FOOD SNOB

John's pie

2012-01-30T16:34:00.003-06:00

Friday night, John and I were wandering through Byerly's, trying to figure out what we were going to make for dinner. (We settled on bruschetta and quiche, not necessarily related, but both tasty! And no photos, sorry!) John noticed that Friday is "pie day" at Byerly's, and half-pies were on sale. I managed to convince John NOT to buy a grocery store pie, in favor of homemade pie the following day. :)

Here's John's pie:

I used my great-grandma's recipe for piecrust, using a little bit more butter than shortening, and it turned out FABULOUSLY. Granny Smith apple filling, with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg. Mmmmm. Must have been good, as there is only ONE piece left. And I made the pie on Saturday morning! :) Do you think I have enough willpower to save the last piece for the next time I see John? I'm not sure . . . !

And a couple more meals from the weekend --

Chili!

We went ice skating on Saturday evening, and chili was the perfect post-skate, warming dinner. I have really been digging my "basic" recipe of late, containing little more than onion, garlic, bell pepper, minced mushrooms, chili powder, cumin, salt, diced tomatoes, beans, vegetable broth (or water,) and hot sauce. Plenty of toppings this time, including pepper jack, cilantro, green onions, and sour cream. (Chips and guac on the side, not pictured!)

And Pad Thai!

I augmented the recipe for "Brooklyn Pad Thai" from Vegan with a Vengeance by adding some shredded cabbage (and cutting back a wee bit on the noodles,) a couple scrambled eggs, and extra peanuts. Spicy-sweet-salty-tangy and delicious! I love Thai food.

MORE tea.

2012-01-26T18:46:00.005-06:00

Anyone who knows me well knows I need more tea like I need a hole in the head.

But, I just couldn't help myself . . .

I took it upon myself to try all three teas immediately, so I could provide you with a review. You know, taking one for the team and all. :)

Coconut Cocoa: This tea has a strong coconut flavor, with a subtle chocolatey-ness hiding in the background. I like this one quite a bit, but I would expect that if you weren't a huge fan of coconut, this wouldn't be a hit with you.

Red Velvet Chocolate: This is my least favorite of the three. Don't get me wrong -- it's a nice, quality, vanilla-y rooibos. But this fancy canister of tea doesn't taste much different than the ordinary vanilla rooibos I have on hand. A subtle chocolate aroma, but no detectable chocolate flavor, in my opinion. Bummer.

Peppermint Chocolate: This is excellent! Kind of tastes like an Andes mint, but not sweet, obviously. I might try this one again later with a bit of sugar, to see if it gets even better. :) P.S. This cup of tea was excellent with a teensie handful of white chocolate chips on the side . . . :)

My co-op doesn't seem to carry the Strawberry or Banana Chocolate teas . . . anyone out there tried either? Both sound amazing to me!

Do you impulse buy tea? Any other silly grocery impulse buys you care to confess?

on a Tuesday . . .

2012-01-25T15:54:00.003-06:00

. . . I received an email from John, stating that he was going to be in my neighborhood working all day, and did I want to get together around 5? Of course!

But wait . . . what's for dinner? I had plenty of leftovers, but not enough of any one thing for the two of us. Popping over to Target during my break for a few items was really the only option, right? I was pleasantly surprised that Target carries organic, whole-wheat pasta!

Bow ties with homemade mushroom marinara, and a "clean out the crisper" salad on the side:

And mixed berry crumble with a drizzle of heavy cream for dessert:

That bag of frozen berries has been lurking in my freezer positively for-EVER. It was great to use them up in something so delicious! John had two helpings; and I quote, "it's healthy, right? There's fruit!"

Weekend in food!

2012-01-23T09:49:00.002-06:00

Meals from the weekend - whole wheat pancakes and breakfast sausages,

burritos,

and Smoky Split Pea Soup with Cheese Muffins.

YUM!

Friday night pizza!

2012-01-21T10:43:00.001-06:00

Team effort on dinner last night - I made the "veggie supreme," John made a much more creative pizza with caramelized onions, artichokes, apple, and Brie.
Leftover pizza for breakfast? Indeed. :)

one cannot live on eggs alone

2012-01-18T06:15:00.003-06:00

I'm back! After a couple of long bus rides, (and a lot of nose-blowing . . . traveling with a massive head cold isn't much fun, let me tell you,) and some quality time spent with grandpa in the middle, it's good to be home. :)

John picked me up from the bus on Monday afternoon; by dinnertime, we were both massively hungry, but I was so sick and tired and cranky that I couldn't come up with anything that possibly resembled dinner. And I needed to hit the store . . . desperately. John's suggestion? "I'll make eggs."

There we go. Dinner/breakfast is served. :)

And, since one cannot live on eggs alone . . .

"French Lentil Soup with Tarragon and Thyme," from Veganomicon:

I stuck pretty tight to the recipe this time around, although I didn't use all French green lentils, as I wanted to use up the mixture of lentils I had on hand. So . . . the soup has a blend of green, brown, and red lentils -- and what an amazing soup this turned out to be! I also cut back on the salt a bit, as I thought it would probably be too salty as writ. (I think I was right, at least for my palate!)

I was due another baking project -- Apple-Molasses Spice Cake:

I cannot say enough good things about this cake . . . moist, flavorful, intensely-spiced, warm, and just plain cozy. A perfect "ordinary" dessert, in my opinion!

Last, rice bowls with peanut sauce:

This is one of those amazingly-tasty, super-healthy dinners that come together in seconds if all of the ingredients are prepped ahead of time. I cooked up a bunch of brown rice, fried up some tofu, prepped a bunch of veggies, and made a batch of peanut sauce from Vegan with a Vengeance. Ta-da! Pile it all in a bowl, re-warm (or not, if that's your thing,) and dig in. Mmmmmmm. Peanut sauce is the BEST.

On the road again

2012-01-14T19:58:00.001-06:00

I'm headed out of town this holiday weekend via the Megabus again, to visit family in the Madison area. Before dropping me off at the bus this morning, John made breakfast. More ridiculous eggs! Note that I burned the bagels; John folded the napkins. :)

cookie girl

2012-01-13T06:02:00.004-06:00

It was my turn to take treats to church choir rehearsal this past Wednesday; thankfully, we don't have to "feed" 50 people on our own -- one always has a "treat buddy." The goal for "treats" is to have a somewhat healthy snack, and a somewhat junky snack. :) You like how we think? I emailed my treat buddy over the weekend and said, "I'm planning on baking cookies -- you ok with covering the healthy option?"

I'm always the cookie girl. I think I've earned myself a reputation.

I ended up clearing a few holiday baking leftovers from my cupboards, and ended up with knock-your-socks-off oatmeal cookies. Here's my basic recipe, which I feel, is the BEST oatmeal cookie in the WORLD. And I'm not exaggerating.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt (depends on whether you used salted butter)
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups mix-ins

375 for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies.

Sometimes, short, simple, and sweet is the way to go, would you agree? Take a basic base and add incredible stuff, (I used the scraps and crumbles from my holiday toffee, dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, chopped pecans, and unsweetened coconut this time,) and you get . . . heaven.

I think I need a cookie for breakfast today. ;)

"don't take any of the brown ones"

2012-01-11T05:56:00.005-06:00

Dinner last night was a team effort -- John came over after finishing a job on my side of town, (he lives in St. Paul,) and we made:

Black Bean and Chipotle Soup

(Topped with cilantro, diced avocado, and sour cream,)

And Buttermilk Cornbread:

(Note that I was worried about the 2/3 cup sugar called for in this recipe . . . but it wasn't too much, surprisingly. Balanced out the tanginess of the buttermilk nicely! Mmm.)

I made the cornbread, John chopped all of the veggies for the soup, and then we had to "hurry up and wait," as is the norm with soup. As we were dishing up our bowls and I was digging into the avocado, John said, "don't take any of the brown ones!" (It wasn't the best avocado; tasty, but visually a little unappealing.) I looked at him strangely and he continued, "don't you have to take a picture? Only take the pretty pieces." Well, okay then! :)

So let's see, here . . . he's a vegetarian, he does dishes, AND he's supportive of my slightly odd pre-meal photo-taking/post-meal blogging? I think he's a keeper. ;)

Ridiculous Eggs

2012-01-09T05:52:00.004-06:00

I've been hinting at something . . . and here it is: I've found myself someone to cook breakfast for. :) Er, should I say, he cooks breakfast for me? John doesn't do much cooking to speak of these days, but he is a vegetarian, (which, oddly, is pleasantly refreshing -- I never thought it was a big deal, but it kind of is, I'm starting to realize), appreciates amazing and healthy food, and is awesome at making a few key things; eggs are one of his specialties. John makes what I have come to think of as "Ridiculous Eggs," not ridiculous in the "causing or worthy of ridicule" definition of the word, but rather, ridiculous in their absurd excess.

See?

Saturday morning's breakfast: Ridiculous Eggs with onion, garlic, shallot, spinach, feta, and tomato. Pumpernickel toast with homemade strawberry jam on the side.

And, Sunday morning's breakfast:

More Ridiculous Eggs, this time with onion, spinach, tomato, avocado, parsley, cream cheese, mozzarella, and cumin. Mmm. I am pro-cumin in eggs, let me tell you! More toast with homemade strawberry jam on the side, but this jam was made by John's three-year-old cousin. I think she might have something on me in the jam-making department!

Even though part of me would like to try to eat eggs three meals a day, I know it would be a bad idea, ultimately. :) Dinners from the weekend:

Masaman curry, with tofu, red bell pepper, sweet potato, broccoli, mushrooms, and onions, all over short-grain brown rice.

A simple, yet delicious, pasta and salad dinner:

I sauteed a bunch of garlic in a bunch of olive oil, added some dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and artichokes, and tossed the lot with hot pasta, parsley, parmesan, and goat cheese. This was kind of made up on the spot, and pretty damn awesome. Definitely worth repeating again in the future. :)

And, a giant salad for Sunday night:

Mixed greens topped with apples, fennel, walnuts, buttermilk blue cheese, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. A wedge of Wedge focaccia on the side. A delicious and reasonably healthy way to end the weekend!

And, don't forget dessert . . .

Lemon bars! We managed to take down the entire pan over the course of the weekend . . . ha!

the last

2012-01-02T19:52:00.005-06:00

Here are the remaining two meals from my vacation that I haven't yet blogged about:

Curried tofu, roasted sweet potatoes, and an artichoke:

And . . . biscuits and gravy!

We whipped up a quick batch of buttermilk biscuits this morning, made the tempeh sausage crumbles from Vegan with a Vengeance, and folded them into a vegetarian version of "creamy gravy," from The Betty Crocker Cookbook. Holy hell, this was an awesome breakfast. I had to have some fruit on the side, though, as I couldn't justify a breakfast comprised entirely of fat, white flour, and protein. :) (And a walk around the lake to follow definitely helped!)

Let me just say . . . having someone to cook breakfast with is AWESOME. Especially when he does the dishes. :)

As I look at the last remaining minutes of my vacation, I wonder . . . where did the time go? I feel like I've been away from work for a LONG time, yet I'm somehow not quite ready to head back, you know? :) Time to start mentally preparing myself . . . 5:30 AM is going to come REALLY early tomorrow morning! Sigh. (But I am looking forward to seeing the kids!)

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T07:51:00.001-06:00

My New Year's Eve was filled with good food & good company ... and nothing else! Sometimes it's just good to take it easy at (someone else's) home, would you agree?

Feast your eyes on our feast: wild rice soup and popovers:

day trip!

2011-12-31T07:25:00.004-06:00

Nothing terribly exciting to report on my end . . . let's just say vacation agrees with me! :)

A few photos from a day trip I took to Great River Bluffs State Park on Thursday:

It was a cold, somewhat windy, kind of gray day, but we still had a bunch of fun! Moderately tough terrain, gorgeous views, good food (soup and sandwich picnic, packed by yours truly,) and great company made for the highlight of my vacation!

(And yes, if you are wondering, this "friend" is an important one . . . but I'm not ready to blow his cover just yet. The same mystery friend/helper in the kitchen that I've eluded to a few times over the past month. He'll get introduced soon enough!)

Reuben? Rachel?

2011-12-27T08:41:00.005-06:00

Dinner last night:

I'm back on my tempeh reuben kick -- Wedge pumpernickel bread, Annie's thousand island dressing, Bubbies sauerkraut, organic sliced swiss, and "Seasoned Tempeh" from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home. Kale Slaw with Peanut Dressing and sliced apple on the side. Damn, I love that slaw recipe!

Here was a question asked of me during dinner last night that I don't have the answer to: what's the difference between a Reuben and a Rachel? Anyone out there know? Do comment, please!

Christmas Dinner

2011-12-26T08:06:00.005-06:00

It was a good Christmas this year -- church on the Eve was as beautiful and magical as ever, I enjoyed gorgeous weather, good food, and a great movie with my friend Ann during the day, made the family phone calls, and then pulled a kick-ass dinner out of my freezer and knocked the day out of the park:

SPINACH PIE
(loosely based on The Cheese Factory Restaurant Cookbook's recipe for "Spanikopita"):
Yield: one 9X13 pan, 6 or so servings

INGREDIENTS, FILLING:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne
zest of one lemon
1 pound feta, crumbled
3 pounds cooked/chopped spinach, thawed if frozen and squeezed dry
2 cups chopped onion and 1 minced clove garlic, sauteed in a drizzle of olive oil until soft

DIRECTIONS, FILLING:
Lightly beat the eggs, then whisk in the cream, nutmeg, basil, oregano, dill, salt, pepper, cayenne, and lemon zest. Fold in the cheese, spinach, and onion/garlic mixture until well-blended.

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:
1 pound filo, thawed completely (you won't use quite the entire package)
1 stick butter, melted

ASSEMBLY:
1. Cut the filo to fit the size of your 9X13 baking dish. Reserve the scraps for another use, or just toss them. Spray a kitchen towel with water and use to cover the filo while you are working. Continue to mist the towel as needed to keep the dough from drying out during the assembly process.
2. Brush the inside of your baking dish well with butter, Add two filo, brushing the top sheet with butter. Continue layering filo, buttering every-other, until you have about a dozen sheets in the pan. You can lay the sheets flat in the bottom, or build up the sides making sort of a "crust." Either system works well -- just whatever you prefer.
3. Add the filling to the baking dish, spreading evenly.
4. Continue layering filo on top of the filling, brushing each sheet of dough with butter this time. until you use up all of the dough. Cut the pie into squares -- either a 3X3 grid or a 3X4 grid, depending on how large of servings you want.
5. At this point you can cover the pie with foil and freeze until you are ready to bake it, or stick the thing directly in a preheated 350 degree oven, uncovered. Bake until deep golden brown, about 40 minutes for a fresh pie, or much longer -- about an hour and a half? -- if you are baking from frozen. (Put the frozen pie in a cold oven and turn the heat on so you don't crack your baking dish! Cover a frozen pie for about the first hour, and then uncover for the last 30 minutes or so, so the whole thing doesn't dry out during the long bake.) Allow the pie to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before re-cutting the squares and serving!

