Potatoes in tomatoes. It just has a nice ring to it. And to tell the truth, that is the only reason I made this dish, because it sounds good.
Ok, not really the only reason, but it was the start, that and I have been sitting on some potatoes for a little while and it was time for them to be eaten. Enter in the tomatoes. I figures cooking the potatoes in tomatoes is alike to a ketchup and french fry situation. Not completely the same, but you get the idea. Add in chickpeas for good measure and onion because I wanted to and that is that. Nothing fussy, one pot, easy, hearty, and good.
Also not hurting anyone that these potatoes take a little while to bake. I could have made this dish in a way that made them cook faster (like parboil the potatoes) but I wanted the heat from the oven. It has been pretty freaking dang cold out so I liked having the heat, it adds another dimension to the term comfort food (as in me being comfortable hanging out next a hot oven).
Anyway, nothing too fancy, just all around tasty dish. It is just what you need to bake and eat on any given cold winter day. And it sounds nice too. Just say it aloud. Potatoes in Tomatoes. Right? Now you see, it had to be done.
To the potatoes in tomatoes!
The stuff. Potatoes, crushed tomatoes, cooked chick peas, an onion, a few cloves garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and a bit of olive oil.
Start by chopping the onion and mincing the garlic.
Get it all into a cast iron pan or oven safe skillet with a little olive oil. Add the spices and give it some heat on the stove top while you cut potatoes.
Now cut those potatoes nice and thin. A mandolin works wonders but a knife will do just as well, just try to keep the thickness all the same.
Potatoes are cut and onion mixture has sweated a bit so now you add in the chick peas (with liquid) and half the crushed tomatoes. Stir it all up.
Layer on potatoes, drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil and give them some salt and pepper love.
Dump the rest of the tomatoes on top then add in water, enough that all the potatoes are completely submerged.
Now into the oven they go.
Doesn%u2019t that just look all fantastic? I mean really really , A+ good, no? If you are feeling extra crispy, you could even stick the skillet under the broiler for a few minutes right before you pull it out.
And that is that. Potatoes in tomatoes with chick peas and onions. A simple but very satisfying dish to keep your cold belly full of warm goodness.
Be well.
-C
About a pound or so of white or red potatoes
3 cups (or a 28oz can) crushed tomatoes
2 cups (or a 16 oz can) cooked chickpeas in liquid
1 large onion
2-3 close garlic
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2-3 cups water
olive oil
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400
Grab onion and dice into small pieces. Mince the garlic. Grab a medium sized oven safe skillet and toss the onion and garlic in with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and the seasoning. Place on medium heat and cook for a few minutes until the the onion is slightly cooked and fragrant. Remove from heat. Mix in the chick peas with liquid and half of the crushed tomatoes.
Rinse potatoes and slice into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Place tomatoes into the skillet, layering any way you want. Drizzle the top with like a teaspoon olive oil then sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Spread the rest of the crushed tomatoes over the potatoes then pour the water in. If the potatoes are not completely submerged in water, add more until they are. Cover the skillet with a lid or tin foil.
Place skillet in oven and bake 40ish minutes then remove lid or foil and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender and slightly crispy on the edges. Depending on the type of patotoes you use,(like a really firm and waxy yellow potato) you might need to add more water to the skillet and cook for longer. If that is the case, just pour more water over until the potatoes are submerged again and keep baking until cooked.
For extra crispy, when potatoes are done, place skillet under broiler for a few minutes until crisp to your liking.
Pull from oven, let cool a minutes or two then dig in.
Whatever you do, do not turn on your oven this weekend! But I guess if you have air conditioning and don’t mind cranking it… well then go for it. And can I come stay with you?
But for the rest of us doing this weekend without the old A.C., we need to feed ourselves, feed ourselves without any fire because 100 degrees is no joke and any added heat from anything will likey tip us over the edge. I am already so close to that edge and it’s a long way down..(Just ask the mr, he could tell you a thing or two about heat and me.. not good)
Enter hummus and veggies.
You can’t really go wrong with a good hummus and veggies meal situation and sometimes it’s all that can be right. I for one could eat bowls and bowls of hummus, and sometime do, so this is not a stretch for me. Especially this hummus. I knew I would like it, but man, was (was because I ate it all) it freaking delicious. The sunflower seeds really did it for me, gave it a little something extra, like a freshness that is still creamy and earthy, but is not quite, I don’t know, dark as tahini? %u00a0It’s kind of hard to explain without having you taste it (so make it and you tell me)%u00a0%u00a0Don’t get me wrong, I love tahini, but sometimes you just %u00a0got to mix it up. (Plus sunflowers seeds are dirt cheap. Tahini is not nearly as cheap so bonus there too.)%u00a0%u00a0Maybe its because the sunflower seeds bring the sunshine to your mouth. A sun filled mouth of pureed seeds and beans.%u00a0 Yup, that’s what it is.
So here ya go, a no heat meal (or snack or spread).%u00a0We got this.
The stuff. %u00a0Cooked chickpeas (no need to cook your own, canned is a okay), sunflower seeds, a lemon, a few cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, a little water, and some herby green like parsley or cilantro.%u00a0
Hummus is pretty basic, it’s just stuff blended up, but because we are starting with raw sunflower seeds, we need to really bend the shit out of them until they turn into a paste, so do that, which is going to a take about 8-10 minutes. Then once its pasty, add in the garlic and the juice of the lemon and blend until its all smooth.
