Junebug Soup

4 Hour Body - New Diet, Fun Cooking Challenges

2011-09-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry about the gaps in this post. Blogspot is doing that and I can't figure out how to make it stop:(

I have always sneered at fad diets and nutritional pseudo-science, but I recently came across a diet that piqued my interest. The 4 Hour Body Diet comes from a book of the same name that covers everything from weight loss, to weight gain, to incredible sex and all-around super-human-ness. In other words, it looks like a total load of crap at first glance. But the geekiness of it appeals to me. Tim Ferris goes into enough nutrition science to choke a horse, though I have no idea if any of it is valid because I am not a nutritionist. But it's something, and I'm out of patience with counting calories, going to the gym, and falling off the wagon over and over. The book claims you can lose 20 pounds in a month follwing this diet, which I know is not technically healthy. I don't care. I'm a bit of a person of extremes, which is why slow and steady has never worked out all that great for me. So I'm swingin' for the branches again. Whee! Here's how it works: 6 days a week you are allowed only veggies, lean protein, and legumes, but on day 7 you can eat cheese pizza all day and "drink a keg by yourself if the spirit moves you" as the author states. You can eat a lot of good food with meat, beans, and veggies, and it's a fun cooking challenge for me. You're allowed butter and oils in moderation, as well as nuts, and even red wine in moderation - another big deal item for me. So stay tuned! I will post my recipes, my weight loss (not my weight), and my cheat day gluttony. 4 Hour Diet here we go!

Day One:

You're supposed to start 5 days before your scheduled cheat day, so I should have started on Monday (my cheat day will be Saturday). I didn't have any food or any money on Monday though, so I had to eat the leftover chicken strips I had. I was able to scrounge up some grocery money by Wednesday, so Wednesday marked Day One. It started out well enough. I had juevos rancheros with pinto beans - delicious! Then a Nathan's hot dog, pork and beans, and corn for lunch. Kind of a mish mash of leftovers and not the best, but mostly allowed foods. I think corn is actually not, I have to check. I snacked on hummus and pb with celery throughout the afternoon, then went home. Here is where my dieting weakness begins. Work is structured, Not Work is generally chaos. I had a meeting that I had made weeks earlier at The Black Sheep Lodge. I had no money, and didn't want to pay for an expensive meal at Black Sheep, but I was hungry and didn't have time to go home and cook (Lesson One: Cook ahead). So I cratered and went to P Terry's for a burger and fries. Having already cheated, I went ahead and drank a couple of beers too. Day One, not so great. Still, I am kind of seeing this first week as a practice run and I'm working out the kinks.

Day Two:

Breakfast: Huevos rancheros, carrot sticks

Lunch: Romaine salad with cherry tomatoes, pan seared chicken breast, pepitas, almond slivers, and balsamic vinaigrette

Snacked on throughout the afternoon: Carrot sticks with pb, Topo Chico and pickled okra, half a boiled egg, a little pan seared beef liver, couple of cashews, a few berries from the gum bumelia tree outside. So far so good...

Dinner: Chopped steak and onions, refried beans, beer (oops!)

Volunteering at the Central Market Cooking School

2011-02-12T19:31:00.000-08:00

I'm all about a job with perks. At my full time job, I get to harvest veggies in season from our beautiful show gardens. At my part time job, I get a free shift meal every shift of delicious, made from scratch Italian food. At my volunteer gig, I get credit towards taking cooking classes, I get to learn how to make all kinds of food, and then I get to take it home, including the butter and chocolate croissants and a whole quarter pound of ready-to-bake chocolate dough we made today. Sweet!

My Favorite Valentine's Day Meal, Revisited

2011-02-09T23:02:00.000-08:00

I made this recipe, and blogged it, last year on Valentine's Day. It is so delicious, and I love taking such an earthy, under-appreciated root veggie and making it into something so romantic and pretty. I did a few things differently this time. I marinated the cubed beets in lemon juice, salt, and thyme (rather than lime juice). I also diced them tiny instead of cubing them. For the cream garnish, I used Fage yogurt blended with blood orange juice and white pepper and folded into a little olive oil. I also omitted the cream, because I totally forgot it. I left the skins on a few of the beets, and I am not sure I will do that again. When you are popping them in your mouth, the skin lends a nice roast-y taste, but it goes a little bitter in the puree. Snack on the little ones with the skin, and peel all the other ones for the soup. This year, I also made enough to share, which is the best way to make food taste better. Happy Valentine's Day y'all!

Jack Allen's and Austin Rocks

2011-01-23T21:35:00.001-08:00

When I want to show someone Austin, my mind goes first to food. Recently, an old friend of mine came into town with his band, We Were Wolves. They played a great show, as always, but had to go back home almost immediately, as they all have jobs and responsibilities back in Beaumont, where they're from. I was disappointed. I wanted to take them to Hoovers for the ultimate hangover breakfast, or to Perla's for a high-living lunch, or to Jack Allen's for the most rock n' roll pork chop I have ever seen. Maybe next time. All this talk of food and music has me gearing up for SXSW though. I think I am going to volunteer this year. One day in music, one day in film, and one day for a caterer sounds about right. I love my home city:)

Pizza Night

2011-01-23T21:29:00.000-08:00

Working the farmer's market, you get a lot of recommendations from other vendors to try so-and-so's such-and-such. I, for instance, pimp out the sauerkraut from Straight From the Vine to everyone who will listen, because it is about as close to heaven as pickled cabbage can get. More than one person has told me that Full Quiver has some of the best cheese they have ever tasted, so I finally grabbed some mozzarella Saturday. I made pizza dough last week and needed some of that stretchy, gooey stuff to go on top. I was not disappointed. It was creamy, flavorful, and just the right texture, plus I knew it was made right here in Central Texas. The rest of the pizza consisted of chicken, green olives, and mushrooms from Lewis the Mushroom Guy, also at the Barton Creek market. It was a big hit with my roommates and house guests, and a definite repeat.

El Meson

2011-01-23T16:37:00.000-08:00

El Meson, my new favorite Mexican restaurant, is on South Lamar catty-corner from Olivia's. The interior is a clean, simple beautiful, with an open kitchen set against a backdrop of blue tile. The food is simply amazing, and the only thing more amazing is that it is priced like a regular Mexican restaurant, when it is clearly heads and tails above the rest. Everything is incredibly fresh. The flavors are bright and un-muddied, crafted by obviously very skilled hands and served with love. The house margarita is delectable - no hint of the unnatural, cloying sweetness of a mix; just lime, sugar, booze, and salt. They have traditional offerings (fantastic enchiladas), as well as unusual, such as the huitlacoche quesadillas, a delicate dish of fungus wrapped in creamy cheese and soft corn tortillas. Words don't really cut it. Check out the pictures to whet your appetite, and get down there yourself!

Sweet Kitties and Free Carrots!

2011-01-20T23:05:00.000-08:00

The first three pics are of some of my office mates, Sister, Silver, and Spatz. The first two are confined to our office and sometimes sleep in my desk drawer. The last one gets to roam around and pretty much thinks he runs the place. Pic #4 is one of the perks of my job--eating out of our gardens! This is a bucket of thinned baby carrots, pulled to make room for bigger brothers and sisters later. They are sugar-sweet and earthy, best minutes after they are pulled from the ground.

Tino's Greek Cafe and A Bit of Unnecessary Advice

2011-01-20T22:32:00.000-08:00

A good friend of mine and I met for lunch recently at Tino's Greek Cafe at my suggestion. Years prior, I had geeked out on their wonderful, lemony, garlic-y lentil soup, and then for some reason had not been back since. I was craving it, plus I was trying to eat healthy, so it was an optimal choice. Not only was I not dissappointed on the soup (still amazing) but I was reminded how good the rest of their food is, and cheap! All of it has a home-cooked feel and taste to it, and the people are nice, no fuss. I will be heading back there for lunch more often. The one I went to was down on Slaughter, but they have locations at Mopac and Braker, Mopac and 2222, and 183 and Anderson Mill as well.

http://tinosgreekcafe.com/aboutus.aspx

The next shot is that of a wing nut. Who thinks a wing nut is an actual nut? Apparently, somebody does. And that someone has a little place in history next to the person who is the reason behind the photo of an infant with a circle and slash over it that is on my shredder.

Next...El Meson and the best enchiladas I have ever had in my life.

Barton Creek Farmers Market

2010-10-25T07:49:00.000-07:00

Recently, it has become part of my job to run our little booth at the Barton Creek Farmers Market, located in the parking lot of the Barton Creek Mall. It's hard to call it work, except that I have to get up at 6am, but that is still probably sleeping in compared to the farmers who haul their wares in every morning from all around Austin and surrounding areas. There is a great selection here, from big, bushy bundles of greens, to 4 kinds of sweet, juicy persimmons, and of course all the scrumptious farmers market extras--bread, honey, pastries, teas, kettle corn, and (god bless Texas) breakfast tacos. There are a lot of neat little crafts, too, though as you may know, I am pretty food-centric. Still, I've been keeping my eye out for Christmas presents, and I think I will be doing all my shopping this year in the mall parking lot, rather than the mall. Ponder, for a moment, skipping the mall crowds entirely this year. Yeah, sounds good to me too. Come on out and support your neighbors instead, in the true spirit of the hoilidays! And come say hi to me--I'm the one selling top-of-the-line Lady Bug brand soils and fertilizers, and probably eating. See y'all at the market!

Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers Wrapped in Bacon

2010-09-29T19:13:00.000-07:00

I've been moving, and therefore have not been cooking as much, nor do I know where anything is. But I'm relatively settled now, and for the first time in a while, I have roommates. They're fun girls--they like to cook, they like plants, they like to clean (key). We are getting along well and eating even better. Lately, my contribution has been these little bundles of deliciousness, as peppers of all kinds are overflowing at The Natty G at the end of summer; and fortuitously, not many folks are taking advantage of them. This is a fabulously decadent way to both use that glut of late summer peppers and fatten yourself up for the coming winter. Enjoy!

The prep is the time consuming part of this recipe. It's a nice one to do with friends and family helping, while you drink beer and watch tv. Just a suggestion though.

