Reminder to self: There are at least three varieties of dried seaweed in the pantry that can be made into soup or ...something.
Monday, March 30, 2020
Broccoli Sprouts
Reminder to self: There are at least three varieties of dried seaweed in the pantry that can be made into soup or ...something.
Friday, March 27, 2020
Meal Planning Revised
We managed to go about a week and a half between grocery store trips. I went shopping yesterday because we were finally completely out of leafy greens in any form and I needed more for green shake, which has become something even Sameer and Simran drink every morning (a 16 oz. glass each for Sameer and me and a little jam jar sized glass alongside her cereal for Simran). I shopped like a hoarder because going out makes me nervous now and I didn't want to do it again soon. I'm going to be making dinners in order of most-likely-to-spoil-soon to least-likely-to-spoil-soon. We also noticed that I made too much food on the average day last week, so I'm going to be making smaller meals this week to see if I can stretch the meal plan longer and yield fewer leftovers. For example, instead of making saag paneer and vegan methi chik'n curry and rice tonight, I'm just making the curry and rice (because my older container of cashew yogurt's best by date is today), and I'll make saag paneer and another pot of rice in a few days. Any leftover rice can become yellow rice with the turmeric and yogurt (from the new container) because Sameer and I always finish off yellow rice for lunch or whenever. Here is what I have the ingredients to make and about how long I have in which to make them:
Vegan Methi Chicken Curry and Basmati Rice
Tonight, Friday night. We still have some red cabbage slaw in the fridge we can eat with this too. And LOTS of fresh fruit. And I just made a batch of chia cherry chocolate pudding to use up an avocado and a mason jar of date syrup that were in the fridge, so there's that for desserts (for me anyway -- no one else in the house likes my healthy pudding).
Veggie Summer Rolls
Simran requested these, so I'm making them tomorrow, our warmest day for awhile.
Hearty Veggie Hoagies
Because they use up the rest of the sliced red bell pepper and cucumber generated by the veggie summer rolls. I'll make whole wheat baguettes and make vegan pesto from my basil plant, which is in need of serious pruning again, because the store didn't have any vegan pesto in stock.
Tofuna Salad Sandwiches
We have a package of savory baked tofu I bought for Simran's lunches that has a best by date before she could potentially go back to school, so I'm going to try making it into these veg tuna salad sandwiches. I have yet to find a vegan tuna salad recipe I like, but I've never tried one from baked tofu before. I also just discovered my old chive plant on the deck has regenerated, so I have two flourishing chive plants now and I think chives would taste nice on this in place of the green onion in the recipe.
Saag Paneer and Basmati Rice
I just have to make this before the spinach and cilantro wilt, so I have a couple days. I'm considering washing my cilantro and parsley and putting baggies of their leaves in the freezer so they last longer. I normally don't worry about it because they're so cheap to toss and replace, but I don't want to go out to buy more.
Penne alla Vodka
I really just have to make this before my single zucchini spoils.
Brinner
There was no problem getting eggs at the store, so I'm going to make buttermilk biscuits and scrambled eggs and use American cheese (this is the only way I eat it, and Simran won't eat it at all) and the last of the vegetarian sausage patties in the freezer to make sausage & egg patties with cheese. I also bought hash brown patties from the freezer section. Simran is going to want pancakes, but I should probably make those a different day so we don't create so many leftovers. None of my ingredients (i.e., the eggs) have a best by date in the next couple weeks, so I can make this pretty much whenever.
Pasta Primavera with Pesto Alfredo
I could make this out of random vegetables, the other half of the whole wheat penne leftover from the the last of the half-and-half, and any pesto leftover from the hoagies. I can make this any time before the half-and-half's best by date of 4/11. Theoretically I could even make it without the half-and-half and just blend up some cashews and water instead.
Tofu Pot Pie
I can make this from vegetables in my freezer, and my tofu will be good for weeks (and could be frozen too), so I can make this pretty much whenever.
Vegan Shepherd's Pie
This is another dish I can make from the vegetables in my freezer so I don't have to worry about perishable ingredients.
Creole Red Beans & Rice
If I chop the green bell pepper and onion and stash them in the freezer, I can make this whenever.
Vegan BBQ Ribs and Patatas con Alioli and ...Green Bean Casserole?
I have some lite sour cream in the fridge and the other ingredients in my pantry, so I bought canned green beans yesterday to make green bean casserole. I can make this any time within the next couple weeks, when the sour cream's best by date is. The ribs come to mind because I have half a bottle of barbecue sauce taking up space in my fridge and a bag of vital wheat gluten in the pantry. I bought a couple pounds of russet potatoes yesterday without a plan because I was in hoarder mode and I thought I might want them. I always finish off potatoes though, so I don't think it was necessarily a bad call.
Spaghetti & Meatless Balls
Veggie Dogs
Grilled Cheese or Other Sandwiches
I bought a brick of cheddar the size of an actual brick, which is apparently just enough for a week at our house, which is absolutely ridiculous. It would make grilled cheese possible though.
Black Bean Burgers on Pretzel Rolls
Because I have extra black bean burgers in the freezer.
Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup
Because it's a vegetable side I can make without perishable ingredients.
Tomato Bisque
Same as soup above.
Idli-Sambar
I make this from pretty much non-perishable stuff except for the cilantro. I keep trying to think of vegetable-heavy dishes I can make without fresh veg.
