Saturday, December 12, 2009

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing




This recipe is shut-your-face- delicious. Seriously. Ms. Mosely joined C and I for an after-Thanksgiving-Thanksgiving-meal where this dish was the star. We made a last minute executive decision to modify the recipe a bit and carmelize the onions and cook the chickpeas and serve it all hot. That was the right decision! And it made yummy lunch leftovers too! I'm really excited to make this one again, and again, and again...

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing
Recommended by the lovely Shannon, Found on Smitten Kitchen, Adapted from Orangette, who adapted it from Casa Moro (whew!)

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients for salad:
  • 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed
  • 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt
  • One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 of a medium red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
  • black pepper to taste

Ingredients for Tahini Dressing:
  • 1 medium garlic clove, finely minced with a pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
  • 3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste

Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, garlic, allspice, olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Toss the squash pieces until evenly coated. Roast them on a baking sheet for 25 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the oven and cool.
  3. Meanwhile, make the tahini dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic and lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Add the tahini, and whisk to blend. Add the water and olive oil, whisk well, and taste for seasoning. The sauce should have plenty of nutty tahini flavor, but also a little kick of lemon. You might need to add more water to thin it out.
  4. Carmelize the onions in olive oil, then add the chickpeas to the pan to cook.
  5. To assemble the salad, combine the squash, chickpeas, onion, and cilantro or parsley in a mixing bowl. Either add the tahini dressing to taste, and toss carefully, or you could serve the salad with the dressing on the side. Serve immediately.
Note: Molly says this salad, lightly dressed, keeps beautifully in the fridge, that you should hold a little of the dressing on the side and that it can be reheated in the microwave. (I agree! We didn't keep any on the side, just dressed and tossed the whole thing, but it reheated wonderfully in the microwave).


Tuesday, October 27, 2009

¡Tortilla Soup!


I think the best Mexican Food in Chicago is actually in the close burb of Lincolnwood — Wholly Frijoles (I know, what kind of a name is that?!) But it's super delicious. And here's the kicker, with every entree you get a bowl of their tortilla soup. It's everything you ever wanted out of a soup and a meal and sometimes your day. Seriously. So, yesterday, Chris and I decided to try to recreate it. After looking at several blogs for their tortilla soup recipes, making a list, then leaving the list at home, and a quick market trip we were ready... The outcome was really close to Wholly Frijoles and also super delicious! (Please note that this was a season as you go recipe, so the amounts are estimates, season to taste...)

Tortilla Soup
Makes about 6-7 bowls
Ingredients
  • 1 large spanish onion
  • 7 cloves of garlic
  • 3 limes
  • 1 jalepeno (they seem to be very spicy right now, so one should bring enough heat)
  • 2 mexican zucchini
  • 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatos
  • 3 14.5 oz can of vegetable broth
  • 1 cup of cilantro
  • 2 cups of crushed tortilla chips
  • 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground corriander
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 dried red chilis
  • olive oil to saute

Directions
  1. Saute onions and 4 cloves of garlic, chopped, in olive oil until soft
  2. Add 1 jalepeno and 2 zucchini, diced. Add 1 tsp. soy sauce. Saute for another minute or two
  3. Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, pepper and ground corriander and the juice of 2 limes. Cook for another few minutes.
  4. Add broth, tomatos, bay leaves, dried chilis, 2 more cloves of garlic, 1/2 cup of cilantro. Bring to a boil. Then turn down to low heat and let cook for an hour. (You could probably cut this time, but we wanted the flavors to blend well.)
  5. Remove the bay leaves and dried chilis. Blend 3/4 of the soup with the tortilla chips, the juice of 1 more lime, 1/2 cup of cilantro and 1 more garlic clove
  6. Return blended mixture to pot, add cheese and cinnamon and cook 10 more minutes on low heat to let flavors blend.
  7. Serve with the toppings of your choice – tortilla chips, cheese, avocado, sour cream, etc...




