KIick-It-Up-A-Notch Peas and Carrots

Question:  When I say "peas and carrots" what's the first thing that comes to mind?

Answer: FORREST GUMP!

Well, at least, that's what comes to mind for me.  Whenever I hear the phrase "peas and carrots" this scene from the movie automatically pops up:

Man, that's a great movie.  As an interesting sidenote, for those of you that don't know, my brother's name is actually Forrest (although, he was named after Nathan Bedford Forrest not Forrest Gump).

Anywho, today's post is NOT about the movie, but rather about the food combination itself.  At some point or another, I think that everyone has eaten the traditional peas and carrots combination.  But, if my experience is any indicator, peas and carrots are usually mushy (due to canned peas), bland (due to a lack of seasoning), and forgettable (generally "bleh" on the YUMM-O scale).

Well today that all changes! 

My recipe for peas and carrots is crisp (due to frozen peas), flavorful (due to the addition of roasting and garlic powder), and memorable (a solid 8-9 on the YUMM-O scale)...all the things a good vegetable side dish should be!

Kick-It-Up-A-Notch Peas and Carrots
Serves 4

1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2T EVOO
1 bag frozen peas
1/2T Smart Balance (or butter)
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2tsp garlic powder

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Toss with sliced carrots with EVOO and salt and pepper.
• Place the carrots on a baking sheet coated with non-stick spray.
• Roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes until carrots are tender and beginning to brown around the edges.
• While the carrots are roasting, place peas in a medium saucepan and cover with water.  Boil 3 minutes, until tender.
• Drain, toss with Smart Balance, and season with salt and pepper.
• Once the carrots are roasted, add them to the peas and toss to incorporate.
• Season with garlic powder and, if necessary, additional salt and pepper.
• Serve warm.

This dish pairs perfectly with a side of brown rice/quinoa/millet and your protein of choice!

Question of the Day:

Have you ever put a spin on a classic recipe?  If so, I would love hearing about your creativity in the kitchen in the "Comment" section below!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

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

Herb-Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad

Man oh man I just L.O.V.E. summer produce!  There is something about the fresh abundance of colors, flavors, shapes, and sizes of summer foods that I can't seem to get enough of.  I honestly think that I could eat fruits and vegetables for breakfast, lunch, and dinner all summer long and not get sick of them in the least.

HM...HMMM...GOOD!

Last night Bo and I headed over to a friend's house for a dinner party.  I was in charge of bringing a salad.  I'm not sure, but I suspect that the hostess was expecting a salad filled with the the traditional mixed greens, tomato, carrots, celery, etc.  But you know me, I had something totally unique in mind (go figure)!  Instead, there wasn't a piece of lettuce in sight, and in its place was a regular cornucopia of rainbow-colored vegetables, dried herbs, and a tangy-sweet vinaigrette.

Honestly, who wants to eat the same ol' boring dinner salad anyways?!

If you have a plethora of summer produce ripe and ready to be eaten, this salad is for you!  My kitchen was overflowing with squash, mushrooms, asparagus, and tomatoes - so that's what I used - but feel free to substitute any of the ingredients with what you have on hand.  Zucchini, green beans, and/or potatoes might be wonderful exchanges or additions.   Whatever vegetables you use, DON'T FORGET the herbs!  The sweet pine and citrus flavor of the marjoram is a must, and you can never go wrong with a little basil and thyme.

Herb-Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad
Serves 2-4

3 small crooked neck squash, cut into half moons
3 tomatoes, cut into cubes
1 packet of mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed and cut in half
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3T EVOO, divided in half
1T apple cider vinegar
1T Dijon mustard
1/2T lemonjuice

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Place the squash, tomatoes, mushrooms, asparagus, salt, pepper, marjoram, basil, thyme, and 1 1/2T EVOO into a large mixing bowl.
• Toss to coat.
• Pour onto a large baking sheet.
• Roast for 30-35 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2T EVOO, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and lemonjuice.
• After the vegetables have finished roasting, pour over the dressing and toss to coat.
• Refrigerate until chilled.

I'm not sure, but I think my photography may be getting a teensy bit better.  What do you think?  Can you see any improvement?!


Question of the Day:


What are your favorite herbs to use in the kitchen (by the way, salt and pepper don't count as herbs)?


