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 It’s Friday!!! And what does that mean? Pizza Pizza!!!! But not just Fridays…pizza happens more times then not in our house…It’s the misters favorite food and for real, he could eat it everyday, all day.…He 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.  My 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) chickpeas 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… and you’re there…Pizza in your face.

For this pizza I used the skillet cooking method. This crust is one of  the 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…..Why not eat pizza every day? 

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… 

Start with the dough.  Add honey or sugar to yeast and warm water and let sit to active, which should take about 5 minutes.

 Mix 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… just do whatever works for you. 

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. 

Smear the pesto (for this pie, I used the last of my homemade pesto from last summer…sad 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. 

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…  can be eaten breakfast lunch or dinner time, pretty, satisfying, pizza.  

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… I know… such a good idea. 

Everyday, all day.. Happy Friday and Happy Pizza

Stay warm!

-C

Skillet Pizza Dough and Pesto Chickpea Pizza

Ingredients

For the dough

• 3 cups of all purpose flour or  2 cups all purpose and 1 cup white whole wheat
• 2 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  roma 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  15 inch pizza… 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 475 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. 

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……Right into the oven for about 10 minutes to melt it all together…..

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. 

Tomatoes roasted until they fell apart with a few other chunks of stuff, then piled onto a base of spinach and couscous.  This 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  a special someone for Valentines day? Or make just for yourself…its 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…it’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 you don’t even need to dirty a pot or a bowl to make it,  just add dried couscous to the bowl you are going to eat out of with a cup of boiling water and a pinch of salt.  (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!!! Out of the oven and piled on…..

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.  I could get used to that. 

-C 

Chunky Tomato and Stuff Couscous

Ingredients                 

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…….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!

 Happy Hanukkah!!! Today is the first day of the  festival 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….there were none. Oh well. I did a matchstick dice for the apples.. I didn’t want the apples to be to chunky and 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!  Imagine my surprise when  one of the potatoes was purple… I got pretty excited.The color is so beautiful. and made the latkes look so nice…It 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! Add 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…so 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,  fry 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….He said they were awesome.. With 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.    Roasted apples are the BOMB!!!  Its 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…I did’t this time, but you bet  I am going to be making myself a big ol bowl of roasted apples this week, and yes, I will top with cinnamon. A  bowl of apple slaw, sour cream and lemon wedges….I put the latkes on a nice little pile of greens. A very good idea.  A dinner worth celebrating! I also served the latkes with roasted chickpeas and cailflower…for more of a meal…( Mini recipe… Cauilfower and chick peas drizzled in olive oil,  tossed in salt pepper and garlic, roasted 30 minutes and topped with lemon) A little added veggie and protein….I am looking out for you people.

There we have it…my 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  apples into match sticks… 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. Once the oil is hot place squashed latkes  into 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.  When ready to serve, top with roasted apples and a dollop of sour cream.  You can serve the latkes on top a bed of greens..Its a good way to make the pancakes more meal like.

Enjoy

HOORAY FOR SPRING!!!!!!!

Yesterday The mister and I went for a walk, a long walk. I was wearing a sweater, a light jacket and I  left the mittens and hat at home. There was sunshine, huge puddles and mud. Birds were chirping. It was amazing.

After our nice long walk, we got home and I needed to start dinner. It was a little later than I usually so I wanted fast and easy  I usually always have pesto in my fridge (I had to make some, but it only takes 5 minutes) because when it’s in there, I can whip up a big awesome meal in the time it takes to boil some pasta or quinoa or smear on toast or toss with potatoes. It really can be used on everything and can be made out of just about anything. Kale and walnuts are just one of so many fantastic combos. And frozen ravioli is always in the freezer too. I  used just plain cheese, but use whatever kind you like.

Together, pesto and ravioli, well that’s a quick, easy, and tasty meal, perfect for a spring evening,  And yea, there will be left over pesto from this recipe… just stick it in the fridge or freezer….you will be glad you have it.

       Pesto stuff. Kale, walnuts, parmesan cheese(nutritional yeast to keep it vegan), garlic, lemon, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

A few little pre steps before the blending.. Toast the walnuts. Just toss onto a dry skillet and stick on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until they start to become née and fragrant. Remove from skillet and add in a bit of water. Add in chopped or ripped kale and cover to let the kale tenderize, but only for about 2 minutes. (you want the kale to still be crispy and fresh tasting)  Drain water and add kale, garlic, toasted walnuts, cheese  and the juice of the lemon into a food processor. Turn on and slowly add in olive oil until you get to a nice paste, adding more oil to get to your desired consistency. Oh and don’t forget to salt and pepper to taste!

 Straight up frozen ravioli goes onto an oiled baking sheet.(make sure that non are overlapping) Place into an oven at 400 degrees for about 15-18 minutes, flipping after 10. If you want to add mushroom and a few more walnuts, just toss them onto the ravioli when you are flipping over the ravioli. 

When the ravioli is nice and brown and crispy, remove from oven and dump the ravioli and the mushrooms into a bowl. Add a big old scoop of the freshly made pesto and toss around. 

