Avocado Cucumber Sesame Salad

Posted: August 20, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Appetizers, Asian Dishes, Sides, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , | 9 Comments

My sister and my nieces, Whitney and Tori, age 9 and 11, are here this weekend and we are enjoying them so much!  The youngest one, Whitney,  is quite the  food connoisseur, and has made me feel like the best cook on the planet with her over-the-top compliments.  She describes the food on the end of her fork as one would describe a fine wine, “I can taste the layers of flavor! The hint of coconut, the tang of pineapple…”

As soon as she arrived from Texas she asked if we could make my sweet n’ spicy meatloaf again, together.  She remembered it from three years ago, when they last came to Colorado!  We did, and she said she loved squashing the meat and the seasonings together with her bare hands.   When she took a bite of the cooked finished meatloaf she raised her hands, rolled her eyes heavenward and exclaimed, “This is even better than I dreamed it would be!”

Yesterday, I let the girls paint pictures outside under our tree and beach umbrella,  and then made them each virgin cocktails. (Cranberry Sprite, OJ and slices of lemon, lime and orange on ice.)  Whitney took one sip and said, “This is delicious!  In fact, it is as good as meatloaf!”   I wonder how many bartenders have had compliments like that.  “This Long Island Tea is as tasty as meatloaf!”  Gotta love kids.

With such an appreciative food critic in the house, it really spurred me on to bring out my inner chef.  This is a very simple Asian salad that packs a powerful burst of flavor with very few ingredients, one the whole family loved!   The key is the salt.  Be sure to use sea salt, the best you can find. McCormicks now has a sea salt grinder, where you can grind fresh flakes of sea salt on to your food.  It is quite good!  You will be amazed how good fresh sea salt can be and the “layers of flavor” that come from using the finer, gourmet versions of it.   This dish combines the smooth, richness of avocado with the crisp crunch of cucumber, the warmth of sesame oil and sesame seeds, and that final touch of freshly flaked sea salt.   So easy, but so gourmet at the same time.   I guarantee you, it is even as good as meatloaf!

Avocado Cucumber Sesame Salad

Serves two to three

Ingredients

1 ripe but still firm  avocado, cut in bite sized pieces (we like a lot of avocado, so I sometimes double the avocado in this recipe)

1/2 English cucumber (or regular cucumber with seeds removed , but peel left on) cut in bite sized pieces

1 t. fresh lime juice

pinch sugar

1 T. sesame oil

1 t. sesame seeds (toasted,  white or black seeds –black seeds are actually quite pretty, but I did not have them on hand)

fresh sea salt to taste

Directions:

Gently coat the sliced avocado and cucumber in a bowl with lime juice, pinch sugar, sesame oil and seeds. Sprinkle generously with sea salt. Serve in a low-rimmed edge blow or plate.

“Carrot Cake” Chutney (Topping for Cream Cheese & Crackers)

Posted: August 10, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Appetizers, Desserts, Giveaways, Jams, Sauces and Dressings, Snacks, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegan Options, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Carrot Cake Chutney served on atop crackers and whipped cream cheese

(Becky, The Mama)

I named my wonderful daughter “Rachel,”  after my wonderful sister Rachel St. John-Gilbert. 

My sister Rachel, with my grandson Georgie, on our Girlfriend Getaway to Seattle

Little did I know when my baby girl was born,  that one day she and my sister and I would all write books. My sister’s newest book has just been released: The Well-Lived Laugh: Designing a Life that Keeps You Smiling.  I think it is her best book to date. You’ll laugh, you’ll be inspired, you’ll let go of unnecessary pressures. Just trust me. Buy it or download it (click on picture of book, below,  to go to Amazon), beg or borrow it.  Or enter to win a copy right here. (Details to follow.)

KINDLE EDITION JUST $2.99 TODAY ONLY

My sister describes herself as an “offbeat observer who uses her wit to weave together comic takes on the ordinary.” I can testify that she is a connoisseur of life’s small joys, squeezing every drop of happiness from any tiny, remotely fun or interesting experience.  Here is a picture that my grandson George took of my sister on a recent trip to Seattle. This was our first stop, a quiet Asian tea house down the street from Pike’s Market.  I swear, she’d only had one sip of a mild jasmine tea. But leave it to my sister to find it a euphoric experience.

My sister in joyous rapture after a sip of green tea. (Julie, my daughter-in-law laughs and looks on. My grandson George, age 5, snapped the picture!)

