Before we left for the weekend, I was was trying my hardest to empty the fridge out of all food with the intention of leaning it empty so I could leave it open to defrost while were were gone. Unfortunately I was not able to make it happen. What I did make happen was emptying it almost completely so that when we got home, we had pretty much no food in the house, except for a few things that probably should be eaten.  Plus one of the last things that I want to do after sitting in a car for 6 hours is go to the grocery store, or anywhere for that matter, so I was determined to make with what wet had in the fridge:

• Carrots
• half of a gigantic kohlrabi
• soy milk
• iced tea
• bananas that needed to be frozen
• strawberries

Perfect!  A few carrots and half of a gigantic kohlrabi.. plus at the hotel we were staying at, there were fruit bowls in he lobby full apples. Every time I went past the apples (which was a lot) I grab one or two, so I have a few apples (I actually have a lot of apples now). All the things I need for a super awesome salad slaw. Apples with their  nice sweet crispiness and kohlrabi with its cabbagey, crunchy earthiness, tossed together with some vinegar, some toasted walnuts and some carrots, I mean, so freaking good. And to make it a bit more of a meal, I made some lentils to go with it. But the best part was there was no need to leave the house!!

     The stuff… A huge hunk of a bigger then my head kohlrabi (or 2 normal bulbs). A carrot, an apple, toasted walnuts, red wine vinegar, and some salt.

Pretty simple stuff going on here. Just peel and julienne the kohlrabi, carrot and apple. (no need to peel the carrot or apple unless you want too) and stick it all into a bowl.  I used my mandolin, which is one of my favorite kitchen tools ever, but if you don’t have one, a box grater works too.Sprinkle with salt and a good glug glug of red wine vinegar. Chop up the walnuts (some big chunks and some very small pieces makes for good eating), toss it all together and, well that’s it. But wait…. let it sit for a few minutes before serving to really let the flavors draw out.And there we have it. Super fast, full of flavors and crunchy texture. A salad slaw after my own heart.

Serve it as it or add to a bed of greens, rice, or lentils… and make sure to save at least as little… cause its an awesome little pre-bed snack.

Happy Week!!

-C

• 2 medium sized Kohlrabis 
• 1 medium apple   
• 1 small carrot
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
• red wine vinegar
• salt

In a large bowl, julienne kohlrabi (after peeled) apple and carrot. Sprinkle with salt, add in vinegar. Rough chop walnuts and toss the whole bit together. Let sit for at least 10 minutes, if not longer before serving. (A great salad to make ahead of time)

Eat as is, or toss onto a bed of greens, plate of rice or a bowl of lentils.

Any left overs only end up tasting better the next day.

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!

Lets kick the weekend off right, with a nice warm and hardy salad. Not a frilly little salad, but a salad that fills you up and leaves you feeling warm and cozy.   A salad with a lot of squash! So here’s the thing, I eat a lot of winter squash, maybe 4 plus a week. Because I eat so many, I store a good amount in a cold storage area outside of the little warm living space we call home. Last week we had a drastic temperature change and  a good few of the my butternut and spaghetti squash froze.. then started to de-thaw. Not good. That was the second bad food experience of the day….. Earlier that day I had bought about 2 dozen super ripe bananas that I had been planing on freezing and what not. There were four bunches and each bunch was wrapped in plastic and were in a bag that I left near the back door. The thought crossed my mind, but I hastily brushed it away. Washer won’t eat those….. Well guess what? The shit ate half of my freaking bananas…plastic and all. Needless to say, I was kind of pissed already so finding my squash on the way out really set me off. I was not about to let more food go to waste.(or be eaten by the dog) I went into rescue mode..Chop chop and dice…boil, roast and steam…and eat eat eat…. and eat. I have been eating butternut for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the past week and that’s ok with me cause man it does taste oh so tasty. But for some people in my life, eating mashed squash out of a jar all day long does not hold the same appeal so I have been sneaking it in where ere I can.  

So some of that diced squash tuned into this lovely warm salad. Even the mister liked it and he is not a fan of warm salads(he says he is not, but I think he actually is, as long as I don’t call them “salads”) Any who…This salad hits all the marks…. Fantastically filling, super delicious, fast and healthy.  Check, check, and check! I am so good. 

