What We Eat

Funny Cake

2010-02-14T15:09:00.001-05:00

Today is my dad's anniversary - yes, Valentine's Day. It wasn't the original plan, but if I remember correctly, Dad and Shelly changed their wedding date because of an ice storm or something like that. I suppose if one is going to have a V-Day anniversary, it should be someone as romantic and thoughtful as those two. Dad is the one whose poetry is among my favorite things to read on earth. (Beware if you choose to visit the link; Dad and Shelly openly love each other, and it shows up in the poems, if you know what I mean. Only read it if you're actually romantic and want deep expressions of good love.)

In addition to their poetry, I just enjoy sharing experiences with my dad and Shelly. Living so far apart means that is nearly impossible, but I would not be daunted today. I haven't stopped thinking about them all day, and I think I found just the thing to celebrate their love: funny cake. Today's recipe, in their honor, is named "funny cake" because it's...well...funny cake. It has a pie crust, a fudge layer, and a cake layer. So, so, so funny, and so, so, so good!

Ordinarily, I don't go around making random desserts because we don't eat most desserts (at home - you know me, my sweet tooth is awful!). However, we had a small group get together tonight, so taking a V-Day treat like funny cake would be perfectly appropriate. :) You can thank my dad's mom for this one. I have many positive memories of my grandmother, this being only one of them. She perfected this recipe, which has found its way into our family and hopefully into yours. You should know that I'm going to give you my grandmother's recipe the way it came to me. What I made today involved several substitutions like spelt, cane juice crystals, margarine, almond milk, and so on, in order that it could be Natasha-neutral (if not Natasha-friendly). Also, I only made one cake, and this recipe will result in two cakes. I've made it the way you see it below more times than I remember; it comes out well every time. Thanks, Grandma, and happy anniversary to Dad and Shelly! You may not be able to eat what I made for you today, but I hope you enjoy whatever you do! And try this recipe if you haven't in awhile, Dad. Make it for Shelly. :)

Funny Cake
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Bake Time: 60 Minutes
Serves: 8-12

Fudge Layer:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla

Dissolve sugar, warm water, cocoa, and vanilla in a medium bowl, mixing with a small whisk until well blended. (The mixture will be runny.) Set aside.

Cake Layer:
2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter (softened)
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 unbaked pie shells (maybe some day I'll give you my recipe - for now I'm holding it close to the vest....)

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Mix as cake batter sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla, butter, flour, and baking powder with an electric mixer for about ten minutes. (Yes, this seems like a long time, but trust me and do this. The resulting batter will be thick.)
2) Line 2 pie pans with pie dough.
3) Pour 1/2 chocolate mixture into each pie shell.
4) Pour cake batter over chocolate mixture. (There is no need to spread evenly, though the recipe works better if you start by pouring the cake batter in the center of each pie shell, working out concentrically toward the sides.)
5) Place pie pans on large baking sheet in case the fudge layer boils out at all. (This happens to me at least 15% of the time.) Bake at 350F for one hour, or until cake is golden and springs back when touched gently.

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken

2010-02-13T12:29:00.002-05:00

I came home one day before Christmas absolutely delighted with a recipe Natasha had put together for dinner. You might think that I'm the only one who cooks if you listen to me talk or read what I write on here. This cannot be further from the truth; Natasha cooks frequently and does it well. She cooked very well the first time I had this recipe, when I asked her if I could put it on this blog. "It's too simple - I just threw it together," she said. Clearly, she doesn't realize that's really what we all want. :)

So, imagine my great delight when we invited Jeff and Courtney over one Saturday, and Natasha began putting this together again! It's been a week, but I have not forgotten this recipe. I like the freshness of the lemon, but I like how it does not take over the recipe whatsoever. Of course you almost cannot go wrong with the proverbial basil and thyme combo. The best part of all is that this is a slow cooker recipe, so you can begin cooking the chicken and then go about your day to do whatever else you're doing. (For us, it means we can begin a recipe, then get back to our infant and toddler, who is likely getting into something....) Enjoy this recipe at home with the family, or serve it to company.

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2-3 hours (dependent on doneness of chicken)
Serves: 4-6

2 cups free-range chicken broth
Juice of one lemon (seeds removed)
1 tsp dried basil leaves (or 1 Tbsp fresh basil leaves)
1 tsp dried thyme leaves (or 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves)
Dash of fresh ground pepper
4-6 free-range, boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1) Put chicken breasts in the bottom of your Crock-Pot/slow cooker.
2) Add chicken broth, then add lemon juice.
3) Sprinkle the remaining ingredients evenly over the chicken.
4) Turn the Crock-Pot on low and let the chicken cook.

Voila! :) (Note: When hosting, we'll often line a platter or narrow dish with greens and put the chicken on top to make it pretty, but honestly, this is tasty no matter how it comes.)

Baked Oatmeal (gluten-free, dairy-free)

2010-01-13T07:00:00.002-05:00

There are many baked oatmeal recipes floating around the culinary zeitgeist. Our two favorites came from an Amish farm and a B&B. The former required too much work and forethought, what with soaking oats overnight and taking about seven steps over several hours to accomplish our goal. The latter was easy-peasy, but it was"naughty." We have taken a good chunk of time figuring out our own, but after our girls gave us extra time this morning by waking us up extra early, I was given time for another stab at it.

The result was most pleasing! We discovered a Natasha-friendly and delicious treat that warmed us up on a cold morning. The "comfort food" aspect didn't hurt either, since at least I was out-of-sorts. It passed the fickle toddler taste-test, too! So, despite that I sent my sister-in-law an inferior incarnation of this recipe last week, we have finally arrived at the baked oatmeal recipe for us. (Note: I wouldn't ordinarily tell you to use blueberries out of season, but we froze several fresf ones back in the 2009 season.)

Baked Oatmeal
Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8, give or take

3 cups Speerville rolled oats
3/4 cup cane juice crystals
1/2 cup margarine
2 eggs
2 cups (1 pint) plain soy yogurt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (or other fruit, optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9X13 or large square baking pan.

Put everything except the fruit into a large bowl and mix well.

Fold in blueberries.

Pour batter into pan. Spread evenly. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until oatmeal is set and golden brown. Let cool for five minutes and serve warm.

(Note: This stores well for several days in the refigerator, so don't be afraid of leftovers.)

