warning about "organics"!

Be careful when shopping for organic foods, as they might be more
toxic than beneficial. Here's why...

Many stores outsource their products from China. The problem?
China doesn't ensure that "organic" products meet the USDA health
standards.

Food manufacturers in the US must meet the USDA's requirements
of how a product is grown, processed, and handled. When you see
"ORGANIC" on packaging, it ensures that nochemical pesticides
were used and that the food was made in environmentally-friendly
conditions.

Manufacturers from China, on the other hand, don't follow the same
protocol. They have "organic" on the label, but no one is actually
inspecting or verifying this to be true.

China's over-use of pesticides has contaminated both the food
and the land. What's more, human waste is widely used in farms
as fertilizer, which is a potential source of deadly bacteria, such
as E. coli. (I wish I was kidding)

In addition to dangerous chemicals and sewage, Chinese
groundwater is terribly contaminated. It's estimated that 10% of
China's groundwater is contaminated by arsenic and/or lead.
And it's this same groundwater that is used in growing the crops
that are found in our stores.

You may be wondering what it takes to be considered Organic...

To be classified as "organic" in the US, foods must be:

"...produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic
inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not
contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed
using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives."

So, when looking at the labels on food products, don't just examine
the Nutrition Facts and Ingredients. Also pay attention to where it's
from. If you see "Made in China" - I'd suggest putting it back for
another brand.
To your health!

Flourless tahini oat cookies

(makes about 36 cookies)
1 cup tahini
1 cup honey ( I use 1/4 c. maple syrup or agave)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup dried coconut flakes (but feel free to use other dried fruits, such as raisins or cranberries, or even apricots)
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the tahini, honey, cinnamon, vanilla and coconut and stir well. Add in the oats and seeds and mix until well blended. Wet your hands to prevent sticking and then form the mixture into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Arrange these on baking trays (either non-stick, or lined with parchment paper), and then bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Let them cool before you take them off the tray so that they don't fall apart, and then indulge!

Grilled Potenta

Grilled polenta makes a great side dish if you’re grilling meat or fish; it’s also a perfect solution for vegetarians at your barbecue. Squares of polenta are best if they’re thick, so the basic polenta recipe is increased by half and the polenta is cooked for a longer time.

 

1 1/2 cups polenta
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 quarts water
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter  (vegan butter)
Extra virgin olive oil for grilling
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the polenta, water and salt in a 2-quart baking dish, and stir together. Place the baking dish on top of a sheet pan (so that if water sloshes when you put it in the oven, it will just go onto the sheet pan), and place in the oven. Bake one hour. Remove from the oven, stir in the butter and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and stir again. Return to the oven for 10 to 20 minutes, until stiff. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then chill for one hour or more.
2. Prepare a medium grill or heat an electric griddle on medium. Cut the polenta into squares, and brush the squares on both sides with olive oil. Place on the grill or griddle. When grill marks appear or when nicely browned, usually in about two to three minutes, turn and brown the other side. Serve hot.
Yield: Serves six to eight.
Advance preparation: The cooked polenta will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.
Variation: Pan-Seared Polenta Squares
You don’t get the attractive grill marks or charcoal flavor here, but this is a nice way to serve polenta. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, and sear the polenta squares on both sides oil until lightly colored. The surface should be slightly crisp.
Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com

Summer Squash Ragout

A Yummy Summer Squash ragout

1/2 pound cannellini beans or dried lima beans, rinsed, picked over and soaked if desired

1 medium or large onion

4 garlic cloves, 2 peeled and crushed, 2 minced

A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf, a couple of sprigs of thyme and parsley, and a Parmesan rind

5 cups water

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 pounds mixed summer squash, diced

1 pound tomatoes, grated, or peeled, seeded and chopped

Freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 to 2 tablespoons slivered fresh basil or mint

Freshly grated Parmesan for serving

1. Soak the beans if desired. I do not recommend soaking lima beans, as their skins detach too easily when you soak them. I usually do soak cannellinis. Cut the onion in half. Chop one half and set aside.

2. Combine the beans, the onion half that isn’t chopped, the 2 crushed garlic cloves and the bouquet garni in a large saucepan. Add 5 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 1 hour. Add salt to taste and simmer for another hour, until the beans are tender. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning. Remove the onion and the bouquet garni and discard.

