Nutty Breakfast Bars

These are so quick and easy, that you will want to keep them on hand always. I store mine in the freezer and take one out when I am making coffee in the morning. By the time the coffee is ready, the breakfast bar is ready to eat. If you like to have a "little something" with your first cup of coffee, these are perfect. There is enough substance to keep you going for quite a while, and enough sweetness and flavor to make you glad to get up in the morning.

Hazelnuts or pecans or cashews - 1 heaping cup chopped

Egg whites 4

Oatmeal 2 cups

Melted Butter 1/2 cup

Dates 1 1/2 cups chopped

Ground flax 1 cup

Mix ingredients together and form 2" x 3" bars - about 1/2" thick. 

Bake for 30 minutes at 325° on a baking sheet coated with coconut oil.T

That's it!

Try not to become a person of success, but rather become a person of value. Albert Einstein

Roasted Vegetable Soup

I'm a big fan of recipes with variable ingredients. This roasted vegetable soup will work with whatever vegetables you happen to have around your house, in your garden or available at the farmer's market. Put chunks of raw vegetables into a Dutch oven, or any covered casserole dish or enamel baking dish. Slow roast the vegetables along with wine, olive oil, and salt.

When the vegetables are soft and somewhat caramelized (3 - 4  hours in a 325 oven), remove the covered dish from the oven, add the broth and any herbs that you like. Return the dish to the oven for another hour.

As your final step, allow the roasted vegetables to cool a bit, and then puree them with a hand blender. You could add some sour cream or creme fraiche, if you like. And you might want to add more herbs or salt to bring it into the perfection zone!

Any combination of these will work in your soup:

Onions - peeled and quartered

Whole peeled garlic cloves

Tomatoes - remove stems and cut in halves or quarters

Sweet potatoes - peel and cut into chunks

Broccoli

Cauliflower

White or red potatoes - peel and cut in halves or quarters
Leeks - clean and cut off green tops
Shallots - peel and put in whole

Chili Peppers, Ortega, Pasilla, jalapeno - remove stems and seeds and cut in half

Winter Squash - any kind - peel, remove seeds and cut into chunks

**Winter squash can be hard to cut and peel, so I put the whole squash into the oven for 30 to 40 minutes before I attempt to cut and peel it. Works like a charm!**

Other ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil 

1/2 cup red or white wine - add at the beginning

2 - 3 cups broth - add after vegetables are roasted

Herbs - basil, dill, parsley, thyme, rosemary, turmeric, ground caraway,

Basil, dill, and parsley can be used in large quantities. Thyme, rosemary and oregano are too strong for more than a pinch. (See note below.)

Salt - add initially and at the final step, if needed

1/3 - 1/2 cup sour cream or creme fraiche - add at the end

Cooked rice, barley or corn - add after the soup is pureed

Cooked, chopped vegetables, such as green beans or asparagus - add after the soup is pureed

Sauteed mushrooms - add after soup is pureed

If you like to use your imagination, this is a terrific way to make a hearty winter soup with fabulous flavor.

Note: One way to add a strong spice like rosemary to a broth is to put it in a tea strainer or a gauze drawstring pouch and let it steep in the hot broth for a bit. You will get some of the flavor and the aroma, but without the woody bits.

Tamale Casserole

This is my new favorite breakfast. You can certainly have it for dinner, but Oh! What a fabulous morning meal. Truly a reason to get up in the morning!

Tamale Casserole

18 - 20 corn tortillas

Cooking oil - at least 4 - 6 ounces

1 cup corn meal

1 can creamed corn

1/3 cup water

4 eggs

2 oz diced pimento

4 oz chopped ripe olives

4 oz diced green chilies or diced jalapenos

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups shredded, cooked chicken

1 teaspoon cumin

Chili powder or chili powder blend*

3 cups enchilada sauce

3/4 cup crushed tortilla chips

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese - optional

* If you use pure chili powder, use a 1/2 teaspoon for the corn meal mix and a 1/2 teaspoon for the sauteed chicken. If you are using a blend you can sprinkle it in a little more liberally.

1. Cut 18 corn tortillas in strips, saute in oil. They don't need to get crisp. Use plenty of oil to soften them. Put some in the pan and then drizzle a little over the top. 

2. Saute 1/2 of the tortillas and put them in the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Pour 1 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Stir them slightly so they are evenly coated with sauce.

