Eggs McGeez

Happy Earth Day

2011-04-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

It's a beautiful day here in Eugene, Oregon. Sunshine peaking through the tall trees and azaleas and rhodedendrums beginning to blossom. Daffodils and tulips spreading their special white, yellow and pale pink loveliness all over town. Such sweet beauty. It is easy to love and respect this beautiful place on a day like today. Oregon has really opened my eyes to the drop-dead gorgeousness of the natural world and how very lucky we all are to simply be alive and be part of this magnificent earth.

Now that I can finally go outside and soak up some of those honey rays from the sun, I'm unfortunately soaking up honey tea and theraflu. First cold of the 2010-2011 year and boy, it's a beast. Ah well... Good time to read, I suppose and rest.

Love you earth.

Save a bite of your spring cake for me, won't ya?

Wintering

2011-03-06T08:52:00.000-08:00

March.

This is the time of year when I get the most hopeful and excited for what "may be" just around the corner. New Year resolutions really mean very little to me until March. For it is in March when the seeds are planted - literally and figuratively for me.

I'm a true optimist and is in late winter/early spring that the big dreams resurface for me. Every year.

I work hard on my dreams. I'm the industrial type and I'm always working on a new plan or approach to success. I've seen good results and many of my dreams have been accomplished. The big ones are harder, but like I said, I'm an optimist.

It is after a long winter like this that my hope resurfaces in a major way and the the big dreams seem more possible. Even (especially) the one that is completely and so cruelly beyond my control. Yes, I am ready for my spring. This winter has been too long and too heartbreaking.

Deer Attack

2010-08-31T09:20:00.000-07:00

I knew this could happen. But it was just so heartbreaking to return home from a vacation (The Comforters went on a mini CD release tour) down south to see that the deer had snacked on both the front beds AND made it into the enclosed back patio for a feast. I lost all the strawberries, all the pole beans, beets, cabbages, raspberries and peas. Hit hard were the tomato plants, sweet potatoes and squash. Hope to have something to harvest after all is said and done. Favas, squash, hot peppers and one or two tomatoes may be possible...

Bummers.


Beets and strawberries no more...

Bye Bye Beans!

See ya sweet peas!

Raspberry Ruins!

Salt Creek Falls

2010-07-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

love that lavendar

2010-07-24T19:53:00.000-07:00

Nature Finds A Way

2010-07-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

It is truly amazing that so much can come from so little. My first real veggie garden (not just a container garden) is doing really well despite the slow start (due to a very wet spring and major surgery) this year. It looks more like a late spring garden at this point, but I'm very pleased.

About 60% the garden came from starts (both from local growers and my green-thumbed mom), and the rest from seed. The pole beans seeds were planted about 3 weeks ago and they are growing like crazy. Every day they have managed to climb higher up the trellis. It is wild that we still have lettuces in mid July after 90 degree temps last week. And the pea transplants have decided to come to life - They spent the first month and a half doing nothing (and I really thought they were goners) and now they seem to be ready to produce. The eggplants, squash and tomato plants are flowering and the berries are ripening.

In addition to the veggies, all the blooms and dark greens make me so happy. Come summer this part of the world has got to be one of the prettiest places on earth.

Little Veggie Garden in the Woods

2010-07-14T21:31:00.000-07:00

Pictures are from mid/late June. My first raised-bed veggie garden.

Our wet and cool Oregon spring meant late planting, but I think the sun is back for a good while now and I'm looking forward to some late summer harvesting.

The deer haven't messed with the beds...keeping my fingers crossed! Walrus has attacked my blueberries though...

In beds:
strawberries
lettuces (red romaine, leafy green, mesculin mix)
spinach
peas
chard
beets
lavender
fava beans
pole beans
eggplants
peppers
summer squash
cukes
winter squash
baby carrots

Backyard container garden:
blueberries
raspberries
tomatoes (4 kinds)
zucchini
delicata squash
arugula
sweet potatoes
more peas

eggs is back!

2008-11-06T08:28:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin Risotto with Rainbow Chard

Pumpkin, chard and all produce from the amazing weekly CSA box we've been getting since May from Groundwork Organics in Junction City, Oregon.

Pumpkin
Sage (grown at home -thanks mom)
Shallots
Garlic
Rainbow Chard
Nutmeg
Parm Cheese (or substitute)
Veg Stock Salt/Pepper
Penne pasta

The chanterelles were in our box from Groundwork Organics yesterday and I couldn't resist!

Penne Pasta with Chanterelles and Shallots

melt in your mouth amazing.

new floors!

2008-07-04T13:01:00.001-07:00

Before:

During:

After:

Veggie Wontons

2008-04-03T08:40:00.001-07:00

These were perfect on a day when I was really craving something crunchy and Chinese but didn't want to eat out. They were a meal for the two of us filled with tofu and some sauteed veggies.

Ingredients:

3 cloves of garlic sliced
4 scallions diced (white part and some green)
2-3 tablespoons of tamari soy sauce
1 block of firm tofu- rinsed, and patted dry
1 tablespoon canola oil plus canola oil for deep frying
2 cups of sliced mushrooms (I used crimini)
1 cup of shredded napa or savoy cabbage
2 tablespoons sliced ginger or powdered ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
sriracha or chili sauce to your liking
1/2 package of wonton wraps

Instructions:
Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a wok or large pot
Add tofu in crumbled pieces - cook for 3-5 minutes
Add mushrooms - cook for 3 minutes more
Add garlic and ginger and 1/2 the soy - saute
Add cabbage and cook until wilted

Remove from heat and toss with sesame oil, remaining soy, sriracha, vinegar,and scallions.
Allow to cool down a bit and flavors to meld.
Place 1/2 a tablespoon of mixture in the center of wonton wraps
Wet the perimeter of each wrap with a bit of water
Fold wraps over and press to seal

Deep fry dumplings in canola oil for 1-2 minutes
Drain on paper towels

Serve with dipping sauce of your choice and a side of bok choi or broccoli.

Yum!

The deer came back again but this time they checked us out from the back yard.

Sorry guys, no wontons for you!

Sweet and Sour Soba Noodles With Tofu

2008-03-24T19:31:00.000-07:00

Tofu loves to be paired with spicy flavors. I love adding tofu to curries or in a stir-fry.

This dish is more of a Chinese/Japanese mix-up prepared by a Italian/Scandinavian mix-up for her Ukrainian/Polish crack-up!

I made it up on the fly and it worked.

My favorite kind of miracle.

