Category Archives: recipe

by | October 31, 2010 · 8:42 am

Spicy-Sweet Roasted Pumpkin Seeds!

Exercise of the day: 45 minutes on the elliptical at level 8, and heart rate between 163-174. I did 30 woodchopper core weights, a crapload of sit-ups on an exercise ball and rolled out my IT bands again whilst trying not to tear up. Will the pain EVER stop? Stupid IT bands.

I went to the pumpkin patch today to pick up a big ole gourd to butcher.

So many pumpkins!
There was a petting zoo at one end…
with a fluffy chicken-y thing. I thought this was a dog at first before I saw its head.
     Turns out the pumpkins at the patch were ridiculously overpriced, and there was no haggling, so I headed home and made a fancy Kitchen Sink Salad.
Special ingredient – half of a deliciously ripe avocado! Yum, fat!
     I headed to Albertson’s to pick up a reasonably priced pumpkin.
At the patch, a pumpkin this size cost $14. I got it for $5.13. Oh yeah!
GUTS!
I don’t need newspaper – I’m a pro!
I started to carve “welcome home” for my roommates who are both returning from their trips tomorrow, but got tired after “welcome.” Now I just seem accommodating and friendly to everyone.
Don’t be fooled.
I also picked up some decor gourds. See how festive I am?
     I didn’t let those seeds go to waste though, don’t worry!

[gmc_recipe 5567]

I like mine really crispy!
Store them in a tupperware and snack away! These have MAJOR bite to them, so carry a bottle of water and Kleenex!
One of my free samples! I’m on a roll!

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by | October 28, 2010 · 7:52 am

Homemade-ish Thai Green Curry

I had my last training session before my new job begins! I drove a gigantic van, learned a little about texturing and the process that the artist goes through to come up with her magnificent paintings and came home ready to FEAST.

Homemade-ish Thai Green Curry – Printable version HERE
1 can coconut milk (Don’t get the lame, watery light stuff, please)
1 tablespoon thai green curry paste
1 tbsp fish sauce (Ew, I know, but it makes the dish!)
2 bell peppers, red and yellow
1 russet potato
2 carrots
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen peas
3 tbsp slivered almonds (optional)
Ingredients assembled! I even had the pliers out (check out the last picture) in preparation for opening the can of coconut milk.
     1. In a saucepan combine the coconut milk, green curry paste and fish sauce over medium heat.
The can opened! Maybe it’s just Trader Joe’s brand cans that have issues?
Pre-stir.
Blended!
     2. While the coconut milk is warming, peel and chop the potato and carrots and slice the bell peppers.
     3. Stir the vegetables into the sauce and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Pretty colors!
     4. Cook for twenty minutes over low heat until thickened.
     5. If yours doesn’t thicken, as mine refused to, take 3 tablespoons of raw almond slivers (no skins), place them in a food processor and process into a fine paste – about 2 minutes.
     6. Add the almond paste to the curry and watch it magically come together!
Magic!
     7. Serve over a delicious, nutty brown rice and absorb! Try to remember to chew, not just inhale.
This makes about 6 servings. I have SO much leftover!
     This curry is delicious! I didn’t add any salt, which may have added a little extra flavor, but I loved it on its own. Everything I used in this recipe had 2 ingredients on the label or fewer! How’s that for real food?
     I got a last minute audition for tomorrey at noon fifteen! I’m off to study sides!

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by | October 27, 2010 · 6:01 am

Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

I’m on a squash binge. I’ve had some type of squash every day for the past week. It’s kind of an issue… To go along with my squash epidemic, today I cracked open a spaghetti squash and decided to try something besides plain ole squash ‘n marinara. I said squash five times in two sentences. Squash.

Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Lasagna – Printable version HERE
 
