My Way, No. 28

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

Hope Rosh Hashanah has been a wonderful time!

— Adventures in Food: Breakfasts for Dinner! I usually have fruit during the morning hours, so here are a couple of evening meals I recently enjoyed:

No, it’s not eggs! It’s a fake-out chickpea flour & tofu omelette. I found the recipe on the same site as the recently posted English muffins: Potato-Avocado Tofu Omelettes. Now, I do love eggs, but I thought the recipe sounded intriguing. If you recall, I did a lot of potato recipes the previous few weeks, so I went with sautéed kale, mini sweet peppers, criminis, and avocado (though, the potatoes in the pic looked SO yummy!). I sautéed the criminis in a little homemade Worcestershire and red wine. This is one of my fave ways to have mushrooms. Sometimes, I add a little butter and thyme. If you’ve never made your own Worcestershire, I just looked up this recipe: Homemade Worcestershire Sauce. I like to make mine with apple & balsamic vin, blackstrap molasses, honey (maybe stevia), smelly fish ;), tamari, garlic, onion, mustard powder, chile, some warm spices, and tamarind. If you run out of anchovies while making Caesar dressing, try Worcestershire to pinch-hit. If you’ve never seen tamarind, this is what it looks like (it’s also available in other forms, like paste):

Apparently, the original version of the recipe calls for Indian black salt to create a more ‘authentic egg experience.’ As I lacked such an item, I subbed the sea salt I smoked. I also ran out of nutritional yeast and replaced it with parm. The recipe indicates you should use a cooked chickpea flour vs. raw, and it gives illustrations of how you can tell the difference (if you purchase your flour). I ground dry peas for my flour and just cooked out the rawness a bit. I really enjoyed this meal (though I will still whip up a traditional omelette every now and then). Check out this recipe for sure if you don’t do eggs.

You know my obsession with carrot cake! Carrot cake steel-cut oats with shredded carrots, raisins, pineapple, walnuts, fresh coconut, ground cinnamon & ginger, pure Mexican vanilla extract, pinch of salt. As with my rice pudding, I like to put the vanilla and salt in after it’s finished cooking (cinnamon & ginger during). I throw the carrots in about a minute before the end of the cooking time (except garnish). Everything else is a topping. I forgot the honey in the pic, but I usually finish with a bit to sweeten.

I made versions of this dish several times: Daikon Radish Pasta with Corn and Tomatoes in Creamy Coconut Sauce.

I didn’t have daikon, so I subbed squash. In this pic, I also bulked it up with 1 oz. of whole wheat spaghetti. If you want to lighten up your traditional pasta dishes, a blend of a veggie spiral and a flour pasta is a great way to go. I just eyeballed the ingredients, but the sauce was fab. I can see it translating to all kinds of things. I used a blend of coconut water & milk I had in the freezer.

I told you I made the lovely Cherry Tomatoes & Basil Sauce from the last My Way post, and that gave birth to these roasted tomatoes:

I know roasted tomatoes aren’t the prettiest thing to look at! This has to be one of my fave preps in probably the past 6 months or so, though. So simple, but I could have made a meal out of them. I made several batches. I filled the pan with a little water (about halfway up to the tomatoes), roasted garlic cloves, salt, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, and basil. After one batch reached room temp, I had a hard time not just popping all of them in my mouth right then. They were SO GOOD! I also used them to top pasta (veggie & wheat spag), and this flatbread:

I adapted the flatbread/pizza dough from this recipe: The Best New York Style Cheese Pizza.

So, again, maybe not the most attractive meal in the world, but this was so tasty (prepared it a couple of times)! I made a honey-whole wheat dough with a little parm and garlic powder added. I adjusted the salt a bit because of the parm and smoked sea salt on the crust (like I did with the Sriracha garlic knots). I can’t remember where I read about the smoked salt, but I really like it. I added a little cornmeal to the bottom of the pan & replaced some of the oil with homemade non-fat yogurt. Sauce was a mixture of homemade non-fat yogurt and homemade (skim) feta (I hafta keep my dairy + fat portions low, boo 😦 ). Little finish of pomegranate molasses.

— Last My Way post, I forgot I wanted to tell you about the convertible Henkaa dress fabric. It’s a wrinkle-resistant fabric. If you’ve ever been to Chico’s, it kind of reminds me of a wrinkle-resistant travel-knit fabric they have. The young lady demo-ing the dress spilled something on it at lunch. She had a spare dress scrunched up in her purse and changed into it after the mishap. No ironing or steaming. The first dress was a floor length, and the second above-the-knee. She was very tall, and both dresses looked fabulous on her. After that last post, I watched a few of the various style vids. You have to see them. Amazing!

— I saw this on my food co-op’s social page. I think a lot of people know this type of thing goes on, but it’s always still shocking to see it in print: A Guide to Food Industry Front Groups | centerforfoodsafety.org.

— I found this article heart-breaking, but I’m glad they took the billboard down:Mental Health Advocates Topple Kenneth Cole Billboard Falsely Linking Mental Health Conditions and Gun Violence | bizjournals.com.

— I read back through a few of the articles from the last installment of my Mental Health Series. This article really hit me, so I wanted to post it here (and I may post it a few more times). Schizophrenia is not a split personality, there are four main symptoms | thejournal.ie. I think everyone should read this. It’s not just about this particular illness. It deals with some heart issues. I think you will find it enlightening.

— DIY Dip Dye Jeans | Fusion e-Magazine.

Maybe you could also DIY something like this: Wheretoget.it.

— I am in the market for a different (neutral-colored vs. my last vibrant color choice) heart rate monitor watch. While searching for one, I came across this sports bra made for the heart sensor chest strap: Pure Lime Compression Bra for Heart Rate Sensors – High Impact.

