Archive for the ‘cooking’ Category
Quick and Healthy Snack Options III – Cashew & Cherry Cheese Spread
Can anyone tell that I am getting ready to go back to work and am in a desperate race against time to figure out what kinds of snacks I can pack now that I am gluten-free and going for at least 75% raw?
Well, today, I whipped this up in my high speed blender, which – trust me – is getting more and more use as the days slide by. To tell you the truth, I’m thinking about getting one for my office!
Cashew & Cherry Cheese Spread
2 cups of raw organic cashews
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons water
1 lemon
1/2 cup dried, unsweetened cherries (I found these in the bulk section at Whole Foods).
Soak the cashews for 1 to 2 hours, drain, then toss into a high speed blender (such as Blendtec or Vitamix)
Add agave nectar and the water.
Grate all of the peel off the lemon and add it to the cashew mix. You may want to do this directly over the blender container to avoid making a mess!
Juice the lemon directly into the blender, seeds and all.
Blend until relatively smooth.
[On my Blendtec, I used the dip/sauce/fondue setting. I think I scraped it down and hit for a couple of pulses just for good measure].
Add the 1/2 cup of dried cherries.
Blend enough until the cherries start to break up.
[At this point, the blender didn't sound happy, so I just used the pulse feature a couple of times and let the cherries do what they wanted!]
This yielded about two cups of a lightly sweet, yet zingy spread. It’s about 120 calories per 2 Tbs, so it’s just a little more caloric than other more common nut butters.
I took two tablespoons and filled up four stalks of celery (which was plenty filling as a morning and afternoon snack)!
Note, the original recipe (which did not call for water and did call for a touch of sea salt) was much, much thicker and quite a bit more cheese-like.
I found this gem (along with several others) at Choosing Raw. If you have any curiosity whatsoever about how to eat well, raw, you’ll get your answers there!
The Easiest, Healthiest (and some of the most delicious) Fudge You’ll Ever Make
Filed under: cooking, gluten-free, Holidays, raw food, recipes, superfood |
Comments (2) A few weeks ago, I made the decision to add more raw food into my diet. In fact, I just made the pledge (on twitter @KJLively) that no baked desserts shall pass these lips over the holidays. Somehow, it seems like making a higher pledge (like no gluten, no baked goods) and sticking to it will be easier than making tons of decisions on a dessert-by-dessert basis.
But, not to be a dessert killjoy during the holidays, I have sat up the raw food lab in the kitchen. I have a ton of raw almonds, cashews, walnuts, as well as dates, raisins, bananas, raw cacao powder, cacao nibs, coconut oil, zucchini, and (don’t ask) avocado. For those of you who don’t do raw, you’ll be relieved to know that all this does not go into the same recipe. 
I decided to start simple, with Mint Chocolate Fudge balls, recipe courtesy of the Raw Foods Witch, Nathalie Lussier. You can also download her free cookbook: “28 Desserts You Can Eat Everyday,” in exchange for your name and email. Not a bad deal, if you think about it.
I am definitely making these this year at my parents’ house!
Mint Chocolate Fudge Balls
• 1/2 cup raw nut butter of choice (almond butter, cashew butter, hazelnut butter, etc.)
• 1/2 cup soft dates
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder or carob powder
• Drop of mint or peppermint oils
Blend the dates separately first, to ensure that they will be smooth in the final product.
Then add the remaining ingredients and blend until the entire mixture forms into a ball of
dough.
Take pieces of dough and roll in your hands to form balls.
Store in freezer or fridge.
Makes 16 small balls
Per 2: 127 calories, 7.8 g fat, 0.7 saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 mg sodium, 12.3 g carbohydrates, 3.6 g fiber, 6.9 g sugar, 4.4 g protein
These are super easy – and rich enough that the two (or even one) just might do you!
Note: I put these in the freezer and it dried them out enough that they’re more like cookies – think Newman’s Mint Chocolate Chocolate Chip!