Monday, October 19, 2009

Bananadoodles


I make Snickerdoodles probably twice a year (even though Chris wishes I would make them every week). I use the Martha Recipe from her Holiday Cookies 2006 magazine, which is different, for some reason, than the one on her website. Recently, I've started substituting one banana for the 2 eggs called for — And I think they are even better! The banana helps them stay really soft and you can definitely taste the banana flavor in the cookie, it's like it's been rolled in cinnamon and sugar... Yum! For those that don't like banana flavor, I'd stick to the eggs (or another egg substitute).

Bananadoodles (aka Snickerdoodles with Banana)
Makes about 24
Ingredients
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more if needed
  • 2 large eggs (I substituted 1 large banana finely choopped)
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or if you are sans mixer, like me, just use a large bowl, a rubber spatula and your arm muscles), combine butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs, or banana. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Shape dough into balls (about the size of a golf ball); roll in cinnamon sugar. Space 3 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment.
  3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden and the center begins to crack (they will not brown), about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the sheets to a wire rack to coo. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Pacific Rim Pasta Salad


At my favorite pasta place in the market, they give you a cute recipe with every purchase.
I was intrigued by this recipe but had to make a few changes. I used agave instead of honey, and tofu instead of chicken, and braggs liquid aminos instead of soy.  We ate this warm the first day and cold the next, right out of the bowl with the fridge door open.

Pacific Rim Pasta Salad
1/2 LB pasta
1 large block firm tofu cubed
1/4 cup diced green onions
2 large bell peppers, bite size pieces
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup raw peanuts

Sauce
1/4 cup olive oil (plus a little more for frying)
2 tbs white vinegar
1 tbs agave
3 tbs liquid aminos
1 tbs red chili flakes
1 tbs garlic minced
1 tbs ginger root, peeled and finely minced

1. combine sauce ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minns
2. cook pasta till al dente
3. fry tofu cubes in some oil till toasty brown on all sides
4. in a small pan, roast peanuts until fragrant, chop coarsely
5. in a large serving bowl add cooked/ or cooled pasta , tofu, green onions, peppers and sauce.
6. garnish with cilantro and peanuts

maca who?

I know that making macaroni salad vegan is a obvious thing, you use veganiase instead of mayo. 
Josh recently purchased some macaroni salad from our food co-op and i tried to recreate it. Much to our delight it is very simple in flavor and very yummy.

Macaroni Salad
-2 cups cooked elbow macaroni noodles (whole wheat is betta!)
-1/2 cup shredded carrots
-1/2 cup chopped red onion
-1/2 cup fresh parsley (reg or italian)
-1/2 cup veganaise
-2 tbs white rice vinegar 
-1 tbs garlic power
lots of salt and pepper!!!!!!!!!!!

toss together in a big bowl and eat!!!!!!!!!!
for best taste let sit in fridge over night! yum

Thursday, September 3, 2009

bibimbap!

The Ladies had never eaten the protein-packed Korean dish BIBIMBAP, so it was my pleasure to make it. It is a healthy dish , with plenty of left overs!
Enjoy.




  1. 1 pound spinach, large stems removed
  2. bunch of broccolli
  3. 5 medium carrot, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch strips
  4. 1 medium cucumber
  5. 4 scallions, cut into thin matchsticks
  6. 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
  7. 5 cloves minced garlic
  8. 1 cup shredded red-leaf cabbage
  9. 4 scallions, cut into thin matchsticks
  10. 5 large eggs (optional)
  11. 1 large red pepper
  12. 1/2 of box extra firm tofu
  13. Steamed Rice - we used basamati
  14. 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  15. Korean Chili Sauce
  16. Salt
  17. 2 tablespoons water
  18. 2 tablespoons sugar

  1. Steam the spinach until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer the spinach to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain, squeeze dry and chop coarsely.
  2. Put the spinach, carrot, cucumber, cabbage, red peppe and tofu in separate small bowls; toss each vegetable with 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic.
  3. In a small skillet, stir-fry each vegetable separately (except the spinach) over moderate heat; the carrot, red pepper, cucumber, broccolli and tofu. Decoratively arrange the cooked vegetables, lettuce, and scallions in small bowls or in piles on a platter.
  4. In a medium skillet, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Crack in the eggs and fry them, sunny side up. Meanwhile, reheat the rice if necessary.
  5. Bring the rice to the table with the vegetables and the fried eggs. Toss the rice with the eggs first, to break them up, then add all of the vegetables and the toasted sesame seeds. Stir in about 2 tablespoons of Korean Chili Sauce and mix lightly but thoroughly. Season with salt and serve at once.

