This post came out of desperation. What I mean by that is that I was scrambling to get dish together for my class this week. And, of course, I was wanting to do a dish for Cinco de Mayo and was failing terribly. Then I remembered how much I L-O-V-E the rice that Chipotle's serves. It is their cilantro lime rice. And I know there are variations on a theme, so I began to Google away. I found this truly simple recipe and thought how could I not try this and see how ti comes out. The worst that can happen is that I do not make it again. Best case scenario, it is a hit.
Trust me (I do say that quite a bit in my recipes) when I tell you that I will never make any style of brown rice any other way but this way. So let's quit with the chit-chat and get down to this recipe....shall we?
1 cup long rain brown rice (basmati, jasmine, or regular)
1 t oil or vegan butter
1/2 t sugar of choice
2&1/2 cups water
Juice from 2 limes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heat frying pan to medium heat and add oil or butter. Add the rice and sugar and stir constantly until the rice is thoroughly coated. Add rice to cooking pot or rice cooker and cook as you normally do until rice is tender.
Once rice is finished cooking add lime juice and cilantro. Serve hot.
I loved this dish, but I know in my house we would add more lime juice and cilantro. But if you are not a lover of cilantro then cut it in half and substitute the other half with parsley. If you ABSOLUTELY have not lime juice then I guess you can you lemon juice, but I would not recommend it unless you have no option. Please make this and you will see, as I did that each and every rice grain falls off thee other ones. And remember, make...eat...enjoy!
Showing posts with label Ethnic Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ethnic Food. Show all posts
Friday, May 3, 2013
Monday, December 12, 2011
Spicy Moroccan Carrots
I cannot beleieve how I have neglected ny blog. But I hope to get back in the game. I have been teaching vegan classes (both raw and cooking) at my local health food store (where I work) and they have been jammed. What a joy to see so many faces out there trying to change how they eat. And the dishes we have made recently have been dead on fantastic. Meaning, that they have been super delicious.
I have been making holiday dishes since October and what a treat for all of us. For I have had to do some research and step up my 'A' game to make sure that what we are making is presentable to new friends and family. There is nothing more depresisng to try and show non-vegetarians how good our food is when you have no new or good dishes to pull from. Hopefully I can help you all with that. So now on to these unbelieveable carrots.
We found these Thanksgiving morning and knew we had to make them. We did and have never looked back. Make these for your friends and family and they will love you forever.
1&1/2 -2 pounds carrots (sliced, with some thickness to them)
6-7 cloves garlic, minced (do not skimp on this)
1/4 t cayene (anymore will take away from the joy of this dish)
1T cumin
1/2 bunch parsley, curly or flat will do
1 bunch cilantro
Juice of 1 lemon
2T vinegar (we prefer a lighter version. I would not use red wine vinegar)
1T olive oil
Salt to taste (you do not need much)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Clean carrots and chop as desired, we do not peel ours, but you can if you wish. You can boil in 1/2 cup of water for 7-10 minutes or put them in a steamer. which ever you prefer. You do not want them mushy.
While this is going on, take all the other ingredients and throw them in the food processer. Whirl until you have a well bleneded sauce. Remember to keep scraping the sides of the bowl down. We have made this both hot and chilled, either is fine and dandy. My personal preference is the hot dish, but I would not push away them as the chilled version.
So remember, make...eat...enjoy!
I have been making holiday dishes since October and what a treat for all of us. For I have had to do some research and step up my 'A' game to make sure that what we are making is presentable to new friends and family. There is nothing more depresisng to try and show non-vegetarians how good our food is when you have no new or good dishes to pull from. Hopefully I can help you all with that. So now on to these unbelieveable carrots.
We found these Thanksgiving morning and knew we had to make them. We did and have never looked back. Make these for your friends and family and they will love you forever.
1&1/2 -2 pounds carrots (sliced, with some thickness to them)
6-7 cloves garlic, minced (do not skimp on this)
1/4 t cayene (anymore will take away from the joy of this dish)
1T cumin
1/2 bunch parsley, curly or flat will do
1 bunch cilantro
Juice of 1 lemon
2T vinegar (we prefer a lighter version. I would not use red wine vinegar)
1T olive oil
Salt to taste (you do not need much)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Clean carrots and chop as desired, we do not peel ours, but you can if you wish. You can boil in 1/2 cup of water for 7-10 minutes or put them in a steamer. which ever you prefer. You do not want them mushy.
While this is going on, take all the other ingredients and throw them in the food processer. Whirl until you have a well bleneded sauce. Remember to keep scraping the sides of the bowl down. We have made this both hot and chilled, either is fine and dandy. My personal preference is the hot dish, but I would not push away them as the chilled version.
So remember, make...eat...enjoy!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Everything Jumbalaya
I promised this to a customer I spoke to in connection to my health food store. I surely thought I had posted this,but alas, that was not to be. So here I am after a day of playing catch-up from a want-to-be migraine and now I am on a roll of so many chores that have just fallen by the wayside, and this blog being one of those chores.
So on to this delicious dish. Who doesn't love jambalaya. I use to, until I became a vegetarian. Traditional jambalaya is racked with animal products. But my daughter happened upon a great dish she snatched form The Food Network and we veganized it. And what a lovely dish it is now. I know those who consume traditional jambalaya will say this dish has to have meat to survive. We have disproved that saying and gone one step farther. Ours would stand up against any traditional jambalaya on any day of the week. So go ahead, make this dish and say I am wrong. And for the record, I usually do not like complicated or lengthy recipes, but every once in a while there is one that falls into its own category...this is one of those dishes. so save it for a special occasion or when company comes over and you will not be disappointed.
2 cups brown rice(uncooked)
1 T olive oil
1 T vegan butter
1 block of extra firm tofu(pressed & cubed)
1 package of sausage(Italian if you have it, we use Tofurkey, but use your favorite)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
Several drops of hot sauce or 2 pinches of cayenne pepper
2-3 T all-purpose flour
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 (14 ounce) container vegetable broth(or your own homemade)
1 t cumin
1 rounded t chili powder
1 t poultry seasoning(there is no meat in poultry seasoning)
1 t vegan Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped scallion for garnish(optional)
Fresh thyme, chopped for garnish(optional)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cook rice according to directions.
Place a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and butter to the pan. Add cubed tofu to heated oil and butter. Brown tofu for approx. 3-5 minutes. Add onion, celery, green pepper, bay leaf and cayenne.
Saute vegetables for 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and broth. Season with cumin, chili powder, poultry seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Bring liquids to a boil. This is best when it slow cooks for a few hours. But be careful for the tofu has a tendency to fall apart if cooked too long. so no more than a few hours on a low slow heat. And served over rice it delicious.
If you want to jazz it up a bit, add some wild rice to your regular rice and have even more fun. So make...eat...enjoy!
So on to this delicious dish. Who doesn't love jambalaya. I use to, until I became a vegetarian. Traditional jambalaya is racked with animal products. But my daughter happened upon a great dish she snatched form The Food Network and we veganized it. And what a lovely dish it is now. I know those who consume traditional jambalaya will say this dish has to have meat to survive. We have disproved that saying and gone one step farther. Ours would stand up against any traditional jambalaya on any day of the week. So go ahead, make this dish and say I am wrong. And for the record, I usually do not like complicated or lengthy recipes, but every once in a while there is one that falls into its own category...this is one of those dishes. so save it for a special occasion or when company comes over and you will not be disappointed.
