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     I love mustard, and when I say love, I mean LOVE. I eat it on anything and everything. And not just small quaintites, I buy jumbo sized containers of the stuff because I go through it so fast.  Over the past few years I even  started taking down others with my mustard eating obsession. Sisters, brothers, even some of the littles are now mustard eating feens.  One of my little nieces is now just as bad as me. I don’t think I have seen her eat a single meal without a side of mustard. Her favorite snack, clementines and mustard,  although sometimes she skips the clementines and just goes in with her fingers. Oh so good. I think that child could possible be mine.  And yes, it’s mostly the yellow grocery store variety of mustard being consumed, but yellow mustard is just the tip of the ice berg. There is a whole world of flavors, textures and colors when it comes to the humble mustard seed. Whole grain mustard, to me, is one of the best and easiest to adapt to any persons specific taste. You can make it plan or add in just about any spice, vinegar, even a little sweetness that you might like. One of my favorite variations of this mustard is to skip the vinegar and use picked jalapeño juice. Aah, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

So if you are anything of a mustard connoisseur, you really must, at least once, make your own batch.(It’s so easy!) And you will love it and share it with all your friends and they will think you are a bad ass for making your own mustard and your life will just be so great. All because you are now a mustard maker.  Yes. 

Yellow mustard seeds, brown mustard seeds, apple cider vinegar and salt. The most basic ingredients.

Note- If you want, add in a pinch of any spice that you want.. Chili flakes, granulated garlic, turmeric…. And you can use the vinegar of your choice. I like apple cider because its mellow with a slight sweetness but white or sherry or any vinegar would be great. Even left over picked juice is fantastic too.

    In a large jar, combine the mustard seed , twice as much vinegar and a pinch of salt. Cover and let sit for on the counter overnight until the seeds have soften and look almost like caviar. 

Now blend those seeds. You might want to add another splash or two of vinegar to help  blend and to thin out a bit. Chose how creamy or seeded you like you mustard. I like to make it creamy but seedy so I blend it half way to creamy.

Taste and add another pinch of salt if its needed and……..

You have got mustard! Make sure you have a good snack ready to eat with it.. My go to is carrots. I could eat this all day long.  

Enjoy and have a great Tuesday full of mustard and stuff!

-C

• 1/4 Cup Brown Mustard Seeds
• 1/4 Cup Brown Mustard Seeds
• 1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• Optional..A pinch of  Garlic Graduals, Red Pepper Flakes, Curry Powder (Anything you want) 

Combine all ingredients into a large jar that has at least a few extras inches for the seed to expand.  Leave on counter for 8-12 hours.

Once seeds are nice and soft and have expanded, either eat as is (Mustard seed caviar) or blend the seeds to desired consistency (I like it half smooth, half seedy) Add a pinch more or salt and another splash or two of vinegar to help blend.

Refrigerate and use on anything and everytihng.

The mr is a saltines fanatic. I personally don’t get it, but he really, truly loves a good fresh package of those salty crispy crackers, and loves to make a little cracker crumb mess. (I think it does it to drive me crazy)

%u00a0The other night during a particularly crumby saltine cracker snack, he declared that the saltine people (who are these people?) must come out with flavored saltines. I then continued to burst his bubble and told him I am pretty sure the saltine people have, in fact, come out with flavors, but he was skeptical and did not believe my words. Whatever dude.

But then I got to thinking, “why the hell haven’t I made flavored saltine crackers yet?” So make flavored crackers I did. I know that the mr is really into dill pickled chips (beause I can smell the when he eats them) and I have been buying these mammoth jars of pickles from the Costco superstore (I love pickles but more then that I need the gigantic jars). so I had me a shit ton of pickle juice. It was meant to be.

The first time I made the crackers, I did a really small batch and wasn’t expecting anything amazing, just going for a decent whatever cracker. But no, the few that I managed to make, the mr went nuts for. He told me they were the best fucking cracker that he has ever had and I now have to make them for him all the time, and that it is now a birthday tradition (it was his birthday). He said they were the prefect dilly-ness, the pefrect texture and just the right amount of salt. Perfection.

Well that made me happy so instead of waiting for his next birthday, I just made a big batch. Again, more proof that I am the best girlfriend ever!

The stuff. Flour, dill pickle juice, olive oil and some dried dill and salt.

Flour into a bowl gets drizzled with olive oil and mix around with a fork.

%u00a0Then in goes the pickles juice , same deal, mix together with a fork until the mixture forms a dough. (almost resembling a pie dough)

Place dough down on counter. Let it sit there for a few minutes to give it time to rest.

After the rest, roll the dough out as thinly as you can (try for about an 1/8 inch).

I found that when I slightly damped the counter that the dough was easier to roll. It might be because I have wood counter top so this may or may not work for you, but is worth a try.

And with a knife or dough cutter (or fancy cracker cutting tool), trim off sides (if you want) and cut into 2 inch squares.

Note. IF you want to, poke a couple little wholes into the tops of the crackers. Doing so will prevent the crackers from poofing up (I was told the poof is good)

And place the crackers on a baking sheet, brush tops with the pickle juice, then sprinkle with chopped dill and a tiny bit of salt.

Stick into the preheated oven.

Bakeuntil they start to turn a light golden brown and arepoofing up a little (go ahead and grab one now for quality control)

These crackers be cracking. And wouldn’t you know it, they are already all gone. Next time I make them I am going to have to hide them.

Have a great weekend!

-C

Makes about fifty 2×2 crackers

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 6-8 tablespoons pickle juice
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• finishing salt to taste
• tablespoon chopped dried dill

Preheat oven to 350

Place flour into a shallow bowl and drizzle the olive oil in. Mix around with a fork. Grab pickle juice and drizzle in 6 tablespoons of the juice and mix with the fork until a dough forms. Add in another tablespoon or two if the dough needs more moisture to come together.

Form dough into a ball and let rest on the counter for a few minutes (good time to wash the dirty dishes)

After the rest, take the dough and roll it out to about 1/8 inch or as thinly as you can. Weirdly enough, I found that I was able to roll my dough out better when I damped my counter. The dough didn’t slide around and it still lifted up easily with a spatula.. but do what works for you.

Once you have rolled the dough, trim sides to clean lines and cut into 2×2 inch squares (you can cut into any shape and or size you like) Any trimming reform into a ball, roll out, and make a few more. (If you want a more authentic looking cracker, you can poke little whole into them. Doing this also make the crackers not poof up when bakes)

Place crackers on a lightly colored (or parchment lined) baking sheet. Brush each cracker top with a little pickle juice and sprinkle the tops with salt and dill. Place in the oven to bake for about 12 minutes or until the crackers have poofed up and are turning slightly brown.

Remove from oven, let cool completely and either eat right away or place in a air tight container for later.

These crackers had no later.

What are you going to be doing this weekend? Are you dressing up all crazy, taking a little or two door to door for bite sized pieces of candy, or are you maybe giving out candy? Are you going to some spectacular Halloween party, or are you thinking more tricks then treats and are planning on TP-ing the neighbors or creating some mischief around town.%u00a0

Whatever you are doing, it’s sounds like it’s going to be a blast. Just note,%u00a0if you are being mischievous %u00a0don’t be an asshole about it. Stealing candy from kids is wrong,(steal your candy from adults) and TP is cool but spray paint and things that are permanent are not. And stay away from my houses!%u00a0

Anyway, the Halloween situation %u00a0is always the same with me and the mr. We say that we need to do something fun and different every year. Maybe a party, or even just some human intreat ion. But just like every year, we give in to our inner hermits. Our Halloween night will be as followed: Lock ourselves in the house, drawing the shades,(note that we would totally give out candy, but our door is down a very narrow and dark driveway, behind a fence, and pretty much inaccessible to people) watch a movie %u00a0(thinking Donnie Darko or maybe even old reruns of Halloween Rosanne.)%u00a0eat popcorn,and go to sleep at a very reasonable hour. %u00a0And now that I say it out loud, our evening sounds like the most perfect way to spend the night. Especially because of the popcorn.

