market day

Every other Saturday morning, I roll my weary body out bed and head to a local farmers market to work with Cathy, a fellow blogger friend of mine. She roasts the most amazing Bavarian Nuts right in her booth. They are are glazed with cinnamon and vanilla. They are sweet, crunchy and out of this world!



I love arriving a few minutes before the market opens. It's quiet, peaceful.



The smell of fresh cut flowers and kettlecorn



the sight of beautiful plump berries, juicy peaches and luscious heirloom tomatoes



the sound of bluegrass, jazz or folk music from local musicians...



I feel alive.



Others arrive early as well, eager to fill their baskets with edible treasures.



The bell rings at eight o'clock. The market is officially open for business.



Plates of hearty biscuits and gravy, fresh berry crepes, warm sweet scones and spicy breakfast burritos drift past.



Baskets are filled to overflowing with a bounty of goodness.



We blissfully carry our treasures home, day dreaming of the delectable tastes and textures that await.

Simple pleasures are the sweetest.
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Chickpea Wat

This month's Regional Recipes country is a fun one! Ethiopia. I was so excited to participate but had no idea what I was going to make. I hopped on my computer and did a bit of snooping around. This Chickpea Wat really caught my eye. Chickpea Wat is basically a hearty stew made up of chickpeas, vegetables and spices.


Typically, stews like this one are served with a flatbread like Injera. It is folded up and used to scoop up the stew and sop up all of the rich spicy goodness. I did use flatbread for my stew but I cheated and picked some up from Trader Joe's. This was really simple to prepare. That's always a plus in my book!



I loved this stew. It had such big bold flavor and a nice kick with the cayenne, paprika, ginger, cumin and cardamom. I also loved how healthy and low fat it was. I'll definitely be making this again.

I'm feeling lazy tonight so I'm not going to type out this recipe. Just click HERE and you'll find it.

Be sure and hop over to Joanne's blog, Regional Recipes and join in!

have a great weekend!




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some mighty lovely lentil burgers

This is my second attempt at making lentil burgers. I tried putting a recipe together last summer and they were way too dry. I vowed not to give up and then quickly forgot all about lentil burgers.


Recently, I stumbled onto the nifty blog, Vegetarianized. There I found an adapted lentil burger recipe from Cooking Light. I decided it was high time I gave lentil burgers another try.



I adapted the recipe even more and came out with a winner....at least in my book. What completely amazed me was when both my son and my daughter's bff, two of the pickiest of eaters on the planet, returned to the kitchen with nearly empty plates. Incredible! I thought for sure they would take one micro-bite, curl up their lips and be done with it.

Smoked Cheddar Stuffed Lentil Burgers
very adapted from Vegetarianized

makes 6-8 burgers depending on the size

1 lb of steamed lentils, cooled and mashed with potato masher
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 medium carrot, grated
1 small zucchini, grated and water squeezed out with paper towels
1/4 cup chopped spinach
1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tsp worcestershire
1/2 tsp dried mustard
salt and cracked pepper to taste
1/3 cup smoked cheddar, grated
1/2-2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg

Whole wheat buns and condiments of your choosing

Heat the oil in a small skillet. Saute the onion, garlic and carrot until soft. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, mix together the zucchini, spinach, basil, worcestershire, dried mustard, salt, pepper, cheese, panko and egg. Add in the lentils and carrot mixture. Mix well. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Shape into patties and fry on a lightly oiled, non stick griddle until crisp on each side.

Serve with your favorite toppings.

Note: These burgers wanted to fall apart a little. I had to make sure they were cooked enough on each side and I also had to adjust the breadcrumbs after I cooked the first few burgers.

Print recipe

Give these a try. I think you'll love them too!

Don't forget to enter my Girard's Dressing giveaway!!




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peach mimosa grilled chicken with arugula salad and a sweet giveaway

Have you ever tried Girard's Vinaigrettes and Dressings? My husband and I tried their signature Champagne Dressing several years ago and we really enjoyed it. Recently, I received a wonderful sample pack of Girard's. It contained their signature Champagne Dressing as well as three lovely new flavors: Peach Mimosa Vinaigrette, Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette and Apple Poppyseed Dressing. Girard's actually has over 16 delicious flavors to choose from.



I was really excited to try the Peach Mimosa Vinaigrette!



I picked up some peaches from farmers market on Saturday and thought they would be perfect for this dish. It was so simple to prepare and such a lovely and light meal for a warm summer evening.



I marinated a few boneless skinless chicken breasts in a mix of Girard's Peach Mimosa Vinaigrette, chopped jalapeno pepper, sliced scallions and fresh cracked pepper. I recommend marinating your chicken for a few hours or even overnight.