I love receiving presents from my sister Rachel, because she thinks of the most unusual, wonderful, slighty quirky gifts.  For my birthday this year she gave me a little battery-powered milk foamer and a tiny Vietnamese coffee maker. (Which she promises to show me how to operate someday.)  She may send adorable comical napkins for me to use at my next party,  or a unique and tasty gourmet treat. One year on my birthday, she mailed me pretty jar of something called Carrot Cake Jam. Or was it Carrot Cake Chutney? Anyway, whatever it was called, it was AMAZING. Rach told me to put some cream cheese on a cracker, top it with the carrot mixture, and wait for my mouth to get very happy. So I did as I was told and about twenty minutes later, there was nothing left in the jar. Years later, I would sometimes think about that “perfect bite” of sweet-piquant cinnamon and slighty crunchy carroty-raisin goodness, mixed with the smooth salty flavor of cream cheese and crackers….   and feel sad that I’d probably never come across a jar of that yummy Carrot Cake Watchamacallit ever again.

Then last night I decided to create, to the best of my ability, a similar version.  Eureka!  I did it!  This stuff is amazing on crackers, but also a fun carrot cake “mix-in” for yogurt or ice cream or atop almond buttered toast.  An easy and unique treat to serve at your next party or bring to a hostess. . 

Now, before I forget: For a chance to win my sister’s new book, simply leave a comment below letting us know that you re-tweeted or pinned or facebooked this post (or any other you like from our blog), or liked my sister’s fan page. We’ll put your name in “the bowl” and pick the lucky winner to be announced next week.

Carrot Cake Chutney

Carrot Cake Chutney

Makes about 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients

5 medium sized carrots (preferably organic) peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces

1/3 cup well drained crushed pineapple

1/3 cup agave nectar

1 T. brown sugar

Pinch salt

½ t. vanilla

2 t. cinnamon

3 T. raisins

2 T. white vinegar

Directions:

Process carrots in a food processor or blender until they are about the size of oatmeal flakes, small and just a little bit chunky.

 

Processed carrots to a tiny dice

Mix the carrots with all the ingredients above and simmer in a skillet on medium low for about 5-8 minutes or until the carrots are tender-crisp and the syrup is thick and reduced by at least half, most of it absorbed into the carrots and raisins. (With only a tablespoon or two of syrup remaining in pan.) If you’d like your chutney to have a bit more kick to it, add another teaspoon of vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon, once you’ve removed the pan from the burner. Cool and put in a tightly covered container in the fridge to let the flavors mingle and intensify. Serve cold with a small spoon, along side a plate of crackers and a small bowl of whipped cream cheese. 

 

 

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: “Carrot Cake” Chutney
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-BY
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Happy Birthday Jackson Ray! (+ Two Green Smoothie Recipes)

Posted: July 31, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , | 6 Comments

Rachel, the daughter

My little Jackson Ray turned one on Friday. Life has been sweet this year, very very sweet. Knowing deep, heavy, sorrowful years, I don’t ever take a sweet year for granted. Tears rolled down my cheek as I crawled into bed on Thursday night, a reel of sweet moments from the past year flashing through my head.

Feeling my baby’s little (and sometimes not so little) kicks and bumps in my belly.

40 weeks and ready to meet my son!

Holding him in my arms that first day and being so baffled that I actually grew him and that  just hours before he was inside of me. “So that was you kicking around in there this whole time?”

Kissing his perfectly squishy cheeks and pouty lips over and over again. Some things haven’t changed.

Spending hours and hours and hours rocking and feeding and staring and talking to this little wide-eyed wonder. I had no idea how easy those early days were. Ha!

The first warm spring day that we got to go outside and soak in the sun, feeling privileged to get to show the world to this little man, to be there as he he feels grass tickle his toes for the very first time.

The moment I realized my baby was turning into a little boy, as he instinctively made “vroom, vroom” noises while pushing his Tonka truck into the “rough terrain.” Shortly after, to my horror, he ate a rolly polly, driving it home that he was indeed all boy (and possibly not a vegan).

The first time our water-loving boy set eyes on the ocean, at the very same beach where Jared and I got married five years earlier.

Friday morning, Jared and I greeted our one-year old with his very first Happy Birthday duet. Then we moved the party into the kitchen to make a special birthday version of our morning green smoothies. (Jared and I have challenged ourselves to drink one green smoothie a day for a month. Jackson loves them, so he joins us most days too.)

Jackson loves “helping” so much that we got him this little step stool for his birthday designed to let little ones safely be a part of the action. Have you ever met a kid this exited over mixed greens and getting to wash their own dishes on their birthday morning? He is his kale-loving, neat-freak mother’s son! And I am a proud momma!

After Jackson cleaned up :), we went to the Dallas World Aquarium, where once again I was privileged to get to see the world through the awe-filled eyes of a child.

