Karla's Veggie Noms

Cabbage and Noodles

2011-11-14T22:35:00.001-08:00

I'm not dead. I just had a bit of a "two jobs is one (or possibly two) too many" freak out moment (3 months). I realized that the reason I didn't feel up to blogging was mostly the time I take photo editing. Although I am not terribly good at it, it takes me forever. I just don't have the energy for that these days!

But, I DO have some awesome recipes. So I'll share those...with crappy pics. :-)

This one is for Maeby's Aunt and Uncle who take care of her while I'm away. It is my absolute favorite way to make cabbage from the CSA box.

It was inspired by the diners drive-in and dives episode about "Haluski" but Guy's recipe was way too complicated, so I made my own.

Cabbage with Noddles
40 minutes total time
Serves 2-3 (more if you add more noodles!)

Ingredients
4 Slices of bacon OR 4 slices of turkey/soy bacon + 2tbs olive oil.
1 medium yellow onion
1 medium head of green cabbage
8oz noodles (I prefer egg noodles or farfalle)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4C dry white wine or 2TBS lemon juice (or both!!)
Cayenne to taste

Method
1. Slice the onions fairly thinly. Core and chop the cabbage into thin strips.
2. Render the bacon fat in a large pan over medium heat (or fry the turkey/soy bacon in olive oil--you want to get some fat and some smokey flavor in the pan) until the bacon is cooked. About 5 minutes.
3. Remove and crumble the bacon. Then add the onions and cabbage to the pan. Stir, season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and cook for about 10 minutes until the cabbage begins to wilt.
4. While the cabbage is cooking, cook the noodles in salted water according to package instructions. Drain.
5. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the cabbage is nicely golden with some brown bits--another 5-10 minutes.
6. Deglaze the pan with the wine and/or lemon juice. Stir in the pasta and season to taste. I usually add a bit more salt + pepper and a generous pinch of cayenne.

Simple and delicious..

WIAW-super stressed 2 job edition.

2011-08-30T21:42:00.000-07:00

I'm going to keep this short and sweet because, honestly, I should really be working on my lecture for tomorrow night. BUT I miss y'all and I ate some fun things today. :-)

Teaching a class and having a full time job at the same time is kinda stressful. Whodda thunk it. Although, the location of my class is incredibly beautiful.

Also, a request:

A wonderful, amazing friend of mine has some new diet restrictions because of health issues. If anyone has any lower carb, low sodium recipes (especially fast ones), or meal ideas, please comment or send me an email. Y'all are the best. <3

As always, thanks to the beautiful and talented Jenn for hosting this event. <3

Breakfast!

0% greek yogurt, crunchy peanut buttah, and homemade Rum Nectarine Preserves. They were PERFECT with the greek yogurt. Not too sweet like I feared at first.

*Cough* I have no idea what you are talking about.

Pre-Dinner "Snack". AWESOME wine in a bag. Such a brilliant idea! It's 2 bottles worth of wine in a bag. The genius part is that it stays fresh for up to a MONTH after you open it!!! omgash. And it's super light for taking camping and hiking. Find it here @ Clif Family Vineyards. I'm not affiliated (just a wine club member!) but seriously, this is the most amazing wine revelation. $17 for 2 bottles worth of really delicious wine that stays fresh?? Yes please!

Dinner was the lovely Jenn's Quinoa fried "rice". With broccoli, spicy veggie sausage and an egg. I also used some of my new Trader Joes Sweet chili sauce. The sauce is cheap and doesn't contain a lot of weird ingredients. Yum.
Gratuitous Maeby pics:

Mastering the CAT tree.

Pretending that I don't want mom's dinner but really I keep inching closer and closer.

<3 <3
Please send me any low sodium/lower carb recipes/ideas you have! Thanks y'all.

Yes I can! Rum Nectarine Preserves

2011-08-28T20:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Allie @ the forgottenbeast for finally getting me to stop being lazy and start canning. It honestly wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. The hardest part was finding the darn jars and lids. I guess its not "canning season". Except that it is, isn't it??

First, I chopped up a bunch of nectarines (my favorite summer fruit!!!). Then added 1/2C of rum, some sugar, some lemon juice, pectin and started it boiling.

After boiling off (some of) the booze I added the rest of the sugar, boiled for a minute, then placed the jam in hot sterile jars. I capped the suckers and put them in a big old pot of boiling water. (I didn't have any sort of special equipment to do any of this, by the way, and the cans stood up just fine).

After about 10 minutes in the boiling water I took them out, put them on the counter and pretty soon heard "Pop!" "Pop!" I think that means I did something right. :-)

The nectarines and the rum are delicious together, but I think next time I would use less sugar. It is a bit too sweet for my taste, although I don't have a big sweet tooth to begin with. Does anyone know how to adjust the jam recipes for less sugar?

Nectarine Rum Preserves
4.5C chopped Nectarines
1/2C Rum
1 packet pectin (no sugar needed variety)
3C sugar
2Tbs Lemon Juice

1. Sterlize all equipment and jars (this makes enough for six 8oz jars).
2. Mix 1/4C of the sugar and pectin. Add to nectarines, lemon juice and rum in a large saucepan and bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Stir constantly!
3. Add in remaining sugar and return to a boil for 1 minute.
4. Fill awaiting sterilized jars, cap and process (boil) in the big ol' pot of water for 10 minutes.
5. Allow to cool on the counter. Lids that cannot be popped down mean that the canning went as planned and everything is sealed. If it DOESN'T seal properly just store it in the fridge and eat right away.

For a more detailed canning description check out this post!

Up next? Spicy SPICY dill pickles!

EDIT: Whoever found my blog searching for "Balsamic Terrier" ... we need to be friends.

Vacuum Fried Banana Chips!?!

2011-08-20T19:38:00.000-07:00

I've been in such an awful food rut recently I decided to just go to Trader Joes and pick up a couple items that I have never tried before, then think of ways to use them.

Enter vacuum fried banana chips. Honestly, I was mostly attracted to the bag. It's silver and shiny and you can't see what is inside so it's kind of mysterious! I love shiny things and mystery.

