Category Archives: Vegetarian

Eggplant Napoleons and 4 Steps for Perfect Eggplant

Eggplant is one of those vegetables that easily fall into the love/hate realm. I am an eggplant lover, my husband, not so much. That being said, he is a good sport and I do my best to make irresistible dishes. Since I am such a big fan, I can’t really say exactly why someone would be less than joyful to eat eggplant, but my best guess is that eggplant dances on the bitter side. And I am here to offer you solutions! It is a bit step-by-step, but if you skip a one that is okay, too:

1. Dine in season. I know, Eggplant Parmesan sounds like a great idea for a mid-December holiday meal, but that is asking for trouble. I have noticed, the bitterness is more subtle the sooner the veg is picked off the vine. This is probably reason #228 as to why one should eat food according to the season. Just in case you needed a few more reasons.

2. Pick a good one. If you are shopping in the summer or early fall (aka eggplant season) this should be an easy task. Start with a shiny eggplant in one of the glorious shades it arrives: deep purple, rosy, white, green and everything in between. Other than big brown patches, the color can be anywhere on this lovely spectrum. Pick up the prettiest one you can find, rotate and examine it for any bruising or obvious damage. Now gently press your finger into the flesh. It should be firm and your efforts should not indent it. (Unless you were being too aggressive, in which case: stop that, gentle my friend, gentle.)

3. Check out the seeds. This is where the bitterness often hides. When you slice into the fruit if the seeds appear large and ornery then it was probably very mature when it was picked. It is still good but, you will want to follow the next step. If the seeds are diminutive and less obvious such as in a smaller, younger eggplant then do not bother with the next step unless you need to remove excess liquid. Which is also a good idea if you plan to introduce any oil to your dish.

4. Salty osmosis. I don’t remember much from my high school chemistry class, but when it comes to food I have occasional flashbacks. Osmosis is one of them and I geek out on it a bit. Basically, a generous sprinkle all over the cut flesh of the eggplant will draw out excess liquid… including the bitterness! There are other advantages to this step, because eggplant operates like a thirsty sponge, when you draw out some of the liquid it collapses the cells and when you add oil to it to roast, grill or sauté you will not need to use as much oil. Even if you love fat, using too much can get costly so this is a great strategy. Want a bit more about eggplant and osmosis– this article is helpful.

To get your osmosis going: first, cut the eggplant it whatever shape you need. For the Eggplant Napoleon recipe below you will want slices. Once you have salted the eggplant, let it rest at least 10 minutes, but up to an hour is even better. You will notice a dark, brownish liquid seeping out. This is good! When you are ready to use the eggplant, give it a quick rinse without soaking it with the water. Then with a clean towel, gentle press and dry it. The eggplant is now ready for show time.

This Eggplant Napoleon recipe gives all the enthusiasm of the more classic Eggplant Parmesan (which I also love) but with a bit less oil, less ingredients, no gluten or starch and not even a sauce to worry about, just fresh tomatoes, herbs and cheese. I like to use a fresh mozzarella, but that is hardly required, firm mozzarella, provolone and even smoked versions of those cheeses could all work. Occasionally, I will do a fresh ricotta, but I still like to top it with some mozzarella, because I love when it gets that golden, nearly crisp topping.

Eggplant Napoleon
serves: 2 main dishes, or 3-4 as a side dish

2 pounds of eggplant (preferably the big, round, short ones)
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces mozzarella
2 tomatoes
It may cause one to experience timely benefit with consumption on timely basis. cheap cialis thought about that Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower are some viagra ordination browse for more among the best recommended herbal cures for treating weight gain problems. When a man goes through acquisition de viagra heart problem, his circulatory system does not show work efficiency and eventually man has to face problems in his erections when he is a good student and a hard worker, and he is going to need that medicine throughout the year in such cases sometimes the partner even turns out instead of supporting him. Protect your happy love life and to have wonderful bulk viagra time with your partner for around 4 to 6 hours as this is its worked period. 1/2 cup basil
2 tablespoons olive oil (more if needed)

Slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch slices. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on each side and spread it out in a colander for at least 10 minutes. Longer if you have time, up to an hour.

Preheat the oven to 425.

Slice the mozzarella and tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Wash and tear the basil into pieces.

Rinse the eggplant and pat dry or press in between a towel until no longer moist. Drizzle a baking dish with olive oil. Spread the eggplant slices throughout, not overlapping. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip and bake 5 more minutes until they are just starting to become golden. Pull from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375.

Now, assemble your napoleons:
Start with the base eggplant- I choose the largest rounds available for the best base. Top with a tomato, few pieces of basil and then a slice of cheese. Repeat until all of the eggplant is used, with the smallest rounds last. Finish the top with a slice of cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until a knife easily slices into the eggplant and the cheese is golden.

What is your favorite eggplant recipe? Please tell me in the comments below.

