Last night I was not feeling like cooking anything exciting, but my lazy day turned up something pretty amazing. I decided to boil up some wheat pasta, but I didn't have any of the old standby canned tomatoes. I did however have some spinach and a can of artichokes, so I decided to throw it into the Vitamix and see what ensued. The result was a bright green creamy and deliciously flavorful pesto sauce. The nuts and spinach are still raw so all of the vitamins and essential oils are still in tact. Enjoy!
Spinach Artichoke Pesto Sauce
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup whole raw walnuts
3 - 1/2 inch cubes of Parmesan cheese
1 generous cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup drained artichoke hearts
Salt and pepper to taste
-place all ingredients in a good blender or food processor in the order listed. Turn the machine on low to begin chopping the bottom ingredients (about 20 seconds), then turn your machine on high and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Continue to blend and add up to 1/2 cup of water to thin sauce to a consistency you are pleased with. Ours looked like a bright green smoothie, and it worked beautifully on the pasta.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Almond Butter
Now that Aaron is over a year old he can start eating nut butters. I have wanted to try and make some myself, and did some research to find a good recipe. Normally I would do the first thing my Vitamix cookbook suggested, but I was disappointed to read that the Almond Butter recipe called for over 2/3 cup of canola oil. If I was reading a label in the grocery store there is no way that I would purchase a nut butter with added oil, so i took to the internet.
I found lots of recipes adding butter, oil, honey etc... and many that required roasted or blanched nuts instead of raw nuts with the essential oils intact. Finally I found this recipe at www.rawmaxing.com (link below) that uses only almonds, and has very helpful photos and tips. The process takes 10 min, running the food processor for 2 min and then scraping down the sides five times. It worked so well, and was very fun. After the second scrape the almonds tasted sweet and smelled like the sweet almond extract used in cooking. The final product is a little stiff, but similar to organic peanut butter. Everyone really likes it, and Joseph has already requested having it as part of his snack tomorrow. Make some heart healthy Almond butter, have patience and enjoy. :)
http://www.rawmazing.com/recipes/raw-recipe-almond-butter/
I found lots of recipes adding butter, oil, honey etc... and many that required roasted or blanched nuts instead of raw nuts with the essential oils intact. Finally I found this recipe at www.rawmaxing.com (link below) that uses only almonds, and has very helpful photos and tips. The process takes 10 min, running the food processor for 2 min and then scraping down the sides five times. It worked so well, and was very fun. After the second scrape the almonds tasted sweet and smelled like the sweet almond extract used in cooking. The final product is a little stiff, but similar to organic peanut butter. Everyone really likes it, and Joseph has already requested having it as part of his snack tomorrow. Make some heart healthy Almond butter, have patience and enjoy. :)
http://www.rawmazing.com/recipes/raw-recipe-almond-butter/
Saturday, February 5, 2011
apple chili
The other night I was making 100 cupcakes for Joseph's 100th day of school celebration, and I had made Aaron's birthday cake, so I was pretty much tired of being in the kitchen. Keith decided he would make dinner, and he created this awesome chili that I really appreciated and had to share.
Keith's apple chili
1 yellow pepper diced
1 onion diced
4 garlic cloves minced
2 apples diced
4 cups stewed tomatoes
2 cans garbonzo beans
2 cans cannelini beans
1 can black beans
2 cans pinto beans
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregono
dash cyanne pepper
dash ground mustard
1/2 tsp peprika
salt and pepper
Saute the veggies and apple in olive oil. Drain the beans, and add all the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 25 min.
Keith's apple chili
1 yellow pepper diced
1 onion diced
4 garlic cloves minced
2 apples diced
4 cups stewed tomatoes
2 cans garbonzo beans
2 cans cannelini beans
1 can black beans
2 cans pinto beans
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregono
dash cyanne pepper
dash ground mustard
1/2 tsp peprika
salt and pepper
Saute the veggies and apple in olive oil. Drain the beans, and add all the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 25 min.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Marrakesh Stew
This stew uses warm winter vegetables, and is great on a snowy yucky New England night like tonight. Marrakesh is a city in Morocco, and the Moroccan spices in this stew give it a sweet and spicy unique taste.
Marrakesh Stew
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
4 large carrots
2 parsnips
2 russett potatoes
1 acorn squash
salt and pepper
1 can diced tomatoes (15.5 oz)
3 3/4 cups veggie broth
2 small eggplant
1 can chickpeas
In an 8 quart pot heat oil. Over medium heat cook onion until soft. Add spices and cook for one minute. Chop all veggies to 1 inch pieces. Add carrots, parsnips, potatoes, and squash. Saute until starting to brown. Add tomatoes and broth (the liquid should just cover the veggies). Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Add eggplant, simmer 20 more minutes. Stir in chickpeas and simmer 5 min. Serve with couscous or rice.