Hope you had a fantastic holiday!
(P.S. I got to have lefse for dessert, too!)

Merry, merry.

2011-12-24T17:18:00.004-06:00

Whew, it's been a year for me -- I had appropriately named 2011 "the year that doesn't quit." As I'm preparing to stay up super-late for Christmas Eve service tonight, (on very little sleep, and a teensie little nap, thank you very much,) all sorts of thoughts are swirling around in my head. Mostly, what a year it's been! As I learned in yoga class, the universe never hands you anything you can't handle -- I knew that all along, but it was hard to see while in the thick of things, you know? Life is reasonably calm and relatively stable nowadays, things are clipping along nicely, and I'm looking forward to being off work until JANUARY 3RD! Wahoo!

I wish you a merry, merry whatever -- Christmas, Santa, New Year, Hanukkah, Solstice, time away from the grind to relax with important people. And I leave you with some shots from a hike I took with a friend yesterday at Afton State Park. Unseasonably warm, gorgeously sunny winter days make for great hiking, and even better pictures:

I'll be back soon with food -- I plan to feed myself well and often during my vacation! I can't wait. :)

Sunday dinner

2011-12-20T06:02:00.004-06:00

After a busy weekend in the kitchen baking cookies, I had assumed the last thing I wanted to do was mess things up again by making a huge meal . . . but I was wrong. :) I decided I was due a healthy, slightly indulgent, comforting bowl of delicious food for dinner! I had picked up the ingredients for "Mushroom Potato Stroganoff" from The Cheese Factory Restaurant -- and I roasted up nearly two pounds of brussels sprouts on the side. (Every once in a while I get to tag along to Costco with my friend Courtney, and massive amounts of produce always result! Woo!) I decided to mound everything into one of my giant Asian soup bowls and curl up on the couch with a movie:

Yum.

I also grabbed the hugest box of spinach and a giant block of feta when trolling Costco . . . and I have a box of filo in my freezer. Spinach pie, anyone???? :)

the cookies.

2011-12-18T15:28:00.005-06:00

I really tried to exercise considerable restraint when planning my Christmas cookie baking marathon this year -- I limited myself to two candies, two bars, and three cookies. A feat, if you ask me! I started baking on Friday night, and finished up early this morning. I took breaks to sleep and eat, obviously, and also squeezed in a run yesterday morning, a short nap yesterday afternoon, and dinner out last night. I packed up piles of cookies for church choir friends this morning, and plan on taking a big tray of cookies to work sometime this week -- hopefully I won't have TOO many leftovers! :)

Without further ado, here's what I made this year:

Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels:

I didn't add quite enough coarse salt to the tops of the caramels! Oh, the horror! Don't worry . . . they are still fantastic. :) Just not sweet-salty enough!

Glazed Lemon Cookies:

SO easy, and so delicious! A simple slice-and-bake butter cookie, dunked in a super-lemony glaze. I added yellow sprinkles. It's Christmas, you know! Christmas calls for extra sprinkles, if you ask me. ;)

Triple-Ginger Cookies, from Fine Cooking:

These are super-spicy and deeply molasses-y, but I baked them a minute or so too long . . . I love nothing more than a soft ginger cookie, and these are not. Alas! I'll note in the recipe to pull them out of the oven a couple of minutes early in the future, but for now, I dunk them in my tea. :)

White Chocolate and Peppermint Brownies:

OH. HELL. YES. I did a little happy dance when I tried a bite of these last night! The brownie layer is perfectly dense, gooey, and chocolatey, yet sturdy enough to stand up to being covered in white chocolate and crushed candy canes. MMM!

English Toffee:

I make toffee every year, since I find it dead easy and everyone seems to go apeshit over it. I followed a recipe from Fine Cooking this year, and determined that the yield is a little too large for my 8-inch silicone pan, which I use for candy-making. No real complaints, it's just extra-thick!

Apricot and Coconut Bars:

These were on my to-try list last year, but got the axe . . . I'm so glad I decided to try these this year! I actually received a phone call from a church choir friend about an hour after church today, singing the praises of these bars. I love them lots, too!

And lastly, Sugar Cookies with frosting and sprinkles:

I was pleasantly surprised by an offer of help with the cookie-baking this year, and found that these roll-outs went much faster with two people! I really like this recipe from Real Simple -- the dough is basic yet flavorful on its own, soft yet sturdy enough to allow for plenty of decorations, and the yield is just right -- not too many, not too few!

Happy sugar time! Wee!

nutrition be damned

2011-12-14T05:52:00.003-06:00

As I'm sure you know if you've read my blog more than once, I tend to like healthy food -- certain vegetables make me jump for joy, (asparagus, artichokes, and broccoli all come to mind immediately,) I generally eat a largely vegan diet, love beans and whole grains, and don't eat too much sugar.

However, there are a few key foods out there that I REALLY don't care for.

Cauliflower? Ew. (Which is so weird, because I love all other brassicas.)

Carrots? No thank you! (Again, weird, as I love beets and parsnips.)

And possibly the weirdest? Lentils.

Now, red lentils are excluded from my lentil-hatred, for obvious reasons. :) However, brown lentils? Ugh. French green lentils? Hm. Every once in a while, I get a craving for lentil soup, but never seem to make my way through an entire pot, before I want to chuck the leftovers out the window.

What is it about lentils, you ask? To me, they just sort of taste like . . . dirt. Metallic and earthy. Not something I want to put in my mouth.

I've discovered over the years that the trick to getting myself to eat just about anything -- whether it be leftovers I'm tired of, a recipe that just didn't turn out quite right, or something that I'm just not partial to, (where did that huge jar of lentils come from, anyway? whose bright idea was it to buy so many tasty morsels of dirt flavor?), is to cover it in cheese. :)

Last night, I discovered that covering lentils in cheese AND stuffing them in a crepe works even better! :)

Nutrition be damned, I enjoyed my lentils!

THIS time. ;)

weekend noteworthies

2011-12-12T05:48:00.005-06:00

As I began my weekend on Friday night, I started to think that there was no way I was going to find time to put the tree up -- between laundry and other housework, multiple sets of plans with friends (yay!), church choir rehearsal, and our Advent concert on Sunday morning, I was feeling pretty booked! However, some things changed come Saturday afternoon, and I found myself with a free evening! Time for the Christmas tree!

It's kind of a lot of work to put up (AND take down,) but it's fun to enjoy!

I also managed to squeeze in some more baking and cooking over the weekend:

Cranberry Oatmeal Bars, for church choir rehearsal:

I followed the "Raspberry Oatmeal Bars" recipe from Joy of Vegan Baking, except I promptly de-veganized them by using butter instead of margarine, (what I had on hand, after all,) and used leftover cranberry chutney from Thanksgiving instead of raspberry jam. The chutney worked beautifully! The bars have a nice tart-sweet contrast to them, and I was happy to have the opportunity to find something to do with most of the leftover chutney. :) People gobbled them up at rehearsal, so they must have been good!

Sunday night dinner was a repeat that I had been waiting far too long to make:

"Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Blue Cheese," from Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers, with a side of chile-garlic roasted broccoli. Thanks to lots of help from a now-expert onion chopper and caramelizer, this was on the table in no time. :) (Plus, it's always good to have help in taking down a pound of pasta! I still have lots of leftovers, but not an insane amount.)

And in my book, life is incomplete without dessert:

Homemade butterscotch pudding, recipe from The Betty Crocker Cookbook. Homemade pudding is so damn easy, (and so incredibly tasty,) I wonder why I don't make it more often?

Last, I leave you with a snapshot of the hike I took at Ft. Snelling State Park yesterday:

It was the perfect day for a winter hike, if you ask me -- not too cold, not too windy, not too much snow! Woo!

fried rice, Friday night

2011-12-09T21:02:00.003-06:00

Best thing to do with leftover rice:

Garlic, ginger, shiitake mushrooms, red bell pepper, green onion, shelled edamame, baby corn, water chestnuts, egg, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil all ended up in the wok tonight, along with plenty of short-grain brown rice.

Fried rice on a Friday night is a delicious way to start the weekend, if you ask me! :)

the cookie plan

2011-12-08T06:05:00.004-06:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, isn't it?

Here's what Christmas means to me:

1. Getting to sing for 11 PM Christmas Eve service
(I know it's kind of geeky, but there you go . . . )

2. Baking cookies!

I actually do have a plan this year, and the decision-making process wasn't nearly as challenging as it was in years past. :) Here's the list:

Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels
Toffee
Apricot Coconut Bars (sorry you can't see the recipe -- but I have a hard copy somewhere . . . !)
White Chocolate and Peppermint Brownies
Sugar Cookies (with frosting and sprinkles, of course!)
Triple-Ginger Cookies (from Fine Cooking . . . and I can't find the recipe online anywhere! Sorry!)
Glazed Lemon Cookies

Perhaps I'll get the tree up this weekend, so I can really go nuts next weekend! Baking, Christmas music, decorations . . . what else does one need?? :)

Maybe an iPad, so I don't get flour all over my laptop? ;)
(Not this year, I know! But a girl can dream, right?)

Iron and Wine

2011-12-05T19:16:00.003-06:00

I just collected "Around the Well" from the library today; seriously, WHERE has Iron and Wine been all my life?

That's all. :)

(My fridge is nearly bare, and I'm not planning on shopping again until the weekend, so . . . until then!)

read the recipe

2011-12-03T07:05:00.005-06:00

Last night, I decided the best possible thing I could do with my evening was bake something -- hell yes! (Really, when is it not time to bake?) I had a few baking apples lingering in my fridge from a Halloween trip to a pumpkin patch/apple orchard, and really thought that I better use them up, quick-like! This recipe for Apple-Molasses Spice Cake had caught my eye ages ago, and it sounded like the perfect early-winter dessert.

This cake is INCREDIBLE! Imagine a moist, light, sweet-but-not-too-sweet gingerbread, studded with bits of slightly tart apple throughout -- a lovely, rustic dessert, but also an excellent breakfast. :) I might even try this one again with whole-wheat flour, as I think the cake is so flavorful and light, one would hardly notice the flour swap.

A note of caution, though -- always READ THE ENTIRE RECIPE before starting! The recipe calls for a half-cup of water added to the cake batter, which was NOT listed in the ingredients, (shame on you, Real Simple!), and I had proceeded with the recipe without the water, surprised by how stiff the batter was, popping the cake in the oven before reading, yelping "oh no!", ripping the cake back out of the oven, adding the water, and returning it to the oven. :) No harm done in the end, but it would have been smart to have read through the full recipe first! (Shame on me, too! We'll say it's a 50/50 blame this time.) ;)

time for a new camera, I guess!

2011-11-27T06:46:00.004-06:00

I think I've officially reached the point where it's time for me to buy a new camera. I love my Canon, but it's getting OLD. It's the only digital camera I've ever owned, and it's just not making the grade any longer! (And I'm finding photos taken with my phone have a weird greenish tinge to them -- why is that?)

Am I going to be able to afford an SLR, or will I settle on another point and shoot? Time to start price-comparing. I'm sure I'll just end up ordering something from Ritz Camera again, but it's not going to happen tomorrow, obviously. :) Let me know if you have a camera that you absolutely love -- I'd enjoy any input!

In the interim, enjoy some slightly blurry, low-quality food photos:

Sweet-and-Sour Tofu:

My, oh my, does this taste just like Chinese restaurant take-out! Super quick and super easy, to boot! Here's the recipe, courtesy of the Betty Crocker Cookbook:

Combine, and bring to a boil:
1/2 cup sugar (!!!! Yes, that's a lot! It's junk food!)
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, minced or grated on a Microplane

Combine, stir into sauce, and cook until thickened:
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water

Fold into sauce, and return to a boil:
1 package extra-firm tofu, cubed and browned
1 medium tomato, cut into wedges or large chunks
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into large chunks
8 ounces canned pineapple chunks, drained well

(And yes, the tomato is take-out traditional, but a little strange, if you ask me. I might switch things up next time, using a red bell pepper and broccoli instead of the green bell and tomato. Might even improve the nutrition profile a little, right?)

Serve over brown rice, which will make you feel much better about the quantity of sugar you are about to consume. :)

~~~~~~~~~~

Dinner last night was a good, basic, homemade chili:

I think I've written about this ad nauseam in the past, but really, when it comes to chili, I like to keep things simple. Here's the recipe I made last night:

Saute in olive oil until soft:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
about 2 cups of minced white mushrooms
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce
a few pinches kosher salt to taste

Add to chili, bring to a boil, then simmer until you are ready to eat:
28 ounces diced tomatoes with liquid
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp hot sauce (I used Crystal, since that's what I had on hand)
enough water just to cover

I ended up adding a little too much water to my chili last night, so I simmered the whole thing uncovered for a while, until it thickened to my liking. Shredded cheese, green onions, and sour cream are my favorite chili garnishes. What do you like to pile on top of your chili?

Chili is best served with cornbread, in my opinion:

I'm really starting to love Real Simple's recipe archives online -- I've found everything that I've tried to be reliable, reasonably healthy, and mostly focusing on whole, real foods -- pretty much exactly in line with my style of cooking. This Maple Corn Bread was no exception! The only significant change I made was subbing canola oil for the melted butter, since I had plenty of oil on hand, but almost no butter.

~~~~~~~~~~

I've really enjoyed the last three days of my four-day weekend . . . and I'm so glad I have one more day left! Hope you had a happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T16:14:00.006-06:00

Do you know what's awesome about making Thanksgiving dinner just for yourself? You don't have to make anything you don't really care for, and can focus on creating your "ideal" meal. :) Every cook should make Thanksgiving dinner just for him/herself at least once, even if it's not actually Thanksgiving!

This year, here's what I wanted on my plate of plenty:

Clockwise from the top: "Chickpea Cutlets" and "Mustard Sauce," both from Veganomicon, Caramelized Onion and Herb Stuffing, Double Cranberry Chutney, a Hasselback Sweet Potato, and roasted brussels sprouts.

I did discover, however, the best part about a solo Thanksgiving -- if you don't overeat and actually save room for pie, you don't have to wait for everyone else to digest before you can eat pie! (Some years, I feel like that lag time is going to make me crazy! I like pie so damn much, it's hard, being polite!)

I love pie.

:)

banana bread and re-charging

2011-11-22T19:13:00.006-06:00

I forgot to post about the banana bread I made over the weekend!

