Food Photography

Entries Tagged as 'food photography'

Vegan Gingerbread Biscotti

12.21.2012

And its time to push on with the holiday baking! Yesterday I posted about those beautiful candied orange peels and last week there was the Peppermint Dipped Brown Butter Shortbread cookies…and now I’m here again with some biscotti! Are you sick of all the sugar yet? Yeah, me neither!

This is a perfect accompaniment to your morning cup of coffee [or tea] for you to enjoy on your lazy holiday mornings. They are firm but soften up beautifully when dunked in a big cup of coffee and give a wonderful gingerbread flavor tint to your cup of joe! I topped my biscotti with frosting since I had just made some for sugar cookies but feel free to drizzle with chocolate or caramel or whatever you are feeling!

Vegan Gingerbread Biscotti

adapted from Isa Moskowitz

1/4 cup molasses
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
1/2 cup coconut oil
4 Tablespoons of unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used my homemade stuff)
1 3/4 cup of flour
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking sheet.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the molasses, sugar, flaxseed, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Pour the dry ingredients into wet and stir until combined and crumbly. Finally, add in a the milk a tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together (you want to keep the dough on the dry side so you may not use all 4 tablespoons).

Roll the dough out into a 11 inch by 4 inch long and place on greased cooking sheet. Cook for 30 minutes or until the edges just start to brown. Remove from oven and let cook for an hour.

Reheat oven to 325 degrees and use a sharp knife to cut diagonal strips into the biscotti log. Turn the pieces so that the inside part is facing up (this will help dry out the middle) and stick back in the oven for 20 minutes. Let cool completely to reach that desired crispiness.

Black Bean & Wheatberry Chili

12.03.2012

Morning, Morning. Can you believe it is already December? It sure does not feel like it. I don’t know about where you live but I’m located in the Midwest and we are suppose to have some 70 degree weather today (such a weird introduction to winter…). Not that I’m complaining but I would have considered making something a little more…light and refreshing had I known it was going to be so warm. Ah well, this chili is oh so delicious regardless of the temperature.

I’m not going to lie. I am really proud of this recipe. It’s packed with so much nutrients I can hardly wrap my head around it. We are talking loads of protein, fiber, vitamin C, iron, potassium, vitamin A, etc etc etc. The list goes on and if you make the beans from scratch… this chili is packed full of fresh and non-processed foods as well. I’ve never felt soooo good about gobbling down a bowl of food. And not to mention, it is absolutely delicious. The wheat berries give it slight chewy texture while the cocoa powder (learned that trick thanks to a very good friend of mine) bring a new complexity to the flavor.

Oh and don’t worry! If my over zealous attitude towards super healthy eating is freaking you out – I made some oh so irresistible Corn Cheddar biscuits to go with packed full of two sticks of butter and loads of gooey cheese [recipe on that to follow tomorrow!]

This recipe is vegan (unless you add cheese and sour cream) and makes about six serving. You could even double the recipe and plan to have leftovers for lunch the rest of the week.

Black Bean & Wheatberry Chili

adapted from Eating Well

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups black beans, cooked (I used dried but feel free to use canned)
1 24 ounce can of diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups vegetable broth (I used homemade)
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup cooked wheat berries, cooked*
Juice of 1 lime

Avocado, optional
sour cream, optional
cilantro for garnish, optional

Heat olive oil over medium in a large pot. Add in the onion, carrots, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 7 to 10 minutes or until all the vegetables has softened. Next, add in the tomatoes, broth, black beans, and cocoa powder. Bring the chili to a bowl, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Add wheat berries and let cook for another two minutes.

Remove from heat and squeeze in lime juice. Serve with garnish options (avocado, sour cream cilantro, plain yogurt, etc).

*To cook 1 1/2 cups of Wheatberries: Rinse 3/4 cup of berries and letting them simmer for 45 minutes or until softened.

November Wrap Up

11.30.2012

…And there goes another month. Isn’t it crazy how fast time seems to be going by? Thanksgiving has come and gone, the Christmas shopping is underway, and holiday cookies are on the mind. How about a quick recap of the past month before we jump into cookie cutters, green/red sprinkles, and chocolate covered everything?

Some favorite highlights from the past month:

1. Rosemary Vegetable Soup with Rustic Bread – Fresh bread and a hearty vegetable soup. Cannot think of a better way to bring in the cold evenings.

2. Cranberry Mojito – Festive and delicious! This drink was the perfect starter at our Friendsgiving party.

3. Pumpkin Dog Biscuits – Tuko turned 1 so I had to spoil the crap out of him with homemade biscuits and a new sweater. Believe me, I will be making these again very soon for Christmas gifts for all the adorable pups in my life.

4. Dark Chocolate Raspberry Espresso Scones – they were an extra amazing breakfast treat! The flavor was rich and complex with a flaky texture that was pretty much irresistible!

And that sums it up!

Moving forward… here are a few winter goals I am planning to tackle in the dark, cold months ahead:

1. Make homemade ricotta cheese (this has been on my list forever and I am going to do it this time!)

2. Get into a morning yoga routine

3. Make more homemade salad dressings

4. Work on my photography skills // work on lighting

5. Learn basic CSS (or at least enough to get my logo up in that corner where the V is!!)

6. Get into Twitter

7. Make homemade cleaning supplies

Okay, that is a start. Should keep me busy for awhile [I hope]. What you are hoping to accomplish this winter?

Homemade Caramel Corn

10.25.2012

When I was in middle school, I would sometimes go to work with my Ma in the mornings and then walk to school [since it was right down the street]. This meant that there was about an hour where I would just be hanging out around her office doing “homework” (which was actually just me distracting her or going through the stuff in her office). My favorite time of year to be around was after the holidays because she would have lots of edible gifts that she received from employees/clients. Chocolate bars were a popular choice but as a little kid, I was always drawn to the GIANT tin of popcorn that had a tiny paper divider splitting the caramel and cheese popcorn [when you are little - everything is cooler when it's in mass quantities]. I always liked taking the divider out and mixing the two flavors…which was probably my first introduction to the ‘sweet/salty’ combination. [and look at me now! 10 years later and I can't imagine eating caramel without some big hunks of sea salt on top!]

Anyhow, so fast forward to present [~ 10 years later]: We’ve been having weekly movie nights on Thursdays which has given me a chance to make some treats for guests. Popcorn seems like the likely suspect for a movie night so immediately I thought of my Ma’s caramel popcorn recipes (which was actually my Grandma’s). These stuff is amazing…I mean..melt-in-your-mouth, can’t-stop eating-until-it’s-gone amazing. I tweaked the recipe slightly to fit what I had in my pantry and used agave nectar instead of corn syrup (sorry, Ma) but it was just as fantastic as I remember.

The moment that the popcorn came out of the oven and the sweet caramel smell filled my kitchen, I started nibbling at it… like, uncontrollably nibbling at it. And then before I knew it…a large chunk of the popcorn was gone (and the guests had not even arrived). I started pondering if this amount of popcorn was going to be enough (don’t get me wrong…it makes a ton of popcorn…but this stuff was good and I didn’t want it to be gone before the movie even started). So I started brainstorming ways I could make it last longer and that is when I remember the old cheese/caramel mix. Boom! Perfect. I [sort of cheating...] ran down to the co-op and bought a bag of cheesy popcorn [I know, I SHOULD have made it from scratch...but to be fair...I could not find any recipes that could truly capture that cheesy, powdery texture that the store-bought has. And...at least I went organic with it!]

