Simple is Sometimes Better

Dinner at the Behne houshold is not always a fancy casserole, decadent layered bake, or homemade pizza.  On the contrary, more frequently than not it is something incredibly simple that can be whipped together in less than thirty minutes.  To that point, we also try to eat produce that is in season.  Which is why, during the summer months, we eat a lot of squash, kale, corn, and tomatoes.

I have also found that good quality produce doesn't need much doctoring to make it taste good.  The earth, sun, and rain have already done 99% of the work for us.  So, why ruin a good thing with too much salt, butter, or oil?

In my opinion, the simpler frequently the better (and yummier).

Case in point:

Potarrot Mash (potato and carrot...get it?!)

Sauteed Kale and Zucchini

Tahini, Molasses, and Lemon Cream

Note: I like to call these kinds of recipes "unrecipes," because I don't think that they exactly warrant a detailed ingredient and/or direction list.  

Usually, around 2:00PM, I take stock of what is available, ripe, and ready to eat in the refrigerator and pantry.  From there, I decided what to do with it.  For this dinner, I found:

• a lone Russet potato;
• three skinny carrots leftover from a 2lb. bag;
• 1/4 bunch of kale; and
• two measly zucchini (none of which would really work as an entree, or even a side, on its own).

However, with a little creativity and a willingness to let their natural flavors shine through, I was able to whip up something that was both delicious and filling.

Specifically, I ended up;

• boiling the potato and carrots and them processing them together with 1T Smart Balance and a little salt and pepper;
• sauteing the zucchini and kale together with a little lemonjuice and EVOO, and seasoning them with salt, pepper, and nutmeg; and
• whisking together a cream of 2T tahini, 2T lemonjuice, 2T water, 1/2tsp molasses, pinch of salt and pepper, and 1/2 packet of stevia.  

The cream added some healthy fats from the tahini, as well as a little more staying power from the protein.  Bo added a few links of sausage, and all in all the meal was fast, filling, and fabulous!

Question of the Day:

So, I'm excited to know, what are some of the simplest meals that YOU whip together?  Please share in the "Comment" section below...who knows, I might want to recreate them in MY kitchen! :)

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

A Few of My Favorite (Summer) Things: Part II

As I suspected in this post, as the summer has progressed I have thought of more "favorite things" to share with you here on the ABC blog.  Just remember:

When the dog bites

When the bee stings

When I'm feeling sad

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don't feel so bad

(Source)

(1) Abundant fresh produce!

So far this summer I have used fresh produce to make:

• Summer Vegetable Soup;
• Herb-Roasted Vegetable Salad;
• Dill Potato and Pea Salad; 
• Homemade Peach Compote; and
• much, MUCH more!

Check out my Recipage to see all of my produce-incorporated creations!

Apples and peaches and bananas...OH MY!

Potatoes and honeydew and squash...OH MY!

(2) Watching Lola grow

By this time next year, Lola will be fully grown...which, if I'm completely honest with myself, makes me sort of sad.  :(

For now (at least), she is still growing; and it is exactly for that reason that I have added her to my list of summer favorites.  At just a couple of days over six months old, she weighs in at 49.7 pounds(!), and is more energetic and fun than ever.  Now that she is fully poddy-trained, crate-trained, and house-broken, Bo and I feel like we can really enjoy her.  She has such a loving and silly personality, and she makes us laugh out loud several times a day.

We hit the jackpot with Lola...she is truly one of a kind.

(3) Holidays, Parties, and Friends!

As you might remember, we had a HUGE party at our house on July 4th!  But it's not only on July 4th that we get together to cookout, relax, and have some fun in the sun!  NO - our group of friends gets together at least twice a month to eat, drink, be merry, and enjoy the summer months!

Needless to say, we are very blessed in the friends department!

(4) Summer Blockbusters

I have one word, and one word only, for you on this topic: BATMAN.

Source

Need I say more?!  

I didn't think so...

Sidenote: Bo and I recently saw Moonrise Kingdom and LOVED it!  If you appreciate well-acted - albeit slightly quirky - films, then don't miss out on this one!

