Why are these food posts so looooong?

This is solid day four of working on this food post, which is boring even to me, but will hopefully prove useful for the recipe collection that will someday compile itself, right? Yeesh, I need to cook less often or blog more often. Maybe both.

Pesto Gnocchi

Yep, store-bought, dried gnocchi. Even Costco's pesto could not save it. I'm afraid gnocchi must be from scratch, which is bad news because it's rather a time-suck of a meal. Fresh, store-bought gnocchi might be good, though, for those whose pocket books can manage it.


Borscht

Beets, despite supposedly having a high-sugar content, are kind of gross. And even the chunks of cooked beets in this stew were kinda gross. However, once I wised up and pureed the whole silly batch, herbivores and omnivores alike lapped it up.



1. Place in a crockpot on high for four hours or low for eight:
-2 lbs chopped, peeled beets
-1 lb potatoes
-1 onion
-5 c broth
-3 T tomato paste (I used more like half a can)

2. add 3 c of finely shredded cabbage for another 45 minutes

3. puree it all, or just half if you don't mind beet chunks

4. turn off the heat and mix in the following:
-2 T dill
-1 T red wine vinegar (I used more)
-2 T fresh lemon juice
-salt and pepper, other seasonings to taste

5. garnish with dollop of plain yogurt, fresh parsley, chopped hard-boiled eggs, or if you're us, all three!

T3, El3, Er2, Ch2, Mark/Noe/Kjerstin/Kyle/Mish 3

Broccomole in Lavash Bread

I made this again for a picnic dinner/family hike and rolled it in lavash bread (basically a rectangle tortilla), but this time I steamed the broccoli before mashing it with avocado and seasonings and, not surprisingly, it made a great difference.

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3

Muhammara Dip

Yum! This is our new favorite sandwich spread, and it's also great on toast plain, or mixed into pasta or veggies or eggs, need I go on? I really don't like the taste of plain walnuts, but soaked and pureed in this form, we get our cranial development (thanks, walnuts!) sans gagging.



Blend the following in a food processor:
-12 oz roasted red bell peppers, drained
-1 c walnuts
-1/3 c panko bread crumbs
-2 T olive oil
-2 t fresh lemon juice
-1 t cumin
-1/4 t cayenne
-salt

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3

Spinach Falafel with Yogurt Tahini Sauce (from enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com)

I didn't feel like forming balls (perhaps because the mixture was frustratingly wet even after waiting the allotted time), so I made patties with this and served them with the yogurt sauce on muhammara-slathered toast. Exotic dishes intimidate me, but this one was certainly worth the risk and will be frequently repeated.



Mix the following:
-2 c falafel mix (from a box, although I hear it's not hard to make from scratch)
-1.5 c water
-1 T oil
-3 c minced spinach
-1/4 c minced cilantro

Let it sit for 5 min until water absorbed, form patties, and bake 12-15 min, flip, and bake another 5-10 minutes.

The yogurt tahini sauce is made by whisking 1/2 c plain yogurt, 2 T tahini, 2 t lemon juice, 1/2 t cumin, and salt & pepper.

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3

10 min. Thai Curry (from steamykitchen.com)

Coconut curry is the only entree about which Kyle and I are in complete agreement. So, we eat it lots. Kyle throws in meat when he makes it (though last time even he admitted it didn't add anything to the flavor or texture), and I douse mine with veggies, but it's the curry paste and rich coconut milk that make it pure magic for the mouth. Our recipe fluctuates a great deal, so here's someone else's. (If you want it to taste more like Kyle's curry, and if you're not taking crazy pills surely you do, saute garlic and onion in the beginning and add a generous squeeze of fish sauce, then lime juice and a cilantro garnish in the end.)

The amount of curry paste you use is totally up to you. I've used 2 tablespoons, which is about medium spice level. You can always add more curry paste after tasting, so it's best to start with a little bit and work your way up. If you're cooking rice, make extra and freeze for next time.

1 teaspoon cooking oil
2 tablespoons red curry paste (or more)
12 ounces coconut milk
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
8 ounces fresh mushrooms (I used King Trumpet mushrooms)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
16 basil leaves (optional)
Cooked rice

Heat a skillet over medium high heat, once hot add in the cooking oil and red curry paste. Whisk for about 30 seconds. Pour in the coconut milk and whisk to combine. When it comes to a simmer, add in the mushrooms and the red peppers and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Taste and whisk in additional curry paste if you want. Add the shrimp to the curry and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the shrimp is cooked through. Stir in the basil and serve over rice.

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3

Middle Eastern Zucchini Boats from steamykitchen.com

Recipe adapted from Family Circle, August 2010 Issue

4 medium zucchini (about 6 ounces each)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 medium-size onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 pound ground chicken
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons pine nuts

1. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon, carefully scoop out flesh and seeds, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell around edges. Discard flesh and seeds.

2. Place half of the zucchini, cut-side down, in an 11 x 7 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Add 1/2 cup water and cover with plastic wrap, venting one corner. Microwave 4 minutes. Place cooked zucchini in a large baking dish. Repeat with remaining zucchini.

3. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion and garlic; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Crumble in chicken. Stir in raisins, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and stir in cheese.

4. Fill each zucchini half with about 1/3 cup stuffing, then sprinkle the pine nuts over tops. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes or until the zucchini is cooked through.

Dandelion Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing from asweetpeachef.com

I decided to give dandelion greens another shot. However, I waited too long to use them AGAIN. Anything but perfectly fresh greens makes a mighty bitter aftertaste. Warm bacon dressing, anyone? Alas, still bitter. With fresh greens, though, perhaps plucked directly from your backyard, I have a feeling this might turn out a winner.


serves 4, recipe adapted from Alton Brown

8 ounces baby spinach (or dandelion greens, in my case)
2-4 large eggs (opt.)
8 pieces thick-sliced bacon
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4-6 large white mushrooms, sliced
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

Wash, drain and pat the spinach until thoroughly dry. Place into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

If choosing to hard boil your eggs, check out How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs and then slice each hard boiled egg into 4 quarters, lengthwise, and set aside. If choosing to poach your eggs, check out Easy Poached Eggs Recipe on Simply Recipes. What a useful site!

While the eggs are cooking, fry the bacon and remove to a paper towel to drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

Transfer the fat to a small saucepan set over low heat and whisk in the red wine vinegar, sugar and Dijon mustard. Season with a small pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper.

Add the mushrooms and the sliced onion to the spinach and toss. Add the dressing and bacon and toss to combine. Divide the spinach between 4 plates or bowls and evenly divide the egg among them. Season with pepper, as desired. Serve immediately.