Vegan Methi Chicken Curry and Basmati Rice
Tonight, Friday night. We still have some red cabbage slaw in the fridge we can eat with this too. And LOTS of fresh fruit. And I just made a batch of chia cherry chocolate pudding to use up an avocado and a mason jar of date syrup that were in the fridge, so there's that for desserts (for me anyway -- no one else in the house likes my healthy pudding).
Veggie Summer Rolls
Simran requested these, so I'm making them tomorrow, our warmest day for awhile.
Hearty Veggie Hoagies
Because they use up the rest of the sliced red bell pepper and cucumber generated by the veggie summer rolls. I'll make whole wheat baguettes and make vegan pesto from my basil plant, which is in need of serious pruning again, because the store didn't have any vegan pesto in stock.
Tofuna Salad Sandwiches
We have a package of savory baked tofu I bought for Simran's lunches that has a best by date before she could potentially go back to school, so I'm going to try making it into these veg tuna salad sandwiches. I have yet to find a vegan tuna salad recipe I like, but I've never tried one from baked tofu before. I also just discovered my old chive plant on the deck has regenerated, so I have two flourishing chive plants now and I think chives would taste nice on this in place of the green onion in the recipe.
Saag Paneer and Basmati Rice
I just have to make this before the spinach and cilantro wilt, so I have a couple days. I'm considering washing my cilantro and parsley and putting baggies of their leaves in the freezer so they last longer. I normally don't worry about it because they're so cheap to toss and replace, but I don't want to go out to buy more.
Penne alla Vodka
I really just have to make this before my single zucchini spoils.
Brinner
There was no problem getting eggs at the store, so I'm going to make buttermilk biscuits and scrambled eggs and use American cheese (this is the only way I eat it, and Simran won't eat it at all) and the last of the vegetarian sausage patties in the freezer to make sausage & egg patties with cheese. I also bought hash brown patties from the freezer section. Simran is going to want pancakes, but I should probably make those a different day so we don't create so many leftovers. None of my ingredients (i.e., the eggs) have a best by date in the next couple weeks, so I can make this pretty much whenever.
Pasta Primavera with Pesto Alfredo
I could make this out of random vegetables, the other half of the whole wheat penne leftover from the the last of the half-and-half, and any pesto leftover from the hoagies. I can make this any time before the half-and-half's best by date of 4/11. Theoretically I could even make it without the half-and-half and just blend up some cashews and water instead.
Tofu Pot Pie
I can make this from vegetables in my freezer, and my tofu will be good for weeks (and could be frozen too), so I can make this pretty much whenever.
Vegan Shepherd's Pie
This is another dish I can make from the vegetables in my freezer so I don't have to worry about perishable ingredients.
Creole Red Beans & Rice
If I chop the green bell pepper and onion and stash them in the freezer, I can make this whenever.
Vegan BBQ Ribs and Patatas con Alioli and ...Green Bean Casserole?
I have some lite sour cream in the fridge and the other ingredients in my pantry, so I bought canned green beans yesterday to make green bean casserole. I can make this any time within the next couple weeks, when the sour cream's best by date is. The ribs come to mind because I have half a bottle of barbecue sauce taking up space in my fridge and a bag of vital wheat gluten in the pantry. I bought a couple pounds of russet potatoes yesterday without a plan because I was in hoarder mode and I thought I might want them. I always finish off potatoes though, so I don't think it was necessarily a bad call.
Spaghetti & Meatless Balls
Veggie Dogs
Grilled Cheese or Other Sandwiches
I bought a brick of cheddar the size of an actual brick, which is apparently just enough for a week at our house, which is absolutely ridiculous. It would make grilled cheese possible though.
Black Bean Burgers on Pretzel Rolls
Because I have extra black bean burgers in the freezer.
Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup
Because it's a vegetable side I can make without perishable ingredients.
Tomato Bisque
Same as soup above.
Idli-Sambar
I make this from pretty much non-perishable stuff except for the cilantro. I keep trying to think of vegetable-heavy dishes I can make without fresh veg.
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Sourdough Bread Round
I had to look at a couple different sites to make this because I didn't have all the tools mentioned in the recipe and didn't want to buy them in case I decided none of this was worth the effort. The bread turned out fantastically. It took forever and was worth the effort. I used a good portion of the bread last night to make the best grilled cheese sandwiches I've ever had.
Here is the recipe I used. All my mixing bowls are metal, which it sounds like can be problematic for sourdough (?), so just to be safe, the dough did its 12 hour rise in the large glass bowl I normally keep fruit in on the counter. I covered it with plastic wrap and left it in the oven off overnight because it seems a bit less cold than the countertop in winter. I don't have a proofing basket (I had never even heard of it before -- no wonder my last attempt at sourdough went so poorly -- all of this sounded new), so I lined my metal colander with a tea towel and dusted it with flour and let the dough do its final 4 hour rise in that. I don't have a dutch oven, so I followed this website's top suggestion and preheated my oven for an hour with the baking stone as the intended cooking surface. I put the bread on a piece of parchment paper, set it on the hot baking stone, sprayed some water into the walls of the oven to create steam and put two ice cubes next to the dough to create more steam, and then covered the dough and ice cubes with my largest metal mixing bowl turned upside down over it for 30 minutes. Then remove the bowl and bake for another 15 minutes, then remove bread (I used my pizza peel, as shown in the photo) and let bread cool for a hour.
