Thursday, April 15, 2010

Yay! The gardens in!






So with the help of the missionaries (and some proselyting efforts) we got our garden in last weekend. Lets cross our fingers and hope something grows!

I bleached again




So I bleached. It was a combination of seeing the bleach readily available on my counter and boredom that prompted this. Here are some pictures my sister requested. I really like the way it turned out but let see how long it lasts. It had been about 6 months since I had died it dark. I'm seriously surprised my hair hasn't fallen out yet.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Black bean and corn salad


  1. 15 oz black beans
  2. 10 oz canned corn
  3. 1 roma tomatoes
  4. 1/4 C cilantro
  5. 1/8 C red onion diced
  6. lemon juice to taste
  7. pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together! very yummy and fresh (you might want to double this if feeding more than 2). Also this is great for taco stuffing

Chili Seasoning and chili

We eat a lot of beans so we go through a lot of seasoning I use this all the time with black beans and pintos

Chili seasoning
  1. 6 tbl chili powder
  2. 1 tbl cumin
  3. 1 tbl seasoning salt (mrs. dashes or Lawrys if your not worried about salt)
  4. 2 t onion powder
  5. 2 t garlic powder
  6. 1 t pepper
  7. 1 tbl flour
  8. 1/8 t cayenne
  • mix all ingredients together, store in air tight container

Chili

I cook this in the pressure cooker usually

  1. 3-4 dry beans pinto or black (if using black I recommend pre soaking or it will turn all ingredients an unpleasant black color)
  2. 1 bell pepper
  3. onion
  4. 2-3 tbl garlic
  5. 1 serrano pepper or jalapeno
  6. 2-3 C diced tomatoes
  7. 2 C tomato sauce
  8. any other veggies you want to add in. potatoes are good
  9. 4 tbl or more to taste of chili seasoning mix
  10. 2 cups of veggie broth or 2 t of veggie seasoning
  • saute bell pepper onion and garlic in pressure cooker
  • put in all other ingredients
  • add water till top of ingredients is covered.
  • cook on high for 40-45 minutes longer if you like your beans softer

Split Pea Stir Fry

  1. Frozen Stir fry mix (or just mixed frozen veggies)
  2. onion
  3. 2 tlb minced garlic
  4. dry split peas
  5. stir fry sauce (optional)
  • Saute: onions and garlic add in frozen veggies and sauce cook till hot
  • cook split peas till soft but not mushy.

Vegan Enchiladas

  1. 2 anaheim chilis diced
  2. 1 green pepper diced
  3. 1 onion diced
  4. 4 cloves garlic dived
  5. 1/2 package of corn tortillas (try and find the fat free ones) cut into fat strips or 4ths
  6. 1 can of corn
  7. 2 cans of black beans
  8. 2 cans of plain chili beans
  9. 1 can enchilada sauce
  10. olives -optional
  • saute 1st four ingredients.
  • in large casserole dish layer sauce, toritillas, beans and corn, saute mix and sauce. keep layering until ingredients are gone or pan is full. sprinkle olives on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes

Fresh Salsa

I got this recipe from Lisa Mortensen when we were visiting for Thanksgiving

4 roma tomatoes chopped
1/4 white onione (I dice it up in one of those choppers you use for nuts from ikea)
1/4 green bell pepper chopped
1/2 C chopped cilantro
1/2 jalapeno dice (in chopper)
1/2 large lemon or 1-2limes juice
Salt to taste
mix them all together.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

This is one of those recipes that I change every time I cook it. Its very versatile so have fun with it.

6-8 bell peppers any color I usually use green cause they are the cheapest
3-4 cups of cooked brown rice
2 C tomato sauce
3 t itailian seasoning (this is where you can mix it up if you want mexican seasoning instead)
1-2 Cups beans (I like black)
Veggies of your choice (zucchini, onion, garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes ect.) chopped
nuts (cashews are really good)
  • saute veggies add in tomato sauce and seasoning.
  • add in beans and rice
  • cut tops off bell peppers get all the seeds out
  • I bake them in a 9x13 baking pan that has been spray with nonstick spray
  • stuff the peppers set tops on
  • bake at 350 degrees for 30- 60 mins until tops start to get brown

Thai Style Butter nut Squash Soup

  1. Butternut Squash (peeled deseeded and cut into chunks)
  2. Onion
  3. 3 t curry powder
  4. 1 packet or can of coconut milk (131/2 oz)
  5. 1 pint veggie broth
  • Saute onions
  • add stock, squash and curry powder
  • bring to boil/cover simmer until tender
  • stir in coconut milk
  • puree

Wounton Chips

egg roll wrappers
any seasoning of your liking I use Mrs Dashes a lot because of the lack of salt

Cut into chip size strips
coat cookie sheet in non stick spray lay down chip strips so none are over lapping
spray top with non stick spray
Sprinkly with seasoning

Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes. check frequently when light golden brown they are done.

Oatmeat muffins

2 C oat meal

2 C cold liquid (apple juice, soy milk, anything you have on hand get creative)

Combine these 2 and soak for 15 minutes

1 C of fruit puree (I have used apple sauce, bananas, sweet potatoes agian get creative)

1t Baking soda

2t Baking Powder

add nuts and raisins or if your feeling a little devilish chocolate chips add to your liking

mix it all together bake at 400 degrees for 15 mins. Fill muffin cups half way full.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 Garlic Clove

1/2 Chopped Onion

1 t Sage

1/8 t Pepper

3 c broth (I use veggie but you could use chicken watch the sodium in these)

1 1/2 lb butternut squash cubed, peeled, seeded

Cooking
  • Saute onions & garlic add spices, broth, &squash
  • bring to a boil
  • cover reduce heat for 20 mins or until tender
  • puree half of the soup mix it all together

*sometimes I will add in different types of veggies to make this soup more interesting

Red Radish Tabbouleh

1/4 t sea salt

1 C bulgar wheat

3tbl lemon juice(fresh)

1/2 C parsley finely chopped

2 Green onions minced

1/2 C thinly sliced radishes

to cook Bulgar you can either soak it overnight or bring 1 1/2 c water to boil put in bulgar turn off heat and let sit 20-30mins

Put all ingredients in boil and mix together

Whole Wheat Bread

Bread Machine Whole wheat bread. We make this constantly got the recipe from Paul and Teena Lindorf.

1 1/3 C of water Heat in microwave for one minute Dump into bread machine pan

1/8 C of Oil Dump in pan

1/4 C Honey "
(or 1/8 C molasses)

1 1/2 teaspoon Salt "

1 teaspoon Ascorbic Acid "
(crushed vitamin C)

3 C whole wheat flour "

1 1/2teaspoon yeast "

Close lid press whole wheat turbo press start set temp at med/dark

*Every bread machine varies so you might have to adjust the the wheat/ yeast quanitities based on how your bread turns out.