Posted by alisa on March 10, 2010 | 2 Comments
I swear, sometimes I feel like Celine reads my mind when it comes to trialing out baked goodie recipes. I purchased some all-fruit spread solely for the purpose of coming up with some jam-filled muffins and PB&J granola for my husband’s morning snack … when low and behold, I opened her new book 500 Vegan Recipes (co-written with Joni Marie Newman) to discover recipes for both!
She calls these muffins “rolls,” which I suppose is fair since they really aren’t very sweet, save for the jam surprise in the middle. Nonetheless, they are perfectly yummy and satisfying for breakfast. I had to modify the recipe a wee bit, based on what I had on hand. I did use honey (sorry, I know it isn’t strict vegan practice, and have no fear, 500 Vegan Recipes is honey-free!), but you can stick with their suggested sweetener or agave as I have noted.
Jam-Filled Snackin’ Muffins (or Soda Rolls)
Recipe adapted from 500 Vegan Recipes by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman
They do specifically recommend soymilk for this recipe since it curdles best; though you may have success with other milk alternatives. Though we don’t typically stock soy in our house, I was reviewing this soymilk for Go Dairy Free, so I decided to use it here. This recipe is Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, and optionally Soy-Free and Refined Sugar-Free.
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1-1/4 Cups Plain Soymilk (see above note for other soy-free milk alternatives)
- 1-1/4 Cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
- 1 Cup Whole or White Spelt Flour (I used whole spelt)
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Honey, Raw Sugar or Agave Nectar (I used un-vegan honey)
- 2 Tablespoons Oil (I used extra-light olive, but you could use grapeseed, canola, or melted coconut oil)
- 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
- 1/4 Cup Jam or All-Fruit Spread
- Melted non-dairy margarine (optional)
Preheat your oven to 400ºF, and lightly grease 12 muffin cups.
Combine the vinegar and soymilk in a medium-sized bowl or glass measuring cup, and allow it to sit as the vinegar “curdles” the soymilk.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the sweetener, oil, and applesauce to the now curdled soymilk. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture in your large bowl, and gently stir until just combined. No over-mixing!
Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the batter in each muffin cup. Top each mound of batter with 1 teaspoon of jam. Top the jam with the remaining batter (another heaping tablespoon per cup).
Bake for 15 minutes. As soon as you remove the rolls from the oven, brush the tops with non-dairy margarine if desired. Personally, I would skip this step next time, as I wasn’t a big fan of the salty margarine topping … but I am sure many people would love it. Pop the muffins out (they seemed to come out of the cups nicely, even while still quite hot) and indulge.
Yields a dozen sweet and savory muffins
Tags: baking, breakfast, cookbooks, dairy-free, egg-free, food allergy-friendly, milk-free, nut-free, quick & easy, recipe, snack, spelt, vegan, vegetarian, whole grain
Filed Under: Alisa's Recipes
Posted by alisa on March 7, 2010 | 16 Comments
This is what I refer to as a ”Waste Not Want Not Recipe.” You see, it was my husband’s birthday this past week, and he requested vegan vanilla cupcakes with chocolate fudge frosting – a treat I had made for him in the form of a cake two years ago.
Unfortunately, I made two major mistakes:
- Rather than using my tried and true recipes for the vegan white cake and chocolate fudge frosting (both recipes in Go Dairy Free), I decided to trial someone else’s recipe for white vegan cupcakes that I had never tried before. (When they wrote the recipe only worked for cupcakes but not cake, that should have been my first performance red flag!)
- I forgot where we lived. Having not baked a cake since moving back to the mountains … at 6000+ feet, I completely forgot about the differences in baking. Baked goods rise here really well, in fact too well at times … and vegan cupcake recipes often rely a bit too heavily on leaveners. And, well, you know the old saying, what goes up, must come down …
A simple deflated cupcake might not have been a huge problem, but these quite frankly were not a success all around. Both the taste and texture was strangely reminiscent of cornbread. Yes, vanilla cupcakes turned to cornbread … don’t ask me how. Had we been big cornbread lovers, perhaps they would have flown, but we both wanted cake and were sorely disappointed.