— OK, these are totally fun and hysterical! I love the bar, cat bed, and speakers.
DIY Retro Furniture — 12 Things To Do With Vintage Suitcases | Loffee.

— Deodorizing Homemade Lavender Linen Spray Recipe | soapdelinenews.com.

— Today’s Featured Recipes:

My mom likes to watch her sugars (and sodium), but she doesn’t care for several sugar subs. She especially doesn’t like stevia! She tried to use the same ratio as white sugar, lol! So, I have to sneak these things into her food sometimes, hehe. I’ve never used the sugar sub called for in this recipe, but you may be able to sub the sub if you need to:
Low Carb Cinnamon Sugar Cake Donuts – Gluten Free | Modern Low Carb.

Walnut and Olive Spelt Bread Rolls | Quite Good Food.

Brie, Fig Jam, and Serrano Ham Crostini | Flavor the Moments.

Tequila-Orange Grilled Shrimp | Cookbook Recipes.

Jewish Holiday Recipes: Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwiches | Gourmet Kosher Cooking. An idea you could adapt very easily. They suggest chocolate doughnuts with coffee or cookie and cream ice cream.

Chef JD’s Cuisine & Travel Website Turnstile | Cherokee Hominy and Tomato Soup.

This is not really a recipe, but you could really let your imagination run wild with this one: Home cured duck ham, Hendricks compressed cucumber, summer fruit and nitro sorbet. Due South Chefs Ltd.

Ginger Candy Appletini  Recipe | aroundmainline.com. I like the caramel apple garnish 🙂

Take good care of yourself, and I’ll see you next time!

My Way, No. 27

*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’ve had a lovely day! Several Adventures in Food to share with you. Last week, I had a day I wasn’t feeling so hot. All I could manage to eat was a thin slice of a toasted bagel. I was looking over the Healthy Snacks Under 200 Calories post and thought the mango-lime sorbet sounded like something I could handle. I added a wee bit o’ rum (to keep it from freezing too hard), some red chile, and key lime zest. I tried to make it look tropical to cheer myself up. That’s also the reason you may see plates/dishes beyond my plain white on this blog — oftentimes, different serving wares give me a boost in mood. Perhaps this is why I have a hard time not buying every other set of dishes, glasses, silverware, etc., that I see, haha. I do love just the ordinary white plates, though, too — très simple.

What are your go-to meals when you have a ton of veggies (besides just eating them raw and unadorned)? I think pasta or salads come to mind first for me, also stir-fries, soups, stews, sandwiches/toast, and curries. A few weeks ago, I had potatoes that needed to be used, so I made these Mustard Seed-Potato Curry Lettuce Tacos: potatoes, black beans, tomatoes, garlic, quartered shallots, fresh coconut milk, apple, raisins, cilantro, lemon, yellow mustard seeds, and a blend of curry spices. Homemade Greek-style yogurt to top them off. They were very satisfying.

2 more dishes with potatoes: Grilled Summer Salad w/ Queso Fresco & Potato Croutons. My initial craving when composing this salad was raw squash, potatoes and grilled corn. I added to it a bit with spring mix, grilled asparagus & peppers, and roasted tomatoes. I used the queso recipe from this post, but with skim milk. I made a quick cilantro dressing and squeezed the charred limes over the top. Really delicious. I decided to add about a 1/4 cup more corn after I snapped the pic.

Gazing at the Healthy Snacks post, I also decided to make the Frozen Yogurt Blueberry Bites (simple and tasty!) and Skinny Pizza Potato Skins:

The pizza skins in the post were pepperoni, but I usually prefer veggie pizza. I made these on the spur of the moment, so I had to whip up my short-cut pizza sauce. I took the pic pre-oven as I was starved & knew a post-oven pic would delay my eating (toaster or convection ovens are a great option here). Toppings were sautéed squash & kale, caramelized onion, marinated artichoke, and the queso. Instead of cutting the potato in half, I just cut small rounds. I think I’ll go with the halves (as indicated in the recipe) next time. The small rounds were difficult to get enough of the toppings on. But, I think they would be fab party apps. These really hit the spot, and I will be making them again for sure.

I’m finding so many ways to use the homemade yogurt! I slathered a bit on a piece of fish for a pistachio crust:

I enjoyed this particular meal so much, I made it 2 days in a row. I had a flashback to culinary school (way back in the day) the first preparation. During one class, the chef instructor decided that I should be the ‘chosen one’ to filet a sturgeon. I just recall that it was HUGE — almost as big as I am, haha! Plums (raw) are a fruit that I have to be in the mood to have. Grilled, though, I could eat them every day. I served the fish with a berry-shallot relish, and a baby chard, spin, kale salad w/ berries, sunflower seeds, and a berry vin. For the most part, when I mention I made a vin on this blog, it doesn’t have as much oil as many recipes call for. I usually find some other flavor-packed liquid to sub & punch it up with other herbs, spices, etc. Oil, of course, has a certain mouth-feel and balancing quality, so I try to find things comparable. Also pic’d is a petite rosemary baguette (used this technique w/ my food processor) and rosemary tea. Just hot water & fresh rosemary. One of my fave comforting teas. Yes, it’s hot outside! But, there’s A/C inside, and I always prefer hot tea to cold when I can have it.

Last item for today: I finally had a bit of chicken, so I was able to make the grilled chicken with the Turkish spices. I used the same honey & balsamic mixture as the chickpeas. Yums! The Turkish spices were also great on home fries. I was inspired by the Grilled Chicken Caesar Skewers with Kale Pesto, as well. I used the same lemony-buttermilk Caesar dressing as in this post, and a baby chard, spin, kale, sunflower seed pesto. As with vinaigrettes, I usually lighten up my pestos by using less cheese & nuts and replacing some of the oil with stock. I might also add in some other wacky ingredients. Other skewers pic’d here are pomegranate molasses-mint, and homemade Italian dressing.