3. Meanwhile, in a large casserole or deep, wide skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the chopped onion. Cook, stirring often, until it is tender, about 5 minutes, and add the minced garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds, until the mixture is fragrant, and add the summer squash. Turn up the heat slightly so that the squash begins to cook right away, and sauté until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add the thyme and the tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until the tomatoes have begun to break down. Turn the heat to medium, season with salt and pepper, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring often. The tomatoes should have cooked down and smell fragrant. Stir in the beans and their broth, bring to a simmer and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the basil, taste and adjust seasonings. Serve hot or warm, tossed with pasta, over grains, or as is.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Advance preparation: This will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator and tastes even better the day after you make it.

Nutritional information per serving (4 servings): 279 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 42 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams dietary fiber; 13 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 14 grams protein

Nutritional information per serving (6 servings): 186 calories; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 28 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 127 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 10 grams protein

A question!

A friend asked me why I call them "Vegan" recipes when they include optional cheese, etc.  The answer I told her is that many of my non-vegan friends also enjoy the recipes I post, so I leave them in.  They inclusion of dairy/eggs is strictly optional, and i don't include them in my cooking.

Greek style polenta

Greek Style Polenta - I think it needs some nice greek olives too!!


1 recipe Easy Oven-Baked Polenta, with Parmesan if desired
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds zucchini, cut in half lengthwise if thick, and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 1 (14-ounce) can, chopped (see note)
Pinch of sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan
Note: When you seed the tomatoes, set a strainer over a bowl. Squeeze out the seeds into the strainer, then press the pulp and juice through the strainer into the bowl. Discard the seeds, and use the juice in the recipe.
1. Begin making the polenta. While it’s in the oven, cook the squash. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet, and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a minute or two, until fragrant. Stir in the squash and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and toss together for five to eight minutes, until it is coated with oil and beginning to soften. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the sugar and salt to taste. Turn the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, for five to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly. Turn the heat back down to medium and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and aromatic. If they begin to dry and stick to the pan before the end of the cooking time (if you’re using fresh tomatoes, this may happen because there isn’t as much juice as with canned tomatoes), add up to 1/4 cup water. Stir in the parsley and mint, and simmer for a few more minutes. Remove from the heat, taste, adjust the salt and add pepper.
2. When the polenta is ready, remove from the oven. If adding Parmesan, stir it in. Spoon onto plates, and make a depression in the center. Top with the zucchini. Garnish with additional Parmesan, and serve.
Note: You can also cook the polenta in the microwave.
Yield: Serves four to six.
Variation: Polenta Gratin With Zucchini and Tomatoes
To make this with chilled polenta, grill or sear the polenta and serve the zucchini mixture on the side. Or make a gratin:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the polenta into squares or rectangles. Oil a 2-quart gratin dish, and arrange the polenta in the dish, overlapping the pieces slightly. Top with the zucchini and tomatoes. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup Parmesan over the top, and drizzle with 2 to 3 teaspoons of olive oil. Place in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the mixture is bubbling and the cheese has melted.
Advance preparation: The cooked polenta will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator. The zucchini and tomato ragout will keep for about three days. The gratin can be assembled a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator.
Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

Microwave polenta

Microwave Polenta
If you want polenta in a hurry, you can prepare it in the microwave. Just be sure to use a large bowl and be very careful when handling it. Allow the steam escape before you stir, as the mixture will be extremely hot.
3/4 cup polenta
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1. Combine the polenta, salt and water in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart microwave-safe bowl, and stir together. Cover the bowl with a plate, and place in the microwave. Microwave on high for eight minutes. Remove from the microwave carefully, wearing oven mitts, as the bowl will be quite hot. Carefully remove the plate from the top, and allow the steam to escape. Stir in the butter, and mix well with a fork. Cover the bowl again with the plate and return to the microwave. Microwave on high for three minutes. Again, remove from the microwave carefully, wearing oven mitts. Carefully remove the plate from the top, and allow the steam to escape. Stir the polenta, and return to the microwave for three more minutes. Carefully remove from the microwave. Stir and serve, or pour into a lightly buttered bread pan and allow to cool, then slice and grill or sear in a lightly oiled pan.
Yield: Serves four.
Advance preparation: If you are serving polenta hot with a topping, it’s best to serve it when it comes out of the oven, allowing it to sit for five minutes at most.