The salad was simple. In a large bowl, toss together some fresh arugula, toasted almond slivers, blue cheese, Girard's Peach Mimosa Vinaigrette and fresh cracked pepper. Garnish with thinly sliced fresh peaches.

This was such a wonderful, far from ordinary, nearly extraordinary meal. We loved every bite!

Now, on to the giveaway. I figured since I've already tried the Champagne Dressing I should pass it on to one of you.

To enter, leave me a comment and tell me about your most favorite salad. Open to U.S. and Canadian readers only. I'll keep this giveaway open until Sunday night. Then I'll draw a random number using the number generator. Be sure and leave me an email address!!

Disclosure: I received only a sample pack of these products. I received no compensation for this post.

Have a wonderful week!


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tomato love

I picked up some lovely heirloom tomatoes at farmers market today. Aren't they just so pretty?! Once you've tried a fresh, ripe heirloom tomato you'll never look at those blah, tasteless store bought tomatoes the same way ever again.



I put together a nice tomato salad when I got home from the market.

I sliced them up thick



stacked 'em up



tossed on a bit of crumbled blue cheese, fresh basil, cracked pepper and creamy balsamic dressing



grabbed a fork...and a knife



and got busy!

Ode To Tomatoes
by Pablo Neruda

The street
filled with tomatoes,
midday,
summer,
light is
halved
like
a
tomato,
its juice
runs
through the streets.
In December,
unabated,
the tomato
invades
the kitchen,
it enters at lunchtime,
takes
its ease
on countertops,
among glasses,
butter dishes,
blue saltcellars.
It sheds
its own light,
benign majesty.
Unfortunately, we must
murder it:
the knife
sinks
into living flesh,
red
viscera
a cool
sun,
profound,
inexhaustible,
populates the salads
of Chile,
happily, it is wed
to the clear onion,
and to celebrate the union
we
pour
oil,
essential
child of the olive,
onto its halved hemispheres,
pepper
adds
its fragrance,
salt, its magnetism;
it is the wedding
of the day,
parsley
hoists
its flag,
potatoes
bubble vigorously,
the aroma
of the roast
knocks
at the door,
it's time!
come on!
and, on
the table, at the midpoint
of summer,
the tomato,
star of earth, recurrent
and fertile
star,
displays
its convolutions,
its canals,
its remarkable amplitude
and abundance,
no pit,
no husk,
no leaves or thorns,
the tomato offers
its gift
of fiery color
and cool completeness.

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wasabi chicken salad sandwiches and a cookbook review

I received this fun cookbook in the mail recently for review. Now, just how did they know about my crappy little kitchen? This book is right up my alley alright! Even if you don't have a crappy little kitchen you'll still love exploring all of the terrific recipes inside.



In addition to the fantastic recipes, there are also many fun tips including how to organize your CLK, the best tools and gadgets for your CLK, nine gourmet rules and more. Each chapter has little snippets of info titled Chefology, Swap it, and my favorite...Did you know this crap?.



Each recipe has a fun name, too. There's Wish I was a little Bisque Taller, Get Freaky Tzatziki, For a Good Time Call Champagne Oysters, Make-You-Want-to-Marry-Me Mussels Marinara, Better Than Nookie Sweet Potato Gnocchi, When the Saints Come Marching In Gumbo.... It goes on and on. There are appetizers, soups, salads, veggies, entrees, sides and desserts.



The Wassup! Wasabi Chicken Salad really caught my eye. My husband and I are both crazy for wasabi so I knew this would be a good choice.



This recipe includes ingredients like ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, peanuts, cilantro and wasabi, all of which make this a chicken salad far from ho-hum. I also loved that it was so simple to prepare. I'm all about simple meals in the summertime.

Wassup! Wasabi Chicken Salad
adapted from Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens

Sea salt, to taste
1 lb chicken breast, boneless and skinless
1 lb chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp wasabi powder
2 tbsp sour cream
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
black pepper to taste
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
3 tbsp chopped fresh mint (I left this out)
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion (I minced mine)
1/4 cup peanuts (I roughly chopped mine)
1/2 cup roughly chopped dried apricots (I left these out)
Napa cabbage leaves (I shredded mine)
1 tbsp black sesame seeds (I used a blend of black and regular sesame seeds that I had on hand)

Fill a 12 qt stock pot halfway with water and place on high heat. When it begins to simmer, add 3 tbsp of sea salt and allow it to dissolve. Remove any remaining fat from chicken. When the water comes to a boil, turn the heat slightly down. Gently place the breasts and thighs into the pot. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove with tongs, place into a bowl and cover with ice for 5 minutes. Remove ice, pat chicken dry and chop into fairly small pieces and toss into a mixing bowl.

