Tuesday Recipe: Pumpkin Farro Risotto with Roasted Winter Veggies

Last October, I tried this recipe for my yearly #PunkinChunkin / #31DaysofPumpkin from
Vegetarian Ventures and loved it! Of course, I would, because I sub'd in PUMPKIN! One could easily substitute their fave winter root veggies instead of my beloved orange gourd. 
Shelly Westerhausen is a foodie and food photographer with impeccable taste! I look forward to her emails tempting me to get creative in the kitchen! Oh, by the way, she is the genius of two cookbooks on my wish list and both may be purchased on Amazon or other online booksellers. The Platters and Boards book is the current #1 Best Seller and will have you looking like a pro during upcoming holiday entertaining! Check 'em out for yourself after the recipe or scroll to the bottom for your next cookbook!

PUMPKIN FARRO RISOTTO with ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLES

For the Roasted Veggies:

• 2 cups Pumpkin and/or winter veggies (carrots, potatoes, beets, sweet potatoes, etc.), chopped or cubed 
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika (I don't know how I lived without this stuff for so long!)
• opt: S&P, to taste

For the Farro:

• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil (+ more for finishing)
• 1 Tbsp Sage Leaves, chopped (+ more for finishing)
• 1 small Onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups Pearled Farro
• 1/4 cups Dry White Wine / Cooking Wine (You can even find this at Walmart)
• 3 cups Water
• 1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree (not the pumpkin "pie")
• 2 Tbsp Hard Cheese (purchase already shredded, vegetarian is another option)
• 1 tsp Thyme, chopped
• opt: S&P, to taste
• opt: Hazelnut Oil (I didn't have this, but don't let that stop you! I suppose, you could actually get creative, here, by adding chopped hazelnuts when toasting the faro or at the end for finishing!)

Instructions for the Roasted Veggies:

• Preheat oven to 375* and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a Silpat.
• Toss veggies in 1 T Olive Oil Smoked Paprika and S&P (salt & pepper) and transfer to the lined baking sheet in an even layer.
• Roast 30 minutes, flipping halfway through or until the veggies are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Remove from oven and set aside.

Instructions for the Farro:

• Heat Olive Oil and Sage over medium heat in a large pan or skillet.
• Add Farro and let toast... watching carefully so as not to scorch... stir often, for 1 minute-ish. (It would be totally creative to toast chopped hazelnuts at this time, too).
• Add Onion and cook until opaque / translucent, stirring often for 5 minutes.
• Add cooking wine and cook until absorbed, again -- stirring often, about 2 minutes.
• Add Water,  1 CUP AT A TIME, stirring yet some more until most of the water is absorbed before adding the next cup of water. Continue until farro is soft and creamy, about 30 minutes.
• Stir-in Pumpkin Puree for a couple more minutes to heat it up.
• Remove from heat and add the Thyme (and hazelnut oil).
• Top with Roasted Veggies or Roasted PUMPKIN and season, to taste, with S&P (salt & pepper)
• Serve right away with more chopped Sage, cheese, toasted chopped hazelnuts and a drizzle of olive oil!

GO PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD! But, first, check out Shelly's books...

-Click this Link-

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Roasted Salsa Verde

This weekend, we will be in Oklahoma City for my mom-in-law's wedding! After ten years of being a self-sufficient widow and working in Braum's Market, Mom is at her cash register when Mr. Henson walks into Braum's, again, acting like he needs to make a purchase, but really wanting to strike up a conversation with her. Before he leaves, a dinner date has been made!

Any time we make plans to head beyond the Mississippi River, I get a strong hankering for TexMex Cantina Food! Last night, I food-prepped a crockpot of Vegetarian Pozole in which the recipe calls for roasting the tomatillos with onion, garlic and poblano peppers. That's when I was glad I had purchased an extra pound of tomatillos! The same ingredients are used for the salsa verde to top Forks Over Knives Portobello Mushroom Tacos in 2013; however, this time I roasted them in the oven under the broiler giving the dish a rustic flavor with the slight charring.