I won't rate this because I'm sure it would've been 3s across the board had I used fresher greens. Eight slices of bacon? Yeah, it better be 3s.

Indian Dal Nirvana Lentils (from steamykitchen.com) with mashed cauliflower and naan bread

Recipe from Nirvana Restaurant, Beverly Hills

Serve with basmati or naan flatbread.

1 cup dry lentils

6 ounces canned crushed tomato

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less depending on your spice preference)

1 cup water

4 tablespoons butter

1/8 teaspoon salt, more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

In a large sauce pan, add the lentils and fill with water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the lentils open and are tender. Drain the water from the lentils and return the lentils to the pot. Stir the lentils around in the pot mashing some of them against the pot to break open. Add the tomato puree, ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, water, butter, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 hour until the dal is thick. Make sure to check the pot periodically to make sure the water does not cook out.

Stir in cream, garnish with minced cilantro.

T2 (but only because it looks AMAZING in the picture but still just tastes like lentils, but I will make it again with different expectations and it will very likely deliver), El2, Er2, Ch2

Mashed cauliflower is how I get my kids to EACH eat two bowlfuls of vegetables in one sitting. I treat it just like potatoes, and Charlie still thinks it is. I'll break the news to him someday.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Ultra delish-sounding, no? Sweet potatoes are my very favoritest veggie, after all. Okay, here goes...



1. Bake 1 lb sweet potatoes for 30-50 minutes until soft, or nuke 'em for 15 minutes if you're in a hurry.

2. Remove peels, mash, and add:
-garlic cloves
-salt, nutmeg, or whatever seasonings make you happy
-1 egg

3. Gradually knead in 2 cups of whole wheat flour until it sticks to itself more than to you, kind of like a bread dough.

4. Boil a big pot of salted water and drop grape-sized pieces into the water, fishing them out once they float. (We tried to press the dough out of a pastry bag like frosting, but the bag broke. I ended up rolling the dough into little snakes and cutting small pieces off. Yes, it took a while (though I about tripled the batch). Enlist small people's help.)

5. Brown lots of butter in a hot pan, add a can of coconut cream, frozen peas, and the gnocchi.

T3 (You might have guessed that butter and coconut cream make anything yummy. You're very smart. I was a little disappointed, though, that the gnocchi still tasted like normal potato gnocchi with only a faint glimmer of sweet potato flavor. Perhaps I'll use less flour next time?), El3, Er3, Ch3+


Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

I made this salad for company, thus the sugar.


Blend:
-1/2 c sugar
-1/2 c fresh lemon juice
-2 t onion
-1 t dijon mustard
-1/2 t salt
-2/3 c extra virgin olive oil (this is the best time to use the purest olive oil because it loses much of its healthfulness when heated, so kind of a waste of money-- cold-pressed in salad dressings is the way to go)
-1 T poppy seeds

I tossed this with baby spinach, kiwi, avocado, grapes, walnuts, feta, and beans. I know it's still a salad, but YUM!

Cashew Milk from elanaspantry.com

I love me some almond or coconut milk in a carton, truly, however, it was time to make cashew milk. There is some settling, so shake it real good each time before you pour. I love this flavor so much more than every other (dairy or non-dairy) milk I've tried, plus I feel so much better about it being completely fresh, even raw, and free of factory interventions.

1 cup (raw) cashews, soaked overnight
4 cups water
1 tablespoon agave nectar
pinch celtic sea salt

1. Discard soaking water and rinse cashews thoroughly until water runs clear
2. Place cashews, (4 cups fresh) water, agave and salt in a Vitamix
3. Process on high speed 20-30 seconds
4. Store in glass mason jar in refrigerator

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3

Veggie Masala Burgers from dailygarnish.com

My patties took forever to brown, but maybe I put in too many extra veggies (a common offense) and that made it too moist. I ended up just stir frying the rest of the mixture. I love the crispiness of patties fried in coconut oil, but next time I might just bake them to cut down on my stove-side time.

Hands down my favorite frozen veggie burger is the Trader Joe's Vegetable Masala Burger. But more and more I’m trying to eliminate our house of boxed and processed food. This recipe does just that, while also adding a fabulous new addition to our weekly meals!

• 2 large carrots, cubed
• 2 medium potatoes (I used red potatoes), cubed
• 1/2 cup bell peppers, diced
• 1/2 cup corn kernels
• 1/2 cup edamame (shelled)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp mustard seed
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

• Start by cubing the potatoes and carrots into small diced pieces. Try to make the cubes as consistent as possible, so that they will cook evenly in the pan. Over medium high heat, sauté the carrots and potatoes in a little bit of olive oil for about ten minutes, or until starting to brown.
• For the rest of the ingredients, I stuck with my Trader Joe’s theme. For the peppers, edamame, and corn – frozen is fine!
• Once the potatoes and carrots are starting to get soft…
• Go ahead and add the rest of the vegetables and cook until they are warmed. These burgers take a little more time than a bean burger, since you need to cook the vegetables – but I promise the end result is totally worth it!
• While the vegetables are cooking, go ahead and pull out your food processor. The first item into the food processor is 1/2 cup of rolled oats…
• Pour them in and pulse them to the consistency of a coarse flour.
• Add the vegetables once they are ready, along with the olive oil, salt, and the blend of spices. Spices are what make these burgers so delicious!
• Alternate pulsing the food processor and scraping down the sides, in order to ensure that everything is mixed well. Combine until the veggies are chopped into teeny tiny pieces!
• Wet your hands and form into patties. Using the same pan that you used to cook your vegetables, add a little more olive oil and cook the burgers over medium high heat.
• When you make veggie burgers, you’re never quite sure until you FLIP whether or not they are going to hold together or crumble to bits. I am happy to report that these held together really well – probably my best to date! After a few minutes of cooking on one side, use a spatula to flip the patties over.
• Once they are cooked on both sides, they are ready to eat!
• While yes – it was a bit more work than simply heating up a frozen burger – this recipe makes six patties! So you can easily make it once and freeze the rest to eat later in the week. Problem solved!

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3

Raw Treat Balls

I really ought to come up with a different title for this little tasty. I tried to market them to Kyle as cookies, but he nixed that after one bite. Then again, I actually chose to nibble on them INSTEAD of the cookies on the adjacent counter, and not just out of guilt! So, don't expect these to taste like cookies. They're not even cooked. They are worth making, though. In fact, I am craving some this very moment.


