Carlo Indrezzano: YOU saved me?
Wonder Woman: Yes.
Carlo Indrezzano: Impossible. You’re a woman!
Wonder Woman: I have heard that once or twice before.
~ From “The New Adventures of Wonder Woman”, tv series (1975-1979) created by William M. Marston

We’re pretty much of the mind that casseroles are the best dishes, with all the flavors squashed together like they’re at a big party in a small apartment. They get to know each other so very well.

The butternut squash we use here is chock full of Vitamin A, that vitamin your mother told you would help you see in the dark. Like a superhero. Vitamin A also supports a glowing complexion and overall skin health, which is also important to superheroes because of the possibility of scoring a prime time television series. People who don’t like squash in spite of its natural sweetness probably haven’t considered the superhero angle.

As for the rest of the dish, earthy mushrooms and walnuts provide a meaty texture, delicious and nutritious, to produce a casserole worthy of Meatless Monday or any day special powers are called for.

Winter Rice Casserole

Serves: 3 entrée servings, or 6 as a side dish
Time: 25 minutes active + 20 minutes in the oven

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 ½ cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch cubes
8 ounces mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 cup California walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup short grain brown rice
2 cups flavorful vegetable broth

Soften the onion in the olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large, oven-safe skillet for about 5 minutes. Add the squash cubes to the pan, tossing with the onion, then cover the pan and allow the vegetables to steam for 10 minutes.

Remove the lid from the pan and stir in the mushroom pieces. Continue cooking to soften, for about 5 more minutes. Stir in the walnuts, rice, and broth. Cover the pan and place into hot oven for 20 minutes.

Stir and check to be sure the rice is tender. There should be no unabsorbed broth in the bottom of the pan. If more cooking time is needed, cover the pan and return to the oven for 5 more minutes before checking again. Serve while hot.

We enjoy our Winter Rice Casserole with some Simple Tomato Chutney from page 107 of the Mosaic Meals cookbook, or with a sprinkling of dried cranberries on top.

“The whole is more than the sum of its parts.” ~ Aristotle, Greek philosopher (384 BC – 322 BC)

With apologies to Aristotle, when it comes to spending money on seasoning blends, my rule of thumb is that the sum of the parts should never exceed the price of the most expensive individual component – especially if most of the ingredients that are already marking time in my cupboard.

Checking out the spice rack at our local grocery store, I noticed that Thai Seasoning Blend was $6.99 for a 2-ounce bottle. The first ingredient on the list was black pepper.

In making this blend, you can control how spicy you want it to be by adding or omitting the cayenne pepper. Some prepared blends also include nutmeg, onion powder, and mint, for example, so if you have a favorite Thai flavor, by all means add it and make the mixture your own!

Thai Seasoning Blend

Makes about 3 tablespoons
Time: 3 minutes

½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons lemon grass OR basil
2 teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoons garlic powder
Up to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, to taste)

Measure ingredients into a small jar. Cap tightly and shake to blend.

Of course, the whole reason for even looking at the Thai Seasoning Blend in the first place was because we wanted a Thai Brown Rice Noodle Stir-Fry for supper.

If you’ve never used rice noodles before, you need to know that this is a great weeknight dish because all you have to do is soak the noodles – no boiling required! We use the Annie Chun’s Brown Rice Noodles (as for Pad Thai), which is almost indistinguishable from the regular rice noodles except that they are more nutritious. They are both gluten-free.

Thai Brown Rice Noodle Stir-Fry

Serves 4
Time: 20 minutes (less if using frozen veggies)

1 (8-ounce) package Pad Thai style rice noodles
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
4-6 cups cut up vegetables, fresh or frozen. We used fresh onion, red bell pepper, pablano chile pepper, zucchini, and snow peas for the batch shown in the photo.
1 cup roasted, shelled peanuts (skins off)
1 tablespoon Thai Seasoning Blend (recipe above)
1 whole lime, quartered

Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover them with hot (not boiling) water. I just use water right from the faucet.

While the noodles are rehydrating, begin to sauté the vegetables in the oil over medium heat in a deep skillet or wok. NOTE: I start with the onion, then add vegetables in the order given, based on their relative firmness, always ending with the tender snow peas at the same time I add the noodles. If you are using frozen vegetables, they can be added all at once since they are already partially cooked.

After the noodles have been soaking for about 10 minutes, drain off the water.

Add the noodles to the skillet with the vegetables, cover the pan, and allow to steam for a couple of minutes. Remove the lid, add the peanuts and Thai Seasoning Blend, and toss lightly to combine. Remove from heat and serve while still hot, with a wedge of lime for individuals to squeeze on the juice to their own preference.

“He will not enter hell who hath faith equal to a mustard seed in his heart; and he will not enter Paradise who hath a single grain of pride equal to a mustard seed in his heart.” ~ Muhammad ibn Abdullah, founder of Islam (570-632)

Sitting at lunch with a group of old friends yesterday, the conversation – as it invariably does – turned to food. As a couple of the women were lamenting the combined beauty and sins of cheese, it gave me pause to think on the different condiments we spread on bread.

