"Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you." Winston Churchill
Because some of us no longer have to worry about avoiding temptation, there are other things we might want to concentrate on avoiding. Such as, incidental additives to our foods. This was brought to light when a young girl, Elise, did an experiment for school to find out how long it takes a sweet potato to grow a vine. Unlike sweet potatoes of yesteryear, the sweet potatoes now sold in most grocery stores don't grow vines, as Elise learned as she waited for a vine to appear. That's because sweet potatoes are treated with the chemical, chlorpropham, more commonly known as Bud Nip. It keeps taters and other veggies from sprouting once they're picked and sent to market. That's the good news.
The other news is that Bud Nip is also sprayed on crops of alfalfa, lima and snap beans, blueberries, cane berries, carrots, cranberries, ladino clover (ideal for livestock pasture), garlic, seed grass, onions, spinach, sugar beets, tomatoes, safflower, soy beans, gladioli and woody nursery stock. Whew! It's sprayed on crops that don't sprout, such as blueberries, because Bud Nip also controls grass weeds while the crops are growing.
More news is that Bud Nip is moderately toxic and may cause irritation of the eyes or skin. But that's just a maybe. When laboratory animals are exposed to chlorpropham there seem to be symptoms of poisoning, such as listlessness, in-coordination, nose bleeds, protruding eyes, bloody tears, difficulty in breathing, prostration, inability to urinate, high fevers, and death. When autopsies are done on the animals there is inflammation of the stomach and intestinal lining, congestion of the brain, lungs and other organs, as well as degenerative changes in the kidneys and liver. Talk about a reason to take a second look at a chemical that's sprayed on crops consumed by humans!
But there is a way to keep away from ingesting Bud Nip. It's good old organic produce that you can purchase in most large grocery stores or grow your own self. For more information you can Google Bud Nip and watch Elise's presentation on You Tube. So far over 450,000 people have watched it. Possibly, a number of these people might decide that organic food isn't that expensive after all.
Loveya
The Mom
Monday, January 30, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Roasted Veggie Soup
"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint." Mark Twain
As promised, while under the influence of the Kindness Faerie, I'm going to share my spontaneous recipe for Roasted Vegetable Soup. It seems that I developed this craving for roasted veggies, made way too many, and then got sick of eating them after the fourth day. What to do? My Vita Mix to the rescue!
I simply placed the roasted veggies into the Vita Mix, which is a blender with the ability to pulverize drywall, added some coconut milk along with a dash of salt and some curry powder, and turned the ingredients into a sauce. Not content with a cream soup I added a few more veggies. But let's put that into recipe form.
Ingredients:
roasted cauliflower (January 16 blog entry)
roasted carrots and onions (leftovers)
1 can coconut milk
dash of salt
1T, more or less, curry powder
Whip all of the above together in a blender until creamy.
Add:
onion, chopped
carrots, in bite sized pieces
celery, sliced
Final Distructions:
Simmer everything together in a covered saucepan on low heat until the veggies are tender. The soup in the picture above also has some purple kale in it because I had some on hand. I also splashed in a bit of parsley water because I simmered some parsley stems in water before I threw the stems onto the compost heap. Do I ever just use a recipe and leave it at that! Seldom. But the world continues to spin on its axis.
PART TWO: Cup of Soup
I did take a portion of the creamy broth and freeze it in an ice cube tray. After that the little cubes were easy to story in a plastic container in the freezer. The uses for these little treats are almost endless (three) - they include adding one to some cooked rice, plopping one into a soup to add richness, or making a mayo substitute for a loved one who is trying to get his blood pressure under control. Here was my plan on that score.
I took one of the cubes, defrosted it, and mixed it with some ground flax seed to make it into a paste. Then I spread the mixture onto some tasty, wholegrain bread that is well-loved and added some cucumber slices from a seedless cucumber that I cut horizontally to create lovely slabs of cucumber. Mikey likes it!
I'm planning on also using this spread in pita pockets with tomato and other veggies for a little variety in the lunch box. My little mind is now imagining all the other veggie spreads that would be possible and delicious. Go, little mind, go!
Loveya
The Mom
I simply placed the roasted veggies into the Vita Mix, which is a blender with the ability to pulverize drywall, added some coconut milk along with a dash of salt and some curry powder, and turned the ingredients into a sauce. Not content with a cream soup I added a few more veggies. But let's put that into recipe form.