Look at this… fresh, crunchy, light and happy. Kinda like a spring day.

I am the best lady, making the mister a pretty yummy dinner. 

Have a great Tuesday!

-C

Kale Pesto and Baked Ravioli

• 4-5 cups chopped Kale
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese ( Nutritional Yeast  to make it vegan)
• 1/2 cup Walnuts
• 1/4-1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 4-5 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Lemon
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 bag of frozen ravioli(use vegan or gluten-free if you want)
• 3-4 mushrooms

Note..There will be plenty of left over pesto… Just fridge or freeze it

Place walnuts in a skillet and toast on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes or until the nuts become fragrant. In the same skillet, add enough water  to cover bottom and add in all the kale. Place a lid on it and let kale wilt on medium heat for about a minutes or 2, Take off heat. Add walnuts. garlic, cheese, salt and pepper, and juice of lemon to a food processor. Blend. Now add in the kale and blend, slowly adding olive oil until a thick paste forms. You can add as much oil as you want to make it as thick or thin as you like.

Preheat oven to 400

Place frozen ravioli on an oiled baking sheet, making sure none are overlapping. Place into oven for about 15-18 minutes, removing after 8 minutes to flip. When you take the ravioli out to flip, slice up the mushrooms and grab a few more walnuts and toss onto baking sheet with the ravioli.  When the ravioli’s are nicely browned and toasty, remove (mushrooms and walnuts too) and place into bowl. Add a big scoop of pesto and toss to mix.

Serve and eat.. fork is optional.

Note..Add a thin layer to the top of any left over pesto to keep it fresh and from turning black 

Holy shit is it hot out. My brain is all fizzy, my hair is all frizzy, and my over all being is just blah. I am not a fan of super hot weather (as some of you may know) and am getting more pissy as the days go  by and I continue to be a sweaty mess. I don’t want to feel like a big wet slob, I want to feel fresh and clean and wear clothes that are not drenched in sweat. I know, bitch, bitch, bitch, but seriously. Even the world around me is wilting, and in the nice, colorful fall foliage kind of way. It’s all crispy and brown.  The garden is barely holding on, the flowers are shriveling in the ground, and a few plants are just plan dead. It’s just too hot.

I think that only plus side of this past week of hot crap weather are these popsicles that I made. They were actually suppose to be a treat for the littles, but guess what, me and the mr ate them and didn’t share, and no, I feel zero bad about it. They were so good, so refreshing, so cold(if only for a minute) and just so needed.  A few minute reprieve from being miserably hot. And bonus, a great use of all the watermelon and tomatoes that I have taking over the countertops (I have so much watermelon and tomatoes) 

And really, these probably (better freaking be) the last batch of popsicles for the summer so I think I am going to make another batch today, eat them, savor the flavors of summer, and move on from there.

. Maybe I’ll even share them this time. 

The stuff. Some watermelon*, a tomato, a handful of basil, and a lime. 

*My watermelon had seeds, but you can use seedless. I also removed the green skin, but kept on as much rind as I could, although this particulate melon had very little white rind.

Dump the melon, tomato (cut in a few pieces, the juice of the lime and the basil into a blender. If your melon has seed, don’t worry about removing them.

The stuff all blended up.

. This step is more necessary  if you melon is seeded, straining the mixture pretty much caught most of the seed chunks. You can skip this if your melon is seedless.

Now pour the juice into your molds and stick into freezer to freeze. 

After about 2 ish hours, remove and stick the sticks into the semi harder pops.

And a few more hours later……Frozen goodness.

And pop one of those suckers out of the mold and savor every frozen delicious bite. 

Happy Tuesday… DON’T MELT!

-C

Make six 3.5 oz popsicles

• 1 ish cup watermelon (green skin removed.. rind is good)
• 1 large ripe tomato (about a cups worth)
• a few sprigs of basil
• Juice of 1 lime

Place all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine strainer into a bowl or jar and pour into popsicle molds. 

Place in freezer for a few hours. About 2-3 hours in the freezer, take them out and stick in sticks (or fallow you popsicle molds instructions) Place back into freezer

Once completely frozen, remove from molds and eat with your mouth.

This little guy asked me to make him some popsicles, and of course I said yes because, well look at him. 

So we made a date. A popsicle and playground date to be exact.

For these particular pops, I decided to use watermelon, mainly because I had just broken into one and once I open a melon, I have a race with myself as to how fast I can consume the in entire thing. ( It’s a sick form of watermelon gluttony) But also because the little was really really excited to hear that I could in fact make watermelon popsicles. And the other stuff I added because I had it and it all tastes really good together. 