Here is the recipe I used. All my mixing bowls are metal, which it sounds like can be problematic for sourdough (?), so just to be safe, the dough did its 12 hour rise in the large glass bowl I normally keep fruit in on the counter. I covered it with plastic wrap and left it in the oven off overnight because it seems a bit less cold than the countertop in winter. I don't have a proofing basket (I had never even heard of it before -- no wonder my last attempt at sourdough went so poorly -- all of this sounded new), so I lined my metal colander with a tea towel and dusted it with flour and let the dough do its final 4 hour rise in that. I don't have a dutch oven, so I followed this website's top suggestion and preheated my oven for an hour with the baking stone as the intended cooking surface. I put the bread on a piece of parchment paper, set it on the hot baking stone, sprayed some water into the walls of the oven to create steam and put two ice cubes next to the dough to create more steam, and then covered the dough and ice cubes with my largest metal mixing bowl turned upside down over it for 30 minutes. Then remove the bowl and bake for another 15 minutes, then remove bread (I used my pizza peel, as shown in the photo) and let bread cool for a hour.
Almond Milk
From The How Not to Die Cookbook. I ran out of store-bought soy milk, and the batch I made from dry soy beans 1) was not very good tasting, and 2) yielded an incredibly small amount of milk. So today I made this almond milk for use in my coffee. I'll try to buy unsweetened soy milk the next time I go to the store, but this does just fine in its place.
Ingredients
2 tbs raw almond butter
2 cups water
Directions
1) Put ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Store in refrigerator. Shake before using.
Ingredients
2 tbs raw almond butter
2 cups water
Directions
1) Put ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Store in refrigerator. Shake before using.
Sunday, March 22, 2020
Meal Planning
Okay, I've finished cooking the entirety of last week's meal plan as of last night. No going out or substitutions. It's been an exhausting amount of baking. I don't think I'll do this much baking next week, though I do want to try out the sourdough starter I made. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I've reduced my almost daily trips to the grocery store to a single trip in the last week. My cart was so heavy I could barely push it, and I bought less kale than I normally would in a week because having so much kale in my cart at one time made me self-conscious. I don't want people to think I'm doing some kind of aspirational hoarding. It was fine though, and I froze all my breakfast smoothie greens so they wouldn't wilt, and I still have enough for a couple more days, along with some frozen spinach just in case I run out.
I'll mostly need produce on my next weekly shopping trip, which I'm not planning on taking until at least Tuesday because I want my fridge and fruit bowl to be sufficiently empty to hold another full week's worth of food. Here is what I currently have to use up in terms of both produce and just plain leftovers: okara and a food processed blend of the veg meant to go into the okara cakes (I really need to make those things soon), leftover idli and sambar, about a cup of vegetarian chik'n strips, some vegan remoulade, two avocados, about a cup of sliced carrots, one zucchini, some butter lettuce, some spring greens, some homemade Taco Bell spicy quesadilla sauce, two tomatoes, a head of red cabbage, at least a cup of half-and-half, an open can of chickpeas because I've been using the fluid in place of egg wash, a single potato-based hot dog bun, and some celery and carrots. Here is what I'm planning to make:
Spicy Taco Bell-Style Quesadillas and Red Cabbage Slaw and Vegetarian Refried Beans
This will use up the spicy quesadilla sauce, a tomato, the red cabbage, and the chik'n strips.
Okara 'Crab' Cake Sandwiches
I could make another pair of whole wheat baguettes for these, plus serve them with any leftover red cabbage slaw and tomato and avocado and pickles? and slices of onion on top along with some of the fresh lettuce. Any leftover remoulade could also go on these. I could make more truffle fries to go with these too. The single hot dog bun will become breadcrumbs for the okara cakes as it's the only bread in the house that hasn't been eaten yet and I used up the last of my Panko on zucchini cakes last week.
Penne alla Vodka
This came to mind because I bought one zucchini too many for the zucchini cakes last week (even after I doubled the recipe), so I can use it up here along with the carrot I sliced up, any sliced onion leftover in the fridge, the diced red bell pepper I found in the freezer and whatever broccoli and peas are in the freezer. I have a box of whole wheat penne, some Tofurky Italian Sausages, and a jar of vodka sauce already too.
If the sourdough bread proofs properly and turns out right, I could slice it and make vegetarian turkey club sandwiches. I think we have all the ingredients already. I could also make fancy grilled cheeses. We really need more tomatoes. I would also want some kind of vegetable soup to go with sandwiches. Vegan cream of broccoli (very healthy) or a tomato bisque (preferred by Simran)?
Brinner?
We have some vegetarian sausage patties in the freezer that I could make into McDonald's style breakfast sandwiches if I bought ALL THE OTHER INGREDIENTS and also made buttermilk biscuits. I guess it will depend on if there are eggs available at the store. I could also make some pancakes (and freeze the leftovers, which Simran always loves for weekend breakfasts). This does not seem like a good meal plan for health or effort, but I really love those little breakfast sandwiches.
Saag Paneer and Vegan Methi Chicken Curry and Basmati Rice
I'm not keen to make naan again immediately after my Week of Baking, but I could skip it this time, and the saag would use up some or all of the leftover half-and-half, and I already have diced paneer in my freezer.
Creole Red Beans & Rice
This is a really easy, tasty, healthy dish. I substitute brown basmati rice for the white.
General Tso's Chickpeas and Rice
This will use up my open can of chickpeas. Lots of rice this week.