Now, I'm not the hugest fan of banana bread in general, but this Marbled-Chocolate Banana Bread is TO DIE FOR. I'm having a hard time figuring out how this qualifies as a Cooking Light recipe, because it definitely tastes indulgent and decadent. Best after-school snack EVER!

~~~~~~~~~~

Things have been weird for me lately -- it's kind of hard to describe, but I'm feeling a bit . . . "off" lately. Out of balance, not quite myself. There are some exciting things going on in my life, some crazy things going on, and some totally normal things going on. I'm blaming the "off-ness" on work stress, coupled with not enough sleep, coupled with anxiety about the impending holidays, (and remembering how bad they were last year,) coupled with general laziness and subsequently not feeding myself very well. Isn't it funny that, even though I know it's a simple intake-output theory, sometimes I "forget" how important healthy eating is?

For my upcoming four-day weekend, I'm planning a big recharge. I have no plans on Thanksgiving, and although I was invited to join a church friend and her family, I declined -- I need some quiet time. I need to run, do some yoga, watch movies, loop Ladysmith Black Mambazo while reading magazines, and cook! I feel like I haven't prepared a decent meal for myself in MONTHS, and I plan to change that this weekend! I hit up the co-op tonight to restock my produce drawers and prepare for my weekend:

Meals in my plan: chili and cornbread, sweet and sour tofu, spaghetti and "meatballs," and Thanksgiving dinner, just for me! Bonus points to you, if you can pick out my impulse buys! ;)

a first: homemade coffee syrup!

2011-11-20T19:18:00.005-06:00

This was, quite possibly, the most amazing thing I could have had for dessert after lunch today:

Toddy coffee concentrate, unsweetened coconut milk beverage, and a couple tablespoons of Gingersnap Latte Syrup. Next time, I might live dangerously, and even double the spices! Seasonally-inspired and delicious. :)

~~~~~~~~~~

Oliver hasn't checked in in a while, has he?

Can anyone explain the reasoning behind the cat sitting on the phone? Because I just don't GET it. How can it be comfortable? It's not like it's warm or anything . . . weird, weird cat.

running around

2011-11-17T05:55:00.006-06:00

I am realizing that I haven't posted on this topic, yet . . . shame on me! Here goes . . .

I have recently taken up running. Yep. I said it.

Why is this such a big deal to me, you ask?

Many reasons . . .

I, allegedly, don't like "exercise." (I still, definitely, don't like the "gym.")

I used to look at runners and think, "what's the point? Aren't you TIRED?"

I have a bad back.

I have bad knees.

I like to walk, and isn't walking better for you, anyway?

I have a bike, and isn't biking better for you, anyway?

It's late, late fall in Minnesota. We'll have snow and ice on the ground any second.

With all of those reasons, the question begs: WHY did I start running, exactly?

The real answer? I don't really know.

I had been mulling over trying running for some time, and I had an impulse one weekend -- I just downloaded a "Couch to 10K" app, bought a pair of New Balance running shoes that were on clearance, and started trying to run.

And you know what? I LOVE IT.

The whole thing started just to see if I could do it -- just to see whether I could run, whether I had a level of physical fitness that would allow me to, whether my back would allow me to, whether my knees would allow me to. Whether, in time, I could work up to running around Lake of the Isles, (about a 2.5-mile loop,) which is a short walk from my apartment. Whether, in more time, I could run from my apartment, to the lake, around, and back. (About 4 miles, according to a friend of mine.)

And you know what? I CAN!

Not saying that I went from nothing to running a 5K overnight -- in fact, I haven't even gotten that far yet. BUT . . . I can run for 10 minutes without stopping! And the road to running hasn't been paved with perfection; I had some knee aches that had to be strategized and taken care of early on. (Translation: SuperFeet saved my knees. I have always put them in my "work shoes," but I now know they are a must for running shoes, too.)

Most importantly, I "get" running, now -- I totally, completely understand why people run. After those first few minutes where I struggle a little bit, my body flips a switch. My muscles are warm, the fatigue disappears, and my brain checks out. All I do is MOVE. Nothing more, nothing less. It's an amazing vacation from my head, an incredible way to pound out particularly stressful days, and I finish feeling strong, fit, powerful, healthy, and exhausted. I'm on my way to being in the best shape of my life, (great that I can say that at 32, huh?), and am willing the snow to hold off for at least a few more weeks! (Aren't we all, for so many reasons?)

What are your experiences with running? I know it's not for everyone, and I'm still not convinced that my body can handle the impact long-term. But for now . . . I'll see you at the lake. :)

perfectly acceptable

2011-11-16T06:01:00.003-06:00

Here's a perfectly acceptable, yet not stellar, dinner I made last night:

It was one of those meals where nothing turned out QUITE right, you know? I had big ideas, (chile-garlic roasted broccoli, brown basmati rice, Goddess-dressing marinaded tofu,) but everything was just . . . okay. Broccoli not spicy enough, rice too salty, tofu not flavorful enough . . . sigh.

Spud Puppies, though? Always fantastic. ;)

MORE soup.

2011-11-15T05:56:00.005-06:00

I'm a woman obsessed -- definitely in a cooking rut! Although a little soggy, I guess a soup rut isn't a terribly bad place to be! Would you agree?

I threw this together late last week, no measuring involved at all, but excellent results, in the end!

Ingredients: olive oil, onion, garlic, Italian Field Roast sausages, chili flakes, salt, pepper, white beans, a can of crushed, fire-roasted tomatoes, a splash of vegetable broth, and a load of kale.

What kinds of cooking ruts do you find yourself in?

another gift of produce

2011-11-08T19:11:00.004-06:00

The same evening my friend Dora gifted me a celery root, my friend Courtney gifted me a pie pumpkin! Tonight, it was time to use produce gift #2 . . . and I just couldn't help myself. I made more soup. :)

(I had someone tell me recently that, in their experience, vegetarians only eat soups and salads. Well, while we all know that's not true, I guess my blog is reinforcing the incorrect theory! Too bad. I love soup!)

Here it is -- a curried pumpkin and apple soup:

I loosely based my soup on this recipe, but made many, many changes. Here's my version:

Toss together:
1 pie pumpkin, seeded, peeled, and chopped roughly
2 large apples, cored and sliced into 8ths
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp curry powder
salt and pepper

Roast the pumpkin and apples at 450 for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Warm:
2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 to 2 cups unsweetened, unflavored almond milk

Add the pumpkin to the broth/milk mixture, and puree. Finish with a capful of apple cider vinegar, more salt (if needed,) and a sprinkling of roasted cashews!

I also made some Honey Oat Quick Bread, to accompany my soup:

I actually followed a recipe for once! Well, except that I'm out of all-purpose flour, so I just used all whole-wheat pastry flour this time. (And I used a little less flour, since whole wheat tends to soak up more moisture.)

Now, here's the amazing part -- I had absolutely everything on hand for this meal, except for the cashews! Props to me for my well-stocked pantry. :)

Sunday nights are made for baking

2011-11-06T19:18:00.003-06:00

Wouldn't you agree? :)

Always simple, always delicious, apple crisp:

I love that I make fruit crisps often enough that I have the recipe memorized . . . no need to pull out that hefty behemoth that is Joy of Cooking, just to make a humble dessert. :)

In other news, does anyone else hate the Daylight Savings switch as much as I do? It feels like it should be SO much later than 7:20 right now! (Probably because I woke up at 4:50 AM this morning, because my body thought it was 5:50 AM! GRRR.)

Sometimes being on a predictable schedule has its drawbacks.

a produce experiment

2011-11-06T06:23:00.004-06:00

My friend Dora gifted me a celery root last weekend. (It's becoming less and less unusual these days for me to receive gifts of produce. Does this happen to anyone else?) To quote Dora, "I just want to see what you're going to do with it!"

After a little thought and a little research, I decided on soup. (Of course. 'Cause I love soup, you know?)

Other than picking up a leek from the co-op, I had pretty much everything on hand that I wanted to include in my soup:

In addition to the leek, garlic, celery root, and potato, I also used olive oil, vegetable broth, salt and pepper, and a healthy splash of unsweetened almond milk at the end, for extra creaminess.

Even though the soup looks humble, it was fantastic!

I drizzled a little harissa-infused olive oil over my bowl before slurping, and that just took it over the top. :)

While I can't say that the flavor of the celery root was all that strong, (truthfully, the finished product just tastes like a good, creamy, potato-leek soup,) it was fun to try out a new to me vegetable. Thanks for the inspiration, Dora!

dinner, served.

2011-11-01T18:28:00.004-05:00

Dinner tonight:

It's nice when a few odds and ends can come together to make a delicious and healthy dinner, isn't it? Marinaded tofu (from the freezer,) whole-wheat couscous with lemon and garlic, leftover eggplant (brushed with soy sauce and olive oil, then broiled,) and roasted broccoli with chili flakes.

Sorry, folks -- I just can't come up with anything else to say about this meal! It was easy, it was healthy, it hit the spot. :) Work's been unusually intense these past couple of weeks, so I'm kinda shot . . . but I'll be back later in the week with soup! Until then.

happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T19:10:00.002-05:00

Boo!

Somebody better get over here, quick, before I eat the whole pan myself and make myself sick:

Mmmmmmmmmm........

yoga today

2011-10-30T15:13:00.002-05:00

A timely chant, from my yoga class this morning . . .

When you were born, you cried;
And the world rejoiced!
Live your life so that when you die,
The world cries, and you rejoice.

an epic cake disaster

2011-10-30T07:27:00.005-05:00

Last night, I threw a triple birthday party for my friends Christine, Ann, and Courtney, as they all have their birthdays within two weeks of each other! We had a great time, ate some amazing food, and drank some delicious wine (thanks to Dora, for bringing beverages!)

However, pre-party, I experienced a cake disaster so spectacular, I would consider it epic.

I had planned on making an amazing, three-layer cake for this party -- I was going for a "chocolate-covered strawberry" cake, using chocolate cake layers, vanilla buttercream, and homemade strawberry jam as filling. I pulled out my favorite moist, tender, chocolatey cake recipe for this one, baked up the layers, let them cool, and set to work.

The cake was super-slidy when I was trying to ice it, and it didn't turn out very well, but I managed to get the thing assembled:

Things were looking okay for about two seconds, until this happened:

This was actually an action shot . . . the collapse/damage was even worse than pictured. What's a girl to do? There was way too much frosting involved already to make cake pops, and truthfully, I didn't want 700 cake pops, and I was so mad . . . I just threw the whole thing out. (Well, I picked off and ate a couple of the chocolate-covered strawberries, first.)

What a waste. Waste of money, (organic powdered sugar is expensive!), waste of ingredients, waste of time, waste of energy.

Grrrrrrr.

What did I learn?
1. Tender, moist cake doesn't have enough structure for layering. There is a reason most cake is kind of dry and sturdy.
2. Just make cupcakes. They are easier and less disaster-prone. (Plus, people like cupcakes!)

Or alternately, sick a candle in a persimmon:

(This works beautifully for people who don't eat refined sugar, who are called "Miss Persimmon" by the owner of the Asian grocery store! Ahem, Courtney!)

The dinner portion of our evening was great! I made . . .

Vegan Eggplant Parmesan:

Cheesy Eggplant Parmesan:

A beautiful salad, including honeycrisp apple, fennel, walnuts, and bleu cheese:

And sliced up some baguette.

We were too full for dessert, anyway. :)

I heart soy foods

2011-10-23T19:14:00.004-05:00

I have been the tofu and tempeh queen lately -- check out some of this weekend's eats:

Friday night's dinner was co-created by myself and my friend, Ann:

Hot Sauce-Glazed Tempeh, from Veganomicon, with sides of roasted brussels sprouts, roasted eggplant, and Messy Rice (also from VCON, not pictured, since the rice took longer than I expected it to, and we ate it after we ate everything else. Classy, I realize, but we were hungry!)

An egg and cheese bagel briefly interrupted the soy food marathon:

And then I made pho for lunch!

I decided, at the last second, to make a half-recipe of pho this time around, and it was just right -- I got two meals worth out of the deal, and ended up marinading the other two pieces of tofu and sticking them in the freezer for the time being. More soy leftover for another day!

What weekend is complete without a baking project?

I made Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes for a dinner party at Tiffany's house Saturday night; I, of course, edited the original recipe a little bit. I followed suggestions made by several reviewers to use oil instead of butter, and also used a full can of pumpkin (as recommended,) and I also skipped the cinnamon in the frosting. I LOVE cream cheese frosting, but wasn't convinced I would love cinnamon cream cheese frosting, and didn't want to potentially destroy perfectly good cream cheese goodness. ;) Additionally, I only baked off 12 of the 24 cupcakes; I filled the remaining liners and popped the unbaked batter in my freezer. I'm assuming the batter will thaw and bake off just fine in a few weeks, once I decide I need more cupcakes?

Anyone else out there ever tried freezing cake or muffin batter?

blurry, but delicious

2011-10-18T05:59:00.003-05:00

Here are last night's blurry, but delicious, tempeh fajitas:

Homemade corn tortillas (from my freezer,) topped with refried black beans, queso fresco, marinated/panfried tempeh, bell peppers and onions, and salsa. Plenty of leftovers means I get to enjoy this dinner again tonight!

Here's the marinade recipe, if you're interested:
1 clove garlic
juice and zest of 1 lime
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup water
(Puree everything together, unless you want to mince the garlic finely and then whisk)

Method? Simple: I simmered the tempeh for 10 minutes to "open it up" and get the bitterness out, coated slices of the tempeh in the marinade, added the raw peppers and onions, and then poured the rest of the marinade over top of everything. Parked in the fridge for nearly 24 hours, the tempeh became smoky, (thanks to the cumin,) flavorful, and delicious! I might add some cayenne or ground chipotle pepper next time, to make things even more interesting. :)

Saturday night baking

2011-10-15T20:10:00.004-05:00

Sometimes, staying home on a Saturday night to do laundry and bake can be a very good thing:

APPLE OAT MUFFINS
makes 12

COMBINE:
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup oil
2 large apples, shredded and lightly squeezed if very juicy :)

COMBINE, THEN FOLD INTO ABOVE:
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup rolled oats
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp each cinnamon, Penzey's Baking Spice, and Penzey's Cake Spice (or any combo of warm spices you like)
1 tsp salt (UPDATE: I found the muffins almost too salty, although my friends who I shared with did not. I'd cut down to 1/2 tsp next time -- just saying!)

Bake muffins at 400 for about 20 minutes.

I'm totally looking forward to breaking my breakfast rut with these muffins! Woo!

largest clove of garlic I've ever seen:

2011-10-14T06:15:00.005-05:00

Shown with a moderately-sized bell pepper, for perspective:

Holy shit, right?

And what did I do with that gargantuan clove of garlic? Curry!

Tofu, red bell pepper, broccoli, green beans, acorn squash, red onion, garlic, and eggplant, coated in my standard curry sauce (1 regulation-sized can of coconut milk, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, and 3 tbsp curry paste,) all atop short-grain brown rice. One of my go-to meals that you've seen a million times before, but it still never seems to get old! :)

VACATION!