Don't be intimidated by the tomatillos. The husk is easy to unwrap from the green tomatillo which looks like an immature tomato and the skin is a smidge sticky. You want a firm tomatillo.

This recipe requires either a blender or a food processor.

ROASTED SALSA VERDE

Gather & Prep:
1 lb Tomatillos, husk and sliced in halves or quarters
1 large Yellow Onion, peeled, quartered and the layers separated
4 to 6 Garlic cloves (not the whole bulb, just the cloves on the bulb) peeled
2-3 Poblano Peppers or 1-2 Jalapeño Peppers, stemmed, seeded and either halved or quartered. You control how much or little heat you want.

Toss together in a large bowl with a drizzle of: 
2-3 tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
1 tablespoon Chili Powder

These ingredients are needed for the end processing:
1 bunch Cilantro
2 Limes, zested and juiced
opt: Mesquite or Hickory Liquid Smoke
opt: Salt

• Move oven rack to about 4-6 inches away from the top broiler.
• Turn oven's top broiler to 550*.
• Line baking sheet pan with foil.
• After you've tossed the veggies, together, with the oil mixture; pour veggies onto lined baking sheet.
• Place under the broiler and set timer to 5 minutes. Yes, it will smoke!
• After 5 minutes, pull rack and use tongs to turn over the tomatillos and all of the veggies to cook and char the opposite side.
• Set timer for 5-7 more minutes. You have control over how much charring you'd like!

While the veggies broil: 

• Chop the cilantro in halves or thirds to prevent the stems wrapping around the blades of the blender or processor.
• Zest and juice the limes

When the veggies are ready:

• Remove from the broiler and let cool for just a couple of minutes.
• When cool enough to handle, unpeel the foil from the edges of the sheet pan and use to funnel the veggies into your food processor or blender. **If using a blender, be sure to use a towel to hold the lid down. The warm veggies might build steam during the blending and explode the lid! Yes, I have had this happen!
• Add the cilantro, lime zest and juice to the food processor or blender with the veggies. 
• Optionally, this is when I add the splash of liquid smoke. I do not add salt until I taste the final product on a salted tortilla chip! Rarely do I ever add salt to salsa because of the salty chips.
• Pulse the food processor or blender until desired consistency.
• Enjoy immediately or pour into lidded container to place in fridge!

See?! Wasn't that easy?! You've unhusked the mystery to those cute, little tomatillos and made fresh, whole food for your family to "mmmmm" over! Fresh is best, especially when you control the ingredients! Let me know how your Roasted Salsa Verde turned out!

Tuesday Recipe: PUMPKIN SOUP

Every October I do #PunkinChunkin #31DaysOfPumpkin as a fun expo of all things pumpkin and squash and pumpkin spice. I try the newest packaged food, restaurant offerings and other pumpkiny products giving my two-cents-worth of opinion. Going with the creative flow, I try out recipes or generate some of my own concoctions.

Momma wasn't feeling too perky and I was getting pretty hungry, so we needed a quick-fix dinner. Time to either get creatively nutritious or run through the drive-thru for something not good for us. I tend to prepare to the size of the pot and end up with way too much food. So, I chose the smaller pan to limit the recipe and here's what popped out of the pot...

PUMPKIN SOUP

2 cups 100% Pumpkin (not the pie filling)
1 cup Almond Milk (or your choice of "milk")
32 ozs Vegetable Broth (the entire package)
2 Shallots, thinly sliced (or a small mild, sweet onion like Vidalia)
1 tablespoon Olive Oil, your choice
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
**optional: 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
**optional: 1/2 teaspoon Curry Powder
Salt, to taste
**optional: Sriracha Sauce, added to each bowl, to taste

Note:  I did not have a clove of garlic to sauté with the onion, but the veggie broth had enough essence of garlic for this recipe.