Easy peasy….

Diced butternut squash, half a vilalia onion,  prepared lentils and a bunch of kale… Nothin else.(salt and pepper, but they don’t count)

Diced butternut and a mediumly sliced onion..(mediumly is a new cooking term) Spritz a bit of oil in a pan and toss the squash and onion in there and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shove into the hot oven and roast until squash and onion are tender and tasty.

Remove the pan from the oven and toss in finely chopped kale and a big scoop of lentil… Mix it up and let the sit in hot pan for a few minutes…it will make the kale get soft and warm.

Plate it and eat eat… I drizzled a little balsamic vinegar on mine…Nick like his straight up. Do what you will cause either way, it’s going to be awesome!!!!

Hooray for Friday and for winter squash!!!!

-C

Warm Winter Salad

Ingredients (This made one good sized salad…and exact measurements were not used so feel free to add greater or lesser amounts of any of the ingredients)

• 1 1/2 cup Diced Butternut squash
• 1/2 Vidalia Onion(or any variety you like)
• 3-4 large Kale leaves
• 1/2 cup Precooked Lentils
• salt and pepper to taste
• Balsamic Vinegar 
• drizzle of oil for pan

In a 425 degree oven,  place diced squash and sliced onions in a slightly oiled pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for about 20 minutes until tender. Remove pan from oven and toss in chopped kale and lentils and let sit in hot pan for a few minutes… Plate and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

What we got here is an easy one pan meal for the beginning of a hectic(but fun) holiday week . But I am sure that you  have your wits about you, that you are not feeling like a stretch Armstrong doll. No, you are all calm and collected… Well that’s nice because I feel like my head going to explode. So what I need this week is easy,  fast food  with lots of healthy good stuff and maybe to get rid of the meatballs that are in the freezer….. Mission accomplished with this dish. It’s basically a hug pan of veggies with a few left over meatballs from Nicks bday dinner and a little cottage cheese.  Nothing fancy… hearty and warm..Nick likes it so it’s a winner. 

The spaghetti squash is the main component in this dish so if you want to use other veggies, go for it. You can make this vegan and leave out the cheese and use fake balls or no balls at all (hehe)  You can even toss in some beans, lentils, or tofu. I make variations of this dish often… and lentils are a really good addition..

Besides the squash and the meatballs, I used mushroom, onion, kale, tomato and garlic  plus about a half cup of cottage cheese, cause that was what I had in the fridge. 

First thing first, cook the squash.  Just stick it in the oven for half hour at 425.. Once you can stick a fork into it, pull it out and let it cool enough to handle.. While thats cooling off, cook down the veggies. Started with a little oil in a cast iron skillet on medium heat, toss the onion and mushrooms ands frozen meatballs*(or whatever you want to use) and heat  until meatballs are cook through and the onion and mushroom are browned. Now add the garlic, kale and tomato, Turn heat off.  When the squash is cooled enough to handle,. slice open, scoop out the seeds and scoop the flash out. Spaghetti squash and cottage cheese into the skillet and toss.. Sprinkled a bit of mozzarella or parmesan cheese on top.  Lots of crushed black pepper and into the oven for about 15 minutes. or until the cheese is nice and melty and you are hungry and want to eat. 

*Note. If you want to make meatballs fresh, my recommendation would be to make them in the skillet first and then just toss all the veggies into that pan to cook down… No need to make more dishes. 

Pulled straight from the oven….Served nice and hot, placed right onto my wooded counter. I need to stop placing hot pans on the wood, I am leaving burn marks. There is actually a lot of thing that I need to stop doing in the kitchen, like setting towels on fire, burning myself at least once a day, slicing my fingers,.breaking dishes…….So maybe place skillet on a trivet of  some kind and serve it up!

So easy and fast.. Served with a piece of crusty bread… Man, I wish everything this week could be this fast sans easy….. but I am not complaining. 

Have a good Monday!

