Tag Archives: garlic

Apr29

Easy Noodle Stir Fry

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I love eating vegetables. I love drinking vegetable juice. I love smoothies with vegetables. I love shopping for vegetables at the farmers market. I love growing vegetables. I FRIGGIN’ LOVE VEGETABLES! And…I’m a mom of two teenage boys who until relatively recently hated most vegetables. This seemed really unfair to me. I took it personally. And felt like I had somehow failed as a mom.

I mean, come on, this is a big part of my life and I was unable to share it with my kids. Over the years, I would talk to other moms whose kids ate vegetables and pretty much whatever was served for dinner. I’d hear things like: “I’m not a short-order cook,” or “They have to at least try a tasting portion.” Well, this never, I mean never, worked in my house. It always lead to drama at the dinner table which took all of the fun out of our family dinner. I want that time to be one where we share and laugh and connect…not a time to argue, fight or negotiate.

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Mar25

Spring Green Vegetable Soup

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Spring is here in Houston and I so hope we get to enjoy it for a little while at least. Cool mornings and warm afternoons. Azaleas blooming all over the place. Summer tends to hit us quickly, so I really want to savor this time.

I’m finding myself motivated to clean out closets and (gasp) maybe even tackling a few windows. Spring cleaning just seems like the thing to do right now. I have more energy during this time, so why not put it to good use. Spring is a dynamic time of renewal, full of possibilities. A great time to start new projects and tap into your creative spirit.

Spring is also a great time to transition to lighter foods. Whenever possible, I like to eat with the seasons. Right now for me, it’s all about green vegetables. So I threw together this yummy little soup. It’s the kind of thing you can improvise with depending on what you find at your market.

 

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Mar17

White Bean Enchiladas + Green Chile Sauce

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I get so much pleasure out of teaching yoga and making connections with so many different people. One thing I have discovered, unexpectedly to tell you the truth, is that it is such a joy to teach yoga to families. Seeing parents engage with their kids on the mat…being silly together and being focused, making animal noises and playing games and then lying still at the end of the class.

Family Yoga Night has become something I so look forward to and thoroughly enjoy. After the class, we usually have a potluck (it’s a yoga thing!). This month, I made these yummy white bean enchiladas. I’ve made black bean/sweet potato enchiladas with red sauce for years. So I thought how about white beans with green sauce and it works perfectly. I adapted a recipe for the sauce from a cookbook I picked up while traveling in New Mexico last summer. It’s a winner.

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Oct29

Oyster Mushroom + Squash Blossom Paella

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The first time I had paella goes way, way back. I was living in Washington DC; an eager young staffer working on Capitol Hill, having the time of her life. One of my colleagues (on the other side of the aisle no less…things were pretty civilized back then), hosted a paella party. It was a casual event that was completely elevated by the food. There were huge pans full of paella cooked outside and lots of sangria.

I’ve loved paella ever since. And have enjoyed hosting dinner parties over the years with a spanish/tapas theme. Although paella is traditionally made with seafood, it lends itself well to all kinds of vegetables. Recently, I tried out Gwenyth Paltrow’s Vegetable Paella recipe from her cookbook, My Father’s Daughter. It’s amazing! I improvised a bit and made it my own by adding oyster mushrooms and squash blossoms from the farmers market.

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Oct18

Cauliflower Eggplant + Potato Korma

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I bought Julie Sahni’s book, Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking, a REALLY long time ago. Like, I hate to admit this, but maybe 20 years ago. It has travelled all over the place with me, sat on many bookshelves and has hardly ever been used…until this week.

The book always intimidated me. The recipes are very authentic and somewhat involved. I’d never heard of most of the ingredients and had no idea where to begin. But I’ve been going to this awesome Indian street food restaurant here in Houston called Pondicheri and now I’m inspired. Big time! I’ve been making my way through the menu and discovering some amazing new things. This led to a field trip to my nearest Indian market.

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Aug19

Zucchini Cashew Burgers + Lemon Aioli

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Love to make veggie burgers.  Love to eat veggie burgers.  So happy when I come up with a new way to make veggie burger night just a little different.  And think it’s super fun to get my hands mushy by shaping patties.

Sounds like I have a crush on veggie burgers. Well maybe I do. They are awesome, you know.  But finding a good recipe isn’t always easy.  I’ve definitely met some duds. That’s for sure.

Wouldn’t normally think about lemon in a veggie burger, but it’s a nice addition that makes this version really kind of perfect for a summertime meal on the patio. You can throw this together in no time.  Just whiz everything in the food processor, shape and saute. Easy breezy.

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Aug16

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho + Cilantro Pesto

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The minute I walked into Whole Foods and saw this amazing display of the most beautiful heirloom tomatoes you have ever seen; I knew then and there exactly what I wanted to do. My mom (who is visiting me right now – yay!) was telling me about her friend Joanie’s gazpacho and how delicious it was. The best she’s ever had. Bingo…Miss Joanie’s gazpacho with heirloom tomatoes. YES!!!

Of course, I need to put my little spin on any recipe that crosses my path, so I made a little cilantro pesto with almonds to top off the chilled soup. It works. For sure.

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Jul17

Spaghetti Squash Pancakes + Fresh Tomato Sauce

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Ever just crave spaghetti squash? I do. It’s not something I eat all the time, but when I’m in the mood, it’s the best. Usually I steam it and serve it with a marinara sauce loaded with vegetables. That’s exactly what I did this week. But I had quite a bit of squash leftover, so I decided to make pancakes the second night.

I made a fresh tomato sauce to go on top. I love making this in the summer with yummy fresh tomatoes and basil. I made it first so the tomatoes could marinate while I made the squash pancakes. I sauteed some fresh spinach and made a balsamic reduction also. Sounds like a lot of steps, but it really was easy.

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May8

Zucchini Pasta + Oyster Mushroom Tomato Sauce

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I first had something like this at a little Italian restaurant in San Anselmo, California last summer. Lucky for me, it was the daily special. And while everyone else was chowing down on pizza and calzones, I was in heaven with my amazing, garlicky zucchini pasta.

So this was the first recipe that I made when I got back from the trip. I got out my trusty Benriner slicer and went to work coming up with the right noodle-like texture. I sliced the zucchini lengthwise to get the longest pasta I could. If you are into raw food, you could eat this as is and be pretty darn happy. I kind of like it briefly sauteed in olive oil with some garlic and sea salt.

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