Baked Brown Sugar Squash

I went to the grocers the other day and they were having an amazing sale on acorn squash. I ended up buying as many as I could carry and, while at the time, this sounded like a great idea, being surrounded by squash really isn't as ideal as it sounded at the time. For one, I've never made a squash a centerpiece of a meal and, for two, I wasn't even sure of how to cook a squash without mixing it into a bunch of other veggies. 

 

After a little experimentation, it turned out the more simply I kept things, the better the result. First, I preheated the oven to 450 degrees and put a bit of EVOO into the bottom of a small pan (4x6 is what I used). The oil will keep the skin and "meat" soft, which is essential if you plan on keeping a luscious, creamy texture.Cook the squash for about 40 minutes.

Once the 40 minutes is up, take the squash out of the oven, remove the seeds with a spoon, and spread about one teaspoon of butter or butter substitute over the squash. Next, sprinkle a pinch or two of brown sugar (I use all natural raw cane dark brown sugar) over the flesh. Place the squash back into the oven without turning it back on. The brown sugar and butter will caramelize over the top of the squash.

After a few minutes, you may remove the squash and serve either in its skin or you may remove the flesh and serve as is. I served it still in it's skin, as seen above. The brown sugar really brings out the sweetness of the squash and the butter plays into the smooth texture quite well. I was asked for the recipe quite a few times! Next time, for the sake of presentation, I will be plating the latter way and serving more as a mashed squash.

Citrus Garlic Spinach and Faux Chicken

I know mushrooms are relatively as filling as meat but I've been eating a lot of them lately and thought it was time to change things up a bit.

 First, I took fresh organic spinach and rinsed it. Shake just a bit to relieve the excess water or pat dry.

Then, I got out a large pan, put a bit of flavored olive oil in it, and placed it on the stove on medium heat. Once the olive oil has heated and thinned out a little bit, add the garlic and, after a minute or two, add the spinach. Immediately after this, I squeezed in the juice of two oranges. Feel free to put in as much spinach as you want as it will cook down quite a bit. An amount that would be suitable for two to three people in a salad will only be enough for one person after being cooked.

Tofu chicken seemed to be the easiest choice. (Sorry the picture looks blurry - it's from the heat of cooking!) The one I chose was already prepared and in little stripes so all I had to do was cook them a bit. The directions said you could just throw them in the microwave for one minute so I made sure to have the pan already hot with flavored olive oil, the juice of one orange, and diced garlic.

After the spinach has cooked down and the faux chicken has the slightest browning, plate and squeeze a little more orange juice all over the top. Other citrus juices would be good, too, as would rosemary or basil. I think next time I'll add a little cilantro or parsley in as well with the spinach to cook. Overall, though, it was very good, especially since the spinach retains a bit of it's crunch! (I'm one that eats for texture and, then, taste)

Strawberry Jam: The Best Thing I've Ever Made, Bar None!

Okay, so perhaps I'm a bit partial but I think this is the best thing I've ever had in my mouth. I've been wanting to make my own jam for quite some time but, for whatever reason, I never attempted it. Also, most of the recipes I read required pectin and I would prefer that my food be as natural as possible (yes, I'm aware this is derived partially from apples but I don't care for added preservatives).

I began by mashing strawberries by hand, which was actually quite fun. This only took a few minutes for the whole carton. There will be somewhat large bits after mashing if you just use your hand and you'll need to tear them up into smaller pieces, unless you want obvious bits in your jam, which I did so I left a few bigger bits.

The next step is to put measure out the strawberries. I had about 1 1/2 cups. You must add equal parts sugar and strawberries. I used all natural brown sugar. I put the mix into a pot and squeezed one half of a lemon in.

 

Turn the heat to high, stirring continually, until reaching a hard boil. Finally, reduce heat and stop stirring to let the jam consolidate. I went back once every few minutes to make sure it wasn't burning and to give a quick stir. 

Plate and serve or jar to keep for later. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. I ended up licking every bit off of my spoon and then putting some on a cookie! It was also very fragrant and made almost the entire house smell like strawberries. Yum!

Ma Bonne Weekend!

So, yes, it's been a little while since I've posted and I am here now in hopes of making it up! I had the most amazing weekend running around apartment/house hunting with one of my good friends, our dogs, and my friends sun. We managed some good fresh fruit and veg, a bit of sun, and a lot of fun!

This was breakfast pretty much Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Fresh strawberries quartered, raspberries, slices of tomato and mozzarella, and baked biscuits. Yum! I made them into little breakfast sandwiches. I think the fruit is sweet enough but, for the little ones, maybe drizzle a small amount of agave nectar over the fruit.

After breakfast, we packed up a few bottles of water and some snacks and headed out to look at a few properties. The house hunting ended up being a bust but there was a lake right across the street so we decided to let the dogs (and, eventually, my friends son) stretch their legs a little bit and splash around! 

This was also how we ended our day at a different lake closer to home. By the end of it, our cheeks were rosy from the sun and we were exhausted! It was a lovely day and evening. There was something so adorable about my friends son running around and my dog trotting along right behind him, like he was making sure he was okay. It was the cutest thing ... until I saw him fall asleep on my puppy's belly in the car!

