Tuesday, June 7, 2016

What's Happening in My Life--It's a Long Piece



Hi, It's me.  Did you think I had left you forever?  Maybe.  I thought about it to be honest but the pull to return is too strong.  I miss it.  I miss the friendships, the comments, the interaction with readers who feel connected to me.  I miss you.

I had to take some time away though.  I was in a bad place. I set off to correct a few thoughts and to find my way.  I wasn't happy but I was happy.  Does that make sense?  What is being happy anyways?  I found I was walking in a shell of a body.  My mind was numb and I was going through the motions.  I don't believe I was depressed but maybe I was.  I felt happy most of the time just empty.  

So empty. 

 I felt I had ran this huge race and crossed the finished line only to discover , "why did I run at all."  You may have felt this too about me as you read some of my last entries here on the blog.  I tried to push through and find out what was holding me back.  Why did I have these feelings of numbness? Why couldn't I feel joy like everyone else?  Was I broken?

 So many questions.

Looking back I think there are several reasons for my dip in mood and happiness. I won't spend a great deal of time analyzing them but will touch on a few that I think have contributed to my downward spiral.  I have talked about leaving the Mormon Church before.  This was a huge transition for our family.  Six years later and we are just now starting to feel normal again.  What ever that means but we find ourselves identifying with that word more and more these days.  Secondly, having Finnley was a blessing but it has also been very difficult.  Kids are work and when you are forty-eight with a two year old, it seems like a mole hill becomes Mount Everest.  Tired and worn out only begin to describe my state of being over the last three years.  Finally, my mind was a huge bowl of Jello.  Staying home resonated with me with my first two kids.  These last two little girls are getting a different Mom.  I felt guilty about that.  I didn't want to stay home anymore. I wanted to get out and do something for myself.  The guilt of feeling this way was burdensome.  

So, yeah, I went through some shit.

The good news is I took control of my own happiness and I feel so much better.  Let me back up for a minute.  We moved to Oregon in June 2015 and finally moved into our new home in August 2015.  This was a transitional time for our family.  Drake left home after graduating from high school, Rye stayed with us, Isabella was 8, and Finnley was on the verge of crossing the "terrible two's" bridge.  Cory and I were not in a good place and yet, we were buying a home. What the hell was wrong with us?  We were in motion and couldn't seem to get off the train long enough to repair ourselves, let alone, a relationship.  We hit a cross road.  Two weeks into our new home we said the words "divorce" and "separation".  What had driven us to this point?  It was scary and honestly hurt so deeply.  The hurt of losing my best friend is what gave us the strength to fix what was troubling our marriage.  I couldn't imagine living without him but at that moment all I wanted to do was run away.  I was so tired.  Tired of fighting, negotiating, being homeless (we lived with my sister until our house was closed), dealing with a two year old who felt the need to remind me of why she would be our last-daily, and trying to figure out "what the fuck I wanted to be when I grow up".  

Forty-eight and still trying to find myself.  It's funny--now.  

This has a happy ending.  We figured out a reason to stay together and keep the love alive. To be truthful it had nothing to do with love. We still loved each other very much.  It was out of this love that we felt the need to let each other go. If we were not making the other person happy why should we be so selfish as to not let them go to find the happiness that we each deserved.  We talked about seeing a therapist and opted to try our hand at doing some self care first.  I found two books that, in my opinion, saved our marriage.  They are The Five Love Languages and The Seven Priniciples for Making Marriage Work.  Both of these books are excellent and opened up our eyes to a ton of ideas of how to improve our foundation.  We had the bones of a good house it just needed a face lift and and update.  We needed some new furniture...my feeble attempt at humor!

I'm so glad we made it.  Cory is an amazing father and husband.  What I learned along the way is that what I thought were his problems were actually mine.  I was unhappy with myself and projecting this into the lives of those around me.  I forgot that I was in charge of my own happiness; not someone else. We worked through our issues and found a rekindled appreciation for each other.  We recognized that at this stage of our life it is important for us to do things separate from each other and to grow as individuals. We had forgotten how to fill our own cups.  Kids, moving, buying a new house, family, leaving a church, new jobs, and on and on....had over taken our lives.  We stopped living the good life and found ourselves drowning in a pool of ankle deep water.


Once we were on track again I had to look deep within myself and decide a few things.  In January of this year I returned to school for the first time in 29 years.  It was scary taking those first steps to get admitted, take a placement test, find classes, set up financial aid, and then finally attend.  This single act of kindness that I allowed myself has been life changing. 

My cup is full for now. I work daily on keeping what's inside me flowing.  

Returning to school has allowed me to grow personally. I have found a new drive and direction.  I feel alive.  My only regret is that I did not do this sooner.  I won't spend anytime beating myself over that decision and move forward with my goals and aspirations. 

The amazing thing is my family is okay.  By going to school, our schedule has changed a bit, but I can do both.  I am learning that I can take some time for me, give to my kids, be with my husband, and juggle.  I should have joined a circus act because, honestly, I can do more than I thought was possible. I doubted my abilities, and it threw me into a tail spin.  Thankfully, with a lot of soul searching and self-love, I was able to pull out and stay the course. 

I found me.


