Vegetarian

Cottage Cheese and Tomato Toast

September 30, 2022 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

I’m not always ahead of the curve, but aside from my daily smoothies, there are two things I’ve been doing since the late 80’s and 90’s that have been very popular in the 2000’s – adding extra salt to my chocolate chip cookies and making loaded toast.

Salted cookies aren’t going anywhere and neither is loaded toast. Avocado toast is still a menu and household favorite, nut butters with chia and banana will always be a healthy way to start or end the day, but cottage cheese toast with in-season tomatoes is definitely a winner and has been since I was about 10 years old. I’m pretty sure I topped it with a staple seasoning we always had in our house growing up – Santa Maria’s Barbeque Seasoning. Today, I join many other Trader Joe’s devotees in being a big fan of the Everything but the Bagel Seasoning – especially on tomatoes.

I’m writing this at the end of September and I’m still able to find glorious dry-farmed early girl tomatoes at my Bay Area farmer’s market and local fine foods store. I will buy them by the pounds until I no longer see them and all things pumpkin have taken over.

Since my goal with nearly all meals and snacks is to have a good dose of protein, fat and fiber, this cottage cheese and tomato toast meets all those requirements nicely! And it’s a lovely way to say goodbye to the last warm days that have given way to chilly mornings and evenings and crazy busy fall schedules.

Cheers,

Christina

Cottage Cheese and Tomato Toast

This is a lovely high protein snack with some healthy fat and fiber! Good quality bread, cottage and beautiful summer tomatoes make this a quick and easy snack. Two slices of this loaded toast and a handful of berries makes a satisfying lunch.

Course Snack, vegetarian

Keyword cottage cheese, toast, tomato

Servings 1 slice

Ingredients

1 slice Ezekiel sprouted grain bread, or any good quality bread
extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup cottage cheese I like Good Culture brand
1 small ripe tomato, sliced
Seasonings: Everything but the Bagel and Aleppo Pepper
2 basil leaves, torn or roughly chopped

Instructions

Toast a slice of bread. Drizzle the toast with olive oil and cover with a layer of cottage cheese. Add sliced tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Top tomatoes with a sprinkling of Everything but the Bagel Seasoning, Aleppo Pepper and basil leaves.

Carrot Soup with Turmeric, Ginger and Lemon

March 3, 2021 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

When I looked back on my meal calendars, I noticed that this soup was always in heavy rotation January-March. At first thought, it made total sense. January = lighter “reset” meals, February = cold month and warm soups, March = signs of spring (at least here in Northern California!) and my mind immediately goes to baby carrots straight from the ground and Easter bunnies. Most of this makes no sense because the soup is perfect year-round, it doesn’t really get that cold here and carrots are planted and harvested nearly year-round in this state. This is the year I start eating this healthy and delicious soup beyond March. Being bold in 2021!

When I worked at Flea Street Cafe as part of my internship in culinary school, I made so much soup I could do it in my sleep. I was tasked with making 16 quarts of the seasonal soup several times a week. Different seasonal vegetables, but always vegan. So, I learned a few things about the foundations of a good creamy soup, with no cream. One of the secrets is to saute a lot of onions in a good amount of olive oil, with a good amount of kosher salt and for a good amount of time. Very professional terms here. But, it makes all the difference for vegan soups. Coconut milk was often an ingredient and a high speed blender was always used.

Since then, at home I’ve made cauliflower soup, broccoli soup, carrot soup and butternut squash soup all the same way. You would never be able to tell there’s no dairy milk in these soups – so healthy and so yummy. I love to keep a small batch of soup like this one in the refrigerator for a quick lunch to go with avocado toast or a chicken salad.

I hope you give it a try and enjoy!

Cheers,

Christina

Carrot Soup with Turmeric, Ginger and Lemon

This healthy soup makes me feel like I'm at the spa – it's nourishing, comforting and full of nutritious anti-inflammatory, immune supporting ingredients. It's vegan if you skip the chicken broth, but I love getting a chance to use my homemade collagen-rich bone broth in this soup.

