tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77080284652746028842024-03-05T20:18:34.331-08:00...au naturel...a place to share recipes and tips for healthy, natural eatingbrittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-38800304717895708912014-09-16T21:27:00.001-07:002014-09-29T21:27:29.078-07:00"Bran" MuffinsSo, friends: what do you think about this Paleo eating trend? I cut pasta and bread out of my meals for a few months this year (except when I was really craving it), and I noticed a significant difference in how I looked and felt. But who knows if it was really that that made the difference. Thoughts?<br />
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Anyway, while in that phase, I found some good and not-so-good recipes that don't have gluten or are very low-carb or even "paleo", and here is one of them. It somehow does have the flavor and texture of a bran muffin. My Costco sells blanched almond flour, and I think you can order from costco.com, if you're interested. In some recipes it tastes very much of marzipan, which I hate, but in this recipe the other flavors mask it. I have tweaked the recipe, but the original is <a href="http://elanaspantry.com/bran-muffins/">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUMB-XwRraZHYiwAhZ6IG963se4OtqnaYSALD8bH_PeWxFIBdMfN4F1JBH-R687fI6LCY8GdrsM0hCTGe6CLBNt2qLoi42cL0TDu7oqFt2qNlwZMTWERnaqh2qUvataSfAA13SKqXYRylV/s1600/IMG_20140916_211708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUMB-XwRraZHYiwAhZ6IG963se4OtqnaYSALD8bH_PeWxFIBdMfN4F1JBH-R687fI6LCY8GdrsM0hCTGe6CLBNt2qLoi42cL0TDu7oqFt2qNlwZMTWERnaqh2qUvataSfAA13SKqXYRylV/s1600/IMG_20140916_211708.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h3 class="fn" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma;">
Bran Muffins</h3>
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<div class="ingredients" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma; font-size: 12px;">
<ul class="ingredients">
<li class="ingredient">½ cup blanched almond flour</li>
<li class="ingredient">½ cup flax meal</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/2 teaspoon sea salt<img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=elanaspantryc-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000EITYUU" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; max-width: 100%;" width="1" /></li>
<li class="ingredient">6 dates</li>
<li class="ingredient">3 eggs</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 tablespoons grapeseed oil</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/4 cup water</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/4 cup sesame seeds</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/4 cup sunflower seeds</li>
<li class="ingredient">3/4 cup raisins</li>
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<li>In a large bowl combine almond flour, flax meal, baking soda and salt</li>
<li>In a vitamix<img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=elanaspantryc-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0018QOG6O" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; max-width: 100%;" width="1" /> blend dates, eggs, oil and water on high speed until very smooth</li>
<li>Mix wet ingredients into dry, then stir in sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and raisins</li>
<li>Spoon batter into lined muffin pan; muffins will puff only slightly</li>
<li>Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes</li>
<li>Cool and serve</li>
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Sarah Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03890405462305160097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-83157365320612910722014-02-27T17:02:00.001-08:002014-02-27T17:06:15.232-08:00Kale, Barley, Butternut Squash Soup<br />
Just tried this the other day. From a website that looks like it might have some gems. This was super simple and tasty. <div>
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<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 Tbsp. oil</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 onion, diced</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">½ cup pearl barley</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">6-8 cups vegetable (or chicken stock)</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 cups cubed butternut squash (about ½”)</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3-4 large kale leaves, ribs removed and roughly chopped</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">salt and pepper, to taste</li>
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Instructions</div>
<ol style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Heat oil in a 3 quart pot. Add onion and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until onions softens and starts to turn golden. Add the barley, stir constantly and cook until golden brown. Add the stock, cover, and lower heat to a low simmer. Cook for about 20-25 minutes. Remove lid and add the butternut squash. Continue simmering for another 10-15 minutes, or until the squash is just barely tender. Add the kale and cook for a few minutes more. Ladle into bowls and serve piping hot.</li>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">http://cafejohnsonia.com/2012/10/hearty-kale-butternut-barley-soup.html</span></span></div>
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Nikki CBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03389315784264743764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-89817579144882485352013-07-15T19:01:00.000-07:002013-07-15T19:01:29.387-07:00Simplest. Smoothie. Ever.My aunt Allison shared this recipe with me when she was here, and it's so quick, simple, and delicious. If you want a quick afternoon treat, try this out - You really need a good blender to blend up all the ice.<br />
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one banana<br />
one cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk<br />
one cup of ice<br />
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Blend it up.<br />
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And that's IT. So easy, and so yummy. You can also add some chocolate syrup or peanut butter if you want to spice things up.<br />
<br />brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-62738107516679436522013-06-15T13:41:00.000-07:002013-06-15T13:41:00.966-07:00Quinoa with Black Beans, Corn and Tomatoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisVvTcFkySzXTRP3IJAKiFY5YN4lTUAKTueHS4hqvAgizaIYFlSjJblz1HhyphenhyphenoTP8Hybgl6bO13yEQJNvpiPjbTDuXRWmua3s9lr_eXRtNPiNX5sE7S47v-WOfH6kwRD_tnhwrbr29LZys/s1600/IMG_4100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisVvTcFkySzXTRP3IJAKiFY5YN4lTUAKTueHS4hqvAgizaIYFlSjJblz1HhyphenhyphenoTP8Hybgl6bO13yEQJNvpiPjbTDuXRWmua3s9lr_eXRtNPiNX5sE7S47v-WOfH6kwRD_tnhwrbr29LZys/s640/IMG_4100.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I had forgotten about this until a few weeks ago when I was looking for something new to add to the rotation. This is a great recipe because many of the ingredients sit int he pantry, so as long as you have onions, garlic and cilantro, you're good to go. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Quinoa with Stewed Tomatoes</span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-62aebd21-498e-866a-b971-27ae78612027" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">olive oil</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">dash cumin (optional)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1 medium onion, diced</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1 clove garlic, minced</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1.5 c quinoa, rinsed</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">2.5 c chicken or vegetable broth</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1 15 oz. can corn</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1 15 oz. can black beans</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">salt and pepper to taste</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">cilantro, torn</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">lime and avocado for serving</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Directions</b></span></span></div>
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Heat oil in medium saucepan or large saute pan. Add cumin and stir briefly. Saute onion with a pinch of salt until translucent, then add garlic until just fragrant. Add rinsed quinoa and stir until coated. Add broth and tomatoes. Increase heat to high until mixture bubbles, and turn heat down to medium to simmer. After 10-15 minutes, or when most of the liquid has been absorbed and the outer part of the quinoa is pulling away from the inner part, add the corn, black beans and cilantro. Mix together and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Enjoy with sliced avocado and a squeeze of lime.</span></span>Sarah Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03890405462305160097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-70871596181457256682013-05-16T18:02:00.001-07:002013-05-16T18:02:14.914-07:00I *heart* ricotta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUK6-HiWeuZTGNIexvxkZqzhPcex8J_8_sHT_EjkUA7cPnwiJIHR6EnXkTe_4-SYF88kO8hiiIEeI25vtv0l-juMh1NTaFQ_umFLX0SpyuiU7gFVtUh47chGylGdWql43mhQt0ry9BtiB/s1600/ricotta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUK6-HiWeuZTGNIexvxkZqzhPcex8J_8_sHT_EjkUA7cPnwiJIHR6EnXkTe_4-SYF88kO8hiiIEeI25vtv0l-juMh1NTaFQ_umFLX0SpyuiU7gFVtUh47chGylGdWql43mhQt0ry9BtiB/s320/ricotta.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />
I made a bunch of pasta the other night and was planning on putting some sauce on it I had in the fridge, only to discover the sauce went bad. So, I bridged out, and the results were satisfying. I had some pesto that I had made the week before, some greens that needed to get used, and some ricotta that I had bought for baking something. Yum.<br />
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Nothing very complex or ground-breaking about this recipe, which is why I like it.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
whole wheat penne pasta<br />
handful of arugula<br />
pesto to taste (I used the homemade kind I posted the recipe for here awhile ago)<br />
sauteed or steamed veggie (I used broccoli the first time and zucchini the next, I preferred the broccoli)<br />
few dollops of ricotta cheese<br />
