Thursday, September 22, 2011

Phytochemical feast


This is the best hummus recipe I have ever found. Who knew that a nice combo of chickpeas and cannellini beans would be the magic touch? This recipe can courtesy of a K-State Research & Extension publication called More Plants on the Plate: Recipes. The source for this specific recipe: The New American Plate Cookbook

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
  • 1 jar (7 oz.) roasted red peppers, drained
  • 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup tahini, (ground sesame paste)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Salt & pepper to taste
In a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients except the salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve chilled or room temperature with warmed whole wheat pita wedges and lots of yummy colorful veggies. 

It is so delightful. I'm pretty sure I've eaten a whole cup of it in the past 24 hours. We served it last night at our Abilene Community Garden planning meeting and I ate it for my dinner last night and my lunch today. It's that good. It really is a lovely easy thing to prepare and is so chock full of vitamins and minerals. Served with whole wheat pita bread and veggies make it a complete meal to me. I also like to put hummus on a sandwich or wrap. 

If you wanted to try an even more cost effective manner to create hummus, try soaking and cooking your own dry beans. Additionally, roasted red peppers are not too difficult to make on your own to avoid those expensive jars of red peppers. See this method of roasting your peppers on your own.

Happy Feasting!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Pearsauce

Getting a little saucy around here. We harvested a bunch of pears from our trees several weeks ago and because we love sauce they got turned into pearsauce. Kinda like applesauce except with pears. It's a Lindahl creation, I think.




Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Avocado on steroids

Look what I found in the local grocery store.

Avocado on steroids! This thing is more than twice as big as a typical avocado from Mexico. This one is from Florida and apparentely there are growth hormones in the sand down there. I still haven't eaten this giant thing yet because it also came from the store quite unripe. I'm pumped.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Thankful

This morning I made my very first attempt at a 10-mile run. Now I don't run with headphones and I also run solo so I have had plenty of time to think. I always think that during my runs I should spend more time praying. That usually lasts about a sentence or two of thought before I have to focus on continuing to pick up my feet and move. Occasionally my prayers or thoughts get audible and this morning would be one of those times. I was gone for about 2 hours this morning and in that time there were numerous times when I said, "Okay Lord, thank you for giving me a body that can move, legs and arms that go back and forth and a heart that can handle it. However, right now I really need extra help in the strength to continue moving. Lord, I need help! Please and thank you!"

This coming week is my taper week before the big half-marathon on Sunday the 25th. Although today was definitely a little rough and my legs were definitely sore afterwards, I'm going for it; 13 miles here I come!

On another random note, tonight I'm also thankful for the internet that I seem to be snatching from a kind neighbor. I turned on my computer in just this spot on my kitchen table to listen to music and I have seemed to find some wireless internet. The clouds must be positioned in just the right spot, because I've picked up this internet before for only a matter of moments, but tonight it's going strong for me. Yah!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Hello Fabulous Fall Morning!

It is a fabulous day to be alive! I have several reasons to be thankful and filled with joy today.
  • I woke up today and was able to get out of bed, thankful for another day God has blessed me with life!
  • This morning when I exited the house for my run I was wearing pants, a long sleeve shirt and a t-shirt. It was probably about 42 degrees and I was cold! Soon enough my body heat made it perfect. I did spend the entire run doing the classic farmer's blow and this always makes me joyful of my heritage. Yah for the finally feeling like it's fall.
  • It's not technically fall until next Friday, but I'm pumped!
  • While running this morning, I actually completed the entire workout as assigned! 6 miles + 4 x 2:00 aerobic intervals + 6 gradual progressions. I survived.
  • The sun started to rise and the sky was a gorgeous pink and purple color! Another reward for the an early riser!
  • Because it's finally cool outside, I busted out the leggings! I love wearing leggings and skirts!
  • This morning I decided to just go all out and blow dry my hair. I know this may sound simple to many people but I never blow dry my hair during the summer because I start sweating during the process. That and I'm usually just too lazy. This morning the heat actually felt very good and my hair is not quite so crazy today. Yah!
  •  I also had a great bowl of oatmeal this morning complete with banana, peanut butter, milk, and crunchy kashi cereal on top.
  • Praise the Lord, it's going to be a great day!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Pleasing fruit

Genesis 3: 1-7 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"

"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.






