#i had one(1) slice of zucchini bread to eat yesterday | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kriskebob-blog · 6 years

Text

Day 4: Rainy Saturdays are for cooking (and Netflix)

Hi all. As I write this, it’s the winding down of a gorgeous (and HOT) sunny Sunday here in CT but when I woke up yesterday, I actually thought it still had to be 6am or earlier because it was so dark in our room. Turns out it was actually 8:30am and just pouring buckets outside. Good day to stay inside and cook some comfort food items.

My second breakfast recipe from Dr. G’s cookbook was definitely simpler than the burrito bake: French toast with a berry drizzle. I also wanted to make a fruit compote for an extra topping. The cookbook’s recipe is titled as a pear compote, but pears are out of season right now, and honestly why would you put a few sad-looking Bartletts in your grocery basket when there are farmstand peaches just up the road? To my delight, when I flipped open the cookbook on Saturday morning I read a line I hadn’t noticed before: you could vary it up by using apples, peaches, or plums in place of the pears. Perfect!

Sam was still sleeping (he tends to be a bit more of a late riser compared to me on most days). I enjoyed the solitude for a bit and diced up four peaches as I listened to the rain. The compote was honestly super easy to throw together once the peaches were chopped. I threw them in a pot with some water, blended lemon, raisins, date sugar, vanilla extract, and some spices. I left that to simmer while I prepped the plant-based version of a dipping mixture for the toast. And in case you’re wondering, no, I did NOT find salt-free bread at the grocery store. I found the whole wheat bread that had the lowest amount of sugar/sodium and least amount of funky-sounding ingredients on the label and called it a day. (As an aside, Sam had thought he’d be required to give up toast completely during these two weeks and was really excited when he came home on Friday and saw a loaf of bread sitting on the counter, it was kind of cute.)

I had to make my own almond milk for the French toast dipping mixture. Dr. G. doesn’t approve of store-brought almond milk, too many chemicals or whatever. Not a whole food! Luckily, I already had almond butter from my first grocery shopping extravaganza of the week. All you had to do by Dr. G’s standard was blend a couple tablespoons of almond butter with some water and ta-da, you’ve got almond milk that’s apparently less likely to kill you. For the French toast, Dr. G. instructed that I needed to mix some ground flaxseed with a bit of warm water and then add it in with the almond milk. More date sugar, vanilla extract, a bit of turmeric and cinnamon, and boom.

Sam was awake by now and I immediately put him on toasting duty. He’s become the defacto breakfast-cooking king in our household over the past 5 years, which is odd really when he’s less the morning person of the two of us. But he genuinely enjoys whipping up eggs, bacon, French toast, etc. on the weekends, and I’ve certainly never been about to stop him. He got out our griddle and began dipping the bread while I set about making the “berry drizzle.” Dr. G advised I use this as a condiment for the French toast in place of maple syrup. It has two ingredients: 1 cup of fresh or frozen berries and a couple of tablespoons of date syrup.

The date syrup became yet another case of my assuming I’d be able to throw together a Dr. G. sauce or condiment quickly in my blender, only to discover I actually needed to soak a key ingredient in hot water for an hour or more. Oops. Oh well. I’d use a tablespoon of agave nectar in its place and that would just have to do.

Here’s the berry drizzle in a super cute pitcher our family friend Kelly gave us as an engagement gift years ago:

Adorable, right? Ignore whatever that spot is on our table. Anywho, I can report that Sam didn’t love toasting the bread on our griddle without using any oil spray. The slices did stick a little but we salvaged most of it. The peach compote had reduced nicely by then and we were in business.

It was super delicious. The peach compote is definitely what made the dish, although the berry drizzle was tasty as well. Both were made with local and in-season fruit so it’s pretty hard to go wrong there.

Sam and I settled in for a lazy morning of Netflix (we’re watching Stranger Things - second watch for me, first time for Sam!). By 11 I had to admit to myself that I really needed to get my ass to the gym, even though it was still miserable outside. I moaned and groaned at Sam (he had gone the night before and wouldn’t be accompanying me) but eventually got my ass into gear. I was curious: I’ve been eating plant-based for, you know, a whole two and a half days now. Would I have more energy at the gym? Would I just be able to sense the power of a thousand vegetables coursing through my veins on the treadmill?

The answer: NOPE. I actually felt a bit more winded than usual which, of course, set off an anxiety thought spiral in my brain. Damn it. Maybe this diet isn’t actually good for me. Am I not getting enough protein? People always harass vegans about their protein, maybe it’s a legitimate concern!

