Recipes to Try

My summer vacation is quickly coming to an end. Tomorrow I’m heading back into work to prepare my classroom for the new school year.

Last year I had 18 students but this year I’ll only have 12. A good number for grouping. Another benefit of such a small class is that my classroom will seem much larger. I’m looking forward to reorganizing the furniture in the classroom. Once I’m all set up, I promise to share photos.

I’m a bit behind sharing recent recipes so thought I’d do a one off of recipes I’ve been enjoying lately.

Here goes!

Puffed Amaranth

 

I first heard of amaranth when I was in college. I babysat for the family that began Nu-World Foods, one of the first companies to introduce amaranth to the American market. I was instantly interested in their business and was eager to try their products. Time passed and amaranth went to the wayside for me due to availability abroad.

Well, things have changed and I can now buy puffed amaranth in Germany. I’ve been enjoying it with plain yogurt and fresh fruit for breakfast. It is light and fluffy but packs some staying power. If you haven’t tried amaranth, give it a try!

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Mmm… blueberry buttermilk pancakes! I made these pancakes while my friend Katie was visiting. The fruit syrup was simply made by heating fresh blueberries and strawberries together until they stewed in their juices. 

Buttermilk Pancakes with Peaches

Pancakes were the main breakfast food while Katie was here. These buttermilk pancakes were great topped with fresh peaches and maple syrup. Delicious!

Roasted Green Bean Potato Salad

This was one delicious dinner! I followed Kath’s recipe for roasted tofu potato salad. The only changes I made were to add roasted chickpeas and leave out the bacon (obviously.)

When making this recipe again, I’ll probably leave out the tofu and stick to chickpeas for my protein. This creamy, warm salad is a must try!

Veggie Noodle Stir-Fry

This is really a bit of a cheat meal… but it was good enough that I ate it twice in the last two weeks. I stir-fried broccoli, a leek, carrots and mushrooms then tossed in a packet of “stir-fry seasoning” before adding the cooked noodles. Oh so comforting and easy!

Caprese Baked Egg Cups

My baked egg cups turned out nothing like Jessica’s in looks, but based on the taste, I’d say they met her mark. This recipe was beyond easy, ready for the oven in about 2 minutes. I used halloumi cheese rather than mozzarella, chopped tomato rather than cherry tomatoes and milk rather than cream; this probably explains why my baked eggs turned out like ugly ducklings, but I tell you, even with these substitutions, the flavor was fantastic!

Aloo Gobi Mashed Indian Cauliflower

I had a head of cauliflower that needed to be used up from last Friday’s CSA box. This recipe was the perfect fit; fast, warm and subtly spicy.

I ate my aloo gobi with fresh, plain yogurt. It might sound strange, but the cool worked with the heat. I’m glad I have leftovers of this mash!

So there you have it! A few of the wonderful recipes I’ve been enjoying the past couple of weeks.

I recommend you give them a try.

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Sourdough Pizza Dough

Yesterday I shared a recipe for sourdough bagels from a book published 8 years before I was born: Sourdough Cookery by Rita Davenport.

Today I’m here to share another recipe from the oh-so-talented sourdough baker, Rite Davenport.

In her book, Rita shared not only her recipe for the dough, but also her pizza sauce recipe and suggested toppings.

You’re going to have to buy her book to get the whole kit and caboodle, but I’m happy to share the sourdough pizza dough recipe.

Sourdough Pizza Dough

Makes 2 very large pizzas

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sourdough starter

1 cup warm milk

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons cooking oil

2 1/2- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

olive oil for brushing

Method

1. Add the milk, salt, sugar and vegetable oil to the sourdough starter. Stir together. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time. Stir well after each addition. Add enough flour until the dough is too stiff to stir with a spoon. Dough should be heavy but elastic.
2. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 5-10 minutes.
3. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and set in a warm place, free from drafts and let rise about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
4. Divide dough into two equal parts. Stretch or roll out each part to create a round pizza dough. Create a slight ridge to form a crust.
5. Brush the dough with olive oil and continue to create your pizza as you wish.