Easy Oven-Baked Polenta

Easy Oven-Baked Polenta
Traditionally you make polenta atop the stove, slowly drizzling the cornmeal into salted boiling water and stirring all the while until you have a smooth, stiff mixture that will support your standing spoon. (Some cooks believe the polenta must be stirred continually, but others aren’t so orthodox about it.)
I use a less labor-intensive method. I combine the cornmeal and the liquid, put it in the oven and forget about it for 50 minutes. Then I stir in one tablespoon of butter and return it to the oven for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how thick I want it. That’s it.
1 cup polenta
1 quart water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the polenta, water and salt in a 2-quart baking dish. Stir together, and place in the oven. Bake 50 minutes. Remove from the oven, and stir in the butter. Use a fork or a spatula to stir the polenta well, and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and stir again. Carefully taste a little bit of the polenta; if the grains are not completely soft, return to the oven for 10 minutes.
Serve right away for soft polenta, or let sit five minutes for a stiffer polenta. Spoon onto a plate. Make a depression in the middle, and serve with the topping of your choice or plain, as a side dish.
Alternatively, for grilling or use in another recipe, allow to chill and stiffen in the baking dish, or scrape into a lightly oiled or buttered bread pan and chill.
Variation: Polenta With Parmesan
When you remove the polenta from the oven, stir in 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan. Serve at once. I like to grind a little black pepper over the top.

Boirscht salad ( with cashew dressing)

Beautiful Borscht Salad

2 cups shredded celery root
2 cups shredded carrot
2 cups shredded beet
... 2 green onions, sliced finely

Dressing:
1/2 cup cashews (soaked 4 hours and drained)
3 Tbsp water
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp dried dill
salt and pepper to taste

Arrange the shredded veggies on a large platter. Blend the dressing ingredients in your blender or food processor until completely smooth. Drizzle generously on the salad

Flatbread

1 package active yeast

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

3/4 cup water (might need more)

1 teaspoon oil

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor combine the yeast, sugar, flour, salt and thyme. Pulse to combine. Add the water in a steady stream until the dough begins to form a ball, turn it on to a board and knead with the heel of your hand until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Coat a bowl with oil. Place dough in bowl, and cover with a damp cloth. Put in a warm spot to rise until double in size, about 1 hour.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch the dough, scrape it onto the counter and knead it lightly into a smooth ball. Cut into 20 pieces and with a rolling pin roll out to form very flat 5 to 6-inch circles.

Preheat a stove top grill pan over medium high. Do not oil. Place bread on hot grill and cook without touching it until you see bubbles on the surface, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn and continue to cook 1 to 2 minutes more or until bread has puffed up. Serve immediately.

NOTE:  I take this recipe and make lots of changes:  first, I use half whole wheat flour, second, I switch up the herbs, I have used fresh rosemary, dried italian herbs, etc. and each is different and all good!  Third, I use my kitchen aid mixer from the start and let it do the work, so don't hardly knead it at all.  So easy and takes 10 min. from start.  I don't worry about getting a circle, mine are all different shapes, but who cares!  These are wonderful bases for pizza too. 

tabbouleh - quinoa

Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad Ingredients

1 cup dry quinoa, cooked
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 Tbsp olive or flax oil (optional)
1 clove garlic, pressed
pinch salt (optional)
1 cucumber, diced
2 tomato, diced
2 cup parsley, chopped
4 Tbsp roasted sunflower seeds (optional)

Quinoa Tabouli Salad Directions

Cook the quinoa in 2 cups water, bringing it to a boil then turn down to low to simmer for 15 minutes. I always turn the heat off after the quinoa has completely absorbed the water and let it stand covered for another 15 minutes. It fluffs up really nice.

Put the zest and juice of the lemon in a large salad bowl, then stir in the garlic and a pinch of salt. You can add a bit of olive, but it's not necessary.

Put the chopped vegetables and parsley into the bowl, and toss them with the quinoa, lemon and olive oil..

Serve topped with the toasted sunflower seeds. I hope you enjoy this quinoa tabouli salad . For an interesting flavor, serve with sliced avocados and fresh mint.

Gazpacho!

Gazpacho is a chilled Spanish soup that is my favorite vegan dish. This basic recipe for cold gazpacho soup can be dressed up with some croutons or hot sauce, depending on your taste. Gazpacho soup is extremely nutritional and you can add all sorts of chopped vegetables and of course an avocado is a must.

Ingredients:
1 cucumber, sliced into chunks
4 large ripe tomatoes
... 1/2 bell pepper, any color
2 cloves garlic
1 celery rib, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 sweet onion, quartered
3 tbsp red wine or balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
dash black pepper
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Preparation:
Simply combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor, except the fresh herbs and process until smooth. Stir in the fresh herbs.

Serving:
I serve with chunks of tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, carrots, celery and a whole avocado.See More

Sherrel's  Speedy Cabbage Rolls, adapted from Melba's Swap Shop 1/2003

I converted this to suit a vegan diet:

Cabbage leaves - rinsed and separated. Discard any tough damaged outer leaves.  Remove Course Stem with a "V" cut and blanch in a pan of boiling water for about 3-5 minutes until soft enough to roll. Set aside.