I made it through my workout perfectly fine, though, just a little more tired than usual. I trudged home and showered, and then Sam and I had leftover spinach-mushroom burritos and salad for lunch. The weather still sucked and we didn’t have any plans, so we watched some more Netflix but eventually split up to do our own things. I wanted to read more of Dr. G’s How Not to Die book. It was a huge book, after all, and the clock was ticking on my library loan. I settled in but was having some trouble focusing. I just felt tired. Again I had the thought that maybe this diet wasn’t actually for me. That I wasn’t getting enough or x or y since making this switch a few days ago. I stood up and eyed our pantry shelves. I grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and ate them, but that didn’t feel quite satisfying (go figure). I noticed the giant container of unsalted roasted almonds I’d bought the day before and decided to take the plunge and open them up. I’m used to eating nuts from those giant mixed nuts containers you get at the grocery store, the ones where even the “33% LESS sodium!!!” version is still salty as hell. So I wasn’t sure what to expect exactly when I tried these unsalted almonds, but I was pleasantly surprised to realize that I actually like the taste of almonds when it’s not completely masked by salt. I grabbed a handful and then went to the fridge and got a handful of blueberries. They tasted amazing together. I happily settled back into my chair and felt myself perking up like a wilted plant that had been watered. By the time Sam came upstairs maybe half an hour later, the clouds had lifted outside and in my brain. We went for a walk. I suddenly felt more energetic than I’d felt all day. Maybe it had just been the dreary weather bringing me down.

We returned home and decided that for the first time, we would try the Monster expansion pack of our beloved Harry Potter tabletop game. It took a long time just to set it up and try to figure out all of the new rules. We then decided to get dinner prepped because it would need some simmering time on the stove: it was gumbo night, y’all! I was excited because I love the flavor profile of Cajun/Creole cuisine. It was pretty easy to prep. Some chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic went into our Dutch oven with one cup of the homemade veggie broth I’d made the other day. I quickly thawed out the frozen okra in a separate small saucepot and eventually that went into the Dutch oven too with some diced tomatoes (BPA-free, thank you very much~), diced zucchini, and lots of delicious seasoning. We then added quite a bit of broth - everything that was left of the batch I’d made. It was a really nice, thick broth since I had pulverized all of the veggies the water had steeped in. We brought everything to a boil, threw in a can of red kidney beans (not BPA-free, alas), and simmered the gumbo for about half an hour. When it was done, we served it over brown rice, per Dr. G’s suggestion.

Here’s a little pot action before we added in all of the broth and the beans:

And here’s the finished product:

The verdict?? SO GOOD! I loved it and actually got seconds. Sam liked it too; I don’t think he loved it quite as much as I did but then I’ve always been a bigger lover of Cajun food. Dr. G. claims his recipe makes four 1.25 cup servings, but it honestly made WAY more than that for us. I feel like his math was off... like, he accounted for the 6 cups of broth but not the fact that there were a ton of veggies and beans added in to the pot as well?? Not to mention the brown rice. But I’m not complaining, because I love the way it turned out, and it’ll be lunch for the next couple of days now. Oh, and I did salt the veggies a little bit when they were first steaming in the Dutch oven, and our Cajun-free seasoning was definitely NOT salt-free (salt is actually the first ingredient, lawl ¯\_(ツ)_/¯), so I’m sure that helped a bit.

I think that’s really all there is to report! Other than the fact that we went back to our Harry Potter game after dinner and failed miserably. The creatures/villains completely murdered us on round 1. Oh well. Another day maybe...

Cheers to what I think might be my shortest blog post yet. See you tomorrow!

Gadget rec of the day: an electric griddle! We use it almost every weekend. Definitely had to wipe a trace coating of bacon grease from it today though... It’s a lifesaver for us especially since we have such a lousy stove.

Music rec of the day: (Nothing But) Flowers by the Talking Heads

#food #foodblog #foodblogging #veganfood #plantbased #wholefoods #eatingplants

1 note · View note

marblefeet08-blog · 6 years

Text

What I Ate Wednesday

What’s up, wonderful pals?

It’s that busy season again! I’m spending loooots of time working at our first Alchemy location these days along with overseeing some different catering events. The business ebbs and flows month to month and it can be tough to juggle it all; but these crazy times always make me grateful for slower, more quiet mornings and weeks where I have a little more time. No rain, no flowers!

Life update: Yesterday I went to get a can of beans where I keep extra food in our coat closet and found a MOUSE that had eaten its way (and pooped its way) through all the dry food I’d stored in there. It was horrifying!! And the worst part is we didn’t even catch it. Anyone else dealing with crazy bugs and mice lately? Holler at me.