• Sauté thinly sliced shallots (and garlic, if you choose) in just a little Olive Oil until transparent.
• Add spices to shallots and slowly stir-in "milk" and broth and maple syrup.
• Spoon-in pumpkin stirring until loosened.
• Let simmer.
• Salt, to taste.
• If you want a velvety bisque, use an immersion blender to zip all ingredients down.
• If you don't mind the thinly sliced shallots (or onions & garlic), just stir occasionally making sure the soup doesn't scorch on the bottom.
• Serve with a good bread and perhaps a dollop of sour cream. ENJOY!

Tip: Each person can add the curry or sriracha to their bowl. Add a little at a time and taste.

Go play with your food!

Recipe: Apple Betty Bites

I feel as summer gives way to fall, there is a monthly order to my food. September is for apples and candy corn! It's a natural progression! Next month, I will consume more pumpkin and pumpkin spice than any one human should be allowed.

I know, you're rolling your eyes. But, I bet you have an order for preferred special delights. 

Momma, known as "Granny" to our son, recently moved to Tennessee to share our home, which makes for cooking magic! Yesterday, we celebrated the arrival of autumn in name only, because it's still 93-freaking degrees, and mixed up some snack bites using her favorite apple, the Granny Smith. 

APPLE BETTY BITES
(or Apple Pie Bites or Granny's Granny Smith Bites)

1 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Oats (...not quick-cooking)
3/4 cup Nut Butter (We used creamy peanut butter.)
3/4 to 1 cup Granny Smith Apple, grated
1/2 cup Nuts, finely chopped (We chose walnuts, because the other option was almonds)
1/2 cup Flax Seed (We used the whole seed instead of ground, because ground tends to suck the moisture right of nut butters.)
1/3-ish cup Louisiana Honey (Momma brought some with her.)
2 tablespoons Chia Seeds (...because I love the little "pop" when you bite into them.)
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (I imagine freshly scraped vanilla seeds would taste amazing!)
1/2 - 3/4-ish teaspoon Cinnamon, to taste

• Shred or grate the apple using a box grater. One apple didn't warrant me pulling out the food processor. Know what I mean?
• Using a spatula or a mixer, stir all ingredients together until completely combined.
• Your choice, cover and chill for, at least, 30 minutes -OR- skip to next step...
• Using a 1" scoop is much faster and less messy than rolling each 1" ball between your hands. As you scoop, release onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet and transfer to either the fridge or freezer.
• Once chilled or frozen, store in airtight container, separating each layer of bites with parchment.
• Yes, parchment paper was invented by God.
• Great to pop into your mouth when you need a little something or a little energy!

Tips:

• Use your choice of nut butter, keeping in mind some butters are drier than others requiring more honey.
• Speaking of honey... to make these little bites plant-based, use Agave! We did not have enough Agave for this recipe; thus, the honey from Louisiana.
• You could totally dust the top of the bites with cinnamon prior to chilling or freezing!

Go play with your food! Then, let me know how your bites turned out or how you changed up the recipe!

---"Sam"

Broccoli, Pumpkin & Peanut Stir-fry

During autumn, local Farmer's Markets will have pumpkins of all shapes, colors and uses. Be sure to ask him or her for the most flavorFULL for your recipes and which is best for carving the jack-o-lantern for decorating your porch!

Lenise, my friend from church, gifted me with Basmati Rice from India! I couldn't wait to stay home long enough to get creative in the kitchen using the fragrant rice. A rice cooker is my preference while cooking the veggies, because it will automatically cut-off and I don't have to babysit a pot of rice. WINNING!

For this stir-fry recipe, I diced a little more than 1 cup of the cute little Sugar Pie Pumpkin and roasted the rest to be used, later, for other recipes. Stir-fry is a quick cooking dish perfect for after work. Taking only a few minutes, the veggies cook until slightly softened. If including meat or tofu with this dish, prepare and cook before the veggies.