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I made enough for the next day, it was good cold too! I have a sneaking suspicion ricotta can make anything taste better.<br />
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<br />brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-81841177256580373752013-03-10T15:07:00.002-07:002013-03-10T15:07:59.624-07:00Grains Galore!As we cleared out our pantry before our move, I had to get creative about what to do with the random grains hiding in there. Or rather, the internet helped me figure out what to do, and this was one of the successful recipes. Jonathan loved it, so that means it actually tastes good, as opposed to my thinking it tastes good because I know it's good for me. This is from <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/farro-and-millet-risotto-recipe.html">101cookbooks</a>. It's amazing how the onions just disappear into a delicious background for the risotto; I had no idea that would happen. You really only have to slice them.<div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Farro and Millet Risotto</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">3/4 cup / / 5 oz / 150 g uncooked millet<br />4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<br />fine grain sea salt<br />1/4 cup / 2 oz / 55 g unsalted butter<br />2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced<br />1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped<br />2 cups / 14 oz / 400 g semi-pearled farro<br />roughly 7 cups / 1.6 l good-tasting vegetable broth (I used chicken broth)<br />2 big handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It works best to cook the millet and farro separately here. Start by adding the millet to a small thick-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Toast it, stirring constantly, until the millet is golden and fragrant - just a few minutes. Add 1 3/4 cup / 475 ml water, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and a couple generous pinches of salt. Stir, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the grains are cooked and free of liquid. Taste, and if they need more time, cook for a few minutes more, then remove from heat, and leave covered for another 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and set aside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In the meantime, get the farro started in a separate large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the remaining oil, butter, onions and a big pinch of salt. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic, and cook for a couple minutes more. Add the farro and cook for a couple minutes before adding 2 cups of the broth. Cook, stirring, until the farro has absorbed most of the liquid before adding another cup. Keep adding stock in increments like this until the farro is cooked through - it takes some time. Once it's cooked, stir in half the millet. Add more broth if needed, the risotto should be loose. Decide whether or not you want to add the remaining millet - it's a personal preference really. The millet makes the risotto take on a more porridge-like texture. Now stir in most of the Parmesan. Taste, and adjust the seasoning. Add more broth if needed - again, you want the texture to be loose and creamy. A spoon should not be able to stand up straight in the risotto.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Serve hot, in bowls topped with the remaining Parmesan, and whatever else you like. In this instance I added some leftover roasted delicata squash {not pictured), a drizzle of curried brown butter, and chopped chives. But some toasted nut oil and chopped herbs might be a nice alternative, or even a swirl of harissa and toasted almonds....</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Serves 6-8.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Prep time: <span class="preptime">5 min <span class="value-title" title="PT5M"></span></span>- Cook time: <span class="cooktime">30 min</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Sarah's note: I roasted cubed butternut squash and put it on the risotto, and it was amazing. I will definitely make it again. </span></div>
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Sarah Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03890405462305160097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-66391871272760556022013-03-03T15:37:00.004-08:002013-03-03T15:37:49.504-08:00Israeli Couscous Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbmB77mi0YA4kNf1px9-b_b41xhNoc7BQMHYIarshujcRuFyWLaoIjLmz-rgwJCji2jXgI2Dt0et8-12u2-h5Aj73bPvp1oWFbvcleunj6olKuaMaXgrmQEw1-EsOLxK3pFWdZos1Bqo/s1600/IsraeliCouscous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbmB77mi0YA4kNf1px9-b_b41xhNoc7BQMHYIarshujcRuFyWLaoIjLmz-rgwJCji2jXgI2Dt0et8-12u2-h5Aj73bPvp1oWFbvcleunj6olKuaMaXgrmQEw1-EsOLxK3pFWdZos1Bqo/s400/IsraeliCouscous.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Well, it's certainly been awhile since I've posted any recipes on here. I blame pregnancy for all of it - mostly for making me want to eat food that doesn't really belong here. The past month or so, though, I've been feeling great, and back to eating good food (for the most part).<br />
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I threw this salad together and thought it was pretty successful. This one is fully spouse-approved - Alan loved it and wants to make it all the time now. You can of course try your own variations of what you want to put in. I just threw in whatever seemed to make sense. I'm sorry I don't have a picture... it got eaten too quickly.<br />
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Mostly this was inspired by me wanting to try out a new grain. Yes, we get pretty adventurous in our house. I love Israeli couscous - the only warning I'll give is that it really doesn't plump up much when you cook it, so unlike rice or quinoa you have to use more than you think you would need. If it's a small heap in the bottom of the pan, it will be barely larger small heap once it's done cooking.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
<br />
2-3 cups uncooked Israeli couscous<br />
2 cups water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth<br />
2 T olive oil<br />
<br />
1 red bell pepper, chopped<br />
1 cup sliced toasted almonds<br />
1 cup feta cheese<br />
1 avocado, chopped<br />
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved<br />
2 garlic cloves, minced<br />
1/3 cup chopped basil<br />
olive oil<br />
lemon juice<br />
salt<br />
*optional - 1 cup cooked quinoa<br />
<br />
Saute the couscous in the olive oil until it gets toasted, then pour in the water or broth and let it simmer. Check it when all the liquid is absorbed - if it's not cooked through, pour on a little more and let it cook off. Once the couscous is cooked, pour it in a fine mesh colander and pour cold water over it until it's cool.<br />
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Combine it with all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. I use a good amount of lemon juice and salt. I like to add some quinoa in too if I have some just for the different texture.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
<br />brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-2474870597113897062012-10-13T11:03:00.003-07:002012-10-13T11:03:49.177-07:00Double Broccoli QuinoaI'm not going to pretend like I had any involvement in this recipe - it's taken directly from 101cookbooks. But it was *delicious*, so I wanted to promote it. I included the feta, basil, crushed red pepper, and avocados, and would highly recommend it.<br />
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<br /><br />Double Broccoli Quinoa<br />
3 cups cooked quinoa<br />
5 cups raw broccoli, cut into small florets and stems<br />3 medium garlic cloves<br />2/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan<br />2 big pinches salt<br />2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice<br />1/4 cup olive oil<br />1/4 cup heavy cream<br />Optional toppings: slivered basil, fire oil (optional)**, sliced avocado<br />crumbled feta or goat cheese<br />Heat the quinoa and set aside.<br />Now barely cook the broccoli by pouring 3/4 cup water into a large pot and bringing it to a simmer. Add a big pinch of salt and stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for a minute, just long enough to take the raw edge off. Transfer the broccoli to a strainer and run under cold water until it stops cooking. Set aside.<br />To make the broccoli pesto puree two cups of the cooked broccoli, the garlic, 1/2 cup of the almonds, Parmesan, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and cream and pulse until smooth.<br />Just before serving, toss the quinoa and remaining broccoli florets with about 1/2 of the broccoli pesto. Taste and adjust if needed, you might want to add more of the pest a bit at a time, or you might want a bit more salt or an added squeeze of lemon juice. Turn out onto a serving platter and top with the remaining almonds, a drizzle of the chile oil, and some sliced avocado or any of the other optional toppings.<br />Serves 4 - 6.<br /><br /><br />brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-11835481144584993582012-09-13T21:42:00.002-07:002012-09-13T21:42:28.997-07:00For all those wheat berries you have under your bed...<b id="internal-source-marker_0.41569671174511313" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blender Pancakes</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 cup wheat berries</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 eggs</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3/4 tsp salt</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 1/2 c milk</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 tsp sugar</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 Tbsp baking powder</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Put wheat and 1 cup milk into blender and blend on high for 3 min. Add 1/2 c milk and blend for 2 more minutes. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Cook on hot griddle.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I forgot to put the eggs in one time, and they were totally fine. Very good with berry syrup. You can also sub milk for almond milk (and presumably other non-dairy "milks").</span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think this requires a high power blender, but I've only tried with the vitamix and blendtec.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Enjoy!</span></span>Sarah Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03890405462305160097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-70088820330850443822012-07-16T12:10:00.001-07:002012-07-16T12:10:22.013-07:00Mulberry MadnessMy friend has a mulberry bush (more like a tree) in her back yard, so I went to pick mulberries last week. I loved it! Spending 2 hours by myself with the quiet of the outside was delightful. But it took until the next day for me to really see how much work it was. I picked enough mulberries to fill 5 good-sized ziploc containers, and processing them just to freeze them took at least an hour and a half with the washing, picking out little leaves and bad berries that dropped in the containers, and setting them out on trays to approximate a flash-freezing experience. Mulberries are big and purple, kinda like blackberries, but their juice is much more tart (and flavorful, according to me) and very intensely dark red-colored.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MkTH_pkf_us/UARWcyL5f6I/AAAAAAAABVc/R2p2v5xQuKg/s1600/IMG_20120712_133728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MkTH_pkf_us/UARWcyL5f6I/AAAAAAAABVc/R2p2v5xQuKg/s320/IMG_20120712_133728.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">My hand after picking mulberries</span></div>
