Bumper Crop

His Lordship planted some tomatoes and peppers at Doug and Annie's Flying Pig Farm and they have done so well that we have a bumper crop.

Time to make some salsa to take to Twisted Sister number 1.
 First peel the tomatoes by immersing them in boiling water for a minute.  The skins come right off. Then pull out the seeds with a spoon.

 

Then I throw them in the vitamix with cilantro, garlic, cumin, salt, powdered ancho chili and  fresh jalapeno pepper.  Blend it all up on a low setting - 6 or less and add some minced red onion.  Easy Peasy.

Next five days menu plan

Day 1
Breakfast - smoothie, scrambled eggs with a black bean/homemade salsa topper
Lunch - leftover carrot ginger bisque
Dinner - spicy Thai basil lettuce wraps

Day 2
Breakfast - Use up whatever is in the fridge smoothie
Lunch - cream less spinach soup
Dinner - orange peanut dip with raw veggies
Stuffed peppers, roasted veggies, salad

Day 3
Breakfast  - No cook strawberry oatmeal
Lunch - Big Salad with whatever is available
Dinner - Turkey Meatballs over spaghetti squash

Day 4
Breakfast - Chocolate strawberry smoothie
Lunch - Portobello mushroom salad
Dinner - Turkey Burgers

Day 5
Breakfast - blueberry breakfast cobbler
Lunch - black bean lettuce bundles
Dinner - Salmon with pesto topper, salad, roast veggies

Carrot Ginger Bisque

Tonight I was having bad cravings - for a beer and some chocolate chip cookies.  Cooking dinner was a challenge when I kept thinking about snacking.  Luckily, I got most of it prepared yesterday.  I made a creamy carrot ginger bisque with a cashew cream.  It was delicious and completely satisfied my craving for beer and cookies.  Let me share the recipe with you.

Creamy Carrot Ginger Bisque

1 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 c. onion diced
1/2 c. celery diced
1 1/2 inch piece of ginger chopped fine
4 cups veggie stock*
1 small red potato cut into pieces
6 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup cauliflower chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
a dollop of cashew cream**

Sauté onions, celery and ginger in oil over low heat until onions are translucent.  Add stock, carrots, potato, curry powder and cauliflower to pot.  Bring to a boil and simmer until veggies are tender.  Puree' in a blender and return to the pot and heat through.

This was great with a salad and a piece of bread stork bread.

* I made my own veggie stock by saving all the peels, skins etc. of the organic veggie I buy in the freezer in a bag.  Then pop them in a slow cooker with 6 cups of water and spices of your choice.  I like thyme, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.  Let it cook for 12 hours.

**Cashew Cream
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
1/4 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
Soak the cashew in cold water overnight.  Drain.  Grind them in a food processer or with an immersion blender.  Slowly drizzle in your cold water while grinding.  Process to the consistency you like by adding more water. You can add lemon juice and maple syrup to sweeten it up.

Lonely little orphans

I found some items that have been left behind - they include a bracelet and a sock.  Any takers???

Oven veggies

So last night Neale and I had the most delicious veggies that I just made up.  So here is my recipe:

Lady M's kick ass oven veggies

1/2 a golden beet
2 carrots
3 tiny new potatoes
1/4 red onion
2 tbsp. avocado oil
1 tsp curry powder
1 inch of ginger minced
Dulse granules (seaweed as a salt substitute)
juice of 1/2 an orange

Cut all veggies into pieces. Leave the skin on the little potatoes. Sprinkle and drizzle the rest of the ingredients on the veggies, cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Holy Guacamole - these were to die for good! 

Fun picture from the visit participating in "not so healthy" activities

Furhman salad dressing a hit

I had a salad tonight upon which I placed Furhman's balsamic almond dressing.  It was really good and easy to make.  I made it this morning in a jar using my immersion blender.  His Lordship liked it too.  Here is the recipe:
 
 

Easy Balsamic Almond Dressing

1 serving
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon raw almond butter
1⁄4 teaspoon onion powder
1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 ∕8 teaspoon dried oregano
1 ∕8 teaspoon dried basil

Whisk water, vinegar and almond butter together until mixture is smooth and almond butter is evenly dispersed. Mix in remaining ingredients.  I used real onion and garlic as the immersion blender will puree' anything.

 

We each had some and there is plenty leftover for another salad so way more than 1 serving. Definitely a recipe I will make again.

 

My curry was awesome too - I only used about 4 oz of meat cut very small as a condiment.  To that I added lots of onions, garlic, mushrooms, canned tomatoes and spinach.  I cooked it in a little spray coconut oil.  In addition to the regular spices - cumin, turmeric, ginger, coriander, and hot pepper,  I roasted two cardamom pods and ground them up.  That added a lot of sweet!  We ate it with small pieces of banana in lieu of mango chutney (which is full of sugar) over cauliflower rice.  I found that caulifower organic at Costco and it was delicious steamed with the curry. So no salt or sugar and very little fat!  You ladies should try curry - they are so forgiving and full of flavor!  We each had a serving and I have some leftover for a lunch!

AND SO IT BEGINS...

Well sisters - tomorrow I start a diet that I call "slim down to Halloween".  It is my attempt to get a corset on my plump little body.

The diet rules are:

No booze!!!

Eat a Furhmanesque breakfast and lunch followed by a zone dinner.  At least I am going to give some of the Furhman recipes a try and see how they go.  I worry that the dinner recipes will not be filling enough so I am going to add 4 oz. of protein.

Here is my plan for the first four days:

day 1

breakfast - soaked oats
lunch - veggie pizza, small salad
dinner -  lamb curry over cauliflower rice, green salad

day 2

breakfast - berry smoothie
lunch - big salad
dinner - tomatillo chicken breast, spinach, new pots

day 3

breakfast - veggie smothered omelet (zone not Furhman)
lunch - veggie stir fry over cauliflower rice
dinner - lamb kebabs, capris salad

day 4
breakfast - apple pie oatmeal
lunch - Mexican salad
dinner - salmon, green salad, sautéed mushrooms over spinach

day 5
breakfast -big smoothie
lunch - mixed green salad with pears, apples and walnut vinaigrette
dinner - carrot soup with cashew cream and crusty bread stork bread, green side salad

what are you eating?????

The Parthenon

Well as we all have heard, our favorite Chicago eatery closed its' door two days ago over unpaid taxes and bills. Such a pity.  Had I known it was in such dire straights, I would have eaten there in June.  I guess I just took it for granted that it would always be there for me.

I have so many great memories - the time Dad drove up to the front door of 561 and carried Grandma and Aunt Helen up the front stairs because it was snowy.  I am sure the rodidas was flowing that night!

I checked out the cookbook which is selling for an astronomical price after the closing.  Hopefully, they will do a reprinting as I would love to make those recipes.  I have never been to another Greek restaurant that even comes close.  Goodbye Parth...we will miss you.

Nectarines

We grew some beauties on our tree here in Manitou - a wet summer and a mild spring have combine to produce amazing fruit.  Froze a bunch, ate a few raw, gave three away, and made a cobbler!