May, 2012

Entries from May 2nd, 2012

May Wrap Up

5.31.2012

Woah, can you believe it is the last day of May already? This month FLEW by!! Luckily it was because I was having so much fun over here.

Here is a wrap up of my favorite recipes from this month:

1. Veggie Sloppy Joes. These brought a whole new meaning to what I thought a sloppy joe could be. They were flavorful, stocked full of nutritious ingredients, and oh so easy to whip up! This is becoming one of my new ‘go to’ recipes for sure

2. Cherry Beergaritas: It’s a bit embarrassing how many times we’ve whipped these up since discovering this cocktail. It’s ridiculously refreshing on a hot summer day and the simplest drink to mix up when you have a crowd!

3. Tofu Thai Lettuce Wraps: These wraps are as fun to eat as they are delicious. We ate them on the porch so that we didn’t make a mess but assembling them is half the fun!

4. Summer Pasta Dish: there is nothing better than fresh produce being the reason a dish stands out so much. This pasta dish is light, colorful, and packed full of flavor.

As for favorite adventure this month? Well, I would say it would HAVE to be our trip out West (or..well, maybe Graduating- that is kind of a big deal as well!)

My biggest lust this month? I am crazy about these Chasing Delicious posters that tell you when fruit//veggies//herbs are in season. Would those not be adorable//useful hanging in the kitchen??

Well, enough looking back! How about what we have in store for June?! I am very very excited for this month; Wyatt and I move into our new home (expect lots of pictures updates of the remodeling process!), my brother is graduating from Grad School (which means road trip to Chicago), and I am just too excited for all the new things I will be learning from the Blogging Your Way E-course which starts tomorrow!

Dinner Picnic Part 1: Southwestern Inspired Quinoa Salad

5.30.2012

Well Memorial weekend has come and gone which means summer is officially in full swing. To me, this means fresh produce and delicious salads! I am not a big fan of having just a salad as a meal but I do love them as a side and to compliment my main entrees. I am particularly fond of grain salads (wheat berry, quinoa, polenta, oh my!) so please let me know if I begin to get carried away in the coming months!

On Monday we piled 5 people, a dog, and a grill into my roommate’s tiny civic and off we went to spend the afternoon at the lake. It was 90 and sunny here in Bloomington so the water could have never felt better! I whipped this salad up to go with our grilled goods; what made me think to make this one was that I didn’t want a mayo based salad sitting in the heat all day! So I turned to my flavorful quinoa salad that doesn’t’ need to be lathered in thick dressing to be flavorful. This salad is lime juice based which means a little sun won’t hurt anything!

Also, I made a double recipe so that we would have leftovers for the week. Since I was just not into getting back to routine, I made Wyatt (and Tuko!) have a dinner picnic with me last night in our favorite garden. The main course recipe is coming in a post later this week (stay tuned!) but we had this salad again as a side. Such perfect picnic fare!

Southwestern Inspired Quinoa Salad

adapted from Mom De Cuisine

1 cup quinoa
1 15 oz can of black beans, drained
1 cup corn
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
2 jalapeno, chopped (use less if you don’t like spicy)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lime juice
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt/pepper
cilantro, for garnish

Cook quinoa according to package directions (if no directions- wash thoroughly with cold water and then boil the quinoa for about 15 minutes or until soft).

Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.

Once the quinoa has cooled completely, combine the quinoa, bell pepper, black beans, corn, jalapeno, and onions in a large mixing bowl. Fold in the whisked dressing.

Let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving so that all the flavors can mend together deliciously. Serve cool and while at a picnic/grill out!

Summer Pasta: Pesto Linguine with Spinach, Edamame, Lime, and Toasted Pecans

5.29.2012

I am both excited and a bit embarrassed to admit that I am about as nerdy as they come! Not even two weeks into finishing up my 16 years of schooling, I signed up for another class! Luckily, it’s an online blogging course put on by Decor8! I am so excited to expand my blogging skills and see what new thing I can absorb from this. I already have so many goals for VV this summer that I am hoping this course will push me to reach in ways I would have not thought of otherwise. If you’d like to learn more about it (or become my classmate! haha), hop on over to Blogging Your Way.

Anyhow, back to the point at hand: easy pasta dish! This dish has it all – protein from the edamame, nutrients from the fresh spinach (and maybe-sorta the corn?), and energy packed into the whole wheat pasta and pecans. Not to mention it’s delicious, colorful, and can be made in under 15 minutes. What more do you want? Yeah, maybe some garlic bread and red wine but those things are so easily solvable as well!

