Green and White Pizza

YJDKIY had some store bought (whole wheat) pizza crusts sitting around. After making my own dough with the quick rise yeast, it's hard to justify ever using these. They kinda taste and feel like cardboard, and don't expire for 2 months. Never a good sign.

At any rate, I didn't want them to go to waste, so I invented an alternative to red sauce. Hey if it turned out bad, at least I wasn't wasting good dough! The green ingredients.

And the white.

Four cubes of frozen pesto mixed with half a container of fat-free ricotta (plus I added extra fresh garlic because the pesto maker doesn't use as much as I do).

Spread across the crust just like sauce and top.

Bake for about 10 minutes at 405.

It was kind of like green cheesy toast. Good, but not great. The second one got a little tomato sauce added to the pesto-ricotta mix and that helped significantly! Overall, can't complain about this 20 minute dinner.

The Week Ahead

SUNDAY: Cheesy Butternut Bake
MONDAY: Green & White Pizza
TUESDAY: Zucchini-Corn Enchiladas
WEDNESDAY: Nocream Creamy Broccoli Bake
THURSDAY: Seared Tofu with Green Beans & Asian Coconut Sauce over basmati
FRIDAY: Artichoke-stuffed Baked Potatoes & Kale (didn't happen last week!)
SATURDAY: tbd

Totally Honest Tempeh Wraps

YJDKIY has one gorge looking tempeh wrap to share with you.

Pretty simple ingredients. More plastic than I'd like, though.

Slice the tempeh in triangles and then thin it in half.

Do the same to the apple and cheddar.

Saute in a cooking spray'd pan. Notice that weird moldy looking piece?

(clicky the pic to enlarge if you can't read...that doesn't really make me feel better)

They'll start to get golden and crispy. 

Prepare your wrap with a base of apples and spinach. 

Top the tempeh triangles with some cheddar and lid-it to melt. 

Nom! Doesn't that look delicious? I couldn't wait to take the first bite it was so gorge.

And then I promptly recoiled in horror. All my previous dislike of tempeh came flooding back. It. Was. Gross. Bitter, bland, and well, moldy tasting.  Apparently I don't like this kind, I only like the high-sodium masked by other flavors tempeh. I told you it was Totally Honest.

Our Own Potluck

The neighborhood was having a picnic last night. I love potluck style dinner, but the whole concept, well I just can't handle food sitting for 3 hours and made in who knows what kitchen. I'm not young or male, after all.

Not to miss out on all the fun though. I made our own!

Clockwise from 12. Caprese pasta salad, homemade tortilla chips, peach salsa, sparagus, black bean cakes over baby romaine with cucumber-radish chutney. What a hodgepodge!

Menutacular

SUNDAY: Those lentil enchiladas that never happened.
MONDAY: Other cooker shrimp & veggie specialty
TUESDAY: On your own!
WEDNESDAY: Haps!
THURSDAY: Salads with MSF
FRIDAY: Artichoke stuffed potatoes, kale
SATURDAY: Date nite!


grocery list
peppers
asparagus
lettuce
celery
potatoes
kale
artichoke hearts
edamame
fresh parm
cooking wine

Being Green

This is what happens when YJDKIY is crunched for time and/or is only cooking for one! At least it's green! Spinach pasta, frozen green beans, frozen pesto. Done.

State of Tom

Join Tom's of Maine in supporting nonprofit organizations.

50 States for Good is a national initiative to support the goodness behind grassroots community projects, and we need your help! Six organizations will share in our $150,000 sponsorship fund, including one organization that will be given $50,000!

Our panel of judges selected 20 non-profit finalists doing great things in their communities. Now we need your help. Your votes determine which organizations get funding! Vote Now.

HERE'S THE COOL PART: Leader Board. In case you're too lazy to click through, I'll tell you:

1	Galveston Island Tree Conservancy
2	Alamance County Meals on Wheels - Fresh Food to Seniors
3	The Lands Council - Reforest Spokane Day
4	Joplin Peace Garden - School of Metaphysics
5	Parkway Partners - ReLeaf New Orleans East
6	Philly Friendship Circle - Friends for a Caring World
7	Yadkin Riverkeeper

 GO VOTE LOCAL! You can vote once a day until September 13. 

Whataweek

Not to be confused with What-A-Burger. I really wish I liked hamburgers because these places are all retro MCM fast food cool.

Check out this local W-A-B inspired Etsy find by ncFolklife.

TUESDAY: Nature Burger (i.e. YJDKIY whataburger)
WEDNESDAY: Spaghetti with Soysage, Peppers and Chard Sauce
THURSDAY: Mama Pea's Red & Green Lentil Enchiladas
FRIDAY: Homemade Pizza
SATURDAY: Tempeh Wraps with hummus, spinach, apples, and white cheddar

My Second Curry

This is My First Curry. It's pretty good. But My Second Curry is sort of showing it up.

