Spring

Entries Tagged as 'spring'

Mango Cucumber Salsa

5.22.2013

It’s finally time! After five loooong, cold months – fresh produce is back! And I’m not talking about those root vegetables that taste like dirt (sorry, beets. You just don’t do it for me). I’m talking about spinach that was picked earlier that day and strawberries that were carried on a truck from down the street.

This salsa is great in it’s simplicity. It’s wonderful when produce is so fresh that you don’t need a ton of added ingredients. Dip this salsa in tortilla dips or use as a topping for tacos, veggie burgers, or anything else that sounds delicious!

Cucumber Mango Salsa

1 mango, peeled and diced (pit removed)
1 red chili pepper, diced
1/2 english cucumber, diced
1 teaspoon cumin
juice from half a lime
10 mint leaves, chopped
squirt of sriracha (optional, add if you’d like to add a hint of heat)

Combine the mango, pepper, cucumber, cumin and mint in a bowl. Squeeze the lime juice over the salsa and stir until everything is coated. Season with salt and sriracha.

Mini Strawberry Chocolate Tart with Whipped Goat Cheese & Basil Micro Greens

5.19.2013

Let’s talk about micro greens. Do you eat them? Do you grow them? To be perfectly honest, I had not had much experience with them before this spring. After planting my two gardens, I was still left with tons of seeds until I rememberd an article my Grandma sent me a few months back about using extra seeds to make micro greens. The process is simple and only takes between 7 and 14 days to grow. So while you are sitting around waiting for those tomato plants to produce fruit three months down the road, you could have already harvested six rounds of micro greens!

For this recipe, I used basil micro greens which complimented the strawberries wonderfully. It tasted like summer in every bite. I’ve found the basil micro greens to be the most flavorful so far but the swiss chard is the prettiest. With tiny strips of pink, yellow, and red…it’s hard to resist not topping everything with them. If you are into the idea of making your own micro greens, check out Claire’s post on it here or hop on over to Organic Gardening for their step by step tutorial.

Also, on the topic of new things, I was at the farmer’s market earlier today and my friend mentioned how her boyfriend eats the strawberries with the stems on. I immediately asked if she had told me he wasn’t supposed to do that and she laughed. She then went on to tell me that although it’s not standard, it’s in fact totally okay to eat the stems and that she has no right telling him not to do it. I didn’t believe her. After much research (aka – hopping on my iPhone), I discovered that I was completely wrong. MIND BLOWN. AND…this was a game changer! I loved sliced strawberries but they are so much more beautiful whole. Hence the reason i kept them whole in this recipe…you can totally dig into the ENTIRE strawberry. BUT, if that is too weird for you (it’s okay, I totally understand) then feel free to chop the strawberries into thin slices or chunks.

If you’d like to just make one regular pie size version instead of two miniature, just double the recipe below.

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French Onion Soup [Revisited]

5.15.2013

Soup?! Really? But it’s SPRING. Soup season is over. Or so I thought. This past rainy and chilly Saturday sparked my desire for one last soup for the season. My stepfather and Ma had dropped off a 10 pound bag of onions from Shriners earlier in the week week. TEN pounds. Do you know how many onions that is for two people? A lot. I racked my brain trying to think of recipes that used more than 1 onion in it…stuffed onions with couscous and goat cheese? Or Pickled onions with beets and coriander? And then Wyatt suggested onion soup. Of course!

I’ve only made quick french onion soup but the rain challenged me to spend the afternoon in the kitchen caramelizing the onions. And don’t get me wrong – the quick method is delicious but it’s not even comparable to traditional french onion soup. This method leaves you with melt-in-your mouth, sweet slices of onion amaziness. I wish I had caramelized all ten pounds of onions to throw onto of everything (pizza, pasta, salads, …ice cream?).

Try this method of making french onion the next time you are stuck inside because of the weather or come home after a long day and need some serious cooking therapy.

French Onion Soup [Revisited]

7 cups sliced onions
3 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
4 springs of fresh thyme
8 cups vegetable broth (I used homemade)
1/2 cup white wine
fresh baguette, cut into 1 inch thick pieces
1 cup grated Swiss or gruyere (or a combination of the two)
Salt/Pepper, to taste

Melt the butter and oil over medium-low heat in a large saucepans. Add the sliced onion and toss until coated with butter / oil. Cover, lower heat to low, and let cook for 15 minutes untouched (go play with your puppy, eat some almond butter, read a magazine, etc).

Uncover, turn the heat back up to medium-low and add in the sugar and a dash of salt. Cook for about an hour and stir frequently. Cook until the onions have become a deep brown and are irrisistable sweet.

Add the flour and cook for a minute. Next, add in the wine, broth, and thyme springs. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and use a spoon to scoop out the thyme stems.

Transfer soup into your desired amount of ovenproof soup bowls. Top each with a thick slice of baguette and grated cheese. Stick under the broiler until the cheese has melted and is just started to brown.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb with Ginger Crumb Pie [Vegan]

5.12.2013

I had making a pie on the mind all week. I don’t get this urge very often (mostly because making a pie for two is just plain irresponsible) but decided to let myself indulge this time. My original thought was a blueberry basil pie but I was going to be open to whatever the farmer’s market would supply me. The only fruit I ended up finding at the market were strawberries and I knew I had to get them. They were petite and had the irresistible rustic appearance that wild strawberries often times have. This led to an internal struggle though…what other flavor combination would I use with strawberries? There was no basil at the market so that was out. I knew that rhubarb was the right choice (being in season and because strawberry rhubarb makes everything taste like a fruit roll up – in a good way) but I didn’t want to admit it at first. The ground breaking culinary discovery that rhubarb and strawberries were made for each other happened long before VV came around. What would make my pie different from the 100 million other recipes out there?

After racking my brain & running through every spice and herb imaginable in my head, it clicked. Ginger. Ginger had become my BFF over the winter (when I was constantly warding off a cold with Ginger Lemon Tonics). I immidetely imagined a gingerly zing hitting the tongue moments after the strawberry rhubarb kicked in for a second layer of flavorings. And you know what? I was right. I am SO glad I was right. Thank you, ginger. Strawberry Rhubarb pies will never be the same.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Ginger Crumble

Adapted from Vegan Pie in The Sky

For the Crust:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening
4 Tablespoons ice water
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

For the Filling:

2 1/2 cups rhubarb, cute into 1/2 inch chunks
3 1/2 cups strawberries, cut into 1/2 in chunks (fresh or frozen)
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Crumb Topping:

1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1/3 cup Earth Balance (or other vegan butters or regular butter if not wanting to make vegan)

For the crust: Combine the sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl. Using a pastry cutter (or your clean hands) cut in the shortening to the mixture until coarse crumbly dough as formed.

