Tag Archives: recipe

Hot, Hot, Hot

Posted on 12 July 2009 | 3 Comments

We've had weeks of scorching temperatures and all I can think of is foods that cool.  I know that in  many countries, people  eat spicy food when its hot – India and Mexico are prime examples, and Ethiopia, and…

I'm not doing anything spicy right now, just cold or cooling foods.  Lunch was a tossed salad with homemade hummus, and leftover cold lentil salad.  

Dinner will be tomato bruschetta and strawberry sorbet for dessert.  

I can't control the heat and am indeed praying for rain, but at least I can enjoy the summer's harvest with some delicious, light fare.

Stay Cool,
Cynthia

ps – here is the tomato bruschetta recipe:

Tomato Bruschetta
in a non-reactive bowl combine:
1/4 chopped red onion
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
3 cloves garlic – chopped
3 tomatoes cut in small dice
1 small can chopped olives
2 t basil – minced
salt & pepper to taste

This improves with age so make it an hour or more ahead of your meal if possible.  Serve on toasted bread, or even over pasta.  

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Cooking with Veg

Posted on 23 February 2009 | Leave a comment

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to belong to an organic food co-op.  The co-op worked this way:  once a week I drove to the co-op center, paid my $25, and picked up a bag full of organic produce, plus a recipe sheet.

The benefits of this were at least two-fold.  I ate more fruits and veg because they were in the house and readily available.  And, I ate a wider variety of foods because someone else selected the veg and fruit for me.  

I regularly encountered vegetables that I hadn't seen or tasted before.  The great thing was that the recipe sheet always offered a suggestion for one or two ways to use the "newcomer."

As we move to trying to eat less meat, maybe we can expand our vegetable vocabulary and try out some new foods, new recipes, and have a little fun.  I also think this would work equally well with whole grains, rice, etc.  

What new food have you tried lately?   Me?  Well, I had steamed cabbage last week and it was delicious.  I have sauteed cabbage, and boiled cabbage, but steaming gave me a chance to taste some really delicate flavors. Let's face it, we can get in a rut with our food, meal planning, and diet. No, my steamed cabbage wasn't really exotic, but it was new, tasty, and fun.

Cynthia

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Lovely lunch

Posted on 5 July 2008 | 2 Comments

I am a new Mark Bittman fan.  

I have been reading his recipes for a long time, but only recently started trying them out.  I like his simple style, and the flavors are really great.

Today’s lunch was Pasta with Eggplant

The recipe notes to use plenty of olive oil and NOT drain the eggplant on paper towels.  When the eggplant mixture is combined with the pasta, the oil from the eggplant coats the pasta and helps the flavors meld together.

I used some fresh tomatoes from the garden – so the colors were beautiful and everything tasted fresh.

Just writing about this dish makes me want to go grab a bowl and have a mid-afternoon snack, mmmm.
Cynthia

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