Nopalito Chicken Stew (Whole30)

I adapted this from a recipe I found on a Chowhound thread when I was looking for something exciting to do with a big jar of nopalitos (sliced and boiled cactus pads) I had in the pantry. 

I'm currently on the Whole30 nutrition plan (no dairy, grains, sugars, alcohol, additives, sulfites, etc) so I was happy to find this recipe would fit in with my diet. 

The original recipe writer said her family would cook this down until there was not much liquid left and eat in tortillas- kind of like carne guisada. Since I can't have tortillas on Whole30, I made it into a stew.

It would also be good with beef or pork subbed in for the chicken, or with more veggies like potato, corn, or zucchini added in.

Toppings could vary as well for those not abiding by Whole30: sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips, etc. 

This could be done in a slow cooker by browning the chicken and onions first, then adding in the rest of ingredients and cooking on low for about 8 hours or high for about 4. It could be done in the Instant Pot as well by doing the same, but adding less broth and using the "stew" function.

Nopalito Chicken Stew  

Servings: about 6

Ingredients:
1 or 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1lb, 14oz jar nopalitos
1 20 oz can tomatillos
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 4 oz can chopped green chilies; OR 2 chopped chipotles in adobo
1 medium tomato, chopped (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chipotle paste (omit if using canned chipotles)
2 cups chicken broth (more or less for desired consistency)

Optional toppings Whole30 compliant: chopped cilantro, diced avocado, diced radish, chopped jalapeno, chopped green/red onion.

Instructions:
Toss chicken in garlic powder, cumin, paprika, salt & pepper. Brown in heavy-bottomed dutch oven (or similar).
Once browned, add onion and cook until soft. Drain & rinse nopalitos, and add to the pot. Drain the tomatillos and add to the pot. Once tomatillos are in the pot, gently break them up (or they will squirt you in the face) with a spoon or cut them up with kitchen shears.
Add tomato paste, chilies (and adobo if using), garlic, cumin, and chipotle paste,. Stir to combine, then add broth to cover the items in the pot. Stir, turn down heat to a very low simmer, cover and simmer for about 35-40 minutes.
Serve in bowls with desired toppings.

Italian Farro Salad

Farro is a nutritious, whole, ancient grain that you can read more about here.
This is a super tasty, and versatile salad. If you can't find farro, you could use barley, quinoa, or brown rice in its place.
If you're on Whole30, use riced cauliflower in place of farro and this salad will be completely compliant (just check your dijon label).  

Add feta cheese, or avocado for some extra excitement!

1 c uncooked farro, cooked according to package directions.

1 cup chopped cucumber

1 cup quartered grape tomatoes

2 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives

1/4 c diced pickled carrots (or plain)

big handful of arugula leaves, roughly chopped (add just before serving)

Combine all of the above in a large bowl.

Vinaigrette:

1/4 c olive oil

1/8 c balsamic vinegar

1/8 c apple cider vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp onion powder

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper to taste 

Shake all of the above in a jar. About 30 mins before serving, drizzle as much vinaigrette as you deem necessary over the salad and toss. Toss the arugula 

Curry in a Hurry

I've only recently (as in the last few years) developed a taste for curries, but now I can't get enough. Curries are so versatile and quite easy to throw together and "use what ya got" once you get the hang of it.
When I first started researching how to make curries, I was intimidated by the vast lists of spices and other ingredients involved. So I started looking into pre-made curry pastes. I read labels and weeded out a lot of brands with too many additives, msg, or fillers. I tried Thai Kitchen (the most prevalent brand found at a standard grocery store) and found it bland and disappointing. Then I discovered the Maesri line of curry pastes and upon trying their "Karee" paste for the first time, I was sold.

Here is my basic formula for curry using Maesri paste:

1 lb Protein + 4-6 cups chopped Veggies + 1 can Curry Paste + 1 14oz can Coconut Milk + 1-2 cups water/stock

-Cut protein into chunks, brown in a hot skillet with coconut oil, remove from pan & set aside.
   (You can pre-season the meat a bit if desired, but most of the pastes are salted already so be careful. I most often use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but you can use anything- pork, shrimp, tofu, paneer... really, anything!)

-Put entire can of curry paste in hot skillet with a little coconut oil and saute a couple minutes until fragrant (adjust amount for how much you're making)

-Add vegetables, saute for about 10 minutes. 
   (I always use onion, garlic, carrots, and either sweet potato or butternut squash, and then whatever I have on hand- eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, greens, you name it.)

