Not only is this Pomegranate Cooler from The Longevity Kitchen delicious, but it also contains high levels of antioxidants to boost energy and health. This drink is infused with hibiscus, which has been shown to lower cholesterol and control fat build-up in arteries. Its floral, tangy flavor brings out the best tasting qualities of the pomegranate, and the use of frozen berries means we can enjoy this drink year-round. Cheers to your health!

The Longevity Kitchen By Rebecca Katz – Recipes and Excerpt by TheRecipeClub

Jaden Hair’s approachable recipes have brought fast, fresh, and tasty dishes to dinner tables time and time again with her wildly popular Steamy Kitchen blog, and the accessible and exciting Asian food in her forthcoming book Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites (Ten Speed Press, February 2013)—all flavor-packed, naturally gluten-free, and including little to no meat—is no exception. The warm, comforting broth that accompanies these mussels from the book is made from Japanese sake, with loads of aromatics like ginger, shallots, garlic, and Thai basil.

Sake-Steamed Mussels

from Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites by Jaden Hair

Serves 4

2 pounds fresh mussels

1¹/₂ cups sake or dry white wine

2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 shallot, sliced into very thin rings

1 handful fresh basil leaves

Scrub the mussels under cool water, discarding any with broken or cracked shells.

Heat a large sauté pan, deep soup pot, or wok over high heat with the sake, ginger, garlic, and shallots. When the mixture comes to a boil, add the mussels and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the mussels open.

Toss in the basil and serve immediately.

For more recipes from Jaden’s new book, check out the Scribd excerpt below–and don’t miss the trailer at the top of the post, made by the wonderful White on Rice Couple!

Steamy Kitchen's Healthy Asian Favorites by Jaden Hair – Recipes and Excerpt by TheRecipeClub

Not only is this Butternut Squash recipe delicious, but it helps heal heartburn naturally, says Dr. Jorge Rodriguez and Susan Wyler, the authors of The Acid Reflux Solution. Much less butter and more vegetables make this risotto less than traditional but much more GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) friendly.

Butternut Squash Risotto

from The Acid Reflux Solution by Dr. Jorge Rodriguez and Susan Wyler (Ten Speed Press, 2012)

Serves 6

1 butternut squash, preferably organic (1¹/₄ to 
1¹/₂ pounds)

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small fennel bulb, or 2 celery ribs, chopped

1 cup Arborio or other risotto rice

3 to 3¹/₄ cups any reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

¹/₂ teaspoon chopped fresh sage or crumbled dried

¹/₄ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

²/₃ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prick the squash in several places with the tip of a knife. Place in a small baking dish or pie plate and roast in the oven, turning once or twice, for 50 to 
60 minutes, until the squash is soft and the skin is starting to brown. Slit the squash lengthwise and let cool. When it is cool enough to handle, peel off the skin, scoop out the seeds and any strings, and cut the squash into large chunks. In a large heavy pot, stir the onion into the olive oil over medium heat. Cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Stir in the fennel, cover, and cook for 3 minutes longer. Uncover, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the fennel is soft and the onion is golden and beginning to brown.

Add the rice. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice turns opaque. Pour in 1 cup of the stock. Add the salt, sage, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until most of the stock is absorbed. Stir in another 1 cup of the stock and add the squash, stirring to blend it with the rice. Add another 1 cup stock, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring once or twice, for 15 minutes, or until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the rice is tender but still firm. If it seems too dry, add the remaining ¹⁄₄ cup stock.

Stir in the butter until melted. Then add the cheese. Season with additional salt to taste and serve.

Author Cindy Pawlcyn says this stew is great any time of year–with a tomato salad in summer, roasted squash in fall, or a beet salad in winter–but really all you need to accompany this Greek stew is some crusty bread. And maybe a glass of wine.