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Now I have 4 gallon size freezer bags full or mulberries that are ready to use! And for what purpose, you might ask? Yes, that's the question. I made <a href="http://cookingaunaturel.blogspot.com/2011/11/blackberry-ginger-cobbler-perfected.html">this</a> recipe that Britta posted last year, and it was delicious. I let my 4-year-old mix the dough a bit and she kinda overmixed it, so just make sure you don't overmix. I also did some searches online and found another great <a href="http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/mulberries-mulberry-recipes/">recipe</a> for the smoothie lovers out there. Here it is as I made it:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Wild Mulberry & Celery Smoothie Recipe</span></h3>
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<li style="border: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup wild mulberries</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 banana (mine happened to be over-ripe)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup pineapple, chopped (frozen, from Trader Joe's)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3/4 cup coconut milk</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup water</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 stalks of celery</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Blend until smooth and enjoy!</span></li>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was so delicious! My 2-year-old asked for seconds. I don't like the taste of celery at all, and it was completely masked in this smoothie; I think the coconut milk made that magic happen. If you have a bunch of wild blackberries that you want to use up in a healthful way, this is a great way to do it.</span></span></div>Sarah Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03890405462305160097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-85189418233839704032012-06-18T23:03:00.000-07:002012-06-18T23:03:23.610-07:00Homemade Red Sauce<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiqwIMXzXQr-to0UCxyBxFd1OxMG0G_TEYTEZu2rty027i1TuTblIqJn18sdqgfY8U2C5gTPVnsCgOTg8Jo7r5p0htxpJ6sDLgSgBDI6IZy8RF4kA6nPOJndSN2YzwTWPihD9_lcuEkbd/s1600/IMG_4767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiqwIMXzXQr-to0UCxyBxFd1OxMG0G_TEYTEZu2rty027i1TuTblIqJn18sdqgfY8U2C5gTPVnsCgOTg8Jo7r5p0htxpJ6sDLgSgBDI6IZy8RF4kA6nPOJndSN2YzwTWPihD9_lcuEkbd/s400/IMG_4767.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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I know Sarah is the Italian food authority here, but I'm Italian now, so I have the audacity to put up a recipe for homemade red sauce. Yes, it's so easy to pour this out of the bottle, but this recipe is actually really simple, and soooo much better than anything in the bottle (though I have to admit, Costco has a great pomodoro sauce). This recipe came from Alan's sister Julia.<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b>:<br />
2-4 tbs olive oil<br />
3 cloves garlic sliced thinly<br />
1/2 onion diced<br />
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes<br />
1/4 cup chopped basil<br />
1/4 cup red wine (optional, but highly recommended)<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
1 tsp fennel seed<br />
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning or oregano<br />
1 T sugar<br />
A little crushed red pepper (if you want it a little spicy)<br />
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1. Heat oil in a large pan and sauté garlic and onion in olive oil on low heat till onions are soft and garlic is a little brown.<br />
2. Use a food processor, immersion blender, or vita mix to purée the canned tomatoes. I like to set aside about 1/4 or 1/3 of it to add later so there are some larger tomato chunks.<br />
3. Add canned tomatoes to sauté mixture, and let simmer for about 5 minutes.<br />
4. Add basil, sugar, and the rest of the spices.<br />
5. If you're adding wine, throw in a few glugs (about 1/4 cup) and let it simmer for at least 5 minutes.<br />
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Serve over pasta topped with parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, and/or breadcrumbs.brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-90299026904432327352012-05-21T12:11:00.003-07:002012-05-21T12:13:40.565-07:00Crispy Kale "Chips"<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I keep hearing about kale "chips" and the other day someone handed me one to try at a playgroup for my little boys. It was crispy and tasty. So, I made a batch today. Yummm. The only thing is that unless you have a 5' x 5' baking sheet, you will need to do what I did, which is do multiple rounds on your baking sheets in the oven. I used my salad spinner (thanks Britta!!) to dry the kale, which I think is important (but you could just use a towel). And I didn't have sea salt on hand, so I just used regular table salt. I think these will be repeats in our house!</span></span><br />
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Ingredients</span><br />
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<li class="ingredient" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried</span></li>
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<ul class="kv-ingred-list1" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; margin: 3px 7px 0px 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px 7px 0px 0px;">
<li class="ingredient" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tablespoons olive oil</span></li>
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<li class="ingredient" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sea salt, for sprinkling</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
Directions</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Remove the ribs from the kale and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Lay on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt. Bake until crisp, turning the leaves halfway through, about 20 minutes. Serve as finger food.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 7px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Recipe from: <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/crispy-kale-chips-recipe/index.html" style="line-height: 15px;">http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/crispy-kale-chips-recipe/index.html</a></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 7px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>Nikki CBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03389315784264743764noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-34240197922076160892012-05-13T22:21:00.001-07:002012-05-13T22:21:34.362-07:00Nikki's Healthy Cookie Recipe<br /><br />You can use unsweetened carob, or grain sweetened chocolate chips, or do what I did and chop up 2/3 of a bar of Scharffen berger 70%. I sort-of shaved half the bar with a knife and then cut the rest into bigger chip-sized chunks. You can make your own almond meal by pulsing almonds in a food processor until it is the texture of sand - don't go too far or you'll end up with almond butter. And lastly, the coconut oil works beautifully here, just be sure to warm it a bit - enough that it is no longer solid, which makes it easier to incorporate into the bananas. If you have gluten allergies, seek out GF oats.<br /><br /> 3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)<br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br /> 1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm - so it isn't solid (or alternately, olive oil)<br /> 2 cups rolled oats<br /> 2/3 cup almond meal<br /> 1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened<br /> 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br /> 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt<br /> 1 teaspoon baking powder<br /> 6 - 7 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.<br /><br />In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks/chips.The dough is a bit looser than a standard cookie dough, don't worry about it. Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment (or Silpat) lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes. I baked these as long as possible without burning the bottoms and they were perfect - just shy of 15 minutes seems to be about right in my oven.<br /><br />Makes about 3 dozen bite-sized cookies.Kaityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02834927583855071157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-47489708705699615772012-05-13T22:21:00.000-07:002012-05-13T22:21:07.388-07:00RevisitingSo, I don't have a new recipe to post (for now). But yesterday I spent some time going back over old recipes posted here, and tried a few out for the first time. Last night we had <a href="http://cookingaunaturel.blogspot.com/2011/06/this-one-is-always-favorite-and-can-be.html">Sarah's black bean burgers</a> and <a href="http://cookingaunaturel.blogspot.com/2011/06/tassajara-warm-red-cabbage-salad.html">Sally's red cabbage salad</a>, and both were excellent! Alan dragged his feet making the salad because he "thought it would be gross," but he loved it.
