1. It’s been getting really cold here. We even had to flip the ceremonial furnace switch after blankets and sweatshirts couldn’t keep us warm enough. Today, I decided to remedy the cold (which I love, personally!) with a hearty, hot dinner of rosemary, lemon, & garlic potatoes and brussels. If you haven’t noticed, we haven’t posted a baked good in a while. Our oven has been broken for almost six months now, mostly because we can’t afford to fix it, so we’ve gotten by with raw cookies and slow-cooking stews. This recipe is no exception - but if you have a working stove, feel free to roast your potatoes and brussels instead of pan-frying. This cold week calls for a hot oven, I think. All of the elements here can be easily translated to roasting, and I trust you can figure it out. If not, message me and I’ll explain it. Otherwise, here’s what I did. Boil a bunch of potatoes. Doesn’t matter how many or what kind, that’s up to you and how many people you’re feeding. I cooked about 6 large potatoes, which will feed 3-4 people just fine. (The rest of the amounts below will follow that 3-4 person serving size.) You’ll know when they’re “done” when you can stick a fork easily through the potato. While the potatoes are cooking, prep the rest of your ingredients. Pluck the brussels sprouts off their stalk, then slice off the hard woody bottom on each one. Chop 1 large red onion into small pieces. Chop 4 medium-large cloves of garlic into smaller pieces. Mince enough fresh rosemary to make about two heaping pinches. Take one large lemon and thinly slice it. Once the potatoes are done, drain out the water and loosely cut them up. Toss them in a pan with your prepped ingredients, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp salt, a dusting of onion and garlic powder, and some fresh ground pepper. Mix everything so it’s all evenly coated. Let cook on medium-high heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring every five or so minutes to keep things from burning. Sprinkle on a tsp or two of sugar, salt to taste, and mix together again. Let cook until the brussels are getting soft. (Yes, you can eat one to test it out!) They’ll be bright green and won’t smell like the overcooked gross cabbage your parents used to make. (Was that just me?) Serve piping hot. This would go really well with a fresh tomato soup or corn chowder. Stay warm and enjoy!
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    It’s been getting really cold here. We even had to flip the ceremonial furnace switch after blankets and sweatshirts couldn’t keep us warm enough. Today, I decided to remedy the cold (which I love, personally!) with a hearty, hot dinner of rosemary, lemon, & garlic potatoes and brussels.

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    October 10, 2012
  2. These Indian-inspired wraps are quick to make and totally delicious. You can make these as a meal for yourself or as an appetizer/mini-meal for a whole party. Either way, it’s a hot filling meal that I love to make all the time once fall comes around! Ingredients 1 large clove garlic, minced  1 tbsp coconut oil 1/2 8 oz can chickpeas  2 to 3 cups chopped cauliflower  2 heaping tbsp tomato paste  2 tsp Tandoori paste  Dusting (1/2 tsp) garam masala powder  Dash turmeric  Pinch Sea salt  1/2 cup water (or more if you think it’s too thick) 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)  Small tortillas  The tandoori paste and garam masala are quick ways you can make a complex, flavorful dish, but you can easily make your own from scratch with the ingredients listed in the links above. Mince the garlic and put it in a hot pan with the coconut oil. Make sure to keep an eye on it so the garlic doesn’t burn.  Chop up the cauliflower and drain the chickpeas.  Toss all the ingredients (minus the tortillas) into the garlic pan. Stir until everything is evenly coated, cover the pan and turn to medium heat. Let cook for about ten minutes or until the cauliflower has softened and everything is warmed and tasting good. Add more salt or spices as you see fit.  Place tortillas in another pan on medium-high heat. You can put them in folded, looking sort of like tacos, so you can fit as many tortillas on the pan as possible.  Fill each tortilla with just 2 tbsp or less of the filling. Don’t overfill the wraps or they’ll make a huge mess when you go to eat them.  As you fill each one, tightly wrap the tortilla as shown in the photos, and place the folded side down. This will “seal” the wrap and make it less messy later.  After a minute or two, check to see if the bottom sides are browned. Flip them over and brown the other side.  Serve warm and enjoy :)  This recipe makes enough for about 8-10 wraps, maybe more depending on how much you fill the tortillas.
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    These Indian-inspired wraps are quick to make and totally delicious. You can make these as a meal for yourself or as an appetizer/mini-meal for a whole party. Either way, it’s a hot filling meal that I love to make all the time once fall comes around!

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    October 5, 2012
  3. This salad looks beautiful and has great complex flavors. It’s a good mix between summer salads and autumn roasts, with hearty, sweet beets and savory cauliflower and mushrooms. Oh, and it takes less than 30 minutes to make. (Just call me Rachel Ray.) Serves 4 Thinly slice 2 medium-large beets. Note: Regular red beets will stain everything they touch, so I suggest getting some heirloom and/or golden beets like the ones pictured.  Place them on a hot pan with 1 tbsp coconut oil and a heaping pinch of coarse sea salt. Let them sit for a minute or two on each side so they’ll get crispy on the edges, but make sure to flip once and a while so they don’t burn. Note: Because of the simplicity of this dish, if you change the type of oil used here, the taste will change greatly. In a separate pan, toss in 2-3 cups loosely chopped cauliflower, 2 cloves minced garlic, and 1 cup chopped shiitake (or brown button) mushrooms. Cook them on medium-high heat with a splash of red wine and a splash soy sauce. Sprinkle a heaping pinch of coarse sea salt on top and let cook for 5-10 minutes. When the beets become soft but crispy on the edges, put a few stalks de-stemmed kale in the cauliflower pan and cover it, then cook for just a minute or so, or until the kale is softened. To serve, lay down the kale like a bed, then put the veg on top. Drizzle fresh blood orange over top of the dish and serve immediately.
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    This salad looks beautiful and has great complex flavors. It’s a good mix between summer salads and autumn roasts, with hearty, sweet beets and savory cauliflower and mushrooms. Oh, and it takes less than 30 minutes to make. (Just call me Rachel Ray.)

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    October 2, 2012