This is a photo from the Kohl's site of the exact slow cooker I bought. It is a Hamilton Beach "Stay or Go" 6 quart. I highly recommend.

Last week I made a chicken bake thingy with cream of mushroom soup, peas, and stove-top stuffing.  It was eh.  The husband doesn’t like the mushier dishes, and it was only so-so.  BUT on Sunday, I tried my hand at a butternut squash dessert.  And Oh. My. Goodness.

Anywho, here’s the gist of what I did:

• roast a halved butternut squash (sans seeds and whatnot, 450 for an hour)
• remove from peel and place in mixing bowl
• add chopped apples (I used the only 3 Gala apples we had left, and large chunks worked well)
• stir with a couple tbsp honey and a squirt of fresh lemon juice to freshen up the taste
• I added some golden raisins because they are sweet and they seemed like a good idea.
• add a handful of walnuts, or however many of whatever nut you like
• add a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg and mix gently

Mix this dish together and then place in the bottom of your lightly buttered/oiled/greased crockpot.  Set the crockpot for 4 hours on low.  This was the perfect time because the apples were soft, and the squash was reminiscent of pumpkin pie consistency.  MMMMMMM.

I got my inspiration for the topping from Skinnytaste because hers looked oh-so-yummy.   I’ve been really into this blog lately after a friend of mine told me she had found some good recipes there.  We can all stand to cut some calories, right?  So I’ve been perusing the site every so often, and she has such great little tricks that don’t over-do the whole “low-fat” product thing, which I try to mostly stay away from since those products have more sugar.  Not to mention, they are NOT satisfying.  I got some 100 calorie packs a couple weeks ago, and I ended up eating 3 of the dadgum packs.  And I still wanted something sweet an hour later.  I say have the 3 stinking oreos, ya know?  And let me tell you, whole wheat flour is changing my world.  I am very pleased with all the recipes I’ve tried from Gina over at Skinnytaste, so I hope you give her a try as well.

So here’s what she used for her topping on her Cinnamon Apple Crisp:

• 1 cup Quaker quick rolled oats*
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar (not packed)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (half stick) butter, melted

* I used rolled oats that I got out of a bulk bin at Whole Foods instead of quick oats because that’s just what I had on hand.  I’m sure either would be fine.

Mix the above ingredients and sprinkle over the squash and apple mixture in the crockpot.  Put the lid on, and get your errands done.  When you get ready for dinner, this little beauty will be waiting for your dessert.  Be forewarned: If you want something uber-sweet, this is not the recipe for you.  I really can’t eat super sweet desserts too often anymore; the effect is like that of Coke or carbonated sodas insofar as I get a stomach ache like you wouldn’t believe.

I knew I could enjoy butternut squash as a dessert, and I was right.  Add some frozen vanilla yogurt and wow!  It might not be fully fall just yet outside, but my kitchen is ready to go.

**Forgive me for not including a picture of the deliciousness!  It was too good!

Portobello mushrooms stuffed with spinach, cheese, marinara, red bell peppers, and onions makes for a healthier "mini pizza"

Have you ever gone to the grocery store, and they have these portobello mushrooms all wrapped up and prettily stuffed with mozzarella and spinach?  I see them all the time, and I always think to myself, “I could do that.”  But I never do.

This past week, though, I did.  I could not think of anything for dinner.  I didn’t really have any instant cravings for anything, so I grabbed my own portobellos, and I brought them home because I had the cheese and baby spinach at home.  As usual, something else struck me as I was making these, and I added in the marinara sauce from Trader Joe’s, the red bell peppers, and the onions.

And you know what?  They tasted JUST LIKE a supreme pizza.

• portobello mushrooms
• marinara sauce (any kind will do, prego, bertoulli, ragu, trader joe’s, you name it)
• baby spinach
• sliced onions
• chopped red bell pepper
• minced garlic
• mozzarella cheese, shredded
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

First, I scooped out the gills of the portobello mushrooms (the black part on the underside of the mushroom) with a spoon.

Then I layered the ingredients in the hollowed out mushroom “bowl” that was made, starting with the marinara sauce and ending with the mozz cheese  and salt and pepper.

Cover and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes, then uncover and let cheese get nice and toasty.

Just like-a da pizza!

Anyway, these things are super easy to make and handle.  You just follow the instructions for hydrating the wrappers.  They are easier to deal with if you just make sure all of the surface area has been covered by water and then quickly transfer to your work area while they are still hard and papery.

Then you just pile in whatever filling you like and then wrap up like you would a burrito.  Just make sure you include fresh basil and mint.  These are a must, trust me.