I want to also make sure to have ingredients on hand for spaghetti & meatless balls (I think we might already have everything) and pizza (we already have some mozzarella shredded up and ready to go from last time, so this mostly means making sure we have sliced black olives and a jar of pizza sauce). I also want to make sure I have all the ingredients to make buffalo tofu salad. I want to use up the last of my vegan cheese and vegan ranch dressing, and it'll help use up my salad greens. Since I'm Panko-less till my next shopping excursion, I will try making the buffalo tofu breading from a combination of 1 part corn meal (something I had already started incorporating into the recipe) and 2 parts rolled oats put through the food processor. It'll change the texture a bit, but it's a breading I've used on tofu before and I think it'll be fine.
I'll mostly need produce on my next weekly shopping trip, which I'm not planning on taking until at least Tuesday because I want my fridge and fruit bowl to be sufficiently empty to hold another full week's worth of food. Here is what I currently have to use up in terms of both produce and just plain leftovers: okara and a food processed blend of the veg meant to go into the okara cakes (I really need to make those things soon), leftover idli and sambar, about a cup of vegetarian chik'n strips, some vegan remoulade, two avocados, about a cup of sliced carrots, one zucchini, some butter lettuce, some spring greens, some homemade Taco Bell spicy quesadilla sauce, two tomatoes, a head of red cabbage, at least a cup of half-and-half, an open can of chickpeas because I've been using the fluid in place of egg wash, a single potato-based hot dog bun, and some celery and carrots. Here is what I'm planning to make:
Spicy Taco Bell-Style Quesadillas and Red Cabbage Slaw and Vegetarian Refried Beans
This will use up the spicy quesadilla sauce, a tomato, the red cabbage, and the chik'n strips.
Okara 'Crab' Cake Sandwiches
I could make another pair of whole wheat baguettes for these, plus serve them with any leftover red cabbage slaw and tomato and avocado and pickles? and slices of onion on top along with some of the fresh lettuce. Any leftover remoulade could also go on these. I could make more truffle fries to go with these too. The single hot dog bun will become breadcrumbs for the okara cakes as it's the only bread in the house that hasn't been eaten yet and I used up the last of my Panko on zucchini cakes last week.
Penne alla Vodka
This came to mind because I bought one zucchini too many for the zucchini cakes last week (even after I doubled the recipe), so I can use it up here along with the carrot I sliced up, any sliced onion leftover in the fridge, the diced red bell pepper I found in the freezer and whatever broccoli and peas are in the freezer. I have a box of whole wheat penne, some Tofurky Italian Sausages, and a jar of vodka sauce already too.
If the sourdough bread proofs properly and turns out right, I could slice it and make vegetarian turkey club sandwiches. I think we have all the ingredients already. I could also make fancy grilled cheeses. We really need more tomatoes. I would also want some kind of vegetable soup to go with sandwiches. Vegan cream of broccoli (very healthy) or a tomato bisque (preferred by Simran)?
Brinner?
We have some vegetarian sausage patties in the freezer that I could make into McDonald's style breakfast sandwiches if I bought ALL THE OTHER INGREDIENTS and also made buttermilk biscuits. I guess it will depend on if there are eggs available at the store. I could also make some pancakes (and freeze the leftovers, which Simran always loves for weekend breakfasts). This does not seem like a good meal plan for health or effort, but I really love those little breakfast sandwiches.
Saag Paneer and Vegan Methi Chicken Curry and Basmati Rice
I'm not keen to make naan again immediately after my Week of Baking, but I could skip it this time, and the saag would use up some or all of the leftover half-and-half, and I already have diced paneer in my freezer.
Creole Red Beans & Rice
This is a really easy, tasty, healthy dish. I substitute brown basmati rice for the white.
General Tso's Chickpeas and Rice
This will use up my open can of chickpeas. Lots of rice this week.
I want to also make sure to have ingredients on hand for spaghetti & meatless balls (I think we might already have everything) and pizza (we already have some mozzarella shredded up and ready to go from last time, so this mostly means making sure we have sliced black olives and a jar of pizza sauce). I also want to make sure I have all the ingredients to make buffalo tofu salad. I want to use up the last of my vegan cheese and vegan ranch dressing, and it'll help use up my salad greens. Since I'm Panko-less till my next shopping excursion, I will try making the buffalo tofu breading from a combination of 1 part corn meal (something I had already started incorporating into the recipe) and 2 parts rolled oats put through the food processor. It'll change the texture a bit, but it's a breading I've used on tofu before and I think it'll be fine.
Cleaning Products
I got into a kick of making non-edible essential oil-based products a few months ago because I wanted to use up some things I already owned (a few bottles of essential oils I liked the scent of but omg it takes forever to use them up and a bottle of vegetable glycerin Sameer had bought before an aborted attempt at DIY soft soap ages ago). I really need to save the recipes I like because I have trouble finding them every time I need to make a new batch.
Lavender Laundry Water
I put this in a little spray bottle and use it for ironing because it's what the maids at Tyersall Park do in Crazy Rich Asians. I iron a lot more now because it smells nice and feels soothing. The scent fades from the clothes before I wear them though, unlike at Tyersall Park where everyone's shirts smell like lavender and being rich and having maids. I just use normal drinking vodka for the alcohol.