Course Soup

Keyword carrot, lemon, turmeric

Servings 5 servings

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced onions about 2 onions
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper I often add a bit more
¼ tsp ground turmeric
1½ lbs carrots, sliced about 6 large carrots
1 tbsp lemon zest
4 cups broth, divided I typically use homemade chicken bone broth but low-sodium vegetable broth is a great option
½-⅔ cup unsweetened canned coconut milk
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
optional garnish: shredded carrot sauteed in olive oil, Aleppo pepper and coarse salt smoked Maldon is particularly delicious in this dish

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low. Add sliced onions and salt and cook until onions are very translucent, about 20 minutes.
Add ginger, garlic, cayenne and turmeric. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add carrots, lemon zest and 3 cups of the stock. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and partially cover the pot, simmering until the carrots are very tender.
Take the pot off the heat and add the remaining cup of stock. Add ½ cup of the coconut milk.
Puree the soup in batches in the blender, taking care to only fill halfway with the hot liquid. Add additional coconut milk to achieve the desired consistency.
Return soup to pot, add lemon juice and taste for seasoning. Reheat over low before serving. Garnish with shredded carrot, Aleppo pepper and coarse salt.

Swiss Chard and Spiced Sweet Potato Hash

February 27, 2021 by Christina Shoup 3 Comments

File this dish under one of my top 10 (maybe 5!) favorite things to eat. The word hash was never one of my favorite words – brings to mind a college beach camping trip where someone popped open a can of pink chopped up something (corned beef I now realize) that they called hash and put an egg on top of it. I’m not entire sure, and maybe it was good, but I didn’t eat much meat at the time and wasn’t going to ruin my trip this particular morning.

But really hash is just a dish of chopped up food things, and often uses leftovers, and it’s awesome! I’ve made it with actual corned beef, braised pork shoulder, and other amazing combos.

Sweet onions with the beautiful chard ribs and stems – never throw these away!

My favorite will probably always be a combo of greens and veggies, and this one tops one of my favorites. I love the sweetness of the onions and sweet potatoes and the deep flavor from the spices. The tomatillo sauce is something I often keep in the refrigerator for dishes just like this one, but any hot sauce works and is pretty important to balance the sweetness of the dish.

I hope you try this and love it!

Cheers,

Christina

Swiss Chard and Spiced Sweet Potato Hash

This hash is a perfect side dish to grilled or roasted chicken, pork carnitas or black beans – and one that my whole family loves. But the dish I look most forward to, is the next morning. I have a hard time coming up with a more delicious brunch dish than this hash blanketed with 2 fried eggs, tomatillo salsa, hot sauce and a sliced avocado. Heaven on a plate for this brunch loving girl!

Course Breakfast, brunch

Keyword fried eggs, spiced sweet potatoes, swiss chard

Servings 4 servings

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes

3 tbsp olive oil
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp chipotle chili powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp Mexican oregano
1 tsp Kosher salt

Swiss Chard and Onions

2 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 large bunch of swiss chard, roughly chopped ribs and stems removed and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped

Instructions

Cook the sweet potatoes first- heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the sweet potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally. When they begin to get slightly tender, add the spices and continue to cook until they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Remove to a medium bowl and set aside.
Next, cook the onions and swiss chard- in the same pan heat the remaining olive oil over medium-low. Add the onions and salt, stirring occasionally until the onions are sweet and translucent. Increase the heat to medium and add the garlic and chard stems. Saute until about 2 minutes, or until the stems are no longer crisp. Add the chard leaves, stir and cover briefly while the leaves wilt.
Add spiced sweet potatoes back to the pan and gently combine. Taste for seasoning.

Spiced Cauliflower with Dates and Pine Nuts

February 13, 2021 by Christina Shoup 1 Comment

With travel adventures a distant memory right now, I often find myself cooking food that reminds me of some of the wonderful places we’ve been. One of those special places was Vancouver, Canada. While on a much needed date night in the middle of a multi-leg family vacation, my husband and I stumbled on the most lovely, sexy bar at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Vancouver. As part of our “appetizers for dinner,” aka my favorite way to eat, we had the most delicious roasted cauliflower with jerk seasoning, dates and olives. After several years, I haven’t forgotten about that dish, and I’ve made several similar versions since that trip.