-Add meat back in, coconut milk, and about the can's worth of water or stock. 
   (I like to have enough liquid to just cover the meat & veggies.) 

-Let simmer until veggies are tender (or longer for more flavor).

Serve over basmati or brown rice (I mix quinoa in sometimes), top with chopped cilantro (or thai basil, or both!). And for an occasional treat, I serve it with Trader Joe's garlic naan from their freezer section. 

This makes at least 6 servings (but it is even better leftover)!

A Bid Farewell to Summer: Zucchini, two ways

I recently loaded up on zucchini, trying to get my fill while it's still in season here in Central Texas. It may still feel like summer, but fall is drawing near and soon we will be loading our plates with root vegetables and cole crops.

My 7 month old enjoyed eating whole chunks of soft, steamed zucchini slices and homemade purees like one I made with zucchini, black beans, sweet potato, and cumin.

I often go simple when it comes to zucchini, like cutting lengthwise and grilling, or slicing and sautéing with onion & garlic. This time, feeling adventurous, I looked up some recipes and found two that I will definitely make again.

The first was a chocolate zucchini bread (see this post for a slightly healthier of version Chocolate Zucchini Bread). I used this recipe as my guide:
http://www.realmomnutrition.com/2016/07/25/chocolate-zucchini-bread/
Changes: I used less sugar, greek yogurt instead of regular, cacao powder instead of cocoa, 63% dark chocolate chips, coconut oil instead of vegetable, and added 1 tsp vanilla extract.
This moist, dense, but not too heavy, cake---errr, bread, was excellent on it's own, but the night I made it we also happened to have some Caramel Salt Lick ice cream from our favorite local shop Lick Honest Ice Creams  so we threw a scoop (or two) on top of the bread. Oh. My. Goodness.... that was heaven!

The next recipe I made was a Zucchini-Tomato-Rice Gratin (YES! I finally got to use my Le Creuset gratin dish).  I used this recipe:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2012/07/zucchini-tomato-and-rice-gratin/
The recipe seems to have a lot of steps, but it's really not that difficult. And once you get the steps down, there is a lot of room for adjustment/substitutions. It would be especially easy using leftover rice instead of making it fresh. I let my zucchini and tomatoes roast a bit longer than the recipe states- until the zucchini was golden and the tomatoes were starting to shrink down. I also let the onions caramelize instead of covering/steaming as the recipe instructs. I did not have fresh thyme on hand, so I used dried, but I would just omit if I don't have fresh in the future. I added fresh basil which was an excellent addition.
I served this alongside roasted salmon and asparagus which all went wonderfully together!

Cool (as a) Cucumber-Avocado Soup

(adapted from Mike Hennessy's recipe served at the former Side Oats Cafe in Menard, TX)

2-3 large cucumbers (peeled, seeds scooped out if large)

2 large or 4 small avocados

1/2 c chopped onion (more or less to taste)

2.5 c plain yogurt 

1.5 c heavy cream (or 1/2 & 1/2 for a lighter version)

3 c cold water (more or less to desired consistency)

1 T chicken stock concentrate (or bouillon cube. I use Better Than Bouillon Organic Chicken Base)

2 tsp lemon pepper

1 tsp ground black (or white) pepper

1/2 tsp cajun seasoning (like Tony Chachere's)

1 T apple cider vinegar

Place all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Serve chilled.

Optional: Add fresh herbs like dill, basil or cilantro. Reserve some diced avocado & cucumber to top each bowl. If you don't have/don't want to use chicken stock base, just use your favorite seasonings to taste, or add a dash of liquid aminos. Also delicious with a bruschetta tomato topping.

Herb Roasted Chicken & Vegetables

Herb Roasted Chicken & Vegetables
1 whole chicken (I used a small 2.5 pounder)

1 lemon

2 T melted butter

2 T olive oil

¼ c fresh chopped herbs (I used parsley, basil, thyme & sage)

3 garlic cloves, minced

3-4 carrots, cut in 2 in lengths (split lengthwise if they are fat carrots)

3 celery sticks, cut in 2 in lengths

10 (or so) fingerling potatoes cut in half lengthwise

1 onion, chopped

1 T parsley

Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Tony's Cajun Seasoning

Preheat oven to 425

Put all veggies in a bowl and toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 T parsley, and a sprinkle of each seasoning.

Make sure chicken is at room temperature & that you've removed giblets if there are any.

Drizzle 1 T olive oil, the melted butter, and juice of the lemon all over the chicken (save the squeezed lemon).