However, even more than failed cake, both my husband and I hate waste. So rather than casting aside the cupcakes, I turned to one of those old throw together recipes, cake balls.
Traditional [Vegan] Cake Balls
As mentioned, I used white cake and chocolate frosting, but feel free to use whatever flavor combo excites you! This recipe is optionally Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, and Vegan – depending on the cake and frosting you use.
- 1 Prepared Cake or Batch of Cupcakes
- 16 Ounces Frosting (I prefer homemade)
- 6 Ounces Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate
Crumble the cake or cupcakes into a large bowl. You can do this using your fingers, or blend it up. I pulsed the cupcakes in my spice grinder to get an even crumb on the second batch.
Add the frosting, and mix well to combine. If the mixture is too gooey to handle, place it in the fridge for a few hours to firm up.
Melt the chocolate in a double broiler or in the microwave (do not overcook! Simply cook on high for 30 seconds, stir virorously. If chunks remain, heat in 15 second intervals, stirring between each, until you have a nice smooth chocolate).
Scoop out the cake mix and shape into balls. Drop each ball into the chocolate to coat; remove and place on a cookie sheet lined with silpat or wax paper.
Place the chocolate covered cake balls in the fridge or freezer to firm up for about 30 minutes. Once firm, these can be popped in a baggie and stored in the freezer for a treat anytime.
Note: This makes loads of cake balls. I prefer to make just some this way, and experiment with others using different flavors, like the nutty version below.
Nutty Cake Balls (I swear this is a family blog!)
Since I ran out of frosting, I began experimenting with pantry items. This version did not come out super-sweet, and they came out a bit cakier (no refrigeration was needed before shaping the mix into balls). For a nuttier and sweeter treat, feel free to up both the nut butter and sugar in this recipe. I simply ran out of cake to experiment with. Go ahead, taste test as you go and see how you like them!
- 1 Vanilla Cupcake
- 2 Tablespoons Nut Butter (ie peanut, almond, etc.)
- 2 Teaspoons Powdered Sugar
- 1 Ounce Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate
Follow the directions above, but use the nut butter and powdered sugar in place of the frosting.
Yields about 8 to 10 nutty cake balls
Posted by alisa on February 26, 2010 | 13 Comments
Ah, it had seemed like forever since I baked a fresh loaf of bread. My husband had some toast cravings, so I eagerly walked to the store for the necessary supplies. That is when I spotted the spelt flour. I have always loved the taste of whole grains, but something about the light sweetness of spelt always wins me over.
Though we both loved my Hearty German-Style Spelt Bread, I was craving something a bit lighter in taste for this week’s breakfast bread. I opted to adapt the very simple recipe from Arrowhead Mills Spelt Flour, but since I had just purchased a 1 lb bag of good organic cinnnamon ($4 – no joke!), I also decided to spike the loaf with a touch of spice.
Unfortunately, I didn’t pay close attention to the quantity of the recipe from the get-go. This makes an 8 x 4-inch loaf, while I only have 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. Now this is something that always baffles me. Why are so many bread recipes written for 8 x 4 loaf pans when 9 x 5 loaf pans are sold everywhere?! I seriously cannot find an 8 x 4 pan in any of the stores around here.
The recipe still came out nicely, but my husband had this look of concern when he saw the freshly baked loaf sitting in the pan on the counter. I toasted two slices for him and with a smile he said, “This is good, not at all hard like I expected.” Because the loaf was so squat, he thought it was going to be uber-dense. He didn’t realize it was just a recipe that was too small for the pan!
I topped his toast with his favorite, nut butter and jelly, and mine with a homemade honey spread – hmmm, maybe I should share that recipe too?
Of course, this is still a “hearty” bread. Not a speck of those white-processed flours within, so do not expect fluffiness. But, it is tasty, and a recipe I will be working with more to really make it my own. For now, here is the recipe for you to enjoy …
Simply Cinnamon Spelt Bread
At present, I still enjoy making all of my bread recipes by hand, but this loaf can also be made in a bread machine. I have included those instructions (from Arrowhead Mills since I haven’t tried it!) also. This recipe is Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, and optionally Vegan.