1 pound of bacon (turkey bacon doesn't work)

2 8 oz. blocks of cream cheese (low fat, natchafatel, vegan....doesn't work)

1 pound of peppers (jalapenos are traditional, but if you can stuff it and take the heat, it will work)

I have also used tiny eggplants and other garden lagniappe for this recipe, and just thrown them in with the peppers on the baking tray. It's hard to go wrong stuffing something with cream cheese and wrapping it in bacon! I bet okra would be good, late summer squash...you get the idea. But back to our peppers...

Slice peppers lengthwise, leaving stem intact. With a spoon, scrape out as many of the veins and seeds as you can. Even if you like it hot, these tend to add a bitter taste, especially in late summer.

Stuff the halves of peppers with cream cheese just enough to fill. Cut your slab of bacon in half and use each half-piece to wrap a stuffed pepper. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 425 until crispy and golden. It's nice if you can put them on a little broiling rack and let the grease drip, but I can't find mine and just putting them on a paper towel to drain after works ok too. Bonus for a little brown spot here and there on the cream cheese. Stuff yourself and get ready for sweater weather!

Tofu Shirataki Turkey Noodle Soup

2010-07-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

In April, a few months before I was set free of my ill-conceived foray into teaching, I decided to start Weight Watchers, in order to lose the 20-odd pounds I had gained over the previous year. Between night school for teaching, teaching, and just falling back into bad omnivorous habits, I had lost the great, healthy physique I had when I was a vegan and hiked and traveled all the time. Counting calories isn't everything, but it was about all I had time for back then, and I found that I really liked the Weight Watchers program.

Weight Watchers is well-researched and sensible, and doesn't leave you feeling deprived or downtrodden. You don't have to buy any of their food, but you can, and that makes it easier to track. It is a bit hard to keep up with though. You have to track all your "points" and tally them up to make sure you stay beneath a certain number for the day. To give you some perspective, I am alotted 24 points each day based on my starting weight, age, and activity level, etc. A Marie Calendars pot pie is roughly 18 points. A Cinnabon sweet roll, 26. However, an egg white omelet with tomatoes, peppers, canadian bacon, and a side of wheat toast with Smart Balance Light is around 8 points, and I can be just as happy with that if not happier. The program has been working for me based on that--there are things I can eat without wrecking my plan and many of them are very good. I just have to pay attention to what I am putting in my mouth.

Tracking is a little time consuming, so Weight Watchers tend to hord a treasured collection of low-point-value, tasty, filling foods and go back to those over and over when they don't feel like tallying up something new. Some of my favorites are egg whites, raw veggies, nut thins, and 1 point beer. Now I have Shiritake Noodles, a whole bag of tofu noodles that adds up to only 1 point. An angel in my meeting mentioned these, and I immediately went out and bought a pack.

I like Weight Watchers meetings. You hang out with a bunch of other food addicts and talk about food. You get to entertain yourself on a more complex level, by thinking about and discussing food and getting creative with it. It's a step up, and it's a lot of fun. Members exchange their favorite finds and recipes, and go home re-armed and newly inspired to fight the battle of the bulge another week.

I have had this packet of noodles for about 2 months, as I don't eat pasta or noodles much, but I got a craving tonight and finally opened them up. I sauteed some ground turkey with fresh cayennes from the garden, some ginger, salt, bell pepper, garlic, and onion, then put enough chicken broth to make a soup. The directions on the noodles say:

"Par boil for 3-4 minutes or microwave for 1, then dry thoroughly to reduce the authentic aroma."

Now that's PR. When I opened the bag, they smelled something like the stuff you perm your hair with, but weaker. This was...unsettling. But I followed the directions, and it worked. They smelled fine and tasted great, and there is nothing on the label I didn't recognize except "calcium hydroxide." Here's hoping calcium hydroxide isn't another word for soilant green or hair perm. Hooray 1 point noodles!

The Blessings of Summer

2010-05-20T17:22:00.000-07:00

Bought a yellow squash, a tomato, a watermelon, and an onion at the farmer's market in Luling. Made some rice and sauteed the onion, squash, and tomato with some garlic and green beans from my garden and a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Having that with rice and butter beans for dinner. Quite possibly the perfect meal. Saving the watermelon to eat with my boys for Fun Friday. Watermelon's just not as fun by yourself:)

Tasty Up Trailer Tour 2010

2010-02-26T23:43:00.000-08:00

A few weekends ago, I attended the Tasty Up Trailer Tour, hosted and organized by Addie Broyles and Jodi Bart. I had a list of participating locations and about $12 cash, and I had a blast. The yard of every trailer I went to was packed with name tag wearing bloggers and foodies, lots of bikes, and lots of delicious smelling food. Street food is a great barometer for Austin culture. We are adventurous and creative, and we come from all over. I sampled Indian food, sushi, donuts, "farm to trailer" fare, and had an absolutely excellent cup of coffee at Brevita before retiring to the Liberty Bar for a pint (paid for in quarters to a very kind bartender.)

My first stop was G'Raj Mahal Cafe. It was by far the most crowded of all the trailers I visited, and for good reason. I had a spicy tomato bisque with delicate, crispy caraway crackers and little chunks of tofu and herbs sprinkled on top. It was delicious, though I might not choose it for brunch next time. This is a soup I would love to sit outside and enjoy a glass of wine with while I watch the sun go down. They are usually open 5pm to 3am, so their food is really dinner fare, but they had opened for us bloggers early (perks!) that day. They don't serve alcohol, but I believe you can bring your own (which is a lot cheaper if you are a wine drinker anyway) and they deliver to the very cool Clive Bar next door.

Next on my list was Sushi a Go-Go, a place I had already heard good things about from co-workers at the university. I was a bit leary of sushi from a trailer, but it was some of the best and freshest I have had in Austin. I got a roll with two different kinds of tuna and salmon, and the fish was firm and sweet--no fishy taste at all.

It was a gorgeous day, and I miss living in Austin, so I tooled around a bit snapping pictures. I had to stop and ask directions to Odd Duck, because I forgot that you are not on South Lamar until you cross the river, and I was wandering around the 1200 block of North Lamar wondering if I was blind or what. That's a little embarassing, but in my wandering, I pulled into a random driveway and saw a sign for something called The Screaming Goat. I drove around until I saw some nice folks enjoying tacos and asked them for directions to Odd Duck. They smiled at me like I was an out of towner and reminded me of the whole south-of-the-river thing. Note to self: must try Screaming Goat tacos.

I finally reached my destination, a three-trailer conglomeration on South Lamar, around The Saxon Pub and Genie Car Wash. You pull in to the gravel lot and park where you can, then you can order from any of the three trailers and have a seat in the common dining area to people watch. I am a talker, so I found some people with name tags and started chatting with them. They had a carrot bisque and roasted quail at Odd Duck and told me both were delicious. I had the shrimp, and it was perfect--succulent, with a lightly vinegary dressing, olives, red onions, and crisp-tender bits of cauliflower. To chase, I had a donut sampler from Gourdough's and a cup of coffee from Brevita. I like my coffee black, so I am picky about it. Most coffee places have awful black coffee. That's why they put pumpkin spice and whipped cream and chocolate chips and all that mess in it. I want coffee that tastes good naked, and Brevita delivers. The donuts were delicious as well. My neighbors got the Funky Monkey and the Naughty and Nice.

I neglected to get pictures of the Liberty Bar, but it's a cool place. Dark, relaxing, lots of good beer. It too, was crawling with bloggers, many of whom were enjoying Thai food from yet another trailer in the back yard of the bar and raving about it, but I could not eat another bite, plus I was out of money. As I drove around town, I noticed dozens more trailers that were not on the list. I have been to a few of them--Chubby Hug, that hot dog place on South Lamar (the real South Lamar), etc. So there may be another day of trailer-ing in my future. Stay tuned, and tell me if you have a favorite!

Perfect Pad Thai

2010-02-26T22:07:00.001-08:00

I just tried this recipe tonight, and I regret that I do not have my camera with me, because it was lovely. The recipe describes this version as being similar to the street food version in Thailand--dry, not greasy. It is very versatile, and though I took some liberties with it, the result was delicious. Below are some caveats to the recipe and some of my substitutions.

Preserved turnips--I pulled a pretty turnip from my garden a few weeks ago and decided to preserve it for use in Pad Thai. I had never come across preserved turnip, but I remembered I had a Lebanese recipe for pickled turnip in a cookbook I bought at the St. Elias Orthodox Church's Mediterranean Festival, so I used that. As it turns out, I think it is very different from the Chinese preserved turnip that is common in Pad Thai, but it was delicious and beautiful. I think I will use it when I make Pad Thai from now on. I shredded about two tablespoons of my pickled turnip on top of noodles and folded them in, then had a little more as garnish. They are pink due to slices of beet in the brine, so they were a colorful addition.

The picture above is from Olives and Sumac, a blog about Mediterranean and North African food.

The recipe says that by far the most difficult part is soaking the noodles. It is possible they are using different noodles. I got the only kind of rice noodles I could find in Lockhart--Kame Rice Sticks (Vermicelli) in the red bag, and before I read the recipes' warning, I had already soaked them in hot water for twenty minutes or more over the recommended time. They were prefect though--firm but not hard.

I used tamarind paste, which was wrong. It sat in the noodles in two little blobs and did nothing. The recipe doesn't specify, but they mean tamarind juice. Paste was all I could find, but a quick search on youtube revealed that tamarind juice can be made from tamarind paste by just adding water until the consistancy changes, no biggie.

For the peanuts, I like to start from raw. They are a little more trouble but the difference in flavor is a big payoff. Start with skin-on, raw peanuts and dry toast them in your skillet. Let cool and then watch tv or hang out on the porch while you work them with your fingers getting the skins off. Then go outside and blow the skins off the top, mix, blow, mix, blow. You won't get all of the skins but you will get enough. Then take your naked peanuts and fry them as the recipe indicates. Pop a few fried ones in your mouth as you go--cooks reward. Soooo good!

I didn't bother with tofu or shrimp, but you could do both, or chicken, or whatever. I like Pad Thai for the peanuts, personally.