Let’s just stop and think about this popcorn a minute%u2026%u2026…

Ok, so do you get it now?. This is an epic popcorn combo.%u00a0Mustard is for everything. A slightly sweet honey mustard all drizzled on %u00a0popcorn, well that’s just craziness. And if you are like the mr., the pretzel crumble just takes it over the top. If we had made plans, I would probably have to cancel just so I can stay in an eat this popcorn.

And I have a hunch that this flavor combination will pair very well with a handful or two of some halloween candies.%u00a0

POPCORN TIME!!!!!

The stuff. A big ass bowl of air popped popcorn. %u00a0Spicy brown mustard (can use any mustard) honey (can use maple) a little olive oil and a few pretzel sticks. (can use any pretzel shape you like)

Bag the pretzels, grap something heavy (rolling pin works great) and smash the pretzels into tiny little bits.

In a little pot ) mix mustard, oil and honey together. Place on medium %u00a0heat and mix continuously until the mixture is hot and a nice liquid pourable consistency.%u00a0

Now you can do this any way you want, but my way is probably the best. Dividie popcorn in two bowls and drizzle each bowl with equal amounts of mustard sauce.

Flip one of the bowls ontop of the other and shake the crap oiut of it.(or until the popcorn is evenly coated)

And the popcorn is all nice and evenly coasted.%u00a0Now dump in the crushed pretzel and repeat the double bowl shake.

Check it out%u2026 Some fantastical popcorn

Now don’t you want to turn the lights off and snuggle on the couch with this bowl?

Share if you want, but hey, it’s just popcorn so you can taotally eat it all yourself.%u00a0

Happy Friday.. And Happy Halloween

-C

makes 10 cups (enough to share between 2 people)

• 10 ish cups of air popped popcorn
• 3 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
• 2 tablespoons honey (sub maple or agave if vegan)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3-4 pretzel rods (or whatever shape) which makes about 1/2 a cup smashed (use gluten free if needed)

Take pretzels and place them in a bag of some sort and using something heavy (like a rolling pin)%u00a0smash the pretzels until they are a smallish crumb (some big shanks are good too)

In a small sauce pot, combine the mustard, honey, oil, and mix to combine. Stick pot on stove and heat on medium until sauce is hot and liquidy. (can get the same result by using a microwave safe bowl and sticking it in a microwave at 20 second intervals until %u00a0hot)

Evenly distribute popcorn into two big bowls. Take the warmed up sauce and drizzle all over popcorn in %u00a0each bowl the, for the fun part,%u00a0flip one bowl onto the other and shake the popcorn all around to evenly coat. Remove a bowl, toss in the pretzel crumbs and pieces and place the bowl back on. Shake again.

Popcorn is ready,%u00a0now eating it!

I eat vegetables like I breath air%u2026 constantly and almost mindlessly. %u00a0Some people are addicted to sugar or coffee, but me, I am addicted to veggies. ( I am also extremely addicted to coffee) This is my truth, but I am ok with it. %u00a0

All week long I have been hearing about this big game going on this weekend, something to do with a ball and running up and down a field%u2026.not quite sure, but I think it might be a big deal to some people.(I know it’s the Super Bowl, and I have heard about some deflated balls, but that’s the extent of my knowledge) %u00a0I have also have been hearing a lot of party planning around this game, food planning, which is something that I do understand. So I wanted to bring a party snack to the mix, and because of my addiction, my mind goes straight to vegetable. I know that there is traditionally a lot of meat, cheese and hot sauce at these said parties, and that’s totally cool, but I think everyone wants to have a least one awesome meatless cheese-less piece of food to snack on during half time. %u00a0So I give the people what they want.%u00a0

So simple, fast and easy to make. Tasty and healthy as can be. Grab and eat with you hands%u2026. and nice to look at. We got the whole package here. %u00a0%u00a0

Pretty much a little bit of everything that I have in my fridge%u2026.Shredded red cabbage, carrots, beets. Some sliced of red onion, tomato and red pepper. Hummus and a little mashed avocado

Yes, it may look like a mess, but that’s just me trying to make five different things at once. But really, making %u00a0these wraps are simple simple. Just take rinsed and dried green or red leaf lettuce, smear on hummus and mashed avocado and pile on the veggies. Roll and stick with a toothpick to keep from unrolling. See%u2026. simple.So many colors%u2026%u2026 so much pretty.%u00a0Wrapped and rolled…Sliced down the middle, just to see all the pretty inside.

These might be veggie wraps, but man, look at those sausage fingers%u2026(hehehe)

Make for lunch, dinner, party, or snack. Eat them for breakfast, dessert or midnight nosh. Whenever, wherever%u2026..YUMMY YUMMY YUM!%u00a0

Happy hump day!%u00a0

-C

Lettuce Wraps%u00a0

Ingredients

Use whatever you want%u2026 but this is what I included in mine

• Green leaf lettuce
• Shredded red cabbage
• shredded %u00a0beets
• shredded carrots
• %u00a0thinly sliced tomato
• thinly sliced red pepper
• thinly sliced red onion
• hummus
• avocado

With each wrap, take a large lettuce leaf and cut out the crunchy rib.(you can slice it up thinly and add to wrap. Smear %u00a0leaf with hummus and smashed avocado, then layer on a bit of each of the veggies. Wrap or roll leaf in on the veggies and stick a toothpick in center to keep from unrolling.%u00a0

Place on a plate and eat or share%u2026 Extras are fantastic to have in the fridge!

I feel like this salad is kind of a summery salad, or better yet, a salad that highlights all the best of what summer has to bring. All the fresh tender dill that is still growing (but not for long) , all the brightly colored and amazing veggies that are being harvested and are nearing the end (bye fresh cucumbers.) This salad might just be my little last hurrah of summer cooking before it is all root veggies and dried herbs and hot and hearty food. And not going to lie and say that I am sad to see summer go because I am so so ready for it to be over, but I will miss all the fresh fresh produce. And I will especially miss all the fresh dill because fresh dill is seriously the best.

Eat up what is left of summer now before it%u2019s too late!

The stuff. Quinoa, a bunch of dill, a cucumber, a pepper, an onion, and some cherry tomatoes. Also a clove of garlic, some salt and pepper, and red wine vinegar.

Mince the garlic, chop the onion, mince the pepper and the cucumber, half the tomatoes, and last but noblest, rough chop the dill.

All that goodness goes into. big bow, along with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and the vinegar Tossed around and left to meld.

Uncooked quinoa with water turns to cooked quinoa

Quinoa meets the bowl of veggies

And after a good mix, viola!

You got yourself a yummers fresh dill and veggie quinoa salad.

-C

serves 3-5 as a side or 2 as a meal

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa

• 2 cups water

• I bunch fresh dill (like a 1/3 cup chopped%u2026 But use as much as you want)

• 1/2 a small red onion

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 small Persian cucumer

• 1/2 of a sweet red or yellow pepper

• handful or two of cherry tomatoes

• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• salt and pepper to taste

Start by cooking the quinoa. Place the water and the uncooked quinoa into a medium sized pot. Place on high heat until sorts to boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and place lid on the pot. Let cook for about 15 minutes, checking at 10 minutes, to see if all the water has absorbed. When it has, remove from heat and let sit for a few more minutes then fluff with a fork.