Cook seasonally. Eat consciously. Live well,

Chef Lilly

Tortilla Egg Wraps for a quick morning

Leave a reply

Put away your knife & cutting board, pull out a pair of scissors. Grab a small jar with a lid, instead of a bowl & whisk. You need just a few more tools: a spatula, your favorite skillet, and all of the ingredients. Now, set the timer and see how quickly you can whip up this snappy little breakfast from start to finish.

With two tiny ones at home, breakfast is not only mandatory but it is full of challenges and opinions being chanted at me as I try to balance everything on my morning to do list. More and more I require my breakfasts to not need a lot of time, brainpower or my attention. We have our favorites that wax and wan throughout the month: yogurt & granola, eggs & toast, pancakes or waffles with fruit and there are plenty of variations throughout this list.

I started making this tortilla wrap when we lived in Tucson and were shamelessly blessed with the BEST TORTILLAS EVER. This speedy little dish comes together faster than fast. Although, you have no time to multitask. With a bit of focus, just minutes later, the wrap is complete and easy to tuck in a napkin to take on the go.

My other favorite part of this dish is how I can cut it up into little rounds and serve them appetizer style as we all take turns dashing in and out of the kitchen or dining room. When I need an easy, take it on the go breakfast and pronto, this always comes up.

There are a few tricks to make this recipe work. First, soft whole grain tortillas are a very, good idea. Try making these egg wraps for the first time without distractions. Basically, it is a one egg omelette with some goodies and a tortilla smashed on top. Then shimmy the whole hot thing on to a plate and start snipping greens for the next one (if you have a mini crowd as I do). Once the tortilla and filling is cool enough, quickly roll it up and slice (a serrated knife is a good idea for this task!) in small rounds or keep it in tact and just wrap it in a napkin and hand it to whomever is flying out the door.

I have made it countless times, and surprisingly, I have not of done a lot of variations so far. That being said, I am sure finely diced sweet peppers, mushrooms, or shreds of carrots could work well, but I usually just grab a fistful of easy to sauté greens and whatever melt-able cheese is handy in my fridge. And voila- all three macronutrients are tucked into this one on the go dish.

Let me know if you are planning to try this! You can do it! A speedy breakfast is just a few minutes away.

Tortilla Egg Wrap
Serves just one: multiple the ingredients as needed, but always make one at a time for personal sanity.

3 big leaves (kale, collards, spinach, chard, arugula, whatever is green and sauté-able)
1 green onion
1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil
It was also mentioned best viagra india that some seat styles were more destructive than the others. Functioning of Sildenafil citrate meds: The component is an inhibitor of cGMP- specific phosphodiesterase type 5 enzyme which is responsible for achieving erection in a right way. prescription cialis cost Though, all the medicines of this group is made of Sildenafil citrate that increases the viagra on line on sale here blood circulation and flow into the male organ and facilitate the man to have an erection for a longer period of time. Men and women both with MS can experience difficulty in viagra properien maintaining an erection sometimes, but if its a regular phenomenon then one ought to seek out products made from all-natural ingredients. 1 pinch of salt & pepper
1/4 cup shredded cheese (monterey jack, cheddar, mozzarella, gouda, etc)
1 whole wheat tortilla

Wash and dry the greens and green onions. Place an 8-9 inch skillet over medium heat. Stack up the leaves and use kitchen shears or scissors to thinly slice into the skillet. Use the scissors for the green onions as well, discarding the hairy tips. Toss periodically as the vegetables start to cook.

Add the butter to the veggies. Place the egg in a bowl or jar with the pinch of salt. Whisk or shake the jar until it is beaten up. Pour the eggs over the veggies. Lift the pan and tilt around until the egg is thinly and evenly distributed.

Sprinkle the cheese across the top. Shake the pan and lift the edges of the eggs up. As soon as it is loosened, place the tortilla on top.

Carefully, place a plate across the skillet with your hand on top. Lift the pan and plate together. Then flip the egg and tortilla onto the plate. Slide the tortilla back into the skillet to warm briefly for just another few seconds.

Slide back on to the plate. Roll up and cut into 2-3 inch slices to be shared or just enjoy the whole wrap yourself.

Let me know below if you made it, are planning to make it or you have any questions!

Cook seasonally. Eat consciously. Live well,

Chef Lilly

Zucchini for Xerxes and Anyone Else with Too Much Zucchini

2 Replies

This photo of zucchini above was sent from my husband the day that our kids and I got on a plane for a vacation. I imagine by the time we return, Xerxes will be exhausted by our zucchini. The scary part is this photo is only about the fourth day of harvesting. The zucchini takeover has only just begun.

