Here’s one for the cabbage lovers our there, maybe even the haters as well. (I don’t understand those people, cabbage is king in my stomach).%u00a0I really believe that a good bit of cabbage can really change a persons perspective on the humble cruciferous vegetable, maybe even the world. To far? Maybe but what I always say is, “When in doubt try it out!” Either way, this bit of cabbage is vey very good good.%u00a0%u00a0
A quick little warm up in a skillet with some sesame soy flavor and crunch and you got yourself a A plus little salad. It hits all the right notes for when a) its winter and fresh greens are more sparse (which it currently is and they currently are) b)%u00a0its cold out (again currently because it’s winter) and c) when you only have a head of cabbage in the fridge (was the case but I have sense remedied that).%u00a0
Chop it, toss, it, eat it. Quick and easy good food. Get on it.
The stuff. Cabbage (I used savoy but you can use any cabbage you want) soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, olive oil, and a lemon. The lemon is optional, but a little acid is alway welcome in my mouth.%u00a0
Chop the cabbage. Unless %u00a0you are making this for more then 2 people, you probably only need half a head. However much you use, chop in up into 1-2 inch peices. You could %u00a0also shreds it if you want, but I like the bigger pieces.%u00a0
Toss the cabbage into a hot skillet that has been drizzled with a little olive oil and toss the soy sauce in with it too.%u00a0
Cook on medium high heat until the cabbage has slightly soften.%u00a0
While the skillet is still hot, drizzle in a touch of toasted sesame oil and a good amount of sesame seeds. Give it a toss. Taste and add more toasted sesame oil if you want.
Pile it Into a bowl and that’s that. Serve with a wedge of lemon or lime if you like the addition of the acid.%u00a0
-C
serves 1-2 people
1/2 of a head of cabbage (green savoy, or red work)
1 tablespoon soy or tamari%u00a0
1/2-1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil%u00a0
sesame seeds
lemon or lime (optional)
Preheat a large skillet to medium high with the olive oil. While its getting hot, chop the cabbage into 1- 2 inch pieces. When the skillet is hot, dump the cabbage in and toss around with the soy sauce. Let cook for 4-5 minutes, giving it a toss a few times, until the cabbage starts to soften. Depending on your preference you can stop cooking it now, or keep cooking until it reaches you preferred doneness. (I like it with a little crunch so I cook it for 5-6 minutes) Once it’s done but the skillet is still hot, drizzle in the toasted sesame oil and toss in the sesame seeds. Taste for flavor and add more toasted sesame oil if needed.%u00a0
Serve right away although cold left overs are also fantastic. A wedge of lemon or lime is a well received addition.%u00a0
There is something about purple cabbage that makes me feel like I need to share it. It sounds weird , especially because I eat about a head of cabbage a day, but that is green cabbage. I barely buy purple cabbage because it cost twice as much and I really like green , but at farm share when you get to pick what color you want, I alway pick the purple. ( Side note. I used to call it red cabbage but have since stopped because it is very clearly purple and calling red just doesn’t make any sense)%u00a0
I also feel the need to do something a little more the chopping it up and eating it raw. So I make a little fancy. pretty, almond crunchy mustard type thing because that’s what I was feeling and I figure the mr would like it too. Note that I ended up using half a green and half %u00a0the purple because color is nice and also I ended up eating the other half of the purple before I could share it. But I caught myself before eating it all to may face and was proud of myself for thinking of others.%u00a0%u00a0
This dish is good, really really good.%u00a0. It has roasted cabbage which is alway great, but slathered with maple mustard and crunchy almonds.. it’s just freaking fantastic in all the ways. It also happens to be super easy to prepare and with minimal ingredients.%u00a0It makes for a great side dish, a main dish, and is great for sharing during the holidays that are just around the corner. Or if you are like me, not sharing and eating all afternoon long. (I did save some for the m for dinner because I am so nice)%u00a0
The stuff. Cabbage, red or green or a bit of both, stone ground mustard, maple syrup, almonds and pepper.
Easy peasy. Cut the cabbages about an 3/4 inch thick and lay them on a baking sheet. Pop it into the oven once it’s preheated.
While thats going on, mix some maple with the mustard and chop up the almonds.
After about 25 minutes, pull the cabbage out and flip them. Cover the top with maple mustard and sprinkle on the almonds. Stick the cabbage back into the oven and bake another 10-15 minutes, or until it’s roasted to your taste preference (I like it really roasted)%u00a0
Just look how pretty it is.%u00a0
Serves from a baking sheet but would look so lovely on a nice plater, you know, if you want to be extra classy.%u00a0
This cabbage situation is all of it.%u00a0
Have a great weekend and hope the Thanksgiving planning goes smoothly.%u00a0
-C
Makes about 6-8 slabs
1 head of cabbage (red or green or half of both)
1/4 cup stone ground mustard
2 tablespoon maple syrup%u00a0
1/3 cup raw almonds%u00a0
pepper to taste.%u00a0
Preheat oven to 425
Slice cabbage into thick slabs about 3/4 inch thick. Try to get them roughly the same thickness so they roast evenly. %u00a0Lay the cabbage on a baking sheet, not overlapping, and stick into the oven once it’s preheated. Bake for 25 minutes or until the bottoms of the cabbage are crispy.
While cabbage is roasting, mix mustard and maple %u00a0together and roughly chop the almonds. %u00a0
After %u00a0the 25 minutes, grab the cabbage from the oven and flip each piece. Cover the tops with the maple mustard and sprinkle on chopped almonds. Place back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes %u00a0and roast until the cabbage is as crispy as you like it.
Remove from oven, sprinkle with good pepper,%u00a0and serve. Extra maple muastd is welcomed to some. Any left over (but there won’t be any) is great eaten cold before bed %u00a0or tossed onto a salad for lunch the next day.%u00a0
I walk into the house,%u00a0 have about 45 minutes to wash up my paint covered body, make dinner, eat dinner, clean up, and get back out the door. That has been the way of things around here lately. Lots to do, very little time. I miss hanging out in my kitchen all day, making bread and cakes and dishes that take some time. But soon, so soon I will have a nice new big kitchen to hang in and make all the crap I want!. Until then, what I have been cooking (o not cooking) has been things that I can whip up fast and with what I always have in my house. (there is always carrots and always tahini, and always hot sauce)
This is my new go to for the really busy night. Crispy, crunchy carrots covered inspicy nuttiness of sriracha and tahini. For sure some pretty freaky tasty stuff.%u00a0 Easy as hell to make,%u00a0 keeps nicely (if you make a big batch and save some for later) and takes all of 2-4 minutes toss together Can be eaten as a side dish (goes really well with lentils and rice) or as a big salad all to your face.
