Bye-bye salsa and hummus!

Alright folks! After the past week of reading blogs, and watching heart-wrenching videos on Youtube, I feel awful about my plastics consumption. Therefore, I am giving up my delicious fresh salsa and hummus in plastic containers. This is just a small step in a journey of many, many steps in the future, but for now I'm putting the kibosh on my wonderfully delicious, HOT Casa Sanchez salsa from Whole Foods, and any creamy delicious (and highly addicting) fresh hummus in evil plastic containers.

Instead I'm going to sprout my own dried garbanzo beans in the new linen sprouting bags that I made last week and make my own raw, fresh hummus in large batches and freeze it in mason jars. Here are a few recipes that look easy and yummy:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Raw-Hummus/Detail.aspx
http://reversemonster.org/RAW/raw-hummus-its-alive-and-more-importantly-its-yummy
http://www.living-foods.com/recipes/rawhummus.html

As for the salsa, well, I guess that I have some options: (1) salsa in jars (not as yummy as fresh salsa & probably have plastic seals under the metal lids -darn!); (2) give up salsa (Pu-leeeze!); (3) make my own (I'll have to try that in the summer when I can get fresh, local, organic ingredients).

Sniff... sad to see you go lovely salsa and hummus, but I have me some Mother Earth to be a savin'!

Scrumdiddlyumptious Squash Soup

Put everything in a soup pot:

Bake 1-2 pumpkins, depending on size
Saute 1/2 to 1 onions in olive oil
add fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme
add carrots and celery
paprika (or cayenne), pepper, salt

Puree all with a hand blender, oh and you'll need to add some water too.

mmm...mmmm...mm!

Peter and Cathy's "Grate" Zucchini Bread

Mix dry ingredients:
¾ cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup white flour
½ cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ fresh ground nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves

Mix wet ingredients:
2 eggs
3/8 cup (6 Tbls) oil
1¼ cups packed grated zucchini
1 tsp vanilla

Mix dry and wet ingredients together. Butter one bread pan. Pour in mixture and bake on 350° F oven for 50-60 minutes (until you can prick a knife in the center of the loaf and have it come out clean).

Extra goodies to add:
1. In the 1st loaf we added to the general recipe some chopped walnuts, half a banana, and some chocolate chips. It tasted like CANDY!
2. In another loaf we added some ground cardamom, half a banana, some sunflower seeds, and a touch of maple syrup. Also incredibly delicious!
3. Something to try: replacing some of the flour with flax meal.

Peter's "SOUPer Food" miso soup

This heavenly miso soup will nourish your soul as well as your body...

1. Start quinoa in more water than you need.
2. In another pan, saute chopped onion and Hungarian Wax chilies in olive oil.
3. Saute tomatoes and frozen shiitake mushrooms in onion/chili mixture.
4. add carrots
5. After 5-7 minutes add zucchini, yellow squash, and swiss chard stalks,
6. After a bit, add corn, parsley, and chard greens.
7. When almost done, add tumeric, cumin, chopped garlic and ginger.
8. Stir miso into individual bowls when ready to serve.
9. Enjoy!

The "coolest" thing since hummus and sprouts on sliced bread!

Earlier this summer I got this very nifty, sustainable lunch tote made out of used juice containers. The lunch tote is insulated so all you have to do it pop a small icepack in there with your lunch and you will find that your your organic, orange juice & hummus, cucumber, and sprout sandwich will stay cold until lunchtime. I LOVE my new lunch tote, and encourage others to check out this "cool" product as well. These lunch totes are very fashionable and come in a variety of colors to match your wardrobe.

To find out more information please email Paul at paul@mondeami.com or check out his website www.mondeami.com (the lunch totes are not up on the website yet). Enjoy and happy lunching!

Delicious Late-Summer Harvest Soup

-Fresh zucchini
-Fresh Basil
-Oil
-Fresh Corn (cut from cob)
-Salt
-Cayenne Pepper or fresh jalapeno pepper
-Fresh Garlic

Steam zucchini in a bit of water. Puree with lots of fresh basil, a jalapeno pepper, and garlic. Add oil and fresh corn. Salt to taste. SO DELICIOUS. Perfect for a blustery late Summer/early Autumn day.

Chocolate Chili

yield: 6-8 servings

- 1 T olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 sm. onion, chopped fine
- 1 green bell pepper, diced fine
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas (drain & rinse)
- 2 15 oz. cans kidney beans (drain & rinse)
- 5 cups veggie broth
- 2 t ground cumin
- 1 t salt
- 1 ½ oz bittersweet chocolate

Cook oil. garlic, onion, pepper in stockpot over medium heat until
slightly soft (stir about 5 minutes). add everything except chocolate,
boil, then reduce to low, cover & simmer... Stir until thick (about 1-1½ hours) [you don't have to stir too often] Before serving, stir in chocolate until melted.

Dear, Sweet Macie

Veronica to Macie: "You may not be the brightest crayon in the box, but you sure are the warmest color."