While the quinoa id cooking, mince the garlic and chop all the veggies into small little pieces. Place into a big bowl. Chop up the fresh dill and toss into bowl too, along with the vinegar and a good sprinkle of salt and pepper. Mix it all around and let sit on the counter for a little so the veggies get nice and vinegary. Once quinoa is cooked and fluffed, dump into the bowl and mix around. Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Eat warm or refrigerate and eat cold. It%u2019s defiantly one of those salads that taste great right away but tastes even better the next day.

My family is big. And my family is crazy. This makes for interesting gift giving.Over the years as we have all gotten older and started having littles, our gift giving has evolved. We use to buy each other presents, but then that got a little to intense and expensive. Then we started coming up withweird gift games where we had to buy 10 things made out of wood or glass and did a kind of white elephant things, which was fun, but we all ended up with wooden spoons and shot glasses.%u00a0 Or the stockings. We did stockings for a few years where we all stuffed something into each of the stockings, but that got kinda lame when everyone started stuffing packs of gum into them….It was getting to be kinda ridiculous. So this year we decided to give secret Santa a try. The deal is that the 9 older siblings drew names and then the 9 cousins drew names, all with a spending limit of $25. It works out for the best because the littles get to have a little fun and participate, and the adults don’t have to go and blow stupid money for kinda stupid shit.%u00a0 Everyone is responsible for one persons gift of happiness….. And they better make it good!

But one of the things that I love about Christmas is making all the little something. One year I made them each a veggie shaped pillow, and another they each got a hand made box. (I love to give handmade gifts.)So this year I still wanted to give each of the littles a little something too. And not anything to crazy, just something small. And now that we are not stuffing stockings with gum, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give them each a little candy.%u00a0 They all like chocolate so chocolate it was.%u00a0 And to zaz it up a little, I popped some quinoa to add some crunch and dear I say, a bit of healthy protein, to the candy. ( sneaky sneaky)

And bonus. this bark can be made in like 5 minutes (1/2 hour to cool) . Wrapped into little wax paper packages with a cute little string, its a super simple, easy, but sweet gift that almost anyone would enjoy (even if you make it and give it to yourself)%u00a0 And no, you don’t have to make it specifically for the holidays, this is just a great little bit of chocolate snack that can be made whenever you damn well please to make it!

The stuff. Chocolate chips (milk, semi sweet, dark, or a mixture) and uncooked quinoa.

Popped quinoa. Fun stuff. Working in small batched,%u00a0 all you need to do is stick the a layer of uncooked quinoa into a heavy bottom pot, turn heat onto high, grab a spoon and mix the quinoa constantly until it starts to pop. (The seeds will pop up, but as long as you pot is big, they should stay inside) When it starts popping, turn heat down to medium low and continue to stir until the quinoa is golden brown and stops popping as frequently. Don’t over pop it our else you will burn it!

Dump the popped quinoa into a holding vessel and pop some more.

Now melt the chocolate. I used the double boiler method (pot of simmering water and a glass bowl) but if you have a microwave, go ahead ans use it.(chocolate in a glass bowl, microwave for 30 second intervals until melted)

Either way you choose, just melt down the chocolate until nice and silky smooth.

Mix the popped quinoa into the melted chocolate…

Then scrap onto a wax paper lined baking sheet and spread out to about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.

Place in the fridge to set up

Once the chocolate has harden, break that shit apart! Big pieces, little pieces. All up to you.

And do what your going to do with it. (wrapped in wax paper with a sting looks so nice if you giving it as a gift)

So simple, so good, so the perfect heartfelt, maybe a little last minutes, gift. Or just a nice little sweet snack with a healthy little kick to it.

And I probably won’t be posting until after the holiday so…

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, blah!!!!!

Bye!

-C

makes 3 cups of bark

• 2 cups chocolate chips (any kind you like)
• 1 cup dried quinoa

To pop quinoa, add enough quinoa to cover the bottom of a heavy bottom pot. Turn heat on high and slowly stir the quinoa until it starts to pop. Once it’s popping, turn down to low and continue to stir until all the quinoa is nice and golden brown and the popping isn’t as frequent. Dump the quinoa into a bowl ans continue on until you have popped all of it.

To melt chocolate, either use a double boiler (glass boil on top a low boiling pot of water. Add chocolate to bowl and mix until melted) Or use the microwave. (Heat in glass bowl at 30 second intervals until melted)

Combine the popped quinoa to the melted chocolate, mix until combined then pour out onto a wax paper lined baking sheet. Spread the chocolate to about 1/4 inch to a 1/2 inch thick with a spatula and place in he fridge to set.

Once chocolate is hard, remove from fridge and break into chunks.

And eat, share, and save a little for later.

Store whatever uneaten candy away from heat.

The bounty of spring is upon us. Asparagus is everywhere and I have been embracing it.. smelly pee and all.%u00a0 And along with all my spring veggies and smells, %u00a0I have grabbing for more springy spices. I go through seasonal spice kicks, like cinnamon and ginger in the fall, curries and chills in the winter. And for spring, I am big on sumac. If you haven’t heard of it or tasted it, it kind of taste like a tangy salty lemon..without actually having any salt. And its a really pretty, a bright red, almost purple color. I use it on a lot of things, especially veggies and bean dishes, sometimes as a lemon replacer, but mostly to add another level of tangy flavor.%u00a0It’s fantastic, really great for all those springy time dishes. Nice and bright!

%u00a0This dish is perfect made and eaten right away, but it’s one of those dishes that tastes even better the day after. Also it’s good and safe to serve room temperature. (think lunch box or a picnic!) And did I mention healthy? Protein packed quinoa and the lean green asparagus, I mean come on. You won’t feel an ounce of guilt for eating a hugmongo bowl of this stuff because you should, so it’s totally ok.

Eat away!%u00a0

The stuff of the stuff. Quinoa and asparagus for the base. Sumac, lemon, garlic, onion, salt and pepper and a little splash of oil for the dressing.%u00a0

Note. Sumac is not always the easiest spice to find. I know that its available online (what isn’t) and that some health food store or herbal apothecaries carry it, but i have ye tot see it at a conventional supermarket. And once you find it, buy a good amount cause you will also fall in love with it and use it on everything.%u00a0

%u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0Start by making the dressing. You want to have it sit for at least 10 minutes. It will be perfect by the time the quinoa is done. Mince the garlic, dice the onion and juice the lemon. Stick it all into a jar with the sumac, a pinch of salt and pepper and about a teaspoons worth of olive oil. Stick a lid on the jar and shake shake shake. and let it sit.

Now you should make the quinoa.. Water and quinoa go into pot, high heat until boiling, %u00a0topped with a lid and set to simmer for about 15 minutes.%u00a0

When the quinoa is simmering, cook up the asparagus. Add a drizzle of oil, to a pan and a few splashes of water. Place trimmed and chopped asparagus to pan and sprinkle with salt. Cook on medium heat for about 8 minutes, or until cooked but still has a nice crunch to it. Take off heat and add the dressing to pan. %u00a0Let it sit and marinate for a few minutes.When the quinoa is tender, fluff with a fork and add to the skillet with the asparagus and dressing. Toss around to make sure all the quinoa gets dressed. Take a taste.. does it need a little salt and pepper? Add a pinch if it does.Pile into a bowl, add a bit of cracked pepper.. and eat.