Monday, August 31, 2009

the musical fruit

here is yet another skinny bitch recipe..... i make it almost every monday and put it in my sweet peas lunch so he stays full and wont eat burger king.
i never follow a recipe exactly because i do not like to waste a whole can of something because a recipe calls for one cup. your never gonna eat the rest of the can of corn in the fridge so put the whole fucking thing in the salad!  waste not want not

1-can corn
1-half bag frozen shelled edamame
1-can red kidney beans drained rinsed
1-can chic peas drained rinsed
2- green onions sliced
1- red pepper sliced and diced
2-tbs parsley fresh italian or dried 
2-tbs basil
salt
pepper

place all ingredients in a large bowl (with a lid for later)
stir so that everything is well acquainted

in a smaller bowl, start your dressing

3-tbs red wine vinegar
1-big spoon full of dijon mustard
3-tbs olive oil

whisk together and then drizzled over salad.
stir and then let sit in fridge for at least one hour
better the next day!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

sleepy cabbage

Hi friends! Sorry I have been neglecting this blog! Work and school consumed me, not to mention I wasn't doing much cooking. I want to keep this going...which means everyone should post MORE:-) I have made up a few interesting dishes this week, i will post them soon.

I have been a lover of purple cabbage forever but in the past 2 months, I can't get enough of cabbage in general! I swear, I could eat it with every meal. I love it in coleslaw, in soup, in stir-fry! You name it, I'll eat it. I would love to find a good veggie stuffed cabbage recipe.....

For now here is an easy "coleslaw", I didn't follow a recipe, so you should just guess at the measurements!

photo by Esme

Half of a small green cabbage
Half of a small purple cabbage
Half of a red pepper
A few sprigs of fresh dill
A couple dill pickles (if you fancy)
Slice all of these things as thin as possible (which requires a sharp knife that I don't own!)
Then mix together:
half of a lime
some apple cider vinegar
dash of Braggs
Salt
Pepper
A small amount of agave nectar
A teaspoon of veganaise
Curry powder (if you fancy!)

Pour the dressing over the cabbage and mix throughly. I think it tastes better if you let it sit over night and marinate. You can add onions, if you like too! Mmmm, cabbage!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Blueberry Boy Bait


Okay, so I saw this recipe on another blog, and freaked out because the name was so cool.
I mean, boy bait? Seriously? So I had to make it. It was delicious. Especially with in-season blueberries. Even better if you picked them yourself! I made this using everything vegan, except for the eggs... but I'm gonna wager that it's good any way you make it!
2 cups plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened or vegan margarine (I suggest Earth balance)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs (or egg replacer equivalent)
1 cup whole milk or soy milk
1/2 cup blueberries (I really, really suggest fresh- but if you have to use frozen, either drain them once they defrost, or leave them frozen)
Topping
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not defrost)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the cake:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
Whisk two cups flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl.
With electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about two minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping down bowl.
Reduce speed to medium and beat in one-third of flour mixture until incorporated; beat in half of milk.
Beat in half of remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk, and finally remaining flour mixture. Toss blueberries with remaining one teaspoon flour.
Using rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries. Spread batter into prepared pan.
For the topping:
Scatter blueberries over top of batter.
Stir sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl and sprinkle over batter.
Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
Cool in pan 20 minutes, then turn out and place on plate, topping side up.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Spiced Avocado Sandwich



I've had this recipe for Spiced Avocado Sandwiches (compliments of Martha) bookmarked for months and finally decided to give it a whirl on Thursday. Result = So Fantastically Delicious! Seriously, it tastes like Summer. Yum. I even made it a second time for myself two days later...