And thus, the popcorn was a hit! It was [almost] gone before the movie started but lasted long enough for everyone to get their fill. The point of my story? Well 1. I like to ramble and 2. plan for the fact that you may eat half of it beforehand and 3. include the cheddar popcorn or just eat the caramel corn by itself…it will be irresistible regardless.

Homemade Caramel Corn

2/3 cup corn kernels
vegetable or canola oil (amount depends on the size of your pot)
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick of butter, melted
1/8 cup agave nectar
pinch of cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
salt

store-bought cheddar cheese popcorn, optional

First, pop the popcorn! You can either use your favorite method or follow mine. In a large pot with a lid, pour oil until it just coats the bottom. Place two kernels into the pan and heat over medium (with the lid on) and wait until the kernels pop (this will let you know the oil is ready). Once they pop, immediately add the rest of the kernels and stick the top back on. Shake the pot back and forth across the burner (this will be loud and a workout for your arms – both are good for ya!) and continue to shake until all the popcorn has popped (shaking will keep the popcorn from burning). Remove from heat once all the popcorn has popped and set aside.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, agave, and cream of tartar. Bring to a boil and boil for five minutes while stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda.

Pour the heated mixture over popcorn and stir until all the popcorn is coated. Transfer popcorn to two cake pans or 1 baking sheet (if using baking sheet, make sure not to spill it in the oven!). Cook for 2 hours and stir every 30 minutes.

Enjoy warm with all your friends!

Spicy Orange Tofu

10.24.2012

Orange tofu! The name sounds kind of weird but it’s a spin off of the famous Orange Chicken that you can get at your local Chinese take-out. Chinese take-out is something I ate a lot growing up so the cravings for it are more frequent than I’d like to admit. Although I can’t get it at most restaurants anymore (they only serve chicken versions), I can make my own! Which is probably for the best because all that MSG makes me soooo sleeepy anyways….zzzzzzz

This recipe is super similar to my General Tao Tofu recipe but with a different sauce. As I’ve mentioned before, I make that General Tao a lot.. so sometimes it’s nice to mix it up and this recipe was the perfect answer to that. It’s a bit sweeter but the srihacha gives a lingering kick to leave you feeling oh so satisfied.

So there it is! Recipe number 2 on this “Tofu Adventure” was a success [although...was this cheating since this method of preparing is already my go-to tofu cooking method? Ah, whatever. Let's count it as a win]. If you’re into tofu like I am, feel free to check out the first part of “Tofu Adventure” where I made some delicious Pesto Tofu Scramble!

;

Spicy Orange Tofu

1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer
4 Tablespoons water
1 pound of extra firm tofu (drained and cut into 1-inch cubes)
3/4 cup cornstarch
2 Tablespoons canola/vegetable oil

;

1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons orange juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
dash of ginger
1 teaspoon of sriracha (more if you like it spicy!)

;

Rice
Steamed broccoli
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, for garnish

;

Start by making the sauce: Whisk together the vinegar, brown sugar, orange juice, ginger, garlic and sriracha. Taste test and add more sriracha is it needs more spice. Set aside.

In another small bowl, whisk together the egg replacer with 3 Tablespoons water. Dip tofu in this mixture until completely coated and then sprinkle 3/4 cup of the cornstarch over the tofu until it’s completely coated.

Next, In a large pan fry the tofu by added them to a medium heated pan with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in it. Flip the tofu after about 2 minutes or until it is browned on all sides. When done, turn heat down to medium-low and pour in the orange glaze. Fold the glaze into the tofu and cook down to desired consistency.

Serve warm over rice and with steamed broccoli. Top with sesame seeds and perhaps find some vegetarian crab rangoon to top it all off!

;

Muesli Bread

10.23.2012

I know I push making homemade staples on you guys (see: DIY ketchup, Vegetable Broth, Pumpkin Granola, etc etc etc) but I only do it with the best intentions in mind. It’s healthier, you know exactly what is going into your body, and it often times taste better. I totally get that you aren’t going to always have time to make everything from scratch but you really should make some time now and then to make homemade bread. It may sound unnecessary when you can walk down the street and pick up a loaf for 4 dollars but let me tell you…nothing compares to homemade bread. There is something so satisfyingly addicting about fresh, steamy, buttered bread hot out of the oven. It’s more addicting than that chocolate you sneak after dinner… than that giant triple espresso latte your body tells you it needs in the morning…this stuff is probably more addicting [and healthier] than crack [although I have no real life experience to testify this - sorry!].

Anyhow, cooler weather means we can turn our oven on for more than 20 minutes without fainting..or worse yet, feeling guilty about having it on. It means we stay in doors more [unless you are a skier...then you are gearing up for your most busy season. Luckily, my brother go the skiing bug in my family so I can safely say I prefer the indoors during the cooler months] so we have more time to prep the dough, we have more excuses to heat the house by turning the oven up, and we have more reason to “carb-up” [probably not a word but I'm using it] so our bodies can use those calories to keep us warm. Okay, maybe I am over exaggerating a bit…it is still 60 degrees out there but when you are dealing with something as amazing as fresh bread, you NEED to extend the bread season as long as possible. So put your slippers on, turn that oven up, and start shivering so your body can crave those carbs!

Last “bread season” I tackled Garlic Naan, Breadmaker Jalapeno Cheese Bread, Pretzel Bread, Fall Focaccia, and Oatmeal Honey Buttermillk loaves (my personal favorite) – to name a few. This season, I am starting it off with this breakfast Muesli Bread! I am really gonna have to go big this season because this bread is already one of my favorites! Not only is it gorgeous to look at but it’s bursting with flavor from the nuts, seeds, and dried fruit! We ate this for breakfast with a thin layer of butter and strawberry preserves…oh. my. goodness. I wish breakfast could be this indulgent all the time!

Muesli Bread

adapted from Minimalist Baker

1 1/2 cups warm water
3 1/4 cups flour + more for dusting
1/2 Tablespoon salt
3/4 Tablespoon fast acting yeast
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup dried cherries (or any dried fruit you’d prefer)
1/4 cup almonds, chopped

In a small measuring cup, combine the warm water and yeast and set aside (this will give the yeast a few minutes to ‘activate’ and start foaming). Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Slowly add the water mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined (this will either take a sturdy spatula or maybe even your hands…the dough will be very sticky).

Once the dough has formed a ball, place in an oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Look sit for 1 hour in a warm spot and then transfer to the fridge for an hour.

Once the dough is ready, remove from the fridge and transfer to a floured counter top. Knead the dough a few times and then add in the almonds, pumpkin seeds, and cherries. Knead until everything is incorporated (try to keep the add-ins as much in the middle as possible because they tend to burn if they are sticking out on top).

Transfer dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with flour. Adjust your oven racks so there is one on the lowest spot and then one in the middle. Place a metal or cast iron (NOT GLASS) pan on the bottom shelf and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Let dough rise for about 20 minutes or until the oven has preheated. Stick the dough into the preheated oven and pour a cup of warm water into the metal pan (it’ll steam – don’t worry! It’s suppose to!) and cook for about 30 minutes.

Remove from oven once the top is browned and serve warm with butter // jam.