Could almost stop here at this point. Sunflower seed goodness all emulsified. Taste it, it is so good.
Now add in the chickpeas and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Blended until smooth with a little drizzle of water to give just the right consistency. %u00a0And that’s it.
Pile a bowl full enough that you can call it dinner them top with a good amount of fresh herbs. Serve with chopped up fresh veggies or whatever you like and we are good to go.
Creamy, dreamy sunflower hummus, no heat required!%u00a0
Stay not melted!
-C
Makes about 2 3/4 cups
2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or one can) drained
3/4 cup raw (can use toasted)unshelled sunflower seeds
l juicy lemon
2-3 cloves garlic
1-2 tablespoons ice water
salt and pepper
handful fresh herbs like parsley,cilantro and or dill (optional)%u00a0
Place the sunflower seeds in food processor and turn on until seeds turn into a paste, which will take about 8-10 minutes. After every few minutes, scrap the sides down to make sure it all gets blended. Once the seeds reach paste consistency,%u00a0add in the juice of the lemon and the garlic. Blend until smooth. Last off, add in the chickpeas and a pinch or salt and pepper and blend until smooth, adding %u00a0in a tablespoon or two of water to get the hummus to the consistency of your liking. Once blended taste and check for seasoning (add more salt and or pepper if needed)%u00a0
When the hummus is done, scrape into bowl(s), and top with lots of fresh herbs and a sprinkle more of sunflower seeds. Now eat it. Eat with veggies, with bread, with pretzels, or with a spoon (or finger). Do what you need to do.
%u00a0Any left over, if there is any, can be store in the fridge for 2-3 days.%u00a0
%u00a0It’s Friday!!! And what does that mean? Pizza Pizza!!!!But not just Fridays%u2026pizza happens more times then not in our house%u2026It’s the misters favorite food and for real, he could eat it everyday, all day.%u2026He is kind of made of the stuff. As for me, well I don’t mind making it for him because it’s easy. And because I am making it, it doesn’t have 8 million calories, 9 million grams of fat and have 10 million milligrams of sodium like takeout of frozen. %u00a0My pizzas are for the most part pretty freaking heathy. It really depends on how its topped. Like take this one.. Homemade pesto, good quaility cheese, (you can use vegan or low fat)%u00a0chickpeas and tomatoes. Not to shabby. And really, it isn’t any more complicated then calling the take-out place or unwrapping the frozen plastic disk from the box. All you need is some good dough (I guess you could use store bought) and some good quality toppings%u2026 and you’re there%u2026Pizza in your face.
For this pizza I used the skillet cooking method. This crust is one of %u00a0the misters favorites. It is a basic pizza dough but cooked on the stove in a skillet. It’s almost like a pita bread, but not. And I like to make it this way because its really fast (once the dough is made) and I can even make up a few crusts to have on hand for later.
Fast, healthy, and tasty%u2026..Why not eat pizza every day?%u00a0
Not too many ingredients here. 3 cups of all purpose flour or 2 cups all purpose and 1 cup white whole wheat. A teaspoon salt, a teaspoon honey (use sugar if vegan), yeast and warm water%u2026%u00a0
Start with the dough. %u00a0Add honey or sugar to yeast and warm water and let sit to active, which should take about 5 minutes.
%u00a0Mix together the salt and flour(s) and add the foamy yeast mixture. Mix until it all comes together and dump out onto a floured surface. (if the dough seems to dry add a splash of water..if way to wet, add a little flour) Give the dough a good 2-3 minute knead session, adding flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Form a nice ball, place back into bowl and drizzle with oil. Cover bowl with a towel and stick in warm place to rise for about an hour or until it has doubled in size.
When dough has doubled, dump back onto a floured surface and divide into 4 equal sized balls (or as many balls at whatever size you want)
Now you have a few choices here. You can either cook up all the dough now if you need it, or freeze dough balls for future use. If you think you are going to make pizza again within the next few days, it can be refrigerated, or you could also blind bake the dough and freeze or fridragerate that and have pre baked crusts all ready to go. So many options%u2026 just do whatever works for you.%u00a0
To make the dough in a skillet, oil the bottom of a 15 inch skillet, turn burner on to high and let preheat until the oil is sizzling. Roll dough out to roughly the size of the skillet and when it has preheated, place dough on in there and let cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until the dough starts to bubble and the bottom has started to brown. Turn burner down to medium and flip. Cook this side for another 3-5 minutes.
If you want oven crust, just roll out and place on a baking sheet and bake with topping on at 475 degrees for about 20 minutes
Now the crust is ready for the toppings!!
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.%u00a0
Smear the pesto (for this pie, I used the last of my homemade pesto from last summer%u2026sad face) Mince garlic and distribute evenly on top of that. Then do the cheese, followed by the tomato slices and chick peas. Sprinkle with a bit of salt, cracked pepper and some parmesan cheese.%u00a0
Stick into oven for 10 or so minutes or until the chesse is nice and bubbly and the crust os crispy and brown.
And that is pizza. A super duper, yummy, healthy, not too fatty or overly salty%u2026 %u00a0can be eaten breakfast lunch or dinner time, pretty, satisfying, pizza. %u00a0
Make it for yourself, for you lover, for a friend. Make it in the shape of a heart or an elephant. Give you kid(s) a ball of dough and have them make their own%u2026 I know%u2026 such a good idea.%u00a0
Everyday, all day.. Happy Friday and Happy Pizza
Stay warm!