2011-10-08T06:56:00.008-05:00

I took a much-needed, long-awaited vacation the last week of September -- it was nearly impossible to get significant time off at my old job, so as soon as I had 40 hours of PTO racked up with my new job, I was OFF! Woo!

I decided to split my vacation into two parts -- I spent the first half traveling, and had the opportunity to see old friends and some of my family! I look the Megabus to Madison straight after work on Friday night, and spent the weekend with my friend Anna, (we go WAY back, all the way to high school French class!), her husband, Langdon, and their daughter, Eliza. Anna is a wonderful "tour guide," and we had lots of fun during my stay!

I had a tour of their garden, courtesy of Eliza:

A trip to the Madison Farmer's Market:

(I saw many local foods that I haven't seen in Minnesota, including mushrooms, Door County cherries, nuts, aronia, sea berries, pears, and Asian pears. And, really, look at the size of that kohlrabi! Holy moly!)

We explored the state capitol:

And the zoo:

I had plenty of fun running around and exploring Madison with Anna and her family, but I think my favorite part of my trip was "naptime" -- Eliza is still plenty young enough to take a nap in the afternoon, and Langdon took the opportunity to head into work for a few hours, so Anna and I were left to lounge around their apartment, and enjoyed drinking tea and diet Coke, reading, and chatting the afternoon away. We've been friends for a long time and don't see each other all that often, so it was great to have some chill time to catch up!

Sunday evening, Anna drove me to Janesville, so I could spend a day and a half with my grandpa. I realized, when planning this vacation, that I have never really hung out with just my grandpa! We had a great time -- ate out too much, hung out around his house, etc. I also had the opportunity to spend some time with my cousins, which was awesome! We all went out for breakfast on Monday morning, and then I had the opportunity to head over to the barn to see Kristie's horses:

Megan's little boy is such a sweetie! I'm glad I had plenty of time to see them, (and a chance, last-minute dinner with two of my aunts and my uncle, Monday evening,) and time to get to know my cousin's son. I plan to make much more of an effort to get down to visit all of them in the future!

~~~~~~~~~~

Now that I've been back to work for a week already, that trip feels SO long ago! But I was so thankful that I decided to go, and was also glad for my 5 days of down time at home! I spent a lot of time relaxing, (yoga, walking around the lake, watching "Wonderfalls" on DVD that a friend leant me, and reading,) and also got a lot done around my apartment, including piles of laundry and some deep cleaning. While I wouldn't say I was totally chomping at the bit to get back to work on Monday morning, I was definitely well-rested and caught-up! The perfect vacation, if you ask me!

vacation food

2011-10-05T05:50:00.005-05:00

My goodness, I have barely been blogging lately! Is anyone still reading? :)

I was off last week for a vacation, of sorts -- a little traveling, and a little stay-cationing, but very little cooking. :) I am still going through the pictures from my vacation, and will post about what I did soon enough, but for now, here are a few things I've been eating, (besides more tempeh reubens . . . I'm still on a major sauerkraut kick!)

After being out of town and eating out too much, my body seemed to be craving two things: produce and protein!

Breakfast burritos definitely increased my protein intake for a few days:

Refried black beans, cheese, hash browns, scrambled eggs, guacamole, and salsa this time, stuffed into a whole-wheat tortilla. Sigh. Too bad I don't have time to make this breakfast this morning!

My need for more produce was met with giant, meal-sized salads:

I went the Greek-ish route this time, topping mixed baby greens with chickpeas, cucumber, artichoke, tomato, kalamata olives, red bell pepper, feta, and homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

And more produce combined for a giant pot of homemade minestrone:

Thank you to Ann, who kindly joined me for dinner (and took home some leftovers) so I didn't have a gallon of minestrone to get through on my own!

~~~~~~~~~~

Vacation re-cap soon!

book hoarder

2011-09-29T22:59:00.001-05:00

This always happens to me when I request books from the library, but it's never been quite this bad before ... do you think I can read them all in time? I'm almost done with the first book in the stack, and have about a month for the next five. Beyond that, I can renew!

Let's just hope nothing else comes in to make the stack taller!!!

eating machine

2011-09-20T18:42:00.005-05:00

Lately, I have been an eating machine. Has anyone else had this "problem" recently? More specifically, I can't seem to get enough spicy food, bread, butter, or cheese. (Vegetables? What are those??) :)

Seriously, though, I have still been eating my veggies . . . just not LOVING them, you know? Here are a couple of recent meals:

First, the second round of pad Thai:

I generally follow the recipe for "Brooklyn Pad Thai" from Vegan with a Vengeance, but typically add extra vegetable matter. The first round I added broccoli; this time, I added plenty of shredded green cabbage. Mmm!

Next, a reuben, and some leftover potatoes:

I confess, I have practically been living on grilled cheese sandwiches for the past week and a half. Why? I have no idea. :) I added tomato soup to my grilled cheese craving, and then progressed to reubens. I am really puzzled by this reuben craving, since I didn't think I really LIKED thousand island dressing, or sauerkraut, for that matter! But, gotta tell ya . . . I was eating the kraut straight out of the jar with a fork! Where did THAT come from? Luckily, I had some tempeh leftover from a simple meal this past weekend, so I only had to pick up a few other key ingredients to satisfy my craving!

For "dessert," I will eat an artichoke. :) (Giant artichokes have been on sale at the co-op this week! Why? Who cares! When inexpensive, eat artichokes!)

Sunday brunch . . . OUT!

2011-09-19T06:14:00.004-05:00

After church yesterday, Dora and I headed over to Tilia, tucked away near the Wild Rumpus Bookstore in the Linden Hills neighborhood, for brunch. What an experience!

Since the place was hoppin' by the time we rolled in, (around 11:30,) we elected to sit at the bar, which was probably the best choice. Despite the uncomfortable bar stools, (my only complaint about the restaurant,) it was an awesome place to sit! We had the not-so-busy bartender at the ready to fill our coffee cups and water glasses and answer questions about the menu, and we had an insider's peek into the restaurant, since the owner sat down next to us to enjoy his meal about halfway through our visit. (He was politely chatty, but not intrusive -- allowed us to get back to our conversation after a few minutes.)

And the food? Oh, the food:

I tried the "Slow-Poached Eggs in Parmesan Cream," which was, in a word, heavenly. Perfectly-crispy toast, perfectly-poached eggs, delightfully tart tomatoes, and the most amazingly creamy, rich, flavorful sauce. And let's not forget that green salad-like topping -- had to have contained plenty of sorrel, because it was so bright, lemony, and slightly bitter. Mm! The whole meal just sang, if you ask me -- so many flavors and textures going on, but perfectly executed, in the end.

The restaurant also boasts incredible coffee, plenty of gorgeous pastries, (I tried a banana muffin with cream cheese frosting, which was excellent -- rich, but not too sweet,) and a hip but not unwelcoming atmosphere. Pleasant-sized portions, recession-friendly pricing, friendly staff . . . let's just say I'll be back, and I'm wishing their location was much closer to home!!

lookit!

2011-09-18T07:23:00.004-05:00

Look what I saw in the water, while walking around Lake of the Isles yesterday afternoon:

My fellow walkers, runners, and bikers seemed to just pass by, without noticing. I kept taking pictures:

While the zoom isn't that high-quality, you get the idea:

OK, so someone, somewhere, in the Minneapolis Parks Foundation has a sense of humor. Her name is "Minne," and she has her own website, is on Facebook, and also Tweets! Maybe I should take lessons from Minne in how to be more social-media savvy?

Any other locals seen Minne? I guess she travels all around the lakes in the metro, and has been spotted in the chain of lakes, as well as in Lake Hiawatha. She's three years old, now -- why am I always the last one to know stuff?? ;)

not a lot

2011-09-17T08:18:00.003-05:00

Hey blog folks -- just checking in to remind all y'all that I'm still around! Not a lot going on in my house these days, but that's ok. Have been cooking (lasagna last weekend, pad Thai last night -- both major repeats, but for good reasons!) and working, and blowing my nose a lot. ;) Allergies AND a cold at the same time? Ugh. I'm planning on spending my day in today, listening to the bluegrass show on Jazz 88, running down the laptop battery, reading magazines, and watching movies. I might bake something later, but what, I'm just not sure yet!

One more week of work before I enjoy a week off! I'm looking forward to taking a little trip and spending some more chill time at home. Wahoo for vacations!

hello, beautiful.

2011-09-11T18:09:00.002-05:00

Ain't it purty?

Can you believe that I didn't own a wok? I ended up searching three different Asian markets for a wok this afternoon, and found one! Heavy-duty carbon steel, seasoned for the first time in my oven this afternoon . . . woooooo!

I think I see Pad Thai in my future. Just as soon as I buy a wok ring! (I thought the round bottom wouldn't wobble on my gas range, but alas . . . the handle makes the wok wobbly. Back to the Asian market, I guess!)

3-day weekends are made for cooking

2011-09-06T05:53:00.003-05:00

Wouldn't you agree? I had a lovely weekend, busy and full of fun with friends, but left myself plenty of time to make some delicious meals!

Quite possibly, the best brunch ever:

Poached eggs, greens (kale, this time,) roasted potatoes, and sliced "Kellogg's Breakfast" heirlooms. MMMMMM! If only I had the time to make this meal again THIS morning!

Two pizzas, one including more heirlooms, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil:

And one classic "mega-veggie style," including mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, and loads of veggies:

Red onion, green bell pepper, sliced tomato, sliced olive, broccoli, and mushrooms, to be precise!

Cherry crumble, with local vanilla ice cream from Pumphouse Creamery:

I discovered jarred sour cherries at Bill's Imported Foods on Saturday afternoon, and I practically jumped for joy! Next time I'm having a cherry pie craving, I'll have to go pick up a few jars. For now, the two jars I bought made me deliriously happy -- more than enough foodie excitement for one weekend, in my opinion. :)

What did you cook over the weekend?

hello, fall.

2011-09-04T07:39:00.006-05:00

Fall is definitely in the air . . . while we've had goofy days that are hot and humid, generally, the weather is cooler, the nights are darkening earlier, and it's starting to feel like the seasons are changing. I'm not complaining -- fall is my favorite season, and I'm happy to see the end of the stifling, humid, stuffy weather. Wee!

To counteract the cooler temperatures, I thought it was time to start cooking warmer foods! (And this dish is downright hot!) Adding a few sliced chipotle Field Roast sausages and extra cayenne to "Smoky Red Peppers 'n' Beans Gumbo" from Veganomicon made for a spicy, warming dinner last night!

From the moment the butter hit the hot pan, (and I did de-veganize this recipe, since I had butter but not margarine on hand,) I had a feeling this recipe was going to be a winner . . . and I was so right! Using local onions, local garlic, local peppers, local okra, and home-cooked kidney beans, this dish screamed flavor and nourishment every step of the way. I kept urging the pot along, wishing everything would just cook FASTER, so I could hurry up and eat already! :) As I said earlier, adding the sausages and several hefty shakes of cayenne upped the spice quotient enough that I didn't need extra hot sauce; if you are sensitive to spicy foods, I'd definitely leave the cayenne out if you are going to add spicy mock meats. (One can always augment at the table, right?) Although this recipe yields a ton, I'm certain it will only get better as it sits, and the hearty stew-like gumbo will certainly freeze well. If leftovers last that long!

One more note . . . this recipe calls for a half-teaspoon of liquid smoke, and liquid smoke is one of those ingredients that just scares me a little bit. It is so strong, I'm always worried it will overpower a dish and kill my taste buds. However, that is not the case with this recipe! I'm certain I would miss the liquid smoke if it wasn't there, but in the finished dish, I couldn't even detect a hint of "excessive smokiness" that I usually find in recipes containing that ingredient. Measure carefully, and enjoy the finished product! :) I know I did.

Minnesota State Fair! (what I saw edition)

2011-09-03T08:28:00.007-05:00

Baby animals:

Butter sculpting:

Watermelon sculpting:

Vintage seed sacks:

Seed art:

Honey:

Chickens:

And last but definitely not least, the 4-H Llama Costume Contest! (The reason I decided to go to the Fair, and absolutely worth the price of admission!)

Minnesota State Fair! (what I ate edition)

2011-09-01T05:57:00.005-05:00

Why did I go to the State Fair, you ask? It's a good question: I'm not a fan of heat, crowds, or deep-fried foods. However, I received an invitation from Dora to hit up the Fair last night for a special event . . . and I couldn't resist! I'm going to keep that event a secret for the moment, though, simply because I haven't gone through all of my pictures of that event, yet, and want to reveal all of the fun properly, in a well-photographed post.

For now, enjoy my Fair eats, in order of consumption:

Chai On-A-Stick:

Pleasantly sweet, nicely creamy, and mildly spiced, (I would have preferred a heavier hand with the spices, but this is Minnesota, after all,) this chai pop was the perfect start to my afternoon at the Fair. By the time I discovered these creamy pops, (not quite soft enough to qualify as ice cream, but definitely smoother and creamier than your average fruity homemade popsicle,) I was due for a treat! The heat and sun were already starting to get to me, and I had only been at the Fair for about 45 minutes. Chai-On-A-Stick to the rescue!

Apple Cider Freezie:

I don't go to the Fair often, but when I do, I always make sure I seek out one of these frozen treats at the Horticulture/Agriculture building. What's better on a hot, summer's day than some frozen Minnesota apple cider? I can't think of much else. And the price is right, at only $1.

The "dinner" portion of my evening began with fried green pepper rings:

Scaldingly hot out of the fryer, and drizzled with ranch dressing, these were fantastic! To someone who loves onion rings, these green pepper rings were a delightful twist on one of my favorites. Pleasantly greasy, (and not in a gross way,) Dora, Ruth Ann, and I all agreed that there was just enough breading on the peppers, and it magically stuck on somehow. Mmmmm!

Cheesy garlic bread with marinara for dipping:

Honestly, this was probably the lowest-quality food item I ate throughout the evening, but it hit the spot at the time. :) Nothing to write home about, but I was craving something small but substantial at this point in the evening -- and these breadsticks were just right! The garlic flavor was assertive but not overwhelming, and the cheese was dripping and oozing over the edges of the cardboard boat in which they were served.

I also had opportunities to try part of Dora's homemade/hand-rolled giant pretzel, topped with garlic and butter, (incredible! I almost bought one of my own,) and some of the sweet corn ice cream from Blue Moon Diner -- it has been one of the "it" foods of the Fair this year, and has received several write-ups from local foodies. Dora had hers topped with candied cayenne peanuts, and Ruth Ann went for the hot blueberry topping. I enjoyed my bites of ice cream, although I found the fibrous corn bits throughout a little off-putting, and thought the peanuts definitely needed more cayenne! The blueberry topping was excellent. :) I just don't care much for corn, so I guess it makes sense that I wouldn't LOVE corn ice cream, right?

On my way to the bus, I thought I deserved one final treat to enjoy on my way out of the gates:

Vanilla frozen custard, just like I grew up on, (Milwaukee is known for its local custard stands, and we frequented several growing up,) stuffed into a perfectly-made waffle cone -- crispy and mildly sweet, but plain enough to let the custard take center stage.