1. Throw 1 c oats into the food processor until the consistency of flour.

2. Add
-1 t salt
-1/3 c cocoa nibs (I used 60% cacao dark chocolate chips)
-1 T cinnamon
-1/3 c coconut oil
-1 c nut butter (I used half almond, half peanut)
-1/3 c maple syrup
-10 dates

3. Transfer to a bowl and add
-1/2 c oats
-1/2 c coconut flakes
-1/2 c raisins
-1/4 c dried cranberries
-1/4 dried apples

4. Roll into balls and binge without guilt; refrigerate leftovers

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3

Meatless Cabbage Rolls

I can't find the recipe I (extremely loosely) used for this, but just know that there are recipes out there in case you're heavy on leftovers and a head of cabbage calls your name. You can stuff pretty much anything in these pretties, and a solid tomato sauce will do it all good.



Broccoli and Bulgar in Peanut Sauce from my friends' Weight Watchers cookbook



1. cook 1 c bulgar in 3 c water; simmer 10 min or until liquid absorbed
2. Steam 3 c broccoli florets until tender-crisp (I just put my steamer over the pot of bulgar wheat)
3. Blend the following
-1/2 loose-packed cilantro leaves
-3 T chunky peanut butter
-2 T reduced-sodium soy sauce
-1 T white-white vinegar
-1 t sugar
-1/8 t cayenne pepper
4. Add the sauce and broccoli to the bulgar

T3, El2, Er2, Ch2
Here's the thing, though. Something funny happens to my grains when I cook them. Instead of doubling in mass, they quintuple, I think. Perhaps I overcooked? Anyway, the peanut sauce didn't get anywhere near flavoring that humongous pot of carbs. I added a little more of this and that, but it was still borderline bland. The good news is that the next day I made another batch or two (or five) of the sauce and then the dish was considerably tasty, even to Kyle.


Green Papaya Salad

Kyle brought home a bag of shredded green papaya from the Asian store. Honestly, I wasn't much excited about it. However, it made a pretty salad, and had I not used spoiled, bitter lime juice, I likely wouldn't have had to toss the leftovers today.


Combine 1 julienned green papaya with shredded carrot, bean sprouts, julienned green beans, tomatoes, and what have you. Garnish with crushed peanuts.

Make a sauce with the following and pour it over the salad:
-3 cloves garlic
-1 scallion or green onion
-1/4 c fish sauce
-1/4 c sugar
-1/3 c lime juice
-1/4 t lime zest
-2 Thai bird chiles (or to taste)
-fresh herbs like mint, cilanto, etc

Okay, I won't rate this because I messed it up using old limes for the lime juice and it came out seriously bitter. Kyle and his friend didn't seem to mind, but I couldn't down more than a few bites. I will try the sauce again later and report.

Vietnamese Shrimp Salad Rolls

These are basically a mix of fresh veggies and herbs rolled up in a rice wrap, decorated with shrimp. They're pretty, fun to eat and, dipped in sweet chili sauce, delectable (though a good ole fish sauce for dipping might be a healthier choice). I made the mistake of leaving the cucumber peel on before I chopped, so another unfortunate run-in with Bitter. However, they were still good. Note: leftovers do NOT keep well-- eat 'em fresh!


1 cucumber, peeled and julienned
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
1 avocado, cut in thin strips
bean sprout, alfalfa sprouts, whatev
cilantro, Thai basil, green onion, whatev

1. Roll all of the above up in a leaf of lettuce (anything but iceberg) and place on top of a wetted rice wrap sheet (available at Asian stores-- they are tortilla-sized, uber-thin sheets of rice, and when dipped in water become stretchy and pliable). Carefully roll it up burrito-style. I placed a few shrimp on the rice wrap before putting the lettuce and veggies down. This was mostly decorative.

T3, El3, Er2, Ch2


Stuffed Portobellos


Okay, I cheated on this one. I saw them stuffed portos on manager's special in the pre-packaged produce section and snagged them. Yes, I do regret it, not because they weren't homemade, but because they didn't taste at all as good as something I would've made. There are so many ways I've wanted to cook with portobellos but could never justify the cost. I'd especially like to try it as a burger patty-substitute. Even stuffed with cheese, this was just way too much mushroom in the mouth. Then again, I served it as the entree. Giant mushrooms. Sorry about that. I'll do better next time.

A few more recipes from Dec-Jan

Crispy Kale "Chips" taken from steamykitchen.com

The biggest secret to getting the kale super-crisp is to dry them in a salad spinner. If there is moisture on the leaves, the kale will steam, not crisp. Also, do not salt the kale until after they have come out of the oven. If you salt beforehand, the salt will just cause the kale to release moisture…thus steaming instead of crisping. I’ve also found that the convection setting on my oven works really well too – I set the convection on 325F and bake for about 10-15 minutes. Have fun with this recipe, I sometimes mix the salt with Cajun or Creole seasoning.

4 giant handfuls of kale, torn into bite-sized pieces and tough stems removed (about 1/3 pound)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt or kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place the kale leaves into a salad spinner and spin all of the water out of the kale. Dump the water and repeat one or two times more just to make sure that the kale is extra dizzy and dry. Use a towel to blot any extra water on the leaves. Place the kale on the baking sheet.

3. Drizzle olive oil over the kale leaves and use your hands to toss and coat the leaves. Bake in the oven for 12-20 minutes until leaves are crisp. Take a peek at the 12 minute mark – the timing all depends on how much olive oil you use. Just use a spatula or tongs to touch the leaves, if they are paper-thin crackly, the kale is done. If the leaves are still a bit soft, leave them in for another 2 minutes. Do not let the leaves turn brown (they’ll be burnt and bitter) Remove from oven, sprinkle with salt and serve.

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3

Actually, Ellie's direct quote was, "Mom, these are SO yummy that I want you to make them 100 times a day!" Later she suggested that we should make a new house out of kale chips so she could always, always eat them. So yeah. You better try them.

Corn pudding in acorn squash taken from 101cookbooks.com

I used an acorn squash here, but you can experiment with other types of squash if you like. And if aniseed and scallions aren't your thing, you might try do a version swapping in coconut milk and a bit of curry paste - and perhaps a cilantro drizzle?

Also, (important!) depending on the size of your squash you might have quite a bit of filling leftover - I ended up with double the amount I needed. That being said, I kept Karen's original milk/egg ratio intact here. I poured my leftovers into a buttered ramekin and baked that alongside the squash for a nice, light corn-flecked pudding. Or alternately, you might use a second squash.

1 small (2 lb.) acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
1 tablespoon clarified butter or olive oil
1 cup milk
1 egg plus 2 egg whites
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (or more if you like)
1/4 teaspoon anise seed, chopped
1/2 cup chopped scallions
a tiny pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup grated white cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees with a rack in the middle.

