beef tenderloin with rosemary, chocolate and wine reduction

Go ahead and say it: This sounds weird, right? I thought so, too, until I tried this for Valentine's Day. We knew we wanted beef tenderloin, but I wanted to incorporate cocoa into the meal in honor of the day, especially since we had pear ginger crumble for dessert. Bringing unsweetened, robust cocoa into a savory dish is a lot like bringing coffee into a chocolate cake - it ups the wow factor. The results of this Ellie Krieger recipe were amazing. Dinner party worthy and perfect for a Valentine's dinner for two.

Beef Tenderloin with Rosemary, Chocolate and Wine Reduction
Sauce makes 4-6 servings (I cut it in half for our dinner for two)

• 1/2 cup chopped shallots or onion
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 2 cups dry red wine (drink the rest!)
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Heat a little olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, carrot and celery and cook, stirring a few times, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
Add the wine and broth and stir in the tomato paste. Add the bay leaf and thyme and bring to a boil. Simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 40 minutes.

Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a small saucepan. Stir in the cocoa and rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Serve on the side with the sliced tenderloin.

In case you're wondering, the potatoes in the background are these ooey-gooey potatoes au gratin.

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spinach and lentil soup with cheese and basil

The hubs has been eating a spinach-lentil soup at work for lunch quite a bit, and coming home raving about it. I happen to be a born-again lover of the lentil, and was inspired by our mutual affinity to try and make it. This soup starts with a couple of slices of bacon (always a winner in my book!) and gave me the opportunity to use some of my home-grown, dried thyme and homemade chicken broth. I was in.

The final product is a tasty and creamy, yet almost meaty, filling soup. It's also super good for you. Lentils are a low-calorie powerhouse, high in fiber, protein, B vitamins and iron. In fact, lentils are credited for helping to reduce your risk of heart disease! Pair this soup with a crusty chunk of toasted cheese-topped bread and call it a night.

Spinach and Letil Soup with Cheese and Basil

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped bacon or pancetta (about 1 ounce)
• 1 1/4 cups chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup chopped carrot
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup dried brown lentils
• 3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add bacon or pancetta; cook 1 minute or until it begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Add onion and next 4 ingredients (through bay leaf); cook 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add lentils, broth, and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes or until lentils are tender and mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf.
2. Place 2 cups lentil mixture in a blender. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape), and secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters), and blend until smooth. Return pureed lentil mixture to pan.
3. Add baby spinach, chopped basil, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and black pepper; stir until spinach wilts. Serve immediately.

feel-better chicken noodle soup

I have a cold. A sore throat, oh-so attractive cough and nasal congestion have left me craving a tried-and-true recipe, inspired by my mom: chicken noodle soup. But not just any soup, this one is made from scratch down to the broth and home-grown herbs. The only thing not homemade about it was the dainty orzo pasta, which is what my mom traditionally used in hers. To make this soup takes a bit of planning, but it's so, so worth it. It makes Campbell's canned soup taste like dog food.

It's all about the broth. I made the broth, which is my mom's recipe (and her mom's before that), weeks ago from the leftovers of a roasted chicken and stuck two-cup portions in the freezer. Homemade broth isn't like any bland, salty store-bought kind. Actually, it's so different, the first time I made it I thought I did something wrong. That's because homemade broth turns gelatanous when it's cooled - it actually jiggles, like Jell-o! But the minute it's heated up, it smooths out into a rich, flavorful and nutrition-packed powerhouse food.

Don't stop at making soup with the broth, though. Use it in recipes - everything from rice and risottos, to sauces and more - and keep your freezer stocked with it (each recipe makes nine to 10 cups). Once you build up a supply of it, it's easy to whip it out and use it as needed, just like I did today for the soup.

We roasted a whole chicken earlier this week on a bed of carrots, potatoes, onions, garlic and celery. A yummy meal on it's own account, it also provided a hefty amount of leftovers which came together nicely in this soup (and now I'll be tucking away extra soup in the freezer!). Here's how to make it, start to finish.