In another small bowl, combine the ice water with the vinegar. Drizzle 1/3 over the water over the flour mixture and stir. Drizzle another 1/3 over the mixture and stir again. Drizzle the rest of the water over the dough and form a soft dough ball. If the mixture hasn’t come together, add another tablespoon of ice water. If it’s too wet, add a tablespoon of flour. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Let sit in the fridge for an hour.

For the filling / crumb: Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl and set aside. For the crumb, combine the flour, sugar, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Drizzle in the butter with one hand and swish around the mixture with a spatula with your other hand. Mix until large crumbles form.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll the dough out on floured parchment paper (this will help you transfer it to your pie to the pan). You’ll want to make a 12″ circle with the dough. Quickly flip the dough into your pie pan and remove parchment paper. Add filling over dough and then spread the crumble evenly over the top.

Cover with aluminum foil and poke a few holes to let steam escape. Bake for 20 minutes and then lower heat down to 350 degrees. Remove foil and let cook for another 30 minutes or until the topping has browned.

Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Baklava Ice Cream

5.04.2013

This was my first time making ice cream from scratch. I borrowed my Mother’s ice cream maker with the promise of returning it alongside a delicious pint of frozen goodness. My ice cream making interest peaked a few weeks back when I was enjoying a particularly irresistible piece of baklava with a side of ice cream. Scooping both chunks of baklava and the ice cream into my mouth, my tastebuds were trying to grab the flavors as one. Which is when my mind realized I should just combine the two..into a delicious baklava ice cream.

I had a plan – I was going to find a simple vanilla ice cream recipe and customize it with baklava ingredients. However, when I got home and started looking at recipes, I began to feel overwhelmed. So overwhelmed I wondered if it would have been better to just go and buy a pint of ice cream at Kroger. I mean do I use whole milk or heavy cream or eggs? Do I let the mixture sit for an hour in the fridge or overnight?

This wasn’t the kind of kitchen tool that I grew up watching my family use. I was totally clueless and, for the first time in years, the internet seemed to be throwing too much information at me to process. I sat on the idea of making ice cream for a few days. Comparing online recipes with my recipe books until I came onto a decision. I’d just wing it…like I’ve done with so many successful (but also…some unsuccessful) recipes in the past. I chose to go with heavy cream AND milk and to let the mixture sit overnight (just in case).

And let me tell you – I am SO glad I didn’t give up and run to Kroger for a pint instead. All the worry and reluctance was so worth it. This ice cream is like nothing I’ve ever had before. Better than store bought and better than my local ice cream stand. It’s creamy and tastes fresh and full of cinnamon-walnut-honey-baklava amazingness.

Baklava Ice Cream

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk (I used 2% but whole would work well too), divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoons salt
3 Tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon honey, divided
1 vanilla bean, split in half
2 cinnamon sticks
3/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup milk with the cornstarch. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and salt. Set aside.

Combine the cream, remaining milk, vanilla bean, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a simmer (just until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges) and let simmer for three minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the honey and cornstarch mixture, and return to heat. Bring to simmer, stirring constantly, and let cook until thickened (one or two minutes). Remove from heat and chill the mixture overnight.

The night day: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and transfer to a baking sheet. On a separate baking sheet, place 4 phyllo sheets down and brush with butter. Place the other four on top of those and brush with butter. Mix any remaining butter with the walnut mixture. Cook both in the oven for 25 minutes or until the phyllo has browned and the walnuts are giving off a nutty aroma. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Break the phyllo dough into large chunks.

Remove the cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean from the chilled cream mixture. Prepare the ice cream according to your ice cream maker’s instructions (mine has me stick the cream mixture into the ice cream maker for 20 minutes). 1 minute before the ice cream is done churning, add in the nuts and phyllo dough.

Enjoy right away or transfer into an airtight container in the freezer to enjoy later.

Cornbread Waffles with Roasted Vegetables & Chimichurri Ramps

5.01.2013

My daily posts have turned more into weekly posts as thing have become a bit hectic around here. There are so many things I’ve wanted to share without over sharing on a food blog…which then usually just turn into not sharing them at all. So, instead, I’m just going to give off a short list of excuses that have been both tearing me from this blog and keeping me occupied in my “real” life:

1. I got a new day job / promotion. I was promoted from indie-rock-princess to indie-rock-queen. Hah, no. But I did go from a glorified secretary to being in charge of over 200 of our music client accounts. So, needless to say, I’ve been working 9+ hours a day trying to figure out everything that goes along with this new job.

2. It’s spring! And I’ve been putting most of my free time energy into prepping my garden. What good is a food blogger who can’t even grow her own produce to write recipes with?

3. My grandma passed away. I realize that this is a normal occurrence for people over the age of 80 but that does not make it any less unsettling. I don’t care how old you are – it’s very upsetting to watch a wonderful person have everything ripped away from them.

4. My boyfriend is obsessed with the X-Files. And not only is he obsessed but he is determined to watch EVERY SINGLE EPISODE. So starting at season one in Februaray, he has constantly had that on the TV…which has been…very distracting. Do you know how many episodes of the X-Files there are? HUNDREDS. There are NINE seasons. Do you realize how many hours have been wasting getting sucked in by that when I could have been cleaning my stove-top or seasoning my cast iron or making butterscotch cookies?!

5. Remember that Lemon Thyme Butter I posted about last week? OH MY! I’ve discovered that it’s pretty much amazing on everything. Melt it over pasta or spaetzle and thank me later. You’re welcome.

Okay, enough about me. Let’s talk about YOU! I have an ice cream recipe for YOU. Yup, that is right – homemade ice cream. And it’s filled with the most delicious…well I can’t tell you. But it’s sweet and savory and creamy and Middle Eastern. And it’s going to be posted on VV soon…how soon? I can’t tell you that either (can’t ruin the fun now!) – you’ll just have to check back.

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Now back to ramps. Yes, that is right. I am posting ANOTHER ramps recipes. Two in a row, really? Well if we compare it to how many pizza or tofu recipes I’ve posted then it’s really not that bad. Ramps are new to me…and I’m pretty obsessed. I know they are going to start disappearing from the Farmer’s Market just as quickly as they appeared. This means, I’ve been cooking them up like crazy while I can!

