Crunchy Asian Cucumber & Tomatoes
Posted: May 3, 2012 Filed under: Salads, Sides, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegan Options, Veggies | Tags: asian salads, cucumbers, Oriental Salad, salad, summer salads, tomatoes 1 Comment
Becky’s Crunchy Asian Cucumbers and Tomatoes
My husband Greg and I often travel together for business and fun; and this often yields a good bit of comic material. On a recent trip home, we were hauling around enough luggage to outfit the entire cast of Glee for a week, plus golf clubs. (“Learning to pack light,” is on my To Do List.) As is often the case, when we are in a hurry trying to catch a plane, Greg exits the elevator with his suitcase and golf clubs, unaware that I am scrambling to get my suitcases turned around and facing the right direction — when the door closes and takes me to some strange floor, not of my choosing. I always get tickled when this happens. Greg is patient, but doesn’t see as much humor in it as I do.
Last summer he was about to walk off the elevator in Arizona, and in some uncanny feat of timing, both of his lens popped out of his only pair of glasses and one lens rolled, then disappeared down a small crack near the elevator door. Greg stood looking stunned, his eyes wide through his lens-less spectacles. I found this hysterical, could hardly stand up straight I was laughing so hard — but Greg… not so much. (He did however smile when he found a maintenance guy who was able to help him retrieve the lost lens from the basement.)
Last week we were on a plane together, but had to sit in separate seats. Upon descent, a rogue lap top computer went zipping down the aisle. The limber and alert flight attendent expertly caught it right before it hit the cockpit door. Guess who’s lap top it was? The look on Greg’s face as his wife’s computer went whizzing by his seat, then looked over at me, was priceless.
Traveling is not only great for gathering funny material, but it affords me the opportunity to try new foods in new cities that I often try to duplicate at home. On a trip to California, we went out for sushi, and the restaurant served the tastiest crunchy cucumbers as appetizers before the meal. They were small cukes, but sliced thick, peel left on, which gave them a great crunch. This is my version of those yummy Asian cucumbers, with the addition of red tomatoes. It would also be fabulous with thinly sliced red onions if you are a fan of onions. (I am, but alas, Greg is not.)
It makes a nice alternative to green salads, especially for picnics or potlocks.
Becky’s Crunchy Asian Cucumbers and Tomatoes
Ingredients:
I got the small cucumbers at Sprouts, but have also seen them at Whole Foods and Sam’s Club. There’s only a small amount of sesame oil, but it really packs a punch of flavor.
4 small cucumbers sliced thick, peel on
2 Roma tomatoes, cut in chunky slices
1 T. fresh dill or 1 t. dried dill
1/4 c. rice or other light vinegar
1 t. sesame oil
1 T. water
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 T. sesame seeds, toasted
Directions:
Place chopped cucumbers and tomatoes in a bowl. Mix the rest of the ingredients in another small bowl and whisk. Pour dressing over cukes and tomatoes Let set for about 30 minutes in the fridge before serving. Keeps well in a Tupperware-like container for at least one more day.
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Crunchy Asian Cucumber and Tomatoes
The URL: https://welaughwecrywecook.com/2012/05/03/crispy-oriental-cucumber-tomato-salad
Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa
Posted: April 26, 2012 Filed under: Gluten Free, Sides, Vegan | Tags: easy quinoa, gluten-free, quinoa, rice maker quinoa, roasted red pepper quinoa, side dish, vegan 5 Comments
Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa brings a nice touch of color, a punch of flavor, and a boost of nutrition to any meal.
This week I made a plan, a very purposeful plan. I decided that if I really wanted to make room in my life for God, fitness, writing, cooking, my husband, and my son, then I needed to live every day intentionally. Sunday morning I made charts and printed off calendars and posted them on the refrigerator door. I was even planning on attempting to skip my beloved morning coffee. I’d just take Jackson for a brisk walk instead.
As life goes, after church Sunday evening Jackson started running his first ever fever and was up most of the night. Then Monday morning at 7:50 am, my door bell rang. I hurried out of my pjs and into a t-shirt and sweats and threw my wild morning curls into a bun. I carried Jackson, still in his pjs, with me to the door, and we were greeted by a girl in her young 20s who looked like her morning routine had closely resembled mine, except she’d thrown on some scrubs instead of sweats.
“I’m here to give you your physical for the life insurance policy,” she said.
My husband had attempted to postpone this appointment, since he realized last minute he couldn’t be there. Apparently they didn’t get the memo. So there I was left alone to answer 4,000 questions about what disease I may or may not have contracted, pee in a cup (I wonder how many times can I talk about peeing on our food blog!), and have my blood drawn as I tried to keep Jackson entertained and contained.
The visit couldn’t have been less pleasant or less awkward. Taking my blood took two tries, leaving one arm bruised and still sore three days later. Apparently, you don’t need any social skills, hygiene, or experience with needles to be an in-home nurse for this company.