Cheeses are full of the worst kinds of fat, jams are loaded with processed sugars, and nuts make nice butters, but are also heavy in oils. Of course, we may love them for who they are and not what they do; just the same, is it wrong to want better?

This train of thought brought me back to the days when I used to make my own flavored mustards. I’d go to the bulk food co-op and stock up on brown and yellow mustard seeds, and mustard powder (all of which are entirely too expensive to buy in tiny jars or tins), then look through my cupboard and herb patch to see what could be combined to make a delicious spread for homemade pretzels.

Those were the good old days.

Later in life, I learned that it is cheaper and faster to simply mix spices and herbs with a spoonful of prepared organic mustard, and doesn’t really sacrifice anything in the way of flavor. Mustard seeds are a good source of minerals, protein, and the omega-3 fatty acids that protect the heart. Prepared mustard is virtually fat-free and usually made with very little added salt. Who can complain?

In the name of speed and small batches, it is also very easy to take a couple of tablespoons of the prepared mustard of your choice and simply mix in a few compatible flavors. I’ve mixed in brandy and rosemary, brown sugar and tamari, and even champagne and honey. Mustard is strong and can handle a lot of tinkering before it gets angry.

Having been put into the mood, I got up early this morning and made some whole wheat pretzels and then whipped up a sweet and spicy mustard that left our taste buds dancing without guilt.

Maple-Ginger Mustard

Makes: 2 tablespoons
Time: 3 minutes active + 30 minutes standing

2 tablespoons mustard (we used Organicville Yellow Mustard)
1 teaspoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon ground ginger

Mix together until all the ingredients are well blended, then cover and allow to rest about 30 minutes before serving.

Smear this mustard on your favorite sandwich, use it as a dip for breadsticks or pretzels, or turn it into a vinaigrette salad dressing. What a great way to lose the fat and sugar, but still be left with toe-tingling flavor!

“As the game enters its glorious final weeks, the chill of fall signals the reality of defeat for all but one team. The fields of play will turn brown and harden; the snow will fall, but in the heart of the fan sprouts a sprig of green.” ~ John Thorn, sports historian (1947 – )

Verde is the Italian word for green. It is also the Spanish word for green, but we’re talking about an Italian dish here, so that’s what we’re going with this time.

When we got to the end of the week here and discovered that there was a lot of green left in the refrigerator, there was little doubt with what to do with it: Pasta Verde. A stove-top casserole that goes well with all the football games we’ve been watching broadcast from grassy fields in warm and sunny southern states.

Pasta Verde, like many of our quick-to-the-table dishes, is versatile, making it perfect to fix with ingredients that are already on hand. In the past, we’ve prepared it with spaghetti, linguini, and elbow mac, but our favorite is rotini because of how it pulls the other ingredients into it’s spirals.

Most recipes for traditional Pasta Verde call for basil, which we think is fine for a side dish, but we prefer spinach when serving this as an entrée, which also makes it less expensive to prepare and provides a milder flavor. The quantity of green vegetables called for is what we used this time, but feel free to add more or less, depending on your own taste or refrigerator yield – and by all means, don’t be afraid to switch them up with whichever sprigs of green you prefer.

Pasta Verde

Serves 4
Time: 20 minutes

8 ounces whole wheat rotini or other pasta

½ cup thinly sliced onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium zucchini, sliced ½-inch thick
1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups sugar snap peas, halved
2 cups baby spinach leaves
3 tablespoons Sesamiso (see below) or other Parmesan cheese substitute
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Begin cooking the pasta in boiling water as the package directs. When done to your preference, drain well.

Meanwhile, soften the onion in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, without allowing to brown. Once the onion is soft, stir in the zucchini and continue to sautee to make tender-crisp. Toss in the garlic, snap peas, and spinach leaves and stir to coat with the olive oil. Cover and immediately remove from heat. Allow to stand for 5 minutes without lifting the cover to allow the spinach and peas to cook with the gentle, retained heat.

Stir the drained pasta into the vegetables at the end of the standing time. Toss in the Sesamiso or Parmesan flavored substitute, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve while still hot.

Sesamiso is a substitute we often use when a recipe calls for Parmesan cheese. We based this on the recipe for Parmezano Sprinkles in The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Jo Stepaniak, just substituting ingredients we are more likely to have in our own kitchen. Either way, it is less expensive than the prepared versions found in the healthy foods store and, in our estimation, tastes better.

The Nutritional Yeast called for in this recipe is a deactivated yeast that contains complete proteins and is usually enriched with B complex vitamins, making it a staple for folks who do not eat any animal-based foods. It is a fragile, light yellow flake that supplies a mild cheese-like flavor. You can find it in some regular grocery stores with the Bob’s Red Mill products, in the bulk food section at Whole Foods, or at nearly any healthy foods specialty store.

Sesamiso

Makes about ½ cup
Time: 3 minutes

½ cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (a.k.a. savory yeast flakes)
2 teaspoons brown rice miso
½ teaspoon coarse salt

Whirl the sesame seeds around in the blender until they resemble a gritty flour. Add the remaining ingredients and give it another whirl to combine well. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator and use as a substitute for grated Parmesan cheese.