Pesto Tofu Scramble with Roasted Tomatoes

10.22.2012

Morning, Morning, Morning! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Mine was filled [again] with all my favorite things: friends, hiking, yoga[ing], cooking, and exploring. It’s been so beautiful here with the leaves changing that I’ve felt the need to get outside as much as possible before the cold comes in! We are going to Denver this weekend so I’ve been trying to get my Midwest Fall crammed into 3 weekends this year instead of 4. Here are a few pictures from the hiking /// Fire Tower adventure yesterday:

This weekend was also great because it felt like a bit of a staycation. On Saturday night, Wyatt and I skipped out on our usual bar spot and went drinking at a small Irish pub instead. I had never really drank there before and it was such a wonderful, new experience. The place is full of great lighting, has a rustic pub feel, and delicious cocktail combinations! Definitely my new favorite “date spot”.

And then on Sunday we spent most of the day hiking with some friends. On the way back from the hike, we went out to eat at this little touristy restaurant called ‘The View’. This place is down by the lake so it’s a ways away from Bloomington and we have passed it dozens of times but never thought to stop. It was a pretty good experience [minus some terrible music playing]. The atmosphere was laid back and they had some delicious homemade veggie burgers and ginger sprinter.

_______________

And now let’s talk about food! I have a very love//hate relationship with tofu. I can make an amazing General Tao Tofu dish like no one’s business but then there are often times that my tofu comes out crumbly//mushy//sad when I step out of my comfort zone with it. And thus, I have decided that I love [when things go right] tofu too much to be discouraged about trying a new recipe out of fear it won’t come out. I am planning to try a new tofu dish at least one a week for the next month to hone in on my skills and figure out what works/does not work for me when it comes to this protein packed beast [and perhaps I'll try tempeh next month...and then seitan...etc].

I started my new ‘Tofu Journey’ [can we call it that?] with this scramble. I’ve made many tofu scrambles before and sometimes they turn out just right…but other times they turn out watery or dry or bland. I wasn’t going to let some bad attempts discourage me this time though. I thought about failed attempts in the past and what went wrong…the final verdict to making a good tofu scramble [I decided] was 1. watch it closely to make sure it doesn’t get dried out 2. Pick a flavor combination and stick to it so that it doesn’t end up bland or have too much going on 3. Don’t get impatient…make sure you let it get to the right consistency before taking it off the stove top.

Pesto Tofu Scramble with Roasted Tomatoes

Serve 3 (or a hungry 2!)

1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 block firm (or extra firm) tofu
1/4 cup prepared pesto (I used my frozen pesto)
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
olive oil
salt / pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss the tomatoes in olive oil and salt / pepper and place onto a baking sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes (I like my tomatoes to still have a bit of shape but feel free to roast for longer if you like them to be broken down).

In the meantime, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium. Add the chopped onions and cook for about 5 minutes; add the garlic and cook for another two. Next, squeeze the tofu over the sink and try to ring out some of the water. Crumble the tofu over the pan and saute for about ten minutes (this will depend on how moist the tofu is so this is the part where you watch it very closely…cook longer if it’s still mushy and add a tablespoon or so of water if it dries out). Add in the prepared pesto and cook for another two minutes. Remove from heat and top with roasted tomatoes.

Serve with soy yogurt and blueberries. Or with a big side of home fries.

Spiced Bread Pudding // Collaboration with Dishes Undressed

10.16.2012

Happy Tuesday! I’m here today with another collaboration with Angie from Dishes Undressed and this one is our dessert edition! I had her try out my vegan cobbler cake [which sure does look delicious!] and she had me tackle this mouth-watering bread pudding.

Okay, so let’s talk pudding. The REAL kind of pudding…not the stuff you get at the store that is in powder form and you add milk [or something to that nature] to make it come alive [do people still do that? I remember my Dad making us pistachio pudding a lot like this when I was a kid]. I’m talking about the traditional puddings which are created from recipes filled with generations of memories. I never grew up on those puddings and have sort of been making up for lost time. Earlier this month, I whipped up my first ever persimmon pudding and have enjoyed several batches of the stuff since. And now, here I am, trying out bread pudding for the first time. Who knows what’s next! Maybe I’ll try to conquer rice pudding [again, do people eat that stuff?]. Do you have a favorite pudding recipes? I think I might just have to go on a pudding kick to find mine!

So…my first experience with bread pudding. I was a bit unsure of what to expect but was smitten by the idea that the ingredients were so similar to my favorite breakfast food ever: french toast. I mean, anything that encourages eating french toast more than just before 10 AM is a keeper in my book. Anyhow, so the result was similar to baked french toast but soften. It was moist, spongy, and full of spices. The warm jam with the perfect sidekick to bring out the sweetness of the pudding. I adapted mine slightly from Angie’s recipe to accommodate what I had on hand.

PS- One last thing! I am a total instagram, bloglovin, and facebook addict [do you follow me on all these things??]. I am, however, totally clueless when it comes to Twitter but I’ve decided it’s time to make the plunge! That is right, VV is offically going to be on Twitter so please hop on over and…say Hi or whatever you do on Twitter. [Username: ShellyWester]

Spiced Bread Pudding

2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean
8 thick slices of stale bread
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
dash of cinnamon and nutmeg
fig jam, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and arrange the bread pieces on a small pan.

Slice the vanilla bean in half and scrap out all the seeds. Discard the pod and place seeds in a small saucepan with the milk and bring to a boil. Once boiling, immediately remove from heat and let cool.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and the sugar. Once the milk mixture is completely cooled (we don’t want the eggs scrambling now!), slowly add it into the egg mixture and stir until combined.

Pour over the bread pieces and let sit for ten minutes. Pop it into the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the top is browned and crusty. Remove from oven and let cool.

In a small saucepan, warm the jam until it becomes runny. Swirl into the bread pudding and enjoy right away! Perhaps along side a big mug of chia tea or with a blanket on your hammock.

Fall Quinoa Salad with Apples, Pecans, and Cranberries

10.11.2012

Good Morning! I know I’ve already mentioned this in previous posts but have you checked out Chickpea magazine yet? I am so excited that they have officially starting shipping out the fall issue this week. I cannot wait to snuggle up on the coach with my puppy and a big mug of chai tea while I swoon over this issue’s recipes and articles!

Anyhow, today I am sharing a recipe for a quinoa salad. Do you like quinoa? Did you try that Southwestern Quinoa Salad I posted about awhile back? If you have not tried it, I highly recommend checking this grain (is it a grain or a seed?) out. It has such a unique, light and filling texture//taste that it really is hard to explain. This salad is super simple and easy to make so this would be a great introduction to quinoa for you. The hint of cinnamon counteracts the tart apples to make a flavorful and filling side dish.

Fall Quinoa with Apples, Pecans, and Cranberries

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
3/4 cup water
1 tart apple, diced (sprinkle a little lemon juice on the apple chunks to keep from turning brown)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries (or cherries or whatever else you like dried!)

For the dressing:

2 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
dash of cinnamon
salt/pepper

Bring the water a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and add in the quinoa. Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and “fluff” the quinoa with a fork.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and add to cooled quinoa. Mix in the apple, pecans, and cranberries into the quinoa.

Serve warm or chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Goat Cheese Croutons

10.09.2012

And here I am again with more butternut squash in my life (as if that amazing Galette was not enough!). What can I say? Eating in season has been so easy since our bodies were made to adjust to the seasons. All I’ve been craving for the past two weeks have been soups loaded with winter squash and apple-coated everything.