Another “Make-Do Recipe” Does Good
Michael J and I arrived home from a three day cross country jaunt at 4:00 a.m. to an empty fridge, snow on the ground, and workers coming to tear out the basement floor in less than 5 hours.
Needless to say that this morning has been something of a blur – what with the overall tiredness, the generalized burnout, and – now – the buzz of the Sawzall Saw and the all too cheerful chatter of workers who obviously got more sleep than we did.
Before I knew it, it was lunch time; the refrigerator was all but bare. Of course, we could have yet another peanut butter and Ezekial Bread sandwich or ricecakes and hummus (which had been the mainstays on yesterday’s travel fiasco), but the thought left me cold.
In fact, what I really wanted was something warm.
I turned my inner critic off and opened the fridge: couple of cartons of tofu that I had bought for some recipe or another but never used, several packages of Shirataki Noodles, garlic, celery, carrots, and a bunch of broccoli that didn’t look quite fresh enough to eat raw. There were also some sweet potatoes (which would take too long) and some hemp shake fixin’s which would have been great – that is, if it wasn’t cold and the airlines hadn’t lost my blender! (I’ll have more to say about that later!)
As I piled all of the ingredients up on the counter, I got a nostalgic longing for this little hole in the wall Chinese place I used to go to in Indiana. They had this amazing tofu and veggie soup that I ate almost everyday for lunch. I decided to give recreating it a try and though it wasn’t perfect, it was pretty darned good. And, more to the point, it’s definitely going into the rotation as Michael J even had some!
Given that the Shirataki noodles are calorie-free – yes, you head me, so, if you like noodles and didn’t check out the link above, you may want to do that now – I can imagine making this up (or some version thereof) to just have around on those cold nights when I’m coming home late from work and too chilly and too tired to make anything else.
Let me know what you think!
Tofu and Shirataki Noodle Soup
“A very satisfying soup that warms the spirit on an otherwise cold and dispirited day”
1 cup baby carrots, sliced
5 stalks celery, sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups of water
3 teaspoons of Better than Bouillon (Organic, Vegetable)
2 Bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried basil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 – 2 cups broccoli florets
1 carton of extra firm tofu (drained, and pressed to reduce liquid)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 – 2 tsp of San-J Tamari Sauce (or other gluten-free soy sauce)
2 packages of Shirataki noodles (prepared according to package)
Add first ten ingredients (through salt and papper) in a large stew pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until carrots are tender (around 15 minutes).
Add broccoli.
Heat oil in a separate skillet; when hot, add tofu and cook until sides are browned. Add Tamari sauce and saute gently for a few minutes to season tofu.
Add tofu and the noodles to the soup pot. Heat until warm throughout. Remove bay leaves and serve
Serves 4 (Generously): 178 calories, 9.8 g. fat, 1.4 g. saturated fat, 272.5 mg sodium, 14 g. carbs, 5.9 grams fiber, 1.2 grams sugar, 13.5 grams protein.
Happy Thanksgiving
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday yesterday.
I, personally, had a fabulous Thanksgiving. It was probably one of two in my entire lifetime of eating solid food that I wasn’t completely stressed out about food and/or walked away from the table feeling like a bloated tub of lard.
As we head into the holiday season, it’s important to remember that even though most people just plan on gaining ten pounds over the holidays, because that’s what happens to everyone, you’re not everyone! Or at least you don’t have to be.
Keeping that in mind, let me tell you about my day:
I actually came in 47 calories below my daily calorie budget yesterday, which, believe you me, is another first! And I know that if I can make it through Thanksgiving – the most food focused of all the holidays – while meeting my goals and not feeling the least bit deprived, then I can make it through the rest of the season similarly unscathed.
So what was different this year?
I got up yesterday morning, while the house was still quiet. I made some decisions about what I was going to be taking to MJ’s parents’ for dinner, I made one of the salads that needed to chill (recipe will follow), I had my normal breakfast (a Berry Hemp Shake) and then I did an hour of yoga.