More on the Fair later!

mainlining produce

2011-08-30T18:53:00.003-05:00

Let's just say it has NOT been a healthy day for me, at least intake-wise. I ate both breakfast and lunch at school with the kids, and I realized, on my way home from work, that I was: 1. profoundly thirsty (thank you, processed foods,) and 2. hadn't had a single fruit or vegetable ALL DAY. The horror.

I decided that as soon as I walked in the door, it was time to start mainlining the produce:

A giant tomato and cucumber salad (with feta and olives,) two slices of toasted multigrain bread topped with baba ganoush and sliced avocado, and some fresh figs.

I feel better now.

thank you, Dora.

2011-08-28T08:47:00.003-05:00

Thanks to my friend Dora, who provided both some of the raw materials (heirloom tomatoes from her garden) and inspiration (telling me about her breakfast of tomatoes and poached eggs yesterday,) for this meal, a healthy, indulgent breakfast made its way out of my kitchen this morning:

Wholegrain toast with honey and butter, poached eggs, sliced heirlooms with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and basil, fresh blackberries, and a second cup of coffee.

I'm fueled. :) Better start the cleaning and laundry!

baba ga-what?

2011-08-27T17:43:00.004-05:00

In response to Ali's recent comment:

"Again with the eggplant!!! But this looks so yummy that you will have me trying it before summer's over (actually I do have ratatouille on my "to-cook" list but was planning an eggplant-free version)! I've just never cooked it well...any tips to make it not taste like an old kitchen dishrag?"

I figured it was about time to make baba ganoush. I picked up a large, gorgeous, shiny, perfectly-ripe beauty of an eggplant at the Farmer's Market this morning, and decided there and then that I would be spending the next few days living off of salads topped with either beets and goat cheese or tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, with plenty of crostini and baba on the side.

This creamy, subtle dip is great with just about any crackery/bread-type object, crudites, or, well, tortilla chips, if that's all you have on hand. :)

INGREDIENTS:
1 large eggplant
1 head garlic
olive oil (about 1/4 cup, maybe a little more, maybe a little less)
2 tablespoons tahini
juice of one lemon
salt to taste
few dashes smoked paprika

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Halve the eggplant, (no need to stem or trim,) and rub the cut sides with a few teaspoons olive oil. Place cut-side down on the baking sheet. Trim the head of garlic so the cloves are just exposed at the top. Drizzle a small square of foil with about a 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil, and smear the head of garlic in the oil. Wrap up tightly in the foil. Add the garlic to the baking sheet.
3. Roast the eggplant and garlic for about an hour, rotating your baking sheet halfway through if needed. Cool slightly.
4. Scoop the eggplant flesh out of the peel into a bowl, and squeeze the roasted garlic out of the papery skin. Add the tahini, lemon juice, salt, paprika, and a drizzle of olive oil to the bowl. Puree with a stick blender until very smooth. Add more oil as needed. (Alternately, you could add everything to a food processor or blender and puree -- I just don't have any of those fancy, high-tech appliances.) :)
5. Cool to room temperature or refrigerate before serving.

Note that I am usually fond of leaving the peels on fruits and vegetables. I have found, with past experiences, that eggplant peels just don't puree all that well, and they help your finished dip take on an unappetizing grey color, so lately, I have been tossing the peels after roasting. Feel free to add them to your batch, though!

Now Ali, I hope this doesn't taste like an old kitchen dishrag to you!

fried rice

2011-08-24T05:21:00.005-05:00

Fried rice is one of those meals I tend to forget about -- probably because, when ordered from a restaurant, it is often greasy, overly-salty, and marginally healthy. However, when I make it at home, I have control over the amount of oil I use, (just a few teaspoons to keep everything from sticking to the pan,) the amount of soy sauce I use (usually only a couple of tablespoons of the low-sodium variety,) and most importantly, the variety of veggies I use!

Last night, I dug through my fridge, cupboard, and freezer, and found a whole host of veggies that were begging to be added to my fried rice!

After warming some garlic, ginger, and chile-garlic sauce in a couple teaspoons of canola oil, I went a little crazy! Cabbage, carrot, shiitake mushrooms, red bell peppers, corn, edamame, broccoli, green onions, and water chestnuts all made their way into my dinner, along with brown rice and a few beaten eggs. I finished the dish with two tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce, and a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil. Perfect! Healthy, high-fiber, high-protein, and packed full of vitamins, but still so delicious.

What are your favorite fried rice ingredients? Do you love that greasy, salty, take-out goodness, or do you prefer to make your own?

an obvious choice

2011-08-23T05:49:00.005-05:00

With all of the gorgeous, fresh, local veggies in season right now, and the cooler temperatures we have been enjoying in MN as of late, I needed to make a massive heap of roasted veggies, wouldn't you agree? I followed the "Roasted Ratatouille" recipe from Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers, adding 2 cups of cooked chickpeas for a little more protein/staying power. Now, what to do with those veggies, you ask?

Why, stuff them into crepes, of course -- isn't that the obvious answer?? ;) I haven't made crepes since Mardi Gras, and I was starting to feel like it was about time! My crepe recipe is so simple, (2 cups flour, 2 1/8 cups milk, 1 stick butter, melted, and 4 eggs,) and so delicious, (must be all that butter, plus then turning around and cooking them in more butter!), I felt like it was the obvious choice. :)

Thanks to French classes in high school, I have been making crepes for over half my life, so they feel like the easiest thing in the world. I also have a crepe pan . . . I know, I know. I don't make much room for unitaskers in my kitchen, but it's just so much easier to cook crepes in a crepe pan, as opposed to a nonstick frying pan. (No "tails" of batter shooting out of the edges when I use a crepe pan.) How 'bout you? Have you ever made crepes before?

zucchini time

2011-08-21T06:58:00.005-05:00

First off, know that I haven't posted in over a week because I haven't cooked in over a week! Between finishing up leftovers, eating out more than I should have, and slipping in a few lunches/breakfasts with the kids at work, I haven't needed to cook! Boooooooo!

OK, on to more important things: cookies! It's that time of year when Midwesterners will slip zucchini into any food that will allow, including cookies! It's hard not to, when one can obtain four very large zucchini from the Farmer's Market for a measly $1.50, wouldn't you agree? It's also hard not to, when cookies made with zucchini turn out this soft, chewy, and addictive. (But I'm still sticking to my "diet," wah, and calculated one cookie at around 100 calories, so, there you go.) I'll have to see how many of these cookies I can unload on friends and coworkers, because now that I've caught the zucchini-baking bug, I'm really wanting to make a zucchini-chocolate cake next. :)

ZUCCHINI COOKIES

Combine:
1/2 cup raisins
enough hot water to cover

Combine dry ingredients:
3/4 cup AP flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Penzey's Baking Spice
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 cups regular rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Cream together:
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup natural granulated sugar

Stir into butter mixture:
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 medium zucchini, grated and obvious water squeezed out (1 1/2 to 2 cups)
drained raisins

Stir dry ingredients into wet until combined. Drop by 2-tablespoon fulls onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about four-dozen cookies, give or take.

~~~~~~~~~~

I also have plans to use another one of my zucchini in roasted ratatouille, which I may stuff into crepes. (Doesn't that sound both homey and fancy at the same time?) What are some of your favorite uses for zucchini?

soup: a love letter

2011-08-11T06:06:00.005-05:00

Oh, soup, how much do I love thee? I was sitting on the couch the other night, when I was suddenly chilled by a cool breeze through my open windows. My first thought? "I need to make soup!"

Now, while it's still very much summer in our neck of the woods, the nights have been cooler this week, which has made me feel a-ok about making -- and eating! -- soup. Soup is definitely one of my favorite meals, and I eat it often during the cooler months.

Thankfully, I had nearly everything on hand to make this batch -- a quick trip to the co-op for egg noodles was all this bowl of warmth and comfort required. :) Living a block away from the co-op means spontaneous cooking inspiration can strike at any time these days!

Chickpea Noodle Soup

Yield: 4 substantial servings

Ingredients:
4 tsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (use your favorite kind!)
2 cups cooked chickpeas
pepper to taste
4 to 6 ounces dry egg noodles

Directions:
1. Saute the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in the olive oil until soft.
2. Add the broth, chickpeas, and pepper, and bring the soup to a boil.
3. Add the egg noodles; return the soup to a boil. Continue cooking until the noodles are al-dente. Cool slightly, and serve immediately!

I used to think I needed to "fancy-up" chickpea noodle soup with lemon, fresh herbs, etc. I've come to realize that what I really want, when I want chickpea noodle soup, is something glaringly simple and full of noodles. And seriously, use your favorite kind of vegetable broth, because two things carry this soup -- the broth, and the noodles. :) I don't typically make homemade broth, just because I lack storage space for the finished product, but if you have some on hand, by all means, use it! My favorite veg broth is the Rapunzel powdered base -- I use less of the powder than they direct, (about 1 tbsp per quart of water, instead of the full 4 tsp they direct,) and that's still plenty flavorful and salty for me. But by all means, use whatever you like best!

stuffed!

2011-08-08T19:49:00.007-05:00

I had bookmarked a recipe from Vegetarian Times awhile back for Walnut-Stuffed Eggplant . . . and waited patiently for eggplant to come in season.

Finally! I added the ingredients to my shopping lists last weekend, and was excited to try out something new. While I've stuffed squash and portobellos, I've actually never stuffed an eggplant -- can you believe it?

Upon closer examination of the recipe, I was starting to feel less excited about this project. Reading the recipe reviews, some folks said that the meal took them two hours to prepare, and others complained about the cinnamon in the filling. I talked with my friend Dora about this meal, since she has stuffed eggplant before, and she gave me some pointers on streamlining the preparation.

I tweaked the original recipe quite a bit; here's what I finally came up with!

Walnut-Stuffed Eggplant, FOOD SNOB Version

Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants (2 1/2 to 3 lbs total weight)
1 tbsp + 4 tsp olive oil, divided
3 cups diced onion
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup roughly-chopped walnuts
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp oregano
zest of one lemon
salt to taste
3 1/2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup whole-wheat panko

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425. Halve the eggplant lengthwise, (leave the stem on for a more gorgeous presentation,) and place cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the eggplant about 30 minutes, or until fork-tender. Cool slightly. Scoop the eggplant flesh from the shells, and chop the flesh coarsely. Arrange the shells back on the baking sheet.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet, and add the onion and red pepper. Cook the onion until soft. Add the cherry tomatoes, walnuts, Italian seasoning, oregano, lemon zest, salt, and reserved eggplant flesh, and stir to combine. Cook, covered, about three minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to break down. Fold in the feta.
3. Heap the filling into the reserved shells. Toss the breadcrumbs with the remaining 4 tsp oil, and sprinkle over the filling.
4. Bake the stuffed eggplant for about 15 minutes, or until the filling sets and the crumbs brown. Allow the eggplants to cool for 10 minutes before serving!

Plated, with salad:

After my stuffed eggplant, salad, and dessert, my belly is also stuffed!

The Magic Bus Cafe!

2011-08-07T15:21:00.004-05:00

Now, I confess . . . I have been sloooooooooow to join in on the food truck revolution. Why? Well, I don't eat out much, frankly, and when I do, it's often for a special occasion/reason, so grabbing street food just doesn't fit the bill.

However, while art fairing today, I had the opportunity to try The Magic Bus Cafe!

Serving up all manner of hot dogs, made from meat or tofu, Dora and I spent a full five minutes staring at the menu in awe, trying to figure out what to order! After great debate, I settled on the "Mexicali Blues Dog" --

All dogs start with a toasted whole-wheat bun and a split and fried dog; the Mexicali came topped with refried beans, cheese, spicy relish, and pickled jalapenos. From my first bite, I could tell this was no half-assed tofu dog -- the high quality ingredients shined, and were combined in expert quantities for that great sweet-savory-spicy balance. By the end? My mouth was on fire, but in the best possible way. :)

OK. I guess it's about time I started frequenting more food trucks! (Well, beyond Cupcake's van. I have been known to treat myself to a cupcake on payday more than once! Red Velvet tends to kick off the weekend on just the right note.) What Twin Cities food trucks have you tried? Recommendations?

made for each other

2011-08-07T09:54:00.006-05:00

What is it about peanut butter and bananas? I swear . . . those two foods were just made for each other. I love peanut butter and banana sandwiches, peanut butter and bananas (AND maple syrup) on waffles, peanut butter and banana smoothies . . . and NOW, peanut butter and banana muffins!

Heavily influenced by this recipe from Cooking Light, I, of course, made a few little edits -- can anyone else out there follow a recipe exactly as written? I know I can't. :)

Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins
yield: 16 muffins

PUREE TOGETHER UNTIL WELL-BLENDED:
3 medium bananas
1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
3 tbsp butter, melted
2 eggs
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp natural granulated sugar
1 tbsp molasses

STIR TOGETHER, THEN FOLD INTO WET INGREDIENTS:
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup flax meal
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Penzey's "Baking Spice"
1/4 cup finely-chopped dry-roasted peanuts

Bake the muffins in lined muffin cups at 375 for about 20 minutes, rotating your pans front-to-back halfway through. Cool in pans 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

~~~~~~~~~~

What other flavor combinations do you love?

Eat Local Farm Tour!

2011-07-30T18:12:00.010-05:00

My friend Dora emailed me late last night, asking if I wanted to join her in today's first-ever Eat Local Farm Tour, a project by Twin Cities co-ops to connect organic farmers with their clients. Was I interested? HECK YEAH!!

Our first stop of the morning was Cedar Summit Farm, an organic dairy/creamery specializing in milk from pastured cows fed 100% grass during the winter months, and sustainably-raised and grass-fed pigs, chickens, and their eggs!

I snapped a couple of pretty shots while waiting for the guided tour to start:

Dave Minar, owner of Cedar Summit and third-generation farmer of the land, toured a gigantic group of curious co-op shoppers around his farm:

We learned that they grow all of their feed for their animals on their farmland, baling it and essentially "vacuum-sealing" it to better preserve the grass's nutrients through MN's long, cold winter:

(As we walked past these wrapped bales, you could actually smell that sweet, "hay-smell." Lovely!)

Dave continued, noting where the calves were kept with their mothers for two months, providing the calf with health benefits traditional dairy cows do not receive, and shared other bits about the farm's operation and history.

We also had a chance to check out the chicken coop:

As the people headed into the coop, the chickens headed out! I found this hilarious.

We also met a few pigs:

Before heading across the street to meet the dairy cows:

After selecting some cheeses to purchase from their creamery, we re-applied sunscreen and continued our tour. (Cedar Summit doesn't make their own cheese, but they do provide milk to Pastureland and Alemar Cheese Company, who makes my new favorite local Camembert-style stinky cheese to slather all over fresh baguette every chance I get!)