Lamb Stew with Garlic, Parsley, and Vinegar

from Cindy’s Supper Club by Cindy Pawlcyn (Ten Speed Press, 2012)

Serves 6

2 or 3 small to medium eggplants, 
  trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch dice

Sea salt

1/2 cup dried currants or raisins

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup dry red wine

1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil

31/2 pounds boneless lamb from the leg, trimmed 
of fat and sinew and cut into 2-inch cubes

Freshly ground black pepper

2 large yellow onions, diced

2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

2 to 21/2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped; 4 to 5 cups canned tomatoes,  chopped; or 4 to 5 cups canned tomato puree

Scant 1 tablespoon honey

11/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

11/2 teaspoons ground cumin

4 tablespoons minced fresh mint

4 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves,
 rinsed and squeezed dry

In a colander, toss the eggplant with enough salt to coat it lightly and let drain for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the currants, vinegar, and wine and leave to soak until needed. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

To brown the meat, place a large, ovenproof braising pan or flameproof terra-cotta casserole over medium-high heat and pour in enough of the olive oil to coat the bottom nicely. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add some of the lamb to the pan, being careful not to crowd the pan. (Work in small batches to ensure caramelization–not steaming.) If you didn’t hear a sizzle when the lamb hit the oil, increase the heat. Sear the meat, stirring occasionally and scraping up any brown bits that stick to the pan bottom, until browned on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate to drain. Brown the remaining meat in batches the same way.

If the pan is dry, add a little more oil. Then add 
the onion and garlic and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the onion is caramelized and has softened (see page 14). 
If the garlic looks as if it might burn, decrease the heat slightly. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the onion and garlic to the plate with the lamb.

To start building the stew, add a little more oil to the pan if it is dry. Gently squeeze the excess moisture from the eggplant, put the eggplant in the pan, 
and stir to coat with the oil. Sauté the eggplant for a few minutes and then stir in the tomatoes, honey, 
cinnamon, cumin, and 2 tablespoons each of the mint and parsley. Bring to a boil, return the lamb and the onion and garlic to the pan, add the currants and their soaking liquid, and stir to mix well.

Cover the pan and transfer it to the oven. Braise 
for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, checking from time to time 
and skimming off any fat as needed, until the lamb is 
tender and the juices have reduced to a saucelike 
consistency. When the meat is tender, take out the solids and reduce the liquid on the stove top, then recombine.Transfer the stew to a warmed serving dish, 
sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons each mint and parsley, and serve at once.

For more recipes from Cindy’s Supper Club, see the excerpt below:

Recipes From Cindy's Supper Club by Cindy Pawlcyn

What’s the secret to this sweet yet spicy squash soup? Ginger and pineapple! In the winter months, you can also use apple or pear to get that unexpected tang, says Lou Lambert, author of Big Ranch, Big City. Be sure to check out this interview with Lou where he talks cattle ranching and cooking, not to mention even more recipes in this recipe sampler.

Gingered Acorn Squash Soup

from Big Ranch, Big City (Ten Speed Press, 2011)

makes 8 servings

2 acorn squash 
(approximately 6 cups cooked squash), 
quartered and seeded

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons brown sugar

¹/₄ teaspoon ground allspice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small white onion, diced small

3 tablespoons finely diced fresh ginger

¹/₂ cup small-diced fresh or canned pineapple

1 teaspoon salt

¹/₄ teaspoon white pepper

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

¹/₂ cup sour cream

2 tablespoons honey

Fresh chopped tarragon, for garnish

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Arrange the cut squash on a baking sheet and brush the cut sides with the melted butter. Season each piece by sprinkling on the brown sugar and allspice. Bake the squash until the flesh is tender, about 30 minutes. When the squash has cooled enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and set aside.

Heat a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion and ginger to the pot and cook until the onion becomes soft, about 4 minutes. Add the pineapple, salt, and white pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, heavy cream, and squash and bring to a simmer. Slowly cook the soup, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and, using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. You can also blend the soup in batches in a blender or food processor.

To make the garnish, stir together the sour cream and honey in a small bowl. To serve, ladle the hot soup into warmed bowls and drizzle the top of each with the sour cream mixture. Garnish with freshly chopped tarragon.

Thousand Slices Turnips Recipe from Asian Pickles Japan by Karen Solomon

A recipe that usually takes upwards of an hour to prepare can now be ready in 30 minutes with this simple yet flavorful recipe from Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking by bestselling-author Cybele Pascal. With Cybele’s focus on allergy-friendly food, this recipe that’s usually laden with super allergenic ingredients can also be enjoyed by all with the use of chicken broth and sausage instead of fish broth and shellfish.