Almost Thai Trout

2010-01-07T23:14:00.002-05:00

I will not insult the Thai culture by claiming that I cook Thai food authentically or that any Western company can actually capture a true memory of Thailand. That being said, I love eating Thai food and look for any excuse - and any method - of Thai-ing food up. What you are about to read is the easiest recipe you've ever seen. If you like food with a sweet kick, you'll make this several times over the next year. And if you're one of those people who thinks you don't like much fish, just try this. You'll be shocked the next time you try anything else.* This is SO good!

Almost Thai Trout
Prep Time: 7 minutes
Bake Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2 (flexible according to size of fish)

2 trout fillets (or one bigger cut divided; use this method if you're serving more than two people)
1 bottle PC brand Memories of Thailand sauce

1) Preheat oven to 325F.** Cut one piece of parchment paper for each trout fillet. (Note: the parchment paper should be considerably bigger than the fillet to allow the fillet to be wrapped.)

2) Place one fillet on each piece of parchment paper. Pour Memories of Thailand sauce atop each fillet, to taste. For best results, brush the sauce evenly over the fillet. Wrap the parchment paper securely around the fillets.

3) Bake at 325F for 25 minutes, or until fish is cooked through. (Properly cooked trout will flake with a fork, similarly to properly cooked salmon.)

4) Remove the parchment paper and serve immediately.

* The one exception is Digby scallops. I was recently in Yarmouth, NS, and had fresh Digby scallops. I forgot how perfect they are. I am ruined for scallops until I go back to the South Shore!
** Another option is to prepare the fish the same way, only grill the fish this time. You can also choose to grill or bake the fish without parchment paper, but I love how the parchment paper helps the fish cook evenly, gently, and moistly, while the flavor infuses every bite.

Vanilla Orange Vinaigrette

2009-12-12T18:46:00.002-05:00

We eat many, many salads at our house. And I LOVE making them! I LOVE eating them! Natasha's okay with salads, but they're not her favorite. She eats them because of the productive things they do for our bodies. Part of why she doesn't love salads is that I'm not into salad dressings and vinaigrettes, which she is. Furthermore, there are few salad toppers that are actually as healthy as they claim to be. (One sure way to undo a good salad is to top it!) HOWEVER, our naturopath once told us to go ahead and make them on our own to ensure they are good for us.

What?! Who has time (and money) to figure out ratios with expensive oils and flavors?!?

Apparently we do. I made a salad tonight with part spinach/part spring mix; broccoli; cucumber; red pepper; oranges; and toasted almonds. As the almonds were toasting I thought, "Hmm.... What this salad needs is some vanilla and citrus dressing." Fortunately, I've known a few principles for making one, but I think I struck gold with this one. It made the salad fragrant and fresh. The vinaigrette was sweet but not sugary, tangy but without any vinegar! (I really don't like vinegar except on fish and chips or salty french fries.) This is definitely one I will repeat, as often as possible...when it matches the other flavors in the salad, that is. :)

So, give this one a try.

Vanilla Orange Vinaigrette
Prep time: 10 minutes
Covers a good-sized salad (or several individual salads)

Juice of one medium to large orange
Juice of half a lemon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (none of that imitation business)
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
salt and pepper to taste

1) Mix the orange and lemon juices in a blender for one minute. (Stop blender.)

2) Add the vanilla and mix one more minute.

3) With the motor still running, slowly add the oil and mix for two minutes. (Stop blender.)

4) Add salt and pepper to taste. (We used very little of each, but they were a good addition!) Blend for two more minutes.

5) Chill the vinaigrette for at least 30 minutes before drizzling over a salad and serving.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

2009-11-03T11:22:00.004-05:00

Natasha was in the mood for pancakes this morning. Of course, that wasn't on our weekly menu, but I'm always up for something like that. After having Simply in Season's "Nutty Sweet Potato Waffles" on Sunday, I was up for another fall comfort food. To me, there are few things better than pumpkin in the fall and winter months. Pumpkins are coming to the end of their season in Nova Scotia, so I bought up several at the market last Saturday. (As we speak, I'm preparing pumpkin puree for other pumpkin recipes in the weeks to come.) You can understand, then, why I was determined to combine Natasha's pancake craving with my pumpkin craving.

I Googled "pumpkin pancakes" and found several good ideas. (Google, as we all know, is the answer to many quick-fix needs in the kitchen.) Unfortunately, none of these good ideas really "hit the spot" for me. I wanted something hardy, filling, and nourishing. I didn't want them to be heavy, though, nor did I want them to be too sweet (pumpkin is pretty sweet on its own!). Ideally, we would've found something gluten-free, lactose-free, and refined sugar-free. I found nothing that fit that description. I found one decent recipe that called for nuts, which always makes for a good source of protein. However, the recipe still called for some cheats, which I was unwilling to do. So, I did what any self-respecting amateur cook would do in this situation: I made my own recipe.

First, you'll notice I use spelt. If you're gluten-free or celiac, you know that spelt has some gluten in it. We're wheat-free, not gluten-free, so when we can't find something specific for gluten-free flours, we use spelt because it's easiest. Also, I want to experiment with things like agave nectar or maple syrup in the future, but I chose to go with evaporated cane juice because it's not as sweet. Finally, I pulled in the nut idea and several spices that we're in most of the recipes I found, but I love my pumpkin spicy! Honestly, though these are not overly sweet, there's a pumpkin pie quality to the flavor here that can only be a good thing. :)

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes (for the entire batch)
Serves: 4-5, depending on if you're a big eater :)

1 1/2 cups whole spelt flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground allspice
2 free-range eggs
1 cup almond or soy milk
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup plain yogurt (you can find lactose-free in the right store, but regular will work fine if you can have it)
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup evaporated cane juice crystals
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts

1) In a large bowl whisk together the spelt, oats, baking powder, and spices until well blended.

2) In a separate, medium bowl beat your eggs until canary yellow and a little fluffy. Add milk, pumpkin, yogurt, vanilla, cane juice, and sea salt. Whisk together until well blended.

3) Pour the egg mixture into the spelt mixture, combining until just blended. Fold in nuts. (Do not overmix, or the batter will become runny.)

