Growing at the Speed of Life - A Year in the Life of My First Kitchen Garden

STUFFED MILD CHILES

A really unusual appetizer, these peppers are
just enough to whet the appetite and start a
conversation. If they look a bit lonely on the
plate, garnish with some fresh arugula.
SERVES 4

2 mild chile peppers, such as Anaheim
½ teaspoon olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 garlic clove, chopped
½ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 cups chopped Swiss chard or spinach
½ cup low-sodium salsa
⅓ cup grated reduced-fat Monterey jack
cheese
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons bread crumbs, fresh or panko
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 bunch arugula (optional garnish)

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Grease a small bak­
ing sheet.
Cut the chiles in half lengthwise and remove
the seeds and ribs.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet and sauté
the onions with the cumin 5 minutes until soft
and translucent but not brown. Add the garlic
and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the corn, Swiss
chard, and salsa. Remove from the heat and stir
in the Monterey jack cheese.
Combine the Parmesan cheese and bread
crumbs in a small bowl.
Divide the vegetable mixture among the

halved peppers, top with the Parmesan mix­

ture, and dust with paprika. Place the chiles in

the prepared baking sheet and bake 20 minutes

or until the vegetables are tender and the top is

golden. Garnish the serving plates with the

arugula if desired.

Per serving (½ chile): 136 calories, 3 g fat, 2 g saturated

fat (13% calories from saturated fat), 21 g carbohy­

drate, 7 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 340 mg sodium.

Exchanges: ½ Starch, 1 Lean Meat, 1½ Vegetable

CHILIQUILES

This is a good way to immerse yourself in an

all-in-one feast from the garden. Caution: Since

the carbohydrates are perhaps on the high

side, if you have a special need, simply reduce

the amount of tortillas by half and keep the

extra sauce for another meal.

I’ve used canned chipotle chiles (smoked

jalapeños) for their added flavor, but you can

use fresh Anaheim for a milder, crisper fi nish.

SERVES 4

10 (8-inch) corn tortillas

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice

2 pounds Roma tomatoes, peeled, skinned,

seeded, and diced

2 canned chipotle chiles, rinsed and seeded

(if you like it blistering hot, leave the seeds)

½ teaspoon nonaromatic olive oil

1 large sweet onion, cut into ¼-inch dice

3 garlic cloves, bashed and chopped

126 • GROWING AT THE SPEED OF LIFE