- 2-1/4 Teaspoons or 1 1/4-ounce Package Active Dry Yeast
- 1 Cup Warm Water
- 2 Tablespoons Honey, Agave Nectar, or Sweetener of Choice (I used honey)
- 2 Tablespoons Extra-Light Olive Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Melted Coconut Oil, or Light-Tasting Oil of Choice (I used the olive)
- 3 to 3-1/2 Cups Whole Grain Spelt Flour, divided (I actually used Bob’s Red Mill as the local store didn’t have Arrowhead Mills)
- 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
Combine the yeast, warm water, sweetener and oil in a large mixing bowl, and let it sit and “proof” for 5 to 10 minutes.
Add 1.5 cups of the flour, plus all of the cinnamon and salt. Mix for a minute (I used a hand mixer) until it is well combined.
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the loose dough sit for 30 minutes to an hour in a warm place to rise. It should double in size.
Beat in the flour gradually, and begin kneading it with your hands as the dough gets stiff. The original recipe called for 3-1/2 cups of flour, but I only used 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons, and the dough was a good consistency – smooth, just a touch sticky, but not sticking to my hands and easy to knead (the full amount would have made it too tough). So I suggest adding 1-1/2 cups and then adding in the final 1/2 cup as needed.
Shape the dough into a loaf shape that will fit nicely into a greased loaf pan (preferably 8×4-inch!). Cover it with that damp cloth and let it rise for about an hour in a warm place (I tend to make bread when I am in the kitchen cooking or doing prep anyway, so I place the loaf on top of the oven if it is on – this is a nice warm spot).
Preheat your oven to 350ºF and bake the loaf for 30 to 40 minutes. Once done, the crust will have a nice deep brown hue, but not burnt.
Let it cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing it to cool completely on a wire rack.
BREAD MACHINE INSTRUCTIONS: Add ingredients to machine according to manufacturer’s instructions [since I haven't tested it, I would suggest using the full 3.5 cups of flour as recommended in the original recipe]. Bake on shortest cycle (NOT quick bread cycle). If loaf falls and craters during baking cylce, decrease water slightly next time.
Yields 1 8×4 loaf or 1 squat 9×5 loaf
Happy Baking AND Eating …
Posted by alisa on February 21, 2010 | 13 Comments
As my husband and I were checking out in the Whole Foods line-up, I spotted them, miniature dark chocolates from Lake Champlain. I inquired on the price and the checker responded, “59 cents … they are really good.” My husband piped up with a stern “You don’t need that right now.” Don’t worry ladies, it wasn’t a weight implication, he just knows how we both seem to be at constant battle with our sugar cravings. I backed off, knowing he was right.
But time passed, as we stood and waited … the checker made a major error when scanning in some items, and we ended up being “those people” who hold up the line … when it is really busy, of course. And isn’t it ironic that when the lines are piling up, the manager is nowhere to be found to override a simple charge? Regardless, the checker was very apologetic, and she must have seen me ogling those chocolates the whole time, because just as we were leaving, she handed two of them to my husband and said, “Here you go. These are for your patience.” My husband thanked her and said that his wife would be very grateful. He knows me all too well.
I know, just a 59 cent item, but it did mean the world to me … both the excellent customer service (thank you Whole Foods, we shall return) and getting to discover these marvelous chocolates. I had never sampled Lake Champlain before, and though I tend to like dark chocolate that is 60 to 70%, this 80% chocolate was heavenly. It was smooth, deep, rich, and had just the right amount of sweetness. Some really dark chocolates are too chalky and bitter for my tastes, but these were seriously soothing. Yes, my husband graciously gave both of those chocolates to me, and I confess that I didn’t hesitate to take them!
This is not frugal chocolate mind you; it is a splurge. But, when you are watching your pennies, those $.59 minis are extremely satisfying! Just wanted to share, as I assume a few (okay quite a few) of you are dark chocolate fans like me. So what is your favorite brand / type of chocolate? Do tell! I think we would all love to know.
Sorry FTC, this review is on Whole Foods, and I will be buying these chocolates with my hard earned cash (for a special treat of course) in the future.