3. Cook corn meal along with: eggs, creamed corn, water, pimento, diced green chilies or diced jalapenos, salt, and diced ripe olives. Cook on medium heat until thickened. Stir to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

4. Saute the shredded, cooked chicken in oil with cumin and chili powder.

5. Ladle the cooked corn meal mixture over the tortilla/sauce layer.

6. Saute the other half of the tortilla strips and arrange them over the corn meal.

7. Spread the spiced, sauteed chicken over strips; ladle the remaining enchilada sauce over chicken.

8. Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips over chicken. If you like, sprinkle grated cheese over the crushed chips.

Bake covered for 45 minutes at 350

If you delight in existence, you will become a guide to those who need you, revealing the path to many.

Sutra Nipata

Crab Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes

 I was searching my kitchen for something to plump up my twice baked potatoes and struck gold. I opened a can of crab meat, drizzled some fresh lemon juice over it, sprinkled some chili powder on it, and added it to the potato spice mix.  Voila!

1. Slice the leftover baked potatoes in half and scoop out the insides.

2. Set the shells on a baking sheet and put some melted butter into the potatoes - at least a tablespoon per potato.

3. Ad some parsley flakes, bouillon powder, black pepper, ground caraway, and sauted onion and garlic to the potatoes. If you are pressed for time, you could get away with onion and garlic powder.

4. Mix the crab/lemon/chili powder into the potatoes and mix it all together well.

5. Fill each of the potato shells; top with paprika and bake at 350 for about a half hour.

These are so delicious! You might want to try them at a dinner party.


No problem can be solved at the level of consciousness at which it was conceived,
Albert Einstein

Holiday Pancakes

Holiday Pancakes

Pancakes can be made with whatever you have handy - a few eggs, a bit of ground grain or seed, some flavoring and salt and as much liquid as you need to make a pour-able batter. Whether or not you add some baking powder depends upon how fluffy or dense you like your pancakes.

In this instance, I ground some oat flakes, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and slivered almonds in a coffee grinder and added them to three beaten eggs and about a third cup of coffee liqueur. Some salt and cardamom for flavor and the pancake batter is complete. To quote Ina Garten, "How easy is that!"

The ratio of eggs to flour to liquid depends a little on what kind of grains and seeds you use. Chia seeds absorb a great deal of liquid, so only about a cup and a half of the flour mix is used. As your batter sits, it may thicken. Just add any liquid: water, milk, or a nut milk if you prefer.

I like a dense, high protein pancake, so I usually start with 3 or four eggs. Then add a small amount of liquid - about a half cup. Then add flour until the batter is the right consistency.

Fry in a neutral oil such as avocado. Silver dollar sized pancakes are nearly always easier to flip and cook, especially if you use an alternative flour.

You have to wake up in order to grow up. Loch Kelly

Sweet Potato Breakfast Bake

Sweet Potato Breakfast Bake

Cooked sweet potato - about 2 cups
The canned ones would work. You can also easily roast your own by popping them in the oven whole until they are soft and then scooping out the inside.

3 eggs

1/2 cup butter/bacon drippings blend Or coconut oil if you prefer

1/2 cup ricotta cheese (Silken tofu for a dairy free version)

3 tablespoons brown sugar or honey or maple syrup

1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon chili powder blend (not pure chili powder)
A couple tablespoons of spiced dried kale flakes - if you keep this kind of thing around. If not, throw in some parsley and call it good.

1. Use an electric mixer to beat the eggs, the add all of the other ingredients and mix thoroughly.

2. Spread in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

4. Top with crumbled bacon and serve warm.

This is an easy and hearty breakfast. You could mix it up the night before and stick it in the fridge to pull out and bake in the morning. In this case, I would add the bacon crumbles in the morning just before baking.


Beauty scatters the seeds of hope in us. Sister Joan Chittister

Pumpkin Fritters

Pumpkin Fritters 

5 large or six smaller eggs 
2 cups cooked pureed pumpkin 
1/2 cup coconut flour 
1 cup fava, rice or other gluten free flour blend 
2 tablespoons cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon cloves 
1 teaspoon nutmeg 
1 teaspoon salt 

Your batter should be a bit stiff. Drop into hot coconut oil and flatten a little with the spoon. Fry at medium low and serve with toppings such as butter, fruit, nuts, syrup, powdered sugar, and whipped cream.

More Chia Pancakes

Because you cannot have enough recipes for pancakes...More Chia Pancakes

1/2 cup chia seeds
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup coconut flour
5 medium or 4 large eggs
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cloves

Coconut oil for frying.

1. Stir the chia seeds into the hot water. Let sit for 30 minutes or longer. These can even be kept in the refrigerator overnight if that is more convenient.

2. When you are ready to fry your cakes, mix all the ingredients together in a blender. Blend on medium speed for about a minute.