-C
For the dough ..Makes about four 10 inch pizza doughs or three 12 -14 inch doughs. This is also the same recipe I use for all of my pizzas (skillet and oven)
3 cups of all purpose flour or %u00a02 cups all purpose and 1 cup white whole wheat
2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast or 1 packet
1 teaspoon of honey or sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
The Pizza Toppings (for a 15 inch crust..adjust amounts to your need or liking)
1/4 cup of pesto
1 large %u00a0roma tomato thinly sliced
a few cloves of garlic minced
1/1 cup of prepare chick peas.. rinsed and drained
1/2- 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese (or any kind you like..use vegan cheese if you want too)
salt, pepper, and parmeasan (optional) to sprinkle on top
To start, place honey, yeast and water into a jar or bowl and let sit to active until mixture starts to foam. Mix together flour and salt into a large bowl and add in yeast mixture. Stir until combined and dump onto a well floured surface. Knead dough for a a few minutes and form into a ball. Place back into bowl, drizzle with oil and top with a towel. Place somewhere warm to rise for an hour, or until dough has doubled in size.
When dough is done rising, dump back onto floured surface and divide into 4-8 equal sized balls.( 4 balls make %u00a015 inch pizza%u2026 8 balls are good for individual size pizzas) Place whatever dough you are not going to use into a closable plastic bag and either stick in fridge(if using within a few days) or freeze for future use.
Place skillet on high heat on stove and drizzle with oil. Also, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out you dough and when the skillet is has gotten really hot, place dough right on in. Let cook for about 3-5 minutes or unit the cough has started to form bubbles and the bottom has started to brown. Turn heat down to low and cook other side for another 3-5 minutes or until browned.%u00a0
Now pizzafy it.. Add on the toppings. Smear with pesto, add minced garlic, then evenly sprinkle cheese. Top with the chick peas and the sliced tomatoes. A sprinkle of salt and pepper and a dusting of grated parmesan%u2026%u2026Right into the oven for about 10 minutes to melt it all together%u2026..
Pizza Pizza!!!
I am such a sucker for the reduced price produce at the grocery store. I save at least half of the original price for stuff that might look a little weird or have a brown spot or something. Sometimes I can’t believe what ends up on in the bin, stuff that I wouldn’t consider reduced bin material, but hey, if they want to stick it in there, then I will be more than happy to buy it.A couple days ago I found some good looking roma tomatoes in that said reduced produce bin..the skins the tiniest bit wrinkled (like I could care less), least hen 50 cents a pound. Um, yea, I bought those and put them to good use.%u00a0
Tomatoes roasted until they fell apart with a few other chunks of stuff, then piled onto a base of spinach and couscous. %u00a0This meal cost me pennies and was stupid easy and fast to make. And pretty to boot. Perfect for a quick healthy meal on a busy day or maybe for those people looking for a tasty, not too completed dinner to make for %u00a0a special someone for Valentines day? Or make just for yourself%u2026its pretty much the perfectly dish. Anyone can get into it. And if you don’t happen to have a grocery store with a reduced produce bin full of tomatoes%u2026it’s cool, you’ll just have to pay full price for the perfect ones.
So simple. A little olive oil in pan. Chunk the tomatoes and throw in pan with the chopped onion, carrot, cauliflower, garlic and chick peas. Drizzle a bit more oil and top with salt and pepper. Give it all a toss and stick into oven. That’s that. Just leave it in there until everything is so nice and soft and falling apart.
One of the best things about couscous is that%u00a0you don’t even need to dirty a pot or a bowl to make it, %u00a0just add dried couscous to the bowl you are going to eat out of with a cup of boiling water and a pinch of salt. %u00a0(I added the spinach with the water too) After about 8 minutes, the couscous absorbs all the water and you just fluff it up with a fork. Easy, freaking Peasy!!!%u00a0Out of the oven and piled on%u2026..
I mean, if this isn’t one classy looking meal, then I don’t know what is.
Sprinkle with a little parmesan or nutritional yeast if you want and step back and admire. And now eat it to you face.
And barely any dishes to wash. No big mess to clean up. %u00a0I could get used to that.%u00a0
-C%u00a0
Serves 2
3/4 cup Couscous
1 cup boiling water
Handful of chopped spinach
4-5 roma tomatoes chopped
1 medium carrot diced
Half of an onion diced
Cup or so of cauliflower (fresh or frozen)
Cup of prepared chick peas
4 or 5 cloves garlic minced
Olive oil to drizzle
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400
Place onion, carrot, cauliflower,tomatoes, chick peas and garlic into a large skillet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and give everything a light toss. Stick into oven for 35-40 minutes until tomatoes are falling apart and everything is nice and roasted.
In a medium bowl, (or serving bowl) add cup of boiling water to dry couscous and spinach. Sprinkle with salt and cover. Let sit for at about 8 minutes, or until the couscous had fully absorbed all the water. Fluff with a fork and top with roasted tomato stuff.
Top with parmesan or nutritional yeast if you are into it.
Enjoy!
What a way to start the day, with a mouth full of c words%u2026%u2026.Caraway, cauliflower, chick peas and cabbage%u2026What did you think I meant?