1 spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeded
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
7 leaves fresh basil, julienned
4 small zucchinis
1 tbsp Herbes de Provence
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups spinach, rinsed and dried
1/2 cup grated mozzarella (Place the soft mozzarella in the freezer for 15 minutes before grating)
2 tbsp grated parmesan
     1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
     2. Place the halves of the spaghetti squash with the cut sides face-down on a greased piece of foil on a baking sheet.
     3. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a knife easily pierces the skin of the squash.
     4. While the squash bakes, slice up the zucchinis.
Since I’m eating the skins, I got organic. The fewer pesticides I consume, the happier I’ll be!
     5. Throw the zucchini slices and Herbes de Provence into a pan with a spray of olive oil, saute until tender and brown, then set aside.
     6. In another large pan, cook the onions and garlic over medium heat until tender.
     7. Add the white wine to deglaze (read: get all the yummy burned pieces off of the bottom) the pan and stir well.
     8. Add the diced tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil. Bring the pan to a boil, then reduce to medium heat until the sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes.
Before – tomato soup
After – Marinara!
     9. When the squash is tender, CAREFULLY scrape out the flesh into a bowl. This will be HOT! Or you can act like a smart person and let the squash cool before you scrape it. Or that.
Putting it into a metal bowl did not help the burning of my fingers…
     10. In a baking dish sprayed with olive oil (I used a small square dish, but I’d recommend a 9×13 to avoid overflowing) layer marinara, spaghetti squash, zucchini, black beans, spinach, grated mozarella, ending with a final layer of squash and marinara.
Top with freshly grated parmesan.
3 ingredients! I had to check out five different brands before I found one that didn’t contain any unnatural chemicals.
     11. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
     12. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the lasagna is bubbling.
     13. Remove the lasagna and let it rest for five minutes.
     14. Serve and devour.
Happiness!
     I only had one problem with this recipe:
I thought yesterday was a fluke, but I now realize that it’s probably time for a new can opener…
Now time for MORE bread pudding!
I have a problem, I know.

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by | October 12, 2010 · 7:40 am

RANDOM FOOD ATTACK!

Food flashback:

Post-work hash and poached egg. Trader Joe’s roast beef hash is delish and has really good nutritional stats! Guilt-free dinner!
Mini-Monsta with some self-promotion in the background. (I don’t normally read my own blog in the mornings – I go through all ten million that I follow first.) 😀
FULL-SIZE Monsta! Lots of spinach and asparagus and frozen blueberries!
Gelato with the Russian co-worker, Veek-torr (aka the non-Russian Victor (I have a weird sense of humor…)) and Vicky.
     Now let’s get to some quick recipes:
Peach-Pumpkin Pie Pancakes – Printable version HERE
1/2 cup whole rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 peach, diced
1 1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk
     1. Mix dry ingredients together, then add the wet.
     2. Stir until combined.
     3. Pour 1 heaping tablespoon onto greased pan over medium heat.
JUST. LIKE. THAT.
     4. Cook until the tops start to look dry and the bubbles have popped. Flip.
     5. Cook on the other side for another 4-5 minutes (Pumpkin really puffs up the pancakes, so you have to cook them a little longer, otherwise the middle comes out raw. Lucky for you, these are vegan, so raw does not equal salmonella poisoning!)
Toasty brown!
     6. Plate, drizzle with honey and eat!
Yeah. These were a bit raw in the middle. Still delicious and edible, though!
     Next recipe:
Whole Wheat Veggie Pizza
Pre-made whole wheat dough from Trader Joe’s (cuz I’m lazy…)
Whatever fresh veggies you desire
Cheese (again, whichever type you desire)
     1. Put your dough on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
     2. Top with whatever veggies and cheese you want.
My base was zucchini. I grated 2 full zucchinis then squeeeezed the crap out of them to get the water out. Seriously, squeeze these until all the moisture is gone, otherwise it makes for a soggy, icky pizza.
I sliced a bunch of baby tomatoes.
Pre-bake: Zucchini, tomatoes, sliced bell peppers, goat cheese, spinach, smoked mozzarella and sliced onions that were caramelized with a teaspoon of blood-orange balsamic vinegar.
     3. Bake at 450 F for about twelve minutes.
Heck. To. The. Yes.
     4. Chop through the thick crust and devour.
This doesn’t really count as a recipe considering it’s a “throw-a-bunch-of-random-ingredients-together-then-cross-your-fingers-and-hope-it-works-out” type of recipe. I’ll still take credit for it though!
     All that we have seen brings us to tonight:
Punkin for me, 1554 for the roommate.
Twobooswhoeat and I are planning a SoCal blogger meetup soon! It will be just north of Calabasas (might be a bit of a drive for you LA-ians). Who’s in??

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by | October 8, 2010 · 8:53 am

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins!

I did NOTHING but cook today! Well, that and watch the COLORADO AVALANCHE DESTROY the Chicago Blackhawks! Ooooooh yeah!