 I made the popsicles the day before  so they would be ready for our date.  He came over, we ate lunch,(peanut butter sandwich and carrot sticks) wondered around the neighborhood with the pup, and made a quick stop at the playground. (we only managed a couple runs on the slide  before it was too hot and our sweat had us sticking to the slide and it was more of a painful scoot then a glide) We then made our way home and rewarded ourselves for a walk well done with these amazing, super refreshing, and healthy frozen treats that I made just for us. While we were eating the popsicles, our conversation turned to food. We talked about all the different varieties of popsicle that we could make, and how we could eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner because they are made of only good things and are really healthy (he is really trying to eat healthy)  It was the perfect ending to a fantastic afternoon with a five year old, or any human for that matter…

I would have a popsicle date with this kid every day

The Stuff.  Fresh seedless watermelon (make sure to have lots on hand cause you are going to be eating it as you make these), a fresh lime, a handful of blueberries and a sprig of fresh mint. And don’t forget  a mold of some kind that form the liquid into a popsicle (if you don’t have a mold, little paper cups work too)

Remove watermelon from rind and cut into small chunks. Juice the lime and add that, the watermelon chunks, the mint and the blueberries to a blender or vessel if using a hand blender) and blend everything until smooth. 

Look at how pretty that is.  And so tasty…. I am not going to lie and say that I didn’t make a little extra to drink, cause I did.

Now pour the puree into your molds to the fill line (follow the instructions that your molds give you) and place into the freezer.

And yes Shannon, these are in fact, your popsicle molds. Don’t worry, I’ll bring them back soon. (I am thinking some type of booze infused situation)

Once the freezer has done its job freezing… pop those suckers out.. (I let the mold sit on the counter for a few minutes so the popsicle pops out clean)

And heres to the best popsicle date ever!

Happy Summer! Happy Tuesday!

-C

• A big chunk of seedless Watermelon (aboutt 11/2 cups)
• 1/2 ish cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• Juice of 1 lime
• a few fresh mint leaves

note. The popsicle mold that I used only needed 2 cups of popsicle juice. If you have a larger mold, just use more of everything to get the amount you need

Remove rind from watermelon and add to a blender with the lime juice, mint and blueberries. Blend until eveytthing is pureed and mixed all together. Pour liquid into popsicle molds and stick in freezer for at least 4 hours.

When ready to eat…, pop those suckers out of there molds and EAT! 

I can’t stop eating these. They are like little balls of crack and I am an addict.

Frozen peanut butter grapes… I mean, I just can’t stop.

So you say you have never frozen your grapes? Well you should. It’s the only way I like to eat them anymore.  I was never a huge grape fan, but one day long ago, I discovered the wonder that is the frozen grape and it is amazing, Now whenever grapes are on sale at the grocery store, I buy way to many and end up filling our tiny little freezer with jars and bowls of grapes.  Then whenever the mister goes to grab the bag of  frozen peas for his sore back or knees, there is almost always a frozen grape avalanche. Why I don’t put a lid on those containers is even a mystery to me.  Oh, now I remember.. I want easy access.Oopen the freezer, grab a few grapes, and go on my way… not having a lid to take off makes the process a little easier.

Then one day, the frozen grape game turned into something else, something a little more decadent and even more addicting. Where it came from, I do not know. Maybe it’s some subconscious throwback to a childhood full of peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches, or maybe it’s just that fact that I think peanut butter can pretty much go with anything. But no matter why, I started dipping those frozen grapes into peanut butter and never looked back. And now when I have grapes, it’s all I want to eat.

I am warning you now, once you start making these, watch out, because before you know it, you will develop a frozen grape addiction too. And littles.. they are as easily  addicted to these as well. I have seen kids that hate grapes go totally bonkers for these.  Just so you know.

The stuff  you will need. Washed and drained fresh grapes (green or red. I usually use red but the green were half the price and the red ones didn’t taste very grapie*) Creamy peanut butter, skewers, and a little bit of cinnamon or cocoa powder (optional)

*Note. When you are the store, try  before you buy. You know what I mean, eat a few while shopping aground. I say this because not all grape are created equal. Some taste way better than others. I have bought grapes before that didn’t taste like anything or that have really tough skins, and those just piss me off, so eating a few will guarantee that your money is being well spent and that the grapes won’t disappoint you.

Ok, so now let’s make these bad boys.

Simple simple. Two grapes per skewer (or toothpick) Lay on a wax paper covered dish or pan and stick them in the freezer until frozen. When the grapes are frozen, melt peanut butter. Take a big glob and stick in a tall skinny cup or bowl and stick in the microwave or heat in a sauce pan and then transfer to a tall skinny vessel.  Take frozen skewed grapes and, one skewer at a time, dip in the peanut butter. Cover with as much or as little of the peanut butter as you want and place on wax paper. If you are feeling feisty, add a sprinkle or cinnamon or even a dash of cocoa powder. Or, this may seem a little crazy, but garlic powder is so F*ing good.(it’s worth at least giving it a try) When all grapes are dipped, place back into freezer for another 10 minutes or so to let the peanut butter set up a bit.

Whenever your ready… Eat. And be so happy. And always keep a back stock of frozen grapes in the freezer. They are the best.

Keep it realz.

-C

Peanut Butter Freezer Grapes

the quantity is up to you, but I recommend making a shit ton!

• Creamy Peanut butter (I use organic creamy from Trader Joes, or natural skippy)
• Green or Red Grapes
• Cinnamon and or cocoa powder (Optional)
• Toothpicks or skewers

Wash grapes and skewer 2 grapes onto a stick. Place on a flat surface and stick into the freezer until frozen, which usually takes about an hour.