3. Drop spoonfuls of batter into hot coconut oil to make cakes about 3 inches in diameter.

4. Serve with any combination of toppings: butter, syrup, fruit sauce, nuts

The world will be saved by beauty.   Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Color Cole Slaw

 

Color Cole Slaw

We have some lovely purple cabbage in our garden, so it seemed like a good time for a new twist on cole slaw. It's a great side dish and could also be used as a garnish for fish tacos.

2 cups shredded purple cabbage

2 cups shredded Napa cabbage

3/4 cup diced red bell pepper

3/4 cup diced celery

1 1/2 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons caraway powder

2 tablespoons dill weed

1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette 

Stir and let sit at least a half hour before serving, so that the flavors have a chance to blend a little.

The amounts are not critical; this my best estimate of what I actually used.

Mighty things from small beginnings grow.  John Dryden

Roasted Potatoes with Tender Chicken

Roasted Potatoes with Tender Chicken 

Tender chicken and crispy potatoes in one dish doesn't seem possible, but it's amazingly simple and quite delicious.

10 pieces of chicken tenders and/or boneless thighs

8 medium potatoes 

Chili powder

Salt

Butter

Marinade:

1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup water

1. Marinate the chicken for about 1/2 hour.

2. Sprinkle with salt and chili powder

3. Peel and cut the potatoes into 1 1/2 inch cubes 

4. Place the potatoes on top of the chicken/marinade layer. 

5. Gently turn the potato cubes over in order to coat them slightly with the marinade mix, but leaving the chicken on the bottom layer.

6. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper. 

Bake at 350 for about an hour and a half. At the 1 hour mark, drizzle melted butter over the potatoes. 

Potatoes will get deliciously browned on the outside and soft in the middle. Scoop the chicken and potatoes into a platter with a slotted spoon.

Love comforteth like sunshine after rain.  William Shakespeare

Banana Fritters

Banana Fritters

Most of us have seen the recipe for 2 eggs/1 banana pancakes on the Internet somewhere. I have tried that recipe and found it somewhat wanting, so I have updated a banana fritter recipe. I think you will like it!

I froze my overripe bananas. I peeled them, broke them into pieces and froze them in zip lock bags. This isn't necessary, but it's useful if you don't want to make the fritters at the same time the bananas need to be used. After thawing, I drained them in a metal strainer. 

This resulted in about 1 1/2 cups of mashed banana. 

Add: 

1/2  cup ground golden flax seed 

1/3 cup of coconut flour 

4 eggs 

2 tablespoons of cinnamon 

2 teaspoons vanilla 

Small amounts of cloves, nutmeg or cardamom can also be used. (1/2 teaspoon amounts) 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 cup chia seeds 

1. Mix very thoroughly - a mixer is probably the best way. 

2. The batter needs to sit for a bit to let the chia seeds absorb moisture. Anywhere from a half hour to overnight is fine. If the batter becomes a little too thick, add some coconut milk (any kind of milk would work) to thin it a bit. The batter should be fairly thick, though. 

3. Drop small spoonfuls in hot coconut oil and then cook over medium low heat. Little discs about 2 inches in diameter is what you are aiming for. Lots of surface area is the key to good flavor and texture.

Eat them with any toppings you like: Butter, syrup, fresh fruit, cooked fruit, chopped nuts, coconut, jam, etc. Some people might like them without any toppings.

The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.    Richard Bach

Crab Cakes

 

Crab Cakes are a favorite in our family. We eat them as a main dish, but they are always a favorite appetizer.

If you are allergic to shellfish or don't eat shellfish, this recipe is also good with salmon or other cooked fish.

4 cooked potatoes (roasted or steamed)
Parsnips or carrots work well instead of or in combination with potato.
8 ounces cooked crab meat

1 Medium onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon tamarind
1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 tablespoon red chili flakes

2 eggs

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons coconut flour

1/2 cup golden flax meal

1. Saute the onion and garlic.

2. Mash the potatoes with a large fork.

3. Add the crab meat, eggs, onion mix, butter, and spices to the potatoes. Mix thoroughly. Add the coconut flour and the flax meal.

4. Coat 2 baking sheets with a generous amount of olive oil and put the pans in the oven while the oven is preheating to 350. When the oil has warmed, remove the pans and make 5 or 6 crab cake patties on each sheet. About 3/4 inch thick and 4 inches in diameter is a good size.

This recipe should make 10 - 12 patties.

Bake for 15 minutes, flip and bake for 10 minutes on the second side. You might also want to switch the placement of the baking sheets for more even cooking.