This week has been nippy, no, its been chilly%u2026..nah, it’s been freaking freezing! Yeah, freezing cold. When I woke up this morning to walk the pup, it was 5 degrees. So needless to say, when it gets this cold, I like to keep inside. Tying not to be a complete lazy bones, I went to town on my spices%u2026 refilling jars with all the little baggies scattering the kitchen, screwing on lids, and wiping down the shelves. Not a bad accomplishment for a day. While cleaning I came upon a little bag or caraway seeds, %u00a0Not enough to warrant a jar on the wall, but defiantly enough for one dish. %u00a0
When I think of the bright, somewhat sweet and peppery caraway, I think cabbage.(anything cabbage and I am sold) A big pan cabbage, added cauliflower for the mister,(his favorite) creamy chick peas because we need %u00a0protein and they be tasty, and of course mustard, because everything tastes better with mustard.(I’ll let you in on a little secret.I eat a lot of mustard, I am kind of obsessed. Mustards of all kind; grainy, homemade, dijon%u2026but usually just plan old yellow. And I eat it on everything.. but my go to is French’s yellow mustard and carrots%u2026don’t judge) A warm, bright and filling dish, perfect for a freezing cold evening stuck inside. You can eat it as main dish or add a pile of quinoa or wild rice, or even a big plate of greens. What ever say you eat it, you and your stomach will be happy.(If your worries about cabbage bloat..don’t be. Cooking cabbage helps breaks down the enzymes that create gas, plus caraway has anti bloating properties%u2026WIN!)%u00a0
Cabbage, cauliflower,(fresh of frozen%u2026.I used frozen in this recipe) pre-cooked or canned chick peas, caraway seeds, yellow mustard, and salt..(I added pepper too)
Chop the cabbage and toss into a lightly oiled pan with the rest of the stuff. Heat pan with everything but water %u00a0for a couple of minutes.. to warm the caraway and give everything a cooking head start, then add the water. Stick a lid on it and let simmer.%u00a0After about 15 minutes, give it a stir or two and do a taste test. At this point, it’s up to you%u2026how cooked you want the veggies? I kept mine cooking for another 10 minutes. I also added another 1/2 cup of water. Not enough water and the pan will burn, a little extra water is good, it creates a yummy broth.
When you are happy with the flavor and doneness, eat it. I made myself a %u00a0bowl with a heap of pickled beets(holy yes!). I am sorry if you don’t have any pickled beets, but the dish is still amazing without them. %u00a0Fresh ground pepper really does the trick too!
So there you go, make it tonight, it will make you warm,smart and happy
-C
serves 2-3
1/2 small head of green cabbage(about 2 cups chopped)
2 cups cauliflower(fresh or frozen)
1 cup cooked chick peas
1 1/2 -2 cups water
1 tablespoon caraway seed
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Lightly oil a medium sized skillet and add all ingredients except water. Heat for a few minutes to warm up veggie and caraway seeds then add a 1 1/2 cups of water. Keep on medium heat with a lid and stir on occasion If water evaporates completely out, add another 1/2 cup. %u00a0Dish is done when veggies are tender.. about 20 minutes%u2026.but whenever tastes best to you!
%u00a0Happy Hanukkah!!! Today is the first day of the %u00a0festival of lights and I wanted to send a little love towards those who celebrate it.
I am not going to lie, I don’t know much about Hanukkah but I do know that its customary to eat fried foods during the holiday. The oil represents the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days ands.nights when it should have lasted for only one night. That’s a cool reason to celebrate.. So a lot of food eaten during the holiday is fried, therefore I must fry, and what better than potato latkes.
I don’t usually fry anything. But again, I don’t think I used as much oil with these as I could have..just enough to cook and not stick. Hey, it’s the holidays and this oil had meaning so it’s completely a ok to eat a little fried, just make sure to eat lots of good healthy stuff too!
I didn’t actually use all the potatoes in the picture, but I wish I did. There was the perfect amount for dinner for two people, but I wanted to make a few extra for left overs%u2026.there were none. Oh well.%u00a0I did a matchstick dice for the apples.. I didn’t want the apples to be to chunky%u00a0and I didn’t want them to turn into sauce so the match stick worked well. After I diced the apples, I squeezed a little lemon over the top to keep the apple from turning brown.
I start grating the potatoes and onion, and whoa! %u00a0Imagine my surprise when %u00a0one of the potatoes was purple%u2026 I got pretty excited.The color is so beautiful. and made the latkes look so nice%u2026It was meant to be.Super squeeze the juices out of the grated potato and onion. If you don’t get most of the liquid out, the potato won’t crisp up and will fall apart and be and it will be gross. So SQUEEZE!%u00a0Add in the egg, cornstarch, salt and pepper and mix it on up. Did I mention that I was making these for the mister and the GF sister..No flour, just cornstarch. I think they might have come out even better without the flour%u2026so yeah, these babies are gluten-free.
Your mixture is going to start to get a little watery again. Its cool, just squeeze it out with your hands and smash into patties.Enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan on medium heat. Test the oil to make sure its hot enough before sticking the latke n the pan. To test, sprinkle water in pan, if it sizzles, its ready.Working in batches, %u00a0fry each latke on each side for around 5 minutes..you don’t want to cook to fast or the inside of the latkes will be raw. I always do a tester and feed it to nick. He’s my guinea pig%u2026.He said they were awesome..%u00a0With every batch made, stick on a wire rack and keep in the oven to stay warm. The rack keeps the bottom from getting soggy on the pan… so use it. %u00a0%u00a0 Roasted apples are the BOMB!!! %u00a0Its like eating apple sauce sticks or little bites of heaven(A bit dramatic, but these are so good) I roasted mine for 20 minutes, until they were nice and soft but not completely failing apart. If you are into it, add a touch of cinnamon%u2026I did’t this time, but you bet %u00a0I am going to be making myself a big ol bowl of roasted apples this week, and yes, I will top with cinnamon.%u00a0A %u00a0bowl of apple slaw, sour cream and lemon wedges%u2026.I put the latkes on a nice little pile of greens. A very good idea. %u00a0A dinner worth celebrating! I also served the latkes with roasted chickpeas and cailflower%u2026for more of a meal%u2026( Mini recipe%u2026 Cauilfower and chick peas drizzled in olive oil, %u00a0tossed in salt pepper and garlic, roasted 30 minutes and topped with lemon) A little added veggie and protein%u2026.I am looking out for you people.