My friends son doing handstands in the lake! So adorable!

Coming up soon, I will have my stuffed bell peppers, wonderful tomato sauce, strawberry jam, and a few other delicious recipes! Hope everyones weekend was as wonderful, relaxing, and well-deserved as mine!

Summer Squash & Zucchini Noodles

If you're anything like me, you crave comfort food when you're stressed. Growing up in a big Greek family, when something was wrong, my mi̱téra was always there with lamb and rice or my favorite avogolemona soup. Considering my dietary choices, I no longer eat those foods (but, goodness, do I miss them!). Aside from my favorite Greek foods, we always had a lot of pasta around the house. Of course, it was the "enriched" semolina, which I also no longer eat. I still love pasta and, while I may not be able to find a good substitute for lamb, I have found a wonderful way to make healthful noodles using squash and zucchini, which is also quite simple.

First, grab a large pan, and drizzle in some EVOO, flaxseed oil, and/or fish oils. I used EVOO and flaxseed oils (which are the gel tablets in the photo above). Also, grab the salt and pepper. Turn your stove top to medium-high heat and let the oils warm.

Grab a couple of either (or both!) and peel in long strips until you get to the seeds. Quick tip: leave the zucchini and squash on the cutting board when you're peeling them as they do get very flimsy and will probably break if they're held over the bowl.

Once everything is peeled and the pan has warmed with the oils lubricating the circumference, put all the peels into the pan and toss a few times until the oils have coated the peels. At this time, also add a pinch of salt and pepper and toss again.

While the noodles are cooking, I chopped up some tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms and cooked them in a pan on medium-high heat with a pinch of salt and pepper as well as some oregano. Once these have cooked, the mushrooms will be a lovely brown color, the tomato skins will have softened, and the onions will have lost some of their color. I added a splash of red wine and reduced the temperature to a low simmer.

By the time the noodles have cooked thoroughly, the other veg should be about done as well. Remove everything, plate, and voila!

This could be my new favorite dinner dish! Amazing colors and wonderful flavors! I had a small corn on the cob on the side, which went quite well. There is absolutely no residual taste of the flaxseed oil, which is something I always worry about since it has such a strong odor and taste. Would be great with champagne or a white wine with brighter, sweeter notes. Strawberries for dessert!

Quick Quinoa & Ginger and Coconut Vegetables

The other day I made a new batch of quinoa so I thought I'd share how quick and easy it is to make!

 First, I'll start with my tres facile quinoa recipe and then tell you how I also cook the veg I add to it. Depending how much quinoa you want to make, the ratio should be 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water. Normally, when cooking, you'll add your food to salted water when the water has already heated. In this case, though, you just throw it all in together and put it on the stove at medium heat. Once the water has boiled, you must turn it down to a simmer. The quinoa will absorb all the water in the pot during the simmering, which is why it is necessary to keep to the ratio of 1:2. The entire process takes about 20 minutes and you won't really need to stir or check on it, except for to reduce the temperature. When I have finished cooking, I immediately put the quinoa in a large glass bowl and cover. This is not necessary, however, unless you're wanting to eat promptly thereafter. The above picture is quinoa after it has been cooked and is ready to eat. Gorgeous, non?

While the quinoa is cooking, I will spend a few minutes chopping up all my veg. Above, I have one medium onion, one cucumber, six champignons, and two medium tomatoes. These are all items I have on hand on a regular basis. Feel free to put your spin on your dishes and add in other items, such as squash, carrots, corn, broccoli, bell peppers, peas, et cetera. If you're going to use carrots, though, make sure they are thinly sliced.

One everything has been chopped, I add everything into a large pan on medium to high temperature (you will find that your cooking options vary slightly depending on factors, such as altitude, so please consider that when cooking) and add just a bit of whatever spice I'm in the mood for. Lately, I've been loving turmeric! As the vegetables warm, they will release their juices, especially tomatoes. Once all the juices have come to a boil, I have the option to do a few different things. Typically, I'll add a sweet red wine and reduce. When you reduce the temperature, the vegetables will re-absorb the juices in the pan and, therefore, if you supplement the juices with something, your veg will take that flavor. While red wine is typical and, of course, wonderful, this time I decided to add a bit of coconut milk along with the turmeric and a bit of ginger. The ginger must be grated, I have learned, as it provides a VERY pungent smell and flavor that can be quite overpowering but is wonderful in moderation.

I thought this time I would like a little more variation of flavor and texture so I added in a lovely green apple, which proved to be absolutely delicious and a lovely contrast to the other flavors!

Finally, I added everything into the big glass bowl together and plated. It was scrumptious! Of course, I typically also add in a few handfuls of black beans, kidney beans, or something of the like for a little more substance. I forgot this time so I added it in later after blanching them, which is simply adding to boiling salted water for a few minutes and then immediately submerging in cold water. I drain and spice simply with a bit of salt and pepper. Et Voila!  This amount should be enough for at least a week if, like me, you add a bit to one meal a day.