What more can you ask for?
The stuff. A few (like 4 or five) big carrots, a hunk of cabbage, anda few scallions. Also need tahini, Braggs amnios or soy sauce red wine vinegar, sriracha, a couple cloves or garlic, and pepper. Not shown but I used sesame seeds (if you don’t have them, no biggy)
Mince garlic super fine and toss into a big bowl with tahini, sriracha, vinegar, and liquid aminos or soy. Mix it all up.
Half where there. Now is a good time to taste the sauce. You might find that you want a little more vinegar or more sriracha. Add more of whatever to please your mouth.
Julianne the carrots and finely slice the cabbage.
Into the bowl it all goes. And cut up those scallions and get those into the bowl two.
Toss it all around Then sprinkle with sesame seeds if you have them and lots of cracked pepper.
See, super easy.
Now eat it.
-C
makes enough for one to eat alone or 2 as a side
4-5 large carrots
chunk of cabbage
a few scallions (green and white part)
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy or Braggs liquid aminos
2 tablespoons sriracha
1-2 cloves garlic
pepper
sesame seeds (optional)
Finely mince garlic and toss into a large bowl with the tahini, sriracha, vinegar, and braggs or say, Mix it all together. Taste and adjust any of the ingredients to you liking (add more sriracha or tahini if you want). Grab carrots ans julianne (you could also just shred) and finely slice up cabbage. Toss into bowl with sauce. Chop up scallions, the white and green part) and those go into bowl too. Toss it all around in sauce until everything is all coated then sprinkle with sesame seeds and top with lots or pepper.
Eat and enjoy.
Yesterday we had a few pieces of really log ass metal roofing delivered to the new house so we can finish the little side parts of the roof off. The funny thing is we ended up with way more wood then metal. The roofing is super light and flexible so it has to be strapped to a super long wooden structure. And it was perfect. The mr and I have pretty much finished the fence except for the gate from the driveway which sucks because we still can’t bring Washer over to play without it ans we pretty much fenced the yard in for him. But the long ass wooded palette things.. IT was perfect. Well a perfect for now solution. A Already constructed tall and long (too long, we had to cut it down) wooded wall that is now our temporary gate.What a score! And now the pup can spend all day long laying around outside and not getting into any neighborhood fights with the other dogs. And look at us making use of all the scraps. We are so awesome.
Ok, so besides our awesomeness and the new temp gate, let talk about this greenest freaking soup that there ever was. It is probably the best green soup that I have ever tasted. (I know,%u00a0 I have habit of proclaiming all of my soups as the best soup ever, mostly because they are.) It’s one of those soups that is super fast and so simple to make and is perfect for all the spring and summer time eating that will be going on. Eaten hot or cold and out of a bowl or a drank out of a glass. A soup for any time, any place. The mr even liked it and he says he doesn’t like peas. (but he so does). Who doesn’t like the best soup ever?
Now here is how to make it.
The stuff. A big bowl of fresh spinach and a bowl of peas (fresh or frozen.. mine were frozen) Also need an onion, a carrot, a few cloves or garlic, water, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
First thing first. Get the onion and carrot all nice and chopped up and tossed into a big pot with a drizzle of olive oil, a little splash of water,and salt and pepper. Stick that pot on the stove on medium high heat and start to cook cook.
Soften and yummy carrots and onion. I am not exactly sure if my carrots turned the onion orange or if my pot because it is so stained with turmeric that it turns everything yellow. Keep the pot on low heat and mince and stir in the garlic.
And for magic. The pot is sill on low and you are going to pile all the fresh spinach right on in to the pot. Add a few splashes of water and a lid and let it cook for a few minutes. And when you go back and remove the lid..Ca bang ! All the spinach is gone (not really, it just wilted).
It’s time for the peas and water to be added.The blender comes out and the soup gets blended until super smooth.
So green, so good.. This soup is all ready to go. But here is the thing, you can eat it at any temperature and it will be amazing so if you want to heat it up a little more, go for it. Cold soup shooters, just stick it in the fridge for a while and wait until its chilled. Or both. I ate a bowl warm then had cold soup for dessert.
And to finish, you must serve with fresh lemon and if you have it, a pretty little mint plant. I love the flavor of a little fresh mint added, but not all do. So mint if you like( it really is so good) but lemon in a must!
Enjoy all the green things!
-C
serves 3-4
2 cup peas (fresh or frozen.. I used frozen)
3 packed cups fresh spinach
a few sprigs of fresh mint (optional)
3 cups water
1 small onion
a carrot
3 cloves garlic
1 lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper
Small chop onion and carrot and toss into a big heavy bottom pot with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Stick on stove on medium heat and cook until it becomes soft and fragrant. Now mince garlic and add that it too. Stir and cook for another minute or two then add in all the spinach and a splash of water. Place o lid on pot and let until cook until spinach is all wilted. (give it a stir to get it all cooked down). Once wilted, add the peas and the water. Stir all together and let simmer for a few minutes then remove from heat. Now blend the crap out of it until silky smooth.(use your blending device of choice).
And it’s done. You can either serve right away as a hot soup or sick it in the fridge and serve cold! Just remember that you need to serve it with cracked pepper, a squeeze of fresh lemon and some chopped up fresh mint(mint it optional but so good)
Eat with a spoon or forget the spoon and slurp out a a cup like the cool kids.
I was cleaning out the fridge and found that I had a good few really ripe avocados that were in need of eating ASAP. (I bought like 8 at once… super sale!) My first thought was I wish I could freeze these and save them for later. Then I thought well why the heck don’t I freeze them. So that’s what I did. I pureed them up, added a little lemon juice and stuck a jar of tangy green creamy goodness into the freezer and all throughout the week found myself standing in front of the fridge with a spoon scraping at the jar of avocado. It was so good. I even added a little fruit to it toward the end. Avocado and fruit = oh hell yes.