Ingredients:
roasted cauliflower (January 16 blog entry)
roasted carrots and onions (leftovers)
1 can coconut milk
dash of salt
1T, more or less, curry powder
Whip all of the above together in a blender until creamy.
Add:
onion, chopped
carrots, in bite sized pieces
celery, sliced
Final Distructions:
Simmer everything together in a covered saucepan on low heat until the veggies are tender. The soup in the picture above also has some purple kale in it because I had some on hand. I also splashed in a bit of parsley water because I simmered some parsley stems in water before I threw the stems onto the compost heap. Do I ever just use a recipe and leave it at that! Seldom. But the world continues to spin on its axis.
PART TWO: Cup of Soup
I did take a portion of the creamy broth and freeze it in an ice cube tray. After that the little cubes were easy to story in a plastic container in the freezer. The uses for these little treats are almost endless (three) - they include adding one to some cooked rice, plopping one into a soup to add richness, or making a mayo substitute for a loved one who is trying to get his blood pressure under control. Here was my plan on that score.
I took one of the cubes, defrosted it, and mixed it with some ground flax seed to make it into a paste. Then I spread the mixture onto some tasty, wholegrain bread that is well-loved and added some cucumber slices from a seedless cucumber that I cut horizontally to create lovely slabs of cucumber. Mikey likes it!
I'm planning on also using this spread in pita pockets with tomato and other veggies for a little variety in the lunch box. My little mind is now imagining all the other veggie spreads that would be possible and delicious. Go, little mind, go!
Loveya
The Mom
Friday, January 27, 2012
Roasted Garlic
"We could certainly slow the aging process down if it had to work its way through Congress." Will Rogers
This is one of the easiest, fastest, and lo-fat ways that I've found to roast garlic. I thought this up my own self on a day when I wanted some roasted garlic but didn't have the kind of oil on hand that I generally like to use.
So I decided to simply wrap the garlic with a tablespoon of veggie broth, first in parchment paper and then the whole thing in foil. I roasted it for about 45 minutes at 400 degrees. When I went to check on it (I had been busy writing the "embellished" journal that I'm leaving for my kids to find when I'm gone to that big remodeled kitchen in the sky) there was a distinct odor of something burning.
When I opened the package it seemed that the veggie broth had burned but the garlic cloves were unscathed but a bit too mushy. I tried the process again, this time adding a splash of water to the package instead of the veggie broth. As you can see by the picture above I reused the foil from my first attempt, I have entirely too much time on my hands, and I forgot to take my meds today.
The second attempt to roast garlic with plain water at 375 degrees for 30 minutes resulted in beautifully roasted garlic. The first batch of mushy garlic went into a soup. The second batch is in the fridge and awaits a creative bolt of lightening to strike my creative culinary centers, which is alliteratively nice to say. Perhaps a curry veggie dish over rice. Big Yummy!
Loveya
The Mom
 |
| Garlic Ready for the Oven! |
So I decided to simply wrap the garlic with a tablespoon of veggie broth, first in parchment paper and then the whole thing in foil. I roasted it for about 45 minutes at 400 degrees. When I went to check on it (I had been busy writing the "embellished" journal that I'm leaving for my kids to find when I'm gone to that big remodeled kitchen in the sky) there was a distinct odor of something burning.
When I opened the package it seemed that the veggie broth had burned but the garlic cloves were unscathed but a bit too mushy. I tried the process again, this time adding a splash of water to the package instead of the veggie broth. As you can see by the picture above I reused the foil from my first attempt, I have entirely too much time on my hands, and I forgot to take my meds today.
 |
| Perfectly Roasted Garlic! |
Loveya
The Mom
Monday, January 23, 2012
Chipotle Sauce
"Confidence is going after Moby Dick in a rowboat and taking the tartar sauce with you." Zig Ziglar
For the astute blogees among you, you might have noticed that the January 10 Beans and Barley Tostada had a drizzle of red sauce on top. (See repeat of the picture on the left.) It's one of my new favorite sauce recipes because it contains one of my favorite flavors - chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
This sauce is easy to whip up, makes over two cups, and keeps well in the fridge. I also like this sauce drizzled on soups and sauteed vegetables.
Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 - 14.5 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup tomato sauce
2 chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped
1 smidge stevia powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 cup coconut milk
Distructions:
Saute the onion in the olive oil on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir while it gets to know the onion. Garlic is delicate and when burned it becomes bitter.