This spiced cauliflower dish is one of those versions and one of my favorite side dishes to serve with roasted chicken or salmon – I make it at least a few times a month and it’s a hit every time. Another way I like to enjoy this recipe is in a Mediterranean bowl that includes roasted chicken, homemade hummus, and sriracha.

One of my favorite meals: spiced cauliflower (added carrots), hummus, greens with goat cheese, sliced cucumber and roasted beets

This recipe calls for several seasonings that may not be in your spice cupboard or drawer, but are worth picking up. Berbere seasoning is a North African spice blend that is primarily made of cayenne red pepper, but also includes cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, and turmeric. Garam masala is an Indian spice blend with some similar spices as the Berbere but without the heat – I use this spice quite a bit in lentils and some curries. My favorite brand to buy these spice blends, and most of my spices for that matter, is Penzeys. We are lucky to have one in nearby Menlo Park, but their online store is also super.

I hope you love this dish as much as we do!

Cheers,

Christina

Spiced Cauliflower with Dates and Pine Nuts

This deeply flavorful side dish is perfect served with a roasted chicken as well as an excellent component of a Mediterranean grain bowl. The sweet dates are a delicious balance to the kick of the North African Berbere seasoning and the wonderful textures make this a household favorite.

Course Side Dish, vegetarian

Keyword cauliflower

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Za'atar
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp garam masala
¼ tsp Berbere seasoning
1 tsp kosher salt
3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
3 dates, pitted and diced
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
flake salt, such as Maldon optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450° Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the head of cauliflower into bite sized florets. Slicing through a large floret to make several smaller florets allows for a flat side of the cauliflower to caramelize nicely on the pan while roasting.
Place cauliflower, olive oil, za'atar, garam masala, berbere seasoning, turmeric and salt on the parchment lined sheet pan and toss together until well coated. Spread the cauliflower in one even layer, trying not to crowd the pan. You want it to roast and caramelize, not steam. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, or until cauliflower edges are deeply golden and crispy. More color equals more flavor!
Once cooked, remove from the oven and add pine nuts, dates and parsley. Toss together, adding flake salt if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Maple Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

November 6, 2020 by Christina Shoup 1 Comment

Many years ago there was a restaurant called California Cafe in Los Gatos and it was a favorite date night spot for my husband and me. I frequently ordered the seasonal soup because it never failed to impress and satisfy me. On one particular evening, and with a very pregnant belly (I had our second child weeks later), I may have taken my enjoyment of this soup a little far. Our server saw what appeared to be said pregnant lady licking the bowl clean and passed along the obvious compliments to the chef. To my surprise and utter joy, the chef brought me a copy of the recipe with his handwritten notes and I’ve been making a version of it for many years.

Fast forward about 15 years, and while I was working on my professional culinary certificate, it was my honor to spend time as an intern at Flea Street Cafe in Menlo Park. One of my jobs was to make 16 quarts of vegan Butternut Squash Soup a few times a week – my trusty little notebook reminds me that’s a batch that includes about 9 butternut squash and 15 onions! For those months I spent at this wonderful restaurant and several months after, I felt like I could make this soup in my sleep.

And now, a few years later and combining some flavors from the California Cafe recipe and some solid technique from Flea Street, I’ve come up with my favorite version to serve my family and friends. It is a perfect soup for a crisp fall evening and pairs perfectly served with a slightly bitter salad or warm crusty bread for dipping. I hope you get a chance to make it this season.

Cheers,

Christina

Roasting cut side up with lots of good flavors

Thinly slicing the veggies is a lot quicker to prep than chopping into similar sizes

Perfectly roasted with very flavorful cooking liquid – be sure to save this!