These bad boys were $1.99 at trader joes for 4oz, which according to the bag is 4 servings. I ate half of them on the drive home from the store. Ooops. They are 140 calories per servings and only contain two ingredients: bananas and palm oil. I know palm oil is controversial, but I WAS glad to see that there was no added salt, sugar or artificial preservatives/colors/what not.

Supposedly they have half of the fat of "other banana chips", but honestly I've never tried other banana chips. I could taste a bit of oily-ness too them, but definitely not as bad as most "chips". That's about the only negative thing I can say about them, though. They are super crunchy and naturally sweet (but not too sweet!). I really, really love them. Probably why I ate half on the way home from the store. :-)

I did manage to control myself for a little bit and use some of the chips for something OTHER than just snacking. :-)

For instance, I love bananas on my yogurt or oatmeal in the morning. The flavors really compliment each other, but they can kinda seem like, mush topped with mush and more mush (when I use peanut butter). So, I crunched up some chips and use them instead of a fresh banana. While more calories/fat than a normal banana, I LOVED the crunch they added! They even stayed crunchy throughout the entire bowl.

Mmmmm. I'll be buying these again to use in peanut butter sandwiches and in the morning, but I probably won't buy them every time I go to the store because I would certainly eat them all too fast. :-)

Vintage Maeby!

WIAW --new car edition

2011-08-16T23:31:00.000-07:00

Quoted from Peas and Crayons:
"

What WIAW isn't about

Comparison - Judgement - Restriction - Guilt

What WIAW is about

Celebrating one of the glorious things we all have in common: We all eat!"

This is why I love WIAW, and Jenn, the host. Such a fun group to participate in. :-D

I have still been pretty stressed, so my eats aren't super interesting this week, but I have been trying to come up with creative ways to use up all this squash! (Still).

First, a gratuitous Maeby pic. Because I love her. Much.

Maeby cleaned out a yogurt cup for breakfast. It got all over her face.

I had sprouted wheat bread with peanut butter and this AMAZING grind-y thing from Trader Joes. It has coffee beans, chocolate and sugar in a grinder. I'm so glad I heard about it on lots of other people's WIAWs because it blew my mind.

Strawberry Lemonade. Not homemade, but still good.

Nap time. <3

New car takes a LONG time to buy, so I just heated up leftover squash burgers and opened a bottle of Tamber Bey Rabicano to celebrate. A Rabicano is a blend of Merlot, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. It is smooth but spicy and very, very delicious.

No recipes today because of the 3 hours spent at the car dealership, but hopefully I'll have another summer squash recipe tomorrow. Any ideas!?

PS everyone should start canning for the canning party with forgotten beast and a dash of domestic! I have never tried canning, but these lovely ladies have me convinced. :-)

EDIT: I'm trying a new comment system as I'd like to be able to reply to people directly. I can't seem to quite figure it out, but I'll be able to read and respond directly at least!

Veggie Burger (AKA summer squash recipe #2)

2011-08-15T23:59:00.000-07:00

I have so many of these.

SOOO many. So when I saw this delicious veggie burger recipe from the edible perspective I knew I had to try to incorporate some summer squash into the mix.

I'm not sure if my burgers were as good as the original, but they were darn delicious and used up some squash. :-D Also, well liked by certified squash haters. Always a plus.

Black beans!

Mashed with quinoa.

Cookin' up some summer squash.

Delicious baked burger! Topped with the most amazing BBQ sauce from the St. Helena Olive Co.

Veggie Burgers with Summer Squash

adapted from Edible Perspective

Ingredients

-1can black beans (rinsed and drained)

-3C diced cooked potatoes, I used half sweet and half russet. I also chose to roast the potatoes in order to up the flavor!

-2 diced summer squashes

-1/2 onion, diced

-1C cooked quinoa--I cooked it in veggie broth, for more flavor

-1/4C flour (I used garbanzo flour)

-1t salt

-1t cumin

-1/2t garlic powder

-1/2t cayenne pepper

-1T olive oil

Method

1. Prep by cooking the quinoa (I recommend using broth for more flavor) and cooking the potatoes.

2. Preheat oven to 375. Dice the summer squash in a small dice, season with garlic powder, salt, pepper and cayenne and saute over medium high heat until cooked through and starting to caramelize, about five minutes.

3. Smash the beans and the potatoes together until combined, but not fully pasty. We want some chunks of spuds/beans for texture.

4. Add all of the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined. Check the seasoning and adjust to taste. Make sure the mixture is cool enough to handle (ouchie!) and shape into patties (about 8-10).

5. Bake at 375 on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes, flip and cook 20 minutes longer until the top is nice and crispy.

Science Fiction Books (Not food related!)

2011-08-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friend over at forgottenbeast I found this awesome list of Sci Fi books from NPR. I absolutely adore NPR so I'm not sure how I missed the original. Oh well!

I've read the crossed out ones, and I'll star the ones that people have said that they can loan me. If you have others that you wouldn't mind loaning me, let me know! :-D I haven't read most of them, so I'm sure my friends can help me out. :-)