Or%u2026 Idea! Make this dish and pack it into a jar. Maybe grab a baguette and some hummus os some other %u00a0tasty foods and take yourself and a friend out for a picnic.%u00a0

So much good .

Keep it real yo

-C

Quinoa and Asparagus with Sumac Dressing

serves 3-4 %u00a0as a side dish or 2 as a main meal.%u00a0

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 8-10 asparagus%u00a0
• olive oil

For the Dressing

• 1 tablespoon sumac
• 1/2 small red onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• Juice of 1 jumbo lemon or 2 small lemons
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• salt and pepper

Start but making the dressing. Mince the garlic and finely dice the onion. Place in a %u00a0jar with the sumac, the juice of the lemon, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a little splash of oil. Top the jar and shake the crap out of it for a minute. Let sit and meld. (This dressing can be made ahead of time and is fantastic on all sorts of everything)

In a large pot, add water, quinoa and a spindle of salt. Bring to a boil, cover , and reduce heat to simmer. Let cook for about 15 minutes or until water has completely absorbed. %u00a0When the quinoa gets going, trim the woody parts of the asparagus and chop the remain asparagus into inch long pieces. Toss into a lightly oiled skillet with a few splashes of water, sprinkle with salt and put on medium heat for about 8 minutes, or until asparagus is cooked, but still crispy. Take off heat and add the sumac dressing. Once the quinoa is done, fluff it with a fork and toss it with the sumac dressed asparagus. Scoop into a bowl, add some cracked pepper. Bring food to face and eat.%u00a0

Any leftover? This dish is fantastic serves cold or at room temperature.

For the past few days I have heard more complaining then happy. The biggest complaint%u2026tummy issues. %u00a0A week of gorging on heavy, rich, and indulgent foods is finally catching up with people, turning them into grump asses. I can handle a little grump, %u00a0but its time to get get out of that funk and take care and stop bitching. May I make a suggestion? Eat this%u2026 You will be happy. %u00a0Your body will feel clean and nurised. Your tummy will get back on track. %u00a0 It what I call satisfaction This salad is a complete meal .Chopped and shredded veggies atop a small heap of quinoa, tossed on a handful of lentils and topped with a dollop of lime avocado%u2026 Thats it and it is good. For the sake of picture-taking, I made a plate look all nice and pretty, with layers of %u00a0colors, but to be honest with you, I rather toss into a big bowl, grab a moderately large-sized fork and %u00a0food to face%u2026 and it’s just as pretty.(the bowl of food is pretty, not food on my face) Quick note: the vegetables that I used here %u00a0are what I had at home. If you don’t have one or two of these specific veggies, don’t worry about it. Sub in something else, like pepper or spinach., Still have extra brussel sprouts, green beans or asparagus from thanksgiving? Go ahead and use those. If there is a specific veggie you know your stomach doesn’t tolerate well, then maybe avoid using it. This is a happy feel good salad!A pile of vegetables is always a good start to any meal, especially these veggies.. All but the avocado came from my farm share. This is one %u00a0local organic meal of love.

Green Kale, purple cabbage, beets, red onion, carrots%u2026I did a little shredding and some grating. I like to have different sized and textures in a salad.

Oh whats this? Diced butternut squash(from farm) sprinkle with salt and pepper waiting to be roasted. I am a huge believer in squash on salads%u2026especially in a cold Vermont winter. A little bit of heartiness can really go along way.%u00a0Quinoa.. 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water..Bring to a boil and let simmer until light and fluffy. When I make quinoa, I always make more than is going to be eaten, its great to have pre made for any meal. %u00a0Quinoa goes with everything, even a sprinkle of cinnamon and diced up apple for a nice breakfast or snack.%u00a0I was making this for dinner for my mister who sometimes doesn’t tolerate so many super raw veggies. So what I did and I recommend doing if you are worried about to many raw veggies at once, is to give them a really quick vinegar braise. I throw the veggie in a pan and drizzled red wine vinegar(you can use any vinegar you like) . Stuck a top on it and stuck it on the burner for a few minutes until the vinegar was gone. It just barely softens the veggies and %u00a0helps infuse the vinegar.Also a little easier for some to digest. Me, I like to eat it completely raw.%u00a0Barely steamed kale, just enough to soften it. Again. raw is awesome too. Half a lime, half an avocado and a clove or two of garlic… guacamole%u2026Call it what you will.

Salad contstruction%u2026 Quinoa. Kale. Cabbage, onion and beets. %u00a0Butternut squash. Carrots. Lentils and a nice sized scoop of avocado. But like I said, Bowl%u2026,fork%u2026.. face. Tastes just as good. A super salad, full of flavor and healthy stuff, A salad that will %u00a0fill you up, leave you feeling full, %u00a0not gross. and is quite the looker if you ask me.

Super Salad

• 1/4 cup Quinoa
• 1/4 roasted Butternut squash
• 2-3 large Kale leaves
• 1/2 cup shredded Red Cabbage
• 1/4 %u00a0grated Beet
• 1/8 cup sliced Red onion
• 1/4 cup grated Carrot
• 1/4 prepared lentils
• 1/4 of an Avocado
• 1/2 a lime
• garlic
• vinegar
• salt and pepper

This is the list of stuff that is in this salad. This is not a recipe that need to be exact.. Use more of something you like, omit whatever you don’t. Just keep it simple and delicious. Dice up butternut into small pieces, place on baking sheet and roast till tender. %u00a0Add quinoa to water, bring to boil, then turn down to simmer %u00a0tip light ad fluffy. If you want steamed kale, stick kale in pot with a i/2 inch water and lid, and place on high for about 2 minutes, just until kale ha soften. The squash is roasting,(the smaller the pieces, the faster it goes) %u00a0quinoa is cooking and kale is soften,. Now grate or chop you veggies. Want them less than raw, place in pan with a bit of vinegar or just water and stick a lid on it. Medium heat for a few minutes, or until the veggies are slightly soften.. Dont over cook, you still want the veggies to have a bite and keep the good for you stuff. %u00a0Take avocado, chopped garlic and half lime and mash together. %u00a0Now everything is prepared and ready..Place strategically in a bowl or plate, quinoa, kale, squab, cabbage,beets, onion, carrots, lentils, avocado, drizzle with straight up vinegar.%u2026%u2026..Or just throw it all together. Fork to FACE!!!

Yesterday I spent the entire day (ok maybe not the entire day), but a the better part of the afternoon defrosting my freezer. Sure, I do the occasional chip chop here and there, just enough from around the freezer door so it will close, but ever few months I notice that everything in the fridge is not staying cold and that the freezer is not freezing stuff. Thats when I know its for real time to defrost. So a few days ago when I noticed my bananas were turing to liquid in the freezer, I knew it what I had to do….Completely empty the fridge  and melt/hack away the 2-4 inches of ice build up that accumulated. It is such a freaking pain in the ass.So on this defrosting day, I took all the stuff from the freezer, stuck it in a cooler, and the rest of the stuff, which is basically all veggies, I just tossed on the table. As I am hacking away with a metal spatual, a wooden spoon, and a constant rotation of pots of boiling water, I was thinking about dinner. I figured I might as well just eat up as much of the veggies as I could, you know, so I didn’t have to put them back in the fridge. And also, I was getting pretty annoyed because this particular defrosting session was taking way longer the anticipated, which made making dinner seem like another pain in the ass.  I figured I might as well just eat everything that is already out on the table, which pretty much narrowed down the “whats for dinner” conversations because it was already all over the place. And so dinner was a humongo salad for me, and for the mister, I made him a monster of a veggie sandwich. (my salad was exactly the same stuff as the sandwich, minus the bagel) Easy, fast, super duper yummy, pretty and piled so high with tons of veggies that the fridge is pretty much empty now. 

