cocoa hemp hearts bites

 I somehow convinced myself to get a very large bag of hemp hearts at Costco, and I need to use them up.  So, this recipe for cocoa hemp hearts bites caught my attention.  They're quite tasty, especially with the cocoa doubled and adding some vanilla and salt.  I like the coconut taste and texture, and the peanut butter is there but not overwhelming.  I made about 26 of them, which I'll freeze and take out from time to time to keep a stash in the fridge when I'm wanting a treat.  

Cocoa Hemp Heart Bites

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup hemp hearts

10 - 12 pitted dates

1/2 cup flaked or shredded coconut

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp vanilla

a bit of salt if the nut butter is unsalted

1 cup peanut butter (or alternate nut butter) 

Using a food processor or heavy duty blender, blend together the oats, hemp hearts, coconut, and cocoa.  Next add the dates, vanilla, and salt, pulsing until they break down. Add the peanut butter and pulse until well incorporated.  You should end up with a thick dough.

 

Roll the dough into small balls (bites!), and freeze or refrigerate. 

tofu nuggets

 My favorite part of this recipe is that it's very fast to prepare.  No tofu pressing, chopping, etc.  Just ripping and seasoning.  But that leads to my least favorite part - it's not very flavorful.  It needs dipping sauces or something.  Maybe I undersalted, but it was very bland, and I'm a big nooch fan.  But I did like the little crunchy bits, so there's that, and I can probably season it better next time. Chili powder is probably a good idea. (Note: I like this even better reheated the next day in the toaster oven - the texture is nicely chewy.)

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 block (about 14 oz /400 grams) extra firm tofu
• ▢ 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ▢ ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder

INSTRUCTIONS

• Open the package of tofu. Drain off any excess water. Do not press or dry it.
• 
  
  With your hands, tear the tofu into irregular bite sized chunks and place in a bowl.
• 
  
  Add the seasonings and toss well to coat. Cook immediately. Don't let it sit.
• 
  
  To air fry - Grease the bottom of your air fryer basket with a little brush of oil. Add the tofu to the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook at 400°F (200°C) for 15 to 20 minutes or until super crunchy and golden, tossing halfway.
• To bake - Spread out on a lined baking tray and bake at 425°F (218°C) for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and crispy.

NOTES

Storing Leftovers - Store leftover nutritional yeast tofu in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It's great enjoyed cold or can be reheated in an air fryer or oven for a few minutes. 350°F for 10 mins in an oven or 350°F in an air fryer for 4 to 5 minutes.

simple sauteed greens

 Here's a recipe for simple sauteed greens that is ... ok.  I had some raab and erba stella that I picked up a few weeks ago at the farmers market, and i really needed to use it, and greens are always good.  But this wasn't very flavorful and needs some zhush.  I did add coconut amino acids and that was good.  And I was hungry and so I ate it.  But next time?  Maybe some gochujang.  

Ingredients

• greens (such as 1 head escarole, 1.25-1.5 lbs)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (or more)
• pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• salt to taste

Instructions

1.  Clean and chop the greens. 
   
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, place the oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for about a minute or until the garlic is sizzling. At the first sign of the garlic starting to color, add the greens, turn the heat to medium-high, and season with a pinch of salt. Use tongs to rearrange the greens in the skillet and to help them wilt down. (It won't take long - escarole is only about two minutes, and the erba stella and raab wasn't much more than that)
3. Remove the skillet from the heat. Let the greens cool briefly. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. 
   

tahini dressing

 This tahini dressing is quite tasty and I'm using it on various things.  I very much like the Trader Joe's tahini.  It does make a LOT, so reducing is probably a good idea.  

Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup tahini
• 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp maple syrup or honey
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons ice-cold water, more as needed

Instructions

1. In a liquid measuring cup or jar, combine the olive oil, tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup, salt, and several twists of black pepper. Whisk until thoroughly blended.
2. Add the cold water, and whisk again. The dressing should become remarkably creamy. Taste, and add more lemon juice (for zing) and pepper, if desired. If your dressing is too thick to drizzle, whisk in more cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Serve!
3. This dressing will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 1 week. It may thicken with time; simply thin it with a little more cool water as needed.

rishtayeh - lentils with pasta

 When I asked friends what their favorite lentil recipes are, I got a heap of wonderful ideas.  One, whose husband is Palestinian and they often visit in Jordan, said rushtayeh, which set me on a search and I found this recipe.  It differs from my friend's in several ways - she also fries garlic for the top, she uses brown lentils instead of red, and she uses homemade frozen pasta or dumplings instead of dried pasta.  But it was tasty this way, too!  This recipe only really made two servings of a big bowl as a dinner, so if I make it again I will probably triple it to have plenty to share.  