~~1. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien~~
2. The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
~~3. Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card~~
4. The Dune Chronicles, by Frank Herbert
~~5. A Song Of Ice And Fire Series, by George R. R. Martin~~
~~6. 1984, by George Orwell~~
~~7. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury~~
8. The Foundation Trilogy, by Isaac Asimov
~~9. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley~~
10. American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
11. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
12. The Wheel Of Time Series, by Robert Jordan
~~13. Animal Farm, by George Orwell~~
14. Neuromancer, by William Gibson
15. Watchmen, by Alan Moore
16. I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov
17. Stranger In A Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein
18. The Kingkiller Chronicles, by Patrick Rothfuss ***M
19. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
20. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
21. Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K. Dick
22. The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood
23. The Dark Tower Series, by Stephen King
24. 2001: A Space Odyssey, by Arthur C. Clarke
25. The Stand, by Stephen King
26. Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson
27. The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury
28. Cat's Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut
~~29. The Sandman Series, by Neil Gaiman~~
30. A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
31. Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein
32. Watership Down, by Richard Adams
33. Dragonflight, by Anne McCaffrey
34. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, by Robert Heinlein
35. A Canticle For Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller
36. The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells
~~37. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, by Jules Verne~~
~~38. Flowers For Algernon, by Daniel Keys~~
39. The War Of The Worlds, by H.G. Wells
40. The Chronicles Of Amber, by Roger Zelazny
41. The Belgariad, by David Eddings
42. The Mists Of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
43. The Mistborn Series, by Brandon Sanderson
44. Ringworld, by Larry Niven
45. The Left Hand Of Darkness, by Ursula K. LeGuin
46. The Silmarillion, by J.R.R. Tolkien
~~47. The Once And Future King, by T.H. White~~
48. Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
49. Childhood's End, by Arthur C. Clarke
50. Contact, by Carl Sagan
51. The Hyperion Cantos, by Dan Simmons
52. Stardust, by Neil Gaiman
53. Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson
~~54. World War Z, by Max Brooks~~
55. The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle
56. The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman
57. Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett
58. The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever, by Stephen R. Donaldson
59. The Vorkosigan Saga, by Lois McMaster Bujold
60. Going Postal, by Terry Pratchett
61. The Mote In God's Eye, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
62. The Sword Of Truth, by Terry Goodkind
63. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
64. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
65. I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson
66. The Riftwar Saga, by Raymond E. Feist
67. The Shannara Trilogy, by Terry Brooks
68. The Conan The Barbarian Series, by R.E. Howard
69. The Farseer Trilogy, by Robin Hobb
70. The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
71. The Way Of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson
~~72. A Journey To The Center Of The Earth, by Jules Verne~~
73. The Legend Of Drizzt Series, by R.A. Salvatore
74. Old Man's War, by John Scalzi
75. The Diamond Age, by Neil Stephenson
76. Rendezvous With Rama, by Arthur C. Clarke
77. The Kushiel's Legacy Series, by Jacqueline Carey
78. The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. LeGuin
79. Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury
80. Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
81. The Malazan Book Of The Fallen Series, by Steven Erikson
82. The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde
83. The Culture Series, by Iain M. Banks
84. The Crystal Cave, by Mary Stewart
85. Anathem, by Neal Stephenson
86. The Codex Alera Series, by Jim Butcher
87. The Book Of The New Sun, by Gene Wolfe
88. The Thrawn Trilogy, by Timothy Zahn
89. The Outlander Series, by Diana Gabaldan
90. The Elric Saga, by Michael Moorcock
91. The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury
92. Sunshine, by Robin McKinley
93. A Fire Upon The Deep, by Vernor Vinge
94. The Caves Of Steel, by Isaac Asimov
95. The Mars Trilogy, by Kim Stanley Robinson
96. Lucifer's Hammer, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
97. Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis
98. Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville
99. The Xanth Series, by Piers Anthony
100. The Space Trilogy, by C.S. Lewis

WIAW + Summer Squash Recipe #1

2011-08-09T21:11:00.000-07:00

I am finally getting back into the WIAW swing of things after a couple of crazy weeks. Unfortunately life is still super stressful so I haven't been cooking that much (AKA boring eats!). I am really struggling with feeling creative and motivated in the kitchen which tends to lead to me eating much worse :-(.

However, on the bright side, I am spending lots of time working on preparing for the class I'm going to teach this fall semester. I love teaching, so even though it is really stressful preparing for something I haven't done before, it is exciting as well. :-) I've wanted to be a professor ever since I wanted to be anything so I'm super excited to finally have the opportunity to teach my own class at a University.

Ugh lets not even talk about the exercise. I always seem to lose motivation there first. How do y'all stay motivated to exercise/cook well when busy or stressed? Help!

Anyways, here's my Tuesday food stuffs:

Oats, Almond Milk, Chia Seeds, Melted Peanut Butter, Maple Syrup

2 Shots espresso, Soy Milk, Vanilla, Ice! (Addicted? I have no idea what you are talking about). Totally unrelated note, does anyone have an recommendations for at home espresso machines? ;-)

Dark Red Sweet Cherries.

Spinach, Lowfat Cheese, Onions, Boston Terrier*, Hot Sauce, Balsamic *no Boston Terriers were harmed in the making of this salad.

And finally, roasted summer squash. I've been drowning in summer squash. I get a bag or two a week from my CSA veggie box. I'm going to try to document all of the ways I eat it because I'm sure I'm not the only one swimming in squash. Even though this preparation is very simple I really enjoyed how buttery and flavorful it made the squash. I drizzled it with balsamic, but I almost would have preferred it without to better enjoy the buttery flavor of the squash.

Roasted Summer Squash
Ingredients (serves 2)

4 summer squashes
1tbs olive oil
1/4tsp salt
Pepper/Cayenne pepper to taste

Method
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Slice the squashes thinly and as evenly as possible.
2. Toss the medallions with oil, salt, pepper and cayenne until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer (very important!) on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
3. Roast for 15-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the slices). Pay close attention towards the end of the cooking time and take them out when they start to brown on the edges. They can go from brown edges to burnt super fast. They are so very delicate!

Drizzle with nice olive oil or balsamic vinegar. Mmmmm!

My Bolognese (Veggie + Meat Options)

2011-08-01T20:16:00.000-07:00

I have a giant head cold so my apologies in advance if this post is crazy/nonsensical. =]

This week we went to the most beautiful wedding in Napa Valley. The ceremony, reception and dinner were all amazing and I absolutely fell in love with the valley. I could stay in California forever if I could live up there! Everything moves slower in the Valley when compared to the bay area. Also, one thing I really enjoy about Napa is that each of the towns are separated by fields, much like back home in Wisconsin. Well...the fields are grapes and not corn, but the concept is the same. :-)

Before we went, I spent some time online looking up things to do in Napa. Shockingly (!!!!) most of the top choices were wineries. I absolutly love wine (Karla juice), but I really don't know much about it. I know when I like a wine, but I'd be hard pressed to list the reasons. In the end curiosity won out and we ended up going tasting at seven or eight wineries over the weekend. I never got sick of it!