Time for dessert …
Posted by alisa on February 16, 2010 | 7 Comments
Three weeks have flown by since my last post, and I wish I could say I have been extremely productive during that time, but in reality, life just got the better of me. With little time for creativity, I have been turning to quite a few staple meals (okay, we have been going out for Vietnamese and Chinese quite a bit too) … one of which is this great stir-fry recipe that I have altered over time from Andrea’s Recipes.
Enjoy this recipe and the others while I track down Dr. Evil and get back my kitchen mojo!
Best Chicken & Broccoli Stir-Fry
We often make this stir-fry sans rice, so the recipe as written makes a modest amount of sauce that is slightly thick. If you like the flavor and want more for your rice to soak up, feel free to double the sauce, or simply thin it with another tablespoon or two of chicken broth. My husband also suggested adding cashews. I keep forgetting to do this, but it would probably be excellent, so give it a whirl if you wish!
This recipe is Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free (without the cashews), and optionally Gluten-Free.
- 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch, divided
- 1 Tablespoon Dry Sherry
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Low-Sodium Soy Sauce (use wheat-free tamari for gluten-free – may be a wee bit saltier, so start with just 1 T and add more as you see fit)
- 2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce (use a GF brand for gluten-free)
- 2 Tablespoons Regular or Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Sugar or Sweetener of Choice
- 1/8 Teaspoon Ginger Powder
- Few Shakes of Crushed Red Pepper (about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon)
- 12 Ounces Lightly Steamed Broccoli Florets (see below for directions)
- 2 Tablespoons Refined Sesame Oil, Peanut Oil, Vegetable Oil, or other High Heat Oil
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced or 1/2 to 1 Teaspoon Crushed Garlic
- 3 Cups Cooked Rice (brown, white, your choice) to Serve
Slice the chicken breasts across the grain into strips that are about 1/4-inch thick. In a bowl, toss the chicken with 1-1/2 tablespoons of the cornstarch, sherry, salt, and pepper. Set aside while you prepare the sauce and broccoli.
Steam the broccoli florets until they turn bright green and are slightly tender, but still crisp, about 3 minutes. Alternately, you can place the florets in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Cover and allow to sit while you prepare the sauce and begin the chicken. Drain when ready to use. – This is my cheat method when I don’t feel like getting the steamer out.
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken broth, sugar, ginger, crushed red pepper, and remaining 1/2 tablespoon of the cornstarch. Set aside.
In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high to high heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry until it is white, about 3 to 5 minutes. If it threatens to stick, add a little chicken broth or water as you stir to keep things moving. Add the garlic, broccoli, and sauce. Stir-fry until broccoli is tender and heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with rice.
Yields 3 to 4 dinners
P.S. ~ The chopsticks are optional, but I highly recommend them …
Posted by alisa on January 28, 2010 | 25 Comments
Even after making two big batches of Chocolate Peppermint Oreo Treats, I had gobs of marshmallow creme leftover, both Fluff and Ricemellow. Feeling uninspired, I simply made some s’mores for an after-dinner treat. Spread some marshmallow creme on a graham cracker, melt some dark chocolate, spread that on the other graham cracker, mush the two together and freeze for 10 minutes. Yes, they are sooo good chilled, just so you know. Anyway, this became our nightly dessert ritual for about a week, until sadly, I ran out of graham crackers. Not wanting to continue this sugar fest by investing in another box of grahams, I decided to go back to basics.
I still had some rather large dark chocolate bars on hand (when your local store is blowing out 1 lb bars of Callebaut chocolate for $.50 a piece, you stock up!), so I stayed with the choco-mallow theme and made some simple fudgie crispy treats. I known, nothing fancy, but when you have a chocolate craving, and want something the size of a chocolate bar (not simply a little square) without causing too much damage to your waistline, these will do the trick. Just a warning though, they may be ugly, but they are rather addictive!
Easy Fudge Crispies
This recipe is optionally Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-free, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, and Nut-Free, depending on the ingredients you choose. Both the marshmallow creme and vegan ricemellow cream work quite well. The latter produces slightly softer results, which I actually preferred.