— Went to my friend’s fashion conference last week and all was grand. There was an Arabian horse show, as well as jewelry, accessories, and clothing galore. There are 3 class “break-out” sessions, so I chose to attend the Latin dance class the first session. It was SO fun, but I really should have come prepared with a workout outfit (instead of my vintage frock). There were also hula dancers for entertainment:

If someone can turn Latin dance into a fitness trend, I think the next one should be hula. It looks like it would be a blast.

This year, there was an award given for ‘Best Dressed,’ and one dress that had many of us “oohing and ahhhing” was this:
Sakura | Henkaa.com.

It’s a convertible dress by Henkaa. This style is called Sakura, but they have several other styles available. You choose your length and color, and they also have additional accessories to coordinate. I think the young lady demo-ing the dress said there were as many as 60 style possibilities. Now, that’s what I call a SQUEAL DEAL! Make sure to check out the website! *Edit: Here is a direct link to the young lady’s personal page for the Henkaa dresses. FYI, you can also host a style shoppe and earn 1/2 OFF items, as well as rewards dollars to spend on items from Henkaa. Awesome!*

I barely snapped ANY conference pics this year, but here are a couple of things I found interesting:

Rolling bag & the black fringe bag next to it

Handmade jewelry

I like these flowy prints (will Hello Kitty ever stop being so popular? I think not, lol).

— 67 Homemade, All-Natural Cleaning Recipes.

— And, I thought a cutting board is a cutting board is a cutting board. After seeing some of these beauties, I might have developed a new culinary product love. Why do people have to tempt you? Fabulous cutting boards and other kitchen goodies here (several items on sale & have a peek at the accompanying food blog while you’re there):
Products – Bowl & Pitcher

— Upcycled Furniture / awesome ideas! | Decorating Ideas | Pinterest.

— Today’s good eats: 
Impressive Date Night Desserts: Raspberry Souffle With Framboise Liqueur | cravelocal.com. 

52 Herbal Tea Recipes | adelightfulhome.com. Enjoy them hot or cold!

Seafood Lasagna Recipe For The Seafood Lovers | Taste the Food and Fruit.

Fermented Food for Kids: A Guide with Kid-Friendly Recipes | fearlesseating.net.

 Baked Mediterranean Fish | texies.co.za Easy Peasy

Salted Chocolate + Caramel Ice Cream Cake | Coley Cooks.

Cherry Tomato Sauce | frogsinmykitchen.com.

Ginger Sweet Potato Juice | Natural Thrifty.

Blackberry Gin Fizz Float | browneyedbaker.com.

‘Til next time!

My Way, No. 24

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

— As mentioned last My Way post, I was going to try to get out and enjoy nature a bit more. So far, I’ve come across adorable quail, jackrabbits, and hummingbirds in my “travels.” The little baby quail are the cutest things ever. I’ve also seen a lot of small lizards with curly black-and-white striped tails (it seems the stripes are on the underside of the tail). As long as I don’t run into any rattlesnakes, I’m good, haha. Here’s a few shots for those of you not familiar with the Tucson, AZ scenery. The first one reminded me of the Leaning Tower, that’s why I snapped a pic:

— At some points in my life, I’ve wondered “Where are all of the caring, loving people at?” The person who wrote this article let me know that there is someone who cares. I need that sometimes. They cared enough to sit down and pen this piece — letting us all know we need to get back to the basics: World Forgets Importance of Caring for Others http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/abetteriowa/2015/06/12/world-forgets-importance–caring–others/71125060/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin=

— Mucho Adventures in Food: I got on a bit of a potato kick with potato chips, the Vegetable Kugel with Caramelized Leeks I posted at Passover, and shepherd’s pie.

I made the chips to continue testing out our new food processor. At the lowest slicing setting, they were nice for thicker-style chips. If I want really thin ones, I will use a mandolin. At that thickness, I like to let them dry out a bit before bake-frying or frying. I made the kugel heavy on the sweet potatoes, and it was delish. Sliced up, it is wonderful to freeze and re-heat for a quick meal. I haven’t made shepherd’s pie in years, but suddenly started craving it. It may be because I had ground beef, and that’s rare for me. It’s just one of those simple, comforting meals that bring good memories. I rarely whip up mashed white potatoes beyond the occasional Holiday meal, but I just felt like having them. I make mashed sweet potatoes all the time, though. WAY back in the day when I worked as a banquet chef, garlic-roasted mashed potatoes with lots of heavy cream and butter were one of our staple sides. That’s still my fave way to prepare them today. Unfortunately, my cream and butter portions now have to be limited, so I just opted to use non-fat milk. I also didn’t have all my normal veggie fixin’s and just used what was in the fridge at the time. It was still a wonderful, comforting meal.

As I did indeed have the ground beef, I decided to make the Chipotle Cheeseburger Flatbread Melts I posted here.

I’m so glad Kevin is Cooking! I almost didn’t take a pic because I was so hungry by the time this was finished. I didn’t even wait for the cheese to melt. The aforementioned blog’s pics look way better than mine, so make sure to check it out! I adjusted the recipe ingredients just a bit using what I had on hand. I also used the homemade farmhouse cheddar from this post, and homemade non-fat Greek-style yogurt (posted here). This was super quick and easy. I didn’t have pizza dough made, but I was making a batch of those hamburg buns I wrote about…so, I saved a bit of the dough for these flatbreads. I Misto’d a little oil in a cast iron pan, then the dough, and was good to go. Just a small portion was quite filling. Really hit the spot & will be making again for sure.

109 degrees in the shade calls for carrot-ginger pops with cilantro! I use whole veg/fruit juice from my blender, as I don’t have just a ‘juicing machine.’

Sale on mesquite flour at my food co-op (yay!) had me making caprese (with homemade mozz), then roasted corn and onion salsa ebelskivers. I just mixed everything in the batter vs. stuffing it in the center.