Thanks for the recipes, everyone - keep trying old ones, and keep sharing!brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-59137076936074995222012-04-03T19:04:00.003-07:002012-04-03T19:12:49.853-07:00Quinoa Stuffed Peppers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjJ6G8tjVOS3EE7bkaFlOu4wa8B8860MUuoyt1ixwdWJvaSv3vpoAR_0f0aHN7NEDUownOGfHCsV9J-pIsiUB0riDekEpGwhqmDtY0j8A-JZsYxZ1VknM9z-rJdjsy12M2n7PZ1cl7TcP/s1600/IMG_4211.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjJ6G8tjVOS3EE7bkaFlOu4wa8B8860MUuoyt1ixwdWJvaSv3vpoAR_0f0aHN7NEDUownOGfHCsV9J-pIsiUB0riDekEpGwhqmDtY0j8A-JZsYxZ1VknM9z-rJdjsy12M2n7PZ1cl7TcP/s400/IMG_4211.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727362397760960130" /></a><br />This recipe from Epicurious called for couscous but I didn't have any, so I used quinoa, and the results were glorious. You can mix and match different vegetables in here. The fennel and feta together are super yummy, though, so I wouldn't substitute those out.<br /><br />Vegetable-oil cooking spray<br />1 1/4 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth<br />2/3 cup couscous (or quinoa)<br />4 large bell peppers, mixed colors<br />2 tsp olive oil<br />1/2 cup chopped onion<br />6 oz zucchini, quartered lengthwise then sliced across thinly<br />6 oz yellow squash, quartered lengthwise then sliced across thinly<br />1/2 tsp fennel seeds<br />1/2 tsp dried oregano<br />1/2 tsp salt<br />1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half<br />15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed<br />4 oz crumbled feta cheese (about 1 cup)<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350°F F. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan, add the couscous, cover the pan and remove it from the heat. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the stems and top half inch off the bell peppers and scoop out the seeds and membranes. Boil trimmed peppers for 5 minutes, then drain them upside down. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onion, zucchini, yellow squash, fennel seeds, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes and chickpeas. Using a fork, scrape the couscous into the skillet and toss with the vegetables. Stir in the crumbled feta. Place peppers upright in the baking dish and fill them with couscous. Bake 15 minutes. Serve immediately.brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-64467128947381513812012-02-26T19:33:00.004-08:002012-02-26T19:49:15.687-08:00Quinoa with Mango and Curried Yogurt<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLoJ05QAUzbJ3ZO14-6_02tkRgjVhwo2PKa5jlfcW4aXEfMlRKjFvQjWShM_qo7K0Oz6vF13-3Nm5pbRiEofFMbF5S_GoZDh-Q5JwOXRq6CF9YAq4jrhFmTSw83NXq1QaWQfqx4uzkBL3U/s1600/IMG_4158.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLoJ05QAUzbJ3ZO14-6_02tkRgjVhwo2PKa5jlfcW4aXEfMlRKjFvQjWShM_qo7K0Oz6vF13-3Nm5pbRiEofFMbF5S_GoZDh-Q5JwOXRq6CF9YAq4jrhFmTSw83NXq1QaWQfqx4uzkBL3U/s400/IMG_4158.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713656593295890946" /></a><br /><br />I stole this recipe from Epicurious, and I'm glad I did. I loved it - it was colorful, refreshing, and a little bit different from my usual. And really quick and simple. I had it with a little grilled Mahi, and it was much better than the fish.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients</span> <br />1/3 cup plain yogurt<br />1 tablespoon fresh lime juice<br />2 teaspoons curry powder<br />1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger<br />3/4 teaspoon salt<br />1/4 teaspoon black pepper<br />2 tablespoons olive<br />1 1/3 cups quinoa<br />1 pound firm-ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (2 cups)<br />1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice<br />1 fresh jalapeño chile, seeded (if desired for less heat) and minced<br />1/3 cup chopped fresh mint<br />1/2 cup salted roasted peanuts or cashews (I used cashews), chopped<br /><br />The recipe goes through a complicated series of steps for cooking the quinoa. I just put it in the rice cooker with 1.5 cups of water, and it turns out perfectly. <br /><br />While that's cooking, whisk together yogurt, lime juice, curry powder, ginger, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined. When the quinoa is done, fluff it with a fork and combine with the yogurt mixture Add the mango, bell pepper, jalepeño, mint, and nuts and stir everything together. That's it!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzSFkTJkPuY24n9aigQ4Av8EAQ2JFfBZbAcAinLO55qZDusgFKim17SXlKJ-nOjVHjz_MfRJA7RRORkC6PwMJMVUlRuyjgwq7QunV7B9psIzHrWM6nWeskKPuRtS-4GUM8Y6j2qr6_2CG/s1600/IMG_4151.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzSFkTJkPuY24n9aigQ4Av8EAQ2JFfBZbAcAinLO55qZDusgFKim17SXlKJ-nOjVHjz_MfRJA7RRORkC6PwMJMVUlRuyjgwq7QunV7B9psIzHrWM6nWeskKPuRtS-4GUM8Y6j2qr6_2CG/s400/IMG_4151.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713656602206179730" /></a>brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-62359045615763713342012-02-16T21:45:00.001-08:002012-02-16T22:12:34.041-08:00Brussels Sprout Sesame Slaw<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrA-hAvzhfu3oqV0JoS4aLZ3OXRgIlrgJHMhDh-C883L4Tf9xT1T5U57chaJqNLTxxNcnZkHnGI9Wof7HJnx0dOfoRti74U5VA3ES8IdgLPT61DiAw6gzmb9_3fcZ4NYVH4iqT9GMl0O87/s1600/IMG_3908.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrA-hAvzhfu3oqV0JoS4aLZ3OXRgIlrgJHMhDh-C883L4Tf9xT1T5U57chaJqNLTxxNcnZkHnGI9Wof7HJnx0dOfoRti74U5VA3ES8IdgLPT61DiAw6gzmb9_3fcZ4NYVH4iqT9GMl0O87/s400/IMG_3908.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709983238304808482" /></a><br />I bought myself a mandolin slicer a couple months ago and have been looking for an excuse to use it. Enter the brussels sprouts I bought a couple weeks ago that were dying to be used, and the product is tonight's dinner. My poor husband, surely he never thought he'd be having brussels sprout slaw for dinner. The good news, though, is he loved it, and had several helpings. Took me a little while to get the mandolin down, but other than that it was pretty quick and easy. This would be great as a side dish with some fish. <br /><br />As usual, I just throw ingredients together and I don't really know exact proportions of things.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients</span><br />-1 lb of brussels sprouts, shredded<br />-1 large red bell pepper, sliced into small strips<br />-half a red onion, sliced into small strips<br />-half a cup of peanuts<br />-crushed red pepper (optional)<br />-salt and pepper to taste<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Dressing</span><br />-rice vinegar<br />-sesame oil<br />-fresh ginger, minced<br />-garlic, minced<br />-dash of honey<br /><br />Heat a tiny bit of oil in a pan and add the onions. Let them soften for a few minutes, then add the brussels sprouts, bell pepper, and peanuts. Toss it in the pan a few times over the course of just a few minutes - you want it to wilt a little, but not cook all the way through. Remove it from heat and toss with the dressing. Add some crushed red pepper if you want it spicy. I didn't have any cilantro, but I think it would be a good addition. Finish with a little salt and pepper. Healthy yumminess!brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-81598703745779065482012-01-11T16:19:00.000-08:002012-01-11T16:19:50.602-08:00sweets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcQ7CLaLbwNuaktzdT-T2qTqTHhU6I-V5hIs4W5Kd2qrlmxQj9oK3qHb-MPIKY7uibC-4BP8w3Kb0pLxNux8xvD2ARzlV_ncyAMbXJEm56K4yJpGTgRcMb35cuU9B8v4PDEoo6EBcjwI4/s1600/chocolate_puddle_cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcQ7CLaLbwNuaktzdT-T2qTqTHhU6I-V5hIs4W5Kd2qrlmxQj9oK3qHb-MPIKY7uibC-4BP8w3Kb0pLxNux8xvD2ARzlV_ncyAMbXJEm56K4yJpGTgRcMb35cuU9B8v4PDEoo6EBcjwI4/s400/chocolate_puddle_cookies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I hadn't done any baking since I stopped eating dairy three weeks ago, but the boys and I decided to live it up and try out a nice non dairy cookie recipe Monday night. Behold I give you <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/chocolate-puddle-cookies-recipe.html" target="_blank">the best chocolate cookie</a> I've had in years! And minus the pound of sugar it is fairly healthy.<br />