Foaming Hand Soap
Simran does not like this soap. Sameer and I prefer it over store-bought varieties. I assume it's the eucalyptus or tea tree scent she dislikes because nothing else in it has a strong scent. Someday, maybe next winter, if I ever actually get close to using up the tiny bottles of essential oils I already have (and mine are just a few random choices from Whole Foods; I can't imagine what collections people who got into MLM oil-selling must have) I want to make evergreen scented soap. I love herby and evergreen scents best, and they are not prominent choices in the cheap soft soap market.
Granite Cleaner
I made this for the first time when we ran out of granite cleaner for the first time in months earlier this year. I use lemon essential oil in place of the grapefruit because it's a citrus scent I have, and I use rosemary essential oil in place of the basil because it's a kitchen herb scent that I have. Give it a shake before you spray each time so the oils mix in a bit. It's smells more like rubbing alcohol than other granite cleaners, at least until the scent quickly fades, but it works well and I can make more for the next few months with the ingredients I already have on hand.
Lavender Laundry Water
I put this in a little spray bottle and use it for ironing because it's what the maids at Tyersall Park do in Crazy Rich Asians. I iron a lot more now because it smells nice and feels soothing. The scent fades from the clothes before I wear them though, unlike at Tyersall Park where everyone's shirts smell like lavender and being rich and having maids. I just use normal drinking vodka for the alcohol.
Foaming Hand Soap
Simran does not like this soap. Sameer and I prefer it over store-bought varieties. I assume it's the eucalyptus or tea tree scent she dislikes because nothing else in it has a strong scent. Someday, maybe next winter, if I ever actually get close to using up the tiny bottles of essential oils I already have (and mine are just a few random choices from Whole Foods; I can't imagine what collections people who got into MLM oil-selling must have) I want to make evergreen scented soap. I love herby and evergreen scents best, and they are not prominent choices in the cheap soft soap market.
Granite Cleaner
I made this for the first time when we ran out of granite cleaner for the first time in months earlier this year. I use lemon essential oil in place of the grapefruit because it's a citrus scent I have, and I use rosemary essential oil in place of the basil because it's a kitchen herb scent that I have. Give it a shake before you spray each time so the oils mix in a bit. It's smells more like rubbing alcohol than other granite cleaners, at least until the scent quickly fades, but it works well and I can make more for the next few months with the ingredients I already have on hand.
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Black Bean Burgers from HNTD
I have a recipe titled "the best black bean burger," but this newer one is actually better AND easier. It's from The How Not to Die Cookbook. I'm copying it here so I don't have to get my cookbook out every time I make a grocery list or make these burgers.
Ingredients
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 1/4-inch piece fresh turmeric, grated (or 1/4 tsp ground)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped mushrooms
1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 15-ounce can black beans, well rinsed and drained
2 tbs tahini or almond butter
1 tbs ground flaxseeds
1 tbs nutritional yeast
1 tbs chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp white miso paste
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Savory Spice Blend
Directions
1) Pulse the oats, walnuts, and other dry ingredients in a food processor until they are finely ground. Add the onion, mushrooms, beans, tahini, and flaxseeds, and pulse until well combined. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to mix well.
2) Pinch some of the mixture between your thumb and index finger to test whether it holds together. If the mixture is too wet, add more oats. If the mixture is too dry, add a little water, 1 tbs at a time. Transfer mixture to a work surface and divide into four equal portions. Shape each into a patty about 1/2-inch thick and transfer to a plate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
4) Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper and arrange the burgers on it. Bake until hot and lightly browned, turning once, about 25 minutes. Serve hot, as desired.
Sunday, March 15, 2020
Things to Bake
This post is for Patty. Jackie said you might like recommendations of things to bake. For her. This is just a list of recipes I've made before and enjoyed eating.
Carrot Cake
I've never made carrot cake before, but Simran and I love carrot cake, so I'm planning to make this one next Friday. The high number of positive reviews indicates it's probably a pretty reliable recipe, which is generally how I choose recipes.
Sourdough Bread
This is the recipe I'm currently using to make sourdough bread. My starter is on day two of five, so I can't vouch for any of this yet personally, but I have high hopes.
Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies
Simran and I made these yesterday. They're my go-to chocolate chip cookie because 1) they are delicious, and 2) the inclusion of peanut butter and oats makes them feel easier on my sugar-sensitive body than more buttery, sugary cookies often do. Note: The recipe calls for old-fashioned rolled oats, but they are a better texture if you use quick cooking oats or run old-fashioned rolled oats through a food processor until they are a little bit chopped up (i.e., hit the "pulse" button like 4-6 times).
Blueberry Muffins
One of my two favorite muffin recipes.
Mocha Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
My other favorite muffin recipe.
Cinnamon Rolls
The mistake I've made before on these (because I've made them many times) is lining my pan with aluminum foil, preventing the surface from getting hot enough to cook the rolls through. Don't do that. The part of the pan the rolls sits on needs to be very very hot so you don't end up with doughy rolls. Also, it's better to err on the side of using too large a pan rather than too small, again so you don't end up with doughy rolls. I also increase the icing by 50% because I'm an adult and no one can stop me.
Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread
This is my favorite quick bread recipe. You can replace up to half the oil with applesauce and replace up to half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour (not normal whole wheat flour -- the pastry part is important for the right texture) if you want to make it a bit healthier without affecting the taste.
Buttermilk Cornbread
I grew up with Jiffy Mix cornbread, which was pretty dry and crumbly, at least at my house. By contrast, this recipe is for a moist, cakey cornbread. Good enough to eat plain, but if you put butter and honey on it (something I got from trying to recreate the experience of eating at Tippins, though in retrospect, I think they just used honey butter there), it's basically a dessert.