I whipped this up for a date night we had a few days back because when you are planing to spend your whole evening with that special cutie, who wants to waste the first two hours slaving away in the kitchen? Although, if its a FIRST date, I might recommend holding off on the garlic bread (or bringing a toothbrush!- just sayin’).

8 ounces of linguine
1/2 cup prepared pesto
4 ounces fresh spinach
1 1/2 cups edamame, cooked according to package
1/2 cup frozen corn, cooked according to package
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
2 Tablespoons lime juice

Prepare the linguine according to the package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, add the chopped pecans to a small skillet. Saute on low for 5 to 10 minutes or until they are toasted.

Drain the pasta and toss with the pesto and lime juice. Fold in the edamame and corn. And finally, top with the toasted pecans!

Serve with garlic bread (I just took two pitas and put butter/crushed garlic on top and stuck it under the broiler for a few minutes) and red wine!

Done!

No Moody Monday

5.28.2012

Good Morning! No Mood here! We spent the last two days up north visiting Wyatt’s parents. It was a very relaxing break from the usual routine. We went to their local farmer’s market, visited a very cool music store (that we, at work, distribute to!), took naps in the hammock, drank margaritas, grilled out, and had a bonfire. A perfect first half to Memorial weekend!

Well, I am off to make a quinoa salad for a grill out at the lake today. Be back tomorrow with the usual (and delicious) recipe posts! Have a great Monday!

Grill Time

5.27.2012

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

Saucy Saturdays: Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

5.26.2012

And Saucy Saturdays is back! After a three-week hiatus because of our little road trip to Arizona (and our lake trip last weekend), I refused to let another busy weekend get in my way! To be honest, I am actually probably on my way to Northwest Indiana as you read this post but knew I should write it ahead of time or else it would never happen.

I don’t know about where you live but it’s managed to get hot and muggy (suppose to hit the 100′s here – helloooo….May?) so I thought something light would hit the spot!

Strawberries are also popping up everywhere! Wyatt has a bunch of wild strawberries (they are so little and adorable!) growing in his backyard (AKA Tuko’s playground). Nothing like fresh strawberries (particularly when they are in season) and one of my all time favorite salads is a simple spinach salad with pecans, strawberries, and balsamic.

This sauce is super simple and great to drizzle on top of a spinach salad or just enjoy on top of some fresh fruit!

Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup strawberry jam
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
Dash of Salt/Pepper

Whisk together in a sealable jar and VIOLA! Fresh and homemade dressing for all your fruit and green eating needs!

Have a fantastic Memorial Day weekend!

Cookie Wars Goodies

5.24.2012

I had a very enjoyable lunch that consisted of me running home to make a quick sandwich and finding a beautifully wrapped package on my doorstep. Come to find out, there are amazingly delicious homemade dark chocolate and pecan (dark chocolate is my favorite!) cookies inside! It was my “prize package” from the 2012 Cookie Wars! It was absolutely adorable and I wanted to send out a thank you to Ms. Baker Betties for the delicious treats.

Now the only problem is deciding what to spend my Crate & Barrel gift card on…looks like I have the rest of my afternoon figured out for me! Thanks again, Kristin!

Our Adventure to the West through 35 MM

5.23.2012

DIY Delicious: DIY Buttermilk /// Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes

5.22.2012

This was originally posted on www.chivesgonewild.wordpress.com this morning. It’s a new blog that my good friend, Kristin, and I are collaborating on. Don’t worry – I’m not cheating on you, VV. It’s just a new outlet for me to express my thoughts on things outside of food…like DIY projects, shopping lists, decor suggestions, etc.

It’s still very new and in the experimental stage (we still don’t even have a bio made yet!) but feel free to go check it out if you have a few minutes!

Enjoy!

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Oddly enough, I’ve been using this trick for years for vegan baking but never really caught onto what I was actually doing. My introduction to vegan baking was in high school when I picked up Isa’s Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World. Almost all of the cupcake recipes start with mixing a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a cup of almond milk and end with amazingly moist, flavorful cupcakes.

Anyhow, I cannot begin to tell you how many times I’ve bought the smallest possible carton of buttermilk, used half a cup, and then let it go bad in my fridge swearing to myself, I’ll use it up next time. It’s just one of those staples that I never go through in my house (and I bet a lot of you are the same way).