Broccoli and Pumpkin Stir-fry

1 Onion, diced

1 cup Pumpkin, peeled & diced

2-3 cloves Garlic, minced

1-3 large Carrots, peeled & cut

1-2 large Broccoli heads/bunches, cut into florets a.k.a. "little trees"

8 oz sliced, fresh Mushrooms

1-2 tablespoons Oil (coconut or olive)

For "heat" - Red Pepper Flakes  -OR-  Sriracha

Creamy Peanut Butter & Low Sodium Soy Sauce  -OR-  Chinese Brown Sauce (scroll toward bottom of this post)

Basmati Rice

(optional: Extra Firm Tofu drained and large diced, Chicken or other meat thinly sliced)

• Heat oil in large skillet to medium high.
• Sauté onion, pumpkin and carrots until slightly softened. Keep stirring to prevent scorching.
• Add garlic, broccoli and mushrooms. Keep stirring to prevent scorching.
• Here's when you add your choice of sauce. Turn down the heat. Pour in enough soy sauce to cover the bottom of the skillet and stir in a big glob of creamy peanut butter  --OR-- use Chinese Brown Sauce in the place of soy sauce. Because veggies are different sizes, just play around with measurements until your veggies are coated and the consistency is where you like it!
• Add heat...if you're not a wuss!
• Serve over cooked Basmati Rice and garnish with chopped peanuts.
• Enjoy!

NOTE: If using meat, cook in heated skillet, then set aside and add before serving

Chinese Brown Sauce

(Forks Over Knives... I've subbed in Molasses & Corn starch)

1/3 cup Low-sodium Soy Sauce

1/3 cup Vegetable Stock

1/4 cup Molasses

1 tablespoon Grated Ginger or Ginger Paste

2 cloves Garlic, peeled & minced

1-2 teaspoons (or more) Corn Starch, dissolved in cold orange juice (water or pineapple juice would work, too)

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened. If there are any left-overs, serve with meal or store refrigerated in airtight container.

OK! Go Play with Your Food!

October Skillet Hash

October Skillet Hash with Fire Roasted Tomatoes

Right up there with Christmas in December is my other favorite, ALL THINGS PUMPKIN in October!

As a foodie, I get pretty excited about ways to enjoy the little plump squash. From sweet to savory to seeds to spice, I think it's tasty, healthy and the color is pretty nice! Today's recipe is a spin on a previous recipe, Veggie Skillet Hash, originally posted in October, 2013.

So, how did I change it up? Three ways: I added diced pumpkin and sweet potatoes in my little cast iron skillet while my hubby's skillet had chicken. The third way is by listening to a reader of my blog (and sister kitchen-ninja) when she suggested I add Fire Roasted Tomatoes for that "extra juiciness." Sorry, it took me so long to get there!

October Skillet Hash

1 large, Onion, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh Rosemary leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh Thyme leaves
1 teaspoon ground Sage
3-4 Red Skin Potatoes (or whatever ya got), diced
1 cup Pumpkin, diced (or substitute butternut squash)
1 small Sweet Potato, peeled & diced
1 (15 oz) can Cannellini or White Navy Beans (whatever ya got), drained & rinsed
1-2 cups Kale, large stems removed & leaves coarse chopped
1-2 cans Fire Roasted Tomatoes
S&P, to taste
Red Pepper Flakes
Olive Oil
(optional: 1-2 chicken breasts, sliced thinly)

...and before Fire Roasted Toms were added.

Because my hubby doesn't care for pumpkin nor sweet potatoes, but wants meat, I divided some of the ingredients between the two cast iron skillets.

• Sauté onion and red bell pepper over medium heat in olive oil or splash(es) of water until just getting soft.
• Add garlic, herbs, diced potatoes, pumpkin and rinsed beans. Cook slowly --don't rush-- until taters and pumpkin are fork-tender, approx 20 minutes.
• Add kale, seasonings and fire roasted tomatoes and continue cooking until kale wilts and skillet is bubbly!