By the time I was done, the household was awake. I put away the yoga mat, made some tea and touched base with Michael J and our new housemate. When Michael J went downstairs to his man cave, I continued to talk to Sarah (the new HM) – for a couple of hours really. It was nice. Around 11:30, I made second breakfast (egg white omelet with veggies) and while Sarah took a shower and got ready to go to her holiday celebration, I did a 30 minute workout tape (K-Bells: Total Body Blast). As soon as I was done, Michael J came up and said, “Want to go for a walk?”
Sure, why not?
By the time we got back, we both needed showers and I still had two dishes to make (Spicy Yams and Rice Pilaf with Almonds and Dates), so as you might imagine, things got a little crazy. One of the reasons I was bringing three dishes was that I had volunteered to make some gluten-free options because Michael J and I are both gluten-free, as is Michael J’s brother, who was driving up that day and was, thus, at the mercy of his family for healthy options (which, as it turned out, there were several)!
Although we were rushed (it was already 2:30 and we were slated to eat at 4:00), Michael J and I both sat down and had lunch. Yes, you heard me. We had lunch at 2:30, when we were going to be eating Thanksgiving dinner at 4:00! Because this year, instead of saving calories for the meal itself, I decided to actively spend them before the meal.
Now, granted, I only had a huge bowl of kale and garlic sauteed in coconut oil and a handful of roasted almonds (which amounted to about 300 or so calories), but it was enough to take the edge off. Especially because kale and almonds are both superfoods, meaning that they are nutrient-rich and extremely satisfying.
It was an interesting feeling to show up for Thanksgiving dinner and not be the slightest bit hungry. Not that that stopped me of course, when it actually came time to eat, but it did slow me down.
As it was, I cheerfully skipped the appetizers and when it was time for dinner (served closer to 5:00 than the slated 4:00), I ended up following Michael Pollen’s advice and “treated meat as a condiment.” I think I may have had three ounces of turkey (which was scrumptious by the way), quinoa salad, a spoonful (or two) of the rice pilaf, a spoonful of yams, some broccoli, and some green beans. It was a beautiful plate. I wish that I had taken a picture of it.
Full of crisp harvest colors and surprisingly free of anything mashed or looking even remotely like gravy or butter, it really was a culinary work of art. And it tasted even better than it looked!
Now, dessert was a little tricky. Mainly because Michael J’s sister-in-law sat an individual sized bowl of chocolate pie filling in front of me topped with homemade whipped cream that had been made especially for those of us following gluten-free diets. And, being a total sucker for homemade chocolate pie, I went for it. And, God, it was good! As were the Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownies!
But let me tell you, after being relatively sugar free now for over two months, I could literally feel the sugar leeching into my blood stream. And I have had worse cravings today than I’ve since I went gluten-free. I have a friend who says with increasing regularity that “sugar is the devil.” I’m beginning to believe her!
Overall, it was a very nice holiday. I had a great time exercising and even a better time getting to connect with friends and family. Even though my own parents and sister are far away, I also made sure to talk to them a couple of times throughout the day. And while it is true that I spent a good part of the afternoon cooking, the day really was more people-focused than food-focused, which is nice (and, I realize, a lot easier if you’re going to dinner instead of hosting it). Thanks, Mrs. Y doing all of the heavy lifting!
So based on the wonderful day I had yesterday, I will do my level best to make this season more about health and people and less about stress and food.
I am definitely going to make it less about sugar!
There are other things that I am going to publicly commit to that will – hopefully – make me more accountable to myself over the next six weeks (and beyond). But for now, I will leave it as this: Happy Holidays, everyone!
Recipe: Rice Pilaf with Almonds and Dates (Gluten-Free)
Filed under: cooking, food, gluten-free, recipes, Uncategorized |
Comments (1) 1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil
(Note: I substituted 2 Tablespoons of Nutiva’s Extra Virgin Coconut Oil for the butter and olive oil)!