4) Pour batter onto hot griddle (medium-high heat) or frying pan, 1/4 cup at a time. If you're not used to cooking pancakes, watch for small bubbles to form in the cooking batter, particularly around the edges. When the bubbles pop, but their shape remains, you know it's safe to flip them and continue cooking till they are golden brown on the other side.

5) You can serve these alone, but for most people, they'll want butter or margarine and syrup. Please avoid fake syrup, and if you use maple, look for the darkest maple available to you. We also served this with fresh pear slices on the side because they fit the fall comfort food theme we had going. :)

Blueberry Lemon Bread

2009-09-01T14:40:00.003-04:00

I'm a sucker for anything sweet, and those close to me know that I am more of a sucker for lemon. Though an open chocoholic, I would forsake chocolate for the right lemon dessert. Sometimes lots of lemon is best - as in my mom's "lemon lush." (If you're lucky I'll figure out a more nourishing way to make this and publish the recipe some day. It's a great birthday treat for people like me who could care less about cake.) Most often, though, it is subtle lemon that sends me over the top.

I've tried several lemon things lately, most notably Clotilde's lemon kefir ice cream. It was, by far, my best strong lemon experience since 2001, when I had a beautiful lemon sorbet at the Delta in Moncton. (It will be better when I chop the lemon zest more finely!) I was still in the mood for lemon, though, and we wanted something we could use for breakfast and share with someone we know whose hospital recovery means they cannot cook for themselves.

Because it's blueberry season and we live in blueberry heaven, we have several pounds of fresh blueberries waiting to become something lovely. Roya and I made blueberry muffins the other day, after which I thought, "You know, I'll bet lemon would work well with something like this." Then Natasha said, "I'm longing for a nice loaf this week." What was I to do? Natasha is eight months pregnant, Roya is completely into cooking with Dad, and I hadn't been creative enough in awhile. So, Roya and I developed this lovely recipe for blueberry lemon bread.

When trying to think up this recipe I wanted to be sure to avoid the common "lemon loaf" that is common in potlucks around here. I like it fine, but it's far too sweet for my taste. I also wanted to make it as Natasha-friendly as possible. I'm certain we succeeded. This loaf went over well with the whole family! It even complimented our coffee (Just Us! Guatemala blend) well, too! :) (The only down side is our friend who's home from the hospital turns out to be diabetic and, now, cannot indulge. So, we're looking for a home for some of our bread.)

Honestly, I think you need to check out this recipe.

Blueberry Lemon Bread
Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 15-20 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf (would also make twelve muffins)

3/4 cup light spelt flour
3/4 cup heavy/dark spelt flour (or use 1 1/2 cup light spelt; we mix for the lightness of the light spelt and the more wholesome qualities of the dark spelt)
1 cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 large (organic is best; you'll see why below) lemon
1 large egg
3/4 cup almond milk (original, NOT flavored)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup agave syrup
1 1/2 cup blueberries (you could use saskatoons, raspberries, or blackberries, but I strongly encourage you to stick with blueberries, which would best complement the hint of lemon, in my opinion)

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease loaf stone (or pan, if you don't have the stone).

2. In a large bowl, combine flours, oats, baking powder, and sea salt.

3. With short strokes, zest the entire lemon over the dry ingredients. (Remember to remove the sticker on the lemon, or you'll end up wishing you had!!) Stir the zest into the dry ingredients. Cut the lemon in half and juice it to produce about 1/4 cup lemon juice into a small bowl. Remove the seeds and set the lemon juice aside.

4. In a medium bowl combine the egg, almond milk, lemon juice, olive oil, and agave syrup with whisk until well blended. Add to the dry ingredients and combine until just blended.

5. Fold in the blueberries gently until just blended (attempt fairly even distribution). Pour into greased loaf pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. (Optional: You can sprinkle cane juice granules lightly on top of the batter before baking if you desire a slightly sweeter loaf.)

6. Remove loaf from oven and let sit for five minutes. Carefully remove loaf from pan and cook completely on a wire rack.

Apricot Coffee Cake

2009-08-04T22:18:00.002-04:00

First, I cannot take credit for this recipe. I so cannot take credit that I write it below only to translate it into "our" language and with an enormous shout-out to Clotilde Dusoulier, whom you should all know by now is my favorite food blogger. Her recipes are familiar, accessible, and generally nourishing (though who can ever get enough of her scrumptious desserts?). Even in the Maritimes, we can find almost any ingredient for her creative, yet productive meal choices.

This post actually started at Pete's, always a good place for my tongue and body, rarely a good place for my wallet. Can I help it? Pete's has the best selection of "real" food in the region (with exception, of course, to our wonderful farmers market, where I recently discovered a woman who makes Natasha-friendly jam!!!!!). Unfortunately, not enough of their food is local, but very fortunately, they had a wonderful selection of fresh apricots when we went there last week. They were soft (but not mushy), plump (but not bursting), and sweet (but not syrupy). As we sat in our basement with our friends eating them last Friday, they were just what a hot, humid afternoon required.

Then came yesterday, when the apricots were on the edge between perfect and too-good-to-be-true. All I could hear was my lone reader in Moncton, urging me to invent something based on a few good things I thought of in the last few weeks. The last thing she saw me do was carve a ham, so surely I could redeem myself with a good apricot recipe! What about a wholesome muffin? Too boring. What about a crisp? Too sweet. What about a salad? Possibly, particularly since I have a few nice peaces, some pears, and Saskatoons in my fridge. I needed those fruits for something else, though. Apricots are always good with white meat, but I'm on a meat-only-when-necessary kick right now.

Then I found this by Clotilde. Reading that she and her mother made it so many times told me this would satisfy the familiarity factor, but I'd never tried an apricot coffee cake. This was my first coffee cake in a LONG time, since we avoid wheat, but I was pleased that spelt works well. I was also pleased when Clotilde let me know this will freeze, according to her mother's usual practice. Just when I was about to do an apricot variation on her Hazelnut and Nectarine Gratin (with pecans, of course!) or try out her Peach Apricot Compote, I decided, "Why not? It freezes; let's do it!"

The coffee cake never made it to the freezer. I made it this morning before being dropped off at work, and since we had a few minutes, we decided to try it. Even our 17-month-old wanted more! Of course we restrained ourselves, only to save this for tomorrow morning's breakfast, but this is a real keeper. One word to the wise: do use a springform pan, as Clotilde suggests, but be sure not to use a 10" one like I did. It still turns out, but it's a little too thin for my taste. Now, on with our slight variation on the original.