Gingerbread Cookies
This is probably my all-time favorite cookie. I also used this recipe to make the walls and roof of a gingerbread house, which turned out much better than anticipated. I increase the spices and sometimes add cream cheese frosting in place of royal icing, but I have never written down my exact changes so I would advise making these according to the original recipe.
French Bread
I'm going to be making this bread this week for making po'boy sandwiches. It's just a basic baguette and great for a variety of sandwiches. I haven't bought eggs in ages, so I'm planning to try out aquafaba (which apparently just means the cooking liquid from chickpeas or the liquid from a can of chickpeas) in place of egg wash. I've also made this without egg wash at all and it's fine, but I did miss the golden sheen a finishing egg wash adds to the crust.
Cheddar Bay Biscuits
A rip off of the biscuits from Red Lobster. I made these because Sameer wanted to try them but had no other reason to visit a Red Lobster.
Cheese Herb Rolls
If you eat these warm from the oven with a pat of butter, they are the best thing ever. They are good later, but they are EXCEPTIONAL warm from the oven.
Pretzel Bread
I'm making pretzel rolls this week to use as sandwich and burger buns.
Scones
I usually omit the raisins and add Craisins and white chocolate chips. Some people have feelings about whether you use salted or unsalted butter (salted yields a cakier scone, while unsalted is flakier) but I've had both turn out fine and use whatever I have. It helps to freeze the butter and then grate it or food process it, or cut it into a tiny cubes and then freeze it for at least fifteen minutes before adding it to the dough. It keeps it from melting while you mix, which is important for the right texture, like with puff pastry.
Chocolate Cake
My go-to chocolate cake.
Black Magic Cake
A rich, mocha sort of cake that I personally like even better than my go-to chocolate cake.
French Macarons
If you want to try something really labor intensive and a bit temperamental, these are great. I rarely make them because they take an enormous amount of sifting and whipping and sitting. The only reason I even bother making them is because they are better than any macarons I've ever had from elsewhere, which had a lot less flavor probably because they were older than mine. Some people say you should let the flavors meld for a day before eating them, but I have found this to be a lie. They are good as fresh as possible. Like tiny clouds made of almonds and sugar. Before making them for the first time, I also watched a video on YouTube to see what the egg whites should look like and how to pipe the batter and what the cookies should look like before they go in the oven (they should have a little bit of a sheen to them from sitting out for a few minutes -- I don't remember which video I watched, but there are tons of videos on making macarons, some from professional chefs) because there is a bit of technique involved. I also totally use a food scale so I can measure by weight for these instead of volume. Not sure how vital that is because I've never done it without.
Carrot Cake
I've never made carrot cake before, but Simran and I love carrot cake, so I'm planning to make this one next Friday. The high number of positive reviews indicates it's probably a pretty reliable recipe, which is generally how I choose recipes.
Sourdough Bread
This is the recipe I'm currently using to make sourdough bread. My starter is on day two of five, so I can't vouch for any of this yet personally, but I have high hopes.
Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies
Simran and I made these yesterday. They're my go-to chocolate chip cookie because 1) they are delicious, and 2) the inclusion of peanut butter and oats makes them feel easier on my sugar-sensitive body than more buttery, sugary cookies often do. Note: The recipe calls for old-fashioned rolled oats, but they are a better texture if you use quick cooking oats or run old-fashioned rolled oats through a food processor until they are a little bit chopped up (i.e., hit the "pulse" button like 4-6 times).
Blueberry Muffins
One of my two favorite muffin recipes.
Mocha Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
My other favorite muffin recipe.
Cinnamon Rolls
The mistake I've made before on these (because I've made them many times) is lining my pan with aluminum foil, preventing the surface from getting hot enough to cook the rolls through. Don't do that. The part of the pan the rolls sits on needs to be very very hot so you don't end up with doughy rolls. Also, it's better to err on the side of using too large a pan rather than too small, again so you don't end up with doughy rolls. I also increase the icing by 50% because I'm an adult and no one can stop me.
Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread
This is my favorite quick bread recipe. You can replace up to half the oil with applesauce and replace up to half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour (not normal whole wheat flour -- the pastry part is important for the right texture) if you want to make it a bit healthier without affecting the taste.
Buttermilk Cornbread
I grew up with Jiffy Mix cornbread, which was pretty dry and crumbly, at least at my house. By contrast, this recipe is for a moist, cakey cornbread. Good enough to eat plain, but if you put butter and honey on it (something I got from trying to recreate the experience of eating at Tippins, though in retrospect, I think they just used honey butter there), it's basically a dessert.
Gingerbread Cookies
This is probably my all-time favorite cookie. I also used this recipe to make the walls and roof of a gingerbread house, which turned out much better than anticipated. I increase the spices and sometimes add cream cheese frosting in place of royal icing, but I have never written down my exact changes so I would advise making these according to the original recipe.
French Bread
I'm going to be making this bread this week for making po'boy sandwiches. It's just a basic baguette and great for a variety of sandwiches. I haven't bought eggs in ages, so I'm planning to try out aquafaba (which apparently just means the cooking liquid from chickpeas or the liquid from a can of chickpeas) in place of egg wash. I've also made this without egg wash at all and it's fine, but I did miss the golden sheen a finishing egg wash adds to the crust.
