Broccoli Raab and Triticale (Take 1)

I love cooking with wine... Sometimes I even put it in the food!

This recipe is an instance of the latter... The end result is not too bad, but perhaps a little unexciting. A tasty, simple meal, though. Begin by mincing

4-6 cloves garlic

and cooking in oil. Once beginning to brown, add

1 sliced onion.

Once the onion softens, add your favorite

sliced fake meat.

I used something called "FriChick" by Worthington. Once that's begun to brown slightly, add

1 sliced tomato
1/4 cup dry white wine
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
parsely
oregano
salt
black pepper
1 generous bunch of broccoli raab (leaves included, stems excluded).

The latter is essential. Somewhere I read that all young men should learn to cook broccoli raab, since women really enjoy it. True to form, Donna does :) Let this simmer, and bring

1-1/2 cup rolled whole triticale
3 cups water

to a boil, and cook until it thickens, like oatmeal. Donna suggests adding/substituting some rice. Anyhow, I like the rather earthy taste of triticale, but perhaps it is a bit overpowering. For those not in the know, triticale is a cross between rye and wheat, which features the cold-tolerance (and taste) of rye with the higher nutritional content of wheat.

Millet and sausage casserole

This is an idea from the Joy of Cooking, but done in a different style...

Bring

2 cups water
1/2 cup millet
1/2 cup "green" rice (though any rice will do)

to a boil, and simmer covered until fully cooked. A rice cooker is handy for this step.

Prepare a white sauce: whisk together

3 tablespoons flour

and enough olive oil to make a smooth paste. Heat briefly, until it begins to simmer, and then whisk in

1-1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch nutmeg.

Cook over low heat, whisking frequently to prevent burns. While this is occuring, fry

3 minced cloves garlic
3 minced sage leaves
1 minced sprig thyme
2 minced rosemary leaves

in olive oil on a separate skillet. After the garlic begins to brown, add

1 sliced onion
2 Tofurky "Italian" sausages, cut into coins

and fry until the onions brown. Then add

8 oz frozen spinach
4 oz frozen broccoli

and defrost in the skillet.

Once the grains are cooked, the sauce has congealed, and the greens have defrosted, combine in a mixing bowl. Add the mixture to a greased, lidded casserole dish and bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees F.

QTB (Quinoa Tomatos and Beans)

This is a free combination of some standard New World ingredients. You can vary the spice level fairly easily, but the fried whole spices give it a nice punch. The entire meal can be prepared in the time that it takes quinoa to cook -- about 15-20 minutes.

Combine

1 cup dry quinoa
2-1/4 cups water

and boil covered until water is absorbed. In a separate skillet, fry

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seed
6-10 black peppercorns

in olive oil until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Then add

2-3 minced cloves garlic

and brown. Add

1 sliced onion.

When the onion has softened, add

1 can diced tomatoes (Donna prefers that these be "fire roasted tomatoes")
1 can garbanzo beans (rinsed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4-1/2 teaspoon chili powder

and simmer until the quinoa has finished cooking. Combine the tomato and bean mixture with the quinoa and serve.