Ingredients:

Sweet and Sour Sauce:
3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 garlic cloves minced
1+ tablespoon catsup
1+ tablespoon hot chili sauce (like sriracha)
1 teaspoon ginger (fresh diced or in powder)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons canola or sesame oil
2 green onions diced (all of the white part and a bit of the green)
juice of half an orange

whisk all ingredients in a bowl and set aside

Veggies:

I used what was left in the fridge(not much):
cabbage (half a head)
onions (1 yellow and 1/2 red) sliced
garlic - 3 cloves sliced
ginger - 1 teaspoon
carrots - 2 shredded
green peas - half a bag of frozen
2-3 tablespoons of canola oil
1-3-4 oz. of soba noodles cooked as per package instructions
4 green onions diced

Instructions:
Heat the wok or pan with a little canola oil and crumble the tofu in. Cook the bite sized crumbles for 3-4 minutes then remove from wok.
Add another tablespoon of canola oil to the wok and saute the onion for 2-3 minutes then add garlic and ginger. Cook for another minute or so then add whatever sliced veggies you have in the fridge chopped or sliced into bite sizes. Add one veggie at a time - cooking each for a minute or two on it's own. Add a little tamari/soy sauce with each new veggie to layer the flavors. Cook veggies through 7-10 minutes.

Add the tofu back to the wok and toss with veggies. Add noodles and sweet and sour sauce and toss to coat.

Top with green onions.

Enjoy.

serves 2-4

Creamy Mushroom-Barley Bisque

2008-03-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

Another rainy Saturday afternoon here in Western Oregon. What better than a hot bowl of creamy mushroom bisque to warm us up?

It was delicious and fairly simple to make.

Looks like we're not the only ones craving something warm. This sweet doe looks very interested in our soup du jour:

Mushroom Bisque: (totally vegan - but it can obviously be made with dairy if one is so inclined)

Ingredients:
1 onion diced
4 cloves of garlic - chopped finely
3 cups of chopped mushrooms (I used cremini)
3 tablespoons of canola butter (Earth Balance is great)
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of whole wheat flour
2 cups of plain soy milk
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
7-8 cups of vegetable broth or water
1 cup of barley (rinsed)
1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)
1/4 cup of sherry or Marsala (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Saute the onion in olive oil until translucent
Add chopped mushrooms and saute for another 2-3 minutes
Add half of the garlic - saute until mushrooms begin to sweat
Season with a pinch of salt, thyme and pepper to taste
Add barley and saute for one minute
De glaze pan with sherry at this point or simply add broth(water) and bring to a boil
Lower to a simmer, cover and simmer for 40-50 minutes to cook barley.

Meanwhile make the roux:
Melt canola butter in a small saucepan
Add remaining garlic and saute for a minute
Add flour and whisk
Cook the flour for a minute then whisk in milk
Continue to whisk as the sauce thickens (4-5 minutes)
Add salt and pepper to taste
Set thickened rue aside until needed

After 40-50 minutes the barley will have cooked and the soup will have reduced and filled the kitchen with a glorious smell
At this point lower heat and stir/whisk in the creamy rue
Adjust seasoning to taste
Top with parsley

Serve hot!

Chocolate and Hazelnuts and Bananas...oh my!

2008-03-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

These are just a few of my favorite things:

I love this homemade "Nutella" on top of bananas. I think hazelnuts and chocolate are a divine combination. I first tried Nutella when I was a junior studying abroad in Europe. My uncle Luigi (I kid you not) had stocked up on the sweet treat a few months before when my kid brother had come to visit.

Nutella on crusty bread is a favorite of many bambini d'Italia.

And apparently 20-year-old foreign exchange students too!

Unfortunately, Nutella, like most commercial nut-butters contains a few ingredients that I am not so crazy about. Nutella contains a LOT of sugar, a LOT of modified oils and not a lot of hazelnuts (only about 13%).

So I searched the Internet for a healthy(but yummy),homemade recipe and found a great one at: Su Good Sweets. This recipe contains more nuts, less sugar and more real cocoa than the Nutella you can buy at the market. I used organic brown sugar in place of powdered sugar and it turned out great. I also used just a tablespoon of canola oil instead of the 1/4 cup of oil called for in the original recipe.

This is a truly, delicious, alternative to peanut butter and you can adjust the sweetness to your liking.

Walrus loves the roasted hazelnuts that fall to the floor when I'm rubbing the skins off.

Lucky dog.

This spread is great on pancakes, waffles, toast, in sandwiches and it is brilliant partnered with bananas.

mmm mmmm mmm.

Nutella Advert:

pretty slick.

Pantry Challenge - good chocolate on the cheap

2008-03-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

Craving Chocolate?

I love chocolate. I will spend a bit of money to get that fancy bar of organic 70-80% cacao bar from the market each week just to have a nibble now and then.

It can add up.

Well, tonight I found a solution. I made a thick chocolate sauce/non dairy ganache from cocoa powder, sugar and Earth Balance and figure that could save a us a good 10-12 bucks a month.

It was rich and delicious and tasted just like my favorite chocolate ganache.

Why didn't I do this years ago?

Chocolate sauce on bananas is so damn good.

2 parts cocoa powder
2 tspns sugar (or sweetener of your choice)
2 tablespoons good cocoa (Dutch)
1 tablespoon canola oil or Earth Balance spread-melted

mix ingredients together to make a thick, rich sauce.
adjust to taste then dollop on a sliced banana or fruit of your choice.
top with crushed hazelnuts or walnuts.

yum.

serves two.

Bread for supper, bread for dessert!

2008-03-07T12:44:00.000-08:00

I used the last of my whole wheat loaf for a light supper and a delicious hazelnut-chocolate spread dessert.

Supper:
Creamy Red Lentil Curry soup
Small tomato and cuke salad
slice of whole wheat

Dessert:
Homemade hazelnut-chocolate spread on toast.

Yum!

Takes me back to Uncle Luigi's :)

I'll post the recipes in a bit.

Don't Mess With Texas

2008-03-05T14:09:00.000-08:00

Texas sure surprised them last night.

Don't mess with Texas.

And don't mess with a hungry dog:

She's not amused.

Mock Egg-Salad Sandwiches

2008-02-28T18:21:00.001-08:00

I needed an excuse to bake some bread.

These babies hit the spot.

I followed Lee's "Tofu egg salad" recipe from the PPK website but added a tablespoon more of country Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons of chopped red onions, a tablespoon of nutritional yeast, and a handful of chopped Italian parsley for more flavor. They were delicious. Creamy and tangy with a good "egg-y" texture from the firm tofu. I was really impressed.