Cheddar Bay Biscuits
A rip off of the biscuits from Red Lobster. I made these because Sameer wanted to try them but had no other reason to visit a Red Lobster.
Cheese Herb Rolls
If you eat these warm from the oven with a pat of butter, they are the best thing ever. They are good later, but they are EXCEPTIONAL warm from the oven.
Pretzel Bread
I'm making pretzel rolls this week to use as sandwich and burger buns.
Scones
I usually omit the raisins and add Craisins and white chocolate chips. Some people have feelings about whether you use salted or unsalted butter (salted yields a cakier scone, while unsalted is flakier) but I've had both turn out fine and use whatever I have. It helps to freeze the butter and then grate it or food process it, or cut it into a tiny cubes and then freeze it for at least fifteen minutes before adding it to the dough. It keeps it from melting while you mix, which is important for the right texture, like with puff pastry.
Chocolate Cake
My go-to chocolate cake.
Black Magic Cake
A rich, mocha sort of cake that I personally like even better than my go-to chocolate cake.
French Macarons
If you want to try something really labor intensive and a bit temperamental, these are great. I rarely make them because they take an enormous amount of sifting and whipping and sitting. The only reason I even bother making them is because they are better than any macarons I've ever had from elsewhere, which had a lot less flavor probably because they were older than mine. Some people say you should let the flavors meld for a day before eating them, but I have found this to be a lie. They are good as fresh as possible. Like tiny clouds made of almonds and sugar. Before making them for the first time, I also watched a video on YouTube to see what the egg whites should look like and how to pipe the batter and what the cookies should look like before they go in the oven (they should have a little bit of a sheen to them from sitting out for a few minutes -- I don't remember which video I watched, but there are tons of videos on making macarons, some from professional chefs) because there is a bit of technique involved. I also totally use a food scale so I can measure by weight for these instead of volume. Not sure how vital that is because I've never done it without.
Saturday, March 14, 2020
Meal Planning
Here is what I'm making this week, assuming everything is available at the grocery store.
Tofu Provencal and Brown Rice Pilaf and whatever sort of vegetable side I can throw together
This will be Sunday night because I have everything already.
Idli-Sambar
This will be Monday night.
Tofu Po'Boy Sandwiches and Zucchini Cakes and/or Okara "Crab" Cakes
Because I tried making soy milk from scratch and now there's a sizable container of okara (soy bean pulp) in my freezer awaiting use.
Veggie Dogs and Patatas con Alioli and Baked Beans and Asparagus (or other green vegetable)
Tostada Pizza
Black Bean Burgers (How Not to Die Cookbook, pg. 88) and Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Truffle Fries
Garden Pretzel Sandwiches
Carrot Cake
Tofu Provencal and Brown Rice Pilaf and whatever sort of vegetable side I can throw together
This will be Sunday night because I have everything already.
Idli-Sambar
This will be Monday night.
Tofu Po'Boy Sandwiches and Zucchini Cakes and/or Okara "Crab" Cakes
Because I tried making soy milk from scratch and now there's a sizable container of okara (soy bean pulp) in my freezer awaiting use.
Veggie Dogs and Patatas con Alioli and Baked Beans and Asparagus (or other green vegetable)
Tostada Pizza
Black Bean Burgers (How Not to Die Cookbook, pg. 88) and Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Truffle Fries
Garden Pretzel Sandwiches
Carrot Cake
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Red Chile Pesto
This is my revised recipe for the red chile pesto that goes with the grilled avocado enchiladas. The chipotles in adobo are an estimate because I used three today and it was very spicy, so I would use one to start and see how that is before adding another. I have made this pesto so many ways over the years because I forget to update my recipe and end up just making up a new one as I go. As long as you adjust to taste, it's very forgiving. Sameer always eats it until it's gone.
Ingredients
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted (I just move them around in a skillet over medium heat for a couple minutes until they start to smell toasty)
2 dried ancho chiles
2 dried guajillo chiles
4 cloves garlic
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp salt
juice of 2 limes
2 tbs tomato sauce (I used an open jar of pizza sauce today. I would use marinara or plain tomato puree or whatever I've got already in the fridge.)
1-2 chipotles in adobo
Directions
1) Remove seeds from the chiles and soak the chiles in hot water for an hour.
2) Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend. Adjust to taste If it needs more spice, add another chipotle in adobo. If it's too spicy, add more tomato sauce. If it's bitter or still too spicy after adding more tomato, add sugar 1/2 tsp at a time.
Ingredients
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted (I just move them around in a skillet over medium heat for a couple minutes until they start to smell toasty)
2 dried ancho chiles
2 dried guajillo chiles
4 cloves garlic
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp salt
juice of 2 limes
2 tbs tomato sauce (I used an open jar of pizza sauce today. I would use marinara or plain tomato puree or whatever I've got already in the fridge.)
1-2 chipotles in adobo
Directions
1) Remove seeds from the chiles and soak the chiles in hot water for an hour.
2) Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend. Adjust to taste If it needs more spice, add another chipotle in adobo. If it's too spicy, add more tomato sauce. If it's bitter or still too spicy after adding more tomato, add sugar 1/2 tsp at a time.
Sunday, March 8, 2020
Meal Planning
Time for weekly meal planning. Here is what we have on hand to use up: some half-and-half, a tomato, a couple pounds of russet potatoes, celery, a green bell pepper, about half a red onion, half an avocado, and a bag of shaved brussels sprouts.