We just finished up week one of drinking a green smoothie every day and it has quickly become a fun morning ritual. I’ve been following my friend and realtor, Terri Camp’s green smoothie experiment for awhile now and finally decided to try it out for our family. Not only is Terri looking and feeling great, but her kids are loving it too. I’ve gone on green smoothie kicks before, but Jared never drank them with me and I never stuck with it on a daily basis. Now that he’s joining me and Jackson is old enough to enjoy them too, I’m having a lot of fun coming up with new concoctions every morning. Peanut Butter Banana, Spicy Tomato & Cucumber, Lemon Blueberry, and Tropical. If you’ve never tried greens in your smoothie, don’t be alarmed by the green color. I promise, you don’t taste the greens at all. I really like to add oats and chia seeds to my smoothies for the extra fiber, omegas, protein, and nutrition. I find they hold me over longer when I include them. You can find chia seeds online, at Whole Foods, or your local health food store. Feel free to omit them though.

Jackson’s Blueberry Birthday Smoothie

Serves 2 (and a baby)

3 T. oats
1 T. chia seeds + 3 T. warm water
1 1/2 c. greens (I used a Power Greens mix of spinach, chard, and baby kale)
1 organic apple, seeded
1 cup frozen organic blueberries
2 bananas, frozen or fresh
1/2 an avocado (makes it creamy)
Juice of one lemon
1 cup non-dairy milk (such as unsweetened coconut or almond milk)
ice

Directions

Soak chia seeds in warm water, stirring occasionally until all the water is absorbed and the chia seeds are soft.

Grind oats in blender into a fine dust. Add (in this order) chia seeds, greens, apple, blueberries, bananas, avocado, lemon juice, milk. Blend until smooth. Add a handful of ice if desired and blend again until smooth.

(Note: I add a little more milk to Jackson’s so it is easily sipped through a sippy cup.)

Tropical Green Smoothie

Serves 2 (and a baby)

3 T. oats
1 T. chia seeds + 3 T. warm water
1 1/2 c. greens (I used a Power Greens mix of spinach, chard, and baby kale)
1 date, pitted
1/2 organic apple, seeded
1 clementine, peeled
1 banana, frozen or fresh
1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple
1/4 t. almond or vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
ice

Directions

Soak chia seeds in warm water, stirring occasionally until all the water is absorbed and the chia seeds are soft.

Grind oats in blender into a fine dust. Add (in this order) chia seeds, greens, date, apple, clementine, banana, pineapple, almond or vanilla extract, coconut milk. Blend until smooth. Add a handful of ice if desired and blend again until smooth.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Happy Birthday Jackson Ray ( + Two Green Smoothie Recipes)
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-zv
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Spinach, Feta & Sun-dried Tomato Breakfast Wrap

Posted: July 27, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Breakfast Foods, Snacks, Uncategorized, Vegan Options, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment

(Becky, the Mama)

It’s FUN Friday and I thought we’d celebrate with a story-in-pictures today.

When my grandson Georgie met Greg’s sister’s granddaughter Jena last week at our family beach vacation in Oregon, it was like at first sight. They hit it off like peas and carrots, or, to go with today’s recipe theme: like spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.

Jena and George reading the story of Brave, from Nonny’s Nook

It was fun for me, a grandmother of five little boys under age six, to be around a little girl.  Her Aunt Stephanie told me that Jena came up to her and said, excitedly, “I get to go to the beach with Grandma Gail!”  Then she paused, worried and added, “But I don’t know what to wear!”  This is something I’ve never heard my grandsons say.

She told me her favorite part of the beach is getting to wash all the shells. “I love washing things!” she said.  Again, not something that any of my grandsons has ever said to me.

We went for a walk to the beach one night and I captured this picture of the two of them, in little boy blue and little girl pink, cresting the hill just before going down to the beach. George never goes anywhere without a stick and made sure that Jenna had one, too.

“Don’t grow up too quickly, lest you forget how much you love the beach.”– Michelle Held 

Once we got to the beach, the kids wrote their names in the sand,  and then they decided to draw their own hopscotch games.

This is a little 5 year old boy’s drawing of hopscotch:

This is a little 6 year old girl’s drawing of it.

On the way home Jena walked by my side,  nicely and daintily,  as she observed George in front of us: skipping, hopping, running,  and fighting invisible enemies with his stick sword, Ninja-like.  Impressed with his boundless energy, Jena called out,  “George, are you hopped up on vegetables or Mountain Dew?”

Me (Nonny to the kids), having a blast with my beach buckaroos. We’re all hopped up on something better than Mountain Dew: veggies, the beach, and fun with family!

As it turned out, George was “hopped up on” vegetables that particular night, as he loves them, especially salads.  But I am sure he was also “hopped up” on being at the beach with his beloved family and a darlin’ fun little girl on a perfect summer’s eve.