I’ve been dying to make pumpkin muffins since we bought our first can of pumpkin half a month ago, and I finally had time today!

Ingredients assembled!
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins – Printable recipe available HERE.
adapted from Donna
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup whole rolled oats
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Wet Ingredients:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar (I realize this is dry, but this just makes it easier)
1/8 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1/4 cup water
     1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and grease muffin tins. (Or use silicon muffin cups like I did – They’re pricey but make everything easier! I highly recommend them.)
     2. Combine dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix well.
     2. In second bowl, combine wet ingredients.
     3. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.
     4. Pour batter into muffin tins.
I heart mini-muffins. Too cheesy?
     5. Baking times vary: my mini-muffins took 12 minutes until they were done. The full size muffins took 25 minutes.
Donning a cute apron from TJ Maxx helps too…
     6. Set your camera to the macro-setting which you will have JUST TODAY discovered (Manual is not macro? I am ashamed) and take some awesome pictures!
Chocolate chip goodness!
     Since I discovered the official macro setting on my camera, I set out to take some artsy pictures.
Cleaned silicone muffin liners.
Cat.
Candleholder with a view.
Sweet potato chili ingredients.
Sweet potato chili served in handmade pottery.
It was a great day.
What are your favorite fall recipes?

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by | October 7, 2010 · 10:40 pm

Sweet Potato Pancakes!

Over the last month I have made pancakes. Lots and lots of pancakes. Not just any pancakes though – I’ve made Banana-Pecan Pancakes, Green Monsta Pancakes,  Peach Pie Oatmeal Pancakes, and many many more. Today brings another rendition – Sweet Potato Pancakes.

Sweet Potato Pancakes
Dry Ingredients:
1/3 cup whole rolled oats
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients:
1 small baked sweet potato, skinned and smashed
2/3-1 1/3 cup soymilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
     1. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
     2. In another bowl, combine the sweet potato, vanilla, and half of the soymilk.
     3. Add the sweet potato mixture to the dry ingredients and combine.
     4. This is where you must use your own judgement (did you know that there are tons of internet debates about the spelling of judgment/judgement? I guess I’m British at heart! The things I learn from blogging…) – add soymilk until the batter consistency is thin enough to pour, but thick enough to hold together – does that make sense?
Until it looks like THAT!
     5. Pour a heaping tablespoon onto a greased pan and cook over medium-low heat until the edges look a little brown, then flip.
     6. Cook for another three minutes, then serve with your choice of topping.
I topped mine with diced peaches that were tossed with cinnamon and a teaspoon of brown sugar, then softened and caramelized in a pan over medium heat.
Eat. Breathe. Joy.

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by | September 30, 2010 · 8:04 am

MY TOWN IS ON FIRE!

I realize it is neither National Pancake Day, or Pancake Sunday, but since we were out of spinach this morning, I decided to make some whole grain cakes.

This first batch was experimental…
… an experimental FAIL. I used egg in this recipe just to try something new. Apparently, new + Becki = hockey pucks masquerading as pancakes. Oh well, lesson learned!
The second batch appeared to be faring a little better…
Oooooh yeah!
 
Vegan Banana-Pecan Oatmeal Pancakes – Printable version HERE
1/4 cup whole rolled oats
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup soymilk
1 banana, 1/2 of it diced, 1/2 in thick slices
A handful of chopped pecans
     1. Toast the handful of chopped pecans in a pan over medium heat. Pecans are done when their warm, nutty aroma fills the air (about 3 minutes, stirring constantly). Be careful not to burn them!
2. Put the thick slices of banana into a greased pan over medium-low heat.
     3. Carefully flip the banana slices after 4-5 minutes.
     4. While the second side of the banana is cooking, mix together the oatmeal, flour, baking soda, salt and toasted pecans in a medium sized bowl.
     5. Add the soymilk and diced banana, and stir until well combined.
     6. Pour a heaping tablespoon of batter onto a large greased pan or skillet.
     7. When the tops of the pancakes start to bubble and appear to dry out, flip em!
     8. Cook them for another minute on the other side, then plate with the caramelized banana slices on top and drizzle with syrup or honey.
Incredibleness on a plate.
As always, a great breakfast is best enjoyed with an amazing view on a beautiful morning!
     You’d think that such an rich breakfast would fill me up until the end of time, but before I knew it, it was lunch time!
Mexican food on the brain! I got a grilled chicken quesadilla with guacamole. I haven’t been making the healthiest choices lately – I can blame it on my schedule or on the insane heat, but really it comes down to my own lack of self-control and planning.
Problem acknowledged, and being worked on!
     The drive back home held a surprise! While we were in the restaurant, about thirty fire trucks, cop cars and paramedics went screaming by, and I forced the roommates to investigate!
THE TOWN IS ON FIRE!!!! It actually looked like a bomb went off, or a plane crashed, but it turns out it was just four businesses that were lovingly built from the ground up, burning right back to the ground thanks to some chemical fire. Sadness 🙁
     When we got back, I split and headed to the library to pick up some books I had on hold – I’m now reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. My cousin recommended the series to me, and while I’m loving the story so far, I’ve been really slow, which is bad considering it’s due back in a few days! I distracted myself from reading a bit longer by replenishing my aromatherapy spray.
I used to be a massage therapist and always wanted to specialize in aromatherapy. Even though I don’t work as a therapist anymore, I brought aromatherapy along with me for daily life.
 