On an additional side note, if you would like to add any oils, such as EVOO, fish oil, or flaxseed oil, for dietary enrichment, the appropriate time to do so would be at the end, as I believe the vegetables are much more satisfying when still firm and well-textured. No one likes a limp green bean! Oils should be drizzled over prepared and plated dishes, a mon avis.

Vegan brownie recipe on the way!

Kombucha, Take Me Away

 Sweet, sweet dreams and, hopefully, a good night!

This is my adorable cousin Whitney. She thought my Kombucha smelled soooo good! She took the little packet and has been running around with her nose in it sniffing! So cute!

My Favorite Things: KOR Water Hydration Vessel

Up until this year, I had always been an Evian girl, constantly toting around that signature litre bottle - or two. I started considering my ecological (and economic, for that matter!) footprint and decided it was time for me to find another chic option. In my search, I found a few seemingly insurmountable problems: 1. I drink a lot of water - up to three liters a day - and a bottle holding a mere 8-10 ounces just won't do. 2. A lot of water bottles are UGLY! I wanted something chic and attractive and I never thought it would be so difficult to find something appealing.

Finally, the day came when I found my beloved KOR Water Vessel! Not only do they hold 25 ounces of water but a portion of all proceeds go to helping save the environment! They come in four colors and each color benefits a different foundation. I chose orchid pink, which benefits the global water crisis.

To buy a KOR Water Vessel (and help save the world), go to KOR Water. Use the code KWS-12383 and you'll save 15% off your purchase!

Soy Garlic Asparagus with Quinoa and Ginger

Today is a beautiful day! I slept in a little, took my puppy for an hour jog, cleaned up, and then made the most amazing asparagus dish! Even if you don't care for asparagus, I'd encourage you to try this because it was delicious and so simple!

First, take your asparagus and chop off the white ends. In my experience, they don't cook well and are very difficult to eat. (On a side note, if you happen to have a compost, you know exactly what to do with these ends. If you don't, I'd encourage you to look into it. Growing your own veg is not only most cost-effective but it's very satisfying and will produce some of the best you've had!)

Throw the asparagus in a pan on medium heat and cover with a bit of low-sodium soy sauce along with some julienned garlic and ginger. Take two garlic cloves and, one at a time, lay under a knife and mash with the base of your hand and then chop. Fresh ginger, a 1'' - 2'' segment, should be peeled and then chopped. Cover and cook until stalks are soft and flexible (5-7 minutes). 

Next, add in your prepared quinoa with whatever veg you prefer. (See this post for how I make my quinoa). Reduce heat to a simmer and let the quinoa absorb all of the juices and flavors. Just a few minutes and everything will be ready to enjoy!

Finally, plate and serve. The dish is very flavorful as is but perhaps adding a little bit of lime, turmeric, and fresh ground black pepper would be good as well. I took peppermint tea with my meal and it proved to be very refreshing and invigorating!

Because I am not wise, I listen

A weeks worth of wisdom in pictures

Watch This: Foods that Kill Healthful Eating

This video helped me get back into touch with the reasons I initially went vegan years ago. I'm not exactly a PETA member and my motivations have never been rooted in that mentality, though I don't condone any sort of cruelty to animals whatsoever. My driving force was my own health and wellness and, if that helps save a few animals in the process, all the better.

Vegan Portobello Burger

Today, I was craving a burger like no other! However, in my recent mission to go back to my strictly vegan lifestyle (well, mostly vegetarian for now), I've shunned buying all meat products. Instead, when I do have a craving for something unhealthy, I've decided that I'll try to make a similar dish using vegan/vegetarian principles. Sometimes, it works out and other times it most definitely does not. My vegan portobello burgers worked out pretty well today so I thought I'd share my recipe and a few pictures.


Every week, I make a big batch of quinoa with whatever veg I happen to have on hand. It's great to add to any dish and, because quinoa is amazingly satisfying and tasty as well as being very nutritious, I don't feel like I'm depriving myself. This week, I added tomatoes, black beans, red onions, a few bits of red bell pepper, artichoke, and cucumber which I sauteed and then reduced in a sweet red wine.



Since I already had my quinoa and veg done, my first step was to remove the gills from the inside of the portobello mushroom with a spoon. (Please note, you should never rinse the portobello in water) Next, with a small basting brush, I covered the portobello in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Then, I heated the oven to 300F and cooked for 8-10 minutes until nicely browned.


To make the burger patties, I took additional kidney and garbanzo (chickpeas) beans and mashed them. Then, I took my quinoa mixture and the mashed beans and molded it together into little patties. Next, I added natural sea salt and ground black pepper and placed them onto a tray covered in aluminum foil. After the mushroom was finished cooking, I placed these in the oven at 450F for 15 minutes.

Finally, I placed a patty on top of the portobello mushroom and arranged some tomato, onion, and artichoke hearts that I had sliced while waiting for the patties to cook. Et voila! You can add condiments or spices to suit your tastes. I prefer to add as little in the way of spices and oils as possible. To make this more like a burger, I'd suggest adding a vegan mayonnaise or ketchup. Also, in place of the mushroom, there are some really wonderful vegan sprouted grain breads available.

To whomever reads this, thank you for sharing in my first recipe blogging experience! Please feel free to comment with any suggestions or questions!