Cornbread Waffles with Roasted Veggies & Chimichurri Ramps

Makes 2 generous servings

Cheddar Cornbread Waffles:

3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups cornmeal
1 Tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 cups milk
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Roasted Vegetables:

An assortment of your favorite vegetables to roast (I used 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, 1 diced onion, 1/2 diced small sweet potato, 2 chopped carrots)
2 springs of fresh thyme, minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt/Pepper

Chimichurri:

1 bunch of ramps (about 10 stalks)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 red pepper flakes
dash of pepper

To roast the vegetables: Preheat oven to 400 and toss the veggies with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Lay in a even layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes or until the vegetables have softened and just started to brown.

To make the chimichurri: Rinse the ramps and cut off the roots and any rough tips. Slice into big chunks. Blend all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) until a smooth paste forms.

To make the waffles: Preheat your waffle maker. Mix the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the egg yokes, milk, and butter. Fold the dried ingredients into the liquid until incorporated. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with a mixer until stiff but not dry peaks form. Fold the egg whites and grated cheese into the batter.

Ladle 1/2 cup (more or less depending on how big your waffle maker is) of the batter onto your preheated waffle iron and cook according to manufacture’s instructions (mine usually takes around 3 minutes).

Pile high with roasted veggies and chimichurri.

CHIMICHURRI Ramps Bread with Lemon Thyme Butter

4.25.2013

I came across ramps for the first time at the farmer’s market two weeks ago. The nice man who sold them to me explained that they are a type of mild wild garlic and grow in the early spring. The first recipe I tried was a Lemon Risotto from The Kitchn and I was instantly hooked. I went back the next week and picked up another bundle.

This time around I wanted to create my own recipe. When researching ideas, I came across chimichurri and knew I had to try it. Chimichurri is an Argentina sauce that is usually lathered all over meat. If you’ve ever read ‘The Butcher and The Vegetarian’ than you probably can recall the wonderful ways she described chimichurri. She spoke of it making her dizzy from the fresh flavors and needing more. That was enough for me to know I wanted to try it.

But…my adventures with chimichurri didn’t stop there. After lathering it on anything in sight, I wanted to also cook with it. Traditionally it’s rubbed on meat…which isn’t an option for me so I decided to do something completely different – through it in the loaf of bread I had planned to make anyways! And dayuuum…. not only was it beautiful with streaks of green running through it but the bread was soft and so flavorful that you could eat the whole thing plain. Or make some simple lemon thyme butter to dab on top.

Chimichurri Ramps Bread with Lemon Thyme Butter

Chimichurri:

1 bunch of ramps (about 10 stalks)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 red pepper flakes
dash of pepper

For the bread:

1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons yeast
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup shredded parmesan

For the butter:

6 Tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
Zest from half of an organic lemon

To make the chimichurri: Rinse the ramps and cut off the roots and any rough tips. Slice into big chunks. Place all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) until a smooth paste forms. Lather all over slices of baguette or roasted veggies or proceed and make delicious bread out of it…

To make the bread: Combine the warm water and yeast in the large mixing bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes or until it becomes frothy. Next, add in the flour, salt, and olive oil and mix until combined. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead by hand for ten minutes (you can also do this in a stand mixer with a bread attachment – sadly, my mixer gave out on me last month so I’m going old school). Transfer kneaded dough to an oiled bowl and cover with a clean dish towel. Let rise in a warm place for an hour.

Next, turn the dough out onto floured surface and roll into a rectangle (about 18 by 12 inches). Top with the chimichurri. Roll the long side of the dough towards you and pinch the ends closed (the same way you roll cinnamon into cinnamon rolls). Slice down the middle lengthwise, twist both pieces, and use the two parts to bread the bread by twirling around each other. Transfer to a greased baking sheet and let rise for another 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 and bake for roughly 25 minutes or until golden on top.

To make the thyme lemon butter: Mash the lemon zest, softened butter, and thyme together. Serve soft or wrap in parchment paper and stick in the fridge until firm.

Homemade Mustards: Honey Curry & Beer Thyme

4.16.2013

As spring approaches, I get the “grilling craving”. You know what I’m talking about – where not only the smell of blooming flowers is in the air but also the smell of charcoal and kabobs. This is usually also the time of year that I get the urge to make a new condiment. For me, condiments will always be associated with summer outdoor cookouts. A veggie dog is just not the same without relish, ketchup, and mustard. But woah, have you seen all the preservatives that reside in your standard ketchup bottle? Its a sight for sore eyes!

This is usually why I like to make a few batches of homemade condiment to last me through the summer. Two years ago I posted about Ketchup, last spring was Barbecue Sauce, and this time around I am trying my hand at Mustard. The idea, for me, is that if I make it in the spring then I’ll have the condiments around in the fridge for grill outs and social gathering all summer long.

I’m pretty excited about this mustard because it will last in your fridge for up to 3 months. That means months of veggie dog toppings and Brie Grilled Cheeses! In addition, it makes plenty to share and you get to show off your fancy cooking skills to all your friends. What’s a better conversation starter than ‘Oh, here is where I put that homemade mustard. Yup, I said homemade’ ?

The trick for these recipes is to use enough vinegar that you get a bit of tang with each bite but also don’t use so much that the vinegar becomes overpowering (which can happen pretty quickly). Also, another thing to note, is that whole mustard seeds are super spicy. Like…way more spicy than most people ever realize. This means that you may need to add LOTS more sweetener at the end to get the desired flavor profile you are looking for. Don’t be afraid to mix in some more honey or agave to make it sweet. Or even more curry powder or thyme if you aren’t tasting the added ingredients as much as you’d like. Homemade cooking is all about experimenting so play around with this recipe and figure out what works best for your taste palette.

Homemade Honey Curry Mustard

1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
1 Tablespoon chopped shallots
1 Tablespoon honey (plus more for the end)
1/2 Tablespoon curry powder
salt

Homemade Thyme Beer Mustard

1/2 cup beer
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
1 Tablespoon chopped shallots
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
salt

For both or either recipes: Place all ingredients for each recipe into two separate bowls (or just use one bowl if you are only making one of the mustards). Cover and let sit in the fridge overnight.

The next day, transfer everything to a blender and blend until desired consistency is reached (I like to keep a few mustard seeds whole but do whatever fits your fancy). Taste to season and add more honey if it’s too spicy or salt/pepper to help bring out the flavors.