Pour the rice wine vinegar into a blender and sprinkle the wasabi powder over it. Add the sour cream and pulse the mixture until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while blending at low speed. Add the soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Pulse to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add 1/4 cup of the dressing to the chopped chicken and toss to combine. Add the cilantro, onion, peanuts (and the mint and apricots if you wish. Again, I left them out.) Taste salad to see if you would like to add more dressing, salt or pepper. I used every bit of this yummy dressing and was begging for more! I'll make a larger batch of it next time.

The recipe says to place cabbage leaves on a platter and place the chicken on top. Cover and refrigerate until ready for use. Serve ice cold.

We put our salad on lightly toasted kaiser rolls with a bit of shredded cabbage and served with some kettle chips. I'm sure it's fantastic either way.

Print recipe

P.S. I was also thinking that tofu could easily replace the chicken for a vegetarian version. :)

Look for this cookbook, you'll love it!





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darn good granola!

Recently, I had the opportunity to help make a large batch of out of this world good granola. 680 pounds of it, to be exact. Ira, the chef and owner of White Pine Products asked if I was interested in helping with the process. I always love trying new things so I just had to say yes! What a fun experience! I've never seen so much granola in my life!



Ira gave me a box full of White Pine goodies to try including several varieties of granola.



They are all fantastic! The flavor and texture is so fresh and delicious. Sometimes when I purchase other brands of granola they seem chewy and a bit stale but this White Pine Granola has a wonderful crunch and all of the ingredients taste so fresh. Each flavor is so terrific, it's difficult to choose a favorite!



Here is a shot of me pouring honey into a pot. This part was a good workout!



After the honey mixture has simmered on the stove for a bit, Chef Ira pours it over the other ingredients and then bakes it in the oven.



The granola cools on racks before the raisins are added.



Making granola is hard work! Just look at all of that granola goodness!



White Pine also makes a wonderful Muesli cereal.



I had an opportunity to try some of the baking mixes as well. My kids and I love the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix.



I love that there are whole oats in the mix. Ira suggests putting some sliced bananas over the top. I happened to have some lovely strawberries from Saturday market so I sliced them up as well. Delicious!



There are several varieties of nuts including, Candied Pecans, Maple Spice Hazelnuts (organic) and Amaretto Vanilla Almonds. We couldn't keep our paws out of these!



Now, here are a couple of products I really love! Vanilla Sugar and Pure Vanilla extract. Both are made from organic vanilla beans and completely delicious. These are so aromatic, they just about make me swoon! ;)



White Pine Products are produced locally and distributed in various retail stores throughout Portland, Eugene, Ashland, Seattle and Klamath Falls. You can also order online through the website. Hop on over and check it out!


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lemon blueberry almond and poppy seed snack cake

Sometimes when I'm standing in line at the supermarket I'm tempted to buy an overpriced magazine that I know I'll never take the time to read. The other day I gave in to temptation and picked up Ladies Home Journal. I didn't feel too bad though, it was only $2.99. I even managed to sit down and flip through the pages for a few minutes. As I was taking a quick peek, I spotted a 3x5 card stuck inside with an All-Bran snack cake recipe on it. Well, since I still had All-Bran left over from THIS recipe, I decided to give it a whirl.



The original recipe doesn't call for blueberries or almonds but I decided to jazz things up a bit so I threw them in.



One of the fun things about this recipe (other than the ton of fiber ;D) is that it calls for lemon yogurt. I've used plain and vanilla yogurt but never lemon.



I used agave nectar in place of the sugar and drizzled a little agave over the top after the cake had finished baking...just for the heck of it.



I love this cake! It is so moist and completely scrumptious! You really must give it a try!

Lemon Blueberry Almond Poppy Seed Snack Cake
inspired by Kellogg's All-Bran

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 tbsp corn starch
1 cup All-Bran Buds
1/4 cup fat-free milk
2 eggs
3 tbsp melted butter
3 tbsp agave nectar
1 cup low-fat lemon yogurt
1 tbsp grated lemon zest

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds and almonds. Set aside.

Toss the blueberries with the corn starch. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the All-Bran, milk, eggs, butter, agave nectar, yogurt and lemon zest. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften cereal.

Add the blueberries to the flour mixture. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined.

Spread evenly into a 8x8x2 inch pan (I used a round pan) coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Print recipe





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