For the bread I followed the recipe for whole wheat bread straight off the Bob's Red Mill website. I used Bob's Organic Whole Wheat Flour and I was really pleased with the taste and crumb of these loaves. Not as sweet as my beloved honey whole wheat bread (King Arthur Recipe) but I think for savory sandwiches like this one, the honey sweetness wouldn't be right.

This bread tastes great. It tastes just the way whole-wheat sandwich bread should taste and even better slightly toasted.

Now what sandwich should I make next?

Pantry Challenge - take 2!

2008-02-21T09:05:00.001-08:00

Yay, a challenge! I want to see how long my family of 2 plus 1(large 90 pound beast) can last with just some essential groceries and the basics in the pantry. Last month we were able to cut our 500-600 dollar a month grocery habit in half due in large part to an unexpected snow storm that trapped our car in the garage. This month I want to bring that bill down to $250 or even $200 if I can.

Just doing my part to kill the U.S. economy.

What do you expect from the daughter of an immigrant?

So, 12 days in - $95 bucks down (including dog food) we have left:

In the Fridge:

2 heads of cabbage
condiments galore
3 carrots
4 celery stocks
2 pints of yogurt
1 pint of ricotta
half a red onion
12 day old bunch of parsley
yeast
1/2 bottle of white wine
beer

In the Freezer:

2 bags of frozen broccoli
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
vodka
1 bag of frozen spinach
1 box gardenburger breakfast sausages

In the Pantry:

1 bag of dried beans
2 small bags of lentils
1 can of black beans
rice
1 box of spaghetti
canned tomatoes
oils, spices, salt and sugar
little bit of whole wheat pastry flour
honey
can of sweetened condensed milk from like 2005?
half a box of dried cereal
tea and coffee
.5 oz of dark chocolate
vinegars

I figure we could last another week, maybe even two if we tried REALLY hard. I'm going to try and push us to get through Sunday. No soy milk makes breakfast pretty tough. We ate the last of our hot cereal this morning. I'd bake us something if we had enough flour left. Breakfast sausages don't fly for Jason.

He may not make it. He needs his cereal.

"Come on man! Don't wimp out on me now!"

Lentils for breakfast, anyone?

As American as Mac and Cheese! (sans cheese)

2008-02-16T18:32:00.001-08:00

Just in time for Presidents' Day.

I made Get Sconed's recipe for vegan Mac and Cheese but added a tablespoon of country dijon mustard for a bit more tang and used whole wheat penne. It has a great hearty flavor to it. I think this the sort of thing that I could make for "mac and cheese traditionalists" without worry. Creamy even though there's no cheese, no butter and no milk. Maybe not something to make for my Italian mother, though.

It was tasty in a burgers and fries sort of way.

Jason loved it last night. Loved it even better cold, for lunch.

Must be that nutritional yeast.

Now, I wonder if I can pull off a non-dairy version of Jason's childhood favorite, noodle casserole?

hmmm...

Valentine...

2008-02-15T09:28:00.000-08:00

We've been vegetarians for just about 3 years now and this past year I've tried to add more vegan recipes to my repertoire. Cutting back on eggs and dairy while incorporating more vegan products (besides veggies, grains and legumes) into the mix.

It's challenging.

But fun - like a science experiment with your taste buds. Who would have thought something called nutritional yeast would finally make tofu taste good?
And vegan curries rock.

We happen to live in one of the best places in the world for vegans/vegetarians. Vegan blogs profess our big city neighbor to the north as "Vegan Mecca" for crying out loud. And we certainly have more hippies per capita than Stumptown!

Veganism aside, it's fun trying new things and even better when they turn out to be delicious.

Last night J took me out for the big V-day holiday. This is the one night a year that he gets to call the shots on dinner. It's always a surprise. I never know where or what or when.

Last night he made reservations for us at a new Vegan/French restaurant in town. A sweet little bistro style place downtown. The menu was full of some interesting vegan appetizers and entrees as well as a couple vegetarian (i.e. with cheese) options. Sticking to the spirit of the evening, we ordered all vegan:

sesame crusted mushrooms
mixed greens salad with walnuts
french lentil filo stack with cashew creme sauce
black bean empanadas

Well, the food was so-so. Appetizers good - entrees mediocre. But I don't think it is because the food was vegan. I think the flavors just didn't meld well. The chef was bold with his choices and I applaud that. But bold doesn't always mean good.

One thing I love about some of the better restaurants in town is that I often come home and try to make a few of the dishes myself - and I usually make them a bit healthier.

Not after last night.

We came home and raided the pantry for my chocolate chip banana muffins :)

Sweets for the sweet

2008-02-14T09:13:00.001-08:00

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Nancy Silverton's Cake Donut(holes)

Banana chocolate-chip muffins

I made these for me. In my humble opinion, chocolate and banana is a match made in taste-bud heaven. I used a 3 oz dark chocolate - 80% cacao bar chopped up into little bite sized bits of goodness. I made this with whole wheat pastry flour, a cup of Nancy's non-fat yogurt, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, canola oil, one egg and a cup of mashed bananas.

They are great warm (with the dark chocolate oozing out) or cold.

Classic buttermilk cake donut-holes

These little guys were for Jason. Fried little vittles topped with cinnamon and sugar - nuff said.

I picked up Nancy Silverton's: Pastries From the La Brea Bakery from the library this weekend.

Foolish, foolish girl.

How can I stick to my healthy salad and veggie plan with this book in the house? I swear everything in this book calls for at least 2-3 sticks of butter. Believe it or not her cake donut recipe was one of the healthiest recipes in the book. I adapted the recipe a bit and made only half the recipe and I made little holes instead of the proper donuts out of shear laziness. I also used yogurt in place of buttermilk.

They came out perfectly - light and crunchy with just a hint of nutmeg and that divine cinnamon smell throughout the house.

Best donut recipe I have made, yet.

Nancy Silverton made Julia Child cry in pleasure. You will too if you make these donuts.

"A Triumph!"

Spinach Power Salad!