Eat right away or transfer to an airtight jar and keep in the fridge for up to 3 months.

*Please note that the mustard seeds are like a sponge and will absorb any liquid around them so if your mustard becomes dry from sitting in the fridge, just add a few teaspoons of water to reach your desired consistency again

Blueberry Thyme Soda

4.12.2013

I’m obsessed with my Soda Stream. Like more than anyone should ever be with a kitchen appliance. I was on the fence about getting one since it seems like such a unnecessary expense but I’ve never looked back. I use it more than my oven, more than my blender, more than my crock pot, and more than my coffee makers – how is that for an ‘unnecessary expensive’? I’ll even go as far to say that I drink less sugary juice and alcohol because I’d rather have a big glass of carbonated water.

In the end, my need to give up every other drink is both a relief and boring. I’ve spent my whole life being the most indecisive person all of my friends and family know. I’m not sure why picking an ice cream flavor is the end of the world for me – but sometimes it can feel like it. I sometimes wonder if that is why I secretly like being a vegetarian. I only have to scan restaurant menus for the tiny ‘meat-free section’ and can pick between 3 options instead of 30. That’s the relief part.

The boring part is well…exactly how it sounds. I’m not exactly ‘bringing all the boys to the yard’ with my amazing drink selections. And sometimes I feel unprepared when having people over and all I have to offer is water. Making my own ‘soda syrups’ was my answer to this problem. These syrups are not like the ones I make for cocktails (see Rosemary Lemonade or Blueberry Limeade Cocktail) and are more like the subtle flavor you would get from a flavored sparkling water (AKA a La Croix). I sweetened this with honey instead of sugar for a mellow flavor that also make your water look beautiful (without all those ‘natural flavorings’ – whatever those are).

Also, I should note that if you don’t have a soda stream that you can certainly just pick up a liter of sparkling water at the grocery (probably for 50 cents or less) and still give this recipe a go.

Now here’s to hoping spring sticks around along enough for me to whip this up again this weekend for some friends!

Blueberry Thyme Soda

1 pint blueberries, slightly mashed
1 cup water
1 spring thyme
3 teaspoons honey*
1 liter of sparkling water

In a small sauce, combine the mashed blueberries, water, and thyme. Bring to a boil and stir in the honey. Let simmer for about ten minutes. Remove from heat and look come to room temperature (or stick in the fridge overnight for a more intensive flavor).

Strain the blueberry mixture and discard the pulp/thyme sprig. Add the blueberry syrup to sparkling water and garnish with more thyme sprigs.

*Use agave to make vegan

Guest Post: Nut-Free Vegan Cheese Sauce by Leanne of Healthful Pursuit

4.08.2013

Good morning! I am thrilled to introduce you all to my friend Leanne from Healthful Pursuit!

Leanne Vogel is a holistic nutritionist and the girl behind the healthy living blog, Healthful Pursuit. Whether youíre sensitive to dairy, gluten, soy, eggs, grains, or sugar, or are just interested in eating healthy, Leanneís fun and simple healthy recipes; of which she has more than 550 on her blog, are a great resource for everyone.

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Nut-free Vegan Cheese Sauce (34)

Thanks for the introduction, Shelly – and a big hello to all of you!

Do you like cheese sauce?

I do. On pasta, veggies, nachos, a spoon… I’ll take it any way that I can. But… I’m allergic to dairy.

I know, it’s tragic.

Dairy gives me headaches, bloating, ear infections, sinus infections, weight gain and acne. As much as I love it, it’s evident that it just doesn’t love me back. So, I live a life without the good stuff.

Once I removed dairy out for good about 10 years ago, I replaced my infatuation with dairy with a major reliance on expensive store-bought replacements like artificial, soy-based sour creams, cheeses, yogurts and milks. I was spending a lot of money on groceries and had a sneaking suspicion that the artificial dairy products weren’t so good for my health. So, I started figuring out ways that I could make my own yogurts, creams and dips that were made from real food, saved me money, and made me feel great… and that’s how my Done with Dairy Toolkit was born.

My Done with Dairy Toolkit is the ultimate (free) guide to living dairy-free. It’s loaded with dairy-free recipes, tips and recommendations on how to thrive on a dairy-free diet - love every meal, snack, and dessert you prepare yourself without feeling limited in your options.

To give you a little taste of the types of recipes you’ll find in the handy-dandy guide, I’ve created a nut-free, vegan cheese sauce for you!

Nut-free Vegan Cheese Sauce (17)-3

Nut-Free Vegan Sauce

3/4 cup water
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Add water, sesame seeds and lemon juice to the jug of your high powered blender. Blend on high for 2 minutes, until smooth. Set aside.

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Add oil to a medium saucepan or frying pan and melt on medium-low.

Add nutritional yeast and stir with a fork until all yeast is covered in oil.

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Pour in sesame seed mixture and stir until it comes to a boil.

Add in remaining ingredients: mustard, onion powder, garlic powder and salt.

Cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in your favorite cooked pasta or serve warm with veggies.

Notes:

Feel free to replace the coconut oil with whatever oil you have on hand. The great thing about using coconut oil is that, when heated, the sauce is runny and perfect “cheese sauce” consistency. But when chilled, it is similar to a cheese spread. If another type of oil is used, this may not be the case.

Nut-free Vegan Cheese Sauce (7)

Are you rockin’ a dairy-free life or know someone who is?

Do you get overwhelmed with all of the substitutions you have to make to a recipe to make it dairy-free?
Leanne_HealthfulPursuit

Author bio: Leanne Vogel is a holistic nutritionist who has chosen to celebrate her allergies, overcome her food restrictions, release her negative relationship with food and live freely. You can find her living out her journey as she documents her latest adventures on her blog, www.healthfulpursuit.com.

Connect with LeanneÖ

Facebook: healthfulpursuit

Twitter:@be_healthful

Searchable Saturdays

4.06.2013

1. LOVING /// Tomorrow marks the first outdoor Farmer’s Market of the year here in Bloomington. I am sure there won’t be much produce yet but lots of delicious local food, plants, and live music. The first market is what I always consider marks that Spring is officially here.

2. CREATING /// Baker Bettie is hosting her annual Cookie Wars. I was the winner last year (woooo!) with my Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies with Mascarpone Frosting and can’t wait to enter again! If you are looking for some inspiration, check out her post about previous cookie recipes here and don’t forget to enter by May 1st!