Once grapes are frozen, stick a big glob of peanut butter into a tall skinny vessel (Like a juice cup or a 4 oz ball jar) and warm to a liquid constancy in the microwave (about 30-45 seconds) or if you don’t have a microwave, stick in a sauce pan, warm on stove, and pour into a glass (what I do)

Remove frozen grapes from freezer and dip into melted peanut butter. Place on a wax paper line tray or pan and sprinkle with cinnamon and or cocoa powder, or not, or a few (whatever you want) and stick back into freezer for another 10 minutes.

Eat as many as you want… Make so many because you will become addicted!

Monday was kind of a suck until I made dinner. It was hot, I didn’t sleep well the night before, and I spent the morning calling the dentist over and over until someone picked up so I could get my butt in there to get my tooth fixed (sometime during eating on sunday I broke my back molar…. and that happened) . Whatever, I got the only appointment that they had available and was just happy that I was able to get in. So went about my morning, went to the gym, did my things then ran home, took a shower and headed to the appointment.  When I got there, I checked in, sat down, and waited..Then waited some more, then was called in to the room and then did some more waiting. But finally, the doctor came in and took two minutes to check the tooth (the doctors said I was as badass… couldn’t believe that I don’t do novocain) and left the dental assistant lady to fix it. And ok, I know that people have to practice their craft to learn, but I am pretty sure that I was one of the first solo tooth fixings that this lady has ever done. And that’s cool, but I was hungry and just wanted to get the f out there.(did I mention that it was lunch time?) So taking her sweet time (at least she did a good job) she got it done. But then I had to wait some more, in the chair, for the doctor to come back and check. Holy hell I was there for way to long.

Then I got home and rushed out.. grabbing a carrot on the way. But I was still hungry.. And that just sent me to a dark place for the rest of the day.

So when I finally got home, I immediately went to the fridge to get dinner started. While aggressively riffling through bags of veggies and greens, I stubbled upon a big bag of mustard greens that I got last week at the farm….SCORE.., this made me happy.

Sure, I could have just eaten them right there, fresh and all spicy like, but I if I waited this long to eat, I could wait a little longer and I figured I would share.. and mabye do a little some thing fancy, like toss them with some cooked up onions and sweet potato and that left over quiona that was also in the fridge. 

And thats what I did. And it was good. And the day didn’t seem so bad. (food always makes me better)

The stuff. Mustad greens oh lala. A small sweet potato and an onion (I used half of that big one). Cooked quinoa, garlic, salt and pepper, and a little olive oil. 

Dice up the sweet potato into little chunks and toss into a big skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place skillet on medium heat and cook potato for a few minutes just to give it a little head start before adding the onions. When the potato starts to show a little browning, add in the onions and a splash or two of water. Stir around, stick a lid over it, and continue to cook until the onions are soft and the sweet potato is fork tender. 

When the stuff is cooked, mince up the garlic and stir that in and cook for a little longer.

And now toss on the mustard greens. (Don’t worry if they are overflowing from the skillet, they will cook down really fast). Add another splash of water and place the lid back on. Cook for a couple minutes and mix everything together.

Place cooked quinoa (hot or cold) into a bowl.

And dump the stuff right on top. If your into it, drizzle with a bit of balsamic vinegar. (I highly recommend)

And eat to be happy.

Hears to a better day then yesterday!

-C

• roughly 1/2 lb. of fresh mustard greens
• 1 small sweet onion or half a big onion
• 1 small sweet potato
• 3/4- 1 cup cooked quinoa*
• few cloves of garlic
• 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar(optional)
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

Note- To cook quinoa, use1 part quinoa- 2 parts water. Place quinoa in pot with water, bring to boil, place on a lid, then turn to simmer for 15 minutes. After 15, turn heat off and let sit of a few more minutes then fluff with fork. Also, i f you don’t have quinoa, just use rice or faro or nothing, the greens are good their own.

Dice up sweet potato into small picese and stick in a large, lightly oiled skillet on medium heat. Toss on some salt and pepper and cook potato for a few minutes until they start to slightly brown. Slice up onion and toss that into the skillet with the sweet potato. Add in a splash of water and place a lid on the skillet, giving it a stir ever now and then. (Watch the stuff carefully, it cooked pretty fast.) Cook until both the sweet potatoes and onion are browned and soft. Now mince garlic and mix that it and let cook for a few minutes..

Now everything is cooked,  toss in the mustard greens. (It may seem like a lot, but its not) Hit with a splash of water, place a lid (it doesn’t have to be a snug fit) on top and cook for a few mites until greens are wilted.  Toss everything around to mix together. Take your quinoa and place in a bowl. Top with cooked stuff and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Eat right away and maybe save a little for later cause it very much good cold too!

Chomp Chomp Chomp… The sound I make as I eat this freaking fantastic crunchy granola. You know it’s good when the person sitting next to you is annoyed by the sound of you face while eating.  I eat a lot of crunchy stuff. And I am pretty sure I annoy the mister a lot. 