Apricot Coffee Cake (remember, from Clotilde and her mom)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 35 minutes
Serves: several

Cake:
8 medium, ripe apricots, washed, quartered, and stones removed
1 3/4 cup spelt flour (we use half light spelt, half stoneground spelt - this makes it a little heavier)
1 tsp baking powder
generous pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup butter
1 Tbsp almond milk (use original; it's sweet enough on its own)
1/2 cup minus 1 Tbsp cane sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten

Topping:
1 Tbsp whipping cream
1 Tbsp cane sugar
1 egg

- Preheat your oven to 350F. Meanwhile, grease the bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan (see note above).
- In a food processor, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and butter. DO NOT OVERMIX. Add in the sugar and mix again. DO NOT OVERMIX. Add in the milk and egg, mixing just until combined. DO NOT OVERMIX. (Are you getting me? I walked a fine line this morning. Trust me; don't overmix.)
- Pour the thick batter into the pan, using a spatula to remove all batter and to spread it evenly in your pan. Arrange your apricots in a circular pattern on top of the batter. (I love the geometry of this - I'm a nerd.)
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for your topping until well blended. Pour the mixture evenly over the batter and apricots. (Honestly, you have no idea how wonderful this is going to be. Trust me.)
- Bake for 35 minutes or until it is golden brown, the apricots tender. Turn off the oven and leave it for another 10-15 minutes. Though we did not do it, Clotilde recommends dusting the top with confectioner's sugar just before serving. (You can serve it at any temperature.)

Bolognese Sauce

2009-07-13T07:43:00.002-04:00

First, I assume this blog has no readership left. Among the many things I neglected when I finished this past school year was writing about anything we cook and eat in our home. Honestly, during the year I had little to say. We ate mostly the same things, and I was on the road so much that we weren't really cooking much at all. Even when I was home, suppertime normally fell during music lesson times, so collectively had about fifteen minutes to create a semblance of a reasonable dinner for the baby and us. That meant experimentation and food blogging went dormant for months.

However, I was talking to Kevin from Linden Leas, a guy from the north shore of Nova Scotia who sells local "free-range" beef, this past weekend and realized I hadn't yet shared our recipe for bolognese sauce. This was one experiment we did try in the spring because the recipe makes approximately 2 liters of sauce and freezes very well. That was important for us, as we were always on the run. We used this to top kamut pasta quite often, but we even used it as the sauce base for a baked penne dish I made up on the spot with ingredients we had kicking around one weekend. A lot of people I know are busy, so putting one three-hour time investment that will benefit you for several days or a couple of weeks is a great thing!

If you live anywhere in northern or central Nova Scotia, I can guarantee good results because this recipe depends on good beef. Having River Breeze and Linden Leas around makes good beef very possible. The taste of this local beef, combined with the health benefit of no hormones or chemicals (aside from what our environment is already polluted with, of course), leaves one with the best beef I've ever had. (I know what you're thinking: "Lynn, you don't like beef. You could be a vegetarian if you could afford it. What gives?" You're right, but trust me, good beef is good beef, even if you do prefer tofu.) If you are not from Nova Scotia, then try and find some local free-range beef. It pays dividends to this recipe.

Before I give you the goods, I have to confess one thing. This is actually not an Erskine original. When we were early married we were given the December 2003 issue of "everyday FOOD," which is the basis for what we do. You'll note a few changes to accommodate our tastes and food intolerances. However, we have to give credit where credit is due: Thanks, Martha!

Bolognese Sauce
Yield: approximately 2 liters
Total time commitment: approximately 3 hours

2 strips bacon (the less fat, the better), finely chopped
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped (go for a darker green for best results)
1 large carrot, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds free-range ground beef
coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 cups original Silk (either Rice Dream or Almond Breeze (unsweetened) works, too, but Silk is best)
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 cup dry white wine (we have used a savignon blanc, but a chardonnay would be beautiful)
2 cans (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

1) In a Dutch oven cook bacon, onions, celery, carrot, and garlic over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened (5-8 minutes).

2) Add beef. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned.

3) Raise heat to high. Add the Silk and nutmeg. Cook, stirring frequently, until the Silk has evaporated (6-8 minutes). Add wine. Cook, stirring frequently, until the wine has evaporated (6-8 minutes).

4) Stir tomatoes into beef mixture. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick and beef is very tender (2 hours). Only if necessary, add water a little bit at a time to prevent the sauce from becoming too dry. (Use no more than 1.5 - 2 cups total, though.) Season with salt and pepper.

5) Use fresh to top your favorite pasta, and freeze the rest in tightly sealed containers. We recommend freezing a couple of servings each in several containers so you only have to thaw what you actually need. This sauce reheats very easily in the microwave or stovetop, even without thawing.

On the Bottle

2009-03-04T14:46:00.002-05:00

We're officially ruined. If you've received recipes from us in the last several years, you'll know we occasionally use recipes requiring wine. We know that if you cook with wine, it's best to cook with wine you'll drink. However, we decided we would avoid the liquor store by using cooking wine until we decided if we like recipes. We kept using cooking wine because we liked recipes enough and because it was inexpensive. Then it happened. I was storm-stayed in the Valley and had time to kill. I wandered into the liquor store just to ask what was the best cooking wine. They took one look at me, sized me up realistically, and took me over to Astica's sauvignon blanc. It was inexpensive, and it was a "real" wine. I left it alone.

A couple of weeks ago I decided we've made so many risottos with cooking wine that we know we love them. It was time to try out this sauvignon blanc. The taste is much less vinagary, much bolder, and a better supplement to the creamy arborio. The next time I opened our cooking wine (a drop was left), I couldn't believe the difference! I can't imagine using cooking wine again. Sure, all things in moderation, but do yourself a favor and use the real deal.

BTW, we made the best Bolognese sauce in the world two weeks ago! If I can get my hands on the recipe, it's coming on this blog!

LE

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2008-10-20T16:50:00.003-04:00

I cannot get enough of this site. Seriously. Everything I try is delicious! You probably wondered with my trips to "Chocolate and Zucchini" if we'd ever try anything with Chocolate and Zucchini, right? Well, we did, and it was good. So good.