Feel-Better Chicken Noodle Soup
Broth
Make it in advance and tuck away in the freezer until you're ready to use it.

• Chicken bones, skin and meat - whatever you have
• 3 tbsp. white vinegar (this pulls the minerals from the bones)
• 4-5 tbsp salt
• Water
• Optional: leftover root vegetables

1. Add bones to a large pot and cover with water. Add the vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer, continually adding water when it gets low, for at least eight hours. The longer the better. Some people do this for a full day!
2. When the broth has been made, strain it through fine mesh into another large pot to separate the bones, fat and skin from the liquid. Cover and place in the refrigerator until cool, which should take several hours. (I usually just leave it overnight and continue with the last step the next day.)
3. Once cooled, the fat will rise to the surface and the broth should become gelatanous. Skim the fat from the top and portion the broth into containers for later use. (You may need to warm it slightly to measure it out if it's very gelatanous.) Yield: 9-10 cups

Chicken Noodle Soup
This took ~15 minutes because the broth was already made. Perfect "sick food."

• 9-10 c chicken broth
• 4 c shredded, cooked chicken
• 2-4 c chopped garlic, onions, celery, carrots (add any raw or cooked veggies you like)
• 1 c uncooked orzo (or other pasta)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp each dried thyme and rosemary
• Optional: fresh, chopped parsley when served

1. If starting with raw veggies, saute them together in soup pot with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. When tender, add the broth and chicken, herbs and pasta.
2. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a very low simmer until you're ready to serve.

mama mia! homemade turkey meatballs

Best. Meatballs. Ever. Protein and flavor packed, you won't have any reason to feel guilty over these. They start with lean turkey mixed and are mixed with fresh herbs, cheese and breadcrumbs, and an egg to hold them together. Just like my imaginary Italian grandmother would have made them!

The trick to these is to make sure you have lots and lots of sauce. They simmer in the sauce just before serving time and in doing so they soak up some of it. So, make sure to make a little extra so your pasta gets its share, as well.

Also, the pasta sauce shown was a roasted-roma one that took several hours to make ... and then it wasn't that mind-blowing. I'm still experimenting with the best homemade sauce from fresh, whole tomatoes (my usual starts with a jar and is seriously doctored up). I'd love ideas if anyone has them, especially bold, not-so-sweet sauces.

Mama Mia! Homemade Turkey Meatballs
Serve this with your favorite pasta and sauce.

• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 slice fresh whole-wheat bread, crusts removed, pulsed into crumbs (or a shot glass full of bread crumbs)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup finely grated carrot
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the broiler. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine the turkey with all other ingredients in a large work bowl. Form into 2 1/2 -inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Broil for 10 minutes, or until browned and almost entirely cooked through.
2. Add the meatballs to prepared, warmed sauce, cover, and cook additional 10 minutes, or until sauce has slightly thickened and meatballs have absorbed some of the sauce. While the meatballs are cooking, cook pasta according to package directions.
3. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and meatballs, toss and heat through over medium heat. Divide evenly among four pasta bowls and garnish with parsley and one tablespoon grated Parmesan.

Like this? Try these:

• Cowboy spaghetti with beer, cheddar and hot sauce
• Salmon with chickpea ragu
• Shrimp scampi - a buttery dream come true

carrot cake muffins for breakfast (or anytime)

Ok, so with a name like Carrot Cake Muffins, I bet you're thinking that these are super unhealthy, right? Think again. These orange-crowned little beauties are stuffed with whole wheat flour, flax, walnuts, shredded carrots and crushed pineapple, cinnamon and heart-healthy canola oil. It really is a breakfast of champions, especially because it's not too sweet. A good source of fiber, healthy fats and antioxidants, I topped mine with a dollop of my sister-in-law's homemade fig jam. Delish.

Carrot Cake Muffins
Makes 12
I think I might have made these up ... or it's a recipe that I modified a long time ago.