Oh well, he will live, and he eats his fair share of annoying stuff too so we can just call it even.

So granola. I love it. I make a batch every few weeks or so, and I usually make it just for me. (I almost never make things just for me) I like to keep it simple but flavorful. A tad sweet, but not really, and crunchy, without the oily fried taste. I also like a variety of sizes, some big clusters and some small pieces. 

This granola fits the bill perfectly. Made with 5 ingredients, no oil, and the perfect sweetness level.  It’s one of my favorite flavors yet. And I know I said I made it just for me, but the mister really liked it too. (I can’t help sharing)

The simplest of stuff. 1 smashed banana, a cup of pureed butternut squash, Vietnamese cinnamon*, honey, and old fashion oats. (and a dash of salt, not shown)

*Note. I only ever use Vietnamese cinnamon because once I start using it, regular old cinnamon just won’t  cut it anymore. It is a bit sweeter and a lot more spicy. If you don’t have it or don’t want to use it, use regular cinnamon and add in 1/2 a teaspoon of all spice.Toss the cinnamon and salt with the oats. Mix together the banana, squash and the sweetener and combine with the oats until full incorporated. 

Another note. Because I made this granola for me and no body else, I actually omitted the honey (I think that banana abs squash make it sweet enough) But if I was making this for lets say, the mister, or a friend, I would use add a bit. The sweetness level and sweetener of choice is up to you, but 2-3 teaspoons of honey or maple syrup is usually sweet enough for  people.

Dump the mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet and give it a little pat, you know, to settle all the bit and pieces together, all cozy and evenly spread out. Now stick into a preheated oven and after about 20 minutes, take out of oven and give the granola a toss, breaking apart any super big chunks or overly wet pieces. Put back into oven for another 20 minutes. (I like my granola super crispy crunchy so I cook it a little longer, like 30 more minutes)And when you are happy with the crunchiness of you granola, remove from oven and let cool, trying not to eat all of it while it sit’s on the counter looking all pretty and smelling like happiness. 

Grab a bowl, stick the rest into a jar with a lid, hide it from others, and chomp chomp chomp away!

-C

Banana Butternut Granola

• 3 cups old fashion oats (use gluten free oats if needed)
• 1 ripe banana, mashed 
• 1 cup butternut squash puree (can use canned)
• 2 tablespoons Vietnamese cinnamon (or 2 tablespoons regular cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of allspice)
• 1-3 tablespoon honey or sweetener of choice (use greater amount for sweeter)
• dash of salt

Preheat oven to 375

In a large bowl, mix together oats, cinnamon and salt. Mix the mashed banana, squash, and sweetener of choice together and combine with the oats. If the mixture seems really dry, add in a very small splash of water to loosen just enough to mix.

Dump mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet and evenly disperse the mixture. Give it a kind of smoosh to compact the oats and to make sure all its all the same thickness on the pan.

Stick into oven for 20 minutes. Remove and give granola a little toss, maybe breaking apart any really big chunks (unless you like really big chunks) and put back into oven for another 20 minutes. (30 for a crunchier granola) Remove from oven and let cool on  baking sheet before storing in an air tight container. If you find that it is not as crunchy as you would like or is a few days old and lost some of its crunchiness, just stick it back into the oven for a few minutes to re crunch.

Eat as is, as a cold cereal,  dip in peanut butter, add to popcorn or whatever way you want to eat it. No utensil required.

Happy St Patricks Day!!!! As a kid, St Patricks day always meant green milk, green eggs, and those nasty gold foil covered chocolate coins. (you know, from the pot of gold) Not to mention all the leprechaun hunting and  pinching.  In my family, if you were unlucky enough to forget to wear green, you ended up as a walking target. It all started out nice an innocent, a pinch here or there, but by the end of the day, someone would end up pinching a little to hard or maybe just one too many times and the game would go from pinches to punches.   

Ahh, memories. 

Now as an adult (kinda adult) St Patricks is celebrated a little differently. The little ones in the family still get their green milk (which they are told is leprechaun pee) and those nasty gold coins, but I think the pinching has stopped.( a great tradition lost)  I myself don’t have any littles at home so no little leprechaun games or gross dyed food for me.  Nope, in my house we celebrate with a few beers and a more traditional irish dish, Colcannon. Mashed up potatoes with cabbage and kale… I mean, can it get much better? It can when you use red potatoes and red cabbage. Not only is it so tasty tasty, but it is so pretty pretty. No need for green milk or nasty candy. 

But I still make sure to wear green and you might find me doling out a pinch or two. 

  The stuff…. Super pretty red potatoes, red cabbage, shallots, kale, salt and pepper, and olive oil.

Note. If you do not have or want to use red potatoes, russet or white will work, it just won’t be as pretty. 

   Dice up the pretty potatoes and stick them into a pot and fill up with water and add in a good tablespoon of salt.  Stick on high heat and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium  and cook those taters until super fork tender. (bring them to the edge of falling apart)

While the potatoes are boiling, chop up the cabbage, shallots, and the kale and stick into a big skillet with a good drizzle of olive oil. Sauté on medium heat until soft and tender.

