Baked Branzini with Brown Butter Green Beans + Sweet Potatoes

Impulse buys are never ordinary in our house. When we go to Whole Foods to pick up an ingredient or two, inevitably the basket is full by the time we make it to the cashier.  For some, those purchases would be snack foods: cookies, chips, ice cream. And we'll get those from time to time. But that's not what often makes its way into our pile. Instead, it's cheese, olives, bread and fish. Yup, we impulse buy fish. It's just so hard to pass that counter and not buy one of those beauties.

This happened on a trip to the store last week.  I just went over to take a peek at their selection and saw the gentleman placing fresh branzino on top of bins of ice. I couldn't resist. Branzino is the perfect fish to prepare as a meal for two. They're not all that big, so a couple would be sufficient for dinner. Getting them ready for the oven isn't a huge production either... this can easily be done in under 45 minutes.

Baked Branzini with Brown Butter Green Beans and Sweet Potatoes

Yield Serves 2

Ingredients

2 whole branzini (1-1 1/2 pounds each), scaled, gutted and cleaned Olive oil Kosher salt 1 lemon, sliced 4 garlic cloves, peeled Tarragon Smoked Paprika

2 sweet potatoes, sliced 1/2" thick Olive oil Kosher salt

1 lb green beans, trimmed 3 tablespoons butter 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice Kosher salt Black pepper Almonds (optional)

Instructions

1. Set the racks in the middle and bottom shelf of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line two baking pans with aluminum foil.

2.  Place the branzini on one of the prepared baking pans. Drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil over both sides of the fish and rub to coat.  Season both sides, as well as the cavity, with Kosher salt and black pepper.  Stuff each of the cavities of the fish with lemon slices, tarragon and two garlic cloves. Sprinkle a hearty amount of smoked paprika over the fish.

3. Transfer the sweet potato slices to a bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a couple teaspoons of salt. Put the sweet potatoes on the bottom rack and the fish on the middle rack. Cook for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, set a large pan over medium heat. Add butter and let melt. At this point it will begin to bubble and foam. Keep an eye on the butter and watch for it to turn brown. Once it turns brown and begins to smell nutty, it is done. Add green beans and cook for another 2 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Sprinkle almonds on top.

Halloumi Veggie Burgers + A Giveaway for Green Kitchen Travels

This has been quite the year for cookbooks. The list of gems keeps getting longer and longer. I've had the pleasure of receiving advanced copies of a few of them and am constantly impressed with the writing, photography and, most importantly, the recipes. And it brings me so much joy to see that so many of them are created by fellow bloggers. Earlier in the summer, I wrote about Kimberley's Vibrant Food, which is one of the few cookbooks I have on the shelf in our kitchen. Most recently, I got to check out Jessica's Seriously Delish, which I constantly go back to for inspiration when I want to get a little playful with my meals.

An e-mail came my way a few months ago from David of Green Kitchen Stories asking if I'd like to check out their latest book, Green Kitchen Travels. No hesitation. Yes. Definitely. I couldn't wait! I've written about my love of their blog and their first cookbook, Vegetarian Everyday. When it arrived, I immediately tore open the packaging, sat down on the floor, and began leafing through the pages. There wasn't a picture, a recipe, a story that I didn't fall in love with.  Let's just say that I have a huge crush on this book.

One of the reasons I connected so strongly to their book has to do with the way David and Louise eat. Like the title of their site suggests, each creation isn't just flavorful, but, overall, pretty healthy as well. If a recipe isn't vegetarian or vegan, it's gluten-free. Sometimes both. Now, I don't keep a vegan diet, nor am I gluten-free. In fact, I love bread and I adore all dairy products. But when I can find a recipe that omits one of those ingredients and it's still satisfying, well, I think that's the sign of a pretty talented cook.

Of the recipes that I bookmarked, the one I knew I wanted to share here was for their halloumi veggie burgers. I was first introduced to this wonderful, salty cheese last year and enjoyed how it held up when cooked over high heat. It's great in grilled cheese or just fried in a pan and placed on top of a salad. I knew from the start that this recipe would be a success. To give it a slight fall feel and to add a little sweetness to the burger, I grated half an apple into the mixture.

I was so excited not just to have the opportunity to cook from their book, but to spread the love here on the blog. And, I'm thrilled to announce that I'm giving away TWO COPIES of Green Kitchen Travels.

Before getting to the giveaway, I should mention that you can purchase copies of the book... so, even if you don't win, be sure to pick one up.

To Enter: Leave a comment on this post. It can be anything, but I'd love to hear what the most creative vegetarian dish you've made or tasted.

Rules: This giveaway will end on Friday, October 24, 2013 at 12:00 PM EST.  I’ll pick 2 winners via random.org and that person will be contacted via e-mail.  One entry per person and entrants must have a US mailing address (sorry international friends) and provide a valid email address. Best of luck!

Halloumi Veggie Burgers

Source Barely adapted from Green Kitchen Travels

Yield Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1 small zucchini 1 medium carrot 7 oz halloumi cheese 1 apple, unpeeled 5 mint sprigs, chopped

.5 cups sour cream 2 tbsptahini 2 tbsp lime juice 1 tsp maple syrup sea salt

Avocado Lettuce Sauerkraut Sesame seeds

1 head white cabbage, for serving

Instructions

1. In a bowl, grate the zucchini, carrot, halloumi and 1/2 of the apple into a large mixing bowl. Add the mint and mix to combine. Form the mixture into six patties. Set a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Cook the patties until they are golden-brown on each side. (Note: I wasn't paying attention and got mine a little crispier than necessary. But they were still tasty!)

2. In a bowl, whisk together the sour cream, tahini, lime juice, and maple syrup. Season with sea salt.

3. To assemble, place two patties in the base of a white cabbage leaf. Top with the ingredients of your choosing: diced apple, avocado slices, sauerkraut, chopped lettuce, sesame seeds. Spoon tahini sauce on top before serving.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Seeds

There are a number of dishes I could have created with the butternut squash our friend Mandy brought us the other day. I looked at it and considered the possibilities, but each time I went back to what felt right: soup. A result of the change in the weather, maybe. The rain, the leaves on the ground, dictating what to cook.

Like most soups, it all starts with an onion, slowly sautéing in butter. Next, the cut squash and broth. As it simmers, I realize why it's the perfect fall dish. The spices and sweet caramel notes that come out in its aroma match those in the air outside.

Before serving, I let it cool for a few minutes as to avoid any injuries during the meal.  There's a dollop of sour cream added, some squash seeds that were lightly toasted in the oven, and a little drizzle of olive oil to finish it off. Simple, rustic fare. It won't be the last time I make this over the next few months. I already have visions of slurping spoonfuls around our fireplace.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Seeds

GF/Veg

Serves 6-8

Ingredients
1 butternut squash (2 to 3 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced ginger
4 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper

Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Scoop out the seeds of the butternut squash and place them in a colander. Rinse them, removing any stringy pieces of butternut squash. Pat them dry with paper towel and transfer to a small bowl. Coat with a tablespoon of olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon of salt.

2. Spread the seasoned seeds on the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven. Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until they begin to brown slightly. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet.

3. Set a large pot over medium heat. Add the butter, once it has melted, add the chopped onion. Let cook for 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add ginger, butternut squash and vegetable broth and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the butternut squash is tender. Transfer the butternut squash to a blender (or you can use a bowl and an immersion blender) and puree. Return pureed squash to the pot and give it a good stir. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and all the spices. Let simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Test for seasoning and, if necessary, add salt and pepper.

4. Serve in bowls with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. Top with toasted squash seeds. Finish with a drizzle of good olive oil.