Place the drained tomatoes and tomato sauce into your blender and whip it up for a bit. Leave it as chunky or make it as smooth as you like. Next, add the tomato mixture along with everything else except the coconut milk to the onions and garlic. Simmer, partially covered, for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Finally, pour in the coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, for another minute. Stir and marvel at the lovely sauce that you've created. Remove from the heat and use or store in a jar in your fridge.
Today I used some of this delicious sauce on top of a cauliflower and carrot soup that I created out of some leftovers in my fridge. Will share that recipe with you sometime this week.
Note: The liquid I drained off of the diced tomatoes was poured into a container in the freezer that contained a vegetable soup. As my mother used to say, "Waste not, want not". She also used to say that some day I'd thank her and a penny saved is a penny earned. Two out of three isn't bad!
Loveya
The Mom
 |
| Notice the Sauce! |
This sauce is easy to whip up, makes over two cups, and keeps well in the fridge. I also like this sauce drizzled on soups and sauteed vegetables.
Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 - 14.5 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup tomato sauce
2 chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped
1 smidge stevia powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 cup coconut milk
Distructions:
Saute the onion in the olive oil on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir while it gets to know the onion. Garlic is delicate and when burned it becomes bitter.
 |
| Adobo Sauce sans Tostada |
Place the drained tomatoes and tomato sauce into your blender and whip it up for a bit. Leave it as chunky or make it as smooth as you like. Next, add the tomato mixture along with everything else except the coconut milk to the onions and garlic. Simmer, partially covered, for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Finally, pour in the coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, for another minute. Stir and marvel at the lovely sauce that you've created. Remove from the heat and use or store in a jar in your fridge.
Today I used some of this delicious sauce on top of a cauliflower and carrot soup that I created out of some leftovers in my fridge. Will share that recipe with you sometime this week.
Note: The liquid I drained off of the diced tomatoes was poured into a container in the freezer that contained a vegetable soup. As my mother used to say, "Waste not, want not". She also used to say that some day I'd thank her and a penny saved is a penny earned. Two out of three isn't bad!
Loveya
The Mom
Friday, January 20, 2012
The Rest of the Story
"He who wants to change the world should already begin by cleaning the dishes." Paul Carvel
So, I'd really like to know more about this Paul Carvel who talks about cleaning the dishes. Does he, Mrs. Carvel?
Not able to find an answer to that, I decided to tell you a little about the rest of my story. This impulse was brought about by perusing other food blogs and marveling over the myriad of professional looking pictures that display, in a dozen or more images, all the steps that would lead to the creation of each and every dish. I might have whipped myself into a state of shame over my own meager photo offerings, but one of my many mantras, pulled up for just such occasions is, "Imitation is suicide". That and, "Be yourself, everyone else is taken," kind of sum up my ability to stay comfortable with my dishwasher-less kitchen and farmhouse kitchen cabinets.
Kitchen remodeling, after we bought our 100 year old home, consisted of painting the kitchen 2 shades of purple and stenciling pithy sayings on the walls. A modern, remodeled kitchen would have only set us back a bundle but would not have improved my cooking skills. And so I work in the comfy space that I have, tweaking and tasting, and washing mountains of mismatched dishes and cookware.
This morning, while a blizzard swirls around outside, I roasted a batch of Beets and Tatters and cooked up a pot of Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage. I didn't have the raisins that are called for in the red cabbage recipe so I substituted dried cranberries, calling to mind the counsel of Miss Piggy, "You've got to go with what you got!"
Loveya
The Mom
So, I'd really like to know more about this Paul Carvel who talks about cleaning the dishes. Does he, Mrs. Carvel?
Not able to find an answer to that, I decided to tell you a little about the rest of my story. This impulse was brought about by perusing other food blogs and marveling over the myriad of professional looking pictures that display, in a dozen or more images, all the steps that would lead to the creation of each and every dish. I might have whipped myself into a state of shame over my own meager photo offerings, but one of my many mantras, pulled up for just such occasions is, "Imitation is suicide". That and, "Be yourself, everyone else is taken," kind of sum up my ability to stay comfortable with my dishwasher-less kitchen and farmhouse kitchen cabinets.
Kitchen remodeling, after we bought our 100 year old home, consisted of painting the kitchen 2 shades of purple and stenciling pithy sayings on the walls. A modern, remodeled kitchen would have only set us back a bundle but would not have improved my cooking skills. And so I work in the comfy space that I have, tweaking and tasting, and washing mountains of mismatched dishes and cookware.