Once the potatoes are super tender, drain the water and dump them into the pan with the sautéed veggies. With a potato masher or a fork, mash up the potatoes and mix in the veggies, adding a drizzle or more of olive oil as you go. (Start with a drizzle and work your way up until it tastes good to you) Salt and pepper to  taste. 

The most pretty pan of smashed up potatoes that I have ever seen. Eat as a side dish or even a light main dish. Fork is a good utensil to use, but I found that my fingers worked just as well.

Have a great happy day full of green, potatoes, and pinches. Maybe even a leprechaun or two!

-C

• 5-10 Red potatoes Red Potatoes depending on the size (about 3 1/2 – 4 chops chopped)
• 1 Cup Chopped Red or Green Cabbage
• 1 Cup Chopped Kale
• 1-2 Shallots
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Rinse and dice potatoes and place into big pot. Cover potatoes with water and add about a tablespoon of salt. Place on high high heat and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium low and let potatoes cook until super fork tender. While potatoes are boiling, chop up cabbage, shallots and kale and sauté in a large cast iron skillet (or any skillet) with a good drizzle of olive oil.  Once the potatoes are done, drain water and add potatoes to the skillet with the sautéed veggies. With a potato masher or fork, mash the potatoes and mix with the veggies, adding a drizzle or two (depending on your taste) of olive oil as you go. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve from skillet or dump into a fancy dish with a big spoon.

Eat as a main dish or as a side….Good hot, warm and cold.

It’s been busy around here. Top that with a bit of nasty hot weather and you got a gal who doesn’t really want to cook much. I personally would be happy eating raw carrots and watermelon all day long, but the mister, he needs a bit more substance then that. And sure, he wouldn’t mind going and picking up something kinda gross at the store or eating pasta noodles or a giant block of cheese for his meals., but I can’t let that happen. Cheese sweats are gross. 

My quick and easy solution……these flatbreads. I have been making these flatbreads for a long time now. I think I got the original recipe off of the King Author web site a few years back, but since then, have tweaked the recipe and added in some whole wheat flour to give them a little more texture and nutrition. They really are easy to make. They are not yeasted, which cuts out a big chuck of time, are cooked on the stove, (which eliminates the hot oven…woo hoo) and  makes enough for a few meals. They can be topped with any array of stuff, from pizza toppings, to a good smear of nut butter and banana, making a perfect meal.  

So last night I made a batch, took a couple, piled them up with stuff and went about my day.

And heres how it goes!

The stuff. All purpose and whole wheat flour in my  gorgeous new/old vintage ge mixing bowl (I just developed a new obsession for vintage milk white mixing bowls..this is #2). Then there is salt, baking powder, olive oil, and water. 

Combine the baking soda and salt with the flours and whisk together. Then add in the oil and water and mix until dough is formed. Now remove mixing spoon and use your hands to knead dough right in the bowl a few times and form into a ball.

Your dough should come out looking like this. Not to doughy, not to sticky. If it seems to dry or wet, just sprinkle in a bit more flour or water. 

Divide dough into 6-8 equal sized balls and place on counter, cover, and let rest for  a few minutes.(this is when I clean up my mess)

Preheat a lightly oiled skillet on medium high heat. While that is going on, roll out the balls of dough to about 1/4 inch thick and about 6 ish inches in diameter.

 One at a time, place dough on skillet and cook for about 4-5 minutes or until it get nice and browned and slightly crispy. Flip and do the same for the other side. Remove and place on a rack to cool (don’t stack them ontop of each.. they will get soggy) Repeat until all dough is cooked. (Lightly oil pan in between each flat)

A big pile of flatbreads oh so good.

So you want to top your flatbreads? Well here is some stuff.. An onion thinly sliced up. A tomato also sliced up, and some sweet ass pea pesto(heres the recipe) that I found in the back of the freezer.

Caramliszed the onions. Onions cooked on medium low for about 10 minutes( I was cooking these up while I was making the flatbread) When onions are done, push them over and quickly sear the tomatoes on the pan… just a minute or so on each side, just to soften them  a bit.

Smear the flats with the pesto. Top with the tomatoes and the onions…

.And thats how its done my friends.

Happy Friday!

-C

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 cup cold water

• 2 flatbread
• 2 onion
• 1 tomato 
• 1/2 cup this pea pesto (or any pesto)
• salt and pepper
• olive oil for the pan

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking soda and salt. Add in the oil and the water and mix until dough forms. Either in the bowl or on the counter, give dough a few good kneads. Form a dough into a large ball and cut into 6-8 equal sized pieces and form them into balls. Cover with a cloth and let rest for 5-10 minutes

Preheat a large skillet to medium high

On a floured surface, working one at at time, roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thick (Can go a bit thicker or thinner per your preference) Lightly oil skillet and place rolled dough right on into the preheated pan.

Cook each side for about 4 minutes, or until there are a good amount of little brown spots all over.

Repeat with the rest of the balls.