And I am excited to share with you goat cheese croutons! Have you ever had croutons made out of cheese? OH MY GOD. I cannot believe it took 23 years on this planet to discover these little things! They bring shame to that stale old bread that you use to call “croutons”. For real, image this: gooey, breaded chunks of cheese hidden in your bowl of already delicious soup. It’s like a cheese stick in your soup! But even better because it’s homemade and filled with GOAT CHEESE. Not so bad…am I right? I’m excited to experiment with this more as the winter progresses….perhaps try other cheeses? They will need to low in fat content so that they don’t melt in the cooking process. Hmmm…perhaps feta or Parmesan chunks ? Or maybe even find a better technique for sealing the cheese in the breadcrumbs and branch out to Gruyere or brie. Oh man, the options are endless!

Anyhow, regardless of the croutons, this soup is really yummy. Flavored with curry powder and roasted butternut squash, this recipe is a keeper! I recommend roasting the squash ahead of time since it takes an hour and then you can prep the rest in 20 minutes.

Lastly, you should know that I adapted this recipe from SpoonForkBacon. It’s one of my new favorite food blogs and although I don’t eat bacon (thank goodness that I don’t have to worry about that bacon shortage coming!), I do find the food photography incredibly inspiring and highly suggest that you all hop on over and check it out!

Curried Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese Croutons

adapted from SpoonForkBacon

1 large butternut squash, sliced in half with seeds removed
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons chives, chopped
2 Tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin
dash of cinnamon
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2/3 cup coconut milk (you can use regular as well if that is what you have on hand)

For the croutons:

3 ounces goat cheese,
1/8 cup flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
salt/pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the butternut squash on a baking sheet with the cut sides up. Stick 1 tablespoon of the butter and brown sugar in the cavity of each side. Roast for 1 hour or until the flesh has softened all the way through. Remove from heat and let cool enough to handle. Remove skin and discard.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add the onions and saute for about five minutes or until softened. Add in the chives, curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, and squash. Stir until combined.

Next, pour in the broth and let simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove from heat and use an immersion blender (or let cool enough to stick in the regular blender) and puree. Return to the stove top and simmer over medium low for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut milk.

To make the croutons:

Leave oven preheated at 375 degrees.

Make 12 (or 15 if you want them smaller) balls of goat cheese. Place the flour, breadcrumbs, and egg all in separate bowls. Roll the balls into the flour, egg, and then the breadcrumbs. Place onto a greased baking sheet and cook for about 15 minutes (flipping halfway through). Make sure to keep your eye on them and remove when browned (some will take more or less time depending on how big your croutons are).

Serve the soup with croutons or crispy bread.

Feta and Chives Beer Bread

10.08.2012

I’ve been feeling very inspired today. Do you ever have those days where you go to check your “inspiration feed” [mine is bloglovin' but any sort of RSS feed is what I am referring to] planning to look for ten minutes and then one blog leads to another which leads to an idea which leads to lots of online “reasarch”? Of course you do…I mean you are on a blog right now reading this and there is a good chance if you stumbled upon VV that you were also on some sort of blog journey at one point.

Anyhow, I stumbled upon ‘Going Home To Roost’s’ monthly membership (that is only 5 dollars, might I add) where you get weekly newsletters filled with tutorials, e-courses, designs, etc. This led to me (of course) signing up and reading her e-courses triggered thoughts of the classes that I’ve taken in the past (Blogging Your Way and A Beautiful Mess) so the afternoon turned into lots of reflecting on concepts and ideas that were brought up in those classes. Anyhow, I bring this up because you should hop on over to Going Home To Roost if you are looking for some inspiration and consider signing up for her monthly plan. A lot of bloggers say that paid subscription for extra content in the way of the future for bloggers. It’s sort of a cool concept (who doesn’t like exclusivity?) and at 5 bucks a month…I bet we could handle it!

_____________________________

And now, let’s talk about food. This is probably one of the easiest recipes I have/will ever posted. I’ve actually made beer bread way more than any food blogger should EVER admit [ but it's totally not my fault!] I could make the fanciest truffle pasta or elegant french soup with Gruyere croutons and Wyatt would reply “are we having beer bread with that?”. Seriously, anything that you can dip bread in…he requests beer bread as the side. I’ve made fresh baguette and seasonal Foccaccia but he always goes back to asking about the beer bread. And so here we are, it’s probably the trashiest American bread to ever exist but it’s SO easy (no rise time) and actually can be rather addicting.

Another thing that is great about beer bread is its super versatile. I added feta and chives because that is what I had on hand but in the past I’ve added sun-dried tomatoes, basil, oregano, sage, cheddar, etc etc. The options are pretty endless! All you have to do is think of a combine that goes well together and do it!

So whip this up next time you are planning to spend hours making a soup (so then you don’t ALSO have to worry about an elaborate bread to go with it) or need some spongy bread for warm gooey grilled cheese.

Beer Bread with Chives and Feta

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 12-ounce beer
2 ounces feta, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped chives

Preheat oven to 375 and grease a small loaf pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Add in the beer and stir until just combined. Fold in the feta and chives.

Cook for 50 minutes or until the top is crusty.

Serve warm with soups and sandwiches!

Butternut Squash Galette with Sage and Cheddar

10.03.2012

Do you guys all follow me on instagram [ username: shellywest - if you don't, you should!] ? Well, if not then you missed this picture of these adorable mini-cucumbers that I posted the other day (don’t they look like tiny watermelons? how bizarre is that?!). Anyhow, we got a handful of these at the farmer’s market this week and they taste like a super crunchy cucumber and I bet would be perfect in salads.

You know what else I got at the Farmer’s market? A big, beautiful butternut squash. Yup, that’s right. Fall vegetables are in full bloom and they look like this…

Looks delicious…right? Oh and to the left of that is some sage from my sunroom. The sun room has been seriously lacking in the ‘sun’ part lately so most of the herbs are looking pretty sad. Luckily, sage is a tough little guy and has still been thriving. He (or it…or she) looks like this:

Seeee…isn’t she lookin’ good? I even have her in a self-watering plant so she can take care of herself. Oh, and there’s my maroon knee-high socks too…sorry but it is fall. And if there is anything I take seriously this time of year, it’s socks and sweaters. A girl needs the proper accessories [socks] to pull off her fall attire. OH! and while we are on the topic of my thriving sage [or did we already switch topics?] …

Look at that texture! Sage, you really know how to show off. oh…speaking of texture…

Haha. Sorry to all of you who are just trying to get to the recipe… I am making all of you go through half a dozen photos first! I promise I’m just trying to prep you for all the delicious things that will be going into this galette. But I’ll stop babbling about…socks and fall and texture so that we can get to why you are really here….

Butternut Squash Galette

adapted from Bust Magazine

For the crust:

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/4 cup ice water

For the filling:

1 butternut squash, peeled, seed, and cubed
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
salt/pepper, to taste

1 egg + 1 Tablespoon water

Lets make the crust: Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Use your [clean] hands to massage the butter into the flour mixture until a coarse dough as formed (a few large chunks of butter leftover is a-okay). Next, slowly add in the water a tablespoon at a time until the dough forms a thick ball.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for five minutes or until the dough is completely combined and no longer sticky. Wrap in parchment paper and let chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

—-fast forward 30 minutes [or enjoy those 30 minutes by watching your dog try to get peanut butter of the top of his mouth, dance to your favorite vinyl, look up some David Bowie photos online, shave your legs, etc] —–

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from fridge and roll out onto a floured surface. You want your dough to be as close to a circle as possible and about 1/2 inch thick. Transfer dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Combine all the filling ingredients together in a bowl and spread in the center of the dough (leave about 2 inches around the edges). Fold the edges in over part of the filling.