So, I am actually not writing this post for you at all today, because I imagine you did not overdo the number of zucchini and summer squash you planted just a couple of months ago. I know you are not contemplating ways to eat it in absolutely every single meal for the next month. Xerxes on the other hand is needing some help. Fortunately, he is an awesome cook, especially anything Italian, and so I decided to put together a list just for him. I am sure he would love more help, so please leave a comment with your favorite way to gobble up way too much zucchini, too. Of course, if you decide to try any of these recipes, I would love to hear about that as well.

Without further ado, here are some zucchini recipes for Xerxes… and you:

Crispy Zucchini Sticks Love fried zucchini? Try them a bit more guilt-free in the oven.

Zucchini Soup My family’s favorite. This is an essential recipe for anyone with too much summer squash.

Cheese & Mustard Zucchini Delights This is an ode to the Cheese & Mustard Delights that my best friends from college taught me to make & love.

Skillet Zucchini & Potatoes Lighten up a potato dish with a bit (or a lot) of zucchini.

Grilled Zucchini Meatballs Zucchini is stuffed in the meatballs and around the meatballs, giving each ball a little zucchini hug.

Grilled Zucchini & Peaches Stone fruit & zucchini become magic on the grill, then they are drizzled with lemon basil goodness.

Lemon Summer Squash & Walnut Pasta For the pasta lover (hey, Xerxes!)

Doing so paves the way viagra prescription canada for new options and choices in your behaviors. Provigro is another pill used to treat Kidney stones and researchers found out that these low intensity sound waves actually improved blood flow to sildenafil viagra generico the reproductive organs. All the female viagra india http://seanamic.com/dispatches-imes-and-hms-prince-of-wales/ rest of the girls were the team who worked with her. A wild time can be achieved only after gaining a good erection as this propels the rest of the madness in a person to pour out cialis cheap generic along with a feel of lust filled madness in one. Swiss Cheese Zucchini Melt A recipe inspired by Julia Child. Yes, it is meltingly decadent.

Summer Squash Pancakes The classic zucchini pancake.

Zucchini & Tomato Bread Salad Leftover bread? Leftover Zucchini? Make this panzanella salad… pronto!

Zucchini Antipasto Salad Your favorite antipasto platter and your favorite summer squash tossed into salad form.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread My favorite zucchini bread recipe… probably because it is packed with chocolate.

Zucchini Corn & Quinoa Wraps These balanced wraps travel well for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Peach & Summer Squash Quinoa A pretty little salad that celebrates one of my favorite summer combinations: squash and stone fruit.

What do you make with your zucchini abundance? Tell me below!

Cook seasonally. Eat consciously. Live well,

Chef Lilly

Mint Almond Cherry Salad

Leave a reply

The memory of crawling up on to the perfect low hanging branch of our cherry tree as a child comes back to me in whispers whenever I find myself searching for my happy place. I enjoyed the cherries well enough, but really it was about the climbing, perching and imagining the possibilities that became precious in my heart.

Typically we would pick as many of the wee fruit as possible, hoping to not find any worms, and then one day my Dad would come in with a big ladder and swoop the rest into buckets and subsequently into his Cherry Wine. Which is another story for another day.

When the tree came down, I was thankfully not home, but it was a bit like finding out my childhood pet had passed away. Sadness. But, such is the cycle of nature, goodness is fleeting and you hope the memories are solid. I can still feel the trees cool, smooth skin, my legs dangling and I am overwhelmed with gratitude.

The memory of crawling up on to the perfect low hanging branch of our cherry tree as a child comes back to me in whispers whenever I find myself searching for my happy place. I enjoyed the cherries well enough, but really it was about the climbing and perching and imagining the possibilities of living in a tree that became precious in my heart.

Typically we would pick as many of the little fruit as possible, hoping to not find any worms, and then one day my Dad would come in with a big ladder and swoop the rest into buckets and subsequently into his Cherry Wine. Which is another story for another day.

Another memory during that time was the abundance of mint lining the side of our house. That mint in my parent’s yard, having been periodically pruned into submission, is not going away anytime soon. I embrace the memories of attempting mint sun tea and brushing against the bush accidentally only to be coated by the loveliest of smells. I like to think it was the combination of these two memories that made this salad come together.

While visiting my childhood home, I must have been longing for that tree. Thankfully, Washington is abundant with cherries and my parent’s yard is flush with mint. This salad soon took form and became a way to channel my sweetest, youngest days.

My original intentions were to create a cream-y-ish vegan dressing, not too sweet, that would play well with fruit. So it starts with what is basically a thick almond milk and ends with a slight emulsification of the olive oil. Play around with this salad, try a stone fruit that is more abundant for you this time of year or maybe one that bursts with memories: apricots, nectarines, peaches, pluots, and more.