Like I said, I am no wine expert, but in terms of the tasting experience itself my two favorite wineries to visit were Velo Vino and Tamber Bey. Velo Vino is a winery owned by the Clif bar family. Their tasting room is filled with friendly people and healthy snacks that are made from local organic ingredients. The tasting includes some delicious nut pairings, and they waive the tasting fee if you buy a (reasonably priced) bottle. The people at Tamber Bey were also super friendly and totally willing to help educate my somewhat ignorant self. Oh, also, their wine tasting comes with gourmet cookie pairings. Yes. Cookies! Awesome.

Needless to say, I came home with a TON of wine. I decided to put some of it (the cheaper stuff) to use making one of my favorite wine inclusive dishes, pasta bolognese. I made both a meat and mushroom version simultaneously using the same methods. This sauce is so incredibly rich, that even the mushroom version is sure to please vegetarians and meat eaters alike.

First, chop up and brown a ton of veggies.

Then, brown the meat (if using) and add the wine and tomatoes.

Simmer for a loooong time to thicken and develop the flavors.

Serve with pasta and fresh herbs.

Pasta Bolognese
Serves 4+
Active cooking time: 30 minutes (including chopping)
Passive cooking time: 1hr 30 mins (or more)

Ingredients
1 leek, diced small
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1lb ground meat or chopped mushrooms
1 can tomato sauce
2 tbs Tomato paste
1c dry red wine (something you would like drinking)
1c milk (I have not tried it, but I assume you could eliminate for a vegan version and it would still be awesome)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1tsp dried rosemary, thyme or a combination
Water
1lb pasta

Method
1. Saute veggies (including mushrooms if you are using them instead of meat) over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and caramelized. About 10-12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper (about 1/2tsp each at this point, we'll add more later).
2. Add meat (if using instead of mushrooms) and cook until browned.
3. Add tomato sauce and paste, stirring and cooking until the sauce reduces enough to coats the veggies instead of being soupy. About 5 minutes.
4. Add the wine, stir, and reduce by half. This should only take a few minutes, depending on your stove.
5. Add the milk and herbs, stir, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer the sauce for at least an hour and a half. Check the sauce every 10-15 minutes to make sure it doesn't get too dry and add water as needed. Basically it should be "soupy" enough that is it always bubbling gently. If it isn't it needs some more water. The water will simmer out so don't worry about adding a precise amount.
6. About 20 minutes before you want to eat boil water for the pasta. At this point check the seasoning of the sauce and add more salt gradually if needed. The total amount needed really depends on the tomato sauce/paste used so I don't want to give a precise measurement.
7. Cook the pasta until it is almost done--about a minute or two less than the package instructions. Drain the pasta, add it to the sause, and cook it for the final minute or two in the sauce itself. Don't rinse the pasta...the extra gluten helps the sauce really stick to the noodles.
9. Enjoy! I loved mine with red pepper flakes and fresh basil. Mr. C used tons of parmesan. :-)

Pasta with beans and slow roasted tomatoes

2011-07-25T23:11:00.000-07:00

Ugh this week has been CRAZY! I've been writing like crazy for my job, and applying for another. I'm so stressed I could just about burst. Like these tomatoes. Only they are sweet and ripe and bursting of sweetness and not stress. But it's almost the same thing, right?

Magically I found a way to improve on these sungold beauties. Slow roasting! I followed the method found at smitten kitchen. To make a complete meal I tossed the tomatoes with beans and pasta after roasting. Light, fresh, summery. Mmmm. (and easy!)

I miss all of you bloggers and I can't wait to catch up on my blog reading! I hope you enjoy this recipe.

<3 Karla

Pasta with beans and slow roasted tomatoes

Serves 2-3

3hrs total, 15 minutes active

Ingredients

1 pint cherry tomatoes

2Tbs olive oil

Salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste

8oz whole wheat spaghetti, cooked

1 small onion, diced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1C cooked white beans

1/2 C dry white wine

Method

1. First make the slow roasted tomatoes! Preheat the oven to 225F. Cut the tomatoes in half and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and cayenne. Roast for 3hrs until the tomatoes are shriveled and mostly dry. The tomatoes will keep in the fridge for use later.

2. Saute onion and garlic in a small amount of olive oil (1Tbs) over medium-high heat until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.

3. Add white beans and cook until slightly browned.

4. Add the white wine and stir, scraping up the delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine reduce a bit (only a minute or two) and stir in the cooked pasta and slow roasted tomatoes. Toss to coat. Serve with fresh lemons.

WIAW #3 +Jogging#3

2011-07-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

It's time! Another WIAW. Can I say again how much I LOVE reading everyone's entries? It's fun to see the creative things people eat and to know that most other people out there have "bad" habits just like me. *cough* Starbucks *cough*.

Here goes, what I ate today (Tuesday). My stomach has been having one of those "I can't tell if I am hungry or if I am nauseous" days, so I didn't eat very much. Ick. Hopefully tomorrow will be better!

"Lab-meeting lunch"

Sourdough (mmm), muenster, avocado and hummus

"Post-lab meeting snack"

I won a bet this week, which meant I had dinner made for me! It was Taste and Tell's spinach pesto and it was AWESOME. The leftovers (with a beet!) were good too ;-).

"New food settle my stomach snack"

Kombucha! Did you know this delicious sour drink has alcohol? I didn't. Until I got carded. I feel embarrassed for my biology self. I know what fermentation is.

"Try a new recipe dinner"

Mama Peas noodle salad with peanut mmmmmm sauce

Jogging

Goals from last week: Run at least four days for a total of at least 10 mi. Do the same 4.3 mi loop without walking. I am pretty sure my knees can handle it. Speedy run of under 8:30.

This week

7/6- 2.65mi @ 9:34/mi
7/8-1.35mi @8:22/mi
7/10-5.6mi @10:10/mi--This included 3min of walking while dropping off my running partner who had to quit early because of a knee problem. My last mile was my fastest at 9:07. Felt pretty good! :-)
7/12-2.65mi@9:22/mi- Felt nauseous today. Ick.