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

• 1 small Spaghetti Squash
• 5-7 pre cooked meatballs
• Small red onion
• 2 -3 big mushrooms
• 1 small tomato
• a few kale leaves
• 3-5 cloves garlic(or as many as you like)
• half a cup of cottage cheese
• a handful of shredded parmesan or mozzarella
• salt and pepper
• oil (for pan)

Preheat oven to 425

Place spaghetti squash in oven. Let bake for about a half hour or until fork tender. Remove and let cool enough to handle.

While that’s happening, chop the veggies into any size you want.. Drizzle olive oil in medium skillet and place diced sliced mushrooms, onion, and pre made meatball to brown. Once meatballs are warmed through, add the kale, garlic, tomato, and cottage cheese. Take the cooked spaghetti squash and remove seeds and scoop flesh into the skillet. Toss everything together, sprinkle with salt pepper, top with shredded cheese and place in oven for 15 minutes

Take it out of the oven and let cool. for a minutes and……

EAT!

This week started with the notion that I was going to make a big dish of potato salad.  I boiled the potatoes so that they would be ready when I needed them and stuck them in a bowl in fridge. That was Sunday. Monday was super busy and I didn’t get a chance to get to the potaoes, but that was ok, I figured I would just make it the for Tuesday. (which has officially been dubbed family dinner night). But for the first time, my sister declined potatoes and said she was already making goulash, which turned out that no one really wanted to eat. (I bet they would have eaten the potato salad) And Wednesday we were in Montreal so no go there.

So last night (now Thursday) when I opened the fridge to contemplate the dinner options, I knew that whatever I was going to make, the potatoes had to be used. I could have made the potato salad that I had been planning on making all week, but the potaotes were a little on the weird side, not bad, just not the best. They needed to be cooked. Plus, I had eaten the avocados and tomatoes that I had planned on using for the potatoes so I think it just wasn’t meant to be.  I was tired, so nothing to elaborate was going to happen. I wasn’t feeling like spending too much time in the kitchen cause I really wanted to bike to the garden. I already had my giant dinner salad made and the mr. was pretty hungry, so split decision.

Cheesey nacho potatoes

That mr.. he has got it made with me.

The stuff. Sliced up cold boiled potatoes, cheese, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. and a little bit of oil.  And we need guacamole, salsa, something spicy in the form of jalapeño jam (I use it on everything!) and a bunch of fresh cilantro. 

Spread the sliced potatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet and  drizzle with a tad bit more oil. Sprinkle with the spices and salt and pepper and  pop those suckers into the oven.

Once the poatoes turn a golden brown and are all crispy, remove from the oven and sprinkle on the shredded cheese. Toss on a few spoonfuls of salsa, and add on the jalapeños. Pop back into the oven for another minutes or two until the cheese is all melty.

And cover the potatoes with lots of freshly chopped cilantro.

Serve with extra salsa, guacamole and if you have it, more jalapeño jam.

I was thinking that I would totally make these for my dad this Sunday, if he didn’t live all the way in Michigan. (I think it’s time to move back!!!)

Happy Friday..Have an excellent weekend!

-C

• 4-5 boiled potatoes the size of lemons (or 2 big ones)
• 1/2 to 3/4 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar and can easily be made with vegan cheese)
• heaping teaspoon garlic powder
• heaping teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• salsa
• fresh cilantro (or if you hate it,  some kind of fresh herb)*
• guacamole* 
• jalapeños (or something spicy)*

*note.. These last three ingredients are optional, but you should definitely use them all. 

Turn the oven on to 425 degrees

Thinly slice potatoes and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit more oil and sprinkle with the garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. Stick into oven until potatoes are brown and crispy. Remove from the oven, sprinkle on the cheese, toss on the jalapeños and some globs of salsa. Place back into oven for a minutes or two or until the cheese is all melty.

Remove from oven and cover with a handful of freshly chopped cilantro. 

Serve with more salsa, guacamole, and more jalapeños. 

If eating all yourself, eat directly from baking sheet or if sharing, transfer onto a plates. (or eat from the baking sheet..less dishes, more conversation) Forks and fingers work equally.

Now that halloween is over, its time to eat the pumpkins!