Next stop, Gardens of Eagan!

We followed their self-guided tour, which rambled through many of their crops, including . . .

garlic:

bell peppers:

onions:

tomatoes:

strawberries:

and cabbages:

Aren't the alternating rows of green and purple cabbages just gorgeous?

Last stop? Pick your own corn boil!

Apparently, even dogs like corn:

A fitting end to a gorgeous, inspirational, educational, and FUN day!

rescuing chard

2011-07-29T06:04:00.005-05:00

I picked up the most gorgeous bunch of chard at the Farmer's Market . . . nearly two weeks ago! Bad! It was looking a little worse for the wear when I finally unearthed it from my produce drawer last night, but never fear -- cooking greens seems to hide a lot of those cosmetic blemishes, anyhow. :) I turned to an old favorite of mine: Swiss Chard with Chickpeas and Couscous:

Yum! I love this dish's simplicity, but also surprises in the pine nuts and raisins. (Yes, raisins do sound weird with greens, but it's surprisingly good! Try it.) Note that I do make a few changes from the original recipe: I cut the oil down to just a teaspoon or two, (otherwise, I find the finished greens a little too "glossy" for my palate,) and definitely cut the salt down -- I add just a pinch or two, instead of the full amount the recipe calls for. I also add a few pinches of red pepper flakes with the garlic, and a splash of red wine vinegar or lemon juice near the end -- brightens things up a bit. :) And definitely use whole-wheat couscous -- I swear I can't tell the difference!

What are your favorite uses for chard? I believe it has earned its place as my favorite cooked green . . . how about you?

curry!

2011-07-26T05:53:00.004-05:00

I cooked! For myself! Granted, it was nothing earth-shattering, (curry using up leftovers,) but still! Here it is:

Ingredients: 7 ounces of firm tofu (half a package,) 1 tsp peanut oil, 1 cup sliced red onion, 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 1 cup roughly chopped green beans, 1 cup roughly chopped orange bell pepper, 1 cup roughly chopped snow peas, 1 tbsp curry paste, 5.5 oz can coconut milk (the little can is just so cute!), 1 tsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp sugar. Served over a bed of quinoa, this was a healthy and satisfying dinner last night!

Two things sped this meal to my table: 1. I had pre-cooked quinoa on hand, and 2. I had pre-browned cakes of tofu on hand. :)

I also learned a lesson to take with me into the future . . . I will ALWAYS brown tofu in cakes, and then cube it afterwards, instead of browning individual cubes. Takes so much less time for flipping, and you get basically the same result! Duh, Catherine. :)

Chocolate, Cherry, and Almond Scones

2011-07-24T17:56:00.004-05:00

An amazing thing happened when I woke up this morning . . . it was downright COOL in my apartment! Wahoo! The heat and humidity have subsided, at least for the time being. Better hurry up and bake something!

Chocolate, Cherry, and Almond Scones

(loosely based off the basic scone recipe from Vegan With a Vengeance)
yield: 15

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup chickpea flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup unsweetened dried tart cherries
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage
3/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt

Directions:
1. Combine flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt until well blended. Stir in almonds, chocolate chips, and cherries.
2. Combine oil, milk, and yogurt in a second bowl; fold into the dry ingredients just until combined.
3. Scoop scones onto parchment-lined baking sheet (I use a #16 disher, but any 1/4 cup measure will work just fine,) and bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Since I cannot eat 15 scones myself, I plan on sharing a few with friends, and freezing at least half the recipe. I love that the chickpea flour and yogurt (instead of the original recipe's soured milk,) add extra protein to the scones, and the whole-wheat pastry flour increases their fiber content. A great grab and go breakfast for my walk to work this week!

par-TAY!

2011-07-23T06:29:00.004-05:00

I had my coworkers over for dinner last night, and we had a blast! Unfortunately, I have no pictures. My apologies! Per Ali's suggestion in my last post's comments, I did make tacos, and they were well-received. I offered corn tortillas, taco-spiced lentils, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, lettuce, and sliced olives, and also made a simple coleslaw, (shredded green and purple cabbage, green onions, and shredded carrot, all dressed in a lemon and grapeseed oil vinaigrette,) and cut up some watermelon for sides. (Oh, there were chips, too! Had to finish up the guac somehow, right?) :) One of my coworkers brought a rice dish traditional to her home country of Madagascar, and another brought a pile of Somali food! I pulled the leftover strawberry-lavender lemonade from my party in June out of the freezer, and whipped together a couple pitchers of iced tea, too. Let's just say, we all ate too much, but we ate VERY well! :)

A wonderful way to kick off the weekend! What are you up to this weekend?

needing ideas

2011-07-18T19:11:00.003-05:00

Hey blog folks, not much to report on my end -- it's HOT in Minnesota, and I'm not really cooking at all, not eating much besides salads, cereal, sandwiches, ice cream, popsicles, and the like. :) (I don't know about you, but I need a good excuse -- like a heat index of 106 and no air conditioning -- to justify cereal for dinner.) ;)

Anyhow, needing some advice -- I am having my staff from work over for dinner on Friday night, and I'm having a hard time coming up with something spectacular to make. I know, I know . . . I shouldn't be having a hard time with this, but there are multiple factors involved: the heat (I won't want to turn the oven, or really even the stove, on,) minimal prep (I'll need to throw stuff together when I get home from work, since they will arrive in a few hours,) and also the fact that I am cooking for myself and five other women -- only one of which is a vegetarian, and four of which are not originally from the US. I'm feeling challenged, coming up with something we'll all enjoy! Any ideas?

Thankfully, I have a full batch of lavender-strawberry lemonade left from my last party, so I've got beverages covered, at least! :)

mushy, but tasty

2011-07-13T19:42:00.005-05:00

I tried out a new veggie burger recipe last night -- Red-Lentil Burgers With Aioli. I must be spoiled rotten by the black bean burger recipe from VCON, and Melody's All-American Burgers, because I felt this Cooking Light recipe left a little to be desired. Alas.

Why is it that recipe developers think it's OK to create mushy, falling-apart veggie burgers? Who wants to eat a veggie burger that disintegrates the second you try and take a bite out of it? Sigh. While I found the flavor of these burgers excellent, they need help, big time, in the structure department. I'm thinking I'll add some vital wheat gluten, a spoonful at a time, to the remaining base and see if that helps. Any other suggestions?

And, sorry to those of you who are appalled that I let my cat on the table, but really, this is just too hilarious to pass up:

Here's what I think he's thinking:
"Um, excuse me please, but why is it that you get to eat right now, and I DON'T???? Hmmm??"

music

2011-07-10T20:10:00.004-05:00

I don't write much about my other hobbies besides food and cooking on this blog, so here's a little blurb about one of my other loves -- music!

Let me just preface this by saying . . . I am a GEEK. Yes, I love indie rock. Yes, I dated a drummer. Yes, I am a member of Minnesota Public Radio, largely due to the Current. Yes, I have sold merch at shows. Yes, I have been to so many bars, so many shows, gotten home at 3 AM. But . . . I also sing in my church's choir. And I'm really excited about a special project I'm involved in this summer -- there's a big convention of handbell choir directors in town this week, and I get to be part of the choir that is singing for their finale concert/hymn sing on Friday evening! It's dorky that I'm excited to sing with two wonderful handbell choirs, but there you go. I'm also taking voice lessons this summer!

Adding to my reduction in hipness . . . I can't seem to listen to anything but Jazz 88 lately. I love jazz music these days! I tried listening to Red House Painters this morning, but had to put Jazz 88 back on after a couple of songs. Excellent music to cook/do housework to, in my opinion. I also love the bluegrass show on Saturday mornings. And I love folk music. I have had "O Susannah" stuck in my head all weekend. :) (And yes, I have been singing to myself.)

I guess I also still love Nick Drake. The tiny tots at work do, too. We wish "Pink Moon" was twice as long. We are also enjoying a collection of folk music I ripped from one of my old coteachers, and tons of world music -- they are especially loving music from Mali and Cuba right now. (Toddlers like to dance.)

What kind(s) of music have you been into lately?

Friday night dinner!

2011-07-09T19:22:00.005-05:00

It was a long, hot week -- oddly, since I had jury duty on Tuesday, and it was a short week because of the holiday, but still . . . you know? I decided I deserved a treat on Friday night:

A quarter-wheel of local camembert-style cheese, half of an organic mini-baguette from the co-op, and organic fresh cherries. :) (And a coconut water, since I figured it was important to stay hydrated.)

This is what happens when one runs over to the co-op hungry, just to pick up some soy milk. :) Sheesh.

POP!

2011-07-05T21:25:00.004-05:00

So, I was sitting around the apartment tonight, flipping through a magazine, when Oliver and I were startled by an extraordinarily loud POP . . . one of my bike tires blew out, just hangin' out in the apartment! Weird.

I had a giant, puffy kitty for a full five minutes following the explosion. He's still stalking the bike, howling, looking all confused. Poor guy.

Since the tube blew out, the tires are 15+ years old, I need a new rear light (the one I have is old, installed in a bad place, and not LED,) the chain fell off earlier this week, (although it slipped back on easily enough,) and I need a new computer, (I miss being able to see how fast I'm riding and how far I've gone,) I think it's time to take the bike in? :) Would you agree???? ;)

Craving a balance . . .

2011-07-05T18:26:00.006-05:00

. . . of flavors, that is! Is anyone else loving the trend towards multi-dimentional, well-balanced food (in terms of flavors) these days? Think spicy sweets, salty sweets, savory dishes with a sweet component, etc. -- I LOVE this. I love salted caramels, curried ice cream, Thai food in all of its forms, dried fruits with cheeses, etc.

Tonight's dinner was another winner in my arsenal of recipes I would consider "balanced" -- Sweet and Savory Wild Rice Salad, from The Kitchn:

Oh. Holy. Delicious! The chewy whole-grains, bright herbs and citrus, crunchy almonds, sweet dried fruit (I used apricots, even though the original recipe called for dates,) and fresh cucumber and red bell pepper all combine to make something . . . balanced! (Have I used that word enough this post???) There is a lot going on in this salad, definitely, but it all works together in delicious harmony.

And an extra bonus? I calculated a serving (about 10 ounces of the salad, approximately,) at under 400 calories! Woo! Whole grains and veggies rock!

Next time I might add chickpeas . . . !!

FarMar on holiday, lower-cal banh mi, and diet check-in

2011-07-04T19:36:00.006-05:00

Per a recommendation from one of my friends, I decided to wait to go to the Farmer's Market until today -- being a holiday, she promised me the market would be "as big as the weekend," without the crowds! Really? I was skeptical . . . and I guess, rightly so. She was right about the lack of crowds -- there were hardly any shoppers at the Market today, and really, hardly any vendors! (I had to buy eggs from the co-op! Gasp!) However, I was able to find all of the veggies I wanted from the few that came to sell today, and even a few things I hadn't planned on . . .

Here's what I got for $23:

Cilantro, chives, dill, lettuce, daikon, cabbage, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, green beans, grape tomatoes, and radishes. All gorgeous, all reasonably priced, and all local! Woo!

The second I saw the daikon at the FarMar, I started thinking, "must . . . make . . . banh mi!!!!!" Dinner tonight:

I based my sandwich on this recipe, with a few changes: increasing the portion size, cutting down on the mayo, and increasing the amount of pickled daikon/carrot and cilantro in the sandwich. (The pickle is the best part, don't you think??) Anyhow, the tofu marinade was spectacular, (I did add some garlic and ginger to the original recipe, 'cause I can't ever quite stop fussing, you know?) and even with my adjustments, my dinner still totaled under 400 calories. Sweet! I love eating a giant, spicy, mayo-y, tangy sandwich for dinner and still sticking with my "diet." Yum.

So, how's this whole "diet" thing going, you ask? Well, pretty good. I swear, this would be a LOT harder without my awesome app that makes it super easy to look up different foods, portion sizes, etc. And strangely, I've lost 5 pounds already. (Part of me really thinks I didn't get a completely accurate starting weight, so . . . I'm guessing I've really lost more like 3 - 4. Progress is progress, though!)

What have I learned so far? Eating healthfully really isn't all that challenging -- I just have to plan ahead. Also, I naturally eat about 50 grams of protein per day, (the recommendation for most women, I understand,) get more than enough fiber, generally eat a very low-sodium diet, consume more fat than this program thinks I should, (but I think it's operating under old "low-fat" ideals,) and get about half of my daily calcium needs from my food, even though a glass of milk never passes my lips. (I do take a multi, which finishes off my calcium needs for the day.) Also, since I am so active, I have had plenty of room in my daily calorie limit for treats such as ice cream cones, pie, cookies, homemade popsicles, etc. -- and I have given myself the freedom to take one meal "off" per week, especially since I have had so many parties and other social obligations involving food lately. (It's summer! I better enjoy myself a little bit, eh?)

Sigh . . . how did it get to be 8:00 already? Hmmmm . . . better start unwinding for the night, since I have JURY DUTY tomorrow morning! Boo. I would so much rather be at work this week! New job, lots to do . . . darn you, jury duty, getting in the way!

weekend eats, somewhat

2011-07-03T17:55:00.005-05:00

I haven't made much of anything noteworthy this weekend, (it's still salad time, in a bad way, and I have also been working on finishing up party leftovers from last weekend,) but I did manage to whip up a couple fresh things!

First, Almond Butter Granola Bars:

I have tried, and failed, many times to make homemade granola bars. They seem to suffer from so many problems: too sweet, too sticky, too crumbly, too hard, just never quite . . . right, you know? However, my homemade granola bar issues have been resolved, thanks to a recipe from Anja. These bars, in my opinion, are PERFECT -- soft, chewy, almost oatmeal-cookie like in texture, chock full of healthy protein and fat, and you know what they don't have? Any sugar! Or maple syrup! Or honey! The base is simply pureed banana and almond butter, with a whole bunch of good stuff stirred in, and then all baked away to perfection. MMMMMMMMM!!!!! These will come in super-handy for those mornings where I just can't stomach food at 5:30 AM, and prefer to munch on something during my commute.

I also made more spring rolls, in an attempt to use up leftover herbs:

I added tofu (yum!) and avocado (kind of weird) this time, which added to the spring rolls' staying power. I have made a meal out of spring rolls and peanut sauce a couple of times already this weekend. :) I only wish I had remembered I had a cucumber in the crisper, too! That would have added to their deliciousness.

I have been spending lots of time with friends this weekend, (tea, walking, movies, biking, bowling, and maybe even fireworks tomorrow,) and it's been good to get out of the house quite a bit! I love enjoying summer in Minnesota, as best I can. :)

salad days

2011-06-30T18:52:00.006-05:00

It's HOT in Minneapolis today -- temps in the mid/upper 90s with a sticky, nasty, thick and soupy dewpoint of 70. Sigh. It's this part of summer that I'm just not a huge fan of. (Who is? I swear, I don't know a soul who enjoys hot and humid weather.)

