Pupusas with Curtido!!

Pupusas....strange name? maybe. Delicious? YES! Pupusas are a traditional Salvadoran dish. They are homeade tortillas usually stuffed with a meat, bean, or cheese combo. They are also usually served with curtido with is a spicey/vinegar based slaw(no mayo!). For my pupusas I started with a boneless pork roast,(cut into large chunks) sprinkled it with adobo seasoning & seared it in a little oil. Then to the pan I added some chopped onion. orange bell pepper, green bell pepper, & fresh garlic. Once a little browned I added some beer, a little more adobo seasoning, & put the lid on it & let it simmer all day.
   While that simmered I made my curtido. Into a bowl I dumped a bag of shredded cabbage, a bag of shredded carrots, some chopped scallions, oregano, salt, pepper, & white vinegar...thats it! I then covered it & out it in the fridge to marinate.
  Now, back to the pupusas... I drained the pork/pepper mixture, put it into the food processor, & added a little queso blanco(tastes like mozzarella), & sharp cheddar. I pulsed it until it looked like baby food. Then it was time to make the tortillas which are made of just corn flour,salt, & water(follow the directions on the flour bag). Grab small handful of dough at a time & roll it into a ball. Then, press your thumbs into the ball of dough & spoon some of the pork mixture into & mold the dough back over the mixture & then flaten. I then heated the pupusa in a little oil in a skillet. brown  on both sides & serve with curtido on top! Let me just say....YUM!!!! Very simple dish...very delicious dish!!

Chickpea Piccata!!!!!!!

If I were asked what my "last meal" would be, I'd tell you in a heartbeat it'd be chicken piccata. Its my favorite! Its lemony, buttery, capers......LOVE it! Well, the other week I came across a recipe for chickpea piccata in a vegan cookbook I knew I had to make it. I'm not gonna lie, I was worried how piccata could be piccata without butter. Well my worrying was for NOTHING! So simple...... I browned some sliced shallot, & garlic in a little evoo & then added panko breadcrumbs(if you don't know about panko..find out!) Once the breadcrumbs were nice & toasty I added veggie broth, dry white wine, salt, pepper & dry thyme. Once it reduced I added chickpeas, capers, & fresh squeezed lemon juice. I also made some quinoa(find out about that too, if you don't know) To serve this I topped the quinoa with some baby arugula & then spooned some of the piccata on top. This meal was beyond FABULOUS! I can't wait to make it again!!

Enjoy Life Chewy Bars!

Another FABULOUS food find!!! I'm always on the hunt for great new snacks/foods that my son can eat. He's allergic to dairy, eggs, & peanuts...which is in EVERYTHING! This weekend I came across these chewy bars at the grocery store & read the box(always doing that now) & This Brand "Enjoy Life" makes only allergy friendly foods! All their stuff is dairy, egg, nut, soy, wheat, & gluten free...How perfect is that?!?! I bought the caramel apple flavor & the very berry & they are AWESOME! The caramel apple is my favorite, but more importantly my son LOVED them & my daughter likes them also! Its so much easier in my house when we can all enjoy the same foods/snacks. I highly recommend  these chewy bars & I can't wait to try some of this brand's other goodies!

Blood Orange & Black Pepper Sorbet

I know, I know the name of this may not sound so inviting, but I promise you it is WONDERFUL & refreshing, & delicious!! First I made a simple syrup(sugar & water) & threw in several slightly crushed peppercorns. I brought it to a boil & then let it simmer until all the sugar was dissolved. I then added some freshly squeezed blood orange juice, & a little bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice & let it cool off in the fridge for a couple hours. Once it was chilled I strained it to get out all the pieces of pepper & poured it into my ice cream maker & let it freeze. This sorbet was so good & refreshing my son loved it & my daughter asked for seconds! The pepper taste is so subtle, but GOOD! I will definitely be making this again soon!