(5) The Sights and Sounds of Childhood

Here in Orange Park, FL, we live one block away from a middle school, in a very family-oriented and child-friendly neighborhood.  As a result, while school is out during the summer, children are constantly riding their bikes in the streets, playing basketball in their driveways, and walking to and from the local stores.

I don't know about you, but seeing children laughing and playing together during summer break reminds me of all the laughter and fun that I enjoyed in my own childhood.  As an adult, I may still be working my normal hours throughout June, July, and August, but something about the smile on my 10 year-old neighbors face as she rides her bike with "no hands" brings a little a LOT of joy into my day!

Question of the Day:


What are some MORE of YOUR favorite things about summer?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Dill Potato and Pea Salad

As I mentioned at the end of my last post, Bo and I spent our Saturday afternoon (and early evening) at an a pool party!  The host asked me to bring something that I could eat, since hamburgers, hot dogs, and their respective fixings were to be the main course.  Consequently, I decided to bring something filling (so that I wouldn't be stuck eating watermelon and chips the whole afternoon), but also crowd-pleasing.

Enter: potato salad.

Before I go on, I feel like I need to acknowledge that - YES - I am aware that I have already posted two potato salad recipes on this blog; and - NO - I am not addicted to this summer picnic favorite (OK, maybe just a little bit, but it's nothing to worry about!).  It just so happens that:

• potatoes are delicious;
• almost everybody loves them; and
• there are practically endless ways to dress it up in a salad! 

If you're like me, and you love the taste of dill, then this is the potato salad for you!  Baby new potatoes really make this salad something special; but if you don't have them on hand, Russet or Idaho would work in a pinch.  The peas give it a sweet crunch, and the dill brightens everything up!  Kid-tested and mother-approved Meat-eater tested and vegan approved, this salad will leave everyone satisfied!

Dill Potato and Pea Salad
Serves 6-8

8 medium (red) New Potatoes, cubed, boiled, and drained
can of green peas, drained and rinsed (or frozen)
4 scallions, diced
1/4C veganaise (or mayonnaise)
1/2T apple cider vinegar
1/2T lemonjuice
1T water
1 tsp dried dill weed
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

• While the cubed potatoes are boiling, place the peas and scallions into a large salad bowl.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the veganaise, apple cider vinegar, lemonjuice, water, dried dill week, salt, and pepper until it reaches a smooth consistency.
• Once the potatoes are fork-tender, drain them.
• Toss the potatoes into the salad bowl with the peas and scallions.
• Pour over the dressing,
• Toss to coat.
• Refrigerate until cool.
• Serve alongside your favorite summer "fixins"!

If you still haven't had enough potato salad, feel free to check out my other two recipes:

1. Green Chile Potato Salad; and
2. Honey Dijon Potato Salad.

Next time - musings on "things that make me - and YOU - feel pretty"!

Question of the Day:


What is your favorite variation of potato salad?  Feel free to share it with me in the "Comment" section below!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

A Few of My Favorite (Summer) Things: Part 1

Although I am an "equal-opportunity-seasons" type of girl (and yes, that is an official term!), like almost everybody else I LOVE summertime.  Even though I have long grown up and don't get the summers off from school, work, and the like, there is still something about summertime that encourages me to sit back, relax, and "live in the moment" a little bit more than usual (I realize that this is something that I should do all of the time, and I'm working on that...cut me some slack!).


Yesterday, while thinking about some of the things that I LOVE about summer, Julie Andrew's voice from The Sound of Music popped into my head:

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens

Brown paper packages tied up with strings

These are a few of my favorite things

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels

Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles

Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings

These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes

Silver white winters that melt into springs

These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites

When the bee stings

When I'm feeling sad

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don't feel so bad

(Source)

Then I started thinking about some of MY favorite things...especially about summertime, and I figured that a blog post was in order.  I have labelled this post "Part 1" because, I figure, as the summer progresses I will probably think of more "favorite things" to share with you here on the ABC blog.  I think of today's post as a warm-up for things to come! ;)

(1)  Puppy play dates!