- 2 Ounces Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate
- 1 to 2 Teaspoons Coconut Oil (pretty sure I used 2 teaspoons for best results)
- 6 Tablespoons Marshmallow Creme, Fluff, or Vegan Ricemellow Creme
- 1-1/2 Cups Crispy Rice Cereal (I used gluten-free brown rice crispies)
Melt the chocolate in a small to medium bowl - I did this in the microwave. I heated it for 1 minute and stirred it vigorously. If there are any big chunks left, return it to the microwave for 15 seconds, and stir again.
Stir in the coconut oil and marshmallow creme / fluff until smooth. Add the cereal, and gently stir to combine. Plop equal amounts into 6 muffin cups (I used silicone ones, and didn’t need to grease them). Press the mixture into the cups - I use a little piece of saran wrap over my fingers as I press down to keep them from sticking. If using the ricemellow creme, you may find that the mixture is much stickier. I put them in the fridge for 5 minutes, pulled them out and then pressed them in to combat this issue.
Place the crispy treats in the freezer for 15 minutes. Pop them out and enjoy! Keep in mind, these will get very, tooth-breaking firm if stored in the freezer for more than the 15 minutes. Move them to the fridge for prolonged storage.
Options: Add in some vanilla extract, peppermint extract, chili powder, ginger, chopped dried fruit, nuts, or cinnamon to customize your own Fudge Crispies.
Yields 3 treat-like snacks (2 crispies each)
Posted by alisa on January 25, 2010 | 21 Comments
In looking through the recipes on my blog, I couldn’t believe I had yet to post a waffle recipe. Though I go through phases, I somewhat frequently whip up batches of the insanely easy Oatmeal Blender Waffles from Go Dairy Free to have on hand. They freeze beautifully, and make a hearty breakfast that I can have ready in just five minutes (a quick pop in the toaster) when I don’t feel like making a big effort for breakfast.
Also, I do love oats, but I find a bowl of oatmeal weighs really heavy on my stomach as the first meal of the day … and though I can see how many bloggers love putting nut butter in their oats, the resulting texture is not pleasing to my palate. But, when I did some experimenting with my trusted blender waffle recipe, injecting it with some naturally healthy nut butter, I ended up with amazingly quick and easy waffles that don’t weigh you down. Yet, they are rich in fiber, and have just enough healthy fats and protein to keep me satiated. Usually, I avoid sugar in the morning, but that hint of dark brown sugar makes these wonderfully noshable on their own. Of course, my sugar-addicted husband still tops them with maple syrup!
Nutty Oatmeal Blender Waffles
Recipe adapted from Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook
This recipe is Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free, Wheat-Free, Low in Sugar, optionally Gluten-Free, and optionally Nut-Free. Plus, you can literally make these with 100% everyday pantry supplies!
- 2 Cups Plain or Vanilla Milk Alternative of Choice (I use unsweetened rice milk, but you can even sub in water in a pinch)
- 2-1/4 Cup Oats (use certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free)
- 1/2 cup Peanut Butter, Sunbutter (for nut-free), or your favorite Nut Butter (can use just 1/4 to 1/3 cup if you want lower fat or less nutty)
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar, Sucanat, Maple Syrup, or Sweetener of Choice (I like the TJ’s Organic Brown Sugar best with the peanut butter)
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt (omit if using salted nut or seed butter)
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
Okay, are you ready? Throw all ingredients in your blender, and let ‘er rip for about a minute. The batter may be hearty looking, but that is all good. Now, preheat your waffle iron and coat it with cooking spray (baked goods with nuts tend to like to stick). This will give your batter about 10 minutes to thicken. The thicker the batter, the more bready the waffles. I like the batter really thick, but if it gets too thick to pour at any point, blend in some more milk alternative or water a tablespoon at a time. Make waffles according to the instructions with your waffle iron. Eat waffles.
Tip #1: If you have a cheapy waffle iron like myself, you may not want to follow the little “all done” light. I usually let them cook until I can visibly see little to no steam emerging.
Tip #2: These freeze beautifully. Let them cool on a wire rack and then fire them in a freezer bag. If you put them in the freezer bag while still warm, steam from the waffles will cause them to stick more once frozen (yeah, learned that the heard way). Pop them apart and toast when hungry.