I used green onions instead of garlic chives because I didn't feel like driving to Austin, and every time I have had Pad Thai in Austin they have used green onions anyway. Would like to try the garlic chives someday.

I added cilantro at the end so that it was just wilted.

This is a great recipe because it gives you the basics, and then you can personalize it however you like it. I like it vegetarian, simple, with lots of lime and peanuts, and now I know I like it with shredded Lebanese pickled turnips. Enjoy!!

Pad Thai from Thai Table

Pickled Turnips from Recipes From the Orthodox World, St. Elias Ladies Guild, Austin, Texas

3 lbs turnips, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, halved
1/2 quart cold water (2 c)
1 beet, peeled and sliced
1 quart white vinegar (4 c)
2 tsp salt

Stir together water, vinegar, and salt in a pitcher. Place turnips in glass jars with a slice of beet in each and pour vinegar mixture over them. Cap the jars and refrigerate. Ready to eat in 5 days. I cut it down by a quarter and cut my turnips into one inch cubes. I also added a bay leaf and some green peppercorns, but I am not sure I can taste them.

I highly recommend you go to the annual St. Elias Church Mediterranean Festival. It is one of the festival jewels of Austin that you have to live here a little while to discover. There is a lot of dancing, wine, home-cooked food from many nations, a beautiful church, and many, very nice people. While you are there, try the cardamom coffee, the Eritrean food, and get a cookbook. I am very happy I did. It is like church lady cooking from around the world.

Been Gone Too Long: Roasted Beet Soup for Valentine's Day

2010-02-26T19:03:00.000-08:00

This was a delicious Epicurious recipe that I tweaked a little. I got the beets from my favorite vendor, Finca Pura Vida, who has moved from Sunset Valley Farmers Market to the new Hope Market. I roasted them, saved one, and sauteed the rest with shallots, leeks, and herbs. The remaining one I tossed with a little lime juice and muddled Mexican oregano. The little heart topping is sour cream, but could be creme fraische or a good Greek yogurt if you prefer. Here is the Epicurious recipe:

Roasted Beet Soup

Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Veloute and Lentil Burgers

2009-01-24T18:47:00.000-08:00

"Veloute" is what Julia Child calls the base for "Cream of..." soup. It is quite easy and versatile. Saute 3/4 c. diced onions in 4 T butter until translucent. Add 1/4 c. flour and blend in well. Saute 3 more minutes, remove from heat, and add 1 cup hot liquid--either milk or broth. Whisk in well. Add 6-7 cups more milk and/or broth in whatever proportions you like and whisk well.

For my soup:

Add cooked Brussels sprouts, 3 peices cooked bacon, 1/2 c. parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Puree in batches with hand on the top of the blender (hot liquid expands when agitated=soup on your ceiling). Return to pot to adjust seasoning. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Made the burgers for lunch for the week. You all know my love of the lentil burger.

Perfect Sunday Sandwich

2009-01-19T11:48:00.001-08:00

Well ,okay, it's Monday, but I'm off. I made my sister's recipe for chicken and potatoes, and while it wasn't as good as hers, it was still awesome. You brine the chicken and then high roast it flat over bunch of sliced potatoes. So basically, the potatoes cook in chicken fat and the herbed butter dripping off the chicken, and they get all crunchy on the underside. Yum.

Anyway, besides that, I love a table full of greens--some garden, some grocery, and an excuse to put a radish on a sandwich. The following is mayo, pepper, thinly sliced radish, thick slices of chicken breast with skin on, a little baby mustard green leaf for more spice, red onions, and romaine. Happy lunch:)

Amazing Screw-Top Carrot

2009-01-12T18:35:00.000-08:00

This is one of the things I love about gardening. You get to see all the freaks and geeks that never would have made to to the grocery store shelves. This carrot came out of the ground with a spinning head--no manipulation from me whatsoever.

Fashion Plant Diaper/Lazy Blogger

2009-01-01T17:12:00.000-08:00

These are out of order, but you should get the idea. Easy solution to the "no pot bottom" problem if you have some nice fabric and a few plastic bags lying around.

An Almost Homemade Christmas

2008-12-23T21:49:00.000-08:00

Well kids, times are tough all over. Fortunately, I can cook, and I'm a bit of a pack rat. This year, the kids and family are all getting a haul from my kitchen and closet, with the only new stuff going to my neice and nephew, bought with the Barnes and Noble gift certificate I got from mom. I got something for myself too though! Skippyjon Jones is the most adorable kids' character with a series of little adventure books, and Zen Shorts is a kids' book with old zen fables retold and beautifully illustrated. The other pics are pralines, homemade jewelry and closet schwag, and some lovely shots of the trees in front of a local Korean church on a wet drippy morning. I just loved the simple, pretty, colorful decorations and thought they looked especially nice in the gray morning fog, so I snapped them on the way to the bus stop.

Also, please check out the newest additions to my link list--Tiki Monkey and Beatsville!

Merry Christmas, Happy Closet Shopping and Happy New Year!

Bacon Cheddar and Thyme Quesadillas

2008-12-12T18:52:00.000-08:00

Honey and Cumin Baked Winter Squash with Brown Lentils

2008-10-13T19:05:00.000-07:00

Hard at work even as I eat my dinner. Note sticky hand posture. Food is better when you eat with your hands. Suggested musical accompaniment: Nick Caves and the Bad Seeds "Dig Lazarus Dig!"

Caramelized honey, butter, and cumin...do I have to tell you how good that smells? How good it tastes? Smashed into a creamy bite of baked acorn squash? Oh man, if I do, you need to cook this right away and see what you're missing. Growing up, my mom made us acorn squash with brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon I think, and that was also fabulous. There are a million delectable options with a nice, ripe, beautifully colored winter squash of any kind, but acorn is my favorite. They're just right for two people and so easy and versatile that they make an ideal, wholesome weeknight winter meal. A new twist that I got from one of my vegan cookbooks is to stuff them full of flavorful lentils. The salty, garlicky lentils are a delectable match with the sweet and savory squash. I serve it along with a piece of garlic pepper bread, all recipes below.

For bread, set out a half of a stick of butter (for two). Top it with 4-5 cloves minced or smashed garlic, plus one very small or one half a regular red pepper, minced, and some crushed white and/or black pepper. Let that get soft while you do everything else.

Wash one acorn squash and split in half carefully with a very sharp knife. Scrape out seeds and strings. Place a sheet of parchment paper or foil on a cookie sheet with sides or a small baking dish. Oil paper and squash halves and place them on sheet skin side down. In seed cavity, place a thick pat of butter. Drizzle generously with honey (good fresh clover honey if you can get it), Sprinkle generously with cumin, and lightly with salt. Set in 425 degree oven.

Put one cup dried brown lentils plus two and a half cups water, a big pinch salt, and 4-5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir and simmer at least twenty minutes or until tender.

Bake the squash until tender...45 minutes or so? I apologize for not timing it, but it depends on what kind of squash you use anyway. It might also be good to baste it a bit half way through cooking. You won't ruin it taking it out of the oven and sticking a fork in it to check doneness. If the fork moves in and out easily, like it would with a cooked potato, then it's done. Squash is pretty easy.

When squash is done, take it out of the oven and plate it, being careful to retain the juices in the squash cavity. Spoon the lentils into each squash cavity, right in the middle of the pool of spicy honey butter so that the butter mixture and the lentil juice spills over the side.

Smash room temperature butter with diced peppers, garlice, and pepper and smear split bread loaves generously with it. Toast under broiler until lightly browned. Serve alongside squash halves and sop up the brown butter juice under the squash with it.

If you are really really hungry, a winter green and herb salad with cool creamy ranch might be good with this, but I'm stuffed without it. Enjoy!

Taco Night, Hot Sauce, and a Drowned Rat

2008-10-07T17:49:00.001-07:00

This is truly a catch all blog. The two taco plates are some fajita tortillas grilled in a skillet and topped with aduki beans flavored with garlic and cayennes, white rice flavored with poblanos and cumin, and some white cheese with avocados tossed with salt, pepper, and apple cidar vinegar on the side. Reader poll: which picture is better? The bottles are some hot sauce I made with my many cayennes. I'm a little embarrassed about the dirty stove but what can you do? The cat is my cat Flipper after a bath and it's in here because I think it's funny:) Thanks for reading!

It's Getting More and More Expensive to Live Beyond Our Means

2008-10-03T18:53:00.001-07:00

I have a confession. I have been living the life of a well-to-do foodie on a coupon clipper's salary. I want organic vegetables, ethically raised meat, good fair trade organic whole bean coffee, and fancy schmancy cheese. Some of these things are not up for debate, but I have come to the realization lately that if I can't afford the good stuff, then I can't afford that particular stuff. Organic meat, for instance, is really expensive, but do I need it? I can get as-organic-as-it-gets venison for free. It's very healthy, it's "wild caught" (read: shot in the woods), and there are no worries about the animal being mistreated in the processing plant because it's dead when it is processed. Hunters get a bad rap with vegans and vegetarians for obvious reasons, but those of us who want to eat meat but don't want to support the cruelty of factory farming should be singing their praises. Hunters also do a lot for preserving forests and wildlife areas.

As far as organic vegetables, they can be cheap if you buy in season, especially at the farmer's market. Also, organic beans are still pretty affordable, and they're packed with nutrition. You just have to school yourself on how to make a great big variety of bean dishes. There are more than you think--pureed beans of all kinds, not just hummus, make a great snack. There are also pureed bean soups, vegetarian chili made from beans and as spicy as you like (maybe with some venison chunks), cold bean salads with savory vinaigrette's, and on and on. Control the flatulence factor by changing the soaking water twice before you cook them. Grains are inexpensive and incredibly versatile. Julia Child has a wonderful looking recipe for cream soups made with pureed rice. You cook the rice in the soup base until it is very tender, then you have a fat free cream soup base to which you can add any seasonal vegetable or favorite spice.
My point is, you can eat well, really well, without spending a lot of money or even that much time. Just pay attention to the circulars at your local grocer, clip those coupons, buy seasonally, and watch the road-snacking.

