This is my new favorite soup. I'm not posting a picture because it looks, um, brown. But it tastes amazing. Creamy and a bit sweet.
Black Bean Squash Soup
Ingredients:
-1/2 an onion, chopped
-2 garlic cloves, chopped
-olive oil
-carrot, sliced
-sweet potato, cubed
-delicata squash, cubed (you can leave the skin on)
-The liquid leftover from cooking soaked black beans with onion (about 4 cups)
-salt and pepper to taste
1) Saute onions and garlic in olive oil.
2) Put in carrot, sweet potato, and squash.
3) Pour black bean liquid into pan and bring to a boil.
4) Cook on medium until all veggies are very soft
5) Blend everything
6) Enjoy alone or put rice directly in the soup
Note: Use one pan for everything. Also feel free to substitute other veggies for the carrot, sweet potato, and squash. I have even used turnips!
Scared of Moose
I'm going to Alaska because my band is the artist in residence at a retreat. I'm scared because I don't understand Alaska, and Sarah Palin now works for Fox "News".
But I'm also worried about what I will eat. So far the list of "no" foods is: dairy, wheat, refined sugar. Then there's a bunch of things I haven't actually introduced so who knows how I will react to them!? This list includes mango, Halibut, sulfites, and food colorings. I'm sure I will encounter these on my trip, and I know for sure I will be eating Alaskan Halibut. By the way, I still think it's funny that I only tested sensitive to one fish.
The other issue is vegetarianism (or as I like to call my specific situation (non-dairy, but eggs, fish and raw cheddar are ok): accidental almost-veganism). The retreat center has assured me that vegetarian options are no problem, but I'm betting that I will end up eating some sort of interesting meat (moose? elk? mmm....) especially outside of the retreat center. I am trying to get the band to compete in my eat-the-most-obscure-meat-challenge.
Admittedly, I'm actually a little excited about eating some obscure meat because I think my vegetarianism had led me to miss out on some cultural knowledge in the past. For example, when I was in Ghana many years ago, I could not partake in GoatFest (created by other participants on my trip.) Also, during a college trip to Argentina I missed out on free-range, organic beef. I realize now that I want to support such sustainable and healthy endeavors, but back then I was just trying to enjoy my unrelenting gnocchi dinners and cheese empanadas.
So when I eat Alaskan moose, perhaps I will finally come to understand a small part of this foreign land and culture. I'll let you know if I have any epiphanies.
But I'm also worried about what I will eat. So far the list of "no" foods is: dairy, wheat, refined sugar. Then there's a bunch of things I haven't actually introduced so who knows how I will react to them!? This list includes mango, Halibut, sulfites, and food colorings. I'm sure I will encounter these on my trip, and I know for sure I will be eating Alaskan Halibut. By the way, I still think it's funny that I only tested sensitive to one fish.
The other issue is vegetarianism (or as I like to call my specific situation (non-dairy, but eggs, fish and raw cheddar are ok): accidental almost-veganism). The retreat center has assured me that vegetarian options are no problem, but I'm betting that I will end up eating some sort of interesting meat (moose? elk? mmm....) especially outside of the retreat center. I am trying to get the band to compete in my eat-the-most-obscure-meat-challenge.
Admittedly, I'm actually a little excited about eating some obscure meat because I think my vegetarianism had led me to miss out on some cultural knowledge in the past. For example, when I was in Ghana many years ago, I could not partake in GoatFest (created by other participants on my trip.) Also, during a college trip to Argentina I missed out on free-range, organic beef. I realize now that I want to support such sustainable and healthy endeavors, but back then I was just trying to enjoy my unrelenting gnocchi dinners and cheese empanadas.
So when I eat Alaskan moose, perhaps I will finally come to understand a small part of this foreign land and culture. I'll let you know if I have any epiphanies.
BUTTER
Butter did not go well. I got a headache after two separate and delicious butter occasions: macaroni and cheese and pancakes. Sad. But doesn't that mac'n'cheese look good!?
Not-fried Rice
1. Make brown rice.
2. Saute onions, garlic, and tofu in olive oil.
3. When tofu is almost done, add spinach and raisins.
4. Add curry powder, salt, pepper to taste.
5. When raisins are juicy, mix everything together and enjoy!
The best thing about this recipe is the plump juicy raisins which sweetly complement all the other ingredients.