Eat right away with stuff  (or cool and store in a air tight container for up to a few days or freeze . Reheat well in the toaster)

For the toppings

 Thinly slice onion and toss into a lightly oiled skillet on medium low heat and sprinkle with salt. Cook slowly until soft and tender, about 10 minutes. When the onions are done, thinly slice up tomato and either remove the onions or push them to the side in the pan, and place tomatoes on the hot pan. Cook each side for about a minute, just to soften the tomato. 

Take your flatbreads (warm it up if you want.. they fit well in the toaster) and spread each with half the pesto. Top with tomatoes and caramelized onion.

Freshly ground pepper sprinkled on top is nice. 

Fork not required but makes eating these look a little more classy.

It rained a lot this week, and it was fantastic. I love summer rain. I love to play in rain, I love to watch the sky turn grey and big storm clouds roll through.. Add in a little thunder and lightning.. even better. I think the only issue with I have when it rains is when it floods the basement. That and wet dog.(Washer smells like something died when he is wet)

And as usual, this week we did, we went, we came back. We took in a little for a the weekend and had the greatest of times. Puddle splashing walks, waffles, carrots, and lot and lot of gardening. But now I am tired. So today, like every Sunday, I am going to try and take a little breather and catch up on my, “me time”.  And maybe I’ll get a nap in since last night I got almost zero sleep because the little and the Mr. were all cuddled up and I ended on the edge of the bed receiving a pretty aggressive kick in the back every time I was about to nod off. (She is lucky I didn’t make her sleep in a laundry basket).

Anyway, here is some internet fun from the week.

-I think this is where I am meant to go to school. Hogwarts Hops The Pond: Rowling Reveals U.S. Version Of Wizards’ School   

 –This  DIY HANGING PLANT LAMP  is cool. I want to make it. 

-These  are cool. Modern Minimalist Bird Houses from Twig & Timber

– This guy is amazing.. Monzter: Artist Hides Monster Murals Inside Abandoned Buildings In Berlin 

– ‘Chunky Knits’ by Anna Mo. I need….

-I love this headboard 

-This house… And check out the tubs next to the beds. Weird, but who am I to say

-12 OF THE BEST IN COFFEE BREWING TECHNOLOGY. Coffee stuff makes me happy.

And some pictures from the past week. 

There is a joke about Vermonters, that all we talk about is the weather. Well, it’s kind of true. But to our defense, we get a lot of weather, and it’s always changing and intense and both lovely and crazy and all over. So yeah, we talk. A lot, about the weather. And on that topic, I am trying so hard not to complain, but honestly, I am getting a little sick, both physically and mentally from all of these  super, to freaking cold temperatures. Yesterday the high was 0 ( which was at like 2 in the morning)  and factor in the windchill, the temp stayed at like 25 below. It f**king sucks. I can’t  stay outside for too long or else I will probably die. The dog  is having a hard time making it around the block before he gets ice paws, and the mister, well he even started wearing gloves (he wears a sweater all winter and never gets cold…..he is officially cold)

 And not only is the cold keeping us all indoors, but its making us all borderline sick. We both have been fighting something for the past few week. The headaches, stuffy nose, chest congestions. The puppy is getting super dry skin and gave himself a hot spot. BLAh!! Ok, enough! No more complaining

Because  I do really love the winter and all the pretty snow!!!!

But we are feeling kind of sick so to make us feel oh so much better, a fantastic, super tasty, healing, good for me, good for you, soup. Turmeric ginger carrot… oh man. Made with lots of ginger, turmeric and garlic and finished with a drizzle of raw honey. This soup is exactly what we need. All ingredients scream.. FEEL GOOD, BE WARM AND COZY! Almost everything in it has antibacterial and anti inflammatory properties. The veggies are hearty and heathy and just eating soup helps to keep hydrated. And the best part..it tastes so freaking amazing. 

So whether  you are feeling a little mah, or just a little hungry.…this soup is where it’s at!

Lots of chopped up carrots, a small onion, a little bit of cauliflower I had left over and a small beet. If you don’t have the cauliflower and or a beet, just use  ares pepper or another 2 carrots.. no biggy. 

Then we have the fresh ginger ( you can use powdered) turmeric and garlic.  All the good healthy spicy and yummy stuff. 

I accidentally spilled the turmeric on the counter..but it kind of looks like I might have done it on purpose… yeah, let’s go with that.  Chop the garlic and he ginger into    chunksAnd toss into the pot to warm and activate. Just a little toasty toast. 

And the veggies are roasted and tender and smell so good.  It took a lot of will power to not eat the whole pan right there.

I added the roasted veggies and 3 cups water straight into my pot  with the spices because I used an emulsion blender. If you are using normal blender, add the veggies, the toasted spices and the water to the blender and blend until smooth. Then transfer to a pot.

Pretty much all blended together….(I left a few big chunks in there to snack on while I was waiting to eat serve…I was really hungry) and let to simmer for a little longer…

And now ladle into a bowl and get ready for a fantastic finish… drizzle a spoonful of raw honey into soup…….so so good. You could add the honey before serving, but heating it kills all the good antibacterial stuff so that’s why we wait. Then  I sprinkle some chopped kale and chives. (do it if you want, but not necessary)

Now enjoy. Let the warmth wash over you and feel all those good spices helping to fight the good fight to keep you well and all the yummy to satisfy your hunger.