Rub the orange flesh of the squash with the butter/oil. Place cut side up on a baking sheet. You will want it to sit flat (and not tip), if you are having trouble just level out the bottom using a knife. If the squash is tilting on the pan, the filling will run out - bad news. Cover the squash with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until the squash starts to get tender.

In a bowl combine the milk, eggs, corn, anise seed, half of the scallions, nutmeg, and salt. Fill each of the squash bowls 3/4 full (see head notes about using leftovers). Carefully transfer the squash back to the oven without spilling (tricky!). Continue baking uncovered for another 30 - 50 minutes, or until the squash is fully cooked through, and the pudding has set. The amount of time it takes can vary wildly depending on the squash and oven. At the last minute sprinkle with cheese and finish with a flash under the broiler to brown the cheese. Keep and eye on things, you can go from melted cheese to burnt and inedible in a flash. Serve hot sprinkled with the remaining scallions.

Serves 4 - 6.

T2, El2, Er1, Ch2

The pudding took longer than expected to cook through, and then was insufficiently flavorful to diffuse yumminess into the squash. I love the idea of roasting soup inside acorn squash, but next time I will try a flavor-packed chili or curry.

Fennel Cucumber Salsa from allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 1 large fennel bulb, diced
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup pickled banana peppers, diced
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine the cucumber, fennel, avocado, red onion, banana peppers, cilantro, honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Allow mixture to sit 20 minutes before serving.

Brussel Sprout Pie from Inspired Vegetarian

Ehh, I'm not even going to bother transcribing this recipe because it was no good. The pic in my cookbook looked absolutely delectable, but it just wasn't. I'm on the lookout for a good comfort food veggie pot pie. I'll let you know when I find one.

Roasted turkey hoisin wraps from enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com


Hoisin sauce is the Chinese equivalent of bbq sauce—it adds tremendous flavor to these wraps, giving them a taste similar to Peking duck. You’ll find it where soy sauce is shelved in the grocery store.

2 cups roasted turkey cut into strips (I bought a 1/2 pound piece from the deli—unsliced—then cut into strips at home)
5 tablespoons bottled hoisin sauce, divided use
2 medium-size flour tortillas (regular or whole wheat)
1/2 of a seedless cucumber, roughly cut into thin strips
4 green onions (scallions), trimmed and roughly chopped
2 packed cups prewashed baby spinach

Combine the turkey and 2 tablespoons of the hoisin sauce in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat 30 seconds until warmed through. Place the tortillas on a dinner plate and heat in microwave 15-20 seconds until warm.

Spread the tortillas with the rest of the hoisin sauce, then use to wrap up turkeywith the cucumber, onions and watercress. Cut in half and enjoy while still warm. Makes 2 servings.

T2, El2, Er1, Ch1

Okay, these looked so good I impulsively went to the store just to buy some turkey, and getting off my lazy rear with all the kids for extra groceries is a big deal for me. However, after checking my hoisin sauce's ingredients, I disapproved, but it was too late. Also, I couldn't find roast turkey, so I bought one of those whole roasted chickens. I didn't use enough hoisin sauce. Chicken itself doesn't taste great to me anymore. And I used sprouted whole wheat tortillas, which weren't quite pliable enough to hold together. So... the recipe itself it probably great, but my tweaking rendered our experience less so.

Pineapple quinoa pilaf

I based my pineapple salsa off of the following from allrecipes.com, and then mixed it into quinoa and seasoned to taste.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons shallots, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup diced pineapple
• 2 large plum tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 (6 ounce) fillets salmon
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• lemon pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce, shallots, and sugar. Stir in the pineapple, tomatoes, and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
3. Place salmon in a 9x13-inch pan. Pour chicken broth over the top, and sprinkle with lemon pepper.
4. Bake in a preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 30 to 40 minutes. Serve with salsa on the side.

T3, El3, Er3, Ch2

Eggplant marinara in whole wheat pitas

I had an eggplant to use up, so all I did was slice it and dip the slices first in an all-natural marinara sauce and then in a bread crumb mix (panko, bread crumbs, garlic powder, Italian seasoning) and baked them maybe 15 minutes (?) until browned. I spread pesto inside the pitas and stuffed the eggplant in there with fresh spinach. Only problem with pitas is that they don't hold much. Next time I will layer the eggplant in a sandwich, or just eat plain, which is what the kids and I did for lunch the next day. I find that if I attach the label "chips" to pretty much any food, they come running. This is my new favorite way to eat eggplant.

T3, El3, Er3, Ch2

Asparagus cream crepes

The first time I made this, I roasted the asparagus with butter, salt, and garlic powder until yummy-looking. I mixed about 4 oz cream cheese with 4 oz mozzarella cheese and some parmesan and seasonings and spread that inside whole-wheat crepes, and filled with the asparagus. Too hard to eat-- the asparagus is especially tricky to bite through for kids.

So, my second time (when I didn't have cheese-loving guests to satisfy), I used only the second half of the cream cheese bar with some non-dairy milk, garlic, and seasonings. I chopped the asparagus and stir fried with mushrooms. Obviously, not as cheesy, but still very yummy, although still hard to eat as the veggies didn't stay in at all. Overall, I love the concept of savory-filled crepes. I will keep experimenting, next time sans cheese completely.

Oh, and I used the whole-wheat crepe recipe from enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com

T3, El3, Er3, Ch1 (E&E LOVE asparagus plain, so adding cheese makes 'em go crazy!)

Cheesy Spinach Filo Roll taken loosely from Inspired Vegetarian

1. cook 1 lb spinach until wilted; drain excess liquid
2. saute 1 chopped onion until soft, remove from heat and add spinach
3. add 6 oz ricotta cheese, plus feta or parmesan or whatever cheese you have, plus some seasonings of choice
4. layer five filo sheets down, brushing with oil or butter between each layer
5. spread the filling, leaving a 1 inch border, then roll it up and brush top with more oil
6. bake, seam side down, at 375 for 30 min until golden brown

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3 (I made this when Bob and Mom were in town, and it certainly had enough cheese in it to please all. It's not something I would make for just my family, but was a special treat.)

Coconut panna cotta

Total time: 15 minutes, plus 4 hours chilling time

Servings: 6

Note: From "Hawaii Cooks," by Roy Yamaguchi (Ten Speed Press, $32.50)

-2 envelopes granular gelatin

-6 tablespoons water

-2 cups coconut milk

-1 1/4 cups heavy cream (I used coconut cream, which is so wonderfully thick)

-3/4 cup sugar ("stevia in the raw" is my new fave sweetener-- somehow it's all-natural, not sure how...)