Serve with a good bread or cornbread or crackers, even! Enjoy!

Tip: If you have left-overs, the taters and pumpkin may soak up the "extra juiciness." Re-saucy with a little bit of water or veggie broth.

Go Play with Your Food!

"Sam"

Tomato Pie

People accuse me of eating "weird things." Simply not true. 

For the most part, I consume fruits, veggies and grains. Quinoa is a grain similar in preparation to rice or oats. Occasionally, my plant-based protein smoothie will be green from veggie powder or purple from blueberries or brown from cocoa powder. Tofu can be seasoned, baked and added to a dish instead of meat. My homemade hummus is made from chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans)... as is the store-bought hummus. My favorite cheat food is seafood. I can devour a hefty portion of turkey at Thanksgiving! So how is that "weird?" I thought tomato gravy sounded weird when I was a kid, but it is not!


Although this recipe may sound "weird" to you, it's one of those the old timers would eat because they grew their own food, both plant and animal! Now, it's a little updated from Braum's Fresh Market headquartered in Oklahoma City!

The tip is to find flavor-FULL heirloom tomatoes. Take cash and shop your local Farmer's Market! You'll thank me, later!


Tomato Pie

3-4 large Tomatoes, peeled and sliced
1/4 to 1/2 cup of Fresh Basil leaves, cut into strips
1 Tablespoon of Fresh Oregano, finely chopped
3-4 Green Onions, greens and whites sliced 
1 cup Mozzarella, shredded/grated
1 cup Colby Jack, shredded/grated
1/4 to 1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded/grated (not the powdered pizza stuff)
1 cup Mayonnaise (I used a Vegan mayo infused with truffle oil)
S&P

Bake on a cookie sheet lined
with parchment or a Silpat

Your Choice: 1 pre-baked pie crust shell (9 inch or deep dish) OR a pie crust which has been unrolled, formed into a pie pan, fork-pricked, baked & cooled before assembling the pie. I used a frozen deep dish pie crust which I thawed, pricked the bottom with a fork and baked.

• If pie crust is not pre-baked, follow instructions on package. Let cool.
• Preheat oven 350*.
• Peel tomatoes using the hot simmering water method (scroll to bottom of post) prior to slicing.
• When toms are cool enough to handle, slice and place in colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes.
• Layer the tomatoes slices in baked pie shell. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and green onions. Season with pepper.
• In a separate bowl, combine all 3 cheeses with mayonnaise and spread mixture on top of toms to the pie shell.
• Bake for 30-45 minutes until lightly browned. (Keep a watch on it, because nobody likes burned cheese.)



Isn't she pretty!

• Let set for 10 minutes prior to slicing.

Serve with a side salad of gathered greens or a bean salad.

Note: Made with real cheese, this dish is considered "vegetarian." I'm anxious to try it with Miyoko's Artisan Cultured Vegan Cheese! Yeah, I know... that sounds "weird."

How do ya peel a tomato with boiled water?

Slice an "X" on the bottom side of the tomato skin and lower into a pot of simmering (not boiling) water. Allow to "bathe" for about 30 seconds to 2 minutes depending upon the personality of the tomato! Lift with strainer or slotted spoon and let cool in a bowl or colander in the sink. Then, slip the peel from the meat of the tomato!

GO PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD & LET ME KNOW HOW IT TURNED OUT! 

--"Sam"

Israeli Couscous with Roasted Chickpeas & Veggies

I cannot tell a lie. This is not my creation. 

Samantha, a participant in my REFIT with Sam i Am class, blessed me with a free box from HelloFRESH, a weekly home-delivery meal planning company. There are three different plans: Classic, Veggie and Family with each serving 2-4 persons. For us, I found it easier to order the Vegetarian adding meat, at home, to my hubby's portion. Each box arrives with fresh ingredients for 3 different meals and laminated recipe cards! You control the spice and seasonings. I think this would be an excellent idea for vacations where you have access to a kitchen. Simply pack or purchase the basic supplies, like olive oil, butter and your fave kitchen knife. Then, have your HelloFRESH box delivered to your vacation home for the week!