I found this recipe for a Mung Bean Salad, and it was delightful!

I really enjoyed the dressing. I need to make a big batch, as I think it could go on all sorts of things. It has maple, mustard, cumin, turmeric, coriander, cardamom, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a few other ingredients. Very tasty! I didn’t use the exact measurements, I just eyeballed them. Sometimes I will measure things out, but it looked so good — I wanted to hurry it up. I added pistachios for a little crunch. I think this is a fab go-to recipe for lots of different occasions.

These scrumptious Gorgonzola Grilled Plums with Maple Syrup and Chiles I posted way back inspired me to cook up a version with what I had on hand: Grilled Apricots with Mascarpone, Basil, Pistachios, and Pomegranate Reduction.

I almost thought to use pignoli, but went with pistachios at the last minute. I seriously would have made this recipe just as it was written if I’d had the ingredients. I mixed the mascarpone with a bit of non-fat yogurt. Straight mascarpone would have been my choice if I could have it. It’s so fabulously delicious. I did have maple, but thought pom reduc “molasses” would be nice.

And, last food bit for today…bagel bites, using the New York-Style Bagel recipe. This is really one my best recipe finds in the past few years. It’s so darn quick (I use the food processor). My mom thinks she doesn’t like bagels, but she eats them if I shape them into a loaf or whatever, haha. Sometimes, you gotta be sneaky.

Veggie, Cinnamon Sugar, Everything, Blueberry, Jalapeño Cheddar, Cinnamon Raisin, Sesame, Stuffed Cinnamon Roll. Next time, I might make them smaller. They were really about “two bites.” I got on a cinnamon kick, too, this past week. Not real healthy or anything, but…cinnamon, salt, and fine home-ground sugar of your choice (or you can use packaged powdered sugar) on popcorn for cinnamon toast popcorn. Yums!

— I wanted to share this post on the value of grinding your own grains. It’s from the same blog the Memorial Day Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns recipe came from. You can really see from her post how much can be saved, as well as it being a healthy choice for your family. Purchasing a mill can be an investment, so this post will give you a good break down of what you can expect to get out of it. I tried looking up “best mills” to also post, but many of the articles were not unbiased viewpoints. There are several types to choose from, including stand mixer attachments, hand grinders, stand alone electric grinders, and blenders that also serve as mills. I think you just have to find the one that meets your needs and fits your budget.

— 3 Household Tips: 1) Put stainless steel dish scrubbies in the freezer after each use to prevent rust from forming (been doing this for years as a tip from my aunt, maybe everyone else already knows this…but, just in case you didn’t), 2) Super Glue around the bottom of your rugs to keep them from slipping. Vid: How to Keep Rugs on the Carpet from Moving , and 3) Attach small furniture slides to the bottom of kitchen counter appliances that are hard to get to, or that you need to move about on occasion. I did this to my mom’s coffee pot that sits in kind of a tight spot. She feels more comfortable sliding it out a bit when pouring in the water. The slides keep the counter from being scratched, as well as provide ease of movement.

— Wedding Style Saturday | My Wedding Nigeria.

If this is what they’re wearing for weddings in Nigeria, I wish the trend would come to the US! “My Wedding Nigeria presents valuable wedding guide to couples getting married to an African, in Africa and especially in Nigeria.” Awesome!

— Love this Boho hammock!
42 Stunning Bohemian Inspired Homes | izismile.com.

— Eats & Drinks: I’m sure many of you have made chana masala. I like this post as it gives a lot of terrific nutritional info. I made a soup version of chana last week:

Chana Masala | Garden Fresh Foodie.

What about some easy naan bread to go with it? Naan Bread | Great British Chefs.

Elevated Breakfast BLT | Baker by Nature. Avec smoked duck uncured bacon.

Vanilla Bundtlettes with Cashews and Pistachios | lisbeths.de. Recipe is in German.

Vegetarian Scotch Eggs | Lady Rhubarb. 2nd recipe. Traditional recipe with sausage is listed first.

How to Make Miso at Home | Renegade Health.

The Sherry Cobbler Cocktail | Kitchen Riffs. This blog always has the best stories! Check it out!

Have a fabulous day! ‘Til next time!

Frugal Home Workout Tips & Recipes

“After the health club fiasco, I decided to search for low-cost and no-cost activities that I could incorporate into my lifestyle. I finally got it. The key to a successful workout is to work with what you have and realize there are many ways of achieving physical fitness. I did not have to join a health club or buy expensive equipment to stay healthy.” Frugal Fitness, stretcher.com

I have thought about a home workout post for a bit now. I am going to try to follow-up with additional posts sometime in the future. The above statement encompasses much of what I believe. Now, this might sound slightly odd coming from someone with a fitness certification, lol. I think you know what I mean, though. The point is to improve and maintain our health, not just line someone’s pockets. I personally have always loved working with trainers in a studio setting, but many are unable to afford those type of sessions (or, simply prefer alternative methods). If I have been at the gym without a coach/trainer, my next-favorite thing has been to have a training partner. I find this keeps me motivated and focused (and, of course, they can help spot you, help with weights, etc.). Home training apps can provide terrific assistance, similar to a training partner. I would love an interactive (talking) app that could keep track of my sets. Right now, my sophisticated method is to wrap elastic bands around my wrists…transferring them (one at a time) to the other wrist when my set is complete. Or, a talking app that would tell me when my rest periods are up would be fab! Maybe they are already out there, and I just have to look for them. 6 Frugal Exercise Tips | financialhighway.com.