3. GROWING /// My seeds are sprouting! There is nothing more rewarding than growing your own food from seed. I decided to invest all of my money that usually goes towards our CSA into our garden. Pretty risky but that means we can not fail! Hope on over to Fox In The Pine’s blog to see her method for starting seeds!

4. EXPLORING /// We originally had a Southwestern road trip planned for the beginning of May. However, the time snuck up on us so we are pushing our big summer trip back to September. That means more time to plan (maybe even go somewhere new instead? Yellowstone? Montreal? San Fran?) and more small trips between. I’m thinking next 3 day weekend we are going to head to the Smoky Mountains.

Hope everyone has some wonderful weekend plans and gets outside to enjoy this spring weather.

Spring Adventures

4.04.2013

Day Picnic with Wyatt and Tuko/Taco/Teke.

Song Pairing:

Citrus Thyme Cocktail

4.03.2013

I usually post in the mornings but a happy hour post seemed appropriate with this cocktail recipe. I reserve the winters for beer and baileys and mulled wine. But as the sun starts to show itself and the days are taking their time to set, I’m getting anxious for warm weather cocktails. You know – those cocktails loaded with so many fresh herbs and smashed fruit that you can almost convince yourself it’s healthy.

Well, I know it’s a little early for summer rituals but I had this ginger citrus infused rum to use up somehow! So over the weekend, I talked my boyfriend into firing up the grill, whipped up some pasta salad, and picked out the healthiest looking herb I could find at the co-op (which, surprisingly, happened to be thyme). We enjoyed an early dinner filled with veggie hot dogs, this citrus thyme cocktail, and watching our dog chase the birds out of our [new] bird feeder. It didn’t have the lingering warmth that summer grill outs tend to have but it sure felt closer than we’ve been in six months.

I may be jumping the gun on summer with the thyme but this cocktail is a perfect spring drink. The winter citrus is still lingering (you may even still be able to find blood oranges for this recipe!) and the soda water keeps this drink light compared to all those lagers you’ve been sucking down in these winter months.

Also, don’t forget to check out my post on how to infuse the rum with ginger and citrus!

Citrus Thyme Cocktail

1 1/2 ounces of Ginger Citrus Infused Rum
1 teaspoon lime juice (orange or lemon would be wonderful too)
1/2 teaspoon honey
Sparkling Water (I used about 5 ounces but use more or less depending on how strong you like your cocktail)
Sprigs of Thyme
Slices of citrus

In a shaker, mix the rum, lime juice, honey, and water. Place in a cocktail glass with ice. Garnish with citrus and thyme.

Music Pairing:

Wild Rice & Wheatberry Grain Salad

4.01.2013

Helloooo, April. April Fools has always been one of my favorite holidays. I’m ruthless about it. My childhood pranks consisted of unplugging the fridge and turning the house upside down in the name of ‘Aprils Fools’. My teenage April fools jokes only got more cruel – from telling my mother I was pregnant to calling my father crying about dropping out of school. I was just plain awful.

I feel a little unprepared today. I usually have a list of pranks that I spend the day playing on people. But this year I have nothing. No silly string was bought in advance and no text messages were craftily worded out. I wonder if I’m loosing my touch? I think I’m just having a hard time drawing the line between what are acceptable pranks at my age? If I was to trash a house then I’d have to clean it up – sooo… jokes on me (and we all know that’s no fun). Do any of you guys have some really good pranks planned today?

Anyhow, so I feel the need to point out that April Fools has nothing to do with this salad. I just wanted to talk about April fools. And now I want to talk about salads (I can do…you know, pick topics…because it’s my blog). So we are going to talk about grain salads.

The lettuce has been looking pretty sad at my co-op these past few months so I’ve been turning to grain salads more and more for my lunches. They are portable, easy to make a big batch ahead of time, and super filling.

If I could, I would eat wheat berries for every meal. They are wonderfully chewy and filling and stuffed full of fiber. However Wyatt isn’t a big fan so I’ve been hiding them along with other grains. It’s been working out wonderfully! They give a hidden chewiness to the salad that makes you work a little harder and leaves you feeling more satisfied! This salad is on the sweet side because of the maple syrup so I would suggest serving it with a side of almond butter and toast. Or if you want something savorier, swap out the maple syrup and orange juice for balsamic vinegar. Don’t be afraid to play around here!

Wild Rice & Wheat Berry Grain Salad with Dried Cranberries & Almond

2/3 cup wild rice, rinsed
1 cup wheat berries, rinsed
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped almond
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
juice from half an orange
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Salt / Pepper, to taste

First, prepare the grains. Place the wheatberries in 3 cups of water and let simmer for 45 minutes. Place the wild rice in an pot with 2 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once the wild rice water is boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover, and let cook for 30 minutes. Drain both the pots (if there is any water leftover after the wild rice has absorbed it) and set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onions and saute for about five minutes (or until softened). Add in the garlic and saute for another minute. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, mix the wild rice, wheat berries, and onion mixture with the rest of the ingredients. Serve right away or stick in the fridge for an hour to help the flavors meld together.

PS – Want to turn this lunch salad into dinner? Why not stuff a roasted acorn squash with it?

Searchable Saturdays

3.30.2013

The posts were a little sparse this week. Things got busy and I mostly relied on leftovers from a big pot of Black Bean Chili for my meals. Things should start to calm down this weekend and I will hopefully have more delicious recipes coming at you soon!

Although I lacked in cooking this week…I still managed to find time to decompress in front of the computer and find some inspiration for you. Here is what I’ve got…

1. WANDERLUST /// I know Spring officially started a few weeks ago but this weekend is going to be the first warm weekend for us here in the Midwest. Everything started blooming midway through the week and I spent the second half itchin’ to get outside. And guess what – today is the day. I’m packing up a picnic and we are heading on an adventure as soon as I finish this post.

2. CRAVING /// And speaking of spring – spring produce is right around the corner! We are talking asparagus, beans, strawberries, etc etc etc. I cannot wait to get out of this root vegetable rut and into some fresh inspiration!

3. CREATING /// I’m not very good at planning when it comes to holidays. I’ve skipped going home for the last three Easters and always start to feel a little homesick halfway through the holiday. This year I’m not going home (again) but I do think I will make Wyatt (and Tuko – as much as a dog can participate) join in some festivities. I’m thinking a brunch and egg dying.

4. LOVING /// I visited a Lush for the first time last week and am crushing hard. Everything from their all natural lipstick (lovin’ my pink ‘Believe’ color) to their cruelty-free conditioners.