Whisk together the water and egg wash and brush over the crust.

Cook for 40 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the crust has browned.

Serve warm with cider [or other fall paraphernalia - like a hot toddy]

Spicy Jalapeno Corn Hummus

10.02.2012

Heyyya! Happy gloomy, gloomy Tuesday. As a way to kick up this chilly and droopy day, I made some spicy hummus to warm you up! Well…I didn’t exactly make it for you. I made the hummus for myself but I do have the recipe to share with you so that you can make it too! It’s the perfect afternoon snack to fill you up and give your metabolism an extra boost (did you know spicy food does that? How cool!)

Anyhow, I’m off to do more logo design proofing followed by a lazy evening filled with warm apple cider and Parks & Recreation marathons.

Spicy Corn Jalapeno Hummus

1 jalapeno
2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 large ears of corn, kernels removed from the cobs (about 3/4 cup)
1 Tablespoon butter
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt/pepper to taste
sriracha, optional (if you like it super spicy – add a few drops at the end)

Roast the jalapeno however you’d prefer. I stuck mine over my gas stove (see photo below) but feel free to use the broiler as well.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and saute for about 7 minutes or until they are soft and browned.

Combine, the jalapeno, corn, chickpeas, olive oil (start with 2 tablespoons and add more if it’s too thick), tahini, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a blender (or food processor). Mix until everything is incorporated and the desired consistency is reached (add more tahini or olive if it’s still too thick and adjust flavor to your liking with the salt/pepper/lemon juice).

Fold in some sriracha if you want an extra kick and serve with warm pita.

Pumpkin Granola

9.26.2012

And so we continue our fall theme with another pumpkin recipe! And weirdly enough…another breakfast recipe! [ Not that you can't also eat granola for a dessert or as a snack or just because it taste good ]. Although we all wish that we could eat cinnamon rolls for breakfast everyday, it’s probably not the healthiest choice imaginable. I would probably find it hard to get up and do yoga every morning if I had just downed 3 cinnamon rolls for the third time that week. Anyhow, what I am getting at is today’s post is about a more of a….sustainable breakfast choice. Think of cinnamon rolls as your weekend breakfast and this granola can be your simple and quick weekday indulgence. Throw some Greek yogurt // almond milk // soy yogurt in a to-go cup and top it with this granola + maybe some honey // agave or sliced apples as you run out of the door [ oh, and don't forget to bring a spoon! ].

So, on that note, I have a confession. I LOVE parfaits and went through a big phase where I would whip them up for dessert [ as an attempt to avoid getting the 'I should make brownies because I'm craving sweet' thought that often follows dinner ]. However, I always bought granola from the store and this is my first attempt ever at making it myself. Damn, I am kicking myself now! Reasons why this should have been on my radar years ago:

1. It’s stupidly cheap to make your own! For 5 cups of organic rolled oats, it cost me 2.19 to get from my bulk section. Yeah! Do you have any idea how much 5 cups of oats it!? It’s a lot. Goodbye $4.69 box of organic Cascade Farm’s granola! You will never fool me again.

2. It’s SO SO SO easy to make. I throw all the ingredients together in 5 minutes and then did my entire morning yoga routine while they cooked. This meant…I had to wake up maybe 10 minutes earlier than I usually do. And then you have enough granola to last for twice as long as those skimpy pre-packaged boxes of cereal do.

3. You know exactly what is going into your granola. None of that hidden corn syrup or extra dose of sugar that you always pretended was not in there. And it also gives you total control! Don’t like your granola sweet? Cut back on brown sugar! Don’t like dried cranberries? Swap out for dried cherries! So easy!
Anyhow, I hope that I’ve inspired you and that this recipe gives you that extra push to try out making your own granola!

Pumpkin Granola

Adapted from Two Peas & A Pod

5 cups rolled oats
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup honey (or agave to make vegan)
dash of vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, apple sauce, honey, and vanilla. Spread evenly onto prepared baking sheet and stick in the oven.

Cook for 40 minutes (stir the oats around halfway through cooking time). Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Fold in dried cherries.

Let cool completely (this will help crisp it up!) and then sprinkle over yogurt//milk//whatever you are feeling.

Store in an airtight container.

Vegan Pumpkin Cinnanom Rolls with Maple Glaze

9.25.2012

Ah, Tuesday. Sometimes I feel like Tuesday is worse than Monday because you’ve already got back into the swing of things but still have so much more time before it’s the weekend. But there is a cure for the Tuesday blues and that cure is Cinnamon Rolls! [How could you possible be down when you have a fresh, warm and gooey cinnamon roll in your belly?] What about cinnamon rolls with an extra kick of pumpkin in them? Oooooh yeah! I’m sold. I became hooked on what I called cinnamon roll “spin-offs” after I made those Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls. Oh goodness. Nothing like taking something already delicious and making it even better.

And so, it’s officially fall for me because I cooked with my first pumpkin of the season. Ah, I love it! How can you not get excited about a season that features pumpkin, cinnamon, apples, and cider?!? I just don’t understand.

These were amazing but I will, however, add more pumpkin next time around. You could definitely taste the pumpkin but it was subtle. Also, don’t forget to prep these SEVERAL hours before you want to indulge since they take two rounds of rising (I started them the night before and then let them rise all night which worked as a perfect way to cut out an extra hour and half in the AM.

Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Adapted from EatLiveRun

2 Tablespoons Earth Balance
1/3 cup almond milk
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon corn starch + 3 Tablespoons water (mix together so that a gel forms)
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

For the Filling:

1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons Earth Balance
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

For Maple Glaze:

2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 Tablespoon Almond Milk

Heat the butter and almond milk over low in a small saucepan until the butter has melted and is incorporated. Remove from heat and wait for the mixture to cool slightly (should be able to touch the milk with your finger and not be uncomfortable) and add the yeast. Let sit for five minutes or until the yeast becomes foamy.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch/water mixture with the pumpkin. In the bowl of your stand mixer (with the dough attachment) combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Add in the pumpkin mixture and turn the mixer onto medium until everything is combined. Next, add in the yeast mixture and let the dough knead for about five minutes. The dough should end up elastic and firm.

Transfer dough to a greased mixing bowl and cover. Let rise for an hour (or overnight).

Go do some yoga. Turn the vinyl over. Dance with your puppy. Or take a nap. Or whatever you like to fill your time with.

Transfer dough to a flour surface and roll out to form a large rectangle shape. Mix the filling together in a bowl and sprinkle on top of the dough. Roll dough by taking the long ends and forming a long cylinder. Cut in the middle and then cut each of those pieces into thirds (you should end up with 6 rolls). Stick in a greased 8×8 cooking pan and cover. Let rise for another 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Bake rolls for about 30 minutes or until the tops are browned. Remove and let cool.

While cooling, prepare the glaze! Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl until it starts to gel. Pour over the rolls.

Enjoy warm and with tea or coffee.

