Tag Archives: recipe

Po-ta-toe, Po-tah-toe

Posted on by
Reply

I have come to realize that most adult people have mastered the fine art of making potato salad, where I still have not. Perhaps my late father’s love of ‘all things potato’ made me more obstinate in not learning how to craft this mainstay. He was not a nice man to his family, so why would I learn how to make something he might like?

I actually like a well-made potato salad, and my Mother-in-law has a terrific recipe for it which she was kind enough to share. But ever one to be ‘different’, I figure if everyone else around me can make a fine potato salad there is nothing more for me to add, and I should leave them to it.

Therefore, I decided that I would search for something no one else is making, and make THAT ‘my thing‘. And what did I come up with? Well, this past weekend as we celebrated Thanksgiving in Canada, I unveiled my new recipe for Sweet Potato Salad.

Here is what I did:

Sandra’s Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients

 

  • 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp Club House Indian Masala seasoning (optional but recommended)
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 1 cup onions diced
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing

  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Splenda brown sugar substitute
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 2 tsp deli style mustard (I used Maille brand Au Miel sweet honey mustard, but anything other than yellow prepared mustard should work)
  • 1/2 cup canola oil

 

IMG_4649

 

IMG_4652

 

IMG_4654

IMG_4655

 

 

In a roasting pan, combine cubed sweet potatoes, olive oil, Indian Masala seasoning (if using), salt, and pepper. Stir around, coating potatoes in oil and seasonings. Roast for about 30 minutes at 425 F, or until fork tender and golden brown.

IMG_4656

In a large bowl, add potatoes and mix with the rest of the non dressing ingredients. Let cool while you prepare the dressing.

IMG_4580

 

 

IMG_4583

IMG_4587

To prepare dressing, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, orange zest, mustard and vegetable oil. Pour dressing over cooled potato salad. Toss.

IMG_4710

Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. Toss again prior to serving.

 

 

signature

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fred – a store – handmade gifts & costume jewellery design

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fredastore
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fredastore
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/fredastore/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Fredastore

 

I Guac The Line

Posted on by
3

After spending a large portion of today on a bus going back and forth across town to do a few errands, I finally ended up back at home. THEN the real work began, Monday being laundry day AND the day we put out the garbage for pick-up!

Once my thoughts turned to what would be for dinner, I was reminded of two things: I had already announced to my husband that we had to have leftovers for dinner before they took over complete control of the fridge, so that question was answered; and secondly, there was that bunch of cilantro in the crisper that needed to be used before it got black and slimy.

So, in addition to a hodge-podge of leftover chicken, salmon, pizza, meatballs, pasta, asparagus and brussel sprouts, it was time for something new – guacamole!

My husband and I are partial to my guacamole and I think it is one of the best around, if I do say so myself. It is the cilantro that makes it. If you are a cilantro ‘H8TR’, best turn back now.

Since I am of English & German extraction I really can’t say for sure, but I hear that in Mexico guacamole is most often served on lettuce as a salad or side dish. It can also be used as a garnish for tacos, burritos, tostadas, or flautas, as well as a dip with tortilla chips or raw vegetables. I think it would be delicious no matter how you use it!

Sandra’s Rock-a-mole

Ingredients:

  • 2 large avocados, ripe (should be black in colour and slightly soft to the touch)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup sour cream (optional, but recommended!)
  • 1 clove of crushed garlic
  • 1 canned/bottled jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup onion, finely minced
  • few sprigs of cilantro, coarsely chopped
  • salt, to taste

IMG_4597

1. Halve the avocados lengthwise and twist to open. Remove pit and scoop out pulp, then mash with a fork. Since my carpal tunnel is acting up today and one of my avocados was slightly less ripe and soft than I would have liked, I used a sharp knife and cut up the pulp in the bowl first to make it a little easier for my feeble hand to mash the avocado into a smooth paste.

IMG_4603

IMG_4602

IMG_4605

IMG_4607

2. Add lime juice, garlic, chopped onion, jalapeno, a pinch of salt, and cilantro, mixing after each addition.

IMG_4608

IMG_4611

IMG_4612

 

IMG_4614

3. Add sour cream if using – I think it adds to the delightful creamy texture and makes the finished product a little richer, so it is definitely worth using. I use low fat 5% sour cream for the best of the low fat world, while still having some flavour.

IMG_4616

I cheated a bit today and used bottled lime juice because I forgot to pick up a couple of fresh limes, but use fresh if you can. They are always better!

IMG_4617

oh- needs a bit more lime juice and salt!