There we have it%u2026my variation on a traditional food. Enjoy your fried pancakes of potato and onion, they are a food worth a celebration.
HAPPY HANUKKAH!
Potato Latkes with Roasted Apple Slaw
Ingredients
3 medium potatoes
half of a small onion
2 eggs
2 tablespoons corn starch
vegetable oil
salt and pepper
2 medium apples
sour cream(optional)
Wash and cut %u00a0apples into match sticks%u2026 Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and stick in oven. Let roast for 15-20 minutes or until the apple is nice and soft. Remove and set aside.
In a large bowl, grate the potatoes and the onion. Transfer the mixture into a clean towel and squeeze the crap out of it to remove as much liquid as possible. Return to bowl and add the two eggs, corn starch and salt and pepper. In a large skillet on medium heat, drizzle enough oil to completely cover the bottom..Work in batches and after each batch, add a bit more oil to cover the pan.%u00a0Once the oil is hot place squashed latkes %u00a0into oil. Fry each side until crispy and brown, about 3-5 minutes. When fully cooked, place on a wire rack in the oven to stay warm and crisp. %u00a0When ready to serve, top with roasted apples and a dollop of sour cream. %u00a0You can serve the latkes on top a bed of greens..Its a good way to make the pancakes more meal like.
THE LOVELY CRAZY
January 26, 2020 by maximios • Blog
Potatoes in tomatoes. It just has a nice ring to it. And to tell the truth, that is the only reason I made this dish, because it sounds good.
Ok, not really the only reason, but it was the start, that and I have been sitting on some potatoes for a little while and it was time for them to be eaten. Enter in the tomatoes. I figures cooking the potatoes in tomatoes is alike to a ketchup and french fry situation. Not completely the same, but you get the idea. Add in chickpeas for good measure and onion because I wanted to and that is that. Nothing fussy, one pot, easy, hearty, and good.
Also not hurting anyone that these potatoes take a little while to bake. I could have made this dish in a way that made them cook faster (like parboil the potatoes) but I wanted the heat from the oven. It has been pretty freaking dang cold out so I liked having the heat, it adds another dimension to the term comfort food (as in me being comfortable hanging out next a hot oven).
Anyway, nothing too fancy, just all around tasty dish. It is just what you need to bake and eat on any given cold winter day. And it sounds nice too. Just say it aloud. Potatoes in Tomatoes. Right? Now you see, it had to be done.
To the potatoes in tomatoes!
The stuff. Potatoes, crushed tomatoes, cooked chick peas, an onion, a few cloves garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and a bit of olive oil.
Start by chopping the onion and mincing the garlic.
Get it all into a cast iron pan or oven safe skillet with a little olive oil. Add the spices and give it some heat on the stove top while you cut potatoes.
Now cut those potatoes nice and thin. A mandolin works wonders but a knife will do just as well, just try to keep the thickness all the same.
Potatoes are cut and onion mixture has sweated a bit so now you add in the chick peas (with liquid) and half the crushed tomatoes. Stir it all up.
Layer on potatoes, drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil and give them some salt and pepper love.
Dump the rest of the tomatoes on top then add in water, enough that all the potatoes are completely submerged.
Now into the oven they go.
Doesn%u2019t that just look all fantastic? I mean really really , A+ good, no? If you are feeling extra crispy, you could even stick the skillet under the broiler for a few minutes right before you pull it out.
And that is that. Potatoes in tomatoes with chick peas and onions. A simple but very satisfying dish to keep your cold belly full of warm goodness.
Be well.
-C
About a pound or so of white or red potatoes
3 cups (or a 28oz can) crushed tomatoes
2 cups (or a 16 oz can) cooked chickpeas in liquid
1 large onion
2-3 close garlic
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2-3 cups water
olive oil
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400
Grab onion and dice into small pieces. Mince the garlic. Grab a medium sized oven safe skillet and toss the onion and garlic in with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and the seasoning. Place on medium heat and cook for a few minutes until the the onion is slightly cooked and fragrant. Remove from heat. Mix in the chick peas with liquid and half of the crushed tomatoes.
Rinse potatoes and slice into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Place tomatoes into the skillet, layering any way you want. Drizzle the top with like a teaspoon olive oil then sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Spread the rest of the crushed tomatoes over the potatoes then pour the water in. If the potatoes are not completely submerged in water, add more until they are. Cover the skillet with a lid or tin foil.
Place skillet in oven and bake 40ish minutes then remove lid or foil and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender and slightly crispy on the edges. Depending on the type of patotoes you use,(like a really firm and waxy yellow potato) you might need to add more water to the skillet and cook for longer. If that is the case, just pour more water over until the potatoes are submerged again and keep baking until cooked.