Speaking of veggies, one of my favorite new tasty and healthy breakfast treats is Starbuck’s low fat, high nutrition vegetarian feta and spinach wrap with sundried tomatoes. It’s made with an egg white omelet (did you know there are only 25 calories in ¼ cup of egg white?), feta, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla and “sealed” in a Panini maker.

I made my own version today, and it tasted exactly like the Starbuck’s version.  I not only enjoy them for breakfast but they make great high energy snacks, that will hop you up almost as well as Mountain Dew, and make you much healthier! (And only 150 calories!)

Spinach, Feta & Sun-dried Tomato Breakfast Wrap

fresh spinach, whole wheat tortillas, chopped sundried tomatoes, organic egg whites (these are in a carton) and feta or goat cheese

Makes One

Ingredients:

Whole wheat tortilla

1/4 to 1/2 cup egg whites, depending on how thick you like your omelet

1 T. crumbled feta or goat cheese

3 or 4 spinach leaves

4 t. chopped sun-dried tomatoes (I prefer them packed in oil.  I had a sun-dried tomato tamponade on hand so I used that)

About a teaspoon of olive oil to coat pan

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Lightly moisten the flour tortilla (I just wet my hand and pass it over both side of tortilla) and then cook in small skillet (lightly coated with just a smear of olive oil) on both sides until pliable and warm.  Set aside and keep warm under a plate or paper towel.

In the same small skillet, add the egg whites and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  Place feta cheese down the middle of it.

When the egg is set, roll it up and put in the tortilla.  Warm the spinach leaves in the pan for just a few seconds and then place them alongside egg white.  Add the sun-dried tomatoes.

Roll up and then carefully place seam down in the skillet.  Hold it down for a few minutes with a spatula until it is crispy and sealed.  Turn it over and let the over side get brown.   Serve immediately.

Variations: Vegans can use scrambled tofu and skip the cheese or use a vegan cheese. Try other veggies such as artichokes, sautéed onions or potatoes. Use whole eggs.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Spinach, Feta & Sun-dried Tomato Breakfast Wrap
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-yW
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Build-Your-Own-Gourmet-Sandwich Bar

Posted: July 24, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Sandwiches, Vegan, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Build Your Own Sandwich bar is an easy way to please different appetites if you’ve got a house full of hungry picky eaters this summer.

First of all, a little giveaway business to take care of. The winner of Friday’s Cookie Butter Giveaway is Wen. (I swear we used a random number generator, but have to admit, there is a nice ring to Wen is the Winner!) Wen, we’ll email you to get an address where we can send your cookie butter. Congratulations!
********

Rachel, the daughter

It’s summer and many of us, either married to school teachers or with school age children, have extra mouths to feed at lunch. Most of the year, lunch is my meal, the meal that doesn’t have to make sense, or be well-balanced. It’s the meal no one’s going to comment on or scoff at because they don’t like what I’m serving. If I’m lucky, I even get to eat it alone while the baby is napping. It’s usually not planned and often just a plate of randomness, if I even actually put it on a plate. I like to have one meal a day that is mine, all mine.

Not that I’m even close to ready to send Jared back to work and into the dreaded long days of football season, but I admit sometimes during the summer I miss my lunch.

During these months, I get asked daily “What’s for lunch?” To which I spout off a list of things I know we have on hand. Somehow a handful of almonds, a bowl of leftover spaghetti, and a sliced avocado, does not sell well as a collective lunch offering. My well meaning husband will kindly decline and offer to make his own lunch instead, and by make, I mean open a bag of his jalapeno-flavored pretzels or serve up a plate of pistachios. I cannot, in good conscious, let this happen on my watch, so I either go in the other room and look away or pull a lunch together that the both of us can enjoy.

My go-to lunch this summer has been anything “Build-Your-Own,” sandwiches, pitas, salads, pizza, pasta. I can eat whatever I’m craving and Jared can choose to eat or not eat any or all of the toppings I’ve offered. Sandwiches don’t have to be boring and they are a familiar vessel to introduce your family to new ingredients and flavor combinations. Try offering roasted chickpeas instead of sandwich meat, avocados instead of mayo, lightly dressed dark leafy greens instead of romaine, hot peppers instead of pickles, roasted red peppers instead of (or in addition to) tomatoes, whole grain garlic toast instead of white bread. You can put out some of your favorite sandwich standby’s too, but my food philosophy with my family is to introduce lots of different foods and to keep trying until I’ve won them over (I’m persistent!). Jared didn’t eat a single thing on this sandwich bar when I first met him, but today he happily ate at least a little of everything except for the tomato (my work is never done around here.)

What are your favorite gourmet or out-of-the-box sandwich toppings?