We decided to try our hand at this cake and advise you to do the same. You know us; we couldn't just do the recipe as written if everyone was going to eat it. Nevertheless, we wanted something good like this because we were having Shannon, Deed, Robin, and John over for lunch. (I cooked the chicken in white wine, butter, citrus, and butter. Do it.) We needed a dessert for all people, and this was it. AND it was sugar-free (we substituted with Sucanat), wheat-free (we used light spelt for all two cups of flour), and dairy-free (we used Silk). For chocolate chips, we made sure they were over 50% cacao. So, this was overall a relatively healthy cake that we will definitely make again! We even got to share some with Matt and Bonnie, who, like the rest of us, thought it was amazing. Though not everyone could have it, we served the cake with home-made vanilla whipped cream (whip whipping cream with a teaspoon of vanilla). This was flavorful without being too sweet; rich without overpowering; and moist in the middle with a beautiful hazelnut (aka filbert) topping.

Try this soon. It will become a favorite for everyone who's not allergic to nuts!!!

Fall with a Kick

2008-10-17T21:22:00.002-04:00

I'm trying to stay true to my promise to keep you informed about Chocolate and Zucchini. Clotilde struck again with this recipe for Spiced Pumpkin Soup. (Yes, it's another soup, but it's fall! Soups are warm, filling, and often leave leftovers for a family our size.) The familiarity of the pumpkin flavor evokes the comfort of fall, while the spicy flavors give the soup an exciting kick! I personally recommend adding the creme fraiche to the soup before serving. I tried serving it with a dollop on each soup bowl, but it wasn't dramatic enough to forego making the taste uniform throughout the soup. If you'd like a garnish, try a parsley sprig or, if you dare, a mint leaf. Have I mentioned how I appreciate the inexpensive, uncomplicated, healthy recipes she posts? So good!

(By the way, I'm not going to dedicate a whole post to it, but you should really try her Butternut Squash and Vanilla Soup. You'll be as surprised as I was by its aromatic punch.)

Sesame Zucchini Soup

2008-10-04T13:09:00.002-04:00

I know, I know. It's been MONTHS since I've posted anything. That's because it's been MONTHS since I've made up any new recipes. Oddly enough, we've been refining and redefining our food choices at home. We still stick to the same foods, but I just haven't had much time to experiment successfully. We have a few new baking ideas that are on the brink of completion, but none that are postworthy.

What is postworthy, however, is one of the most amazing soups I've ever had! In this line of work, you always seem to receive some sort of vegetable from people in the fall...and almost always one zucchini.

We got a zucchini, alright. It was a lovely yellow zucchini - approximately one kg in weight! I thought I'd find some zucchini bread recipe to modify, when I came across this site. It looked fun, but I assumed we wouldn't really be able to use it. Much to my surprise, I found my new favorite site!

I'm going to try several recipes here in the next several weeks; I'll post my favorites. For today, the sesame zucchini soup is a "must eat"!!!!! Honestly, the recipe is extremely simple, took me maybe half an hour to complete, and feeds four. The rich, almost nutty aroma of the tahini and toasted sesame seeds give a nice body to the sweet zucchini. The pepper and chili powder (though I used flakes) gave a kick that was just right. Way to go, Clotilde! I'm your new biggest fan!

Not a Recipe

2008-05-08T22:04:00.001-04:00

This is not a recipe, but I just have to share this wonderful treat with everyone.

Combine one part Tofutti Sour Supreme and one part medium salsa in a small bowl. Serve with nacho chips. Mmmmmmmmmm.........

Okay, so maybe it's a mini-recipe. Regardless, it's so good. We haven't shared it because it seems too simple, but you all need to try this. And while you're at the Tofutti product line, try their ice cream, particularly Better Pecan. SOOOOOO good!

Curry Chicken Risotto

2008-02-07T20:17:00.000-05:00

This isn't a proper risotto, in that there is no cheese to this recipe. Nevertheless, I made this up and LOVED it!!! We'll repeat this as soon as possible. :) This makes 4 - 6 servings.

1 cup Arborio (the quintessential risotto rice)
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2 a Spanish onion, finely chopped
4 1/2 cups hot chicken stock (or water)
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional, but we use it)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed (we recommend free-range/free-run chicken)
1 cup chopped broccoli florets (we use fresh, not frozen, but either will do; cook longer for frozen)
2 tbsp curry paste
1/4 tsp each basil, dehydrated onion, garlic powder, oregano, and marjoram (or you can do it our way and add your favorite Italian seasoning mix - WAY easier!)
salt and pepper (to taste; we use sea salt)

1) Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in medium to large skillet over medium-low heat. Place cubed chicken breasts in hot oil and flavor lightly with salt and pepper. Cook thoroughly.

2) Saute onion in 1 tbsp olive oil in a heavy 2 qt pot over medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes. (The onion should look golden, beginning to look transluscent.)

3) Add rice to onions and stir until rice is evenly coated.

4) Add wine and stir until absorbed.

5) Add 1 cup hot stock and stir until absorbed. Continue cooking for 20 minutes, adding remaining stock 1 cup at a time.

6) During the final five minutes, add cooked chicken breasts, broccoli, curry paste, and herbs.

7) The finished product will have only slight excess liquid. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 - 10 minutes. It will thicken upon standing.

Hot tip: For successful cubing of chicken breasts, try freezing the chicken for 30 - 60 minutes. This won't be completely frozen, but it will be hard enough to make cubing easy. :)

Basic Banana Muffins

2008-02-07T20:11:00.000-05:00

4 ripe bananas, mashed (or 2 ripe bananas, mashed, plus 1 cup blueberries - this is what we do)
2 large eggs (we use free-range/free-run eggs)
2 cups spelt flour
2/3 cup oil (we use canola, but olive or safflower are also acceptable)
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt (we use sea salt)
1 tbsp cinnamon
(optional raisins or walnuts - I'm not a fan)

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Blend all ingredients together in a large bowl.

2) Fill each cup of muffin stone/tin mostly full of batter. (I recommend using liners if you use a stone. Muffin stones are impossible to clean!)

3) Bake for 25-30 minutes. (They're finished when tester comes out clean.)