Salad days are here, at least for the rest of this week -- my appetite tends to wane with the heat, and I don't dare tun on the oven to cook anything! Here's tonight's salad:

Local mixed baby greens, topped with local grape tomatoes, local fresh mozzarella, local basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and homemade croutons made from locally-baked bread, olive oil, salt, and pepper. This might look like a lot of croutons, but, well, I had a lot of leftover baguette to use up! :)

breakfast and dinner, lower-cal style??

2011-06-27T18:01:00.003-05:00

Although the tedium of counting calories is still kind of frustrating me, I'm really not finding this whole "diet" thing all that challenging -- I like the program I'm using to track my calories and exercise, I found a really helpful website that has made calculating calories/etc. of homemade things fairly simple, and my active lifestyle and already healthy eating habits have allowed room in my "diet" for a substantial treat at least daily -- homemade popsicle, slice of pie, homemade cookie, etc. Not bad, if you ask me!

(Is it wrong that I absolutely despise the word "diet?" Sigh.)

Anyhow, I found plenty of room in my daily calories yesterday for a truly indulgent brunch:

I made some whole-wheat buttermilk pancakes with Buttermilk Syrup, and enjoyed a side of fresh, local strawberries and a glass of iced green tea. Yum yum! (That syrup isn't healthy at all, but it's so caramelly-good, a tablespoon or two is a fantastic treat!)

Tonight's dinner leaned much more toward the healthy side, although it didn't taste that way!

Quinoa topped with sugar-snap peas, tofu, green onions, cilantro, and homemade peanut sauce.

~~~~~~~~~~

I've found, so far, that the biggest changes I've made in my eating habits have actually been really, really small -- I've mostly been paying closer attention to portion sizes, and have avoided mindless eating/snacking at work. (The new job helps -- there really isn't much in the way of "junk" laying around, and if I get desperately hungry, I just eat a graham cracker or a few vanilla wafers. Plain, bland, and unappetizing, I'm actually satisfying hunger, as opposed to boredom or frustration, which was often the case at my old job.)

I just hope things continue to feel this easy! I am already making appropriate progress, but definitely have a ways to go!

housewarming

2011-06-26T08:37:00.006-05:00

I had several friends over last night for a housewarming (apartment-warming, whatever) party, and we had so much fun! We talked, we ate, we drank (tea and lemonade,) and we played "Apples to Apples" and "Taboo." Woooo! Low-key, definitely, but that was what I was after. :)

Here's the spread I prepared . . .

Tons of local veggies from the Farmer's Market, with Red Lentil Hummus:

The veggies (summer squash, kohlrabi, radishes, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, and sugar snap peas) were awesome, of course, and all local. I wasn't totally jazzed by the hummus . . . mine turned out a little runny, (maybe I didn't choose a large enough sweet potato?) and I found the flavor good, but not awesome. Oh well! Everyone else seemed to enjoy it, and many went back for seconds.

Antipasti Platter:

Kalamata olives, roasted (local) green beans, rosemary and lemon marinaded white beans (with local rosemary and scapes!), home-roased red peppers, local provolone, garlic-stuffed green olives, marinated artichoke hearts, Marinated Mushrooms (SO delicious!), and local fresh mozzarella. I have been dreaming about this antipasti platter for weeks, and it turned out as tasty and gorgeous as I had imagined! Look at all of those colors! :) (This was pretty much decimated by the end of the evening, save for a couple of lonely artichoke hearts . . . must have been good!)

Deviled Eggs:

I looooooooove deviled eggs, and had a request for them, so this was a no-brainer choice. :) (And there were only four left . . . they must have been good!) Peeling a dozen (local and gorgeous) eggs is kind of a pain; the only drawback, in my opinion. I sat and peeled eggs over a bowl between my knees while listening to jazz; that seemed to make the process more bearable.

Yogurt Cheese with Za'atar:

This is seriously the simplest, most popular party dip I've ever made. (Dan's brother, Ryan, goes crazy over this stuff!) Buy some plain yogurt, (I used low-fat, local yogurt this time, although whole milk yogurt makes quite the treat,) dump it in a coffee-filter lined strainer over a bowl, stick it in the fridge overnight, stir in some salt, top with za'atar and a little olive oil, and that's it. :)

My recipe for za'atar: 2 parts white sesame seeds, 2 parts dried thyme, 2 parts ground sumac, and 1 part kosher salt; grind in a coffee grinder until a fine powder consistency is achieved. This is also great sprinkled on rice/other whole grains, or used to top homemade focaccia/flatbreads.

Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce:

I looooooove the peanut sauce recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance, although it ended up being a little thin for a dip this time round. I'd use half the amount of water next time, or even less. :) Spring rolls were stuffed with bean thread noodles, local mint, local Thai basil, local cilantro, local green onion, red bell pepper, and shredded carrot.

Dippers:

Gluten-free crackers (Blue Diamond Almond Nut Thins -- thanks for the recommendation, Liz! These were a hit with everyone!), Holy Land Deli whole-wheat pita, Wedge bakery organic baguette, and some Back to Nature Harvest Whole Wheats. Just say "yes" to carbs! :)

Beverages:

Two unsweetened iced teas (I'm loving the Celestial Seasonings cold brew teas this summer!) and Lavender Strawberry Lemonade, made with local strawberries. Please also admire the flowers Courtney bought me for a housewarming present!

I also made two different kinds of homemade popsicles for dessert, (vegan chocolate fudge pops and Lemon-Buttermilk Ice Pops) but they weren't consumed by all. Hardly anyone saved room for dessert! (I have made the fudge pop before, and was pleasantly surprised by the Lemon-Buttermilk Ice Pops -- another recipe keeper!)

Even though preparing all of this food in advance was a considerable amount of work, it was SO worth it! (Plus, it was fun! I love big kitchen projects like this.) Once I had everything set out, I didn't have to think about the food at all -- everyone just helped themselves, and I just reminded people about the popsicles a couple of times. Easy! Tasty! Healthy! Fun!

What are some of your favorite party foods?

beans & greens tacos

2011-06-22T18:20:00.004-05:00

Confession: I'm not thrilled that I'm having to count calories right now. Sigh. I found a computer program that I am finding really helpful, (email me if you'd like details -- I'd be happy to pass along info,) and find that aspect of it EASY . . . I just don't love thinking that hard about what I eat EVERY SINGLE MINUTE.

Like, "Oh my god -- I forgot to input the eight animal crackers I had with the kids this morning! Was it eight crackers? Seven? Nine? OH WHO CARES!!!!!!" But I still input eight crackers, sigh.

The plus side? I have been eating healthfully for so long, I'm finding THAT aspect pretty easy. I am just watching portion sizes and adding more veggies. I have developed new relationships with my measuring cups and spoons I never thought I'd have. :)

Tonight's dinner definitely didn't feel like "diet food," although it came in well under 300 calories . . .

BEANS AND GREENS TACOS:

For each taco . . .
1 corn tortilla (I used homemade, from my freezer)
2 tablespoons refried beans (I used homemade)
1 tablespoon cooked brown rice
2 - 3 tablespoons cooked greens (I used spinach)
1 tablespoon shredded pepper jack cheese
1 tablespoon pico de gallo
1 teaspoon "light" sour cream
1 radish, sliced

I made myself two tacos for dinner tonight, which I found pleasantly satisfying . . . and left me plenty of room in my daily calorie count for a chocolate chip cookie for dessert. :)

re-thinking pesto

2011-06-20T05:48:00.005-05:00

One of my scores at the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning was a big, inexpensive bunch of garlic scapes -- and after throwing a few, chopped, into my stir-fry on Saturday night, I was sill left with most of a big bunch of garlic scapes . . . what to do?

My friend Courtney suggested I turn the scapes into peso, so after a quick google search and glimpses at a few different recipes, I started chopping, blending, and devised this gorgeous sauce:

Yum! The light, lemony garlic flavor and gorgeous, pale-green color were definite winners in my book . . . but now, what to do with my scape pesto?

I wasn't really feeling like pasta, and wanted something healthier . . . (I only have refined-flour pasta on hand at the moment,) . . . and I glanced at my rows of grains and lentils lining my kitchen shelf. Maybe if I made a sort of bland bean-grain dish and topped it with the pesto, that would work?

Barley and Chickpeas with Garlic Scape Pesto was born:

INGREDIENTS:
For the Pesto:
1 cup garlic scapes, chopped (remove flowery tops first)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
juice of one lemon
1/2 cup olive oil
water as needed to thin the sauce

For the Barley and Chickpeas:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
freshly-grated pepper to taste
1 cup pearled barley
2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed if from a can
3 cups water
1/2 cup thinly-sliced dried tomatoes
5 cups fresh spinach

DIRECTIONS:
1. Make the pesto: add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree. Continue to thin with water until the sauce is well blended, still thick, but pourable.
2. In a 3 to 4 quart pot, saute the onion in the olive oil until soft. Add the salt, pepper, and barley, and continue to cook for a few minutes. Add the chickpeas and water, and bring to a boil.
3. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer the barley for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in the dried tomatoes, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.
5. Stir in the spinach, cover, and steam for 5 minutes. Serve the barley with the pesto

I'm glad I decided to choose a different avenue for my pesto than the traditional pasta, because this worked beautifully! The healthy, somewhat bland bean and grain dish was the perfect avenue for the flavorful, assertive sauce. Yum! A definite winner.

Now I just have to figure out what to do with the rest of my pesto . . . maybe I'll toss it with some pasta after all! :)

dessert and dinner

2011-06-18T20:58:00.003-05:00

Since I couldn't help but pick up some rhubarb at the downtown farmer's market earlier this week, I sort of had to make a pie, didn't I?

I wasn't thrilled with my homemade crust this time 'round, but the filling more than made up for it. :) It's amazing how nothing more than strawberries, rhubarb, flour, sugar, and butter combine to make something other-worldly, isn't it?

Now, here's a question for you . . . what is your favorite kind of pie? Cherry is definitely mine, although all other kinds of pie are a close second. I just really love pie. A lot!

My friend Ann joined me for dinner tonight, and I made us a delicious stir-fry!

Pulled some leftover brown rice out of the freezer, pressed and fried up some tofu, and dumped a bunch of local veg in the pan -- asparagus, kohlrabi, green onions, garlic scapes, yellow summer squash, and sugar snap peas were all at the farmer's market this morning, and they all made their way into my stir-fry. Adding my usual sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds finished things off nicely. Ann complimented the spice level of the sauce -- she said if it was any spicier it would be uncomfortable for her, but as it was, it was just right! Woo! I always worry a little about making spicy things for friends, since many of my friends can't eat or don't like spicy foods very much. Score!

I have recently started counting calories again, since I've noticed quite a bit of weight creep back on this spring, thanks to all of the stress I was under. :) I found a great program to help this process along, and discovered that even after enjoying a slice of pie today, I came in nearly 200 calories under "budget" for the day -- woo! Good job me. :)

I am definitely going to have to start packing a lunch for work, though. It was so easy, gorging myself on those kid-friendly, cheese-laden lunches! Alas. I knew it wouldn't be good for me in the long run!

funky salad

2011-06-16T17:00:00.004-05:00

It was one of those "pull-whatever-out-of-the-fridge" kinds of dinners:

Local baby spinach topped with local asparagus, red onion, dried cherries (unsweetened!), walnuts, local buttermilk blue cheese, fig balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Kind of funky, but kind of good!

What's an odd food combination that you've come up with lately?

It was a dark and stormy night . . .

2011-06-14T20:25:00.004-05:00

. . . so I thought I'd bake some cookies:

Plain ol' CCCs with pecans. Nothing fancy, but sometimes that's OK. :)

P.S. The new oven seems to work fine, although I think it runs a little cool. Must pick up oven thermometer.

first meal

2011-06-12T21:06:00.006-05:00

The first meal cooked in my new place wasn't anything terribly Earth-shattering, but it was healthy and delicious!

Penne tossed with asparagus, cremini mushrooms, garlic, chili flakes, and dried parsley, cooked in a hefty amount of olive oil, with grated parmesan for sprinkling at the table. (Iced herbal tea on the side.) MMMMMMM!

Oy. I am SO tired tonight -- it has been a long, busy, fun, exciting, weekend! I'm totally unpacked and settled in -- can you believe it?? Pictures are even on the walls and everything! I definitely need an early bedtime tonight . . . night night!

I'm here!

2011-06-12T07:36:00.003-05:00

I made it! Moved officially yesterday, and I'm in the new place! Wahoo!

Let's first talk about the move . . .

I MOVED IN THREE HOURS! Holy cow, that was amazing. A few things helped:

1. Friends. Ann, Tiffany, Christine, Courtney, Dora, and Dan, to be exact! With seven of us and four cars (one small SUV,) we were flying up and down those stairs! Shout out to ALL of my awesome friends who helped me yesterday!

2. Furniture (or lack thereof.) I replaced almost all of my furniture in this move, (explanation at a later date,) so we had very little big stuff to lug around. Only a few important pieces came with me, and I had all of the new stuff delivered and assembled already, so that was super-slick.

3. Forethought. I worked my behind off, being prepared for this move -- I was totally, completely, 100%-ly packed and ready to go a full half-hour before my friends and their vehicles showed up. (Don't you just hate it when you help someone move and they are so NOT packed when you are ready to start helping? Frustrating.)

So, since the move finished by 1:00 yesterday, (and we were done with lunch by 2:00,) the unpacking is moving along nicely. I am almost completely unpacked, except for the kitchen -- take a look!

Moving along in the kitchen . . .

But still plenty of work to do today . . .

I have been dreading moving for SO long, and now that it's over, I am so happy to have moved! I really had outgrown my old place, and I still can't believe Dan and I lived there for a year and a half and didn't kill each other :) -- it was WAY too small to be useable for two people! I am so happy to have a few new things, plenty of room to spread out, and a little visual "breathing room" -- my last place was so jam-packed with furniture and stuff, every inch seemed to be covered at times. I'm enjoying that there is a little empty wall space, empty floor space, and empty storage space here! Whew!

About time for a party, don't you think??? ;)

trying to figure out

2011-06-10T06:22:00.001-05:00

I'm sitting here, waking up and drinking coffee, still trying to figure out WHY I already packed both of my umbrellas? I knew there was rain in the forecast today!!

I guess I'll have to go dig one out . . . !!!!!

(MOVING TOMORROW!!!!!!! WISH ME LUCK!!!!)

turning around

2011-06-05T17:36:00.004-05:00

Well, after my horrible start to my day, things have turned around, at least a little bit! After getting all of the pee cleaned up and my laundry finished, I managed to get a few errands done as well as a TON of packing and cleaning today! Woo! I even dropped something off at my friend Courtney's house, took a small load of stuff over to the new place, and stopped at the Wedge for a few essentials -- really, just coffee and mac and cheese. (What else does one need in life??) ;)

On my way home, I noticed "snow" in June!

Thankfully, not real snow . . . but all of that tree fluff sure does look like snow, doesn't it?

I'm looking forward to getting some relaxing done tonight -- I have a little "light reading" waiting for me:

(And don't forget that mac and cheese!)

Still would love links to/wonderful recipes sent my way!

sigh. (Please send me recipes.)

2011-06-05T08:07:00.003-05:00

It hasn't been a very good morning so far, and it's only 8 AM. Sigh.

As I was trying to sleep past 6:00 this morning, I heard some rustling in the closet . . . and then my worst fears were confirmed. Oliver had peed all over the stack of boxes and bags that I have already packed. (He has been trying to do this for weeks; his way of showing me that he's nervous about what's going on, I guess?) Let's just say that was a . . . MESS. After removing all of the pee crap, cleaning everything up, running a load of laundry, etc., I'm now sitting down on the couch just after 8, with a cup of coffee.

Did I mention that one box of stuff was completely ruined? And did I mention that it was my box of recipe binders? Six binders of recipes that I've saved from magazines/websites/personal trial and error/etc.? Part of me is so mad I don't know where to begin, part of me is just sad. That's a lot of time and energy lost to the pee. If you have any good recipes of your own you think I should have, please email them to me! I lost everything! (Links to favorites are also welcome!)

Thankfully all of my cookbooks are fine. But honestly, cookbooks would have been easier to replace.

And did I mention that in all of the chaos, I now can't find my coin purse of laundry quarters? I'm worried I left them in the laundry room and someone stole them, and I had nearly two rolls of quarters in the coin purse. Now I have a load of wet clothes and blankets that are going to stay wet until I can get to the bank.

What else?

Well, did I mention that my thoughts on Dan being back were premature? I guess he's not. And probably won't be. I'm trying really hard to keep the drama out of the blog, but let's just say it hasn't been the best couple of days.

One more week of this chaos, folks -- I move next weekend, and then life can maybe return to normal?? Maybe??

(PLEASE SEND ME RECIPES!!!!)

birthday fun for me

2011-06-01T19:07:00.006-05:00

Thought I'd post a little recap of the birthday fun I had! My day was filled with food and fun, with my favorite person (yes . . . Dan is back, slowly but surely, and we'll just say I'm feeling "cautiously optimistic.")

Our day started at Midtown Global Market, where the first order of business is usually giant burritos:

I love Los Ocampo veggie burritos, although they do tend to be heavy-handed on the rice. Pros? Tons of veggies, excellently-seasoned beans, plenty of cheese and sour cream, and the sauces! Holy hot and spicy, but SOOOOOO good!

After lunch and some browsing around the market, we headed down to Northfield for the afternoon and evening. We started with a long, pleasant, but muddy hike at Nerstrand Woods:

(I told you it was a muddy hike! Still haven't cleaned my shoes . . . sigh. I should probably take care of that tonight!)

After our hike, we spent some time bumming around downtown Northfield -- lots of cute shops, although most weren't open because it was Memorial Day! Boo. Anyhow, we still had fun walking around and exploring the few places that were open!

Before leaving town, we enjoyed dinner at The Tavern. While we're not ones for typical American/bar type food, the Indian restaurant we had planned on visiting was closed, so we came up with a pretty good second choice.

To start, we shared the cheese plate:

Aged cheddar, herbed goat cheese, and feta, with crostini, crackers, apples, and the most amazing rhubarb chutney! I swear, I could have downed a glassful as a beverage! (Or maybe it would make more sense as a soup? Anyhow, you get it!)

For my entree, I chose the Thai Salad:

The salad was packed full of fresh veggies and fried wonton strips, and came with the most delicious, super-spicy Thai dressing! Usually when something is labelled "spicy" on an American-type menu, I'm left disappointed . . . not this time! Yum yum! (The bread and butter on the side was fresh, homemade, and delicious, too!)

Thanks, Dan, for a great birthday!

it's my birthday!

2011-05-30T07:18:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday to Me! With all of the craziness that is my life these days, (you know, new job, new apartment, etc.) I was thinking my birthday was just going to pass me by this year, relatively quietly, filled full of packing or some other kind of work. Not so! I have been able to see friends, (although we haven't done much except hang out at my new place, eat peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes -- thanks, Courtney! -- put up new curtains, line shelves, and wait for IKEA to deliver some new furniture,) and eat great food!

Here was my fabulous pre-birthday dinner last night:

For the main course . . . TACO SALADS!

And dessert . . . APPLE PIE!

(Don't think I went too crazy for myself on my birthday -- the crust was store-bought, and I had a bag of filling in my freezer all ready to go from last fall! Delicious!)

Today should be filled with more good food, and hopefully some hiking, if the weather clears up this afternoon (which it's supposed to.) Hope those of you who have a long weekend are enjoying it! If you feel compelled, have a slice of cake (or a cupcake) in my honor! ;)

meet my new place!

2011-05-27T19:22:00.004-05:00

I went over to do a final walk-through and pick up keys for my new apartment tonight . . . wahoo!!!! I decided it was finally time to take a few pictures and show you all what my new place looks like, sans furniture or stuff of any kind. :)

(I promise I'll take more pictures once I'm all moved in.)

Here's the "grand tour" . . .

Entryway:

There is no coat closet, (the apartment's only drawback,) so those hooks installed behind the door are going to come in handy!

Living Room:

Decent-sized, with two nice windows and a ceiling fan!

DINING ROOM!

This might be one of the most exciting features of this apartment . . .!!

Dining room alcove:

Yes, it's slightly weird, having the fridge in the dining room, but heck -- at least it's a full-sized fridge! I won't know what to do with all that space!

Kitchen:

More kitchen:

I am IN LOVE with the built-ins, (especially the broom closet, for some odd reason,) and the huge, old sink. I plan to purchase a tiny microwave cart to slip in next to the stove, in order to increase counter space. :)

Bathroom:

Nothing too special, but at least there's a window!

Bedroom:

A bit on the small side, but it's long and narrow, so the space can be used efficiently, I think!

Closet:

Yesssssss . . . there are built-in drawers in the closet, too! I'm going to have amazing storage space!

What do you think is the best part about my new place? What do you like best about your place?

dinner party, packing party

2011-05-22T20:00:00.005-05:00

I have been excited to throw impromptu "dinner and games" parties lately -- basically, I call all of my friends, see who is free that evening, cook something, and everybody hangs out, eats, and plays board games. My friends Tiffany and Christine came over last night, and we had a great time!

I made a triple-batch of chickpea pancakes, just to make sure there were enough to go around :)

We topped our pancakes with copious amounts of roasted asparagus, and plenty of herbed yogurt, too!

After dinner, we played a few games -- "Where's the Beef?" (an old game of Christine's from the 80s, which appropriately, the vegetarian (me!) won!), "Apples to Apples," and "UNO." I'm so glad my friends enjoy board games as much as I do!