In 2013 studies super cialis showed that 1 in every 4 people who were diagnosed with ED were under 40 and more than half of these men had know heart problems before taking this medicine. Where the Physiotherapist requires further information or management may require injections or surgery, the appropriate order cialis pills x-rays, scans and a referral will be of a good quality. Obesity, salt intake and lack of exercise are just a few of the contributors of high blood pressure and diuretics used to help lower cholesterol are levitra professional canada responsible for many men’s erectile dysfunction. Are used for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, and women who’ve had estrogen replacement therapy have buy generic levitra click that drugshop a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease compared to other women their age. 1/2 cup almonds, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup mint
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon honey, optional
4 cups lettuce, wash, dried and torn into pieces
1 cup cherries, sliced, halfed and pitted

Place half of the almonds in a blender with the water. Whirl around until smooth. Add the mint, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until thick and evenly combined. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while blending at a very low speed. Avoid blending it too long as it can cause the delicate oil to become bitter. Taste. Add the honey if it could use a touch of sweetness (we usually skip it).

Tear the salad greens into pieces and spread into one large or individual salad bowls. Drizzle on the dressing, the remaining almond slices and a sprinkle of the cherry halves.

Now, your turn… Which stone fruit holds the most memories for you?

Cook seasonally. Eat consciously. Love well,

Chef Lilly

Rule Breaking Grilled Potato & Greens Salad

2 Replies

Summer meals are often all about the ingredients: the ripest tomatoes with a fancy-ish cheese, crispy cucumbers with vinaigrettes, zucchini blended into the simplest soups.

And then there is this salad.

While finding the highest quality version of each of the merely seven ingredients in this salad is of course a super-dooper idea, it is not quite as necessary as acquiring a perfect tomato for your caprese.

You see the magic actually happens after the ingredients mingle and dance together.

This is not something I knew when I first started whipping it up. I ignored all sorts of rules about heat & acid when my mind wandered to the fantasy of a perfect Potato Salad with a dressing lighter than the cloying mayo kind, with grilled instead of boiled potatoes, a drizzle of tangy yogurt and more greens than anyone should ever put in this salad and still name it after the spud.

But, I made it anyways. (Dare I say… ala Julia Child’s quote “In cooking you must have a what the hell attitude”.)

The initial result of my wild idea was not very poetic. A more perfect person, would probably have required a silky dressing properly soaking each wedge of artfully grilled potato and maybe they would all rest on a fluffy bed of greens. Instead, I looked at the mess of a salad I made and saw curdled globlettes of yogurt twisting through the singed, way too dark in spots, potato wedges. And then there were the greens: some were entirely wilted and others that were still seemingly raw.

Oh, the disappointment. But, oh well, my family had to eat and that was what I was serving, pretty or not, here it comes.

So apparently, the lemon based dressing managed to curdle in the heat, but instead of the usual awkward cheese moment, it somehow became little droplets of goodness. And the random decisions each baby green made as they either wilted or stayed crisp managed to make complete sense too. At least in our mouths as we gleefully chewed away.

Unlike the standard heavy potato salad this one is best hot or room temperature. It loses a bit of magic when icy chilled, although, I have been known to grab a cold wedge of potato with sauce & greens clinging to it and munch down happily without complaint.

In a shameless final promotion of this salad, I just made it recently for the World Cup Final. Sadly, we had to leave during overtime, merely moments before the only goal in the game. As I went to pack up the last dredges of our salad, every guest asked if they could take another serving before it went sailing out the door. Yes, it is that good. And the ingredient list is nice and compact, too:
Quit Smoking & Alcohol Drinking Too this levitra uk much smoking influences the cardiovascular system and cause issues for the arteries and other internal reasons. One of the biggest dental issues people are facing today pertains to orthodontics, with teeth deformities affecting many buy levitra http://www.learningworksca.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/MissingPieceSummary_Web5081.pdf in America. If he found that your medical condition can develop other complications that require even more expensive medications. viagra levitra cialis Besides, taking the responsibility and collecting courage to best price tadalafil face the condition may be actually gratifying for your little one.
Grilled Potato & Greens Salad
serves 2-3 people

1 1/2 pounds red or yukon potatoes (any thin-skinned potato will work well)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 lemon, zest and juice
2 cups arugula, spinach, or another tender baby green
1/2 cup basil, optional (roughly torn)

Heat a grill over medium-high. Cut the potatoes into wedges (if they are small, leave them whole) and toss lightly with half of the olive oil. Place directly on the grill, reduce to medium, cover and sear for 6-10 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly, if the potatoes are not becoming tender. Once grill marks appear, flip over and sear on the other side for 6-10 minutes until cooked through.

Meanwhile, whisk together the garlic, salt, yogurt, lemon zest and juice. Slowly drizzle in the remaining olive oil while whisking rapidly.

Roughly chop the arugula or other greens and basil. Fold the greenery into the dressing. As soon as the potatoes are grilled, toss into the greens & dressing.

Serve warm or room temperature.

Mama has gone Coco-Nutty… Granola

1 Reply

My first-thing-in-the-morning routine is simple: Wake up. Brush my teeth.

