Posts by admin:
- 3/4 cup steel cut oats
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 1 apple, chopped
Portabella-Poblano Fajitas
October 22nd, 2010
Thursdays are probably the busiest days of the week. We travel a totoal of 3 hours to get to our weekly destination for chorale rehearsals. What does this mean? It means I do not get a lot of cooking that day. It means if I do, I am a pretty frazzled person. Ask Ryan. I am usually not a happy camper. I have said it before but I am not a meal planner and some times I do not believe I need to be in the kitchen all evening AFTER cooking dinner. If I have leftovers I will usually pack those for the busy Thursdays. Sometimes I cook something really quick and pack it the SAME day. Not a happy camper. I feel like 3 people on these days.
This week I had plenty of leftovers and was stree-free yesterday. Ryan had leftover Orecchiette and Spinach with White Wine Sauce for lunch and then I made him lunch for dinner. It was so simple and hectic-free people.Why had I not convinced Ryan and myself that this would be an easier process? At least I enjoyed it. I had steel cut oatmeal for dinner last night. So easy, filling and delicious!
Boil water and add the oats and the applesauce for 15-20 minutes. Add the spices, cherries, apples, and extract and cook for another 10 minutes. Stir often. Remove from heat and enjoy!
Wednesday was our non-busy day so I knew it was my chance to make a nice meal at home. I had 5 portabella caps staring at me in the fridge and was wondering what to do with them. I quickly decided to make veggie fajitas because it had been a while since we had enjoyed some Mexican food. The fajitas were SO easy to make and so flavorful. I added a side of refried beans that could be added to the tortilla and another side of shredded lettuce and guacamole. It was a quick dinner but very tasty.
Even though I used poblano peppers for my fajita skillet, any other type of peppers may be used. Ryan likes stewed tomatoes in his fajitas so I added one tomato to the grill. A quick mixture of salt, pepper and lime juice bring the flavors together quickly. It was an even amount of veggies. I complained to a friend that so often are veggie fajitas JUST peppers and onions that I forget what else CAN be grilled.Creativity sometimes is lacking. Enjoy this recipe any night of the week!
Portabella-Poblano Fajitas
serves 2
3 portabella mushroom caps, sliced
2 poblano peppers,seeded and sliced
1 medium to large onion, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 lime, juiced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Heat a large wok or stove-top grill over medium heat, 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the sliced onions and peppers and grill for 5-8 minutes.
Slice the portabella mushrooms by removing the stem and slicing each cap 1/2 inch thick. Slice stem as well and add mushrooms to the onion-pepper mixture.
Drizzle the last Tablespoon of oil and cook for another 10 minutes. Add the sliced tomato and minced garlic to the mixture and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. Add salt, pepper and lime juice and mix well. Ready to eat.
Assembly
Serve with a side of 4 corn tortillas each, 1/2 cup refried beans, 1 cup shredded lettuce each, guacamole, and hot sauce for a delicious meal!
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Gingerbread Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake
October 20th, 2010
I have to take a break from my Skinny Bitch recipes and tune you into my favorite category: BAKED GOODS! If I had a choice in my non-vegan days I would probably have a website like Daydreamer Desserts. Her site boasts beautiful recipes and pictures but I know I can never eat and bake like that! Well, I mean, I could, but it would all be vegan and I would not be focused on losing the weight I need to be losing. That is totally another story.
I enjoy making desserts as I have said before so when I found out we were having company over I immediately knew what I wanted to try. I have been really enjoying reading all the Project Food Blog posts Foodbuzz.com because I have been exposed to lots of talent and people just like me who enjoy being in the kitchen and creating. One of my all-time favorite blogs is Angela’s at Oh She Glows. I feel like we are on the same wavelength and she enjoys veganizing and creating her own dishes like I do. Why not support another great cook?
When I saw Angela post her 4th entry for the food competition I knew I had to make the upside down pear cake. I do not think I have ever eaten a pear cake, that I can remember, but I have usually eaten cake with apples or pineapple. When I saw two large organic Bosc pears at my health store it was another given that I was going to be baking the cake.