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 red, yellow, or green bell pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon, ground allspice or nutmeg
1/2 cup dates
3 cups cooked brown, white or basmati rice
(Note: I use brown basmati rice, because it’s so much more aromatic than the other two)!
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup chopped roasted almonds
salt and ground black pepper to taste
In a large heavy skillet, heat the butter and oil. Saute the onions and garlic on medium heat until just tender. Finely chop the bell pepper, and add it to the sauteing onion. Stir in the turmeric, cinnamon, and allspice/nutmeg. Finely chop the dates, and add them to the onions. Stir in the rice and the parsley, sprinkle on the water, and heat uncovered for a few minutes. When the rice is hot, stir in the almonds, add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
This was taken and modified from the Moosewood Cooks at Home! If you don’t have this one, I would highly recommend it!
Serves 4 generously; could easily be a meal served with fresh garden salad, dressed with fresh lemon juice!
Per 8 ounce serving: 290 calories, 5.3 grams of protein, 8.5 grams of fat, 75 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol
As promised: Simple Peanut Sauce
Makes 1 cup
“Peanut sauce is quick to make and delicious with cooked vegetables or with pasta.”
1/3 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup hot water
1 tablespoon San-J Organic Wheat Free Tamari sauce (or any other gluten-free soy sauce).
1 tablespoon vinegar (cider or seasoned rice)
2 teaspoons of sugar (or organic agave nectar)
2 (to 6) garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne
Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small sauce pan, then heat gently until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Add more water if the sauce becomes too thick.
Per tablespoon: 38 calories, 1 gram of protien, 2 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams fat, 38 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol
We served this over brown rice spaghetti, topped with chopped scallions with a generous side of roasted vegetables.
I’ve also served it over acorn squash with excellent results – and it’s not too bad straight off the spoon either!
Recipe taken (and modified from) one of my favorite cookbooks of all time: The Peaceful Palate.
If it was in there, I roasted it
Last night, I decided that I wanted to roast some vegetables.
Why?
They’re delicious for starters. It’s really hard to go wrong with roasted veggies.
They’re also easy, if you don’t mind chopping, which I don’t. I actually like chopping. I find it relaxing.
They’re forgiving. It really doesn’t matter what you decide to roast – they’re almost always good.
Last night I decided to clean out the crispers:
1 head of garlic, crushed or diced
1 onion, sliced
Brussels sprouts, as many as I could find
2 broccoli crowns, in pieces
2 cups fresh green beans
3 carrots, sliced
2 turnips, chopped
1 parsnip, chopped
1 acorn squash, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, cubed
1 yellow squash, cubed
Olive Oil, enough to lightly coat the veggies
Sea Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Oregano lots)
Dried basil, lots
I preheated the oven to 350-375
I dressed everything in the oil, salt, pepper, and spices, except the zucchini and the summer squash in a large bowl.
I laid everything out in a single-ish layer in a large roasting pan.
I let that cook for 20 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until the broccoli started to crisp.
I tossed the 2 squash in a second mix of oil, salt, pepper, and spice and then added that to the roasting pan.
I then let it cook for another 15 minutes.
When they were done enough (or to my taste, as this is obviously more art than science), they came out and got served up with a rice noodle and peanut sauce dish (recipe here) Yum.
The other thing I like about roasted veggies? They taste just as good the next day!
Time Saving Tip: Rice Pasta
Last night, we forgot to start the rice (to go with the Caribbean Black Beans) and before we realized it, it was 8:00 and we were both way beyond hungry!
On a whim, we decided to try serving them over rice pasta. I mean even though it’s pasta, it’s rice, how bad could it be?
Well, in fact, it turned out to be pretty darned good. Not only that, it was colorful, because we used the open bag of Mrs. Leeper’s Rice Vegetable Twists.