2 cups brown rice(uncooked)
1 T olive oil
1 T vegan butter
1 block of extra firm tofu(pressed & cubed)
1 package of sausage(Italian if you have it, we use Tofurkey, but use your favorite)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
Several drops of hot sauce or 2 pinches of cayenne pepper
2-3 T all-purpose flour
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 (14 ounce) container vegetable broth(or your own homemade)
1 t cumin
1 rounded t chili powder
1 t poultry seasoning(there is no meat in poultry seasoning)
1 t vegan Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped scallion for garnish(optional)
Fresh thyme, chopped for garnish(optional)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cook rice according to directions.
Place a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and butter to the pan. Add cubed tofu to heated oil and butter. Brown tofu for approx. 3-5 minutes. Add onion, celery, green pepper, bay leaf and cayenne.
Saute vegetables for 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and broth. Season with cumin, chili powder, poultry seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Bring liquids to a boil. This is best when it slow cooks for a few hours. But be careful for the tofu has a tendency to fall apart if cooked too long. so no more than a few hours on a low slow heat. And served over rice it delicious.
If you want to jazz it up a bit, add some wild rice to your regular rice and have even more fun. So make...eat...enjoy!
Friday, January 7, 2011
All American Cole Slaw
I cannot believe I have not posted this recipe. I looked all over my own blog, for I was wanting to make it thee other day. And since we are revamping our recipe book here at our house, our papers were a bit scattered. Since I did not find it here, I had no choice but to ruffle through the papers. Luckily for you folks we found it.
This is as All American as you can get. I have always loved cole slaw. But they are either dripping in regular mayonnaise, or made by companies I no longer support. (Case in point, KFC)
When we found this, oh so long ago, we fell in love. The simplicity and thee ability to veganize it was simple stupid.
1&1/2 pounds green cabbage(purple if you feel adventurous)
3 T malt vinegar (I have substituted with rice wine)
1/4 t salt
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
2/3 cup vegan mayonnaise (We use Veganaise)
1-2 t celery seed (Optional, but I find it is must)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, salt, mayo and celery seed. Set aside. This way it mixes more smoothly into your slaw.
Chop or process your cabbage to the consistency your family likes. Add to a medium/large bowl. Pour your mayo mixture over the slaw. I recommend at least 30 minutes of sitting time, but you can just as easily put it right on the table. Enjoy this, we love it here.
This is as All American as you can get. I have always loved cole slaw. But they are either dripping in regular mayonnaise, or made by companies I no longer support. (Case in point, KFC)
When we found this, oh so long ago, we fell in love. The simplicity and thee ability to veganize it was simple stupid.
1&1/2 pounds green cabbage(purple if you feel adventurous)
3 T malt vinegar (I have substituted with rice wine)
1/4 t salt
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
2/3 cup vegan mayonnaise (We use Veganaise)
1-2 t celery seed (Optional, but I find it is must)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, salt, mayo and celery seed. Set aside. This way it mixes more smoothly into your slaw.
Chop or process your cabbage to the consistency your family likes. Add to a medium/large bowl. Pour your mayo mixture over the slaw. I recommend at least 30 minutes of sitting time, but you can just as easily put it right on the table. Enjoy this, we love it here.
Sweet And Sour Sauce
One of the easiest and quickest ways to get veggies into your system and diet is via a stir fry. We could live on them here, in this house. They are easy to prepare, but do require quite a bit of chopping. Depending on how much you make, you can use the modern conveniences of man and whirl stuff down in a food processor. I still do some chopping thee old fashioned way...by hand. I can see putting a half a green pepper in a chopper.
My daughter usually does the stir fry. However, she was working a bit of a later shift and I was off. And, it being her first day of college, I asked her what she wanted in way of special dinner. Egg rolls she said, not batting an eye. Her and my husband are not vegans. So, when I went to purchase egg roll wrappers I read thee ingredients and I knew then it would just be stir fry for me. And that was not a complaint. I had some vegetables in the fridge already but did pick up a few more. We, in this house, find that any stir fry needs to have cabbage...color irrelevant.
What I was needing, was a stir fry sauce, for my daughter has her stir fry sauce in her head and she was working. So off to VegWeb I go. It takes very little to find recipes there, for they are easily divided into categories. And categories they have. If they don't have it, you don't need it.
I am just about to the point now that I can look at a recipe and see if it is going to work or not. I took the plunge. I will 'NEVER' make another sauce for my Asian food again. This was incredible. And I served it over brown jasmine rice. I can now die a happy woman. Make this and know you have experienced Nirvana.
1T cornstarch
1/3 cup vegan brown sugar
1/2 t freshly grated ginger (either use a microplaner or hand grater)
1 T soy sauce or tamari
1/4 c rice wine vinegar (well worth having in your pantry)
1/4 c veggie broth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mix together the tamari, vinegar and broth. Set aside. Mix separately the brown sugar and cornstarch. Add the corn starch mixture to the liquids. Once mixed thoroughly add the grated ginger.
If you mix this early enough, you can keep stirring it every time you pass the bowl, making sure the sugar is completely dissolved, but not a necessity. Plus the flavors marry. Pour this over the veggies you are cooking up for your stir fry. It will thicken pretty quickly. but that is to be expected.
I am still happy and am looking forward to left-overs today. Eat this, and often.
My daughter usually does the stir fry. However, she was working a bit of a later shift and I was off. And, it being her first day of college, I asked her what she wanted in way of special dinner. Egg rolls she said, not batting an eye. Her and my husband are not vegans. So, when I went to purchase egg roll wrappers I read thee ingredients and I knew then it would just be stir fry for me. And that was not a complaint. I had some vegetables in the fridge already but did pick up a few more. We, in this house, find that any stir fry needs to have cabbage...color irrelevant.
What I was needing, was a stir fry sauce, for my daughter has her stir fry sauce in her head and she was working. So off to VegWeb I go. It takes very little to find recipes there, for they are easily divided into categories. And categories they have. If they don't have it, you don't need it.
I am just about to the point now that I can look at a recipe and see if it is going to work or not. I took the plunge. I will 'NEVER' make another sauce for my Asian food again. This was incredible. And I served it over brown jasmine rice. I can now die a happy woman. Make this and know you have experienced Nirvana.
1T cornstarch
1/3 cup vegan brown sugar
1/2 t freshly grated ginger (either use a microplaner or hand grater)
1 T soy sauce or tamari
1/4 c rice wine vinegar (well worth having in your pantry)
1/4 c veggie broth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mix together the tamari, vinegar and broth. Set aside. Mix separately the brown sugar and cornstarch. Add the corn starch mixture to the liquids. Once mixed thoroughly add the grated ginger.
If you mix this early enough, you can keep stirring it every time you pass the bowl, making sure the sugar is completely dissolved, but not a necessity. Plus the flavors marry. Pour this over the veggies you are cooking up for your stir fry. It will thicken pretty quickly. but that is to be expected.