Optional Ad-Ins:
- 1/2 to 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 to 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons Protein Powder of Choice
Peanut Butter & Jelly-Filled Waffles: Fill those little waffle holes with your favorite jam/jelly (homemade, organic, all-fruit, etc) or two …
Yields 4 to 5 breakfasts-on-the-go
Happy Monday,
Posted by alisa on January 20, 2010 | 25 Comments
If you are in google reader, pop on over and check out the new and improved One Frugal Foodie, courtesy of The Blog Fairy! What do you all think? Personally, my eyes are loving the slightly bigger font. I still have some updates to do with the widgets and such, but overall I am very happy with it. I am also going to add a links page, so please let me know if I don’t have your blog in my blogroll. I will be updating!
Things have been insanely busy lately as you may have guessed from my very slow posting. And to be quite honest, I haven’t had much time for creating, or at least documenting, new recipes. My husband and I have been in throw-it-together mode. The results have beeen delicious (a dairy-free/gluten-free eggplant lasagna that I created and a spicy mushroom pepper pork stir fry courtesy of my husband), but alas, they really were using up the fridge meals that I just didn’t have the energy to measure and write down. I will see if we can’t repeat those when things settle down though.
But in the spirit of things, I thought I would share one of my quick lunch meals. It is truly a speedy endeavor, flavorful, and quite versatile. The recipe, as I have made it numerous times for myself and a ravenous husband, is below. However, I tend to fiddle with the seasoning amounts often, so feel free to adjust to your own tastes.
I am planning on attempting a vegetarian / vegan version of it using lightly smashed chickpeas and a sheet of nori seaweed (cut into small pieces) in place of the tuna. Nori seems to have that great “from the sea” taste and I thought it might compliment chickpeas/garbanzo beans well.
Though I find this version quite tasty, I would love to hear ideas from you. Do you have any suggestions for modifying it to create a new dish or flavor?
Ten-Minute Tuna Couscous
This recipe is Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, and optionally Egg-Free (use that vegan mayo – I am a fan of Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise). See below for a Gluten-Free option, and the post above for my idea on making this Vegan / Vegetarian.
- ½ Cup Uncooked Whole Wheat Couscous
- 1 Cup Frozen Peas, thawed
- 1 Can Tuna, drained (I use solid white in olive oil, and save the oil for another use, or I even use some of the oil in place of the mayo on occasion)
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise (regular, light, or vegan – I have tried them all)
- 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 3/8 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 to 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Dill
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/8 Teaspoon Sugar (or sweetener of your choice)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Water
- Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste (optional)
Cook the couscous according to the package directions. This literally takes just 5 minutes.
While that is cooking, I run the peas under some warm water to quickly thaw them (this isn’t a plan ahead kind of meal!).
Then, I combine the mayo, mustard, onion powder, dill, salt, sugar, lemon juice, and water in a small dish.
Take the lid off of the couscous, give it a quick fluff with a fork, and stir in the peas and mayo mixture. Using your fork, crumble the tuna in and give everything another stir to combine. Dish up into two bowls and serve!
Gluten-Free Option: I haven’t tried it as of yet, but Lundberg has a new brown rice couscous. It looks like it will make this a 15-minute dish instead of ten, but will probably yield excellent results.
Yields 2 very fast lunches
Posted by alisa on January 13, 2010 | 6 Comments
When we moved back to Lake Tahoe I was elated to return to our old doctor. He brings decades of emergency room work to the table, but he merges his medical training with the studies he acquired over ten years ago in alternative medicine. I love that he looks at the whole person, seeks out causes rather than just treating symptoms, and how he doesn’t frown upon Eastern or Western medicine. He uses both. All that matters to him is what is effective in bringing people to a true healthy state.
But, what he emphasizes most is that people need to take an active role in managing their own healthcare. When they rely too much on doctors, that is when things go wrong. His wisdom feeds my desire to learn, which led me to discovering the most awesome deal on a book that I must share.
Last week I ordered “New Medicine: Complete Family Health Guide” for $3.18. This is a $25 book that was published in April of 2009 and it was just $3! I wanted to make sure it was okay before suggesting it, and wow, it is better than okay.