Midnight Snack

One of my Nori sheets that I was snacking on fell on the ground, and of course Annie gobbled it up. So I fed her another sheet, and she gobbled that right up too. She absolutely loves the salty, delicious seaweed sheets! That brings Annie's favorite foods list to cantaloupe, tuna fish, feta cheese, white wine, and Nori.

Anyone want to come over for tuna & feta sushi, white wine, and cantaloupe for dessert?

Amul's Barley Granola

9 cup barley grains
1 cup spelt or whole wheat flour
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup coconut
1 cup raisins
1 cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 cup oil
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup of flax seeds (optional)

Blend together all liquid ingredients and add to dry ingredients,
until well distributed. Crumble the mixture and spread on to cookie
sheet. Start baking at 350F for 15 min., then lower heat to 200F and
bake (stirring occasionally) until dry. Store in covered jars. This
recipe can be made in smaller quantities.

Duh?!!

me: What makes you think you can train chickens?
him: You can train a dog.
me: Yeah, but dogs are like smart and stuff.
him: So are chickens.

Ashley's Scrumptious Couscous

-couscous
-pine nuts
-cucumber
-grape tomatoes (halved)
-chopped mint
-vegetable broth (about 1 can)
-salt
-pepper

Marinade (on the side) add after cooking
-olive ol
-dijon mustard
-lemon juice

Bring the veggie broth to a boil. Remove from heat and add the couscous and pine nuts and cover for 5 minutes. Add in the cucumber, tomatoes, mint, salt and pepper. Mix. add in the marinade, mix, and let it sit (the longer you let it sit the better, overnight is best). Can be served warm or cold.

Mrs. Goswamy's Incredible Indian Rice

1 T cumin
olive oil
Sauté with washed rice grains until rice becomes clear
Add 2xs the amount of water as rice
Add some salt and star-anise pods
Simmer for 20 minutes (or until water is absorbed)

ohh my goodness YUM!

Oh Shelley...

"Okay. I have some gossip to tell you. The only reason I can tell you is because it's my gossip...Actually, that's not true. I would tell it anyway."

Ah Bryce...

"Okay. The description of an old person: I eat apple sauce and play B-I-N-G-O."

Amy's Amazingly Delicious, Creamy, Squash Risotto

Olive oil,
Garlic and
Onion.
1 Kabacha squash.
1 cup white wine
1.5 cup Arborio rice (or risotto)
1 box vegetable broth

1. Bake the squash (when it is done cut it into small pieces)
2. Sauté onion and garlic in oil.
3. Add rice and sauté five minutes
4. Add wine and stir until wine disappears
5. Add vegetable broth one cup at a time, stirring constantly.
6. Cook on medium/low until liquid is absorbed.
6. At the end stir in the squash.
7. Add salt to taste.

Alex and Lela's Yummy in My Tummy Vegetarian Tamale Pie

Chili powder
1 can black beans
1 can white beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can chopped tomato (save juice)
1/2 white onion
Minced garlic to taste
Chili powder to taste
Salt (or Braggs or Soy Sauce)
Pepper
1 T olive oil
1 T cumin
3/4 can beer

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add cumin when onion gets soft. Add beans, tomato, and beer. Add a little of the saved tomato juice, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Let this simmer for an hour. NOTE: you can add veggie burger crumbles.

CRUST:
2.25 cups corn meal
3 cups vegetable broth
1 T chili powder
1 T sugar (or honey)

Cook all ingredients over low heat, stirring continuously until liquid is absorbed.

-Press 3/4 of corn meal mix into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
-Pour in the chili. Top with cheese (or soy cheese).
-Spread remainder of corn meal mix on top.
-Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Hari Chatni

mint
cilantro
salt
4-6 ceranos
pinch of sugar
salt to taste
(tamarind)

blend together

mmmmmm....

Annie

I just went to snuggle next to Annie and her fur smells like sauteed onions. I love tonight. Good friends, cooking, and the best-smelling, most snuggly cat in the world.

Heavenly Potato-Leek Soup

Source: The Pressure Cooker Cookbook

Adding the flour to the vegetables while they are sautéing enhances the rich flavor of the soup.

olive oil
3-4 leeks, rinsed and thinly sliced
6+ garlic cloves, crushed and diced
½ white onion
1 Serrano chili finely diced
3 large carrot, diced
5-6 medium purple potatoes, thinly diced
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable broth
Fresh oregano, rosemary, and thyme
1-teaspoon coarse sea salt or granulated salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Heat oil and in a pressure cooker. Add leeks, garlic and Serrano and sauté 2 minutes. Add carrot, potatoes and parsley/cilantro; sprinkle vegetables with flour. Sauté, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in broth, herbs, salt and pepper. Secure lid. Over high heat, bring pressure up to high. Reduce heat to maintain pressure and cook 8 minutes. Release pressure according to manufacturer's directions. Remove lid. Add thyme a little at a time (if using). Bring almost to a boil, and then simmer soup 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use your stick blender to blend it until creamy, but still with chunks. Serve hot.


"This is like heaven on Earth!"