Bexter’s Spaaaaah Mix
  1. In an 8oz. atomizer bottle, add 7 drops of lavender oil, 7 drops of lemon oil, 2 drops of tea tree oil and 1 drop of eucalyptus oil.
  2. Fill the atomizer bottle with filtered water, cap and shake well.
  3. Spritz the mixture into the air to remove toxins, and over face while inhaling to be in total, utter bliss.
Bexter’s Spaaaaaah Mix! This bottle makes me so happy!
     The rest of my day was spent lounging around, doing massive amounts of research and note-taking for a novel I’m writing and swinging by Great Harvest for a loaf of their High 5 Fiber bread to go with dinner.
The roommate made an indian-inspired veggie soup. I don’t have the recipe on hand right now, but it has fresh green beans, eggplant, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, garam masala and a whole bunch of other stuff that makes a heavenly, healthy stew.
My soup was served in my most successful bowl made in pottery to date!
     I’ll be hitting up the farmers’ market tomorrey to pick up some ingredients for a Foodbuzz competition I’ll be joining in! Food contests aren’t normally my thing (I’m a VERY competitive person, and it stresses me out and erases a little of the enjoyment for me), but I decided, why not! Stay tuned for a new recipe… or a lot of competitive anger! 😀

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by | September 27, 2010 · 7:56 am

A Peachy Day!

Happy National Pancake Day!!! Did you have any idea it was NPD? Lucky for me, the first thing I do in the morning is get my coffee, then read the blogs that I follow, and Heather had mentioned it and made her pancake breakfast. I looked around my kitchen and decided that I would make Peach Pie Oatmeal pancakes.

Peach Pie Oatmeal Pancakes  – Printable recipe HERE
Ingredients:
1/2 of a cup of quick-cook rolled oats
1/2 of a cup of whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons of baking soda
A pinch of salt
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 1/3 cups of soymilk
1 large peach, diced
1 large peach, sliced, for garnish
  1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
  2. Add the soymilk and blend together (It will look watery, but the oats absorb the extra moisture).
  3. Stir in the diced peaches.
  4. While waiting for the batter to thicken, put the sliced peaches in a greased pan over medium heat to caramelize.
Caramelization!

5.  After the pancake batter has thickened (about two minutes), set a greased frying pan over medium heat. (I grease mine with a canola oil spray)
6.  Plop a heaping tablespoon of the batter into the pan and flip when the tops look semi-dry.

I love the caramelized edges of the peaches peeking through!

7.  Flip the peaches that are caramelizing in the other pan, then top the finished pancakes with them.
8.  Drizzle with honey and INHALE!

Inhalation is best done with a beautiful view.
     My morning was pretty much completely amazing. Eating stacks of fluffy, fruity pancakes can do that to mornings, I’ve found. After breakfast, I headed off for a full shift at work. I arrived and opened the cabinet where I keep my purse, and found the most amazing surprise EVER!
My friend who works at Godiva gave me FOUR chocolate covered strawberries! Those things cost six million dollars apiece!!! I’m so spoiled!
     I went out to Paciugo with my new coworker and tried out a new flavor, Vanilla Raspberry Swirl. Hi, my name is Becki, and I have an addiction. The last time I had gelato was at 12:13pm today.
     Lunch was a mini spicy tuna roll with brown rice, followed by a trip to Williams Sonoma, and some light reading.
Yes, those are all of Williams Sonoma’s spices compiled into a pamphlet, which I read cover to cover. I’m weird.
     Speaking of reading, yesterday I finally finished the latest book I’ve been going through.
“Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro. I had to read it before I see the movie. I’m not quite sure how I feel about this one…
Have you read it yet? What are your thoughts?
 
     I got home after work to a home cooked meal! My roommates appreciated my pancake-mastering this morning that they made dinner!
They made peach-ginger baked chicken with grilled vegetables on the side. That black stuff on the left is onions, zucchini, eggplant and green beans that have been grilled in a mesh pan until DELICIOUS. Don’t let the lack of color freak you out!
     I’m enjoying a glass of Hard Core red wine, a mix of 29% Mourvedere, 24% Grenache, 27% Syrah, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a random blend, but deliciously spicy and fruity at the same time! Tomorrey I have to head to work at 9am, then I get to bail out early to head to an audition for a web series, and continue on to Dan and Malachi’s for wine tasting and risotto making!
Did you celebrate National Pancake Day? What kind did you make?

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by | June 9, 2010 · 6:55 am

Gourmet Tuesday!

Happy Tuesday, all! I hope you all started off your morning as well as I did 🙂 GREEN MONSTAAAAA!!!

This baby has spinach, bananas, blueberries, lemon juice, soymilk and ice!
Cleaning the blender seems like a big ordeal, but it’s really easy! Just pour a little dish soap and hot water into the blender:

Press LIQUIFY:

Give it a few minutes to whirl, rinse, and you’re done!
After having my massive green fuel-machine (hey, that rhymes! I should get into poetry), I jumped on the trail for another hike up the hill. Today was completely empty and quiet and lovely, and there was marine layer hanging over so the bugs weren’t biting: the PERFECT day for a hike!

I got back and got spoiled by my roomie cooking up a semi-scramble.

We were running low on spinach, so this was made with a little spinach, yellow bell peppers, asparagus and zucchini roasted in herbes de provence. Have I mentioned how much I love herbes de provence? If I ever roast ANY vegetable, I love to cover it in HDP. It just makes everything taste more complex and warmer.
Next came a bunch of thrilling errands that had to be run – Home Depot for chicken wire to keep the rabbits from devouring the new vines, Petsmart to pick up chewies for the spoiled Buddha (nickname for the puppy), the library to pick up a book I requested a few weeks ago, and finally to Trader Joe’s!
I loooove me the TJ’s! For dinner I decided to make Jenna’s (http://eatliverun.com) channa masala recipe. I picked up chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), canned diced tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, onions, tomato paste and ginger. Every other ingredient I already had at home.

After setting it all up, I chopped, peeled, minced and measured all my ingredients and got them in order. I’m a big fan of mise en place – a French term that means “putting things into place.” It also helps you clean as you go, so there’s not a huge mess in the kitchen waiting to be scrubbed when all you want to do is relax and enjoy your meal.

I caramelized the onions for 15 minutes, then went to the next bowl which contained my chopped garlic, jalapeno and ginger. After stirring that together, the next dish (the tomato paste) went in. I was supposed to pince (cook down) the tomato paste until it had formed a nice crust on the pan, but it somehow came out a little blackened. Next I threw in the seasonings which smoked up the kitchen a bit, then the chickpeas and tomatoes and garam masala.

After letting everything stew for a while to warm through, I squeezed lemon on top (and all over the floor), and plated.

Today I got Trader Joe’s garlic naan! It made the meal complete!
Even though I burned the tomato paste a little, it still tasted A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I only finished about half my plate before I was comfortably full. I’m working on eating until I’m satisfied and not gorging until I’m bursting at the seams: it takes practice! I sipped on a (durr) Fat Tire and enjoyed the evening.
After an hour I got a little sweet craving, so I whipped out the So Delicious mocha ice cream. I’m not a fan of coffee ice cream, so this is perfect to keep me from overdoing it. I scooped about a quarter cup into a mug and ate that, and after was totally content. Just the right amount of sugar in my system, dairy-free, and I didn’t want to go back for more.

Now it’s time for the season finale of “Glee”, so I must leave you all! Happy hiking, biking, and most of all: EATING!

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