Searchable Saturdays

3.23.2013

Hello Weekend! The sun shining outside is tricking me into thinking it’s warmer than 20 degrees out. Oh spring – where are you??! Ah well. Here are some inspirational links from the week..

1. CRAVING /// I am starting to feel the spring cleaning urge coming on but refuse to do anything until it’s warm enough to open my windows and let the fresh air in. More than cleaning, I am looking forward to ‘freshening’ up the look of our house. I have thoughts of new wall artwork, more more more hanging plants, and new rugs.

2. INSPIRATION /// Most of my food inspiration came from looking at menus last week when we were traveling. It’s wonderful to see what crazy combinations restaurants have come up with. Since I’ve been back from Florida, I’ve been scoping the internet looking up menus from all over the world. This picture is of a place in Seattle called Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery. There menu is a mouthwatering list of boozy shakes, chocolate cakes, and seasonal items.

3. CREATING /// Even though it’s still super cold here, I am hoping to start planning my seeds indoors this weekend. In addition to my usual herb and vegetable seeds, I am planning to try growing ginger and potatoes from already grown produce. Why not? I’m still rather new to gardening so I plan to do lots of experimenting this time around.

4. LUSTING /// I’ve fallen head over heels for the blog My New Roots. Every recipe sounds so refreshing and delicious, I cannot wait to cook my way through her website!

Lentil Meatball Subs

3.22.2013

Lentils are known for being a good source of protein, increasing energy, helping with digestion, maintaining good cholesterol, and so many other important dietary needs. So, of course, these inciting benefits make me want to cram as much lentil’s into my diet as possible. Although I enjoy a big bowl of Lentil soup now and then, my palette often longs for some variety. So I’m on a new hunt to conquer more lentil recipes without taking the easy way out and making soup. This recipe was my first attempt on this new journey. And damn – it is delicious!

I made a sub out of these with delicious meatballs but I don’t plan on stopping there. With the leftovers there are talks of spaghetti and ‘meatballs’ or ‘mostacholi’ bakes. Also, I cannot wait to make these again in appetizer form and serve them on cute little sticks with a Sweet Pepper Aoili or a cilantro dipping sauce. The options are endless with these little balls!

These do take a little time because there are several rounds of cooling processes but it’s totally worth it. And these freeze super well! The recipe below easily feeds 4-6 so if there are only 2 of you then I’d suggest freezing the rest for an easy spaghetti weeknight meal.

Lentil Meatball Subs

Adapted from The New York Time’s Wellness Blog

For the meatballs:

2 cups lentils
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoon fresh thyme
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
8 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
3 eggs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup breadcrumbs

For the subs:

Tomato Sauce (I used my homemade sauce)
Baguette
Gouda Cheese (fresh mozzarella would be wonderful too)
Fresh basil or oregano, for garnish

Place the lentils in a saucepan with 8 cups of water. Let the water come to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft but not falling apart. Remove from heat and drain. Let cool.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and let cook for about ten minutes (or until they begin to brown). Next, add in the garlic, thyme, and a little bit of salt. Let cook for another minutes. Add tomato paste and stir for three minutes. Then add in the mushroom and continue to cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.

Combine the cooled lentils with the cooked vegetable and add the Parmesan, eggs, and breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a 13×9 inch pan. Using clean hands, roll the mixture into golf ball size (smaller if you want to use them as appetizers) balls and place on greased baking sheet. Continue with the rest of the batter.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the meatballs start to brown on top.

To assemble: Take two pieces of baguette and slice them down the middle (but leave a little piece at the bottom still attached). Press the baguette open and stick slices of Gouda on each bottom followed by meatballs and sauce. Stick under the broiler for a minute or until the cheese has melted. Top with fresh basil or oregano and server fresh!

I served mine with Parmesan Thyme Sweet Potatoes and it was fantastic!

Citrus Tub Scrub /// Chickpea Spring Issue

3.21.2013

Let’s talk magazine. I love blogs. They are wonderful – accessible, easy to update, and inspiring. But, in my opinion, they will never compare to having a print version of something. Maybe I’m a collector (I do have an obscene amount of vinyl records when we all know I could just use Itunes). But there is just something about smelling the fresh pages, running my fingers across the inspiring images, and clipping out favorite articles that can not be replicated with blogs.

My favorite part about blogs is that anyone can be a blogger. I am a blogger. I have no job that labels me as a ‘writer’ or no diploma that says anything about ‘design’ on it. You don’t need those labels to blog. And I love that. It’s probably my favorite part about reading blogs. Bloggers are people who are passionate about what they are writing because they aren’t in it (for the most part) to get a check at the end of the day.

I used to be a zine nut before blogging because it was our way of putting our info out there. You could make a cooking zine without a publishing deal. Many magazines have turned into that as well. I mean, you still have Rolling Stone and Bust and Cosmo but you also have the ability to make your own magazines with programs like Issuu and Dreamweaver. We now have magazines like Kinfolk and Pure Green Magazine and Chickpea Magazine. These are products of creative people putting themselves out there by making their own magazines. And they are beautiful. And so much more inspiring than any Cosmo I’ve ever read.

This rant is a product of my excitement from the Spring Issue of Chickpea Magazine which went on pre-order last week. It’s filled with beautiful photography, inspiring vegan recipes, and spring adventures. I highly suggest you check out the free version here or think about per-ordering a physical copy for yourself here.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Lastly, I wanted to give you a little preview of what you can expect from my article in the issue. My article is on homemade house cleaners. In it I talk house plants, DIY recipes, and the drawbacks of pre-packaged house cleaners. This article was so fun to write about because it was one big science project. A constant affair of trying out different ingredients and recipes to see what really got the grime off of that damn kitchen sink. The end results were rewarding and I am so happy to share with everyone some favorite homemade cleaners that I use every week.

The one I am sharing today is shockingly easy and cheap. Its my citrus tub scrub. A piece of citrus fruit and coarse salt. That’s it. How easy is that? It will make your bathroom smell like you’ve been growing a citrus plant in there for years while the acidicity from the fruit will scrub away the grime. The coarse salt is used as an exfoliater to get the hard to scrub spots.

Bathroom Tub Scrub

1 pieces of citrus fruit (the bigger, the more surface area you can cover quicker)
Coarse Salt

Cut the fruit in half. Pour a little coarse salt onto the inside of the fruit and gently squeeze out the juice as you scrub the bathroom tub. Apply more salt as needed. Let sit for a few minutes and rinse with water.