2008-02-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

Okay, after a beer and chocolate post I thought it would be appropriate to post a healthy vitamin packed recipe. It isn't quite salad season, but who cares? It's the Chinese New Year and temple food (as Ms. Lawson likes to call it) is called for. Here goes:

Super Spinach Power Salad
serves one

Baby Spinach - 1-2 cups
Napa Cabbage - 1/2 cup cupped
Romaine - 1/2 cup chopped
Roma Tomato -1 chopped
Onion- 1/4 small red diced
Olive oil/brown rice vinegar (just a teaspoon or so of each) with salt and pepper to taste

Chickpea Fritters (Mark Bittman's falafel recipe again!- chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, lemon juice, baking powder)

Take that Dr. Oz!

I had this with a yummy soy-blueberry-banana smoothie. I'm on vitamin overload right now. Ready to do anything :)

Chocolate Porter Cupcakes

2008-02-06T10:17:00.001-08:00

These are an adaptation of an adaptation.

I recently came across everybody likes sandwiches blog on red ale and chocolate cake which is an adaptation of Nigella Lawson's Guinness Chocolate Cake.

I didn't have Guinness or red ale in the house - but I did have the happy medium: Porter! And not just any porter, but Oregon's own Deschutes Brewery's Black Butte Porter. I had to try it out. Tis the season for chocolate, as you know.

Cupcakes are a lot more fun than cake and bake more quickly - which I find is crucial with a sudden chocolate craving.

"Must have chocolate, now!"

Basically I stuck to the Nigella recipe just subbed the porter for the Guinness. I also skipped on the frosting since we didn't have any cream cheese in the house. But I will definitely try these again with the frosting. These little guys were delicious on their own, but they could use a bit of sweet, dense cream on top. Just like a good pint.

Yummy and moist with a great tangy twist.

Pair with a game of Scrabble and your best buddy ;)

Pantry Challenge

2008-02-01T12:32:00.001-08:00

Have you come across these Pantry Challenges online? It sounds like an awesome idea to me; try to survive for as long as you can on just what you have left in the pantry.

I suppose it depends a lot on the size of your pantry. I've checked out a few pictures of these pantries from folks who have lasted a long time. These pantries are stocked with enough food to make it through a good 6 months! We're talking HUUUUUUUUGE. So it isn't exacly what I would call an equal opportunity challenge.

Our pantry is one top cabinet in our galley kitchen. Modest to say the least. But it does the job.

However, we inadvertently entered a pantry challenge of our own when the snow fell and completely blocked our driveway this last week. Being wimpy west-coasters we were not prepared for that much snow! Also, big J busted a window in the car that we had recently equipped with studded tires. So we were stuck.

We could walk to the main places we needed to get to during the week, but we couldn't get to a proper market and back with all the weekly groceries in the snow.(I can just picture us hiking up the hills in the slushy snow with our stolen grocery cart!)

So we were forced to make it through the week on just the leftovers in the pantry. I was pretty impressed with the outcome. Breakfast was interesting since we were out of cereal and milk and it turns out J isn't a fan of old-fashioned oats. But he toughed it out. We drank Tetley tea in the mornings since we were out of coffee by Monday and I had to soak a ton of dried beans for pantry soups and improvised supers.

But we did great!

I'll bet we could make it another week or so. But I need me some coffee!

I think we'll do a proper pantry challenge after we restock the anemic pantry with some of the basics like yeast and sugar, canned tomatoes and the aforementioned heavenly brew.

We'll be living it up pioneer-style!

Well, pioneers with in-door plumbing and heating, spendy dog food, and organic dark roast of course!

The Best Falafel Salad, Ever!

2008-01-28T12:18:00.000-08:00

It is snowing outside.

But inside it is as warm as an Israeli summer.

This was a delicious lunch and perfect on a snow-day like today. I have tried three different falafel recipes in the last month or so and this one was by far the best.

I followed Mark Bittmann's recipe from his New York Times' podcast : Chickpeas in Love: The Minimalist Makes Falafel

They came out perfectly: Light, crunchy and filling. We had them on top of a basic Greek salad.

Delish!

This is my new favorite vegetarian salad. The falafels are packed with protein and plenty of flavor. They were so much easier to make than the other recipes I have tried . There is no flour or oil or egg. So they are good for you too! Just chickpeas, onion, garlic, herbs and spices.

Writing about them is making me hungry again. They're THAT good.

My Roots Are Showing

2008-01-26T10:40:00.001-08:00

Italian and Norwegian comfort food:

Spinach-Ricotta Penne

Mushroom and Shallot Spaghetti

Norwegian Cinnamon Buns (Modified Nigella Lawson Recipe)

It has been freezing cold here in Eugene, Oregon for the last week or so.

Sunny and cold.

Warm, comforting, and homey food has been in order. The Italian food was a given, but I also have some strong Scandinavian ties too. So I tried Nigella's Norwegian Cinnamon Buns. Our tummies were very satisfied.

Walrus, J and I took advantage of all this sunshine we've been getting here in rain-central by getting out and soaking in the rays. There are quite a few nature trails up here in the hills and it fun to get all bundled up and head out for a hike. A trace of snow fell Thursday evening as we walked...now that's a perfect winter day!

Spinach-Ricotta Penne
serves 4-6

1 lb box of whole-wheat penne
1 large(12 oz or so) bag of fresh spinach
3 cloves of garlic - finely diced
1 tablespoon of Earth Balance Butter substitute (or reg. butter)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups of whole milk Ricotta
1/4 cup chopped fresh Parsley
1/4 teas spoon fresh grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in olive oil
Add garlic and saute for a minute to soften
Add spinach and saute( this is a lot of spinach so add a third at a time and saute with garlic to wilt spinach down)
Add salt and pepper to season ( I like about 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt)
Cook pasta for 10 minutes or so(just a bit under required -you will continue to cook pasta with the spinach mixture)
Add pasta to cooked spinach to coat
Add ricotta and nutmeg - blend as it melts into the pasta
Sprinkle on chopped parsley

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Enjoy!!

Enough with the pasta, already!

2008-01-20T10:23:00.000-08:00

More lazy lady's food.

sorry.

I find that I get into funks with food. I'll be creative and adventurous for a couple of weeks and then, (in Brooklynese)"Forget about it!" I'll throw together a simple pasta with tomatoes and whatever is left in the pantry for a sure thing. Simple and tasty is all I ask.I could eat this same meal for a week and so could my old man. Actually he could eat the same thing for a month as long as it's tasty and prepared by someone else.

Obviously I'm in a post-flu funk right now and all I want is pasta.

Can't say how long this will last, but at least another 3-5 days for sure.

Who knows? Does this happen to you?

What food(s) do you turn to when you get in a funk?