I tend to use a lot of basil, thyme, and oregano; but I also LOVE to experiment with new herbs...they really can take a so-so dish and change it to out-of-this-world status!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

"Cheesy" Mustard Asparagus and Roasted Cauliflower "Steaks"

Simple, vegetable-filled suppers are definitely one of my favorite things about summer!  Last night was no exception.  With the 100+ degree temperatures (Which, of course, don't take into account the heat index that is well above 110 degrees!), I was in no mood to cook anything complicated, messy, or that would require the oven to be on for any more than thirty minutes TOPS!

Mission accomplished.

Fast.

Simple.

Easy.

Delicious.

This summertime meal was the perfect book-end to a relaxed Sunday evening.  

For the asparagus, if you don't have nutritional yeast on-hand, like I do (or you simply don't like the yellow flakes), feel free to replace it with finely shredded Parmesan cheese; and in a pinch, Dijon mustard can also replace the Deli mustard.  The texture and taste will be almost identical.

As for the cauliflower, I would suggest adding a side of either your favorite barbecue sauce (Stubb's gets our vote!), or cheese sauce (preferably homemade, of course, like this one), for dipping.  But even without a sauce to dip it in, thanks to the roasting process this cauliflower it succulent, tender, and incredibly flavorful.

HM...HMMM...GOOD!

Whaddya think?!  With the flash...or...

"Cheesy" Mustard Asparagus
Serves 2

1 bunch of asparagus, woody tips removed
1 1/2T EVOO
2T lemonjuice
1-2T nutritional yeast (I used two)
1 1/2T Deli mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

• Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Once heated, add the asparagus, EVOO, and lemonjuice to the saucepan.
• Cook for 4-5 minutes until the asparagus turns bright green and begins to soften.
• Reduce heat to medium or medium-low.
• Add the nutritional yeast, Deli mustard, salt, and pepper to the saucepan.
• Toss to coat.
• Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

Roasted Cauliflower "Steaks"
Serves 2

1 medium heat of cauliflower
2T EVOO
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Cut the head of cauliflower straight down into thick slices (the way you would cut a ham).
• Note: The two slices on either end of the head of cauliflower may fall apart, but the remaining slices should hold together at the root forming steak-like slabs of the vegetable.
• Arrange the cauliflower steaks onto a large baking sheet.
• Drizzle the EVOO over the "steaks."
• Garnish with salt and pepper.
• Roast for 30 minutes.
• Serve immediately, as is, or with a sauce of your choice (I particularly love BBQ sauce alongside cauliflower).

...without the flash?!

I think I am going to ask for a new camera for Christmas.  Don't get me wrong, the one that I have now has served me very well (Thank you, again, Dad and Deb!).  I have exclusively used this camera for over three years, and in that time I have captured countless memories through its lens.  However, I think I am ready for something that will take my photography to the next level (i.e. something that allows me to control the shutter speed, gives me more options than "Automatic," "Flash On," and "Flash Off," etc.).

With that in mind, do any of you know more about cameras than me?  Do you have any suggestions for a camera that is easy to use, easy to learn on, and not exorbitantly priced?!  If so, please, pretty please, with a cherry on top, leave me a comment below!

Question of the Day:


What is your favorite summer vegetable or fruit?  What is your favorite way to enjoy it (i.e. a special recipe or way of preparing it)?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Eggs...

Yes.  

I ate an egg.

Whoever you are, vegan or not, please don't judge me.

I have been eating eggs again for about two weeks, but I have hesitated to announce my decision on the blog for fear of a negative backlash from some of my vegan readers.

I hope all my fears are unfounded.

Why eggs?  You might ask...

Well, for me, I suppose it all comes down to what feels right in my heart of hearts.  My decision to become vegan was (or should I say "is" because I still eat vegan 95% of the time) based almost solely on my love of animals, my dislike of the way a number of animal products are produced, and my desire to play no role in that vicious cycle.

My beliefs on this topic have not changed at all.

So, how, you might ask, can I justify eating eggs while still holding these beliefs?

Personally, it all comes down to the source of the egg.  For instance, the eggs that I will eat are grown locally - here in Jacksonville - at a small farm that feeds their chickens only grass.  There are no roosters at this farm, and therefore the eggs are unfertilized.  As a result, the yolks of these eggs are almost orange, they stand high and proud once cracked, and the flavor is delicious!