And now that is is officially spring we should be eating popsicles (right?!). I figured you guys are cool enough that I would share my new found love of frozen avocados and you would be down with it.
I know, some might think that plain old frozen avocado doesn’t sound amazing, but when you add a little sweetness and swirl it around with super sweet and creamy mango. Trust me, it’s freaking amazing. The flavors go perfectly together, and the texture, it’s almost like ice cream… SO GOOD! Anyway, I know that it might not be the perfect spring weather as of today, but the beauty of these is that you make them, freeze them and leave them until the perfect moment. Say a good long day of raking up all the cat poop that the neighbors cat has left in all your spring flower beds, or picking up all the recycling that has blow into the bushes all winter long. Maybe a day of cleaning out the closet or dusting the ceilings. Make these popsicles now and treat yourself to one after doing some kind of crappy spring chores, its what you need to do.. Or better yet, bribe a little with a popsicle to do your spring cleaning….. Yeah, I might just do that.
Or just make them and eat them… no spring chores required.
The stuff. A nice ripe mango and a nice ripe avocado. A bit of lemon juice (from half a lemon),%u00a0 a little maple syrup, and a some water.
Scoop the avocado into a jar and cut up the mango ans stick into a jar…..
Splash a little water into each jar and blend them up. (I used my hand blender. but use the blending device of your choice) Add the maple syrup to the avocado.. as much as you need, and if your mango is not super sweet, you can add a little to that too.
Scoop the avocado puree into the mango and gently swirl it around
Now pour/scoop the mixture into your popsicle molds. And because mine was thick enough, I was able to stick the wood sticks without them sinking.
Noe get them quick into the freezer
A good few hours (I didn’t even check until the next day but I bet 4-5 hours in a good freezer will do) the popsicles are nowposicles!!!!!
Pop them out of the mold (a few minutes on the counter and or a quick rinse under warm water) and do what needs to be done.
So creamy sweet and refreshing… This is a happy spring popsicle for sure.
Have a great day!
-C
Makes four 4oz popsicles
1 ripe avocado
1 ripe mango
1/2 a lemon or lime
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (or any sweetener of you liking)
about 1/2 cup of water
Note.sIF your mango is not super sweet you might want to add a little maple syrup to thatto that as well. And depending on the actual size of your mango and avocado, you might find yourself with a little extra fruit puree…. so maybe an extra popsicle can be made or you can just eat it now.
Scoop avocado into a jar and cut and dice mango and place in a separate jar. Add maple to the avocado (and the mango if you want) and about 1/4 cup of water to each.%u00a0 With a hand blender, blend each until smooth ( or use a regular blender) Once both are blended, dump one into the other and gently swirl around. Pour mixture into popsicle molds, add the sticks and stick into the freeze. Keep freezing until frozen which should take at least 4-5 hours.
And once frozen, pop out of molds (run mold under warm water or just leave on counter for a few minutes) and eat them like it hot!
Tuesday tater tot time!
Sometimes you just want a tater tot. So what are you to do about it? Well I fought off the feeling for far too long (why? I do not know) and finally gave in got my shit together, got some potatoes, and made the tots. And then I was happy.
What was taking me so long?%u00a0 Tater tots are freaking good.
These are nothing like those tots that were served in the lunch room cafeteria that we all know and loved. No these are sooooo much better, and probably (definitely ) way way healthier too cause they are baked, not fried. And to make’em even better, after making the tater tot tower you’re ready to eat, you can eat them up with whatever dippy type thing you can think of. Sure you could go with straight up ketchup (me, not a fan) or you could go nuts and make a big bowl of guacamole, grab the mustard and the hot sauce, and do that. Tater tots go so well with all sorts of stuff. (I was even thinking peanut butter but stopped myself for the time being)
. Next time I make them, I am so going to make a tater tot castle!
Tots away!
The stuff. Potatoes (duh), an onion, garlic powder, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
First thing to do is boil the potatoes…just a bit. Cut each potato into 4 wedges and stick into a big pot full of cold water, salted water. Stick pot on the stove ans bring to a boil, then turn heat down a little and continue to cook the potatoes until they are just barely for tender. Strain from the water and set aside to cool.
Once the potatoes have cooled off enough where you can handle them, grab a grate and grate them all up, along with the onion. ME, trying to use the least amount of dishes possible, I just grated it all onto the baking sheet that I was using to bake the tots off…. Worked like a charm. And once your taters and onion are grated, sprinkle in the garlic powder, a good amount of salt ans pepper ans drizzle it all with a little bit of olive oil. Mix it all around (I used my hands but a fork would work) and if you are using the baking sheet , just push the mound to one side.
And start forming the taters into tots…. Just grab a handful and squeeze it together into a tot shape.
Note. Have a dish towel close by to wipe your hands when they get to starchy… the tots stick together better when made with dry hands.
Tots ready for the oven. Bakes for 30-35 minutes at 400.. Flip after about 20 minutes.
Golden brown, all crispy an tot like. Ready for your eating pleasure.
Plate them up, serve with your favorite condiments (try guacamole , mustard and hot sauce) and eat them. Eat them all.
-C
serves 3
2 big russet potatoes
1 sweet yellow onion
1 tablespoon or so garlic powder
olive oil
salt and pepper
Slice the potatoes lengthwise into quarters and place into a pot of cold, salted water, making sure the potatoes are completely submerged.%u00a0 Bring the potatoes to a boil then turn heat to medium and keep boiling until the potatoes are just barely fork tender., like 8-10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let them cool.
Preheat oven to 400
Once cooled, grate the potato, along with the onion into a bowl or onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, add a good amount of salt ans pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Toss around until its evenly coated then start forming the mixture into tots. Place the tots on a baking sheet and once all the tots are formed ans ready to go, stick into the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, remove, flip them over, then continue to bake for another 10-15 until they are all nice and golden brown.
Remove from oven, grab your favorite condiments and eat right away.