Once everything is blended, you must test the final product and if necessary, adjust to taste.

Buen provecho!

signature

 

 

 

 

 

‘Like’ the Fredastore Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Fredastore

Follow Fredastore on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fredastore

Check out Fredastore on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/fredastore/

Purchase Fredastore creations on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Fredastore

My Little Chickapea

Posted on by
3

I enjoyed a lovely, breezy walk in the sun today on my way to join a friend for lunch. It was glorious after such a gloomy week! Of course, that didn’t stop me from getting caught in the pouring rain without an umbrella and getting soaked to the skin on my way home. Sigh. I decided to stop off to pick up a bunch of cilantro on my way, so I guess it was my own fault.

Folks either love or hate cilantro, there doesn’t seem to be any middle ground. Luckily, my husband and I BOTH love cilantro, so I don’t have to start looking for a new spouse.

The acquisition of cilantro in our household usually means several things: before it goes black and slimy in the fridge, we will be having cucumber and chickpea salad; mango salad; and guacamole!

First up tonight is the cucumber and chickpea salad which will be a great side to our roasted chicken, and then tomorrow we will have to pick up a couple of mangos, and of course avocados when we get groceries.

This is a recipe in three parts and one should make the chickpeas first since they take the longest to prepare, followed by the dressing, and finally the salad itself.

Sandra’s Cucumber Salad with Roasted Chickpeas:

IMG_4573

1. Roasted Spiced Chickpeas

  • 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas (or 1 1/2 cups cooked)
  • 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

Preheat oven to 400F.

  1. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and place onto paper towel. Cover with additional paper towels and roll the chickpeas around until completely dry to help them crisp up in the oven.
  2. Add the chickpeas to a mixing bowl and stir in the oil until coated, then stir in the seasonings.
  3. Discard paper towel and place chickpeas on the baking sheet.
  4. Roast at 400F for 20 minutes. Give the pan a gentle shake to stir the chickpeas and roast for another 15-20 minutes, until golden and lightly charred on the bottom. I roast for a full 40 minutes because I like them on the crispy side, but keep an eye on them as oven temps vary.
  5. Cool for 5 minutes or so before eating them or using on top your salad. They will lose their crispness quickly so these are best enjoyed immediately. You can also freeze the chickpeas once fully cooled and reheat them in the oven for 5 minutes or so to bring back the crispness, or store in an airtight ziploc bag. 

2of4_thumb

*Alternatively, I came across The Good Bean All-Natural Roasted Chickpea Snacks, and found them to be a great time-saver if you don’t have the time or inclination to roast your own chickpeas. Use the sea-salt flavour so the seasonings don’t conflict with the flavours in your salad!  Check their website to see availability in your area:  http://www.thegoodbean.com/sea-salt/

packetSalt3D_pair

2. Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 1/2  to 2 tablespoons sugar (or Splenda artificial sweetener), to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

IMG_4592

Place dressing ingredients together in a cruet and shake to mix. Adjust to taste and feel free to add more sweetener if you prefer. Set aside.

3. Salad:

  • 2 English cucumbers, skins left on
  • 1 large red pepper, diced
  • 1 large green pepper, diced
  • 1 small yellow or orange pepper, diced
  • 1 cup diced onion (I like a sweet Vidallia onion, but a red onion looks pretty too)
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro

(Optional, but recommended if you don’t have nut allergies:)

  • 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
  • Roasted spiced chickpeas

IMG_4576

1. Remove plastic and slice off the ends of the cucumbers, and slice in quarters, lengthwise, then cut into bite-sized pieces and place in bowl.

IMG_4580

IMG_4582

IMG_4583

2. Dice the red, green, and orange/yellow peppers and onion and add to bowl.

IMG_4586

3. Roughly chop cilantro, discarding stem ends, and add to bowl.

IMG_4587

Pour in all the dressing and toss to combine. Let this salad sit for about 30 minutes in the fridge, tossing every 10 minutes or so to help the dressing soak in.

IMG_4590

Portion into bowls and top with peanuts and roasted chickpeas if using. Serve immediately.

IMG_4594

And ENJOY!

With lots of fibre, plant-based protein, low fat, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free, this salad not only looks great, but is great for you!

signature

 

 

 

 

 

Fred – a store – handmade gifts & costume jewellery design

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fredastore
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fredastore
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/fredastore/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Fredastore

Going Bananas!

Posted on by
2

Creativity does splash over into all areas of my life. I can’t always be making jewellery even though I enjoy it, and sometimes I make other things – like food, for instance.  I am a fan of food in all of its many forms.