Chickpea Magazine // Stuffed Peppers with Goat Cheese & Corn

9.20.2012

I have some very exciting news for you guys! I am excited to announce that the new Chickpea Fall issue came out online today! I am even more excited to tell you guys that I have a 6 page spread in it! My article is about the lack of veganism in the United States Midwest and how Bloomington, Indiana is an exception to that. In addition, this issue is filled with mouth-watering fall recipes and gorgeous beach picnics. I don’t think I’ve ever fell in love with a magazine as much as I always seem to fall for Chickpea. They have such a hip aesthetic and beautiful photography that I wish my whole life could be lived through this magazine. Don’t believe me? Go check out a preview of the issue for free online or purchase a physical copy on their website.

___________

And now, back to business! Okay, remember yesterday when I made a deal with you that I get the rest of the week to still talk about yummy summer recipes? Well, today is not an exception and these delicious stuffed peppers are everything you want your beautiful {late} summer afternoons to be filled with. They are fresh, flavorful, and just the right amount of filling. I’d suggest to serve them with a grilled veggie burger or along side a stack of quesadillas.

Stuffed Peppers with Goat Cheese & Corn

2 bell peppers, sliced in half with the seeds removed
4 ounces of goat cheese
1 small onion, diced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups sweet corn kernels
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped

First, we must roast the peppers! You can either do this over a gas grill if you have one handy or in the oven under the broiler setting. I opted to do the broiler setting and just put them under the broiler on each side for about 5 minutes (but check often because broilers are tricky things and we don’t want your peppers burning to a crisp just because my broiler doesn’t get as hot as yours!). You want them to have blackened spots on both side. Remove from heat and stick in a plastic bag until they cool. Once cooled, remove and peel the burnt outer skin. Set aside.

While waiting for the peppers to cool, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add the onions and saute for about 5 to 7 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Then add the butter, corn, salt, and pepper. Saute for another 5 minutes or until the corn is cooked all the way through. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice.

Divide the goat cheese evenly between the 4 pieces and spread along the inside. Top with the corn mixture and garnish with cilantro.

Serve warm and enjoy with a delicious beergarita!

Panzanella

9.19.2012

Okay, so I feel a bit behind the times posting a {gasp} tomato-themed recipe while the rest of the blog sphere is bustling with pumpkin flavored baked goods and spiced ciders. I guess this probably tells a lot about my character. I spent all summer dragging my feet and then the crisp, fall-feeling air kicked in last week was a slap in the face. It was a reminder that there are still plenty of summer produce recipes I wanted to conquer. So…here we are…scrambling at the last minute trying to fit every last possible heirloom tomato, sliver of basil, and piece of zucchini bread into my diet before the first frost comes. And thus, I am asking you to stick with me…give me THIS week (and maybe weekend) to get summer out of my system and I promise I will start fresh next week with pumpkin infused everything. Cool? Cool.

Anyhow, the main reason I probably took so long to make these recipe was coming to terms with using my day old bread in a salad. Don’t get me wrong….I loooove salads but old bread is meant for french toast. Everyone knows that! And the struggle between making a salad and french toast…was well not really a struggle for most of the summer. Sorry arugula but cinnamon and butter win every time. Well…every time up until now. After making this last week, I wish I had been more open to sharing my stale bread all summer long…maybe stocking up on twice as much bread to distribute evenly between sweet and savory. We could have come to some compromise had I known this was going to be pretty much the best salad ever to exist.

This recipe reminds me of a salad form of bruschetta (probably for good reason…you smart smart Italian chefs!). This is a huge relief for me because I LOVE the flavors of bruschetta but am not allowed to make it myself. I can’t make it myself because my old roommate and very very good friend makes the best bruschetta ever to exist. And this is probably due to the fact that she lived in Italy for a short period (and Belgium and South Africa and Jordan…sheesh, putting my cultural experiences to shame). Sooo… it’s awesome having a friend who can make pretty much the best summer dish ever but it means that my attempts are just pointless. And thus, this is a great alternative to trying to get my bruschetta fix without having to actually compete with Ella’s bruschetta.

Panzanella

1/2 loaf of old bread, sliced into 1 inch cubes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 pepper, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cucumber, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut into 1 inch cubes and soaked in cold water for 10 minutes
2 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 Tablespoon capers
1/3 cup basil, roughly chopped

dressing:

1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt/pepper, to taste

To make the dressing: whisk all the ingredient together in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add the bread and toss until it is completely coated. Saute until browned and crispy on all sides. Add salt and toss to coat. Remove from heat.

In a large salad bowl, combine the pepper, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, capers, and toasted bread. Fold in the capers and salad dressing right before serving.

Munch down.

How easy was that?

Fall Curry // Collaboration with Dishes Undressed

9.18.2012

With the seasons changing and the weather being so gloomy, it has triggered a state of reflection within me. I spent a few hours looking through old pictures (I’ve been trying to gather all my favorite pictures together to print but whenever I sit down to try to do this…it just ends in me spending hours getting lost in old memories). Anyhow, these two pictures are from a trip we took down to Austin for South by Southwest a few years back. I went to SXSW a couple of times in college and was determined to move to Austin eventually. Actually, it was both Wyatt and I’s goal to move to Austin so we made plans to move together when I graduated (he is a year older so he stuck around Bloomington waiting for me to finish school). Anyhow, then we both scored cool jobs working for independent record labels and we decided to put it off for a year to “save up”. But to be honest, we aren’t saving any significant amount of cash for a move and I’m starting to wonder if Austin is still even in our cards.

A big decision like moving (especially just to move…not because of a job or family) just seems to get so lost in the day-to-day that is our current life. It’s been a goal of mine since I was 18 to get out of Indiana but now it just seems like such a far away dream. Why put all that energy into moving and starting over if you are content with where you are at? Hmmm.

Just some thoughts. Who knows where we will be in a year. Or five. Or ten. Guess that is the beauty of it all.

Switching gears completely….

Anyhow, something that is not new but totally awesome is my collaboration with Angie over at Dishes Undressed. Last night I cooked up the most delicious fall curry from a recipe she suggested to me. It was chocked full of butternut squash, chickpeas, lemongrass (!!), and Middle Eastern spices.

This is the second time I’ve cooked with lemongrass (both thanks to Angie) and I am hooked. This is a bit challenging for me because curry is totally one of my “go to” dinner meals but for 1. I never keep track of measurements (which is probably why I rarely post about curry) and 2. I’ve never used lemongrass in them before. Woah! Adding lemongrass opened up a whole new world of curry to me! The subtle citrus flavor from the lemongrass really helps bring out all the spices.

And this recipe could not have come at a better time since I just picked up some gorgeous butternut squash at the Farmer’s Market over the weekend!

Serve with warm naan bread, white rice, and maybe even a little yogurt (if you like your curry a little creamy. I personally don’t like spicy but Wyatt does so I make curry with a little heat and then add yogurt to help cool it down for me).

Also, don’t forget to check out the other collaborations I’ve done with Dishes Undressed: Lemongrass Cooler, Caprese Breakfast Sandwich, Fried Zucchini, and Southwestern Sliders!