Before we get into the food, don’t forget about $50 off your first two weeks of Blue Apron! It’s a rad deal, especially for when you’re in a cooking rut.

Breakfast

Breakfast lately has been toast. It’s quick and easy. We ran out of oats for Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal so Van’s multigrain waffles or Trader Joe’s sprouted wheat berry bread have been my best friend (I keep several loaves of that and sourdough in the freezer at all times). I ate at Alchemy so I had all the yummy toppings at my fingertips. One slice was piled high with avocado, beet kraut, za’atar, and micro greens. The other had almond butter, banana, coconut bacon, smoked sea salt, and raw local honey. With coffee, of course. Divine!

Lunch

Lunch was leftovers from a big catering event we had for TRISM. I took home a ton of our maple tamari tofu, sauteed greens, herbed rice (there’s actually very little nutritional difference between brown and white rice), chipotle sweet potato hummus, and cabbage slaw. I’ve been eating it for days!

Snacks

Afterward lunch I was craving something sweet. Brownie bites to the rescue! I whipped up a batch of these over the weekend by first blending 1/2 cup almonds and 1 cup walnuts in the food processor. Then I added a cup of pitted Medjool dates, 5 tbsp cacao powder, 1 tsp bourbon vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, and a splash of almond milk until a dough ball formed. I rolled them in cacao and froze them and they taste like amazing little brownies!

A couple hours later I noshed on my favorite crackers with Hope Foods’ spicy avocado hummus.

Dinner

Dinner was bean balls with fusili noodles and Kirkland’s organic marinara plus roasted zucchini and summer squash from our CSA box. I doubled the recipe, used one can of chickpeas and one can of black beans, used a heaping cup oats instead of breadcrumbs, and added Worcestershire sauce and some marinara. Recipes are meant to be messed with!

I’m really into this ancient grains pasta we found at Costco (notice the hole which I now realize is from the mouse, OMG). Sometimes people think it’s weird I shop there because it’s just the two of us, but I can’t tell you how fast we fly through giant bags of pasta, marinara sauce, nut butter, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and coffee.

For dessert, we enjoyed these Pumpkin Muffins because I’m craving all things fall! I used one cup unbleached all purpose flour and 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour. I also doubled the cinnamon, cut the sugar down to 3/4 cup, used avocado oil, swapped soy milk for almond milk, and used blackstrap molasses. Soooo yummy! Also, if you’re craving chili like I’ve been, Isa’s Chipotle Chili with Sweet Potatoes and Brussels is hands down my favorite along with her simple cornbread.

Oh and then Jeff and I split one of these amazing ice cream sammies because they were on sale at Kroger and I couldn’t not try one!

Workout

This was a nice and sweaty one but didn’t feel too mentally exhausting. I love making up random circuits like this when I don’t make it in time for a group class like yesterday. If you’re not a stair stepper fan, you can also do a mix of treadmill, rower, elliptical, or bike. I write them down in the notes section of my phone. You can find other ideas in the workout highlights of my instagram page!

Style Inspiration

Still obsessing over these jeans that I told you about last week. I love that I can dress them up at night with a floral lace trim cami (on sale for $16.99, this one has more sizes) and cute earrings! Also very into these pointed toe nude flats and these Franco Sarto ones (most comfy ever) for a heeled version.

As fall slowly approaches, I’m having a moment with jackets. How cute is this lush drapey open trench and this camo shirt jacket? I just ordered this faux fur hooded bomber in green because it’s a whopping 80% off. If you’re looking for winter stuff early, there’s a couple sizes of these black Uggs for under $100. I ordered these tan ones with a bow because, look at them. Lastly, here’s a cute black rain boot for under $30? I’ve never had rain boots so excited to see how these fit!

Have a fab day! And remember, enjoy where you are now.

Source: https://www.hummusapien.com/what-i-ate-wednesday-104/

0 notes

edgewaterfarmcsa · 5 years

Text

CSA WEEK 6

Pick List:

Lettuce - Beets - Summer Squash - Cucumber - Tomato - Kale - BlueBerries - Scallions

I am shocked by yesterday’s recurring thought of: so happy to see some rain, and catch a little cool down! Because of the rain, we were able to keep up with our succession plantings of lettuce, kol-crops, etc. We were also able to pick your CSA vegetables- in particular the greens (think kale and lettuce) at 11am instead of 5am. And even though I was wearing wool in July (something I hate doing), the brief cool down really took the edge off. That said, my PTSD from this past March-May’s assault on Spring is very real. The continual cool damp weather did a number on our early plantings and we are still seeing the effects of it on our perennial crops (strawberries, raspberries, etc…). Speaking of perennial crops, I was beyond impressed with those of you who came out to glean strawberries in the ninety degree afternoon sun! I wish there had been more fruit out there for you all to enjoy- but as we have said many many many times this season so far, better luck next year. So long strawberries, onward to blueberries!!!