Our filling included:

• plain chinese noodles, cooked
• marinated and baked tofu–  I just marinate in soy, bake until slightly crispy, and let cool before I start the spring rolls.  This is also a great way to use any leftover tofu or protein you have from a previous meal.  Shrimp, tempeh, pork, anything you like.
• bean sprouts
• matchstick carrots
• fresh basil
• fresh mint
• sliced cucumber
• chopped fresh green onions

Now for the Thai-inspired Peanut Sauce.

J looked up several recipes while I was baking the tofu, and none of them really appealed to me.  So I just kinda threw together bits and pieces of things I saw.  I don’t have exact measurements because I was adding and tasting as I went.  I just knew I wanted it to be like a peanut sauce we buy in the jar, but better and less spicy.  This recipe makes a lot of sauce, but it’s great on everyday leftovers, and we ate it up in a week.

Here’s what I came up with:

• jar of natural peanut butter, creamy (the unsweetened kind)
• half can of coconut milk (you may have to use more or less depending on the consistency of your peanut butter–just get it to the creamy consistency you like, and it will be good)
• 2 or 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
• a few tablespoons of water (again, just have a cup of water near you, and add until you get the desired consistency of creamy)
• juice of 1 fresh lime
• lime zest of that lime
• approximately 1 tablespoon of fish sauce (sounds weird, but it just adds that little something)
• a couple shakes of dried ground ginger
• several dashes of Mongolian fire oil or chili oil or whatever spicy sauce you usually use to add the heat
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• approximately 1/4 cup sugar or sweetening agent like agave syrup –be careful with this, especially if you used a sweetened peanut butter.  Add a little at a time until you get your desired sweetness.  I like a perfect blend of sweet, salty, and spicy, but that may not be your forte.

I kept adding the fire oil until I got some heat.  The sugar balances it nicely.

The spring rolls will keep for a few days, so if you have leftovers, they are EXCELLENT for the next day’s lunch.

What’s been happenin’:

• had a great 4th of July with great friends
• made a White Sangria for a 4th of July party that was totally yum
• made my Aunt Judy’s potato salad for a different 4th of July party that was delicious (but not vegetarian)
• finished the yearbook
• got all the wallpaper steamed off the kitchen walls
• decided to paint the cabinets a nice dark brown, but couldn’t figure out when that will ever happen
• went to a family reunion in South Carolina
• teacher meetings
• back to school craziness complete with being at school for 13 hours straight one day (back to school night)
• went kayaking and loved it after I got a single kayak
• teach, teach, teach
• busy, busy, busy
• grade, grade, grade
• answering approximately 30 emails per day
• went mountain biking for like 10 minutes and will never do it again
• teaching British Literature and loving it!
• went to Austin, Texas to visit J’s brother and grandma and sight-see
• ate some awesome Korean and Vietnamese food in Austin
• visited an Asian grocery store
• tried Boba or Bubble tea
• ate way too much meat in Austin which made me realize why I became a vegetarian to begin with (albeit a bad one from time to time)
• had an avocado margarita–wowza yum!
• went to a Jewish/Presbyterian wedding in St. Louis, MO

Future blog topics:

• Aunt Judy’s potato salad
• White Sangria with a green apple twist
• Vietnamese spring rolls
• avocado margaritas
• almost fat-free blueberry chocolate carob cake
• marinated tofu and Outback-style sauteed mushrooms (veg style, of course)
• galub jamun–those delicious fried dough balls in the rose and cardamom syrup.
• my favorite restaurant in Hendersonville: Chef Rakka on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives (“Sauced and Spiced” rerun on Food Network this Friday 10/15 at 8 p.m and 11 p.m.)
• You should definitely DVR this show because Chef Rakka is the bad-assest dude ever.
• my favorite Indian Vegetarian restaurant and their Chai tea that I have dreams about

After being sick, dealing with ants in the kitchen, having our German friends in town, dealing with mice in the kitchen and in our walls, finishing out the school year, taking the kitchen wallpaper down, and generally being attached to the computer screen all summer to finish the yearbook, I really lost my gusto with the cooking.  I got into the frozen vegetarian protein, and I really only had cravings for pizza, tacos, and veggie burgers.  That’s how I’ve always determined the meals at our house: what are we craving at the moment?

I’ll be honest: I knew these frozen delights were not the best for us.  Last week, though, I was newly inspired to get back into the unprocessed way of life after seeing that processed soy products have isoflavones or some sort of fake hormone that can possibly lead to cancer.  Plus, we had just gotten back from Austin, TX where we ate at the best restaurants ever.  I had my fill of meat because it WAS Texas after all, and I felt miserable the entire time.

So I’m back!  And I’ve got some great new ideas, food interests, and exciting things to try.

We had these honey lime shrimp kebabs for dinner last night.

You know when you have a big project and you tell yourself you will not do anything else until it is finished?  That is what I feel like these days.  A 264 page publication is set to come out in August, and I need to get it done.  But I do have to cook.  And last night I had a creative moment in the form of this marinade.  We bought some great shrimp at Publix, and the evening had cooled off enough to use the grill.  Unfortunately, our propane tank lost its juice.  But that’s okay because these kabobs can be done in the oven, and they are still amazingly delicious.

