Rosemary oil (& popcorn)

I got Giada's first book out of the library- it's got a lot of simple recipes. Instead of just reading the cookbook, as is my tendency, I am going to make a few recipes. #1? Rosemary infused oil- to be used to pop popcorn and eaten with bread. Since we have HEDGES of rosemary in front of our house- this seemed perfect! I read the reviews and added a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Rosemary Infused Oil:

• 1 cup olive oil
• 5 to 6 fresh rosemary sprigs (each 5 inches long)

Combine the oil and rosemary in a heavy small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer the sprigs to a 4-ounce bottle or cruet. Add the oil and seal the lid. Refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients for Popcorn

• 1 cup popcorn kernels
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Rosemary Infused Oil, recipe follows
• Salt

Directions

Stir the popcorn kernels and 1/2 cup of the oil in a heavy large pot. Cover and cook over medium heat until the kernels have popped, shaking the pot halfway through cooking, about 3 minutes. Immediately transfer the popcorn to a large serving bowl. Toss the popcorn with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with salt, to taste, and serve.

Tahini slaw

Using up old veggies......

- red cabbage, sliced
- extra shredded carrots
- shredded raw kale

Added a tahini dressing....
mixed tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and a bit of rice vinegar.

Healthy and delicious!

Veggie pasta

Penne with a sauce made of:

• olive oil
• garlic
• salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
• green onion
• cabbage
• shredded carrots
• kale
• capers
• olives
• parmesan
• lemon juice
• sunflower seeds

dried fruit

we've been using the dehydrator- with great success!
so far, we've made: persimmons, apples, asian pear, and lemons.

Hot and sour soup

Just made this b/c I had hot and sour soup at the Thai restaurant last night and just love it. Use about 1 or 2 tsp of the hot chile oil next time- it's very spicy!  

Hot and Sour Soup

From Veganomicon

• 1/2 ounce dried wood ear mushrooms
• 2 cups boiling water
• 8 leaves napa cabbage
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 3 teaspoons Asian hot chile oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 1/2 cups thick-sliced white mushrooms
• 1 heaping arrowroot or cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 1 pound extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into matchsticks
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup scallions

Place the wood ear mushrooms in a bowl and pour boiling water over them so that they are submerged by a few inches.  Cover with a plate and let sit for 20 minutes.

To prepare the napa leaves, lay them on top of each other so that they're spooning.  Thinly slice across them widthwise.  Set aside.

Pour the vegetable broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hot chile oil, sesame oil and white pepper into a soup pot.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Once the broth is boiling, add the cabbage and the fresh mushrooms.  Cook until the cabbage is completely wilted, about 5 minutes.

The wood ears should be ready at this point, so remove them from the bowl, cut into bite-size pieces, and add them to the soup as well.

Mix the arrowroot with the water until dissolved.  Add to the soup and stir until just slightly thickened, a minute or two.  The soup isn't going to be very thick, just more cloudy than anything else.  But the starch gives the soup a little body.

Add the shredded carrots and tofu, and cook just until heated through, about 5 more minutes.  Ladle into bowls and garnish with scallions to serve.

White Bean Aioli

From Veganomicon- so good I had to make it twice in a row!

Ingredients

1. 1 (15 ounce) cans navy beans or 1 (15 ounce) cans great northern beans or 1 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2. 2 tablespoons lemon juice
3. 1/4 teaspoon salt
4. 3 pinches fresh ground black pepper
5. 1/4 cup olive oil
6. 6 garlic cloves, chopped

Directions

1. Combine the beans, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl to get everything.
2. Preheat a small pan over low heat.
3. Cook the garlic in the olive oil for about 3 minutes. (You want just to gently heat it, not brown it.).
4. Add the garlic and oil to the mixture in the blender and puree.
5. Taste for salt, pepper and lemon and adjust to your liking.
6. Transfer to a container, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Grits and chickpeas with spinach

Grits- stir and cook for an hour with milk and cheese

Chickpeas with garlic, broth, spinach, and spices