Just in case you care, I don't eat eggs every day (Honestly, I don't think I need that much cholesterol in my diet!).  However, when I am craving them, or when they are called for in a recipe, I don't automatically subdue my craving or rush to the pantry for an egg substitute.  As for eating out, I still eat almost exclusively vegan because most restaurants do not serve eggs that are grass-fed and unfertilized (if you know of a restaurant in Jacksonville that meets that criteria, by all means, let me know right away!).

So that's it.  

That's my spill on eggs.

Whatever your personal belief on eggs - or any other food product for that matter - please know that my beliefs are my beliefs.  I would never seek to impose them on someone other than myself.

Most importantly, thank you for listening, understanding, and not judging.

Who knew sweet potatoes could be the perfect vehicle for a softly baked egg?!  By both capturing and absorbing the egg, the potato abounds in savory flavor and a delicate yet full-bodied texture.  Feel free to top this potato with your favorite salsa, guacamole, refried beans, or cheese; or serve this beauty atop a bed of spicy greens like arugula for a bright, summery bite!

Sweet Potato Egg Boats
Serves 2

2 small/medium sweet potatoes
2 eggs
2 tsp Smart Balance (or butter)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1-2 T nutritional yeast (or cheese)

Directions:

• In a 400 degree oven, bake the sweet potatoes for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until soft to touch.
• Slice potatoes in half, scoop out a portion of the insides, and place the filling in a separate bowl.
• Carefully crack one egg per potato.  I chose to place the yolk in one side of the potato, and the majority of the white in the other side.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Return to the oven and continue baking for 10-15 minutes until the egg is set to your desired consistency.
• Meanwhile, mash the potato filling, add in a pinch of salt, pepper, and butter, and stir in 1-2 nutritional yeast (or cheese).
• Once the egg is baked, top the potato with the butter and mashed potato filling, sprinkle with a small amount of nutritional yeast (or cheese), and serve immediately.

As you can see, I chose to serve our Sweet Potato Egg Boats alongside roasted asparagus and onions.  In my opinion, roasting really is the easiest and most delicious way to prepare vegetables.  For this side dish in particular, all I did was:

1. dice the onion and slice the asparagus into two inch pieces;
2. toss the vegetables with EVOO, salt, and pepper; and
3. roast for 20 minutes (flipping every 5-10 minutes).  

It really is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Question of the Day:


Do you like eggs?  If so, do you prefer them scrambled, fried, over-easy, poached, hard-boiled, or hidden in recipes?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Quickie Pizza Seasoning Squash

While I was busy working at the studio for our workshop last Sunday, I asked Bo to head to the grocery store to restock our refrigerator and pantry.  I armed him with a two-columned list - complete with product descriptions and annotations - and sent him on his merry way to the commissary thinking, naively, that nothing could go awry.

What I failed to realize was that, when it comes to produce, my husband needs me to be specific...V.E.R.Y. specific.

Writing "fruits and vegetables, PLENTY" on the grocery list will result in a somewhat strange and unbalanced (I'm being kind) assortment of produce that mirrors the items found in the basket of an episode of Chopped (if you don't know what I am talking about, Google it).  If memory serves me, we ended up with:

• two sweet potatoes;
• two russet potatoes (ok...these are fine);
• one butternut squash;
• a HUGE bunch of Bok Choy;
• seven (yes, I said six...for a household of two people) ears of corn (in Bo's defense, they were on sale);
• a bunch of scallions (when we already had two at home);
• three heads of garlic (is my husband trying to tell me that he doesn't want to kiss me?);
• a bag of Fuji apples;
• two bunches of bananas;
• three pears (ok, he did pretty well on the fruit); BUT
• NO tomatoes;
• NO avocados;
• NO bell peppers;
• NO kale/chard/collard greens.

Oh, and did I forget to mention, EIGHT crooked neck squash and SIX zucchini!  Holy moly my husband must be craving squash casserole because that is a LOT of squash for two human beings (I tried feeding it to Lola, she wasn't interested.  Ok, actually, I didn't.  Regardless, I don't think she would have liked it).

So, what to do?  What to do?

That is the question.

What DO YOU do with an enormous amount of squash that will perish quickly?!

Why, you roast it of course!