Fall Curry

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons curry paste (I used red paste and added turmeric but use yellow if you have it on hand)
2 large lemongrass stalks, whole but bashed with the back of a knife (this step was really really fun)
1 Tablespoon mustard seeds
3 cardamom pods
1 butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 onion, finally chopped
1 can coconut milk
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup chickpeas, cooked (and drained if you are using from a can)
1 lime
handful of mint leaves, to garnish

naan, optional
rice, optional
plain yogurt, optional

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium. Add the onions, curry paste, lemongrass, mustard seeds, and cardamom pods. Cook for about 3 minutes or until fragrant. Next, add in the butternut squash and saute for another 5 or so minutes. Finally, add the coconut milk and broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 10 minutes and then add in the chickpeas. Let simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the butternut squash is soft and the liquid has evaporated to a desired consistency (also, if the liquid dries out and the squash still is not done…add a little more broth and continue to let it simmer).

Remove from heat and discard lemongrass. Serve over rice and garnish with fresh mint.

Enjoy right away in your favorite hammock before it’s too cold to be outside for dinner!

Eggplant Involtini

9.11.2012

Really…this dish’s name is just a fancy word for ‘stuffed eggplant’. Image stuffed shells with eggplant instead of pasta. Or pasta-less lasagna but rolled up. Or cheesy stuffed eggplant but styled differently. Anyhow, I think you get the idea. These stuff is delicious and surprisingly easy to whip up.

I really really really really wish I had taken the time to make homemade ricotta but it didn’t happen. Oh well…next time. And then I will tell you guys all about it! But either way, this dish was delicious (despite not having instantly fresh ricotta for it) and I recommend serving with some yummy crusty bread or a loaded salad.

Eggplant Involtini

adapted from Big Girl, Small Kitchen

2 small eggplants, cut int0 1/4″ thick slices
Tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces of ricotta
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 ounces of tomato sauce
1/4 cup milk
Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle on top

Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse and let out any extra moisture.

Place eggplant slices on a large cooking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Broil for about 2 minutes on each side or until they begin to soften. Remove from oven and turn oven temperature to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, salt, and thyme. Set aside.

In a small 9×9 pan, spread the tomato sauce on the bottom. Use a spoon to scoop a tablespoon of the ricotta filling onto the thick part of the eggplant piece. Roll the eggplant up and put the it with the seams down into the tomato sauce. Repeat with the rest of the eggplant.

Pour the milk over the eggplant pieces so that they don’t dry out while cooking. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the eggplants are golden brown.

Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Not your thing? Here are a few other eggplant dishes to try: Baba Ganoush or BBQ Eggplant Tacos with Peach Salsa

Moody Monday: Lake Michigan Bound // Preserving Pesto

9.10.2012

Hey all! Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! You may be seeing me post less and less ‘Moody Monday’ posts as we move forward because I’ve been trying to incorporate more day-to-day things into regular posts. This means that a regrouping at the beginning of the week is starting to feel a bit unnecessary. But either way, I do enjoy posting about my weekend so today I am going to!

Wyatt and I ended up taking our spontaneous road trip up to Lake Michigan and went camping for the weekend. It was a much needed adventure! We were so back and forth on going because we have been so busy lately that taking the weekend away from our house just did not seem like it was be a de-stresser. Instead, I felt like I should probably stay home and that I would find relief in cleaning up around the house, being lazy with some tea and a magazine, and watching movies with my boyfriend. However, these are things I’ve been doing for the past month so making myself get out of my comfort zone was a perfect change of pace. There is something about listening to the waves crash along the shore and gazing out into endless water that is so soothing. The perfect cure to a stressful month!

I am so glad we took this trip because it may be our last camping trip of the season. And the weather was cool which meant all weekend long flannel wearing and crisp evenings by the fire. Helllloooooo, Fall!

Oh…and here are a few pictures from the weekend!

_________________________________

Anyhow, shifting gears…am I the only one who seems to have mounds and mounds of basil taking over my backyard? Well, I’m guessing not and although I currently loathe the flavor of basil because it has been in pretty much every dish I’ve made for the past 3 months… I know come February I will be missing summer bounty like woahh. So, in attempt to spare my future self of the winter blues, I whipped up some pesto and froze it in ice cube trays for the cooling months ahead.

These cubes will be perfect come winter when you want to add a bit of pesto to stews, pasta, or pretty much anything that comes to mind! Just remember to top the cubes with olive oil because it will prevent the pesto from getting freezer burnt. Also, I omitted the Parmesan so that my pesto will be more versatile but feel free to play around with it! And lastly, feel free to double or triple this batch if you have a ton ton ton of basil on hand.

Preserving Pesto in Ice Trays

4 cups basil
2/3 cup nuts of choice (I used cashews that were soaked but feel free to experiment)
1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Ice tray

In a food processor or blender, pulse the basil, nuts, and 1/2 cup olive oil together until a thick pesto has formed. Pour evenly into an ice tray. Drizzle the extra tablespoon of olive on top of the prepared pesto. Stick in the freezer overnight and then transfer to an airtight bag. Store in the freezer for up to 6 month.

Veggie Fritters with Tomato-Corn Relish

9.07.2012

This has been a very stressful Friday. Wyatt and I were suppose to go camping last weekend for my birthday but the weather forecast had other plans for us (in the form of lazy days consisting of DIY projects and Game of Thrones). Although our weekend ended up different from we had planned…it was still fantastic. Plus, we figured we would just try camping again this weekend. So as of Monday, we were thinking we would go camping this weekend. And then Thursday rolled around and no planning still had been done. And when we realized this…we decided it was just too much work to try to bother with. And then we packed the car today on our lunch break. And then on the way back to work from our lunch break we discussed maybe not going. So now…it’s an hour until Wyatt gets off work and we will have no idea if we are going away for the weekend or not. Ah well…either way, it was be a spontaneous adventure or a productive weekend at home..both win, wins!

Anyhow, as a way to avoid thinking about the inevitable “no, you pick” conversation that is in my very near future, I am going to write to you guys about these delicious veggie fritters I whipped up for dinner the other night. These were a great way to use up a bunch of produce I had in my CSA box and I was able to only fried up half the batch (which was the perfect amount for two) and saved the rest for the next day.

We ate these as a main course but these would be great as an appetizer if you are having a party!

Veggie Fritters with Tomato- Corn Relish

Veggie Fritters:

2 russet potatoes, grated
2 large carrots, grated
1 large zucchini, grated
1 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggs, light beaten

Olive oil

For the Relish:

3 cups corn
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
salt/pepper

To make the relish: Mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use (make sure to do this first so that it has time to absorb all the flavors).

Wrap a towel around the grated potato, carrots, and zucchini and squeeze out any excess water. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and add in the onion, flour, eggs, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop patties onto skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side (or until browned). Remove from skillet and let drain on paper towel while you prepare the rest of the mixture.

Serve with delicious relish on top!

Zucchini, Red Pepper, and Goat Cheese Pizza

9.05.2012

And after a wonderful 4 day (birthday) weekend, it’s back to my day job and back to my standard routine. The thought of no vacations in sight is a bit daunting (and making me exhausted already) so I decided I better start planning little stuff. You know, like Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks said:”Harry, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don’t plan it. Don’t wait for it. Just let it happen. It could be a new shirt at the men’s store, a catnap in your office chair, or two cups of good, hot black coffee.”

And for me- most of these little treats I give myself are in the form of delicious food or yoga or a new magazine. Today’s treat was fresh, homemade pizza. Work may have been extra stressful (with having to catch up on the days I took off) but knowing I was coming home to already prepared pizza dough (I made and froze it over the weekend) and lots of goat cheese gave me something to look forward to (in addition to my adorable puppy and goofy boyfriend, of course).