Our first pizza dough was used as a base for a vegetable pizza which included tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, spinach and broccoli.

Oh so good!

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CSA Veggie Stir Fry

I love my weekly box of fresh, organic, local produce.

Oh, have I said that before?

Sorry for sounding like a stuck record, but deciding to receive a weekly CSA delivery is the smallest change, but it has yielded the largest difference.

I am now saving money on groceries, eating healthier, and experimenting with new recipes and produce.

All the while, I’m supporting businesses that I believe in.

A win-win situation.

Here’s how I make the best use of this service.

1. Before Wednesday of the delivery week, I visit my CSA’s online shopping center. There I can see what produce is planned to be included in my weekly vegetable box.
2. Usually I want everything that is scheduled, but sometimes there will be items that I either don’t want or already have left from the previous week’s delivery, take carrots cor example.
3. If I want all but one item, say carrots, I usually keep with the scheduled box but just edit my order to not include carrots.
4. I also have the option to choose a completely different box. Biolandgärtnerei Hüsgen offers 8 different pre-planned boxes for €12.50: Vegetable, Mother and Child, Fruit, Regional Produce,Raw Produce, Single, Quick Cooking, and Full Assortment boxes.
5. If I didn’t want any of the pre-arranged plans, I could create a Wish Box by choosing individual items from the online shop.
6. In addition to the organic produce boxes, their online shop offers almost any other product that can be found in a small organic grocery store. I usually add a box of 6 eggs from Hof Alpermühle.
7. Once my order is placed, I keep my eyes open for recipes that include the items I expect later in the week.
8. I usually plan my meals based on which food items spoil more quickly. The produce with a shorter life-span is cooked earlier in the week than the more resilient veggies. This leads to less waste and better quality.
9. On Friday, my box is delivered to my front door and the real fun begins!

Biolandgärtnerei Hüsgen makes it so simple to choose items and plan my weekly delivery. I rarely need to shop the regular grocery store and as a result, have saved a lot of money.

Although I’m pretty good at planning how to use my weekly veggies, there have been times when my fridge is about to burst with produce that needs to be used.

 

When this happens, I either make soup or stir fry.

My CSA Veggie Stir Fry is less of a recipe and more of a formula for using up any vegetables that linger in the crisper…

This week, my CSA Veggie Stir Fry included pea pods, savoy cabbage, mushrooms, broccoli, shallots, ginger, garlic and sesame seeds.

The garlic and ginger were cooked briefly in hot sesame oil before I added the remaining vegetables. This allows the oil to flavor which will later help to impart an even taste amongst the veggies.

Cooked over high heat, I added a bit of water every now and then to help the veggies steam.

Once the vegetables were starting to soften and brighten in color, I added a simple stir-fry sauce made with sesame oil, soy sauce, miring, agave nectar salt and pepper.

Cooked until tender yet slightly crisp, the last step was to add sesame seeds to the vegetables.

Served with jasmine rice, this CSA veggie stir fry was one of the best I’ve made yet.

CSA Veggie Stir Fry Formula

~ Vegan ~ Vegetarian ~

Prepare the Vegetables and Oil

4-5 cups raw vegetables, all cut to a similar size

2 cloves garlic

1/2 inch nub of fresh ginger,

1-2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

Prepare the Sauce to Taste

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

2-3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1-2 Tablespoons mirin (Japanese cooking wine)

1-2 teaspoons agave nectar

salt and pepper

 

Step 1

Heat the wok or non-stick frying pan. Add the sesame oil, heat for a moment then add the garlic and ginger. Cook over high heat until fragrant.

Step 2

Add the vegetables and continue to cook over high heat, stirring frequently. If the vegetables begin to stick, add a couple tablespoons of water.

Step 3

Combine the sauce ingredients in a small cup and whisk well. Once the vegetables begin to brighten, pour the sauce over top and stir to well-coat all ingredients.