Feel free to use leftover fruit to scrub the outside of the toilet, the bathroom sink, or even the floors.

Song Pairing:

Kale, Tomato, & Garlic Breadsticks

3.19.2013

These breadsticks are a product of a frustrating juicer clean up experience. And by frustrating I mean the twenty minutes I spent scrubbing it’s inside parts trying to get green stains out. And then the other twenty minutes I spent scrubbing the kitchen counter to remove the orange carrot stains. And then finally the last ten minutes which consisted of scorching my hands with hot water trying to get all the last bits of color off of my own hands. Through this process I kept thinking to myself ‘Never again will I wait until my lunch break to clean up my morning juice’ which then was followed by thoughts of ‘these stains are crazy. Does it stain the inside of my stomach like this?’ and then ‘I bet this is how they make that fun colored pasta’ and finally ‘wait..I bet I could make fun colored doughs!’

And there you have it. The next day I set out of make dye juices out of carrots, kale, and beets. I didn’t end up following through the the beet one though…I know it would have made the most beautiful color dough but I couldn’t do it. I can not stand the smell of beets (let alone the taste) and knew the sticks would go straight to the trash if I even attempted to try it. And then my hands would smell like beets. And my beet stained hands would be reminders of the horrible earthy smell [sorry, beet lovers. I can not relate to you on this one]. I also ended up wanting a deeper red than the carrot juice gave so I ended up using tomato paste which worked wonders. And lastly, I played around with all sorts of toppings – poppy seed, garlic, parmesan, sesame seeds, and fresh herbs. The results were an array of fun colored breadsticks all with individual flavor profiles. No two sticks the same…which made it challenging to not want to sample them all.

All in all – my favorites were the kale poppy seed, tomato paremsan, and garlic thyme ones. These would make pretty party appetizers or go along perfectly with pizza. In fact, the basic dough recipe is my favorite pizza dough so you could totally just double that part and use half the dough for pizza. Just saying – I’ll take any excuse to eat pizza.

Make these thicker if you like your breadsticks doughy and soft. I personally was going for a cracker feel so I made them thin and let them sit out for a few hours.

Garlic, Tomato, & Kale Breadsticks

1 package active dry yeast
3+ cups all purpose flour
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
a bunch of kale
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
assortment of toppings (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, parmesan, garlic, herbs, spices, etc)

Whisk together the yeast, 1 Tablespoon flour, and 1/4 cup warm water and let stand for ten minutes or until the yeast has become a thick foam.

Stir together 1 1/2 cups of flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and the rest of the water (3/4 cup) and stir until smooth. Add another half a cup of flour and mix. If the dough is sticking to your hands then it’s too moist so add a bit more flour and if it’s too dry then add a bit more water (try to keep on the stickier side since you’ll be adding a bit more flour as you knead).

Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let dough rise for an hour or until it’s doubled.

While it’s raising, press washed kale through a juicer to create a few tablespoons of juice.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts and keep the two parts you aren’t working with covered in the bowl (this will help the dough from drying out).

On a floured surface, fold in the minced garlic to the first part of the dough. Knead the dough until garlic is speckled throughout. Roll the dough into a 9×13 rectagle and use a cookie cutter to cut 5 long strips. Pick up a strip, twist it, and transfer to a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the strips.

On a very floured surface (this is important because we are going to be adding more liquid to the dough which will make the dough sticky and will most likely need to be adding more flour), place another 1/3 of the dough and pour 1 tablespoon of kale juice over it. Start folding the dough into itself and add more kale juice (1 tablespoon at a time) until the dough is at your desired color consistency. Make sure to add more flour if the dough starts to get too sticky.

Roll out the dough into a 13×9 rectangle and cut into 5 strips with a cookie cutter. Twist each strip by hand and transfer to your greased baking sheet.

Lastly, knead 1 tablespoon at a time of the tomato paste into the rest of the dough. Knead until the color is evenly distributed (adding more paste if you want a darker color) and roll out into a 13×9 strip. Cut into 5 pieces, twist each piece by hand, and transfer to a greased baking sheet (you may need to start a second sheet at this point).

Brush 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top of the sticks and top with desired toppings. Cook for 20 minutes or until golden at the top.

Serve warm or let sit overnight for a cracker-like texture.
Song Pairing:

Blueberry Basil Peach Fizz

3.13.2013

And here is the cocktail recipe I promised to go along with the Basil Blueberry Infused vodka. It’s simple with the shining ingredients being the garnish. But that’s the way I like my cocktails. Feel free to smash the blueberries a little bit if you like a little chunk in your drink. This drink will probably be even better in a few months when berries start to become in season. I should have waited…but I’m impatient. Ah well.

Also. The whole peach and blueberry combination is my all time favorite. Try it with a Cobbler Cake or in this cocktail. It’s delicious. Heck, it may even replace your favorite strawberries and banana. Or mango and orange. It’s pretty amazing. You won’t be disappointed.

Blueberry Basil Peach Fizz

1 ounce blueberry basil infused vodka
1 cup soda water (more or less depending on how strong you like your cocktail)
2 basil leaves
small handful blueberries
1 slice of a peach
Ice

Fill a cocktail glass with ice. Then pour 1 ounce of infused vodka and soda water over it. Top with blueberries and basil leaves. Stick peach slice on rim of glass. Enjoy!

Ocean Bound

3.11.2013

Heyyaa! We are heading out on an adventure in search of warmer weather. I like to think that I’m never too old for a spring break. I may or may not be able to post in the next few days. If not, see you in a week! Or feel free to follow along on instagram (@shellywest).

Basil Blueberry Infused Vodka

3.10.2013

This is less of a recipe and more of a kitchen experiment. It involves letting vodka absorb the flavors for up to a weeks time. And involves sip tasting everyday. And adjusting the ingredients throughout the week. It involves playing with flavor combinations and getting use to what ingredients absorb into the alcohol quicker than others. It involves patients and curiosity. And, of course, a love for cocktail mixing.

The fascination with mixing my own cocktails started last summer with simple syrups. A simple syrup is, as stated in its name, ridiculously simple to “simmer” up. But you know what else I discovered is as simple to make? Rosemary simple syrup. Blueberry simple syrup. Cranberry simple syrup. The options are literally endless.

So after I had mastered the simple syrup, I was ready to move onto more DIY ways to make my own cocktails unique. I tampered with the idea of making my own bitters (after reading articles such as this one and several books from the library) but the ingredients were obscure and I never did get around to ordering the supplies (one day!).