Ingredients

• 3/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c whole-wheat pastry flour
• 2/3 c dark brown sugar
• 2-3 tbsp ground flax seed
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 c canola oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 4-5 medium carrots, shredded (2 cups)
• 8 oz can crushed pineapple in its own juice, drained

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Line 12 muffin tins with liners.
2. Whisk flours, brown sugar, flax, cinnamon, baking powder and soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and vanilla. Quickly and lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dry with a rubber spatula. (The batter will be very thick and will seem dry at this point.) Fold in carrots, pineapple and walnuts. (The batter will become wetter at this point, but will still be thick.) Add to muffin tins.
3. Bake 25-30 minutes and remove from tin after 10 minutes out of the oven.

Need other healthy baked good ideas? Try these:

• Healthy, tasty banana bread
• Hearty cinnamon-raisin bread
• Whole-grain banana-coconut muffins that even coconut haters love
• The best zucchini bread in the world (seriously ... )
• Ugly little energy bars

summer salads, part five: thai chicken salad with peanut dressing

If I could never have peanut butter again, I think I would die. Easily one of my favorite foods, this salad brought it into my life in a wonderful way: a peanut-buttery and coconut salad dressing. Yes, please. This is an easy one to whip up when you have some leftover chicken to use, or just pick up a rotisserie bird from the store like we did. Annnnd the expandable pants make another appearance.

Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
Ingredients

• 6 cups torn romaine lettuce
• 2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
• 2 cups fresh, trimmed snow peas (or bean sprouts)
• 1 cup carrots, shredded or chopped into thin rounds
• 3/4 cup sliced celery
• 2/3 cup light coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
• 4 lime wedges (optional)

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine coconut milk and next 5 ingredients (through red pepper) in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and cool for 2 minutes. Pour warm coconut milk mixture over lettuce mixture. Sprinkle with peanuts; serve with lime wedges, if desired. Serve immediately.

Need more ideas? Check these out:

• Summer salads, part one: smoked turkey salad with cranberries and bleu cheese  
• Summer salads, part two: grilled shrimp salads with basil-garlic dressing
• Summer salads, part three: spinach and bacon salad with grilled peaches and homemade bleu cheese dressing
• Summer salads, part four: loaded lentil salad with feta, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette
• Thai ginger-honey beef salad

beef & mushroom sloppy joes

Yes, I'm a sloppy joe "packet" girl. I grew up eating it and it was an inexpensive college meal; I can't help it. Unfortunately, I like it - in all its cheap, salty glory - even if I do doctor the packaged recipe up with onions, garlic and sometimes green peppers and mushrooms.

But because I know there are actually good sloppy joe recipes out there, I've been on the hunt for a fresher, healthier recipe. One that hides a little more veg in it. For a long time. (Ask the hubs - I think he's on the edge of hating one of my favorite meals.) Now, on about my fourth sloppy joe recipe, I think I've found it. (And if I find one better, I promise to delete this post and replace it with the better one.) And even this one is doctored up.

Serve it with a bold cheddar and an extra dash of hot sauce. And a dark beer. But don't forget the veggies. After all, it is a lot of meat. But, it's sloppy joe night ... and that's to be expected.

Beef & Mushroom Sloppy Joes

Modified from Cooking Light

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb. ground sirloin
• 16-ounces cremini or portabella mushrooms
• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 oz. tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano (home grown!)
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 4 slices sharp cheddar
• 4 (2-ounce) whole-wheat rolls or hamburger buns, toasted

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add beef; cook for four minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove onto a paper towel-lined plate and add a little more olive oil to the pan.
2. While beef cooks, place mushrooms in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until finely chopped. Once the beef has been removed, add mushrooms, onion, and garlic to pan; cook for three to four minutes or until onion is tender. [Salt and] pepper the mixture. Add tomato paste and next five ingredients (through salt) to pan; cook five minutes or until mushrooms are tender and liquid evaporates. Stir in pepper and hot sauce. Spoon about one cup beef mixture on bottom half of each bun; top with top halves of buns.

Oh, and in case you're wondering what the side dish is, it's a simple throw-together of steamed carrots tossed with a little olive oil and a good Italian seasoning. That's all. Simple, healthy, delicious.

smokey black-eyed peas

So, my love affair with black-eyed peas continues. This time, as a side dish, which was put together for a good cause.

