lentil wraps with tahini sauce in homemade pitas

I am a little disappointed in myself for completely ignoring the holiday last weekend which would have given me every excuse to get my Latina blood flowing and create some sort of Central American themed delights. Instead, we spent the weekend running around like chickens with our heads cut off.

First of all, I worked two shifts at my favorite coffee shop. After the shift Saturday (which began at 5:30, mind you) we headed over to my cousins for a Cinco de Mayo/ birthday/ house warming. On Sunday we were supposed to attend another house warming after I was off work, but found out that a potential renter was going to come see our house, so we frantically scrubbed, then ran to the park right in time for them to show up. (Luckily, they liked the place, so our landlords will not have a house sitting vacant for long. On the other hand, maybe this means we should start packing?)

On our way to the multi-themed party we swung by Trader Joe's to buy some flowers, and a snack. The snack was a wrap similar to this one, but I was sure I could make it better at home. Not to brag, but I was right.

Lentil Wraps with Tahini Sauce in Homemade Pitas

for the lentil mixture:
1 1/2 cup cooked lentils
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/2 cup parsley

for the tahini sauce:
1/4 c sesame seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp water
large garlic clove, chopped
1/4 c parsley
1 tbsp lemon juice
large sprinkle salt
pinch red pepper flakes
sprinkle cumin

Combine all the lentil mixture ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Do the same with the tahini sauce ingredients. I was not able to make the tahini sauce a smooth mixture; adding liquid seemed to help, I would like to know the secret to this if anyone has better luck.

for the homemade pitas:
adapted from Bread Machine Magic
1 1/8 cups water
2 c all-purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1  1/2 tsp sugar
1  1/2 tsp Red Star active dry yeast for bread machines

Combine ingredients in bread machine*, and select "dough" setting. (Or if you have a machine like mine, set it so that only the first two cycles, knead and first rise, are accomplished.). Once it is done, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a thick log. Cut the log into two even pieces, and continue to divide pieces until you have eight similar sized pieces. Using your hands, roll these into balls. Then, using a rolling pin, roll into discs about 6 inches in diameter. Cover them with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise while you preheat the oven to 500 degrees (about 20 minutes).

When the oven is ready, bake the pitas on a non-stick or slightly floured baking sheet, four at a time, for about 5 minutes. When you remove them from the oven, place them on a plate and cover with a damp towel so that they soften, about ten minutes.

*If you don't have a bread machine, these look pretty darn good also.

Toppings for the wraps:
shredded cabbage
thinly sliced bell pepper
thinly sliced red onion
spinach (I didn't try this, but I think it would also be good)
lemon wedges

Assemble your wraps: Cut open each pita half way and layer lentil mixture, tahini sauce, cabbage, bell peppers, red onion, any leftover parsley, or whatever else sounds good. Serve with lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy.

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sweet and salty tempeh fajitas

I am not sure if I have ever confessed to you that I am a picky eater. But, it's true. I am extremely picky. There are many things I dislike. Among them: mayonnaise, cucumbers, and meat. Honestly, I can't really stand the taste of meat. I also despise preparing it. I would surely be a vegetarian if it were not for my wonderful husband, who doesn't consider a meal actually a meal unless it contains a component that once had a face.

I do, however, very much enjoy meat substitutes. Especially tempeh. The grainy texture is much better than tofu, and it takes on whatever flavors you marinate and cook it in.

If you have never prepared or eaten tempeh before, this is a great recipe to start with. It is sweet and salty (obviously, hence the name), easy, and quite satisfying.

Sweet and salty tempeh fajitas
adapted from this recipe

1 cup diced pineapple
2 limes
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
freshly ground pepper and salt
8 oz multigrain tempeh, cut into thin strips
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 bell pepper, cut into strips
1 white onion, cut into slices the long way
1 bunch green onions, chopped
about 1 cup broth
cilantro
whole wheat tortillas

Place pineapple, juice of one lime, soy sauce, and cumin in a food processor and puree. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour pineapple mixture over tempeh strips and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add one tbsp of olive oil, then place bell pepper, onion, and tempeh in the pan, reserving marinade. Cook, and cook, and cook, stirring occasionally. Add the other tbsp of olive oil, then the broth little by little as the mixture cooks and the moisture is used up. Sprinkle in green onions and add the reserved marinade just before done.
Once the tempeh is browned and the veggies are tender, take off the heat. Warm tortillas. Place tempeh mixture into a tortilla, sprinkle with cilantro, and fold up. Serve with lime slices. Enjoy.