Total miles =12.25

Jogging goals for next week: 12+ mi total, speedy run under 8:20/mi, 5 mi loop w/o walking!

Food goals!
I did try 3 new foods this week.
1. Kombucha
2. Spinach Pesto
3. Mama Peas Noodles with Mmmmm sauce!

Wow, I had them all today!

Time to go read all of the other delicious WIAW posts. <3

PS. Best of luck to my friend, Alix, who is having a baby OMG RIGHT NOW.

Fresh Tomato Soup!

2011-07-12T16:49:00.000-07:00

I'm over-run with tomatoes. A new bunch comes every week in my CSA box.

Unfortunately, I still don't like uncooked tomatoes, and I have filled my freezer with container upon container of Mom's tomato sauce. I've eaten the sauce twice each week. And still, the tomatoes keep coming!

Trying to think of a new way to use (and cook) my never-ending supply of I came up with this recipe for fresh tomato soup. It worked out really well and ended up being simple, fast and tasting like a very fresh tomato --only cooked :-D.

Just a warning, while I really liked how this soup turned out, it's not a traditional tomato soup. It's not creamy or as savory as the canned (boxed?) variety.

Ingredients
6 medium fresh tomatoes
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1Tbs olive oil
2C vegetable stock
Salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. (I used about 1/2tsp each)

Method
Remove the stems from the tomatoes and cut into quarters. Dice onion and smash the garlic.

Saute the diced onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the quartered tomatoes and the veggie stock and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Blend with an immersion blender (or carefully in a traditional blender). Add salt and pepper (and cayenne!) to taste.

Garnish with fresh lemon, basil or parsley.

Recovery Smoothie #1

2011-07-09T11:08:00.000-07:00

This one goes out to all my friends who were over here last night. :-)

Recovery from what, Karla? Well, it could be from running? Or maybe biking? Or perhaps other things one might need to recover from. Personally, I am recovering from two slices of pizza. I don't think cheese agrees with my tummy anymore.

Recovery Smoothie
Serves 2

Ingredients
1C almond milk, unsweetened (or any other milk, I've also used water + ice with a bit more agave)
2 very ripe frozen bananas, cut into chunks
1C pineapple cubes
2C (two large handfuls) spinach
1T agave nectar, or 1 packet stevia to taste. My bananas were ripe enough that I didn't need to use sweetener

Method
Blend. Drink. Recover.

You can't taste the spinach, I swear. Veggie hater approved.

WIAW #2 + jogging+ lazy girl guacamole recipe

2011-07-05T20:27:00.000-07:00

Yay, What I ate Wednesday is back! I was so inspired by all of the posts last week. I had all sorts of grand plans to make new foods from them, but the week just got away from me and I ended up not really going to the store or trying anything new. Next week I WILL be better. :-D

Here it is: What I ate on Tuesday, for What I ate Wednesday!

"Breakfast"

yep..double tall soy vanilla latte. I don't drink them every day...but..enough ;-)

"Snack"

A hunk of local fresh sourdough. One of the BEST things about the bay area, I swear.

"Lunch"

Lemon barley stew the same as last time, but with an added zucchini.

Another snack of a peanut butter pretzel cliff bar. Mmmmmm.

"Dinner"

I lost another bet, but the request this time was one I can *totally* get on board with. Veggie meat tacos! I usually have black bean tacos, but when a veggie meal is requested of course I'm going to indulge.

My taco had some spiced veggie meat, spinach and lazy girl guac.

Lazy girl Guacamole
Ingredients
1 or 2 avocados, ripe. 1 avocado gives a really spicy zesty flavor, while using two avocados makes a creamier richer sauce
Juice of one lime
1 serrano pepper (or jalapeno), seeded
1 shallot
Salt and pepper to taste.

Method
Put the lime juice, pepper and shallot in the bowl of your food processor. Blend! Then, add the avocado. Blend for a couple pulses. Spoon into a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.

I used to chop all my veggies for my guac by hand. This is MUCH easier. :-). I also no longer add tomatoes to my guacamole because they always seem to make it too watery. I chop up some tomatoes and add them on top.

Jogging!

Goals from last week: "Goals for next week are 10mi total, a speedy workout of 8:30/mi and a long work out of over 3 mi."

This week:
6/30- 2.65 @ 9:51/mi
7/1-    1.35 @ 9:05/mi. Not as speedy as I wanted. Note to self--no beers before running.
7/2-    4.3 @10:43/mi. I walked for 1 min every mile on this long run to try to save my knees.
7/5-    2.65@10:00/mi. Just feeling crappy :-(

Goals for next week: Run at least four days for a total of at least 10 mi. Do the same 4.3 mi loop without walking. I am pretty sure my knees can handle it. Speedy run of under 8:30.

Eating goals: Less processed food, more variety! I want to make at least 3 new meals inspired by YOUR WAIW posts. So I'm going to go start looking through them now!! <3

Pulled Pork, BBQ Sauce and BBQ Portobellos

2011-07-04T23:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I lost a bet. The result being slow cooker pulled pork. I wanted to share the recipe even though it is not MY favorite recipe, because everyone else loves it so much. My new favorite sandwich (vegan and made with the same BBQ sauce) is at the bottom. As soon as I lost the bet this was the very first request, that should give you a hint about how good it is! It's also super easy like most everything I make. :-)

Ingredients:
3Lbs Pork. (I've used loin, very lean and tender and shoulder, which is much cheaper)
1 Yellow onion
1C BBQ sauce (recipe follows)
1 bottle of beer

Method:
1. Sear the pork in a very hot skillet on all sides. This should only take a couple of minutes.
2. Slice the onion and layer it on the bottom of the slow cooker. Put the seared pork on top of the onions. Pork the beer over the pork, then top with BBQ sauce.
3. Cook on low 6-8 hours in the slow cooker. Cool and pull!