Important note: See how there's no sugar? If you're used to crazy, sugary muffins, this will be a shock to you. You'll likely find, as we did, that the fruit is sweet enough once you've had your first bite. :)

Forgotten

2007-12-12T16:57:00.001-05:00

We honestly haven't forgotten about this blog yet. It's a matter of recipes, really. We've experimented a lot and even found a few blog-worthy ones. The problem came with the book "Eating for Your Type," a book that talks about how food interacts with our blood types. Tasha's an "O," and I'm an "A," so we're having quite a time finding middle ground so we can begin posting something usable for us and you again. Don't give up on us yet. :)

Kristi's Chicken

2007-07-10T11:36:00.000-04:00

Note: This is called "Kristi's Chicken" because she's the one who has more overtly asked for new food options. If you serve it and feel strange calling it "Kristi's Chicken," then you may call this "Cucumber Chicken and Couscous." :)

Prep time: 30 minutes, if you multi-task as a cook
Serves: 4

Couscous:
1 cup dry couscous
1 1/2 cup water
1 tbsp. Olivina margarine (or butter)

Bring water and Olivina to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add couscous and let simmer, covered, on low heat at least five minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with fork. Cover until ready to serve.

Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (approx.)

Pour olive oil into large frying pan (or wok) on medium heat. Add flavors to your liking (at least salt and pepper, though we recommend Montreal chicken spice). As oil and spices begin to bubble, add chicken breasts. Just before chicken breasts are completely finished, slice the chicken width-wise and place the slices back in the pan till completely cooked.

Cucumber topping:
1 1/4 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped mushroom
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp. dill weed
1 tsp. ground sea salt
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Mix all ingredients in large mixing bowl until well blended. (This part is not heated.)

To serve, place 1/4 of the couscous on a plate. Place one sliced, cooked chicken breast on the couscous. Do the same with the other three servings. When ready to serve, divide the cold cucumber topping among the four plates, covering the warm chicken with the topping. Serve immediately.

Hot tip: If you want a good lunchtime treat, try serving the cucumber topping by itself as a dip for mini pitas.

Turnips

2007-05-11T17:05:00.000-04:00

I've only ever had turnips in soup before staying with Ken and Lois. They make their turnips with things like brown sugar, so we experimented and came up with this recipe.

Prep time: 30-45 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6 good sized portions

1 large turnip
1/8 cup olive oil (we use extra virgin)
1/2 tsp ground sea salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp basil
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/8 cup raw honey

1. Remove peel from turnip; cut into cubes. Place in 2-quart sauce pan and cover with water. Bring water to boil. Reduce heat and cook until turnip is soft.

2) Drain turnip and place in large mixing bowl. Add oil, salt, pepper, and basil. Mix on medium low speed with electric hand mixer until turnips are well mashed.

3) Add garlic and honey. Mix on medium low speed for one or two minutes.

4) Serve hot as a side dish (or as a weird snack).

Squash Soup

2007-02-28T22:03:00.000-05:00

This recipe is out of this world and tends to last awhile unless you have a big family. It is a hit when hosting because it looks and tastes high class. Meanwhile, you were able to accomplish many chores waiting for the squash to bake. This is incredibly easy, delicious, and has warmed our home this winter. (Note: We adapted this recipe from a Rachel Ray original that was slightly less Erskine friendly.)

Prep time: at least one hour
Serves: lots

1 buttercup squash (2.5 to 4 pounds)
1/8 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 large yellow potato
2 1/2 cups Cambpell's chicken broth (or another brand without MSG - monosodium glutamate)
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
plain natural yogurt (like Astro Balkan Style - only two ingredients!)

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Spoon out and discard the seeds and stringy middles. Generously brush the entire "meat" side of each half with olive oil. Place two garlic cloves, covered in 1/2 tsp basil and 1/2 tsp orgegano, in the hollow center of each squash half. Flip the squash halves over, placing them face down on baking stone. Bake squash for 45 minutes or until quite tender.

2. While squash is baking, peel and cube yellow potato. Place potato cubes in small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Let the potato boil until quite tender. Drain and set aside.

3. When squash has been removed from oven and is cool enough to touch, remove skin from the squash. (Be careful not to remove too much "meat.") Remove garlic cloves and set aside. Cut the squash into chunks manageable for a blender.

4. Put 1/4 to 1/2 of your total amount of squash and potato into a blender (depending on size of squash and potato). Add proportionate amount of garlic cloves and chicken broth. Grind sea salt and pepper over the mixture to taste. Puree the mixture until well blended. Pour blend into a large sauce or soup pan. Repeat until all squash, potato, garlic, and chicken broth are used up.

5. Once all blended ingredients are in the pot, cook over medium low heat, stirring often, until the soup reaches a reasonable constant temperature. (This is not long.)

6. Ladle soup into bowls. Drop a dollop of yogurt into the center of each bowl of soup. If desired, add chopped chives or green onion to garnish.

Good Cookies

2007-02-08T22:25:00.000-05:00

I'll bet you never thought you'd see anything like this on this blog. Well, even good eaters have those times when they cave. Ours was the other night when we found a few ingredients lurking around our house-sitting home. Namely, we found chocolate chips. Everything else, you'll note, is very normal for us. On with the show:

Prep time: 10 minutes
Makes: 12-15 cookies

1/2 cup margarine (or butter)
2 heaping spoonfuls (or dollops, for the classy among us) natural peanut butter
1 package milk chocolate chips
2 cups (give or take) rolled oats

1) Melt margarine in medium saucepan over low heat.

2) Add peanut butter to melted margarine, stirring often, until melted and blended together. (Note: Do not cheat on peanut butter! These turn out so well because they're completely delicious without being overly rich. Trust me; you'll LOVE these the way they are.)

3) Add chocolate chips to mixture. Stir often until melted and well blended. Remove from heat. Let it sit for five minutes.

4) Once the mixture has set a little, add the oats. Stir until oats are evenly coated.

5) With a large spoon, divide the mixture into cookies on wax paper. Chill and serve. Enjoy with great delight.

(Note: You can play around with the measurements. We did not measure; we just have an eye for approximation.)