Very easy to scoop out and toss in the pot

I’m no artist and all I see is a a strange sunburst or alien smiley face

Soup + salad combo: baby kale, arugula, radicchio, apple, pear, blue cheese, toasted almonds, champagne vinaigrette

Maple Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This delicious fall soup is inspired by one that I had many years ago at California Cafe in Los Gatos. Sadly the restaurant has been closed for years, but I loved this soup so much that the chef kindly brought me a copy of the recipe with his handwritten notes on it to our table and I've been making it ever since. Fast forward about 15 years – one of my jobs during my time as an intern at Flea Street Cafe in Menlo Park was to make 16 quarts of vegan Butternut Squash Soup multiple times a week. I combined many ingredients and techniques from both versions, and this is my favorite way to make it. Due to the addition of cream at the end as well as hints of maple syrup and cinnamon, is a perfect soup to have a cup or small bowl of at the beginning of a meal. It's also great as a soup + salad or soup + panini combo.

Course Soup

Keyword butternut squash, soup

Servings 6 servings

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

2 lbs butternut squash about 1-2 squash
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaf
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 cups water
1 cup onion, thinly sliced
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
1 cup carrot, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2½ cups vegetable or chicken stock homemade or low sodium is best
3 tbsp pumpkin puree
⅔ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp maple syrup
⅛ tsp ground cinnamon

Optional toppings

crème fraîche, chive, freshly grated nutmeg, pumpkin oil, olive oil, toasted pepitas

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°. Rinse the outside of the squash (it will sit in liquid while it cooks and you will use in the soup, so you want a clean squash). Cut squash ends off, then in half lengthwise, and remove seeds. Place halves in a roasting pan, cut side up. Add thyme sprigs, bay leaf, brown sugar and kosher salt to the top and cavity of the squash. It's ok if some falls off and into the pan. Add water to the bottom of the pan and cover tightly with a sheet of parchment paper, followed by a sheet of heavy aluminum. Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a large heavy pot, melt butter and olive oil over low heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, kosher salt and black pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 20-30 minutes total. You are looking for very soft vegetables and only the slightest hint of color. Turn off the heat while the squash finishes cooking.
When the squash has cooked for an hour, remove from the oven and carefully take the parchment and foil off and let the squash cool a few minutes. Be sure to save the liquid in the pan; you should have a little less than 2 cups.
Scoop out the flesh and add it directly to the pot with the vegetables. Add pumpkin puree, stock and flavorful cooking liquid from roasting pan to the pot with the vegetables and bring to a boil, then cover, lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and add heavy cream, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Carefully blend mixture with an immersion blender directly in the pot. For the most smooth texture, use a high speed blender such as a Vitamix, blending in batches and returning soup to the pot to reheat.
Top each serving with any of the following toppings: a spoonful of crème fraîche, freshly grated nutmeg, finely chopped chive, a drizzle of pumpkin or olive oil, toasted/spiced pepitas, coarse flake salt

Tex Mex Breakfast Burrito

April 18, 2020 by Christina Shoup 2 Comments

Healthy and delicious meal anytime of the day

It is no secret in my family that I could eat mexican food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. One way to sneak in my mexican food craving first thing in the morning is to make breakfast burritos. I’ve made them a dozen different ways, but this meatless one is currently a family favorite. We usually keep it vegetarian by just adding eggs, cheese and spinach, but occasionally add leftover sausage or bacon.

My favorite way to heat up tortillas- insulated tortilla pouch for the microwave

This version made with soy chorizo has been the one that even the kids have requested. One didn’t know it was made with tofu, one asked for the sausage one with black beans and one asked for “that really yummy one you keep making” — all referring to this recipe. I told them all the ingredients and they still requested that I make it!

The best part of this recipe is how far you can stretch 8 eggs. With an entire can of black beans added, two big handfuls of spinach, and the soy chorizo — the eggs simply become part of the delicious mixture rather than being the star. And in this day and age where eggs can be hard to come by, this ratio is a lifesaver.

Cheers,

Christina

It’s easy to overfill these- don’t do it!

Fiery “orange sauce” from Tacolicious cookbook

Tuck the sides in and roll tightly- a warm tortilla is key!

Tex Mex Breakfast Burrito

This delicious meat-free breakfast burrito is filling and satisfying. The black beans and spinach add so many nutrients to this breakfast, making it the perfect fuel for any sport or activity you're off to. It reheats well in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel, or foil-wrapped from the freezer and popped in a toaster oven. This recipe makes about 5 large (burrito size) or 10 small (soft taco size) burritos.

