I have been cooking the last few days non-stop. My feet ache from standing in the kitchen and I am just plain tired. What an awful Hot day.
Some ideas to add to your menus;
Adding more raw into your diet:
Easy tortilla sandwich
Microwave for about a minute a tortilla with re fried beans, cheese, grated carrot and grated zuchinni, when done top with salsa and lettuce. Makes for a quick and easy meal.
I make this sometimes when I need to run out the door in a hurry.
Add more veggies to lasagna
Even if your crowd loves meat you can add veggies in and they still will be happy if you cut it up small enough so they don't notice.
I use a zyliss but you can use your food processor to chop up veggies like, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, onion and spinach. Mix it in with the sauce and don't forget a little fresh basil!
Cook up chicken breast to use the whole week
When I get chicken on sale I boil(simmer) them in chicken broth just till they are still slightly pink inside (they still cook when turned off) Cut them up into bite sized chunks and then keep them in the fridge for easy use. This way you can lather them in barbecue for a quick barbecue chicken meal, spice them up with marsala sauce(next post) and cauliflower for a quick Indian flavor meal. You can use them in sandwiches, and salads too. You can even freeze it after cooked to nuke later.
Cook Oatmeal up the way you like it into small cups and freeze
I love stove top oatmeal cooked with cinnamon and maple syrup my way. If you have a special oatmeal only you can make check this out; After done cooking pour into those cheap 6 oz plastic cups cover with saran wrap an freeze. Pop them into a bowl and nuke when ready to eat.
Not so beefy Sloppy Joes
I feel like my kids get too much beef, but they really like the flavor. So I do half beef and half ground turkey when I can. Worried about it being too dry, mix in a cup of blended cooked cauliflower into the meat before cooking. It keeps it moist but the flavor is not noticeable!
Chow, Now I need a Nap!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Raw Biryani with Fig Chutney
I got this recipe on You Tube - Kemi's Raw Biryani with Fig Chutney
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe4F9bkUD20
It went over well with the Adults even non Raw Vegans, so here it is;
Kemi's Raw Biryani
Food Process:
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped cauliflower
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp chili
1 tsp cinnamin
then mix together with:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (more if you like cilantro like I do)
Fig Chutney
6 dried figs soaked in water a few hours
2 Tbsp chopped mint
1 Tbsp lime juice
Blend together until smooth. Dollop into the middle of your Biryani and garnish with chopped raw cashews or peanuts.
This was so different and so good most of my friends didn't even realize they were eating raw.
A good dish to bring to a picnic!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe4F9bkUD20
It went over well with the Adults even non Raw Vegans, so here it is;
Kemi's Raw Biryani
Food Process:
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped cauliflower
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp chili
1 tsp cinnamin
then mix together with:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (more if you like cilantro like I do)
Fig Chutney
6 dried figs soaked in water a few hours
2 Tbsp chopped mint
1 Tbsp lime juice
Blend together until smooth. Dollop into the middle of your Biryani and garnish with chopped raw cashews or peanuts.
This was so different and so good most of my friends didn't even realize they were eating raw.
A good dish to bring to a picnic!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Pork Chops with Apricot marinade and Haluska
I rarely cook Pork chops but got a BOGO at Giant Eagle and I know how much Peter likes Pork chops. So I Decided to make a marinade so my Mira would eat them as well. My little Carnivores.
Pork Chops with Apricot marinade
Marinate 3-4 good sized pork chops (med thickness) in the items mixed below for at least 4 hours or overnight;
2 TBSP apricot jam (we bought this from our farm with our CSA)
2 Tbsp soy Sauce (or more if you like it saltier)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
Grill the marinated Chops on the Grill outside and serve over the Haluska below...
Haluska is a authentic Hungarian or Polish Noodle dish. My friend Patricia Loverich-Bernard gave me her version from her Mom and this is it here sans the sour cream but you can use it if you like.
Haluska
1 head med-large green cabbage chopped into strips
1 large onion (or 2 small-med) chopped into strips
1stick of butter (butter makes everything better)
1 bag or box of large flat egg noodles cooked and drained (this is important because although I have tried it does not work or taste as good with any other noodle)
salt and pepper (I will tell you I use Penzeys 'Mural of Flavor' spices 1/2 tsp and add some salt and it is wonderful)
Penzeys is in the Strip District in Pittsburgh and they have wonderful spice mixes that are so easy to use to enhance your dishes (that sounded like an advertisement, I wonder if they will give me a discount!)
Saute the butter, cabbage and noodles in a deep fry pan on med high heat. Be careful not to burn the butter. Once the cabbage has softened and the onions translucent add the spices and the noodles and cook a little more 5-7 min.
The kids and Peter were in heaven over this dish and I served it with a side of my kids favorite Asparagus. What is it about heavily laden butter dishes that make everyone smile;)?