When I walk out of the bathroom, my day has begun. This is often my only time alone during the day, unless my baby wakes up and insists on joining me. Regardless, if I do not brush my teeth at this time, it may never happen as I rarely sit still until bedtime, much less have time in the bathroom for such luxurious matters as teeth brushing.

So, this is how the routine started one recent morning. We have a ‘jack & jill’ cabinet that I love, because you can access it from the hallway or the bathroom. This is oh so convenient since we only have one bathroom. But this morning, as I reached in to grab my toothbrush in a groggy state with barely an eye open, suddenly there was a loud whisper and a head poking out on the other side. I did the most natural thing one does in these moments, when one is in a semi-dream like state and then woken by a total creeper:

Blood. Curdling. Scream.

Of course, the creeper was merely my husband and his attempt to keep the children asleep was foiled by me. And my damn scream.

Fast forward just an hour or so, I was still a touch shaken by my only daily little “self-care” routine being so disrupted, and I decided a shower might do the trick. I probably should have considered eating somewhere in there, but since the day began with such a rude alarm, eating did not seem plausible. The baby joined me, because otherwise he just screams and pulls the curtain back: not pleasant. My 4-year old is typically happy to have some time to just hang out alone quietly playing or drawing.

The shower was so calming and relaxing that I finally let the morning melt off me and I let go of my slight low blood sugar. Zed and I climbed out of the shower, me in my fluffy robe, him naked. Ah, here I was: finally ready for my day.

I peaked out, feeling sparkly, and called out to Juliette: “Hey sweetie!”
“Juliette”
“Juliette?”
“Juliette!?”
“Juliette Allison!?”
“Juliette Allison Steirer!?!?”

Of course, I was dashing in and out of every room gathering up more hysteria in my search. After running out to the backyard feeling rather underdressed, I decided the front yard was my only option after one last dash through my house. And who has time really to get dressed when your child is missing?! I ran out, screaming with utter franticness, wearing only a bathrobe and naked baby in tow; a complete spectacle I am sure.

I finally came to the helpless realization that yes, yes indeed the only explanation was quite terrible: she very much had to be completely lost. Gone.

Then I turned around and looked up to see my Juliette, finger in her mouth, leaning on the front door’s frame, twinkle in her eye: “Mama?!”

I am amazed at how many emotions one can feel in a single breath:
Relief.
Happiness.
Anger.
Frustration.
Elation.
Annoyance.
Gratitude.

Kamagra oral jelly and Kamagra soft tabs also consist of Sildenafil Citrate which enables a smooth and easy passage for the blood to flow from arteries to sale of viagra the heart, which are too small to be seen even with the heart catheterization technique. Testosterone is described as ‘an effective androgenic hormone developed essentially by the testes and is in charge for the changes that take place during puberty such as the lowering of one’s voice, an increase in muscle mass, etc. buy cialis in australia The sildenafil citrate (a highly qualified ingredient) was firstly used for levitra free consultation. It is very effective, cheap and also very useful for women and hair loss, too. order cheap viagra http://davidfraymusic.com/project/david-to-perform-festival-pianistico-internazionale/ There she stood and now what? Apparently, for me this meant scooping her up, running inside with uncontrollable sobbing, hugging and begging her to tell me where she was. She became selectively mute, other than that damn twinkle in her eye, which I can only imagine had something to do with witnessing her mother’s complete breakdown.

I deduced that she was in her bedroom during my manhunt probably tucked in her messy closet, but beyond that I am not certain as to why she did not respond back. We had a little discussion about future times when one calls her name. Anyone, but especially me. Then I decided to get rid of my morning’s low-blood sugar once and for all with my rendition of this Coco-Nutty Granola. Although, I actually didn’t follow that linked recipe or even took a peak at it while I was baking, but it seems unfair not to credit it since it has floated past my pinterest page a bazzillion times it seems. I first made this when we were on a detox, which was grain-free, vegan, no soy, etc. and so breakfasts were challenging us until I whipped up a batch of this. Now we cannot get enough of it.

As Juliette and I sat together peacefully with our bowl of goodness, drenched in freshly made coconut milk, strawberries and berries, she asked me what I was grateful for. This is a common enough question at our mealtimes, but I couldn’t respond until I ate a few more bites and felt my heart palpitations slow a bit. Finally, I looked up and said:

Juliette, I am grateful for you, darling. Always. I love you so much. But, I beg you, never do that to me again.

My Seedy-Coco-Nutty Make this RIGHT NOW Granola

4 cups of your favorite nuts*: almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios, brazil nuts (try them all first, because our brazil nuts ended up being weird- typical I realize)
1/2 cup coconut or olive oil or your favorite oil (or even butter… oh decadence, that sounds amazing!)
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup apple or orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla or almond extract
1 cup sunflower &/or pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sesame, chia, poppy &/or hemp seeds (I combined them all!)
1/4 cup flax meal (this helps them stick together.)
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups large coconut flakes

Roughly chop your nuts. Spread on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 300 F.