BBQ Sauce Recipe:
Adapted from Moria, who adapted it from a magazine..we're not sure which one. :-D

Ingredients:
2 Shallots, minced
1/2 C Ketchup
1/3C worcestershire sauce (Annies is Vegan)
1/3C apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs dijon mustard
1Tbs Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 cup molasses
1/4tsp cayenne pepper
Pinch Salt and Pepper

Method
1. Saute shallots over medium heat until translucent.
2. Add all other ingredients and simmer gently for a couple of minutes (about 5)
3. Blend with an immersion blender (or in a standard blender) until smooth.
4. Enjoy! ;-)

I LOVED the BBQ sauce but I'm not a big fan of the pulled pork (really meat in general) so I decided to make something vegan with the BBQ sauce. It turned into "The Best Sammich EVAR".

To make it I marinated a portobello mushroom with 1/4C of the BBQ sauce thinned with 1/4C water for about 15 minutes. I cooked the mushroom over medium-high heat in a grill pan until it was browned and cooked through. I sliced it and layered it with more of the BBQ sauce, baby spinach and sliced red onions on a sour roll. If you know (or are!) a "mushroom hater" you should definitely try out BBQ portobellos. They turned out so savory and filling. I want another sammich now....

*tummy rumblings*

New pages and a suggestion!

2011-07-02T19:24:00.000-07:00

Hey there! I've updated my blog with a couple "ease of use" pages. You will find a link to all of my recipes here. You can also find a link to my favorite blogs here.

Finally, my suggestion for the week. Don't just have a pinata. Have a pinata filled with candy AND booze.

That is a fly. It is also a pinata. It is also filled with chocolate and tiny little bottles of booze!

I don't know which was more fun, watching the kids hitting the pinata call the booze "shampoo" or picking out the booze. There I was, sitting on the floor in the local BevMo rifling through a giant display of mini-booze bottles tapping each bottle to see which ones were made out of plastic. "Can I help you Miss?" "Nope, just looking for the plastic bottles!" "Uhm...OK....."

**no children were harmed in the making of this post.

EDIT: But maybe some pinatas...

Lemon Barley Stew

2011-06-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

I almost didn't post this recipe. It's one of those "throw together whatever I had on hand" recipes. But, I've been told this is when I am my best in the kitchen. I also devoured this entire pot in a day and a half, it was that delicious! Because I wasn't planning on posting it the picture is just from the iPhone. It isn't particularly pretty anyways, but if you are craving a summery soup that is vegan and healthy you must try it!

print recipe

Lemon Barley Stew

by Karla June-29-2011

Easy, delicious summery stew. Vegan!

Ingredients

4C Vegetable Broth
1, halved Lemon
1 small Onion, diced
2 Yukon gold Potato, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 large cap Portobello Mushroom, diced
1/2C Pearl Barley
2Tbs Baby Spinach
to taste Salt and Pepper

Instructions

1. Bring veggie broth and lemon halves to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes. You'll want to try to use an organic lemon here, if possible, as you are putting the entire thing in the broth. I also squeeze the juice of the lemon into the stock before throwing it in. 2. Strain stock into a bowl and save. 3. To the same pot, add a bit of olive oil, or butter and saute the onion and potatoes until the onions are slightly caramelized and translucent. 4. Add the Portobello, barley and garlic to the pot along with a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Continue sauteing the mixture until the Portobello bits begin to brown. 5. Add the veggie broth back into the pot, bring to a boil, and simmer until the potatoes are tender. 6. Mix in the spinach until it is wilted. Serve!

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 45 mins Yield: 4 servings

What I ate Wednesday and jogging!

2011-06-28T21:29:00.000-07:00

What I ate Wednesday (WIAW) is a fun group event over at Peas and Crayons. ( I adore that blog, by the way). Basically, every Wednesday a bunch of people take pics of all the food they eat in one day and share with other bloggers. Its fascinating seeing what so many different people will eat in one day. Hundreds of people link their stuff!. There is so much variety. I get lots of new ideas for lunches/snacks. A couple of my favorite blogs participate, so I figured...why not! It'll be interesting to see what I eat in one day anyways, I never really keep track.

So here's what I ate one day last week!

A double tall iced soy vanilla latte from Starbucks for breakfast. Yes, I am an addict. Please don't judge.

For lunch I had some delicious lemon barley stew (~~recipe after!)~~. EDIT: recipe up now!

Snack of diet coke and honey roasted almonds.

Dinner was Mom's tomato sauce on whole wheat spaghetti (spaghetti not pictured).

and a snack of homemade Baklava

Annnnd that about does it!

I'm going to supplement my "What I ate Wednesday" with "What I jogged this week" just to keep me honest.

Jogging 6/22/11-6/28/11
6/22- 2.65mi @11:37/mi (feeling very sore, had to walk a bunch)
6/24-1.35mi "speedy" workout @8:43/mi (still feeling ouchie)
6/26-2.65mi @9:45/mi
6/27-1.35mi @9:14/mi
Total last week= 8mi.
Goals for next week are 10mi total, a speedy workout of 8:30/mi and a long work out of over 3 mi.

Recipe later today! Thanks for reading. :-D

Daring Bakers: Phyllo Dough and Baklava

2011-06-27T01:35:00.000-07:00

Erica of Erica’s Edibles was our host for the Daring Baker’s June challenge. Erica challenged us to be truly DARING by making homemade phyllo dough and then to use that homemade dough to make Baklava.

For this challenge I went a bit non-traditional as I'm not a big fan of walnuts. The basic recipe is found here, from Alton Brown (one of my favorites!!). I changed it quite a bit and used almonds, cherries and cashews for the filling. For the syrup I used honey, water, and sugar and flavored it with lemon, cayenne, cinnamon and allspice. I absolutely loved the flavor of the filling, slightly nutty, lots of cherry and a pinch of spice.

I enjoy these daring bakers challenges because they challenge me to be creative and to try recipes I would never try otherwise. For instance, baklava is too rich to be a favorite of mine, but I did enjoy spending hours making the dough and coming up with a filling flavor. If you have any desire to try making Baklava I'd encourage you to take a weekend and do it. I can help give pointers, if you'd like. :-)

Unbaked

Fresh outta the oven!