So, if you’re like us – that is, one of those people who sometimes forget the put the rice on some 50 minutes before you need it – keep a bag of rice pasta on hand. It’s fast, easy, and (dare I say it, lest you figure out what a food geek I truly am?) fun!
What’s for dinner? Caribbean Black Beans and Memories
Tonight I decided to go with something easy. Fortunately – and totally inadvertantly – I happened upon a dish that brought back fond memories of my favorite restaurant when I was living in Nashville, TN, as a graduate student on a small budget: The Calypso Cafe.
The Calypso was healthy, delicious, and, more to the point, it was cheap. They specialized in black bean dishes, sweet potatoes, some sort of kale side dish, coconut cornbread muffins, rice, and rotisserie chicken.
I remember taking my parents and my sister there, pretty sure they were going to hate it. If not for the food, then for the atmosphere, where 9 times out of 10, you’d end up listening to Bob Marley! Despite the obvious similarities between the two, my folks prefer Willie! Regardless….
My dad, the one I had pegged as the true skeptic, loved it. In fact, on every follow-up visit, when I asked where they wanted to go, he’d say, “Is that little place over by the Parthenon still open? You know, the one with the black beans?”
I haven’t been to the Calypso in years; I left Nashville in 1999.
But, fortunately – for my culinary enjoyment – I have the chance to go back this coming January.
Until then, however, I’ll have to stick with Moosewood rendition of Caribbean Black Beans. Given that I just so happen to be well stocked on kale, rice, cooked yams, and coconut, it shouldn’t be that much of a hardship! 
If you ever get over Nashville way, check them out! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised! My dad certainly was and having grown up on chocolate gravy (or so the legend goes) and fried catfish it was a bit of a stretch!
Recipe: Caribbean Black Beans
Serves 4 (generously)
Total cooking time: 30 minutes
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
3 (to 6) garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 dried)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
4 1/2 cups drained cooked black beans (three 16 ounce cans)
3/4 cup orange juice
salt and ground black pepper to taste
Saute the onion and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. Add the ginger, thyme, and allspice and saute, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the onions are very soft, for about 5 more minutes. Stir in the beans and orange juice and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens slightly. Use a heat diffuser or a double boiler if necessary to prevent scorching (I didn’t have any trouble with it). Mash a few of the beans with the back of the spoon (or a potato masher) for a thicker consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve over rice.
Per 8 ounce serving (not including rice): 252 calories, 5.3 grams of protein, 13.1 grams of fat, 26.1 grams of carbohydrate, 1.61 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol.
Taken (and modified) from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home.
Introducing superfoods into your holiday meals!
Check out these gorgeous and healthy recipes featuring the beautiful antioxidant-rich superfood pomegranates! Just think how lovely any one of these dishes would be decorating your holiday tables! And what a welcome relief they would be from the artery clogging and calorie packing “joy” of the stuffing and candied yams (but see my healthy version of the latter here)!
Special thanks go to my friend, Wadeane, for drawing my attention to this. I’m particularly stoked about trying the guacamole!
Question: What’s your favorite, yet healthy, holiday food? Conversely, what is the one thing that you simply “have to have,” no matter how bad it is for you? And, more to the point, what substitutions have you tried? What’s worked? What hasn’t?
What’s for Dinner? Finding Gluten-Free Alternatives to Old Favorites
As you may remember, one of my all time favorite winter foods (well, anytime foods since it’s cool year round where I live) is Lentil Barley soup. Problem is, barley is on the no-fly list now that we’re gluten-free!
So, I have been searching for alternatives. My first effort wasn’t so bad right out of the pot. The good thing, though, is that it seasoned right up after a couple of days in the fridge. It’s milder than my previous lentil offering, but it’s equally good in its own right.
So, highly recommended, but give it time to season. And again, I’m talking days, as opposed to hours.
