My Way, No. 19

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Hope you had a lovely St. Patrick’s Day! This past week, I made the celery juice from this blog post, another batch of the Chunky Corn & Black Bean Falafel, as well as the Crab & Goat Cheese Guacamole posted some time back. All were delish! The falafel will frequently be in my rotation, for sure. After posting the Fruit & Herb Honey Syrups, I made one with fruits and herbs I had in the freezer: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, pom, lime, and purple basil. So far, I’ve just used it to top off a little sparkling water, and it’s very nice.

And, I made the cherry-vanilla. A cherry-vanilla float with my Holiday bourbon sounds good. These syrups are super versatile, easy to make, and do not require any cooking. I am thinking I might do pineapple-mint next. If you haven’t done so already, check out the honey syrups here.

OMGoodness, the Spicy Carrot & Hummus Sandwich from my Healthy Work Lunches post really hit the spot!

I made an open-faced sandwich on whole wheat sourdough toast. I used the No-Knead Whole Grain Sourdough (no herbs or garlic this time). The recipe actually calls for einkorn, but I still need to pick some up. One of the reasons I wanted to make this sandwich was that I had leftover garbanzo bean dip. It wasn’t actually a traditional hummus, but it worked. From the picture posted, I initially thought the carrots were raw, but they are sautéed until just wilted. I opted for the alternative suggested cumin vs. caraway seeds to flavor the carrots (as caraway seeds are not my favorite). I can tolerate caraway, but I have never really loved them. I added toasted sesame seeds on top, and it was quite a lovely sandwich!

Just an update, I made a few more ‘energy bites,’ this time chocolate-peanut butter. I made them in the style of the chocolate-orange, but baked them. So, I guess they were more like ‘granola bites.’ I didn’t have peanut butter, so I blended whole roasted peanuts with the rest of my wet ingredients: cooked sweet potato, egg (I had a bit already beaten I needed to use up), powdered chocolate, raisins, maple, vanilla. The dry ingredients were (I think): Oats, ground oats, ground chia & flax seeds, wheat germ, chopped peanuts, toasted coconut, and salt.

I can see using the sweet potato puree as perhaps a pie filling, maybe a base for a mousse, or just a pudding. The chocolate (and peanut butter) makes the sweet potato pretty much undetectable. Sweet potato puree is a great vehicle if you cannot have dairy, in that respect. You can use dates in place of raisins, but that’s just what I felt like using at the time.

And, the last bit about my eats for this post…I baked a few individual soda breads for St. Pat’s in ramekins on the weekend. I haven’t made another batch of the ‘green muffins‘ yet as I still have a few in the freezer. I think Irish soda bread was my first (non-yeast) bread-making venture. I’ve never made separate portions, though.

I still use the same recipe from way back in the day, but I replaced the AP flour with whole wheat pastry flour and butter with coconut oil. The recipe calls for caraway seeds, but I’ve never included them (as I’ve said, they’re not my fave). I love soda bread for toast. SO good! I wanted a hot cup of Irish coffee to go alongside (I didn’t add too much liquor), but ended up with an Irish coffee frappe/smoothie-type drink. I had a few sips hot, then blended in frozen banana, non-fat homemade yogurt, oats, flax, chia, wheat germ, and almonds. I topped it off with a coconut cream-yogurt whip and blackstrap molasses (I am not really fond of chocolate sauce, so I decided molasses would be nice). I forget how nice Irish coffee is until I’ve had it again!

— I made my folding side table! I wanted this to be a table I could quickly set up when needed, then quietly tuck it away. As it wasn’t meant to be a stable piece of furniture, I just wanted it to be presentable without much expense. To achieve this, I decided to re & up cycle as many items as I could. Pic:

