Mar
07

Recipes : California Hand-Rolled Sushi

It seems like everyone, no matter what their feelings towards sashimi, likes California Hand-Rolled Sushi. I haven’t found a place down here yet to get it, so I’ve been thinking of trying my hand at making it myself. It doesn’t seem like it would be too difficult. Though it would probably take practice to get it just right. I figured that some of you might be interested in giving it a try as well.

Ingredients :
+ 8 sheets nori (dried seaweed sheets)
+ 1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice, washed and drained
+ 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
+ 3 tablespoons sugar
+ 2 teaspoons salt
+ 1/2 pound crabmeat or imitation crabmeat
+ 2 large ripe avocados
+ Wasabi
+ Soy Sauce

Directions :
1. Combine rice and 2 cups water in medium saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand 20 minutes, covered.
2. Combine vinegar, sugar and salt in small saucepan; heat only until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly.
3. Put the cooked rice nto large non-metal bowl, fluffing with a fork. Pour vinegar mixture, a little at a time, evenly over rice, gently folding to combine after each addition. Cool rice mixture to room temperature.
4. Cut or shred crabmeat into bite-size strips. Just before serving, cut each avocado in half; seed and peel. Cut each half lengthwise into 8 thin slices. Arrange avocado slices, nori and crabmeat on large platter.
5. Place nori on a flat surface. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons rice mixture in center of nori. Top with avocado slice and one piece crabmeat. Wrap nori around filling in cone shape to enclose. Serve with wasabi and soy sauce.

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Mar
06

Recipes : Fresh Salsa

No matter your skill level in the kitchen, fresh salsa is a quick and easy thing to make. Just like everything else, salsa is always better when it’s fresh versus bought from a store.

Ingredients :
+ 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
+ 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
+ seeded and finely diced jalapeno, serrano, or any other hot pepper, to taste
+ 6 fresh tomatoes, quartered
+ 2 teaspoons white vinegar
+ 1/2 lime, juiced
+ 1/8 teaspoon salt
+ sugar, to taste

Directions :
1. Combine all chopped ingredients in a medium sized bowl. If you prefer a smoother less chunky texture, you can combine the ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix until to your liking.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the vinegar, lime juice, and salt. Whisk together.
3. Combine all ingredients and stir well. Add sugar, to taste, if you desire.

Mar
05

Glamour’s Calorie Math : Omelet vs. Eggs & Canadian Bacon

In an issue of Glamour magazine, the Calorie Math section compared two breakfast options. An omelet and sunny-side up eggs with Canadian bacon and sides. You might be surprised at which is the better pick.

Glamour's Calorie Math : Omelet vs. Eggs & Canadian Bacon You could eat : A three-egg omelet cooked in 1 teaspoon butter with 2 ounces cheddar cheese and 2 ounces ham OR You could eat : Two sunny-side up eggs with 2 slices Canadian bacon, 1 piece whole-grain toast with 1 teaspoon butter, 1 6-ounce glass of orange juice and a small glazed doughnut.

Which do you think is the better option? Option 1, the omelet, contains 570 calories and 42 grams fat. Option 2, sunny-side up eggs with Canadian bacon and sides, contains 570 calories and 26 grams fat. To make it even better, eat turkey bacon instead of Canadian bacon.The main lesson here is to go simple with eggs and watch what you put in your omelet. Cheese and processed meat can really take a toll on the health content of an item. Fill your omelet with veggies and, if you prefer cheese, use soy or rice cheese instead.

Mar
05

Recipes : ”Buttermilk” Dressing

One of the things that I’ve missed the most about not eating dairy is buttermilk/ranch salad dressing. Let me tell you some things, like hot wings, just aren’t the same without it. This is, hands down, the best dairy-free and vegan version of “buttermilk” dressing that I’ve found. I sometimes use a combination of tofu mayonnaise and Vegan mayonnaise to give it a creamier consistency. When kept tightly covered and well refrigerated, this will last about 1 week.

Ingredients :
+ 1/2 cup tofu mayonnaise (click here for the recipe)
+ 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
+ 1/2 cup plain soy milk
+ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
+ 2 tablespoons safflower oil
+ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried
+ 1 tablespoon lemon juice
+ 1/2 teaspoon salt
+ 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Directions :
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth and well combined.
2. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

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Mar
05

Recipes : Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

One of my favorite cookies are Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons. They are surprisingly easy to make. You could leave out the almonds if you like.

Ingredients :
+ 2 2/3 cup flake coconut, firmly packed
+ 2/3 cup sugar
+ 1/4 cup unbleached flour
+ 4 egg whites, unbeaten
+ 1 cup sliced almonds
+ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
+ 1 teaspoon almond extract
+ 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions :
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Combine the coconut, sugar, and flour in a bowl. Stir in the egg whites, almonds, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix well.
3. Form balls of the mixture, about 1 tablespoon per ball. Place 2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet while still hot and allow to cool.
5. For the chocolate edge, melt the chocolate in double boiler, stirring until 2/3 melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until all chocolate is melted.
6. Dip one edge of each cookie into the chocolate and set on wax paper to set.

Okay, so am I the only person out there that finds address labels to be extremely useful? They are so much quicker and easier than actually writing your address down time and time again. Especially when sending off a stack of mail. Several times a year, I get sent some address labels by a couple of different organizations trying to get me to sign up as a member. I use them, since they are free, but they are so ugly! I’ve been thinking that I might order address labels at some point soon. Since address labels are like a miniature representation of your self, I’d like to have ones that I actually like. I found a site online that lets you design you own address labels. You can edit one of the templates that they already have on the site, upload your own design that you created yourself, or you can use their online design tool to create your own design. It seems like a really great service! Plus, think of all the cute designs that you could come up with! I did some more searching and found a promo code for these address labels too. If you enter the code BlogAddress75 at checkout, you’ll receive a whopping 75 percent off of your total! The code only works if you are ordering address labels but, wow. 75 percent off? That’s such a great deal!

