Dried Beans or Lentils as Vegetables

 

 

*. Photo credit to UMaine Extension *

 "Put beans in pan and add cold water to cover - thyme - 1 onion with cloves (cut into 4 pieces), 1 bay leaf, and pepper and salt to taste. Add a little olive oil and mix. Let stand overnight. Cook for 1/2 hour if lentils, cook for 2 hours if beans. Ise water to make sound. Pan strain, chill and add onions or chives for salad. "

This is one of the weirdest recipes I have read to date. I am thinking the beans are not sting beans but some sort of dried beans. 

Why couldn't my relatives be more specific?

Blood Orange Sauce for Vegetables

 

 This sounds yummy for chicken too!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 Tablespoon water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup butter, creamed

2 to 4 egg yolks

1/2 a blood orange

Process

1. Cook  lemon juice with water,  salt, and paprika  until it is reduced in half. 

2. Take off the fire. 

3. Add the creamed butter. 

4. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time. 

5. Set over hot water and stir until the eggs begin to cook and the sauce has thickened

6. Stir in the juice of 1/2 a blood orange. 

7. Cook a minute longer.

Curry Dip

 In high school, I was a vegetarian and an athlete who would  come home famished and craving a hearty snack before dinner. More often than not, I whipped up a curried dip to eat vegetables with. I recently had that craving again and whipped this up. It's been a welcome addition to our sap boils on the weekends. 

Ingredients

1 cup mayo (listen I love mayo, but if you don't try sour cream or yogurt?)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 to 2 teaspoons Curry powder (adjust to preferred taste)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoons ketchup (or more if you like)

1 teaspoon onion pwder

2 teaspoons dried chives

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (I use Braggs)

salt and pepper to taste

Process

Easy peasy - combine all the ingredients and enjoy with what ever you want to dip in it.

Sambal Dip

A vegetarians delight, and presumably able to be made vegan too, this dip is healthy and super tasty! This yummy dip was one of Hi-Ho's favorites and still elicits fond memories of the funny way she would enthusiastically say it's name when she made it, knowing it would always make me smile. It is full of vegetables so it is very healthy, and ever so slightly spicy with an Indian touch, but is not to be confused with the Malaysian Sambal. A keeper for sure!

Ingredients
1 one-half inch slice medium size onion
2 clove garlic
2 stalks celery
1 large cucumber, seeded
1 green pepper, seeded
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed cumin seed
2 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 pint sour cream (vegan or fat-free is fine)
fresh minced coriander/cilantro

Process
1. Grind the onion, garlic, celery, cucumber, and green pepper in a blender/food processor, using the finest knife.

2. Turn into a sieve over bowl and press out the juice.



















3. Reserve the  juice and save for a healthy drink, or added to soup, stews, or sauces.

4. Put vegetable mix into a medium bowl and sprinkle spices over and mix.





















5. Blend in the tomato paste.
 


































6. Add the sour cream and stir until mixed.

7. Chill until ready to serve. Use as a dip for crackers, bread cubes (I am a big fan of using cubed baguette) , or fresh vegetable crudite.

Healthy Pizza

It doesn't look tasty, but it was a great dinner! SP made last night's pizzas on whole wheat crust. This is done using this recipe, whole wheat flour, and a little extra water. My pizza was the healthy version, topped with artichoke hearts, green pepper slices, goat cheese, mild banana peppers, light salami, and sauce. I ate about a fifth to a quarter of the pizza (we cut in rectangles) and was satisfied! I will try it again, but with even more vegetables next time!

Fritattas!

I'm making a Fritata tonight, and it is the first of this gardening season, so it looks like it is time to post. This is a family favorite and exceptionally handy tonight with 2 hard working men in the house who also need breakfast bright and early in the morning. This is SO SIMPLE and so versatile for breakfast lunch or dinner!!! You decide the ingredients and don't have to use cheese - or egg yolks. Very versitile and excellent for using up extra veggies from the garden!

Ingredients:
glass pie pan
2 TBS olive oil
6 eggs (lightly scrambled). Start with 6, if not enough to cover at end, make sure you have a few extra on hand.
onions
cheese (shredded, crumbled or even curds)

your choice of hard veggies:
onions, squash, broccoli, beans, etc.

your choice of soft veggies:
peppers
herbs
tomatoes

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 425o.
   
2. Slice or dice your hard veggies and layer on bottom of pan (no more than 1/2 high.) Cook for 25 to 20 min , stirring once, or until browning or caramelizing.
   
3. Remove from oven.
4. Sprinkle with 1/2 cheese, and add 1/2 the 6 eggs. Layer soft veggies on top but not to lip of pan.
   
5. Cover with remaining cheese. Pour eggs over - making sure the contents are covered (wet).
6. Bake uncovered for 20 to 30 min., until browning on edges, and center is solid and not wobbly.

Thai Peanut Chicken

This recipe is so simple, so yummy, and was one of HiHo's favorite Indian treats. I recall her serving it at many dinner party's - and pulling off the "homemade Thai dish" even though it couldn't have been simpler. I post this recipe today in honor of not only HiHo but also for my surrogate Mom Lila. I love you both!