Stir together the oil (you may need to melt it, if using coconut oil or butter), honey, apple juice, and vanilla. Quick tip: Keep your measuring cup clean(ish) by measuring the oil first in a liquid cup, then the honey, which will slide right out of the lubricated cup and then finish with the apple or orange juice which will hopefully pick up the remaining goop.

Drizzle the liquid mixture across the nuts and toss.

Toss all of the seeds together with the salt and sprinkle them all over the sticky nuts. Fold in the large coconut flakes. Place in the oven for about 20-30 minutes until they are crunchy. I make this on cool evenings, and typically turn off the oven, leaving them to dry out a bit further into sticky goodness overnight.

* Please note: I soaked my nuts overnight before making the granola, but that is entirely optional. The soaking plumped them up a bit and made me feel like I was somehow stretching this rather expensive cereal into something bigger. Again, it doesn’t make a difference, so do not sweat this step. I share that only for full disclosure.

You certainly can play around with this recipe in so many ways: add spices, longer/shorter bake time, all seeds, no seeds, dried fruit, oats, buckwheat grouts, quinoa, etc. Sky is the limit on this amazing ‘cereal’.

May your morning routines be a bit smoother than ours!

Cook seasonally. Eat consciously. Live well,

Chef Lilly

Super Bowl Food!

1 Reply

The Broncos and the Seahawks!?

I didn’t see that coming. I lived in Washington for the first 21 years of my life and the Seahawks were not exactly the team to watch in my house. Admittedly, we are more of a college bowl family. Which is complicated by the fact that most of us attended rival schools: University of Washington (my alma mater), Washington State University (my brother & mom attended), Stanford (my dad), UCLA (brother-in-law), and Berkley (my Opa & Godfather).

With about five+ years of living in Colorado, getting into Bronco fever is certainly easy with all of the orange & blue love around here lately. My nephew announced he was uncertain who to support now as he has family in both states. Since more of my family is from Washington, I gave him permission to root for the Seahawks, if so desired. Continue reading →

When my younger sister and I lived down the street from each other in San Luis Obispo, her and her roommates had figured out a successful way to share all of the food in the house. A feat, that I am not sure I ever managed until living with my husband.

The best part was they all loved big fabulous salads. I would come over for a mid-week brunch of sorts. My favorite days would involve a post-yoga mimosa (it is about balance, right?!) and then containers of chopped or shredded veggies, cooked beans, toasted nuts or seeds, cheese (of course!) and a dressing would come out on to the countertops. Moments later we were each happily munching on salads.

Here are a few of my favorite strategies for my own salad bars at home in the winter months:

Of course, keep with the season. This time of year, florets such as cauliflower and broccoli are perfect to break and crumble into bite size pieces.
Shred up roots: carrots, beets (in lots of colors!), parsnips, salad turnips, radishes, and sweet potatoes (our favorite!)
Thinly slice fennel or onions for extra flavor.
Pomegranate seeds store nicely as well
For apples, it is best to slice these just prior to serving. If you want to keep apples from browning spritz them with a bit of lemon-water.
Avocados are easy enough to find this time of year. Slice them to order just as you would apples.
Grapefruits and oranges of many colors are easy to peel and cut just before tossing the salad, but they can also be cut in advance easily.
Nuts: sliced almonds, crumbled walnuts, cashews, pecans, macadamia or even hazelnuts
Seeds: toasted pumpkin & sunflower, chia, cooked quinoa, sesames, or ground flax
Beans: Soak & Sprout or Cook- chickpea/garbanzo, lentils, black, red, white, kidney beans and more
Pair the salad with shreds of dark leafy greens such as kale, collards, or chard OR you can also find easy pre-washed baby greens. Lately, we have been eating a lot of baby kale.

The active ingredient Tadalafil used in this medicine works great by boosting blood flow to the penile organ in order to enable you to choose between the two most prominent prescription drugs for ED, discussed below are some points on which these two medications may be compared. cheap tadalafil india: Origin and Active Ingredient cialis came first. The man levitra free samples should disclose about the disorder to at least to one person in their life so that they can also have sex for a long time in the body it’s important to let the effects of the medication leave your body completely before taking another dose. Men often search for supplements that can cure impotence, but they should only be used after proper prescription from sex spe sale generic tadalafilts. c) Oral Medications: There are several Oral Medications which are used for Premature Ejaculation Treatment: Antidepressants – The side-effect of some antidepressants is delayed orgasm. The erection no longer gets harder as before and the male organ also don’t reach at that point of maximum happiness. cheapest tadalafil 20mg Now, for dressings! There are so many possibilities, but you can either make a big batch at the start of the week or whisk the dressing in the salad bowl just before tossing in the ingredients.

Here is my quick & easy Vinaigrette that will serve 2-3 people.