I am still happy and am looking forward to left-overs today. Eat this, and often.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Vegan Potatoe Pancakes
I hope everyone is having a safe and healthy New Year. I know I was in bed early on the eve for I had laryngitis to deal with. Plus, I had a 2 hour drive down to Miami on the 1st. With that said, I have been looking over my recipe box on the VegWeb website and I have been making about one new recipe per week, sometimes more. I feel very good about that. Be honest with yourself when you answer this question.
When was the last time you made a new dish? How long ago was that dish? And what are you doing to find and make new dishes? Well, once you find your answer may I suggest you get off your duffs and start scouring my blog. I have hundreds of recipe all falling into a multitude of categories. And I am adding new categories all the time. that means, to me at least, that I am expanding my cooking realm.
But let's move on to this oh so simple recipe. Many of my recipes are a last minute effort to put something on the table that I have most of the ingredients for. This is one of those that i usually am not without...potatoes. We live on potatoes. So many folks are fearful of carbs. I embrace them. People say we shouldn't eat so many carbs. Well yeah, if you are eating Wonder Bread and McDonald's french fries. But if you consume complex carbs, you are going to be fine. Trust me, I just proved it.
I am not one to step on a scale, and I don't think I have stepped on one in over 1 year. But in order to join the high school kids on the food journal I had to punch in some statistics. My weight being one of them. So, I broke out our homes old scale, stepped on, stepped off, stepped back on, stepped off, then called my son. I asked him to step on so I could see his weight. And sure as all get out his weight was correct. Well that made me tickled pink. that meant that since going vegan I had dropped 10 pounds without even trying. So there you have it, from a woman who LIVES on carbs, you can still take off the weight and have your carbs. If anyone tells you otherwise, they are bold face lying to you.
2 egg replacers (4 T water, 4 t baking powder, and 2 T olive oil)
2 T flour
1/4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground pepper
4 potatoes, peeled and shredded
3 t onion powder or 1/2 onion minced
1/4 olive oil
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mix together the egg replacer in the order it is given, taking care to let the baking powder and water stop fizzing, then slowly add your oil. then set aside.
In a large bowl, add the 'eggs', flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Add the onion powder or your onion, mix until combined. Add your potatoes.
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Carefully drop about tablespoon size batter balls into the grease. some folks suggest to flatten your mixture, but I did not feel the need to do this. Turn once bottom side has browned, making sure not to let them burn.
these were great, simple and quick. what more could you ask for? Nothing!!
When was the last time you made a new dish? How long ago was that dish? And what are you doing to find and make new dishes? Well, once you find your answer may I suggest you get off your duffs and start scouring my blog. I have hundreds of recipe all falling into a multitude of categories. And I am adding new categories all the time. that means, to me at least, that I am expanding my cooking realm.
But let's move on to this oh so simple recipe. Many of my recipes are a last minute effort to put something on the table that I have most of the ingredients for. This is one of those that i usually am not without...potatoes. We live on potatoes. So many folks are fearful of carbs. I embrace them. People say we shouldn't eat so many carbs. Well yeah, if you are eating Wonder Bread and McDonald's french fries. But if you consume complex carbs, you are going to be fine. Trust me, I just proved it.
I am not one to step on a scale, and I don't think I have stepped on one in over 1 year. But in order to join the high school kids on the food journal I had to punch in some statistics. My weight being one of them. So, I broke out our homes old scale, stepped on, stepped off, stepped back on, stepped off, then called my son. I asked him to step on so I could see his weight. And sure as all get out his weight was correct. Well that made me tickled pink. that meant that since going vegan I had dropped 10 pounds without even trying. So there you have it, from a woman who LIVES on carbs, you can still take off the weight and have your carbs. If anyone tells you otherwise, they are bold face lying to you.
2 egg replacers (4 T water, 4 t baking powder, and 2 T olive oil)
2 T flour
1/4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground pepper
4 potatoes, peeled and shredded
3 t onion powder or 1/2 onion minced
1/4 olive oil
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mix together the egg replacer in the order it is given, taking care to let the baking powder and water stop fizzing, then slowly add your oil. then set aside.
In a large bowl, add the 'eggs', flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Add the onion powder or your onion, mix until combined. Add your potatoes.
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Carefully drop about tablespoon size batter balls into the grease. some folks suggest to flatten your mixture, but I did not feel the need to do this. Turn once bottom side has browned, making sure not to let them burn.
these were great, simple and quick. what more could you ask for? Nothing!!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Quinoa Tabouleh with Chickpeas
I suddenly realized how long it has been since I posted any new recipes and it is pitiful. this was a dish I found when I was asked to make a couple of dishes about gluten free. I know a little bit about gluten free issues, but not so much so that I could teach a class about it. However, I can talk about cooking.
The lady who puts together the calender at the health food store
I work in asked me to find a dish or two to make at a special event, and this one struck a cord, only because Tabbouleh is such a traditional dish in the Mediterranean diet but is made with cracked wheat. Not good if you are adhering to a gluten free diet. In comes quinoa (pronounced keen-wah). Other than changing the wheat to quinoa, this dish is pretty much like the traditional tabbouleh, but this was oh-so-good. So now, on to the recipe.
1 cup white quinoa, drained and rinsed
1&3/4s water, boiling
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1T lemon juice
1T white wine vinegar
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
4-6 green onions, thinly sliced
1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 cup canned chick peas (make your own whenever possible)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped mint (or 1/4 cup if mint is dried)(spearmint is preferable)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rinse and drain the quinoa. Bring the water and 1/2 t salt to a boil. Add the quinoa, and reduce the heat to low. Cover pan, and simmer until grains are dry, fluffy and tender and the white germ ring shows, about 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil (olive oil being added last) lemon juice, vinegar, 1/2 t salt and black pepper to taste. Stir into the hot, cooked quinoa(for better absorption flavor). Transfer to a bowl, and let cool. If refrigerating, bring to room temperature before adding thee other ingredients. Combine the tomatoes, green onions, cucumber, chickpeas, parsley, and mint and let stand for 30 minutes to soften slightly. Add to the quinoa and toss gently.
This was a wonderful alternative to the traditional tabbouleh. And can easily be served and for those with gluten issues they can still enjoy the best of both worlds and us traditionalists miss out on nothing.
The lady who puts together the calender at the health food store
I work in asked me to find a dish or two to make at a special event, and this one struck a cord, only because Tabbouleh is such a traditional dish in the Mediterranean diet but is made with cracked wheat. Not good if you are adhering to a gluten free diet. In comes quinoa (pronounced keen-wah). Other than changing the wheat to quinoa, this dish is pretty much like the traditional tabbouleh, but this was oh-so-good. So now, on to the recipe.
1 cup white quinoa, drained and rinsed
1&3/4s water, boiling
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1T lemon juice
1T white wine vinegar
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
4-6 green onions, thinly sliced
1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 cup canned chick peas (make your own whenever possible)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped mint (or 1/4 cup if mint is dried)(spearmint is preferable)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rinse and drain the quinoa. Bring the water and 1/2 t salt to a boil. Add the quinoa, and reduce the heat to low. Cover pan, and simmer until grains are dry, fluffy and tender and the white germ ring shows, about 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil (olive oil being added last) lemon juice, vinegar, 1/2 t salt and black pepper to taste. Stir into the hot, cooked quinoa(for better absorption flavor). Transfer to a bowl, and let cool. If refrigerating, bring to room temperature before adding thee other ingredients. Combine the tomatoes, green onions, cucumber, chickpeas, parsley, and mint and let stand for 30 minutes to soften slightly. Add to the quinoa and toss gently.