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<div style="font-size: 0.86em; line-height: 1.55em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 20px; width: 410px;">
3 cups / 11 oz / 310 g walnut halves, toasted & cooled<br />4 cups / 1 lb / 453 g confectioner's (powdered) sugar</div>
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1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons / 2 oz / 60 g unsweetened cocoa powder</div>
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scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt<br />4 large egg whites, room temperature<br />1 tablespoon real, good-quality vanilla extract</div>
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Preheat oven to 320F / 160C degrees and position racks in the top and bottom third. Line three (preferably rimmed) baking sheets with parchment paper. Or you can bake in batches with fewer pans.</div>
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Make sure your walnuts have cooled a bit, then chop coarsely and set aside. Sift together the confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder, and sea salt. Stir in the walnuts, then add the egg whites and vanilla. Stir until well combined.</div>
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Spoon the batter onto the prepared sheets in mounds of about 2 tablespoons each, allowing for PLENTY of room between cookies. These cookies are like reverse Shrinky Dinks - they really expand. Don't try to get more than 6 cookies on each sheet, and try to avoid placing the batter too close to the edge of the pan.</div>
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Bake until they puff up. The tops should get glossy, and then crack a bit - about 12 -15 minutes. Have faith, they look sad at first, then really blossom. You may want to rotate the pans top/bottom/back/front.</div>
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Slide the cookies still on parchment onto a cooling rack, and let them cool completely. They will keep in an airtight for a couple day</div>Danielle Hatchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12739102948118834936noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-12797497726736454832012-01-07T16:15:00.000-08:002012-01-07T17:27:18.601-08:00More Gnocchi and Pesto<span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" >This post has been a long time coming. I promised Britta a while ago that I would post my gnocchi and pesto recipes, and I'm just now doing it. Heh. These happen to be recipes from my favorite magazine of all time: Cooks' Illustrated. I feel a little bad that I'm posting these here because they charge money for online access to their recipes. So, if you love them like I do, buy their magazines or cookbooks or online subscription! The only thing I don't like is that a lot of their food is meat-centered or quite heavy (calling for butter and cream). BUT, I love that they call for real food ingredients in their recipes, and I love love love that they explain the chemistry that goes on during the cooking/preparation process. Okay, I'll stop my ode to Cooks' Illustrated now. <br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Potato Gnocchi with Browned Butter and Sage</span><br /><br />Serves 2-3 as a main dish or 4-6 as an appetizer<br /><br />For the most accurate measurements, weigh the potatoes and flour. After processing, you may have slighly more than 3 cups (16 ounces) of potatoes required for this recipe. Discard any extra or set it aside for another use. In addition to the Browned Butter Sauce, I've included their recipe for Gorgonzola Cream Sauce below.<br /><br />Gnocchi<br />2 pounds russet potatoes<br />1 large egg, lightly beated<br />3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp (4 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus extra for counter<br />1 teaspoon plus 1 tablepoon salt<br /><br />Sauce<br />4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces<br />1 small shallot, minced<br />1 teaspoon minced fresh sage<br />1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice<br />1/4 teaspoon salt<br /><br />1. FOR THE GNOCCHI: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Poke each potato 8 times with paring knife over entire surface. Microwave potatoes until slightly softened at ends, about 10 minutes, flipping potatoes halfway through cooking. Transfer potatoes directly to oven rack and bake until skewer glides easily through flesh and potatoes yield to fentle pressure, 18-20 minutes. <br />2. Holding each potato with potholder or kitchen towel, peel with paring knife. Process potatoes through ricer or food mill onto rimmed baking sheet. Gently spread potatoes into even layer and let cool for 5 minutes. (This is a very important step to let the excess moisture leave the potatoes.)<br />3. Transfer 3 cups (16 ounces) warm potatoes to bowl. Using fork, gently stir in egg until just combined. Sprinkle flour and 1 teaspoon salt over potato mixture. Using fork, gently combine until no pockets of dry flour remain. Press mixutre into rough ball, transfer to lightly floured counter, and gently kneed until smooth but slightly sticky, about 1 minute, lightly dusting counter with flour as needed to prevent sticking.<br />4. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets (I just used one because I only have one, and it worked out fine, but still use two parchment paper sheets) with parchment paper and dust liberally with flour. Cut dough into 8 pieces. Lightly dust counter with flour. Gently roll piece of dough into 1/2-inch-thick rope, dusting with flour to prevent sticking. Cut rope into 3/4-inch lengths. Holding fork with tines facing down in 1 hand, press each dough piece cut side down against tines with thumb of other hand to create indentation. Roll dough down tines to form ridges on sides. If dough sticks, dust thumb or fork with flour. Transfer formed gnocchi to sheets and repeat with remaining dough. <br />5. FOR THE SAUCE: Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally, until butter is browned and releases nutty aroma, about 1 1/2 minutes. Off heat, add shallot and sage, stirring until shallot is fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice and salt; cover to keep warm.<br />6. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add remaining 1 tablespoon salt. Using parchment papter as sling, gently lower gnocchi from 1 sheet into water and cook until firm and just cooked through, about 90 seconds (gnocchi should float to surface after about 1 minute). Using slotted spoon, transfer cooked gnocchi to skillet with sauce. Repeat with remaining gnocchi. Gently toss gnocchi with sauce and serve.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Gorgoonzola Cream Sauce</span><br />(I haven't actually tried this, but it reminded me of the Trader Joe's gorgonzola gnocchi, which are actually really good. Perhaps it's time for a taste test.)<br /><br />Makes about 1 cup, enough for 1 recipe potato gnocchi<br /><br />Adjust the consistency of the sauce with up to 2 tablespoons of gnocchi cooking water before adding the dumplings.<br /><br />Ingredients<br />3/4 cup heavy cream<br />1/4 cup dry white wine<br />4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese - crumbled (1 cup)<br />2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced<br />salt and pepper<br /><br />Instructions<br />Bring cream and wine to simmer in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Whisking constantly, gradually add Gorgonzola, and cook until melted and sace is thickened, 2-3 minutes. Stir in chives and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover to keep warm.