Look at the is beast. I don’t call it a monster sandwich for nothing.

The stuff included in this monster veggie sandwich..

Romaine lettuce, tomato, avocado for there is not real sandwich without them. Thinly sliced radishes, cucumber,a and onion for nice crispy crunch. Shredded beets, carrots, and purple cabbage to give  more crunch and a bit of sweetness. Then of course there needs to be something pickled, so I used banana peppers cause they are the SHIT!! And lastly some hummus for a nice creamy finish (plus a bit of protein) and yellow mustard because mustard on everything is just right.  Heres to a mountain if goodness that is no longer in the fridge! Served with a another mountain of roasted parsnips and carrots (more stuff from the fridge) and a tall glass of iced tea.

Lucky that today is farm share pick up cause the fridge is pretty much on empty. 

Yea it’s Thursday!!!!

-C

Note. This is just a guide.. Feel free to use whatever veggies you fancy. 

• Either a bagel, 2 slices of bread, or a big chunk of baguette (use a gluten free bread if you want or need too)
• Hummus- Homemade or store bought
• Mustard
• Something pickled like pickles, banana peppers , jalapeños or all three 
• Lettuce, spinach or some kind of leafy green
• Tomato
• Avocado
• Onion
• Radishes
• Cucumber
• Shredded Carrots
• Shredded Beets
• Shredded Cabbage

To assemble. Ready your bread.. Toast if you want, and stick it on a plate

On either side, smear the hummus and the mustard.  

Pick a side, start to stack by evenly disrupting veggies on top of veggies. Place the second piece of bread on top and  giving a little smooth to keep it together.

And go at it. Cut in half or don’t. Have a napkin or a long sleeve ready to wipe your face.

My winter farm share is coming to an end this week. One more pick and then a three week stretch until the summer share starts… WHAT AM I GOING TO DO!!! Stock up as much as I can is what.

I have been strategic about the roots and veggies that I have chosen to bring home the past few weeks.(My farm lets you pick what you want)  I know what I can buy at the store, things like carrots and potatoes, so I have been passing those up, but the roots like beets and celeriac… I have been bringing home baskets of those and hoarding them in the fridge and basement in preparation for the laps in farm fresh food and knowing that if I want to by these at the store it s going to coast me a million dollars  a pound. (a for real million dollars)

Yup, lots of roots around here, especially celeriac root which is fantastic. I am kind of obsessed with celeriac, with its fibrous, knobby exterior, soft but almost meaty texture inside, and a flavor that  is close to celery but so much better.  I don’t know why it has taken me so long to do a posting featuring this amazing root vegetable  (I eat it almost every day)

So here, an amazingly tasty, hearty but not heavy, celeriac recipe.  Perfect for spring and the change into summer…. Mustard roasted celeriac with an fanatic split peas gravy that will have you licking you bowl clean.

 The stuff….For the split pea gravy we have a carrot, a parsnip and a large onion chopped into small chunks.  Salt, thyme, a bay leaf and of course the split peas. Then there is the celeriac root* sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds and some plain old yellow mustard .

*Note. I don’t peel my celeriac root. I really enjoy the fibrous exterior but realize that some don’t(The mister does not like it) so peel it if you want. 

Toss the chopped parsnip, carrot, onion and the spices into a pot on medium heat and let veggies sweat a few minutes until tender.  Add in the split peas and enough water to cover everything.  Turn pot on high and bring to a boil, then cover and turn to low. Make sure to give the pot a good stir ever few minutes and add more water if needed 

While the gravy is cooking,  take the celeriac rounds and brush each side with yellow mustard, sprinkle with pepper, and place on a baking sheet. Stick into the oven to roast for about 25 minutes, flipping the rounds after about 10 minutes.

Once the peas have soften, remove the bay leaf and puree until smooth and oh so creamy. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. If you find that the gravy seems to thick, just add in more water until it’s the consistency that you want. The gravy is made, the celeriac is roasted… now we are ready to eat!! Stick the celeriac on a plate and dump good amount of that gravy right on top. Feel free to add a bed of spinach, or a grain or anything you want, because why not, and also some chopped tomatoes for a little acid and prettiness.

Serve with the fanciest knife and fork you can find. Extra yellow mustard and sriracha sauce are great condiments to have close by.

Happy Tuesday!

-C

• 2 medium celeriac roots
• 6 tablespoons mustard
• 1 large carrot
• 1 medium parsnip
• 1 large yellow onion
• 2/3 cup split peas
• 2-3 cups water 
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons thyme or italian spice mix
• salt and pepper
• spinach (optional)
• diced tomatoes(optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Small dice the carrot, parsnip and onion and throw into a large pot. Spinkle with salt and pepper, add in the thyme and bay leaf and add a splash of water. Stick on stove on medium heat and stir. Let cook until the veggies become soft and fragrant. Now add in the split peas and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil then cover and turn heat down to medium low. Let cook until the split peas become tender (about 25 minutes) string on occasion and adding more water if the peas are not completely summered while cooking.

Once the peas are tender, let cool for a few minutes, remove bay leaf, and either dump into a blender or blend with an immersion blender until nice and creamy. If gravy seems to thick, add in more water. 

Scrub or peel celeriac roots and slice them into 1/2 inch think rounds. Place on a baking sheet and brush mustard on both sides and spindle with pepper. Stick into oven for about 10 minutes, flip, then back into the oven for another 15 or so minutes, or unit the celeriac is tender.

When the celeriac is done remove from oven and  stick a few rounds on a bed of spinach (or not, or any kind of grain or green you like) Top with a hearty helping of the gravy and toss on some chopped up tomatoes.

Eat with at knife and fork like a fancy person.

My winter farm share is coming to an end this week. One more pick and then a three week stretch until the summer share starts… WHAT AM I GOING TO DO!!! Stock up as much as I can is what.

I have been strategic about the roots and veggies that I have chosen to bring home the past few weeks.(My farm lets you pick what you want)  I know what I can buy at the store, things like carrots and potatoes, so I have been passing those up, but the roots like beets and celeriac… I have been bringing home baskets of those and hoarding them in the fridge and basement in preparation for the laps in farm fresh food and knowing that if I want to by these at the store it s going to coast me a million dollars  a pound. (a for real million dollars)

Yup, lots of roots around here, especially celeriac root which is fantastic. I am kind of obsessed with celeriac, with its fibrous, knobby exterior, soft but almost meaty texture inside, and a flavor that  is close to celery but so much better.  I don’t know why it has taken me so long to do a posting featuring this amazing root vegetable  (I eat it almost every day)

So here, an amazingly tasty, hearty but not heavy, celeriac recipe.  Perfect for spring and the change into summer…. Mustard roasted celeriac with an fanatic split peas gravy that will have you licking you bowl clean.

 The stuff….For the split pea gravy we have a carrot, a parsnip and a large onion chopped into small chunks.  Salt, thyme, a bay leaf and of course the split peas. Then there is the celeriac root* sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds and some plain old yellow mustard .

*Note. I don’t peel my celeriac root. I really enjoy the fibrous exterior but realize that some don’t(The mister does not like it) so peel it if you want. 

Toss the chopped parsnip, carrot, onion and the spices into a pot on medium heat and let veggies sweat a few minutes until tender.  Add in the split peas and enough water to cover everything.  Turn pot on high and bring to a boil, then cover and turn to low. Make sure to give the pot a good stir ever few minutes and add more water if needed 

While the gravy is cooking,  take the celeriac rounds and brush each side with yellow mustard, sprinkle with pepper, and place on a baking sheet. Stick into the oven to roast for about 25 minutes, flipping the rounds after about 10 minutes.

