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!

My Way, No. 22

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

— Honey gave way to maple this go round for the cherry-vanilla syrup from this previous post: 8 Fruit & Herb Honey Syrups. I still had my gift of bourbon from the December Holidays left, so I finally decided to make that float I was keen on. The syrup + club soda + bourbon + homemade vanilla froyo. Yums!

A beer fairy left a bit of brew for the masses, so I thought a beer bread was in order. I sprouted rye berries for a sourdough and used the beer in place of water. Beer made me think of pretzels, so that was the next step. Stuffed with brown mustard, they were a tasty treat! If I had thought about it, I might have made a homemade beer mustard:

I will admit I usually flake off the salt from most of them, haha. I will have one or two with the coarse salt, but then it becomes too much.

I finally made the Sesame Seed Salmon with my homemade mirin (with actual salmon this time vs. tofu). Delish! Make sure to check it out. Quick & easy.

Cheese, cheese, and more cheese! If you love the cheeses, please, please check out my post on Thrifty Ideas for Home Cheese Making & Homemade Cream Cheese. My mom is the one who requested I delve into the homemade cheese world, and I am so glad she did. When Mother’s Day rolls around, I try to find things I can do to please my mom (I know it should be all the time — I try 😉 ). So, many of those things have kept me from blogging this past couple of weeks. As I said in the cream cheese post, my mom adores fruit crepes (filled with a sweet cream cheese mixture). I have made several batches of cream cheese now, and it couldn’t be easier. I initially started with a buttermilk culture vs. purchasing a freeze-dried. The instructions for making your own cultures can be found in the links from the Thrifty post. I’ve now moved on to using meso & thermophilic cultures, as well as vegetarian rennet from the Cultures for Health site (also linked to in that post.). The Curd-Nerd site is SO informative, and I tried to study as much as possible before attempting too much. I recommend anyone just starting out do the same. There are quite a few things to learn, & you don’t want to waste your time or money. So far, I’ve used the recipes for queso fresco, haloumi, traditional ricotta, farmhouse cheddar (needs to age), and I just made this mozzarella:

Queso fresco and cream cheese (or yogurt cheese) are the easiest to make, IMO, and you can always use a buttermilk meso culture (especially if you are just starting and want to keep your costs low). I’ve made the queso and haloumi with skim milk, and they turned out fine (though not as rich). For small amounts of cheese, I started using thin, thin linen napkins (from my grandmother 🙂 ) to drain the whey from the curds. I just wash them, and they are ready to re-use. For larger batches, I started using a large piece of muslin. I will use cheesecloth to line the molds.

— I am enjoying my stainless lunch tiffin, which I must say was a SQUEAL DEAL at my food co-op, Food Conspiracy. *Sidenote: if you’re in Tucson, the co-op has unbleached cheesecloth for cheesemaking.* I hand-stitched a little insulated bag for it with material leftover from another project. I recycled the drawstring from another bag.

The fabric store I purchased the material at was my fave on my side of town, and I am bummed they have closed down. I keep running into others saying they are also upset. Perhaps the location was an issue. It would be nice if a locally-owned shop opened up. After doing this by hand, I thought, I really need to learn how to sew on a machine. It took far too much time, lol. Often fabric stores hold classes, so I may try to tackle my fear of it being an impossible task for me — just take the plunge.

— Other inexpensive projects I managed this week involved concrete. At less than $3 for a 60 lbs. bag, I feel I made out quite well. First off, I partially filled these small tin buckets:

What did I do with them, you ask? OK, don’t think I’m silly (OK, maybe I am), but I made a set of bed risers. A while back, I saw a set of 4 bed risers (upwards of $20) that were essentially a cup with a lift in them. I thought cement/concrete in my own cups would produce the same effect. I just wanted a few extra inches for under bed storage. You just mix the concrete with water, let dry, and voila! I used more leftover fabric around the frame legs so they wouldn’t shift around. This proved fabulous and provided me with the storage space I desired…with very little cost.

And, until I decide to invest in a full-on cheese press, I filled recycled containers with the concrete to weigh down my cheese molds. So far, so good, and I am sure I can come up with a few other ways to make use of the rest of the bag.