The hubs and I volunteer occasionally at the Ronald McDonald House, which provides an inexpensive option for families with sick, hospitalized children to stay. It also feeds these families a freshly made, hot meal for free each and every night, which gives these challenged families one less thing to worry about while their child undergoes yet another surgery or a round of chemo. That's where volunteers like us come into play: we cook the food. I like that I can do something I enjoy that makes someone else's difficult day a little easier.

And, as it turns out, we have been paying it forward in an unexpected way. Our close friends just had a very premature baby in another state and had to stay in a RMH while the child was in the NICU. It just so happens that the new father was the man who did us a favor by marrying us. It was a nice full-circle realization when we heard how wonderful the RMH was for them, and I was super excited to give my time to the organization this week.

So, the theme of this donated meal was Southern vegetables and sides - a mostly meat-free meal beefed up (pardon the pun) with plenty of protein from bean dishes. I was asked to provide the black-eyed peas. I'm not going to lie, before I dropped them off, I dipped out just enough for me to eat as a snack the next day. And I can tell you that they are even better after they sit overnight. Enjoy - for a good cause or not.

Smokey Black-eyed Peas
Adapted from Epicurious

• 4 hickory-smoked bacon slices, chopped
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
•  1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
• 2 (15-ounces) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1. Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until browned but not crisp. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.
2. Cook scallions, carrot, celery, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, red-pepper flakes, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in fat in skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are pale golden, about 10 minutes. Add black-eyed peas, half of the bacon crisps and the broth and simmer five minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl and top with the remaining bacon. (Or cook in advance and allow them to sit overnight.)

minestrone

After a weekend at the lake vacationing with family (and a lot of junk food), I came home craving a healthy and light dinner. With few fresh groceries on hand, but a ton of frozen veggies and pantry-stored dried pasta and canned beans at the ready, this hearty soup was quickly simmering on my stove. The best part is that though it made a lot of soup, the left-overs freeze well and will make another easy, healthy meal when I'm in a pinch later. If you're really hungry, toast up a grilled cheese and call it a night. You won't be disappointed.

Minestrone

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery or one bell pepper, diced 
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 1/2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, or whatever leftover fresh or frozen veggies you have (like corn)
• 1 tbsp. oregano (or 1 tsp. dried) - home grown!
• 1 tbsp. rosemary (or 1 tsp. dried) - home grown!
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 28-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes (I only had three cans of diced tomatoes, so I pureed two of them in my food processor ... problem solved!)
• 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 5 to 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (homemade, stored in the freezer!)
• 1 15-ounce can low-sodium kidney or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup small pasta, like elbows or shells 
• 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about four minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the celery/pepper and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about five minutes. Stir in the green beans, herbs, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook three more minutes.
2. Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the beans and pasta and cook until the pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Ladle into bowls and top with the parmesan and chopped basil.

beef shepherd's pie topped with cheesy garlic smashed potatoes

This is one of my husband's favorite dinners. It's meaty, chocked full of veg and layered with cheesy, fluffy, garlicky smashed potatoes. And it's easy! I make it every couple of months, when I'm craving beef and potatoes. It never fails to satisfy. If you want to have a lighter dinner, serve it with a leafy-green salad.

Also, I use these smashed potatoes as a side dish frequently ... they're fantastic with or without the pie underneath. Enjoy!