Check it out: Lentil Soup from The Moosewood Cookbook, Revised Edition.
I also made my old standby, tabouli, for tomorrow’s lunch. This, time, however, I substituted red quinoa for the bulgur. Not only is it yummy, it’s also quite beautiful.
I’ve been pouring though my favorite cookbooks looking for new ideas. I’ll post them as I test them out!
What’s your favorite gluten-free recipe? I’d love to hear it!
Recipe: Hummus (Gluten Free)
Someone mentioned to me that the hummus that they were buying at the store was processed in a plant that also processed wheat.
I’ve been recently making my own hummus. It’s cheaper, it’s better, and it’s easier than you might think.
Given that it is also gluten-free, I thought I’d share!
This is probably the simplest of the recipes with which I’ve been experimenting (taken [and modified slightly] from one of my favorite cookbooks: The Peaceful Palate).
“Hummus is a creamy garbanzo pate that makes a delicious sandwich spread, or serve it as a dip with fresh vegetables….”
6 garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 – 15 ounce cans of garbanzo beans
6 Tablespoons tahini (sesame seed butter)
4 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
Place garlic and parsley in food processor (I actually use my blender) and chop into very fine pieces. Drain the beans, reserving the liquid. Add the beans to food processor along with the tahini, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, and salt. Process until smooth. The mixture should be moist and spreadable. If it is too dry – and it will be – add some of the reserved bean liquid to achieve desired consistency .
(I added between 2 and 3 Tablespoons of liquid)
Makes four cups.
Updated Kale Recipe
Last night I decided to experiment with my original recipe! This is what I came up with:
1 Tablespoon of coconut oil
6 cloves of garlic
1 bunch of kale
3 or 4 dashes of Tabasco Sauce, Green.
Coarsely ground black pepper
Sea salt to taste
Dash of fresh lemon juice
I heated up the coconut oil and tossed in the garlic.
While that was cooking, I chopped up a bunch of kale, which is one of the healthiest foods on the planet (second only to coconut oil, apparently)!
I tossed that in the pan with the garlic, added a bunch of freshly ground black pepper, a couple of dashes of Tabasco, and sea salt to taste.
I cooked it until the kale was a brilliant shade of green and tender.
If you like coconut, or even if you don’t, this is delicious! And coconut oil, despite the bad press in the 90s, is quite good for you!
Amazing Gluten-Free Blog
Karina’s Kitchen is an amazing resource for those of you who are (or who need to be) gluten-free! I’ll definitely be working my way through her recipe archives and posting reviews as the season moves forward! I’m particularly excited to try the Butternut Chili! In fact, since I am the primary cook at my house, I’m pretty sure it will happen sometime this week! I’ll be sure to let you know how it turned out!
Recipe: Quick and Easy Kale
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
8 cloves of garlic
1 bunch of kale
freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste
I was starving when I got home, so I minced up about 8 cloves of garlic and sauteed it in olive oil (less than a tablespoon).
While that was cooking, I chopped up a bunch of kale, which is one of the healthiest foods on the planet!
I tossed that in the pan with the garlic, added a bunch of freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste.
I cooked it until the kale was a brilliant shade of green and tender. Although I was sure it would have been fine on its own, I served it with a hand full of raw organic almonds for the additional protein hit (there was already 2 grams of protein per one cup serving, and this was at least three cups).
I thought I would share at least half of it with MJ, but he didn’t even get a bite. Maybe I’ll try to be more considerate when I make it again tomorrow!
Check out the new and improved version here!
Light and “lively” entertaining: simple dinner party ideas
MJ and I love to throw dinner parties. Typically, we end up cooking Indian food or something else that’s equally complicated or heavy.
Last night we had people over and I decided to go simple.
1) I didn’t have all day to prepare (it was sort of last minute on everyone’s part)
2) Our guests, while foodies, tend to be more snackers than big meal type of people
3) I’ve been working really hard to get my body back from it’s unnatural post-vacation state and I didn’t feel like having a big meat-, carb-, or sauce-heavy meal was going to get me there any sooner.