My actual plan for the day had included creating a menu for the week and going grocery shopping. With a feverish baby and one immobile arm, I decided productivity was going to have to wait. Which meant whipping up something for dinner out of a few staples in the kitchen. I usually have a block of tofu (I’m not crazy for tofu, so it’s always waiting for me as I get down to the last of my groceries), some sort of veggies left in the crisper, a jar of roasted red peppers, and a box of pre-rinsed quinoa (pronounced keen-wah).
So I made Everything Tofu (tofu coated in sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion flakes, and garlic powder) topped with a chive Tofutti cream cheese sauce, a simple side of steamed broccoli, and my latest go-to side dish, roasted red pepper quinoa. It’s so easy and with my rice maker it basically cooks itself while I get the rest of dinner made.
The tofu was actually pretty good, but a lot of work. I would have been just as happy with a whole plate of this quinoa and a little broccoli. I immediately regretted not making more (so I’ve doubled the recipe for you guys!)
Tuesday, after another rough night with Jackson, I woke to a clogged milk duct along with a side of fever. Thankfully, we were back to our healthy selves by Wednesday. There is nothing like feeling sick and sleep deprived to make me thankful for a decent night’s rest and my good health. Maybe I’ll even get back to my plan tomorrow, but I may have lost my willpower to forgo coffee. Have any of you successfully quit coffee? Was it really hard? Did you feel better without it?
Rachel’s
Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 cup onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil
2 cups quinoa (rinsed if the package doesn’t say it’s already pre-rinsed)
3 1/2 cups of water
1/2 cup of juice from a jar of roasted red peppers
1 t. salt
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
Directions
With a Rice Maker:
In a skillet, saute onions in the olive oil until soft, add the garlic and saute a few minutes longer. Transfer the onions and garlic and any remaining oil into the rice maker, add the quinoa, water, salt, and red pepper juice and cover and start the rice cooker. When the rice maker goes off, add in the chopped roasted red peppers.
Note: If your rice maker has a tendency to stick, add about a teaspoon of extra oil & stir the ingredients before cooking.
Without a Rice Maker:
In a medium sauce pan, saute onions in the olive oil until soft, add the garlic and saute a few minutes longer. Add the quinoa, water, red pepper juice, & salt to the pot. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook until all the liquid is absorbed (about 15-20 minutes). When the rice maker goes off, add in the chopped roasted red pepper
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa
The URL: https://welaughwecrywecook.com/2012/04/26/roasted-red-pepper-quinoa
Balsamic Roasted Garlic Veggies
Posted: April 24, 2012 Filed under: Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: balsamic roasted veggies, balsamic vinegar, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, garlic, onions, peppers, potatoes, roasted garlic, roasted vegetables, roasted veggies, squash, zucchini 3 Comments“I don’t like asparagus. I don’t like broccoli. I don’t like onions. I don’t like garlic. I don’t like vegetables. Well, I do like corn … and potatoes. I like potatoes.”
This was my husband when we first got married.
I don’t remember cooking much in our first year of marriage. In fact, I have no idea what we ate. I hardly have a single memory in that tiny galley kitchen. Between Jared’s aversion to all things that made food delicious to me and the hideous marbled yellow laminate counter tops with cracks on the corners, I must have felt less than inspired.
When we moved to a new town house with a bright white kitchen near Galveston, I suddenly found myself looking for excuses to be in the kitchen. I started shopping at Farmer’s Markets and reading food blogs and became determined to get Jared to love veggies. Little by little, I found ways to prepare certain vegetables in a way he would eat them. He’ll eat onions if they are caramelized or chopped fine and sauteed in a dish. He’ll eat his peas in a split pea soup. And I can get him to eat almost anything wrapped in a tortilla and dipped in salsa. Thank goodness, because in a crazy turn of events, before we moved out of that town home a year later, we had become full on vegans.
The preparation that finally got Jared raving and begging for veggies was roasting them. If it’s coated with a little evoo and seasoning and crisped up to perfection (to him that includes a few burnt bits on the pan), he’s a happy husband and a happy veggie eater!
This method works wonderfully with asparagus, any root vegetables, broccoli and cauliflower, onions, even chickpeas. Try it with a vegetable you think you don’t like and see if it changes your thoughts on it.
Roasted vegetables are easy enough to serve up on a weeknight and beautiful enough to serve to guests for a celebration dinner.
Rachel’s
Balsamic Roasted Garlic Veggies
Ingredients
(Note: The vegetable list is just a guideline. Use whatever you have in your refrigerator or is on sale at the market. The seasoning ingredients listed are for about 4 cups of vegetables.)
Potatoes, chopped (small, soft-skinned work great, but Idaho & sweet potatoes are wonderful too)
Carrots, chopped
Onions, quartered (leave one end in tact so they don’t get burnt)
Peppers (bell peppers, sweet tri colored peppers, poblanos) (seeded & quartered)
Broccoli (cut into “trees”)
Cauliflower (cut into “trees”)
Zucchini (chopped into large chunks or long ribbons)
Squash (chopped into large chunks or long ribbons)
2 T (maybe more) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 T. Balsamic Vinegar
2 t. Salt
2 t. Pepper
1 T. Italian Seasoning Blend
A full head of garlic
Directions
Preheat oven to 400. Spray large cookie sheet with nonstick spray.