This morning, while a blizzard swirls around outside, I roasted a batch of Beets and Tatters and cooked up a pot of Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage. I didn't have the raisins that are called for in the red cabbage recipe so I substituted dried cranberries, calling to mind the counsel of Miss Piggy, "You've got to go with what you got!"
Loveya
The Mom
Monday, January 16, 2012
Roasted Cauliflower
"Please understand the reason why Chinese vegetables taste so good. It is simple. The Chinese do not cook them, they just threaten them." Jeff Smith
Here is a recipe that changed my mind about cauliflower. My mind was that I did not like cauliflower. Not even raw when dipped into a gallon of ranch dressing. Just one of those things that has no explanation.
Then I found some recipes for roasted cauliflower that relied on just curry or curry plus a lot of cheese for the flavor. Well, thought I, if it's cheesy flavor that's desired, why not use up some of those nutritional yeast flakes that are sitting in a jar in my fridge. That nutritional yeast that has a bunch of things going for it like maintaining ideal intestinal ecology and optimum cholesterol levels. That, and the bit about nutritional yeast improving blood production and liver health and function. What's not to like!
Ingredients:
cauliflower, large head
2 T olive oil
1 T curry powder
2 T nutritional yeast flakes
Distructions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Break or cut the cauliflower into medium to small florets and place into a large bowl. Try to make the florets about the same size. Toss the florets with the olive oil. Once coated with oil, the cauliflower, not you, add the curry powder and nutritional yeast flakes and toss again.
Spread the coated florets in a single layer in a roasting pan that's covered with parchment paper if you don't want to be scrubbing a pan all afternoon, cover with foil, and roast for about 15 minutes. This steams the cauliflower and gets the cooking process going.
Remove the foil and roast another 10 minutes. Turn the florets over (I used a spatula which worked beautifully) and roast an additional 10 to 15 minutes. By turning the florets they'll get a nice crispy brown coating on both sides. Crispy brown things are so delicious!
Serve immediately. If you don't, the crispy brown will turn to uncrispy but will still be tasty. I even enjoyed the cold cauliflower the next day as a sneaked-treat right out of the fridge.
True confession: I had my husband taste this creation. He lives by the motto: please don't tell me what's in it because then I might not like it. He's made it clear over the years that he does not like anything that contains curry. He loved the cauliflower. And he's cute as a button! A rather large button. I just love sneaking nutritious food into his diet!
Loveya
The Mom
Here is a recipe that changed my mind about cauliflower. My mind was that I did not like cauliflower. Not even raw when dipped into a gallon of ranch dressing. Just one of those things that has no explanation.
Then I found some recipes for roasted cauliflower that relied on just curry or curry plus a lot of cheese for the flavor. Well, thought I, if it's cheesy flavor that's desired, why not use up some of those nutritional yeast flakes that are sitting in a jar in my fridge. That nutritional yeast that has a bunch of things going for it like maintaining ideal intestinal ecology and optimum cholesterol levels. That, and the bit about nutritional yeast improving blood production and liver health and function. What's not to like!
Ingredients:
cauliflower, large head
2 T olive oil
1 T curry powder
2 T nutritional yeast flakes
Distructions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Break or cut the cauliflower into medium to small florets and place into a large bowl. Try to make the florets about the same size. Toss the florets with the olive oil. Once coated with oil, the cauliflower, not you, add the curry powder and nutritional yeast flakes and toss again.
Spread the coated florets in a single layer in a roasting pan that's covered with parchment paper if you don't want to be scrubbing a pan all afternoon, cover with foil, and roast for about 15 minutes. This steams the cauliflower and gets the cooking process going.
Remove the foil and roast another 10 minutes. Turn the florets over (I used a spatula which worked beautifully) and roast an additional 10 to 15 minutes. By turning the florets they'll get a nice crispy brown coating on both sides. Crispy brown things are so delicious!
Serve immediately. If you don't, the crispy brown will turn to uncrispy but will still be tasty. I even enjoyed the cold cauliflower the next day as a sneaked-treat right out of the fridge.
True confession: I had my husband taste this creation. He lives by the motto: please don't tell me what's in it because then I might not like it. He's made it clear over the years that he does not like anything that contains curry. He loved the cauliflower. And he's cute as a button! A rather large button. I just love sneaking nutritious food into his diet!