Izzy (short for Isabelle) is an 11 week old Great Dane puppy.  At 5 1/2 months old, our Lola is a big girl for her age and breed, but Izzy gives a whole new meaning to the term!  She will be over 120 pounds once she is fully grown - WOWZA!

Once they got to know one another, Lola and Izzy had a great time together!  For now, Lola is still a little bit bigger than Izzy...but that will quickly change.  I bet that the next time we get them together Izzy will be the same size, if not bigger, than our little girl.  Lola better watch out!  Izzy is one puppy that you definitely want as a friend, not an enemy!

(2) Family vacations in Sandestin, FL.

I just got back from three days in Sandestin with my mom, step-dad, brother, and step-brother.  I purposefully didn't take my camera because I wanted to spend my limited time there focusing on family, fun, and relaxation.  We were a little worried that Tropical Storm Debby was going to ruin everything; but (thankfully) at the last minute, she took a sharp turn to the right and hovered over Jacksonville for almost two days (Bo and Lola didn't have nearly as much fun as I did since they were still stuck at home).  Instead, Destin enjoyed days full of sunshine!

Blessed.

(3) Perfect (and unexpected) gifts for the home from mom.

My mom found this little gem in her local thrift store in Springville, AL.  She knows me so well.  When I look at this little piece on my wall I think of:

my wedding (one of the flowers was in my wedding bouquets);

making a house a home;

the importance of heritage and history;

cozy, comfortable, character-filled spaces.

God willing, one day I hope that I can create an entire home that makes me fill this way.

(4) HUGE plates full of fresh garden vegetables.

Last night I quickly whipped up sauteed crooked neck squash, zucchini, and broccoli, and baked a potato that I topped with Smart Balance and nutritional yeast.  YUMM-O!

(5) True Blood

It's official.  Bo and I are hooked on HBO.  It all started with Game of Thrones, and then about a year ago someone introduced us to True Blood (Yes, it's about vampires/werewolves/fairies/witches/etc.  No, it's not like Twilight.  Yes, I've read almost all of the books that the series is based upon.  No, the "Sookie Stackhouse" book are not nearly as good as the Twilight saga, in my opinion  Oh, and yes, I still love all things Twilight!).  In a span of about four months we caught up on Seasons 1, 2, 3, and 4 so that we would be ready for the Season 5 premiere on June 10th.  Three episodes in and Season 5 of True Blood is better than ever!

If you ask us - bar none - HBO makes the best TV around.

Question of the Day:


What are a few of YOUR favorite (summer) things?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Honey Dijon Potato Salad

I LOVE potato salad.  

Don't get me wrong, I love a potato just about any way you want to cook it, - baked, shredded, diced, fried, in a casserole, in soup, au gratin, etc. - but something about potato salad just says "summer" to me.  I grew up eating it at summer picnics, and something about the dish makes me daydream about picnic tables, backyard fires, and old friends and family (all the things that you should think about when it comes to the summer months, in my opinion).

The only problem is, I don't really like mayonnaise.

Truth be told...

...I actually hate the stuff.

I know that some of you are freaking out right now wondering how on Earth anyone could dislike mayonnaise, but what can I say?  I have tried the stuff time and time again, and time and time again it disappoints me, leaving me slightly disgusted and skeptical of the man-made slimy mixture.

I mean, I will eat the stuff on occasion - if I simply can't get around it - but never do I crave it.  Usually I avoid it.  Call it blasphemy if you must, but I prefer my potato salad sans the bottled white goo.  Instead, I like my potato salad with a kick of mustard, and in today's case, balanced out by the perfect sweetness of nature's sticky gift: honey.

Honey Dijon Potato Salad
Serves 6

2 stalks of celery, diced
2 large carrots, shredded
2 large Russet potatoes, diced and boiled until tender
1/2 red onion, diced
1 apple, diced
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1T (heaping) Dijon mustard
1T (heaping) honey
1T EVOO
1/2T apple cider vinegar

Directions:

• Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, onion, and apple to a large salad bowl.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• In a small jar or shallow bowl, shake/whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey, EVOO, and apple cider vinegar.
• Pour the dressings over the potato salad.
• Serve warm or cold, depending upon your preference.