Pantry Pasta:

1 box of whole wheat spaghetti
12 oz chopped tomatoes
half a yellow onion chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
7 chopped kalamata olives
3 cloves of garlic minced
half a bag of fresh spinach
cooked and rinsed can of canellini beans
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
a nice shaving of Parmesan cheese on top.

You could throw in more beans or some artichoke hearts if you have them around. Anything that is in your pantry that satisfies your comfort zone will do.

Serves 5-6

Drink with whatever you like.

Top Five Foods To Eat When You're Too Sick To Cook:

2008-01-17T13:30:00.000-08:00

by Eggs McGeez

1. Pizza

Any kind that suits your fancy. That's right, top yours with tuna and sweet corn, Mr. British Isles! Whatever floats your boat. Pizza has healing properties whatever the topping.

Athough, I do believe the classic Margheretta does have the most effective fever-reducing powers; thin crust, light sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil with a light drizzle of the best extra virgin olive oil.

mmmmmmmm...

Have husband-unit pick it up from local restaurant and clean up that drool, Missy!

2. Pasta

This can be any type of pasta and any sauce combo. It must, however, be one of your favorite combos. This is key.

Husband-unit SHOULD be able to put this together with minimal intervention. Here's what J did last night:

not bad, huh?

3. Chinese Take-Out

This does require a GOOD Chinese restaurant within 10 miles. Have husband-unit pick up the massive assortment of goodies you ordered at the peak of your fever.

move! move! get on it man!

4. Matzoh Ball soup and Chocolate Chip Danishes (or Rugelach).

I know I am getting a bit specific here, but the combination is essential.
Yes, this does require that you live in Los Angeles or New York as I have yet to find a really good deli elsewhere...so we're screwed.

Move on to #5

5. Doughnuts or Cake, or both

Do NOT have husband attempt to make these. These require a skilled hand. Send husband-unit to fancy bakery downtown to pick up said items.

Call me in the morning.

runners-up:

-toasted "everything" bagel with a schmear of cream cheese, sliced tomato and sprinkle of kosher salt.
-pad thai with your choice of protein from that rocking thai restaurant on 7th.
-burgers on toasted buns with the works (again, your choice of "protein")
-anything but plain old soup please.

Some Like It Hot

2008-01-15T11:07:00.000-08:00

Jason loves everything about Winter: sub-freezing temps, warm coats and hats, snow, warm fireplaces, hot cider drinks, and most importantly warm, rich, winter food.

This guy loves soups, casseroles and thick, hearty, hot, steaming stews or pot-pies.

So why am I surprised that he went ga-ga over this leek and bean cassoulet from Veganomicon?

I however, wasn't too impressed. In all fairness, I don't think it is a bad recipe. It just isn't for me.

Basically I'm more of an Autumn/Spring kind of gal.

I like soups and I like casseroles. But I prefer the "lighter" variety with seasonal vegetables. I dislike using cornstarch or any other thickening agent in anything. I don't like the gooey texture. I miss tasting the veggies individually.

The biscuits on top were tasty, but again, too heavy for my taste. So I probably wouldn't do well in the Midwest or Eastern Europe. Good thing I live in Oregon...and good thing Spring is just (ahem) 10 weeks away.

Check out my buns!

2008-01-10T09:44:00.000-08:00

How obnoxious can I get?

These buns came out a lot better than I had expected. I'm finding many ways to use my original naan bread recipe and I have yet to find something this miracle dough can't do!

I follow the basic dough recipe. Then I shape the buns into 2 inch balls and then flatten them on a cookie sheet. I let them rise for another 30 minutes, then bake them at 350 for 30 minutes. Brush them with a milk or egg wash for the last 10 minutes of baking and sprinkle with sea salt or sesame seeds.

Delish and nutrish!

(That's an Amy's Bistro Burger making its appearance yet again.)

Beverage: An Oregon Pinot Noir or an Oregon Pale Ale.

Music: What goes better with burgers than good old 50's rock and roll? Heck, it's the 50th anniversary of "Great Balls of Fire" - so why not a little Jerry Lee Lewis?

Crunchy-Granola Lady

2008-01-10T08:53:00.000-08:00

January is the the health food/health club industry's biggest month. I decided to throw them a curve.

I quit the gym and made my own granola, thank you.

Scandalous!

My little way of socking-it to the man.

Actually it was about time I quit the gym. We had belonged to one of the big national chains and our local club had been bought by another chain more than a year ago. The closest gym from the same chain was up in Portland - 110 miles north of us! A bit of a drive I'd say. I've got my tennie-runners and miles of trails up here anyhoo.

The granola is yet another example of how hippie-dippie I've become since moving to Eugene. Peer pressure I'm sure.

J had a bowl this morning with Oregon blueberries, honey and yogurt from Nancy's and a spoonful of flax seeds on top.

Heaven.

Simple Hippie-Dippie Granola:

4 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup of whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dried fruit
1/2 cup of nuts
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup of apple or orange juice
1/4 cup of canola oil
teaspoon of cinnamon
zest of one orange

Mix dry ingredients together. Then add wet and coat. Spread onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Bake for 45-50 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Check and mix the granola around every 15 minutes or so.

Let cool and then enjoy!

Beverage: Hemp Milk!

Music: Here you go kids:

Soups for the Sick!

2008-01-08T09:03:00.000-08:00

J gave me that nasty cold he had. Time for soup.

The first soup is a Chickpea Noodle Soup from Veganomicon

I ordered this book just before our trip down south and I am so glad I did. This recipe was a winner. The soup is mellow and filling and I added spinach at the very end to bump up the vitamin count. I must say that I am feeling quite a bit better this morning.

The split pea soup is a pretty basic recipe. I added brown rice and left-over potatoes (both Yukon gold and sweet). It is a carb-and-protein-heavy bowl of pure comfort.

Drink: Hot herbal tea with lemon and honey.

Listening to: Cowboy Junkies, Black Eyed Man

What is good food?

2008-01-07T13:17:00.000-08:00

This is something I've been thinking about quite a bit lately. Obviously there is no one answer to this question and that perhaps makes it an interesting question to really delve into as a personal exploration.

I suppose for me, good food is food that we enjoy making and sharing with people we care about. I really love simple food, that does not have a lot of ingredients, but those few ingredients are fresh and delicious and (this is cliche) warm.

That's probably how I would put it.

I will always associate pasta with warmth and home. Even more so now that I am preparer of the food at my home. Pasta is a loving food.

And spaghetti is my favorite pasta, hands down.