Loveya
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Beans and Barley Tostada
"Self delusion is pulling in your stomach when you step on the scale." Paul Sweeney
Here is a great way, besides barley soup, to get a little more barley into your eating plan. (Notice how carefully she continues to avoid the word, diet.) And why barley, you may ask? Because barley is a great source of dietary fiber, which is effective in lowering blood cholesterol and can reduce the risk of heart disease. Because barley is naturally cholesterol-free and low in fat. Because barley contains vitamins and minerals including niacin, thiamine, selenium, iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and copper. And because barley contains antioxidants and phytochemicals. Let's hear it for barley!
Ingredients:
4 cups water
2 cups salsa
1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes, not drained
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup pearl barley
1 T olive oil
1 T chili powder
2 t cumin
1/2 t salt, more or less to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
cayenne pepper, dash
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
corn tortillas
onion, chopped (optional garnish)
avocado, diced (optional garnish)
Distructions:
In a large pot combine the first 11 ingredients. That's the water and up to and including the cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the barley is tender. Continue to stir occasionally.
Add the beans and corn and return to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and cook uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Yes, you might want to continue to stir occasionally.
During the last few minutes warm a batch of corn tortillas in the oven. Just throw them on the rack for a minute or two. Make sure the oven is on! I don't assume. The tortillas don't have to be hot, just warm, because the bean and barley concoction is hot enough.
Place a tortilla onto a plate, dish on some bean and barley mixture, and continue to layer until it's high enough to satisfy you hunger and your aesthetic self. Garnish with chopped onion and/or diced avocado if you wish. Balance a kidney bean on top of the whole thing just because you can.
Note: This makes a whole bunch and freezes well. You could skip the corn tortillas and serve it in a bowl as a soup. Life is good!
Loveya
The Mom
 |
| One Layer, Kidney Bean on Top! |
Here is a great way, besides barley soup, to get a little more barley into your eating plan. (Notice how carefully she continues to avoid the word, diet.) And why barley, you may ask? Because barley is a great source of dietary fiber, which is effective in lowering blood cholesterol and can reduce the risk of heart disease. Because barley is naturally cholesterol-free and low in fat. Because barley contains vitamins and minerals including niacin, thiamine, selenium, iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and copper. And because barley contains antioxidants and phytochemicals. Let's hear it for barley!
Ingredients:
4 cups water
2 cups salsa
1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes, not drained
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup pearl barley
1 T olive oil
1 T chili powder
2 t cumin
1/2 t salt, more or less to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
cayenne pepper, dash
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
corn tortillas
onion, chopped (optional garnish)
avocado, diced (optional garnish)
Distructions:
In a large pot combine the first 11 ingredients. That's the water and up to and including the cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the barley is tender. Continue to stir occasionally.
Add the beans and corn and return to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and cook uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Yes, you might want to continue to stir occasionally.
During the last few minutes warm a batch of corn tortillas in the oven. Just throw them on the rack for a minute or two. Make sure the oven is on! I don't assume. The tortillas don't have to be hot, just warm, because the bean and barley concoction is hot enough.
Place a tortilla onto a plate, dish on some bean and barley mixture, and continue to layer until it's high enough to satisfy you hunger and your aesthetic self. Garnish with chopped onion and/or diced avocado if you wish. Balance a kidney bean on top of the whole thing just because you can.
Note: This makes a whole bunch and freezes well. You could skip the corn tortillas and serve it in a bowl as a soup. Life is good!
Loveya
The Mom
Sunday, January 8, 2012
What Do Vegetarians Eat?
"In order to change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired." Fannie Lou Hamer
I just holiday-gathered with the last segment of family to exchange gifts, catch up with each others lives, and dine. The family member who was hosting and knows of my vegetarian lifestyle emailed to ask, "What do vegetarians eat?" At first I thought that this was an obvious bit of information that everyone should know. But then...
Before I started on my own dietary journey I imagined vegetarians as eating nothing but cold salads day after day. Not very appealing. But after years of thrashing around cookbooks and websites and in my own kitchen, I've come up with a much wider understanding of vegetarian food. I emailed the hostess with the list of what I eat and said I'd be bringing two salads to share.
I brought the Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad (Nov 30) and the Red Cabbage and Cranberry Salad (Dec 29). I enjoyed the asparagus and mashed potatoes that were served along with some delicious wine. This was a chance to share and also let people know that I don't sit home nibbling carrot sticks and longing for the days of buffalo wings. OK. There are some days of longing. I did enjoy one afternoon of Christmas cookie orgy. My family makes the best cookies!