Yesterday was kind of a shit show as far as the weather was concerned.%u00a0 I woke up early to a lovely light blanket of snow, the temperature hovering around 32 degrees. The air was nice and crisp, the sky was a light grayish blue. The neighborhood was quite. I walked the pup and then took off for the morning. It was so nice.
How that changed fast. Walking home a few hours later I was a hot , drenched, cold and damp mess. All that snow turned into slush and gigantic puddles and it was raining a good steady soaking rain. And I had to walk my butt home. So that was great.
But you know what these weather make me think of… Spring!!!! Yes, warmer, slushy, mushy weather. Mud all over the house and a wet smelly dog All the things that should not be happening right now but are. And now I have the springtime feels hard.
With things all springy, I was thinking of spring veggies and just wanting something bright and pretty and tasty. Peas! Peas are a good spring veggie, and where there is peas, there carrots. (or should be)%u00a0 But not plain, run of the mill peas and carrots. First off I got the prettiest colorful purple, white, and orange carrots because I needed some color. Right there that made me super happy, Then instead of just steaming them with some peas, I did roast those carrots to bring out all the sweet juicy flavors. Then those pea. Not really in season yet, so I went with frozen (I love frozen peas)%u00a0 and made the brightest, most amazing creamy pea sauce infused with garlic lemon, and dill. (all spring time flavors)
The results… I love roasted carrots so no surprise there but the creamy peas…KA-POW amazing!!!! My mouth has never been so happy to eat peas. and it really loves peas. Fresh, clean, tangy…I made, I ate, I though about them all night. And of spring and all the peas and carrots I am going to plant…and eat.
The stuff. The prettiest bright and colorful carrots and some green as can be frozen peas. Dill, garlic, and lemon to add to the peas and some olive oil, salt and pepper to roast up the carrots.
Chop up the carrots and tossed with salt and pepper and a drizzle of oil. And onto a baking sheet and into the oven to roast.
Dump those peas into a pot with water, garlic, and the dill. Stick the pot on the stove ans bring to a boil for a few minutes then remove from the heat.
You see that? It’s amazing . Its gets blended until smooth and seasoned with salt, pepper, and the juice if half a lemon.%u00a0 Give it a taste but don’t eat it all. (I almost ate it all) and pour into a nice little cup or jar and wait for the carrots.
Oh roasted lovely colored carrots.. So good all on your own.
But slathered with this pea sauce…. Always and forever. I am in love.. could eat all day every day.
I wish my stomach was big enough to eat all the peas and carrots….. All!
Lots of spring thoughts… It’s going to be official soon.
Have a great day. Stay dry!
-C
serves 2-3
1 lb carrots (I used a variety of colored carrots but plain old orange carrots are always fantastic too!)
2 cups frozen peas
3/4 cup water
1-2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon dill
1/2 a lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper
preheat oven to 450
Cut carrots into quarter and in half (can cut in any size and shape you want)%u00a0 Place the carrots on a baking sheet and drizzle with a wee bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss it all around. Stick the carrots into the oven to roast.
Now grab those peas and stick them into a pot with the water, the dill, and the garlic. Stick on the stove and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat. Either with a hand held blender or a regular blender…. blend until smooth. Add in the juice of half a lemon, season with salt and pepper, and then try not to eat it all before the carrots are roasted.
Once carrots are tender and browned and yummy looking (about 30 minutes) remove from oven and slather on the pea sauce.
Eat right away….. Make more tomorrow.
My little sister came over last night for a homework and dinner night. I love these nights because when she comes over she spends a good amount of time poking and harassing the mr while I get left alone to cook dinner.%u00a0 But then always at some point during the evening,usually after feeding them dinner,%u00a0 they both turn on me and start to poke at me. They are brats like that. But what I also like is I can sometimes help her a bit with the homework. (like last night,… girl did a bit of procrastination.Good thing I am awesome and maybe a little bit of a hard ass. She got it done with a bit of help and it all ended happily ever after) Maybe cause I am an old lady now, but I like the feeling of using my brain for things that I no longer think about. I makes me feel smart again (kinda) SO we get together and eat and do homework and make fun of each other… Good times. I love hanging out with my sister.
Ok, so this pudding, its one of my favorites.. I could probably live off of sweet potatoes in all shapes and forms.. A long while back I started making this pudding and got the sister hooked on it as well. So whenever she comes over for dinner I make it for us. And we eat it and exclaim how, “OMG this is so freaking good” and eat, then lick our bowls clean. And it’s so easy and simple to make. Basically just sweet potato. So amazing.%u00a0 The mr, he likes it, but doesn’t share the same enthusiasm as we do….But he is not a teenage girl and her sister so yeah. who really knows.But Anyone out there with a spare sweet potato.. make this pudding. It will change your life in all the right ways!
Your welcome very much.
The stuff. A sweet potato, a couple of dates, ans some cinnamon. That’s all you need!
Simple as can be. Bake the sweet potato until soft.%u00a0 Remove the skin (I then eat the skin, but if you don’t like it, the dog also loves potato skins) and stick it onto a food processor with the dates (make sure to remove the pits) and blend together. I usually add in a few a few splashes of water while I am blending just to think it out a tiny bit. But that is a preference I will leave up to you.
Add in the cinnamon and blend some more until so nice and silky smooth.
%u00a0 And a note here. You can omit the cinnamon if you like, the pudding is amazing without it but you could even use more spices like ginger and allspice or added a little splash of vanilla. OR.. Add a scoop of some nut butter… so good.
Once the you have spiced your pudding, scoop it out into jars, bowls, whatever and how much ever you want (1 large sweet potato is good for 2-3 servings)
Oh whats this.. Coconut cream!!!! And yes, hand beaten like a boss!
You have the pudding, a the whipped coconut cream. Big spoonful of that right on top.
Sprinkled with another pinch of cinnamon and some chopped up walnuts…
Pudding so good and so easy it will knock%u00a0 your socks off!
Have a great weekend!
-C
Serves 1- 3
1 large sweet potato
1-2 pitted dates (If I am making the pudding for myself I sometimes skip the dates)
1 tablespoon Vietnamese cinnamon
Optional. A pinch of ground ginger or allspice. Pumpkin pie spice or a splash of vanilla. A scoop of nut butter or even a handful of nuts. Chocolate chips or creamy nutella. Berries. And whipped coconut cream or some yogurt to top with. So many possibilities.
