Finally, Something Fresh

While Erin was here, we had some feasts. One night, we had a full table of fresh veggies, dips, crackers, tapenades, figs and cheese.

A tradition we have Camembert cheese. First, you dip the wheel of cheese in egg. Then, you dip in bread crumbs. Then, you fry (yes, in butter) until crispy and golden brown and totally melty and gooey. Then, you eat with some kind of jam (we used lingonberry jam) over the barest bits of cracker (who needs cracker when you've got fried cheese?). Oh my god. It's kind of the best ever. We ate the entire thing in like, 15 minutes. I love cheese.

I also made very delicious cinnamon-swirl French toast with fruit compote. What a pretty (and yummy) way to start the day.

Man, I should have friends over more often. I haven't posted in over a month. I've made a few things, but mostly we haven't been cooking anything too special. It's summer, we've been busy, and how many photos of smoothies or quinoa can one person take? Anyway. As we move into autumn, I'm sure there will be more cooking happening (and more posting!)

A Hot Day

Summer has finally hit here in the Bay Area. It was in the mid-80s today, just perfect. Time for some minty-lemony ice water. The weather channel says it got over 100 in parts of the outer Bay Area. We were glad to be in temperate Alameda.

Haven't been doing too much cooking lately. It's hard to cook for just one person, and when Terri came home on the weekends, we mostly ate very simply. But now she's home, so hopefully it's time for some beautiful summer salads and maybe some experimenting. I'm starting to realize that I mostly just like to cook in the winter. In the summer, I just like fruits and veggies and salads. Maybe a stir-fry now and then. Maybe I'll make a sweet-and-sour tofu pretty soon. We'll see. Anyway, sorry for the lack of entries. Just not much been happening in the kitchen here.

Bananaberry Smoothie

A curious reader writes in:

"Dear Persephone,
If you supposedly do all this cooking, why aren't there more entries on this site? What the heck do you eat, anyway?"
Signed,
Anxious in Alameda"

Well, Anxious, I'm glad you asked. See, while I do cook at least a few times a week, often it's just something really boring like rice and beans, or a salad, or tomato soup. Other times, nobody around here feels like eating, but dinner must be had. No malnutrition allowed around here, let me tell you! So, for times like these, I make smoothies.

Not just any smoothies. These smoothies have every bit of nutrition packed into them. But, they must also taste good. And, preferably, look pretty too. Here, I'll share my recipe with you.

Bananaberry "Dinner" Smoothie
1-2 cups enriched soy milk (vanilla)
1 ripe banana
1 to 1-1/2 cups frozen fruit (berries, or maybe mangoes, etc.)
1-2 scoops protein powder (I use Trader Joe's Soy Protein with vitamins)
1/4 tsp Vitamin C powder
1-2 TBLS Very Green supplement powder
1 TBLS fiber (psyllium husks, Metamucil, whatever)
1 TBLS ground flax seeds (you could also use just flax seed oil)

Pour 1 cup soymilk into blender. Add banana and half the frozen berries or fruit Add powders and supplements. Add rest of frozen berries or fruit. Top of with more soymilk. Blend. If it's too thick add more milk. If it's too thin, add more frozen fruit.

Serves 1-2

And yes, it really does taste great even with all that other stuff in it!

Plus (and here's the good part), it only takes a minute and everyone's happy.

Peanut-Butter Bliss

I hate to brag, but I make a pretty darn good peanut-butter cookie.

Flaky, rich peanut taste, not too sweet... they crumble just right in your mouth. It's a good thing I don't make them too often. As it is, I think work folks will be enjoying plenty of these. They are dangerous to have in the house.

Is There Anything Better?

Fresh-baked whole wheat buttermilk-and-honey bread. It's just the best.

I tried making it in the food processor this time, rather than the KitchenAid as usual. I'm not sure what I think. I *think* it went well. It certainly was messier to clean up, since I don't have a dishwasher. The food processor has all kinds of little nooks and crannies; the KitchenAid bowl is pretty simple to wash. That might be the deciding vote.

However, the rest of the bread-baking process went off without a hitch. Great rise, great texture. Somehow I think that if I made my own bread, my tummy would be happy. If only.

Happiness In A Bun

For those times when you need a cinnamon bun (or other sweet, cinnamony treat), I offer this solution: Quick Cinnamon Buns. No yeast, hardly any wait. However, 100% made from scratch. These, ladies and gentlemen, are Treats Worth Having. Warm, gooey, cinnamon-y, with cream-cheese glaze. With coffee (decaf, thanks) on a Saturday morning. Heaven.

you know you want the recipe. totally.

Pumping Iron

Been feeling a little tired lately, and since I tend towards anemia, I thought I would eat a big dose of spinach tonight and try to get some iron in me.

I ate a whole bag of spinach.

Granted, an entire bag of spinach steamed down doesn't equal a ton of spinach. It's especially good with fresh nutmeg grated over.


I haven't been posting much on this blog lately because with this whole-food thing, recipes haven't been that interesting. But I've just got through the weekend (or so) and then I'll start making stuff again. But I have actually enjoyed eating more fruits and veggies, and surprisingly, I don't miss sugary sweet stuff that much. So I'll continue on the healthy eating kick, but just add in a little more variety. And post some more here.