Shake some salt & pepper into the cavity & add the squeezed lemon pieces + any extra herb pieces (such as the stems).

Sprinkle the entire chicken with each seasoning. Rub it in good.

Then pat on the minced herbs & garlic. Loosen the skin on the breasts of the chicken by sliding your fingers in and make sure some seasonings, herbs and oil get in there. Rub those herbs & garlic all over the chicken.

Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Tuck the lil wings in toward the body so they don't burn.

Spray or oil a roasting pan and put a small layer of the veggies down.

Place the bird breast side down on the veggies. Disperse the rest of the veggies around the chicken.

Roast for 30 minutes, then flip the bird breast side up and roast another 30-40 minutes. (adjust time to size of bird)

Let rest with a lid or foil tent over it for 10-15 minutes before carving.

Coconut-Citrus Roasted Carrots

Coconut-Citrus Roasted Carrots

Here's a rundown on how I made these cute lil itty bitty roasted carrots (you could use any sized carrots, just note that the cute factor will be affected).

Leaving some of the greens attached gives a fun crunch to the dish and their slight bitterness counters the sweetness of the carrots nicely. 

Take one bunch of washed carrots w/greens.  

Cut the greens off, leaving a few inches attached. (I like to save the greens for juice or pesto)

Toss carrots in a Tbsp or so of coconut oil (melt it if it's solidified), about a Tbsp of orange juice (or grapefruit), sea salt & fresh cracked pepper.

Roast at 375 for 30 mins or until they look like the picture & are tender (but not soft).

Valentine-Inspired "Beet-heart" Salad

I'm not big on Valentine's Day- I'm one of those who thinks you should show people you love how much you care every day of the year.  But, my sweetheart had been out of town a few days and I missed him while he was gone, so I decided to do a lil something special for dinner- nothin' too crazy.

So, I used what I had on hand, a few ingredients from the garden and whipped up this fun little salad that I am calling the "Beet-heart Salad." That's because the stars of the show are beets and artichoke hearts, but for added lovey dovey-ness I cut the roasted beets into heart shapes... I just couldn't help myself.

Below are instructions on how to make your very own "Beet-heart Salad" for your sweetheart! (It looks lengthy, but that's just 'cause I babbled... it's really quite easy!)

Here's whatcha need: 

2 medium beets

1 c quartered artichoke hearts

a couple handfuls of salad greens

(I used some red-tipped lettuce & pretty red-veined sorrel from my garden)

2 Tbsp (more/less) goat milk feta cheese (or any other feta)

Dressing:

1 Tbsp fresh orange juice

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp sherry vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

1 tsp lemon thyme (from my garden- can use dried thyme if fresh unavailable)

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 clove minced garlic

sea salt + cracked pepper (to taste)

Here's whatcha do:

Roast the beets:

Preheat oven to 375, wash beets, rub 'em down with a lil oil (I use coconut, you could also use olive), sprinkle with a lil salt, wrap 'em in foil. 

Bake for 30-40 mins or until they start to feel soft- not too soft though!

(This should be done ahead of time if you want a cold salad. Could even do it up to a couple days ahead. I was in a hurry, so they were still a lil warm and it was good that way too.)

Make the dressing:

Put all dressing ingredients in a dressing bottle or jar w/lid & shake, shake, shake.... shake, shake, shake... shake yo boo---ottle. 

Cut out the hearts:

Let the beets cool. I repeat- let the beets cool!!

Rub the skin off the beets w/your hands (your hands will turn a lovely shade of fuschia, but hey it's festive!)

Now, you can either cut notches out of the entire beet so that when cut into slices they all resemble hearts, or you can cut slices first and then shape them into hearts with kitchen shears. I used both methods not really coming to a conclusion as to which worked best- so do what you want!

Assemble salad:

Toss salad greens in a little dressing just to lightly coat. 

Place a bed of greens on each plate. 

Toss the artichoke hearts in a lil dressing. 

Arrange them on the bed of greens all pretty-like.

Toss the beet-hearts in a lil dressing.

Arrange them on the artichokes (for contrast) even prettier-like.

Sprinkle feta over each salad like it's magical fairy dust. ('cause it pretty much is)

(Award-winning) Mini Butternut Squash Cheesecakes w/Gingersnap crust

Mini Butternut Squash Cheesecakes w/Gingersnap crust

(I use a mini cheesecake pan for this recipe, but you could use a muffin pan w/liners if you don't have cheesecake pan available)

Yield: approx 36 mini cheesecakes

Crust:

2 cups ground gingersnap cookies (pulse in food processor until crumbs)

4 tbsp brown sugar

4 tbsp melted butter

2 tbsp maple syrup

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cloves

Filling:

2 – 8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened

3 cups butternut squash puree*

¾ c sour cream or plain greek yogurt

½ c half and half

3 eggs

3/4 c brown sugar

4 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray the insides of the pan.