Bake sweet potato until tender. This can be done a ahead of time or you can use up left over sweet potatoes from dinner….
Remove the skin from the potato and place into a food processor or blender with the dates and the cinnamon or whatever spices you want to use. Blend until smooth. Can add in a few splashes of water to thing out a bit.
Once smooth, scoop out into serving sizes or just into one big jar to eat all to yourself. Top with coconut cream and chopped nuts or nothing.
Eat with spoon, like bowl clean.. And can be eaten without shame for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack.
THE LOVELY CRAZY
September 19, 2019 by maximios • Blog
Here’s one for the cabbage lovers our there, maybe even the haters as well. (I don’t understand those people, cabbage is king in my stomach).%u00a0I really believe that a good bit of cabbage can really change a persons perspective on the humble cruciferous vegetable, maybe even the world. To far? Maybe but what I always say is, “When in doubt try it out!” Either way, this bit of cabbage is vey very good good.%u00a0%u00a0
A quick little warm up in a skillet with some sesame soy flavor and crunch and you got yourself a A plus little salad. It hits all the right notes for when a) its winter and fresh greens are more sparse (which it currently is and they currently are) b)%u00a0its cold out (again currently because it’s winter) and c) when you only have a head of cabbage in the fridge (was the case but I have sense remedied that).%u00a0
Chop it, toss, it, eat it. Quick and easy good food. Get on it.
The stuff. Cabbage (I used savoy but you can use any cabbage you want) soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, olive oil, and a lemon. The lemon is optional, but a little acid is alway welcome in my mouth.%u00a0
Chop the cabbage. Unless %u00a0you are making this for more then 2 people, you probably only need half a head. However much you use, chop in up into 1-2 inch peices. You could %u00a0also shreds it if you want, but I like the bigger pieces.%u00a0
Toss the cabbage into a hot skillet that has been drizzled with a little olive oil and toss the soy sauce in with it too.%u00a0
Cook on medium high heat until the cabbage has slightly soften.%u00a0
While the skillet is still hot, drizzle in a touch of toasted sesame oil and a good amount of sesame seeds. Give it a toss. Taste and add more toasted sesame oil if you want.
Pile it Into a bowl and that’s that. Serve with a wedge of lemon or lime if you like the addition of the acid.%u00a0
-C
serves 1-2 people
Preheat a large skillet to medium high with the olive oil. While its getting hot, chop the cabbage into 1- 2 inch pieces. When the skillet is hot, dump the cabbage in and toss around with the soy sauce. Let cook for 4-5 minutes, giving it a toss a few times, until the cabbage starts to soften. Depending on your preference you can stop cooking it now, or keep cooking until it reaches you preferred doneness. (I like it with a little crunch so I cook it for 5-6 minutes) Once it’s done but the skillet is still hot, drizzle in the toasted sesame oil and toss in the sesame seeds. Taste for flavor and add more toasted sesame oil if needed.%u00a0
Serve right away although cold left overs are also fantastic. A wedge of lemon or lime is a well received addition.%u00a0
There is something about purple cabbage that makes me feel like I need to share it. It sounds weird , especially because I eat about a head of cabbage a day, but that is green cabbage. I barely buy purple cabbage because it cost twice as much and I really like green , but at farm share when you get to pick what color you want, I alway pick the purple. ( Side note. I used to call it red cabbage but have since stopped because it is very clearly purple and calling red just doesn’t make any sense)%u00a0
I also feel the need to do something a little more the chopping it up and eating it raw. So I make a little fancy. pretty, almond crunchy mustard type thing because that’s what I was feeling and I figure the mr would like it too. Note that I ended up using half a green and half %u00a0the purple because color is nice and also I ended up eating the other half of the purple before I could share it. But I caught myself before eating it all to may face and was proud of myself for thinking of others.%u00a0%u00a0
This dish is good, really really good.%u00a0. It has roasted cabbage which is alway great, but slathered with maple mustard and crunchy almonds.. it’s just freaking fantastic in all the ways. It also happens to be super easy to prepare and with minimal ingredients.%u00a0It makes for a great side dish, a main dish, and is great for sharing during the holidays that are just around the corner. Or if you are like me, not sharing and eating all afternoon long. (I did save some for the m for dinner because I am so nice)%u00a0
The stuff. Cabbage, red or green or a bit of both, stone ground mustard, maple syrup, almonds and pepper.
Easy peasy. Cut the cabbages about an 3/4 inch thick and lay them on a baking sheet. Pop it into the oven once it’s preheated.
While thats going on, mix some maple with the mustard and chop up the almonds.
After about 25 minutes, pull the cabbage out and flip them. Cover the top with maple mustard and sprinkle on the almonds. Stick the cabbage back into the oven and bake another 10-15 minutes, or until it’s roasted to your taste preference (I like it really roasted)%u00a0
Just look how pretty it is.%u00a0
Serves from a baking sheet but would look so lovely on a nice plater, you know, if you want to be extra classy.%u00a0
This cabbage situation is all of it.%u00a0
Have a great weekend and hope the Thanksgiving planning goes smoothly.%u00a0
-C
Makes about 6-8 slabs
Preheat oven to 425
Slice cabbage into thick slabs about 3/4 inch thick. Try to get them roughly the same thickness so they roast evenly. %u00a0Lay the cabbage on a baking sheet, not overlapping, and stick into the oven once it’s preheated. Bake for 25 minutes or until the bottoms of the cabbage are crispy.
While cabbage is roasting, mix mustard and maple %u00a0together and roughly chop the almonds. %u00a0
After %u00a0the 25 minutes, grab the cabbage from the oven and flip each piece. Cover the tops with the maple mustard and sprinkle on chopped almonds. Place back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes %u00a0and roast until the cabbage is as crispy as you like it.