Build-Your-Own-Gourmet-Sandwich Bar

Ingredients

  • Sliced Avocado
  • Roasted Chickpeas (see below), plain chickpeas work well too
  • Dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, and/or arugula) lightly dressed w/ a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper
  • Roasted Red Peppers (storebough or see below to make your own)
  • Spicy Peppers
  • Bread, buttered (Earth Balance for vegans) and sprinkled with garlic powder

Other Gourmet Ingredients you might want to offer on your BYOGS bar:

Hummus, grilled tofu, grilled or breaded eggplant, caramelized onions, mixed olives, shredded roasted chicken, smoked salmon, basil, cilantro, fresh mozzarella, different breads: Ciabatta rolls, hoagies or pitas

Roasted Chickpeas & Red Peppers

Heat oven to 400 degrees (I use my convection oven’s roast setting and it works great if you have one). Either line a baking pan with parchment paper or coat with olive oil or cooking spray.

Drain & rinse a can of chickpeas. Pat dry with a paper towel. Put them on the baking pan and rub olive oil (you don’t need much, maybe 1/2 tablespoon), and season generously with your favorite seasonings. I like smoked paprika, seasoning salt, and a touch of cayenne, but any combo of spice works.

Seed and cut a red pepper in half or thirds and put on a separate baking sheet. Put both pans in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes (the convection oven will cook faster, closer to 10 minutes). The chickpeas should be crunchy on the the outside, but still have a little chew in the middle. The skin of the red pepper should be charred and bubbling up in places. You can stick them under the broiler for a few minutes to char up quickly.

Immediately put the red peppers in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let sit for 3-5 minutes. The steam should loosen the skins and make them really easy to pull off.

Place roasted peppers in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. The steam loosens the skin and makes it easy to peel right off.

To serve, put everything out on the table and let your family taste the ingredients and build their own combination. It could be super casual on a typical Tuesday afternoon or, with the right tablescape and ingredients, really elegant for a shower or reception. In fact, I think I just talked myself into doing a BYOGS bar for Jackson’s upcoming birthday party. There will be something for everyone from the pickiest of eaters to the snobbiest of gourmets.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Build-Your-Own-Gourmet-Sandwich Bar
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-ya
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Orange Glazed Carrots

Posted: July 2, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Sides, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Orange Glazed Carrots

Is anyone old enough or blessed enough to remember going to a grandma’s house after church on Sunday for a roast chicken or roast beef, usually served with glazed carrots,  mashed potatoes and gravy, her homemade rolls, sliced tomatoes from the garden,  and cold cucumbers served in a sweet-sour vinegar?  Perhaps a little relish tray with olives or miniature sweet pickles.  Maybe followed up with nana puddin’ or peach cobbler. (Or is this just a figment of our collective nostalgic imaginations?)

As tired as I am after church on Sunday, I feel like Super Woman if I can just get some sandwiches on a plate for the two of us before I lapse into a nap. I am amazed that there were women who used to pull this big dinner feat off, and some of them did it weekly!

In Glen Rose, Texas there was a wonderful place called Two Grannies.  I wish we had one here in Colorado.  When you walked into the old-time dining room,  you were greeted by two grandmotherly sisters in flower print dresses who owned the restaurant. Nobody got in or out of the place without a hug.  And you didn’t say “no” because one of the grannies was a big as a middle linebacker.  Someone was always at the piano playing old show tunes or hymns.  And there was one old fellow who would come in now and again, dressed in striped overalls, who would astound the kids by whistling exactly like an old train. The whole place was just like going to grandmas house on Sunday, families greeting each other and chatting from table to table.  I believe  one of the grannies finally moved on to Glory,  but  the two of them left a lot of love and sweet memories — living out their golden years giving people hugs and a good home-cooked meal.  Can’t get much better than that.

I have discovered, on those rare Sundays when I feel my “Inner Granny” coming on and invite family or company over after church,  that a roast chicken and roast beef are the two easiest things to make for a crowd. (Recipe for my garlic roast chicken coming up later this week.) Nothing simpler than plopping an easily seasoned roast or chicken in the oven, then heading off to church and returning to your main dish already cooked and scenting the air as you walk in the door.  One of my favorite side dishes to serve with a savory juicy roast chicken is sweet, buttery orange glazed carrots.  Just carrots plus three ingredients, but it is so good you may decide to skip the nana puddin’ and eat a bowl of carrots for dessert instead.

Orange Glazed Carrots

Becky’s Orange Glazed Carrots

Ingredients

2 c. diced or mini carrots plus 1 T. water

1/2 c. orange juice

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 T. butter (vegans use Earth Balance)

sea salt to taste

Directions

Put the carrots and a tablespoon of water in a tightly covered microwave proof dish and nuke for about 12 minutes or until just tender.  (You can also steam them if you prefer.)