And lets hope for some warm (above 0!!) weather!

-C

Turmeric Ginger Carrot Soup

Ingredients

• 5 large carrots
• 1 small onion
• 1 small beet*
• quarter head cabbage ( or a cup of frozen)*
• 2-3 teaspoons  turmeric 
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh  ginger (1/2 teaspoon if using powdered)
• 4-6 cloves garlic
• salt pepper
• raw honey (omit if vegan)

* If you don’t have or want to use beet and or the cauliflower, you can use a red pepper, a small sweet potato, or just use a few more carrots. 

Chop all veggies into similar sized chunks and toss into a lightly oiled pan or on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.  Stick in oven at 425 for about 30 minutes or until all veggies are fork tender. 

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, toss chopped garlic, ginger and the turmeric and place on medium heat for a few minutes to activate the spices. Add the roasted veggies and 3 cups water to pot (if using emulsion blender) and blend until smooth. If using a blender, add the toasted spices, roasted veggie and 3 cups water and blend until smooth then transfer to a large pot or dutch oven. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat down to  simmer and let cook for an addition 10 minutes. 

When ready to serve, ladle soup into bowl and drizzle a spoonful of raw honey into soup. Garnish with fresh chopped kale, chives, cabbage or whatever you want. (or nothing is good too)

 Being that it was St. Patricks day this week and lots of folks buy up a good amount of cabbage, I figured that this is a good time to get people to try one of my most favorite of favorite meals…..Beet bean and cabbage steaks. I love to play around with food, how to pair textures and colors plus tastes while trying to make whatever I am making healthy and balanced. This is one of my fav creations. And sure,  this may seem like a somewhat weird combo, maybe a little like a extremely hippy dippy vegan fake meat thing, and you might be kind of right, but screw if it doesn’t taste like A-mazing. First off, notice how freaking dang pretty this thing is. The roasted beets bring a earthy hearty flavor but also pack a huge punch of color, especially when blended together with the ever so sweet white bean, which  brings a nice mellow taste and a great serving of protein. (Beets and beans are meant for each other). Spread that  brightly colored, tasty mixture onto of a huge slab of one of my favorites, roasted cabbage with all its crunch and cabbagy flavor and you got yourself a hearty healthy meal of deliciousness.  

So maybe this might seem a little out of your normal food routine, but why not try it? Trust me….you will love it and everyone you make it for will think you are a number 1 badass too.

Cabbage, white beans, and beets. There is a lemon involved, but it didn’t make it into the picture.

Notes…. I used white beans, but I have also done this with chick peas and lentils. All are fantastic. Also, I did not peel my beets because I never do.(I do not peel anything the skin is full of goodness and I love the taste) If you don’t want to eat the skin, then peel them. Cabbage is cut into inch thick slabs… I like to us the inter most part of a cabbage head cause I like the core. But use any cut that you want.  2 beets are chopped into chunkers and both the cabbage and the beets are placed on a lightly oiled baking sheets, seasoned with salt and pepper,  and stuck into the oven for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees.

Once the beets are tender and the cabbage is cooked to a nice withered golden pretty, take out of the oven, but leave the oven on.  Leave the cabbage on the pan but throw the beets into a blender or a big bowl if using a hand blender  with the white beans

    Beans and beets get pureed together. Add the juice of 1/2 a lemon (or the whole lemon, depending on your taste) and a pinch of salt and pepper. With a big spoon or spatula, scoop equal amounts of the bean/beet mixture on top of the cabbage steaks and spread around. Sprinkle with cracked pepper and place back into oven for another 5-10 minutes. (You could totally skip the second bake, but I like my cabbage well done and crispy)

Oh ho boy… And with a good squirt of mustard to finish off… I could eat this all day, everyday 

And now I am #1

Happy Wednesday… Keep it good!

-C

Makes 2 Thick Cut Steaks

• 1/2 head of cabbage (green or red)
• 2 cups or 1 can of cooked white beans
• 2 medium beets
• 1 lemon
• salt and pepper
• Mustard (Optional)

Preheat Oven to 4oo degrees

Cut two 1 ish inch thick rounds of cabbage from the widest part of the head. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Chop beets into chunks and toss on same baking sheet.(Peel if you want) Sprinkle everything with salt and pepper. Stick into oven for 20-25 minutes or until the beets and cabbage  are tender. Remove veggies from oven and place roasted beets into a  blender (or bowl if using a hand blender) but leave the cabbage on the baking sheet. Add the white beans, the juice of half a lemon, and salt and pepper to the beets and puree until smooth. Scoop equal amounts of the mixture to each cabbage steak, sprinkle with pepper and place back into oven for another 5-10 minutes to give the beans and beets a nice crunchy crust (You can skip this step if you don’t want to be crusty)

Remove from oven, stick on a plate and drizzle with mustard….Fork and knife are good ways to eat it, but eating it with you fingers makes less dirty dishes.