And then there's the other part of what I consider healthy eating. I avoid most things made with wheat, sugar, or processed foods in general, except for the yearly cookie fest. This isn't necessarily what others see as necessary in a vegetarian lifestyle. I recently found a vegan cookbook that looked promising. While paging through it, however, I found that most of the recipes were full of oils and sugars and faux foods. Those are foods created to look like "normal" foods but are really made out of product described in polysyllabic words. I have a problem with that.
Bottom line? I think that bottom lines need to remain an individual thing. I once tried being perfect and it was a real drag. So this year I'm going to strive for pretty good. I'm also going to strive to fill my days with more smiles and less anxiety. May your 2012 be pretty good, too.
Loveya
The Mom
I just holiday-gathered with the last segment of family to exchange gifts, catch up with each others lives, and dine. The family member who was hosting and knows of my vegetarian lifestyle emailed to ask, "What do vegetarians eat?" At first I thought that this was an obvious bit of information that everyone should know. But then...
Before I started on my own dietary journey I imagined vegetarians as eating nothing but cold salads day after day. Not very appealing. But after years of thrashing around cookbooks and websites and in my own kitchen, I've come up with a much wider understanding of vegetarian food. I emailed the hostess with the list of what I eat and said I'd be bringing two salads to share.
I brought the Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad (Nov 30) and the Red Cabbage and Cranberry Salad (Dec 29). I enjoyed the asparagus and mashed potatoes that were served along with some delicious wine. This was a chance to share and also let people know that I don't sit home nibbling carrot sticks and longing for the days of buffalo wings. OK. There are some days of longing. I did enjoy one afternoon of Christmas cookie orgy. My family makes the best cookies!
And then there's the other part of what I consider healthy eating. I avoid most things made with wheat, sugar, or processed foods in general, except for the yearly cookie fest. This isn't necessarily what others see as necessary in a vegetarian lifestyle. I recently found a vegan cookbook that looked promising. While paging through it, however, I found that most of the recipes were full of oils and sugars and faux foods. Those are foods created to look like "normal" foods but are really made out of product described in polysyllabic words. I have a problem with that.
Bottom line? I think that bottom lines need to remain an individual thing. I once tried being perfect and it was a real drag. So this year I'm going to strive for pretty good. I'm also going to strive to fill my days with more smiles and less anxiety. May your 2012 be pretty good, too.
Loveya
The Mom
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Beets and Taters
"What I say is that, if a fellow really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow." A. A. Milne
Someone told me that they had this great side dish for the holidays, which consisted of roasted chunks of beets and sweet potato. According to their recollection the beets and sweet potatoes were simply scrubbed, cut into chunks, tossed with olive oil, and roasted. I thought that sounded like a nice start to a recipe. I researched other variations on this theme and came up with this little dish.
Ingredients:
2 largish beets, peeled and cut into chunks
3 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1 largish sweet potato, scrubbed and cut into chunks
4 small Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1 red onion, peeled, halved and cut into thick slices
Distructions:
Toss the beets with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and roast on a large pan at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Note - parchment paper on the pan makes cleanup easy. This is a good time to get the other ingredients together while the beets are doing their thing.
Meanwhile, toss the other ingredients in a bowl with the additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the timer goes off after the initial 15 minutes, add these ingredients to the beets and roast for an additional hour, tossing the ingredients every 20 minutes. This will give you three blocks of time during which you can clean a cupboard, shampoo a small dog, or give yourself a manicure. Serve hot.
As this makes a goodly amount of side dish, I felt compelled to create a second way to enjoy this lovely concoction. I took the cold leftovers and tossed them with a splash of balsamic vinegar and chunks of avocado. By serving them on a bed of spinach this dish becomes a salad! I happen to have leftovers because the love of my life will not eat anything that contains beets. More for me!
Loveya
The Mom
Ingredients:
2 largish beets, peeled and cut into chunks
3 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1 largish sweet potato, scrubbed and cut into chunks
4 small Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1 red onion, peeled, halved and cut into thick slices
Distructions:
Toss the beets with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and roast on a large pan at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Note - parchment paper on the pan makes cleanup easy. This is a good time to get the other ingredients together while the beets are doing their thing.
Meanwhile, toss the other ingredients in a bowl with the additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the timer goes off after the initial 15 minutes, add these ingredients to the beets and roast for an additional hour, tossing the ingredients every 20 minutes. This will give you three blocks of time during which you can clean a cupboard, shampoo a small dog, or give yourself a manicure. Serve hot.
Loveya
The Mom
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