Think what you will about mayonnaise - I'll not judge - but give this recipe a shot!  I would be willing to bet that you won't be disappointed; AND, if you make this recipe for your upcoming July 4th celebrations, I bet your friends and family will love it too!

Next time - a FABULOUS book review!  The book in question will encourage you to contemplate hurt, family, personal responsibility, and vulnerability in a whole. new. way.  

Trust me, WILL want to know more about this book!

Question of the Day:


How do you like to make (and eat) your potato salad?  I feel like potato salad is one of those recipes where everyone has their own "family recipe" and secret ingredient or two.  What's yours?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Senora's Potatoes + Salsa Hummus

On Sunday evening I was in the mood for "breakfast for dinner."  However, this was no ordinary breakfast craving because I wasn't in the mood for pancakes, I wasn't in the mood for French toast, and I wasn't even in the mood for oatmeal or a breakfast casserole (which are both solid standbys in my recipe repertoire).

So, I asked, what was I in the mood for?!

Hashbrowns!

But not just any hashbrowns...I was in the mood for Senora's potatoes.

Who is Senora?  Well, her full name is Senora Lourdes (Lulu) Rodriguez, and she was my family's host when we visited Guanajuato, Mexico numerous times from 2000-2002.  Each time that I, my Pee Paw, my Mee Maw, or my mother (or a combination thereof) made our way down to Guanajuato, we would stay in Senora's home for the duration of our visit.  She served as our "host family" by providing us food, lodging, and a willing individual with whom we could practice our Spanish. 

But Senora was so much more than that!  Our family and hers became close.  For several years our visits were quite regular (every 4-6 months or so).  In fact, during our last visit, Senora gave our family a beautiful piece of art (a sculpture of a native warrior) that would serve as a reminder of our time spent in the beautiful city of Guanajuato. 

On top of all that, Senora was a magnificent cook!  Every meal that we had seemed to top the one before it.  It's amazing that we all didn't gain 10-15 pounds while we were living in her home (then again, I'm sure that had to do with the fact that we walked up and down hill-y streets all. day. long.).

The houses are built into the mountain.



The pathways to homes are very steep and narrow.


My time in Guanajuato has had a profound impact on making me the woman I am today:

• I, in large part, majored in Spanish during my undergraduate degree program because I fell in love with the Spanish language during my time in Mexico;
• I chose to write my graduate degree thesis on Hispanic migrant children in the American public school system because they reminded me of the children's faces in Guanajuato; and
• I worked as a translator throughout my graduate degree program in an effort to serve immigrants in this country while maintaining an advanced level of written and spoken Spanish.

Even now, I jump at any opportunity to use my knowledge of the Spanish language!  What can I say?!  I am a dork who loves to speak Spanish!  :)

Okay, okay...so enough about my past.  You want a recipe, right?!  The following recipe is based off of my memory of how Senora Lulu made breakfast potatoes (i.e. hashbrowns). 

Note: My mom also cooks this recipe, and she does it a little different than I do (i.e. no tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, or cilantro).  I, however, find that these additions take the recipe to the next level!

Senora's Potatoes
Serves 2

1 medium, Russet potato
1/2 red onion
2 large jalapenos (We like it HOT in the Behne house!)
1 yellow bell pepper
2 tomatoes
1 T oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
shredded cheese, for garnish
cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

• Place the potato, onion, and jalapeno into the food processor.  Pulse 5-7 times until shredded.

• Place the potato mixture into a heated (medium high), well-oiled skillet; pat into a flat circle.

• Meanwhile, dice the bell pepper and tomato.
• After approximately 4-5 minutes, check if the potato mixture is beginning to brown.  If so, using a spatula, flip section of the hashbrowns so that they can brown on the other side.

• Add bell peppers and tomatoes to the potato mixture.  Cook 2-3 minutes.

• Add seasonings and toss to incorporate.
• Sprinkle cheese on top, cover, and allow to melt.

• Serve with a garnish of cilantro, fried eggs (optional), and a side of salsa hummus (see recipe below).