Spiced Avocado Sandwich
Serves 2
Ingredients
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon green Tabasco sauce (I substituted 1 tbsp. of green salsa here)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup yellow grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 small cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 large or 2 small radishes, halved and thinly sliced
  • 2 whole-wheat pitas (6 inches each), cut in half

Directions

  1. Halve and pit avocado. With a spoon, scoop out avocado flesh, cut into chunks, and transfer to a medium bowl. Add orange juice, Tabasco sauce, and coriander; season with salt and pepper. Mix gently to combine.
  2. Add tomatoes, cucumber, and radish. Combine, and divide mixture between 2 pitas. Serve immediately.



vegan masala mashup


It takes FOREVER to make and i will apologize now if the recipe is hard to follow, and that it has what i feel like is a bizillion ingredients, an i never took a picture of the finished project. 
it is really yummy though
you will need...
1 large onion
2 large potatoes ( you can have creative freedom in choosing which kind)
1 package frozen spinach
2 cans tomato puree
1 can chic peas
5 cloves garlic
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups cauliflower 
1 tbs veganiase ( i prefer the grape seed kind)
1/2 cup raw cashews
1 package soft tofu cubed (makes a great fake paneer)
* i feel there is no limit to the amount of spice that should be used, and i never measure. Use at your own will
tumeric
cumin
garuam masala 
curry
siriachi
paprika


in a very large/ deep frying pan heat the oil of your choice
add chopped onion and garlic and fry till almost soft
add cubed potato (skins and all)
add a few shakes of tumeric , so that it can soak into the potato
cook for 3 minns
add tomato puree and frozen spinach and cashews
cook on med heat covered for 20 minns so that the potatoes and cashews can soften and all the flavors can mesh together.
remove from heat

now would be a good time to get the water going for the rice of your choice. i would suggest a brown basmati

cool the contents of the frying pan enough where is it safe to put in a food processor
blend till smooth, but allow some chunks of the potato and cashew (these are always a nice surprise)

place mixture back into frying pan
mix in veganaise 
add spices to your liking
then add, cauliflower, drained chic peas,  green peas, and faux paneer
cook one med heat covered until rice in finished.

this dish is great day or but even better the second day after all the flavors are soaked into one another.


Monday, June 22, 2009

i will always be in search of the perfect cheese. though i thought follow your heart was the best for pizza i decided to try and make my own. i combined a few different recipes that i found from other blogs.  the result baked nice on pizza but was a little gritty (my fault, could have processed longer). it was also yummy as is, with chips , smeared on bread, and almost had a hummus meets nacho cheese taste to it. i like both those things just fine!
2/3 cup cashews
2/3 cup water (or more)
1/4 cup red bell pepper
1/4 red onion
1/4 nutritional yeast flakes
2 garlic gloves
3tbs lemon juice
2tbs braggs liquid aminos
1tbs sesame oil
dash of sea salt

combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy, adding more cashews if it is to watery and more water if it if too thick. for a lighter taste i would recommend heating the garlic, onion, and pepper in a pan first to soften. for pizza spread a little over pizza sauce, a little goes a long way. i ate it old school just cheese and sauce, but i sprinkled sesame seeds and oregano over the top. 

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Lemon Risotto


Chris and I have been loving butternut squash risotto all winter long, but we wanted a lighter/springy version for the sunny days lately. This recipe (courtesy of Martha and Whole Living) certainly fit the bill! We had some wine and romano in the fridge, so we added those in for kicks and paired the risotto with a simple green salad (carrot, radish, green pepper and tomato). Super delicious!

Lemon Risotto
Serves 4
Ingredients
  • 1 large leek, white part only, well washed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • 2 cups Vegetable Stock, or low-sodium canned
  • 1/2 cup white wine (I used TJ's Sauvignon Blanc)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives
  • 1/3 cup romano cheese
Directions
  1. Sweat the leek in 3 teaspoons of butter over low heat in a tightly covered straight-sided saute pan for 6 minutes, stirring once or twice.
  2. Add the rice and raise the heat to medium, stirring often for 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of wine, stir until it's been absorbed. Add 1 cup of stock, season lightly with salt and pepper, and stir until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
  3. Add the remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly after each addition. When all of the liquid is absorbed, add the zest and continue to cook for about 10 minutes more, until the rice is al dente.
  4. Stir in the lemon juice. Season well with salt and pepper, add the chives and romano, stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons of butter until it melts, and serve hot.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

One more cupcake....