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Tuscan White Bean Stew

In case you have been following along, I feel like I should update you on the house situation after the last post. Let me just put it this way: the house-hunting saga will continue. The seller decided not to sell his house mid-negotiation. "Unusual," you may think, yet that is the second time that has happened to us. One of these days I will write an entire post and fill you in on our house hunt from beginning to (hopefully) end. 

Anyway, on to more exciting and enjoyable things, like hot soup on a cold day. This soup is hearty, although it  could even be served to a vegan friend. It is super flavorful thanks to the abundance of rosemary and garlic. And it is just about the only soup I can think of that has a satisfying crunch, thanks to the crouton topping. 

My dad made it for James and I some time last month when we were over there for a visit, and I was excited to get the recipe and share it with you. When he emailed it to me, I was surprised at how few ingredients it included. It begins by infusing some olive oil with garlic (very easy, and a good thing to know how to do), and the rest is very simple. I pureed a cup and a half to make it stew-like, but you could leave it more like a soup, or puree more to create a thicker consistency. Any way you make it, it is sure to fill you up and warm you up in the cold, rainy weather.

Tuscan White Bean Stew
adapted from my dad's recipe which was adapted from the Mayo Clinic Cookbook

5 tbsp olive oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, quartered

3 cloves garlic, chopped

about 4 cups artisan bread, cut into cubes

1 can white beans, undrained

1 white onion, coarsely chopped

2 cups coarsely chopped carrots

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

2 cups broth

Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the 3 quartered garlic cloves and let cook a couple minutes. Then remove the pan from the heat and let the oil and garlic stand about 10 minutes. Discard the garlic, and return the pan to medium heat. Add the bread cubes and saute, stirring often, until light brown and crispy. Set aside. 

Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots, stirring until onions begin to brown and carrots begin to tenderize, about 15 minutes. Stir in the chopped garlic, chopped rosemary, salt, and pepper and cook a couple minutes. Then add the can of beans and the broth. Bring to a boil, then let simmer at least 10 minutes. 

Remove about 1 1/2 cups of the soup and puree in a blender or food processor. Return to the pot and stir well. Garnish each bowl of soup with croutons and a rosemary sprig if desired. Enjoy.

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Cherry-Orange-Almond Turtles

To those of you who have had enough already of all the candy and sweets this time of year brings: this post is not for you. To those of you who are still here: I'm glad that I'm not the only one.

I can never seem to lose my sweet tooth, no matter how many baked or frozen sugary desserts I eat. And every year around this time I notice it catching up to me. Or um, er... to my thighs.

Which is very unfortunate since I have a freezer full of chocolate that I received in various stockings from my husband, my in-laws, my parents...

So I have decided to take it out, bar by bar, and try to create semi-healthier concoctions from all that delicious sugar and cocoa. The first idea on my list: turtles. (Why are they called that? So unappealing.)
 

I melted down a dark chocolate bar (85% cocoa) and added dried cherries (cocoa and cherries- just think of all those antioxidants! It's practically a health food) and almonds for protein to keep your metabolism going just a little longer after dessert. The resulting bar has about 225 kcals and 7 grams of protein each (not bad, eh?). It is just sweet enough to keep my baked-good cravings at bay... for perhaps a week, when all the turtles will have gone extinct. Then, all bets are off.

Cherry-Orange-Almond Turtles
makes 6
3.5 oz dark chocolate (the darker the better), broken into small pieces
zest of 1 orange
3 oz almonds; about 1/2 cup
3 oz dried cherries; about 1/2 cup

Melt the chocolate in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Add zest and mix well. Add almonds and cherries and stir until combined. Pour mixture out into six even piles on wax paper and allow to cool and harden completely before eating. Enjoy.

Question: Does anyone have any foods they can't live without but need lightened up? After all, it is almost the new year... ugh, I can't believe I just said that...

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Quick and Simple Trail Mix Bars

I just have to say: Oh my stars it is December first and sunny (and, yes, freezing) in the Northwest. This makes me happy for so many reasons.