For extra crispy, when potatoes are done, place skillet under broiler for a few minutes until crisp to your liking.
Pull from oven, let cool a minutes or two then dig in.
Whatever you do, do not turn on your oven this weekend! But I guess if you have air conditioning and don’t mind cranking it… well then go for it. And can I come stay with you?
But for the rest of us doing this weekend without the old A.C., we need to feed ourselves, feed ourselves without any fire because 100 degrees is no joke and any added heat from anything will likey tip us over the edge. I am already so close to that edge and it’s a long way down..(Just ask the mr, he could tell you a thing or two about heat and me.. not good)
Enter hummus and veggies.
You can’t really go wrong with a good hummus and veggies meal situation and sometimes it’s all that can be right. I for one could eat bowls and bowls of hummus, and sometime do, so this is not a stretch for me. Especially this hummus. I knew I would like it, but man, was (was because I ate it all) it freaking delicious. The sunflower seeds really did it for me, gave it a little something extra, like a freshness that is still creamy and earthy, but is not quite, I don’t know, dark as tahini? %u00a0It’s kind of hard to explain without having you taste it (so make it and you tell me)%u00a0%u00a0Don’t get me wrong, I love tahini, but sometimes you just %u00a0got to mix it up. (Plus sunflowers seeds are dirt cheap. Tahini is not nearly as cheap so bonus there too.)%u00a0%u00a0Maybe its because the sunflower seeds bring the sunshine to your mouth. A sun filled mouth of pureed seeds and beans.%u00a0 Yup, that’s what it is.
So here ya go, a no heat meal (or snack or spread).%u00a0We got this.
The stuff. %u00a0Cooked chickpeas (no need to cook your own, canned is a okay), sunflower seeds, a lemon, a few cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, a little water, and some herby green like parsley or cilantro.%u00a0
Hummus is pretty basic, it’s just stuff blended up, but because we are starting with raw sunflower seeds, we need to really bend the shit out of them until they turn into a paste, so do that, which is going to a take about 8-10 minutes. Then once its pasty, add in the garlic and the juice of the lemon and blend until its all smooth.
Could almost stop here at this point. Sunflower seed goodness all emulsified. Taste it, it is so good.
Now add in the chickpeas and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Blended until smooth with a little drizzle of water to give just the right consistency. %u00a0And that’s it.
Pile a bowl full enough that you can call it dinner them top with a good amount of fresh herbs. Serve with chopped up fresh veggies or whatever you like and we are good to go.
Creamy, dreamy sunflower hummus, no heat required!%u00a0
Stay not melted!
-C
Makes about 2 3/4 cups
Place the sunflower seeds in food processor and turn on until seeds turn into a paste, which will take about 8-10 minutes. After every few minutes, scrap the sides down to make sure it all gets blended. Once the seeds reach paste consistency,%u00a0add in the juice of the lemon and the garlic. Blend until smooth. Last off, add in the chickpeas and a pinch or salt and pepper and blend until smooth, adding %u00a0in a tablespoon or two of water to get the hummus to the consistency of your liking. Once blended taste and check for seasoning (add more salt and or pepper if needed)%u00a0
When the hummus is done, scrape into bowl(s), and top with lots of fresh herbs and a sprinkle more of sunflower seeds. Now eat it. Eat with veggies, with bread, with pretzels, or with a spoon (or finger). Do what you need to do.
%u00a0Any left over, if there is any, can be store in the fridge for 2-3 days.%u00a0
%u00a0It’s Friday!!! And what does that mean? Pizza Pizza!!!!But not just Fridays%u2026pizza happens more times then not in our house%u2026It’s the misters favorite food and for real, he could eat it everyday, all day.%u2026He is kind of made of the stuff. As for me, well I don’t mind making it for him because it’s easy. And because I am making it, it doesn’t have 8 million calories, 9 million grams of fat and have 10 million milligrams of sodium like takeout of frozen. %u00a0My pizzas are for the most part pretty freaking heathy. It really depends on how its topped. Like take this one.. Homemade pesto, good quaility cheese, (you can use vegan or low fat)%u00a0chickpeas and tomatoes. Not to shabby. And really, it isn’t any more complicated then calling the take-out place or unwrapping the frozen plastic disk from the box. All you need is some good dough (I guess you could use store bought) and some good quality toppings%u2026 and you’re there%u2026Pizza in your face.
For this pizza I used the skillet cooking method. This crust is one of %u00a0the misters favorites. It is a basic pizza dough but cooked on the stove in a skillet. It’s almost like a pita bread, but not. And I like to make it this way because its really fast (once the dough is made) and I can even make up a few crusts to have on hand for later.
Fast, healthy, and tasty%u2026..Why not eat pizza every day?%u00a0
Not too many ingredients here. 3 cups of all purpose flour or 2 cups all purpose and 1 cup white whole wheat. A teaspoon salt, a teaspoon honey (use sugar if vegan), yeast and warm water%u2026%u00a0
Start with the dough. %u00a0Add honey or sugar to yeast and warm water and let sit to active, which should take about 5 minutes.
%u00a0Mix together the salt and flour(s) and add the foamy yeast mixture. Mix until it all comes together and dump out onto a floured surface. (if the dough seems to dry add a splash of water..if way to wet, add a little flour) Give the dough a good 2-3 minute knead session, adding flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Form a nice ball, place back into bowl and drizzle with oil. Cover bowl with a towel and stick in warm place to rise for about an hour or until it has doubled in size.