The next question was, when was I going to bake this lovely cake? Between my day job, working out and other duties I decided to bake it before I started my job and after my early morning workout. How about 7am baking? I loved it actually. I love having dessert prepared before the main meal because it seems like the most important part of a meal. At least it is for me!
What is your favorite part of a meal? Dessert, main dish, sides?
The result?? This cake is SUPER moist and so delicious! Ryan gave me one look when I asked him how he liked it where I knew he was in spiced cake heaven. It goes perfect with your favorite hot glass beverage of choice. 🙂 Enjoy!
Gingerbread Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake
Print recipe
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time 50-60minutes depending on pan size
makes 10-12 slices
Inspired by Karen Bates via The New York Times
by Oh She Glows
Cascading Caramel
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
6 Tablespoons Soy Free Earth Balance margarine
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 Tablespoon coconut peanut butter
2 pears, peeled, and sliced into 1/4-inch wedges
Gingerbread
1/2 cup Soy Free Earth Balance margarine
1/2 cup vegan sugar
1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup almond milk (I used unsweetened chocolate almond milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 & 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325F. Grease a 10 inch cake pan with coconut spray and set aside. Wash, peel, and slice pears into ¼ inch wedges. Set aside. [Note: I only had a 9-inch pan which worked fine, I just baked it for 50-60min]
Cascading Caramel: In a sauce pan, add the Earth Balance and sugar and bring to a boil. Stir well and reduce heat to medium. Stir for a few minutes. Add in the salt, maple syrup, and peanut butter and stir well for another couple minutes. Pour into greased cake pan and quickly spread around with a spoon to coat the bottom as much as you can. Be sure to do this quickly as the caramel begins to harden up very fast. Set aside and make your cake batter.
Cake batter: With a mixer, beat the Earth Balance and sugar until fluffy. In a small bowl mix the wet ingredients together (molasses, maple syrup, almond milk, vanilla) and whisk. In a medium sized bowl mix the dry ingredients together (flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, ginger, and cinnamon) and whisk. Alternating the wet and dry mixtures, slowly add them into the butter/sugar mixture a bit at a time. Mix until fully incorporated. Dump mixture over the pears in the cake pan and smooth out with a large spatula.
Bake in the oven for approx. 50-60minutes at 325F if using a 9 or 10-inch cake pan. Allow to cool for around 20 minutes and then gently turn out onto a platter as shown in post, flipping the cake upside down.
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Orecchiette with Spinach in a White Wine Garlic Sauce
October 19th, 2010
I am happy that I already have several recipes in line from last week to feature this week because I am going to have a busy week this week. Ryan’s week is busy with tests, presentations and rehearsals. I am also involved in these rehearsals since our Holland Chorale is performing their Fall Concert this Saturday. I am VERY much looking forward to it since one of our big works is Glenn McClure’s Caribbean Mass. Here is the first movement:
I cannot wait to perform it. I have a solo / duet in the last movement of the mass. The work is different from anything I have ever performed and very unique. I am sure it will also be a unique performance for those who come and listen. Here is a clip of the last movement.
Here is my second recipe I tested from the new Skinny Bitch Ulitmate Everyday Cookbook. Even though I did not have the same pasta as originally posted in the cookbook, easy subsitutions can be made. I only had orecchiette pasta on hand since I had been wanting to try this new shape. There is nothing like eating small ears! GRoss I know, but orecchiette in Italian means “small ears.” 🙂
The sauce was perfection and so gourmet. I did not have a small bottle of white wine, so I opened a bottle of Chardonnay so Ryan and I shared the rest of the bottle at dinner after I used some for the recipe. This pasta dish is really an easy recipe but I felt like I was eating a dish from a French restaurant. The flavors of the mushrooms, white, spinach, tomatoes, and garlic was a perfect blend.
My picture is nothing to gloat over, but everything cooked down and blended in the pasta so I hope this does not detract you from making the dish. Ryan wants me to make this again soon, so I hope this is a sign of its wonderful success. Enjoy!