 Why am I sharing all of this?  Well, because it's who I am. These moments are not unique to just me.  This is life.  These types of events are happening everyday to families, to mothers, and to women.  We feel at times empty.  We struggle to find balance.  We try to be everything to everyone and leave ourselves in the dust.  It happens. Shit happens.

I have learned a great deal about finding a community that elevates who you are and hope to become. This is an important part of building and retaining my happiness. I feel the road was long and rough at times but these past five years were all worth it.  The home we have created is beautiful.  We love living at the beach.  Our marriage is solid.  Our kids bring us joy.

I am happy.  Happiness does not equate to perfection.  It means that I am able to swing back and forth between the highs and the lows with out hitting rock bottom.  We spend a lot of time at the beach. Our whole family feels a connection to the waves, the wind, the sand, and the smell of salty air.  If I felt lost before I feel found now.  I am home.


This means change.  Change for my blog.  I have tried and struggled to do the whole food thing.  My own eating habits change constantly as we are still trying to figure out what is going on with my auto-immune system. I have recently had all the allergy testing done AGAIN.  I have been told that I have a very sensitive immune system and that I need to visit a rheumatologist and we need to start looking at a possible Lupus diagnosis.  I'm not ready for that so am trying to control my symptoms with diet. I am back to a strict vegan diet.  It is the only things that keep the inflammation, redness, foggy brain, aches and pains at bay.  It's hard.  I am frustrated.  I have felt so alone with this journey and at rock bottom on some days.  I am pulling the plug on my food only blogging format.  It is too depressing because I am so limited in what I can eat and prepare.  I feel the fun I experienced of cooking and creating is gone. I started to pull away last year because of my frustration and this year I made the decision to do something different. When I felt the spark return, while at the beach, which I had originally felt with cooking, I knew the beach was my way to keep writing and to stay connected.

Change is good.

I love the beach and all that it offers.  Through my Instagram account I am finding that others feel the same way I do.  So I am trying to re-brand myself into a lifestyle blog.  I hope to share lots of beach things as well as some food recipes. The ocean is my happy place and I feel compelled to share this joy with others.  The beach is a sanctuary and it is here that I have found a connection like no other place that we have lived.  It might be the coolness of the air and water to my firey personality or the constant beauty that I am surrounded by. Whatever it is, I will never let go.

These are a few things that I have been thinking about writing in several blog updates, and, well, it all came out in one post.  I just regurgitated my last year with its highs and lows for the world to see and dissect.  Oh well.  Life happens and we either sink or swim.

Thankfully, I am turning into a great swimmer.

A few images from my Instagram account below in a collage. I would love to see you visit me over on Instagram. I share daily updates there.  I will try to write weekly on my blog. I am still on Facebook, Twitter, and StumbleUpon.  I have some great Pinterest boards too. My second semester is ending today and I will have a lighter load this summer. I am hoping this gives me the chance to write again.  I love writing. I love the beach.  I'm pretty sure I can weave a tale or two combining my two loves.

Have a joyful day!


Friday, January 15, 2016

Kale Salad with Maple Dijon Salad Dressing



Well, here I am.  Two weeks into school and my life is busy and exciting.  I have not felt so alive in a long time.  I struggled for quite some time to justify my decision of returning to school and pursuing my education. I was taught that my job was in the home.  I have supported my family and husband and watched with elation as they have met their goals, dreamed their dreams, and obtained their educational degrees as well.  I played the part of supporting actress, high spirited cheerleader and motivational speaker for some time.  I have been a stay at home mom for 21 years.  This role has brought me great joy, and yet recently, I have felt empty.

Something inside of me was not right.  I struggled to place my finger on exactly what was causing me to drop into depression, suffer from anxiety, doubt myself, and, I was aware that I was slowing drifting away from my life.  The island, that is my family, was slowly drifting further from the raft that I was floating in.  I felt the embrace of being pulled under or away.


It wasn't until things came to a head this summer after moving into our home that I realized I needed a direction.  I needed to do something for me.  My unhappiness with myself was affecting my family, my relationship with my husband, and with my life.  I needed a life line.

Facing the strange fear of possibly losing it all--I made a decision.  Cory has never ever once told me to not go to school.  It's the opposite.  He never wanted me to quit and has pushed me onto this course for some time.  I finally took the bait and did what I thought was impossible, I enrolled in school.  Knee shaking, heart pulsing--I was accepted.  I told my family and they have supported me 100%.
  

This one decision will affect our family.  Cory is still working from home but he still needs to work so I have been able to adjust my schedule so that he can work and then take care of Finnley while I am away a few hours each day.  Isabella is back in school for this school year.  Rye is working and her schedule allows her to help while I am at class too.  This whole process is teaching us to work as a team.  I am learning that I can let go of the steering wheel for a while and someone else in my family can drive the "home" ship just fine without me.  I needed to learn this lesson.

 
Cory and Rye are so cute because the other day they reassured me that I did not need to do all of the cooking.  They were capable of making a variety of dishes and they had my blog to fall back on.  I can't tell you how happy this makes me feel.  I still cook a lot but the responsibilities are being shared.