I make pumpkin puree on the reg… and it is so super easy, it makes you look like an ass for buying the can stuff. (I have a few cans on hand)

First thing first is to choose you pumpkin. I am a squash hoarder so I check my stock and make sure there isn’t a squash with any mold or soft spots. Then its all about using the ugliest one, or the prettiest, depending on how you look at it.

Stick whole washed pumpkin in oven on 400 degrees .After about 30 minutes, flip that mother upside down and keep on baking. After another 20ish minutes it should be fork tender. If not, keep in oven until it is. When its ready, take out of oven and let sit and cool a bit.

After a rest, pull of the stem, cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Set seeds aside for roasting.

Place pumpkin flesh and skin in a blender or a vessel to emulsify. You can remove the skin if you want… but why? seriously, why? Let it Rip

And there you have it….Pumpkin Puree.

Now what you may ask am I planning on doing with this …. Oh man. So many things. I’ll let the suspense build for a little while. Until then, try not to eat it all standing in front of the fridge in your pjs cause thats not what I do. So good….so good.

CHILI MONDAY!Well it is, but I am talking about making some super duper, yes I’ll have seconds, tummy filling, bone warming, pumpkin chili.. And heathy oh so healthy to boot. Reals, it’s the best.

This pumpkin chili recipe had evolved over the years. The first time I made pumpkin chili was for my very first dinner party that I  threw back in college.  Instead of cutting the pumpkin and adding it into the chili, I chopped the little pumpkins in half, roasted them, and used the halves as bowls..A good idea except no one at the pumpkin and I was left with a bunch of slobbered on roasted pumpkin halves. ( I probably should have said something, but being a few drinks in, I didn’t think to say anything about the edible bowls and I don’t think I noticed the abandoned pumpkins until the next morning). After that somewhat failed attempt, I started adding the pumpkin to the chili and left the drinking tip after the food is served. ( I learned so much in college)

But yeah, this recipe has traveled a few years with me and every time I make it, I always think, jeez, why don’t I make this every weekend.  Well maybe now I will.

Don’t let this spread scare you.. it’s just veggies from the fridge, a chopped up pie pumpkin and pre soaked beans. Oh and some canned tomato and spices. It took about 10 minutes of hands on time and one big pot. No big mess to clean up and you can get rid of those veggies in the fridge that are on the way out. WIN WIN WIN!

All the chopped veggies, the chopped pumpkin go into the pot with salt. pepper , and spices.( I added a fresh jalapeno and about 5 cloves of garlic to this mixture) Let the mixture sweat for about 5 minutes, giving it a  quick stir or two.

Now toss in the beans and the tomatoes… Add a cans worth of water as well. Bring to a boil, then turn to low heat and cover.

A last minute addition.. I added a few chopped up kale leaves. I wanted a little more bright color and adding kale to anything is a good idea.

I added a little sliced avocado to one of the bowls (I only had enough for one) and cut up some lime wedges to squeeze on top. (I did, Nick didn’t) 

Best chili I have made in a long time…and yes, there is a bunch of left over which is fantastic because now I have lunch for the next couple days… 

HOORAY FOR FOOD!!!

Have a good Monday!

-C

•  small sugar pie pumpkin
• 2 cups dried beans..I used a 1 1/2 cups black and 1/2 cup kidney or 2 cans of beans
• 28 oz can of crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 small onion
• 1 small
• 1 carrot
• 1 /4 head of cabbage
• a small broccoli crown
• 1/4 head of cauliflower
• a few kale leaves
• 1 jalapeño 
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• salt and pepper

Either the night before or morning of, presoak dried beans..(beans in pot with about 4 cups water and a sprinkle of salt)

Take pumpkin and slice in half, de-seed and chop flesh into little chunks. (You can peel it if you want, but really, there is no reason to) Rough chop all the veggies (minus the kale) and stick into a large pot with the pumpkin. Pot on medium heat.. let the veggies sweat for about five minutes.  Now add the garlic and the spices and let cook for a few more minutes.

When the mixture starts to become fragrant… drain, rinse and add presoaked (or canned) beans. Then the tomatoes, and 1 1/2 cans worth of water. 