Filling:  2 T olive oil

1/2 c. onion, celery and carrots, chopped

1 c chopped cabbage

1/4-1/2 c. chopped parsley or cilantro

2t. cumin

1c cooked brown rice

1/2 t. chili powder

1/4 t. garlic powder (I used 3 diced cloves garlic)

salt and pepper to taste

2 cans seasoned chopped tomatoes (Italian or Mexican style)  - I used italian spaghetti sauce and fresh tomatoes

Also called for mushrooms, which I deleted, substituted one can navy beans, rinsed and drained

Also, added cheese (any kind) to Mike's rolls.

Saute veggies, add all other ingredients, stuff leaves, cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, remove cover and bake 10 more minutes.  6-8 servings

French Bread

Authentic French Bread

Recipe Type: Yeast Bread
Yields: 1 loaf bread
Prep time: 15 min
Rise time: 1 to 3 hours
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 4 hour


Ingredients:

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F.)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups bread flour
3 teaspoons Instant Active Dry Yeast
Cornmeal (optional for dusting pan)

Standup Mixer Recipe:

In a large bowl or in the bowl of a 5-quart stand mixer, add all the ingredients except cornmeal. Using dough hook, mix everything together into a uniform dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until elastic, about 15 minutes. NOTE: In an electric mixer, it should take about 9 minutes.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Dough Rising - Place the dough in a lightly-oiled large bowl. Place a damp towel over the bowl and then cover with plastic wrap (the humidity in the bowl helps in the rising process). Let rise until it doubles in volume (when you can put your finger in the dough and it leaves and indentation and doesn't spring back out) approximately 4 to 8 hours (depending on the temperature and the starter used, the rising time can vary as much as 2 hours).

Preparing the dough for baking - After dough has risen, remove from bowl, and place on a lightly-floured board. Knead in flour to feed it one more time before baking. Shape dough into a loaf shape and place on a cookie sheet that is dusted with cornmeal or use the Silicone Baking Mats I personally recommend that you use the Silicone Baking Mats as nothing sticks to them. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 to 3 hours.

Baking the bread - Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. After rising, slash the bread with a bread razor or a very sharp knife making three 1/2-inch deep diagonal slashes. Brush or spray the top of the bread with cold water and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until nicely browned. A good check is to use an instant digital thermometer to test your bread. The temperature should be between 200 and 210 degrees.

When the bread is cooked, remove from oven and place the bread on a wire cooling rack to cool. Let baked loaf cool for 30 minutes before cutting (this is because the bread is still cooking while it is cooling).

Makes 1 large loaf.


CORNSTARCH GLAZE:
NOTE: This is a typical mixture that professional bakers use to get that characteristic sheen on breads. I keep this mixture in my refrigerator to use on all the breads I bake.

1/2 cup cold water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

In a small saucepan, with a small whisk, stir together water and cornstarch. Heat mixture to a gentle boil. Stir, reduce heat, until mixture thickens and is translucent. Cool.

Brush on loaf about 10 minutes before baking is finished and again 3 minutes before bread is completely done.

Greek style vegetable casserole

Greek-Style Vegetable Casserole
adapted from Bon Appetit
Feel free to swap the eggplant for zucchini, the potatoes for sweet potatoes, and add or subtract any vegetables you’d like.

- 1 small-medium eggplant (or half a large one) cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
- 1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) wedges
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- salt
- 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) wedges
- 1 large carrot, cut into rounds
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) strips
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
- 1 14-ounce (400 gram) can peeled whole tomatoes, cut into quarters or cherry tomatoes with juices
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

—

Heat oven to 450 F/ 230 C

Place eggplant, onion, and 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Season with salt. Transfer to a large baking dish (9×13″ or larger) and roast until the eggplant is slightly dried and beginning to turn brown, 12–15 minutes. Set eggplant and onion aside.

While eggplant is cooking, toss remaining 2 tablespoon oil, potatoes, carrot, red pepper, green beans, tomatoes with their juices, garlic, lemon juice, and oregano in a large bowl. Season with salt.

Place mixture in the same baking dish and top with roasted eggplant and onion. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and stir vegetables. Bake until pan is nearly dry and potatoes are tender and beginning to brown, about 25–35 minutes longer.

Sprinkle dill over the vegetables and let casserole sit for 10 minutes.

great idea for freezing herbs and garlic!