-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

-Fresh fruit, diced, for garnish (I used fresh pineapple and raspberries with a little canned peaches and fresh mint leaves, but of course any tropical-ish fruit will do)

1. In a small bowl, combine the gelatin with the water until softened.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the coconut milk, cream, sugar and vanilla. Place over medium heat and warm until hot to the touch (about 110 degrees). Add the gelatin and stir until dissolved.

3. Pour into 6 (6-ounce) ramekins or custard cups. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, or until set.

4. Serve garnished with fresh fruit.

T3, El1, Er3, Ch3 (Turns out Ellie doesn't like coconut. Weird. Anyway, it's basically jello, but a very healthful version. Yes, I realize coconuts are loaded with saturated fat, and I happen to still believe they are fabulously healthful! I try to consume coconut in at least one form every day.)

Lemon Cream sauce from Inspired Vegetarian (which is a remote cookbook I own but generally do not recommend-- too fancy aka exorbitant for my tastes)

1. combine 1 c broth (even water from cooking veggies will do) and 1 T cornstarch or flour and bring to a boil, stirring until sauce thickens slightly; add 2 t sugar and remove from heat and cool slightly
2. beat 2 egg yolks with juice of 1.5 lemons and stir gradually into sauce
3. cook over very low heat, stirring all the time, until sauce is fairly thick --don't overheat or it will curdle
4. remove from heat, still stirring a minute, and add salt and sugar to taste

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3 (My kids will eat anything over pasta. I love the idea of a creamy lemon sauce, but I think I'll try a more straightforward one next time.)


Gluten Free BBQ Sauce from Elanaspantry.com

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup shallots, minced
1 (7 ounce) bottle Bionaturæ Organic Tomato Paste
1 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

1. Warm oil in a saucepan over medium low heat
2. Add garlic and shallot; cook until soft
3. Add tomato paste, orange juice, vinegar, mustard, paprika, salt and pepper
4. Simmer over low heat 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often
5. Baste over fish or chicken
6. Refrigerate and allow to marinate for 1-3 hours
7. Grill and serve

Serves 6 -makes enough sauce for one whole chicken or 4 breasts

T3, El3, Er2, Ch2

I added sundried tomatoes and used this sauce with beans and fresh raw veggies rolled in tortillas. It was plenty sweet, although lacks any of the smoky flavor of traditional barbecue sauces. But with no expectations of barbecue flavor, it makes a great naturally-sweetened tomato sauce.

new year resolutions and other stuff

-Remember that time when it was New Year's Day? Well, I made myself a resolution here and there. Let's get it down in type form to solidify my commitment to a better 2011.

1. be more punctual
2. go to bed earlier
3. get me and kids into a daily household chore routine

A short and practical list, right? Number one is pretty heavy, though. It's going to take allllll year to make some headway on that one.

-Ellie's sporting a new smile for the next couple of years.


Don't feel too sorry for her. She was ecstatic to get a visit from the tooth fairy, complete with eight quarters and a hand-written note. Turns out the tooth fairy's fancy handwriting strikes a resemblance to my own chicken scratch... (how does a five-year-old notice that?)



The other front tooth is loose, but was salvageable. For now. That girl is quite the little putz so it's only a matter of time before the next collision finishes it off.

-Busy week over here, but good and productive. On Wednesday I threw a little Valentine's Day shindig for Thunderkids and fams. As of late, I'm in charge of weekly activities for Thunderbird students' kids and the moms. It's been a challenge to forego indulgence in all those party planning details that make me giddy, but I'm determined to make this a manageable responsibility. Actually, for the first time in a very long time, I don't think I have an unhealthy obsession with some corner of domesticity right now.

-I mean, I'm still going strong on the plant food business, but that's around to stay, and it's not taking any extra time. Except for this past week, that is. Last night I hosted a mini-class on healthy eating for ladies in my ward. I spent a few too many [hundred] hours perusing recipes in preparation for this class. I was actually quite nervous about the whole ordeal. It's not easy to make meat-less, dairy-less food look and sound appetizing to omnivores!

Of course, the only type of person who would show up to such an event is a bit more primed to the idea of vegetarianism than your average Kyle, for instance. So, I think it went well. I still likely came off extreme in my dietary philosophy, but there was some good discussion and taste-testing and the regular hullabaloo that makes a social event worthwhile.

And I remain just as convinced as I was six months ago that this will be a permanent lifestyle for me. I just can't imagine going back to my previous diet ever again. Not now that I feel as good as I do.

what's cookin'

Okay, so posting recipes weekly was yet another idea emerging from my diluted sense of time. Fostering a more realistic relationship with the big T is my resolution for the coming year, and yet I am realistic enough (or cynical?) to know that it'll take more than one year to overcome 26 years of unpunctuality, procrastination, over-commitment, under-sleep, etc.

In case anyone was holding his or her breath, though, here are a few recipes I've tried lately:
-baked spaghetti squash
-potluck picnic dinner (potatoes, beans, etc.)
-pumpkin muffins
-creamy potato crab soup
-Thanksgiving leftover casserole
-cranberry pesto
-stuffing frittata
-leftover deluxe squash soup
-Kristin's minestrone
-zucchini pie
-plantain pancakes
-pumpkin pasta
-soba with peso and tofu



Spaghetti Squash (did anybody else miss for most of your life the connection between its name and its perfect ability to replace pasta with veggies? another wonder food revelation.)

-half and seed squash, bake at 350 30-45 min 'til desired texture (I'm not a big fan of al dente so I bake mine closer to 45 min)
-scrape squash strands out with a fork and toss with chopped artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, and cashew sauce

T3, El3, Er2, Ch3

Cashew Sauce

Blend the following:
-1 c soymilk (or almond, rice, etc.)
-1/3 c raw, unsalted cashews
-1/4 c nutritional yeast (I bought mine in the bulk bin area of Sprouts/Sunflower)
-3 T Braggs Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
-2 T melted butter

T2 (although it gets extra credit for being mostly raw), El3, Er2, Ch2

Potluck Picnic dinner: mashed sweet potatoes (I just boil the living daylights out of them and bring on the butter-- perfection!), crockpot beans, cabbage salad, cornbread muffins

Baked Beans

Put the following in a crockpot until they're yummy (the recipe included instructions for the long process of using dried beans, but I used canned so really you could throw it all in a pot and heat until warm) :
-3 c dried beans (I think I used 3-4 cans of beans, plus one of green beans)
-2 1/2 c veggie or chicken broth
-1/2 T salt
-1 6 oz can tomato paste
-1/2 c molasses
-2 T dry mustard
-2 cloves garlic
-1 chopped, sauteed onion

T3, El3, Er2, Ch3

Cabbage Salad

-1 small head cabbage, shredded
-1 carrot, shredded
-1 green pepper, chopped
-1 small red onion, chopped (this is WAY too much for me-- I maybe used 1/4 of an onion and still found it overwhelming, but I guess it just depends on your tolerance of raw onions)