Feb
28

Recipes : Szechuan Chicken

If you have a wok at home, there are so many great and quick recipes of things that you can throw together. This Szechuan Chicken is one of my favorite dishes. This recipe makes enough for 4 servings. In a pinch, I’ve omitted the salt and used soy sauce instead of the rice wine/dry sherry and sweet bean paste/hoisin sauce. Throw on a pot of brown rice and you’ll have plenty of leftovers too.

Ingredients :
+ 2 chicken thighs, boned and skinned
+ 1/4 teaspoon salt
+ 1/2 egg white, lightly beaten
+ 2 teaspoons cornstarch paste
+ 1 green bell pepper
+ 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
+ 3-4 dried red chilies, soaked in water for 10 minutes
+ 1 scallion, cut into short lengths
+ A few pieces of fresh ginger, peeled
+ 1 tablespoon sweet bean paste or hoisin sauce
+ 1 teaspoon chili bean paste
+ 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
+ 2/3 cup roasted cashews
+ few drops of sesame oil

Directions :
1. Cut the chicken into small cubes, each about the size of a sugar cube. Combine the chicken, salt, egg white and cornstarch paste in a bowl.

2. Seed the bell pepper and cut it into cubes about the same size as the chicken.

3. Heat the oil in a preheated wok. Stir fry the chicken cubes for about 1 minute, or until they begin to change color. Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

4. Add the bell pepper, chilies, scallion, and ginger. Stir fry for about 1 minute. Then add the chicken, sweet bean paste, chili bean paste, and rice wine. Blend well and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the cashews and sesame oil. Serve hot.

Feb
27

Recipes : Fajitas

One of my favorite quick meals are fajitas. They are fast, easy, pretty affordable, and taste great.

Ingredients :
+ 1 green bell pepper, sliced
+ 1 red bell pepper, sliced
+ 1 onion, thinly sliced
+ 1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
+ 2 cups diced, cooked chicken meat, tofu, or beef
+ 1 package fajita seasoning
+ 12 inch flour tortillas

Directions :
1. Saute peppers and onion in oil until tender. Add the mushrooms and chicken, tofu, or beef. Continue to cook on low heat until heated through. Stir in fajita seasoning mix and blend thoroughly.
2. Warm tortillas in a pre-heated pan or in the microwave. Fill with the mixture of peppers, onions, and meat or tofu. Add any additional toppings (cheese, soy cheese, tomato, lettuce, sour cream, Tofutti sour cream, etc.) as you see fit.

Feb
26

Recipes : Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a yogurt, cucumber and garlic dip that’s traditional in Mediterranean cuisine. It’s easy to make and tastes good. Eat it with vegetables or bread. If you are wanting to make a dairy-free version, use a combination of plain soy yogurt and soy sour cream to replace the regular yogurt. This will help give it the same consistency.

Ingredients :
+ 2 large cucumbers
+ 2 1/2 cups thick plain yogurt
+ 3 cloves garlic, crushed
+ 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
+ 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
+ salt and pepper

Directions :
1. Using the coarse side of a grater, grate the cucumbers into a bowl lined with a kitchen cloth. After they are grated, pull the cloth into a tight bundle around the cucumbers to squeeze out all of the excess moisture. It is important to get the moisture out of the cucumbers because otherwise it will cause the Tzatziki to separate.

2. In a bowl, combine the grated cucumber, yogurt, garlic, dill, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and let chill for at least 3 hours.

3. Stir well before serving. Adjust the amount of salt and pepper seasoning if desired.

Feb
21

Recipes : Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

I’m a sucker for anything that combines chocolate and peanut butter. Unfortunately, very few of those items are dairy free or vegan. When the craving really gets to me, I make this Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake.

Ingredients :
+ 1 cup chocolate soy milk
+ 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
+ 1/2 cup chocolate soy or rice “ice cream”

Directions :
Combine the soy milk and peanut butter in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the “ice cream” and blend for about 30 seconds.

In our next place, I think that we might look into convection heaters. Since we’ll be looking for a place with a yard and a patio, it would be really great to have one set up for outdoor usage. A propane one would be nice since you can re-fill the tanks as you need and they are very economical. These heaters work by heating the air around the heating unit, so that means that it keeps it all at the same temperature. How nice would that be to have outside when having a cookout at night? Or we could set up a covered space and be able to use it during the fall, winter, and early spring when it’s usually to chilly out to grill. I can’t wait to get a house!

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Feb
19

Recipes : Marinara Sauce

Pasta is one of the staples in my pantry. It’s so easy to throw together a quick meal of pasta and any type of sauce or sauted vegetables. Marinara Sauce is probably one of the most popular toppings for pasta. It’s incredibly cheap and easy to make. Plus, it freezes well when stored in glass jars. Keep some on hand, thaw under running water, and you have a cheap, easy, and healthy meal when combined with whole wheat pasta.

Ingredients :
+ 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
+ 3 garlic cloves, minced
+ 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
+ 2 (16 ounce) cans tomato sauce
+ 1 (16 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
+ 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
+ 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
+ 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
+ 1 teaspoon salt
+ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions :
1. Saute the onion and garlic in hot olive oil in a large skillet for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the canned tomato sauce and canned tomatoes. Stir well.

3. Add the herbs to the sauce. Reduce heat to low and let simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes.

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