Check a Julia Child book out from the local library, or a whole stack of cookbooks--the library is a great source for cookbooks. Julia Child is a great source for fantastic French cooking, and a lot of the recipes use ingredients you probably already have.

Best of luck to all my fellow poverty-stricken foodies. I know you're out there. Eat well, live well, treat yourself to the good coffee, and save your money for good cooking equipment:)

Cream of Mushroom Soup and Julia Child

2008-10-02T09:16:00.000-07:00

I am finally availing myself of some classics, and it's wonderful to be learning some new things. I picked up a Julia Child cookbook at the library where I work, and just recently made her cream of mushroom soup--very basic and very good. I added poblanos in with the onions for sauteeing, added the optional sour cream, and then also added cayenne and lots of black pepper to finish. It was and is a bowl of delights, as soup should be. Do yourself a favor and go to your local library to check out "The Way to Cook" or any of her books.

I also think adding dried wild mushrooms would be good for an earthier flavor.

Lentil Soup Yums

2008-09-24T20:45:00.000-07:00

It's Fall. Our first seedlings came up today (radishes, carrots, and cabbage--little overachievers:) and I've got a belly full of the first good soup of the season. Never mind it was 91 degrees outside today. It's been one oppressively hot summer, and even 91 degrees feels like sweet relief. Everybody can smell cool weather coming. The kids in school are extra restless, driving the teachers crazy, and there are festivals every weekend. Here's to the energy in the air, the best time of year to garden in Texas, and yummy, yummy lentil soup. This is a totally original recipe, so if I have any testers out there, this would be a great one to test. It turned out really good too. We had it with a salad of romaine lettuce, shredded carrots, beet greens, kale, a sprinkle of diced shallots, a bell pepper from the garden, and radishes with homemade ranch.

Next day: It is sooooo good the next day. That is all.

Lentil Soup

To cook the lentils:
1 cup dried brown lentils
2 1/2 cups water
1 love garlic
1 T pepper
1 T salt

For the rest of the soup:
4 cups water
1 1/2 T real butter and 1 more set aside to soften and add later
3-4 T olive oil
5+ large cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 T plus 1 t salt plus more to taste
sprig fresh oregano
1 poblano, chopped
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 T cumin
1 t cayenne pepper or a few diced fresh cayennes if you can get them
1 grated carrot
1/4 t nutmeg
1 bay leaf
2 T lemon juice*
1 T ginger, minced**
1 pureed sweet potato***

*I used 1 t apple cider vinegar because I didn't have lemon juice, and it was good, but I have no doubt fresh lemon juice would be better in this recipe
**I didn't add the ginger, but I know it would be really good and I will next time
***Great if you want a thicker soup. Add a pinch more each of cumin, salt, and cayenne if you use the sweet potato.

Boil 2 1/2 c. water with lentils, salt, and garlic clove. Bring down and simmer 25 minutes with lid on. Remove from heat and let sit until you are ready for them.

In medium stock pot, melt butter in olive oil over med-low heat. Add onions, peppers, garlic, ginger and shallots and sautee until fragrant. Don't burn the garlic, even a little. Add carrots, fresh and dried spices, cayennes, cooked lentils, tomatoes, bay leaf. Stir and let them cook a a little before adding the water. Bring to boil, then simmer 30 minutes. Add lemon juice, salt to taste. Cool some--maybe leave it on the stove top for half an hour while you make the salad. Then puree about a third of it along with another T of butter and pour it back in. Serve warm.

May I also add, I am reading Kitchen Confidential but Anthony Bourdain right now, and it is awesome. I am tempted to launch into tirades about garlic presses and dried herbs, but I used my garlic press yesterday and dried herbs tonight, so that would be lame of me. It is an enthralling, inspiring, and informative read so far.

Creamy Serrano Salsa

2008-09-23T18:42:00.000-07:00

This is my approximation of Taco Deli's Dona Salsa. It's different, but I like it. I would guess that Taco Deli's does not have either lime juice or avacado, and I think they use jalapenos, but I had an avacado going rotten and a lime about to turn into a marble so I used them and the results were tasty and HOT. This one is for real fans of mouth burning heat. You could probably use milder peppers, but I love the taste of serranos, and we have them coming out of our ears from our late blooming plants.

about 6 serrano peppers (I used 8, but as you can see I have rather short stumpy serranos)

1/4 cup oil

sea salt to taste

juice of one lime

1 ripe avacado

1 clove garlic

Toss serranos in a high heat oil and roast under the broiler a bit*--only enough to be tinged with brown because you're not going to peel them. Throw them in the blender with all of the other ingredients except the oil. Slowly pour in the oil with the blender on--carefully! Try to keep the lid on and pour through the pour spout or sneak it under the lid--you don't want this stuff spraying you in the face! You will have to stop and scrape the sides a few times but it gets easier as you pour in more oil. Keep at it until you have a smooth green sauce. Great on sandwhiches, eggs, tacos, etc. Taste before you put on anything so you know what you are getting into:)

*I don't actually know how safe this is. Are you supposed to put oil under the broiler? It might be better to roast them dry, steam them in a plastic bag, and then peel them. Try my method at your own risk and have the fire extinguisher handy.

Nooch Tofu Scramble, Take 1

2008-09-15T18:56:00.000-07:00

Prize Winning Vegetarian Chili Stage 1

2008-09-09T07:09:00.001-07:00

I am going to enter the Vegetarian Chili Cookoff this year at the Austin Zoo, and I am working on my prize-winning chili. It's all going down November 9th at the Austin Farmers Market at 6701 Burnet Rd., noon to 4pm. Come vote for me!

Fried Venison Steaks, Kale Slaw, and Baked Mashed Potato

2008-09-01T17:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a great example of why I need testers. I am totally guessing on most of these measurements! This was a great dinner though. Nicely balanced and pretty.

Kale Slaw

2 T. Hellman's mayo
1 t. apple cider vinegar
1 t. agave nectar, probably equivalent to 1 t honey
salt, pepper
1/4 small onion, sliced thin
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 sweet pepper, any color, diced
1 small bunch of kale, sliced thin and chopped again lengthwise
1 small ear of fresh sweet corn, uncooked and cut from cob

Whisk together mayo, agave nectar, salt, pepper, garlic, and vinegar. Toss in remaining ingredients until everything is well coated. Cover and refrigerate at least one half hour.

Fried Venison Steaks

My mom used to call these "minute steaks," probably because they are fast and easy to make. You can use venison backstrap, venison ham steaks, or beef cubed steak.

Whisk together 2 cups milk, 2 T vinegar, a good couple of splashes of your favorite hot sauce, 1 T salt, 1 T pepper, and 1/2 cup cream. Tenderize steaks with a tenderizer or the back half of a chef's knife, add to milk mixture and marinate at least one half hour. One at a time, remove from milk and dredge through plain flour to coat. Fry at med heat until brown on both sides. Place on a draining rack and sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve warm.

Baked Mashed Potatoes

Place one cooked white potato, skin and all, 1/4 c. cream, 1/2 c. milk, 1 T butter, 1/4 c. shredded colby jack cheese, salt, and pepper in a small, oven-safe dish. Mash together until well blended. Bake at 375 until brown at the edges and bubbly. Don't think about the calories.

Bread and Garlic Soup

2008-08-31T19:07:00.001-07:00

The flavor of this soup was delicious even though the texture was somewhat off-putting. The recipe actually called for day-old Pao, a dense Portuguese bread similar to cornbread. I used semi-stale sourdough, and it was kind of mushy in the end. I also (just realized) I used 1 pound rather than 1/2 a pound--way too much bread! Again though, the flavor was wonderful, and I will definitely make this again, with a different bread and less of it.

4-6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 red chilis, seeded and chopped
1 handful chopped cilantro
1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
5 cups veggie or chicken broth
1/2 pound day old Pao, a dense Portuguese bread, crumbled
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Saute onions, garlic, and chilis in oil over low-med until onions are softened. Add bread and turn up heat slightly, stirring constantly until bread is slightly browned. Add broth, lower heat again and stir. Add eggs, cilantro, salt and pepper. Heat, stirring, until just below boiling point. Turn off heat and serve.

I also think this would be a good base for many other soups, minus the bread. What I was thinking when I was eating it was that it would be wonderful with slices of garden fresh tomatoes floating in the egg-y broth, instead of bread. Next time:)

Portugese Potato and Tomato Pie

2008-08-28T19:49:00.001-07:00

This was a nice dish and would serve as a lovely side dish to a main meal. It was pretty mild tasting, but a little shredded pecorino livens it up nicely. If I had to do something differently, I would fry the potatoes before hand, to add a little flavor. I would also add some parm or pecorino on top of the tomatoes before I baked it, but after was fine too. I would also make the red pepper paste properly, instead of just using a jar of pimientos. Always read your recipes before you go to the store!

2008 Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival

2008-08-27T14:47:00.000-07:00

Dealers of pain. Purveyors of The Source

A brave soul prepares to taste the source, cameras at the ready:)

The best way to kill the burn, or at least simmer it down to a dull roar--sugar + ice.

A lady was handing out shots of this stuff and telling people to put it in their beer. I did, and was pleasantly surprised. It was like a michelata or beery mary maybe, but more like a margherita...maybe. I would like to try more and may buy some.

The crowd left a mess of this booth--the Aztexan is a popular sauce. I love the color.

Winston Hot Sauce--a good sweet Jamaican with just enough heat. Not my favorite to put on a chip (I'm not a fan of sweet hot sauce) but it would be killer in a chicken dish.

Lines, lines, and more lines.

Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears

The Pecan Smoked Brisket from Matt's El Rancho is delicious!

A nice downtown mural, snapped from the car.

Among others, I tried what was being popularly referred to as the clown salsa, because the vendors were dressed up like creepy, flame-eyed clowns. Its actual name is The Source, and supposedly it's the hottest extract in the world at 7, 100,000 Scoville Units! To give you a frame of reference, the woman told me that the other hot sauces at the festival ranged between 30,000 and 70,000 Scoville Units. They gave it to you on the tip of a toothpick with warnings not to get it on your lips and not to try to wash it down by chugging your beer--you'll only spread the heat. It was really hot. Really. But it wasn't so bad I wouldn't do it again. The endorphins hit just a second or two after the pain really kicked in--which took a good 60 seconds or so, and then I was burning and floating and sweaty and cold and a little tingly all over. A top-drawer experience, if you are into setting your mouth on fire.