Remove from oven, sprinkle with good pepper,%u00a0and serve. Extra maple muastd is welcomed to some. Any left over (but there won’t be any) is great eaten cold before bed %u00a0or tossed onto a salad for lunch the next day.%u00a0
I walk into the house,%u00a0 have about 45 minutes to wash up my paint covered body, make dinner, eat dinner, clean up, and get back out the door. That has been the way of things around here lately. Lots to do, very little time. I miss hanging out in my kitchen all day, making bread and cakes and dishes that take some time. But soon, so soon I will have a nice new big kitchen to hang in and make all the crap I want!. Until then, what I have been cooking (o not cooking) has been things that I can whip up fast and with what I always have in my house. (there is always carrots and always tahini, and always hot sauce)
This is my new go to for the really busy night. Crispy, crunchy carrots covered inspicy nuttiness of sriracha and tahini. For sure some pretty freaky tasty stuff.%u00a0 Easy as hell to make,%u00a0 keeps nicely (if you make a big batch and save some for later) and takes all of 2-4 minutes toss together Can be eaten as a side dish (goes really well with lentils and rice) or as a big salad all to your face.
What more can you ask for?
The stuff. A few (like 4 or five) big carrots, a hunk of cabbage, anda few scallions. Also need tahini, Braggs amnios or soy sauce red wine vinegar, sriracha, a couple cloves or garlic, and pepper. Not shown but I used sesame seeds (if you don’t have them, no biggy)
Mince garlic super fine and toss into a big bowl with tahini, sriracha, vinegar, and liquid aminos or soy. Mix it all up.
Half where there. Now is a good time to taste the sauce. You might find that you want a little more vinegar or more sriracha. Add more of whatever to please your mouth.
Julianne the carrots and finely slice the cabbage.
Into the bowl it all goes. And cut up those scallions and get those into the bowl two.
Toss it all around Then sprinkle with sesame seeds if you have them and lots of cracked pepper.
See, super easy.
Now eat it.
-C
makes enough for one to eat alone or 2 as a side
Finely mince garlic and toss into a large bowl with the tahini, sriracha, vinegar, and braggs or say, Mix it all together. Taste and adjust any of the ingredients to you liking (add more sriracha or tahini if you want). Grab carrots ans julianne (you could also just shred) and finely slice up cabbage. Toss into bowl with sauce. Chop up scallions, the white and green part) and those go into bowl too. Toss it all around in sauce until everything is all coated then sprinkle with sesame seeds and top with lots or pepper.
Eat and enjoy.
Yesterday we had a few pieces of really log ass metal roofing delivered to the new house so we can finish the little side parts of the roof off. The funny thing is we ended up with way more wood then metal. The roofing is super light and flexible so it has to be strapped to a super long wooden structure. And it was perfect. The mr and I have pretty much finished the fence except for the gate from the driveway which sucks because we still can’t bring Washer over to play without it ans we pretty much fenced the yard in for him. But the long ass wooded palette things.. IT was perfect. Well a perfect for now solution. A Already constructed tall and long (too long, we had to cut it down) wooded wall that is now our temporary gate.What a score! And now the pup can spend all day long laying around outside and not getting into any neighborhood fights with the other dogs. And look at us making use of all the scraps. We are so awesome.
Ok, so besides our awesomeness and the new temp gate, let talk about this greenest freaking soup that there ever was. It is probably the best green soup that I have ever tasted. (I know,%u00a0 I have habit of proclaiming all of my soups as the best soup ever, mostly because they are.) It’s one of those soups that is super fast and so simple to make and is perfect for all the spring and summer time eating that will be going on. Eaten hot or cold and out of a bowl or a drank out of a glass. A soup for any time, any place. The mr even liked it and he says he doesn’t like peas. (but he so does). Who doesn’t like the best soup ever?
Now here is how to make it.
The stuff. A big bowl of fresh spinach and a bowl of peas (fresh or frozen.. mine were frozen) Also need an onion, a carrot, a few cloves or garlic, water, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
First thing first. Get the onion and carrot all nice and chopped up and tossed into a big pot with a drizzle of olive oil, a little splash of water,and salt and pepper. Stick that pot on the stove on medium high heat and start to cook cook.
Soften and yummy carrots and onion. I am not exactly sure if my carrots turned the onion orange or if my pot because it is so stained with turmeric that it turns everything yellow. Keep the pot on low heat and mince and stir in the garlic.
And for magic. The pot is sill on low and you are going to pile all the fresh spinach right on in to the pot. Add a few splashes of water and a lid and let it cook for a few minutes. And when you go back and remove the lid..Ca bang ! All the spinach is gone (not really, it just wilted).
It’s time for the peas and water to be added.The blender comes out and the soup gets blended until super smooth.
So green, so good.. This soup is all ready to go. But here is the thing, you can eat it at any temperature and it will be amazing so if you want to heat it up a little more, go for it. Cold soup shooters, just stick it in the fridge for a while and wait until its chilled. Or both. I ate a bowl warm then had cold soup for dessert.
And to finish, you must serve with fresh lemon and if you have it, a pretty little mint plant. I love the flavor of a little fresh mint added, but not all do. So mint if you like( it really is so good) but lemon in a must!
Enjoy all the green things!
-C
serves 3-4
Small chop onion and carrot and toss into a big heavy bottom pot with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Stick on stove on medium heat and cook until it becomes soft and fragrant. Now mince garlic and add that it too. Stir and cook for another minute or two then add in all the spinach and a splash of water. Place o lid on pot and let until cook until spinach is all wilted. (give it a stir to get it all cooked down). Once wilted, add the peas and the water. Stir all together and let simmer for a few minutes then remove from heat. Now blend the crap out of it until silky smooth.(use your blending device of choice).
And it’s done. You can either serve right away as a hot soup or sick it in the fridge and serve cold! Just remember that you need to serve it with cracked pepper, a squeeze of fresh lemon and some chopped up fresh mint(mint it optional but so good)
Eat with a spoon or forget the spoon and slurp out a a cup like the cool kids.
I was cleaning out the fridge and found that I had a good few really ripe avocados that were in need of eating ASAP. (I bought like 8 at once… super sale!) My first thought was I wish I could freeze these and save them for later. Then I thought well why the heck don’t I freeze them. So that’s what I did. I pureed them up, added a little lemon juice and stuck a jar of tangy green creamy goodness into the freezer and all throughout the week found myself standing in front of the fridge with a spoon scraping at the jar of avocado. It was so good. I even added a little fruit to it toward the end. Avocado and fruit = oh hell yes.