Israeli Couscous with Roasted Chickpeas & Veggies


1 Zucchini
1 cup Heirloom Grape Tomatoes
Olive Oil (or your favorite oil)
Fresh Thyme
2 Green Onions (a.k.a Scallions)
2 Cloves Garlic
The juice of 1 Lemon
1 can Chickpeas (a.k.a. Garbanzo Beans)
1-2 tablespoons Smoked Paprika
2 tablespoons Butter
1 1/2 cups Israeli Couscous
1 1/2 cups Veggie Stock
Feta Cheese Crumbles
Black Pepper

• Heat oven to 425*.
• Trim zucchini and cut into 1/2" cubes. Halve tomatoes. Strip thyme leaves from steps. Discard stems. Thinly slice green onions, keeping green portion separate from white portion. Mince garlic. Halve lemon.
• Toss zucchini cubes, tomato halves and half of the thyme leaves in a drizzle of olive oil. Season with black pepper. Spread on one end of a cookie sheet lined with either parchment paper or a Silpat® (my preference). THEN...
• Rinse and drain chickpeas in a strainer under running water to remove extra salt and that weird starch-gel. Toss in olive oil and smoked paprika and black pepper. Spread chickpeas on the other end of the lined cookie sheet from the veggies.
• Roast 425* for 20 minutes, tossing or stirring everything around about halfway through. Chickpeas may pop in the oven, which is natural!
• While veggies are roasting, prepare Israeli Couscous...
• Heat butter, minced garlic and scallion whites in a skillet over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes, add dry couscous and remaining thyme and black pepper. Cook, tossing or stirring until couscous is lightly toasted about 3-4 minutes. Watch the skillet. The browning butter could burn quickly. Any bits stuck to skillet will be deglazed in the next step.
• Stir 1 1/2 cups veggie stock into skillet. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer until couscous is al dente (like pasta) 10-12 minutes.
• When the veggies are roasted and the couscous is ready, stir together with the juice of 1 lemon and as much feta as you desire. 
• Serve with feta and green scallions (a.k.a the tops) sprinkled on top.
• ENJOY! 

TIPS: 

• You can easily make this dish vegan by omitting the feta cheese and substituting your fave oil or vegan butter in place of the dairy butter.
• Also, if you or your family are meat eaters, this works well as a side dish to either chicken or fish!

GO PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD... and check out HelloFRESH!

Tuesday Recipe: Orzo & Roasted Veggie Bake

(served in my grandma's china)

My momma does not claim to be a "good cook." Where she gets this, I'll never know because she learned from her mother who was a wonderful Southern cook. Perhaps, it's that perceived mystery where everything Mom makes tastes so much better, including PB&J. 

Somewhere amid her cookbooks and notebooks and recipe box with cards dating back to before I was born, Mom found this. The flavors just work and, because we are a Lou'siana family, we add fresh Gulf Shrimp! No leftovers, guaranteed.

Orzo & Roasted Veggie Bake

1 lb/bunch Asparagus, trimmed to 1" pieces (do not use the fibrous, woody cut-end)
3 Bell Peppers, diced - red, green and orange makes a dish tasty to the eyes
6 Green Onions OR 1 Vidalia Onion, diced
1 medium Zucchini, round-sliced
1 cup Grape Tomatoes, whole, OR Cherry Toms, halved
4 T Olive Oil, divided
1-2 cloves of Garlic, crushed or minced
1 tablespoon Greek or Italian Seasoning
S&P, to taste
1 cup dry Orzo (I found whole wheat, but have used the other, too)
2 cups Vegetable Broth
3/4 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
*optional: shrimp