Start with all this, pretty simple right? The secret ingredient is the coconut milk (not to be confused with coconut water, which is very different, and I wrote about here). One thing I didn't realize is that coconut milk has a lot of saturated fat. But, as we know, all fats are not created equal, and there is considerable thought that it is indeed good for you (LA Times article). The bottom line for me though, is, like with many other things, moderation. Fixing this once every other month....not going to kill you. Eating it every day...probably not wise.

The other, not so secret ingredients: low sodium everything.

I digress. Chop up two sweet potatoes in 1/2 inch cubes.

Dice a sweet yellow onion and 4-6 large gloves of garlic.

Saute. Add curry powder, pepper, garlic salt, ginger, turmeric. I did not measure, duh.

Ever wonder exactly what is in curry powder?

Once translucent, add chick peas, sweet potato, frozen peas, water, and coconut milk (it will be gross coming out of the can). Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring frequently. Add a little more curry powder and garlic salt to taste.

Add the tomatoes and simmer 5-10 more minutes.

Remove lid, and bring to a boil again to reduce any excess liquid (you want it slightly runny but not soupy).

Prepare base of basmati rice and top.

Holy. This turned out superduperdelish and was pretty easy to make, the hardest part was peeling and cutting the potato, and who can't do that?

This is definitely a keeper and tasted even better the next day for leftover lunch.

Already August

SUNDAY: Sweet potato & chick pea curry with broccoli
MONDAY: Spinach Quesas
TUESDAY: Pasta Pesto & Peas
WEDNESDAY: Warm Quinoa Bean Salad with Feta, Asparagus
THURSDAY: Spinach Salad with MSF grillers
FRIDAY: Black Bean Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese

Total grocery cost (including cereal, soy milk, and yogurt): $55.32
Not bad for 15-18 meals each (< $2/pp per meal)

Weird things...

...from the aisles of Ocean State Job Lot. I love this place for a good bargain! Once a year I get to hit it up for some tasty, super discounted goodies. Last year, I scored tons of Bob's Red Mill for $2. This year, in order to spend the week here (no photoshopping of that true blue sky involved, straightup iPhone!):

we had to fly the friendly (but annoyingly delayed...did you see my tweets?) skies to get there. [insert my rant about US Airways first checked bag fee and delays] So there, was sadly no room to return home with $2 whole grains and $3 agave. I wouldn't want you to miss out on the fun that was had though, with these finds from the shelves.

Do you even know what sprats are? I don't and that picture on the box isn't helping.

Oh, creepy eyeball looking onions. In a jar?

And who is Maria and how did they get her in a box? At least she is original and natural.

Again with the jarred...roasted eggplant, really? I can't imagine how you would ever use this.

Everyone's favorite flavor: Meat. Not actual meat, meat flavor. Nom.

And while we're on imitation things...vegetables flakes? Wonder how many you'd have to eat to get a servings worth? Guarantee some idjit thinks this counts as healthy.

And finally, another thing I had to look up: Quince. There you have it.
Until next year, OSJL, I remain yours truly. 

-------

Sidestory just for fun. One day last year at work, the Museum staff was doing a touchy-feely exercise with the art (not actually touching it, that's illegal), but looking at different paintings and then we were asked to write on a slip of paper a 2-3 word response. For this painting:

I wrote "Ocean State!" Boy did that confuse people. Do you have any idea why? Here this might help.









William M. Harnett (1848-1892), Job Lot Cheap, 1878, oil on canvas, 18 x 36", original purchase fund from the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation,
Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, ARCA Foundation, and Anne Cannon Forsyth, 1966.2.10

Sometimes it's fun to

play with your food! The other eater got creative with his plate arrangement...

I totally see it. Fitting.

Risotto Row

Such a simple combination of ingredients.

In case you can't tell, that's onion & garlic

grated summer squash and zuch-i-nini (like her-mi-ninny in HP4 that I am listing to currently!)

risotto

broth

and bonus basil (other flavor/topping options include parmesan and tomato)

I like onions. Saute them in EVOO for a few minutes.

Add in the rice and get it nice an toasty, about 3 minutes.

Gradually add 1/2 c broth, continue stirring until absorbed, and add another 1/2 c. Repeat until 3 c. added and rice has expanded.

Add grated veggies and simmer on medium for 10 minutes. You can increase heat to high to burn off extra moisture but to do this, you will need to stir constantly.

Add in other flavorings/toppings as desired! Perfect amount of summer meal.