Course Breakfast

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
12 oz soy chorizo
8 eggs
2 tbsp cream or milk
14.5 ounce canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups packed spinach
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
5 burrito size flour tortillas
hot sauce optional

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, cream and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a nonstick pan over medium heat, add olive oil and squeeze the chorizo from package. Break up with a wooden spoon and cook until crumbly and slightly browned.
Add black beans and stir to combine.
Add spinach and gently fold into bean and chorizo mixture. It will wilt down considerably in a matter of minutes.
Make a small well in the center of the pan and melt the butter. Stir to combine.
Add egg mixture to pan and gently stir and fold mixture until egg is just set.
Sprinkle cheese over top, gently fold and take off heat.
Heat tortillas and divide egg mixture among tortillas, adding hot sauce if desired. Fold ends in and roll into a burrito.

Smoky Black Bean Dip

April 15, 2020 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

I’m a sucker for a good bean dip, but then again, who isn’t? Good old fashioned 7-layer Tex Mex bean dip is one of my all-time favorites. But a hot bean dip? Move over friends… I’m diving in. I have a couple favorite recipes, but this one combines them into one — and like all respectable bean dips, it feeds a crowd.

Whether you are still making grocery store trips fairly frequently — albeit, all masked and gloved up during this pandemic, and can get all the ingredients, or you are trying your best to cook out of your pantry, this dip deserves a place in your cooking routine. You likely already have most of the ingredients or have a great alternative to successfully make this cheesy goodness. It would also be a great addition to your next Zoom cocktail hour, family game night or Netflix binge. Either way, enjoy!

Cheers,

Christina

Saute onion (shallot used here) in olive oil

Add garlic and saute until it smells delicious

Add spices, tomato paste and spice element- harissa paste is used here

Liquid added and combined- vegetable broth used here

Add beans and smash as many as you feel like!

Shredded cheese in the mixture and on top makes for cheesy goodness

Smoky Black Bean Dip

This crave-worthy dip is easily adapted to what you have on hand- feel free to experiment! Try swapping shallot for the onion, pinto beans for the black, harissa paste for the chipotle pepper and adobo sauce, or even adding in defrosted frozen corn after you smash the beans. This one makes enough for a crowd, or in my case, enough for a big family with teenagers, as well as leftovers. Serve with tortilla chips or over a baked sweet potato for a healthish meal.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword beans, dip

Servings 8

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 Tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
4 Tbsp tomato paste
1 canned chipotle chile, finely chopped omit for less spicy dip
2 Tbsp adobo sauce
1 cup liquid (vegetable stock, chicken stock or water)
2 28-ounce canned black beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper, to taste
1 ½ cups shredded pepper jack cheese
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 green onions, sliced

Instructions

In a cast iron pan over medium heat, heat olive oil and saute onions until golden.
Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
Add paprika, cumin, cayenne and a big pinch of salt. Saute for 30 seconds.
Add tomato paste, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce. Stir to combine.
Add liquid and combine.
Add beans. Using the back of a wooden spoon, gently smash about half of the beans.
Add 1 cup of the shredded cheese and mix to combine.
Top the bean mixture with the remaining cheese and broil until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
Top with cilantro and green onion. Serve hot.

Summer Tomato Pie

July 14, 2019 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Tomato Pie- the best kind of pie there is!

It’s late July and the local farmer’s markets in the Bay Area are overflowing with summer’s bounty. I don’t usually have a go to list from week to week (depends what is on the meal plan!), but one staple from June until at least late September are tomatoes. Only three out of my five family members even like tomatoes but that doesn’t stop me from making all things tomato. And as it turns out- it doesn’t stop five out of five from eating dishes with tomatoes in them. Funny how that works! So many ways to use them: fresh cream of tomato soup, tomato salsa, gazpacho, tomato sauce… but my all time favorite way to eat ripe summer tomatoes is in Tomato Pie. This is my childhood in a pie shell.