And after many months of my cocktail making desires being dormant, I stumbled upon infused alcohol. I was out at dive bar where our friend was playing a show and noticed a bunch of jars behind the bar filled with fruits, herbs, and flowers. I questioned the bartender who was reluctant to give me too many details (perhaps he thought I was a spy from their competing bar next door) but what I did get out was that they were filled with alcohol and being infused for the next 4 days. In my slightly tipsy state, immediately upon returning home, I questioned google about what could have possibly been going on in those jars and how I could try it out. I came to the conclusion that they were making infused alcohols and couldn’t wait to try it myself.

This is the first of two I’ve tested. I also have a ginger blood orange rum that still needs another day or two (more on that in the coming days – hopefully). I have a delicious cocktail recipe I served with this vodka but you’ll have to wait for that. Can’t give you guys too much in one post!

Make sure to experiment with your own flavor profiles! Try light colored alcohols to absorb the flavors quicker and think of your favorite herb , spices, and fruit combinations. If the first round doesn’t work out, don’t give up. Experimenting is all about playing around and it may take a few times to get to a flavor you are proud of. The infused alcohol will take anywhere from a few days to a week – all herbs and fruits release flavors at different amounts of time so be patient and sample your alcohol often.

Basil Blueberry Infused Vodka

1 pint blueberries, rinsed
handful of basil
1 cup vodka

Transfer 1/2 the blueberries to sealable jar or container. Slightly smash them open so the flavors can be released. Muddle the basil leaves with a mortar and pestle (or use your hands to rip the leaves apart). Place in jar with the blueberries and add vodka. Seal jar and stick in the fridge for up to a week. Check daily and add more blueberries or basil depending on the desired flavor. [I ended up adding the entire pint of blueberries by the time the week was over but didn't add anymore basil].

Strain using a small mesh strainer or coffee filter. Serve in cocktails or by itself.

Song of the day:

Basics: Homemade Tomato Sauce

3.07.2013

tomatosauce

I’m not going to lie to you. It’s the last leg of winter and I am feeling as uninspired by food as is heavenly possible. I’m over root vegetables. And citrus cakes. And winter squash curry. At first, I was pretty bummed out by this realization. But in retrospect – it happens and it’s a good learning experience to look for inspiration in more than just pretty produce and cleverly flavored recipe combinations.

So, I am taking this lull as an opportunity to hone in on basics in the kitchen. If you’ve ever owned a food blog then you’ve probably noticed that there are certain standards that are expected of you. You’ve probably been at a gathering or in a kitchen with someone while they were cooking and everyone turned to you for advice. “Oh! Shelly owns a food blog – ask her!”. I mean, yes, I have an unhealthy obsession with food but that does not make me the best cook in the kitchen. Heck. The whole reason I started this blog was to push me to become a better cook.

Sometimes the goals off VV can get lost in the trends of fun flavor pairings and exotic ingredients. So, as mentioned, this is my opportunity to hone in on basics ranging from nut butter to standardizing a soup recipe to making pasta sauce. The Kitchn recently posted a few articles about recipes you should know by heart. Do you have a basic pizza dough recipe you always turn to? Or minestrone recipe? Or a mindless recipe work that you can just whip up without having to read through 3 pages full of instructions? Knowing a few recipes and basic kitchen skills will help you to be confident next time everyone turns to you in the kitchen.

Often times we get so used to the convenience of buying things at the store that we forget about how simple they really are. I was reminded of this when making vegetable stock and again with this pasta sauce. Did you know you can make your own pasta sauce in about the same amount of time it will take to boil that big pot of water and cook your pasta? Crazy! And you can probably make it with ingredients right from your pantry.

So, instead of tackling that daunting step-by-step on how to make your next elaborate meal…why don’t you take an evening to perfect your own tomato sauce recipe that can be replicated over and over again?

[Oh and side note. I've also been taking this time to do a little clean up around VV. I've put some energy into giving VV's Facebook Page a small makeover and started re-doing my 'Recipe' page [which is a loooong ongoing process]. If your into random recipe suggestions, links to weird / funny / encouraging articles, and the occasional puppy pic – then head on over to Facebook and like VV. Okay, that was my oooonly and last plug-in for the day. But…to be fair, I don’t have any annoying advertisements flashing all over my pages so a quick suggestion won’t ruin it. Maybe? Hopefully? Please, don’t leave!.]

Basic Tomato Sauce

1 16 ounce can of whole tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme – dried or fresh)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
red wine , optional

Step one: Chop and prepare your veggies / herbs.

Step 2: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add onions and saute until translucent (about five minutes). Add garlic and saute for another minute.

Step 3: Add wine (if using) and turn heat up to high. Let the wine simmer until almost all the liquid is evaporated. Next, add in the tomatoes and use your [clean hands] to break apart the tomatoes (I like my sauce chunky but it all depends on personal preference). Let simmer under the sauce is thick and has reached your desired consistency.

Serve over pasta, ravioli, gnocci, or on homemade pizza!

Searchable Saturdays

2.16.2013

1. LEARNING /// I’ve been knee deep in researching home cleaners this week. It’s for an article I’m working on for Chickpea Magazine. I’ve always loved house plants but am now official convinced they are the answer to all my health problems [ exaggeration ]. More on this in the coming weeks…

2. LUSTING /// Our landlord finally [ kind of ] agreed to us getting a second dog. We love love love our boxer puppy but he definitely has a lot of energy and needs a playmate. I have my eyes set on a French Bulldog….

3. CRAVING /// Have you ever seen vegetables look so beautiful? I am blown away at the thought of how delicious this gorgeous stack of Lemon-Rosemary flavored veggies probably are. And lay them over some lentils? Oh goodness – irresistible.

4. ADVENTURING /// We are heading down south to Nashville, TN for the weekend. I am sooo excited about this over due trip because I spent several summers living there and cannot wait to go back after 2 years. Nashville has always brought me a sense of excitement and hope. I guess it’s a place that I spent a lot of time “finding myself” and really enjoy the comfort of knowing it’s always there if I ever need inspiration.

Well, I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! I’m off to do some exploring in warmer parts of the country!

Pre-Valentine’s Day Hike

2.12.2013

Just tryin’ to get outside whenever possible. Wyatt and I weren’t sure if we were going to have that much time on Thursday so do Valentine-esque things so we went on a little hike over the weekend. There is nothing I love more than hanging out with my favorite person and favorite puppy in one of my favorite places. Pure bliss.