As for me, I feel good.  My spirits are high.  I am like a kid in a toy shop.  I never knew how addicting learning could be.  I am like a sponge.  I don't want school to end.  My goals are hefty and I am looking at 6 years of college but I can do this.

Our meals have become easier and more fresh.  This kale salad is delightful.  The kale and swiss chard work well together to create the base for this winter salad.  I have added a few crunch elements that my family likes but you can always exchange those for things you like more.  


Our favorite part about this salad is the Maple Syrup Dijon Salad Dressing. Twang meets sweet.  Together the flavor is "moorish" in the fact that I want more and more and more.

I hope you can appreciate Finnley as my photo assistant.  I have come a long ways since the first few years of taking pictures.  I had this idea that they needed to look perfect.  Those days are long gone.  The pictures you see are my life.  A busy Mom trying to blog, cook, photograph, write, go to school, clean house, help with homework, do homework, be a partner for my husband and still find time to pursue the things I like to do.  Finnley is my life right now and for now on you may see her foot, finger, hand, head, or shoulder in a picture or two.  I wouldn't have it any other way either. I love those little glimpses of her still small frame.

Too soon, I will have an empty home and my life will slow down.  I am trying so hard to find the balance and help my whole family achieve their goals, dreams, and personal educational needs.

It's challenging but so worth it.

Kale Salad with Maple Dijon Salad Dressing

Salad:

4 large winter kale leaves, center vein removed
4 large swiss kale leaves, center vein removed
1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried pomegranates
1/2 cup sesame seed covered cashews
1 lemon, juice only

Dressing:

1/4 cup sunflower oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
REAL maple syrup, to taste
salt if needed
pepper to taste
dash of garlic powder

1. Cut the kale and swiss chards into bite size pieces or narrow strips. I like the strips personally.  Add the remaining ingredients; toss to combine.  Squeeze the whole lemon over the salad and massage into the kale and swiss chard.  This should be done before adding the salad dressing.  Let sit for 15 minutes.

2.  In a small bowl, combine salad dressing ingredients.  Taste you product.  Add more mustard or syrup depending on how you think it taste.  Add salt if you think it needs it. Pour all of the dressing over the salad.

3.  Store left over salad in air tight container and refrigerate.

Friday, January 8, 2016

Greek Yogurt with Oranges, Mint and Pistachios


I have officially completed my first week of college.  I have felt many emotions this week: fear, excitement, and joy.  My favorite class is choir.  Yes, I am taking choir because I never took it in high school.  I love to sing and want a chance to work with a teacher to better my skills when it comes to belting out my favorite songs at random times in my life.  I like to say that my life is a musical.  

This little bowl of deliciousness is my favorite flavor combination when enjoying yogurt in the morning.  I can't explain why this combination of flavors works so well together--but it does.  I am not usually a person who eats loudly.  I am a quiet consumer when it comes to my table manners until I eat this.  Then, it's noisy and embarrassing.

I can't help myself.  You have the creamy texture of the yogurt combined with two crunchy elements-the pistachios and chocolate chips.  The tang of the oranges is never the same experience because they all taste different and finally the mint.  The mint is fresh and unexpected.  It is the glue that holds the dish together.  One without the other does not give the same experience.  Believe me I have tried and it doesn't punch the same POW that the original 5 ingredients do.  

I use dark chocolate chips and I unshell my own pistachios. You can use the kind that are already shelled.  I use all types of oranges and have even cheated with a can of canned mandarins.  I have tried this with greek yogurt, honey flavored yogurt and soy yogurt.  

We eat a lot of greek yogurt in our house.  So much that I just bought the system to make our own yogurt.  I plan on using coconut milk for ours. I bought a vegan starter from Amazon that was highly suggested by several blogs I follow.  

Yay me!  I hope it works.



This is our second favorite way to enjoy yogurt.  I have never lived anywhere that we could buy huge bags of cherries.  Well, we can in Oregon and it is amazing!  The come frozen and combine two types.  We heat them in the microwave until warm.  The juice just pours out of them when heated.  The fun part is that your yogurt turns pink.  We add my homemade granola to the mix and ta-da--it's a bowl of desire and comfort. 

To make homemade granola you can try these recipes below.  I make all of these throughout the year.  My newest one is Pecan Pie Granola.  I am still testing it and it should be added soon.





Greek Yogurt with Oranges, Mint and Pistachios
Makes one serving

1/2 cup of your favorite yogurt--plain, honey or vanilla work best
1 orange, peeled and diced into segments
1 teaspoon fresh mint, minced
handful of pistachios-shelled
as many chocolate chips as you want

1.  Grab a bowl and start adding ingredients.  Mine looks pretty just for the picture.





Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Jalapeno Fried Rice




My family has decided if I put jalapeno in any dish I make, it instantly becomes a hit.  This rice dish did not disappoint the family on a day when it was cold, rainy and gray.   

Very, very gray is how I would describe this time of year at the beach.  We get very few brights sunny days and having a bit of color in our food and on our walls helps with the blues.  When we were looking at homes the one thing that seemed to be common in each of the homes we liked were the painted walls.  Not white, cream or beige but bright orange, vibrant blue, canary yellow, and cherry red.  Bright and cheery and a bit of an eye sore when you see these rooms in person.  