This is a BIG book that gently covers so many different health topics, concerns, and diseases / disease prevention in an encyclopedia-type format. It explains each topic (in layman’s terms) along with treatments using diet, herbs, alternative medicine, prescriptions, and/or surgeries. Whatever is effective and available. The authors don’t instill their opinions, rather they give you a good baseline of information to help you understand all of your options (whether Eastern, Western, or plain old diet) and feel knowledgeable enough to manage your own health. I am impressed. Of course, I have only had time to skim it since my husband has already swiped it to read himself, but at $3, I really don’ think you can go wrong.
Honestly, I have no idea why such a new and thorough book has been marked down so dramatically – we are not talking out-dated material here! I am also not sure if the price is temporary, so if you are interested, I would jump on it.
What does this have to do with a food blog? Well, not a lot. But I have noticed that most of us foodies seem to take a higher than average interest in health, and really, where else could I share such a good deal?
So, while we are on the topics of food and health, are there any books you recommend?
Posted by alisa on January 8, 2010 | 13 Comments
After getting to sample some POM, and reading about the great pomegranate buzz they created in the blogosphere, I finally broke down and bought a whole pomegranate fruit when I spotted the organic ones on sale … oh about 2 months ago. Two months ago? Yes, so why in the world would I be blogging about it now? Um, perhaps because I didn’t actually use it until today.
Yes, I confess, I watched that bright red bulb shrivel and dull … my creative juices just weren’t flowing and I truly had no idea what to do with the thing. But last night, as I finally cleaned out the fridge, I knew that fruit could stay in there no longer. Expecting the worst, I cut into it, only to discover brilliant bright red seeds inside that decrepit peel.
Now that is a protective coating! I had not expected to blog about the pomegranate here as it is a rather pricey fruit, but when I discovered how many of those wonderful fruity seeds lie within a single pomegranate, it looked like a deal! I did get mine on sale for $1.50, and they seem to more often be $2 or $2.5o, but even so, the seeds add such delight to recipes (seriously, have you ever had pomegranate champagne with those seeds? OMG!) and so little is needed that a single pomegranate goes a longs ways.
If you do purchase one (trust me, they are much less intimidating than they seem!), definitely read some instructions on how to cut them open – it will make your life easier trust me. I couldn’t find the instructions I used again (lost in the internet somewhere!) but here is Elise’s over at Simply Recipes. I actually deseeded them in the bowl of water, which kept me from getting squirted with any of the bright red juice (yes, no stained clothes!). I noticed Elise doesn’t do this, but I recommend it.
My first pomegranate seed dish wasn’t adventurous to say the least, but it was delicious. I actually threw the seeds right into my blender – it isn’t a powerful one, so I was left with very crunchy seeds in my smoothie, which I liked but want to warn you about – with my simple favorite breakfast blend, a banana smoothie/shake.
If you like your smoothies drinkable rather than spoonable (I like them thick!) then I recommend using pomegranate juice (bottled, or squeezed from your little seeds), so that you don’t end up with crunch little seeds. Maybe you Vitamix people can pulverize the seeds, but my $15 hamilton beach can’t!
Either way, the seeds taste very similar to sweetened cranberry juice to my taste buds, and make a perfect addition to the ordinary breakfast smoothie for a sweet (yet unsweetened) treat that goes down easy!
Good Morning Pom-Banana Smoothie
- 1/4 Cup Pomegranate Seeds or Pomegranate Juice, plus additiona pom seeds for topping
- 1 Large Frozen, Ripe Banana
- Vanilla Milk Alternative (I usually start with about 3/4 cup and add more as needed; I used unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze)
- 2 Tablespoons Protein Powder (unflavored or vanilla – I used plain, unflavored egg white protein powder, which makes it nice and creamy)
Blend the 1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds or juice and all remaining ingredients in your blender until nice and smooth. I use a lesser amount of milk alternative for a thick spoonable shake-style smoothie, but you can add more. Just note that those uber-crunch seeds may not fully blend! Top with some additional seeds for taste and asthetics.
Yields 1 easy-on-the-early-morning-tummy breakfast
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