Coq Au Vin

I'm sure many of you have heard of Coq Au Vin, but you were maybe to intimidated to try it....Well DON'T be! Its easier than you think & this dish has evolved so much & people tend to put their own spin on it anyways. Coq Au Vin is a traditional French dish that literally means "rooster with wine". It basically is a chicken & red wine stew that is normally served over egg noodles or potatoes.....or whatever tickles your fancy! To start this AMAZING meal I chopped up some thick cut bacon & cooked them in my pan until slightly browned. You really just want the fat that the bacon renders. I scooped out the bacon pieces & set them aside. I then added several pearl onions & lightly browned them in the bacon drippings. I then scooped them out & placed those to the side. I them cut up some boneless skinless chicken breast into large chunks & tossed them into to pan & browned them up. I added some salt, pepper, a few crushed cloves of garlic, some dried thyme, red wine, & chicken broth. I also threw back in the onions & some of the bacon pieces. Now, normally this dish calls for mushrooms...however I'm not a fan of fungus so I threw in some chopped carrots, put a lid on it & let it simmer for several hours. OOO LA LA! When you take the lid off & taste this dish you'll be kicking yourself wondering why you didn't make it sooner!

Apple Pie, Oh My!!

So this FABULOUS pie was part of my all vegan meal the other night. Thats right, a vegan apple pie! For the most part its not much different from a traditional pie, just a couple substitutes & I promise you this will be one of the best pies you ever tasted. Its flaky & refreshing & super easy to make. First for the crust its just AP flour, water, & vegetable shortening(much better for you than crisco). The filling is granny smith apples, sugar, cinnamon, & nutmeg. Once you get your bottom layer of crust in the pan you pour in the apple filling & put a couple dots of vegetable margarine & place the top crust on top. Cut a few slits in the top so steam can get out, bake, & voila!!

Vegan Lasagna!!!

I know the though of fake lasagna may make you cringe & stop reading this immediately, but I urge you to read on! Lasagna is basically 3 ingredients, noodles, sauce, & cheese mixture. This lasagna has it all...except he cheese mixture of course! I got this recipe from a great vegan cook book called "Appetite for Success"(thanks Jenn) This lasagna is is made with whole wheat lasagna noodles, fresh spinach leaves,  a basic sauce made with a can of crushed tomatoes, fresh garlic & thyme, & salt & pepper(yes, thats it!) & the "cheese" mixture is made of  extra firm firm tofu(stop gagging!), roasted cauliflower, nutritional yeast flakes(I'll explain later), freshly squeezed lemon juice, & salt & pepper.
     To start my "cheese" mixture I chopped up a head of cauliflower & drizzled it with a little olive oil & salt & pepper & bake for about 30 minutes. Take the tofu & crumble it up into  a bowl & add the roasted cauliflower, lemon juice, yeast flakes, salt & pepper. Use a potato masher to mash all together! It even looks like ricotta cheese!!
  SIDE NOTE: Nutritional yeast flakes are used in vegan/vegetarians dishes. Its a source of vitamins & protein. It has a nutty, cheesy flavor & is used as a condiment or as a substitute in dishes that traditionally call for cheese.
   Once your "cheese" mixture is all mashed up, you can start assembling for lasagna. A little sauce on the bottom, noodles, "cheese" mixture, & some fresh spinach leaves. Keep building & layering & then bake. I was PLEASANTLY surprised by this dish! It was delicious & it really tasted like it was made with real cheese. Everyone here LOVED it! I didn't tell my husband what it was made of(he's one of those people who gag at the thought of tofu) & He loved it too!! Once he finished I told him what was in it! His face was priceless!

Cream of Celery Chicken

Simple, healthy, & delicious! Cream of Celery Chicken is one of the those dishes you can whip up quickly for dinner & its budget & figure friendly! First, I chopped up some boneless skinless chicken breasts & browned them in a skillet with a little olive oil. Once chicken is cooked I added some fresh squeezed lemon juice & dry white wine. Let it all simmer for a few minutes & stir a couple cans of fat free cream of celery soup. While all that fabulousness simmers together I cooked up some brown rice. Plating as you can see is just a little brown rice topped with the cream of celery mixture. If you don't run home & make this dish now then try to burn it in your brain because next time your pressed for time & your family is hungry........you'll thank me! : )