I get it now though.  I see why the homes here have a lot of personality on the inside.  Those of us that live on the Oregon Coast spend a great deal of time inside the walls of our brick and mortar dwellings.  What has saved us from being down on these extended gray days are the windows in our own home.  Our living room has 10 huge windows and each and every day we get to watch the gray roll in and the gray roll out.  There is beauty in a monochromatic scene that I did not appreciate until we found ourselves immersed deep inside the gray-dom of living along a stretch of the West Coast that is simply breathtaking.  


I have never lived in a place that is constantly changing.  One day the beach has sand dunes and the next day it is flat.  The logs the size of telephone poles come to the shore with such ease that you forget that they are 25 feet tall.  They stack themselves like toothpicks near the sand dunes and in any nook they can find. Walking on the same beach you will have sun and then rain and probably more sun.

The weather is always changing and the weather is always changing the landscape.    Change, in my opinion, is good.

I guess this why I need to change up our fried rice a bit.  I won't lie and say I don't miss the bacon, egg and fried onion of my old fried rice recipe.  Bacon just adds a level of saltiness and smokiness that is hard to find in other products.  I don't like the Vegan Bacon and so I am learning to live without bacon.  My mind misses it but my body does not.  This body of mine does not process meat very well and we have been eating a plant based diet for some time.  

For this recipe I went with the spicy route.  We love all things hot.  Jalapeno's are a great way to infuse flavor and color into any rice dish.  This dish is flavored with a combination of Tamari (wheat free soy sauce) and Braggs Amino Acids.  I kept the veggies simple: garlic, onion and bell pepper with jalapeños and green onions thrown in at the very end.  

The ingredients on the list are the basics--designed for individuals who don't want raging hot fried rice, BUT, if your dinner crowd likes it extra HOT HOT HOT, well then, you might want to up the Sriracha Sauce and the jalapeños. Just go for it!


Jalapeno Fried Rice 

2-3 cups of day old prepared rice
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1/4 cup red onion, sliced
1/4 cup bell pepper, sliced
1 teaspoon garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari sauce
2 tablespoons Braggs Amino Acids
1/2-1 whole fresh jalapeno pepper, I remove the seeds
salt to taste
chopped sliced green onions for garnish
Sriracha Mayonnaise 

1.  Heat oil in large saute pan.  Add onion and bell pepper.  Let cook until tender.  Add garlic.  Cook for 1 minute.

2.  Sprinkle day old rice over cooked vegetables.  Add the soy sauce/tamari/ Braggs and stir.  At this point--add more of these liquids--as needed.  If it looks dry, then add more.  Stir to combine.

3.  Slice jalapeno's thinly and add to cooked rice and vegetables.  Remove from heat and let jalapeños warm and wilt a bit.  

4.  Prepare Sriracha Mayonnaise by combining equal parts--if your brave--and mixing well. OR add more mayonnaise and a dab of the red stuff.   Dish up rice, criss cross the sauce across the top with a piping bag or a spoon and sprinkle with green onions.

OH, and be prepared to share the recipe--people want this one!


Friday, January 1, 2016

Gooey Hasselback Sweet Potatoes


Sweet potatoes in January?  Yep!  We are starting our year off right, in my opinion.

We eat these all year round plus I needed a reason to make marshmallows.  I think everyone needs a reason to make marshmallows.  They are beyond amazing.  I personally don't like the texture of store bought marshmallows and was leary of making them for the kids.

Little did I know that I would be hiding said "crack" from the kids because if they touched my marshmallows--someone was going down.  They are ridiculously easy to make and WAY better than the store bought version.

Now don't go crazy--you can use the store bought marshmallows for this recipe. I still buy them on occasion BUT just in case you want to try and make them yourself--GO HERE!  I love this recipe and mine turn out great each time.



Back to the sweet potatoes.  I was curious about this thing that people are always posting titled " hasselback" this and "hasselback" that.  I dug deeper and found that it has to do with the way you cut your potatoes and there is a recipe that was originated in Sweden. If you would like to see that one--go here!  I'm not sure they would approve of using a sweet potato so don't tell them.  It's our secret.

It's fancy and different.  I wasn't too impressed with it because of the stress I put on myself of cutting the damn thing in half--then what?  I like mine just fine baked the old fashion way but for variety I would suggest trying it for company. A gourmet presentation with a simple technique.

I gussied mine up with homemade marshmallows and a pecan crumble.  After that I didn't care how they were cut.


Gooey Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

4 sweet potatoes
1/4-1/3 batch fresh marshmallows or 4 large store bought marshmallows
pecan crumble--recipe below

Pecan Crumble (Make ahead--see below)
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. chopped pecans 

1.  Preheat oven to 400.  Wash and slice sweet potatoes into thin rows.  Do not cut through the entire potato.  To make this easy, I laid a set of chopsticks out and put the potato in the middle.  Then I held all three together while I sliced away.  The chopsticks prevented me from cutting the potato all the way through. 

2.  I baked the potatoes until soft, about 45-60 minutes in my oven.  I laid the marshmallows across the top and returned to oven until melted.  I added the premade crumble before I served them.

