Tahini Thyme Root Vegetable Puree

Gosh, I've got to start making dinner a little bit earlier so that I can take pictures while the sun is still out.  The quality of these pictures is far from ideal, but - oh well - what else can you do when there is no natural sunlight?!  You'll just have to take my word for it when I say:

This vegetable puree was delicious!

You all know that I love a well-roasted vegetable better than almost anything, but I'll be the first to admit that there can be "too much of a good thing."  This puree turned out to be a great answer to still eating my vegetables, but in a new and exciting way!  And although Bo frequently faults me for wanting to puree everything (in his defense, I do make hummus, babaganoush, and/or pudding on an almost weekly basis), he thought that this dish was really good too...and (he might not admit it) he even liked his plate!

I used thyme in this recipe to liven things up a bit; but if thyme isn't one of your favorite herbs, feel free to substitute it with oregano, rosemary, basil, etc.  Almost any herb will work, as long as you like the flavor of it!

The tahini was added for creaminess and a punch of healthy fats and protein.  I WOULDN'T recommend substituting the tahini with another nut/seed butter because the flavor might be overwhelming for the delicate cauliflower and carrots.  However, you might substitute the water for almond milk (or milk of choice) for additional creaminess.  We were just out, so water was all that I had.

Tahini Thyme Root Vegetable Puree
Serves 3-4

1 large head of cauliflower, cut into chunks
4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1T EVOO
salt and pepper, for garnish
2T Smart Balance (or butter)
1oz. cheddar cheese
2T tahini
1tsp dried thyme (scant)
1/4C water

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Toss the chopped/diced cauliflower and carrots with the EVOO, salt, and pepper.
• Spread onto a baking sheet; roast for 30 minutes (flipping half way).
• Once roasted, add the cauliflower, carrots, Smart Balance, cheddar cheese, tahini, and thyme to your food processor.
• Pulse 10-15 times.
• After pulsing, begin to process the ingredients on low while simultaneously pouring the water into the food processor through the hatch up top.
• Process until desired consistency is reached (I like mine relatively smooth).
• If desired, garnish with additional salt and pepper.

Between the cauliflower head and four carrots, this recipe made more than enough for Bo and I to have generous portions for dinner, and smaller lunch portions the next day.  Because of its seasonality and bright color, I am thinking that this would make a great side dish for Thanksgiving dinner.  I don't know about you, but I would eat this puree instead of mashed potatoes any day of the week!

Question of the Day:

What is your favorite herb and/or spice to use in the kitchen?  Obviously, I am a fan of thyme; but I also love basil, rosemary, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger (among others)!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Baked Potato with Zucchini, Tahini, and Hemp Seed Cream

As I've mentioned before, I have a thing for potatoes.  In fact, I almost have a dozen recipes on my blog dedicated to the delicious root vegetable, including:

• Dill Potato and Pea Salad;
• Senora's Potatoes; and
• Fall's Sweet Potato Mash.

But today's recipe is a little different because it focuses on FILLING the potato with delicious yumminess that is both nutritious and delectable.  In fact, today's recipe includes a full serving of:

• vegetables;
• protein;
• carbohydrates; and
• healthy fatty acids.

What more could you want from a humble potato recipe?!

So what's all the hype about hemp?!  Well, come to find out it actually has a plethora of health benefits.  For instance (source for bullet points below):

• Hemp is a high protein seed that contains all nine of the essential amino acids.
• It has a balanced ratio of omega three and six fats.
• The protein content of the hemp seed is supposed to be very digestible (i.e. it does not cause bloating or gas).
• Hemp seed doesn't contain phytic acid (the anti-nutrient that prevents us from absorbing minerals).

To try out the little seed for myself, I recently bought a small jar's worth from the bulk bins at Whole Foods.  At first I wasn't quite sure how to use it; but once my wheels starting turning for this potato cream filling, I knew that hemp seeds would be the perfect, nutritional addition.

And man oh man was I right!