In a medium sized bowl, mix crust ingredients with a fork. Scoop about a tbsp of crust mix into each cup in the pan and press crust down using a spoon or a pestal.

In separate bowl mix the filling ingredients with a hand blender/mixer until smooth. Spoon about 1 ½ tbsp of filling into each cup.

Place pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool (the cakes will puff up and then deflate). Once they deflate and are cool enough to touch, carefully push them up out of the pan and place each cake on a cooling rack.

Repeat process for two more batch.

Let cakes cool completely then serve or refrigerate.

Top with whipped cream & sprinkled cinnamon or habanero-cranberry sauce

*About 2 large whole butternut squashes. Cut squash in half lengthwise, place cut side down in a baking dish and cover halfway with water, bake at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until pierced easily with a fork. Remove, let cool, scoop squash out of shell and puree in food processor.

Habanero-Cranberry Sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 habaneros, seeds removed, minced (can adjust to desired heat level)

1 12 oz package cranberries

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated (or ground ginger if fresh is unavailable)

¼ c sugar

¼ c honey

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp cinnamon

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp salt

juice of 2 oranges plus pulp

1 tsp zest of the orange peel

Saute garlic and habaneros for 5 minutes, then add cranberries and saute until they begin to pop. Add remaining ingredients except orange zest. Simmer for about 30 minutes- if too thick, add water. Blend with immersion blender, food processor or blender to desired consistency.

Eggplant-Portobello Parmesan

1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch discs
1 portobello mushroom cap, stem removed, sliced into long strips
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
1 cup whole-wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 jar pasta sauce of your choice
1/2 c chopped fresh basil
3/4 c shredded Italian cheese
1/2 pkg whole wheat thin spaghetti

Place eggplant slices in a colander and sprinkle salt over, let sit for about 1 hour then rinse the salt off and pat dry. (This pulls excess water out of the eggplant and helps it not have the sour taste they can sometimes have.)

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine eggs and 1 tablespoon water in a shallow dish.
Combine panko, 1/2 of basil, 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a little salt, pepper & garlic powder in a second shallow dish.
Dip eggplant in egg mixture; dredge in panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Place eggplant 1 inch apart on baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until golden, turning once halfway through.

Meanwhile, saute the mushroom slices in a nonstick skillet for just a few minutes each side, season with a little salt, pepper, & garlic powder.

Cook spaghetti according to package for aldente, then toss with 1/3 of the jar of spaghetti sauce. Cover & set aside.

To assemble, spoon 1/2 cup pasta sauce in bottom of a casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Layer eggplant slices over pasta sauce. Sprinkle with a little more seasoning if desired. Then lay a few slices of portobello over each slice of eggplant. Pour remaining pasta sauce over everything, then sprinkle the shredded cheese & remaining basil over all. Cover tightly with aluminum foil & bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Remove foil & bake at 375° for 10 more minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese melts. Let cool a few minutes then serve over pasta.

This recipe could easily be doubled. It made about 5 regular servings, but you'll be wanting leftovers, so plan accordingly ;)

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

So this is the first time I've tried making zucchini bread and it was a surprising success.
Even after I altered the recipe a bit (which I know can often lead to ruin when it comes to baking). 
In this case it didn't, which really helped my baking confidence because I've almost thrown in the towel too many times thinking I am NOT a chemist! I am a cook and I don't like to measure stuff! But every now and then I want something baked and so I keep trying.

I found the original recipe here:
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chocolate_zucchini_bread/

The original recipe makes 2 loaves, but I didn't want to make 2 loaves of something I may not even like, so I cut the recipe in half.
Here's the recipe w/ the changes I made:

2 cups grated zucchini 
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour  organic whole wheat flour
1/4  1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (use natural unsweetened cocoa, NOT Dutch processed)
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cups granulated white sugar
1 egg
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted 3 Tbsp melted light butter & 3 Tbsp coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules  fresh ground coffee (not instant)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (kept this amount same as original 'cause I like the extra almond flavor)

1 Place the freshly grated zucchini in colander in the sink to let it release excess moisture, or in a colander over a bowl if no room in the sink.