— We did decide to invest in the Cuisinart Elite 12-Cup Processor. 10-year motor warranty, with a limited 3-year warranty, 1000-Watt motor. So sorry, Cuisinart was misspelled in the last post. Sometimes, if a word is incorrect once, it will not change it afterwards (I guess it thinks it’s correct). As I previously stated, it has large and small work bowls, so you get 2 for 1. I’ve whipped up pizza dough for my mom, smooth as silk nut butter, falafel, guacamole, banana “ice cream” (using the recipe from the included cookbook with a bit of honey, vanilla, and fresh coconut milk), and shredded coconut (for chocolate-coconut bon bons for my mom). With my previous processor, I used the metal ‘S’ blade for bread doughs, but this model has a specific yeast dough blade. The metal blade works well for pastry doughs. It also includes an adjustable slicing disk.

Right now, I couldn’t be more pleased! Slow cookers and processors are 2 of my most beloved pieces of kitchen equipment. I also found you can purchase an egg white whipping disc separately. If you are in the market for a new processor, I encourage you to watch the demo video on the Cuisinart site. It would also make a great gift!

— One more thing that might sound silly…Last year, I pulled out some vinyl that didn’t work for a project I had in mind. I happened to be cleaning the fridge around the same time and suddenly thought it would be great to line the fridge shelves/drawers. The backing is kind of a thin, breathable fabric. Well, a year later, this one little thing has saved me tons of clean-up time. It may seem odd at first, but spills, etc. wipe off so easily. Or, you can pull them out and wash them.

— Would love to DIY leather (probably with pleather, though) bracelets such as these:

Newset Fashion DIY Jewelry Copper Leather Bracelet | ebay.es.

Hot Fashion Infinity Leather Music Bracelet | ebay.com.

Racer back DIY just in time for summer:
Tank to Racer Back Tutorial | trashtocouture.com.

— The heat has come, so I started to search for DIY patio blinds/shades. I’ve finally made up my mind about which route to take, but I wanted to share this budget-fab project I came across: No Sew Drop Cloth Patio Curtains | scatteredthoughtsofacraftymom.com.

Blue is not my fave color, but I found this room so soothing and peaceful to look at:
eudecoro.com.br.

— Amazing World of Penguins. Awesome pics, must see!

— Good goodies:

Spinach and White Bean Tacos | theskinnyfork.com.

Found another way to use teff: 5-Ingredients Banana Pancakes with Teff Grains (Gluten Free) | fussfreecooking.com.

Hip Girl’s Buttermilk Cake | ohsweetday.com.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites | lavenderandlovage.com.

Spinach-Stuffed Baked Salmon | Go Red for Women.

Baked Alaska | Great British Chefs. It has a panettone base!

For your retro party: Pineapple Cheese Ball with Pecans | sippitysup.com.

Detox Smoothie | blog.freepeople.com.

Rainbow Sangria | Gimme Some Oven.

Until next time! Have a great day!

8 Fruit & Herb Honey Syrups

8 Fruit + Herbs Honey Syrups | theyummylife.com.

Life is better with something sweet! These honey syrups are a breeze to make and quite versatile. You can add them to sparkling water or cocktails, drizzle them over desserts or pancakes, spread a little on a biscuit, and more. And, I’m sure you would have equally delicious results substituting other liquid sweeteners. Guidelines for inventing your own flavors and printable labels for gift-giving (or just keeping them for yourself) are included.

Enjoy!

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. 9

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

— Made any New Year’s resolutions? Gonna get fit, stop smoking, treat your spouse better, cut down on coffee, etc? I must admit I do not make them, but I think it’s a good idea. It’s always a good idea to set goals (IMO), but I tend to set them at random times throughout the year. My mini-goal for this week is to eat plenty of salads (in addition to the juices I posted) to help cleanse from Holiday foods. As salads are one of my fave things to eat, I don’t see it as some sort of post-Holiday self-torture. Here’s a list of 10 Homemade Salad Dressings (nothing exotic or fancy, just everyday dressings).

— So sorry, I found a lot of typos in the last ‘My Way’ post. I usually find something after I post, but there were quite a few. My eyes can get tired after staring at text for so long. It doesn’t help when the writer is also the editor, lol. I’m sure you will be patient with my mistakes in the future (pretty please?). Thanks for understanding.