Baked Potato with Zucchini, Tahini, and Hemp Seed Cream
Serves 2

2 medium baked potatoes (or sweet potatoes)
salt, to season the potato skin
Smart Balance, for garnish
2 medium zucchini, cut into half-moons
2-3T tahini
2T hemp seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
~4T water

DON'T BE SCARED BY THE LENGTHY DIRECTIONS!

I just wanted to be as clear as possible for you.

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• Poke several holes in your potatoes, lightly rub them with salt, wrap them in aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes (or until tender...every oven is different).
• Meanwhile, place the zucchini half-moons on an oiled baking sheet, and roast for 20 minutes.
• Remove the zucchini and place them immediately in your food processor.
• Add the tahini, hemp seeds, salt, and pepper to the food processor.
• Process on low for 30 seconds.
• Stop, and scrap down the sides.
• Process on low once again, but this time add the ~4T water while the processor is running.
• Process until smooth and creamy.
• Once the potatoes are finished baking, remove them from the oven.
• Spread a thin layer of butter (or in my case, Smart Balance) onto the potato.
• Finish by dolloping half of the Zucchini, Tahini, and Hemp Seed Cream onto each potato.
• Serve warm, alongside your protein of choice!

With the addition of the hemp seeds for protein and fatty acids, I ended up eating this potato and cream-filling all on its own for dinner.  Truth be told, I was simply too full to eat anything else; and miraculously, it kept me full for over SIX HOURS!

Playing with my camera's focus...

Sorry, I know today's post is a bit of overkill in the picture department, but I felt like I captured several good ones and I didn't want to waste them...hehehe. :)  This one (below) is one of my favorites!  I only wish that I would have been able to capture more of the color in the photos.  Contrary to what these pictures might make you think, the Zucchini, Tahini, and Hemp Seed Cream is actually a light green color (i.e. not cream/beige)!

Question of the Day:


What do you like to put on your baked potato?!  Are you a simple butter, salt, and pepper kind of person?! How about cheese, salsa, and scallions?  Or maybe you put something totally unique on your baked potato? 


Whatever it is, tell me all about it in the "Comment" section below!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Rutabaga and Scallion Mash

I hadn't eaten a rutabaga for years; but last week, when I saw them sitting in the produce section of the commissary, I had a memory of eating it as a child and LOVING it.  My mom loves rutabaga, and lots of cafeteria-style restaurants in Alabama (Piccadilly, Nikki's West, etc.) offer it in the line-up.

I started to grab a bag and put a few in, when, in the back of my mind, I thought:

• mom used to tell me that rutabagas were extremely hard to peel and chop;
• it is very likely that I might lose a finger, or at least part of one, to the preparation of this vegetable; and
• it isn't a very attractive little vegetable: waxy, blemished, rough, and yellowed-brown...do I really want to eat this?!

Well, I guess my answer was yes because, I ended up picking out two medium to large sized rutabagas and placing them into our buggy (for those of you that aren't from the South, that means "shopping cart").  Once I got those two bad boys home I realized that I had no idea how to cook them.

Great.

Now I have two incredibly ugly-looking root vegetables rotting away on my counter top...and I have no idea what to do with them.

Double great.

What was I thinking?!

Thankfully, after four or five days of staring at them without any ideas, it hit me!  Everybody loves mashed potatoes, right?!  Well, what about mashed rutabaga?!  Add some Smart Balance and seasonings, and wha-la(!), these rutabagas were going to be the most delicious dish in town!

Slightly-chunky, buttery-rich, and savory-spiced, this rutabaga mash would be the perfect accompaniment to a holiday meal.  I am already planning my Thanksgiving feast this year, and you better believe that these mashed, root beauties are going to be on the menu!

Rutabaga and Scallion Mash
Serves 2

2 medium to large rutabagas, peeled and diced
1 tsp salt (plus more, to taste)
2 1/2 T Smart Balance (or butter)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 heaping tsp dried rosemary
1/4 heaping tsp dried thyme
2 scallion, diced

Directions:

• Try not to chop off any of your appendages while peeling and dicing the rutabaga! (I'm serious...this is one tough root vegetable!)
• Place the rutabaga and 1 tsp salt into a medium saucepan.
• Cover with water, boil, and then simmer for 30-35 minutes until tender.
• Drain the rutabaga, and place it into a medium mixing bowl.
• Mash roughly (I like to keep some small chunks).
• Add the pepper, rosemary, thyme, scallions, Smart Balance, and any additional salt that you would like.
• Mix to incorporate.
• Serve immediately!