To make the Pecan Crumble: Mix ingredients together and spread in the bottom of a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Check and add time if needed.  Once cooled, use a metal or plastic spatula and break apart.  I would recommend parchment paper--this helps because you can lift the parchment and break it apart.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Citrus Baked Salmon with Pomegranate



I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday season.  We celebrate Christmas and had family in town.  Now we are trying to justify our food choices and figure out a plan of action.  This dish is on the menu for the week.

If you know a thing or two about Oregon then you know that Oregonians love their salmon.  Our home sits on a bay.  When the weather is good you will find many fishermen up early trying to land a popular Chinook Salmon.

Driving around you will see these said fishermen piled into flat boats all fishing in the same place.  Seriously, you will see 8-10 boats all together with their lines out.  Sometimes you mights see 30 or 40 fishing boats in one spot.  It's a sight to see and during PEAK season--good luck finding parking to even get your boat in the water.

Personally I don't have that kind of desire to hunt fish with a community effort. If we go, I prefer sitting by a quiet creek with little to no foot traffic or boats by the dozen.

We have yet to catch our own salmon.  Cory bought the gear and has tried a few times with his brother from the shore but without a boat I hear it can be tough. Eventually we may have to get a boat.  Although with the amount of rain we might be building an ark soon.

For now I get our salmon like most people do.  At the store.  I try to buy the freshest pieces I can.  Again, this is not hard in my area because we live in a fishing community and I go to the boat and buy it from the mornings catch.  Yes, we are spoiled that way.

If you read my blog, then you know that we don't eat much meat.  We do eat fish on occasion.  Let me explain.  Our not eating meat has nothing to do with animal cruelty.  I am opposed to inhumane conditions of these factory farms that are horrible to their animals.  I don't buy from these places when we do eat meat.  I try to shop locally from sustainable LOCAL farmers and fishermen.  I know the people who are raising the little meat that we do eat.    For me, it is a protein issue.  My body does not like animal protein.  I am able to eat fish without any visible or noticeable issues.  

For this recipe I wanted to try and experiment with spices and herbs.  I went with a coconut and orange juice bath with slices of oranges and lemons.  I added whole anise and cinnamon sticks while the fish was baking.  I also seasoned with salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, and onion salt.  Use any spices you want.  My thinking was to go with flavors that I thought went well together: orange and cinnamon.  These two flavors remind me of winter.  

It's winter.  It's cold.  We had salmon.  Simple stuff Maynard.



Citrus Baked Salmon with Pomegranate 

1 large filet of salmon, this piece measured about 15 inches long
2 oranges (1 for juice and 1 slices to bake with fish)
1 lemon, sliced
1/2 pomegranate, seeds only
2 whole anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 can of full fat coconut milk
2 teaspoons curry powder
salt, pepper to taste
garlic powder
onion powder
fresh thyme, minced

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Oil a baking dish.  Lay filet in the bottom of baking dish.

2.  Add all of the ingredients (except the pomegranate seeds).  The fat from the coconut milk I scooped on top (see picture above) and poured the liquid in the bottom of the dish.  I seasoned the fish by sprinkling said spices across the top. I don't have a heavy hand and never measure this method. I use it for all of my fish dishes.  It works for us.

3.  Lay the slices of lemon and orange across the salmon.  I added the juice from one orange to the coconut milk--notice the orange color when baked--to add flavor and to extend the broth.

4.  Bake fish until flaky.  Salmon cooks fairly fast.  I usually check it after 15 minutes.  Each oven is different so keep that in mind.

5.  We serve the salmon in steaks over rice and sprinkle the pomegranate seeds for color and flavor.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Toasted Cashews


Are you going nuts yet?  Only a few more days before Christmas.  My house is a buzz with anxious adults and strung out kids.  They are way too excited this year.  The two year old is figuring things out pretty fast and the 8 year old is keeping her promise to not sleep much until Christmas day.  Send wine!

Our family eats a lot of nuts.  Even as a kid, I loved nuts.  One memory I have from my childhood are the bowls of nuts my grandparents had sitting around their home during the Christmas season.  They had the nut crackers and those thin picks.  Oh the piles of shells.  They were everywhere.  The grown ups from my childhood didn't know how to get up and throw the piles of shells away. I guess the Elf on the Shelf did that.

I tried the whole nut thing with my family and they did not care for it. Honestly I think it was too messy for their liking.  It's kind of like eating crab. My kids love it as long as I pick the meat out for them.  LOL

This is how we do holiday nuts in our house.  I have been toasting my own nuts for about 5 years.  The process is simple and I don't get too fancy but you can if you like.  I use my cast iron pans because it evenly heats the whole pan and they just turn out better each time I make them than when I use any other pan.


I buy my nuts raw and in a 25 pound bag. I store them in the freezer.  It takes us about 4-6 months to use them up and I find that they may go bad if I keep them in a drawer.  I toast them from a frozen state and have not had any problems with them turning out.

I use vegetable oil because olive oil can be too strong for my family and their taste buds.  I use flake salt to season them with after toasting.  I store them in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.  Honestly they rarely go this long because we add them to almost all of our salads and curry's.  

