spinach salad with baked tofu

For the tofu:

2 teaspoons soy sauce
approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
approximately 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons water (or vegetable broth)
3 tablespoons white wine
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed

For better results, pressing the tofu in this recommended. Not necessary, but I didn't and it could have come out better if I had. Mix all of the ingredients and put some of it into a small pan. Add your tofu (cut however you'd like it), spread in a single layer, then pour the rest of the mixture over the tofu. Cover with foil and bake at 400F for 30 minutes. Flip the tofu over then bake with the foil removed for 20 minutes longer. In the end, broil for 2-3 minutes on each side. Let the tofu cool some first if serving on salad.

The marinade comes out surprisingly sweet which was a wonderful contrast to the balsamic vinegar dressing we made. I served it over a salad of baby spinach with a pita on the side :)

feta piadini

Still trying even more new piadini topping combinations. Sautéed sliced mushrooms, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and Greek black olives. Topped with feta instead of Parmesan. So good, but so so filling! This is one piadini you must try.

mushroom piadini with lemon zest

After a visit to the doctor two weeks ago, I found out I might have a pre-ulcer condition. The results came back negative, but while we were waiting for the news, I decided to stay away from anything acidic that might upset my stomach, aka, the most beloved tomatoes. But anyone who knows me and Jason knows how piadini-obsessed we are, and we weren't going to let this get in the way of that! We decided to try a new topping. We've talked about new toppings before, but we just couldn't bring ourselves to have a piadini without that wonderful marinated tomato topping that we love so much. I am so glad that we finally pushed ourselves to try something new because these are amazing!

I've posted the recipe before, but I'll post it again for those who have missed it. We've since cut it down to half the size, but we still make this into 4, so there are 4 much smaller piadinis. Much cuter, and easier to handle on the stove. We've also switched to using King Arthur's white wheat flour instead of all purpose in an attempt to eat more whole wheat. This flavor is much better than using all regular whole wheat, and is healthier than using part whole wheat and part all purpose. If you don't have any on hand, you can use all purpose flour or half white and half wheat (using whole wheat flour, you may need to add slightly more water)

Piadini Sponge Ingredients:
1 tsp yeast (active dry or instant)
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup white wheat flour

Piadini Dough Ingredients:
sponge
3/4 cup white wheat flour
1/4 cup + up to 2 tablespoons warm water
1/4 tsp salt (optional)

Combine all the sponge ingredients and stir with a wooden or plastic spoon. Let it sit uncovered at room temperature for about 30 minutes. The sponge should start to grow slightly and have bubbles when it's ready.

Add to this bowl the wheat flour and 1/4 cup water. Add up to 2 tablespoons more water if the dough is too dry. It should be sticky yet manageable, with just enough water to pull all the flour together. The salt is optional. Jason stopped using salt in the piadinis and hasn't found that they taste or feel any different, so we don't add it. Why add extra salt to our diets if it isn't necessary?

Turn the dough onto a VERY well floure surface. Jason finds that using whole wheat flour for this step produces the best texture. Knead until the dough is soft but no longer sticky, about 6-7 minutes. If the dough starts tearing easily when you knead it, you've gone too long. Place the dough in a well oiled bowl, covered, for 45 minutes. While the dough is rising, you can prepare the topping:

Piadini Topping Ingredients:
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (or more! add as much as you want! or at least, how much can fit)
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
zest of half a medium lemon
a pinch of flour

Shred the mozzarella, divide it into 4 pieces and set it aside. In butter (or oil if you prefer), cook the garlic for about one minute. I like do this slightly below medium so that the garlic doesn't start to brown. Add the mushrooms and a little bit of salt and pepper. Cook until they're soft. Stir in the lemon zest and cook for about 1 minute. If the ingredients in the pan are too watery, don't drain off the water. Just add a pinch of flour and stir to thicken the juices.

To make the piadini, divide the dough into 4 pieces. Working one at a time, flatten the ball of dough into a thin circle (it will puff up more when cooking) on wax paper or a silicone mat to keep from sticking to the counter. Place on a pre-heated skillet on medium heat, and flaten more with the back of your spatula. Add shredded mozzarella and continue flattening that down some. Check for the texture of the piadini to determine if it's done. It should feel firm, yet soft when you press it with your finger. You may need to turn the heat up or down some depending on if it's starting to burn too easily or if it's not cooking fast enough. They usually cook in 4-6 minutes each. Once it's done, move to a plate and add 1/4 of the mushroom mixture to one side of the piadini. Add some freshly grated parmesan and fold in half. Keep it in a warm oven while you cook the rest.

The lemon in this is just enough to give a fresh contrast to the mushrooms, but not too much that it's overpowering. Of course, almost anything would be wonderful on dough like this. Please share any other topping ideas you might have :)

homemade semolina pata with lemon sauce and parmesan

The sauce for this is so simple. Melt 2 tbsp butter with 2 tbsp olive oil. Once the butter has melted, add 2 medium cloves of minced garlic. Saute for about 1 minute. Add the zest and juice of 2 lemons and cook until slightly reduced. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with parmesan.

mini piadini with cucumber salad

Recently, we've found out that making the piadinis with King Arthur's White Wheat flour is the best. It adds some complexity (and nutrients!) to the flavor of the bread, but without taking away from the taste of the tomato mixture like when using whole wheat flour. Plus, the wheat dough is much easier to handle when rolling them out. We've also started making them smaller. They fit better in the pan this way, making them easier to cook. Plus, they're just cute. For a side, we had cucumber salad.

For the cucumber salad, cut a very thin slice of onion and separate the rings. Place them in a bowl with white vinegar and fresh ground black pepper. Add to that the cucumber slices and marinate for about 1 hour, stirring once or twice. The onions infuse into the vinegar and then into cucumbers, giving it a more complex flavor without it tasting too strongly of onion. I take the onions out, but you can eat them with the salad if you want :)

Christmas in New Mexico means food & family

For the last 7 days, Jason and I have been in New Mexico for Christmas. To me, New Mexico means two things: food and family. Christmas morning, my auntie, her husband and 4 daughters, all of my cousin's kids, and everyone's husbands, boyfriends, and fiancés come to see my grandma, mom, me, and Jason (the newest to join the family). During Christmas in New Mexico, every house has posole, tamales, and of course, red chili. Jason's family couldn't understand why we serve this instead of a "traditional" Christmas meal... this is our tradition!

The posole and tamales can't be made without meat, but when I first became vegetarian, my mom worked to make a vegetarian version of New Mexican red chili. The chili is different than what most people outside of New Mexico think of as chili. It's more like a sauce instead of a soupy tomato-based mixture of vegetables and meat.

The chili powder is the key to making this dish; it's made from New Mexican chilis which are dried then ground to a powder. The more seeds that are left in, the hotter the chili powder. This is used instead of fresh or canned whole chilis. When making the chili, traditionally, you start with either chunks of pork or a pound of ground beef, cooked in a cast-iron pan. You make a roux by adding flour and New Mexican chili powder which combines with the fat from the meat, then add water and let simmer until thickened.

To make my vegetarian version, I start with butter or oil in a sauce pan, then add the flour, chili powder, and garlic (fresh or powdered). The recipe is rough because it's one I learned from sight, and I doubt any measurement I could write down would be accurate. If you're trying this, just use your senses and add more or less of what you think for it to come out how you want it.

Vegetarian New Mexican Red Chili

4 tbsp butter or oil (I use a mixture of both)
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp New Mexican chili powder (or more for a stronger flavor and more heat)
3/4 -1 tsp garlic powder
4 cups vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste

extras:
1 cup Morningstar Meal Starters Recipe Crumbles
1 can beans (pinto or black), drained and rinsed
1 potato, peeled, diced, and pan fried


Combine the butter or oil, flour, chili powder, and garlic powder in a saucepan and whisk until the flour is cooked, 1-2 minutes. If you've added more chili powder, add more butter so that the consistency is smooth, not lumping. Add the vegetable broth, salt, and pepper, and whisk constantly, scraping the edges of the pan to combine all of the roux. Continue stirring until the sauce begins to thicken. It wont thicken much, but if you like your chili thicker, like a sauce, add up to 1 tbsp. corn starch dissolved in water. Don't add the cornstarch directly to the chili or it'll lump.

When the chili is thickened and done, you can add extra ingredients which make up for the lack of meat. If adding the recipe crumbles, add them first because they have to warm from being frozen, then add the remaining ingredients. I usually use only recipe crumbles and pinto beans, but you can add the potatoes or any other combination you can think of. Just, please - no cilantro!

Serve with shredded cheddar (mild or medium), and corn chips, or on its own with Spanish rice on the side. It can also be used as an accent to other dishes like burritos or served with breakfast on top of fried eggs and fried potatoes.

roasted butternut squash with sage

i've never had butternut squash before, in fact i don't think i've ever cooked any other squash besides zucchini and yellow squash, but when our plans to make butternut squash risotto with sage and parmesan didn't work out, i was left with a butternut squash i didn't want to waste.

i cut the squash into quarters then scooped out the seeds and insides with a spoon. spray or brush the quarters with olive oil then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and rubbed sage. before baking, place 1/2 tbsp butter in each of the hollowed holes. bake for 40-45 minutes (or until tender) at 400 degrees.

while the squash bakes, the butter and sage infuse and begins to soak into the squash leaving the center tender and extremely flavorful. there should still be a small puddle of butter in the center, use this as a dipping cup while you eat the squash - just a tiny dab of butter is enough! when you get to the center, the squash just melts in your mouth.

lemon chickpea soup

4 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6-7 cups vegetable broth
zest and juice of 1 large lemon (or 2 small)
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 tsp dried rosemary
salt to taste

combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. let simmer for 50 minutes to 1 hour. blend the soup in a blender, and serve with a bit of olive oil and shredded parmesan.

this is practically hummus soup!

oaffie's special mashed potatoes

these mashed potatoes are especially good in fall. a sprinkle of nutmeg balances the cream cheese and sour cream perfectly.

9 large baking potatoes
1 stick unsalted butter, soft
12 oz cream cheese
3/4 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Boil the potatoes and place them in a mixing bowl. Cut the cream cheese and butter into pieces and add to the potatoes. Beat with an electric mixer. Add the sour cream and continue beating until mixed and free of lumps. Serve with nutmeg sprinkled on top.

meatless meatballs

this is one of my favorite recipes that i've been making for years. a friend i used to know, sarah, gave it to me and can be used for so many things. meatballs, veggie burgers, or even meatloaf. the original recipe is wonderful on its own. something about it reminds me of fall, but normally i substitute a few things, making this completely different. the original recipe goes:

+ 1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
+ 4 cups ground cracker crumbs (like saltine crackers)
+ 1 large chopped onion
+ 6 eggs, beaten
+ 1 cup chopped walnuts

mix together and season with sage (or thyme, or cumin, or oregano). make into small balls the size of walnuts. roll in flour. brown in oil (sarah uses a pan and fries them, turning them so they get even).

yum.

when i make this recipe, i usually half the cheese and crackers. i use one pack of saltines and that's always enough. instead of walnuts, i use one portobello mushroom, chopped finely in a food processor. sometimes i add some chopped walnuts to give my dish extra protein. because of the extra moisture in the mushrooms, i find i only need to use 1-3 eggs. add 1 egg at a time until the mixture sticks together and can be formed into balls, patties, or loaves.

i also find it helps to refrigerate the mixture a little while. the cheese will melt slower and you have less chance of cheese escaping the wall of browned flour coating and burning on your pan. the meatloaf of this recipe also goes very well with sarah's special mashed potatoes (recipe coming soon!)

lemon & broccoli pasta

i never exactly introduced this blog. mostly because no one reads it, also because not even i'm sure what i'm doing with it. i'm not exactly a blog person, but i decided to make one for myself... to write anything going on in my life. well it turns out, most of what's going on in my life is what i'm cooking.

right now i'm trying to save up for culinary school (very unsuccessfully), but in the meantime i'm experimenting in the kitchen for myself. i hope to be a baker one day, so most of my interest is in baking, especially breads, but i also try a lot of other foods. it's fun to experiment in a kitchen without meat. i try to make my dishes creative yet simple... delicious though inexpensive.

this lemon broccoli pasta is what we made last night. it's very simple to make but the flavors blend so perfectly. it's the first time we've made it but it will not be the last. i love making a type of pasta on sunday night so that there'll be leftovers for lunch the next day.

the sauce is simple. melt about 2 tbsp butter with 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a large sauce pan, then saute 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced, in it. add the zest of 1 large (or 2 small) lemons, then the juice. combine with your pasta and steamed broccoli then top with fresh grated parmesan.

whole wheat pita

i love it when i make a bread that's new to me and it comes out even better than i expected! i don't think we'll ever be needing to buy pitas from the grocery anymore. fresh out of the oven, we topped them with a layer of hummus then a mixture of sauteed spinach and mushrooms with mozzarella (also so good with feta) then baked a few minutes to melt the cheese).

this recipe is from the king arthur whole wheat bread book.

1 1/4 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups bread flour or all purpose flour

dissolve the yeast in the water. combine with all remaining ingredients and knead until soft - about 8 minutes. let rise about 1 1/2 hours, covered. divide dough into 8 balls. let rise 10 minutes covered while oven preheats to 450 degrees.

roll into 6 inch circles (1/4 inch thick). bake 3-4 minutes each. if your oven is uneven, turn once mid-way.

garlic knots

i thought i'd make some breadsticks tonight to go along with our pizza, but breadsticks turned into garlic knots, and of course, now these are one of my favorite things ever.

i used the recipe i made for breadstsicks except i used 1/4 tsp yeast and let it sit longer (about 3-4 hours). mainly, i let it sit so long because i was concerned it wasn't rising, but it turns out it doesn't need to rise up very much. you want it to feel soft when you poke it, but not much else. they rise more while in the oven.

after letting it rise, i cut the dough into 8 pieces then rolled them out and tied them into knots. don't work the dough too much or it'll absorb the oil from when it was sitting in the bowl rising. toss the garlic knots with garlic powder, fresh ground sea salt, basil, and whatever other spice or seasoning you would like to add.

here are the breadsticks before:




and after:

black bean soup

this has become a staple in our house because it's so easy to make and take for lunch. we usually make it the night before and store it in the fridge or freezer.

2 cups vegetable broth
2 cans black beans
seasonings
1 tbsp red chili powder
shredded cheese
sour cream

mash or grind in a food processor 1 can of black beans (with the water). combine with the broth and other can of black beans (with the water). add the seasonings (i use salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. you could use salsa instead of red pepper flakes or fresh minced garlic if you prefer) and red chili powder. if you know anything about how i cook mexican food, you know i use only new mexican chili powder. it has a unique flavor and i can't imagine using anything else, but you can use whichever kind you'd like.

let the soup simmer over low to medium-low heat for at least one hour or until it's the consistency you like it to be. if you're keeping it in the fridge overnight, leave it a little less thick than you want it because it'll thicken more overnight. top with cheese and sour cream.

puppy piadinis

ok, this is obsessive, i know. but i had the idea and i had to try it. it's way easy, especially compared to the real piadinis, which take a long time and has dough that's hard to handle.

1/4 c. wheat flour
a pinch of baking powder
2 tbsp water
2 small slices of cheese
dog treats, crumbled

in a small bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. stir in the water until all the flour is wet and the dough comes together. cut in half and make 2 small, flat rounds of dough. place on a skillet over medium heat, add a slice of cheese to each round, and press the piadinis down with the back of a spatula to help flatten them. i used cheddar because i thought it would be more flavorful for the pup than mozzarella. feel the top of the dough to determine when it's fully cooked. it should be soft but not squishy.

when the piadinis are ready, remove them from the skillet and add the crumbled dog treats. i used these mini steak-shaped training treats we got from petsmart that feta loves. but i might try crumbled milk bones next time.

veggie pot pie

this was sooo simple. much easier than buying little pot pie pans and doing the whole top crust bottom crust thing. i just thickened veggie broth with cornstarch (dissolved in a little water before adding to the broth) then added some frozen veggies (also supercheap... it's budgeting time) that i sauteed in 1 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp olive oil and a clove of garlic minced.

the crust recipe was from the Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Parties! and was really incredibly good. sort of flaky like the pie crust i grew up with, but much easier to handle. though this recipe will never replace my trusty pie crust, i can see myself using this one especially when i'm lacking time or just don't feel like dealing with a finicky crust.

puppy pup pup muffins

feta loves these muffins so much. when ever he sees me going to get one for him, he'll be perfectly obedient until it's his. and i love making them for him... they're healthy treats that give variety to his diet and they're vegetarian (i have no problems with feeding him dog food and treats with meat in them, but there's no way i'm buying meat and handling it to make homemade pup treats!). even our pup, who has a sensitive stomach, can handle these. but of course, watch out for any allergic reactions your dog might have to any of the ingredients. i did a step-by-step picture thing with this one... mostly out of boredom.

1 c oat flour or unbleached whole wheat flour
1/2 c. rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 egg
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp oil (canola or sunflower)
1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. skim milk

Preheat your oven to 425. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, rolled oats, cinnamon, and baking soda.



In a smaller bowl, mix together the egg, honey, and oil. I find it helps to warm the honey a little first.



Mix the milk into the flour mixture, then add the egg mixture. Scoop the mixture into a mini muffin pan (or regular sized muffin pan... we use the mini muffin pan because they make for a good sized treat for a small dog).



Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before giving to your dog.



Makes 18 mini muffins. Store leftover muffins in the freezer for freshness, and microwave for 5-9 seconds each to thaw. Remember, when feeding these to your pup, adjust their diet so as not to overfeed (though, once feta has one of these, he has no interest at all in his puppy food!)

crusty on the outside, soft on the inside

it feels like months since i started my mission to alter my bread recipe to crusty & soft perfection, and now i finally have a success. All bread recipes i've tried before were either wonderfully crusty yet too dense inside, or incredibly soft inside.... but also soft outside :| I finally got a good balance, tweaked it a bit more, and voila! i can't imagine wanting to buy a loaf of bread from the grocery store ever again. This is for one loaf of bread, but you can easily double it.


what you'll need:
1 c. warm water
2 tbsp honey (or granulated sugar)
1 tsp active dry yeast
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2/3 c. whole wheat flour
2 - 2 1/3 cup all purpose flour
corn meal
1 eggwhite
1 tbsp water


Begin by dissolving the honey or sugar in 1/2 c warm water. Add the yeast and stir until mixed. Let the mixture sit to proof until the yeast becomes creamy and foamy.

After the yeast has proofed, mix in the salt and vegetable oil. Mix the wheat flour then 2 cups white flour 1/2 c. at a time. Knead in the last 1/2 cup of white flour on your work surface. If the dough is too soft to form, add up to 1/3 c. flour.

Place in a well oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise 3 times (for 45 minutes to 1 hour each), each time, deflating the dough and turning over. The last rise is optional.

After the last rise, knead lightly to get rid of trapped gas bubbles and shape onto a pan sprinkled with corn meal. Cover and let rise another hour.

When your bread is ready to bake, make an egg glaze with the egg white and water and brush onto the top of your bread. Make a few slits along the top with a sharp knife. Bake the bread on the bottom rack of an oven pre-heated to 425 for 25-30 minutes. To give more moisture, and make the bread crustier, either place a pan filled with water in the oven while the bread bakes -or- spray the bread with a clean water bottle filled with water before placing it in the oven, then again halfway through baking.

chai milkshake

best viewed large!

omgosh, this was so good! and so simple too... i got the idea off of the craftster.org dessert forum, and it was so so wonderful. also too easy. just mix about 1/2 cup chai tea with 3 scoops vanilla ice cream (more chai for creamier milkshake, less for thicker) in a blender. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

The person who posted this used liquid concentrate Oregon Chai, but because I didn't have that, I just made the chai with half the amount of water then chilled it.

eggplant & spinach lasagne

i've never made lasagne before and i have no idea why! this was insanely easy (though slightly time consuming). I made a quick marinara sauce (cheating and using a can of tomato sauce), and added some frozen spinach and leftover broiled eggplant cut into chunks. I start by sauteeing the yellow onion (diced finely) in vegetable oil over medium heat until they turn clear and start to carmelize. In the last minute or so of cooking the oinons, add minced garlic. Add the tomato sauce and tomatoes and let simmer. Add the eggplant and spinach (sauteed to remove moisture).

For the eggplant, I cut them into circles about 1/2 inch thick or thinner. Sprinkle with kosher salt and let them sit for at least 20 minutes. The salt pulls out some of the moisture in the eggplant which is bitter. Mine were broiled (coat in olive oil, broil 10 minutes, flip and broil on the other side for 15 minutes) which i think gives it a deeper flavor, but they should do fine if you just sautee them on each side for a few minutes.

The cheese mixture is simple. Mix the ricotta and half of the mozzarella with 1 egg. For the lasagne noodles, because the sauce is a tiny bit watery, i only cooked the noodles a little more than halfway (if the package says cook for 9 minutes, cook for abotu 5 or 6).

First, put a tiny bit of sauce in the bottom of the caserole dish to coat the bottom. Then place 3-4 noodles in the pan, overlapping a little bit. Spread a thick layer of cheese on top of the noodles, then another layer of sauce. Add more noddles, and repeat until the dish is full. The last layer should be tomato sauce followed by the other half of the mozzarella, and a little parmesan.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 425, then another 10 with the foil off. You should probably let the lasagne cool a little before cutting, but if you can't wait, i understand! this stuff is yummm!


the sauce ingredients
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 - 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large can of tomato sauce
2 medium sized tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 tsp sugar
salt
pepper
basil
oregano
red pepper flakes
1 eggplant, salted, rinsed, broiled, and cut
cut spinach, sauteed over medium heat to reduce moisture

the cheese mixture ingredients
15 oz ricotta cheese
1/4 lb mozzarella, shredded
1 egg


the topping:
1/4 lb mozzarella, shredded
parmesan cheese