Here is what I'm planning to make:
Saag Paneer and Aloo Matar and Basmati Rice and Whole Wheat Naan
The saag will use up some of the half-and-half leftover from tonight's pesto alfredo sauce. The aloo matar will use up at least some of the potatoes as well as some of the frozen peas.
Tofu Provencal and Brown Rice Pilaf and Asparagus and Brussels Sprouts
Curried Tofu Pot Pie
This will use up the tofu cubes leftover in my freezer from making summer rolls last week, as well as some of my stash of frozen peas and some of the celery and carrots and onion in the fridge.
Red Chile Enchiladas and Red Cabbage Slaw
I've discovered that the unsweetened cashew yogurt at my local grocery store (the brand is Forager or Foraged or something like that) substitutes really well for making my yogurt-based homemade ranch dressing vegan, so I'm going to use it in the slaw to make it vegan this week. The enchiladas will use up the corn tortillas currently in my fridge.
Avocado Grilled Enchiladas with Red Chile Pesto and Homecooked Black Beans
I'm not sure if I ever updated the red chile pesto recipe or if I'm going to have to make it up as I go yet again. It's nothing like the original recipe I posted anymore.
Here is what I'm planning to make:
Saag Paneer and Aloo Matar and Basmati Rice and Whole Wheat Naan
The saag will use up some of the half-and-half leftover from tonight's pesto alfredo sauce. The aloo matar will use up at least some of the potatoes as well as some of the frozen peas.
Tofu Provencal and Brown Rice Pilaf and Asparagus and Brussels Sprouts
Curried Tofu Pot Pie
This will use up the tofu cubes leftover in my freezer from making summer rolls last week, as well as some of my stash of frozen peas and some of the celery and carrots and onion in the fridge.
Red Chile Enchiladas and Red Cabbage Slaw
I've discovered that the unsweetened cashew yogurt at my local grocery store (the brand is Forager or Foraged or something like that) substitutes really well for making my yogurt-based homemade ranch dressing vegan, so I'm going to use it in the slaw to make it vegan this week. The enchiladas will use up the corn tortillas currently in my fridge.
Avocado Grilled Enchiladas with Red Chile Pesto and Homecooked Black Beans
I'm not sure if I ever updated the red chile pesto recipe or if I'm going to have to make it up as I go yet again. It's nothing like the original recipe I posted anymore.
Monday, March 2, 2020
Meal Planning
My basil plant needs some serious pruning, so I'm going to incorporate that into this week's meals. I also have a container of vegan pesto that has no expiration date on it, so I want to use it before it becomes questionable. There is also one avocado in my fridge. There isn't a lot of other fresh veg in my house to plan around at the moment. Here is what I'm going to make:
Veggie Summer Rolls
Fresh basil is usually the limiting reagent in this dish, so I'm going to use all my available basil making summer rolls. It's not hot out yet, but it's unseasonably warm this week and it turns out I like this dish any time we have fresh basil. I need to buy more brown rice wrappers. A container of them usually lasts an entire season, so I probably won't need them again for awhile after that.
Hearty Veggie Hoagies
I'm making these sandwiches Tuesday so they are ready to eat as soon as Simran gets home from choir. They will use up a lot of the red bell pepper and cucumber left over from the summer rolls. They will also use some of the pesto.
Garden Pretzel Sandwiches and Truffle Fries
This should leave at least one spare pretzel roll to put into Sim's lunch. It'll also use up the avocado in the fridge. I also noticed there is some pesto mayo already in the fridge, so this will be extra easy. It'll also use up some of the red onion and tomato needed for the hoagies.
Homemade Pizza
Pasta Primavera with Pesto Alfredo
This should use up the remainder of the pesto as well as any remaining cut carrots or red bell pepper from the summer rolls and any red onion leftover from the sandwiches. I have half a box of whole wheat penne in the pantry that I think I'll use on this. I'm going to get Tofurky refrigerated chik'n strips for the protein. This should also use a bit more of the hoard of peas in my freezer. This might be a good Saturday night dinner because it's fairly effortless.
Veggie Summer Rolls
Fresh basil is usually the limiting reagent in this dish, so I'm going to use all my available basil making summer rolls. It's not hot out yet, but it's unseasonably warm this week and it turns out I like this dish any time we have fresh basil. I need to buy more brown rice wrappers. A container of them usually lasts an entire season, so I probably won't need them again for awhile after that.
Hearty Veggie Hoagies
I'm making these sandwiches Tuesday so they are ready to eat as soon as Simran gets home from choir. They will use up a lot of the red bell pepper and cucumber left over from the summer rolls. They will also use some of the pesto.
Garden Pretzel Sandwiches and Truffle Fries
This should leave at least one spare pretzel roll to put into Sim's lunch. It'll also use up the avocado in the fridge. I also noticed there is some pesto mayo already in the fridge, so this will be extra easy. It'll also use up some of the red onion and tomato needed for the hoagies.
Homemade Pizza
Pasta Primavera with Pesto Alfredo
This should use up the remainder of the pesto as well as any remaining cut carrots or red bell pepper from the summer rolls and any red onion leftover from the sandwiches. I have half a box of whole wheat penne in the pantry that I think I'll use on this. I'm going to get Tofurky refrigerated chik'n strips for the protein. This should also use a bit more of the hoard of peas in my freezer. This might be a good Saturday night dinner because it's fairly effortless.
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