Red Split Lentils with Pasta (Rishtayeh) عدس رشتاية

Ingredients:

• 1 cup split lentils (red lentils - or another kind)
• ¾ cup pasta (we used pappardelle from Trader Joe's but homemade would be better)
• 4 cups boiled water (or broth)
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric

For garnish:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 yellow onion chopped
• 1 small onion (red or yellow), to serve raw mixed with sumac
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• handful of parsley

Instructions:

1. Add chopped yellow onions to heated olive oil, continue with occasional stirring and until onions are fried.
2. Rinse lentils and cover with boiled water and let it boil for 10 minutes
3. Add salt, cumin, and turmeric.
4. Add squarely chopped pasta over the mix and stir together, lower heat and let it simmer.
5. Pour whatever little olive oil left from fried onions over the pot and stir one more time.
6. Keep frequent stirring for another 8-10 minutes and until the pasta has softened and the mix looks pasty.
7. Pour into serving plates.
8. Decorate plates with parsley, onion with sumac, and fried onions.

 

roasted winter squash with lentils and feta

 This was really tasty and a great way to use up my larder of winter squash from my garden.  I made some changes (doubled the salad but kept same amount of dressing; substituted ACV for honey).  A comment on the cooking site suggested serving this over a salad green and a grain like farro, and that sounds like a very good idea for next time! 

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 1 cup black or green lentils
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 2-3 pound butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons roasted, salted pumpkin seeds

For the Dressing

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, toasted
• ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pick any debris from the lentils, then rinse the lentils under running water. Transfer them to a medium saucepan, then add the cinnamon, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt.

2. Step 2

   Add enough water to cover everything by 1 inch. Bring the water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and let simmer until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain the lentils, discard the cinnamon and garlic, then transfer the lentils to a large bowl.

3. Step 3

   While the lentils cook, prepare the squash: Trim and discard the top and bottom ends of the squash. Peel the squash, halve it lengthwise, and remove and discard the strings and seeds. Slice the squash crosswise ¼-inch thick and place the pieces on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

4. Step 4

   Roast the squash until completely tender, slightly caramelized and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Once cool, add to the lentils.

5. Step 5

   While the squash cooks, prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, honey, cumin, cayenne and black pepper. Taste and season to taste with salt.

6. Step 6

   Sprinkle the feta, scallions and pumpkin seeds over the lentils and squash. Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the dressing over the lentils and squash. Serve warm or at room temperature, with the remaining dressing on the side.

bulgur and garbanzos

 This dish was quite tasty though I will cut the bulgur next time (too much for the amount of other ingredients).  I had some garbanzos to use up, and this hit the mark.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup medium #2 bulgur wheat
• 1 can chickpeas 15 ounce can, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup pine nuts
• 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from ½ a lemon
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ cup chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C.
• Bring water to a boil, add 1 teaspoon salt and a tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in bulgur. Remove from heat.
• Cover with a light-fitting lid and let stand, until all the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• In an ovenproof skillet, combine chickpeas, pine nuts, onion, oil, lemon juice, cumin, turmeric, paprika and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Stir over medium high heat until it starts to sizzle (a few minutes). Then transfer to the oven and roast for 18 – 20 minutes. (Check at 15 minutes if your oven runs hot)
• Remove from oven and stir in the bulgur. Add the parsley (and mint, if using).
• Stir to combine and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve warm.

canned apple crisp

Apple crisp made with canned apples, recipe from here.  I didn't want to use butter (it's expensive and I don't have a lot) but I wanted to use up some apples I'd canned a summer or two ago.  This hit the spot with some yogurt.

(Here's another one I'll try next time: https://texashomesteader.com/recipe-apple-crumble-dessert-from-home-canned-apples/) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Empty 1 quart jar of apples into pan.  Drain partially.  (The recipe said not to drain, but that was too much liquid)

In a small bowl combine:

• 2 T lemon juice
• 2 T sour cream
• 1 T honey
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of salt, and then add
• 60 grams oats (2/3 cup-ish) 

 Spread oat mixture over the top of the apples.  Bake for 25 minutes covered, then remove foil and bake another 10 minutes.

farro white beans roasted and green vegetables salad

I just made a huge salad based on this, with a lot of modification, and it's very good.  And it's really huge so I'll be sharing a lot.  I'll eat it for breakfast throughout the week.  