For one thing, I have recently begun running again (I stopped when it was "too hot" about three months ago and for some reason just never started back up when it cooled down) and I have so far only run in the wind/rain/cold/dark. Which just isn't a ton of fun. But now that it is clear and dry, I will be much more excited about my 20-minute-if-I'm-lucky little jog.

In college, I ran a lot. As in four to six miles a day. Way back then, I ran because I knew it was good for my body, and to relieve stress. Those were the days. Now, I have started running letting Sadie drag me behind her because I need to get out of the house and have some time to myself. Oh yeah, and because of this and these... and a little of this as well...

I know that I eat healthy for the most part, but snacking is difficult. We all want something that won't require a lot of preparation and is available to eat right away, but no one wants to fill their bodies with the sugar and chemicals that store-bought snack foods are loaded down with.

Enter homemade granola bars. However, I have even had my struggles with these. When I first started recipe searching for granola bars, all I could find were instructions to make granola, then add sugar and fat to make it stick together. If this were a dessert, I may have been okay with that. But I don't want a granola bar to be something I feel like I can only eat once all my veggies are cleared from my dinner plate. I want a healthy, filling snack. The recipe I found and adapted is from Jessica Seinfeld's doitdelicious website. I omitted the chocolate from it and increased the dry to wet ingredient ratio because I felt the bars were a little too gooey and tasted too sweet to snack on.

The resulting recipe requires that the bars be left in the pan for a while too cool and harden before they can easily be transported as bars, but you can totally pick away at the corners while you wait. I did.

Quick and Simple Trail Mix Bars
adapted from Jessica Seinfeld's No-Bake Energy Bars
2 c oats
1 c nuts, chopped (I used slivered almonds and halved peanuts)
1/2 c dried fruit, chopped if needed (I used dried cranberries)
1/4 c sunflower seeds
1/2 c unsweetened coconut flakes
2-3 tbsp flax meal
1/2 c brown rice syrup
1/4 c nut butter (I used crunchy peanut butter)

Cover a 9x9 (or similar size) pan with a sheet of wax paper. Coat with cooking spray.
Combine the first six ingredients in a bowl. Heat rice syrup and nut butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat, stirring until well-combined and creamy. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until evenly coated, scrapping the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly until bars are densely packed into the pan. Let the bars cool for one hour before cutting into squares. Wrap individually in wax paper or saran wrap for easy transport. Enjoy.

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Butternut Squash, Black Bean, and Red Wine Soup

So here's how my day went down:
I woke up this morning with a runny nose and stuffy sinuses. Not like a cold, but like allergies. This keeps happening to me, and I have finally decided what it is: I'm allergic to Vancouver.
I grew up in a really neat part of Southwest Portland, and then I moved to Corvallis for college, which is a really eclectic, fun little town... and now, I live in the suburbia of East Vancouver.
It's nothing against the people. They are all wonderful and kind. There are a lot of families here, which was one of the reasons we moved here originally. But, it just isn't us. We have been trying to make our escape for a while, but no success so far. And I feel like I need to get out.
Anyway, it was in this state of self-pity that I started my morning. Pretty pathetic, huh?

To cheer myself up, James and I went to our favorite coffee shop, where he downed with impressive speed a 6 oz 1/2 milk 1/2 chocolate milk. Then we delivered a hot coffee to Lane at work (or at least, outside at the gate, since we can't go in without a badge because we might be spies). Then we went to the grocery store (which is my favorite place in Vancouver, hands down).

At least, we tried to go to the grocery store.
I kind of forgot that it is two days before the biggest cooking day of the year, and that today is Senior Citizen Discount Tuesday at Chuck's. So, we circled the parking lot many times, but there were no spots to park. To make matters worse, I had to pee so bad. (Which is ironic, becuase I didn't order anything at my favorite coffee shop so that I wouldn't have to pee. I guess the two cups I had before we left the house didn't help.) Anyway, we ended up going home with no groceries. We had a pretty bare fridge at home. Ah ha! Time to get creative.

This morning, I had planned to make some sort of chicken noodle soup for dinner, but we had no chicken and very little noodles since I didn't go grocery shopping. I wanted to use some left-over squash, and also some left over oregano (I hate wasting herbs since they cost about five dollars an ounce). I grabbed a can of black beans from the pantry for protein. The rest just sort of came together as I went.