Recently a farmer selling me tomatoes asked what I was planning on doing with the tomatoes and because July 4th was just days away- Tomato Pie was definitely on the holiday menu! It’s a summer staple.

There are a few but critical easy steps to ensure a delicious tomato pie!

Step 1:

Roll out dough into a 9″ pie dish and prick all over with fork. This can be store bought- Trader Joe’s has a decent one or my favorite is an egg and butter based Pâte Brisé that is very easy to work with.

Step 2: Blind bake

Line pie dough with parchment paper and fill with dry beans or pie weights. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.

Step 3

While the crust is baking, slice tomatoes and give them a gentle squeeze to remove some juices. Place tomatoes on a baking rack and salt both sides.

Step 4:

Remove parchment paper and beans and bake for another 5 minutes, or until golden. Let sit while the crust is baking and you prepare the topping.

Successful blindbaking- golden and no puffed up spots!

Step 5:

Lay the drained tomatoes in the pie shell, overlapping as needed. Fill in gaps with cherry tomato halves.

Step 6:

Sprinkle fresh basil and chive over the tomatoes.

Fresh herbs are best, but dried basil would work, too

Step 7:

Gently dollop cheese/mayo mixture on top of seasoned tomatoes and press lightly.

Sharp cheddar, mayo, scallion and a few seasonings for a delicious topping

Step 8:

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Best served warm or room temperature.

I hope you love this as much as I do!

Cheers

~Christina

Tomato Pie

This savory pie is the best of summer. Ripe, in season tomatoes seasoned with fresh herbs sit in a flaky crust with a cheesy topping. What's not to love?

Course Main Course, Side Dish, vegetarian

Keyword tomato

Servings 8 servings

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

1 9" pie dough
3-4 medium tomatoes thickly sliced
handful cherry tomatoes sliced in half
2 tbsp fresh basil julienned
1/4 cup chives minced
2 cups sharp cheddar shredded
1/4 cup mayo
2 scallions thinly sliced
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

Roll out pie dough into 9" pie dish and prick all over with fork. Line pie dough with parchment paper and fill with dry beans or pie weights. Bake at 375° for about 20 minutes. Remove parchment paper and beans and bake for another 5 minutes, or until golden.
While crust is baking, prepare the tomatoes by giving them a gentle squeeze to remove some seeds and juices. Place tomatoes on a baking rack and salt both sides. Let sit while you prepare the topping.
For the topping: Combine cheese, mayo, scallions, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small bowl. Set aside.
Lay the drained tomatoes in the pie shell, overlapping as needed. Fill in gaps with cherry tomato halves. Sprinkle herbs evenly over tomatoes.
Gently dollop cheese/mayo mixture on top of seasoned tomatoes and press lightly.
Bake at 375° for 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Best served warm or room temperature.

Marinated Beans with Garlic and Herbs

June 27, 2019 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

One way to enjoy a summer evening at home is to have an easy, stress-free seasonal meal planned. Even better if it’s a hit with the whole family! Grilled tri tip, sauteed fresh corn with red onion and basil, and marinated beans with garlic and herbs. My 10 yr old even said it was most of his favorite things on one plate. I call that a win!

On a Tuesday that started off calm, turned out to be a bit of a hectic one. All good stuff, just unplanned, normal daily life stuff. I was glad to look over at my meal calendar in the early afternoon and see that we had an easy dinner ahead and avoided a last minute take out order. It was easy enough to pull together in the early evening, enjoy a bottle of wine with my hubby and still have time to walk the puppy before dark. That’s my kind of evening after a busy day!

This meal is all things summer- backyard grill, make ahead (and even better that way!), minimal heat production in the kitchen, suitable for a weeknight dinner but also flavor-packed enough to impress your dinner guests or bring to a potluck. What’s not to like? The only thing that would have made this weeknight meal even better – a big slice of buttery herbed toasted garlic bread. There’s always next Tuesday night…

Menu:

Grilled Pre-marinated Tri Tip

Sauteed Corn with Red Onion and Basil

Marinated Beans with Garlic and Herbs

Cheers!