Bring chili to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low. Let cook for about an hour, giving it a stir every now and then………

Add in chopped kale a few minutes before serving

Serve in a bowl and top with sliced lime, avocado, a sprinkle of cheese….Whatever you want. 

This week started with the notion that I was going to make a big dish of potato salad.  I boiled the potatoes so that they would be ready when I needed them and stuck them in a bowl in fridge. That was Sunday. Monday was super busy and I didn’t get a chance to get to the potaoes, but that was ok, I figured I would just make it the for Tuesday. (which has officially been dubbed family dinner night). But for the first time, my sister declined potatoes and said she was already making goulash, which turned out that no one really wanted to eat. (I bet they would have eaten the potato salad) And Wednesday we were in Montreal so no go there.

So last night (now Thursday) when I opened the fridge to contemplate the dinner options, I knew that whatever I was going to make, the potatoes had to be used. I could have made the potato salad that I had been planning on making all week, but the potaotes were a little on the weird side, not bad, just not the best. They needed to be cooked. Plus, I had eaten the avocados and tomatoes that I had planned on using for the potatoes so I think it just wasn’t meant to be.  I was tired, so nothing to elaborate was going to happen. I wasn’t feeling like spending too much time in the kitchen cause I really wanted to bike to the garden. I already had my giant dinner salad made and the mr. was pretty hungry, so split decision.

Cheesey nacho potatoes

That mr.. he has got it made with me.

The stuff. Sliced up cold boiled potatoes, cheese, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. and a little bit of oil.  And we need guacamole, salsa, something spicy in the form of jalapeño jam (I use it on everything!) and a bunch of fresh cilantro. 

Spread the sliced potatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet and  drizzle with a tad bit more oil. Sprinkle with the spices and salt and pepper and  pop those suckers into the oven.

Once the poatoes turn a golden brown and are all crispy, remove from the oven and sprinkle on the shredded cheese. Toss on a few spoonfuls of salsa, and add on the jalapeños. Pop back into the oven for another minutes or two until the cheese is all melty.

And cover the potatoes with lots of freshly chopped cilantro.

Serve with extra salsa, guacamole and if you have it, more jalapeño jam.

I was thinking that I would totally make these for my dad this Sunday, if he didn’t live all the way in Michigan. (I think it’s time to move back!!!)

Happy Friday..Have an excellent weekend!

-C

• 4-5 boiled potatoes the size of lemons (or 2 big ones)
• 1/2 to 3/4 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar and can easily be made with vegan cheese)
• heaping teaspoon garlic powder
• heaping teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• salsa
• fresh cilantro (or if you hate it,  some kind of fresh herb)*
• guacamole* 
• jalapeños (or something spicy)*

*note.. These last three ingredients are optional, but you should definitely use them all. 

Turn the oven on to 425 degrees

Thinly slice potatoes and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit more oil and sprinkle with the garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. Stick into oven until potatoes are brown and crispy. Remove from the oven, sprinkle on the cheese, toss on the jalapeños and some globs of salsa. Place back into oven for a minutes or two or until the cheese is all melty.

Remove from oven and cover with a handful of freshly chopped cilantro. 

Serve with more salsa, guacamole, and more jalapeños. 

If eating all yourself, eat directly from baking sheet or if sharing, transfer onto a plates. (or eat from the baking sheet..less dishes, more conversation) Forks and fingers work equally.

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.

Having a vegetable garden is one of my joys of summer. You put seeds into the ground, water, weed, whisper sweet nothings to the plants as they start to grown and flourish. It’s all like magic. 

And in the garden, working our crazy magic, we grow all sorts of things; broccoli, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and so on. And even though all equally fantastic and exiting to watch grow, they take a bit more love and care and most of all, time.

But not radishes. First into the ground as soon as the ground allows, and first to come to maturity. the lovely radishes is a champion on it’s own. Yeah, we thin and weed and water them a bit, but basically, once these zinging roots take hold, they shoot up and take charge. And  within a month are ready to be picked and eaten. The closest thing to instant gratification in the garden that we can get.