~~~~~~~~~~

Today, my friend Dora kindly brought several boxes for me to church with her; I couldn't help but fill them up! It was a productive afternoon -- I sorted, purged, and cleaned the bathroom, my storage locker, and "junk tower" in my living room closet, took out a bunch of trash, added to the Goodwill pile, and packed 5 or 6 boxes, as well as all of my out-of-season clothing! Books are easy to pack, so I practically emptied the bookshelf; Oliver was confused:

"Uh, mom, where did all the books go? Not that I'm complaining or anything . . . it's much easier to reach and destroy my favorite toys, now." :)

Hope you had a good weekend!

Far-Mar love in the rain; Uptown Cafeteria is good

2011-05-21T16:53:00.004-05:00

Today was mostly gross, rainy, and humid . . . didn't stop me from going to the Farmer's Market, though! I bought . . .

A gorgeous bunch of mixed tulips:

(Please ignore my very-amateur flower-arranging skills!)

Fresh herbs!

Parsley, thyme, and chives this week

Local asparagus!

I picked up two pounds of mixed green and purple asparagus for $11. Worth every penny, if you ask me!

AND, local rhubarb and nonlocal strawberries:

Bet you know what I'm going to use these for!

I met up with my friend Ann after the Farmer's Market, and she and I spent a little time running around, shopping, and dropping off a few things for recycling at Best Buy. (Did you know Best Buy takes old electronics for recycling for free/minimal fee?) After all of that shopping, we were hungry!

Ann, her sister Katie, and I headed over to the Uptown Cafeteria for lunch. I enjoyed the black bean burger with a side of excellent fries (and don't forget that pickle!) and split a banana malt with Ann for a delicious treat. A solid, satisfying meal, if not a bit overpriced. ($20, including tip, for the sandwich and full malt -- I treated Ann, since she drove us around all morning!)

I'm not sure what I think about the Uptown Cafeteria . . . like all of the Parasole restaurants I've visited, they are all . . . good. Strangely, I'm never bowled over, and leave with mixed feelings on my dining experience. (I feel horrible admitting this, but I think I could have made a better black bean burger at home, although the sunflower sprouts were a nice touch, and the burger definitely needed a slice of pepper Jack; the fries, however, were excellent! Fries can't carry a meal, though, ya know?) My main complaint is that, overall, the food seems overpriced from this local pile of "unchained chain" restaurants. Maybe that's what the Parasole family of restaurants is good at -- being, well, good? Lots of folks I know rave over any of the "family" they have visited, and I wonder . . . what am I missing? Maybe Parasole chefs don't pay much attention to vegetarian food, and that's why I haven't been wowwed? Any locals care to weigh in on this one?

Both Ann and Katie raved about their meals -- Ann loved the mac and cheese, (and it looked REALLY creamy and good, although filled with bacon, sadly,) and Katie said her Jerk chicken sandwich was nice and moist. Maybe it is just the veg options?

Anyhow, I better scoot -- couple of friends coming over tonight for dinner and board games! Time to make some food!

I cooked!

2011-05-19T20:11:00.004-05:00

Holy moly, I cooked last night! Even though it was just a stir-fry, it was good to get in the kitchen and accomplish something:

Basic tofu stir-fry, with red onion, broccoli, red bell pepper, and green onions, and my homemade stir-fry sauce: 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, and 1 tsp grated ginger. I haven't added the ginger in the past, and was so happy that I did -- the stir-fry had a pleasant, multi-level spiciness . . . yum!

(Just in case you were wondering . . . I haven't been eating out like crazy or anything lately . . . my new job provides me with 10 meals per week! The food is not ideal, but since I'm not "allowed" to eat anything different from what the kids are eating in the classroom, and my break arrives a little too late to qualify as lunch time for someone who starts work at 7 AM, I'm happy that there's a vegetarian option! Since I get so much food at work, I have barely been grocery shopping or cooking -- I'm down to salads, sandwiches, and one or two nice meals prepared per week. Pros and cons to this system, definitely. I'm going to need to keep an eye on my weight and BP/cholesterol, since the work meals are pretty dairy-heavy. Sigh.)

We took the tods to the Farmer's Market today, which was a blast, and I was happy to see plenty of local asparagus this week! Woo! I thought about picking some up on my way home from work tonight, but I was too tired, and too focused on the computer work I had to get done when I got home -- my new job is a LOT of work right now! (But I'm so thankful to be busy at work for a change!) I'll definitely hit up the Far-Mar this weekend, though! I need asparagus!!!!!!!!!!!

camera to go = fun photos for you!

2011-05-15T20:47:00.003-05:00

I was glad I had a camera on me this afternoon; as I was heading over to my new apartment to sign the lease, I noticed this vanity plate on a Cadillac Escalade:

The plate is partially obscured by shadow in the photo, but it reads, "GR8GAS." At least someone who drives a monstrosity has a sense of humor about it!

speeding up, and slowing down

2011-05-15T16:50:00.003-05:00

Hey blog friends . . . life continues to pick up speed on my end, as I race to the finish line we'll call "THE MOVE!" (I just went over and signed my new lease today -- wahoo!) Expect the blog to slow down for the time being . . . I'll still be reading yours, but won't have much to say on my end. :)

(How much can one really talk about sandwiches and salads and leftovers, anyway?)

~ Cath

the changes keep a-comin'

2011-05-10T07:24:00.004-05:00

I believe I announced that I found a new job, right? I had my last day at my old job on Friday, and I planned some special activities with the kids -- I had purchased several books for the center as a good-bye gift for the kids, which they were excited to open, they suggested we make smoothies for snack, and I decided, kind of last-minute, that I would request bag lunches from the catering program and we would have a picnic! Thankfully, the weather cooperated on Friday -- it was gorgeous! One of my co-workers snuck some pictures of us while we were chilling, and they are far enough away that I feel comfortable posting one of them for you to enjoy!

The rest of the day was pretty rough, (the kids were cranky, bickering, and whining all day long,) but our picnic was wonderful! We all sat, ate, talked, and watched the older elementary school kids play on the playground for almost an hour! Food tastes better outside, doesn't it?

Anyhow, my first day at the new job yesterday was a welcome change. :) I spent my first day in an all-staff training on diversity, which could have been campy and awful, but was actually thoughtful, interesting, provocative, and well-planned. (Plus, lunch was provided, and it was from the Holy Land Deli! YUM!!!!!!!!!) I head in today at noon to train more with my supervisor on the specifics of my new position, and will stay late tonight for a staff meeting. Wednesday, I will start my usual shift! It's been nice to ease in and have a short break from dealing with children all day long. Don't get me wrong . . . I love kids, but we all need a break every now and then, don't we? ;) (I'm sure stay-at-home parents can relate!)

I was chatting with an acquaintance before yoga last night, (last class of the Ashtanga series I took this spring,) and he suggested that 2011 is "a year of new beginnings" for me -- indeed!

"mixin' it up"

2011-05-09T07:17:00.003-05:00

There is a small part of me, deep down, that wishes leftovers didn't exist -- even though I frequently enjoy reheated leftovers for work lunches, and love that I don't have to cook EVERY day, I really would prefer something "fresh" at every meal. I realize that is horrible, but there you go! I have a weird palate. (Don't we all?)

I have discovered many ways over the years to "trick" myself into enjoying leftovers -- eating them for lunch at work, (I'm a captive audience, and often very hungry, so happy for what I have,) making sure there are fresh toppings to add just before serving, (shredded cheese, sliced green onions, diced avocado, fresh herbs, a squeeze of citrus, etc.) and, my best trick -- mixin' up the side dishes. Often, when I prepare a large portion of seasoned tofu or tempeh, I will make smaller portions of side dishes, which then means I get to make fresh side dishes to accompany some of the leftovers!

Here's a perfect example:

More curried tofu, this time with garlic-roasted asparagus and roasted fingerling potatoes, instead of the roasted sweet potatoes and artichoke I enjoyed earlier in the weekend. Not that I wouldn't have enjoyed another artichoke and more sweet potatoes; rather, this method means I don't "get sick" of curried tofu four meals in a row! Sneaky, eh?