Step 4

Continue to cook until the vegetables are tender to the tooth but still slightly crisp when bitten into. Stir in the sesame seeds.

Step 5

Serve the stir fry over cooked rice and enjoy!

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Parsley Pesto

It’s been a busy day with birthdays, baklava baking lessons, lots of school work at home and walking around. I’m so tired. Sorry to leave you wish a scant post, but this simple recipe is worth sharing.

I’ll share more ideas on how to use the pesto later. It was great in my dinner tonight with spinach, mushrooms and chickpeas.

Have a nice night everyone!

I had a large bunch of parsley that needed to be used this weekend. Parsley pesto was the perfect topping for roasted broccoli and carrots.

Ingredients

1 large bunch of fresh parsley, about 1.5 tightly packed cups

2 cloves garlic

1 cup toasted walnuts

1/4 cup olive oil

juice from 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Method

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until well combined and creamy. Use to top vegetables, as a spread on sandwiches, or as a pasta sauce.

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Broccoli Salad

Who needs bacon when broccoli salad looks and tastes this good?

Vegetarian Broccoli Salad

2 servings

Ingredients

• 1-2 cups broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup dried blueberries, cranberries and/ or cherries
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1/4 tsp. sugar

Method

1. Toss together the broccoli, pumpkin seeds and dried berries in a bowl.
2. Stir together the sugar and mayonnaise until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the broccoli mixture and… well, mix until evenly coated.

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Twice Baked Potatoes

It has been a good day!

Being able to take dinner photos at 8:30 in natural sunlight may have been the highlight. The days are getting longer! I love spring!

Want to know what else I love? Oatmeal

There is nothing like the prospect of a delicious bowl of oats to get me out of bed in the morning.

1/4 cup or oats, milk, and water

1/2 ripe banana, mashed

Dash of salt, heavy sprinkling of cinnamon

Topped with:

chia seeds, flax, hemp seeds, cinnamon, and almond butter

The school day went really fast. Apparently we all thought it was Thursday today as my classroom assistant wrote Thursday April 14, 2010 on the board this morning and no one noticed- not her, me, or the kids until about 2:30. I hope thinking it was Thursday on a Wednesday doesn’t make the week feel longer!

I forgot my camera at home so no snack or lunch photos. For snack, I ate a butter cookie from the staff room. During my morning break, I had a really nice talk with on of the assistants. She just came back from maternity leave and is the most peaceful, serene woman I know.  She asked about Sebastian and said that things must be going well since I always look happy. We then started talking about why some relationships last and others done. Emma said the most important thing to remember is to speak gently and simply take care of each other.  Good advice, Emma.

Lunch consisted of a tuna salad sandwich, an orange, and pumpkin seeds.

After work, I had an apple on my way to the gym. The trip was quick today as I had another dental appointment. I powered through 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer as hard as I could to try to get the most out of the limited amount of time. I then spent about 15 minutes on abdominal exercises. Sauna. Shower. Go.

After almost 2 months of jaw pain and 5 dental appointments, I have finally received what I hope will end all jaw pain.

Behold my TMJ night guard!

This transparent contraption fits over my lower teeth.

The doctor made a cast of my teeth then recreated my entire mouth/ jaw using measurements and other important dentist stuff. The Me Mouth was really cool. He showed that when I bite, my back molars do not have the same amount of space between the top and lower teeth on both sides. One side has a slightly larger gap between the top and bottom teeth. Apparently, while I’m sleeping, I subconsciously grind or clench my teeth in an attempt to “even out” the difference. This excessive muscular activity is what causes my pain. This guard was designed to a) protect my teeth from grinding b) make up for the difference in space. I hope it works!

After my jaw-inspiring appointment, I went to Aldi to do a bit of grocery shopping. Hunger led the way and I ended up leaving with way more than I needed, including these whole grain animal crackers.

Once home, I whipped up some dinner. Roasted broccoli and asparagus and a twice-baked potato. All drizzled with fresh squeezed lemon.