As for more typical hot sauces, I liked the Aztexan Habanero Supreme. I didn't get to try most of them though, and I purposefully left out ones I had tried years before. The lines were just too long, and I got there kind of late. I learned two important lessons. One, get there early, like ten minutes before they open, or you will stand in line for HOURS if you want to go through the main tasting lines. Two, snow cones are better than beer or water for quelling the heat. Sugar is the reason--sugar is a great heat neutralizer. Milk is ok too, but who wants to drink milk in 105 degree weather along with beer and hot sauce??? I remember Two Hot Mamas was really good in '06, and they appear to have won a lot of the awards, but I missed them this year. I had some fabulous pecan smoked beef brisket tacos from Matt's El Rancho though, and I had fun taking pictures, people watching, and drinking beer.

Chic Pea Broccoli Casserole from Vegan With a Vengence

2008-08-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

Call For Testers!

2008-08-25T11:39:00.002-07:00

Hello lovely readers,

I am beginning work on a cookbook, and I need your help! I need testers for my recipes. The testers' job is to simply make a dish EXACTLY as the recipe instructs, and see if it turns out right. It is imperative not to tweak it, as most of us are inclined to do, because then I won't have an accurate judgment on the to-be-published recipe. No need to be formal about it, and no real time line at the moment. Just pick one from the archives that I don't note as being someone else's recipe, try it, and then let me know how it turns out. If there is a dish you see that you would like to try but I don't have the recipe posted, let me know and I will get it to you. If you want one of the recipes from my old blog, which are archived into two entries in this blog, just search for a word in the search bar or scroll around until you see something you like. Some that I have gotten great feedback on were the Cauliflower Soup, the hummus pizza, and the chicken and dumplings. Thanks in advance!

JBS

Sun Cheese

2008-08-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

I made this last night and it is really, really good. It is best after marinating a bit in the fridge--at least an hour or so. Also, I don't recommend over-doing the garlic. Something about the ume vinegar really brings it out and a little goes a long way. This went great on the chic pea broccoli casserole from Vegan With a Vengence, and would go great with any casserole probably. It's called sun cheese because of the sunflower seeds, but I want to try it with pumpkin seeds too. In addition to the suggestions in the recipe, I would suggest this as a sandwich spread with maybe a slice of ripe tomato and a crunchy cucumber, on salads, or as a cracker dip. You could jazz it up like hummus too--red peppers, hot sauce, etc. The best part is, sunflower seeds are very good for you! The chart below is from the website in my link list, World's Healthiest Foods, and illustrates some of the nutrients packed into the humble sunflower seed.

Sun Cheese
Casa de Luz Community Cookbook — Sauces, Dressings, Condiments and Spreads edited by Jill Kivikko

Serve this cool and creamy condiment over grains, enchiladas, pasta, or greens.

1 1/4 cups organic sunflower seeds, soaked 4–6 hours or
overnight
1 clove organic garlic
2 tablespoons organic umeboshi, aka ume plum, vinegar--found in asian section or maybe vegan/macrobiotic section if your grocery store has one
2 tablespoons organic lemon juice
1 1/2 cups spring or filtered water

Directions
Place seeds in bowl and cover with water. Allow seeds to soak 4–6 hours or overnight

Rub seeds between hands to loosen skins. Skins will float to top of soaking water. Pour out skins and soaking water. Rinse seeds, cover with water, and repeat rubbing process 3–4 times until most skins have been removed and poured out. The more skins you remove, the whiter the sauce will be. (I did this 3-4 times and there were still skins floating around but the sauce still turned out pretty white.)

Mix seeds with garlic, lemon juice, and umeboshi vinegar in a blender, and add 1 cup of water. Blend until desired consistency, For a thinner consistency, add up to 1/2 cup more water.

Vegan Sloppy Joes

2008-08-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to make these forever, mainly because I have had a big jar of TVP on my counter that was never going to get used otherwise. In my humble opinion, why use TVP when you can use cracked bulgar or something a little more natural and unprocessed? Anyway, I had some, and I love sloppy joes, so I finally made the vegan sloppy joes recipe from Where it All Vegan. I give it four out of five stars. I think the taste is close (I haven't had an original style sloppy joe in years), and the taste is good. It is satisfyingly sloppy and the texture is right. It goes great with Fritos, which are also vegan and surprisingly free of weird ingredients, and it's easy to make. I think the taste is closer to a really thick, chunky spaghetti sauce, but I also used more tomatoes than the recipe called for because I had to open a can and I used the whole thing where it only called for one chopped tomato. I am without a method of downloading pictures at the moment, but I took some and will download them when the boyfriend comes home and figures out my computer issues. So please check back Tuesday, and in the meantime, go pick up Where it All Vegan. The awesome lentil burger recipe I'm always talking about comes from that book, as well as a lentil stuffed squash recipe that is delicious. In fact, every recipe I've tried from that book has been great. That's the true test of a good cookbook. I have a tendency to fall for a pretty cover and lots of pictures, but you never really know how good a book is until you give a handful of the recipes in it a try. My favorite and most used vegan cookbooks are Vegan with a Vengence and Where it All Vegan. Of my non-vegan books, my favorites are my Better Homes and Garden cookbooks (circa 1970 and 1995), and my Whole Foods cookbook. I have another one that I love, but I just realized I don't think I have made any of the recipes. It's Prevention's Low-Fat, Low-Cost Cookbook, and it has a ton of great money saving advice and cheap, healthy, practical recipes. Practical meaning mainly that they are ingredients you can find anywhere and that your family will actually eat them. I am going to try to give it a test drive and I will report back.

Barton Springs and The Save Our Springs Alliance

2008-08-14T12:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had a particularly brutal karate class, so I decided to go stretch my bones and cool my feet in Barton Springs. It was even more lovely than I anticipated, and I got to thinking how sad it would be if we lost it, which looks ever more possible every year. I've added a new link for the Save Our Springs Alliance. Please give their site a read and do what you can to help. If you've never swam (swum?) at Barton Pool and you're in Austin, you really should. While you're at it, read up on some of its amazing history. A whole lot of construction and development around Austin, besides being annoying, seriously threatens this priceless natural resource and cultural mecca. That's right, I said cultural mecca, and I meant it. The pool is rich with history, and people have been going there to swim since before the city of Austin existed. It has an undeniable energy and happy vibe to it, and you can swim there year round without getting chlorine in your eyes. People come from all over the world and swim at Barton Springs Pool, and whenever I hear a tourist on the bus ask someone where they should go in Austin, the one thing almost everyone says is "you gotta go to the Springs." So get involved a little and you can say you helped. Donate money if you have it, or if you don't maybe donate some time. If you have neither, like me, but maybe you have a more popular blog, then take a few minutes of your time and blog about it:) Thanks!

Favorite Trick of the Day--Saving Tomato Paste

2008-08-13T12:38:00.000-07:00

Do you often open a can of tomato paste for a recipe that only calls for a tablespoon or two, then jar it and put it in the fridge with the best intentions, only to rediscover it and maybe two or three like it covered in hair weeks later? I have a solution! It works great and it will make you feel awfully clever. Next time you open a can of tomato paste, roll out a sheet of wax or freezer paper onto a cookie sheet, and measure out a tablespoon-sized dollop at a time onto the paper. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer just long enough to freeze the dollops, then roll up the paper with the dollops still slightly stuck on, and put the whole thing in a gallon zip lock bag. Keeping the dollops in place keeps them from sticking together, and it's part of the cuteness/cleverness effect I mentioned earlier, as is the word "dollops";)

Broccoli and Cotswald Quiche

2008-08-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

Hi all--

Sorry I have been absent lately. I have been crazy busy with a million things. I made this very easy quiche from Albion Cooks (see link list), and it turned out absolutely delicious, and pretty too (I promise). The only thing I changed was that I added a single layer of cooked, gold potato slices because I had some leftover, and I used colby jack instead of cheddar for the bottom layer of cheese. Cotswald can be found at Central Market and probably Whole Foods. It's a small, triangular, softish, yellow cheese with bits of chives and stuff in it. You could probably sub goat cheese or a strong cheddar or just anything with a strong flavor that you like. It's a quiche, so really, do what you like!

Broccoli & Cotswold Quiche:
1 cup small broccoli florettes
1 premade frozen pie crust
2 oz cheddar cheese, grated
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup half & half
2 oz Cotswold grated
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.

Cook the broccoli florettes in salted water for 5 minutes until just tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Beat the egg, egg yolk, and half & half. Salt and pepper.

Grate the cheddar cheese into the bottom of the premade frozen pie crust. Arrange the broccoli florettes over the cheddar (cut any that are large into halves). Pour in the egg custard. Top with 2 oz grated Cotswold cheese. Press down on florettes and cheese with a spatula to insure all are covered with the custard. Salt and pepper.

Place crust on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, until custard is set.

Serve with a simple salad.

The Humble Breakfast Taco

2008-07-23T18:23:00.000-07:00

Along with a cup of good fresh ground coffee, the humble breakfast tacos is both comfort and muse for me. Fresh, sweet onions sliced thin and marinated in lime juice, minced garlic, oregano, salt and pepper accompany eggs scrambled soft with cream, a dab of butter, a splash of hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Add avacados and you have a masterpiece! Central Market makes great fresh tortillas. Tortillas are the most important part. They should be soft and thin, nothing at all like the gummy, rancid crap most grocery stores carry. If you've never really enjoyed tacos, try to find some good tortillas and see if it changes your outlook. Happiness is a good taco.

Garden Farfalle

2008-07-23T18:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry no finished pic, but sometimes hunger makes me forget. This is cherry tomatoes, garlic, and onions from the garden, spinach, chic peas, olive oil, salt, pepper, and parmesan. Tossed with al dente farfalle pasta and dressed with a bit more olive oil, cracked pepper, and parmesan. Beautiful, simple, healthy and delicious. Kind of romantic, even:) Throw in a bottle of good minerally dry white wine, a candle or something, and you've got a meal you can cook for a date!