This salad… oh this a good one. Its very slightly sweet, yet still has bit of bitter with a touch of spice and acid. A salad of the first radish harvest of the year,greens and all. (thanks to So, a  little that will toss a cherry lollipop to the ground in exchange for a dirty bright red radish, and its greens. …she’s the best!)  I feel in love with radish greens a many years back when I started a veggie garden of my own and realized the radishes do in fact grow with leaves and  that those leaves are vey much tasty. Now I can’t imagine eating radishes without eating the leaves., that just seems like taking the best part and tossing it. Crazy, that’s what that is. And as crazy as it it, I still find that most people are tossing there greens. 

So stop being an ass and eat them.

The stuff. A big bunch of radishes, chickpeas, and red onion. Red wine vinegar for the onions, honey for a sweet drizzle, salt, pepper and olive oil.

First thing first.. get that vinegar ond a sprinkle of salt on those onions. The longer they have to sit, the better.

 And now that we got that out of the way, remove radishes from greens, give them a good wash, and chop them in half (or quarters if really big)

Toss the cut up radishes and the chickpeas into a lightly oiled skillet on medium high heat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Give them a stir and let cook.

Once the radishes are slightly browned and tender, turn the heat to low and drizzle on honey (If vegan, use agave or maple syrup)

While the skillet is still hot, toss your greens into  and stir around until wilted.

Finish with the pickled red onion and grab a fork. I am all about plating food for others to eat, but I ate my half right out of the pan…one less dish. 

Now eat you radishes!

Have a great hump day!

-C

• A big bunch of fresh radishes, greens included
• 1cup of chick peas, drained (if using canned,reserve liquid for a future magic use.. come back soon and I’ll show you)
• 1/2 of a red onion
• 2 ish tablespoons red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper
• olive oil 
• 1-2 teaspoon honey (optinal)

Thinly slice the red onion and place in a bowl with a sprinkle of salt and the vinegar and set aside.  Grab your radishes and remove radishes from leaves, wash leaves and set aside.  Cut radishes in half (or quarters if really big) and toss into a lightly oiled  skillet on medium high heat,  along with the chickpeas. Cook until the radishes are slightly browned and tender. Once cooked turn heat to low, drizzle the radishes with honey (or whatever sweetner you’re using) and mix around. Toss in the cleaned rashish leaves and mix those around  until wilted. When ready to serve, top with the pickled red onion and a bit more pepper.

Eat hot, warm, or cold.

A fork works better then a spoon.

I am a year round maker and consumer of soup.

With that being said, the nature of my soups change seasonally. My summertime soups are usually on the lighter side, made with the fresh bounty of the season, and spiced more on the light and floral side, opposed to the really deep and warm spices that I use all winter long,

This corn chowder is made just right. It had the perfect balance of hearty and creamy from the potatoes and use of pureed onion cream, but  still light and refreshing from the sweet fresh corn and the lemony fresh thyme. It is for sure a great summertime soup (chowder) Even the Mr. was even really into it, and he claims he doesn’t like corn. (I say bullshit to that.. he eats corn all the time)

Now to chowder!

The Stuff. Some super fresh corn on the cob, a couple onions, a few chopped up potatoes and a chopped up carrot. Then we have a little oil, a lemon, dried thyme and salt and pepper. 

To start, take an onion, chop it up, and toss into a large heavy pot with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Stick pot on stove on medium heat and cook until  onions are soft and traslutcent. When the onions are done, remove and add to a blender or bowl. (if using a hand blender) Add in the juice of the lemon and blend it all up until nice a smooth. 

You have now made a nice creamy cream that will help make the final product more, well more creamy without the use of cream (lets say cream on more time !) .Set aside.

When the pot is empty again, add in the rest of the stuff, including the cobs of the corn, (they hold a butt load of flavor) the dried thyme, and salt and pepper. Place on stove and add enough water to completely submerge the veggies. Keep pot on a medium heat, add a lid, and stir ever once in a while. Cook until the potatoes are nice and tender. (when the potatoes are done, so is everything else)

Now that everything is all cooked up, remove the cobs and stir in the onion puree.