Perhaps many of these link suggestions you are already familiar with, but (as I often say) it never hurts to give ourselves a refresher course. My personal approach to working out at home is similar to my WhirlwinDISHes: I use what I have available at the time. My training loves are weight lifting and yoga, but I’ve had occasions where neither was possible (in the traditional sense, anyway). So, I invent methods to either perform the workouts in non-traditional ways, or come up with something else altogether. A brisk walk/hike is always an invigorating alternative for me. It has to be in cooler morning temps, though. This Arizona heat can be a bit much otherwise! I find utilizing day-to-day activities and surroundings can be helpful. Like, when I worked in a multi-leveled office building, I made sure to use the stairwells. Or, I would take the bus part of the way to work, then walk the rest. Dance class is also a fun way for me to get in a bit of cardio. If you have small children, chasing them is probably all the exercise you need, lol 😀 .

One more link:

6 Tips for Frugal Home Workouts

In future posts, I would like to bring out more quirky ways we can (frugally) up our fitness games. I recently batch-cooked a few post-workout snacks, so I wanted to re-share a few recipe links. They are not necessarily for immediate snacking only. I just like to have a few items around that do not require hours of cooking. I’m sure you’re good with your protein shakes, chocolate milk, yogurt, fruit, trail mix, whatever on toast, etc., so I thought I would re-post a few other ideas (for variety). Perhaps I will do an entire recipe-focused post at some point.

7 Detox Smoothies

32 Detox Drinks (smoothies, juices, & teas)

Dessert Smoothies

Healthy Banana “Ice Cream” Made with ‘Fro-Fruitti’ This still looks like the most fun thing to me! So many different variations you could make.

Energy Bites

Fritaffles I’ve made these over and over. Super easy and versatile.

Low Cal Granola Bars

This week, I adapted these carrot cake granola bars from this recipe. Then, I went on to make whole wheat carrot cake waffles (some mini, a few cut into quarters).

Waffles are a great on-the-go snack! I just pop them out of the freezer. You can add nuts, chickpea flour, protein powders, etc., for an extra-boost. Same thing for muffins:

How to Make Healthy Muffins from Scratch

Cold Busting Coconut Gummies

I actually made these for before/during workouts. Way back in the day, I would purchase creatine gummies. I started thinking I should make my own gummies (I didn’t use creatine, though). This recipe was actually created to stave off a child’s cold (with lots of anti-inflammatory properties), but it was a great base for what I wanted. You can put all kinds of goodies in them! I made this version with fresh coconut milk, citrus juice, and pineapple. The recipe calls for the ginger and turmeric to be steeped, but I just blended all the ingredients without straining. I used a small portion of the coconut milk to bloom the gelatin & then added the blended ingredients. I also used powdered green tea, powdered & liquid vitamins/minerals, and beetroot powder (for color) this batch. They look like tinned cranberry sauce to me, haha. I used heart-shaped cutters from Valentine’s Day.

Hope you enjoy these frugal home workout tips, & I’ll try to round up some more soon.

Take care!

My Way, No. 18

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

 

— I changed the view on my blog template. It no longer scrolls forever. It will show several posts, then opt to show older posts. This will make it easier to see the footer (where you can search by category or topic). If the footer is not immediately apparent, click on the arrow at the bottom right of the screen. I also added a tag cloud. For any new readers (hi! 🙂  ), I will just restate that the blog menu is hidden. It can be unveiled by clicking the 3 lines in the top right-hand corner of the screen. I am going to try adding a few more pic links to these ‘My Way’ posts, so they may be a bit longer.

— Some Adventures in Food to catch you up on….I tried a few of the recipes from my Healthy Work Lunches post. Going with a SW theme, I made use of corn, chickpeas, and black beans for 2 meals: Chunky Corn & Black Bean Falafel and Vegetarian Tortilla Soup (both from the blog post with 29 recipes). I love the joke on the falafel post: What did the sick chickpea say to the doctor? I falafel, lol! For the falafel, I pretty much stuck to the prescribed recipe and used my homemade non-fat yogurt (whey drained) for a dipping sauce. I did give them a Misto of oil, but the recipe indicates they will bake up crunchy without it. I let them cook a little longer than the allotted time. I took a few for lunch, and they were quite delish without reheating them.

 

I found the Tortilla Soup recipe with several others under the Moroccan Soup with Kale and Chickpeas (check the link from the 29 recipes post). I replaced the chiles with chipotle in adobo (I had it on hand), chickpeas for hominy, used a combo of tomato paste and fresh tomatoes (blanched & shocked, skin removed), and added corn. I will have to grab some hominy the next time I see it — yums! This recipe gave me an opportunity to try making queso fresco with skim milk. It’s not as rich as a whole milk version, but I am enjoying it (and my body can tolerate it). I followed the guidelines from my Thrifty Ideas for Home Cheese Making post. I’ve only had tortilla soups with cheddar in the past. I made corn tortillas last weekend in my batch cooking, so I just pulled them out of the freezer, sliced them up, then baked them off. For an on-the-go meal, I layered the toppings in a canning jar. I’m weird and do not like my food to touch before it’s supposed to, lol, so I put parchment paper between the layers:

 

Also from the link with 29 recipes, I made some chocolate-orange energy bites:

 

These were more like a sweet treat for me, versus something to give me energy. I took cues from the recipes for Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Energy Bites and the Chocolate Tahini Oat Bites. If I remember correctly, this is what I put in them: Oats (toasted whole & ground), ground flax, ground chia, powdered chocolate, toasted coconut, cooked sweet potato puree, raisins (chopped & pureed), chopped candied orange peel (still have some left from Christmas!), orange zest, vanilla extract, some kind of sweetener, and salt. I coated a few with ground almonds. This was slightly random, and I was just trying things out. I blended the sweet potato with some of the raisins, the vanilla, and powdered chocolate, then combined it with the dry ingredients. The sweet potato puree tasted just like chocolate pudding. I do not care for chocolate pudding, but it was fab with the rest of the mix. I love the combo of chocolate with orange. Next time, I would like to try a chocolate-nut/seed butter concoction. I am thinking the Spicy Carrot & Hummus Sandwich from that link is next!