And now that is is officially spring we should be eating popsicles (right?!). I figured you guys are cool enough that I would share my new found love of frozen avocados and you would be down with it.
I know, some might think that plain old frozen avocado doesn’t sound amazing, but when you add a little sweetness and swirl it around with super sweet and creamy mango. Trust me, it’s freaking amazing. The flavors go perfectly together, and the texture, it’s almost like ice cream… SO GOOD! Anyway, I know that it might not be the perfect spring weather as of today, but the beauty of these is that you make them, freeze them and leave them until the perfect moment. Say a good long day of raking up all the cat poop that the neighbors cat has left in all your spring flower beds, or picking up all the recycling that has blow into the bushes all winter long. Maybe a day of cleaning out the closet or dusting the ceilings. Make these popsicles now and treat yourself to one after doing some kind of crappy spring chores, its what you need to do.. Or better yet, bribe a little with a popsicle to do your spring cleaning….. Yeah, I might just do that.
Or just make them and eat them… no spring chores required.
The stuff. A nice ripe mango and a nice ripe avocado. A bit of lemon juice (from half a lemon),%u00a0 a little maple syrup, and a some water.
Scoop the avocado into a jar and cut up the mango ans stick into a jar…..
Splash a little water into each jar and blend them up. (I used my hand blender. but use the blending device of your choice) Add the maple syrup to the avocado.. as much as you need, and if your mango is not super sweet, you can add a little to that too.
Scoop the avocado puree into the mango and gently swirl it around
Now pour/scoop the mixture into your popsicle molds. And because mine was thick enough, I was able to stick the wood sticks without them sinking.
Noe get them quick into the freezer
A good few hours (I didn’t even check until the next day but I bet 4-5 hours in a good freezer will do) the popsicles are nowposicles!!!!!
Pop them out of the mold (a few minutes on the counter and or a quick rinse under warm water) and do what needs to be done.
So creamy sweet and refreshing… This is a happy spring popsicle for sure.
Have a great day!
-C
Makes four 4oz popsicles
Note.sIF your mango is not super sweet you might want to add a little maple syrup to thatto that as well. And depending on the actual size of your mango and avocado, you might find yourself with a little extra fruit puree…. so maybe an extra popsicle can be made or you can just eat it now.
Scoop avocado into a jar and cut and dice mango and place in a separate jar. Add maple to the avocado (and the mango if you want) and about 1/4 cup of water to each.%u00a0 With a hand blender, blend each until smooth ( or use a regular blender) Once both are blended, dump one into the other and gently swirl around. Pour mixture into popsicle molds, add the sticks and stick into the freeze. Keep freezing until frozen which should take at least 4-5 hours.
And once frozen, pop out of molds (run mold under warm water or just leave on counter for a few minutes) and eat them like it hot!
Tuesday tater tot time!
Sometimes you just want a tater tot. So what are you to do about it? Well I fought off the feeling for far too long (why? I do not know) and finally gave in got my shit together, got some potatoes, and made the tots. And then I was happy.
What was taking me so long?%u00a0 Tater tots are freaking good.
These are nothing like those tots that were served in the lunch room cafeteria that we all know and loved. No these are sooooo much better, and probably (definitely ) way way healthier too cause they are baked, not fried. And to make’em even better, after making the tater tot tower you’re ready to eat, you can eat them up with whatever dippy type thing you can think of. Sure you could go with straight up ketchup (me, not a fan) or you could go nuts and make a big bowl of guacamole, grab the mustard and the hot sauce, and do that. Tater tots go so well with all sorts of stuff. (I was even thinking peanut butter but stopped myself for the time being)
. Next time I make them, I am so going to make a tater tot castle!
Tots away!
The stuff. Potatoes (duh), an onion, garlic powder, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
First thing to do is boil the potatoes…just a bit. Cut each potato into 4 wedges and stick into a big pot full of cold water, salted water. Stick pot on the stove ans bring to a boil, then turn heat down a little and continue to cook the potatoes until they are just barely for tender. Strain from the water and set aside to cool.
Once the potatoes have cooled off enough where you can handle them, grab a grate and grate them all up, along with the onion. ME, trying to use the least amount of dishes possible, I just grated it all onto the baking sheet that I was using to bake the tots off…. Worked like a charm. And once your taters and onion are grated, sprinkle in the garlic powder, a good amount of salt ans pepper ans drizzle it all with a little bit of olive oil. Mix it all around (I used my hands but a fork would work) and if you are using the baking sheet , just push the mound to one side.
And start forming the taters into tots…. Just grab a handful and squeeze it together into a tot shape.
Note. Have a dish towel close by to wipe your hands when they get to starchy… the tots stick together better when made with dry hands.
Tots ready for the oven. Bakes for 30-35 minutes at 400.. Flip after about 20 minutes.
Golden brown, all crispy an tot like. Ready for your eating pleasure.
Plate them up, serve with your favorite condiments (try guacamole , mustard and hot sauce) and eat them. Eat them all.
-C
serves 3
Slice the potatoes lengthwise into quarters and place into a pot of cold, salted water, making sure the potatoes are completely submerged.%u00a0 Bring the potatoes to a boil then turn heat to medium and keep boiling until the potatoes are just barely fork tender., like 8-10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let them cool.
Preheat oven to 400
Once cooled, grate the potato, along with the onion into a bowl or onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, add a good amount of salt ans pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Toss around until its evenly coated then start forming the mixture into tots. Place the tots on a baking sheet and once all the tots are formed ans ready to go, stick into the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, remove, flip them over, then continue to bake for another 10-15 until they are all nice and golden brown.
Remove from oven, grab your favorite condiments and eat right away.
Yesterday was kind of a shit show as far as the weather was concerned.%u00a0 I woke up early to a lovely light blanket of snow, the temperature hovering around 32 degrees. The air was nice and crisp, the sky was a light grayish blue. The neighborhood was quite. I walked the pup and then took off for the morning. It was so nice.