While the soup simmered on the stove, James and I waited for Lane to come home. We felt like we needed to put up something festive, so we hung some twinkle lights which, we decided, are not a Christmas decoration if they are white.

Lane came home and we enjoyed our warm, comforting soup under the soft glow of the twinkle lights.

It turns out, life in the 'Couv isn't really all that bad.

Squash, Black Bean, and Red Wine Soup
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 white onion, chopped
1 c broth
1 c water
2 c* butternut squash, roasted or steamed
1 15oz can black beans
1/4 c fresh oregano, stemmed (de-stemmed? un-stemmed?), plus more for garnish
1/2 c red wine

Pour olive oil in a dutch oven or large sauce pan, turn heat to medium-high. Add onions and garlic and saute until they are browning. Add broth and water, and turn down to a simmer.
Place cooked squash, black beans, and oregano in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Add the puree to the broth mixture, whisking until smooth.
Add the red wine, but don't let it get above a simmer so that you can preserve the flavor of the wine.
Serve hot with oregano leaves on top. Enjoy.
*That is, 2 cups before it is cooked, so it will cook down to more like 1 1/2 cups.

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Velvety Butternut Squash Soup and Grandma's Biscuits

(really poorly lit photos courtesy of daylight savings time, since we don't eat dinner at 2 in the afternoon)

Christmas music came on by accident in our house this morning.
I'm serious. It was completely unintentional. I was innocently listening to a Nat King Cole Greatest Hits album on Spotify, and The Christmas Song came on (you know: "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..."). Which, as we all know, is the ultimate Christmas song, especially when sung by Nat.
It instantly brightened my mood and I knew that, although it really isn't legal yet, I must start listening to Christmas music. After a full album of Nat's Christmas songs, James and I indulged in the instrumental version of Charlie Brown Christmas (instrumental Christmas music before Thanksgiving is only half cheating). Can I just say, it warms the heart, like soup on a cold rainy day...

Which brings me -really stretching the segue here- to dinner last night...

This soup can be made with a rosemary and garlic infused olive oil* which my mother-in-law makes and let me borrow a little (must return the jar so she will replenish my supply as a stocking stuffer), or you can add the garlic and rosemary to the veggies while they roast. I did both just to be on the safe side.

The biscuits are my Grandma Rose's recipe. I can remember "helping" her make them numerous times in her cozy kitchen when I was young. I have made a couple adjustments to make them a little more nutritious, but they are still crunchy on the outside and soft and flaky on the inside, the perfect accompaniment to soup.
* to make garlic infused olive oil: fill about an 8 oz bottle with 2 peeled cloves of garlic and 4 sprigs rosemary, fill the bottle the rest of the way with olive oil

Velvety Butternut Squash Soup
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds scooped out, and cut into 1" cubes
1 yellow onion, cut in half, then cut into four parts per half, layers separated
1/4 cup of rosemary-garlic infused olive oil or 1/4 cup olive oil and:
1 clove garlic and 4 sprigs rosemary
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 tsp (25 grinds on the mill) freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt

If not using the infused oil, peel the garlic clove and cut in half, rub the cut half over a rimmed baking sheet and discard the garlic. Put butternut squash and onion on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil. Toss the veggies in the oil and evenly distribute on the baking sheet. If you are not using the infused oil, put the sprigs of rosemary around the baking sheet. Bake the veggies at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, then toss and bake another 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, discard rosemary, and puree in a blender or food processor until creamy. Add broth, salt, and pepper and puree until smooth.

Grandma's Biscuits
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp applesauce
1/4 cup canola, olive, or safflower oil
2/3 cup reduced fat milk
canola cooking spray

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry, mix until just combined, do not over mix. Drop heaping spoonfuls on greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 12 minutes.
Serve with Butternut Squash Soup. Enjoy.

P.S. I made whole wheat bagels using this recipe, and substituting whole wheat bread flour for white bread flour. They were surprisingly easy and, although not pretty, very delicious.

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Feelin' the Love Granola

Wow! I am so impressed by the amazing response to my husbands' face book post that it almost makes me want to reinstate my own face book account (I officially exited society as our generation knows it about two months ago; I just never really understood the appeal...)