I really wish I had taken a picture to show you how gorgeous this ended up being. And, more importantly, I can’t even explain how easy it was to put together.
Essentially, we had a local food party. It consisted of freshly picked spinach and arugula, mushrooms, yellow bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, tabbouleh (made with fresh mint and parsley), roasted golden beets, heirloom tomatoes, raw organic almonds (okay, not so local), locally baked bread, locally made cheese (one goat and one made from raw cow’s milk) organic extra virgin olive oil, baba ganoushe and hummus from the local Coop, corn on the cob, and some Quinoa Peruvian Stew that I happened to have in the fridge.
Instead of making a salad, I put out everything in multicolored mix-matched bowls that facilitated not only custom meals, but also easy snacking.
I served the snacky stuff on a wooden tray table out on the deck (before it got chilly and we were forced to move indoors for the main course, which was comprised of the tabbouleh, the stew (served in tiny little bowls) and the corn.
I also served the wine, which meant that I controlled the pours. Since MJ and I are in the process of tasting some of the wine we bought in Mendocino, I did have a single glass of each of the bottles; however, I split the difference between MJ and our guests. Everyone was happy. And because there were so many vegetables (all of which tasted great with the wine), it was easy to munch without feeling bad about it or (God forbid) feeling deprived!
It was really delicious and really easy. Normally when I invite people over, I always think that you have to really do something hard or impressive. Though, in all fairness, that’s probably because I’m a bit shy and would rather be in the kitchen instead of in the conversation.
This time. with a few exceptions, we ate what we normally eat: salad, soup, corn, and sometimes (though not often) bread. Granted, we normally don’t have goat cheese or wine with dinner, but we were having guests. Although I enjoy the big dinner party, there was something nice about just having someone over for a meal. In some ways, it’s way more intimate, as you’re inviting someone for the company, not necessarily the food. It was also easier for me to just enjoy the evening.
So next time you invite someone over, keep it simple. Put your energy into the conversation and put the preparation on the back burner. And if you have other simple entertaining strategies, please pass them on!
Photo Credit: Rock Walker
Meat as a condiment
My parents happen to live within ten miles of a world class bar-be-que stand. Seriously, the man wins national competitions and, like all good bar-be-quers, he sells his wares out of a trailer, with the smoker cordoned off behind.
My Dad and I go out in the blazing heat of the day to get a pound of sliced beef, a pound of turkey, and 1/2 pound of bologna, which I swear I won’t touch, but do anyway. It was heavenly. Note: this stuff comes succulent, but dry with the sauce on the side, as opposed to being smothered in fat obscuring sauce.
Now, you might be thinking, sauce or no sauce, 2 1/2 pounds of meat is hardly “condiment status.” But it is when you invite five people over for dinner (and have left overs).
Foregoing the traditional sides of pork and beans, mayonnaise and cabbage (aka coleslaw) and creamed corn, I commandeered the menu and made tabouli, spinach salad and a relish plate consisting of radishes, pickles, olives, and banana peppers.
So, all in all, I had about 4 ounces of meat, and a ton of fresh veggies. I actually saved the tabouli as a snack with salad a couple of hours later, but everyone else loved it.
For being at home with my parents and all of my old childhood triggers, I had a surprisingly good food and exercise day yesterday. Looking forward to another one today!
What’s for dinner? Sour Chickpeas
Tonight Michael and I had a special treat: Sour chickpeas served over brown basmati rice and accompanied by lightly steamed broccoli and fresh baby carrots, which helped mitigate the kick from the cayenne.
This dish is easy to make (don’t let all of the ingredients fool you), gets better as the days pass, and freezes exceptionally well.
Although I usually serve dish particular dish as part of a larger Indian meal, it worked great as a main course. And the house smells wonderful hours later! Yum!
