inspired veggies

Living my dreams in da VI tonight… Live foods dinner @ the Barefoot Buddha… All recipes to come!

Take care to chop the onion fine. To keep from crying when you chop it (which is annoying), I suggest you place a little bit on your head.
~ Like Water for Chocolate

(Source: eatingthisrightnow)

Monday Blues? post-holiday rut? or just need a little ”me” time?

Mexican Spiced Cider & Redhouse By Mr. Jimi Hendrix, Stockholm, live, 1969

 In a pot add apple cider(a quart or liter- adjust to your desired quantity), 2 or 3 cinnamon sticks,  & a couple cloves (optional).  Bring this to a boil & then lower to simmer.  Add chopped and peeled apples (1 or 2).  If you have access to sugar cane, slice lengthwise and add to the mixture.Chunks of pineapple is nice, too.  Add honey or agave to taste.  If you like spice, chop up a chile and toss in.

For those of you that like a kick, mottle a couple of oranges in a cup, add a shot of tequilla & strain through & into your cup.

Serve the liquid in a mug(put the fruit in if you like), garnish with sugar cane or a cinnamon stick.  Light a candle, Press play on Mr. Hendrix’s link, sit down & enjoy… this version is at leat 10 minutes long. 

www.adoptaturkey.org

happiest Thanksgiving!

Avocado Cornucopia

What happens when you add cruciferous vegetables to your guacamole?
Something really, really good…

In a pan, heat some avocado oil & lightly cook slices of a habanero or chile pepper. Discards the pepper pieces. Oil will be added to the mix.

Lightly steam broccoli- here I also added purple cauliflower—- lightly steam- very. Lightly. Steam. Cool in an ice bath & chop.

In a bowl, add your avocado (4 or 5), small chopped onion (or half a large one), chopped red bell pepper ( you can add a yellow or orange one if you like), chopped clove of garlic (1 or 2), and about half a cup of loosely chopped cilantro leaves. Add in your broccoli and mix & mash.

Add the spicy oil along with the juice of 1 or 2 limes, tsp of sea salt (to taste).

This can be served with so many things … I just hope you hired a mariachi band…

There’s nothing better than a tomato sandwich after surfing all day…

ESpaghetti Esquash….

Si si… Oo la la…

Spaghetti squash, true to it’s name holds the texture of spaghetti & is probably my favorite pasta alternative.

To coax your squash from it’s shell: halve & bake-350- squash for a bit in a pan with a lip- fill pan w/ a little water. If you use the stove top, halve squash, put water in pan/ and gently cook w squash face down. Once tender, gently pull squash out with a fork into a bowl.

While your squash is cooking, make a little sofrito:
Chop parsley, onion & garlic… In a big pan, add a little olive oil to the bottom & begin to cook these in low once your squash is ready. Toss in your squash and mix thoroughly.

And the finale? Mix in a walnut, sun dried tomato pesto:

Zzi pesto recipe:
In the food processor add:
1/3 cup walnuts
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
1/3 cup basil & 1/4 parsley
Tbs olive oil.

Mix this into your espaghetti esquash & yum. Feel free to let the creative juices flow- perhaps add some spinach or heirloom tomatoes…

Note: you can add salt & pepper to taste- but remember that sun dried tomatoes are very salty, so add s&p after you’ve mixed in the pesto.

Fennel Orange Salad

There are so many variations of this salad… I’ve made it with added endive, beet & even jicama… But there is something amazingly complete in using the most simple ingredients.

1-2 fennel bulbs
3-4 blood oranges (my favorite)
Pinch of Red Himalayan salt or sea salt
Pinch of Pepper
Tbs of Avocado oil or olive oil

The trick is in the slicing. Slice your fennel bulb thinly. I like to save the tops to use as filler in floral table arrangements & I pick a few needles to decorate the salad.

Peel & quarter your oranges. Squeeze one whole orange over the salad. Add your oil, salt & pepper. Toss. Voilà!

As you feast your eyes on your creation, remember you’re beautifying your insides as well!

Nopales para la fiesta… watch out for the spines…
Huajuapan, Mexico