1 box of whole wheat spaghetti
10 oz of cooked white beans
16 oz or so of chopped tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic chopped fine
oregano
3-4 chopped kalamata olives
salt and pepper
grated Parmesan (optional)

Great with a Columbia River Valley(OR/WA) Riesling or a Willamette Valley(OR) Pinot Gris.

Whole Wheat Pizza

2008-01-05T15:53:00.001-08:00

It's snowing outside. But inside it's as warm as an Italian summer afternoon. Thanks to this pizza.

This is a bare bones pizza. The dough is my basic flat bread dough (my whole wheat naan bread dough). I baked the crust for 6 minutes in a 410 degree oven and then pulled it out and topped it with some chopped tomatoes, oregano, salt and some freshly shaved Parmesan cheese. I popped it back in the oven for another 5 minutes to melt the cheese and get a brown crust.

Yum.

*Pair with your favorite pale ale and a crisp salad.

Blueberry Bliss In January!

2008-01-05T15:03:00.002-08:00

I had some lovely wild Oregon blueberries in the ice-box. I made a crumble of oats, Earth Balance butter and brown sugar for the crust. Then I topped it with 10 oz. of these beauties and a yogurt/brown sugar topping.

Baked it at 350 for about 40 minutes and then we dug in. This is an adaptation of Moosewood's Blueberry Yogurt Pie from, Sundays At Moosewood Restaurant.

Summer in January.

Pair with a cup of tea.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2008-01-05T10:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, so we return home last night to a freezing cold house and no food.

Well, not quite. I had frozen some red lentil curry for just this reason...but after we demolished the lentils we were still starving and in need of something warm and delicious.

Oatmeal raisin COOKIES!

They are the fastest way I know to warm your tummy and your house with just a few simple ingredients:

oats
brown sugar
baking soda
whole wheat flour
butter (or a substitute like Earth Balance)
raisins
cinnamon
egg (or egg substitute)
vanilla

Voila! Twenty minutes later the house feels like home again and it smells devine.

Pair with your favorite milk. (Walrus likes Silk Soy)

A Tale of Three Veggie Burgers

2008-01-04T11:25:00.000-08:00

Ahh, holiday travel:
900 miles down and 900 miles back along the beautiful Oregon and California Coast; a beautiful, wet, windy and cold coast indeed.

And despite the awesome Redwood Forest, the rolling vineyards of Sonoma and the majestic, rocky coastline of Southern Oregon, I alas, could only think of the vast desert of fast-food neon that we encountered both up and down one of the purtiest places on Earth.

Every couple of months we make this trek and we're rewarded on both ends (My Mom and J's Mom are both amazing cooks). But the 16+ hours in between are brutal on both our booties and our stomachs.

What are we going to eat?

Sure, we packed the car with healthy snacks like fruit and nuts and some of my mom's homemade energy bars. But we still needed some proper FOOD at some point.

Well, lucky for us we decided to make our first stop at the Lost Coast Brewery in Eureka, Ca. They have quite a few options for the non-meat eaters out there. J and I both chose their "Humboldt Green Party" burger. Which is basically a Garden Burger on a whole wheat bun with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and a sliced dill pickle. Fries or a salad come as a side and they don't put mayo (or any condiment for that matter) on the burger. Instead the kind waitress brought out a selection of condiments to our table so we could dress our patty exactly as we liked.

It was quite good.

We both got the fries and I had a "Downtown Brown Ale." Delish!

J had a nice cup of joe (as he was driving that leg).

And we're off!

Three hundred or so miles later and a nice overnight stop north of San Francisco, we pull into a Burger King.

?!!!!?Burger King!!?

Yep.

I had heard that they are the only major chain in the U.S. that offers a veggie burger as an option at every location. So we had to check it out. It took a bit of convincing to get Jason to even pull into the parking lot (neither one of us has eaten at a Burger King in over a decade). But he indulged me and we checked out the options.

The Burger King veggie burger is a Morning Star patty sandwiched between two basic Burger King buns with tomato, lettuce and pickles. We ordered both of ours with onions and no mayo (the mayo alone adds nearly 16 grams of saturated fat to your meal!)

It was a ho-hum experience. Not bad. But not great.

The buns are a bit soft and the patty had an overwhelming carrot taste.

But, it was good to know that a veggie (although not vegan) option exists out there in fast-food land.

6 days later,(after many a delicious meal at my in-laws) we began our return trip home to Oregon. Our first food stop was at an old hangout of ours in Valencia, CA: The Habit

We ordered two Veggie Burgers with a side of fries and waited in anticipation.

Ten minutes later our burgers arrived.

WOW! Toasted whole-wheat buns, a perfectly grilled Garden Burger patty, an inch thick layer of super green, fresh, romaine lettuce, ripe tomato slices, cucumbers, red onions, and alfalfa sprouts!

It was a salad in a sandwich and it was a knockout.

Now, if only they had more locations en route to Oregon.

We returned to Lost Coast on the last leg of our trip for another Humboldt Green Party burger and were pleased that it tasted just as good as on the way down.

We made it to my folks later that night and enjoyed a warm bowl of vegetable soup.

So as a recap here's how I rank the three burgers:

1. The Habit's Veggie Burger
2. Lost Coast Brewery's "Green Party" Burger
3. Burger King's Veggie Burger.

I look forward to finding more veggie travel options on our next trip down. But in the meantime I'm back to cooking my own food!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T10:01:00.001-08:00

Eggs' Resolutions:

1. Join a CSA
2. Add 100 new vegan/vegetarian recipes to the repertoire.
3. Blog (food blog) at least three times a week
4. Run at least 4 times a week

I'll start with those.

This should be fun.

Naan Veggie Burgers

2007-12-22T17:23:00.001-08:00

What to do with left over naan?

Veggie Burgers!

J loves Amy's Bistro Burgers and I'm a traditionalist - I love my Gardenburgers.

I Heart Christmas (muffins)

2007-12-22T13:51:00.000-08:00

Look!! There's a heart shape on the plate with the muffin.

Coincidence?

These muffins are an adaptation of Nigella Lawson's Christmas morning muffins. I substituted whole wheat flour for the regular flour and I used raisins instead of dried cranberries.

J loves these.

Stir-Fry tofu with vegetables and fried brown rice

2007-12-22T13:39:00.000-08:00

tofu
green peppers
brown basmati rice
onions
carrots
garlic
ginger
tamari
grean peas

Friday Night Falafel Night!

2007-12-21T18:12:00.000-08:00

I made some whole wheat naan and some falafels tonight. It was a hit!