Tuna on Rye

2007-01-19T21:50:00.000-05:00

We ate this for lunch today. I haven't been so satisfied with a nice, light lunch for a long time. It's extremely easy and better for you than most tuna sandwiches. You can also try making this into a melt.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2 or 3

1 can flake white tuna (or your choice of tuna), drained
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. ground sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. parsley
4 to 6 slices rye bread (check ingredients, if possible, to avoid additives, sugar, gluten, etc.)
1/3 block mozzerella cheese
several leaves of lettuce (the darker, the better - try romaine or kale)
minimal margarine (or butter, if you prefer)

1. Toast the rye bread. If desired, spread margarine on one slice per every two slices that will surround the sandwich.

2. After tuna is drained, mix tuna, oil, salt, pepper, and parsley in a medium bowl with a fork until well blended. Place a sufficient amount of tuna on the "bottom" slice of rye.

3. Slice cheese (remember the cheese tips we gave before - the fewer ingredients and less processing, the better) and place on tuna.

4. Place lettuce leaves on cheese. Top with the "top" slice of rye and serve.

Optional: We often dice tomatoes and add them to the tuna salad before putting the tuna on the bread. We have also done this with cucumber. Both are excellent! Also, experimenting with spices in this recipe is fun and safe.

HOT TIP: When selecting bread of any sort, give a gentle, somewhat firm squeeze. The more squishy the bread, the higher the gluten content and the worse on your digestive system. Beware all white breads and most wheat breads (even if they "claim" to be 100% whole wheat). If the bread isn't as squishy as most, check the ingredient list. Remember our motto: the fewer the ingredients, the better. AND, if you don't know what an ingredient is, look for plan B. (Some chemicals are fine, but most long names of ingredients are unnecessary for your body.)

Ployes Stacker

2006-10-19T23:09:00.000-04:00

We tried this for a late breakfast this morning. It's really good and could also be used for a dessert. You might consider substituting other fruit, like apples or strawberries. If so, let us know how it goes!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2 to 4

1 cup Ployes (buckwheat flour mix)
1 1/3 cups water
2 cups blueberries (frozen are okay - no sugar!)
1/2 cup 100% pure maple syrup
1/2 brick cream cheese

1) Heat pancake griddle to at least 400 F (medium high - high), ungreased. Also heat oven to 350 F. Mix Ployes and water together in mixing bowl with fork or wire whisk until all chunks are gone. Spoon 1/4 mix onto griddle and spread it around in a circle to make a flat, almost crepe-like, pancake-like disk. The ployes are done without flipping them, when they are golden brown and dry. Repeat until all mix is used, stacking the ployes on a plate.

2) Cook blueberries in maple syrup over low heat until hot, not boiling, for about ten minutes. (It is a good idea to do this while waiting for ployes to cook.)

3) Place one crepe on the bottom of a small, ungreased oval baker (stone) or small casserole dish. Spread cream cheese in a thin layer over the crepe. Pour a small amount of cooked blueberries over the cream cheese. (This will be liquidy; that's good.) Repeat this process in layers until you place the final crepe on top, without cream cheese or blueberries. (You will need to budget your blueberries without needing anything on top of the top crepe.)

4) Bake the stack for ten minutes. Serve warm.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken Breast

2006-08-21T21:43:00.000-04:00

We developed this one over time, but it has become a favorite, for sure! We've served it many times, and most people love it. Do yourselves a favor, and be sure your pecans are very dry before attempting this recipe. :)

Pecan-Crusted Chicken Breast
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4

1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup fresh ground flaxseed
2 tbs ground sea salt (or table salt)
1 tsp ground pepper
1 large free-run/free-range egg (or normal egg)
1 tbs rice milk (or normal milk)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1) Heat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. (If you aren't using a baking stone for this recipe, you'll want to spray your baking dish with Pam at this point, too. Be conservative with the Pam; you don't want soggy chicken, which is hard to avoid with non-stone products.)

2) Combine the pecans, flax, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until well blended. Pour ingredients out into shallow bowl or pan.

3) Beat egg and milk together in a small bowl until well blended. Pour mixure into a separate shallow bowl or pan.

4) Coat the first chicken breast with the egg mixture on both sides. Once the chicken is well coated, dip the chicken into the pecan mixture until it is covered with pecans on both sides. Place chicken onto square baking stone and repeat the process with the other three chicken breasts. (Remember to wash your hands, dishes, and prep area thoroughly; raw chicken and raw egg can lead to food poisoning.)

5) Bake chicken for approximately 35 minutes. You know chicken is done when it is firm and when the juices are no longer pink. (Pink meat isn't a big deal; it's the juice that matters most.) Serve with fresh vegetables and basmati rice.

Variation: You'll need a small block of brie cheese (approximately 15 cm long, 5 cm wide, and 5 cm high) for this variation. Slice the cheese into small pads across the width of the cheese, no more than 1/2 cm thick. (Brie is very soft, somewhat firmer than cream cheese. Be careful when you cut it.) Pull the chicken from the oven with 5 - 7 minutes of baking time remaining. Place three pads of brie atop each chicken breast. The cheese will be slightly puffy and golden brown when the chicken is done. Brie's strong taste really complements the chicken!

Easy Salsa

2006-08-20T13:49:00.000-04:00

This recipe is pretty fast and is best served with vegetable nacho chips. (If you can't find veggie nacho chips, then use the Lays Naturals nacho chips. Mixing the bule and yellow corn nachos makes for a nice presentation.) Also, check out a change on the pizza recipe; we forgot something.

Easy Salsa
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Serves: several

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil (lightest taste)
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 tsp ground sea salt (regular salt works, too; sea salt has more minerals for you)
1/2 tsp ground pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
3 medium to large roma tomatoes
1 medium avocado

1) Pour olive oil into medium mixing bowl. Press the garlic into olive oil. Add salt, peper, and cilantro. Mix well.

2) Chop roma tomatoes and add them to the mixture.

3) Peel and chop avocado. Add to the mixture.

4) Mix tomatoes, avocado, and oil mixture until well blended. Serve with chips.

Light Blueberry Treat

2006-07-29T08:46:00.000-04:00

This is a treat to have if you have dairy at least sporadically. We don't generally go this hardcore on dairy, but this is a treat worth having! (It's not cheating when you're free!) If you eat dairy on a regular basis, this very well may become a standard in your home. It's delicious, simple, and provides a GREAT presentation.