Outside of being completely delicious, rutabagas also have several health benefits.  For instance, they:

• contain significant amounts of Vitamin C (up to 42% of the daily recommended dose);
• are a good source of fiber, protein, and sugars;
• contain no starch or cholesterol; and
• offer some protein.

So what are you waiting for?!  The next time you see this humble root vegetable in your produce section, DON'T HESITATE!  Just bag it up, bring it home, and get to mashing! :)

Question of the Day:

Have you ever eaten rutabaga?  If so, did you like it?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Banana Cream of Wheat

As evidenced on my Recipage, I have a profound love of all things oatmeal.  In fact, I eat oatmeal for breakfast approximately five days a weeks.  As for the other two mornings, I usually end up making pancakes, french toast (both vegan, of course), or a tofu scramble.  Regardless, oatmeal in practically any form is my tummy's friend:

Peanut-buttered.

Jellied.

Biscoff-ed.

Nutted.

Spinached.

Kaled.

Coconuted.

Dotted with fruit.

You name it, and I love it on, or in, my oats!  

But believe it or not, there are times where I need a little change of pace...when I need to take a short reprieve from even my most favorite of foods.  In those times, good old-fashioned Cream of Wheat is my favorite go-to substitute.

The past couple of mornings I have worked to perfect a Cream of Wheat recipe for the blog.  It took three tries, but on the third morning I hit the jackpot!

Silky-smooth, buttery-rich, and semi-sweet like a Banana Cream Pie, this Banana Cream of Wheat will hit the spot first thing in the morning.  Don't skip the Smart Balance and creamer!  They are important ingredients in creating the pudding-like texture of this guiltless breakfast treat.

Banana Cream of Wheat
Serves 1

1 1/2 C water
pinch of salt
3 heaping T Cream of Wheat
1 banana, halved and thinly sliced
2 stevia packets
1 T Smart Balance (or butter)
1 T soy creamer (or regular, plain-flavored creamer)


Directions:

• Place the water and pinch of salt into a small saucepan.
• Bring to a low boil.
• While the water is waiting to boil, microwave half of the sliced banana for one minute.  
• Use a fork to whisk the microwaved banana until it reaches an egg-like in consistency.  
• Set aside.
• Once the water/salt begin to boil, add the Cream of Wheat.
• Immediately reduce heat and, using a whisk, mix together.
• Add the eggy-banana, stevia, butter, and creamer to the Cream of Wheat mixture.
• Once slightly thickened, pour into a large bowl.
• Top with the remaining half of the sliced banana, and serve immediately.

Next time - a rutabaga recipe that you WON'T. WANT. TO. MISS.  Seriously, this is one of the best things that I have eaten in months...maybe years (and Bo agreed)!  Cheap, delicious, and mouth-wateringly good, you have to come back for this recipe!

Question of the Day:


Do you like Cream of Wheat?  I find that a lot of people don't.  If not, I am 99% sure that you could substitute oatmeal for the Cream of Wheat in this recipe!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Balsamic Butter Cabbage

Lightening speed!

(That's how quickly I am typing up today's post.)

Today is quite the busy day:  I taught yoga from 6:00-7:00 a.m., I went to the gym to walk on the treadmill from 7:30-8:20 a.m., I had coffee with my girlfriends from 9:00-10:45 a.m., I am eating lunch and writing this post from 11:00-12:00, I am going to a yoga class from 12:30-1:45, and I have six people (a total of 8 1/2, counting Everett) coming over to the house for a "See You Soon" party for the Lee's.  Oh, and Bo and I are waking up at 4:30 a.m. tomorrow to make the 15-hour drive to Alabama for my cousin's wedding this weekend.  WHEW...I'm only half way through the day and I'm a little tired!

