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

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

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