While the carrots are cooking, put orange juice, brown sugar and butter into a pan on the stove top.  Turn burner on high until it reaches a boil, then turn down to a simmer and simmer for about six minutes or until the mixture  reduces and starts to get syrupy. Add the cooked carrots to the orange syrup and simmer just a minute or two more until carrots are coated with thick buttery syrup, and taste like heaven.

Cook until syrupy and tender carrots are well coated.

Sprinkle with a little sea salt and serve.

Glazed carrots: a colorful, sweet-savory side dish fit for any Granny Meal.

Avocado Mango Salad “Cocktail” in Jicama Nests

Posted: June 25, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Appetizers, Gluten Free, Mexican Dishes, Salads, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Avocado Mango Jicama “Cocktail” Salad

What would you do if given the gift of one uninterrupted day, a day where your kids, your husband, your friends and your boss gave your their blessing to walk away and create your own perfect 12 hours?  A day to refill your soul?

Some seasons of my life are busier than others and the last two months has been filled to overflowing with people, appointments and a list of “to-dos” that seemed endless.  Seeing his wife was in a state of overwhelm,  Greg hugged me on Friday night and said, “Honey, tomorrow I want you to take the whole Saturday  just do anything you want at any given minute, all day long. Don’t worry about a thing.  I’ll even make my own meals.”

It may have been the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard anyone say.  (True to his word, Greg made his own lunch: two pieces of leftover corn on the cob, a piece of leftover blueberry pie and some leftover salad.  Yes, he missed the protein food group, but it was a great improvement over his usual “bachelor diet” when I am away: potato chips, chocolate chip cookies and cereal.)

Saturday dawned with the song “Saturday in the Park” playing in my mind, and the line, “I’ve been waiting such a long time, for Sat-ur-day” echoing again and again.  The feeling of unencumbered space stretched out for the next 12 hours left me near euphoric.

I spent the day writing on our new book in uninterrupted bliss at Denver’s famous Tattered Cover Bookstore, then lunched and wrote some more at The Corner Bakery, over-looking a gorgeous outline of the Rocky Mountains.  When I walked in the house that evening there was a vase of sunny yellow flowers and a loving card from Greg, “Just because.”  I wrote in my Facebook status:  I feel like a wilted flower that has been put in the fresh water of creative work, healing solitude, and the benevolent blessing of a good man who wants little in this life but for me to be happy.  I may yet live!

After I opened the card, Greg and I went to the back porch for our Summertime Happy Hour, a ritual we started in early June to make sure we have a little time to connect before dinner.  One of the things that centenarians the world over have in common is “joyful rituals.” This has become one of our favorites.  I made us clementine mojitos using the mint from my herb garden,  perfectly refreshing.

The day of rest and writing left me infused with creative energy as I cooked supper a little later.   I grabbed a crisp jicama, a vine-ripe tomato, an avocado and a mango out of the crisper.  In my mind’s eye I saw this recipe appear: a pretty salad of orange, green and red nestled in a bed of white grated jicama, drizzled with a fresh lime dressing and served in margarita glasses.  It would be  our “salad course.”   Let me tell you, it  was every bit as tasty as it is beautiful! So cold and refreshing after a 100 degree summer day.

I am delighted to share this recipe  with you,  along with encouragement to take time out for “Fill the Well Day” for your body, mind and soul as soon as you can!

Becky’s Avocado Mango Jicima “Cocktail” Salad

Avocado Mango Salad “Cocktail” in Jicama Nests

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups peeled, grated fresh jicama

1 avocado

1 fresh tomato

1 fresh mango

1 T. chopped cilantro or parsley or mint

2 T. chopped green onion

Juice of 2 limes

1/2 t. salt

4 t. honey

4 T. crushed corn or tortilla chips

Cajun seasoning or Tajin chili-lime seasoning to sprinkle on top

Lime slices for garnish

Tajin seasoning: a delightful blend of lime, salt, and chili pepper. Wonderful on this dish!

The flavors of jicama, tomato, mango, green onion and lime blend beautifully

Directions:

Place 1/2 cup grated jicama in each of 4 margarita glasses or pretty glass bowls to create a white “nest.”   Mix avocado, tomato, mango, herb of your choice and green onion together in a bowl and gently toss.  Place this mixture on top of the grated jicama, dividing evenly in to the four glasses.  In a small bowl mix the dressing of lime juice, salt and honey.  Drizzle evenly over each of the salads.  Top each salad with 1 T. crushed chips and a nice sprinkling of Cajun or Tajin seasoning.  Serve with long teaspoons if you have them and put a slice of lime on each rim.  Have guests stir and toss their salads once they are served to make sure everything gets coated with the lime dressing.