And then, when you realize that you are out of Italian seasoning, you use pizza seasoning instead.  Pizza seasoning is Italian right(?!)...so it's sort of the same thing...sort of.  Most importantly, the result is delicious!

Roasted to browned and caramelized perfection, these squash and zucchini are the perfect accompaniment to your favorite grain, salad, or protein.  We ate ours with buttered barley and stewed okra and tomatoes.  Whatever you pair it with, this Quickie Pizza Seasoning Squash will perk up your plate, AND use up an overabundance of squash, a double-positive in my book!

I love that my camera was able to capture the steam rising from the vegetables in the photo above.  Looks like those beautiful half-moons were roasted to perfection.  As you can tell, they were hot out of the oven...and D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.!

Quickie Pizza Seasoning Zucchini
Serves 2-3

3-4 small crooked neck squash
2-3 small zucchini
nonstick spray
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp pizza seasoning

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Slice squash and zucchini into half-moon shapes.
• Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray.
• Evenly distribute the squash and zucchini onto the baking sheet.
• Sprinkle salt, pepper, and pizza seasoning onto the vegetables.
• Toss to coat.
• Roast for 15 minutes.
• Toss/Flip.
• Roast for an additional 10-15 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

Next up - a home-made recipe inspired by the Whole Foods salad bar!  I am SO excited that I was able to successfully recreate this delicious dish that I can hardly wait to share it with you.  BUT - wait, I will.  So keep checking back!  This delicious recipe is coming up next!

Question of the Day:

What do you do when you have an overabundance of produce?!  I am ALWAYS open to ideas!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

All About Roasting

I am sure that many of you have been roasting all kinds of vegetables for years.  But for me, this was a recent and amazing discovery!  Who knew everything was better roasted?  Well, apparently many of you did, but failed to tell me... Don't worry, I forgive you ;)

On Saturday, Bo informed me that we were out of avocado hummus.   We always keep a fresh supply of hummus in the refrigerator, so this meant that I needed to make a new batch.  But what kind?  We were craving something a little different, and perhaps with a little kick to it.  Thankfully, I noticed a couple of red bell peppers lying in the vegetable drawer.  I had been thinking about stuffing them with a rice mixture for dinner one day this week, but when I saw them lying there I knew right away that they had a different destiny to fulfill.  Roasted, spicy, red pepper hummus here I come!

Problem: I had never roasted a red pepper in my life!

Sure, I had bought the jar of roasted peppers from the grocery store, but do it on my own?  No way!  But there is a first time for everything, so I decided to give it a shot!  Thankfully, I discovered that roasting peppers was as easy as 1-2-3!

1. Cut bell peppers in half, scrape out all the seeds, and place skin side up on a greased baking sheet.
2. Roast on broil (500-550 degrees) for 5-10 minutes, or until skin begins to blacken (mine took 7 minutes).
3. Remove peppers from the oven, immediately place in a ziploc bag, and allow to cool.

Once the peppers have cooled (approximately 20 minutes), remove them from the bag and peel off the skins.  The slightly sweet flesh of the pepper will be revealed!

I used a portion of the roasted red peppers in a hummus.  I didn't write the recipe down, but if memory serves me correctly, it was something like this:

• one can of great northern beans, drained
• 1 1/2 roasted red peppers
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 2 T tahini
• 1 1/2 T lime juice
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• small handful of cilantro, minced

This hummus has been super yummy with crackers, vegetable crudites, dolloped on salads, and spread on sandwiches.  The extra kick of the cayenne really takes it up a notch! 

I foresee many roasted red peppers in my future...

As for roasting other things, I am a huge fan of roasted root vegetables.  In particular, I love roasting butternut squash.  It brings out all of its sweetness and creates a caramel-like result. 

Just a few days ago Bo and I had roasted butternut squash with sunflower oil, salt and pepper, along with one-pot millet and nutmeg-laced collard greens.  Don't worry, I'm not withholding meat from my hubby!  Bo had turkey sausage on the side as well. :)

Lesson: Roasting makes all things yummy!

So, pull out your baking sheet, check out your refrigerator and pantry, and see what you can start roasting!  I assure you, you will not be disappointed with the result!

Tomorrow - Elvis' favorite smoothie...which a chocolate twist!

Question of the Day:

What are your favorite cooking techniques?

Blessings,
Ally and Bo