When dough has doubled, dump back onto a floured surface and divide into 4 equal sized balls (or as many balls at whatever size you want)
Now you have a few choices here. You can either cook up all the dough now if you need it, or freeze dough balls for future use. If you think you are going to make pizza again within the next few days, it can be refrigerated, or you could also blind bake the dough and freeze or fridragerate that and have pre baked crusts all ready to go. So many options%u2026 just do whatever works for you.%u00a0
To make the dough in a skillet, oil the bottom of a 15 inch skillet, turn burner on to high and let preheat until the oil is sizzling. Roll dough out to roughly the size of the skillet and when it has preheated, place dough on in there and let cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until the dough starts to bubble and the bottom has started to brown. Turn burner down to medium and flip. Cook this side for another 3-5 minutes.
If you want oven crust, just roll out and place on a baking sheet and bake with topping on at 475 degrees for about 20 minutes
Now the crust is ready for the toppings!!
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.%u00a0
Smear the pesto (for this pie, I used the last of my homemade pesto from last summer%u2026sad face) Mince garlic and distribute evenly on top of that. Then do the cheese, followed by the tomato slices and chick peas. Sprinkle with a bit of salt, cracked pepper and some parmesan cheese.%u00a0
Stick into oven for 10 or so minutes or until the chesse is nice and bubbly and the crust os crispy and brown.
And that is pizza. A super duper, yummy, healthy, not too fatty or overly salty%u2026 %u00a0can be eaten breakfast lunch or dinner time, pretty, satisfying, pizza. %u00a0
Make it for yourself, for you lover, for a friend. Make it in the shape of a heart or an elephant. Give you kid(s) a ball of dough and have them make their own%u2026 I know%u2026 such a good idea.%u00a0
Everyday, all day.. Happy Friday and Happy Pizza
Stay warm!
-C
For the dough ..Makes about four 10 inch pizza doughs or three 12 -14 inch doughs. This is also the same recipe I use for all of my pizzas (skillet and oven)
The Pizza Toppings (for a 15 inch crust..adjust amounts to your need or liking)
To start, place honey, yeast and water into a jar or bowl and let sit to active until mixture starts to foam. Mix together flour and salt into a large bowl and add in yeast mixture. Stir until combined and dump onto a well floured surface. Knead dough for a a few minutes and form into a ball. Place back into bowl, drizzle with oil and top with a towel. Place somewhere warm to rise for an hour, or until dough has doubled in size.
When dough is done rising, dump back onto floured surface and divide into 4-8 equal sized balls.( 4 balls make %u00a015 inch pizza%u2026 8 balls are good for individual size pizzas) Place whatever dough you are not going to use into a closable plastic bag and either stick in fridge(if using within a few days) or freeze for future use.
Place skillet on high heat on stove and drizzle with oil. Also, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out you dough and when the skillet is has gotten really hot, place dough right on in. Let cook for about 3-5 minutes or unit the cough has started to form bubbles and the bottom has started to brown. Turn heat down to low and cook other side for another 3-5 minutes or until browned.%u00a0
Now pizzafy it.. Add on the toppings. Smear with pesto, add minced garlic, then evenly sprinkle cheese. Top with the chick peas and the sliced tomatoes. A sprinkle of salt and pepper and a dusting of grated parmesan%u2026%u2026Right into the oven for about 10 minutes to melt it all together%u2026..
Pizza Pizza!!!
I am such a sucker for the reduced price produce at the grocery store. I save at least half of the original price for stuff that might look a little weird or have a brown spot or something. Sometimes I can’t believe what ends up on in the bin, stuff that I wouldn’t consider reduced bin material, but hey, if they want to stick it in there, then I will be more than happy to buy it.A couple days ago I found some good looking roma tomatoes in that said reduced produce bin..the skins the tiniest bit wrinkled (like I could care less), least hen 50 cents a pound. Um, yea, I bought those and put them to good use.%u00a0
Tomatoes roasted until they fell apart with a few other chunks of stuff, then piled onto a base of spinach and couscous. %u00a0This meal cost me pennies and was stupid easy and fast to make. And pretty to boot. Perfect for a quick healthy meal on a busy day or maybe for those people looking for a tasty, not too completed dinner to make for %u00a0a special someone for Valentines day? Or make just for yourself%u2026its pretty much the perfectly dish. Anyone can get into it. And if you don’t happen to have a grocery store with a reduced produce bin full of tomatoes%u2026it’s cool, you’ll just have to pay full price for the perfect ones.
So simple. A little olive oil in pan. Chunk the tomatoes and throw in pan with the chopped onion, carrot, cauliflower, garlic and chick peas. Drizzle a bit more oil and top with salt and pepper. Give it all a toss and stick into oven. That’s that. Just leave it in there until everything is so nice and soft and falling apart.
One of the best things about couscous is that%u00a0you don’t even need to dirty a pot or a bowl to make it, %u00a0just add dried couscous to the bowl you are going to eat out of with a cup of boiling water and a pinch of salt. %u00a0(I added the spinach with the water too) After about 8 minutes, the couscous absorbs all the water and you just fluff it up with a fork. Easy, freaking Peasy!!!%u00a0Out of the oven and piled on%u2026..
I mean, if this isn’t one classy looking meal, then I don’t know what is.
Sprinkle with a little parmesan or nutritional yeast if you want and step back and admire. And now eat it to you face.