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup farro, cooked
• 2 large carrots cut into matchsticks
• 2 large leeks in1/4" slices 
• crushed red peppers
• olive oil
• small head radicchio, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper chopped (I used roasted red pepper)
• 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (I used sundried tomatoes, maybe 1/4 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• fresh parsley
• fresh thyme (or dried)
• juice of 1 lemon  
• salt and pepper
  
• 3 cup salad greens (I used erba stella)
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta 
• nuts for serving 
  

Cook farro.  Toss carrots and leeks with 1 T oil and some red peppers, roast at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. 

Into large bowl: radicchio, pepper, tomatoes, beans.  Add roasted vegetable and farro.

Into small bowl: lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, thyme.  Stir into vegetables.  Add greens and cheese. 

I sprinkled with some pistachios, will also be good with chopped almonds or pecans.

what's for breakfast?

 I really struggle with breakfast foods.  I am adamant about not eating sweet breakfasts because I know that messes with me and ruins my whole day.  I don't understand people who can eat oatmeal - that makes me so hungry so soon.  (It's tasty how I make it, with an apple and cinnamon and no sweetener, with some whole milk, but it does not sustain me.)  I need protein, but I don't care for meats, and eggs in the  morning wreak havoc on my digestive system for some reason I haven't figured out.  Yogurt with fruit doesn't sustain me.  

The only thing that has consistently worked for me is a slice of whole grain sourdough toast with cheese.   Then I found some not very expensive whole grain pitas at Trader Joe's with five grams of fiber in each, no preservatives or weird additives, and I slap some cheese on them (no need for butter) and call it good.  But I'd rather not eat so much cheese.  Sometimes is fine, but every day as a staple?  That's a lot.  

A dear friend from Australia was here visiting recently and she said that her go-to is to make several salads for the week that she eats each day for lunch.  I'm intrigued by this idea and have been implementing it, focusing on plant-based proteins such as legumes and quinoa, with various vegetables. 

So recently I've been stuffing the whole wheat pita with one of those salads for breakfast, and that has worked out great!  It's a quick meal to prepare, and I like getting some vegetables with breakfast, and heaps of fiber and protein.  This morning has some mint and that is a lovely morning flavor I'm not accustomed to.  

We'll see how long this works out for me!  Here's hoping that Trader Joe's keeps the pitas around a long time; I can make my own but they don't always poof up.  They are good from the counter for a few days and then I put them in the freezer and lightly toast to thaw them. 

Jennifer Aniston's salad?

 I keep running across iterations of a salad that Jennifer Aniston was reputed to have eaten daily while filming Friends.  I have no idea the authenticity of any of them, but it seems a quite good idea to throw together some legumes, a grain, herbs, vegetables, nuts or seeds, and feta.  

Here's what I plan to make this week, having indulged in purchasing some pistachios and finding tasty Persian cucumbers on sale.  I'll put other versions below to have in one place for future reference.  If I could find a nutritious and tasty salad that I could eat every day of the week, I would be ecstatic.  Update: this is really good.  It's not cheap (pistachios? fresh herbs? etc.) but I think it's worth it.  Things to consider: if I'm still liking it on day #5 (I just made it) and how satisfying it is or if I need to eat it with something else for it to stick on my ribs.

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa or bulgar wheat
•  2 cups water
•  1 cup cucumber, chopped
•  ½ cup parsley, chopped
•  ½ cup mint, chopped
•  ⅓ cup red onion, chopped
•  ½ cup roasted and salted pistachios, chopped (I think almonds would be just as good)
•  1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or lentils?)
•  2 lemons, juiced (about 5-6 Tablespoons)
•  ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste  
•  ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions 

• Rinse and drain quinoa. Add quinoa and water to a small pot and bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool for 5-10 minutes. 
• In a medium bowl, stir together cooked quinoa, cucumber, parsley, mint, red onion, pistachios, chickpeas, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and feta.
• Serve immediately or let the salad chill in the fridge a couple hours before serving.Store salad in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. 
  