Serve the crab cakes as a main dish with rice and salad.

If you want to serve these as appetizers, make the patties much smaller and cut the baking time by about 5 minutes.

Topping:

Mix together 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons sweet hot mustard for a zesty crab cake sauce.

The sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers, but for the wide world's joy.
                                                                                       Henry Ward Beecher
 

Braised Lamb Shoulder

 Here are two recipes for slow cooked lamb. It is surprisingly delicious with a taste similar to the much more costly leg of lamb. These instructions are for oven braising, but you could use a slow cooker (crock pot). The slow cooker might take a little bit longer than the oven to get the same results.

Lamb in Wine Sauce

2 pound lamb shoulder (If you are feeding more than 4 people, you will need two of these.)
Olive oil
Onion
Mushrooms
Fish sauce (or anchovy paste)
Red wine
Orange juice
Curry powder
Ground Rosemary
Salt
Pepper


1. Drizzle a little olive oil over the lamb shoulder sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and a light dusting of curry powder. Cover with diced onion, pour about a half inch of water in the bottom of the pan, and bake in a 320 oven for 4 or 5 hours.

2. Chop 10 - 12 mushrooms into small pieces. Dice one medium sized onion.

3. Saute the onions and mushrooms in a bit of olive oil, and add 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice and 3/4 cup red wine. Add a teaspoon of fish sauce and a half teaspoon of ground Rosemary to this mixture and simmer slowly for a few minutes.

4. At hour 3, pour the wine sauce over the lamb shoulder and cook until the meat is falling off the bone and is very tender.

 Serve with rice, lentils, and acorn squash for a hearty winter meal.



Lamb with Rosemary and Garlic

2 pound lamb shoulder (If you are feeding more than 4 people, you will need two of these.)
Olive oil
Garlic - regular or elephant
Fresh Rosemary
Curry powder
Salt
Pepper

Sides: red or white potatoes, small onions, carrots




1. Drizzle a little olive oil over the lamb shoulder and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and a light dusting of curry powder. Pour about a half inch of water in the bottom of the pan and bake in a 320 oven for 4 or 5 hours.

2. Dice one or two cloves of elephant garlic or 5 or 6 regular garlic cloves.

3. At hour three, baste the shoulder, and then cover with diced garlic and fresh Rosemary.

4.At hour 3.5, lay small unpeeled red or white potatoes, chunks of carrot, and 6 or 7 small onions around the roast. Salt and pepper the vegetables. These will take a little over an hour to cook at the low temperature.

Serve on your best platter, with Pinot Noir and candlelight, just for fun!

Rosemary is a hearty plant that can be grown indoors or outdoors. It requires little care and will be there for you when you want to add some to a soup, bread or meat dish. It is the secret to great tasting lamb dishes.

 Save your shoulder bones and scraps to make a delicious bone broth. Throw the scraps into a pot of water with a little salt, some more Rosemary and a bit of tamarind. Simmer on low for several hours. Strain the broth through a metal sieve and use the clear broth for lentil soup or lamb stew if you have enough meat left over.

Marry the one who gives you the same feeling you get when you see your food coming at a restaurant.
(Lynn Rossetto Kasper attributed this to Anonymous, and I would never argue with her.)

Cauliflower Potato Soup

1 head of Cauliflower

4 medium sized potatoes

1 medium onion

1 red bell pepper

10 – 12 mushrooms

1 head broccoli

Salt

Pepper

Anchovy paste

Soy sauce or tamari

2 cups broth – chicken or vegetable

2 cups milk – Nut or dairy

Dill

Parsley

Curry powder

1. Cut 1 cauliflower and 6 medium peeled potatoes into large chunks - approximately 2 x 3 inches

2. Dice one medium onion.

3. Roast the onion, cauliflower and potatoes in a glass pan with salt and pepper and a generous drizzling of olive oil at 375 for about an hour. Cover the dish with foil for the first half hour, then remove.

4. Chop the red pepper, broccoli and mushrooms into small bits and sauté in olive oil. We eat with our eyes first and the tiny color morsels will jazz up this cream colored soup. Set these aside until the soup is pureed.

5. When the potatoes, cauliflower and onion are cooked thoroughly, transfer them to a soup kettle and add 1 ½ cups of milk and 1 ½ cups of chicken or vegetable broth. Coconut, almond, cashew or dairy milk will all work equally well.