From the link with 90 work recipes, I made the easy & delish Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps with Capers and Tomatoes (with a homemade Italian-style dressing) and the Chicken & Rice Salad with Ginger-Sesame Dressing (subbing tinned salmon for chicken). I would like to keep a bottle of the Ginger-Sesame in the fridge. I altered it a bit by making a blended sauce with: whole lime (instead of just the juice), Sriracha, mustard, a touch of maple, and replaced some of the olive oil with water. I can see putting this on all sorts of things!

 

I made a few gingerbread Hamantaschen using the Purim recipe from last week. It was not vegan, as I replaced the coconut oil with egg yolks and some of the maple with honey. I used orange zest vs. lemon and just added gingerbread flavors (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, molasses). I took a shortcut and rolled the dough into a log. I popped it in the freezer, then just sliced it into rounds the next day. I was concerned about the fillings leaking out, so I pinched them up a bit more than usual. So, the shapes were kind of “meh” to me, but I did what I could. Fillings were pomegranate-chia seeds & sweet non-fat yogurt cheese. Great with a vanilla rooibos chai I had:

 

Thinking ahead for St. Patrick’s, I also baked another batch of whole wheat muffins. I made them green for the occasion, and they were not attractive at all. But, they satisfied my craving for a savory bit of bread. I took a pic, but it was very dark. I will try to post a pic if I make another batch. I made them using the same method as the Toasted Sesame Mango-Mandarin, using buttermilk for milk, avocado for oil, steamed kale and parsley (pureed), chopped scallions, and topped with pepitas. I wanted to use spinach at first, but only had kale. They were yummy, but you have to be the kind of person who really likes greens. They hit the spot for me.

— Enough about food (for a few seconds, anyway 😉  )! So, after cooking all that up, it’s time to run the dishwasher 🙂  . I rarely run the dishwasher, but my mom said it should be run every so often. I’m not sure if that’s just a myth??? I had a commercial rinse agent (from my mom’s friend), and the last of it is gone. I thought I could probably just use vinegar (it seems vinegar, baking soda, and salt have host of uses), but I found this important post: Natural Dishwasher Rinse Aid. You can indeed use vinegar, but this link gives a little warning about how to do it properly (without ruining the dishwasher parts).

— I just love some of the up-cycled suitcase tables from my 30 Creative Ways to Reuse Old Things post. Here’s another cute idea: DIY Suitcase shelf | DIY + Crafts | Pinterest | Mai Spy. 

 

Wouldn’t this be a pretty centerpiece, silver or gold branches with candles: Dekoration | freshideen.com.

 

— Awww…Rare Russian Bear Cub Abandoned In Box Outside Circus.

— This photo series mental health project did indeed move me. A picture does say 1000 words. Very touching: http://colorlines.com/archives/2015/02/this_people_of_color_and_mental_illness_project_will_move_you.html

— Great tutorial on using Fray Check for No-Sew Projects: No-Sew Scalloped Shorts DIY | candimandi.typepad.com.

 

— While looking at the Fritaffles post, I saw a kitchen tool called a ‘supoon’ mentioned. I looked it up, and it’s pretty neat-o. The handle design sits the spoon off the counter (pic’d with ‘clongs’): Dreamfarm Supoon and Clongs | opensky.com.

 

— Today’s Featured Food & Bev: After making Hot & Sour Soup and Eggplant in Garlic Sauce a couple of weeks ago, I also decided to make Sweet & Sour Tofu adapted from this recipe: Sweet and Sour Chicken. Fabulous!

 

Not really a recipe, but love this presentation for dragon fruit: Dazzling Dragon Fruit | cookingontheweekends.com. 

 

Broccolini Benedict w/ Meyer Lemon Hollandaise | feastingathome.com.

 

Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes | sweet2eatbaking.com.

 

Mini Mimosa Bar | theglamouroushousewife.com. (Has a video.)

 

Moroccan-Style Tofu with Apricots, Almonds, and Olives | vegkitchen.com.

 

Beer-Candied Bacon | tideandthyme.com.

 

Lemon Lime Loaf | theendlessmeal.com.

 

Take care, & I’ll see you next time!

My Way, No. 17

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

— Yesterday, I left the house without a coat, as I often do this time of year. We’ve had fairly warm days (for the most part) here in Tucson. It was a bit windy yesterday, though, and partly cloudy. So, that set me off looking at coats that straddle the Tucson winter/summer season (beyond my jean jacket 🙂 ). Something like this floral kimono cardigan/shirt/coat would be fab (and, I love the colorful skirt next to it!): Street Style Boho Chic | cloudsevents.com.

I’m ready for it to be summer, already!

— Fab & functional coat/hat rack made from rulers: Dazzling DIY Coat Rack Shelf | frevinco.com.

I love this one, as well: Colorful Wall Hook Design Idea | homeplusdecor.com.

And, here’s a fun idea using a pallet: Pallet Furniture: Recycling Pallets into Unique Furniture Pieces | Pinterest | Vanessa.

— Yums! I made the Pad Thai Popcorn I posted here. Pad Thai has so many of my fave flavors (lime, cilantro, chiles, etc.). I subbed honey for the corn syrup, homemade chili-garlic paste for the sambal, and dried cilantro. I started drying cilantro because I could never use it up fast enough. I really love the intense flavor of it when it’s dried. Spur of the moment, I decided to make popcorn balls after pouring on the caramel mixture. *As a side, cupcake liners are a great inexpensive portion control tool. You can put all sorts of snacks in them, not just cupcakes and muffins. Kids really enjoy this, too.* Once forming them into balls, I only let them cook for another 5 minutes or so in the oven (I was a little impatient! They smelled so good!). I like that this recipe is timed and doesn’t require the use of a candy thermometer. If you don’t want to cook the popcorn on the stove, you can air pop it (my fave way) or use a micro. A brown paper bag sealed with a bit of tape (yes, tape!) works fab in a micro.