Lemon Rosemary Vodka Cocktails

2008-07-23T18:13:00.001-07:00

These delicious cocktails may be found by visiting the Well Fed blog, linked in my link list. Very easy, after a little prep work, and sooooo tasty. Simple and refreshing.

Naan Makes Great Pizza

2008-07-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

I may be a little too into pizza. This was delicious. Halved cherry tomatoes, garlic, and basil from the yard, organic mozzarella from Organic Valley, organic parmesan cheese from Organic Creamery, organic olive oil, salt and pepper. Organic Valley does not sell calves for veal and is great in a lot of other ways, not the least of which they answer your questions when you email them, at great length. Drizzle the naan with a few tablespoons of olive oil, then scatter with tomato halves, basil, and cheeses to taste. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and bake at 400 until cheese melty and bubbly.

For the Love of Tacos

2008-07-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

This website is so much fun. For the record, I don't always agree with them (I love Torchy's Tacos!), but I still love the site. It's a great resource and just fun to read.

http://tacojournalism.blogspot.com/

Mexicana Breakfast Tacos with Garden Peppers, Lentil Burger Pizza, and Fried Green Tomatoes

2008-07-09T17:49:00.000-07:00

The 2nd big Brandywine in our garden started to split today. A perfect opportunity for fried green tomatoes!

11 Things You Might Not Have Known You Were Missing and 11 (Possibly Surprising) Ways to Get Them

2008-07-08T13:48:00.001-07:00

The first list is of foods that provide the nutrient in question and are especially healthy all around. Also the first list includes foods I think are great sources of X nutrient. The quotes are for good sources specifically of the nutrient in question.

1. Protein

Seitan/wheat roast, tofu, tempeh, venison, tuna, chicken or turkey breast, halibut, salmon, soybeans. Also, any combination of incomplete proteins makes a complete protein. So nuts plus seeds, nuts plus grains, seeds plus grains, eggs plus milk, etc. Yogurt, flax seeds, and peanut butter are a great, complete protein base for a smoothie. An egg and cheese sandwich with some spinach is another great suggestion, if you're not the smoothie type.

"Excellent sources of protein include tuna, shrimp, and cod.

Very good sources of protein include snapper, venison, halibut, salmon, scallops, turkey, chicken, lamb, beef, calf's liver, spinach, tofu, mustard greens, crimini mushrooms, soybeans, and mozarrella cheese.

Good sources of protein include eggs, milk, collard greens, cauliflower and many legumes including lentils, split peas, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans and garbanzo beans.

When discussing food sources of protein, nutritionists often speak in terms of "complete" and "incomplete" proteins. Foods that provide complete protein are those that include all of the essential amino acid, while foods that provide some or none of the essential amino acids are said to be incomplete.

Eggs, dairy foods, meat, fish and poultry are typically considered to be complete proteins. Vegetarians, and especially vegans, often do not have a source of complete protein in their diets, but can easily obtain all of the essential amino acids by eating a variety of beans, grains, nuts, seeds, and vegetables."

2. Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Flax seeds, salmon, walnuts, soybeans, shrimp, snapper, scallops, halibut, tofu, and baked winter squash. Research indicates that Omega 3s may be more easily absorbed from food than from supplements.

"Salmon, flax seeds and walnuts are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Very good sources of these healthy fats include scallops, cauliflower, cabbage, cloves and mustard seeds. Good sources of these fats include halibut, shrimp, cod, tuna, soybeans, tofu, kale, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts."

3. Iron

Soybeans, lentils, spinach, tofu, sesame seeds, kidney beans, raw pumpkin seeds, venison, garbanzo beans (hummus!) and navy beans.

"Excellent food sources of iron include chard, spinach, thyme, and turmeric.

Very good sources of iron include romaine lettuce, blackstrap molasses, tofu, mustard greens, turnip greens, string beans, and shiitake mushrooms.

Good sources of iron include beef tenderloin, lentils, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, venison, garbanzo beans, broccoli, leeks, and kelp."

4. Calcium

Low fat yogurt, sesame seeds, spinach, collard or turnip greens, blackstrap molasses, and mozzarella are all low fat options that provide 10-45% of your daily recommended calcium dose. Just think--you can put most of that in a smoothie!

"Excellent sources of calcium include spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens and collard greens.

Very good sources of calcium include blackstrap molasses, Swiss chard, yogurt, kale, mozzarella cheese, cow's milk, and goat's milk. Basil, thyme, dill seed, cinnamon, and peppermint leaves are also very good sources of calcium.

Good sources of calcium include romaine lettuce, celery, broccoli, sesame seeds, fennel, cabbage, summer squash, green beans, garlic, tofu, Brussel sprouts, oranges, asparagus and crimini mushrooms. Oregano, rosemary, parsley, kombu, and kelp are also good sources of calcium."

5. Folates

Calf's liver, lentils, pintos, garbanzo, asparagus, spinach, black/navy/kidney beans, and collard greens

"Excellent sources of folate include romaine lettuce, spinach, asparagus, turnip greens, mustard greens, calf's liver, parsley, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, and lentils.

Very good sources include squash, black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, papaya and string beans."

6. B12

Liver, fish, venison, shrimp, and yogurt

"Since vitamin B12 cannot be made by any animals or plants, the B12 content of animals and plants depends on their ability to store the vitamin and their relationship to microorganisms (like bacteria in the soil). Because of their greater ability to store vitamin B12, animals contain more of the vitamin than plants. Excellent sources of vitamin B12 are therefore limited to animal foods. These foods include snapper and calf's liver. Very good sources of vitamin B12 include venison, shrimp, scallops, salmon, and beef. Within the plant world, sea plants (like kelp), algaes (like blue-green algae), yeasts (like brewer's yeast), and fermented plant foods (like tempeh, miso, or tofu) are the most commonly consumed food sources of vitamin B12, although none of these plant foods can be counted on to be a consistently excellent or very good source of the vitamin."

7. Potassium

Chard, lima beans, yams, winter squash, soybeans, avacado, spinach, pinto beans, papaya, watermelon, and lentils

"Potassium is found in abundance in many foods, and is especially easy to obtain in fruits and vegetables. Excellent sources of potassium include chard, crimini mushrooms, and spinach.

Very good sources of potassium include fennel, kale, mustard greens, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, winter squash, blackstrap molasses, eggplant, cantaloupe, and tomatoes.

Good sources of potassium include parsley, cucumber, bell pepper, turmeric, apricots, ginger root, strawberries, avocado, banana, tuna, halibut, cauliflower and cabbage."

8. Dietary Fiber

Split peas, lentils, black beans, pintos, limas, barley, garbanzo, navy, kidney, and soy beans

"Excellent food sources of dietary fiber include: turnip greens, mustard greens, cauliflower, collard greens, broccoli, Swiss chrd and raspberries.

Very good sources of dietary fiber include romaine lettuce, celery, spinach, fennel, green beans, eggplant, cranberries, strawberries and flax seeds.

Good sources of dietary fiber include cucumber, apricots, navy beans, grapefruit, rye, sweet potato, beets, buckwheat, shiitake mushrooms and oats."

9. Vitamin C

Peppers! I love peppers, and while I like fruit too, I just don't seem to get around to eating it as often. I eat peppers of some kind every day though, which is great, because they are chock full of vitamin C! Particularly red bell peppers, which have about 2.5 times the Vitamin C as oranges. Cayennes are also rich in Vitamin C and offer a dizzying array of other healthy qualities. Other great sources of Vitamin C are papaya, broccoli, brussels sprouts, strawberries, oranges, cantelope, kiwi, cauliflower, kale

"Excellent food sources of vitamin C include broccoli, bell peppers, kale, cauliflower, strawberries, lemons, mustard and turnip greens, brussels sprouts, papaya, chard, cabbage, spinach, kiwifruit, snow peas, cantaloupe, oranges, grapefruit, limes, tomatoes, zucchini, raspberries, asparagus, celery, pineapples, lettuce, watermelon, fennel, peppermint and parsley."

10. Vitamin A

Carrots, calf's liver, spinach, sweet potato, kale, turnip and collard greens, winter squash, chard and bell peppers

"Calf liver is an excellent source of preformed vitamin A. Cow's milk and eggs are good sources of preformed vitamin A."

11. Zinc

Calf's liver, beef tenderloin, lamb loin, venison, sesame seeds, raw pumpkin seeds, yogurt, green peas, shrimp, cremini mushrooms

"Calf's liver, crimini mushrooms and spinach are very good sources of zinc.

Good sources include sea vegetables, basil, thyme, spinach, pumpkin seeds, yeast, beef, and lamb.

Good sources include beef, lamb, summer squash, asparagus, venison, chard, collard greens, miso, shrimp, maple syrup, broccoli, peas, yogurt, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and mustard greens."

Super foods it's always good to fit into your diet when you can: papaya, cayenne, red bell peppers, cantelope, strawberries, collards, sesame seeds, raw sunflower seeds, watermelon, kale, hemp seeds

All of my research on this topic comes from www.whfoods.com or my own brain, i.e. stuff I've heard. I don't claim any official nutritionist credentials, so nutritionalize yourself at your own risk! The quotes are from whfoods. The suggestion to eat calf's liver and lamb are also theirs. I'm not sure it's really worth it, but I included them for accuracy's sake.

Fancy Booze and Burgers

2008-07-05T19:13:00.001-07:00

This is a great summer cocktail recipe from Well Fed (see my link list) and some pictures of the lentil burgers I've posted about before. I actually had a beef burger (organic!) just to see if they were as good as they had been in my memory since giving up meat, and it was good, but these are better. The drinks were a perfect accompaniment.

~SUENO~

INGREDIENTS
leaves from a 2 inch long sprig of fresh rosemary, plus a 4 inch long sprig for garnish
6 thin slices of unpeeled English cucumber, plus 3 more slices for garnish
2 tablespoons simple syrup*
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup silver tequila
2 tablespoons (or so) chilled tonic water

METHOD
In a cocktail shaker, muddle** the rosemary and 6 cucumber slices with the simple syrup and lime juice. Add the tequila, a handful of ice, and shake well.