Roasted Okra & Green Beans

Posted: June 21, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Roasted okra and green beans. A healthy alternative to fried okra or french fries, and so much easier to make.

(Rachel – The Vegan-Eatin’ Daughter)

In our huge haul of garden veggies from Uncle, we had a small batch of fresh okra. I’ve been planning to fry them up, as any good southerner would do, but I’m not really the frying kind of gal. It’s just so messy.

There you have it. The secret to eating  healthy is to be too lazy to clean up greasy pots and pans.

While waiting on me to get over my anal retentiveness, some of my okra and a handful of green beans started to wither away. Still not ready to conquer the mess of slicing, coating, and deep frying the okra, I decided to try out a cooking method I know and love for green beans, roasting, on the okra, too.

I may not be a traditional Southern gal in many ways, but this plate of roasted green beans and okra is my kind of southern treat. In less than 30 minutes, these are prepped, cooked and on your plate. You could serve them as a healthy afternoon snack for kids (almost 11-month old Jackson loved them), a party appetizer, or a side dish to any southern cuisine.

Rachel’s Roasted Okra & Green Beans

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 c. fresh okra (not frozen)
1 cup fresh green beans
3 t. olive oil
1 t. salt
1/2 t. of cayenne

Directions

Preheat oven to 450. Put okra and green beans on a baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, salt, and cayenne. Pour the oil over the veggies and rub into them to make sure they are all evenly coated.

Bake for 20 minutes, flipping the veggies after 10 minutes. Sprinkle with a tad more salt as they come out of the oven.

I dipped them in Muir Glen’s organic ketchup (my fave), because I’m a ketchup-aholic, but they really didn’t need anything. Feel free to play with different spices, too.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Roasted Okra & Green Beans
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-rm
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Stuffed Garden Zucchini with Spinach & Walnut Pesto

Posted: June 19, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Main Dishes, Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

(Rachel – The Vegan-Eatin’ Daughter)

I have this dramatic little plant on my kitchen table. When she get’s a little parched (it’s most definitely a she), she goes from her perky upright position to draping her long thin limbs all the way over the side of the pot as if she’s fainted. I give her a little sip of water and within minutes the color returns to her cheeks, she brushes the dirt off her skirt, and gets back to work brightening up my kitchen.

As much as I would love to have a green thumb and to have the time, desire, and talent to have a garden, I’m just not there yet. My plants have to literally bend over backwards to get me to notice them. Every attempt at an herb garden has been a miserable failure. One day, when I grow up, I hope I find my inner plant whisperer. Until then, I’ll stick to dramatic plants that practically scream for my attention.

On the bright side, Jared’s Uncle Philip, we just call him Uncle, has an organic garden. Once or twice a year, when his harvest overfloweth, he spreads around the veggie love. This week, he sent us squash, zucchini, cucumbers, a big bag full of beautiful cherry tomatoes, okra, and green beans. Fresh, local, organic, free veggies make my heart go pitter patter!

Some of the zucchini and squash had grown a little too much. When it comes to produce, bigger is usually not better. I hate to waste any vegetable, so I decided to use the zucchini as a pretty vessel for a cherry tomato stuffing.

The zucchini was still a little bit bitter and took longer to bake than a smaller variety, but the stuffing of sweet cherry tomatoes and garlicky croutons was insanely delicious. Smaller zucchini would be perfect and tender enough that you could eat the whole thing, skin and all. If you’re looking for a way to make use of any summer squash that got a little too much time on the vine, though, this is a clever way to use them up.

I have more veggies from Uncle’s garden coming tomorrow and I’ve hardly made a dent in the first round. What’s your favorite way to use up garden veggies?

Rachel’s Stuffed Garden Zucchini with Spinach & Walnut Pesto

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 large zucchini or 4 normal sized zucchini, cut in half lengthwise & seeds scooped out
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
course ground pepper

2 slices of whole grain bread, cut into small cubes
1 t. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. garlic powder

1/2 small onion, diced
1 leek, dark green section removed, chopped into thin half moons & rinsed well
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
2 cups baby spinach

Pesto
1/2 c. spinach
1 T. walnuts
1 clove of garlic
1 t. extra virgin olive oil
3-4 t. water
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Look at all those pretty cherry tomatoes. That’s only about half of what we got from Uncle’s garden!

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Place zucchini cut side up in a baking dish, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and course ground black pepper. Bake until fork tender. 20-35 minutes depending on the size of the zucchini.

Toss bread cubes with olive oil and garlic powder.  Pour onto a baking sheet and bake in the same oven as zucchini until crispy, about 10 minutes.

In a skillet, heat a little olive oil on medium heat. Add onion and leeks and saute until transclucent, add garlic and tomatoes, continue sauteing for about five more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in spinach.