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Prep veggies. Toss well with 2 T of Olive Oil, garlic, seasoning, S&P.
• Roast seasoned veggies on parchment or Silpat (easy cleaning) for 30 minutes or until tender.
• While veggies roast, sauté dry orzo in remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan or skillet until brown. This gives the orzo a nutty, earthy flavor. The process reminded me of the old Rice-a-Roni!
• Add broth, bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover with lid cooking until liquid is absorbed.
• Add cooked orzo to roasted veggies (and shrimp, if
  
  using). Gently mix well.
• Pour into a large casserole dish.
• Sprinkle Feta cheese over top. Cover with foil. 
• Bake 30-ish minutes, making sure shrimp is cooked.
• Serve hot with an extra sprinkling of Feta + a good Olive Bread and seasoned olive oil for dipping!

Notes:
**Swap in any veggies you prefer: Diced Butternut squash, Brussel Sprouts, Parsnips or Carrots!
**Omitting the shrimp and Feta makes this vegan or Plant-based.
**Let your taste create a new dish with the meat of your choice, but you'll need to know when to add the meat.
**Our side was Graber Olives from California. I found them, again, in Tennessee at The Fresh Martket!

Play with your food!

What's your take on this recipe? 
Have you ever served dipping olive oil?

Tuesday Recipe: Hummus

Hummus is all the tasty rage and has as many variations as it does ways to eat it! Interestingly, many think it is made either from nuts or from some exotic ingredient. Nope! It's made from stuff you can toss in the buggy-basket from your local grocer. The key is to have a food processor.

Cilantro & Jalapeño / Chilis Hummus

1-2 cans of Chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans), drained & rinsed.
2-3 cloves Garlic
Fresh Cilantro, coarsely chopped (including stems) the chopping of the stems prevents them wrapping around the center of your processing blade.
4 oz can Green Chiles or 1 Jalapeño, chopped with seeds
Olive Oil
1-2 Limes, zest and juice
Salt
Water

• Toss all ingredients except oil and water into processor and click on high speed.
• While it is processing, pour olive oil and some water down shoot until the hummus starts to look creamy. Alternately, scrape down the sides.
• Taste, add salt. Does it need more oil or water for a creamy texture?
• Store in lidded container in fridge! 
• Serve with tortilla chips or veggie sticks!

Suggested Variations: 

• Hummus with Sun Dried Tomatoes & Pine Nuts, omitting cilantro and jalapeño. Make sure your pine nuts are fresh; otherwise, you may get a metallic taste...for days.
• Hummus with Cilantro, Sriracha & Pepperdews, one of my faves, but it looks kinda gross.
• What about Hummus with Walnut Oil? Truffle Oil? 
• Hummus with Lemon & Basil -- It's next on my #playwithyourfood list!

Go #playwithyourfood to create your own hummus and let me know how it turns out!

Tuesday Recipe: Shrapnel Dip

When good friends get together, there's good food to go with the fun. Why bother with the plates when the party can happen standing around the kitchen island loaded with fare that brings us together? 

"Mmmm!"
"That is sooo yummy!"
"Oh my goodness!"
"I gotta have this recipe!"

One dish that had us hanging over the bowl scooping with tortilla chips was texted to me while hanging over the bowl scooping with tortilla chips! Thanks, Gabs! Now, you can hang over the bowl scooping with tortilla chips laughing it up with friends!

Shrapnel Dip

1 can White Beans (like navy beans)
1 can Black Beans
2 cans Green Giant Steam Crisp Corn! (Trust me on this!)
1-2 Avocados, diced
1-2 Red or Orange Bell Peppers, diced (Because they're pretty!)
Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, halved & quartered
Cilantro, leaves only chopped
Fresh Lime Zest & Juice
Salt & Pepper, to taste
optional: 2 Tablespoons Red Onion, finely chopped (None for me.)