Christina

Easiest ingredients to find at Trader Joe’s!

Marinated Beans with Garlic and Herbs

Perfect make-ahead, flavorful side to a grilled tri tip or chicken. It's easy to use any beans you have on hand- I used pinto here but white beans are also a family favorite. This dish is inspired by my sister in law who adds lots more parsley and goes heavy on the garlic. Either way, it's a hit and makes terrific leftovers. Here's your solution to that July 4th potluck dish you agreed to bring!

Course Side Dish

Keyword beans

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

2-4 cloves garlic chopped
2 tbsp parsley chopped
1 tbsp rosemary chopped
¼ cup olive oil lite is best, extra virgin works as well
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2- 15.5 ounce cans canned beans, pinto and white beans both work well rinsed and drained
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

Add all ingredients, except the beans, to a bowl and whisk together.
Add beans and gently combine.
Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but a few hours is best. If time allows, bring to room temperature and taste for seasoning before serving.

Food helps soothe the soul

January 22, 2018 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Beautiful Santa Barbara coastline with charred hills just above Montecito

For my close friends and family, you know the past few weeks have brought lots of sadness and anxiety with the disaster that has unfolded in Montecito. For those that don’t know me personally but read my blog know that my last post focused on the fabulous trip we just took to Montecito and the Santa Barbara area and all the tasty food we enjoyed on that visit. For many people not in CA, Montecito is familiar because it’s where Oprah and Ellen live- for me it’s where three of my favorite people on the planet live and love. The devastation that has occurred there is mind boggling. Families have been forever changed. The tight-knit community who was still so raw from the fires in December have had to endure hours, days and now weeks of trauma and uncertainty. As I write this, the main freeway that runs through this darling little town has only just opened in the past 24 hours but residents still remain shut off from their homes and neighborhood and will continue to be for more than a week. All I can say is that the feeling of helplessness is a terrible feeling and all I have wanted to do the past two weeks is scoop up these three, transport them to my town and nurture and comfort them with every warm and tasty dish I know how to make. If praying is your kind of thing, please continue to include the town of Montecito in your prayers. There is still much uncertainty and a massive clean up effort to continue.

For now, we focus on feeding the souls of our friends and family whenever possible. Below are some recipes that I have made in the past week or are on my meal calendar for the week ahead. I hope you find something to try and enjoy.

As always, thanks for reading and happy meal planning!

~Christina

Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread

I’m not sure what to say about these other than they are absolutely delicious and dangerous to have in my kitchen- I made them a few days ago and they disappeared in no time. They are buttery, chocolatey and have the best crunch from the turbinado sugar. I am planning on making a few batches of these this week for my husband to bring to work. Just a mid-week treat of cookies to get them through the week!

Classic Italian-American Stuffed Shells

I made this dish this past week and split it between two foil pans- one for my kids and grandma to have while Eric and I were out for the night and one for the freezer to take to a friend who just had a new baby. It’s flavorful, comfort food at its best! This recipe is your standard spinach ricotta filling but with an extra step or two to soak up the moisture of the spinach and ricotta. If you have a few extra minutes, it’s worth the additional steps. I used a jar of Rao’s Homemade Sauce- it’s a great weeknight solution and a quality brand that is almost always on sale at Safeway. Or try Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce. It’s the best sauce I think I’ve ever had and super easy- 3 ingredients and 45 minutes of simmer time.

Ham and Split Pea Soup

This is the easiest soup to make and full of flavor. My entire family loves it. I make it as written, but always double the recipe and we either eat it for a few meals or put it in smaller containers and freeze it. The only thing you need to do if eating it for leftovers is to thin it a bit with water or stock before heating it up. I used leftover ham (Cook’s Illustrated Holiday Ham with Cherry Port Sauce) I had in the freezer from the holidays. We have this with a side of kale salad. Yum!