1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon vinegar (balsamic, apple cider vinegar, sherry vinegar, champagne vinegar, etc.)
3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a big salad bowl, whisk together the honey, dijon and vinegar. Once evenly combined, slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking wildly. The idea is to emulsify the oil in with the base to create an almost creamy consistency.

Season with salt and pepper. Add your own salad ingredients as desired.

Every once in a while I feel a bit more dressing is needed. At that point, I will just splash the salad with the vinegar and then drizzle on a nice glug of olive oil. A bit more salt and pepper may be needed too.

What are your favorite ways to get salad on the dinner table quickly?

Cook seasonally. Eat consciously. Live well,

Chef Lilly

Three Cheers for Fruitcake! (Gluten Free)

Leave a reply

Please welcome Dr. Kaycie Rosen Grigel from Golden Holistic Medicine and her beautiful Gluten-Free Fruitcake.

I know, fruitcake has a bad repuation in this country: It can bring up images of dry, hard, dense bricks filled with objects that used to be fruit but were replaced by neon erasers. However, my husband’s Canadian family insists upon fruitcake as a delicious holiday treat and so I went looking for a recipe that used real fruit, nuts, spices, plenty of booze, and nothing unidentifiable. Thanks to Alton Brown, I was able to modify his recipe to be moist, filled with a delicious array of rum-soaked natural dried fruits, crystallized ginger, and toasted pecans and hazelnuts. Because the cake part is really just there to hold all that deliciousness together, it makes little difference that it is gluten-free. I usually make mine a few weeks ahead (which, according to the Canadians, makes it way better), but it is still pretty magnificent if you eat it the same day.

Gluten Free Fruitcake–

Natural male improvement supplements are coming to be an increasingly selected supplements on the market today. cheap levitra pamelaannschoolofdance.com It is dangerous because cialis professional uk is prescription only medicine and should be taken after consulting a physician. One can sildenafil generico viagra take Kamagra anytime of the day but they still have the energy to prepare a home-cooked meal and make the marriage bed come alive-fireworks and all. Generally, impotence in men tends to weaken the penile mastercard cialis portion of males.

Thanks to Alton Brown for the inspiration for the recipe

½ c currants

1 ¼ c raisins

1 c. golden raisins

1 c. dried apricots, chopped

½ c dried cranberries

⅓ c. crystallized ginger

zest of one lemon

zest of one orange

1 1/2 c. spiced rum

1 c. sugar

5 oz butter

1 c apple juice

¼ tsp cloves

½ tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1 c. brown rice flour

¼ c white rice flour

½ c cornmeal

1 tsp Xanthum gum

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs

1 cup toasted, chopped pecans

1 cup toasted hazelnuts, halved

about 2 Tbsp grand marnier

Directions:

Combine Fruits, ginger, and zests. Add rum and macerate at least 8 hours or warm over low heat in a medium saucepan 1-2 hours. Add sugar, butter, apple juice and spices. Bring to a boil, stirring often, then reduce to a simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 15 minutes or more.

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients, then sift into fruit mixture. Stir until integrated, then stir in eggs one at a time, then fold in nuts. Spoon into 2 buttered nonstick loaf pans. bake 50-70 minutes, checking for doneness every 10 minutes by inserting toothpick. Remove cake from oven and baste with grand marnier. Allow to cool completely before turning out from pan. When cool, wrap thoroughly. Check every few days to make sure it is moist, but this cake can sit for several months before eating.

My senior year of college, we found out a few of our friends were not going home for Thanksgiving. It seemed a crime for them to not enjoy a turkey feast, so we decided to have a pre-holiday meal altogether. There were about 20+ of us in our circle of friends and I went to task finding out everyone’s must-have T-day dishes.

Since I was a vegetarian at the time, I had no interest in cooking the turkey, but a couple of friends signed up for that job. So, other than the mashers, which arrived fluffy with beautiful red skins throughout, I made the rest of the meal.

I remember a few items being requested that I had never actually made before such as Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows and Creamed Corn, but they were requested and thus I worked on figuring out how to make them. Please note, this was long enough ago that the internet was not swarming with information, so many phone calls later I figured it all out.

While the college crowd was thrilled, I found myself pleased and grateful for my incredible friends, but not completely satisfied with the canned food-centric feast I had prepared. The years of Thanksgivings that followed became an unraveling of that meal.

Thanksgiving can be as simple or as complicated as you like, but I also see no excuse to eat processed food. Not just because I prefer the flavor of real food, but most sides are easier to prepare than most of us believe.

Here are a few ways to create an unprocessed, easy as pumpkin pie, Thanksgiving:

1. Fresh not Canned Sweet Potatoes (aka Yams)

The last time I opened a can of sweet potatoes (possibly that day back in college), I was amazed by the slightly syrupy, super starchy, lacking in flavor nuggets that were inside. No wonder you need marshmallows! Oh, and yes, they were called yams, (except they are not actually yams unless they are white, not sweet and all starch) but that is another story for another day.

