). Add three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, two tablespoons of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, a half-teaspoon of salt and process/blend. 

This is your “pesto paste.”

For the dip, you’re going to mix this into 1/4 cup of part-skim ricotta and 2 tablespoons of fresh-grated parmesan. 

For a pesto sauce, work in another 2 tablespoons of olive oil and some toasted pignoli nuts. 

(Photo by Mia Tramz)

The pink parmesan spread is VERY RICH, and works best in small quantities. It’s a simple equation: two parts finely-grated parmesan to one part ricotta. The pink color comes from mixing in some red beet. You can buy the beat pre-cooked, or roast one quickly (wash, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in tin foil, pop in the oven  at 400F for 25 minutes). Grate your beet using a regular cheese-grater, and mix in about a tablespoon with your parmesan mix. The more beet you use, the deeper your hue will be. 

For the bread: slice some fresh baguette diagonally, brush with olive oil and stick in the toaster oven for 3 minutes. If you have a grill, you can use that instead of the toaster oven for a more rustic taste. 

Spread your pesto on the bread, then decorate with the pink parmesan. Scoop a tablespoon or two into a plastic baggy, squeeze to the corner and snip the corner with some scissors (just like a pastry bag). 

Decorate with zig-zags, write the names of your guests, or speckle the toasts with pink stars. Have fun with it!

Cilantro Salmon En Papillote

One of the easiest, cleanest and fastest ways to cook fish is “en papillote,” which means “in a wrapper.” The steam within the pocket keeps the fish super moist, and replaces pans and pots for a meal sans clean-up.

Upon my brother’s suggestion, I’ve begun searing my fish quickly before putting it in the wrapper. Since fish is a protein, searing the outside effectively seals the fillet, allowing all the moisture to remain inside while cooking. He’s so smart! The quick heat also makes for a brighter and prettier finished product.  

To get started, cut your fish into single-serving sizes. This is 4 ounces for most people (will fit in the palm of your hand), but if you’re cooking for people with big appetites, you can bump it up to 6 or 8 ounces. 

Spray a non-stick pan with olive-oil based cooking spray, or a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Turn heat to medium and allow pan to heat for about a minute. Rinse and pat dry your fillets, then place them in the heated pan and cook for about 1 minute on each side.

Then place your seared fish on a generous size of parchment paper. For a 4-ounce fillet, a square foot is pretty perfect. 

Add your marinate of choice. Olive oil, salt and pepper are a lovely choice, but this photograph used a cilantro sauce that was KILLER. To make it, combine:

• 1/4 cup packed cilantro, placed in a food processor or REALLY finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• juice from 1/2 a small lemon or lime

You can put your whole meal in the pocket: sliced potatoes, chopped zucchini and sunchokes are some of my personal favorites. Experiment!

To close your pouch, fold the paper in half over the fish. Starting from the left, fold the corner into a triangle, then fold the top corner of that triangle again, making another triangle. Repeat until you’ve folded the paper into an arc that looks like an empanada or a half-pie. Fold your last triangle over itself and scrunch to keep the corner tight. 

Pre-heat your oven to 350F, then place your parchment paper pockets on a baking sheet and let cook 12 minutes per pound of salmon. While this cooks, you can clean that one pan you seared in!

When ready, remove the entire baking sheet and place the pockets on serving plates. Don’t open the pocket until you’re ready to eat!

Open your meals at the table, and enjoy!

Annnnd we’re back!

Summer is here? Summer is here! BUY AVOCADOS. They’re yummy, good for you, and such a lovely way to be green. To keep the color bright, make sure you keep your pit in your guac and other mixes— it’s nature’s way of warding off the brown. 

(Photo by Mia Tramz)

Red Cabbage

It’s coleslaw season! Try swapping in red cabbage for a prettier mix. Anyone got a recipe they love? Send it to us at thecolorkitchen@gmail.com, or tweet it to us @thecolorkitchen

xx

(Photo by Mia Tramz)

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Citrus Avocado Salsa

Remember this post about interesting uses for citrus fruits? And this post about multi-colored tomatoes?  Here is a lovely marriage of the two.

Rinse your Mahi Mahi (or flounder, or cod, or any whitefish) fillets and pat try. 

Mix 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1 dash of black pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Using a brush (or your clean fingers, if you don’t have one), lightly coat the fish on both sides. 

Heat a grill-pan (like this one) on medium-high heat, and lay your fish down. Cook about 3 minutes on each side.

For the citrus salsa, mix the following (these are amounts per 2 filets):

• 1/2 haas avocado, cut into small cubes
• 1/4 orange (cara cara is best!), just the flesh, cut in cubes
• 2 teaspoons red onion
• 1/2 chopped red tomato
• 1/2 chopped yellow tomato
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
• salt to taste

Top beautifully and enjoy.

(Photo by Mia Tramz)