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Basil Pesto</span><br />(I also haven't tried this. You all can test these for me and report back. Go!)<br /><br />Makes 3/4 cup, enough for 1 pound of pasta.<br /><br />Pounding the basil releases its flavorful oils into the pesto more readily. Basil usually darkens in homemade pesto, but you can boost the <span style="font-size: 15px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.8210430735386326">green color a little by adding the optional parsley. For sharper flavor, substitute one tablespoon finely grated pecorino Romano cheese for one tablespoon of the Parmesan. The pesto can be kept in an airtight container, covered with a thin layer of oil (1 to 2 tablespoons), and refrigerated for up to four days or frozen for up to one month.</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br />Ingredients<br />1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (or substitute almonds or walnuts)<br />3 medium cloves garlic, unpeeled<br />2 cups packed fresh basil leaves<br />2 tablespoons fresh curled parsley leaves (optional)<br />7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil<br />salt<br />1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese or pecorino romano<br />ground black pepper<br /><br />Instructions<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. Toast the nuts in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until just golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes; set aside. Add the garlic to the empty skillet and toast over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant and the color of the cloves deepens slightly, about 7 minutes. Let the garlic cool slightly, then peel, and chop.<br />2. Place the basil and parsley (if using) in a heavy-duty 1-gallon zipper-lock plastic bag. Pound the bag with the flat side of a meat pounder or rolling pin until all the leaves are bruised.<br />3. Process the nuts, garlic, herbs, oil, and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until smooth, stopping as necessary to scrape down the sides of the bowl, about 1 minute. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span>Sarah Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03890405462305160097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-89380333330312007942012-01-02T20:54:00.000-08:002012-01-02T21:14:22.890-08:00Carrot Coconut Cookies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbk4BQlq-Krb44UtVCHBc8ZkbvGf5Tklto1oqDnqjNz2u18tRzQuLieiJc9-deRqr7UGzNI9M73wrlQgsdc9Iyu7SC_Vw1rCxIxrjCKgyE9pvSkLZSMTXfVfa6w5b7fkWNsuyhwA2KDU6l/s1600/IMG_1058.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbk4BQlq-Krb44UtVCHBc8ZkbvGf5Tklto1oqDnqjNz2u18tRzQuLieiJc9-deRqr7UGzNI9M73wrlQgsdc9Iyu7SC_Vw1rCxIxrjCKgyE9pvSkLZSMTXfVfa6w5b7fkWNsuyhwA2KDU6l/s400/IMG_1058.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693268878437288882" /></a><br /><br /><br />I just made these 5 minutes ago, and they're my new favorite cookies. If you like super sweet cookies these aren't for you, but if you're looking for a nice little healthy treat these are perfect. The ingredients are simple and wholesome: oats, carrots, whole wheat pastry flour, maple syrup, coconut oil. For best results, accept NO SUBSTITUTE for the coconut oil; it gives a wonderful rich nutty flavor (honestly I think the cookies would be a bit bland without it). <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients</span><br /><br />1 cup whole wheat pastry flour<br />1 teaspoon baking powder<br />scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt<br />1 cup rolled oats<br />2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)<br />1 cup shredded carrots<br />1/2 cup real maple syrup, room temperature<br />1/2 cup unrefined (fragrant) coconut oil, warmed until just melted<br />1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger<br /><br />Preheat oven to 375F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.<br /><br />In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and oats. Add the nuts and carrots. In a separate smaller bowl use a whisk to combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, and ginger. Add this to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.<br /><br />Drop onto prepared baking sheets, one level tablespoonful at a time, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake in the top 1/3 of the oven for 10 - 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden on top and bottom. Leave them in a few extra minutes if you want them crispy on the outside. <br /><br />I've eaten 3 so far since writing this. I love the basic recipe, next time I might try adding some lemon zest or cinnamon. Go crazy with your own variations.brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-81611700142925048822011-11-27T20:24:00.001-08:002011-11-27T20:53:12.765-08:00Blackberry Ginger Cobbler, Perfected<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA23TXXvqM7rdU3eqv9DrhSwGpFoFxRbxs1Jv7NT36iXlTXscTrjiuvpi1PBv_XM1TMG8r5WDvNDNGCkFYTbC5kcQ8dLpmJ7CDKRmiVbMEaEh3bdJo67RycMYD7Hyn7h2HkZEBAuT0Q7x8/s1600/IMG_2413.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA23TXXvqM7rdU3eqv9DrhSwGpFoFxRbxs1Jv7NT36iXlTXscTrjiuvpi1PBv_XM1TMG8r5WDvNDNGCkFYTbC5kcQ8dLpmJ7CDKRmiVbMEaEh3bdJo67RycMYD7Hyn7h2HkZEBAuT0Q7x8/s400/IMG_2413.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679900771849735682" /></a><br />I posted awhile ago that I had made a so-so cobbler, and have since experimented my way to the top. This one is the winner. Even Jon McPhie, who unbeknownst to me does not like berries, ate it and said, "this is actually good!" So ladies, make this with confidence. <br /><br />I actually made this to take to someone's house for Thanksgiving, but, knowing that we would have to leave early - likely before dessert was served - I left it in the car, and Alan and I ate it ourselves later on that night... I'm embarrassed, but don't regret it. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Filling</span><br />~6 cups of blackberries (fresh or frozen - we used frozen and it was great)<br />1 T vanilla<br />1 t cinnamon<br />1/2 cup brown sugar<br />2 T corn starch (or tapioca, if you prefer)<br />juice & zest of half a lemon<br />about 1 inch of ginger root, minced/grated/shredded<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Topping</span><br />1 cup flour (I did half unbleached white flour and half whole wheat pastry flour)<br />1 t baking powder<br />1/2 t baking soda<br />3 T brown sugar<br />4 T unsalted butter, cut into small chunks (I used salted butter and it was fine)<br />2/3 cup buttermilk<br /><br />First mix up the filling and let it sit while you put the topping together. Preheat your oven to 425F.<br /><br />For the topping, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Then cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or just use your hands to smash it into the dry ingredients until you form more of a crumble. It's okay if there are little bits of butter in there, but try to get all the big chunks mixed in. Then add the buttermilk and stir it into a dough. <br /><br />Pour the filling into a buttered 9x9 baking dish and spoon the topping over it. Use a spatula to spread it out and cover most or all of the topping. I like to sprinkle it all with a little turbinado sugar afterwards. Then pop it in the over for about 25 minutes. <br /><br />I like to bake it at a higher temperature for a shorter amount of time so the top part of the topping gets crispy but the bottom part stays kind of gooey. If you like it all cooked the same, decrease the temperature and bake for longer.brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-20283811344736236112011-11-16T16:24:00.000-08:002011-11-16T16:45:06.267-08:00Best. Fish. Tacos.