When the zucchini are fork tender, remove from the oven, stuff generously with the filling and put back in the oven for 15 more minutes.

Blend all of the pesto ingredients together, starting with 3 t. of water and adding more until the pesto is thin enough to drizzle easily.

Serve the stuffed squash on a big family platter, drizzled with pesto on top. Can be served as a main meatless dish or as a side.

The skin on the larger squash is too tough to eat, but the flesh did get tender while baking.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Stuffed Garden Zucchini with Spinach & Walnut Pesto
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-qP
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Thai Lettuce Wraps with a Sweet Ginger Sauce

Posted: June 14, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Appetizers, Asian Dishes, Main Dishes, Sauces and Dressings, Vegan, Vegan Options, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tofu Thai Lettuce Wraps with a sweet garlic and ginger sauce.

(Rachel – The Vegan-Eatin’ Daughter)

I love P.F. Changs. It’s my go-to special occasion restaurant when I get to do the picking (I’m still working on Jared and Asian food–baby steps). In fact, that’s where I asked to go for Mother’s Day. We took Jackson along and sat outside on the patio on a beautiful Spring day. As usual, the service and food were both great. Their chefs understand and respect vegan diets, which makes eating there so easy. However, the view was of a busy mall parking lot and there was an out of control gnat problem. I longed for my own patio with our country pasture view and my own personal fly swatter.

I’ve started to notice more often than not, I regret dining out. Whether for comfort, ease with Jackson, or control over what goes into our food, I just really prefer eating at home these days. So this week, I made my own version of P.F. Chang’s famous lettuce wraps. Fine dinin’ in my t-shirt and yoga pants on my own back porch. Aahhh.

Just like theirs, these can be made with tofu or chicken. The sweet ginger sauce is good enough to drink. And since you made it at home, their really will be no one around to judge you if you choose to do so. Just make sure you save some for the lettuce wraps.

Arrange the lettuce cups in a pretty flower-like arrangement and serve the cashews, cilantro, and green onions right on the cutting board for a fun and easy presentation.

Thai Lettuce Wraps with a Sweet Ginger Sauce

Serves 4 entree sizes or 8 appetizer portions

Ingredients

Stir Fry
1 block of firm tofu, crumbled or chopped into small cubes (could also use shredded or chopped chicken)
canola oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 chili pepper, sliced thinly
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 14.5 oz can baby corn, drained and chopped
1/2 c. diced canned pineapple (reserve juice for sauce)
1 8 oz can water chestnuts, drained and roughly chopped
1 8 oz can bamboo shoots, drained
2 green onions, chopped
several lettuce leaves (iceberg or romaine work nicely)

(Other veggies like shredded carrots and cabbage would work well in this too)

Marinade & Dipping Sauce
1 T. canola oil
2 T. fresh ginger, minced or finely diced
1 T. garlic, minced
1/2 c. Braggs Amino Acids (or Soy Sauce)
3 T. sweet chili sauce (in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores)
2 T. brown sugar
1 c. pineapple juice (buy a 15 oz can of diced pineapples and use juice here and pineapples in stir-fry)
1/2 c. veggie broth or water

Toppings
1/2 cup toasted cashews, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
1 green onion, chopped

Directions

Marinade & Dipping Sauce
In a sauce pan, heat canola oil on medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Set aside 1 cup. When you get the stir-fry going, bring remaining sauce to a boil, then simmer on med-low to reduce for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir-Fry
Use half of the reserved sauce to marinate the tofu or protein for 30 minutes or longer. (This can be done the night before to save time the next day.)

In a large skillet or wok, heat about a tablespoon or so of canola oil on medium high. I like to chop as I cook, so chop the onions while the oil is heating, then chop the garlic and add it, then the chili, then the mushrooms, baby corn, pineapple, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots.

In a separate nonstick skillet, heat about two tablespoons of canola oil and the tofu on medium high heat. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining reserved sauce and cook for a few more minutes. Then, combine the tofu with the veggies. Add the green onions at the last minute. (Follow similar steps for chicken, but adjust cooking time as needed.)

Serve in lettuce cups, with chopped cashews, cilantro, and more green onions for toppings on the side and individual sides of the dipping sauce.

Notes: I changed the recipe slightly from what is pictured. I cooked the tofu with the veggies and it tasted good, but didn’t pick up as much color as it gets when cooked on it’s own, so I adjusted it so yours should have more color than mine did. Also, the lettuce I used was Living Lettuce. It looked really pretty, but got mushy too fast. It needs something sturdier like romaine or ice berg.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Thai Lettuce Wraps with a Sweet Ginger Sauce
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-pm
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

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