Maybe I would rejoin face book if all my "friends" could be different foods. Just imagine the newsfeeds (that is what they are called, right?). My "friend" Roasted Red Pepper may post something like: "just got tossed on a crostini with Olive Oil,  Basil, and Fresh Mozzarella... Later I'm going to hang out with Pasta and Parmesan." Now, there would be something I could justify spending my time to read.

Please don't think that I am anti-facebook, or a facebook-hater, I just was never good at keeping up with it, which only frustrated my friends and myself. So, instead, I will update you on my life via blog. And really, who cares where I go and what I do? I'll let you know what I eat.

This granola recipe is so simple, and it can be adapted to many different diets: gluten free, vegan. Also, the types of grains and add-ins can be varied, I always just use what I have on hand. There are two keys to making excellent granola: 1.) make sure you use the right ratio of dry to wet ingredients, and 2.) set a timer. Whether its a kitchen timer, a watch, or an alarm clock, you must set a timer. Otherwise you will promise yourself that you will keep an eye on the clock, but before you know it you will smell something burning in the next room as you sit watching the latest Modern Family you TIVOed, and then you will cause your house-mates to think you are loosing your mind as you leap off the sofa and run into the kitchen shouting expletives about granola. Don't believe you could be that easily distracted? My husband once offered to hire a babysitter so I could make granola.

Anyway, everyone who tries it always says they love it and they want the recipe. And today, I am really feelin' the love, so here it is:

Feelin' the Love Granola
makes about 8 cups


1 cup whole-grain flakes, unsweetened
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 tbsp whole ground flaxseed meal (optional- this imparts a slightly nutty, earthy taste)
1/2 tsp cinnamon*
1/4 tsp nutmeg (freshly ground is best, of course)
pinch of sea salt
3/4 cup almonds
1/2 cup cashews
6 tbsp vegetable oil (I use canola)**
6 tbsp real maple syrup
cooking spray
3/4 cup coconut shavings (unsweetened)
1/2 cup craisins (or chopped dates, or raisins)

Preheat oven to 300. Combine flakes, oats, flaxseed, spices, salt, and nuts in a bowl and sir. Drizzle in oil and syrup, stir to coat. Spread a sheet of parchment paper over a baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Spread mixture evenly over the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and stir. Bake another 10 minutes, stir. Bake 5 minutes, stir. Add coconut. Bake 5 minutes. Remove. Add craisins.
The granola should be golden, but not brown and not completely dried out.
Sprinkle on yogurt, or just eat plain. Enjoy.

* pretty sure I use way more than this, I never measure my spices (really helpful side note, huh?)

** I have started using just 4 tbsp of olive oil instead, and the taste has definitely improved, plus it's better for you. I also no longer use cooking spray or parchment paper because my awesome husband got me Calaphon baking sheets for Christmas, which I swear by. They make all cookies etc so much easier.

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When life gives you unripe melon, make fruit salad.

"Fruit's a gamble; I know that goin' in." -Jerry Seinfeld
       So true. I am so frustrated every time I come home from the store and, despite all my slapping and tapping and acting like I know how to pick a ripe melon, I cut it open to find it is tough and tasteless. But, it's not like I'm going to return it, so I attempt to use it anyway. First, I give it to my son, James. Who knows? Maybe he will like it?
      He picks up a little piece with his now-mastered pincher grasp and cautiously places it in his mouth. He gums it for a second, looks up at me with a furrowed brow, and spits it out onto his shirt. He then avoids the rest of the melon pieces in front of him and concentrates on the more important foods, like cheese. I can't say I blame him.
     I then try to give it to my dog, Sadie. She wasn't born yesterday either. After she chews and spits out a couple of pieces, I sigh and decide that I must find a way to use the melon.
     So, I made a delicious fruit salad. The key is to mince the melon into small enough pieces that you will never scoop up a bite of only melon. I didn't measure any of the ingredients, but here is a rough estimate:

• 1/2 mango, diced
• 1/4 of an unripe melon, minced
• 1 cup diced strawberries
• 1 cup diced pineapple
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• zest of 1 lime

For a twist, add finely minced chipotle or another smokey pepper to mango, pineapple, and melon. Enjoy.

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