Yesterday after making a bunch of sterling silver clip on earrings to boost my stock levels in that category, thoughts turned to making dinner. Since I have been laid off from my admin assistant “day job” for a while and a new job is proving elusive, I have a lot more time on my hands to plan dinner for my husband, Andrew, and myself, but I don’t always get very elaborate, and very rarely do I make a dessert. However, the mood for something sweet struck and I decided to make one of my favourite things – banana bread!

My late aunt Elaine was well-known for her banana bread recipe, but alas, it was never passed on to the family, so I had to go online and search for a reasonable facsimile. I think the secret to her banana bread was more bananas than most recipes. Having found a suitable substitute recipe, I of course could not leave well enough alone and I made key changes and additions to the recipe to make it my own!

Because Andrew likes bananas in his lunches sometimes, and because we flirt with the idea of dieting and making smoothies for diet breakfasts but then never make the smoothies, we often have a lot of bananas ripening faster than we eat them. Rather than throw those blackening bananas out, however, I toss them into the freezer until they reach critical mass. Since one loaf of banana bread requires 3 or 4 (read: 4) bananas, I am now making two loaves of banana bread.

So, I take 8 frozen bananas out of the freezer to thaw in a bowl.

IMG_4396

Keep in mind that once a banana has been frozen the peel often turns completely black, and once the bananas thaw they are truly disgusting to look at and mushy in consistency. This is EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT for making banana bread! I wouldn’t suggest it for anything else, namely because they are so disgusting, but for this one purpose they are PERFECT!

Once the bananas are thawed, preheat the oven to 350F (175C) degrees, and then cut off one end of each banana and squeeze from the opposite end like a tube of toothpaste. The bananas will slither out of their peels along with some liquid, and will splat into your large mixing bowl. DO NOT BE ALARMED. Once all bananas are in your bowl, mash them gently and incorporate the accumulated liquid into the mixture of mashed bananas. Because the bananas are already mushy this is very easy to do.

IMG_4399

Melt the butter in a microwave and then mix into the mashed bananas.

IMG_4401

Mix in the egg, vanilla and sugar. I prefer to use a brown sugar substitute like Splenda (or no-name brown sugar substitute) since we try to watch our sugar consumption around here, but you can use regular white or brown sugar for good results.

IMG_4403Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and thoroughly blend in to avoid clumps. Once that is blended in, add the flour last. It is easier to do if you blend it in a bit at a time.

IMG_4406

Once the flour is all blended in, you should be looking at something like this:

IMG_4407

If you were following the original recipe you would stop there and pour the mixture into two buttered (or silicone) loaf pans. However, I already told you that I could not leave well-enough alone. So, from here I would add not only chopped walnuts (which make everything better, and they are good for you!), but I also add chocolate chips for good measure. After all, bananas and chocolate are a famous pairing!

IMG_4410

I prefer to buy shelled walnuts that are not chopped and then chop them lightly myself since there are fewer shells in the mix to break your teeth! Slightly larger chunks of walnuts yield a more pleasing finished product, but use your own preference to guide you.

The chocolate chips should be semi-sweet.

Fold the nuts and chocolate chips (if using – and I think you should) into the batter until they are evenly blended.

IMG_4412

THEN pour the mixture into two buttered metal (or silicone) loaf pans. I got silicone pans a few years ago and they release the finished product like a dream! But because I also worry about the flimsy nature of the silicone pans, I put the two filled loaf pans on top of a flat baking sheet for stability and bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until centre of loaf is set.

IMG_4414

Use a toothpick to test the centre of the loaves to make sure they are set in the centre – if the toothpick comes out clean they are done. But if you hit a chocolate chip while testing pick another spot because the chocolate will be melted and moist at this point!

IMG_4416

Cool on a rack and remove from pans to slice and serve!

IMG_4418

The second loaf freezes well if you wrap in plastic wrap and put into a plastic bag once cooled, or you could invite some friends over to share!

Sandra’s Banana Bread Recipe:

  • 3 or 4 (use 4) ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 1 cup sugar (I reduce to 3/4 cup and use brown sugar substitute like Splenda)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • Optional: (but I do advise it)
  • 1/2 cup lightly chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix butter into mashed banana in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mixing in. If using, fold in chopped walnuts and chocolate chips and blend evenly. Pour into buttered 4 x 8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Makes one loaf.

 

signature

 

 

 

Fred – a store – handmade gifts & costume jewellery design

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fredastore
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fredastore
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/fredastore/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Fredastore