Orecchiette with Spinach in a White Wine Garlic Sauce
makes 6 servings
1 (1-pound) box orecchiette, uncooked (original recipe uses spaghetti)
3 Tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided
5 medium white or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups vegetable stock, divided ( I use Rapunzel bouillon cubes )
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces fresh baby spinach
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped in large pieces
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup vegan Parmesan cheese ( I use this homemade recipe)
In a large pot, boil water over high heat and cook the pasta according to package directions until is is all dente. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp of oil and the mushrooms and saute’ for 5-8 minutes or until slightly caramelized and golden. Add salt and pepper and cook 1 additional minute. Stir in 2 Tbsp of the stock and saute’ until the stock is absorbed. Remove the mushrooms from the heat and transfer to a medium bowl. Add another 1 Tbsp of the oil to the pan and saute onion over high heat for 10 minutes or until onions are golden brown. Stir in the garlic and saute’ for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Spoon the onion mixture into the same bowl as the mushrooms.
Return the pan to the stove over medium-high heat and the remaining oil. Add the soinach and saute; until the sinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp of the stock and cook until absorbed. Sesaon with salt and pepper to taste. Retunr the mushrooms and onion mixture, and the tomatoes to the pan with the spinach and cook over medium-high heat. Add the white wine and cook until reduced by two-thirds, stirring occasionally. Stir in the remaining stock and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce beings to reduce again and thicken (it should still be brothy.) Add the Parmesan cheeze. Top the pasta with the sauce and toss to coat.
{My note: the borth with be absorbed in the pasta and be so delicious!}
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The New Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook {Spicy Black Bean Enchiladas}
October 18th, 2010
I hope everyone had a great weekend! Mine went by too quickly AS USUAL! Sometimes I just need one or more days to just make up for a long week. Would it NOT be nice to have the weekend be our work days and the week as our off days? Ha! I live such a dream do I not?
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| MSU vs Illinois |
We enjoyed a gorgeous day watching MSU slaughter the Illini. The first half of the game was pretty slow with horrendous from the refs and penalities from both teams. I wondered for that first half of the game why they were doing so badly on a beautiful sunny day? I think it is because they were distracted by Gerard Butler being at the stadium. YES! Gerard Butler was at the game in person. WHy, you may ask? Well, MSU are known as the Spartans and since Mr. Butler was in 300, the question from the movie is shown throughout the game, “Spartans, what is your profession?? Who! WHo! WHo!” Mr. Butler was present to ask the question and th rest of the game was history. He conducted the band for a little bit, took pictures whith everyone, and distracted people. HE would certainly distract me! It was cool to have a celebrity at the game.
This weekend I took advantage of going through a wonderful cookbook that Perseus Book publishers sent me to review. The new Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook by Kim Barnouin just came out and I had the priviledge to try out several recipes from the book.
The next few days I will be featuring 3 of her recipes that we have enjoyed. They only require the ingredients you normally have in your fridge or pantry and easily accesible. The pictures in this book are beautiful and enticing and the first 70 pages out 300 pages talk about ingredients, spices, products and green living, and information about harmful foods and ingredients. It is very informative and even more so than the collaborative work from the first Skinny Bitch book and Skinny Bitch in the Kitch Kim Barnouin’s cookbook is a hardback cookbook with easy-to-follow recipes and creative ones at that.
The first recipe I tried focused on black beans. It almost reminded me of the Mexican dish called Enfrijoladas with pureed beans and corn tortillas, but this recipe turned them into enchiladas. They were perfect in spiciness and very flavorful. Ryan is not a BIG legume consumer, but he definitely liked the recipe. I think it is because it had cheese on it. 🙂 Enjoy the recipe and stay tuned for several more during the week.
What is your favorite Skinny Bitch recipe?
Spicy Black Bean Enchiladas
makes 4 servings
2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 canned chipotle peppers (I substituted 2 fresh serrano peppers, seeded and chopped)
1 cup diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
12 corn tortillas
1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Fresh salsa for serving
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a medium saute’ pan, heat 1 Tablespoon of the oil over medium-heat. Add the onion and saute’ for 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook 6-8 minutes. Add the chili pepper. cumin, and red pepper flakes and stir. Add the black beans and mix well/ Pour a little less than half of the cooked bean mixture into a food processor or high-powdered blender. Add the tomatoes and serrano peppers and blend well, for the black bean sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
In a medium pan, heat the remaining oil over medium-heat. Place 1 tortillas at a time in the pan and flip to warm both sides.