How that changed fast. Walking home a few hours later I was a hot , drenched, cold and damp mess. All that snow turned into slush and gigantic puddles and it was raining a good steady soaking rain. And I had to walk my butt home. So that was great.
But you know what these weather make me think of… Spring!!!! Yes, warmer, slushy, mushy weather. Mud all over the house and a wet smelly dog All the things that should not be happening right now but are. And now I have the springtime feels hard.
With things all springy, I was thinking of spring veggies and just wanting something bright and pretty and tasty. Peas! Peas are a good spring veggie, and where there is peas, there carrots. (or should be)%u00a0 But not plain, run of the mill peas and carrots. First off I got the prettiest colorful purple, white, and orange carrots because I needed some color. Right there that made me super happy, Then instead of just steaming them with some peas, I did roast those carrots to bring out all the sweet juicy flavors. Then those pea. Not really in season yet, so I went with frozen (I love frozen peas)%u00a0 and made the brightest, most amazing creamy pea sauce infused with garlic lemon, and dill. (all spring time flavors)
The results… I love roasted carrots so no surprise there but the creamy peas…KA-POW amazing!!!! My mouth has never been so happy to eat peas. and it really loves peas. Fresh, clean, tangy…I made, I ate, I though about them all night. And of spring and all the peas and carrots I am going to plant…and eat.
The stuff. The prettiest bright and colorful carrots and some green as can be frozen peas. Dill, garlic, and lemon to add to the peas and some olive oil, salt and pepper to roast up the carrots.
Chop up the carrots and tossed with salt and pepper and a drizzle of oil. And onto a baking sheet and into the oven to roast.
Dump those peas into a pot with water, garlic, and the dill. Stick the pot on the stove ans bring to a boil for a few minutes then remove from the heat.
You see that? It’s amazing . Its gets blended until smooth and seasoned with salt, pepper, and the juice if half a lemon.%u00a0 Give it a taste but don’t eat it all. (I almost ate it all) and pour into a nice little cup or jar and wait for the carrots.
Oh roasted lovely colored carrots.. So good all on your own.
But slathered with this pea sauce…. Always and forever. I am in love.. could eat all day every day.
I wish my stomach was big enough to eat all the peas and carrots….. All!
Lots of spring thoughts… It’s going to be official soon.
Have a great day. Stay dry!
-C
serves 2-3
preheat oven to 450
Cut carrots into quarter and in half (can cut in any size and shape you want)%u00a0 Place the carrots on a baking sheet and drizzle with a wee bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss it all around. Stick the carrots into the oven to roast.
Now grab those peas and stick them into a pot with the water, the dill, and the garlic. Stick on the stove and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat. Either with a hand held blender or a regular blender…. blend until smooth. Add in the juice of half a lemon, season with salt and pepper, and then try not to eat it all before the carrots are roasted.
Once carrots are tender and browned and yummy looking (about 30 minutes) remove from oven and slather on the pea sauce.
Eat right away….. Make more tomorrow.
My little sister came over last night for a homework and dinner night. I love these nights because when she comes over she spends a good amount of time poking and harassing the mr while I get left alone to cook dinner.%u00a0 But then always at some point during the evening,usually after feeding them dinner,%u00a0 they both turn on me and start to poke at me. They are brats like that. But what I also like is I can sometimes help her a bit with the homework. (like last night,… girl did a bit of procrastination.Good thing I am awesome and maybe a little bit of a hard ass. She got it done with a bit of help and it all ended happily ever after) Maybe cause I am an old lady now, but I like the feeling of using my brain for things that I no longer think about. I makes me feel smart again (kinda) SO we get together and eat and do homework and make fun of each other… Good times. I love hanging out with my sister.
Ok, so this pudding, its one of my favorites.. I could probably live off of sweet potatoes in all shapes and forms.. A long while back I started making this pudding and got the sister hooked on it as well. So whenever she comes over for dinner I make it for us. And we eat it and exclaim how, “OMG this is so freaking good” and eat, then lick our bowls clean. And it’s so easy and simple to make. Basically just sweet potato. So amazing.%u00a0 The mr, he likes it, but doesn’t share the same enthusiasm as we do….But he is not a teenage girl and her sister so yeah. who really knows.But Anyone out there with a spare sweet potato.. make this pudding. It will change your life in all the right ways!
Your welcome very much.
The stuff. A sweet potato, a couple of dates, ans some cinnamon. That’s all you need!
Simple as can be. Bake the sweet potato until soft.%u00a0 Remove the skin (I then eat the skin, but if you don’t like it, the dog also loves potato skins) and stick it onto a food processor with the dates (make sure to remove the pits) and blend together. I usually add in a few a few splashes of water while I am blending just to think it out a tiny bit. But that is a preference I will leave up to you.
Add in the cinnamon and blend some more until so nice and silky smooth.
%u00a0 And a note here. You can omit the cinnamon if you like, the pudding is amazing without it but you could even use more spices like ginger and allspice or added a little splash of vanilla. OR.. Add a scoop of some nut butter… so good.
Once the you have spiced your pudding, scoop it out into jars, bowls, whatever and how much ever you want (1 large sweet potato is good for 2-3 servings)
Oh whats this.. Coconut cream!!!! And yes, hand beaten like a boss!
You have the pudding, a the whipped coconut cream. Big spoonful of that right on top.
Sprinkled with another pinch of cinnamon and some chopped up walnuts…
Pudding so good and so easy it will knock%u00a0 your socks off!
Have a great weekend!
-C
Serves 1- 3
Optional. A pinch of ground ginger or allspice. Pumpkin pie spice or a splash of vanilla. A scoop of nut butter or even a handful of nuts. Chocolate chips or creamy nutella. Berries. And whipped coconut cream or some yogurt to top with. So many possibilities.
Bake sweet potato until tender. This can be done a ahead of time or you can use up left over sweet potatoes from dinner….
Remove the skin from the potato and place into a food processor or blender with the dates and the cinnamon or whatever spices you want to use. Blend until smooth. Can add in a few splashes of water to thing out a bit.
Once smooth, scoop out into serving sizes or just into one big jar to eat all to yourself. Top with coconut cream and chopped nuts or nothing.
Eat with spoon, like bowl clean.. And can be eaten without shame for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack.