avocado toast

 This never excited me until I got some excellent garlic powder from locally grown garlic.  Yum!

• toast 1 thick slice of homemade sourdough
• mash 1/2 perfectly ripe avocado
• add a sprinkle of sea salt
• add a dash of garlic powder

And enjoy! 

sweet potato pie ("vegetable protein dish")

 Looking for less sugar always, this is what I've come up with:

• 1.5 pounds sweet potatoes cooked (so a bit more raw)
• 2 T butter
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. milk (any percent, half & half, evaporated, etc.)
• a bit of salt
• 1tsp+ vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• mace or cardamom or other spices
• 2 eggs

Bake sweet potatoes (about 3 medium) for about 55 minutes at 425 degrees.  Allow to cool and peel.

Blend sweet potatoes in a food processor.  Add butter and blend some more.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend together.

Bake in uncooked pie crust* at 350 for about 55 minutes.

*I want to figure out a nicer pie crust than usual ones, which don't excite me.  Graham cracker crust?  Shortbread? 

sweet potato hash

This was a very tasty way to use up bits and bobs.

Ingredients

• sweet potatoes or white potatoes (I used 1 medium sweet and 2 smaller white)
• onion chopped
• kale or other vegetables (used about 2 c. worth)
• a meat that will render fat (had a lovely chorizo a friend gifted me)
• garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper

Dice potatoes and boil about 15 minutes. 

Cook meat and render fat; remove.

Cook potatoes in the fat for about 15 minutes, season.  Remove.

Saute onion and kale.  Then add back in the other ingredients.

Would be lovely with an avocado on top, but the one I had was not good.

minestrone

 OMG, this was so good.  I think I sauteed it just right because it smelled and tasted amazing.  The only bummer was the macaroni I used - next time will try something better.  Putting what I did below and in italics what I didn't from the recipe here. 

 

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium ribs celery, chopped
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 2 cups chopped seasonal vegetables (potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, butternut squash, green beans or peas all work) - I used one zucchini and one potato
  
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with their liquid (or 2 small 15-ounce cans)
• 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 bay leaves
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup whole grain orecchiette, elbow or small shell pasta
• 1 can (15 ounces) Great Northern beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked beans
• 2 cups baby spinach, chopped kale or chopped collard greens
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnishing (optional)

Instructions

1. Warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened and the onions are turning translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes.
2. Add the seasonal vegetables, garlic, oregano and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.
3. Pour in the diced tomatoes and their juices, broth and water. Add the salt, bay leaves and red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
4. Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot with the lid, leaving about a 1” gap for steam to escape. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.
5. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and add the pasta, beans and greens. Continue simmering, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the the pasta is cooked al dente and the greens are tender.
6. Remove the pot from the heat, then remove the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Taste and season with more salt (I usually add about ¼ teaspoon more) and pepper until the flavors really sing. Garnish bowls of soup with grated Parmesan, if you’d like.

 

cucumber sesame peanut salad

 Cucumbers were on sale and I wanted a new flavor.  This was very good! (I'm making it almost every week now.  It's that good.) 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar 
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil (or chili garlic sauce?)
  
• 1/4 crushed red pepper 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 2 large cucumbers 
• 3 green onions 
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts 

Instructions

• In a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, crushed red pepper, and salt. Set the dressing aside.
• Peel and slice the cucumber. Place the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl.
• Chop the peanuts into smaller pieces. Slice the green onions.
• Add the peanuts, green onions, and dressing to the sliced cucumbers. Stir to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat. Give the salad a brief stir before serving to redistribute the dressing and flavors.

sandwich spread - "vegan tuna"

 This is tasty and I look forward to seeing effects (does it upset my stomach? does it satisfy me for hours or am I hungry again right away?), other ingredients, etc

How I made it

Mix together:

• 1 jar canned garbanzos, rinsed and drained and mostly mashed
• 1/4 c. or so red onion
• 1/4 c. or so celery
  
• 3 T. tahini 
• 1 T. maple syrup
• 1 tsp or so mustard
• 2 pepperoncini, minced
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• tortilla chip crumbs
  

Serve on toasted bread.  (This will be great on sauerkraut bread) 

Other ingredients that they added instead of what I did:

•  1/4 c. diced pickles
• 1 tsp. capers
• sunflower seeds (wish I had some to add)

There are so many other tasty possibilities as well.  This may become a staple.  

 

sauerkraut potato pierogi

 This was a moderate amount of work for a few meals worth.  Definitely more of a weekend (Christmas) production than a weeknight.  Pretty tasty and I look forward to trying them reheated fried in butter.  

Start with the dough (from here). 

Heat together, not quite to boiling

• 280 mL (1 c. + 2.5 Tbsp) water
• 3 T butter 
  

Mix together:

• 4 cups (500 g. ) flour`
• 1 tsp. (4 g) salt

Add heated water/butter and stir it in, the knead it for at least five minutes.  Cover and let sit an hour.

Make filling:

• potatoes (I boiled three russets then mashed and added some butter and milk and pepper)
• 1 c. sauerkraut (drained)

When the dough has rested, divide into about four parts.  Roll one out 1/8-1/16" thick cut in about 3" rounds with a glass.  Add filling, press edge together and crimp/fold.  Set on floured towel, covered with another towel until finished.

Boil water, add pierogi (7-8 in saucepan, or more).  After pierogi float (after several minutes), let them cook another 2 minutes or so, then remove with slotted spoon to colander and put butter on to prevent stick. They can be eaten as such, or fried a few minutes in butter in a pan, topped with carmelized onions, bacon, sour cream, etc. 

Note: if there is dough leftover, they can be stuffed with jam and eaten with powdered sugar.

I've frozen some uncooked and some cooked, to do a taste test comparison.