Strain into a glass filled with ice. Stir in the tonic water and garnish with the remaining 3 slices of cucumber and sprig of rosemary.

**Muddle--to mash lightly, just enough to release the oils and flavors. Just like you might mint for a mojito or to put in your tea.

*Simple Syrup--equal parts sugar and water simmered and stirred until the sugar dissolves and then cooled completely

Homemade Pizza and Small Gardens

2008-06-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

I have been craving okra and tomatoes ever since my visit to the Luling Farmers Market yesterday, but I have a small garden and not enough okra or tomatoes yet for a whole meal. Small gardens are a perfect marriage with pizza though. One fresh little squash, a handful of cherry tomatoes, one okra, a few small, sweet onions, some fresh mozzarella, and basil, a little chicken sausage (optional) make two lovely little personal pizzas.

Heavenly Chicken and Dumplings

2008-06-27T19:22:00.000-07:00

There should be enough dough to fill this board. This picture is of the extra dough I cut off the sides and re-rolled.

Drop the dumplings in one at a time!

Ever said "I love you" to a bowl of soup? I have, and here's why.

I will get healthy after I lick this pot clean.

This is my mom's recipe, sort of. I called her to ask for it recently because I lost it again, and she didn't remember it. She makes it up as she goes along, and the last time she gave me her recipe, she just happened to remember a recipe that tastes EXACTLY like I remember her chicken and dumplings always tasting. This is one of those childhood recipes that when I cook it, it actually tastes like mom just made it for me. I love it, and I have been wanting it since day 1 of the almost vegan experiment. To prove it, you need only reference my archives of the simmerbright website. It was the first thing I sought to replicate vegetarian-style, and I never could. Tonight I got a nice bright white wine, and I settled in to cook one of my all time favorite meals. Here's how it goes.

1 fryer chicken (a roaster is older and bigger and has too much fat for this recipe--I learned this today)
2 carrots, scrubbed or peeled and chopped coursely
1 medium onion, chopped into five or six chunks
4-5 large cloves garlic, halved
2 large celery stalks, or 1 large celery stalk with the greens, chopped
if you have it, 3-4 good sprigs of fresh thyme, left whole and rinsed
if not, 2 T dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

For dumplings:
2 c. flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
3 T shortening, cold
3/4 c. buttermilk*

Bring a large pot of water to a near boil. Rinse your chicken and remove any giblets. Put the chicken, celery, carrots, herbs, garlic, onions, salt and pepper in the water Bring to a boil and turn down to an active simmer or low boil. Cook this way until chicken is tender (legs/wings separate easily, meat is white throughout). Remove the chicken and place in a metal bowl or any other bowl that won't crack from the heat. I like to stick it in the freezer at this point so it will be cool enough for me to work with when I am ready. Let the veggies simmer another twenty minutes or so while you make the dumplings.

For the dumplings, mix your flour, soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold shortening with a shortening cutter or your hands until it is a crumb like texture. Add the buttermilk. Mix with a wooden spoon until moist throughout, then press it into a ball with floured hands. Have a good sized surface well floured, and roll the dough into a sheet about a quarter inch thick or a little less. Slice dough with a sharp, floured knife into 1/2 inch by 2 inch or so strips.

Back to the broth, lift out as much of the vegetables and herb stems as you can with a straining tool. You can strain the whole pot but it's really not worth it. I just like to get the mushy onions and carrots and inedible thyme stems out. Bring it back up to an active boil and begin dropping in the dumplings, one at a time, until they are all gone. Try to keep them from sticking together. It will seem like there are too many, but if your water is boiling well and you are dropping them in ONE at a time, the fat in the broth and the heat should keep them from sticking. Run a wooden spoon around the pot to keep them moving and across the bottom to keep bits of dough from sticking and burning. The broth should slowly begin to get opaque and creamy as the dumplings cook and thicken it.

As this is happening, pick the good meat off your chicken. Small pieces are best, in my opinion, but big ones are okay. Put all the meat in the broth when you are done, or you could save as much as half for another dish. Depends on how chicken-y you like your dumplings. At this point, cover the pot, cook another thirty minutes, and then turn off the heat. Once you turn off the heat, you can stir in a cup of cream or a few spoonsful of sour cream, but it's decadent enough without. Serve in your favorite Tony the Tiger bowl and try not to let anyone hear you whispering sweet nothings to your soup.

I love you mom:)

*If you don't have buttermilk, mix 1 cup regular milk and 1 T white vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for at least ten minutes. Voila, buttermilk.

Next time I think I might make this with a package of wings or thigh pieces and halve or even quarter the recipe. I like wings best anyway and only like a little bit of chicken in the soup. Regardless, it makes no sense to make an entire pot of chicken and dumplings for myself alone.

Old Dogs, Old Tricks

2008-06-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

Before I went pseudo-vegan, I had a pretty well-balanced, healthy diet. As an ovo-vegetarian, I had a great diet. I did not convert back for health reasons. I do think one can have a very healthy diet and lifestyle without eating meat or dairy. I just really missed certain things. Anyway, I came across an old skinny picture from the height of the almost vegan experiment, and it reminded me that I have been eating just a bit too much cheese and fried stuff lately, as well as drinking too much soda and beer, both body-wreckers. So I am on a mission to get back to the creative, healthy, lean meat and fish, whole grain, olive oil, and rich array of fruits and vegetables diet I enjoyed before. A great website that I used to use for ideas, which I have now added to my links page, is www.whfoods.com. World's Healthiest Foods has a bunch of great, easy to access, fun to read info about healthy foods and what is in them, vitamin-wise. You can design your diet around weight loss, having more energy, upping your iron intake, dealing with diabetes--all kinds of things. So check it out, and wish me luck!

JBS

Chic Pea Gravy with Crumbled Southern Fried Tempeh

2008-06-22T20:50:00.000-07:00

This is such a great recipe. It's the Punk Rock Chic Pea Gravy from Vegan With a Vengence, and I have added my own twist with southern fried tempeh crumbled into it. Even more nutritious, though also more fattening, and it adds a lovely crunchy texture to this beautifully flavored gravy. I use fresh rosemary instead of dried, because I grow it, and I use smoked paprika and a little more cumin and coriander than Isa calls for. I also toast the spices with the onions before adding the chic peas, cause I like to toast my spices whenever I get the chance. For the tempeh, I just cut it into 1/4 inch slices, dredge the slices in a little flour with a dash of salt and pepper and garlic powder in it, then fry them in canola oil until browned and drain on a paper bag. While I make the gravy, the slices cool. I crumble them in when the gravy is done but still not too thick. My favorite thing about this is how the little mustard seeds pop in your mouth. Also, it makes a fantastic substitute for creamed tuna on toast, if you are a vegan and former fan of that dish. Top it with some shredded cheese or cheeze and some diced green onions. Yum.

It's the Little Things That Count...

2008-06-22T20:29:00.000-07:00

Like digging up a couple of garden onions in the morning and letting them sweeten in the sun all day. This is a wonderful salad that my boyfriend turned me on to. It's actually supposed to be cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes, but the grocery store was out of cucumbers (!?) So I used green bell peppers, which are one of my favorites. I made the blue cheese from scratch and it was really good. Dressings from scratch are always better, way cheaper, and easy. This one was blue cheese, minced garlic, buttermilk, sour cream, and mayo. Can't go wrong with that. I also got my first ripe Brandywine tomato off the vine today, and paired with a few Tigerellas and a bounty of cherry tomatoes, this was a sweet treat from the summer garden. Throw in some sourdough garlic bread and this is a great, light, simple meal.

El Paso!

2008-06-21T23:08:00.000-07:00

We went to see Tom Waits in El Paso for our third anniversary. It was wonderful! I loved El Paso, and, of course, to see Tom Waits is a once in a lifetime experience. We even stayed at the same hotel as he did--the beautiful Camino Real. Between the hotel and the theater (which are across the street from one another), this was a high class excursion all the way. And reasonably priced! The hotel restaurant was also a real treat. Delicious, with a lot of variety, and the bar had fabulous, fresh margaritas. And the bed was really comfy, and the service was efficient, friendly, and easy going. And the view was awesome--we woke to watch "Chalk the Block" getting started in the plaza below the hotel. The El Paso Museum of Art is the best art museum I have seen since I can remember. Everywhere everyone was friendly and it was just a lovely city. I can't begin to describe Tom Waits. If you know the music, than you lust after seeing a live show, and you would not be disappointed. I can see why he has a cult following. More on the show later.

Cat Crap Coffee

2008-06-20T07:25:00.000-07:00

My cat loves to eat coffee beans. As soon as he hears me open the bag in the morning, he comes running and rubs frantically against my leg, begging for a bean. It started with me accidentally dropping them from time to time, at which point he would gobble them up faster then I could bend over to retrieve them. He never freaked out or died, so I figured it was fine, and I indulge him from time to time. I have been meaning to look it up to make sure I'm not killing him though. Today, when I finally did google it, I found this little culinary nugget, if you'll pardon the expression. I have to say, I'm not eager to indulge myself, but if I was, I could get cat crap coffee for a lot less than $50 a cup in my own back yard.

http://www.coffeebeanqueen.com/coffee-beans/cat-crap-coffee.aspx

P.S. It seems to be the consensus on the internet that, thought caffeine's not toxic to cats like it is with dogs, it's still a bad idea to give coffee to your cat. I guess I knew that. Anyway, don't go doing it cause you read it here.

Wild Caught Gulf Shrimp

2008-06-19T19:53:00.000-07:00

These were tasty. I put the shelled shrimp in a bowl to marinate with red and green peppers, a fresh minced cayenne from the garden, lime juice, olive oil, five cloves crushed garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander. I let them sit while I cooked rice and then sauteed them. They were fabulous except for a slight toughness to the outer skin. The inside was tender though, and I don't think I overcooked them. I think it was marinating them in the lime juice that did it. I wouldn't do it again. Alltogether delicious though.