Now with a hand blender, blend up until the chowder is thick and smooth, but still nice and chunky. (If you are working with a blender, just remove about half of the soup and blend up, then dump back in) The optimal chunkiness  is up to you , so  blend, check the chunk,  then blend a little more if needed. If you feel that the soup is to thick, add in a little more water, or to thin, just cook down o little longer.

 Once you like the constituency,season to taste with salt and pepper and place pot back on a simmer until you are ready to serve. 

And thats how we make corn chowder

It tastes best serves in the daintiest of the cups, sprinkled heavily with cracked pepper, and with a side of some cracker situation (Saltines would be best, but sometime there are only triscits in the house)

Summertime is for chowder!

HAPPY Humpday Wednesday!!!

-C

Makes a pot big enough for 4-6 nice decent sized servings

• 2 fresh ears of corn
• 3 medium (tennis ball sized) red or white potatoes
• 2 white or yellow onions
• 1 carrot
• Juice of a lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2  tablespoons dried thyme
• salt and pepper

To start, peel and dice one whole onion and toss into pot with olive oil and stick on medium heat. Cook onions until translucent and fragrant. Remove from pot and add cooked onions and the lemon juice to a blender and puree until smooth and set aside.

While you are cooking down the onions, dice up the carrot and onion, remove the corn kernels from the cob, and chop up the potatoes. Once you have removed the first batch of onions, toss in corn, onions, carrot, potatoes, and the dried thyme. Stir around in the pot on medium heat for a few minutes just to warm up the spices. Add the cobs into the pot and fill with enough water to cover the stuff in the pot. Place back on medium heat with a lid and cook for another 20ish minutes, or until potatoes are super tender and almost falling apart.

Remove cobs from pot and add in the onion puree. Now either remove about half the soup and place in the bender and blend up til smooth, or use a hand blender and blend up chowder until you get your desired chunkiness. If you think the chowder seems to thick, add in more water, or to thin, just cook down a little longer on the stove.

When ready to eat, ladle chowder into a cup or bowl and add lots of fresh cracked pepper. 

Serve with a cracker and a spoon to eat it with.

Wowzers…Is it for real Memorial day weekend? Where has all the time gone? Let’s talk about a week gone by fast. My brain is on complete overdrive and I am having a hard time keeping it from exploding…SO MUCH TO DO! (Not bad stuff, just a lot of stuff) But lo, that’s life right? There is always a lots of “stuff” to do, but today I am going to try and let that stuff chill and maybe give myself a few hours of coffee, (so much coffee) reading a book in the sunshine, gardening, and just some overall chillin. 

Hopefully.

And hopefully you party people out there will be able to do a little of the same, or at least the chillin part. It is a 3 day weekend after all (not for us, but whatever)

Some internet fun finds.

-Sleeping in a loft that I have to crawl to get to the bed… this  Gallery of Gorgeous Attic Bedrooms makes me so jealous..

-This new startup wants to sell you ugly fruit and veggies. I still don’t get it, it’s not ugly, its awesome.

-So cool and reminds me of my late brother in law. Wet Fold Origami Technique Gives Wavy Personality to Paper Animals by Artist Hoang Tien Quyet

-Could this be my new home? And I love a good plant lady. BURSTING WITH PLANTS, A 1910 PORTLAND FOURSQUARE FOR A FLORIST AND BARISTA

-Its so weird how try this is. Going, Going, Gone: 30+ Items That Are Disappearing from Our Homes

-We are doing this is the humongus pot hole in front of our house(we want to anyway) Treats in the Streets: Artist Jim Bachor Fills Potholes with Ice Cream Mosaics

-Holy shit is this the mister. 5 Conditions That Afflict the Reluctant Dishwasher. (1 and 2  really hit the nail)

A few photos from the weekGoodbye fiddleheads…. Hello ferns 

On our way to a geo catch…. And note clothing options for 2 in the afternoon. I am much fond of that little guy wearing a rain jacket without a shirt in when its sunny and 80 degrees. And a pink poke dot bath robe.. I mean, it’s so the cool thing to do. 

We didn’t find the geo, but we found this gigantic mushroom. Just as cool, maybe even cooler.