Several years back, I cut down and stowed away a large piece of bamboo. It was meant to be a curtain rod, but I ended up using another (thinner) piece (of bamboo). I decided to pull it out of storage and use it for the table base. I cut it into 4 pieces, and put holes (to join the pieces, with glue) in 2 of them. When I was cutting the holes, I thought, Oh, I should make a flute (even though I don’t play the flute, lol!). I made the holes a little smaller than I wanted, then carved away a little at a time for a snug fit. I drilled a hole to adjoin both legs, put a screw through it, then secured it with a washer and nut. I wish the screw was a little shorter, but I used what I had. I purchased 4 rubber leg tips to keep the base from moving around. I then glued two sides of a pic frame to the top of the legs. The spray paint I used did not have primer, so I primed it first, gave it a coat of (leftover) black then a light coat of (purchased) gold. I tried to allow some of the black to show through. Then, I sprayed alternate wisps of black and gold until it looked the way I wanted it to. I do not care for the finish of a lot of metallic spray paints, so I dulled the shine with leftover frosted glass spray. I’ve used it before for other glossy spray paints as well.
The top: I used a picture covered with one of my many fabric remnants. I was going to use wallpaper (as was suggested in my Using Wallpaper Remnants post), but this fabric seemed to fit the space better. I made it waterproof by brushing on melted oil & wax (method found here). You can use beeswax, paraffin, perhaps soy wax, and any fixed drying oil. Some of these are healthier options than others. More on that in an upcoming post. I staple gunned the fabric to the frame and added decorative nails (originally intended to re-upholster a chair. I did it freehand, so some are a bit wonky. I will go back & fix them later. I just wanted to take the pic while I still had a little sunlight). The top is not attached to the legs, so I added “stoppers” (synthetic corks) on the back of the picture to hold the top of the legs (the frame sides) in place. All in all, I think I made out pretty well with just the purchases of the rubber leg tips and gold spray paint!

— I love macrame! There are tons of vids out there if you want to learn how to craft something for yourself. I think you could totally DIY something like this: Glass & Twine Lantern Set | shopterrain.com.

Here’s a sweet macrame bracelet tutorial: DIY Shamballa Style Macrame Bracelet Tutorial | rings-things.com.

— I have tons of plaid. It’s one of my fave things. This is a cute idea: DIY Clothes DIY Refashion: DIY: Ombre Dip Dyed Plaid Shirt | Pinterest | Lacy Hall.
This dress sort of encompasses several styles. A versatile piece, I think: Streetcar Dress in Black Plaid (with pockets) | trendvee.com.

— After looking at the ‘supoon’ and ‘clongs’ from the last ‘My Way‘ post, I checked out some of the other kitchen products they have available. Some really neat items like jots, onpots, teafus, levoons. I love this Scizza | Dreamfarm Products. 

— I saw that Bibi won the election in Israel. Yay! I am not that political of a person, but I like him because he’s dashing, charming, handsome, suave, and did I mention dashing? 😉

— I read an article that mentioned “fashionable food,” meaning certain food, dishes, etc., should (not just do) go in and out of style. This wasn’t referring to dining out. I thought this an odd concept. I mean, it’s one thing if you want to be “trendy” to sell things….but, common folk usually eat (or prepare for others) what is readily available to them, what is at the market during the time of their visit, and what they can afford (if they can afford to eat at all). The average person doesn’t live in a restaurant or test kitchen. They are not usually concerned if their meat and potatoes, beans on toast, Grandma’s prize dessert, or whatever, is “in style,” haha! Most people do not care that much about their clothing being in style, let alone their everyday (or even special occasion) food. It seemed like the article was targeted at your average person, but perhaps not. Perhaps it was more like people who struggle with dilemmas such as, “Should I take the Bentley or the Benz”? Or, more importantly, “Should I ask Jeeves or Parky to pull the car around when I make my decision between the Bentley and the Benz? lol 😀 Anyway…Here are Today’s Featured Recipes (fashionable or not, I couldn’t say…they just looked darn good to me!):

Breakfast Stuffed Peppers | eatwell101.com.

Fugazetta (Argentine Pizza) | Bourbon and Brown Sugar.

Lemon Meringue Pie with Poached Oranges and Basil | Great British Chefs.com.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Grilled Cheese | wellplated.com. Saw this last year and still thinking about it! Great St. Patrick’s Day leftovers idea.

Great tutorial: How to Ice a Cake | stylesweetca.com.

2-Minute Green Spaghetti Sauce

Shellfish Risotto | ciaoflorentina.com.

Have a fabulous day!

