May 3rd pose of the day:
Backbends feel soooo good after taking care of a little one
Our new mommy friends told us about this fabulous little place on the corner of 11th and Pine in Philadelphia:
So pretty and calming
Category Archives: Dining in
Cajun Crockpot
Salad with slow cooker red beans and rice
Last night I had just enough time to chop the veggies for this yummy crock pot meal so that it would be all ready to go in the morning (click here for the easy-peasy beans and rice recipe). Kristin at Slender Kitchen suggests cooking on low for 6-8 hours and ours was definitely ready at the sixth hour. I found this tasty Cajun dressing to go along with a simple side salad. Here’s my modified ingredient list for two (with a little left over):
Cajun Salad Dressing
- 1/3 c. pecans sautéed in Earth Balance butter, sprinkled w/ Cajun seasoning and salt
- splash of red wine vinegar
- 2 spoonfuls olive oil
- squeeze of Dijon mustard
- glob of honey
- 1/4 c. water
- pinch cayenne pepper
Blend together in food processor until creamy. Enjoy over greens!
Do you have any simple but delicious veggie slow cooker recipes? How about a fresh take on salad dressing?
Filed under Dining in
A Moroccan Feast
This weekend my aunt threw me and baby a cozy little Moroccan-themed bash at my place. I can’t believe the little guy will be here in about a month (give or take 2 weeks of course).
Spiced olives, cucumber tomato salad & white bean dip
Cauliflower couscous with apricots
Carrots with orange dressing and parsley
Filed under Dining in
Bob’s Black Beans
February snow
M and I are home in New Jersey after a family filled stay in warm and sunny Florida. I was beyond delighted to watch snow cover the ground our first morning back. The chilly frost begged for a bowl of chunky hot soup and southern-style cornbread. Although this bean soup begins with a bagged mix, the fresh veggies and yummy seasonings give it a complete homemade feel. It takes a few minutes to get started (sauteing veggies), but then it’s just a quick stir every now and again while it simmers for an hour and half. The magic is in the smoked paprika which gives it a rich flavor that usually comes from something like a ham hock. This recipe is entirely veggie-based and hungry-man approved!
Easy, healthy & delicious
A few modifications based on the contents in my fridge: no corn, canned whole tomatoes blended and carrots & sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash
Vegan cheddar jalapeno cornbread, recipe from the Spork Sisters
How are you staying warm? What are your favorite winter foods?
I love oatmeal in the morning and all types of soups: miso, chili, white bean…
Filed under Dining in
Merry Christmas!
Wishing you happy holidays with loved ones!
A few pics of Christmas at our house:
Festive flowers
Tart holiday vinaigrette from Oh She Glows
A bundle of thyme & bay leaves dropped into a simmering cauliflower soup
An awesome veggie-based thickener for soups, pasta or anything else
German apple cake from The Joy of Vegan Baking
What’s cooking for the holidays?
Filed under Dining in
Apples & Oats
Oatmeal, almond milk and warm apple saute
Rolled oats bought in bulk
The good stuff: pure maple syrup & walnuts
Baby it’s cold outside…and the best way to warm up on a frosty (almost) winter morning is with a bowl of piping hot oatmeal. Oats offer fiber and are full of heart-healthy antioxidants. There’s also been evidence that they enhance the immune system and reduce chances of cancer and diabetes. Plus they’re tasty when topped with cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup. I heated up a batch of rolled oats with almond milk (making plenty with leftovers for the next few days) and topped it with a warm apple saute. Yum! (Click here for the basic fruit saute recipe.)
What’s your favorite way to warm up on a cold morning?
Filed under Dining in
Two Ingredients
Crisp apples are one of the best things about fall. The weather chilled out this week making things perfect for a batch of warm apple butter. And you wouldn’t believe how easy it is… just chop the apples and toss them in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cinnamon and wait for the house to smell like heaven. Click here for the original “recipe”.
Keep the peel (and the fiber)
After a few hours the apples get chunky like applesauce. I kept half like that and pureed the other half to make silky smooth apple butter.
Oatmeal with cinnamon, nutmeg and chunky apple sauce
What’s cook’in in your kitchen this week?
Hurricane Soup
Yesterday Hurricane Sandy tore through the Northeast. Luckily we didn’t lose power, so I spent the day chilling out a home with homemade soup, cookies and a haunted house. I used this easy recipe as a guideline for what to throw in the pot.
Onions (already in the pot) with carrots, zucchini and squash
Rainbow quinoa
Black beans, nutmeg, cinnamon, curry powder and tomatoes
Kale added at the end
Warmth on a rainy day
Our haunted house (made from old styrofoam packaging)
What do you like to make on a rainy day?
Filed under Dining in
Pumpkin Crazed
It’s that time of year…pumpkin lattes are offered at Starbucks and the farmers’ market shelves are lined with plenty of autumn squash. This year I decided to roast my very own pumpkin for the first time. I followed this tutorial on how to roast a sugar pumpkin (they’re much smaller than a carving pumpkin. I bought two at Target for $2 each). Then I made Angela’s pumpkin butter, which is deliciously lickable right off the spoon. I used a few spoonfuls of the (plain) roasted pumpkin to make pumpkin syrup. And finally I made spelt pancakes using another recipe from Oh She Glows.
Whole grain goodness
Pumpkin syrup; delicious with coffee or chai tea
Pancake toppings
Stacked
A touch of the tropics for Camilo
Do you like pumpkin-flavored stuff? Any favorite recipes?