Light Blueberry Treat
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Serves: at least 6

1 pint whipping (heavy) cream
1 quart blueberries
2 cups 100% pure maple syrup

1. Pour out the cream in a chilled (preferably metal or glass) mixing bowl. Whip with an electric mixer until the cream turns stiff (this is what real whipped cream is - none of this "Cool Whip" nonsense - that's the cook in me, not the healthy person). :) Spoon the whipped cream evenly into (at least) six small dessert bowls.

2. Top each bowl with desired amount of blueberries (usually enough to cover the cream but without overflowing the bowls).

3. Drizzle a desired amount of the syrup over the blueberries and cream. Serve immediately (or chilled).

Our Daily Breakfast

2006-07-27T08:01:00.000-04:00

We got this recipe from Normand LeBlanc at Healthy Concept in Dieppe. He eats this for breakfast, and we do too, now!

Our Daily Breakfast
Prep time: 8 minutes
Cook time: 6 minutes
Serves: 2

1 cup organic rolled oats
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup natural plain yogurt
1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup
fresh fruit, cut up to desired amount

1. Place oats and water into a medium saucepan on medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly, allowing oats to cook. Stir often until oatmeal is finished.

2. Divide the oatmeal evenly between two cereal bowls.

3. Top each bowl of oatmeal with half the yogurt.

4. Now drizzle half the maple syrup over each bowl.

5. Finally, top with your desired fruit (we like bananas and berries best) and serve.

Pizza

2006-07-27T07:35:00.000-04:00

Eating pizza is not a common thing in our home. However, we recently got the bug for it when we saw a Six-Grain Pizza Crust for sale at Graves. Be VERY careful when selecting any kind of grains, even though it looks very healthy. Stay away from "enriched" flour and most "wheat" flours. (You'll find that this crust and several Kashi cereals we eat have some wheat product; avoid all wheat anyway. I'll explain the difference when we come to recipes in which that is necessary.) The six grains in the crust are organic whole grains, the best if you MUST have grains. On to the cooking:

Pizza
Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 can diced roma tomatoes in water (make sure the ingredients are tomatoes and water only)
2 small to medium cloves of garlic
1 Six-Grain Pizza Crust (the number of grains doesn't matter much; avoid enriched flour!)
1/4 cup each of various chopped raw vegetables, according to your taste (baby spinach, broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, etc.)
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (you grate it from a good block with minimal processing)
1/3 cup freshly grated havarti cheese (you grate it from a good block with minimal processing)

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees Farenheit. Pour olive oil into large skillet over medium high heat. Press the garlic cloves into the olive oil and stir until bubbly. Add the tomatoes with their water to the pan, stirring occasionally. (Use the cooking time to prepare your other ingredients.) Continue heating until the tomato chunks break down and a marinara sauce is formed.

2. Place your pizza crust on a large round stone (or pizza pan). Brush pizza with 1 tbs olive oil. Spread marinara sauce over the pizza crust.

3. Sprinkle half each of the two cheeses over the sauce. Set aside the remaining cheese.

4. Evenly sprinkle all the vegetables over the crust. You'll find that the pizza heaps a little bit. This is normal. Top the vegetables with the remaining cheese.

5. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes (or to your desire). The cheese should be melted and browning, and the crust should be golden.

(Note: For protein we'll occasionally chop up some previously baked chicken and add it with the vegetables. This is a tasty and healthy option.)

Spicy Frittata

2006-07-23T07:20:00.000-04:00

A "frittata" is just a baked version of an omelet. If you like eggs at all, you'll love this dish. It's usually a breakfast dish, but we've eaten it for any meal. All you basically need are eggs and things to put in the eggs (cheese is optional). Below is one frittata we make often.

Spicy Frittata
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Serves: 2

6 large Free Range (or Free Run) eggs
1 cup Drew's Natural salsa (or some other salsa with natural ingredients - no sugar or tomato paste)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (Farenheit). Crack all six eggs into a medium mixing bowl. Beat eggs with wire whisk.

2. Fold in salsa, salt, and pepper with wire whisk until well blended.

3. Grate half your block of parmesan cheese into egg mixture. Set aside the other half.

4. Pour entire mixture into the Small Round Stone (or other small round baker - you may have to grease your pan if it's not a good baking stone or if your stone is brand new). Bake at 425 for 17 minutes.

5. Grate the other half of your block of parmesan cheese over the dish, coating the top with cheese. Bake another 5 minutes.

6. To test doneness, shake the sonte gently. If the eggs still jiggle, give more baking time. If they don't, insert a cake tester or toothpick. If it comes out clean, you're good to go! Cool for a minute or two.

7. Cut the frittata into quarters, serving two quarters per person. (No side dish is necessary.)

Baked Apples (version 1.0)

2006-07-21T11:14:00.000-04:00

This blog is an experiment. Many of you ask about how we eat, and many of those who ask look at us as if we've lost our minds. Though we're not into making Scripture say what we want it to so that we can justify a diet that "works," we're going to post some recipes on here periodically. They are good - honestly. You can experiment a little and let us know if you think you have something to make the recipe better. Here goes nothing:

Baked Apples (version 1.0)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

4 medium-to-large baking apples (we like Fuji)
4 tbsp margarine (softened)
1/2 cup chopped natural pecans
1/2 cup chopped natural almonds
1/2 cup Maine blueberries
3/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup (approximation)
1 cup plain organic yogurt
1/2 cup grated non-processed cheddar cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (Farenheit). Using TPC's "Cook's Corer" (or some other coring implement), remove the cores from the apples and place each apple on a small baking stone (or other baking dish).

2. In a small bowl combine margarine and nuts with a fork until well blended. Stuff the apples' center holes to half-full with the nut mixture. Pour a small amount (1/2 tsp) on top of the first nut layer. Stuff the remaining nut mixture into the remaining part of the apples' center holes.

3. Drizzle maple syrup over each apple, paying special attention to the exposed nut mixture.

4. Place blueberries on top of the nut mixture on each apple, allowing the rest to fall on (and around) the apples.

5. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. If desired, sprinkle grated cheese over the apples. Bake for the remaining 5 minutes (or until desired). Cool for ten minutes.

6. Place each apple into a dessert bowl. Drizzle the sauce from the bottom of the baking stone over each apple. Using a small spoon, divide the yogurt among the four bowls by placing dollops of yogurt at the base of each apple. This makes a great presentation and adds variety to the dish.