Today as I bit into the first pleasing fruit from our little apple tree I thought that I might be in heaven. Then I realized I was standing in the middle of the chicken yard and was far from heaven. However, I can't get over how gorgeous the few fruit that I was able to pick are and just how amazingly perfect they grow. I don't really know, but my prediction is that the tree of knowledge in the middle of the Garden of Eden was definitely an apple tree. They are such a fabulous piece of fruit bringing knowledge to those that eat them. At times I wish we could all live like Adam and Eve, completely innocent and naked. But we're not; and you can read about the rest of the fall of man here.

I think I'd eat that fruit too.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Pickled Okra

About the only thing that has been growing recently in my garden seems to be okra. Although I do like a nice dark-roasted well-seasoned okra, I've had a bit much for that enjoyment daily. I decided to pickle some. I've never tried that before so we'll see how it turned out. Check out my pretty pickled okra. 


These are the leftover, too big okra. Still pretty.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Epic food recycle

I decided to take some old, dried out banana bread that I found in the fridge to a new level of recreation by making it into french toast. It was pretty epic after I dipped it into egg, milk, cinnamon mixture and slapped it into the skillet. Mmmm. Good. Didn't even need any syrup.




Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Wedding Cake

I had the honor of making another wedding cake this past weekend. This time I decided to capture the process for those of you that might think it to be something you wanted to try. Although it doesn't look to be that difficult, the numerous steps involved do indeed take time. Time and patience are really all you need for success!

I would like to say that I believe this was the most free flowing, easy as planned, cake baking experience I have had so far. I didn't mess anything up, have to repeat anything, and I had enough of all my ingredients. I believe everything went as planned and I was quite pleased with the final result. Nice and simple is what I go for. 

Start off by baking your greatest cake formula. I went with my classic white wedding cake formula. It has served me well. There are 3 tiers to this cake with two layers in each tier, making 6 initial cake layers out of the oven.













Next comes the stacking of the cakes, but before this one must level the layers. Do this so that the cake layers are perfectly flat on top. 
Make sure you drink some wine to keep your sanity through the process!
 This is the leveled cake with the filling. I added the buttercream filling topped with slightly thinned raspberry jam. It makes a pretty final product and just a bit of added surprise flavor. After this filling is applied go ahead and stack that layer on top. 

 Two layers are together and get their initial crumb layer of frosting. This thin layer of frosting is applied to simply trap in the crumbs. Don't worry, just slap it on thinly and then refrigerate for enough time that the frosting is solid. This usually takes an hour or so. Then you're ready for the final frosting. 

Lather on the frosting baby. Everybody loves frosting as long as it's not that disgusting overly sugar sweet crap found on most grocery bakery cakes. This buttercream is not too sweet and most delightful! I slather it on and then do my smoothing. 

I must say that I usually avoid the attention to overly detailed cake decorating. If you've ever seen cakes that look so perfect they look fake or plastic like, this is probably the effect of fondant. Not a fan, I only work with the good stuff. My cakes will always resemble real food complete with minor flaws.

I have come to greatly appreciate cake stands. They make cake life so much easier!



Mmm cake!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Power salad

If you have never eaten quinoa before, you should definitely get right on it. It is an ancient South American staple grain that has sustained people for centuries. Heart healthy and gluten free this whole grain is also an excellent source of protein. It has the best amino acid profile of all grains and is mighty tasty! My mother had difficulty finding it in the grocery store, but she managed to find this brand. I also know that most stores now carry the Bob's Red Mill package as well. Make it even better and find it in bulk at your local health food store.

The grains have natural saponins on the outside that make them undesirable by pests.
These must be washed off before using. Simply rinse and ready for cooking.

After cooking you can see the germ actually come away
from the seed making it look quite interesting!

My salad with bell peppers, red onions, garlic, black beans,
red wine vinegar, olive oil, S&P, & smoked gouda cheese chunks!
Quinoa is so very easy to make and really serves as a great versatile grain. Use it like you would rice or other grains. It is a bit nutty so it lends well to salads and other mixtures. Go for it! Be amazed by the great healthy ancient food you can eat today!