Ingredients
A taste of Thai peanut sauce mix
A can of coconut milk
one onion, sliced
Sweet peppers, roughly diced
a handful of peanuts
3 to 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
olive oil

You will need 2 pans for this recipe:





Process
1. Chop your vegetables






















2. In a large skillet, heat 2 or 3 tablespoons of oil.

3. Add the onions and heat until translucent.






















4. When the onions are cooked add your cubed chicken, stir often as it cooks.

5. As chicken cooks, prepare the peanut sauce according to the directions on the package.






















6. When chicken is cooked, add the peppers and peanuts, stir to combine, and simmer.























7. Pour sauce over the meat and veggies, stir to combine and serve in bowls over rice! Enjoy!

Sambal Dip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This yummy dip was one of HiHo's favorites. I made it last night for a potluck/bonfire we hosted. I have fond memories of the funny way she would enthusiastically say it's name when she made it, knowing it would always make me smile. It is full of vegetables so it is very healthy, and ever so slightly spicy with an Indian touch, but is not to be confused with the Malaysian Sambal. A keeper for sure, I typically double this recipe.

Ingredients
1 one-quarter inch slice medium size onion
1 clove garlic
2 stalks celery
1/2 large cucumber, seeded
1/2 green pepper, seeded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon crushed cumin seed
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup sour cream (and fat is fine)
fresh minced coriander/cilantro

Process

1. Grind the onion, garlic, celery, cucumber, and green pepper in a blender/food processor, using the finest knife.
   
2. Turn into a sieve over bowl and press out the juice. The juice can be saved and drunk, or added to soup, stews, or sauces.
   
3. Put vegetable mix into a medium bowl and sprinkle spices over and mix.
   
4. Blend in the tomato paste.
   
5. Add the sour cream and stir until mixed.
   
6. Chill until ready to serve.
   
7. Use as a dip for crackers, bread cubes, or fresh vegetable crudite.
   
   

Dal

Dal is an Indian dish made of savory lentils.

Ingredients
3 cups water
1 cup dried lentils
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 medium onion, finely chopped,
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Tablespoons oil


Process

1. Heat water and lentils in a pot and bring to a boil.
   
2. Stir in salt and turmeric.
   
3. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes until tender.
   
4. In the mean time in a separate frying pan, stir in remaining ingredients and cook until onion is tender.
   
5. Add this mixture to the lentils, stir, and cook until thickened (about 20 to 30 minutes).
   

Fresh Brussell Sprouts

Ingredients
Fresh Brussell Sprouts
olive oil
minced garlic
pats of butter
lemon juice

Process
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pick your Brussell sprouts while they are still small.
These tasty little bundles are shown inside of an old Country Crock butter tub.












3. Trim them. Cut the nub of the stem off allowing the outer leaves to fall off, leaving the tight inside bundle for you to work with.
Here is a before and after picture of my trimming:















4. Place trimmed Brussell sprouts in a single layer in a glass baking dish.
5. Toss your Brussel sprouts with olive oil, minced garlic and a couple of tablespoons of butter cut into pats or dabs.






















6. Put in oven and stir every five minutes.
7. When Brussell sprouts begin to brown, toss with 1 or 2 tablespoons lemon juice and cook for 5 more minutes.
8. Remove from oven and enjoy!

Vegetable Succotash

My father-in-law Junior LOVED Succotash while I on the other hand have issues with Lima beans. So, before we were married, I was invited to Junior's house for a Thanksgiving. I wanted to make something to share that would make a good impression on Junior. I made him a very special and unique succotash. Let me tell you, I was nervous - just ask SP. I thought for sure he would hear me say succotash and then look at my dish and tell me to go fly a kite! If you knew Junior, you would know that he could say all of that in one quick look. Well, my culinary mind did a great job because, after a pause and a grumble, he ate it, smiled, had seconds and then even asked for the recipe! We miss you Junior!

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter (or more if you dare)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 green bell pepper diced
1 small zucchini diced
1 small summer squash, diced
1 cup Lima beans
1 cup+ fresh cooked corn kernels
2 Tbs fresh sage finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Process

1. In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
   
2. Add onions and cook until translucent.
   
3. Add garlic, peppers, zucchini, squash, Lima beans and corn.
   
4. Season with S&P and cook until all the vegetables are tender.
   
5. Stir in the sage.
   
6. Taste and adjust as desired.
   

Fritatas

The perfect use for farm eggs and fresh garden vegetables. You could make this for Breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

A favorite recipe because is it SO SIMPLE and offers a diversity of ingredients that fits the packed summer gardens! You don't have to use cheese - or egg yolks. Very versatile and excellent for using up extra veggies from the fridge too!

Need:
glass pie pan
2 TBS olive oil
6 eggs (lightly scrambled). Start with 6, if not enough to cover at end, make sure you have a few extra on hand.
onions
cheese (shredded, crumbled or even curds)

your choice of hard veggies:
onions, squash, broccoli, beans, etc.

your choice of soft veggies:
herbs
tomatoes

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice or dice your hard veggies and layer on bottom of pan (no more than 1cm. high with a dash of oil. Cook for 25 to 20 min , stirring once, or until browning or caramelizing. Remove from oven.

Sprinkle with 1/2 cheese, and add 1/2 the 6 eggs. Layer soft veggies on top but not to lip of pan. Cover with remaining cheese. Pour eggs over - making sure the contents are covered (wet).

Bake uncovered for 20 to 30 min., until browning on edges, and center is solid and not wobbly.
_________________