6. Puree the roasted vegetables, a teaspoon of anchovy paste, milk and broth with an immersion blender.

7. Add more broth if the soup is too thick.

8. Spice with dill, parsley, curry powder, salt and a tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari.

9. When you have the consistency and flavor you like, add the red pepper/mushroom/broccoli mix.

 “Once you’ve roasted cauliflower in the oven, you can never go back.” Nigella Lawson

Spicy Party Snack

Roasted Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans are a great alternative party snack. They are fairly inexpensive to make and quite a bit more nutritious than many snack foods.

Drain the liquid from a can of beans, heat some coconut oil on a baking sheet, and pour the drained beans onto the sheet. Sprinkle with spices, stir just a bit, and bake at 350 for 30 - 40 minutes. Beans should have a crisp coating. If they are not quite crisp, give them a few more minutes. Once they are cooled, you can store them in an airtight container. They are better fresh, though.

They will crisp a little faster if they are not crowded, so it is best to use only one can per one regular size baking sheet. 

Suggested spices:

Salt
Ginger
Turmeric
Cumin
Powdered mustard
Dill weed
Chili powder


Breakthroughs happen when what is suddenly possible meets with what is desperately necessary.
Thomas Friedman

Persimmon Salsa!

Whether you have a persimmon tree or friends with persimmon trees, this is the time of year when they seem to be everywhere. Persimmons recipes are quite commonly breads and pastry items because persimmons have a a sweet jam-like quality. We like salsa at our house and fruit mixes with hot chilies to create a flavor extravaganza. (Mango and pineapple salsas are also on this blog). So the persimmons (I used five) went into the salsa, along with:

Roasted garlic - 3 cloves
Cumin - rounded teaspoon
Salt - rounded teaspoon
Lime juice - one large lime
Crushed tomatoes - 2 1/2 cups
Red pepper flakes - rounded tablespoon
Chili powder - rounded teaspoon
Chipotle chili powder - level teaspoon
Ground coriander - level reaspoon, or cilantro leaves - rounded tablespoon

Persimmons need to be peeled and be sure not to get any seeds into the sauce.
 
Put the tomatoes, persimmon pulp, lime juice and garlic into a blender to make a sauce with an even texture.

Pour the sauce into a glass bowl and add spices to bring it to the level of heat that you like. None of the

The longer the salsa sits, the more heat it will absorb from the chili pepper flakes and powders, so you might want to wait for a while before adding more of those things unless you will not be bothered by a spicy salsa.

 To roast garlic, chop the tops from a few heads, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 325 for about 45 minutes. When the cloves are soft, you can squeeze them out of the skins and put them in a glass jar in the refrigerator to use in salad dressings, hummus, or any sauce you might be making. They will keep for a couple of weeks on the top shelf and add terrific flavor to many dishes.

Chicken Stroganoff

I didn't know that there was such a thing as chicken stroganoff, but why not? Beef, lamb, turkey... it shouldn't really make any difference. Well cooked meat in a cream sauce is likely to work with a variety of meats. 

1.Cut boneless, skinless chicken (breasts or thighs) into 1/2 inch strips.

2. Roll them in a mixture of flour, salt, pepper, and curry.

3. Saute these in a medium hot pan in coconut oil.

4. After the chicken is browned, add enough broth to nearly cover the chicken. Add a few tablespoons of butter, the juice of one lemon, a little dill weed,  and let simmer slowly for an hour or so.

5. When the chicken is very tender, add any combination of sliced mushrooms, diced tomatoes, peas, asparagus or any other quick cooking vegetable you have on hand. Diced carrots are good too. but they will need to be added a little earlier.

6. While the chicken is simmering, you can prepare potatoes, rice, or noodles to serve as a base for the chicken. Spaghetti squash or zoodles are good options, too.

7. When the vegetables are cooked to your taste, add a few generous tablespoons of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. To go dairy free, you could simply skip this last step. 

Edible Bouquet

This isn't cooking in the strictest sense, but you will be welcome at any party with this simple summer recipe.

Put a few colorful items on a wooden skewer and stick them in a pint size canning jar. You can also mix up a vinaigrette for people to drizzle over the skewers when served.

Some items to put on skewers:
Green or black olives
Mozzarella balls
Radish slices
Cherry tomamtoes
Mushrooms
Deli meat - In this picture, chunks of deli turkey were wrapped in lettuce leaves
Bell pepper pieces
Cucumber slices
You could also add fruits such as berries or melon chunks

Vinaigrette:
A couple tablespoons of mustard
A splash of Moscato wine
1/2 cup garlic flavored olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
A rounded teaspoon of dill weed
A pinch of curry powder

Enjoy! The best part of this might be that you won't have to use the oven or the stove.

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. Annie Dillard