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQgH6Fw3KKo3J-8zLRU8LAHfCOofo9UKqr_vq7AUtLmVxgx79XzpSMoZr-hI6pPahaiX1EDC0DM3WuQc18aQT4uYmBGnETEFcGWmAvvVMKGUkRzIfTa8B8wkMf6MyhnstDCLFafvzRWiV/s1600/fish+taco.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQgH6Fw3KKo3J-8zLRU8LAHfCOofo9UKqr_vq7AUtLmVxgx79XzpSMoZr-hI6pPahaiX1EDC0DM3WuQc18aQT4uYmBGnETEFcGWmAvvVMKGUkRzIfTa8B8wkMf6MyhnstDCLFafvzRWiV/s400/fish+taco.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675756348514388610" /></a><br /><br />You might know that I'm a sucker for fish tacos. In my heaven, every day will be Taco Tuesday. But for some reason I usually leave the cooking to someone else. Until now. And my world changed.<br /><br />There are some issues with these that make them less than all natural, and some I'm willing to deal with and others I'm not. Specifically:<br />a) the tortilla. There are lots of good options for less processed, healthier tortillas. But let's get real - if it's a fish taco, it has to be on a corn tortilla. End of story. No compromises from me.<br />b) the sauce. This is where my beef lies (only metaphorically, of course) because the white sauce on fish tacos is usually mayonnaise-based, and I just can't bring myself to eat that. You can get olive oil mayonnaise now which is better, but still not my favorite option. So, the only real "recipe" here is the sour cream-based sauce I came up with. The rest of it is pretty intuitive. And so is the sauce, for that matter - really this whole entry is just a nudge to go eat a delicious taco.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Cilantro-Lime Dressing:</span><br />1/2 cup sour cream (can be light if you want)<br />2 cloves garlic<br />1/2 bunch cilantro (about a handful of leaves, you can include the stems too)<br />juice from 1 lime<br />1/4 of a ripe avocado<br />splash of vinegar (if you want a bit more bite to it)<br />1 jalepeño (optional)<br /><br />Put the sour cream, garlic, and cilantro in a blender and blend until there aren't any big chunks of cilantro left. Add the lime and avocado, and then taste to see if it's tangy enough. If not, add a little vinegar, or leave it out if you like it more creamy. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Accompaniments:</span> <br />-shredded cabbage<br />-salsa and/or hot sauce (my favorite with this is Trader Joe's salsa especial - fabulous)<br />-slices of avocado (if you're like me and can't quite get enough - though there's some in the sauce already)<br />-corn tortillas<br />-grilled mahi, ono, or whatever fish you prefer<br /><br />The best option I've found for getting fish for the tacos is in the Trader Joe's frozen section. They have Mahi Pieces, which are about half the price of regular mahi and already the perfect size for tacos. It's not a great season for mahi so they've been a little scarce lately, but keep an eye out. I season mine a little with some salt before I throw it in the grill pan, but you don't need much more than that if you're going to put sauces on it. <br /><br />TACO LOVE!!brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-21630885226589049652011-10-25T20:03:00.000-07:002011-10-25T21:51:23.624-07:00The Great Gnocchi & Pesto Project<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfvD4Plsr1N6LBahXi29D2TE7HWLbJ2cNMPWAtGr8HKAYHJGKjTULOux2WIpGnK7PU__nQGTcHrHOCaThsfES04kHykGvD6AgXk8L4q-HrCk6c76xzL3_kNi_OOEOzifcMeodXiTpKcYN/s1600/IMG_1776.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfvD4Plsr1N6LBahXi29D2TE7HWLbJ2cNMPWAtGr8HKAYHJGKjTULOux2WIpGnK7PU__nQGTcHrHOCaThsfES04kHykGvD6AgXk8L4q-HrCk6c76xzL3_kNi_OOEOzifcMeodXiTpKcYN/s400/IMG_1776.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667655940934967186" /></a><br /><br />Last Sunday was mine and Alan's first anniversary. We went out to dinner and did our celebrating on Saturday night, and decided to have friends over for dinner on Sunday. We decided to try making gnocchi, since we'd never made it before and had wanted to try it. But do you do regular or sweet potato? Well, if you're us making it for the first time with people coming over, you decide to try both. Then you discuss sauces, and decide you can't have the same sauce for both - no, you have to make two different sauces from scratch as well. It was mayhem, especially with our little kitchen and lack of dishwasher. <div><br /></div><div>I will say this - gnocchi making is an art. You wouldn't think it would be, since they're just little dumplings, you don't have to sculpt anything and there are only 3 ingredients. The art form comes in getting the right amount of flour. A recipe will tell you to add as little as possible in order to keep them light and fluffy. I'll tell you you need to make sure to add enough flour, or your gnocchi will fall apart when you cook it. It just turns into potato water. So, let as much water drain from the potatoes as possible after you cook them, and then add enough flour - but not too much - to make your dumplings. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, the menu: regular gnocchi and sweet potato gnocchi (with and without nutmeg), and basil walnut pesto and roasted red pepper cream sauce. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Gnocchi:</b></div><div>2 large russet potatoes (or sweet potatoes)</div><div>1 egg</div><div>1-ish cup of unbleached flour and/or wheat flour</div><div>1 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)</div><div><br /></div><div>1. cut the potatoes in half and place them in a large pot of salted water. Bring the water to a boil, and let them cook through (this will take awhile)</div><div>2. after the potatoes are cooked, take them out and peel them quickly. Put them on some paper towels and let some water drain out of them. Then, either put them through a potato ricer if you have one, otherwise you can use a fork to scrape them into tiny pieces. Just make sure there aren't any big chunks of potato. </div><div>3. Beat the egg a little and pour it over the potato mixture, then use a spatula to mix it all together. Add the flour 1/4 cup at a time, kneading it together until it forms a dough. You want it to be moist, but not too sticky. A light dough, not a wet paste. I know - there's a lot of room in between. (If you're making sweet potato gnocchi, add the nutmeg now.)</div><div>4. Next, take a chunk of the dough (a big handful's worth) and place it on a floured surface, then roll it into a long snake about the thickness of your thumb. Cut 3/4-inch pieces, or however thick you want your gnocchi to be.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleQV6nu6fRmS9uVQZ5i9ZmPewbV-7cRXEPIuS7b43X3Tdfhyg3jG-Ivy8ftu1jtIUOIsl6Yvl0UT8fJfbKB5Ae25nsY1BR3Eom8BQHl1uHY4iN9fImK5B_ZLIcuSba41oF57eHusX8nun/s1600/IMG_1774.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleQV6nu6fRmS9uVQZ5i9ZmPewbV-7cRXEPIuS7b43X3Tdfhyg3jG-Ivy8ftu1jtIUOIsl6Yvl0UT8fJfbKB5Ae25nsY1BR3Eom8BQHl1uHY4iN9fImK5B_ZLIcuSba41oF57eHusX8nun/s400/IMG_1774.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667653257060550658" /></a><br /></div><div>5. Boil water (you can reheat the water you cooked the potatoes in) and drop the gnocchi in in batches. They'll float to the top when they're about done; let them cook for about a minute longer after they rise to the top, then take them out with a slotted spoon and put in the next batch. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Basil Walnut Pesto</b></div><div>Okay, this is the easiest part of the meal, and probably the best. Honestly I'm not usually a big pesto fan, but this stuff is un-be-lievable. I may have licked the spatula a few times. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ingredients:</div><div>1/2 cup walnuts</div><div>2 cups basil</div><div>1/3 cup olive oil</div><div>2 cloves garlic</div><div>1/2 cup grated parmesan </div><div>1/2 tablespoon butter (optional)</div><div>salt</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-napkoVJr4NMJaF1y6lkJOZi4BMf6cylBOuGg4afJazjVrxKgEaRTCadet_g7mLCtUTliIiR5auuMemEebmXf_h5Mqaj4ibA2ilTpYv1mMg7VUZpUq0e6Bx_Mtkuw2GqhPCg6ALtFOqG/s1600/IMG_1759.