   ****Here is another version. Ingredients 1 cup uncooked green lentils, rinsed wellsea salt3 cups water3 T lemon juice (1 lemon)3 T extra virgin olive oil1 small red onion, finely diced1 cup Persian cucumbers 1/4 cup chopped parsley2 scallions, chopped 2 T chopped mint2 T chopped Kalamata olives1/4 cup feta 

Directions

    In a large saucepan, combine the lentils, ½ teaspoon salt, and water.
    Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
    Turn the heat to low and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the lentils are soft but still slightly firm. Do not overcook the lentils or they will become mushy.
    While the lentils are cooking, whisk together the lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and olive oil in a large bowl.
    Mix the red onion, diced cucumber, parsley, scallions, and mint into the dressing.
    Once the lentils are cooked, drain off any excess water.
    Add the lentils to the large bowl and toss until fully combined.
    Top with olives and, if desired, crumbled feta cheese to serve.

baby bok choy

 Baby bok choy recipe from here.  Quite tasty. 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoons water
• ½ tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon mirin, or ½ teaspoon honey (I deleted)
  
• ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 garlic clove, chopped (I used garlic powder)
  
• Red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons avocado oil, plus more as needed
• 1 pound baby bok choy, 3 to 4, halved or quartered
• Sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Instructions

• In a small bowl, stir together the tamari, water, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the bok choy, cut side down, and sear until browned on each side, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove, add more oil to the pan, if necessary, and add the remaining bok choy and repeat.
• Add all of the bok choy back to the pan along with the sauce. Toss, then cover and cook 1 to 2 more minutes, or until the bok choy is tender.
• Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve.

 

winter squash black bean quinoa

 My garden was prolific last year and I'm trying to eat through it all!  Winter squash is especially urgent now as I caught some had started to mold so we need to eat through all the good ones.

Here is my latest venture, which I'm making right now.  I'm using buttercup squash (no need to peel, and great flavor) and any winter squash should work well.  (NOTE: when I've diced and mixed in, it was al pretty mushy.  Probably better to slice to roast, and then put the quinoa/beans on top of the squash slices.)  Each serving (1/4 of it) is 16 grams of protein, the recipe says, which is good for me and Friend will add a side of chicken or an egg. 

Ingredients

• winter squash, about 2.5 pounds
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups broth
  
• can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 1 lime to juice
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
  
• 3 scallions, chopped
  

 Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine oil and spices in a large bowl, and then put in the squash and stir around to coat.  Place on sheet pan and put into oven for about 35 minutes.

Rinse quinoa and bring to boil with water/broth then to a simmer for 12-15 minutes.  Turn off heat and let it sit at least 5 minutes.

Mix black beans in bowl with lime juice.  Fold in quinoa and cilantro and scallions.

chocolate chip cookie in a ramekin

Sometimes I want a sweet treat but even if I just buy one cookie, it's too much.  And to be honest, this is too much.  It's a lot.  I should plan to freeze or throw away half.  But, I didn't because I haven't been able to get my blood sugar consistently above hypoglycemic warning, so fuck it.  

From here, but halving the sugar (and still too sweet). 

• 1 T butter
• 1/2 T brown sugar
• 1/2 T white sugar 
• splash vanilla
• (cinnamon)
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 generous T of flour (white) (if using whole wheat, add a teaspoon of milk)
  
• 2 T chocolate chips  

Melt butter in ramekin.  Add sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt.  Mix in flour, then chocolate chips.  

Cook in microwave for 1 minute. 

persimmon muffins (no sugar added)

 This recipe for persimmon muffins was a guide, but I changed it up a lot to make it healthier.

First, make persimmon pulp.  I blended persimmons - fuyus, many that were overripe.  They were mostly just destemmed.  I would probably peel more in the future, depending on what I plan to use it for.  I then froze it into 1 cup portions in bags, so hopefully I can make more muffins or other goodness until next season. If these aren't good, I'll keep trying. 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups (320 grams) whole wheat flour (pastry flour works well)
  
• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1/3 cup date paste
• 1 teaspoon maple extract or vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup (300 grams) pureed persimmon about 2 medium persimmons
• 1 teaspoon (7 grams) baking soda
• 1 cup (120 grams) chopped walnuts (soaked overnight and drained to reduce canker sores if you're like me)
  

Instructions 

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line the tin with baking cups or grease. Into a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, and ginger. Repeat the sifting process twice more for airy muffins. In a separate bowl, combine the yogurt, date paste, and vanilla or maple extract.  Whisk. Add the eggs, one at time while whisking vigorously. In another bowl, use a rubber spatula to fold together the pureed persimmon and the baking soda, just until mixed completely. Fold the persimmon puree into the wet ingredients, then fold the wet mixture into the dry. Mix just until the flour is combined. Add the walnuts to the batter and fold just until combined, or three stirs. Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until the muffin tops spring back when lightly pressed. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before eating warm or transferring to a cooking rack to cool completely.