COCONUT
Finally, coconut week has come and gone. I was waiting a long time for this because most vegan options are made delicious with coconut milk. I'm not sure how I feel about eating so much coconut because it is nowhere close to local...but it made for a delicious week.
My first coconut reintroduction meal was Sri Lankan Green Bean and Potato Curry from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian (page 208). We added tofu for protein and ate this over brown rice. I love Madhur (and Cheryl Rathkopf, whose recipe this really is).
The second coconut reintroduction was coconut desserts to the max. I made coconut cookie pie, which really came out as more of a coconut egg custard. It was pretty addictive and very sugary. The recipe is here, but here is the recipe with all the substitutions:
The second coconut reintroduction was coconut desserts to the max. I made coconut cookie pie, which really came out as more of a coconut egg custard. It was pretty addictive and very sugary. The recipe is here, but here is the recipe with all the substitutions:
2 duck eggs
1 1/2 c. unrefined sugar
1/2 c. barley flour
1/2 c. melted earth balance
1 1/2 c. coconut
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. unrefined sugar
1/2 c. barley flour
1/2 c. melted earth balance
1 1/2 c. coconut
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix all ingredients. Place in greased pan. No pie crust is needed. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes.
We could really taste the duck eggs. It was sweet and delicious. I think since the coconut has such a strong flavor, you could put a little less sugar in. We ate this dessert with Cherry Amaretto Coconut Bliss ice cream. In Justin's words, "Julie, if you can eat this, you have nothing to complain about." And he's right. It was insanely good.
After eating the coconut curry I felt fine. The night after the dessert binge, I felt a small headache. That night was also New Year's Eve, and I stayed out 80s dancing til 2 am, so obviously the headache wasn't debilitating. I'm going to attribute the headache to the fact that although I introduced coconut, I really just ate a lot of sugar. So coconut is fine for me to eat from now on...did I just rationalize my way out of that?
After eating the coconut curry I felt fine. The night after the dessert binge, I felt a small headache. That night was also New Year's Eve, and I stayed out 80s dancing til 2 am, so obviously the headache wasn't debilitating. I'm going to attribute the headache to the fact that although I introduced coconut, I really just ate a lot of sugar. So coconut is fine for me to eat from now on...did I just rationalize my way out of that?
Justin
Have I mentioned that I live with the hottest chef-extraordinaire ever? I'm so lucky.
Justin made this amazing Kabocha Squash Soup (with the help of Bittman), and although Bittman gets credit for the recipe, Justin always gets the credit for his artistry of reading a recipe and then making it his own. Not to mention the fact that he only uses Julie-friendly ingredients. I know, how did I get so lucky?!
Almost all the soup ingredients were from our farmers' market including the squash, mushrooms, and chives.
Another Justin-creation: nachos. I realize anyone can make nachos, but again, Justin puts these amazing touches on recipes that make the food more than you ever thought it could be. In these nachos Justin made a tomato cilantro sauce that he drizzled over the nachos just as they emerged from the oven. He also did some nice things to the homemade refried beans, including adding an onion, a chile and 2 cloves garlic to the broth while the beans were cooking. This was my first homemade refried bean experience, and wow was it rewarding. They weren't disgusting and greasy, but rather had this very smooth, rich, just-spicy-enough flavor. All I did was take Justin's deliciously cooked black beans and fry them in canola oil with some garlic.
Justin made this amazing Kabocha Squash Soup (with the help of Bittman), and although Bittman gets credit for the recipe, Justin always gets the credit for his artistry of reading a recipe and then making it his own. Not to mention the fact that he only uses Julie-friendly ingredients. I know, how did I get so lucky?!
Another Justin-creation: nachos. I realize anyone can make nachos, but again, Justin puts these amazing touches on recipes that make the food more than you ever thought it could be. In these nachos Justin made a tomato cilantro sauce that he drizzled over the nachos just as they emerged from the oven. He also did some nice things to the homemade refried beans, including adding an onion, a chile and 2 cloves garlic to the broth while the beans were cooking. This was my first homemade refried bean experience, and wow was it rewarding. They weren't disgusting and greasy, but rather had this very smooth, rich, just-spicy-enough flavor. All I did was take Justin's deliciously cooked black beans and fry them in canola oil with some garlic.
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