Pasta all’arrabbiata con melanzane sottaceto (with pickled aubergine) - Testing

1 - This is kind of made up, but essentially it's a Pasta all’arrabbiata with just the eggplant added. I'm sure I could make this without the eggplant just for the Pasta all’arrabbiata. I have to say I didn't really taste the fresh basil. I wonder if I can just use dried to similar effect?

2 - Again, I didn't really taste the basil, so I'm substituting 1/2 cup of roughly chopped basil for 2 Tbsps dried. Or that's what the Interwebs told me to do, but it seems like too much. Testing! I also want to cook the tomato a little more to break down more.

1 lb (450g) pasta (rigatoni, penne, or spaghetti etc)
12-16 "Mediterranean Gourmet Eggplant Strips in Oil", roughly chopped

2 Tbsps. oil from the jar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced.
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, to taste
1 (28 oz) can crushed or diced tomatoes
2 Tbsps. dried basil

1 cup pasta water
1/4 + 1/4 cup grated parmesan
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Put a pot of cold water on the stove to heat up to boil the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, heat the reserved oil from the eggplant jar in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and the garlic is lightly golden.
3. When the garlic is just golden, pour the canned tomatoes into the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine and the tomato to start to break down. Cook uncovered to allow for the tomato juices to reduce.
4. Cook the pasta until al dente and reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
5. Gently stir in the "Mediterranean Gourmet Eggplant Strips in Oil" and the basil. Let the mixture simmer for another few minutes until the eggplant is warmed through. Cover to keep warm until pasta is ready.
6. Add the cooked, drained pasta directly to the skillet with the sauce. Toss well to coat the pasta. Add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water to help the sauce emulsify and cling to the pasta, giving it a silky finish.
7. Stir in 1/4 cup of the grated cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, with the remaining cheese on the side. 

Zuppa d’Orzo Trentina - Testing

https://blog.giallozafferano.it/annatorte/zuppa-dorzo-alla-trentina/

https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com/italian-food/how-to-cook/barley-soup-la-minestra-dorzo-from-trentino

https://www.greatitalianchefs.com/recipes/zuppa-d-orzo-recipe

14g butter

100 g smoked bacon, cut into lardons

1 onion med (6oz/170gr), minced

2 carrots (4oz/114g) fine dice

2 potatoes (16oz/430gr) fine dice

1 celery stalk, fine dice

300 g pearl barley

6 cups beef broth

1 bunch parsley

1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper

1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan until foamy. 
2. Add the onions and bacon and cook until the onions become transparent.
3. Add the carrots, potato and celery and cook, stirring occasionally. The vegetables should not brown, just become transparent. 
4. Add the rinsed barley, stir then add the beef broth, and cook until done.
5. Add more broth as the previous one is absorbed by the soup. Ten minutes before the end of cooking, add the diced potatoes and finish cooking, adding broth only if necessary. It should become a thick soup, not too brothy.  

Pumpkin Curry with Lentils and Apples - Testing

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/95860/pumpkin-curry-with-lentils-and-apples/

1 - A successful first attempt. I'm keeping it at Testing because the cooking instructions are off. The veg cooks much faster, and I don't think the lentils require quite so much water to cook. Makes A LOT!

1 cup red lentils

1 cup brown lentils

8 5 cups water

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion (10oz/285g) diced

2 tomatoes (14oz) cored and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1½ Tbsps. curry powder, or to taste

2 tsps. ground cumin

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

¼ tsp. ground cloves

2 cups (8oz) peeled, cubed (1-inch), seeded pumpkin (small sugar or any sweet winter squash such as butternut, acorn squash, or buttercup)

2 potatoes (16oz) unpeeled and chopped

2 carrots (6oz) peeled and diced

2 cups packed fresh spinach or chard with ribs removed, chopped

1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, cored and diced

1. Place the red and brown lentils in a pan with the water and turmeric. Cook over medium-low heat until tender, about 45 minutes. Drain and reserve any excess cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, deep soup pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until tender and transparent. 
3. Stir in the tomatoes and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to fall apart. 
4. Mix in the curry powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and cloves. 
5. Add the cooked lentils, pumpkin, potatoes, and carrots. Cover, and cook over medium-low heat until the vegetables are tender, 35 to 45 (HOW LONG?) minutes, adding reserved cooking liquid if it seems to be too dry. 
6. Stir in the spinach and apple. Cook until the pumpkin can be easily pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes more. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Lighter Leftover Pasta Casserole - Testing

1 - Well, everthing seems fine with this lighter version of Leftover Pasta Casserole. I managed to bring the score up by nearly 5 points, which is impressive given how little I did. I used the Winter Squash and Bacon Pasta as my base, which means the score is inaccurate given that my recipe below uses plain pasta as its metric. The score includes a dairy-free cabbage salad, which I accomplished with my Coleslaw with Vinaigrette.

Number of portions: 6 servings

Serving size: ~310 g
Calories per serving: ~490 kcal
Speed: Everyday Dish
Experienced cook (active time): 25–30 min
Novice cook (active time): 35–45 min
Total elapsed time: 55–65 min
LHSS Score: 8.2 / 10

32oz/900g leftover pasta (if using dry pasta, dry-to-cooked is roughly 1:2) 

1/4 cup (2oz/58gr) olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup (30g) flour

1 1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cups milk

?g Swiss Chard

2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided (80+80)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided (20+20g)

1 tsp herbs de Provence

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp Salt 

1/2 tsp pepper 

(if using plain pasta, add 2 Tbsps. to 1/4 cup tomato sauce or something else)

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a gratin dish.
2. Cook the pasta; drain and set aside. If you have leftover pasta to use, see NOTE
3. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the flour until smooth.
4. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and milk, stirring until smooth. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, or until sauce has thickened. Reduce heat and add half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Season with herbs de Provence, nutmeg, salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Combine the sauce with the cooked linguine and toss to coat well. Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheeses.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh parsley for garnish.