Put all the veggies except the garlic in a large mixing bowl, and drizzle 2 tbs of olive oil over the veggies. Toss until all of the veggies are lightly coated, adding more olive oil if needed. Don’t drench them or you’re veggies won’t get crisp. (The amount of olive oil varies because some veggies soak up more, like cauliflower, and others hardly absorb any, like peppers.)
Add balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, and toss again. Pour veggies onto the cookie sheet and spread around. If they are piled on top of each other, use a second pan.
Take the garlic, remove the lose skin, and chop the top of the head off the garlic so the inside of each clove is exposed. Place the bulb on a piece of foil and drizzle the top of the bulb with olive oil. Wrap the foil around the clove. Add the foil wrapped garlic onto the pan of veggies (sitting upright). Check this tutorial out if you need a visual.
Bake the veggies and garlic for approximately 40 minutes. The potatoes and carrots take the longest to cook, so cook until they are soft in the middle and crispy on the outside.
Remove the garlic from the foil and allow to cool for a few minutes. Carefully either squeeze the garlic out (like toothpaste), or use a fork to remove each clove. Toss in with the roasted veggies. The garlic is delicious and really elevates roasted veggies! Your friends will most definitely track you down for the recipe. Trust me.
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Balsamic Roasted Garlic Veggies
The URL: https://welaughwecrywecook.com/2012/04/24/balsamic-roasted-garlic-veggies
Vegan Zucchini Risotto
Posted: April 19, 2012 Filed under: Sides, Vegan | Tags: basil, rice, risotto, sides, sundried tomatoes, vegan risotto, zucchini risotto 2 Comments
Vegan Zucchini Risotto with Sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil
Jackson has recently started whimpering every time I eat until I give him a bite. It all started with this vegan zucchini risotto. I offered him one little nibble and he probably ate a fourth of my bowl. It was pretty exciting that my little boy had such a sophisticated palate and was asking for solids already. (You score bonus points with the earth mamas for baby led weaning, ya know.) Since then, he has scarfed down roasted pepper quinoa, blackened tofu, pasta with creamy artichoke basil sauce, edamame, split pea soup, among other delicious and nutritious meals I’ve shared with him. I’ve been so proud of my little baby’s love of my favorite plant-based foods…
….until today.
We were outside enjoying the beautiful Spring day, me sittin’ & sippin’ my ice water, Jackson “vrooming” his truck around the patio, when he stopped in his tracks and turned to chase a rollie pollie crawling by. He’s so adorably curious, I thought to myself, just before he picked up the rollie pollie and stuck it in his mouth. I jumped out of my lounge chair and cringed as I saw that little black bug all rolled up tight on his tongue. I reached my finger into Jackson’s mouth, but his jaws clamped.
Crunch. Crunch. Gulp.
My sophisticated little veggie baby had just crushed a live bug in between his six little teeth as if it were one of his baby cheerios. And he immediately reached for another one cruising by.
We spent the rest of the day inside.
If that story doesn’t make you crave the delicious vegan risotto that led my child on his culinary adventure all the way to a diet of raw bugs in the back yard, I don’t know what will.
Honestly, this is so delicious. It is tedious (not one of those meals I can make while Jackson hangs off the back of my legs), but it makes a lot and reheats well, so it’s worth the trouble for a special occasion. I know traditional risotto has cheese in it, but I think this tasted amazing without it. I even lowered the amount of nutritional yeast the second time I made it because I really liked the flavors and the creaminess before I added it.
Rachel’s
Vegan Zucchini Risotto
Serves ~ 6
Ingredients
1 T. olive oil
1 T. Earth Balance or other margarine
1/4 white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. arborio rice
1/2 t. salt
freshly ground pepper
1 c. white wine, warm
6 c. veggie broth, warm (you can use some water if you don’t have enough broth)
2 small zucchini, grated
1 T. nutritional yeast (non-vegans could use a little Parmesan instead)
2 T. Earth Balance or other margarine
1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 T. basil, chopped (optional but does add a lot of flavor)
Directions
Heat a large saucepan over med-hi heat with oil and margarine. Saute the onion and garlic until soft but not brown. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly until the rice is translucent. Season with salt and pepper, then add about 1/2 cup of broth. Stir constantly until the liquid is reduced. Add the wine and repeat. Then continue adding about 1/2 – 1 cup of liquid at a time, stirring, and letting the liquid reduce each time. When you only have a cup or so of broth left, add the zucchini. Continue adding the remaining liquid and stir until it is absorbed and the rice is cooked through. You may not need all of the broth, or you may need a little extra broth, water, or wine. Remove from heat and stir in nutritional yeast, margarine, sun dried tomatoes, and basil. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving.
Becky Johnson
Rachel Randolph
We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook 