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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
I am so sorry that I have ben out for a while. I told many that my week flew by like crazy and then I realized tonight that my weekend almost never existed! Sigh…
This semester I joined two choirs at MSU. I have gotten to know the conducting students there through Ryan and have been asked to be a part of their ensembles for their upcoming recital and concerts. This means my schedule gets a little more busier than before, but it also means seeing my husband alot more and singing a lot more too! In addition to this I am also still singing in the Holland Chorale which is a group that Ryan directs. We find ourselves travelling alot to Holland, which ends up being a 1.5 hour commute 2 to 3 times a week. Ryan and I have agreed though that even though it is a long trek, we have gotten in a lot of conversation time. I will take that you know. SO, due to our frequent trips to Holland, I have not been able to cook much since Thursday! ;( So sad! Despite that, I still have several recipes I need to post that I have created or made in the past few weeks.
Last week was almost about salads for lunch. I watched a DVD on raw foods and have been stumbling on blogs talking about raw foods. I decided to try a recipe for myself and eat it for a lunch. I made Not Tuna Paté which is supposed to taste like a tuna salad /paté. It was a winner in my books! It was soooo good and tasty. All I did then is grab 2 cups of greens, chop up some radishes, add some cherry tomatoes and cut up some pumpernickel croutons. Take a look at the picture:
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Not Tuna Paté
from Raw-Food Cuisine
Makes 1 cup, 2 servings
1/2 cup soaked raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup soaked raw almonds
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons minced celery
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 tablespoon minced parsley
Place the sunflower seeds, almonds, water, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor fitted with the S-blade and process into a paste. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the celery, onion, and parsley and pulse briefly, just to mix. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Not Tuna Paté will keep for one week.
Wednesday night I mentioned that I was making individual pot pies. I have only made a vegan Shepherd’s Pie before but not a vegan Pot Pie, so I was looking forward to the challenge. Come to find out that it is not Ryan’s favorite meal in general, but he was a dear and ate anyway and taste tested it for me. I read about the original pot pie and what its filling usually contained and decided I take a different turn and give it a personality. Enjoy the recipe!
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Individual Indian Pot Pies
my creation
serves 2
2 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 cup frozen peas and carrots
2 cups turnip greens, chopped
1 small onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp arrowroot powder (thickening agent)
2 Boca Chik’n patties, cut in 1/2 inch chunks
1.5 cups soy milk
1 cup hot water
1/2 vegan bouillon cube
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
Recipe for pastry pie crust
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
5 Tbsp cold water
2 mini soup crocks
Prepare pie crust:
In a small bowl mix the flour and salt. Add shortening and with a pastry cutter, cut shortening in flour until flour resembles small crumbs.
Add 1 Tbsp of cold water at a time and with a fork bring flour mixture together. Use hands to form dough.
Knead on a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in four parts. Roll and flatten each dough ball with a rolling pin until close to a 1/2 inch thick.
Layer each crock pot with one flattened dough. Reserve 2 other flattened doughs for the top layer.
Filling:
Preheat over to 425 degrees Farenheit.
Heat olive oil on medium sauce pan and fry onions, garlic and peas/carrot mixture. Add arrowroot powder to vegetables until well-coated.
Dissolve bouillon cube in 1 cup of water and add to the vegetable mixture along with the soy milk. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes until the liquid has thickened.
Add turnip greens and chik’n patties and spices and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add mixture into each soup crock and cover with the second pie pastry layer and seal ends.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Place each crock on a cookie sheet to prevent from spilling. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes until crust looks golden brown.
Remove from oven and enjoy!
Kristen @Eating RD is sharing her new and improved site and has a nice giveaway consisting of Mighty Tea and an Anthropologie mug. Go and visit!
Today I am featuring my first giveaway and I am so excited! I know that I have been happy sharing my recipes and pictures, but I want to share some of my favorites as well. The following goodies are my favorite products.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Lavazza is one of my favorite coffees. Ever since I tasted this coffee in Italy I was a goner for it. It is rich and smooth and also makes great espresso and cappuccinos. Even though I have decreased my coffee intake, I still like to enjoy this coffee. Along with the coffee comes a great sweetener called Agave Nectar. I use several brands and I like to use agave when I feel like sweetening my teas or coffees. It is low on the glycemic chart and is better and healthier than your white sugars and even your raw brown sugars. The next thing on my giveaway is my favorite power snack. Lärabars are a raw snack made out of fruits and nuts and seeds. The ones I show on my picture are especially my favorite. They feature chocolate in it rawest form and is for the chocolate lover, which I happen to be. I will be giving away the Chocolate-Cherry flavor which “brings to mind a luscious Black Forest Cake,” as the company describes. The other flavor is Chocolate-Mint which tastes like a yummy peppermint patty but with none of the guilt and calories.
Here’s how you can enter:
1. Leave a comment telling me what YOUR favorite coffee, sweetener, and Lärabar makes your day. If you’re not a coffee drinker, what is your alternative hot drink?
For additional entries:
For an second entry you can copy this & tweet : Check out @singerinkitchen ’s winter treats GIVEAWAYand enter to win @Larabar [link] and leave a separate comment. Make sure you link back to the blogpost.
For a third entry, simply post about this giveaway on your blog and leave a separate comment letting me know you did.
For a fourth entry, become a follower of An Opera Singer in the Kitchen and leave a comment telling me you did. If you are a follower already, add me to your blogroll!
You have until February 1st to enter!