If I had to describe a toasted cashew it would be nutty creaminess.  The combination of the toasted outside combined with the sweet center is the perfect snack in my opinion.


Toasted Cashews 

2 cups of raw cashews, whole or halved
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
salt to taste

1.  Preheat a cast iron pan and add oil. Heat oil and toss cashews in.  Stir with a wooden spoon until nuts are brown on both sides.  Remove from heat to a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.

NOTE: Nuts will firm up once they are cool.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Free Form Rustic Tart with Berries



Yay, I finally found a pie I can make successfully.  What?  This isn't a pie--but, the crust is flaky and it has a fruit filling.   For me, this is pie at our house.

Confession time--I am the worst pie maker ever!  Have you ever noticed that I don't post pies during "pie season"?  It's not my thing.  It's my sister-n-law Amy's thing. She makes the best pies.

I make this instead.  Remember my blog is Simply Gourmet and I like to keep things simple.  This is simple because you roll it out flat, toss in your fruit, crimp the edges, and bake.

TA-DA--you have a Free Form Rustic Tart, a Galette or, in my case, a pseudo pie.

More than likely you will be covering it in whipped cream or ice cream anyways.

We like our version and my kids never complain except when the last piece is going out of the kitchen on someone else's plate.  Usually Dads!  HA HA HA






 

If you are hoping for a "fancy" recipe you won't find it here.  This is too simple for a formal recipe.  Here is what you do:

1.  Use your favorite pie crust recipe.  You know the one that has been handed down for generations and generations--yeah, that one.  If you don't have that recipe handy, then try this one here. It is my go to pie crust because the one I was given by my grandma... I can't make.  #terriblepiemakerremember

2.  Round up your fruit and some sugar.  I recommend trying your fruit first.  If it is sweet then only add a little bit of sugar...BUT...and this is huge, if your fruit is sour and tart and that is NOT what you are going for, THEN, just add the damn sugar.  It's a tart-pie-thingy.  A little sugar won't hurt.  I "PUCKERED" my family once with a super tart Tart and they were not happy.  Taste your fruit!

3.  Buy or make a whipped topping or ice cream.  It really does add to the experience as it melts over the fruit and down the sides of the tart to pool under each slice of deliciousness.  Trust me. 


Then make your daughter pose for a bunch of pictures on the day that she is waiting to here back about a job, her RX at the pharmacy is delayed and she has a cold from hell---promise her this pie-tart-thingy--and all is good.

The holidays are busy and can be stressful.  This dessert is simple. It looks gorgeous and whips together in no time. In fact, you can make it the day before and reheat it up in the oven.  How about that?

Let's make this thing.

Preheat your oven to 400, roll out your pie crust on parchment paper, transfer to a cookie sheet or round stone, add your fruit combined with sugar to taste (+plus 1 tablespoon corn starch), fold up the edges (see pictures) and bake.  My oven took 35-40 minutes.  I would check after 30 and then add more time as needed.

NOTE:  I used fresh fruit: raspberries, blueberries and slices of orange.  I have not made this with frozen fruit before.





Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Ramen



Ramen rules the roost in our house.  I bet we make it twice a week. It is a dish everyone in our family will like and slurp up.  I rarely hear grunts, moans or words of displeasure of what we are having for lunch or dinner on these nights.

Our recipe for this dish is simple.  We use Japanese ramen noodles that I buy from Mai's (our local asian store in town) and use a vegetable broth seasoned with Tamari Sauce (gluten free soy sauce).  I have also thrown in a spoonful of miso soup base for added flavor. We include carrots, green onion, red onion and mushrooms.  We have also added: zucchini, hard boiled eggs, meat (if our guest eat meat), and celery.

Honestly, you can add anything you want to your ramen bowl.  The broth is a blank canvas and you can fill it up with what your family enjoys.  Make it your own. This is just what we do because its quick and makes the kids happy.  The kids don't want fancy or sophisticated.  It took me a while to figure this out but I am finally catching on to this whole parenting thing....kind of.

In fact, we eat ramen so much in our house during these cold and rainy days that I invested in a set of Ramen bowls.  I love them.  I tried to buy them all a bit different. I love how they all work together with their own vibrant patterns showing off their own ramen noodles.  I paid about $14.00 a piece for them.  I have no idea if this is a good deal or not...but, they have been used a ton in the last month we have owned them.

A few weeks ago Cory brought home a selection of ramen noodles.  I am not talking about the prepackaged/all in one ramen noodles that sell for 5/1.00.  These are ramen noodles sold like Italian pasta noodles.  We tried fresh, frozen and dried.  They were from 5 different countries.  To be honest, the differences were minor but we kept going back to the Japanese brand as our favorite.  The taste and texture fit with what our expectation of a ramen noodle should be like.

The kids could care less...they just want ramen noodles.

The Japanese ramen noodles were the most expensive so beware of price.  They all have different price points and different ingredients.  Some were made with 2 ingredients and others had 5-6.  If this is important to you then read the labels.