Now, about that salsa hummus...when I started to make my "Roasted Garlic and Cayenne Hummus" Bo protested because he wanted something different.  So, I asked him what he wanted, and he suggested adding salsa to the mix.  Little did I know that this would turn out to be de-lic-ious!  Without a doubt, this recipe will be added to my regular hummus rotation.

Salsa Hummus
Serves 8-10

1 can great northern beans, drained
2 T tahini
2 T EVOO
4 T medium or hot salsa (we used medium)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne

Directions:

• Add all ingredients to your food processor. 
• Whirl for 2 minutes, or until all ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Up Next - a "blue" book review!  Any guesses to which book I am referring to?!

Question of the Day:

Do you cook any recipes that remind you of a person or a place?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Top 11 Things About 2011 & a New Year's Resolution

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Can you believe it's already 2012?!  Where did 2011 go? 

I know that for some of you 2011 might not have been the blue ribbon year that you had hoped it would be, but for me, it was one of my best year's yet!  In fact, I had so many wonderful things happen in my life during the past year that I don't feel like I can adequately embrace 2012 until I take a few moments to focus on all those blessings. 

That's what this post is all about!  Before stating my resolution for 2012, I would like to review some of the great things about 2011.  So what are we waiting for?  Let's get started!

Top 11 Things About 2011

• I saw my best friend, Liza, and my cousin, John Mark, get married (Not to one another silly!  In separate weddings!).

Liza and Brian's Wedding Party



John Mark and Hillary's Rehearsal Dinner



• I read more books for pleasure (i.e. The Distant Hours, The Tiger's Curse Series, and Secret Daughter just to name a few).

• I started this blog (a dream that I had had for a year or more!).

• I lived in three different cities and states this year: Santa Fe, Mexico; Enid, Oklahoma; and Corpus Christi, Texas.

• Bo and I went to Alabama, my home state, for the Christmas holiday.

• I made great new friends...and deepened my relationship with old ones.

• I deepened my personal yoga practice through both meditation and asana.

• I improved my cooking skills!
• Note: As evidence, check out the ABC blog's Recipage here: http://www.recipage.com/allyandbochronicles/

• I completed my second consecutive year of remission from ED.

• I received my 200 hr. RYT certification from Satchidinanda Ashram-Yogaville in "Integral Yoga Hatha Asanas & Pranayama: Beginning Level".
• Note: I am a Yoga Alliance certified teacher.

• I married the love of my life, Bo Behne!

Now that I have taken the time to express appreciation for some of the great things from 2011, I am ready to state my resolution for 2012.  Here goes nothing!

New Year's Resolution  2012: I will travel outside of the United States!

Notice that I said "will travel" as opposed to "would like to travel," because  I believe in the power of positive words and positive thinking!

Here's hoping for the best of 2012 for each and every one of you!

Up next- a breakfast recipe made famous by a sweet family friend, Senora Lulu Rodriguez from Guanajuato, Mexico!

Question of the Day:

What is your New Year's Resolution?!

Blessings,

Ally and Bo

Secret Daughter & Short-Cut Indian Dinner

On Tuesday evening I finished reading Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda.

On the eve of the monsoons, in a remote Indian village, Kavita gives birth to Asha. But in a culture that favours sons, the only way for Kavita to save her newborn daughter's life is to give her away. It is a decision that will haunt her and her husband for the rest of their lives, even after the arrival of their cherished son. Halfway around the globe, Somer, an American doctor, decides to adopt a child after making the wrenching discovery that she will never have one of her own. When she and her husband Krishnan see a photo of baby Asha from a Mumbai orphanage, they are overwhelmed with emotion for her. Somer knows life will change with the adoption, but is convinced that the love they already feel will overcome all obstacles. Interweaving the stories of Kavita, Somer, and Asha, "Secret Daughter" poignantly explores issues of culture and belonging. Moving between two worlds and two families, one struggling to survive in the fetid slums of Mumbai, the other grappling to forge a cohesive family despite their diverging cultural identities.

Secret Daughter is a different kind of novel than I have been recently reading.  There is no element of science fiction, no utopian/distopian sub-plot, and no romantic journey or romantic triangle.  Regardless, I think it's always a good idea to change-it-up every once in a while, and this story was a perfect example of why that is. 