Chickpea, Barley and Kale Soup

Everyone needs to have an easy super healthy soup like this one in their repertoire. And, everyone needs to have a friend like my friend Patricia! She brought me this soup about a year ago when I wasn’t feeling awesome and I loved it so much that I promptly requested the recipe. I’ve made it many times since and it’s a hit with my family. The only changes I usually make are to use vegetable or chicken stock instead of the water and bullion cubes and I also double the amount of kale, carrots and celery- can never have enough veggies! My kids love to sprinkle Tajin seasoning salt on the top so I am sure to keep the salt to taste at a minimum. A garlic toast to dip is the perfect side.

Slow Roasted Salmon with Pesto

Recently, we were visiting my mom and she offered us the yummiest baked salmon for lunch. It is so simple using prepared pesto and it cooks beginning in a COLD oven so you don’t even need to take time to preheat! We ate it cold, as my mom usually does, and it was delicious. I cannot think of a healthier option to have in your fridge during the week for a quick lunch. Bonus- cold salmon means you can take it to work and not stink up the company kitchen! I cannot think of anyone who might have done this while teaching about 10 years ago- but, you only do that once before learning your lesson.

My mom’s “recipe” in a text message. We are fancy like that.

“Hi Sweetie! Cannot find the exact recipe but here’s what I do: olive oil in the bottom of a shallow casserole, put Costco prepared Pesto on top of salmon after I season with a little salt and pepper. Spread about 2 Tbsp. depending on size of filet. Set oven to 400°. Place casserole on middle rack in cold oven and after temp reaches 400° I turn off the oven and let it sit in the oven for another 5 or 10 minutes. It all depends on the size of the fillet. You can check for desired firmness and also for the milky white liquid to disappear.”

If you need an exact recipe: Pioneer Woman puts salmon filet in a cold oven, then turns on the heat to 400 degrees and cooks for 25 minutes. Both preparations couldn’t be more simple! I hope you enjoy.
Crispy Dijon Chicken Sandwiches

When I was growing up we loved going to Burger King and instead of getting a burger we often got their “healthier” (ha!) chicken sandwiches on a roll. They were so simple but so delicious. And, because they were several dollars a sandwich and my parents had 4 teenagers at once with big appetites, it added up. My mom recreated it at home for much cheaper and included it in our family collection of recipes. Using organic chicken- which I would- would definitely not make this more affordable, but certainly worth making for my family to satisfy my fond childhood memory.

The only tip I would give is to put your pan in the oven to get really hot and when your chicken is ready to go in the oven, pull your pan out, grease it with olive oil (my mom would use more butter) and quickly place your prepared chicken on the hot pan and put it back in the oven. I tried this with breaded eggplant recently and it produced the most crispy coating- I am certain it would work great with this recipe.

PS- the recipe below would be for boneless, skinless chicken. Using “thin cut” chicken breasts would be a good idea as well. I recently saw this organic option at the store.

Shrimp Tacos with Pickled Red Onion

This is hardly a recipe either, but one of the easiest dinners that I can quickly make and always have the ingredients on hand is shrimp tacos. I keep a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer (Trader Joe’s), tortillas in the refrigerator, and a packet of taco seasoning (Trader Joe’s brand is a great one) in the pantry. I toss 1 lb of defrosted shrimp in half a packet of taco seasoning, put a little oil in a hot pan and saute the shrimp for about 3 minutes and then turn over and saute for another minute or two. A few pieces of cooked shrimp, a little shredded lettuce topped with a mixture of Greek yogurt and sriracha sauce wrapped with a corn or flour tortilla is pretty delicious.

If we are feeling fancy on a particular Taco Tuesday evening, I’ll do a quick batch of pickled red onions to sit while I’m sauteing the shrimp and heating up some frozen corn and a can of black beans as a side. My kids eat these pickled onions right out of the jar. I follow the recipe exactly with the exception of the vinegar- I prefer using red wine vinegar but almost any vinegar besides the big jug of white distilled vinegar would work great. Apparently it has too strong of a flavor for the best pickled red onion. It’s a super quick- dinner on the table- in 20 minutes.

PS: Thaw frozen shrimp quickly in a colander placed in the sink with cold water running over it for a few minutes. Be sure to take a shorter shower that day to make up for the wasted water- sorry. It’s the only way and I have no good use for shrimp water so it goes down the drain.