Ramen
This is enough for 4 bowls.  The amounts will vary based on how many bowls you are preparing.  We usually plan on one cup of broth per bowl.  People are here for the noodles..LOL

4 cups of broth-vegetable, beef, or chicken
1-2 tablespoons of Tamari or Soy Sauce
1/4 cup of sliced red onion
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup green onion
1/4 cup sliced carrots
1/5 cup sliced mushrooms

optional additions are: meat, hard boiled egg, zucchini, or what ever you want

1.  Cut vegetables into small slices, dices or pieces.  Add to broth.

2.  Heat broth to very hot.  We never boil the broth.  Keep broth very hot until vegetables are tender.

3. In a separate pot bring desired amount of water to a boil (see noodle instructions).  Add noodles and cook.  Drain and add to individual bowls.  Our noodles take about 6 minutes to cook.

4.  Add broth and veggies to noodles.  Add any other toppings to your ramen bowl. Serve.

This is a version where we used larger rice noodles and added fresh cilantro.  Keepin' it different!





Friday, December 11, 2015

Chinese Tofu Salad with Cashews



Cory and I used to make Chinese Chicken Salad all the time.  You may remember, it was the salad with Top Ramen added and sometimes served with chicken.  Since we are staying away from a lot of process food the Top Ramen is out.  We also have cut back on our meat.  Cabbage salad sounded boring.  I took the initiative to mix and match my ingredients to come up with a new version for our family and renamed it Chinese Tofu Salad.

It's not exactly like the salad we used to make but it had familiar notes to it.  I think he liked it because he went back for seconds and then thirds.

I used the Fried Tofu from Tuesdays recipe to top our salad.  I like warm protein on my salads.  The process of making fried tofu is in Tuesdays blog post. It is simple and creates a nice warm element to this salad.  

I also toasted sesame seeds and cashews.  The fried tofu, toasted sesame seeds and cashews create a party in your mouth.  The different flavor profiles with the simple dressing explode with flavor and freshness. 


Chinese Tofu Salad with Cashews and Sesame Seeds

1/2 head of cabbage, cut any way you like
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 cup toasted cashews
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
2 stalks of celery, sliced thin
green onion for garnish on top
Fried Tofu-optional (see post for instructions on how to make)

Dressing:

3 tablespoons rice wine
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
3-5 drops of sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1-2 teaspoons sugar or coconut sugar

1.  Mix salad ingredients together.

2.  Combine dressing ingredients together.  Taste to make sure it is balanced correctly. Adjust with more rice wine, soy sauce or sugar.

3.  Pour dressing over salad and toss.  Add tofu to individual plates of salad. Garnish with green onion pieces.

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Tofu and Red Onion Salad


I really wanted to name this salad Finnley's Favorite Salad in the Entire World but I think it might be a bit too long.  The girl loves red onions in rice vinegar.

We first had this salad a few weeks ago at our local Japanese restaurant.  I wasn't really sure what I was ordering but I knew that I liked tofu and red onions.  What could there be to not like? NOTHING!  It was delicious and Cory barely got any of it.

When we got home I knew that this needed to be added to our monthly menu line up.  To be honest the tofu freaked me out.  I had no idea what I was doing when it came to frying tofu and set out on a mission to dig a little deeper.  I own several cookbooks that helped me to figure it out.  


The method that I am using in this recipe is by far my favorite because its a simple process of heating up some oil, tossing the cubes of tofu in a starch and frying until golden brown.  I experimented with deep frying the pieces and it was messy and my tofu was a bit oily.  I think I am not set up to deep fry in my home kitchen and I will let the restaurants tend to that process.  I might need to invest in a Fry Daddy, but again, the pan fried method worked for us.  

The tofu was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside--perfect!


I fry up a whole block of extra firm tofu because it reheats well for other dishes. I also used it in the recipe coming out on Friday for my Asian Tofu Salad with cashews and toasted sesame seeds.

A few weeks ago we had company and I threw this together in a very short amount of time.  My brother-n-law and sister-n-law thought the salad was a success.

During the photo shoot, Finnley, could not hold back.  She sat right down and started helping herself to her salad.  She was too cute to say no and so I continued shooting and she continued to eat. I love the picture above with her cute feet straddling her salad.  She is growing up too fast and these little moments remind me of that.

Below I will show you step by step how I prepare the tofu to fry.  The salad starts with four simple ingredients: red onion, rice vinegar, salt and pepper.


Tofu and Red Onion Salad

1/2 red onion, sliced very thin
1-3 tablespoon rice vinegar, depends on amount of onion used
salt and pepper
1 block of extra firm tofu
oil for frying
starch for coating

1.  30 minutes before you make your salad prepare the tofu.  See the images below to help you with this step.  Also cut the red onion and add the salt, pepper and rice vinegar.

2.  After 30 minutes, cut tofu into slices and then small pieces.  Toss in starch of your choice (corn, arrowroot, potato).

3.  Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of  a skillet.  Add tofu pieces one at a time.  They might clump together if you toss them all in at once.

4.  Fry on each side until golden brown and remove to a cookie rack until ready to add to the red onion.

5.  Top red onion salad with warm tofu and serve.

TOFU Instructions
This is how I remove the excess water from my tofu.  I wrap it in a dish towel and add something heavy to the top of it.  The dish towel will absorb the extra water and create a more dense block of tofu for frying.