This was a wonderful alternative to the traditional tabbouleh. And can easily be served and for those with gluten issues they can still enjoy the best of both worlds and us traditionalists miss out on nothing.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Vegan Kibbeh
For those of you who may not be familiar with Middle Eastern food, may I make a suggestion? TRY IT! I was introduced to Middle Eastern cuisine way back in 1991 when my husband found some long lost relatives. If I had to choose one ethnic food to eat from, it would be the Mediterranean food. Their dishes are very vegetarian friendly. And I just discovered how I can veganize one of my favorite meat dishes of theirs. Man am I a happy camper now.
This is a bit on the time consuming part, but trust me it is well worth it and your friends will be impressed. Here is the original recipe for the meat version of Kibbeh. And if you have not visited the Middle Eastern recipe site I have on this blog, then please do so. these are the real deal and looks like it could have come from someones kitchen. I know for I have witnessed their food making first hand.
Thee only thing I changed was I used Gimme Lean Ground Beef style meat substitute. And man was it a winner. But the real critic was to be my son. He is not a vegetarian and my mother-in-law brings him a few kibbehs when she does make them for she knows how much he loves them. So when I made mine, I hoped he wold like them so I could make them at a family dinner. Well low and behold he actually loved them. So I now have another veggie dish I can serve my son. I will convert him yet.
You can add some Hummus to the table along with some Arabic Pickled Turnips. We had some carrot salad and away we went. It was a delicious meal. You could also have some yogurt, vegan or not on the side to dip your kibbeh in. I dipped mine in my hummus. Good times at the Cooking Lady's house.
This is a bit on the time consuming part, but trust me it is well worth it and your friends will be impressed. Here is the original recipe for the meat version of Kibbeh. And if you have not visited the Middle Eastern recipe site I have on this blog, then please do so. these are the real deal and looks like it could have come from someones kitchen. I know for I have witnessed their food making first hand.
Thee only thing I changed was I used Gimme Lean Ground Beef style meat substitute. And man was it a winner. But the real critic was to be my son. He is not a vegetarian and my mother-in-law brings him a few kibbehs when she does make them for she knows how much he loves them. So when I made mine, I hoped he wold like them so I could make them at a family dinner. Well low and behold he actually loved them. So I now have another veggie dish I can serve my son. I will convert him yet.
You can add some Hummus to the table along with some Arabic Pickled Turnips. We had some carrot salad and away we went. It was a delicious meal. You could also have some yogurt, vegan or not on the side to dip your kibbeh in. I dipped mine in my hummus. Good times at the Cooking Lady's house.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Corn Fritters
I have no clue how I found this young woman, Vegan in Louisiana, but I am loving her recipes. They are simple and for the most part, easy to make. And even though I love being in the kitchen, there is nothing like a simple yet delicious recipe. Well here you have it folks. So dig in and try these. You will not regret it one little bit.
And before you say it, yeah, I know they are not super healthy, for they are fried, but hey, I don't smoke, I don't drink so I fry foods once in a while.
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
3/4 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t Tony Chacheres or Old Bay Seasoning (I had neither so I used a Mrs. Dash blend)
1/4 t cumin
1/4 t paprika
1/2 cup soy or rice milk (we used almond)
1/4 cup water
1&1/2 -2 cups fresh corn(I had bough a bunch a while back and cut it off the cob and froze it. I am a genius)
1-2T oil for frying
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Combine flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, Mrs Dash, cumin and paprika in a bowl. Add milk and water to dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
Fold in corn.
Heat skillet with oil to med-high heat. When oil is hot, spoon out fritters, about 1 T at a time and flatten with the back of a spoon. Cook until golden brown. (Edges will turn brown and bubbles will form on top, similar to pancakes)
Flip and cook again. Drain on paper towel and enjoy.
These are a keeper for sure. They were simple, easy and a wonderful comfort food.
And before you say it, yeah, I know they are not super healthy, for they are fried, but hey, I don't smoke, I don't drink so I fry foods once in a while.
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
3/4 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t Tony Chacheres or Old Bay Seasoning (I had neither so I used a Mrs. Dash blend)
1/4 t cumin
1/4 t paprika
1/2 cup soy or rice milk (we used almond)
1/4 cup water
1&1/2 -2 cups fresh corn(I had bough a bunch a while back and cut it off the cob and froze it. I am a genius)
1-2T oil for frying
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Combine flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, Mrs Dash, cumin and paprika in a bowl. Add milk and water to dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
Fold in corn.
Heat skillet with oil to med-high heat. When oil is hot, spoon out fritters, about 1 T at a time and flatten with the back of a spoon. Cook until golden brown. (Edges will turn brown and bubbles will form on top, similar to pancakes)
Flip and cook again. Drain on paper towel and enjoy.
These are a keeper for sure. They were simple, easy and a wonderful comfort food.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Falafel Queen
I started out wanting to make hummus, but they cooked little devils of deliciousness turned into delectable balls of goodness, more commonly known as Falafel. But for those of you who have not checked out the Middle Eastern Site on my side bar, please do so. Those recipes are are extremely genuine, so check them out.
But tonight I made the Falafel and man oh man, these little guys came out great, but I did have to adapt the recipe, for I did not have any fava beans, and my chick peas were already cooked and the recipe called for soaked chick peas. I love improvising.
Original Recipe
Thee only thing I did differently was not add fava beans, and I used 3/4 cup of garbanzo flour and also added 1/2 cup whole wheat flour.
These little things were so delicious that I even amazed myself. they were oh so simple to make. So give them a try, whether you make them as is or my variation. Or tweak it to your home/kitchen. Whatever works.
You can use any tahini dipping sauce you like. I just took some Greek yogurt, added some tahini and some crushed garlic and salt to my taste and there you have it. this meal is a no brainer for sure.
But tonight I made the Falafel and man oh man, these little guys came out great, but I did have to adapt the recipe, for I did not have any fava beans, and my chick peas were already cooked and the recipe called for soaked chick peas. I love improvising.
Original Recipe
Thee only thing I did differently was not add fava beans, and I used 3/4 cup of garbanzo flour and also added 1/2 cup whole wheat flour.
These little things were so delicious that I even amazed myself. they were oh so simple to make. So give them a try, whether you make them as is or my variation. Or tweak it to your home/kitchen. Whatever works.
You can use any tahini dipping sauce you like. I just took some Greek yogurt, added some tahini and some crushed garlic and salt to my taste and there you have it. this meal is a no brainer for sure.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Raw Hummus
I love raw food and I love hummus. Now my other half feels the need to have pita bread in order to eat hummus. And inasmuch as I agree, it is not a necessity in my book. I feel you can enjoy this lovely dish without the added circular things of joy. And yes I love Pita Bread. But if you have ever eaten it from a fresh Arab Bakery, you will N-E-V-E-R eat it from a grocery store again. Trust me when I say that everything after that is a farce. Well a while ago I had seen a raw hummus recipe on Youtube, but it was quite complicated. And not that I am against complicated dishes, but I googled raw hummus and got this lovely recipe.
