"Ice-cream is exquisite. What a pity it isn't illegal." – Voltaire
I haven’t made granola in a while, but having a snow day during my second week of work with nothing to do, this sounded like my best option. Plus, I’d have a delicious snack come the rest of the week. I went to Trader Joe’s for the first time and found dried peaches when I was looking for mangoes. They’re so delicious. I also had pistachios from the move and naturally White Peach & Pistachio Granola evolved. Toss in some nutmeg and viola! The perfect cold weather snack.
Bet you can’t guess where I found my inspiration for my Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pistachios and Cranberries recipe — Pinterest (obviously). I’ve come to like Brussels sprouts. For Thanksgiving at my dad’s parents’ house, I would go to their garden, bursting with late fall veggies, and my task would be to pick the Brussels sprouts to have for Thanksgiving dinner. Of course I would painstakingly pick them, but I would never eat them; I didn’t even get to enjoy my labors then, but I love this salad; it’s light, different, innovative and totally tasty. I made a few changes — I served this raw instead of cooking everything in a skillet. I like the crunch and flavor of the Brussels sprouts this way. Plus, transforming them from their solid form to a shaved one, you wouldn’t know you’re eat Brussels sprouts. For some color, my mom thought shredded carrots would make a nice addition. The pistachios are a decadent and unusual crunch, the parmesan — flavor and the craisins and fig balsamic (a local purchase from Ithaca) — a needed sweetness to combat and balance the salad’s earth tones.
Continue reading “Breezing through a Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad”
I really like Pad Thai. There’s just something about fish sauce I can’t quite stomach, so that’s why I tried this No Fish Sauce Veggie & Chicken Pad Thai. If a dish is prepared for me with it, no problem. If I have to use it, I just can’t do it. Although the fish sauce does add that tanginess and a richer flavor to Thai dishes, I’d rather omit it. I kept the tanginess and acidity by adding soy sauce. For this vegan/vegetarian Pad Thai sauce, keep the whole dish meatless by substituting the chicken and egg for tofu as your protein, but either way, it’s gluten-free! I added more veggies than the traditional dish and kept it 50/50 with rice noodles and zoodles. The bean sprouts and chopped peanuts add a contrasting crunch to the soft noodles, while the cilantro contributes a whole new level of freshness. Toss in shredded carrots, snap peas and bean sprouts and this dish is packed with a little something extra.
You’d never know these Lemon Cranberry Cookies were lacking butter. Made with some coconut flour, applesauce and agave, they’re citrusy, so yummy and just the perfect after dinner dessert. Their consistency would also go well with a cup of coffee or tea. I whipped these up along with the Bang Bang Cauliflower, when we had our family friends over for dinner, back from their southern hiatus. Not tart, but also not too sweet, these cookies are perfectly balanced. I might have to add them to my holiday cookie line-up. You can’t have just one.
I could eat these Craisin Walnut Energy Bites all in one sitting. They’re so good. Why have I been buying store-bought granola or energy bars all this time? These are just under 90 calories a bite and about 180-270 calories per serving (depending if 2 or 3 bites is a serving). While it’s not that much difference calorie-wise for a commercial energy or granola bar, what is different is that you know exactly what goes into these energy bites: nuts, dried fruit and oats. No added sugar. No preservatives. Nothing you don’t want. Sounds like a perfect pre- or post-work out snack, right? I can’t wait to experiment with new nut, dried fruit and spice combinations. These craisin walnut energy bites are definitely a recipe you must try!
Eat Drink Savor Repeat 