Choose the sauce... What brings it all together depends on your tastebuds. I experimented with 4 different options, all to taste and texture:
(1) 3-4 Limes, zest and juice (My fave!); or
(2) Italian Dressing; or
(3) Wish-Bone Balsamic Vinaigrette; or
(4) NEW! Wish-Bone E.V.O.O. Dressing Lemon Herb (What I went with for an after party!)

• Drain AND Rinse beans and corn together in colander. Then, PAT DRY to remove excess liquid. Ain't nobody got time for soggy chip.
• Gently mix all veggies, cilantro and lime zest together.
• Squeeze lime juice over the veggie mixture.
• Decide which sauce choice to gently fold into the veggie mixture.
• Serve with tortilla chips!

Here's an idea... add a finely chopped jalapeño for some heat!

Go #playwithyourfood!

Budino

Don't think healthy = Dessert? Think, again!

This is a BUDINO (boo-deen-oh). --->

It's like a weird looking pudding. But, looks can be deceiving. This budino is sweet and loaded with powerful chia seeds and protein! I had my first budino at LYFE Kitchen in Memphis, Tennessee. The flavor and texture were delightfully unique and vegan, so I decided to make it at home! 



Pictured are two different budinos in process: Banana Coconut Budino made with lite coconut milk and my spin on the recipe using the new offering from Naked® Nutmilk, which comes in Peachy Almond and Berry Almond, both of which are Non-GMO verified and responsibly harvested and packaged!








Budino

1 can of Coconut Milk -OR- 1 container of Naked® Nutmilk
1/3 cup of Chia Seeds (add more or less to suit your desired texture, next time)
2 Tablespoons Agave or Honey (my opinion is Naked® doesn't need it)
optional: 1-2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Coconut flakes

• Mix the above ingredients
• Place in airtight (lidded) container in fridge overnight. The next day, the chia should have gelled the mixture into the pudding or budino! 
• Garnish with complimentary fruit and nuts and spices!

Let your creative juices flow with taste combos! Let me know how your budino turned out!

Go #playwithyourfood!

Tuesday Recipe: Aloo Gobi

Aloo (Potato) Gobi (Cauliflower) is an 

inexpensive "dry" curry for anyone who would like to change up their typical midweek menu! The list of ingredients may seem long, but it's just a simple teaspoon, here and there, to taste.

My husband loved how the house smelled and decided he wanted the curry over rice as opposed to quinoa, which was my choice. I happened to have Saffron Jasmine Rice! Also, after stirring the curry, he mentioned more sauce would be more to his liking. No problem! I added 1 small can of tomato paste and thinned down with vegetable broth and additional Indian spices! Mmmmm!

Aloo Gobi Curry

(adapted from Forks Over Knives, pg 179)

1 medium Yellow Onion, peeled & diced

Ginger (1 T of fresh grated or 1/2 t ground)

2 cloves Garlic, peeled & minced

Small Jalapeño, seeded & minced

Thanks to friends for the garden tomatoes!

2 medium Tomatoes, diced (I used a can of diced toms + fresh garden toms)

1 medium head Cauliflower, cut/plucked into florets

1 lb Potatoes, 1/2" dice or coarse chunks

1 teaspoon ground Cumin

1 teaspoon ground Coriander

1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric (which gives the curry it's beautiful color)

1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground Cloves (Don't skip this ingredient - It's the deal maker!)

2 Bay Leaves

Salt, to taste

optional:  1 small can Tomato Paste

optional: Vegetable Broth

optional: Cilantro, coarse chopped

• Sauté onion over medium heat; 7-10 mins
• Add ginger, garlic and jalapeño; 3-5 mins
• Add tomato, cauliflower, potatoes, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, turmer, cloves and bay leaves. Cook, covered for 10 mins, until veggies are tender.
• **IF you choose a wet curry, add the tomato paste and thin with vegetable broth. Simmer for 3-5 mins.
• Remove the bay leaves. Serve over rice or fave grain.

Remember, cooking is a subjective taste with an objective of enjoying your meal. You know your taste and the preferences of your family... Go play with your food!