TIPS - TRICKS - RECIPES:

Juicing: TIS THE SEASON TO JUICE ALL THE FRESH FOODS!! Really and truly almost everything in your box this week is juiceable- clearly excluding summer squash, maybe someone can challenge me on this?? Some very popular crops that go well in a juicer or even smoothie are the following: beets! Kale! Cucumber! Tomato! Blueberries!

Roasted Kale and Beets with Honey-Horseradish Vinaigrette

Serves 3-4

1 bunch kale (about 12 leaves)

4 medium-sized beets (any kind – red, golden, striped, etc.)

melted coconut oil or ghee

flaky sea salt

handful of pumpkin seeds, if desired

Honey-Horseradish Dressing

Honey Horseradish Dressing

(Whisk all ingredients together)

3 Tbsp. cold-pressed olive oil

1 Tbsp. grated horseradish, plus more for garnish

1 tsp. raw honey (or maple syrup)

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

2 pinches sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C. Rinse and trim off ends of beets. Wrap in foil and place on a baking sheet and bake until you can easily pierce through the beets with a sharp knife (time depends greatly on size of beets, but around 60 minutes). Remove from oven and peel back a corner of the foil to let some of the steam out. When beets are cool enough to handle, slide the skins off.

2. Wash kale and spin entirely dry (otherwise the kale will just steam in the oven). Drizzle with a little oil and rub to coat each leaf, sprinkle with salt. When the beets are nearly done, place them on the lower shelf of the oven and put the kale chips on the middle to upper wrack. Bake until crisp – about 15 minutes.

3. Slice beets into any shape you desire – I chose thin discs to show their interior pattern, but quarters or cubes is fine too. Toss with a little of the dressing and set aside.

4. To assemble, place a few whole kale leaves on each plate, add dressed beets and a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds if desired. Drizzle remaining dressing over the kale, and add more grated horseradish if you dare. Enjoy.

WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE SUMMER SQUASH by sarah britton of mynewroots:

Whichever one you choose, summer squashes are excellent sources of manganese and vitamin C and a very good source of magnesium, vitamin A (notably through its concentration of carotenoids, including beta-carotene), fiber, potassium, folate, copper, riboflavin, and phosphorus.

Many of these nutrients have been shown in studies to be helpful for the prevention of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease. Summer squash’s magnesium has been shown to be helpful for reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Together with the potassium in summer squash, magnesium is also helpful for reducing high blood pressure. The vitamin C and beta-carotene found in summer squash can help to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. Since oxidized cholesterol is the type that builds up in blood vessel walls, these nutrients may help to reduce the progression of atherosclerosis.

My absolute fave way to eat summer squash:

Grilled! But my mother swears by sauteeing with onions and olive oil and calling it good.

That said, there is this recipe for…

SUMMER SQUASH PIZZA

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for fingertips

1 pizza dough (we have premade in our farmstand freezer!!)

2 1/2 pounds (about 5 small-medium or 3 large) zucchini or other summer squash, trimmed

1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt

2 cups (8 ounces) coarsely grated gruyere cheese

2 to 3 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs

Heat your oven to 500°F with a rack in the center. Brush either 1 13×18-inch rimmed half-sheet pan or 2 9×13-inch quarter-sheet pans (as I do) with olive oil. Divide your dough in half and use oiled fingertips to pull, stretch, nudge and press the dough across the bottom of the pan. The dough will be thin and imperfect; just try to get it even. If holes form, just pinch them together.

Use a food processor with a grater attachment or the large holes of a box grater to grate the zucchini. In a large bowl, toss together the zucchini and salt. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes (more, if you have the time), until the zucchini has wilted and released its water. Drain the zucchini in a colander and then use your hands to squeeze out as much water as possible, a fistful at a time. Back in the large bowl (wiped out if still wet), toss the zucchini with the gruyere shreds, being sure to break up any clumps of zucchini. Taste the mixture; it should be seasoned enough from the salt, but you can add more, plus ground pepper or pepper flakes if desired.

Spread the zucchini mixture over the dough(s), going all the way to the edges of the pan and piling it a bit thicker at the edges, where it will brown first. Sprinkle messily with the bread crumbs.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the topping is golden. Remove from oven, cut into squares and dig in.

0 notes