In a 13×9-inch baking dish, spread just enough of the black bean sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Fill each tortilla with about 3 Tablespoons of the black beans and black bean sauce. Roll and fold the seam under and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas, pouring the rest of the black bean sauce over the top. Spirnkle with vegan cheese and bake for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly. Garnish with cilantro and serve with fresh salsa.
Make sure you check out my NEW “Vegan Substitutes” tab and “Performances and Recordings” tab!
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Warm Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Goddess Dressing
October 15th, 2010
This has completely been a weird Friday for me. I woke up and then it felt like it has flown by.I mean, I wanted to start the weekend, but not all weird! Maybe there’s a full moon somewhere, right? Nah,I think I have had a little of a rough week. Once I hit Thursday it seems like I hit the wall. On top of having my day job, I also have to plan meals and prepare them for when we are on the road or when Ryan is on the road. I am trying to come to terms that I am not a great meal planner for JUST the 2 of us. I have to get on the bandwagon, becasue as soon as kids start coming into the picture, I am going to HAVE to be better at planning. Don’t get me wrong. Somedays I know what I am going to make ahead of time, but on other days I seem to hit a wall or I just don’t have the strength.
I have to admit that the past few weeks my fellow foodies have been an inspiration to me. I read a post and see pictures and realize I have all the ingredients. Even though I am very much the person that can look in my pantry and fridge and winf something, sometimes it’s not there. Sometimes, I find that after working out 5-6 times a week does not make me want to cook but it makes me want just a salad and some legumes tossed on it with some bread on the side. Simplicity is good, right? I tend to complicate it for myself, setting my own standards when I come into the kitchen.
Ryan does not expect anything gourmet, but I set my own standards and feel disappointed if I do not meet that.I am my worst nightmare sometimes, even though I like pleasing and I wait for Ryan’s reaction. Anyway, I made a recipe that was super simple yet filling and very gourmet. Thanks to the ladies at Smitten Kitchen and Oh She Glows, I tried a new combination of flavors. Even though these two recipes focused on warm squash, I decided to use sweet potatoes since I was not able to make it to the market that week.
Since I have reduced the intake of red or white potatoes in our weekly meals, I have focused on sweet potatoes due to their being low on the glycemic chart. When I feel the need to enjoy some comfort food, sweet potatoes tend to be the go-to healthy carb for me. The dressing for this warm salad is so creamy and very different than any dressing one could enjoy. Throw out ranch, ceasar or blue cheese dressing and bring IN Tahini Goddess Dressing. I did not use the listed dressing from wither website but since I had made my own from a wonderful cookbook I found at the library, I had some already prepared and ready to pour on my warm salad. YUM!
I know I chatted with some people about their dislike for the flavor or consitency of the chickpea. Some people can manage eating it ONLY in hummus and others none at all. It all depends. I find that the bean can be grainy if you use from a can, but if you cook it on your own the bean can have a softer texture. Try it sometime.
What is your FAVORITE way to eat chickpeas?
NExt week I will be featuring another recipe using chickpeas that took the flavor to another stage! Can’t wait! Meanwhile, enjoy this side dish as a main meal with a green salad or for the upcoming holidays. Such a delicious dish!
Warm Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad
serves 2
For salad:
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped in 1 inch pieces
1 medium garlic clove, minced
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2-3 pinches sea salt
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 of a medium red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato, garlic, peppers, coconut oil, and salt. Toss the potato pieces until evenly coated. Roast them on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the oven and cool. Meanwhile, make the tahini dressing.
Tahini Goddess Dressing
slightly adapted from the book jam it, pickle it, cure it
makes 1 cup (perfect for regular salads)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup raw tahini
4 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons agave nectar
1/3 cup water
2 Tablespoons chopped parlsey
Place all ingredients, except the parlsey, in a small bowl and using an immersion blender or food processor, blend ingredients well until smooth. Add the parlsey at the end and mix well.
Assembly
In a medium bowl, mix the roasted potatoes, chickpeas, red onions, parsley and 1/3 cup dressing. Combine ingredients well and serve. Eat with a green salad or by it own. Enjoy!