Here is a photo of Ms. Penelope helping bake the cupcakes, or rather, eying the cupcakes! I decided that I should bake and Esme should take lots of photos, she takes the best photos! This one is, of course, hers!

Adventures in baking




Lately I have been baking constantly. I have always loved to bake but lately I blame my sister and her new found love for baking, as well as a cookbook Jenny "rented" entitled, 5000 cupcake recipes, or something ridiculous like that! I am still determined to bake them all and make corrections.

Last week, being the lovely Melissa's birthday, I decided to search for some new recipes. I stumbled across a frangelico cupcake recipe, mmmm, frangelico! I also had some Nutella laying around so I combined the cupcake recipe with a Nutella/coffee frosting recipe I found. The frosting was delicious!!!! The only issue was...I could tell there wasn't going to be enough so I just started adding more stuff and the consistency got a little wet.....

The cupcakes themselves were really moist but I thought once you added the egg whites it took away from the rich chocolate flavor. I think I would add more almond extract next time and maybe more coco powder. Also, I substituted some of the sugar for agave nectar but seeing that I didn't measure it out, I figured I should post the recipe as is.

Here is the cupcake recipe I adapted from How to eat a cupcake

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used a generous 1/2 cup of dark coco powder)

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup Frangelico hazelnut liqueur

1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.


2. In a large bowl cream together the butter, cocoa, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and creamy, 3-5 minutes. Add egg yolks and beat for 4 minutes.
3. In a small bowl mix water and Frangelico and almond extract.
4. In another large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternating with the Frangelico mixture. Mix on medium speed until ingredients are almost combined.
6. With clean beaters and a large bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until they form soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to make a meringue. With a rubber spatula, fold the meringue into the batter.
7. Fill the cupcake liners 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes. Finish cooling on wire rack.



Nutella Coffee Frosting: adapted from The cupcake review

Ingredients
· 2 tablespoons butter, softened
· 2 1/2 tablespoons Nutella
· 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
· 1-2 tablespoons half and half or milk
· 1 teaspoon instant coffee
· 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method
In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon cream/milk with 1 teaspoon instant coffee and stir until coffee is dissolved.

In a separate bowl, combine butter, Nutella, sugar, salt, vanilla, and the 1 tablespoon coffee-milk mixture. Mix well with electric mixer, adding more milk as needed to make a fluffy spreadable frosting.

Makes enough to frost 10-12 cupcakes if just spreading it on with a knife.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Soba-Noodle Salad


First off, thanks MB for getting this started! I'm so excited to attempt and enjoy all these delicious recipes, ladies!!!

So, I've been hooked on soba noodles for the last month or so (this might be due to the large amount of soba noodles that come in a box, but they are yummy). This is a recipe I found on Martha for Soba-Noodle Salad, and I made a few modifications for taste (more spicy) and fish-sauce free, which is the recipe that follows...

Soba-Noodle Salad
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 3 teaspoons tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 12 ounces soba noodles (not 100 percent soba)
  • 1 green mango, peeled and julienned
  • 1 large red pepper, stemmed, seeded, cored, and julienned
  • 1 medium carrot, julienned
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
  • Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
  1. In a small bowl, mix together vinegar, ginger, tamari, lime juice, and cayenne pepper. Slowly whisk in oil until well combined; season with salt and pepper. Set dressing aside.
  2. Fill a medium pot of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add soba noodles and cook according to the package directions, until al dente, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
  3. Transfer noodles to a large bowl and add mango, red pepper, carrot, scallions, mint, and basil. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.
  4. Drizzle with dressing; you may not need to use all the dressing. (I totally used ALL of the dressing) Serve salad with lime wedges.

