"Mise en place" Recipes
...that make your mealtime easier.
A “mise en place” system means planning your meals in a weekly menu. Then, you wash, cut, chop, marinate, pre-cook, and refrigerate many ingredients to save time. This method allows you to easily assemble various meals with exciting side dish condiments.
One of my favorite recipes is this “Chunky Pesto with Pumpkin Seeds and Walnuts.” It is loaded with healthy ingredients that you can use as a condiment or make into a dip. Parsley, Cilantro, and Basil are packed with incredible nutrition but left in the fridge alone; they go bad too fast. Included in this Pesto, they can grace your plates with goodness all week long.
Chunky Pesto with Pumpkin Seeds and Walnuts
Wash and drain the following well, then Pulse in a food processor—place in a mixing bowl and set aside.
1 bunch of fresh parsley
1 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 bunch of fresh basil
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. Sun-dried Tomato pieces
¼ tsp. sea salt (or to taste)
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese -grated
2. Slowly roast 6 cloves of garlic in 1/4 cup avocado oil.
3. Strain the garlic and use the oil for another recipe.
4. In a separate skillet, slowly roast the following. Stir and be careful not to burn.
1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds (sometimes I use sunflower seeds instead; they have a good amount of vitamin B, etc.)
1/2 cup of walnut pieces
1/4 cup avocado oil
5. Pour the pumpkin seed mixture on top of the greens. Stir by hand to blend.
6. Fill a wide-top Ball or Mason jar with the Pesto, cover, and refrigerate.
7. Serve it as a side to any meal. Blend it with mayonnaise and yogurt to make a salad base.
To make a Dip, add it to cream cheese with a little sour cream.
8. Because of the oil surrounding the greens, the Pesto will keep well in the fridge for slightly more than a week. This is a great way to have some of the goodness of fresh parsley, cilantro, and basil without having to wash and prep from scratch. You can freeze it in portions to extend its shelf life, but it is best fresh. I use it to dress up a mushroom and cheese omelet for Sunday Brunch.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Casserole Recipe
This is a great recipe to make ahead and freeze. When I am going to freeze it, I submerge all the sweet potatoes with other ingredients in the casserole dish, arrange the meatballs on top, and then cover everything with lots of cheese.
This casserole makes a hearty meal. Once assembled, you only need to bake and serve. Or if you need something to take along, and you don’t want to fuss at the last moment, freeze it, and voila, it is all ready to travel when you are! I have never had anyone yet not rave over it!
You can prepare each of the elements “mise en place” and then assemble them into the casserole and bake right away.
Step One: Meatballs
To make meatballs, add the contents of a couple of gluten-free sausages removed from their casings to about 1 lb. of lean hamburger.
1 egg
1 grated store-bought gluten-free bun (or homemade; see Gluten-Free You Can Do It). Shape the meat into small meatballs, cook them in a skillet in the oven or on top of the stove, and set aside.
Step Two: Cook and assemble in a Roasting Pan
Chop 1 onion and brown in avocado oil.
Peel 4 sweet potatoes, cut them into chunks, add them to the roasting pan with the onions, and cook until al dente.
Add 1 tin of drained Black Beans (they contain a good source of fiber)
Add 1 jar of Tomato Chutney
1 tsp. Smoked Paprika,
1 tsp. Sea Salt,
1 tsp. Cardamom,
2 cloves of crushed Garlic
2 tbsp. Maple syrup.
Lightly stir to combine. (This is an excellent recipe to make for a crowd; just adjust the quantities accordingly)
Transfer the Sweet Potatoes and other ingredients from Step Two to a greased casserole baking dish and spread them into an even layer.
Top with cooked meatballs and a layer of grated Cheddar and Mozzarella Cheese blended.
At this point, you can either freeze the casserole to bake later or bake it immediately to amalgamate all the delicious flavors.
If the Sweet Potato Casserole is to be frozen, let it cool completely and cover it with oiled foil. Place the foil with the oil side next to the cheese to prevent it from sticking.
Freeze. Leave the tinfoil on and bake at 375℉ until the sweet potatoes are tender and the cheese on top is melted, about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how frozen the casserole is. Test it in the middle to ensure it is heated through. Uncover the casserole and place it back in the oven for about 5 minutes, just until the cheese is bubbly-brown in spots. Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream on the side.
Subscribe to Musings by Trina Astor-Stewart,
a free newsletter about Culture, Food, Art,
and Cheery notes to brighten your day.
See you next time, enjoy your food!
All the best,
Trina
Blogs and Artful Moments
AstoriaMagazine.com
GlutenFreeTrina.com
TrinaAstorStewart.com
x.com/astoriatrina
facebook.com/ajourneywithtrina/