Mixed Salad for Heart and Liver Support - Untested

Just something specifically 

Ingredients (serves 6)

6 cups mixed greens (arugula, spinach, beet tops)

1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced (~5 oz / 140 g)

1 small carrot, peeled and julienned (~3 oz / 85 g)

2 radishes, thinly sliced (~1 oz / 30 g)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (~15 g)

2 Tbsp olive oil (~28 g)

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (~15 g)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Optional:

1–2 tsp toasted sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds for extra minerals

Wash and dry all greens. Place in a large bowl.

Add sliced bell pepper, carrot, radish, and parsley. Toss gently.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Drizzle dressing over salad just before serving and toss lightly.

Sprinkle seeds on top if using. Serve immediately.

Cannellini Barley Pottage - Testing

This is an adapted version from the one with sausage. It should still support liver function with the blend of herbs and the splash of vinegar at the end.

1 - Ben liked this, I was afraid it was a bit bland. He added very little hot sauce on top which is what improved it for him. It's perfectly good as it is, but I feel like I failed in creating the little pops of umami by adding the mushrooms. I did, however, not follow the recipe to the letter, therefore I shall keep this in the Testing phase.

Number of portions: 6 servings

Serving size: ~600 g / 21 oz
Calories per serving: ~320 kcal
Speed: Slow Food
Experienced cook (active time): 30–40 min
Novice cook (active time): 45–50 min
Total elapsed time: 3–6 hr

LHSS Score 8 / 10

7oz/200g dry Cannellini beans 

8 to 10 cups stock (chicken, beef, or vegetable)

7 g dried shiitake

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. butter

- 1 cup (5oz/142g) peeled, diced carrots

- 1 cup (5oz/142g) peeled, diced parsnips

- 1 cup (5½oz/156g) diced onions

- 1 cup (5oz/142g) peeled, diced rutabaga or turnip

2 tsp tomato paste

- 1 cup (2¾oz/78g) sliced mushrooms

- 1 cup (3¼oz/92g) leeks, rinsed and diced

- 1 cup (3½oz/92g) diced cabbage

- 1 cup (35g) chopped kale

1 cup pearl barley

8 grams crumbled Shiitake mushrooms

1 bay leaf

½ tsp ground sage

1 tsp fresh or ½ tsp dried thyme

½ tsp finely chopped rosemary, fresh preferred

1 Tbsp. fresh or 1 tsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

salt and pepper to taste

1. Put the 8 cups broth and dry beans in the slow cooker and cook on High for 2 hours. I THINK IT WILL FIT IN THE SMALLER CROCKPOT.
2. Meanwhile 'sweat' the vegetables, which is done by cooking them with the lid on is called "sweating" them, stirring occasionally so they also sauté. This is meant to release and concentrates flavor.
3. To 'sweat' the veg, place a large kettle over medium heat. 
4. Add the oil, carrots, parsnips, onions, and rutabaga or turnips. 
5. Give the pot a good dose of salt and pepper (salting at the beginning of cooking will mean you need less later on; it helps to build the flavor in the pot). 
6. Cook, covered, for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
7. Once the harder vegetables have softened some, add the fresh mushrooms, leeks, and cabbage and cook for another 2 minutes. 
8. Take about a cup of the slow cooker liquid and add it to the pot, stirring to loosen any browned bits or fond at the bottom of the pot, then pour all of the contents of the pot into the slow cooker. 
9. Add the barley, bay leaves, crumbled shiitake and herbs and set the cooker on Low and cook for another 2 to 4 hours. Replenishing the liquid with more stock or water as needed. Barley drinks steadily; add liquid in small amounts rather than all at once.. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. 
10. If the mixture is a little "flat", try adding a teaspoon of cider vinegar or a little hot sauce. Most soups need acid instead of more salt.
11. Ladle into warmed bowls or bread bowls; garnish with chopped fresh herbs.
12. Serve with a mixed green salad to improve the LHSS score.

Mary Ball Washington's Gingerbread from 1784 - Untested

MARY BALL WASHINGTON’S

GINGERBREAD, 1784.

This recipe was found in an old, worn cookery book. Many descendants of Mary Washington (mother of the President) have this recipe.

1/2 cup butter 

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup light molasses

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup sherry

1/2 cup warm milk

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 Tbsps. ground ginger

1.5 tsps. ground cinnamon

1.5 tsps. ground mace

1.5 tsps. ground nutmeg

1 tsps. cream of tartar

3 eggs, well beaten

2 Tbsps. grated orange rind

1/4 cup orange juice

1 cup sultanas or raisins

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 Tbsps. warm water

1. Heat oven to 350°. 
2. Grease 13x9x2" pan; line with wax paper; grease paper.
3. Cream butter until light. Add brown sugar; beat well. 
4. Add molasses, honey, sherry and milk. Beat very well. 
5. Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg and cream of tartar together. Add alternately with beaten eggs to sugar mixture. 
6. Add orange rind and juice, raisins and baking soda dissolved in warm water. 
7. Pour into prepared pan. 
8. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until cake is firm in center. 
9. Cut into squares. 
10. Makes 12 servings.