This led me to research about buttermilk substitutes…and discover great news from it! You can actually make buttermilk with 2 simple pantry (fridge) staples in less than 10 minutes! Wah? I almost feel upset about discovering this because of all the times I’ve wasted soooo. much. buttermilk.

Here’s how it goes:

DIY Buttermillk

1 cup of milk (any kind you like – whole will give you a closer texture but use soy if you like it vegan!)
1 Tablespoon vinegar

Mix together in a bowl and let sit for 5 minutes [this will cause the milk to "curdle"]. Mix into all your favorite buttermilk recipes and that’s it!

And…by favorite…I mean recipes like the following:

Perfect to 2

1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon butter, melted
dash of vanilla
1 cup flour (+ more if the batter is too runny)
`1/2 cup oats
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
dash of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

Sliced strawberries

1/2 cup pecans, crushed
2 Tablespoons maple syrup

Combine the wet ingredients in a small bowl and mix together. In a large bowl, add in all the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet into it. Fold the dry into the wet until a thick batter forms. If the batter is too thin for your liking, add a bit more flour.

In a large skillet, melt a dollop of butter or oil over medium heat. Use a 1/2 cup measure as a scooper. Scoop batter onto the skillet and put two to three pancakes on at a time. Cook for two to three minutes on each side (will depend on how hot your skillet is). Repeat with the rest of the batter.

In a small saucepan, place the pecans and saute for 5 minutes on low. Next, add in 2 Tablespoons of maple syrup. Cook on low until all the syrup has stuck to the pecans.

Enjoy the pancakes lathered with maple pecans, sliced strawberries, butter, and lots of maple syrup!

Eat while sipping on your favorite coffee and watching some morning cartoon classics.

Moody Monday: Summer Sun

5.21.2012

Good Morning, Monday! This weekend came and went much too fast. Although, I have to admit that this is the first time in 6 months that I did not have homework looming over my shoulder all weekend (Yay for having two full days to do whatever I want – minus some laundry doing)!

Anyways, I spent those glorious two days in the sun and at the lake with friends. We grilled out for dinner BOTH Saturday and Sunday. And I made some amazing [mango and pineapple] sangria to go with our Saturday funsies which went over fabulously.

Altogether a successful weekend! If this wasn’t enough to get me through the week, I also have a 3 day weekend coming up! What to do with all that free time? Host a cook out? Take a mini trip to Nashville, TN? Organize a group camping trip to Turkey Run? Oh, the possibilities!

Tofu Thai Lettuce Wraps

5.20.2012

Continuing with my “health kick” this week, I decided to whip up these lettuce wraps for a refreshing and light dinner. I use to live in Nashville, TN and would go to the PF Chang (sorry- I am USUALLY not a chain girl) just to get the tofu lettuce wraps appetizer. This is my version of those and it’s fantastic; stocked full of refreshing veggies and flavorful sauces and then wrapped in a light lettuce leaf. There is something about the kick from the chili powder followed by a cool down from the lettuce that counteracts each other perfectly.

And if eating these because they are delicious and healthy weren’t enough, they are so much fun to assemble and munch down on! It’s like you’ve been given permission to play with your food (for once!). Also, if you are feeling like these won’t fill you up, think about adding some Scallion Wonton Bites as a side.

PS Omit the egg if you’re vegan!

Tofu Thai Lettuce Wraps

1 head of iceberg lettuce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
1 block of tofu, drained and cut into small “match-like” sticks
1 carrot, cut into small “match-like” sticks
6 small mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 egg
1/2 a head of red cabbage
2 spring onions, sliced
2 cups bean sprouts
2 Tablespoons lime juice
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce
dash of chili powder
1 Tablespoon olive oil
dry roasted peanuts, for garnish

In a large skillet, heat up the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for a minute. Next, add in the tofu, carrot, mushrooms, cabbage, and spring onions and saute another minute (if the pan gets try add a little water). Mix in the lime juice, soy sauce, chili powder and Teriyaki sauce.

Push ingredients to the side and crack the egg in the skillet. Stir quickly to break the yoke and then incorporate the egg with the rest of the mix. Once the egg is cooked, remove from heat and add in the bean sprouts.

Assemble by filling a whole piece of lettuce with 2 or 3 tablespoons of mixture and then sprinkle peanuts on top.

It’s probably impossible to tell because of the long hair but this is Wyatt munching down on some lettuce wraps! Mmmmm.