— Are you a DIY cook? Take the quiz. It’s from a British site, so some of the questions may be geared a little more towards British culture. I am more of a DIY cook if I have decent space to work in, proper equipment, and accessibility to certain foods (and am not pressed/stressed for time). I am good with space, equipment, and food accessibility (for the most part) right now, but I have had limited resources in the past. In those instances, I tend to rely more on pre-packaged or store-bought items. And, sometimes I buy items that are perhaps better homemade, but they are ‘familiar’ or convenient (items I grew up with a lot of the time). I think many people do that…familiarity can bring comfort sometimes.

— Speaking of familiarity, I was telling my mom I find it odd that companies that sell a lot of processed food (many times not very wholesome) also sell medicine. So, it’s like…after you become sick from eating their unhealthy foods, you can purchase their medicine. And, stores that market a lot of processed and junk foods also have pharmacies. Once you become ill from what you’ve eaten, you can get prescriptions to help you feel better. That’s really one-stop shopping!

— I am not the best at gardening, etc., as I grew up with other folks taking care of things like that. My weeds were getting out of control, so someone gave me a recipe for homemade weed killer: 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of salt, 2 cups of vinegar, and 2 TBSP dish soap. I used this for a while, and it works well. I saw a gentleman just sprinkling salt on his weeds, so I just recently tried that. It rained right afterwards, so I thought all my work had gone to pot. It worked beautifully, though! A great alternative to traditional methods.

— My Holidays were filled with lots of cooking, baking, jam making, and pickling. I made the potatoes recipe I posted for Christmas and absolutely loved it. It was super simple. It had a mixture of tomatoes and olives (which are, of course, faves of mine), but I would have never thought to add raisins. Really different and tasty! I also made a few loaves of the bagel/baguettes as gifts and decided at the last minute to make biscotti. As I’ve said, I don’t bake a lot of confections, but biscotti is fairly easy. I usually just make almond biscotti dipped in chocolate, but I added dried cranberries and orange zest this time (sans chocolate). I took a pic on my kitschy vintage Christmas platter (I inherited it from my step-family, lol). Isn’t Santa cute?

And, I let myself have a small portion of those scrumptious Cranberry-Sage Goat Cheese Crostini and Panettone.

I made individual panettone to help with portion control. I baked some in ‘soup cans’ lined with parchment paper. I used homemade candied citrus peel (with citrus from my grandmother’s tree), dark and golden raisins, and dried cranberries. I was a little heavy-handed with the dried fruit. I used a bagel/baguette for the crostini, so it saved a lot of time. I think I will have to make poviticas another time. I’ve had my fill of heavy foods for now, haha.

— I love to work with wood and collect pieces as I find them. A pallet is ideal for a lot projects, and this link gives a few pointers on disassembling one without injuring yourself.

— Someone gave me a pair of jeans that do not fit, so I’m trying to come up with a way to up-cycle them. I found this link, so I thought I would share it. I particularly like the flip flops, iPad cover, and crop top ideas.

— A few recipes: Roasted Cauliflower Street Tacos, Sugar Snap Pea and Carrot Soba Noodles, Vegan Coconut Butter check out her links for soy-based butters from another site as well, Salmon Noodle Soup, Beer Cheddar Waffles, Chinese Duck Tarts w/ Plum Sauce, Pear-Vanilla Upside-Down Cakes.

‘Til next time!

WhirlwinDISH 26

Still preparing for Turkey Day sans turkey. I think I am favoring this dish for Christmas instead, though: Delicata Squash and Fall Fruits in a Dessert Wine Sauce.

Delicata squash from my local food Co-op inspired this dessert. I have never used it in a sweet preparation before. What started me on the path was having purchased thick and regular rolled oats. I began thinking about a fruit crumble, afterwards thinking about a savory crumble with the squash. Then, I thought about a sweet crumble with the squash. Ultimately, I didn’t use the oatmeal at all and went for this easy stove-top dessert. Many times, dessert wins out in my life!

I must say, this was one of my favorite dessert experiments. I might change the presentation somewhat (a little more refined, perhaps?), but the flavors came together beautifully.