2 Preheat oven to 350°F, with a rack in the middle. Spray a 9x5 in loaf pan.

3 Vigorously whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk until there are no more clumps and the ingredients are well combined.

4 In a separate large bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs until smooth, about a minute. You can do this with an electric mixer on medium speed, or by hand with a wooden spoon. Add the melted butter, coconut oil, coffee and almond extract. Beat until smooth.

5 Mix the shredded zucchini into the sugar egg mixture. Add the flour to the zucchini mixture in 3 batches, stirring to combine after each addition.

6 Work quickly, pouring the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Place into the oven. Bake for 50 minutes at 350°F, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and easily. Remove to a rack. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a blunt knife around the edges to separate the bread from the pan. Remove from the loaf pan and let cool completely on a rack.

Note that if you try to slice the chocolate zucchini bread before it has completely cooled, it will be rather crumbly.

Yield: 1 loaf.

Creamy Seafood Linguine

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic  

1/2 cup onion 

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil 

1 1/4 c seafood stock

2/3 c & 1/2 c grated parmesan 

1/3 block of Neufchatel cheese 

2 T chopped fresh basil 

3 T chopped fresh parsley

1/2 a fresh lemon 

1 set of crab claws or 1 can crab meat

1/2 pound of large shrimp

1 Tbsp butter 

2 c sliced baby portabella mushrooms

2 c fresh baby spinach 

1/2 pkg whole grain linguine 

1 medium tomato 

1/2 tsp garlic powder 

creole seasoning, salt, pepper

Sauce:

Saute 3 cloves minced garlic & 1/2 cup minced onion in 2 Tbsp butter & 1 Tbsp olive oil until soft

Add 1 c seafood stock (or you can just use water you boiled the crab in) and 1 c milk (I used unsweetened almond)

Gently boil until it reduces and starts to thicken

Slowly stir in 2/3 c freshly grated parmesan (I also used some pecorino-romano b/c I had it on hand), then 1/3 block of Neufchatel cheese (lowfat cream cheese) cut in small pieces.

Let the cheeses melt into the sauce

Add about 1 T chopped fresh basil and 1 T chopped fresh parsley

Squeeze in 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Season to taste with creole seasoning, fresh cracked black pepper & sea salt

Crab:

Steam 1 set of crab claws in a little crab boil (if you have it) and salted water for about 10 minutes. 

Let cool, pick crab meat from claws, set aside. 

(Or use one can of crab meat if fresh is unavailable.)

Fold crab into sauce just before mixing sauce w/pasta.

Shrimp:

Toss 1/2 pound of large shrimp (peeled & deveined) in 1 Tbsp melted butter, 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 1 clove minced garlic, creole seasoning, s & p, squeeze juice from 1/4 lemon on it.

Best to let them marinate for 15 min-30 min.

Heat a dry nonstick skillet. place shrimp in skillet, not touching each other & cook on high enough heat that it sears/browns them w/out burning. They only need a couple minutes on each side.

Set shrimp aside, cutting into bite sized pieces when cool.

Veggies:

(Using pan that the shrimp was in)

Deglaze pan with 1/4 c seafood stock, picking up all the stuck on yumminess the shrimp left behind.

Add to pan 2 c sliced baby portabella mushrooms and sauté until they start to brown, then add 2 c fresh baby spinach and continue to sauté until it wilts.

Pasta:

Boil in salted water 1/2 pkg whole grain linguine according to package directions for aldente. (mine was 7 minutes)

Drain pasta, toss with the mushrooms/spinach mixture and shrimp in a tall casserole or bowl w/a lid.

Pour the sauce/crab mixture over the pasta & gently fold it in.

Sprinkle 1/2 c grated parmesan on top of it all.

Let it sit covered for about 5 minutes or so (while you eat a salad ;) to let the noodles soak up some of the sauce.

Topping:

Toss 1 diced medium tomato w/ 1 Tbsp each fresh basil & parsley, a little creole seasoning & garlic powder. Set that in the fridge until ready to serve so it's nice & cold. 

Top each bowl of pasta with a spoonful of this once you're ready to serve.

Photo continuation of DC/Baltimore trip

Golden Beets: farmer's market treasure

The lady I'm staying with stopped at the Fairfax, VA farmer's market Wednesday and picked up these delicious golden beets.

Okay, so this isn't a picture of the exact beets I had... we devoured them before the thought of taking a picture entered my mind. What can I say, I think with my stomach sometimes. But these look just like 'em.