Christmas Memories & 10 Vegetarian Christmas Recipes

10 Vegetarian Christmas Recipes | Gluten-Free Goddess Recipes.

Christmas is almost here! As I said in the last ‘My Way‘ post, I have been a bit slow getting into the groove this year. It’s OK, though, as I think it’s given me time to really reflect on the true nature of the holiday (instead of just getting busied and swept away with presents, decorating, etc.). It isn’t ‘Tree and Presents Day’ or ‘Commercialism and Materialism Day’ after all, haha. It’s Christmas Day, and that (for me) involves a Spirit of giving and love that hopefully lingers long after the mistletoe has been taken down and the last gift is opened.

I have also been taking time to think about Christmas Past (no ghosts involved, fortunately 😉  ), and the memories that mean the most to me. I don’t recall tons of early childhood memories, but I do remember things like a neighbor buying me all sorts of (not cheap!!!) toys on my “wish list” one year. She was a single mother with two children of her own, so looking back…I find that exceptional. What a blessing! I loved the snow in New York — putting on hefty snow suits with mittens tied to a string (so you wouldn’t lose them), making snow people & snow angels (with your body, lying down in the snow), toboggan races…and as I got older, cross-country skiing. I also recall that at some point, my mother strictly informed me there was no real such person as this ‘Santa Claus’ character I had heard so much about. So, I went around telling all of my friends that “it’s just your parents buying you these toys,” to the dismay of several fable-wielding adults, lol. Ah, I was awful! There are some wonderful church services (experienced later in my life) that come to mind, as well — with captivating dramas and modern music, or more traditional candlelight and orchestras.

Many of my fondest Christmas memories involve food (as do many of my memories in general, lol). My mom loves to have ham for Christmas, but my dearest carni attachment is to duck. I cannot remember us ever having turkey (or goose). Also, lobster and shrimp seems to be a popular choice for both of us. And, it may be one of the few times of the year that I prepare a steak. In New York, my relative’s co-worker (originally from Poland) used to always make nut and apricot poviticas. So, every year, they would share the spoils with us. I think of it every Christmas, but I’ve yet to attempt making my own. Maybe this year will be the year, or maybe I’ll wait until New Year’s. I’ve already had so many fried treats for Hanukkah. My body needs a rest, I think, haha. I have managed to pass on one party already (filled with yummy lard-laden tamales, cupcakes, and sugar galore). I’m not sure when I first had panettone, but it’s also one of my favorites this time of year. I have always purchased them in the store…never thinking to make my own, until I saw this recipe: Panettone. So, that might be on my list soon. I do not have a proper pan, though, so I’ll have to go about it another way.

I shared many recipe links for Thanksgiving, and I think you could easily use most of them for Christmas. Please check them out when you get a moment (if you haven’t already), if you are so inclined. I wanted to share this additional link with the 10 veggie dishes, as I think that’s the route I’m going be taking this year. I was totally tempted by the roasted potatoes dish, for sure! I will probably wait until the last moment to decide on anything else. These recipes come from a gluten-free site, so it’s also great for those with wheat allergies.

Hope you enjoy these, and I will post any other goodies as I find them!

Recipe Fusion & Thanksgiving Trial Runs

I saw this recipe for Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry, so I decided to try it out. Then, I saw this scrumptious looking Lentil and Lamb Moussaka. But, I didn’t have any lamb :(. It seems to me that lamb dishes are very common in the UK (where these recipes are from), as beef is in the US. Perhaps not. It may just be the particular recipes I’ve come across. Anyway, this is what happens when recipes collide. I used the curry base with the moussaka top. It’s sort of like shepherd’s pie. I didn’t make it too sauce-y, as I was going to eat it without the addition of rice or bread. I really enjoyed it! The top is made from just Greek-style yogurt and egg. I used my homemade non-fat yogurt and added a little nutmeg. It was the first time I’ve used yogurt instead of a cheese (like ricotta). I am sold! Awesome! For the curry, I added a little apple, garlic, and my own curry spice blend with a touch of cinnamon. The recipe calls for chickpeas, but I roasted all of what I had for snacking (see this post). I had white beans in the freezer, though, so they had to pinch-hit. Sorry, the pics were pretty dark, but here you go:

What to do with lentil leftovers? I decided on a taco. I know this prep doesn’t look that great! But, it was satisfying. I didn’t have any tortillas left, though, so I had to make one. I was starving by the time I made this and almost didn’t take a pic. The tortilla was a soft, foldy one. I just left it open for you to see. Just lentils, potatoes, red cabbage, salsa verde, cilantro, and homemade pickled onions. I just love fresh tortillas! This one was made with whole & heirloom wheat.