Add some yogurt, peppers, tomaotoes, red onions and parsley and we're golden.

Soup for lunch (again)

2007-12-21T12:57:00.000-08:00

Red lentil curry with cauliflower, potatoes and brown rice.

So satisfying and so ugly.

eggs chez robbins

2007-12-21T12:50:00.001-08:00

This is pretty similar to huevos rancheros - but no cheese and no fried tortillas.

one egg
brown rice
pinto beans fried up with a little canola oil, cumin, jalapeno, red pepper flakes and salt
salsa
non-fat yogurt (better than sour cream here)
tomatoes
red onions
cilantro

One of J's favorites.

Delicata Squash is My Hero...

2007-12-21T08:49:00.000-08:00

...and my favorite new veggie.

I picked up some delicata squash for the first time this year actually by mistake. I went to the market looking for spaghetti squash and blindly believed the labels the market had put up.

Lucky for me I had never bought spaghetti squash before, so I didn't know what to look for. I brought the squash home and roasted it in the oven. When I sliced the cooked squash in half I quickly realized that this was not spaghetti squash at all and I had to change the plan for dinner. I chopped up the squash and made a yummy mild curry with tofu and veggies. It was delicious. So the next day I roasted the rest of the squash and we had it as a side. What a lovely vegetable. Sweeter and firmer than pumpkin, but not as dense as butternut squash, and so easy to prepare.

Why do we not see more recipes calling for this yummy treat?

No offense to butternut squash fans out there, but butternut squash can be very dangerous.

Both my husband and myself have sliced our fingers handling that massive gourd.

But not anymore!

Delicata Squash has saved the day.

Monday I roasted up a couple of them beauties and smashed their sweet flesh along with some melted (vegan) butter, rosemary, nutmeg, brown sugar, vegetable stock, salt and pepper. I tossed this with some whole wheat spaghetti, put it all in a casserole dish and topped it with some more herbs, bread crumbs, a little olive oil and some caramelized onions. Baked it for 30 minutes and we were in heaven.(This is an adaptation of a Veganomicon recipe based on what I had in the house!)

I'll bet it delicata makes for a great pie too.

Something to try this Christmas :)

Eat Your Veggies! (and Happy Birthday Mom!)

2007-12-11T18:25:00.000-08:00

So we ate, (gasp), just veggies tonight!

But they were incredibly filling. I didn't miss a thing.

Delicata squash, mushrooms and spinach, brussel sprouts, and roasted potatoes.

mmmmmmm...

Walrus loves brussel sprouts!

Tofu Marsala with Zucchini

2007-12-11T18:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, so eating tofu and veggies is becoming a bit of a habit here. But, the thing is we're saving a ton of money AND it happens to taste pretty good too.

I've turned to legumes and beans and tofu lately because we're in the middle of recording a new record which happens to take up a lot of time - without (yet) yielding the big dough (figuratively) and literally.

But, I really can't complain because the food has been delicious.

This meal is from last night. I got the Tofu Marsala recipe from http://www.veganmenu.blogspot.com - These folks know how to use their veggies.

I did alter the flour a bit- I used brown rice flour(instead of wheat flour) to coat the tofu and it was SO delicious with a perfect light crust. I need to pick up some more of that fine flour.

The zucchini were simply cooked with a bit of oil and garlic.

yum, yum!

4 bucks tops for the entire meal.

Rawk on.

Simple Pasta Supper

2007-12-10T12:15:00.001-08:00

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with tomatoes, onions, garlic and white beans. Yup, that's a whole clove of garlic just sitting there on the plate.

(and a very nice glass of red!)

Chocolate Chunk Goodness Cookies

2007-12-09T16:26:00.001-08:00

Believe it or not these are good for you. And yes, they are delicious!

No butter, no eggs, low sugar and whole wheat flour turn these yummy goodies into something even better.

The chocolate chunks are 88% cocoa too. So you get your flavonoids-on.

I really was a bit experimental with this so my measurements may not be exact.

But here it goes:

1/2 cup plus 2 tspns of whole wheat flour
3/4 cup of rolled oats
1/2 of a 3 oz dark chocolate bar banged to bits - go for the higher % of pure cocoa type.
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 cup of brown-sugar splenda blend
1/2 tablespoon of black strap molasses
1/4 cup of applesauce (no sugar added)
1/4 cup of canola oil
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Preheat over to 350.
Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Add the chocolate chunks to the dry mixture.
Combine wet ingredients together in another small bowl to blend.
Then add wet to dry and mix.
form small spoonfuls of batter and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment or silpat.

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

Enjoy with your cold milk of choice!

Curry Tofu and Vegetables

2007-12-09T13:02:00.000-08:00

This was pretty good last night. I was in an experimental mood.

The tofu were baked with a few tspns of curry spices and some orange juice for about 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

The veggies are: onions, delicata squash and peas all simmered in a curry/coconut sauce with a bit of Sriracha for heat.

I cooked the brown basmati rice while the tofu and the delicata squash baked in the oven.

Pretty good.

Tonight we're frying again for Chanukah: Zucchini Latkes!!

Holy Whole Wheat Challah!

2007-12-08T10:46:00.000-08:00

Rustic, but delicious!

Here's the recipe:

I read a whole bunch of recipes for basic Challah(not whole wheat) and adapted it into my own. If I make this again I will probably brush the top with milk or egg wash.

I used good old King Arthur's "Traditional Whole Wheat Flour"

Ingredients

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar blend (this was all I had in the house... you can probably use any type of sugar/sweetner here)
2 tablespoons of canola oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 cups of whole wheat flour
Canola oil for brushing the top (or egg wash)

Directions:

1. Mix the yeast and water and allow it to activate (5-10 minutes).
2. Add the sugar, oil, and salt.
3. In a separate large greased bowl (I used the Kitchen aid mixer bowl) put in the flour.
4. Add the yeast mixture and combine into a nice wet dough. Add flour or warm water if needed.
5. Knead (I used the handy kitchen-aid with the bread hook) until it forms a ball of dough on the hook. (2-3 minutes) Or knead by hand (will take a bit longer).
6. Cover bowl with a towel and allow to rise. 2 hours.
7. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts.
8. Shape each into 11-12inch(approx)long strips. Braid the strips together to form Challah loaf shape.
9. Cover the loaf and allow to rise for another 1 1/2 - 2 hours. It should double in size.
10. Brush the loaf with oil. Bake it at 375 for 30-35 minutes.
11. Let it cool on a cooling rack.