Pita Chips from Homemade Pitas

2011-06-26T16:03:00.000-07:00

I've recently come to realize how incredibly out of shape I've gotten. Something about the winter makes me hate exercise. I think it is because it is always raining and dark when I get home from work during the winter, making jogging outside a pain. Also, I hate treadmills and have an aversion towards working out in a gym in front of other people. Clearly I need to work on these phobias in the future, but luckily it is summer now so I can jog outside again. Huzzah! :-)

In an effort to get healthier I've made a midyear resolution to not eat any more "junk" food....unless I make it myself ;-). This way if I really have a craving I can still have treats, but without all the extra salt/preservatives/high fructose corn syrup. I'm a firm believer that there is no such thing as homemade "junk" food. If it's made with love, how could it be junk!? Well, we'll see how long this resolution lasts, but I'm having fun so far.

Pita chips have been a weakness of mine ever since I started snacking on them during my lab meetings. Salty and crispy and perfect to dip in hummus. Luckily it turns out they are super simple to make at home and even better than the ones in the bag. I love that I can flavor them however I want when I make them at home. Spicy AND garlicky? Yes please!

Perhaps I should make a "you too can bake bread!" series. This recipe would certainly been in it. The pitas by themselves are easy and super delicious.

For the pitas, adapted from Good Eats n Sweet Treats

Ingredients
Makes 8 pitas

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 packet instant dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water

Method

Sift together the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Make a little well in the middle and add the warm water. You are supposed to add 2 tablespoons of oil at this point, but I totally forgot and the pitas still turned out amazing, so I'll continue to leave it out in the future.

With a wooden spoon stir the water into the flour until it forms a ball. If it is too dry (not all the flour is incorporated) add more warm water 1 tablespoon at a time. If it is too wet (you can't knead it without it sticking to everything) add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Knead the dough for 10 minutes. I kneaded it by hand, you could probably also use a stand mixer.

Place the ball of dough in a clean, oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in size--this should take between 1 and 2 hrs. Punch down the dough and divide into eight equal (or if you are me kind of similarly sized) pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then let the balls sit, covered, for 20 minutes.

While the dough is resting place a cookie sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 450F. Take each of the balls and stretch by hand until they are about 1/4" thick and 6' in diameter. You know, pita shaped!! =] Throw them (so you don't burn yourself!) two at a time onto the hot sheet. Bake for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Pull the done ones out with a set of tongs and throw the next batch in.

Cool and enjoy!

For the pita chips

Ingredients

Pitas, homemade or store bought
Olive oil
Salt
Spices--black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic salt, or any other combination

Method

Preheat oven to 350F.

Massage the whole pitas with olive oil, just enough so that the spices will stick on the outside. Sprinkle with spices. I used sea salt, cayenne and garlic powder. I didn't measure, I just sprinkled.

Cut the seasoned pitas into chip sized pieces. Bake for 15 minutes on a cookie sheet, stirring once, until the chips are very crispy and browned.

Cool a bit and enjoy. :-) They are GREAT with fresh hummus or salsa. ooooh, or guacamole!

Mom's tomato sauce with CSA veggies

2011-06-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

This week I received heirloom tomatoes, sweet peppers and basil in my organic CSA veggie box. These all happen to be ingredients in this awesome tomato sauce my mom makes. But Karla, why would you use beautiful fresh tomatoes in a sauce instead of enjoying them raw? Well, honestly, I don't really like raw tomatoes and I'm sure I'll be getting a TON this summer. :-)

Also, this sauce is amazing. I'm just sayin'. Like most everything I make it is super easy. It also manages to taste both super fresh (from the fresh tomatoes, peppers, and basil) and rich (from the tomato sauce and paste) at the same time.

This time I served it over some frozen homemade vegan gnocchi from VeganYumYum and froze some of the sauce for use in the future. I did NOT use the optional ground beef in my sauce. :-)

The recipe...quoted from mom :-D

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef (optional)
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 clove minced garlic

1 can tomato paste
3 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
1 quart fresh, diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon chopped oregano
1 tablespoon chopped parsley or other herbs
Salt & pepper to taste

Method
Saute beef (if using), onion, bell pepper, and garlic until beef is browned or onion is transparent. Add remaining ingredients and cook over low heat for 2 to 3 hours.

Of course, I never measure, so these amounts are very approximate. Add more garlic, herbs, etc. to your own preference. Good luck!

Edit: some gnocchi tips!
First, yes, you can make gnocchi! It's really not hard at all (especially if you only care about how it TASTES and not how it LOOKS. :-D

1.) Don't use an electric mixer to mash the potatoes. Most sites I've read suggested a ricer or potato masher. I have neither, so I just used two forks to gently break up the spuds, much like making pastry dough.

2.) Use bread flour if you can. It's OK with all purpose, but bread flour has extra gluten that really firms it up. There are TONS of recipes for GF gnocchi out there, but I haven't tried them.

3.) Salt the water you boil the gnocchi in, not the gnocchi! This will flavor the pasta without messing up the texture. You want the water fairly salty. "Like the sea" ---according to Anne Burrell on the food network ;-).

4.) Using a fork to make patterns on the gnocchi makes it prettier, and perhaps soak up more sauce..but I just roll it into a rope and cut it. It takes way less time so I am much more likely to make the gnocchi myself.

5.) I like to boil the gnocchi until they are slightly underdone (a couple of minutes), then strain well and saute in a medium hot skillet using some olive oil or butter. This gives the gnocchi a really crisp delicious outer shell. You can also flavor the gnocchi really well with salt, herbs and spices while you saute.

6.) Since making gnocchi is more of a "weekend" task, make a ton and freeze individual portions. It freezes awesome and then you have a super easy weeknight meal ready to go. That's what I did for this post. (Freeze before you boil)

Carter Beats the Devil

2011-06-20T20:23:00.000-07:00

My favorite cocktail of all time. I had to make it at home. If you get the chance, however, go to Flora in Oakland and try the real deal. Amazing!

Basically, it is just a spicy margarita. But it is so much more. I don't know how, but it goes beyond margarita to something really, really special and fancy tasting.

The first thing you need to do to make this cocktail is fill a jar with dried hot peppers, then cover the peppers with high proof rum (151). Let the jar sit for at least 2 weeks, then strain it. The 151 will now be SMOKING hot. Mmmmm.