Marrakesh Stew
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
4 large carrots
2 parsnips
2 russett potatoes
1 acorn squash
salt and pepper
1 can diced tomatoes (15.5 oz)
3 3/4 cups veggie broth
2 small eggplant
1 can chickpeas
In an 8 quart pot heat oil. Over medium heat cook onion until soft. Add spices and cook for one minute. Chop all veggies to 1 inch pieces. Add carrots, parsnips, potatoes, and squash. Saute until starting to brown. Add tomatoes and broth (the liquid should just cover the veggies). Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Add eggplant, simmer 20 more minutes. Stir in chickpeas and simmer 5 min. Serve with couscous or rice.
Better Brownies
I made these brownies the other night when David and Mindy came over. They are made with whole wheat flour, and apple sauce, and of course tons of chocolate. Better for you, but still REALLY good.
Whole Wheat Brownies
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cup apple sauce (unsweetened)
1 egg
8 oz chopped semisweet chocolate
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper leaving a two inch overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl whisk together flours, cocoa, wheat germ, salt, baking powder, baking soda.
2. In a large bowl combine sugar, apple sauce,and egg. Place butter and 6 oz chocolate in a double boiler. Stir until melted. Stir chocolate mixture into sugar and applesauce mixture. mix in flour mixture. Pour into pan and top with remaining 2 oz. chocolate.
3. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Use parchment to lift cake from pan and cut into 16 squares.
* if you don't have a double boiler you can use a heatproof bowl that fits into a saucepan, and boil a small amount of water in the saucepan beneath it. It is very important that the water does not come in contact with the chocolate, and the bowl sits snugly in the saucepan.
Whole Wheat Brownies
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cup apple sauce (unsweetened)
1 egg
8 oz chopped semisweet chocolate
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper leaving a two inch overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl whisk together flours, cocoa, wheat germ, salt, baking powder, baking soda.
2. In a large bowl combine sugar, apple sauce,and egg. Place butter and 6 oz chocolate in a double boiler. Stir until melted. Stir chocolate mixture into sugar and applesauce mixture. mix in flour mixture. Pour into pan and top with remaining 2 oz. chocolate.
3. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Use parchment to lift cake from pan and cut into 16 squares.
* if you don't have a double boiler you can use a heatproof bowl that fits into a saucepan, and boil a small amount of water in the saucepan beneath it. It is very important that the water does not come in contact with the chocolate, and the bowl sits snugly in the saucepan.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Fun with Fish Again
Tonight I tried cooking Talapia again, and it was awesome. It is such a good fish to cook with, very forgiving and not too strong. This recipe is really awesome too because everything is all in one pot. Not too many dishes.
Talapia with rice and broccoli.
4 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion diced
2 cloves garlic diced
1 cup basmati rice
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about one half a lime squeezed)
2 cups chopped raw broccoli
3 talapia fillets
asian spice rub (recipe to follow in next posting)
melt butter in a large pot over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic until opaque, about 4 minutes. Add rice and sesame seeds, and stir for 1 minute. Add broth, broccoli, lime zest and juice, bring to a boil. Cook for 13 minutes on low heat, covered. While rice is cooking, sprinkle fish fillets with rub. After 13 minutes lay the talapia on top of the rice, cover and continue to cook for 5-8 minutes until fish is flaky and cooked throughout.
Super easy and delicious. Joseph ate half of all the fish, Keith ate his broccoli, and Aaron ate some of everything. Tim was a bit opinionated about most of it, but I made it up to him with fruit salad.
Talapia with rice and broccoli.
4 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion diced
2 cloves garlic diced
1 cup basmati rice
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about one half a lime squeezed)
2 cups chopped raw broccoli
3 talapia fillets
asian spice rub (recipe to follow in next posting)
melt butter in a large pot over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic until opaque, about 4 minutes. Add rice and sesame seeds, and stir for 1 minute. Add broth, broccoli, lime zest and juice, bring to a boil. Cook for 13 minutes on low heat, covered. While rice is cooking, sprinkle fish fillets with rub. After 13 minutes lay the talapia on top of the rice, cover and continue to cook for 5-8 minutes until fish is flaky and cooked throughout.
Super easy and delicious. Joseph ate half of all the fish, Keith ate his broccoli, and Aaron ate some of everything. Tim was a bit opinionated about most of it, but I made it up to him with fruit salad.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
There is a Vitamix in my life!
I got a Vitamix for Christmas folks! If you don't know what it is, research, but in a nutshell it is a blender that has a gigantic motor attached. It allows you to make smoothies with greens and seeds (and still smooth), nut butters, soups, dressings, sauces etc.... I am excited. You will probably find it in a lot more posts. We have already made lots and lots of smoothies which everyone loves, and I can sneak spinach and flax seeds into now more easily.
This is the one we had for breakfast:
1 cup frozen strawberries
2 frozen bananas
1 cup frozen mango
1 juiced orange
1 cup baby spinach
2 tbsp flax seed oil
water
-blend it up and love it
This is the one we had for breakfast:
1 cup frozen strawberries
2 frozen bananas
1 cup frozen mango
1 juiced orange
1 cup baby spinach
2 tbsp flax seed oil
water
-blend it up and love it
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