Okay, let's focus on the task at hand: cabbage.  Yes, this post is about cabbage.  Growing up I thought everyone loved cabbage...after all, my mom cooked cabbage and onions at least twice a month in our household.  I grew up loving the stuff!  But come to find out, cabbage is on a lot of people's gross list.  Well, with any luck, today's recipe might change that!

Sweet, salty, and creamy cabbage with a bit of an Asian flair.  This side dish has the power to change even the staunchest critics opinion of this pauper's vegetable.

Balsamic Butter Cabbage

Serves 4-6

3/4 small head of cabbage, chopped finely

1 large onion, diced

4 T butter, divided in half

~3 T balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

• Melt 2 T butter in a large saucepan.
• Add the diced onion, and cook on medium low until beginning to caramelize (6-8 minutes).

• Add the chopped cabbage, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1 T butter to the pan.
• Cover and allow to cook down for 3-4 minutes.

• Remove saucepan lid. 
• Add the final 1 T butter and ~3 T balsamic vinegar to the cabbage/onion mixture.
• Note:  The balsamic vinegar amount is a rough estimate.  I circled the pan four times while allowing the vinegar to drizzle out from the dispenser.  In large part, the amount of vinegar you use will depend upon your preference.  I think 3 T is a good place to start, and you can add additional vinegar if you would like.
• Serve immediately. 
• Pictured below is Bo's dinner plate.  The Balsamic Butter Cabbage was accompanied by Italian-seasoned ground turkey as well as millet cooked in vegetable broth.

Bo and I are off to Alabama tomorrow for my cousin's big day!  I will share a wedding post with you sometime early next week!


Question of the Day:

Do you like cabbage?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Sweet (and Spicy) Potato & Roasted Broccoli and Onions with BBQ Sauce

Today, I feel like this:

So I am going to be drinking a lot of this:

And doing a lot of this:

But, before I get to my hot tea and my bed (okay, truthfully I am drinking my hot tea now, but anyway...), I have a couple of recipes that I am too excited to wait until tomorrow to share with you. 

When Bo ate this sweet potato last night for dinner, he ranked it a 9 out of 10!  He went on to say that it was "delightfully sweet with a subtle spiciness that work perfectly together."  I don't think I could improve on that description, so I will get right to the recipe!

Sweet (and Spicy) Potato
Serves 2

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 tsp salt, divided

Spicy Compound Butter
Serves 3-4

4 T Smart Balance, at room temperature
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
pinch of garlic powder
pinch of onion powder
1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Wash sweet potatoes thoroughly.
• Place sweet potatoes on separate sheets of aluminum foil, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt each.
• Place the sweet potatoes in the oven for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours until tender throughout.
• While the potato is baking, mix together the Smart Balance, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
• Place the butter mixture on a sheet of saran wrap, roll into a log, and twist the edges of the saran wrap to secure.

• Put the compound butter in the refrigerator to solidify.
• When potatoes are tender to the touch, slice them in half, add 1-2 T of the spicy compound butter, and devour!

Alongside the Sweet (and Spicy) Potato I decided to roast some broccoli.  I know that many of you might have nightmares about the mushy broccoli from your childhood, but I assure you that this roasted broccoli is more closely related to your dreams!

Roasted Broccoli and Onions with BBQ Sauce
Serves 2

1 large broccoli head
1/2 large sweet onion
nonstick cooking spray
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Stubb's BBQ sauce (we have the Hickory Bourbon flavor)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Finely chop your broccoli and onion.
• Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray, and distribute the broccoli and onion evenly.

• Sprinkle the broccoli and onion with salt, pepper, and an additional light spraying of nonstick spray.
• Roast for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.
• Drizzle with BBQ sauce, and serve immediately.

Sweet. Spicy. Saucy. Satifying. 

What else can I say about last night's dinner?!  Seriously, if you don't like sweet potatoes or broccoli give these recipes a try.  The flavor combinations are awesome!  They are sure to make your taste buds sing. :)

Question of the Day:

When your throat is sore and you feel cruddy, what are your no fail, get-well-quick methods?

Blessings,
Ally and Bo