I only marinated these for an hour, but in the future, I will definitely give them longer.  The flavors are so fresh that they need time to fully get in there.

The vegetables I used for the kabobs included large chunks of green bell pepper, yellow squash, and red onion.  I marinated all of it with a pound of peeled shrimp.  I just threw these ingredients in as I went, so I am estimating these measurements.  It should be slightly sweet, and not overpoweringly tart.

These honey lime shrimp kebabs are good in the oven or on the grill.

Honey Lime Marinade

whisk together with a fork in the bowl you plan to marinate in:

• juice of 2 limes
• zest of 1 lime
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1.5-2 tbsp honey
• 2-3 tbsp of orange juice
• 1-2 tsp of apple cider vinegar
• 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• salt to taste

Since I have most of my cooking adventures in the kitchen, I thought I’d put a before picture of the awful wallpaper I just took down.  I plan to do a major overhaul–painting cabinets a dark brown, new countertops, tile backsplash, undercounter lighting.  I’ll keep you guys posted as I work on it.  I’m really excited because I love being in the kitchen.  I know I’ll love it even more when it’s all done.  Here’s what the wallpaper looked like before I steamed it all off the walls:

The awful wallpaper in our kitchen. Who thought this pattern would be a good thing?

This tropical fusion salad is just what you need to put an end to cooking monotony.

My version of this recipe is based on the April/May Taste of Home magazine.  After being sick and out of the kitchen for so long, I needed some inspiration.  Something new and tasty and fabulous.  I wandered around for awhile and just when I thought I was getting my swagger back, our kitchen was overtaken by ants.   Hoards of them.  Every. Where.  Even in my spice cabinet!  All of my spices have been on the dining room table for weeks while we tried to get rid of these varmints.  We finally resorted to calling a professional after using way more chemicals than I would like to admit.  I also slammed my finger in the car door,  so that definitely took some time to get over.  But that is a different story for a different time, my friends.
In the midst of all this, I found this Taste of Home magazine, and it didn’t require that I use too many spices and I could use the  tiny portion of my counter space that wasn’t an ant playground.  There is nothing worse than trying to chop cilantro and a feisty little ant trying to get in your space.  It makes me shudder just to think about it.  I am kind of a germ nazi, and the thought of a stray ant in my food makes me gag a little.

So I saw this salad on the cover on Taste of Home, and I gave it a whirl.  Well, in a Gabby Gourmand-style kinda way.

Here’s their recipe (which I give a 10 out of 10 for flavor and ease of preparation):

• 2 cups cubed peeled papaya
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 2 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp ground ancho chili pepper, divided
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 corn tortillas (6 in) cut into 1/4 inch strips

Now here’s where my substitutions come in:

• Instead of papaya, I used mango.  I couldn’t find any papaya at our grocery store.
• The corn does not have to be thawed.  It will thaw out in the salad as you are chopping/prepping other stuff.
• Instead of serrano peppers, I used jalapenos and I roasted them first (deseeded of course).  It takes a little of the spice out, and adds that great roasty jalapeno pepper flavor.
• Instead of the ancho chili powder, I used chipotle chili powder that I found for 99 cents at World Market.  I could not find ancho anywhere.  Chipotle powder is spicy as all heck, so I mixed 1 tsp of it with regular chili powder.
• Instead of corn tortillas, I used flour tortillas because that is all we had in the pantry.
• To make this salad a meal, we added Morning Star “meat” crumbles.  I sauteed this easy protein in some EVOO with the leftover chipotle/regular chili powder mixture and the jalapeno peppers.  When the fake meat crumbles are all cooked up, you can dish them up and throw the cold salad on top.  Delish!
• One thing you should not subsitute is the raisins.  Definitely invest in the golden ones because you will be making this salad more than once.

Instructions:

1. Mix OJ, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, sugar, and 1/4 tsp of chili powder mix in the bottom of a big glass bowl.
2. Throw in the beans, mango, corn, raisins, and cilantro.  You can add the avocado like the original recipe says, but it will get all guacamole on you with all the stirring.  Adding it at the end keeps it as pretty as the cover picture.
3. Cut tortilla strips coated with cooking spray and sprinkle 1 tsp of the chili powder mixture on them.  You can use more of your mixture if you prefer, especially if you aren’t cooking the crumbles.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until crisp.  Flour tortillas will burn real quick, y’all, so be careful.  We cooked up twice as much as the recipe called for because they are good to eat by themselves or on top of other stuff.  Yum!
4. Serve the salad with the spicy strips on top.

The OJ, lime juice, vinegar, and garlic would make a great dressing on other salads as well.