Now the young lady who's blog this is no longer blogs but she gave us this lovely dish to relish in and thank you muchly I might add. I may go back and attempt to make the other raw chick pea hummus, but not until I have enough time to do so and that my friends will not be for a while. But in thee interim, go and make this one, and enjoy whether it be with a piece of pita bread or some raw veggies, this is worth the making.
Recipe is Here
1 large zucchini, peeled and diced
1/2 cup tahini
2T olive oil
2T lemon juice
1t salt
1t cumin
1 large clove garlic, pressed
Sprinkle of paprika
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peel the zucchini until all the green is removed, this is extremely important otherwise your hummus will come out green and in no way resemble traditional hummus. Combine all ingredients in food processor except for paprika and process until smooth and creamy. If you consistency is not coming up like you want it to be, then add a bit of water until you get where you want to be. Serve in a glass bowl and sprinkle with paprika and drizzle with olive oil if you so desire, and enjoy.
Now the young lady who's blog this is no longer blogs but she gave us this lovely dish to relish in and thank you muchly I might add. I may go back and attempt to make the other raw chick pea hummus, but not until I have enough time to do so and that my friends will not be for a while. But in thee interim, go and make this one, and enjoy whether it be with a piece of pita bread or some raw veggies, this is worth the making.
Recipe is Here
1 large zucchini, peeled and diced
1/2 cup tahini
2T olive oil
2T lemon juice
1t salt
1t cumin
1 large clove garlic, pressed
Sprinkle of paprika
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peel the zucchini until all the green is removed, this is extremely important otherwise your hummus will come out green and in no way resemble traditional hummus. Combine all ingredients in food processor except for paprika and process until smooth and creamy. If you consistency is not coming up like you want it to be, then add a bit of water until you get where you want to be. Serve in a glass bowl and sprinkle with paprika and drizzle with olive oil if you so desire, and enjoy.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tofu With Tortillas
I found this recipe because it was the 4th down and we had to punt, or run with the ball. I, myself, had wanted Mexican night, but I did not call to see if we need anything. then my daughter said that her and her father would be out an about so if we needed anything they could pick it up. My husband then, politely told my daughter that I had just spent nearly $200 on groceries the last time I was at the grocery store, so he was not about to go and pick up miscellaneous items. And he was right.
She then pointed out that there was no cheese. But I told her, there was no rule book that said there 'had' to be cheese on Mexican night. What do vegans do? Oh yeah, do without. Then I realized I had no bulgur, which is what I use as my meat substitution since trying to get away from processed meat analogs. Then it hit me, I had a few scraps of different blocks of tofu and could use that instead. Time to break out the cookbooks....all 13 of them.
I struck gold when I got to number two. I found this gem of a recipe in my Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook. We had at least 95 % of thee ingredients and besides, we were all starving, so we made it work. Here is this simple recipe and is a great introduction for those who want to try tofu but have no clue how to use it. Well here is your chance to dive in.
1T virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped finely
6 corn tortillas, torn or cut into 1-inch pieces (we left ours whole & made our own)
3 plum tomatoes, diced (we used on the vine tomatoes)
1 pound firm tofu (we used scraps of tofu from left over bits of tofu from other recipes I had made through the week)
1-14 ounce can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree (we used Ro-tel lime and cilantro flavor)
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 dried oregano
Salt to taste
1 cup grated cheddar cheese or soy cheese (we had mozzarella)(optional)
Prepared salsa (optional)(we had none)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring until lightly golden. Add the remaining ingredients except the cheese and salsa, cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with grated cheese, cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes more. Serve as is or top with salsa.
I did not cover mine with a lid, for it was very liquidy and I wanted some of that liquid to cook off. It worked. I also did not put the cheese directly on the dish while it was cooking. Some folks like easy cheese and others like to pile it on, so we grate it into a serving bowl and everyone can do as they please. I would definitely make this one again. I like simple dishes that I can whip together in just minutes and use with few pre-packaged products, and this one fit the bill.
She then pointed out that there was no cheese. But I told her, there was no rule book that said there 'had' to be cheese on Mexican night. What do vegans do? Oh yeah, do without. Then I realized I had no bulgur, which is what I use as my meat substitution since trying to get away from processed meat analogs. Then it hit me, I had a few scraps of different blocks of tofu and could use that instead. Time to break out the cookbooks....all 13 of them.
I struck gold when I got to number two. I found this gem of a recipe in my Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook. We had at least 95 % of thee ingredients and besides, we were all starving, so we made it work. Here is this simple recipe and is a great introduction for those who want to try tofu but have no clue how to use it. Well here is your chance to dive in.
1T virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped finely
6 corn tortillas, torn or cut into 1-inch pieces (we left ours whole & made our own)
3 plum tomatoes, diced (we used on the vine tomatoes)
1 pound firm tofu (we used scraps of tofu from left over bits of tofu from other recipes I had made through the week)
1-14 ounce can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree (we used Ro-tel lime and cilantro flavor)
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 dried oregano
Salt to taste
1 cup grated cheddar cheese or soy cheese (we had mozzarella)(optional)
Prepared salsa (optional)(we had none)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring until lightly golden. Add the remaining ingredients except the cheese and salsa, cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with grated cheese, cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes more. Serve as is or top with salsa.
I did not cover mine with a lid, for it was very liquidy and I wanted some of that liquid to cook off. It worked. I also did not put the cheese directly on the dish while it was cooking. Some folks like easy cheese and others like to pile it on, so we grate it into a serving bowl and everyone can do as they please. I would definitely make this one again. I like simple dishes that I can whip together in just minutes and use with few pre-packaged products, and this one fit the bill.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Vegging In Orlando
Who would have thought? We (meaning my daughter and myself) usually dread going to eat anywhere. Why you may ask. Don't bother, for I am going to tell you. First and foremost, we are vegetarians, which in the world of food, makes us weirdos to begin with. Being green is another thing to add to the weirdo-ness of our make-up.
We are in Orlando Florida for an sci-fi, anime, comic convention. We have been lucky enough to be close to said convention...about 2 miles. We packed food, knowing how difficult it would be to find a place that could feed us the way we need to be fed.
As we rolled into Orlando amid a very rainy day, we took a wrong turn. But in doing so we stumbled upon a Lebanese restaurant. We knew this from the name of the restaurant, Cedar's. We found our hotel just a few moments later. We then hopped on to the laptop and searched for vegetarian restaurants. We found a few, but the reviews were very mixed. So, we opened all the places that fell into the vegetarian category. And #4 on the list was...yep, you guessed it, Cedar's.
Then it hit us, my son, who is not a vegetarian, could also eat there, knowing that this was not a strictly vegetarian restaurant. So I closed the laptop and off we went. Much to my surprise, this place rocked the house. What you have to remember, is that I am married into a family of Syrians. So I know first hand how real Middle Eastern food should taste. And let me tell you, this place nailed it perfectly.
Not only was the food excellent, but so was the atmosphere, and the help. They were friendly and a joy to be around. The place was decently packed, but not so much so that you were in line around the building. I would recommend this place to anyone who visits Orlando. Those who are even vegan could also eat here, for the dishes Savanah and I ordered, were vegan. BOO-YAH!