Combine the following and mix into cabbage salad:
-3 T mayo
-2 T apple cider vinegar
-1 T sugar
-1/4 t salt
-4 slices bacon, crumbled (I omitted this, but surely it would've made a tasty addition)

T2 (nice and light, but the only "mayo" I had was Miracle Whip which is so awful that I found it distracting and couldn't truly enjoy the other ingredients), El2, Er1, Ch1




Kristin's Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

Combine dry and then wet and then throw them together, let sit for one hour, and then bake at 400 for 20 minutes

Dry:
-2 c sugar
-3 c whole wheat flour
-1 1/2 t baking powder
-1 t baking soda
-1 t salt
-1/2 cloves or allspice
-1 t cinnamon
-1 t nutmeg

Wet:
-1/2 c oil
-3 eggs
-1 1/2 c pumpkin puree or 15 oz can
-1/2 c water
-1 c raisins (I omitted these this time)

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3 (this was such a yummy dessert to us-- we popped them like cookies)

Thanksgiving Casserole in Fried tortillas

(Get Martha's Green Bean Casserole recipe here.)

Okay, this is silly to post as a recipe because only the week after Thanksgiving would any of us have these dishes lying around, but honestly this concoction left an indelible impression on my food memory-- such the perfect combo of flavors-- that I must record it for my own sake.

Thanksgiving casserole was simply an effort to clean out tupperwares of leftovers: green bean casserole, turkey, corn, mashed sweet potatoes, and a little mashed potatoes and gravy all made their way into a dish and baked until bubbly. They were all delish prior to being combined, and even yummier after. I spread tortillas with cranberry pesto and filled them with this casserole and then pan fried them in coconut oil until browned. ARRRRHHG! So good.

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3

Cranberry Pesto

Nobody eats leftover cranberry sauce, right? Nobody even eats fresh cranberry sauce, right? Somehow I still felt obligated to make some, and thus pesto was born of the remnants.

In a food processor, pulse
-1/2 cup cranberry sauce
-1/3 cup grated Parmesan
-1/3 cup toasted walnuts
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 or 2 chopped cloves of garlic until just combined
- season with salt and pepper
Use as a dip for chips; toss with hot rice, pasta, or roasted potatoes; or spread onto leftover turkey sandwiches.

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3



Stuffing Frittata

(Get Martha's Cornbread Sourdough Stuffing recipe here.)

We had an enormous vat of leftover stuffing that received no attention from impulse eaters for several days. Oprah to the rescue! Here's her recipe for stuffing frittata.

In a large ovenproof skillet, sauté 4 packed cups (about 1 bunch) chopped Swiss chard (I used kale and collard greens, ain't no thang) in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine chard with 3 cups stuffing and 3 eggs; season with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in skillet over medium heat, add stuffing mixture, and spread out evenly. Cook, shaking the skillet from time to time to ensure frittata isn't sticking, until golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes, then place skillet in a 400° oven until frittata is firm, 10 minutes more.

Loosen around the edges, then invert onto a plate. Serve with lemon wedges. (I didn't think it needed lemon cuz already so flavorful and moist and wonderful)

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3




Squash Soup

I used my very last Thanksgiving leftovers (roasted acorn squash slices) to make a simple soup by pureeing with chicken broth and throwing in all sorts of fun leftovers from my fridge, like pesto and other veggies (before blending). A big splash of coconut oil is essential, in my opinion, in transforming it from baby food into a rich, gourmet soup.

Kristin's Minestrone

-1 c dry white beans (I used one can)
-7 c water (I just added water to desired thickness since my beans didn't need soaking)
-1 c carrots
-2 c cabbage
-1 clove garlic
-1/2 c frozen peas
-1 can green beans, rinsed and drained
-1 can tomatoes, with liquid
-4 oz pasta
-2 t salt
-1 t basil
-2 t parsley
-3 T cream
-3 T parmesan cheese
-2 T butter
-2 T olive oil

I loved using those last four ingredients-- see, I am not afraid of fat, as long as it is a whole food fat, and a little of each goes a long way when used together. Yum!

T3, El3, Er2, Ch3




Zucchini Frittata

Sautee until soft:
-1/2 cup julienned sweet red pepper
-1/2 cup chopped onion
-garlic cloves
-2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Combine in bowl:
-3 eggs
-1/2 cup milk
-1 lb thinly sliced zucchini, or veggie of choice
-1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
-1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon pepper

-Combine it all in skillet, cover and cook 7-10 minutes until set and serve in wedges

T2, El2, Er1, Ch1 (truthfully, I threw in many more veggies than the recipe called for, so the egg and cheese kind of disappeared... I just never learn!)

Plantain Omelets

-If plantains are still firm, score skins and boil 20 min, then remove peels before mashing. Mine were so ripe that I peeled them and they mashed just like bananas-- procrastinating saved me a step!

Combine:
-4 mashed plantains (or green bananas)
-1/2 c spelt flour or whatever whole grain flour you have
-1 t baking powder

-the recipe instructs me to roll them into balls and then flatten into pancakes, but my dough was WaaaaaaaaaY too sticky so I just dropped dollops onto the coconut oil-greased griddle and served them for dinner as "banana pancakes" with hot pink smoothie sauce. My kids were in heaven, completely ignorant to the fact that I'd conned them into eating fruits and veggies for dinner once again. (I've also been adding red cabbage and red bell pepper to my pink smoothies with no compromise to the flavor.)

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Boil 2 c chopped fresh pumpkin (or one can) for 15 min 'til tender; reserve 2 c water. Blend pumpkin with that 2 c reserved water and set aside.

Saute:
-10 cloves garlic (Seriously, this is not overdoing it at all-- too often a garlic clove gets tragically lost to our taste buds but not today! I sautee this many cloves for most recipes and it complements other flavors perfectly.)
-2-4 T butter or oil
-20 sage leaves (I used a combo of fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary, but dried herbs would work, too)
-crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper to taste
-add pureed pumpkin, 1 t cinnamon, and 1/2 t nutmeg
-add 1/2 c half-and-half

T3, El3, Er2, Ch3




Cold Soba & Cucumber Salad with Parsley Cilanto Sauce and Teriyaki Tofu Triangles

-Cook 8 oz soba noodles (Japanese buckwheat noodles, but any will do)
-Peel a large cucumber, quarter it lengthwise, and cut into narrow strips
-Food process 3/4 c parsley and cilantro leaves with 2 T natural nut butter, 1 T lemon juice, and pinch of salt

T2, El3, Er1, Ch2

Cut 16 oz firm tofu into thin triangles (cut the tofu height into fourths all the way across), drain and blot well on paper towels and marinate each side 10 minutes in the following:
-2 T Braggs or reduced sodium soy sauce
-1 T olive oil
-1 t sesame oil
-1 T honey or maple syrup
-2 t rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
-1/2 t grated fresh ginger or ground ginger
-2 t hoisin sauce, optional

Pour the tofu and marinade into skillet and cook on med-high, stirring frequently, until tofu browned on both sides. Serve with soba and parsley/cilantro pesto.