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-napkoVJr4NMJaF1y6lkJOZi4BMf6cylBOuGg4afJazjVrxKgEaRTCadet_g7mLCtUTliIiR5auuMemEebmXf_h5Mqaj4ibA2ilTpYv1mMg7VUZpUq0e6Bx_Mtkuw2GqhPCg6ALtFOqG/s400/IMG_1759.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667653253063255794" /></a></div><div>Place the walnuts, basil, olive oil, and garlic in a food processor or blender (Vitamix whaaat!) and blend until it's thoroughly combined, but not liquified - you want it to have some texture (see picture). Add the parmesan and butter (if you want to, Alan is just telling me now that he added it) and blend again. Add salt to taste. Add a little more olive oil if it's too thick.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzpoFgltjb_2XRcYacOAQuOaU31d7_0V7VDwhWDrhZoD97_MKlC-W8xzaiRmaxhr3_Y6v0CYsBWqZicQtZYcUmnJx7Y11vI3pr2ghffhMISPPe1zyc9KeD8DQjg8olyhwMsEn5pGUHOla/s1600/IMG_1780.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzpoFgltjb_2XRcYacOAQuOaU31d7_0V7VDwhWDrhZoD97_MKlC-W8xzaiRmaxhr3_Y6v0CYsBWqZicQtZYcUmnJx7Y11vI3pr2ghffhMISPPe1zyc9KeD8DQjg8olyhwMsEn5pGUHOla/s400/IMG_1780.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667653263191688450" /></a> </div><div><br /></div><div>And that's it. Mix with pasta, put it on a baguette, do whatever with it, just know it will steal the show. It's worth the carnage it inflicted on my poor basil plant. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZNoTEg-8Ci9ZH9TrCpyzzZW-5nLM9ZXFQ0RJFpVYxLgH9PoMTK4FhSIfw45mQDixMSTZVKQ-TW2zfC53iifVxWya9q55ipc_0yAVUcEXtJGCYgXFVH_iBdqYPNLeWbP9w5D5fiWw_tPQ/s1600/IMG_1777.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZNoTEg-8Ci9ZH9TrCpyzzZW-5nLM9ZXFQ0RJFpVYxLgH9PoMTK4FhSIfw45mQDixMSTZVKQ-TW2zfC53iifVxWya9q55ipc_0yAVUcEXtJGCYgXFVH_iBdqYPNLeWbP9w5D5fiWw_tPQ/s400/IMG_1777.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667658275893461810" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce</div><div>This is a cream sauce, but it's not too rich or too bad for you. I used half & half instead of cream, and it was really thick. This sauce was really good with the nutmeg sweet potato gnocchi because it's not overpowering. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ingredients:</div><div>3 red bell peppers</div><div>1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted</div><div>1/2 cup parmesan cheese</div><div>1/4 cup olive oil</div><div>2 cloves garlic</div><div>1 cup half & half</div><div>salt & pepper</div><div><br /></div><div>1. put the red peppers over a burner if you have a gas stove, or under a broiler if not, and turn them so they're black on all sides. Place them in a paper bag and close it for about 15 minutes, then take them out and peel them. The black parts should all come off easily. Slice up the peppers into chunks.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0-omkwCqg0GuCqNZFOgelyUxaKoW9XfjRpoBBlZDG25klVJktcz0thQ9hacUQO-DUQA9FHDANwkwKgJEBzeKz4VPmzqGvFWeNYMqlGfVAXry80JP8RTHDsFn4OpprGUjqxmyfCwmM68u/s1600/IMG_1758.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0-omkwCqg0GuCqNZFOgelyUxaKoW9XfjRpoBBlZDG25klVJktcz0thQ9hacUQO-DUQA9FHDANwkwKgJEBzeKz4VPmzqGvFWeNYMqlGfVAXry80JP8RTHDsFn4OpprGUjqxmyfCwmM68u/s400/IMG_1758.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667658288615303458" /></a></div><div>2. heat the olive oil in a pan, then add the peppers, garlic, and pine nuts and saute them all together for a few minutes just to bring out the flavors. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmPq2kfQurlETuZeVkVWfh7MxE1v5Lh-AusKE1m6v0dSHn1M-Osj6E7pXYPVGb0bKd9tFgmkANwle16I_hlZvNSwu7_SpWiia1_PLXfNcnx6YaPjN7PR4ePOj9vRsAob4TN0-cVTWpXeD/s1600/IMG_1764.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmPq2kfQurlETuZeVkVWfh7MxE1v5Lh-AusKE1m6v0dSHn1M-Osj6E7pXYPVGb0bKd9tFgmkANwle16I_hlZvNSwu7_SpWiia1_PLXfNcnx6YaPjN7PR4ePOj9vRsAob4TN0-cVTWpXeD/s400/IMG_1764.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667655929699684738" /></a></div><div>3. pour everything in a blender or food processor and blend it until everything is completely mixed (unless you like some pepper chunks in your sauce).</div><div>4. Return it to the saute pan, and add the half & half and parmesan, and simmer until everything is uniform. Add salt & pepper to taste. </div>brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-12943106121771188352011-10-17T23:11:00.000-07:002011-10-17T23:37:15.649-07:00Blackberry Goodness<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQq3fd-OW5jvHoNxX_Ckq2w7YPFB7X-TDqx5yuLsSBCQuY6wwEhZVHOSoMiZKsqf12lXunvoYqcoyw7zFHEqpApcRmKOnbzkeUzafo7QoF-sNOyXlfO52WcniTFAEzS4yUsEgBpNFnGotb/s1600/IMG_1724.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQq3fd-OW5jvHoNxX_Ckq2w7YPFB7X-TDqx5yuLsSBCQuY6wwEhZVHOSoMiZKsqf12lXunvoYqcoyw7zFHEqpApcRmKOnbzkeUzafo7QoF-sNOyXlfO52WcniTFAEzS4yUsEgBpNFnGotb/s400/IMG_1724.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664715746414117106" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFDT3iKcREQS5ZKl3apqWDdc9A76Z0rtsqxh4qy5Wc-aW3dMjQaV0IiivV9UoMxorBvIF-Rd4P2HI6vWv8qWbkJCiFcF4Rsk-2EOGKv5hTbc15u63lKdPOgAKceqqub9nJrS78MJBinAo/s1600/IMG_1730.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFDT3iKcREQS5ZKl3apqWDdc9A76Z0rtsqxh4qy5Wc-aW3dMjQaV0IiivV9UoMxorBvIF-Rd4P2HI6vWv8qWbkJCiFcF4Rsk-2EOGKv5hTbc15u63lKdPOgAKceqqub9nJrS78MJBinAo/s400/IMG_1730.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664716600697402466" /></a><br />This is the first of my blackberry baking attempts. I wasn't sure if I should post it because I would call it only a minor success - I took it to a dessert potluck and the whole thing got eaten, but when there is warm homemade cobbler at a potluck, it gets eaten regardless. It definitely needed more butter (sometimes you just have to go for it) and my multiplying the recipe didn't allow for even egg multiplication. I made it with whole wheat pastry flour and white flour, but strangely enough the end product tasted a lot like corn meal. So, this was yummy, but not good enough for me to post the recipe and tell others to make it. <br /><br />Instead... who out there has a good cobbler recipe?brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708028465274602884.post-57057854858180820172011-10-04T21:11:00.000-07:002011-10-04T21:36:25.011-07:00Spice Up Your Salads - literally<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEh6Hi3qiV8nWt7BiPL8mg_Q_-digxvot7n_3dFDxHoGhYLjCjdtLXE5IDish-_DkOC4-63WbCYjtFZWt6f6R34Mp9C8Qi5a8Q60Io3qm5Inf_lC8ogsRpLBXaCsIlHMGHbw6pjdFMZoMG/s1600/IMG_0994.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEh6Hi3qiV8nWt7BiPL8mg_Q_-digxvot7n_3dFDxHoGhYLjCjdtLXE5IDish-_DkOC4-63WbCYjtFZWt6f6R34Mp9C8Qi5a8Q60Io3qm5Inf_lC8ogsRpLBXaCsIlHMGHbw6pjdFMZoMG/s400/IMG_0994.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659861565166935906" /></a><br />Just a simple little something from the kitchen of a couch surfer. Every night for the past week I've had this salad along with whatever else I've thrown together, and I'm not sick of it. Not even a little. It comes down to this principle: herbs in salads. I don't know why people don't do it more. It adds a lot of flavor and texture and you don't have to do much else to it. I throw in some tomatoes and balsamic, and that's it.<br /><br />So yes, I'm cheating - this is just a Trader Joe's salad mix, so this is the simplest thing ever. Even if you don't have access to TJ's, it's easy to throw together:<br />-red & green lettuce<br />-arugula <br />-frisee <br />-parsley<br />-dill<br />-cilantro<br />-cherry tomatoes<br />-balsamic vinaigrette <br /><br />Obviously you can throw in whatever you want - I'm not a huge fan of parsley. You might want to include some feta or something if you have it - keep it simple and try some new herbs. Rosemary? Sage? I don't know, it's pretty bold.brittahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412995505154119212noreply@blogger.com1