Cherry Beergaritas

5.17.2012

On my trip last week, I made a list of summer goals! I have not had a summer without classes in almost 4 hours and I decided I better start giving myself some things to work on before I waste the whole summer playing in the sun (okay, to be honest, that would not be so bad either).

Anyways, I shall post my summer list here so that I can slowly cross it off with that handy little font tool that wordpress has!

Summer Goals

1. Learn to like Mushrooms

2. Make homemade marscapone and ricotta cheese

3. Pickle my own grown cucumbers

4. Take some time to do a little yoga everyday

~~5. Try new cocktails~~

6. Make my first recipe zine

~~7. Get my Etsy shop up and running~~

~~8. Make Homemade dog biscuits for Tuko~~

9. Go camping at Turkey Run and Hoosier National Forest

10. Eat Vegan once a week (I think I will be making it every Wednesday)

Okay, that is enough of a list. I also have ‘decorate my new house’ on my list but that is going to have to happen regardless of whether I make it a goal so I’ll leave that off.

Back to number 5. I have already starting trying so many new cocktails this summer and absolutely love the learning experience that comes with seeing what mixes so well with what. I’ve also learned that I am not really an Old Fashioned kind of gal but do love me a Dark and Stormy. However, there is one super easy cocktail that I have already revisited about half a dozens times this summer…the good ol’ Beergarita. Beergaritas taste a lot like margaritas but the soda gives them an extra frizz similar to what you get when you drink a mimosa. The recipe I use is a revamped one that turns the traditional beergarita into a Cherry version that is so satisfying when sitting on your porch and soaking up the sun.

1 – 12 ounces corona
12 ounces of tequila
half a tube of limeade concentrate (should in a frozen tube in the freezer section)
12 ounces of Cherry Sprite
Ice
Maraschino Cherries, for garnish
a splash of maraschino cherry juice, for color

Pour the corona into a pitcher. Use the empty corona bottle to measure out the same amount for the tequila and sprite. Combine all ingredients in a pitcher. Serve over ice to all your friends!

And perhaps with some guacamole or corn salsa (you’ll probably need these snacks after the tequila sneaks up on you!).

Veggie Hoagies

5.16.2012

So vacation was awesome but I am feeling a little sluggish from all the gas station munchies and PB&J road sandwiches. I’ve decided to dedicate this whole week to “cleansing” my body and trying to pack it with as much veggies as possible. So far this week, every morning has started off with a Green Monster [smoothie] and a big veggie sandwich for lunch. I am hoping to post about my Green Monster creations soon- as soon as I can get an appetizing picture of green slushiness (maybe this won’t be anytime soon..)

Anyways, as an attempt to keep my boyfriend from breaking up with me from a veggie overload, I’ve tried to expand and get as creative as possible with our sandwiches this week. The other day I whipped up these oven toasted hoagies and they will for sure become a new staple in my lunch routine. So perfect because you can use whatever veggies you have on hand and then load them with the melted cheese and tangy dressing.

As usual when I post a sandwich suggestion, feel free to substitute whatever veggies and cheeses you think sound good.

Veggie Hoagies

2 ciabbata buns
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 bell pepper, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
5 button mushrooms, sliced
1 tomato, diced
1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 Tablespoon fresh)
1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 Tablespoon fresh)
4 slices of Swiss cheese (or whatever cheese you prefer- omit if vegan)
1/4 cup Italian dressing
salt/pepper
tin foil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the sliced ciabbata rolls on a ungreased cooking sheet and stick them in the preheating oven for 5 minutes (or until they start to become toasted).

In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onions and saute for about five minutes. Then add the peppers, mushrooms , basil, oregano, salt, and pepper and saute for another 10 minutes or until all the veggies have softened.

Divide the cheese and dressing between the two rolls. Top with the veggie mixture and the tomatoes. Spray tin foil with cooking spray and wrap the sandwiches in two pieces.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has completely melted.

Serve warm with chips or coleslaw or whatever sounds yummy!

Rustic Cakes with Red Wine Onion Relish

5.15.2012

I pulled out this recipe book the other day because I had stumbled upon this Vegan cookbook when I was at Powell’s in Portland a few months back. The pictures are gorgeous and I am just in love with the fact that he adds a little play list to go with every recipe. Anyways, this is the only recipe I’ve tried out of the book so far and I was blown away. These little cakes are soooo delicious. I lathered them with this caramelized onion relish for dinner and then ate the leftover with maple syrup the next morning (honestly, I can not tell you which version was better- they were fantastic both savory and sweet!).