Anyhoo, I wanna state for the record that I just recently developed the taste for beets.
Okay, maybe I've had the taste for them, but I just recently allowed myself to actually ADMIT that I like beets. (I had to have at least ONE vegetable I didn't like!)
I used many of the usual reasons for not liking them; they taste like dirt, they stain, they're boring, blah, blah, blah.
But, last semester while creating a self portrait of myself made entirely of food, (will post that later) I bought a can of beets to use in the masterpiece- thinking that I should use things I wouldn't mind throwing away afterward. While working on the artwork, I just happened to try a nibble. Much to my surprise, I actually had another. And maybe a couple more... After all these years of hating beets, had I really just enjoyed them? And out of a can at that?

So my initial thought when Davi brought home the fresh beets was, "oh... beets... eh, I think I'll pass."
Then I remembered! Hey! I like beets now!
We were on a time crunch that night, so just sliced one up raw and threw it in our dinner salad. It was earthy, slightly sweet and had a nice crisp crunch to it. Best of all, it didn't stain my hands like red beets do!!

The next night, also using them raw, I made a beet salad w/ heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella (was going to use feta, but we were out). Here is an approximation of what I did:

3 small golden beets, thinly sliced
1 med. heirloom tomato (one I used was a Cherokee purple)
1/2 c. cubed mozzarella
1/3 c. thinly sliced purple onion
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh lemon thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground mustard seed
salt & fresh ground pepper

Toss all ingredients except mozzarella together and let meld for a while, then add mozzarella right before serving. (If you put it in too early, the vinegars and acids will start to break it down making it all gooey.)

Don't know if anyone is growing these back in Texas, but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for them at my local farmer's market!

coinciding ads=annoying song in my head

A Manwich commercial with it's catchy island-like jingle....
A Facebook ad for Adam Sandler's new movie, Funny People.....
Me seeing these ads within a few seconds of each other.
What does this all mean?
It means I, my friend, am stuck with "Lunch Lady Land" in my head all morning.
"Schloppy joe, schlop, schloppy joeeee..."
It's worse than the dreaded morning oldy. (I started the day with "I think I Love You" after seeing David Cassidy on Good Morning America.)
The oldy didn't make me hungry.

"Navy beans, navy beans, navy beans...."

Summer grubbin'

I'd originally intended on this blog to be more recipe/cooking focused, but considering my circumstances this summer, I've broadened the subject to food in general. (I've only been home for about two weeks this summer, so I haven't been doing much cooking.)

In late May/early June I travelled with my art class from SFA in Nacogdoches, TX to Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC and Alexandria, VA. During this trip I had some pretty good grub. Although it has been a little while since the trip, I'm thought I'd sum it up here with some of the culinary adventures.

Baltimore, MD:

Day one is a sad one to report. Because I was with a group, I had little say in where we ate. On the way to the airport we stopped in at the dreaded McDonald's for some breakfast. Later, after arriving in Baltimore and getting settled in our hotel, the only place within walking distance (walking in the rain distance) was, yep you guessed it, McDonald's. Devastated, repulsed and reluctant, I forced down a McPoo burger and McLimp fries. Later, as I reflected on my day of having had McDonald's food twice in one day, I cried myself to sleep.

On a lighter note, the next day held promise. We were going to the Lexington Market Square.

Here I had plenty of yummy options, with no McDonald's in sight.

After walking through the place numerous times, I finally decided to get something true to Baltimore.
Crab.
Not just crab, but crab cakes and Maryland crab chowder.

Being the poor college student that I am, I opted for the regular crab cake and a bowl of soup instead of the award-winning lump crab cake, as tempting as it was, I needed more substance for my buck.

Luckily, a classmate didn't finish her lump crab cake so I helped her out. My regular crab cake tasted like a fish stick in comparison to the moist, tender, lumpy ball of goodness she had. I don't know how it stayed together in the fryer, it was so moist. The large lumps of meat easily detached themselves from the mold with the slightest prick of the fork. I could taste that there was mayonnaise and mustard in the mix, creating a smooth, creamy texture contrasting immensely with my dry, bready regular crab cake .

The chowder left much to be desired. It tasted like they just tossed flaked crab meat into some canned vegetable soup- and not even good canned vegetable soup. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed with my order.

Should have had the $13 crab cake.

>Little did I know that Faidley's Seafood is known only for their lump crab cakes.

Here are some of the other vendors located in Lexington Market:

The only other culinary excitement in Baltimore was when we found the Charm City Cakes building where the Food Network show "Ace of Cakes" is filmed. One of the girls loves the show and just couldn't go home without a souvenir.