Monday, May 11, 2009

TUN-YAY!


-one block tempeh
-1 pickle spear and a little juice if your into it
-1 half small yellow onion
-2 celery ribs
-2 tbs dill
-1 half of a lemon
-1/3 cup veganaise
-2 tbs dijon or reg mustard
-1 tsp soy sauce
-1 tbsp garlic power
-pinch of sea salt

place tempeh brick in a pot and fill with water and a pinch of salt.
bring to boil then turn off and let stand for 15 minns

drain water and let tempeh cool . rub and little sea salt on one side

in a large bowl combine chopped: onion, celery, pickle. stir in dill. then squeeze in the juice from the lemon

in a small bowl combine :veganaise, soy, mustard, and garlic powder.  wisk it is you want to get crazy.

once tempeh has cooled.  break apart and crumble adding it to celery and onion mixture.
spoon in a little pickle juice. then add mustard mis from small bowl.
let sit in fridge for hour for best taste
TUN-YAY!!!!!!!!!

Let the eating begin...

This is exciting!

This is an awesome recipe that I have made 3 or 4 times since I found it, just a few weeks ago. The most recent time was last night, when I needed to eat mush because I just had two teeth pulled. It's delicious, and especially yummy when served with fresh bread, olive tapenade, and goat cheese if you like the dairy. And it's easy!

Chickpea and Rosemary Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil , plus additional for drizzling
8 cloves garlic , finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves , minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cans (15 to 19 ounces each) chickpeas , rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable broth (or 4 cups water and 2 vegan bouillon cubes)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Sea salt

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and sesame oil over medium heat. Add garlic, rosemary and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until garlic starts to brown, about 1 minute. Add chickpeas and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes; let cool slightly.Transfer 1 cup of soup at a time to a blender (or use an immersion blender-much easier!) ; cover loosely and puree until just smooth. Return to saucepan. Repeat two more times. Stir lemon juice and salt into soup to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

I found it here.

Yay, food!

Saturday, May 9, 2009

lentil walnut burgers for mom


Last month was my mom's bday, and in proper Nelson/Bealmear tradition I asked my Mom what she wanted me to cook up for her "birthday dinner". Her reply was "oh, whatever you want", this reply is like a death sentence. Whatever I want???!!! The vaguness of her answer left endless pile of recipes at my feet, or more literally, at my fingertips. I searched the web and found this tasty recipe for Lentil Walnut burgers on a blog called Love and Olive Oil. I adapted this recipe from their site.

The burgers did tend to fall apart and they also remained a little raw in the middle. I would suggest making smaller sized patties and/or covering them while they cook. This made approximately 7 burger sized patties. Taste the mixture before frying, I think I added more salt. They tasted fabulous though and I would definitely make them again! The photo does not do them justice!!!!
Lentil Walnut Burgers
Ingredients
3/4 cup toasted walnuts, cooled
1/3 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3/4 cup dry lentils, cooked, drained, and cooled- I used red lentils
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large egg
Yogurt-Cilantro Sauce:
3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt- I used the thick greek kind
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves 2 teaspoons dried dill A dash or 2 of rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a food processor, combine walnuts, breadcrumbs, garlic, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; process until finely ground. Add lentils and 1 tablespoon oil; pulse until coarsely chopped (some lentils should remain whole).
In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add lentil mixture; mix well. Divide into 4 equal-size parts; roll into balls, and flatten with the palm of your hand into 3/4-inch-thick patties.
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add burgers; cook over medium-low heat until crisp and browned, turning gently with a thin-edged spatula, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, cilantro, and lemon; season with salt and pepper.
Assemble burgers and top with yogurt sauce, tomatoes, sliced red onion, tomato, and lettuce.

The Appitizer

So, I am not really sure what I am doing here. I have never before been a blogger but, a few months ago, while I whisking away in the kitchen, wishing to share my recent scrumptious findings with my friends, near and far, a timer went off and so did a light bulb. Why not create a space for all of us to share recipes that made our day and filled our bellies?? I hope we can all share tasty treats and savory dishes that fill our evenings apart! Post away, my friends!