I’ll admit- I’m biased when it comes to breakfast food (and particularly when it comes to being able to serve it for dinner without any regrets). But to be completely honest, I think that the onion relish may have been my favorite part about the whole thing. Although the cakes are super delicious by themselves, the onions practically melt in your mouth and have the most beautiful color from being soaked in the red wine. I’d recommend putting this relish on everything- crackers, sandwiches, rustic cakes, imitation meat, etc.

Also, I upped the corn meal a lot so that the batter was easier to work with. This made the cakes denser so if you like yours thin then feel free to use a little less cornmeal when making your cakes.

Rustic Cakes with Red Wine Onion Relish

For the cakes:

2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cup almond milk
Coconut oil (for frying)

For the onion relish:

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onions, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon sugar
3 Tablespoons red wine
1 tablespoon water

Combine, all (except the coconut oil) in a bowl and mix until a thick dough forms. Stick in the fridge for ten minutes or until it’s chilled.

Warm the olive oil over low to medium low in a small skillet. Saute the onions for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are browning and starting to caramelize. Add the sugar, wine, and water and bring to a bowl. Let it simmer over low until the wine has evaporated.

In a large skillet, warm a thin layer of coconut oil. Make golf ball size dough balls and small down. Place 3 to 4 cakes in a skillet and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side (depending on how hot the oil is).

Serve warm with the onions piled on top and maybe some asparagus on the side.

Oh! And don’t forget to eat your leftovers the morning after with maple syrup!

Moody Monday: Back From the Wild Wild West

5.14.2012

And I’m back! After a much needed week-long adventure to Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico, I am back at work and back into the routine.

The trip was absolutely amazing and we experienced soooo many amazing things including camping on the beach, hanging out in mountain logging towns, and exploring New Mexico thrift shops.I am hoping to have a full post of pictures later this week so stayed tuned!

As for Moody Monday, it’s not so moody around here with all the exciting happenings (still on cloud nine from my trip and officially starting my full-time job at Secretly Canadian Distribution today).

Hope to be back into action with recipe posts tomorrow! Happy Monday!

Southwest Road Trip

5.06.2012

Hey Everyone! Just letting you know I will be MIA for the week because we are taking our annual cross country road trip.

Be back in a week or so! I will be documenting a lot of my trip through instragram so feel free to follow me (username: shellywest) if you’d like to follow along!

Veggie Sloppy Joes / Summer Picnic

5.04.2012

I had my last final yesterday afternoon which meant I was going to study all day…or at least that was my plan until it decided to be 80 and sunny outside. So, to compromise, we had a picnic in my backyard to take a break from my studies (which eventually turned into my just studying outside the rest of the day).

We were, surprisingly, able to enjoy our sloppy joes in peace because Tuko was too distracted by all the squirrel action going on in the trees around us.

Wyatt was so into his Joe that he managed to scarf down 3 in a row (hungry boy).

Veggie Sloppy Joes

Adapted from A Couple Cooks

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 celery stock, diced
1- 15 ounce can of kidney beans
1-15 ounce can of pinto beans
2 cups of tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon oregano
squirt of srichacha sauce
dash of fresh ground pepper
buns
garnish with [vegan] cheese

In a skillet, heat up the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and saute for about five minutes or until they start to soften. Then add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until it has reached a desired consistency.

Lather in between a bun and top the mixture with cheese.

Serve with chips or corn on the cob or coleslaw. And enjoy on a fun colored blanket outside with your favorite people (and animals)!

Roasted Balsamic Carrots

5.02.2012

I totally get why people insist on creating super elaborate dishes with dozens of ingredients; I myself have made plenty of recipes that hit that description on the head but for some reason I always come back to the simple ones. Roasting vegetables is probably the first thing you learn in cooking 101 but yet there’s nothing better than the bold, natural flavors that come from roasting. These carrots only have five ingredients but every ingredient is important and you can taste the delicious chemistry that is created when these ingredients are cooked together.

Anyways, I am going to keep this short because I have been writing papers all week for my finals and more writing just seems like a chore (which is never what this blog should feel like!) However, now that I’ve managed to write such a passionate previous paragraph about these flavorful carrots, you should probably just try them out for yourself and not take my word for it.

Roasted Balsamic Carrots

6 carrots, sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 425. Combine the nutmeg, cinnamon, balsamic, and olive oil in a bowl. Toss the carrots in the mixture and then lay in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Cook for 10 minutes. Flip and then roast for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy as a delicious side or an afternoon snack.