The Prep: I sprinkled a little salt and brown sugar (coconut palm sugar) on the squash and seared them on both sides. Diced apples were also caramelized with a little brown sugar. I made a sauce from water, brown sugar, raw sugar & stevia, homemade dessert wine (as it’s on the sweeter side), lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. I generally just use whatever sweeteners I have at the time for my dishes (like agave, raw sugar, etc.). For some preps, though, I choose to either purposefully use or avoid sweeteners with flavors that are more pronounced (maple, honey, or molasses, etc.). I thought about maple for this prep, but I decided to go with the more subtle brown palm sugar. I used my homemade wine, as it was handy…but, I can think of several wine shop purchases that would be suitable. So, I will change the title to reflect the appropriate wine when I’ve tested it out.

The Stew: I added the squash, apples, dried figs, and raisins to the sauce and let them stew. The squash and fruit were plated, and I drizzled a little bit more of the reduced sauce over the top. As I’ve previously written, I am fasting from butter right now…otherwise, I would have finished with a little at the end. If I wanted to make it more fancy, I would have spiked it and flambéed. Remember I said I love food and drinks on fire!

The Finish: A sprinkling of roasted nuts and pom seeds and a whip of homemade non-fat yogurt with raw coconut butter, vanilla, and raw sugar & stevia.
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Also, just a quick update on veg tamales. Last ‘My Way’ post, I linked to a recipe for vegan tamales, so check it out. I made a couple of batches testing the steam and slow cooker methods from the link. I just switched up my fillings and added a little cumin to the dough (vs. faux beef broth). I probably used less than a quarter of the oil the recipe called for (just regular veg oil), and they turned out fab (in my opinion). Less calories means we can eat more, right 😉 . I was also inspired by another recipe using a black bean chili filling. I used a veggie curry filling for one batch:

and, I used a “breakfast burrito” filling for the other (I told you I was stuck on breakfast burritos 😉 ):

The Veggie Curry: Delicata Squash, Tomato, and Black Bean. Sauce was made from sautéed onion, garlic, and chile, my own curry blend, cinnamon, brown sugar (palm sugar), and apple cider vin. I used the same sauce to top it off with, but added a bit of tomato paste & made it a little sweeter than normal (because I love sweet, as you know).

The “Breakfast Burrito”: Scrambled Eggs, Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Black Beans, Green Bells, and Asparagus. I’m also fasting from cheese, otherwise cheese most assuredly would have been included. Eggs were initially cooked very soft, as to not overcook while the tamale was steaming. Topped with my lacto-fermented salsa.

So many different ingredients and dough combos you can use for tamales. I would like to try some Asian flavors next. I used corn husks to wrap most of the tamales, but decided to test out another method, too. I figured some people reading may not have easy access to corn husks. They are readily available here in the Southwest, but I’m not so sure about other places in the country (or world). I thought making tamales is similar to making sushi, so I used parchment paper and a sushi roll mat to roll a few. I just secured the parchment with a little tape (yes, tape! Like a wrapped package or present). You will not get the texture that the corn husks give the dough, but they cooked up fine. They are also very easy to remove from the paper. If you use the slow cooker method, though, you may want to find a way to put a little water into the pot. The corn husks are soaked in water, so that is enough to provide the steam. Perhaps some slow cookers come with steamer racks like larger electrical roasters? Anyway, I think this is a good makeshift method, and you can probably come up with even more ways. The sushi roll mat may not be absolutely necessary, but it made the rolling very easy. Tamales freeze very well, so it’s nice to make a big batch for when the mood strikes.

My Way, no. 1

I did it my way…The reason I write this blog is to give myself a personal outlet for the many things that come my way in life. I find it to be a soothing process. There are so many random things I come across, though, so I decided to combine them into semi-regular posts. Some will be happy and delightful things, some sad and heart-wrenching, some will perhaps be things I find frustrating, and some things will just be. Consolidating these various thoughts will save me quite a bit of time (instead of writings posts for each individual subject). And, it will give me a chance to update you on all of the things I am doing (or hope to do). Hopefully, you will find a few things that interest you along the way – my way.

— Have I told you how much I love my local food co-op, Food Conspiracy? I really feel so blessed by becoming a member/owner. The staff is top notch and just a stellar group of people. I need to do a ‘To Market to Market’ post on them sometime soon. Their social page has a wealth of info, and I found that October is National Co-op Month. If you are not currently connected with a food co-op, you might check into availability in your area. October is also Non-GMO Month.