Once the peas have soften, remove the bay leaf and puree until smooth and oh so creamy. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. If you find that the gravy seems to thick, just add in more water until it’s the consistency that you want. The gravy is made, the celeriac is roasted… now we are ready to eat!! Stick the celeriac on a plate and dump good amount of that gravy right on top. Feel free to add a bed of spinach, or a grain or anything you want, because why not, and also some chopped tomatoes for a little acid and prettiness.

Serve with the fanciest knife and fork you can find. Extra yellow mustard and sriracha sauce are great condiments to have close by.

Happy Tuesday!

-C

Mustard Roasted Celeriac with Split Pea Gravy

• 2 medium celeriac roots
• 6 tablespoons mustard
• 1 large carrot
• 1 medium parsnip
• 1 large yellow onion
• 2/3 cup split peas
• 2-3 cups water 
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons thyme or italian spice mix
• salt and pepper
• spinach (optional)
• diced tomatoes(optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Small dice the carrot, parsnip and onion and throw into a large pot. Spinkle with salt and pepper, add in the thyme and bay leaf and add a splash of water. Stick on stove on medium heat and stir. Let cook until the veggies become soft and fragrant. Now add in the split peas and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil then cover and turn heat down to medium low. Let cook until the split peas become tender (about 25 minutes) string on occasion and adding more water if the peas are not completely summered while cooking.

Once the peas are tender, let cool for a few minutes, remove bay leaf, and either dump into a blender or blend with an immersion blender until nice and creamy. If gravy seems to thick, add in more water. 

Scrub or peel celeriac roots and slice them into 1/2 inch think rounds. Place on a baking sheet and brush mustard on both sides and spindle with pepper. Stick into oven for about 10 minutes, flip, then back into the oven for another 15 or so minutes, or unit the celeriac is tender.

When the celeriac is done remove from oven and  stick a few rounds on a bed of spinach (or not, or any kind of grain or green you like) Top with a hearty helping of the gravy and toss on some chopped up tomatoes.

Eat with at knife and fork like a fancy person.

     I love mustard, and when I say love, I mean LOVE. I eat it on anything and everything. And not just small quaintites, I buy jumbo sized containers of the stuff because I go through it so fast.  Over the past few years I even  started taking down others with my mustard eating obsession. Sisters, brothers, even some of the littles are now mustard eating feens.  One of my little nieces is now just as bad as me. I don’t think I have seen her eat a single meal without a side of mustard. Her favorite snack, clementines and mustard,  although sometimes she skips the clementines and just goes in with her fingers. Oh so good. I think that child could possible be mine.  And yes, it’s mostly the yellow grocery store variety of mustard being consumed, but yellow mustard is just the tip of the ice berg. There is a whole world of flavors, textures and colors when it comes to the humble mustard seed. Whole grain mustard, to me, is one of the best and easiest to adapt to any persons specific taste. You can make it plan or add in just about any spice, vinegar, even a little sweetness that you might like. One of my favorite variations of this mustard is to skip the vinegar and use picked jalapeño juice. Aah, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

So if you are anything of a mustard connoisseur, you really must, at least once, make your own batch.(It’s so easy!) And you will love it and share it with all your friends and they will think you are a bad ass for making your own mustard and your life will just be so great. All because you are now a mustard maker.  Yes. 

Yellow mustard seeds, brown mustard seeds, apple cider vinegar and salt. The most basic ingredients.

Note- If you want, add in a pinch of any spice that you want.. Chili flakes, granulated garlic, turmeric…. And you can use the vinegar of your choice. I like apple cider because its mellow with a slight sweetness but white or sherry or any vinegar would be great. Even left over picked juice is fantastic too.

    In a large jar, combine the mustard seed , twice as much vinegar and a pinch of salt. Cover and let sit for on the counter overnight until the seeds have soften and look almost like caviar. 

Now blend those seeds. You might want to add another splash or two of vinegar to help  blend and to thin out a bit. Chose how creamy or seeded you like you mustard. I like to make it creamy but seedy so I blend it half way to creamy.

Taste and add another pinch of salt if its needed and……..

You have got mustard! Make sure you have a good snack ready to eat with it.. My go to is carrots. I could eat this all day long.  

Enjoy and have a great Tuesday full of mustard and stuff!

-C

Whole Grain Mustard

• 1/4 Cup Brown Mustard Seeds
• 1/4 Cup Brown Mustard Seeds
• 1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• Optional..A pinch of  Garlic Graduals, Red Pepper Flakes, Curry Powder (Anything you want) 

Combine all ingredients into a large jar that has at least a few extras inches for the seed to expand.  Leave on counter for 8-12 hours.

Once seeds are nice and soft and have expanded, either eat as is (Mustard seed caviar) or blend the seeds to desired consistency (I like it half smooth, half seedy) Add a pinch more or salt and another splash or two of vinegar to help blend.

Refrigerate and use on anything and everytihng.

What a way to start the day, with a mouth full of c words…….Caraway, cauliflower, chick peas and cabbage…What did you think I meant?

This week has been nippy, no, its been chilly…..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… 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,  Not enough to warrant a jar on the wall, but defiantly enough for one dish.  

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  protein 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…but usually just plan old yellow. And I eat it on everything.. but my go to is French’s yellow mustard and carrots…don’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…WIN!) 

Cabbage, cauliflower,(fresh of frozen….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  for 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. After about 15 minutes, give it a stir or two and do a taste test. At this point, it’s up to you…how 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  bowl 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.  Fresh 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.  Dish is done when veggies are tender.. about 20 minutes….but whenever tastes best to you!

Yesterday I spent the entire day (ok maybe not the entire day), but a the better part of the afternoon defrosting my freezer. Sure, I do the occasional chip chop here and there, just enough from around the freezer door so it will close, but ever few months I notice that everything in the fridge is not staying cold and that the freezer is not freezing stuff. Thats when I know its for real time to defrost. So a few days ago when I noticed my bananas were turing to liquid in the freezer, I knew it what I had to do….Completely empty the fridge  and melt/hack away the 2-4 inches of ice build up that accumulated. It is such a freaking pain in the ass.So on this defrosting day, I took all the stuff from the freezer, stuck it in a cooler, and the rest of the stuff, which is basically all veggies, I just tossed on the table. As I am hacking away with a metal spatual, a wooden spoon, and a constant rotation of pots of boiling water, I was thinking about dinner. I figured I might as well just eat up as much of the veggies as I could, you know, so I didn’t have to put them back in the fridge. And also, I was getting pretty annoyed because this particular defrosting session was taking way longer the anticipated, which made making dinner seem like another pain in the ass.  I figured I might as well just eat everything that is already out on the table, which pretty much narrowed down the “whats for dinner” conversations because it was already all over the place. And so dinner was a humongo salad for me, and for the mister, I made him a monster of a veggie sandwich. (my salad was exactly the same stuff as the sandwich, minus the bagel) Easy, fast, super duper yummy, pretty and piled so high with tons of veggies that the fridge is pretty much empty now. 

Look at the is beast. I don’t call it a monster sandwich for nothing.

The stuff included in this monster veggie sandwich..