I love brick and there is one street in all of burlington (that I know of) that has brick sidewalks. I like to walk down it a lot. 

Nurse lady making food… I compare this to a big foot sighting. I have heard stories that she cooks,but have never actually witnessed it myself. (Just kidding….kinda)

Happy long weekend! (if you are lucky to have one!)

-C

Guess what guys ….I got myself a sick vintage waffle/ griddle iron. I couldn’t be more thrilled!!! I found this thing at the local recycled goods store the other day, along with a very beautiful old white pyrex mixing bowl. It was one of my best thrift store scores! (Checking out the inventory and the condition of all the old things that day, I would say an old lady had just died and all her perfectly keep, mint condition kitchen stuff had just been donated.  But it’s cool, cause I get the feeling that she was at least 90, with a big loving family, and was happy until the day she died. And I am sure she would be pleased that I have taken over the waffle maker. Thanks old lady!)

 And now I am pretty sure that  everything I make for the next week will be cooked on said waffle/griddle. I am serious, I already have a list of things to try and cook on it; cookies, biscuits, granola bars, potatoes, fruit, some type of pasta situations…. the list of possibilities is endless and I bet that at least 1/2 of these things will be totally awesome and amazing.

But first thing first. I need to make dinner.

So waffles for dinner!! 

Note. These waffles are completely 100% fantastic for any meal you want to make them for. They consist of nothing more then beans, a shit ton of veggies, and just a bit of cornmeal. But don’t let that fool you because they are super packed full of so much flavor, have a really soft tender inside, with a nice crispy outside and are so super pretty. They are wonderful! The stuff. First, we got a big old pile of shredded up veggies which include; carrot, beet, sweet potato, onion, parsnip, celeriac, and a little bit of kale.  A we got a bowl of rinsed and strained white beans, a little bit of cornmeal and salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 

The makings of something amazing!Before you do anything. get your waffle iron out and preheat it. 

While thats going on, take you beans,  add 3/4 cup water and puree until smooth with whatever blending device want to like to use. (I used my hand blender…less to clean)Now collect all the shredded veggies and dump into a big bowl with the bean puree, the spices and the cornmeal. Mix until combined. The batter should be thick, but not dry. If its seems to wet, add more corn meal, or too dry, add a little more water.

Note how my batter turned a magical pink… I love beets, they make everything pretty! And check out that bowl!When your waffle iron is preheated, oil it if needed (if your not sure, add a little oil just to really make sure your waffles don’t stick) and take appropriate size spoonfuls of the batter and stick on iron. Close it and wait…..My iron has a little light that turns on when the waffles are done cooking, so I waited patiently (ok iI did open it a few time) until light tuned on and removed the perfectly cooked waffles.

Did I mention how awesome my new/old vintage iron is?

SO AWESOME!!

I made a little gaucamole and gave the mister and little bowl of plain Greek yogurt with lemon juice, but feel free to top, drizzle, or dump whatever you want onto these beauties… 

Happy waffle Wednesday!!!

-C

Veggie Bean Wonder Waffles

Makes 8-10 waffles (in my iron) feeds 2-3 peeps

• 1 small carrot shredded
• 1 small parsnip shredded
• 1/2 a small celeriac root
• 1 small beet shredded
• 2 kale leaves chopped into tiny bits
• 1/2 an onion, shredded
• 1/2 a small sweet potato shredded
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2 cups(or 1 can) cooked, rinsed and strained white beans
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• teaspoon each salt and pepper
• oil for iron(if needed)

Note on veggies… I used what I had in the fridge and shredded, it came to about 3 cups. If you don’t have these specific veggies or only want to use a few.. go for it. Just make sure to have 3 cups of whatever veggies you use.

Take you beans and blend them up with whatever device you would like to use. Once creamy, add to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Stir until combined.

Once the waffle iron is preheated, oil it( if needed) and place the recommended amount of batter right on it there. Close and cook until golden brown and waffly.

Serve on a plate with topping of your choice, A few suggestions.. Guacamole, salsa, hummus, mustard, greek yogurt… anything that tastes good to you.

Eat as breakfast, lunch or dinner…

Fork into face