New Year...New Focus

We are 2 days into 2011 and my focus for the year will change. New Years' is a time for reflection and new goals. My goal for this table is to cook healthier with focus on fresh organic fruits, vegetables and wiser protein choices. That said, this weekends' table has some of the old and some of the new. On my table:

Braised Turkey Thigh with Mushrooms and Almonds
Greek Panzanella Salad
Hoppin John
Chickpea Chard and Couscous Soup

The turkey dish sounded and looked wonderful when I saw it prepared. Braising the turkey thigh went well. The thigh was removed while onions, mushrooms and seasonings are cooked in wine and broth. The thickener for the dish is ground almonds. As the sauce thickens, the thigh is returned and simmered until cooked through. I enjoyed the thigh, but the almond sauce left me flat. It is unlikely I will use ground almonds again in that capacity. I disposed of the remainder of the sauce.

The salad is a favorite. Cucumbers, red and yellow pepper, grape tomatoes, and red onion are tossed with feta and Calamata olives. A basic vinaigrette is tossed with the vegetables and toasted bread cubes. Lots of color and flavor made this meal not so bad after all.

There is a southern tradition of having black-eyed peas on New Years' Day to bring good luck for the year. Usually I make a 9 bean soup with a ham bone, but I did not have a bone, so I thought it was time to try something new. Hoppin John is a similar dish. I'm not a fan of ham hocks and replaced them with a diced ham slice. The black-eyed peas are simmered with onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, diced red bell pepper and the ham. Brown rice is added and cooked until tender. The dish is served with shredded cheddar cheese. A dash of hot sauce is optional, but I liked the bite it gave the dish. This is a winner and will be repeated often. Simple and satisfying. Leftover panzanella went will with the dish.

My plan for the new year is to eat more vegetarian meals. I started today with a pot of soup to take to work for lunches. Onion and garlic are sauteed and red pepper flakes and thyme leaves are added. A can of chickpeas is added along with couscous and chopped Swiss chard. All is simmered in vegetable broth. It is served with a crumble of feta cheese and a few cherry tomatoes. The sample I had was excellent and I look forward to having it this week with crackers and fruit.


Next week will bring another vegetarian soup and.... I have no idea. We shall see what the week brings. Happy New Year to you all!