Beef Shepherd's Pie Topped with Cheesy Garlic Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb red potatoes (use up any extra potatoes by roasting them with garlic and rosemary)
• 3 large whole garlic cloves, peeled 
• 3/4 c sour cream
• 1/2 c cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 2 tbsp flour
• 4c frozen mixed veggies (corn, lima beans, peas, carrots, onions, whatever you can find in the freezer section)
• 3/4 c beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (or ketchup)
• Optional: 2-3 shakes of Worchestershire sauce
• Salt/pepper
• Crushed red pepper
• Dried parsley

1. Cover potatoes and whole garlic with water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain. Return to pan and mash with 1/4 c cheddar cheese and sour cream. Season generally with salt and pepper (and then taste them for "quality purposes").
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown beef in a deep dutch oven. Drain fat from pan. Add flour to meat in the degreased pan; cook 1 minute. Add veggies, broth and tomato broth and Worchestershire, if you like it. Cook 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and a pinch or so of crushed red pepper.
3. Cover the meat-veg mixture evenly with mashed potatoes. Top with a little dried parsley for color. Bake for 18 minutes sans lid. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 c cheese. Bake for two more minutes; serve.

salmon with chickpea ragu

I didn't eat seafood until I started dating my husband. That was eight years ago. Tentative at first, he wooed me in slowly (probably with something covered in bacon), tempting me with little bites at a time. Then I started really learning about how good for you fish is and I started to work it into my diet creatively.

I would cherry-pick only my favorite ingredients and find a recipe that incorporated them into a seafood dish. At first I'd eat only those ingredients and pick at the fish. But slowly, my tastes changed and I came to appreciate the flaky – and sometimes steak-like – texture and variety of flavors, ranging from mild and sweet to pungent. Good stuff.

This dish was one I discovered about halfway along my journey to liking seafood dishes. But I loved this dish, even though salmon is a strong fish. The tomatoey-chickpea ragu stands up to it, though, and even non-salmon lovers will enjoy this one. Try it when you're looking for something healthy and hearty. It's quick enough for a weeknight, too.

Salmon with Chickpea Ragu (courtesy Ellie Krieger)
Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup basil leaves, sliced into ribbons, plus more for garnish
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 (6 oz.) skinless salmon fillets

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion, and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the carrot, zucchini, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the carrots are firm-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring to incorporate completely. Add the chicken broth and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the liquid thickens slightly, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Remove the skillet from the heat, and add 1 cup of the basil and ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper (and crushed red pepper flakes, if using), and stir to incorporate. Cover to keep warm while you cook the salmon.
3. Preheat the broiler. Season the salmon with the remaining ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Broil the salmon for 8 to 10 minutes per inch thickness, turning once.
4. To serve, spoon 1 ½ cups of the chickpea ragu into a shallow bowl or rimmed plate. Top with a fillet of salmon and garnish with the ribbons of basil.

fried eggs & veggie fritters

Yet another weekend for brunch, this time I was on a quest to once again use up a surplus of veggies from my organic produce box. The hubs was craving eggs, but I didn't want the standard fried-egg sandwich or eggs-grits combo. I wanted fresh. And I wanted veg.

Veggie fritters and eggs it was. Plus, it gave me the chance to use my food processor for the second time in one weekend (the other opportunity was for a ginger-honey-soy marinade for beef). These fritters are so flexible; just use whatever veggies you have hanging out in the fridge. Cook your eggs however you like, but I recommend over-easy style. The fritters sopped up the runny yolk, really upping the wow factor.

The next time we make these, I'll top them with fresh, crumbled goat cheese and maybe a drop of truffle oil or salt. My toes are curling just thinking about it.

Veggie Fritters with Fried Eggs (adapted from Mark Bittman)

• 1 egg, plus more for frying as an accompanyment
• 3 c grated veggies (carrot, zucchini, squash ... whatever)
• 1/2 an onion, grated
• 1-2 tbsp fresh herbs (I did home-grown rosemary)
• 1/4 c whole-wheat flour
• Salt, pepper
• Olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 200*. Mix the grated veg with the egg, flour, herbs and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Divide evenly into 8-10 balls and patty, making sure to smoosh them until they're very thin. (If they don't hold together well, add a little more flour.)
2. Heat a pan swirled with olive oil over medium heat. Drop the fritters into the pan, three or four at a time, and fry ~5 minutes on each side. Flip and smoosh them into the pan. When they are adequately browned on each side, move them to a plate and pop them in the oven to keep warm. Repeat.
3. Serve immediately with fresh fried eggs. Top with goat cheese and truffle oil or salt if you have it.