Then, mix (over ice)

-3oz tequila reposado
-1oz lime juice
-1tbs agave necter
-1tsp chili infusion (or to taste...start with VERY little)

Mix well. Strain out the ice (easy if you have a cocktail shaker..) and serve cold. It is especially nice after a run. I'm just sayin'. :-D

It was super sunny out so I took a picture in the sun, just because sun makes me happy.

Healthy Asian Inspired Potato Salad (with Tofu Croutons!)

2011-06-15T01:17:00.000-07:00

This month was my first month participating in the "Daring cooks" challenge. This month we were challenged to create a healthy potato salad from around the world. I loved this challenge because although it wasn't "difficult", it forced me to be creative.

Jami Sorrento was our June Daring Cooks hostess and she chose to challenge us to celebrate the humble spud by making a delicious and healthy potato salad. The Daring Cooks Potato Salad Challenge was sponsored by the nice people at the United States Potato Board, who awarded prizes to the top 3 most creative and healthy potato salads. A medium-size (5.3 ounce) potato has 110 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium and includes nearly half your daily value of vitamin C and has more potassium than a banana!

For this challenge I decided that I needed to get rid of the traditional "creamy" dressing that I associate with most potato salads. I also wanted to include the skins for extra goodness and include something that would add some protein.

Maybe because it has "salad" in the title, or maybe because I've been really wanting to enjoy tofu, I decided to make crispy tofu croutons to add protein to my potato salad. I marinated the tofu in an asian inspired sauce and then used that sauce to top the salad (instead of using a mayo based sauce). I used a low sodium tamari to try to cut down on the sodium.

I loved the varying textures and flavors in this salad. The bell pepper was really fresh, the tofu was crispy and savory and the potatoes were creamy. The marinade dressing also added a really zingy fresh touch. Overall, I really enjoyed the "salad" as a whole. :-)

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Asian Inspired Potato Salad with Tofu Croutons

by Karla June-15-2011

A healthy, vegan potato salad with Asian flavors and crispy tofu croutons.

Ingredients

1/2 pound Extra firm tofu, pressed
2Tbs Tamari (or soy) sauce
2Tbs Rice wine vinegar
1tsp Hot sauce
1Tbs Sesame oil
2 cloves Garlic, mashed
1/4tsp Ginger powder
1lb Small red potatoes, cubed
1 Bell pepper, diced
1tsp Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Cut tofu into small (1cm) cubes. Whisk together the tamari, oil, vinegar, garlic, hot sauce and ginger and cover the tofu cubes. Marinate cubes for one hour, stirring once. 2. Preheat the oven to 400F. Remove tofu cubes from the marinade (reserve the marinade!) and pat dry. Bake on a cookie sheet for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy. Cool the croutons. 3. Boil the cubed potatoes for 10 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain and cool. 4. Mix cooked potatoes, diced bell peppers and 1/2 of the reserved marinade. Top with tofu croutons and toasted sesame seeds.

Details

Prep time: 1 hour 10 mins Cook time: 1 hour Total time: 2 hour 10 mins Yield: 4 side servings

Bakesale Betty's Coleslaw.

2011-06-14T17:53:00.000-07:00

Bakesale Betty's is an Oakland institution. People line up out the door and around the block every day during lunch to have one of her amazing fried chicken sandwiches. These sandwiches consist of nothing more than a torpedo roll, spicy fried chicken breast and spicy coleslaw. But it is enough to keep people coming back again. and again...and again... I might have been one of those people. Oh Oakland, I miss you!

The part of the sandwich I loved the best was the spicy slaw that is piled on top. Turns out google is awesome and there were recipes posted online! I made the slaw and ate it by itself for a quick light lunch. It is super simple and uberly delicious.

All you do is marinate some thinly sliced red onion in red wine vinegar for a couple minutes. Then, toss together a small sliced cabbage, the onions, a chopped up small bunch of parsley and a minced jalapeno. Dress it with a simple dressing of red wine vinegar, olive oil (the best you have!), dijon mustard and salt. Simple. Summery. Fresh. Awesome! I used the recipe found here, but with about half of the recommended oil. I don't miss it.

I'll be posting my own original recipe for this month's "daring cooks" challenge tomorrow! See you then. Wheeee :-)

Skillet Cornbread

2011-06-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't been very inspired to cook much recently, so this recipe is from when I made my mom's baked beans. I've been living off of roasted veggies and take-out. Sometimes I just get into a funk. I NEED to start eating better/healthier though as I keep feeling super sluggish! How do you get out of cooking funks?

This cornbread isn't the absolute best cornbread I've ever eaten, but it is super easy, fast, vegan, made from pantry staples and still freakin' delicious. Also, it is a sweet cornbread. If you omit the honey and add some savory spices and jalapenos I'm sure it would be delicious as well.

Best of all? It only messes up two bowls and a non-stick skillet (which you can just wipe out). Awesome for us lazies I tell you, awesome!

I based my recipe on Peggy's skillet cornbread recipe found here.

PS. I just found her blog and I LOVE it. Check it out.

First you mix wet and dry, separately.

Then, mix them together and pour into a pre-heated skillet.

Bake for a short bit (15 min).

And enjoy!

print recipe

Skillet Cornbread

by June-9-2011

An easy vegan cornbread. Sweet style.

Ingredients

1C Cornmeal
1/2C Whole wheat pastry flour
1tsp Salt
1tsp Baking powder
1tsp Baking soda
1C Soy milk
1Tbs Lemon Juice
1/4C Applesauce
2Tbs Honey
2Tbs Vegan butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F and heat a 9" nonstick (or greased conventional) skillet. 2. Mix soy milk and lemon juice in a small mixing bowl, set aside. 3. Sift together corn meal, flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. Whisk applesauce, honey and melted vegan butter into the soy milk mixture.
5. Make a well in the dry ingredient, add the wet ingredients to the center and mix until combined. 6. Carefully remove the heating skilled from the oven and pour in the batter. 7. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool and enjoy served with vegan butter and honey!

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 20 mins Yield: 8 slices