Sometimes I get stuck in a reading rut.  I think that I like one particular type of book and only that particular type of book.  But what happens when that occurs is that I shut myself off to so many wonderful stories in different literary genres.  Had my friend Colbi never lended me Secret Daughter, I don't think I would have picked it up on my own.  But as it was, Colbi did lend me Secret Daughter, and I am very very pleased that she did.

• Secret Daughter had me at Chapter 1.  Sometimes I find 20-30 pages chapters to be overwhelming.  I say to myself, "Do I really have enough time to sit down and read 20-30 uninterrupted pages right now?"  So the shorter chapter of Secret Daughter were refreshing.    I found that I could pick up this book at any time during the day and make a few pages of progress.
• I appreciated the multi-dimensional quality of the story.  Because every chapter was narrated by a different character in the book, I, as the reader, gained a multi-faceted understanding of the cultural and generational dynamics at play.  Even moreso, I became attached to not only the main protaganist of the story, but also to the secondary and terciary characters.
• The book highlights many ideas and themes, including the gender roles in India vs. America, emotional expectations regarding fertility, parenthood...but even more specficially motherhood, and the journey to accepting and understanding one's heritage.

According to a review by Paul Weiss:

Some readers will almost certainly be disappointed at the lack of closure that the finale of the story brings to all of its characters. For my money, this open-ended conclusion keeps SECRET DAUGHTER out of the potentiall pitfall of becoming trite or sappy. Life, after all, goes on. Families and cultures are dynamic, evolving things and, as individuals, our life on this earth is all too short. Our individual contributions are only a small part of that development. If we can all agree that the murder of infant Indian girls is unacceptable in a modern world whether it is in India or North America, then I think we can also agree that Shilpi Somaya Gowda, the novel SECRET DAUGHTER and the story of little Usha's life, has made a notable contribution toward that change.

My point?  If you are looking for a great story that might be a little different from what you normally read, pick up Secret Daugther!  Trust me.  It will have you at Chapter 1 too!

After reading Secret Daughter I found myself really craving Indian food.  All the talk about vegetarian curry dishes and naan had my stomach grumbling pretty loudly.  Since going vegan, Indian cuisine has become one of my favorites.  Perhaps this is because so many of their dishes are vegetarian.

Why, you might ask, are so many Indians vegetarian?

According to the article Vegetarianism in India, "the rise of vegetarianism in India goes back to more than 500 B.C., when India saw the rise of Buddhism and Jainism.  These religions preached the principle of ahimsa or 'non-violence'"  In addition to these religious reasons, many Indians also become vegetarians as a result of poverty.  After all, vegetables are cheaper to both produce and purchase than meat!

Back to the recipe at hand!  Like I said, after reading Secret Daughter I was really craving Indian cuisine.  I had a lot of vegetables on hand in my refrigerator; and thankfully, I also had a short-cut ingredient in the pantry!  The end result was full of vegetables, textures, and curry! YUMM-O!

Short-Cut Indian Dinner
Serves 4

1 medium russet potato, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 large crooked neck squash, diced
3/4-1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 T sunflower oil
Patak's Tikka Masala Sauce
1 C quinoa
cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

• Heat the sunflower oil over medium high heat in a large non-stick pan.
• Note: I use sunflower oil in this recipe because it has a higher smoking point than olive oil.  Because I will be cooking the vegetables on medium high for several minutes, I didn't want to fill my kitchen with smoke!
• Place potatoes in the pan, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and cook until beginning to brown (approximately 8 minutes).
• Add the diced carrots, and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes.

• Meanwhile, add 1 C quinoa to 2 1/3 C water.  Allow the water to come to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Fluff after fully cooked.

• Add zucchini and squash to the vegetable mixture with a dash more salt and pepper.  Cook for approximately 8-10 minutes until all vegetables are soft and brown.

• Pour Patak's Tikka Masala Sauce over the vegetables and toss to coat.
• Heat thoroughly.

• Serve over quinoa with a garnish of cilantro.

Next up - A yoga craft project I recently completed!

Question of the Day:

Have you ever tried Indian food?  If so, did you like it?

Blessings,
Ally and Bo