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3

As we have company in town starting tomorrow, I can just kiss healthy new recipes sionara until next year, which is okay because I have lots of other posts needing some tlc! In case you don't hear from me before then, Merry Christmas! Hope it's your best yet!

More news from my kitchen

Like mother, like daughter. I keep shopping and cooking enough to feed a small bear colony. Meanwhile, produce goes rotten before it even gets rotated to the front of the fridge. Leftovers become left-over-over-overs, and then go rotten. Bob's absence, coupled with our changing appetites, has rendered Costco a much less appropriate grocery venue.

It breaks my heart, in some ways, to buy and consume less food, but I really should be thankful. This means I only have to go grocery shopping once a week or less (if I can stop myself!), and recipes hardly need to be doubled. It should feel more simple, yet it is still an adjustment.

To ease in this adjustment, and mostly in an effort to use up those easily-forgotten perishables, I have started meal planning. Since nearly every dinner I make these days is unfamiliar to our family, I've also been taking mediocre photos to pair with recipes in hopes that someday I will compile a recipe filing system superior to my current method of stacking post-it notes in drawers and cupboards. I know, I dream big.

Recipe compilation has been a grueling task. I'm searching for meal ideas that are not only composed almost completely of whole plant foods, but are also palatable to small children, flavorful enough for carnivorous, salt-crazy hubby, and fast and easy enough that I can whip them up one-handed (while holding Char). Also, the ingredients can't be too expensive or remote. And I'd prefer they taste good to me, too. So, almost no recipes work, but I've been clinging to that "almost," diligently excavating the hidden wonders of healthy, satisfying meals from cookbooks and blogs. I've a long way to go, to be sure, but I'm grateful to finally be finding a happy little food niche to make my own.

My goal is to post recipes I've tried recently, along with photos and our family's ratings. Originally I was going to include my own photos. They look like this

and this.

Until I learn how to decorate food and then take a photo that falls short of inducing nausea, I'll leave it to the professionals. I stole the following photos from absolutely anyone with a nicer camera and skills (Is that legal?...). Some of them are not exactly true to my creations, but they probably tasted very similar, just much, much prettier.

With no further ado, I bring you Mama T's breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bonus recipes from November 2-13! (I should warn, in case anyone actually attempts to use any of these recipes, that I am quite a minimalist when it comes to instructions. Sometimes I just omit them completely if they feel they are intuitive. Sorry about that. Also, I very rarely measure anything; the amounts listed probably came from someone else's recipe that I may or may not have followed particularly.) Oh yes, as it pertains to ratings, we'll just go by initials T, El, Er, and Ch, and let's use a scale of 1-3, 1 being a thumbs down, 2 being neutral or of mixed emotion, and 3 being a thumbs up.

Nov 2
Lunch: peanut celery spread on toast, fruit wedges

Peanut Celery Spread
1/3 c natural peanut butter
1 T lemon juice
2 t soy sauce
1 clove garlic
2 T water
1 c celery, minced

T 3, El 3, Er 2, Ch 1

Dinner: Three-layer dip and chips, those layers being hummus, broccamole, and salsa


Pumpkin Hummus
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can pumpkin
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 c olive oil
1/2 c tahini (sesame seed spread, but you can omit this or use whole sesame seeds, or even natural nut butters have about the same consistency as tahini)
3 cloves garlic
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t allspice
salt, cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper to taste

My Blendtec was able to smooth this out, but just barely. Food processors probably suit this recipe better. The can of pumpkin really made it creamy and perfect, in my opinion, but if that grosses you out, there are plenty of other tasty hummus varieties, eg roasted garlic, roasted red pepper, jalapeno, etc.

T 3, El 3, Er 3, Ch 3


Broccamole
1-2 avocados
1 large head broccoli, chopped and steamed
2 T red onion
4 cloves garlic
2+ T lime juice
1 T hot pepper sauce
2 T fresh cilantro
salt to taste

I tried blending this, but it proved too thick even for the illustrious Blendtec, so I sadly ended up mincing the broccoli by hand. With a smoother appearance, I believe this would have gone over better with the kiddos.

T 3 (for its ingenious disguise of fresh broccoli while maintaining guacamole taste), El 3, Er 2, Ch 2

Homemade salsa
tomatoes
garlic
onion
banana pepper
chili powder
salt and pepper
cilantro

Pulse in blender (or chop by hand) until chunky to your liking.

T 3, El 3, Er 1, Ch 1

Homemade chips
Cut corn tortillas into four pieces each. Broil 2 min on each side until lightly browned-- warning: 2 min 30 seconds was enough to burn an entire batch!


Nov 3
Dinner: pureed celery/carrot/sweet potato soup with dill biscuits and broccoli salad
-For the soup, I simmered garlic, onion, celery, carrot, sweet potato, other veggies, and generous seasonings in water until tender, and then blend! I added low-sodium chicken broth to thin and more sea salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, curry powder, and other seasonings to taste.

-I've also subbed celery for broccoli, but only because of that blasted Costco pack of celery-- why did I think we could polish off four heads of celery in our lifetimes?! I think this salad is actually my favorite way to eat raw celery, though.

Broccoli Salad
1 1/2 c fresh broccoli
2/3 c dried cranberries
2/3 c frozen peas, thawed
1/4 c fresh parsley
2 T chopped pecans
3 T mayo
3 T plain yogurt
1 T lemon juice
1/4 t each of salt and pepper

T 2, El 2, Er 1, Ch 1

Nov 4
Lunch: hummus and veggie sticks, banana bread

Banana Bread
mix:
3/4 c brown sugar (I usually scale this down and use part agave nectar)
3/4 flax seed meal
5 ripe mashed bananas
1/4 c skim milk of choice (I use almond, but of course soy, cow, etc. are fine)
1/4 c yogurt or applesauce
1 egg
in separate bowl, mix:
1 3/4 c whole wheat flour
1 c rolled oats
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 c chopped walnuts
combine the two mixes and bake in greased loaf pans 70 min at 350, or 25 min for muffins

T 3, El 3, Er 3, Ch 3

Dinner: Asian vermicelli soup (sorry, no measurements here)
chicken broth
soy sauce
sesame oil
garlic
ginger
rice vinegar
cabbage
cilantro
scallions
mushrooms
Asian noodles
eggs cracked in while broth boiling
fresh basil (very distinct flavor-- much more potent and enjoyable than dried basil)

Nov 5
Breakfast: Pink Smoothie, almond milk over granola and berries (This has become my favoritest food in all the land-- it's replaced my nightly bowl of ice cream and honestly appeals to my taste buds now more than desserts. I'm shocked, too.)