I slice the tofu into 1/2 widths.

I then take each slice and make it 6 pieces.

Heat my oil, and add each piece one at a time.  

Let get golden brown on each side. Remove to cookie rack.



Friday, December 4, 2015

Swiss Chard Salad with Lemon


I first had this salad in June of this past year.  We were leaving Maryland and our friends had invited us over for a goodbye luncheon.  Natasha served this salad with a few others.  THIS SALAD is amazing!

I have tweaked it a bit from her original recipe, but let me tell ya, I make this salad for every guest that comes to our home....AND?  They love it.  I think love may not be a strong enough word.  People are shocked to be eating Swiss Chard. Most of them have never had Swiss Chard and instantly fall in love with the texture and flavor.  It's hardier than a regular green salad.

I believe what makes this salad so beloved is its simplicity.  The combination of lemon, bread crumbs (Panko in the picture above) and olive oil riles up their taste buds.  The balanced dressing makes you notice how perfect a salad can with a few ingredients.

Everything we make doesn't have to be fancy to be good.


I find Swiss Chard year round where I live.  This particle variety is called Rainbow Swiss Chard.  The stems are different colors.  I personally don't include the stems in the salad. I use a small pairing knife and trim the stem out of each leaf.  I find the stem to be tough.

I toast the Panko crumbs in a dry cast iron skillet over medium high heat.  They turn a nice golden brown. I have also used croutons that I make up ahead of time from old bread.  I crush them in a bag and toast them like the Panko crumbs.  If you are gluten free either omit the bread crumbs all together or use a gluten free variety.

If you use cheese, then I would recommend a nice strong Parmesan to finish this salad.   I also have friends that add bacon.  We don't add bacon because we don't eat it but if you do....then go for it.  


This salad stores in the refrigerator well.  I have heated it up the next day for a few seconds in the microwave with excellent results.  The bread crumbs/Panko crumbs get a little soggy but this does not bother me.


I live across the street from a beautiful bay along the Oregon Coast.  We often see bald eagles flying and nesting in the area.  On the day that I shot the pictures for this piece I turned and looked out the window to see a bald eagle fishing right in front of me.  I had no time to get a stronger lens so I used what I had.  I captured this image below.  I tell you, the excitement and thrill that pulsed through my veins to watch this spectacular bird in its natural habit and so close to my house...was incredible.


Swiss Chard Salad with Lemon

1 bunch of Swiss Chard, with the stems removed
1 lemon, juice only
1/4 cup olive oil,  add more as needed
1 cup of Parmesan cheese, shredded finely
1 cup of toasted bread crumbs or Panko crumbs
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon minced red onion
Bacon--optional and use what you like

1.  Slice the swiss chard leaves into bite size pieces.  In a bowl add all of the ingredients and toss.

2.  Taste the salad and adjust to your taste buds.  We like ours tart so I add more lemon usually.


Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Salsa Verde



It's the holiday season and we are so excited in my house.  The tree is up and the decorations are out.  This is our first year in the beach house and we are settling in and starting new traditions.

I am sharing one of our favorite recipes this time of year.  In my mind I was under the assumption that Salsa Verde is a summer thing.  Well, in Oregon it's an all year round thing.

I can buy the ingredients at my local Fred Meyer and this brings a bit of freshness into our gray and winter months here at the beach.  We have seen so much rain.  One night we had 2.5 inches.  A LOT OF RAIN is in our forecast and this bright salsa is an easy way to add color to our plates and lives.


Each time I make Salsa Verde it disappears from the fridge.  My kids eat it as an after school or late night snack with chips.  My favorite is to drizzle it over my nachos with some fresh red salsa and cilantro.  I also make vegan burritos and use it as the sauce. 

I have noticed that if I use the smaller tomatillo's that it can be a bit tart.  We like this about the salsa but some people find it too strong.  I have used the tomatillos raw but I usually try to roast them or toss them in my cast iron pan for a few minutes.  This helps to round out the flavor and tartness.




You may have noticed that my recipes have become simpler.  We are still eating mostly vegetables, fruits, nuts and less meat.  It's been an easy transition and we love getting creative with the rainbow of fruits and vegetables at our local grocery store and Farmer Market.  I find I don't need long recipes to make delicious food for most of our meals.

I also notice that much of our cooking is using the "a little of this and a little of that" mentality.   If my recipes seem to not offer a lot of instruction its because they depend more on your taste buds and personal preferences than on following a recipe that is set in stone.  I want you to think about what you are cooking, taste your food, learn what you like, and learn about the ingredients you are working with.  

I hope you enjoy this bright, tart salsa this time of year.

Salsa Verde 
Makes about 2 cups

8-10 Tomatillos, raw or roasted
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1/4 cut onion
1 jalapeno--optional
salt to taste
lime juice to taste--optional
1 clove minced garlic

avocado--If you want a creamy version, this is a great way to use up a very ripe avocado.

1.  Roast the tomatillos on stove top with a little bit of oil or in a very hot oven for 10 minutes.

2.  Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor.

3.  Taste and adjust flavors: add more lime, jalapeno, cilantro, or salt as needed.

4. Store in refrigerator.

Donut Breakfast Casserole

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