I am going to give you the address and phone number if any of you ever want to come for a stay and have no clue where to eat. And do not fear, this place also serves meat, so you can go with mixed company and feel fine.
Cedar's Restaurant
407-351-6000
7732 West Lake Road
Orlando Fl. 32819
We are in Orlando Florida for an sci-fi, anime, comic convention. We have been lucky enough to be close to said convention...about 2 miles. We packed food, knowing how difficult it would be to find a place that could feed us the way we need to be fed.
As we rolled into Orlando amid a very rainy day, we took a wrong turn. But in doing so we stumbled upon a Lebanese restaurant. We knew this from the name of the restaurant, Cedar's. We found our hotel just a few moments later. We then hopped on to the laptop and searched for vegetarian restaurants. We found a few, but the reviews were very mixed. So, we opened all the places that fell into the vegetarian category. And #4 on the list was...yep, you guessed it, Cedar's.
Then it hit us, my son, who is not a vegetarian, could also eat there, knowing that this was not a strictly vegetarian restaurant. So I closed the laptop and off we went. Much to my surprise, this place rocked the house. What you have to remember, is that I am married into a family of Syrians. So I know first hand how real Middle Eastern food should taste. And let me tell you, this place nailed it perfectly.
Not only was the food excellent, but so was the atmosphere, and the help. They were friendly and a joy to be around. The place was decently packed, but not so much so that you were in line around the building. I would recommend this place to anyone who visits Orlando. Those who are even vegan could also eat here, for the dishes Savanah and I ordered, were vegan. BOO-YAH!
I am going to give you the address and phone number if any of you ever want to come for a stay and have no clue where to eat. And do not fear, this place also serves meat, so you can go with mixed company and feel fine.
Cedar's Restaurant
407-351-6000
7732 West Lake Road
Orlando Fl. 32819
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Potato Latkes
I know these are well renowned in the Jewish community, but can I say how much I love these things? I mean, just potatoes alone, you can do like a million things with them. And then add onions. Wow oh wow. I got this from one of my vegetarian books that I snagged at the low price of what...$.50.
But I was hankering for some new recipes. And since my life has been helter skelter during the holidays, it is a joy to get back to trying to new foods and posting again. My first love is food and feel bad when I cannot share things with my readers. So try this. It is simple and oh so easy to make.
1&1/2 pounds of potatoes, grated
2 small onions, minced (we used one large)
3T cornstarch
1T finely chopped fresh parsley (we were out)
Dash freshly ground pepper
2T soy sauce or tamari
Nonstick cooking spray (we used a thin layer of oil)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mix all thee ingredients in a bowl. Coat a skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Form 3-inch patties and cook over medium heat until crisp on both sides.
These were great, bu I would lower the heat a bit and cook them a bit longer, or just puree the onions. Either way I am good to go. Did I mention I love potatoes?
But I was hankering for some new recipes. And since my life has been helter skelter during the holidays, it is a joy to get back to trying to new foods and posting again. My first love is food and feel bad when I cannot share things with my readers. So try this. It is simple and oh so easy to make.
1&1/2 pounds of potatoes, grated
2 small onions, minced (we used one large)
3T cornstarch
1T finely chopped fresh parsley (we were out)
Dash freshly ground pepper
2T soy sauce or tamari
Nonstick cooking spray (we used a thin layer of oil)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mix all thee ingredients in a bowl. Coat a skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Form 3-inch patties and cook over medium heat until crisp on both sides.
These were great, bu I would lower the heat a bit and cook them a bit longer, or just puree the onions. Either way I am good to go. Did I mention I love potatoes?
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Greek Scrambled Tofu
For those of you who may follow me and my food journey. I am slowly but surely on my way to becoming vegan. This will not happen over-night and I am OK with that. I can see that in doing so I will be alienating myself even more in the social world. I will be deemed/judged as some sort of freak. It bothers me and only to the point that I look at those who sit in judgement and trust me when I tell you, they would do good by losing some of the things offered in the meat world.
It bothers me when someone who is visibly out of shape and has thee audacity to criticize me food options. Really? Give me a break. Put as I have grown older and hopefully wiser, I do not sit in judgement, or at least I do not verbalize it, I just let them know the benefits I have experienced in losing meat and now dairy from my diet. My actions speak for themselves.
I also love listening to people say they could not let go of meat. And I gently remind them that there is a difference between not being able to let go of meat and not wanting to let go of meat...BIG difference.
I have been a vegetarian now for a year and a half, save for a set back or two. And my brother-in-law just now says he found out about it. Helloooo, you were at my house on Thanksgiving. No meat on my plate then. DUH to him. With all this said, I have been experimenting with tofu. I want to like it. Aren't all vegetarians supposed to like this stuff. Thee easiest way I saw, was to use it as a scrambled egg replacer. My first attempt at trying a new recipe was a near failure. But when thrown from the horse I just get right back on and keep on going.
So, a new recipe has crossed my path. And I enjoyed this one so much that I taught it at our local health food store and it was a big hit. I will definitely be making this one again and now trying other tofu scrambler recipes in the future. Thank you to How It all Vegan for this lovely ethnic flavored tofu breakfast dish.
1 pkg. firm tofu, crumbled (squeeze as much water out as you possibly can)
1-2 T Braggs or soy sauce/tamari
turmeric (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
dried oregano (to taste)
splash of olive oil
6-8 Greek olives, chopped (remove pits if necessary)
handful of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup spinach, chopped
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a large saucepan, add the tofu, Braggs, turmeric, pepper, and oregano to a splash of oil and saute on medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes, until moisture has evaporated. Add the olives, sundried tomatoes, and spinach. Cover and cook for 2-4 minutes, until spinach is tender. Makes 2-4 servings.
I am in love. This is winning me over to the tofu side and I am not looking back.
It bothers me when someone who is visibly out of shape and has thee audacity to criticize me food options. Really? Give me a break. Put as I have grown older and hopefully wiser, I do not sit in judgement, or at least I do not verbalize it, I just let them know the benefits I have experienced in losing meat and now dairy from my diet. My actions speak for themselves.
I also love listening to people say they could not let go of meat. And I gently remind them that there is a difference between not being able to let go of meat and not wanting to let go of meat...BIG difference.
I have been a vegetarian now for a year and a half, save for a set back or two. And my brother-in-law just now says he found out about it. Helloooo, you were at my house on Thanksgiving. No meat on my plate then. DUH to him. With all this said, I have been experimenting with tofu. I want to like it. Aren't all vegetarians supposed to like this stuff. Thee easiest way I saw, was to use it as a scrambled egg replacer. My first attempt at trying a new recipe was a near failure. But when thrown from the horse I just get right back on and keep on going.
So, a new recipe has crossed my path. And I enjoyed this one so much that I taught it at our local health food store and it was a big hit. I will definitely be making this one again and now trying other tofu scrambler recipes in the future. Thank you to How It all Vegan for this lovely ethnic flavored tofu breakfast dish.
1 pkg. firm tofu, crumbled (squeeze as much water out as you possibly can)
1-2 T Braggs or soy sauce/tamari
turmeric (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
dried oregano (to taste)
splash of olive oil
6-8 Greek olives, chopped (remove pits if necessary)
handful of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup spinach, chopped
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a large saucepan, add the tofu, Braggs, turmeric, pepper, and oregano to a splash of oil and saute on medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes, until moisture has evaporated. Add the olives, sundried tomatoes, and spinach. Cover and cook for 2-4 minutes, until spinach is tender. Makes 2-4 servings.