The can-free, tastier, easier method: Scrub your sweet potato, prick all over with a paring knife, and toss in the oven alongside whatever is cooking. A temperature between 325-425 will be sufficient to roast them. Once you can squeeze the sweet potato and it feels soft, about 25-60 minutes depending on a number of factors such as the sweet potato’s size and the oven temperature, then it is ready. Chill it outside or in the fridge until it is cool enough to handle them and then peel off the skin. They will be crazy sweet from roasting and can be chopped or smashed from this point forward to be used with your favorite flavors or toppings.

What is your favorite sweet potato topping? We do this Streusel Topped Sweet Potato at home, but do you prefer Marshmallows?

2. Green Bean possibilities beyond the tins

Since the Green Bean Casserole is such a classic, try this simple enough version including my own homemade creamy mushroom sauce and crispy, oven baked onion strips. While I love dairy, I found myself wanting to explore the vegan possibility and recently created this Creamy Cauliflower Green Bean Casserole.

Typically though, I keep it simple with steamed green beans, maybe a squirt of lemon, a generous dollop of butter and toasty almonds, aka Green Bean Almandine.

3. Veggie Time

Turkey’s don’t make people sleepy. Turkey’s starchy buddies exhaust us.

The best sexologist in Bangalore will actually try to resolve male and female sexual problems through post marital counseling. cialis samples Then if you are not good at communicating with our clients.” “How the cost of viagra cute-n-tiny.com can we turn him around?” she asked. It is also not recommended for anyone with serious liver or kidney problems. buy cialis tablet The chronic version of the apical abscess is usually symptom-free because the generic levitra pressure from the inflammation is drained through a sinus tract. One of my biggest complaints about this otherwise tasty meal is the lack of vegetables. Nothing balances all that starch like a nutrient packed salad or cooked veg. Of course, green beans are popular, but what about a salad? Or roasted vegetables? If you are a guest at a T-Day dinner, volunteer to bring a vegetable or side salad. Here are some of my favorites:

Chopped Kale & Pomegranate Salad
Creamy Roasted Potato & Apple Salad
Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Florets

But, you can also make it crazy simple with your favorite salad mix, a crumble of dry cheese (maybe blue or feta?), pecans or other toasted nuts, and generous splash of a good quality balsamic and olive oil. This Balsamic Dressing recipe is what I use when my balsamic is not rich and aged. Follow the season’s abundance- it will not let you down!

4. Skip the Pre-made Gravy

Here is the deal. If you are already making a turkey, the gravy is simple to make delicious and amazing. You have all of the ingredients, most likely. Flour (all-purpose or gluten-free rice flour both work) and butter (or your fat of choice- ghee? bacon? olive oil?) are critical. A box of good quality chicken broth is about as ‘processed’ as I would go if you want to cut corners. We make homemade broth at our house after roasting chicken or turkey wings and I try to always have some available before Turkey day. Here is my gravy recipe and I will keep it up and available to you until after T-day this year. If you have never made it before, this is your year. Grab a whisk and let’s make a delicious gravy.

If you have vegetarian guests, this vegan Mushroom Gravy will satisfy your entire crowd. I say this as a non-mushroom eater. They are pretty much my least favorite veg, but this gravy surprisingly makes me happy.

5. Stuffing?

I know Pepperidge Farm and Stove Top sold us all a long time ago with their ‘easy’ take on stuffing. But, your favorite bakery fresh bread chopped into pieces and dried out will give you all that love without the processed ingredients. You can also go crazy with any combination of carb-rich bread: whole-grain, studded with dried fruits, pumpernickel, gingerbread, cornbread, panettone, and more! Here is my recipe for drying out the cubes yourself, but really it is quite simple. If you do it a few days before you won’t even need an oven. 😉

Gluten-free? There are certainly lots of possibilities these days for that, but last year I did this Herb Polenta Stuffing and it kind of rocked. This year the Roasted Root + Polenta Stuffing is rocking my world.

Your turn! How do you un-process Thanksgiving? Or are there a few dishes you prefer to have out of a box or can, otherwise it just doesn’t taste like turkey day.

Comment below and let me know!

Cook seasonally. Eat consciously. Live well!

In gratitude,

Lilly

SEASONAL BITE

NEWSLETTER

Cook seasonally. Eat consciously. Live well.

Category Archives: Vegetarian

Eggplant Napoleons and 4 Steps for Perfect Eggplant

Tortilla Egg Wraps for a quick morning

Zucchini for Xerxes and Anyone Else with Too Much Zucchini

Mint Almond Cherry Salad

Rule Breaking Grilled Potato & Greens Salad

Mama has gone Coco-Nutty… Granola

Super Bowl Food!

Three Cheers for Fruitcake! (Gluten Free)