Romaine lettuce, tomato, avocado for there is not real sandwich without them. Thinly sliced radishes, cucumber,a and onion for nice crispy crunch. Shredded beets, carrots, and purple cabbage to give  more crunch and a bit of sweetness. Then of course there needs to be something pickled, so I used banana peppers cause they are the SHIT!! And lastly some hummus for a nice creamy finish (plus a bit of protein) and yellow mustard because mustard on everything is just right.  Heres to a mountain if goodness that is no longer in the fridge! Served with a another mountain of roasted parsnips and carrots (more stuff from the fridge) and a tall glass of iced tea.

Lucky that today is farm share pick up cause the fridge is pretty much on empty. 

Yea it’s Thursday!!!!

-C

Note. This is just a guide.. Feel free to use whatever veggies you fancy. 

• Either a bagel, 2 slices of bread, or a big chunk of baguette (use a gluten free bread if you want or need too)
• Hummus- Homemade or store bought
• Mustard
• Something pickled like pickles, banana peppers , jalapeños or all three 
• Lettuce, spinach or some kind of leafy green
• Tomato
• Avocado
• Onion
• Radishes
• Cucumber
• Shredded Carrots
• Shredded Beets
• Shredded Cabbage

To assemble. Ready your bread.. Toast if you want, and stick it on a plate

On either side, smear the hummus and the mustard.  

Pick a side, start to stack by evenly disrupting veggies on top of veggies. Place the second piece of bread on top and  giving a little smooth to keep it together.

And go at it. Cut in half or don’t. Have a napkin or a long sleeve ready to wipe your face.

I am one of those people that hangs out for far to long in the grocery store, mostly in the bulk section, looking al all the types of rice, and grains, and beans, and seeds, admiring the variety and colors and also wishing I was one of those people that had an extra $25 to drop on a pound of pistachios.%u00a0%u00a0(Them were some pricey pistachios fo sho.) I take my time, peruse the bins, maybe take a little taste or two, %u00a0and go for what I need. And maybe if something is on sale, get a little of that too. Things that usually make the list are spices,%u00a0oats, beans, maybe rice or quinoa, flours, and seeds. Pumpkin seeds were on sale so those were the seeds of choice and I also got some barely because when I was starting at all the grains,%u00a0it dawned on me that I don’t know many people that eat barley, or even care about it, which is a shame because it is awesome. It might not be trendy like farro or freekeh, but it is just as good, and damn if it is not a hell of a lot cheaper.%u00a0

With the barley and pumpkins seed in hand, I had the start of a salad. So I grabbed some oats, a few spices, some beans and ran away from the builk section, past the nuts before things got bad and I either a) got kicked out for eating my weight in cashews and almonds,%u00a0pretending to just need a taste, or b) paid the $25 for a pound of pistachios that I might not eat because I would need to save them for something really special because they cost $25 a pound. Then I grabbed veggies, walked around the wellness section for good measure, did another lap around the store just in case I forgot something, then finally made my way out of the store only to realize when I got home that I forgot something. (I always forget something)%u00a0

But I had all I needed for a barley salad situation so things went well. This is a fantastic salad. It’s quick and easy and tasty and good. Barley, tahini, veggies and pumpkin seeds… It’s all you need for a just right dinner, or a fantastic side to any meal. Or as a snack at anytime. Bring it to a BBQ, a graduation party, or a pot luck. it will get eaten, and if by chance you end up with a little left over, bring it on home and eat it for breakfast. It will still be just as good.%u00a0%u00a0

The stuff. Pearled barley, tahini, pumpkin seeds and garlic. And some red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, kale, a carrot, some cauliflower, a lemon, a red onion, and a cucumber. (you are not going to need the full amount of all these veggies)%u00a0

First off, cook the barley. The barley and water go into a pot, brought to a boil, then left on low %u00a0to cook until tender. Once cooked, strain away excess water

While barley is cooking (or is cooked) chop up the veggies into mouth sized pieces. I used half the cucumber, half the onion, some of the cauliflower, all the kale, and all the carrot. It’s not an exact measurement, you just want a good amount to toss into the salad.%u00a0

Barley in bowl, topped with the veggies and pumpkin seeds…. The pretty before the mix. You don’t need to add it like this, I just did it cause it looks good.

And the tahini sauce. Mince garlic and add to a jar or bowl with the juice of the lemon, vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper and give it a really good mix.

Creamy, zippy, oh so good.%u00a0

Drizzle and toss the dressing with the barley and veggies.

And that’s that. Now you are ready for eating.%u00a0

Enjoy wherever this salad takes you.%u00a0

-C

If eaten as a meal, serves 2-3. As a side dish, serves 6-8

• 1 cup pearl barley%u00a0
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup tahini%u00a0
• 1 large lemon%u00a0
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 of a cucumber%u00a0
• 1 small carrot
• 2 large kale leaves
• 1/2 of a red onion
• 1 cup of cauliflower florets%u00a0
• 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Note. The vegetable amount and type is more of a preference. You could use all cucumber and onion or add %u00a0broccoli and pepper, just make sure to have a least 3 good cups of some chopped up color.%u00a0

Place barley and water into a pot and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and continue to cook until barley is tender, but not mushy, which should take about 45 minutes. Once cooked, strain excess water.

While the barley is cooking, chop all the veggies into small mouth sized pieces.%u00a0%u00a0And make the tahini sauce. Mince garlic and place in a bowl or jar. Add in tahini, the juice of the lemon, and the vinegar. Mix well until smooth then season with salt and pepper to taste. %u00a0

When barley is cooked and drained, let cool for a few minutes then place in a big bowl. Add in all the veggies and the toasted pumpkin seeds, then drizzle with the tahini sauce and toss all around. Season with salt and pepper to taste..%u00a0

Now eat still warm, or later at room renature, or place in fridge for it to get cold. It can be a filling meal or a great side dish.%u00a0It’s good all ways, any way.

Another note. This salad is great for parties and BBQ’s and can be made a day or two ahead. If you do make ahead, hold off on mixing the pumpkin seeds and the tahini sauce with the rest of the salad until you are about to serve it.%u00a0

I love pomegranates but barely ever buy them because they are usually really expensive. A few weeks ago I was pleasantly surprised to find that that the grocery store was selling them at a reasonable price so I bought one. Duh. Anyway, that was a few weeks ago and I have had the pomegranate chillin in the fridge, just waiting for the perfect time to bust open and retrieve all the bright pink jewel like seeds. But I also kind of forgot about it. It was hiding behind a giant rutabaga. When I finally grabbed the rutabaga for some soup, the pomegranate reviled itself again. It was time, it needed to be eaten. And me being me, I can%u2019t not share right? So I asked the mr what he wanted me to bake. He said muffins, and that is how I came to pomegranate orange and poppyseed muffins. Look at me, poster child for sharing good things. I should get a gold star!.

Anyway, these muffins came out awesome. First, they smell so good because anything baked smells good but the orange really shines and the smell is still lingering in my hair. Secondly, people really were into them. The mr said they were amazing when I finally let him eat one (two actually because I made them mini) and when I brought them over to Megans house for dinner, my Dad at one, then two, then three.. ..He stopped at 5, and this was after dinner. When a guy eats 5 muffins and is not a muffin man, you take it as a good sign.

Do yourself a solid this cold ass weekend and bake something. These muffins are a good place to start.

To the muffins!

The stuff. Flour, baking soda and powder, and salt in a bowl. Poppy seeds, an orange, a pomegranate, sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and a little apple cider vinegar.

First, remove arils from the pomegranate. Cut the fruit in half, hold the cut side face down in your hand and place over a large bowl. Take a wooden spoon and wack the outside of the fruit and the seeds will just fall out. And yes , the juice stains so watch out.

Next, whisk together all the dry ingredients and add in the sugar, poppyseeds and the zest of the orange. Whisk again to combine.