Pork Chops with Apricot marinade
Marinate 3-4 good sized pork chops (med thickness) in the items mixed below for at least 4 hours or overnight;
2 TBSP apricot jam (we bought this from our farm with our CSA)
2 Tbsp soy Sauce (or more if you like it saltier)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
Grill the marinated Chops on the Grill outside and serve over the Haluska below...
Haluska is a authentic Hungarian or Polish Noodle dish. My friend Patricia Loverich-Bernard gave me her version from her Mom and this is it here sans the sour cream but you can use it if you like.
Haluska
1 head med-large green cabbage chopped into strips
1 large onion (or 2 small-med) chopped into strips
1stick of butter (butter makes everything better)
1 bag or box of large flat egg noodles cooked and drained (this is important because although I have tried it does not work or taste as good with any other noodle)
salt and pepper (I will tell you I use Penzeys 'Mural of Flavor' spices 1/2 tsp and add some salt and it is wonderful)
Penzeys is in the Strip District in Pittsburgh and they have wonderful spice mixes that are so easy to use to enhance your dishes (that sounded like an advertisement, I wonder if they will give me a discount!)
Saute the butter, cabbage and noodles in a deep fry pan on med high heat. Be careful not to burn the butter. Once the cabbage has softened and the onions translucent add the spices and the noodles and cook a little more 5-7 min.
The kids and Peter were in heaven over this dish and I served it with a side of my kids favorite Asparagus. What is it about heavily laden butter dishes that make everyone smile;)?
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Treachery of Technology
Remember those days when you didn’t drop down in front of your computer first thing in the morning? Or all day through.
Heck, I remember not even owning a computer. I remember when a computer took up a whole room the size of a large walk in closet and punch cards were required.
Being linked in, hooked up, on line, skypeing, face-booking, tweeting, blogging, always connected has its ups and downs. Mostly it's an incredible time drain.
Although the blogging for some reason, even if no one is reading it, I really enjoy. For me blogging is cathartic.
Facebook is like a voyeuristic indulgence. I get to peak into peoples lives, look at their pages and pictures when they don’t know it. It feels incredibly naughty to me. Of course if you are FB friends, you expect that people will look at your pictures and words etc. But still sometimes I feel like I am eavesdropping, like some of the conversation(if you can call it that) is personal and really not meant for my ears.
Twitter, is like stream of consciousness on steroids. I have enough problem with saying just what I think at the wrong time, who needs a place to broadcast it. A new way to piss more people off that’s what twitter would be for me! I do have a twitter account but I avoid it.
Like most of you though, I am addicted.
I can’t help just jumping onto the FB newsfeed as I walk by the computer bringing lunch to the kids. I jump on, read quick and jump off, not wanting anyone to catch me, lest I get caught up chatting and then the kids would be on to what I am doing. OK I know you can block the chat box, but that seems like lying so quickly getting on and off somehow makes me feel better. Hey I’m not hiding, catch me if you can! Didn’t I just tell a friend the other day, “I never have time to get on Facebook anymore”, there was some truth in that. If your not caught on Facebook doesn’t that mean your not on Facebook?
I need to blog. I can’t seem to write in sound bites. I like words, always have since I used to browse the dictionary as a kid. Trying out new words like most girls try on shoes. I want to blog everyday but believe it or not by the end of some days I have very little to say. Not sure how it would come out any way when I am that exhausted.
I still like email. Oh but the dangers of email. One day you send a funny email to a friend about their funny looking hat they wore and the next day they send you a ‘you don’t understand me’ email back. They read your email with a tone in their voice you couldn’t and wouldn’t have. They made your email vile, when it was meant to be light if not a bit cajoling. So you spend your day emailing and then calling to convince them it was a misunderstanding and you didn’t mean to hurt their feelings. What a gimboid! you think but keep it to yourself.
Not fully on to Skype but it is soon to take hold in this household I am sure. Especially when Max is in college. Then I can chastise him about his messy room on line in real time over the internets! He’ll be moving his computer where the backdrop is a blank wall.
What would we do without all the ways we have now a days to keep connected. Some days I want to go trekking deep into the woods, hole up in a little cabin with books to read, writing material and plenty of canned food. But then I would get lonely and need my computer.
It was because of all this connectedness (computer) that I learned to type. I was a hopeless hunt and pecker until it became imperative that I be able to create a quick email. It took me a while but now I don’t have to look at the keys anymore and I couldn’t live without it. Or at least I don’t think I could!
Heck, I remember not even owning a computer. I remember when a computer took up a whole room the size of a large walk in closet and punch cards were required.
Being linked in, hooked up, on line, skypeing, face-booking, tweeting, blogging, always connected has its ups and downs. Mostly it's an incredible time drain.
Although the blogging for some reason, even if no one is reading it, I really enjoy. For me blogging is cathartic.