I’m so glad I made the popcorn, as it gave me an excuse to prepare a small dish of veggie Pad Thai afterwards (having all the ingredients at my disposal). I subbed soba for my usual rice noodles:

If you love Pad Thai, make sure to check out this very simple popcorn recipe!
I had a bag of random oranges, including a few that looked like pink grapefruit. Perhaps it’s common, but I have never seen this shade before. I remembered the Blood Orange Sorbet I posted for Valentine’s, so sorbet it was. My ice cream machine recipe calls for a simple syrup, so I added that and zest. It was delish, but made me a little chilly!

I found this recipe that warmed me up: Bourbon-Cider Cocktail with Cinnamon + Ginger. This recipe was written to be served cold over ice, but hot sounded good to me at the time.

I didn’t have cider, so I had to make some. I added fresh ginger, cinnamon, and brown palm sugar as it heated through (lemon juice to finish). The final drink was oh-so-good, with a caramel-y profile.

— Apparently, per this article, penguins have lost their ability to taste fish. They are only able to taste salty and sour. Maybe they would enjoy salt & vinegar chips 😉 .

— A while back, my mom’s friend gave me a commercial wood cleaner, and I still have a bit left. I suddenly thought I should look for a homemade concoction before I run out of it. If you use wood cleaner and have thought about a DIY version, I wanted to share this link: Homemade Wood Cleaner/Oil Soap.

— If you reside in Tucson, you may want to check out Habitat for Humanity’s free ‘Write-A-Will’ workshops. Here’s the link for more information. If you are not a Tucson resident, you may look into similar estate planning workshops in your area. Often, they are held at no cost to the participants.

— Today’s Recipes: I was thinking about gumbo a few days ago, but wishing I could have a somewhat healthier version. Then, I saw this: Sweet Potato Gumbo with Cornbread Muffins. This interested me, as I’ve never had dumplings made from a baguette: Boeuf Bourguignon with Baguette Dumplings. I love veggie pizza, but I’m sure you could whip up these Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza Puffs with whatever you like. Champagne Cake, Fritaffle, Crab and Smoked Salmon Salad with Avocado, Fennel, and Apple, One-Pan Salmon Tikka with Jeweled Rice, Tuscan Bean Soup, Best Ever Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

Until next time!

My Way, No. 15

*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 terrific Valentine’s and President’s Day! My Valentine’s treats to myself were spaghetti with red sauce, wine, and macarons. As you know, I do not bake a lot of confections. I’m good with breads, quick breads, or simple “one bowl” type of desserts. I’m not sure when I first had macarons, but they quickly became a favorite. I know we did not prepare them in the pastry portion of my culinary training. I thought I would attempt them for Valentine’s Day weekend for a couple of reasons: 1) the price of bakery-bought macarons and 2) the price of bakery-bought macarons. It’s a shame that pastries are not my forte. What you can charge for a little flour, sugar, and butter, haha! Anyway, even though I absolutely love macarons, I have put off making them. I read so many blogs that said making them is akin to rocket science…painful, grueling rocket science, wherein your rocket will never get off the ground…so don’t even try! Then, I found these links last year, and finally got around to it:

The Macaron 10 Commandments

Macaron Myths

If blogs have scared you beyond belief about making macarons in your own kitchen, I suggest you read these, lol! Many of the recipes I’ve seen over the past year make a relatively large quantity, so I found this recipe that made “just enough” for me: “Jelly Donut” Macarons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z4htgSdd8I. It’s a vid, so that’s helpful. I made a few heart-shaped for Valentines & some rounds. The ‘feet’ on a couple of the round ones turned out wonky (perhaps from over mixing the batter, or maybe because my oven temp varies in different parts???). Right after they were done, I took a pic of one with a real poofy foot. It got less poofy after sitting with the filling for a bit:

So, after you let them sit, they may change shape a bit. Even if a few looked wonky, they tasted fab! I decided on pina colada macarons, so I made a pineapple-rum curd, and added a little toasted coconut on top. I used the icing from the “jelly donuts” recipe with beet powder for coloring. I found that macarons are so yummy fresh out of the oven, so I might forego the filling next time! I had to force myself to not eat them all (pre-filling) right then! I’ll keep practicing my macaron technique, and hopefully I’ll improve over time. You can also make nut-free macarons, so I would like to try that eventually.

— I made a few chocolate-covered strawberries (as I posted about here) in a mug for my mom:

I took the pic before I let them chill in the fridge. I chose a very simple mug that matched some other items (the heart is a graphic! Cute!), as I know she has too many vases already. I went the easy route and coated a few with ground almonds and shaved chocolate. So sorry, but I totally forgot: when I saw fruit bouquets prepared professionally, they used iceberg lettuce to secure the skewers (vs. the floral foam I mentioned). I decided to use cabbage as a 2 for 1. My mom LOVES cabbage, so that was just an added bonus (I gave her the rest of the head). Of course, she made the cabbage right after eating a few berries, haha! I think a big bouquet would make a fab party centerpiece. It doesn’t take much to make one yourself, and the savings from purchasing shop-bought are quite considerable.

— I recently caught a couple minutes of a wonderful piece my mom was watching. It featured a woman who raps about Parkinson’s disease. What an awesome way to raise awareness! You can check out some of her story here: Sharon Kha’s Parkinson’s Disease Rap.

— Roll with it, baby…Rolling storage from crates, to wire baskets, to magazine trolleys. Check it out here: Easy Rolling Wire Baskets for Storage | Remodelaholic.com.

— Cute typographic serving trays: DIY Serving Tray Ideas | The Graphics Fairy.