And then add in the oil, milk, vanilla, and the juice of the orange.

Mix until just combined. Don%u2019t over mix or the muffins will get gummy.

Last but not least, fold in the pomegranate arils.

Such a pretty muffin batter.

Scoop batter into well greased muffin tins and pop into a preheated oven.

Orange and crimson and golden brown goodness.

Out of tins and onto a rack to cool

And now you eat.

Stay warm this weekend and bake some muffins.

-C

makes 24 mini muffins or 12 regular muffins

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1/3 cup canola oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 cup soy or plant based milk

• 1 orange

• 1/4 cup poppyseeds

• 1 cup pomegranate arils

Note. To easily remove arils (the seeds) from a pomegranate, cut it in half, hold the cut side down in the palm of your hand over a large bowl and wack the outside of the fruit with a wooden spoon. The arils will fall right out into the bowl.

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Zest the orange into the bowl and add in the poppyseed and whisk. Next add in the oil, juice of the orange (about 1/4 cup) the milk, and the vanilla. Mix until just combined. Fold in pomegranate seeds.

Scoop batter into well greased muffin pans and place in oven to bake until golden brown and a tester stuck into the muffins comes out clean, which should take about 15 minutes (22 fish if normal sized)

Once baked, pull form oven and pop from pans. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Eat at your leisure.

Pomeamole!! %u00a0That’s what I want to call it, so that’s what it is. Guacamole with the addition of tiny little pearls of sweet and tangy juice.. I mean, come one, it can’t get much better. This is what happens when avocados are on super sale, I buy a lot%u2026and then eat a lot%u2026.and then eat some more. %u00a0I start to get a little crafty and, wa la.. add pomegranate seeds. I also inflict anyone eating around me with avocado, even if they believe that they don’t like it because that’s not possible. I know this because there was a time where I believed that I didn’t like avocados%u2026 and that’s just crazy. I remember the very moment I realized I was wrong. It was the first food Nick ever made for me. I was working at a pottery studio and wasn’t able to leave because of a raku firing %u00a0and I was starving. My love saved me with a sandwich, and it was the best I had ever eaten. %u00a0A sandwich that contained hummus, greens, sun-dried tomatoes, and yup, big slices of avocado. That sandwich change my life. I knew from that moment on%u2026. %u00a0I loved avocados%u2026%u2026oh and that I loved Nick too. I know, we are so cute that you want to barf. Well go ahead, just do it before you eat the pomeamole.

It’s all pretty simple…One very tasty ripe avocado, about 1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds, %u00a0a little chopped onion, a bit of chopped tomato, %u00a0a lemon, a few cloves of garlic and a pinch of salt. %u00a0It’s what dreams are made of.

Mash it all together minus the pomegranate seeds%u2026 As smooth or as chunky as you like it%u2026.

Fold in 1/2 the seeds

And top with the rest! And another squeeze of lemon%u2026 just like that. You can eat this magic with anything you want; %u00a0chippers, rice cakes, tacos, toast, or even top a kale salad with a big scoop. %u2026..we at it with carrots and broccoli. SO GOOD!

Pomeamole! (Pomegranate Guacamole)

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/2 a small red or sweet onion
• 1/2 a small tomato
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• salt
• %u00a0a lemon or lime

Pit and scoop avocado into a medium bowl and smash until desired consistency. Finely chop onion, garlic and tomato and mix together with avocado and half the juice of the lemon. Fold in most the pomegranate seed. Top with the rest and the squeeze the other half of lemon on top.

Serve with food, or just eat with a spoon.

Hooray for on-sale avocados!!%u00a0

-C

Salad season is here. Green salads, fruit salads, potato salads, and grain salads. All the salads and we are not mad about it.

This is a good grain salad using millet, which I am sightly surprised to hear that a lot of people have never had. Millet is kind of like quinoa, but not. I cooks fluffy and looks kind of the same, and is gluten free like quinoa. I think the biggest difference is that millet is slightly softer and tastes a bit more nutty. It also is really good at absorbing liquid flavors.

But who are we to compare. The main thing is that it is nutritious and delicious so we will eat it.

Back to the salad. This is one of those grain salads that is good cooked and served warm but only gets better with a little age (like an hour or a day) in the fridge. Served hot or cold or room tempature, and is hearty enough to be meal like but is also a fantastic addition as a side to any of you meal plans. Like maybe a BBQ? Whatever the occasion, or non occasion, this is just a really good grain salad situation and I think you will be pleased, smiling all smiles while eating it.

To the millet salad.

The stuff. Millet, a couple handful of greens, a few mushrooms, an onion, dijon mustard, a little maple syrup, red wine vinegar, a lemon, a couple cloves or garlic, some toasted sunflower seeds, and salt and pepper.

Start by giving the millet a little toast, just enough to really up the nutty flavor and make it that much more yummy. It only takes a few minutes in a skillet on medium heat. Not an entirely necessary step, but you should do it.

Toasted millet goes into pot with water. Bring pot to a boil and then turn to the lowest simmer and cover.

While millet is cooking, get to the mushrooms and onions. Chop the onion thin and small and the mushrooms thin and small as well. Place them into the skillet with a drizzle of oil and place on medium heat. Mix around every now and then and cook until the mushrooms and onions are soft and a nice golden brown.

And make the vinaigrette. Minced garlic, mustard, vinegar, the juice of the lemon, and maple syrup get put into one place.

Mixed and now all is one.

Millet. Cooked and fluffed and ready to go.

Cooked mushrooms and onions go into the pot, along with the greens, the sunflower seed, and the vinaigrette. This step can be right away or you can wait a little while for things to cool as to not wilt the greens. Up tp you.

Mixed with love and hunger.

Even if you are making it ahead of time, just do yourself a favor. Grab a bowl, grab a fork, and get down on it.

-C

Seves 4-6

• 3/4 cup uncooked millet

• 2 cups water

• 1 sweet onion

• 3-4 big button mushrooms

• Large handful or two of bitter greens like arugula, spinach or a mixture.

• 2 tablespoon brown or dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

• 2 cloves garlic

• salt and pepper

• handful toasted sunflower seeds

To start, toast millet. Dump the uncooked millet into a pan and place on a medium heat tt for about 5 minutes or until you start hearing the millet crackle.This gives the millet a slightly more nutty flavor but you can skip this step if you don%u2019t care.

Dump millet and water into medium pot. Place on high heat until water starts to boil then tun heat down to simmer and over. After about 15 or 20 minutes, when most of the water is gone, turn pot completely off. Let sit, covered for another 10ish minutes then take a fork and fluff it.

While the millet is cooking, cook the veggies. Grab the onion and slice it up into thin pieces. Clean off the mushrooms and chop them into small thin pieces too. Place the chopped stuff into the skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and place on a medium heat. Stir occasionally and cook for about 15 minutes or until the onion and mushroom are a nice dark, golden brown.

And make the mustard vinaigrette. Mince garlic and place into a jar or bowl with the vinegar, the mustard, the maple, and the juice of the lemon. Mix and set aside.

Once the millet is cooked, the mushrooms and onions are cooked, and the vinaigrette is made, all you have left to do is mix everything together. You can do this while things are slightly warm which will wilt the greens a bit, o let them cool so the greens stay fresh. Up to you. (I like the greens fresh)

Finally, dump cooked mushrooms and onions into pot with cooked millet. Add in the greens and sunflower seeds and drizzle the vinegertte all over. Toss around until fully mixed. Sprinkle with lots of fresh cracked pepper.

Then eat. Or place in a container to bring to the BBQ.