I am in love. This is winning me over to the tofu side and I am not looking back.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Raw Baba Ganoush
I am always in transition with my eating lifestyle. Notice how I did not say diet. Why do I no longer use that word? Well. for the only reason I can think of, no one should ever have to diet. If you eat whole foods and lose all your processed foods then you will never have to diet. It's when people adopt the SAD diet that things go awry.
I found this lovely blog dealing with raw food and she said something in a past post. She claims, as do I, that we do not count calories, fat grams, carbs or points. We in this family eat anything our heart desires and that includes sweets. Please remember, that we use whole grains for our cookies/pastries and such and raw sugar and or agave as our sweetener. So for us it is very different. I believe that the minute you begin to deprive yourself of the things you love in the food world, that is when you will fall off the wagon...in a manner of speaking. No need for that here.
My husband and I also exercise regularly. He is more of a gym type of guy, I am more of a do it home type of gal. I walk, bike ride, do free weights and mild stretching here at home. Do I exercise every day? No, but I try my darnedest. I also walk the dog when I do get to walk. It does our bodies good.
So, on to this post. We are trying to add more raw food to our diets, but it can be quite pricey. But again, I try to add at least one new recipe whether it be raw or cooked to our menu every single week. And so far we are not doing so bad. People always ask us what we eat since there is no meat there to fill that spot on our dinner plate. And I tell them that are are tons of things to fill the void and fill the void we do.
I stumbled on to this raw baba ganoush quite by accident. The blog I frequent, but was not necessarily searching for a specific dish. But out of nowhere, this recipe caught my eye. I made it and it turned out great. But be warned, the raw garlic can be a bit overpowering if you are not use to it. But other than that, I say go for it and enjoy the joys of being raw.
2-3 Cloves of garlic
1/2 C Cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
1 Large Eggplant, diced frozen and thawed
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 T Olive Oil
Pinch of Salt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Advanced preparation: Peel, dice and freeze the eggplant. Thaw before you prepare the eggplant. Soak cashews.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Start food processor and drop garlic, clove by clove into the spinning blade. It will fine dice it and throw it on the wall of the processor. Add the cashews and process until smooth. Add diced eggplant, lemon juice, olive oil and pinch of salt. Process until smooth. Enjoy with your choice of flat breads.
Here is a great recipe Rawmazing
I found this lovely blog dealing with raw food and she said something in a past post. She claims, as do I, that we do not count calories, fat grams, carbs or points. We in this family eat anything our heart desires and that includes sweets. Please remember, that we use whole grains for our cookies/pastries and such and raw sugar and or agave as our sweetener. So for us it is very different. I believe that the minute you begin to deprive yourself of the things you love in the food world, that is when you will fall off the wagon...in a manner of speaking. No need for that here.
My husband and I also exercise regularly. He is more of a gym type of guy, I am more of a do it home type of gal. I walk, bike ride, do free weights and mild stretching here at home. Do I exercise every day? No, but I try my darnedest. I also walk the dog when I do get to walk. It does our bodies good.
So, on to this post. We are trying to add more raw food to our diets, but it can be quite pricey. But again, I try to add at least one new recipe whether it be raw or cooked to our menu every single week. And so far we are not doing so bad. People always ask us what we eat since there is no meat there to fill that spot on our dinner plate. And I tell them that are are tons of things to fill the void and fill the void we do.
I stumbled on to this raw baba ganoush quite by accident. The blog I frequent, but was not necessarily searching for a specific dish. But out of nowhere, this recipe caught my eye. I made it and it turned out great. But be warned, the raw garlic can be a bit overpowering if you are not use to it. But other than that, I say go for it and enjoy the joys of being raw.
2-3 Cloves of garlic
1/2 C Cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
1 Large Eggplant, diced frozen and thawed
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 T Olive Oil
Pinch of Salt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Advanced preparation: Peel, dice and freeze the eggplant. Thaw before you prepare the eggplant. Soak cashews.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Start food processor and drop garlic, clove by clove into the spinning blade. It will fine dice it and throw it on the wall of the processor. Add the cashews and process until smooth. Add diced eggplant, lemon juice, olive oil and pinch of salt. Process until smooth. Enjoy with your choice of flat breads.
Here is a great recipe Rawmazing
Monday, August 10, 2009
Taco Seasoning
Denise Punger threatened me to post this today...or else. What is, 'or else'. I would really like to know. But this is a mixture we have had for so long, that I have no clue where I got it from. And if you have been reading my blog long enough, you know that I like to give credit where credit is due. With that said, please make this, enjoy it, but do not be put off by the amount of different spices it contains. If you take a look at the spices, they are very common spices that if you are a cook, then you will have no problem with this recipe.
1 T chilli powder
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t oregano
1/2 t paprika
1&1/2 t cumin
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ina small bowl, mix together all ingredients, and slowly stir/whisk until completely blended. Store in an airtight container. Use as needed.
See how simple that is. If you are one that enjoys Mexican flavor, you may want to double this recipe for it does not go bad.
1 T chilli powder
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t oregano
1/2 t paprika
1&1/2 t cumin
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ina small bowl, mix together all ingredients, and slowly stir/whisk until completely blended. Store in an airtight container. Use as needed.
See how simple that is. If you are one that enjoys Mexican flavor, you may want to double this recipe for it does not go bad.
Taco Veggie Meat
I did this all by myself and on a whim. Well, not really a whim, Savanah and I had planned the meal, but we then realized we were out of store bought veggie crumbles and had to improvise... and quickly. Enter bulgar wheat. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, that is the sound of relief and knowing we can finally let go of ground beef veggie crumbles. Who knew?
So there we are trying to put dinner on the table and all went well. We made our own tortillas, cut up a tomato, shredded some cheese, diced a red onion, thee only thing left is the 'meat'. Have no fear, wanna be wing-it-er is here. So try this and adjust it to your own tastes and home. this recipe serves four with a wee bit left over for the next day.
2 cups bulgar wheat
3-4 cups boiling water
Olive oil
1/2-1 onion, chopped small
1 small can tomato sauce
3/4-1 cup water (more or less if needed)
1-2 T taco seasoning (post to follow)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Put the bulgar wheat in a glass bowl and add boiling water (about 1 inch to cover). While wheat is soaking up water heat up large skillet and oil to cover in a thin layer in bottom of pan. Add chopped onion and cook on low until soft and translucent.
Once wheat has soaked up enough water (15-20 minutes) transfer to a mesh strainer and squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Pour wheat into skillet with oil and onions. Stir to combine. Add tomato sauce, water and taco seasoning and stir until completely mixed together and heated through.
Taste to see if more spice is needed. If ready then serve with your meal. Good times.
So there we are trying to put dinner on the table and all went well. We made our own tortillas, cut up a tomato, shredded some cheese, diced a red onion, thee only thing left is the 'meat'. Have no fear, wanna be wing-it-er is here. So try this and adjust it to your own tastes and home. this recipe serves four with a wee bit left over for the next day.