And barely any dishes to wash. No big mess to clean up. %u00a0I could get used to that.%u00a0
-C%u00a0
Serves 2
Preheat oven to 400
Place onion, carrot, cauliflower,tomatoes, chick peas and garlic into a large skillet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and give everything a light toss. Stick into oven for 35-40 minutes until tomatoes are falling apart and everything is nice and roasted.
In a medium bowl, (or serving bowl) add cup of boiling water to dry couscous and spinach. Sprinkle with salt and cover. Let sit for at about 8 minutes, or until the couscous had fully absorbed all the water. Fluff with a fork and top with roasted tomato stuff.
Top with parmesan or nutritional yeast if you are into it.
Enjoy!
What a way to start the day, with a mouth full of c words%u2026%u2026.Caraway, cauliflower, chick peas and cabbage%u2026What did you think I meant?
This week has been nippy, no, its been chilly%u2026..nah, it’s been freaking freezing! Yeah, freezing cold. When I woke up this morning to walk the pup, it was 5 degrees. So needless to say, when it gets this cold, I like to keep inside. Tying not to be a complete lazy bones, I went to town on my spices%u2026 refilling jars with all the little baggies scattering the kitchen, screwing on lids, and wiping down the shelves. Not a bad accomplishment for a day. While cleaning I came upon a little bag or caraway seeds, %u00a0Not enough to warrant a jar on the wall, but defiantly enough for one dish. %u00a0
When I think of the bright, somewhat sweet and peppery caraway, I think cabbage.(anything cabbage and I am sold) A big pan cabbage, added cauliflower for the mister,(his favorite) creamy chick peas because we need %u00a0protein and they be tasty, and of course mustard, because everything tastes better with mustard.(I’ll let you in on a little secret.I eat a lot of mustard, I am kind of obsessed. Mustards of all kind; grainy, homemade, dijon%u2026but usually just plan old yellow. And I eat it on everything.. but my go to is French’s yellow mustard and carrots%u2026don’t judge) A warm, bright and filling dish, perfect for a freezing cold evening stuck inside. You can eat it as main dish or add a pile of quinoa or wild rice, or even a big plate of greens. What ever say you eat it, you and your stomach will be happy.(If your worries about cabbage bloat..don’t be. Cooking cabbage helps breaks down the enzymes that create gas, plus caraway has anti bloating properties%u2026WIN!)%u00a0
Cabbage, cauliflower,(fresh of frozen%u2026.I used frozen in this recipe) pre-cooked or canned chick peas, caraway seeds, yellow mustard, and salt..(I added pepper too)
Chop the cabbage and toss into a lightly oiled pan with the rest of the stuff. Heat pan with everything but water %u00a0for a couple of minutes.. to warm the caraway and give everything a cooking head start, then add the water. Stick a lid on it and let simmer.%u00a0After about 15 minutes, give it a stir or two and do a taste test. At this point, it’s up to you%u2026how cooked you want the veggies? I kept mine cooking for another 10 minutes. I also added another 1/2 cup of water. Not enough water and the pan will burn, a little extra water is good, it creates a yummy broth.
When you are happy with the flavor and doneness, eat it. I made myself a %u00a0bowl with a heap of pickled beets(holy yes!). I am sorry if you don’t have any pickled beets, but the dish is still amazing without them. %u00a0Fresh ground pepper really does the trick too!
So there you go, make it tonight, it will make you warm,smart and happy
-C
serves 2-3
Lightly oil a medium sized skillet and add all ingredients except water. Heat for a few minutes to warm up veggie and caraway seeds then add a 1 1/2 cups of water. Keep on medium heat with a lid and stir on occasion If water evaporates completely out, add another 1/2 cup. %u00a0Dish is done when veggies are tender.. about 20 minutes%u2026.but whenever tastes best to you!
%u00a0
Happy Hanukkah!!! Today is the first day of the %u00a0festival of lights and I wanted to send a little love towards those who celebrate it.
I am not going to lie, I don’t know much about Hanukkah but I do know that its customary to eat fried foods during the holiday. The oil represents the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days ands.nights when it should have lasted for only one night. That’s a cool reason to celebrate.. So a lot of food eaten during the holiday is fried, therefore I must fry, and what better than potato latkes.
I don’t usually fry anything. But again, I don’t think I used as much oil with these as I could have..just enough to cook and not stick. Hey, it’s the holidays and this oil had meaning so it’s completely a ok to eat a little fried, just make sure to eat lots of good healthy stuff too!
HAPPY HANUKKAH!
Potato Latkes with Roasted Apple Slaw
Ingredients
Wash and cut %u00a0apples into match sticks%u2026 Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and stick in oven. Let roast for 15-20 minutes or until the apple is nice and soft. Remove and set aside.
In a large bowl, grate the potatoes and the onion. Transfer the mixture into a clean towel and squeeze the crap out of it to remove as much liquid as possible. Return to bowl and add the two eggs, corn starch and salt and pepper. In a large skillet on medium heat, drizzle enough oil to completely cover the bottom..Work in batches and after each batch, add a bit more oil to cover the pan.%u00a0Once the oil is hot place squashed latkes %u00a0into oil. Fry each side until crispy and brown, about 3-5 minutes. When fully cooked, place on a wire rack in the oven to stay warm and crisp. %u00a0When ready to serve, top with roasted apples and a dollop of sour cream. %u00a0You can serve the latkes on top a bed of greens..Its a good way to make the pancakes more meal like.
Enjoy