Facebook is like a voyeuristic indulgence. I get to peak into peoples lives, look at their pages and pictures when they don’t know it. It feels incredibly naughty to me. Of course if you are FB friends, you expect that people will look at your pictures and words etc. But still sometimes I feel like I am eavesdropping, like some of the conversation(if you can call it that) is personal and really not meant for my ears.
Twitter, is like stream of consciousness on steroids. I have enough problem with saying just what I think at the wrong time, who needs a place to broadcast it. A new way to piss more people off that’s what twitter would be for me! I do have a twitter account but I avoid it.
Like most of you though, I am addicted.
I can’t help just jumping onto the FB newsfeed as I walk by the computer bringing lunch to the kids. I jump on, read quick and jump off, not wanting anyone to catch me, lest I get caught up chatting and then the kids would be on to what I am doing. OK I know you can block the chat box, but that seems like lying so quickly getting on and off somehow makes me feel better. Hey I’m not hiding, catch me if you can! Didn’t I just tell a friend the other day, “I never have time to get on Facebook anymore”, there was some truth in that. If your not caught on Facebook doesn’t that mean your not on Facebook?
I need to blog. I can’t seem to write in sound bites. I like words, always have since I used to browse the dictionary as a kid. Trying out new words like most girls try on shoes. I want to blog everyday but believe it or not by the end of some days I have very little to say. Not sure how it would come out any way when I am that exhausted.
I still like email. Oh but the dangers of email. One day you send a funny email to a friend about their funny looking hat they wore and the next day they send you a ‘you don’t understand me’ email back. They read your email with a tone in their voice you couldn’t and wouldn’t have. They made your email vile, when it was meant to be light if not a bit cajoling. So you spend your day emailing and then calling to convince them it was a misunderstanding and you didn’t mean to hurt their feelings. What a gimboid! you think but keep it to yourself.
Not fully on to Skype but it is soon to take hold in this household I am sure. Especially when Max is in college. Then I can chastise him about his messy room on line in real time over the internets! He’ll be moving his computer where the backdrop is a blank wall.
What would we do without all the ways we have now a days to keep connected. Some days I want to go trekking deep into the woods, hole up in a little cabin with books to read, writing material and plenty of canned food. But then I would get lonely and need my computer.
It was because of all this connectedness (computer) that I learned to type. I was a hopeless hunt and pecker until it became imperative that I be able to create a quick email. It took me a while but now I don’t have to look at the keys anymore and I couldn’t live without it. Or at least I don’t think I could!
I have been on a strike from cooking last few days! I am determined to get my kids to each take one day a week and cook. Why should I have all the fun?!
I showed them how to take a can of chopped tomatoes, blend it with garlic and basil and you have a quick sauce for penne (we were out of bottled tomato sauce).
They should know how to cook something besides mac n' cheese before they go out on their own.
So this coming week will be the trial run. They must make a meal for the family, a complete meal I might add. It can't be Mac n' Cheese and it can't be hamburgers and hot dogs. They also can not repeat a meal for 6 weeks.
Gosh, I'm a mean Mommy!! Just call me Mommy Dearest.
I showed them how to take a can of chopped tomatoes, blend it with garlic and basil and you have a quick sauce for penne (we were out of bottled tomato sauce).
They should know how to cook something besides mac n' cheese before they go out on their own.
So this coming week will be the trial run. They must make a meal for the family, a complete meal I might add. It can't be Mac n' Cheese and it can't be hamburgers and hot dogs. They also can not repeat a meal for 6 weeks.
Gosh, I'm a mean Mommy!! Just call me Mommy Dearest.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Tempeh Masala
OK so this is not real Masala, just my bastardized version of it.
Tempeh Masala
The Sauce:
1 30 oz (or 2 15oz) can of diced or whole tomatoes
1 can evaporated condensed milk (you can use Sweetened if you like for a sweeter, thicker version. Read about them here; http://homecooking.about.com/od/cookingfaqs/f/faqcannedmilk.htm)
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Tumeric
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Ground cloves
1 tsp Cinnamon
Blend the above ingredients in a blender. You can make this the day or night before if you want to have a quick meal the next night.
The Meal:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp chopped garlic (I use the jar kind for ease and so my hands don't smell like garlic)
1 small head cauliflower cut into Florette chunks
1 large onion cut into chunks
Sauce Above
8 oz organic Tempeh cut into 1 inch chunks (if you want to know what this is see; http://www.tempeh.info/)
3 cups chopped spinach
Saute onion, garlic, and cauliflower in the oil until onion is translucent and some browning (do not burn) Add the Sauce from the night before with the Tempeh and turn down to simmer for 20 minutes. Add the Spinach and cook for another 5.
Serve with cooked Brown Rice. Bread or Nan is also good to have to mop up all that yummy sauce with.
Enjoy!
Tempeh Masala
The Sauce:
1 30 oz (or 2 15oz) can of diced or whole tomatoes
1 can evaporated condensed milk (you can use Sweetened if you like for a sweeter, thicker version. Read about them here; http://homecooking.about.com/od/cookingfaqs/f/faqcannedmilk.htm)
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Tumeric
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Ground cloves
1 tsp Cinnamon
Blend the above ingredients in a blender. You can make this the day or night before if you want to have a quick meal the next night.
The Meal:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp chopped garlic (I use the jar kind for ease and so my hands don't smell like garlic)
1 small head cauliflower cut into Florette chunks
1 large onion cut into chunks
Sauce Above
8 oz organic Tempeh cut into 1 inch chunks (if you want to know what this is see; http://www.tempeh.info/)
3 cups chopped spinach
Saute onion, garlic, and cauliflower in the oil until onion is translucent and some browning (do not burn) Add the Sauce from the night before with the Tempeh and turn down to simmer for 20 minutes. Add the Spinach and cook for another 5.
Serve with cooked Brown Rice. Bread or Nan is also good to have to mop up all that yummy sauce with.
Enjoy!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Oven Frustrations and Nori Rolls
OVEN WOES:
For about a year now (probably longer) I have been nursing our gas range along.
The electrical panel went out for the second time since we moved into this house 12 years ago. 1st time it broke, we had it fixed and the repair man told us that it would not be worth repairing again and we should just replace it next time the panel goes.
Deciding to wait until we save for a new one or looking for a good used...
Here is how I manage it.
Manually lighting the burners when I need them - this I don't mind but I don't like the kids to do it because their carelessness with the matches laying near the burners.
I also told them laying the gas lighter next to the burner could cause an explosion. Max's retort to that was, "How cool would that be!" Not very I think.
Simply lighting the burners I could go on for years with but it is the oven that is a pain.
The stove panel likes to beep in Error mode at odd times and is unpredictable when hooked up to electricity so we must flip the circuit breaker off in the basement when not in use.
So every time I want to use the oven I have to flip it back on.
Also now, like all aged things it moves so much slower. It takes about a half an hour to heat up the oven to 400 degrees so it is important to plan ahead.
I often forget to go back down and flip the breaker again which causes Peter or I to get up at 2 am when the piercing Error buzzer goes off.
I don't know why it can't alert us to this at a reasonable hour.
My solution to this of course is to just eat raw foods but my family isn't going for it!
Here is one of my favorite raw food meals;
Nori Wraps
1 sushi Nori seaweed sheets
1 tsp ume plum paste (can pick up at an asian store)
Pea Sprouts
1/2 small carrot julienne
4 pieces julienne cucumbers (no seeds)
1/4 avocados sliced or cubed
1 Tbsp cooked rice
Spread the plum paste on the nori sheet and place the other items and rollup. Here is a tutorial that will help you master a hand roll. Too bad all of these come with an advertisement first, but this one is pretty funny. http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Make-a-Sushi-Hand-Roll-5289
For about a year now (probably longer) I have been nursing our gas range along.
The electrical panel went out for the second time since we moved into this house 12 years ago. 1st time it broke, we had it fixed and the repair man told us that it would not be worth repairing again and we should just replace it next time the panel goes.
Deciding to wait until we save for a new one or looking for a good used...
Here is how I manage it.
Manually lighting the burners when I need them - this I don't mind but I don't like the kids to do it because their carelessness with the matches laying near the burners.
I also told them laying the gas lighter next to the burner could cause an explosion. Max's retort to that was, "How cool would that be!" Not very I think.
Simply lighting the burners I could go on for years with but it is the oven that is a pain.
The stove panel likes to beep in Error mode at odd times and is unpredictable when hooked up to electricity so we must flip the circuit breaker off in the basement when not in use.
So every time I want to use the oven I have to flip it back on.
Also now, like all aged things it moves so much slower. It takes about a half an hour to heat up the oven to 400 degrees so it is important to plan ahead.
I often forget to go back down and flip the breaker again which causes Peter or I to get up at 2 am when the piercing Error buzzer goes off.
I don't know why it can't alert us to this at a reasonable hour.
My solution to this of course is to just eat raw foods but my family isn't going for it!
Here is one of my favorite raw food meals;
Nori Wraps
1 sushi Nori seaweed sheets
1 tsp ume plum paste (can pick up at an asian store)
Pea Sprouts
1/2 small carrot julienne
4 pieces julienne cucumbers (no seeds)
1/4 avocados sliced or cubed
1 Tbsp cooked rice
Spread the plum paste on the nori sheet and place the other items and rollup. Here is a tutorial that will help you master a hand roll. Too bad all of these come with an advertisement first, but this one is pretty funny. http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Make-a-Sushi-Hand-Roll-5289
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