2008-06-19T19:50:00.000-07:00

Enchiladas Queretenas, Potosinas

2008-06-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

I really want to try this recipe. Our host mom in Queretaro made these while we were there and tried to show us how, but that was years ago. They were great and I've never had anything like them since. Sorry I couldn't just post the images here, but the formatting wouldn't cooperate. Please check it out though. It's a very thorough, easy to follow recipe with great pictures. I posted a few.

http://rollybrook.com/ar-ench-potos.htm

2008 Simmerbright

2008-06-14T16:42:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 7, 2008

yum garden

Hawaii, Seattle

Many mushooms--some (or all?) locally grown!

A Hawaiian feast

What is this? It's lovely. Didn't get a chance to try it out.

NOT vegan, but very Hawaiian.

Probably not vegan, but freakin' adorable.

Hilo Farmer's Market Veggies, including "wing beans"

Stir fry fixins'

Vegan friendly place in Hilo--good stuff

HUGE avacados

Wing beans

And now we're in Seattle--Pike's Place Market

The Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum. Maybe the coolest museum I've ever been to. "Science Fiction" from Rocky Horror Picture Show was playing on the speakers and it was super air conditioned and sort of spooky and fun, and the music side had a huge grunge exhibit and a lot of other great stuff.

A flight of beer at Pike's Brewery +1, not shown. I slept well on the flight home.

Back to Hilo--cute sushi pillows in a store front window.

Pretty ristras at Pike's Market

I must apologize for not making it to Squid and Ink in Seattle to take lovely pictures of food there, but I tried. There is just SO MUCH to do in Seattle and I only had a little time and I was totally out of it. I could have slept in the airport though, but thanks to Seattle's top-notch transit system, the Seattlist staff suggestions as well as some from my mom, and a lot of very friendly Seattle-ites, I got just enough of a taste that I am dying to go back for a week. As for Hawaii, I need a year. Volcanos, beaches, food, people, history, snorkeling, surfing--it's an incredible place. I am still wiped out and I can't believe it's over. A week went by FAST!

Monday, May 12, 2008

Soyrizo Breakfast Tacos--Vegan Friends Avert Your Eyes

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Fried Oyster Mushrooms and Other Delights

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Fun recipe site

This is cool. Go to

http://www.google.com/base

click on "recipes," and then, into the keyword search, type what you want to use in a recipe (ie., whatever is in your fridge that's going to go bad soon if you don't use it).

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Peanut Sauce Heaven

I may have raved about the peanut sauce from VWaV before, but let me do it again. Last night, I needed a quick meal. I had some White Wave seiten, some wilting beet greens, some quinoa, and some chunky peanut butter. Doesn't sound like a meal? You obviously haven't had a good homemade peanut sauce! I can't post the sauce recipe as it is not mine, and also I don't remember it, but it includes sauted ginger and garlic, hot sauce, rice wine vinegar, real maple syrup, coriander, and of course, peanut butter, and it is really easy to make. I stir-fried my greens and seiten, cooked my quinoa in some veggie broth, and then drowned the whole thing in peanut sauce. SO. FREAKING. GOOD. And great the next day. You must buy Vegan With a Vengeance, even if you are a dyed in the wool carnivore. The homemade seiten in that book is also delicious, though as far as store-bought goes, White Wave holds its own. Enjoy!

Friday, March 14, 2008

Portabello Fajitas

I made some awesome fajitas last night. We had done portabello fajitas before, but we did a few things differently this time with delicious results. First of all, we scraped out the gills on the portabellos. Second, I baked the veggies instead of frying them, and third, I added some nice spices. Oh yeah and the marinated onions were just heavenly. I may never have known about this treat if not for Guerro's Taco Bar, but I have to say mine were better. Sorry no pictures again, but I assure you they were as lovely as they were tasty. As soon as my writing career takes off I promise to get a digital camera.

For the marinated onions:

1/2 a mild flavored onion, sliced as thinly as possible
1/2 an avacado, cut into chunks
1 good pinch of Mexican oregano
Pinch salt
Pinch pepper or two turns freshly ground
juice of one fairly big, juicy lime (3 T?)

Mix all ingredients and let them sit and marinate while you do everything else.

For the fajitas:

2 portabello caps
1/2 yellow onion
1/2 red bell pepper
1 poblano pepper
1 sliced avacado
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 small Russet or medium white wax potatoes
1 minced serrano pepper, with seeds (optional-wear gloves when mincing and when tossing into potato mixture)
2 T ground coriander
1 T. ground cumin
Salt and pepper
About 1/3 c. olive oil, divided

Arrange oven racks to sit in the middle of the oven but far enough apart to accommodate your baking dish. Cut two small white potatoes into cubes, toss with half the oil and a little salt and pepper and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you want the extra heat, toss in the serranos with the potatoes. Put on the top rack to bake at 350 until golden brown--stir around once about 15 minutes in.

Meanwhile, scrape the gills out of two big portabello caps and rinse well. Cut into strips and set aside in 9X12 baking dish. Wash, core, and slice half a red bell pepper, one poblano pepper, 1/2 an onion, and 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, and add to mushrooms. Drizzle top of veggies with other half of the oil. Sprinkle with coriander, cumin, a pinch each salt and pepper and toss to coat. Put veggies in oven with potatoes, on the bottom rack and bake until tender.

Warm your tortillas however you like to do it, and pile them up with veggies, potatoes, marinated onions, and fresh slices of avacado. Goes great with beer or a good Italian white wine.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Lentil Burgers, Part 2

A while back I blogged about my own, tweaked version of the lentil burgers from How it All Vegan, which I had tweaked because I didn't have the correct ingredients on hand. I made the same burgers this weekend, but this time I followed the directions almost exactly, and WOW--so good. Even better than my tweaked version, and very easy.

2 cups cooked lentils or a little less than 2 cups dried
2 cloves garlic
1.2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t smoked paprika (optional)
3/4 c. finely chopped onion
1 c. breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz-like crackers
3 T olive oil
3 T high heat oil for frying
3/4 c. wheat germ

Cook lentils with the garlic (leave the cloves whole), then drain the juice off and measure out 2 cups -or- drain your canned lentils and crush the garlic into them

Set aside 2 T of the wheat germ on a plate for coating.

Mix everything else, including the lentils, together and squish between your fingers until it's all well mixed and feels pasty enough that it will make nice patties without falling apart. Makes 4-5 patties. Lightly coat patties in wheat germ, adding more if necessary. Pan fry patties in a little bit of high heat oil (like safflower or peanut) on either side until golden brown. Serve like any old hamburger.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Lovely Homegrown Cauliflower

We picked our first three heads of cauliflower last night, and lucky us we got one of each color! The purple was the best. Tender and flavorful, and a little more broccoli-like than regular store bought cauliflower.

Friday, February 15, 2008

Bluebonnet Blues Festival!!!

It's Spring time again in Texas! Or at least, I'm putting my hands over my ears and going "lalalala" until you tell me it is. I am not a winter girl--I enjoy brisk weather, but cold just makes me grumpy, and I miss the sun. Fortunately, we have had a rather nice, mild winter so far, and I'm guessing Spring this year is going to be BEAUTIFUL. I know I'm looking forward to it, and for more than just the weather. There's a lot of great stuff going on in Texas in the Spring, but one of my favorites for the past few years has been the Bluebonnet Blues Festival--and not just because my folks put it on. There's blues, beer, sunshine, food, people-watching, and lots of art. Plus, as is partly the point of the festival, you can help support local businesses by enjoying some shopping along Main Street, or grabbing a drink or a bite to eat in one of the many cafes or fine restaurants. A new thing to look for this year is the Sculpture Walk--several dozen sculptures from various artists around the world, placed along Main Street and within walking distance of the square--everything from clockwork acrobats to giant pastel daisies, tucked away artfully all over the middle of town. It's a heart lifting experience to stroll around in the sun, take in the art, enjoy good fresh food, and fill yourself with the smells, sights, and sounds of Marble Falls in the Spring. So make your way out here March 28-30 and see what we have to offer. See you there!

**Musicians Workshops at the Bluebonnet Blues & Fine Arts Festival, www.bluebonnetblues.com, are scheduled for Friday 5:00-6:00, and Saturday, 1:00-2:00. at Uptown Marble Theater www.uptownmarble.com, corner of 3rd & Main in Marble Falls. FREE ADMISSION. Dr. Barry Pearson, a professor from the University of Maryland, and author of Jook Right On: Blues Stories and Blues Storytellers, along with Roger Wood, will take the stage with musicians and tell stories from the book and talk and play with some of the musicians who will be performing at the festival.

See www.bluebonnetblues.com for band line-up, details, and ticket info.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Chicpea Strip Tacos With Corn and Black Bean Salsa

I made chic pea cutlets the other day and I made them too thick, so they were all gooey in the middle. To fix this I cut them into strips and baked them at 375 for about fifteen minutes, and they came out crunchy and nice. I tried the first batch with some cocktail sauce (recipe below), and they sort of reminded me of catfish, mostly because of the sauce though. The second batch I had with some black bean and corn salsa (recipe below) that I made up last night and they were REALLY good that way.

Cocktail Sauce

1/2 c. ketchup
1 t. horseradish
2 t. lemon juice
pepper to taste
(guessing here--you play with the proportions until it tastes right, but these are the basic componants)

Black Bean Salsa

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
about 2/3 can sweet corn or Mexican corn, drained and rinsed
1/4 of a big red onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of two limes
salt and pepper
2 tomatoes, chopped fine and drained
1-2 serrano, veins and seeds removed and minced
1 c. cilantro, chopped fine
1 ripe but firm avacado, cut into small cubes

Place chopped tomatoes in a colander and toss with a little salt. Combine lime juice, onion, garlic, serrano, a little salt and pepper, and the cilantro in medium mixing bowl. Let these sit for a bit so the tomatoes can drain and the lime juice can "cook" the onions and garlic. Drain the corn and beans in two more colanders (or one together would probably be fine). When everything is prepped, combine all ingredients and mix gently with your hands or a wooden spoon. Serve with whatever you like--especially good on tacos and probably eggs.