— Typography with a fashion twist: Bleached and Stenciled Typography Shorts | Audrey Moyer | Pinterest.

— I read on a few British sites that we’re supposed to eat pancakes (or crepes) today as it’s Shrove Tuesday. I didn’t know what Shrove Tuesday was, so I had to look it up. I figure any reason to eat pancakes is fab. I made a couple small Tea & Honey Pancakes for myself this morning. I have been craving and drinking mucho Earl Grey for a couple of months, so I decided to use it in my pancake batter. I made these with a combo of oat flour and the coconut flour I recently made. I steeped the tea in skim milk and added a bit of lemon zest. I went with a dusting of powdered sugar vs. syrup. Yums! Of course, I had a little hot Earl Grey to go along with it. Even though it was a small portion, the oats were very filling. Another tasty Earl Grey concoction is to serve it hot with a little honey and bourbon. I had that a couple of weeks ago and am still thinking about it. Will have to make it again soon! Maybe I’ll have crepes for dinner.

— I’ll leave you with a few recipes for your consideration. Don’t forget you can always adjust the recipes with what you have on hand, or make substitutions for items that you cannot eat (or do not eat). Vegetable Pakoras with Coconut Dahl, Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie (with a polenta crust..mmm), Pad Thai Popcorn, Slow Cooker Honey-Ginger Chicken, Artisan Ciabatta Rolls, Sweet Orange and Almond Buns, Red Lentil and Cardamom Soup, New York Strip Steak with Whiskey-Mushroom Sauce, The Monkey Gland Cocktail (great cocktail stories on this blog!).

‘Til we meet again!

The Many Uses of Coconut, pt. 2

How to Make Coconut Oil.

I purchased coconut a couple of weeks ago, but kept delaying my usage of it. I think it’s because my last coconut seemed to fight me tooth and nail. It was very difficult to remove the meat. If you’ve never tackled one, don’t be discouraged if this happens to you. This recent coconut was actually quite easy to deal with, so I feel a sort of consolation from the previous attempt.

Continuing from my last post on The Many Uses of Coconut, I thought I would share a few links about making your own coconut oil. Homemade coconut oil can be made in a few different ways, and I think the above link gives some great insight. It can be a labor of love…but, once you make your own, it can be an addicting activity. If you are more of a visual learner, take a look at this video for extra guidance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK6G2CPD95w This vid will give you a good idea of what your product will look like during different stages.

I also wanted to include this link I found several months back: Homemade Coconut Oil. I wanted to try this method out because it seemed like a science project, haha. You use a 2-Liter bottle, and it was quite fun. I’m sure some of you might be concerned about the plastic, but you might give it a go. I think kids would really love this, and it’s a great opportunity to get them into the kitchen.

Once you’ve made your oil, don’t forget about the DIY Antiperspirant/Deodorant (made with coconut oil) I posted. Or, check out this recipe for Coconut Banana Bread. If you make a bit of milk/cream while you’re at it, I also found these recipes: Simple Coconut and Bean Soup and Gemma’s Easy No-Machine Coconut Ice Cream (watch the vid): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvclbHE-ZI8

Arthur: We have ridden the length and breadth of the land in search of Knights who will join me in my court at Camelot. I must speak with your lord and master.
Guard: What, ridden on a horse?
Arthur: Yes.
Guard: You’re using coconuts!
Arthur: What?
Guard: You’ve got two empty halves of coconut and you’re banging ’em together.

I’m sorry, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to squeeze that quote in, lol. Besides using empty coconut halves for faux horse sounds, haha, you might try using them for a cute little plant pot. The natural eyes would provide drainage, or you could drill some holes into the other half. Also a great children’s project!

Homemade Coconut Milk, Flour, and Butter

I mentioned that I had only become acquainted with coconut flour just last year. So, I must say that my first attempt at making it was the most exciting “culinary” event for me in quite a while. I know it’s just dehydrating and flour-making, but I was thrilled, nonetheless. Things like this make me happy. I used most of the coconut I had purchased for the flour, some for flakes, oil, and some for milk. I finally got around to making the Low Cal Almond-Raisin Granola Bars, so I replaced some of the almonds with the flakes. Coconut is the one addition I always want in granola. BTW, the bars were FAB! I pretty much kept to the recipe otherwise (just used a combo of dark and golden raisins). I baked them in a cast iron pan and accidentally turned the oven up to 375 degrees instead of 325. Uh oh! Haha, they were fine, though. You know I love cast iron because it’s easy to clean. It can be so frustrating removing food particles from metal pans. Even if you missed a spot on a cast iron, it’s black…who’s gonna know, lol. Sometimes, I like to pop granola bars back in the oven to heat up for a few minutes (if I’ve left a little moisture in them). They are kind of reminiscent of baked oatmeal that way. Pics (the flour looks like white sugar):

I would love to try this Simple Coconut Flour Cake. It also uses coconut oil and milk and gives coconut flour:baking ingredient ratio wisdom. Coconut flour is not all about sweets, though. These Curried Cauliflower Cakes look tempting.

Lastly, I wanted to mention that I am still not sure about the glycemic index/load of coconut palm sugar. I tried to research it out (as I mentioned in my bagels post), but am finding conflicting info. It’s not so much that it’s conflicting, as much of what I was able to find comes from companies that are selling the product (not third parties, etc.). Anyway, I wanted to share the American Diabetes Association’s link with their recommendations: ADA Coconut Palm Sugar. I also made crystallized ginger for the first time this week with brown palm sugar. It has been on my mind for a bit, but I finally got around to it. I remembered a Dr. saying he chews a small piece for a sweet treat. I didn’t use a recipe, I just made it similarly to candied citrus peel (without pouring off the water). Just a little dab’ll do ya when it comes to the ginger — it packs a punch. I think they would be a great alternative to after dinner mints.

Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you sometime next week!