Broccoli and asparagus were misted with olive oil then sprinkled with sea salt and pepper before being roasted. Lemon juice enhances the flavor like you wouldn’t believe. Try it.

Last night we baked extra potatoes. Today, I scooped out the insides and mashed them up with 1 T. cream cheese, splash of milk, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and sea salt. Put back in the skins and baked.

Delicious!

The potato was so good that I immediately made another for lunch tomorrow. Technically, tomorrow it will be a once baked, once microwaved potato.

I also whipped up two for Sebastian’s midnight snack when he comes home from work tonight.

Final project of the day: more homemade almond butter!

This is probably my best batch yet! Perfectly roasted. My add-ins include a drizzle of agave nectar, cinnamon, flax, hemp, and coconut oil. Yummy!

Alright, I hope you have a great day! I’m off to try out my new night guard. Night!

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Fabulous First

Today was such a fabulous day!

Great food, great fun and basically a great kick off to the new month.

Although my breakfast oats were not that great (I was sleepy and accidently drizzled way too much agave,) I was in a great mood to start the new week!

I eagerly hiked to school with all my new Ikea gear and got the classroom set up with this week’s activities.

The new blooms added a wonderful touch of spring to our winter white surroundings. Have I mentioned that it’s snowed every day for a week? It’s not accumulating too much but it is a real pain in the bum for our house meister who must keep the school yard clear to prevent injuries. You know, snow is dangerous to kids. Sense my sarcasm?

The first of February was the day of birthdays in my class! We had not only one, but two birthday celebrations! Complete with cake both times around!

Delicious French apple cake, presented on an oh so classy school paper towel.

Had a killer maths lesson on reading timetables and then an even better literacy lesson introducing our new genre study of non-fiction. The apple cake birthday girl even said, “it’s so much fun learning!” To which I responded, “imagine how much fun it is to be the teacher, you get to learn and teach!” Planting those seeds for future teachers!

Lunch was leftovers from last night. Cheetahs, korma marinated tofu and broccoli, yum!

Simple and delicious!

Monday= digital photography club. I was so inspired by my Gerber daisy photos from yesterday, that I tried to recreate the setting for my young photographers.

I just set the potted plants on a very white piece of paper. The kids were oh so impressed by themselves!

Today was also a great day because we raised more money for Haiti by holding a Jump-a-thon! The kids gathered sponsors to pay for each hop they could do. There were 6 different stations of hops. The master jump-roper herself would be very proud!

Sweaty, exhausted, and in need of a sugar rush, cake #2 was introduced.

Yes, it’s all cake and candy!

Fun fact: Haribois an acronym for Hans Riegel, Bonn- Bonn being the Haribo headquarters and the town where I live.

The fun and greatness didn’t stop there! After tutoring, I made a quick stop at the grocery store and all of my favorite things are on sale this week! Strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, avocados, cherry tomatoes and mushrooms! Yippie!

Notice anything strange and unusual here? Come back soon as I have a fun post planned!

Now, the greatness didn’t stop with desserts all day, raising money for a good cause, buying some of my favourite things, no, the greatness has just begun.

For weeks, I have been drooling over the idea of mimicking Kristin’s mother’s Chipotle burrito bowl. After several failed attempts due to lack of available ingredients, the stars have finally aligned! I present, one of the best meals of all time! Just imagine this beauty in the light of day!

Let’s break that beauty down to her working parts.

Here you have the base. Brown rice with loads of cilantro and lime juice.

Kidney beans and marinated tofu- all cooked up in my flee-market-find cast iron skillet.

The tofu marinade consisted of:

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. agave nectar

tons of spices- chili, oregano, cumin and homemade taco seasoning

Lime juice

Dash of water

Here you’ll find the toppings- homemade tomato salsa, corn salsa, and guacamole.

Dinner was so good, I think I’ll eat it for at least 2 more meals! If you’d like to see the original Kristin version, click here.

Yes, I was a bit ambition and cooked for a family of 6.

I hope your start to February was as great as mine!

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