Chicken and Sausage Paella

from Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking by Cybele Pascal (Ten Speed Press, December 2012)

serves 6

1  cup long grain basmati rice

2¹/₂ cups low-sodium chicken broth

1  pound chicken tenders, cut crosswise 
into 1-inch pieces

³/₈ teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3  tablespoons olive oil

1  cup chopped yellow onion

8  ounces chorizo, andouille, linguica, 
or kielbasa, cut into ¹/₄-inch-thick rounds

1  red bell pepper, diced

3  cloves garlic, minced or pressed

¹/₄ teaspoon saffron, crushed

¹/₂ teaspoon dried oregano

1  (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

³/₄ cup frozen peas

1  tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, 
plus more for garnish

Combine the rice with 1¹/₂ cups of the chicken broth in a microwave-safe container. Cover and microwave for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken tenders 
with the paprika and some salt and pepper. Heat 
2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until starting to shimmer. Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to 
the pan. Add the onion and sausage and cook for 
5 minutes, stirring often. Add the bell pepper, garlic, saffron, oregano, and ¹/₄ teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more. Add the remaining 1 cup chicken broth, bring to a boil, and deglaze the pan by scraping up any browned bits along the bottom, 1 minute or so. Stir in the tomatoes, partly cooked rice, and chicken, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, loosely covered, for 8 minutes more or until the liquid is absorbed. Add the peas and heat through for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, toss with the parsley, and serve hot, sprinkled with a little more parsley.

For more recipes from Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking, see this excerpt:

Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking by Cybele Pascal – Recipes

The grace period between Halloween and Thanksgiving is always dolloped by many nights with mulled cider in my mug. This recipe from Hot Drinks has the ideal combination of sweetness, spiciness, and citrus.

Spicy mulled cider

from Hot Drinks by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss

Serves 4

3 cups sweet apple cider

4 whole star anise pods

1⁄2 teaspoon whole allspice berries

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 5-inch Ceylon cinnamon stick

4 white cardamom pods, cracked

2 slices of orange, quartered

2 slices of lemon, quartered

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a low simmer. Lower the heat and continue to simmer gently for 30 minutes. Ladle into four mugs and serve steaming hot.

Cook recipes from some of this year’s most treasured cookbooks with The Recipe Club’s Thanksgiving Menu!

Cocktail

Negroni Cocktail

from Elizabeth Falkner’s Cooking Off the Clock

Stuffing

Chestnut, Sausage, and Marsala Stuffing

from Nigel Slater’s Ripe

Turkey

Roast Turkey

from Martha’s American Food by Martha Stewart

Vegetables

Brussel Leaf and Baby Spinach Saute

from The Sprouted Kitchen by Sara Forte

Sicilian Cauliflower Recipe

from Michael Symon’s Carnivore

Sweet Potato

Sweet Potato Puree

from Barefoot Contessa Foolproof by Ina Garten

Cake

Kentucky Bourbon Cake

from Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson

Pie

Cinnamon Crumble Apple Pie

from The Epicurious Cookbook

Cheese and kimchi, in a sandwich, grilled–I don’t know how much more needs to be said. This recipe from The Kimchi Cookbook by Lauryn Chun, founder of MILKimchi, is a great, tangy take on a traditional grilled cheese sandwich. Lauryn suggests sauteing the kimchi before adding it to the sandwich if you’d prefer a mellow flavor. Enjoy!

Grilled MILKimcheeze Sandwich

from The Kimchi Cookbook by Lauryn Chun (Ten Speed Press, November 2012)

› Prep: 5 minutes › Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup unsalted butter
8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices country-style bread
16 ounces cheese, such as Havarti, Monterey jack, or Swiss, sliced thick
1 cup any napa cabbage kimchi, coarsely chopped

Heat the griddle or a large skillet over medium-low heat.
Butter the slices of bread on one side and place them on the skillet, butter side down (you may need to do this in batches). Distribute the cheese evenly on half of the bread slices and cook until slightly melted. Place the kimchi on top of the cheese, top with the remaining toasty bread slices, and cook for 1 minute more, or until the cheese is completely melted and the bread is toasted golden brown. Using a spatula, gently flip the sandwich and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove from the pan and cut each sandwich in half for easier handling. If working in batches, repeat with the remaining ingredients. Serve hot.

For more recipes from The Kimchi Cookbook, see the excerpt below!

Recipes and Excerpt from The Kimchi Cookbook by Lauryn Chun