I found a great picture of the salad on another blog, and the author also includes ways to cut a papaya and an avocado.

Throw ‘em in the bowl:

• can corn, drained
• can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 orange bell pepper, finely chopped
• bunch of green onions (4-6?), finely chopped
• can mild Rotel tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 bottle of Wish Bone Robusto Italian
• 1/2 cup-3/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Stir and marinate for a few hours in the frig.  I kept going to visit the frig and take small bites of this stuff  “to see if it was ready.”  It does taste amazing after marinating for a good long while, but it tastes dang good in the minutes after you make it, too.

It’s good with rice, on tortilla chips, by itself, with hummus, you name it.

• 2 very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 tbsp. melted Earth Balance shortening or margarine
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup soy yogurt
• 4 tsp. vanilla almond (or soy) milk

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats (NOT quick-cooking or instant)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/4 cup carob chips (or semi-sweet chocolate chips)

1. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients–flours, sugar, oats, baking soda, baking powder
2. In a medium bowl, mix all the wet ingredients–mash the bananas, add the applesauce, margarine, vanilla, soy yogurt and almond milk.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
4. I cannot remember where I learned this next thing, but I want to say it was an older lady at one of the restaurants I worked at. It could be a total myth, but it seemed to really work for this. So get a few Tbsp of the all-purpose flour in a separate bowl. Add your blueberries and your carob chips and make sure they are coated with the flour. This ensures that they won’t sink to the bottom during baking.
5. Add the flour-coated blueberries and the carob chips to the mixture and combine.
6. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until fully cooked throughout.

Although this turned out all tasty and full of yummy things that are also good for you, I would probably just choose blueberries OR chocolate as both flavors mixed with the banana bread can be very dynamic. Not bad, especially if you like new things–just different.

Many of these measurements of vegetables are approximate. As with all soups, just throw whatcha got in there.

• one large onion, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp EVOO
• 2 “Non Chicken” bouillon cubes
• 4-6 cups water
• 1.5 tbsp mild white miso
• 1.5 tbsp tomato paste
• half can of diced tomatoes
• 1 can navy beans
• 3/4 cup wild rice/brown rice blend (or whatever left over cooked rice you have around)
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup frozen white corn
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach

1. Saute onion in EVOO until  translucent
2. Add a little of the water to dissolve the bouillon cubes
3. Add the miso and the tomato paste and stir to dissolve those, too
4. Pour in the rest of the water and the rest of the ingredients except the spinach.
5. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
6. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes.
7. Add spinach right before serving to let it wilt just so.

I didn’t have any croutons, but they would have been super good with this.

This version of Vegan Mac n Cheese makes a creamy and healthy sauce that could really be used for anything.

My review is a 4 out of 5.  It doesn’t really taste like cheese, but it is a tasty little sauce.  It has a nice consistency, and I will be using it again.  I guess it is losing the point because when I first tasted it, I made a little face.  I started “dashing” more of certain spices, so I think I could make this without all the measuring devices next time. *My changes are in italics beside the ingredient*

Le Vegan Mac n Cheese by Susan V over at Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

“Easy Macaroni and Cheeze”

You can make this dish creamier by adding Earth Balance margarine. Try it the low-fat way first, and if you need it to be richer, add a little margarine to taste. This recipe is also low in sodium, so salt-lovers may need to add salt.

1 pound pasta (regular or gluten-free)

Blend together:
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup plain, fat-free soymilk (may use other non-dairy milk)
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch (I used cornstarch and it was a perfect consistency)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste) (Um, yeah, I don’t know how much more I added to this, but it was definitely more)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (a good dash or two more)
1 teaspoon onion powder (a good dash or two more)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard (a good dash or two more)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (I have not been able to find this for the life of me.  I used regular paprika, and I used about 1 tsp)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (a good dash or two more)
pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon mellow white miso (or additional salt) (I got this at Whole Foods, but if you can’t find it, it probably won’t hurt the flavor one bit.)
black pepper to taste

Put the pasta on to boil, according to package directions. While it’s cooking, blend all remaining ingredients together in a blender. When the pasta is al dente, drain it, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and return the pasta to pan. Add the sauce mixture and cook, stirring, until mixture boils and thickens. Add a little of the pasta water if more moistness is needed.

If the sauce is not as flavorful as you’d like, add a little more mustard and onion powder.

Note: My daughter likes her macaroni a florescent yellow, so I usually add more turmeric.

Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 303 Calories (kcal); 4g Total Fat; (10% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 54g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 316mg Sodium; 5g Fiber. Also, if you use nutritional yeast fortified with B-12, one serving provides 100% of the daily requirement of that vitamin.

Additional Uses: Heat the sauce alone until it thickens and use it to pour over baked potatoes or top pizzas. Or stir in some salsa and it makes a yummy dip for tortilla chips.