I am continuing to seek and test ideas for Thanksgiving. I really think I am going to prepare lighter fare this year. It will save me a lot of prep time (and extra workout hours). Here’s one simple dish I think is a go: Grilled Yukon, Beet, and Sweet Potato Skewers.

I found another use for ginger beer syrup: glaze for the sweet potatoes. I used a thyme, rosemary, and oregano oil for the yukon, and orange juice, zest, olive oil, and mint for the beets (similar to this post). Easy peasy. I basted them half way through and again after they were done. I love the bite of orange zest with beets. So good!

One more idea for Thanksgiving: Coconut Cream-Yogurt Sweet Potato Mousse w/ Ginger Beer Syrup. I don’t think I am going to get away with this, but I still wanted to test it out. I will probably get evil glares if I don’t serve our traditional sweet potato pie, lol. Maybe if I make individual mini-pies, it would help with portion control. Anyway, this was a simple whip of raw coconut cream with homemade yogurt and sweet potatoes, chilled, then topped with ginger beer syrup (another use!), praline, and candied orange zest. If you couldn’t tell, I  adore citrus zest. Maybe I will make this for myself and pie for others…we’ll see.

I’ll keep you posted on any other ideas I decide to try out for the Holiday.

WhirlwinDISH 25

A few WhirlwinDISHes inspired by a trip to a local Asian market. So many choices at this market! Taro, ginger, green tomatoes, lemon grass, tomatillos, and chiles were some of my finds. Looking at the multitude of greens, I became a bit overwhelmed. No kale in sight, though, haha. It’s fab that kale has become so popular of late. I often find it much less expensive than other greens now. It used to be comparable in price (or even more expensive). I finally was advised by another shopper to try the Taiwan spinach. She said she preferred it to American. She picked a winner for me — love it!

1) Coconut Moscow Mule Frozen Yogurt w/ Candied Lime Peel. I made some dark chocolate chip frozen yogurt for my mom, so that got me craving some for myself. I used homemade yogurt for both, but I made hers with whole and mine with non-fat milk. I added raw coconut butter to mine for a richer mouth feel. I had some ginger beer concentrate, so this was the base flavor. I adapted it from this recipe: Ginger Beer. I used ginger, lemon grass, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, cloves, chile, lemon, brown sugar, agave, cream of tartar, and a tiny bit of vanilla. I reduced the concentrate until it was a thick syrup, and then added it to the yogurt. I mixed in some lime juice, but no vodka :(. This went into my ice cream machine, and I let it ripen in the freezer a few hours. Topped with candied lime peel. It was super yummy and started to melt quickly as I was trying to take a pic. Will be making this combo again for sure.

2) After I made the ginger beer concentrate, I figured it would be great hot. So, I used the same combo to make a tea (without the cream of tartar and less sweetener). Ah, I couldn’t stop drinking it!

3) Sprouted Flour Baby Potstickers w/ Homemade Peach Horseradish Sauce. I used a blend of sprouted heirloom wheat and sprouted teff, oil, salt, and water for the dough. Filling was Taiwan spinach, taro, chile, scallions, and tofu seasoned with vinegar, garlic, and herbs (same method as this post). The lighting for the pic wasn’t very good. Some are shown from the top, and some are flipped over (where they were browned). I usually brown them on the bottom, then put a bit of water in the pan, cover & steam. I was going to make a warm soy-based sauce for this, but I decided on peach-horseradish (previously made). I think it was the right decision because I really enjoyed all of the flavors from this dish.

4) Taiwan Spinach Salad w/ Rice Noodles & Soy-Ginger Dressing. Spinach as the base with shredded red cabbage, mung bean sprouts, cold rice noodles, and baked taro chips. Dressing was simply soy sauce, ginger, white wine vin, balsamic vin, olive oil, shallots, and agave. Very simple, but you can’t go wrong with noodles :).

5) Potato Soup w/ Warm Salsa Verde. Potatoes, shallots, & fresh coconut milk. Verde: charred tomatillos, garlic, olive oil, lime zest, balsamic, agave, and a pre-blended spicy seasoning mix. My favorite part of this soup was the dried green tomato garnish. So tangy and delish!