Enjoy with butter or margerine.

*This is a small loaf and was quickly consumed by my husband and myself in a day!

Minestrone Lunch

2007-12-07T14:28:00.000-08:00

How to eat 7 veggies in one meal?

SOUP.

Chanukah - the good and the bad of it.

2007-12-07T09:15:00.001-08:00

Baked Spicy Tofu with Lemon Brown Rice and Garlic Broccoli.

(The good)

Deep Fried Pumpkin Donuts

(the bad...but oh-so-good!)

mmmmmmmmm........

Indian Food

2007-12-04T12:47:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I decided to challenge myself and make a full indian food feast for us.

We had:

Whole wheat naan (sooooo easy and sooooo yummy)
red curry lentils (pictured)

saag paneer with potatoes (I made the paneer too - first time I have ever made cheese)

I got the recipes from a variety of sources online and adjusted them slightly.

I'm going to make some more naan today and try another curry dish.

Here's the Naan recipe:

Need:

2 1/4 cups of whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons of sugar (I used light brown sugar because it was all I had and it worked out fine)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of warm water
1 egg beaten
2 tablespoons of milk
1 packet of yeast or 2 and 1/4 teaspoons of yeast

Instructions:
Dissolve yeast in the warm water and let it activate (add sugar to help)

In a mixing bowl combine:
flour
sugar
salt
egg
milk

Add yeast and water mixture and combine.
Knead dough until it comes together nicely - it will be on the "wetter" side.

Leave ball of dough in a greased bowl to rise for an hour or so.
Punch down the dough and allow to rise another 3 hours.

divide dough into 8 balls.
roll out the balls into "small pizza" size.
Heat a cast iron skillet ot grill to med/high
Toast the flat breads on each side of the for 2-3 minutes.
Brush with butter(optional)

enjoy!

Triple A Pasta!

2007-11-12T10:29:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe I put together last week and we loved it. It combines three Vitamin A (and C) packed veggies for a delicious light dinner, lunch or first course.

(Walrus waiting patiently at the top of the stairs for a sample!)

Serves 2

You'll need:

Fresh pack of Butternut Squash Ravioli (I LOVE Rising Moon Organics)
5-6 cups of baby spinach
1 bag of frozen chopped sweet potatoes (bite size)
1/2 cup of veggie or chicken stock
2 cloves of garlic - finely chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
pinch of salt
pepper
grated Parmesan cheese

1.Microwave the sweet potatoes according to instructions- but leave them just undercooked.
2. Saute the garlic in olive oil (med. heat) for about a minute.
3. Add the sweet potatoes to the garlic and saute for another minute or so.
4. Add spinach and saute for another minute to combine all flavors.
5. Add stock and season with salt and pepper - cook for another minute.
6. Serve over ravioli along with grated cheese.

Super easy and fast.

Great with a Pinot Gris or a nice local white wine.

Green Goodness Pasta

2007-11-12T07:34:00.000-08:00

A twist on the usual pesto pasta dish.

As usual -I made it healthier with more vitamins/minerals than the usual fare.

I love whole wheat pasta and I love incorporating walnuts into the pesto in place of pine nuts.

The broccoli tastes great with the pesto and adds a great texture to the dish.

This serves about 3-4.

Have with a green salad ( of course!)

You'll need:
1 pack of whole wheat spaghetti
1 pack of frozen broccoli
Grated cheese for serving

Pesto:
1/4 cup Walnuts
2 cups basil leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
3 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup of olive oil
pinch of salt

1. Put on a pot of water for the pasta - cook pasta as you prep the pesto. Add pack of frozen chopped broccoli to the pasta water for the last 4 minutes of cooking.
2. Chop the garlic in the food processor
3. Scrap down the sides of the processor and then add walnuts to the processor and chop.
5. Add Basil and cheese - repeat.
6. Slowly add oil - and blend until smooth but not watery.
7. Spoon pesto into the serving bowl and add about 1/3 cup of the hot pasta water to the pesto - blend.
8. Pour cooked pasta and broccoli into the pesto and blend with thongs.
9. Serve with grated cheese!

yum

My other blog is a blog

2007-11-11T10:53:00.000-08:00

I post at feelthecomforters.com a lot more frequently. It's officially "The Comforters's Blog" but in reality it's all me.

The old man has to run a studio for crying out loud.

My blog posts range from studio and music happenings to thoughts on food(surprise) and daily life in Eugene.

Feel Good Blueberry Muffins

2007-11-11T10:26:00.000-08:00

I love using local products and this recipe incorporates a few of my favorites.

It's a super healthy version of a Nigella Lawson recipe.

1. Preheat Oven to 400 degrees -grease a small 12 muffin tin or use cupcake paper cups in the tin.
2. Combine 1 1/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour (I like King Arthur's), 1/2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a small bowl beat 1/3 cup of canola oil, 1 cup of non-fat yogurt (I like Nancy's), and one egg.
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix (with a light hand!) Lumps are okay.
5. Grate in the zest of one orange. This makes this recipe!
6. Fold in 1 cup of frozen blueberries (I like Willamette Valley Berries) Mix lightly and spoon into muffin tin.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden. Let cool slighlty and then enjoy with butter and local jam.

Delish and SO good for you!!

We have these for snacks and for breakfast all the time. Also great with yogurt or a big glass of milk.

Julie's Organic Ice-Cream Sammies

2007-06-19T12:11:00.000-07:00

heaven

www.juliesorganic.com - - My new favorite snack and local too!

I could eat these all day. They are little morsels of perfection - from the soft chocolate wafers on the outside to the sweet, but not to sweet semi-soft vanilla ice-cream on the inside.

delish

amy's ...mmmm

2007-06-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

Since moving up here to the beautiful Pacific Northwest, I have falling in love with Amy's Burritos (the non-dairy ones).

They are amazing and simply delicious. Easy to cook up in the ole microwave - and greatly satisfying.

Funny thing is Amy's is based in Petaluma, CA. Not up here in Oregon. But I never came across their products in California. Not until my old man and I went veggie and explored the "health food" aisle in the grocery stores up here did we know about the yummy products from Amy's.

I just had one of these burritos, so this is why my first blog entry speaks of that mix of whole wheat and pinto bean goodness that is the Amy's non-dairy burrito.

So thank you, Amy's. I have yet to grow tired of your fine product. And the folks at Amy's even have a blog: www.amys.com/journal

(old man enjoys the 'rito...dog looks on)