2 cups bulgar wheat
3-4 cups boiling water
Olive oil
1/2-1 onion, chopped small
1 small can tomato sauce
3/4-1 cup water (more or less if needed)
1-2 T taco seasoning (post to follow)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Put the bulgar wheat in a glass bowl and add boiling water (about 1 inch to cover). While wheat is soaking up water heat up large skillet and oil to cover in a thin layer in bottom of pan. Add chopped onion and cook on low until soft and translucent.
Once wheat has soaked up enough water (15-20 minutes) transfer to a mesh strainer and squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Pour wheat into skillet with oil and onions. Stir to combine. Add tomato sauce, water and taco seasoning and stir until completely mixed together and heated through.
Taste to see if more spice is needed. If ready then serve with your meal. Good times.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Guacamole
There is nothing more simple and delicious and flavor absorbing than avocados. I was a late bloomer in learning their fabulous flavor. I was in my early 40's when I came around to eating this little green balls of fantasticness. But a good recipe eluded me. Yes every region has thier own distinct flavor and spices. But I was looking for a basic recipe which I could eventually elaborate on. Well I found just the recipe. I found it here, at Avocado Central , and with a name like that, how could you go wrong? You can't. This is simple, easy and more like a side dish for me. I can now eat this with anything, or nothing. Thee only thing I have left to do is go out to the garden, cut back some cilantro and we are good to go. Yippee!
Ingredients
4 ripe avocados, peeled, seeded
1 tsp ground cumin
1 ripe, medium Roma tomato, seeded, diced
½ Cup minced sweet white onion
2 serrano chilies, seeded, minced (we had none)
¼ Cup chopped cilantro leaves
4 Tbsp fresh lime juice (we used lemon juice)
Hot pepper sauce, sea salt, white pepper to taste(we used sriracha...sparingly!)
Instructions
Cut avocado in large chunks and mash coarsely in large bowl with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and blend gently - leaving some small chunks is fine. Taste and adjust seasoning with more pepper sauce, salt and pepper if desired."
Ingredients
4 ripe avocados, peeled, seeded
1 tsp ground cumin
1 ripe, medium Roma tomato, seeded, diced
½ Cup minced sweet white onion
2 serrano chilies, seeded, minced (we had none)
¼ Cup chopped cilantro leaves
4 Tbsp fresh lime juice (we used lemon juice)
Hot pepper sauce, sea salt, white pepper to taste(we used sriracha...sparingly!)
Instructions
Cut avocado in large chunks and mash coarsely in large bowl with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and blend gently - leaving some small chunks is fine. Taste and adjust seasoning with more pepper sauce, salt and pepper if desired."
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Papas Rellenas
My name is Danette and I am Cuban by marriage. Corny, but I like it all the same. I can cook pretty decently in the world of Cuban food. But since going vegetarian and now on the road to being vegan it is going to become increasingly difficult to go anywhere and eat. I mean come on, when we went to Miami for a few days. we took a box of food and a cooler of food as well.
I have told Savanah, that when you make choices there are always consequences. But people always associate bad things when they hear the word consequences. For us it is not a bad thing, it is just a thing. We have made a decision to better our diet and life and we know what we have to do...end of discussion.
Now, on to this recipe. I have always loved Papa Rellenas. They are a basic staple and utilize left overs. Cubans made these when there was too much Picadillo left over and Viola, you have Papa Rellenas. It is not difficult and they differ from region to region, much like our potato salads. And your picadillo will differ as well. But what I learned from making this dish (which by the way is a KEEPER) is two things. 1) Make sure your potatoes are completely drained and free of liquid...ALL liquid. 2) Make them golf ball size like the recipe says.
Making them was simple enough, mine just came out too big, but that did not alter how delicious they were. take a little time, for they are a bit time consuming and make these lovely little things. All we needed was a salad and we were good to go. Yummo!
4 potatoes, peeled and boiled (I boiled them whole)
1/2 t alt (I would bump it to 1 full teaspoon)
2 eggs beaten (We used almond milk in its place) This is what holds the bread crumbs to the potato ball
Dry bread crumbs (At least 1 cup)
1 lb. Cuban Picadillo (Google it, but I will be putting this recipe up soon)
Flour (Enough to coat the potato balls)
Oil of choice for frying (We use peanut oil) And this is only about 1/4 of an inch deep in a frying pan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Boil potatoes until they are fully cooked. Drain. Mash potatoes with the salt (do not add any butter, oil, or liquid!) allow mixture to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature. Grab a handful of mashed potatoes, split the handful in half, and make each half into a little bowl by pressing in with your fingers. Stuff the indentation in each half with the Picadillo. Bring the two halves together and smooth to make a round ball, about the size of an overstuffed golf ball. Dip the ball into the almond milk, and then roll in the flour until lightly covered. Dip the ball in the almond milk again and roll in the bread crumbs to coat thoroughly.
Important: Refrigerate the balls for two to four hours before proceeding to the next step. Heat oil to the frying stage (about 375ยบ F) and gently drop each papa rellena into the hot oil. Let it cook for about two minutes or until golden brown. Turn the balls and cook the other half in the same way. Be careful not to overcook.
I have told Savanah, that when you make choices there are always consequences. But people always associate bad things when they hear the word consequences. For us it is not a bad thing, it is just a thing. We have made a decision to better our diet and life and we know what we have to do...end of discussion.
Now, on to this recipe. I have always loved Papa Rellenas. They are a basic staple and utilize left overs. Cubans made these when there was too much Picadillo left over and Viola, you have Papa Rellenas. It is not difficult and they differ from region to region, much like our potato salads. And your picadillo will differ as well. But what I learned from making this dish (which by the way is a KEEPER) is two things. 1) Make sure your potatoes are completely drained and free of liquid...ALL liquid. 2) Make them golf ball size like the recipe says.
Making them was simple enough, mine just came out too big, but that did not alter how delicious they were. take a little time, for they are a bit time consuming and make these lovely little things. All we needed was a salad and we were good to go. Yummo!
4 potatoes, peeled and boiled (I boiled them whole)
1/2 t alt (I would bump it to 1 full teaspoon)
2 eggs beaten (We used almond milk in its place) This is what holds the bread crumbs to the potato ball
Dry bread crumbs (At least 1 cup)
1 lb. Cuban Picadillo (Google it, but I will be putting this recipe up soon)
Flour (Enough to coat the potato balls)
Oil of choice for frying (We use peanut oil) And this is only about 1/4 of an inch deep in a frying pan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Boil potatoes until they are fully cooked. Drain. Mash potatoes with the salt (do not add any butter, oil, or liquid!) allow mixture to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature. Grab a handful of mashed potatoes, split the handful in half, and make each half into a little bowl by pressing in with your fingers. Stuff the indentation in each half with the Picadillo. Bring the two halves together and smooth to make a round ball, about the size of an overstuffed golf ball. Dip the ball into the almond milk, and then roll in the flour until lightly covered. Dip the ball in the almond milk again and roll in the bread crumbs to coat thoroughly.
Important: Refrigerate the balls for two to four hours before proceeding to the next step. Heat oil to the frying stage (about 375ยบ F) and gently drop each papa rellena into the hot oil. Let it cook for about two minutes or until golden brown. Turn the balls and cook the other half in the same way. Be careful not to overcook.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)