— I have continued on the smoothie bender that started after my Pomegranate Brunch. Now I have been making a carrot cake smoothie every day! I adapted it from the 2nd carrot cake smoothie recipe in my Dessert Smoothies post. I love it so much, I actually took the time to write down the ingredients. It’s so filling. Here’s what I’ve been putting in it:
1/2 C. Bananas, sliced, then frozen
1 C. Carrots, sliced, then frozen
2 Pitted Prunes, chopped
3 TBSP Rolled Oats
1/4 C. Homemade Non-Fat Yogurt (not drained of whey)
6 fl. oz Whey (drained from homemade yogurt)
2-3 Whole Almonds
1 tsp Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp Raw Coconut Butter
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp Fresh Ginger, grated
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
Whole Nutmeg, few gratings

— Just wow…take a look at this Victorian Steampunk Computer.

— No easy way to say this…The continuing story about the 43 students in Mexico has had me in tears. It’s a difficult subject for me to write about. I will just ask that everyone pray for all involved and the country as a whole.

— After making my Coconut Moscow Mule Frozen Yogurt, I’ve been thinking of ways to use ginger beer syrup (made from the homemade concentrate). Pancakes come to mind, drizzled over other frozen treats, maybe over fish or chicken (or bacon!), and I used it as the flavor base for a batch of granola.

— I made these fried green tomatoes (from my local Asian Market) with spicy blue cornmeal. I thought to test them out for Thanksgiving, but I’m not so sure about the color. It might be too different for others. They had a bit of red in them. FGT are one of my most pleasant food memories from childhood. (Pic’d with homemade blue corn-almond chips & lacto-fermented salsa.)

— This article on mental health made me sad, but I thought it was very informative: http://thelamron.com/2014/10/24/fame-excuse-media-exploit-mental-illness/

— A couple of recipes that are calling to me: Whole Wheat Pumpkin Ale Donuts, Sticky Gingerbread Puddings with Ginger Wine & Brandy Sauce.

I have created a separate menu category for these posts if you wish to check them out in the future. This blog theme has a hidden menu that you can find by clicking the 3 lines in the upper right hand corner of the screen.

See you next time!

Recipes: Dessert Smoothies

While the temps were in the 100s here in Tucson, I probably only made smoothies a couple of times. Now, after my pomegranate brunch, I have been making them every day. I have actually made that same combo of pom, lime, apple, and banana several times. My ‘normal’ routine is to eat whole fruit for breakfast, then whatever strikes my fancy for the rest of the day. Most days, at least one banana is included in that routine. So, they have made up the base for many of my smoothies. I previously did not care for the flavor of banana in smoothies, but my tastes have changed. Sometimes, I use my homemade yogurt for a little pro-pro boost.

I usually freestyle my smoothies with what I have on hand, but I thought I would round up a few recipes to post. Even if you don’t use the exact ingredients, you can keep them in the back of your mind (for when you feel like whipping one up). Sometimes, I use smoothies to cover the flavor of supplements like meal replacements, etc. I did that for this one:

It was made with banana, coconut butter, apple, lime, carrots, pom, vanilla, mint, beet, and a vegan meal replacement powder. I could still taste the ‘powdery-ness’ of the powder, but the overall flavor was yummy.

If you are having a brunch, you can make up a few different flavors and put them in shot glasses kept on ice. I took a pic of this one in a shot glass:

I was craving peanut butter & banana, but I didn’t have any peanut butter. So, I subbed roasted tahini, and added flax, vanilla, raw agave, and a pinch of vitamin powder. I just added the agave because I have a sweet tooth, but I’m sure it would have been fine without it. It was delish! (I usually don’t garnish my smoothies for my everyday drinks. I just did for these because I decided to take pics 😉 ).

As I do indeed have that sweet tooth, I thought smoothie recipes based on popular desserts would be fun. Hope you enjoy these!

Carrot Cake Smoothie

One more Carrot Cake Smoothie

Eggnog Smoothie

Apple Pie Smoothie

Red Velvet Smoothie

Key Lime Pie Smoothie

Banana Cream Pie Smoothie

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Smoothie

Cinnamon Bun Smoothie

Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie

Another Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie

Caramel Apple Protein Smoothie