Friday, December 21, 2012

Apple I



Friday, October 26, 2012

In Season for November in Pennsylvania

November is upon us! With that here is a list of local, in season veggies and fruits for all you Pennsylvanians!

Beets
Broccoli
Broccoli Raab
Brussels Sprouts
Cauliflower
Celeriac/Celery Root
Chard
Cranberries
Fennel
Kale
Leeks
Mushrooms
Parsnips
Pears
Potatoes
Pumpkins
Rutabaga
Shelling Beans
Turnips
Winter Squash

Friday, September 28, 2012

Carrot Cake for Breakfast!

There have been many mornings that, after having made a carrot cake for dessert with dinner the night before, I have indulged in it for breakfast the next morning. Who could help it? Carrot cake is at once rustic and homey while being romantic and exotic. The carrots and raisins giving it the rustic, homey feel of baked goods made back when it seemed everyone had a vegetable garden. The spices take you to faraway places and cultures. The result is a deeply loved dessert.

I tried to capture those feelings here in this breakfast porridge. The warm aroma of the spices are welcoming to the senses in the morning. According to ayurvedic medicine these spices also invigorate the digestion - but I'm not a doctor, so don't take my word for it. This breakfast porridge is chock full of plant power goodness. Carrots, apple, raisin, walnuts and quinoa give it ample vitamin and mineral content.

Carrot Cake Quinoa Porridge


1 cup quinoa
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 medium carrot shredded
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup walnuts
2 TBL Raw sugar - maple syrup or agave
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ginger
pinch cardamom
pinch salt

Put all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Once bubbling, lower to a simmer and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Can be eaten immediately or portioned out and reheated for breakfast during the week. Makes about 4 servings.

Friday, September 21, 2012

In Season for October in Pennsylvania

October is almost a week away. Perfect timing to list all the veggies and fruits in season during that month. Print this list out and keep it handy for when you make your grocery list. Buying in season can save you money at the grocery store - but only if you know what's in season.

Apples
Beets
Broccoli
Broccoli Raab
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Carrots
Celery
Celery Root/Celeriac
Chard
Chicories (Radicchio, Endive and Sugarloaf)
Cranberries
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Escarole
Fennel
Grapes
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Melons
Mushrooms
Onions
Parsnips
Pears
Peppers (sweet)
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Rutabagas
Shelling Beans
Turnips
Watermelon
Winter Squash

I hope you find this list helpful.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Like This Is A Vegetable on Facebook

Now you can see recipes I'm working on as I develop them. Also, get updates on when the final recipe is posted.

I'll also be posting quick meal ideas that don't really require a recipe and kitchen tricks and tips.

https://www.facebook.com/thisisavegetable

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Mise en Place

It's a french term pronounced meez on plas. It means putting into place and for the home chef it can make life a lot easier. In general the concept requires basic kitchen organization and preparation of equipment and ingredients.

Read the recipe thoroughly. If there are any concepts, ingredients or equipment you are unfamiliar with now is the time to research them. This is also the time to assess the level of difficulty and time that will be required in preparing the recipe. Think about who you will be serving this to. Are there any ingredients in the dish they might be allergic to? Can you substitute something else? Is there any equipment you need but don't have? Can you borrow it if it's a one time recipe, or will you need to purchase it?

Make a shopping list. Check your pantry and refrigerator first. Do you have enough of regularly stocked items required to make the recipe? Do you need any special spices, fruits, veggies or grains that might need to be procured at specialty markets? This is the time to make sure the recipe fits into your budget, or make substitutions for expensive or hard to find items.

After you have everything you need to make the recipe, including equipment - chop what needs chopped, measure what needs measured and pre-heat the oven if it's needed. All these steps before hand will ensure that your recipe (you did read it through all the way right?) will go smoothly and efficiently. It will make cooking so much less stressful and more enjoyable.

Now, while these above steps are great basics for the mise en place philosophy, it doesn't mean it can't be bent to suit your needs a little better or even taken a step further to make meal prep for the whole week a breeze.

This takes some planning - I know, I have done it - but it is worth it. You will feel organized and in charge of your kitchen, your life and your health. Here are a few more tips to take mise en place into your life as a deeper kitchen philosophy.

I always know what ingredients I have on hand. I usually know about how much too. This is not obsessive, but good planning. At the beginning of the week I look through my recipes and cook books for some easy dishes both my husband and I will like. This I have made easier by going through and marking the recipes with ingredients we can both agree on - and even some where I can successfully hide the ingredients he doesn't care for. Knowing what I have and having read the grocery store flyers for the sales helps me pull recipes to use for the week and then do my grocery shopping accordingly.

After the shopping is done, the first night I am cooking which is usually a Monday night, I don't just chop what I need for the recipe - but for the whole week. This makes cooking super easy the rest of the week when work begins to tire you out. Because now it's just following the recipe and cleaning up.

These principals work for me being on a budget. But if you have even less time to chop and prep - you can buy many veggies pre-chopped. Another trick I will employ is using chopped frozen veggies. They are inexpensive, especially when on sale - and easy to measure right out of the bag. You can also freeze your own chopped veggies in freezer safe containers or bags. This is perfect if you have your own vegetable garden (my dream. . . someday it will happen).

Beyond the kitchen mise en place just makes your life easier. It means you know where your things are when you need them. It means having a schedule and a plan to reach goals and dreams. Above all it means allowing your creativity to flourish.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Apology

To all those who stumble upon my little blog and find it empty, I want to apologize. I am organizing my thoughts and trying to design how I want to present all the wonderful ideas featuring veggies, as well just trying to get along in life. I hope you will check back on this space again as I hope in one month (let's begin countdown from this date) that I will be fully set for blogging and journaling. Until then, Thanks for stopping by.

RM