Plus, this recipe uses up more produce from my CSA box so I don’t even have to feel guilty about eating pizza since those veggies needed to be used up anyways!

Oh. And I got to rock the new Smoosh shirt I received for my birthday from Kristin and David. Have you met Smoosh yet? Oh man, you should (and can- here).

Zucchini, Red Pepper, and Goat Cheese Pizza

1 pizza dough, store bought or homemade
1 small zucchini, sliced into thin ribbons (I used a peeler and it worked perfectly)
1 small red pepper, sliced
4 ounces of goat cheese
1/4 cup tomato sauce
Salt/Pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Roll out pizza dough to your liking on a floured surface (I like mine thick but you could be a thin crust kind of person). I also recommend sprinkling cornmeal or polenta on the bottom to make a crispier crust. It’s absolutely delicious. Top your pizza in the following order (or just follow the pictures): tomato sauce, goat cheese, zucchini, and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook for ten to fifteen minutes or until the edges are crispy

Enjoy warm with a cold glass of your favorite beer (or wine or tea or kombucha or whatever your fix is)!

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Muffins // My 23rd Birthday

9.04.2012

And we are back with ANOTHER zucchini bread recipe (if you missed them, check out my Savory Feta Zucchini Muffins from last week here) but this time we are covering them in chocolate! Not so bad, eh?

It’s my 23rd (yikes! Weird!) birthday today so Wyatt and I took the day off to do whatever we please. So far we have just laid around in bed, I did some yoga, and then I made some delicious chocolate muffins. We are going on a picnic this afternoon at Hoosier National Forest so I thought these muffins would be perfect to bring along. I mean, what could be a better way to spend my birthday then baking and exploring outside with my boyfriend and puppy? Not much, I’d say. Here are a few new pictures from our lazy weekend around the house (since it rained so we couldn’t go camping like the original plan):

Tuko’s new hang out spot // Bruschetta // Lazy afternoons with Wyatt // New birthday outfit from my Ma // …more bruschetta // Kitchen Cacti Garden // Lazy morning with Wyatt // Citrus Plant from Wyatt for my birthday

And now onto the recipe! Hope everyone has a fantastic Tuesday. I’m off to go bake more for our afternoon picnic!

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup buttermilk (I made my own with this recipe)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup agave or honey
2 Tablespoons coconut oil (vegetable will work fine if that is what you have)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large very ripe banana, mashed
1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (semi-sweet is fine too)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 12-muffin pan. Wrap the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and ring out any excess juice.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, honey/agave, buttermilk, oil, mashed banana, zucchini and vanilla.

Make a well in the center of the of the dry ingredients and and add the zucchini mixture. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones until combined.

Fill each muffin tin 3/4 full and bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick can be stuck in the middle of the muffins and comes out clean.

Enjoy warm or save for tomorrow’s breakfast.

Roasted Tomato Focaccia

9.03.2012

Happy Labor Day! It’s Monday morning and I am still at home instead of out camping. This tropical storm Issac has caused rain, rain, and more rain for the whole weekend here in the Midwest. We had everything packed and ready to go for camping and then woke up Saturday morning to a storm…followed by all day of rain….and the same thing again on Sunday. Perhaps it was not meant to be because the thought of having to spend the weekend cooped up in a tiny tent with a muddy dog is probably not ideal. Plus, it gave us time to be lazy around the house and spruce things up around here a bit (in the form of soooooo much plant shopping! Yay!) and finally framing all those posters we have hung around the house.

Anyhow, It’s been too long since I blogged about focaccia (since last fall, to be exact). It’s one of those breads that we eat within the first two hours of it being baked because it’s just that good. And eating a whole loaf of bad is just not that good for you. So I try to resist as much as possible only make it on special occasions. The special occasion this time was that I hadn’t made it in a while and had beautiful mini heirloom tomatoes…that’s good enough, right?

This bread is delicious by itself, used with sandwiches, dipped in oils, or served with soup.

Roasted Tomato Focaccia

2 teaspoons yeast
1 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil

For the topping:

10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, sliced into long strips
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme
Salt/Pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced

In a large mixing bowl, combine the water and yeast. Let sit for five minutes or until it becomes foamy. Next, add in the sugar, salt, olive oil, and flour (add 1/2 cup of flour at a time). Use your hands (or a mixer with a dough attachment) to knead the dough for five minutes or until the dough has come together (add more flour if it’s sticky and add more olive if it’s too dry).

Grease a bowl, place the dough inside, and cover with a clean dish range. Let sit for an hour in a warm place or until it’s doubled in size.

Grease a sheet pan with olive oil (I used a 9×12 pan so that our bread is thick enough for sandwiches but use whatever works best for you) and roll the dough out onto a floured surface. Fit the dough into the pan and let rise for another 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. While it is rising the second time, prepare the toppings. Heat a tablespoon of olive in a skillet over medium heat-low. Add in the onions and sauté until just starting to caramelize (about 10-15 minutes).

Make dimples in the dough with your fingers and top the bread with olive oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and thyme. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bread has browned at the top and the cherries have roasted.

Serve warm with every meal!

Baked Chocolate Cake Donuts

8.31.2012

I can’t believe I managed to forget about these donuts! I made these a few lazy Saturdays ago and even showed a sneak preview picture of them in my Moody Monday post and then never followed through with the recipe! Sheesh, silly me! However, don’t worry because here it is now.

We live down the street from the local donut shop and Wyatt stops there more than I even want to know. I sometimes give in and join him but still felt a bit guilty about it. The whole concept of eating fried something for breakfast never appealed to me; however, as soon as I discovered I could BAKE donuts, I wanted in! All I needed was a donut pan…seems easy enough, right? However, Wyatt promised to get me a donut pan for my Graduation last spring…which never happened. This meant we spent all Summer donutless (his loss!). And then, at last, we ran across some pans while browsing the local Kro-Gucci (not to be confused with our other disgusting Kroger…which happens to be Kro-Ghetto) so I threw them in the cart before Wyatt had an opinion about wanting to buy me them or not.

And so, since TECHNICALLY Wyatt did buy me them (even if he didn’t mean to), I decided to start my donut-making journey with his favorite kind: cake donuts. Cake donuts are pretty awesome because they are just are the best excuse to eat cake for breakfast. I mean if the cake is shaped like a breakfast food….it’s acceptable, right?

I topped my donuts with peanut butter (while they were still warm so the peanut butter melted into a nice, thick glaze) and then lathered them in colorful sprinkles.

These donuts are ridiculously easy to make so I would just suggest waking up 15 minutes before your boyfriend/girlfriend/hubby/puppy, getting the coffee making going, and starting on these. They will be ready in less than 20 minutes so you’ll have the whole rest of the morning to be lazy and eat warm donuts. These go perfectly with a big mug of hot coffee and a Saturday morning movie.

Baked Chocolate Cake Donuts

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk (made my own with this recipe)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a donut pan. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. In another small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and butter.

Make a well in the center of the dried ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in the middle. Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just incorporated.

Evenly pour the batter into the pans. Cook for 10 minutes or until baked all the way through.

Enjoy with peanut butter and sprinkles or powdered sugar or a glaze or by themselves! Seeeeeee….how easy was that?