8 Steps for Freezing Herbs in Oil

1. Choose firm, fresh herbs, ideally from the market or your own garden.
2. If you wish, you can chop them fine. Or leave them in larger sprigs and leaves. Here I froze a combination of finely-chopped and whole herbs such as rosemary, fennel stalk, sage, and oregano.
3. Pack the wells of ice cube trays about 2/3 full of herbs.
4. You can mix up the herbs, too; think about freezing a bouquet garni of sage, thyme, and rosemary to add to winter roast chickens and potatoes!
5. Pour extra-virgin olive oil or melted, unsalted butter over the herbs.
6. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
7. Remove the frozen cubes and store in freezer containers or small bags.
8. Don't forget to label each container or bag with the type of herb (and oil) inside!

oven baked potato wedges

Crispy Oven-Baked Old Bay Potato Wedges (serves 2-4)
adapted from Oh She Glows
- 2 large Yukon Gold Potatoes cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) wedges
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1/2-1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- cooking spray
To serve:
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha or other hot sauce
Heat oven to 450 F/ 230 C.
Dry potato wedges with a paper towel and place them in a plastic bag (like a large freezer bag).
Put cornstarch, salt and pepper, Old Bay and oregano in the bag, seal it and shake it up until the potatoes are coated evenly.
Pour in olive oil and shake the bag again to coat everything.
Lightly spray the baking tray with a cooking spray. Arrange potato wedges on the tray, allowing enough space between each of them without overlapping.
Bake for 15 minutes , flip each wedge over and bake for another 5-10 minutes until golden brown.
To serve: combine BBQ sauce and hot sauce and mix – serve with potatoes fresh from the oven.

homemade granola (no added fat!)

Homemade granola


6 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup chopped almonds $

Click to see savings

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup agave 

1/4 cup pineapple juice

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Cooking spray $

Click to see savings

1/4 cup dried cranberries $

Click to see savings

1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add syrup, juice, and almond extract; toss well. Spread mixture evenly onto a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 300° for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Stir in cranberries and apricots. Cool completely. Store in a zip-top plastic bag.

Note: Prepare the granola up to two days ahead, and store in an airtight container.

Potato Curry     6 russet potatoes 3 tbsps oil 1 tsp salt 12 tsp cumin seed 12 tsp black mustard seeds 1 tsp turmeric (powder)

1 tsp ground coriander 14-12 tsp cayenne (ground black peppercorn) 112 cups water 23 cup frozen peas

1	Peel and dice potatoes.
2	Heat oil and add spices.
3	Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
4	Add potatoes.
5	Immediately stir around until evenly coated.
6	Continue for 5-10 minutes until some cubes are a little crisped.
7	Add the water and lower the heat.
8	Simmer for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally.
9	Add peas and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
10	Serve hot.

Vegitarian Chili

< Back

Summer Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients Serves 6 servings Change ♥ Save @ Email Print 2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup red onion (chopped) 5 cloves crushed garlic (minced) 2 tbsps chili powder (taste) 2 tsps ground cumin 2 cups fresh tomatoes (juicy chopped) 15 ozs black beans (drained) 1 cup water (red wine) 1 cup bell pepper (chopped, color) 1 cup zucchini (chopped) 1 cup corn kernels 1 cup portobello mushrooms (chopped white) 1 cup fresh cilantro (chopped, packed) 18 tsp cayenne pepper (taste) salt black pepper 1 Heat oil in medium pot. Add onion, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Saute over medium heat until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except garnishes) and stir. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add more liquid if needed. 2 Serve alone or over rice (preferably brown). Garnish if desired with any of the following:  guacamole or sliced avacado, fresh cilantro, and sliced black olives! I love this - so good!  ( I don't do the mushrooms cuz I hate them, and its great!)

A great way to store fresh ginger

A great way to store fresh ginger. No waste!!

Select ginger from the grocery store that is full, smooth, not wrinkled and free from mold. Pick a big piece so you can freeze plenty at once.

 Trim off any dried-out ends on the root using a sharp knife.

 

Peel the ginger using a vegetable peeler or paring knife. If there are bits of peel you can't get to because it's in a fold between two branches of the ginger, wait until after Step 4 to finish peeling.

Break your ginger into roughly thumb-sized pieces. Finish peeling the pieces if necessary. Typically a thumb-sized piece is the amount called for in most recipes. Make the pieces long enough to hold when grating.

 

Rinse your peeled pieces and pat dry.

 

Put your peeled pieces into a resealable freezer bag, making sure to press out as much air as possible as you seal the bag. 

 

Put your ginger in the freezer and store it there until you need it. It will hold its flavor frozen for months and won't mold. Freezing also makes it much easier to grate into your recipes. Simply take a piece out of the freezer bag and press it against your grater.

 

I wasted a lot of ginger until I started doing it this way!!