Hot Pink Smoothie


juice of young Thai coconut
1 carrot
1/2 raw beet
splash vanilla
dates
cashews
frozen strawberries
Blend everything but strawberries until liquid, then add strawberries and blend.

T 3, El 3, Er 3, Ch 3

Dinner: Pesto potatoes

Sun-dried tomato pesto
2 c fresh basil
5 whole sun-dried tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
1/4 t salt
3 T pine nuts
1/4 c olive oil

Blentec also struggled with this one, surprisingly. This is when I miss my old Vitamix's tamper.

T3, El3, Er2, Ch3

Dessert/snack: Banana Pops


-freeze 4 bananas, halved width-wise (so they're short) on sticks 2 hrs or until firm
-spread peanut butter over them and re-freeze 30 min until firm
-dip in melted chocolate and roll in chopped nuts or granola (I scale back the chocolate quite a bit-- mine were more drizzled than dipped in chocolate, and they were still plenty sweet)
-freeze 1-2 hours on wax paper

T 2, El 3, Er 3, Ch 1 (too hard to bite!)

Nov 6
Breakast: Green smoothie (this is a staple, but I thought I'd throw some guidelines out there in case anyone's curious)
-10 oz or so of water or juice or milk drink
-fill up blender with greens like spinach, kale, wheatgrass, cabbage, and even a handful of dandelion greens, pea greens, mustard greens, etc. (These are just the ones I've tried. There are plenty more out there, but I usually go the mild and economical route.)
-add flax seed and dates
Blend until smooth.
-add fruit, fresh and/or frozen, to taste/texture/color (I usually use bananas, apples, pears, green grapes and assorted light-colored frozen fruit like pineapple, peaches, and cantaloupe)

T 3, El 2, Er 3, Ch 3

Nov 7
Dinner: Thai coconut corn soup


sautee:
3 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper, minced
4-5 scallions
add:
30 oz coconut milk
16 oz frozen corn
2 t curry powder
1/4 t curry paste, or to taste, dissolved in water before adding
1 t salt
top with 1/2 c cilantro

T 3, El 3, Er 2, Ch 2

Nov 8
Dinner: Phyllo rolls with balsamic maple sauce


Moroccan Phyllo Rolls
roast 35-45 min at 425, tossing 1-2 times:
2 c bell peppers (I subbed whatever veggies I had on hand, like carrots and mushrooms)
3 c zucchini or squash
1 c onion
1 medium fennel bulb (I used celery)
1/2 c dried apricots
6 cloves garlic
2 T olive oil
1 1/2 t cumin
3/4 t ginger
1/2 t paprika
3/4 t cinnamon
1/2 t sea salt
1/4 t pepper

add:
1 c white beans
1/2 c fresh basil (I used pesto)

-reduce oven to 375
-spread oil on 1 phyllo sheet, top with another sheet, and then fill with 1 c veggies and wrap them, burrito-style (for better instructions, go to vegan.com and search for "Top 10 recipes of 2008")
bake 15-20 min until golden; serve with balsamic maple sauce and top with chopped or slivered almonds

T 3, El 3, Er 2

Balsamic Maple Sauce
1/4 c pure maple syrup
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
2 t butter
1 minced garlic clove
1/8 t salt
1 1/2 t cornstarch, dissolved in 3 T soy sauce (I use a natural soy sauce called Braggs Liquid Aminos)
-bring it all to a boil for 1 min then remove from heat

T 2 (too salty -- I would reduce soy sauce and/or vinegar next time and up the syrup), El 3, Er 2

Nov 9

Dinner: Veggie and Ricotta lasagna (sorry no recipe; this meal is what I call a crisper cleanser. I used anything and everything in my fridge that was on the verge of perishing.)

T 3, El 3, Er 2, Ch 3

Nov 10
Breakfast: muesli
Dinner: quesadillas with avocado, tomato, hummus, cilantro, mushrooms, and a little shredded cheese to keep it all in there



Muesli
-mix and refrigerate overnight:
1 1/2 c rolled oats
1/4 c raisins
1/8 c sunflower seeds
1/8 c chopped nuts
1/2 t cinnamon
2 c almond milk
1 c apple juice

I haven't tried this variation, but you can also omit the juice and add cocoa powder, maple syrup, and more milk to make chocolate muesli. Sounds super delish, but my kids gobble it up as is and I worry that after the sweeter version they may be less enthused about regular muesli. Also, this is my favorite breakfast in the whole world because it mostly makes itself, enabling me to lay comatose in bed a little longer.

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3

Nov 11 and beyond
Lunch: blender pancakes with hot pink smoothie poured on top
Dinner: Kristin's peanut butter sesame noodles



Blender Pancakes
1 c wheat, spelt, or oat groats (although I use quinoa, amaranth, or any whole wheat on hand)
1 c almond milk
2 eggs
2 T honey or sugar
2 T coconut oil
2 t baking powder (more if using oats)
1 t salt
-blend grain and milk first, and then add the rest
-cinnamon and dried fruit would also be yummy additions

T3, El3, Er3, Ch3

Sesame Noodles (as taken from karrotsoup.blogspot.com)



8 oz. angel hair
½ c. peanut butter (creamy is best)
½ c. water
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. white or rice vinegar
1 T. veg. oil
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 large carrot, shredded (about ½ c.)
1 small cucumber, halved and sliced.

Cook and drain pasta. Meanwhile, in large bowl whisk together all other ingredients except vegetables. Toss with hot pasta, carrots and cucumber to combine.

T3, El3+ (in a very serious tone, "Mom, this dinner is quite yummier than the bees knees."), Er3, Ch3


Well, that about concludes what is now my longest post ever, except for the natural childbirth one, or maybe Ellie's Dr. Seuss birthday party menu, or whatever else I'm obsessed with at the moment. Funny thing, though: I've clearly been exerting a great deal more time and effort learning about food and finding new recipes, but as time passes, I'm feeling less and less "obsessed" with my hobby. I still have a very appreciative, loving relationship with food, but I don't feel it controls me at all. Indeed, I don't think I've ever had a happier or better relationship with food than I currently enjoy.