0 White Bean Roasted Pepper Phyllo Rolls

Here we have another new recipe for Eat, Drink and Be Vegan. I haven't completely figured out the name yet - and also haven't decided on the 'wrap'.

The filling is a white bean, roasted red pepper, and walnut mixture. I first tested it using whole-wheat tortillas to encase the filling. The next time I used phyllo pastry... which I preferred, but hubby thought he may have liked the tortilla wrap better.

This is a shot of all those nummy phyllo wraps ready to be baked!

I may give both options in the book, but I'm wondering if you guys like working with phyllo? I know it looks/sounds intimidating, but I can tell you (from someone that doesn't like the fuss of working with pastry), that it is fairly easy to work with... and it's forgiving, allowing you to patch up if you tear pieces. Hmmm, am I trying to convince you now? :)

Also, has anyone ever seen phyllo made from whole-wheat or whole-wheat pastry flour? I am doubting it exists. I have seen spelt phyllo pastry, and the next time we cross paths I am picking some up! But as for finding an unrefined phyllo dough... probably wishful thinking!

[Read More...]

0 Can I Add To My List?

All the veggie bloggers are having fun with our 'top 5 lists', but really, five foods are just not enough, people! No, it's too hard to choose!

I need at least 20 I think, or maybe more after picking up my goodies from our market yesterday. Feast your eyes on this table of organic delights:

Now, I MUST apologize to the folks that e-mailed me for info and directions to our market so that they could pick up some of those most fabulous champagne peaches. This Sunday, the vendor's supply was winding down, and most of the champagne peaches had gone bad and were bug-eaten, etc. I managed to pick a few from the bunch which our girls scarfed down at lunch in about two minutes!! Seriously! So, if you made the trip to our market and were terribly disappointed by the lack of beautiful, fragrant, champagne peaches - I'm sorry! Believe me, I was sad too - and our older girl... she was practically weeping! I did find other beautiful peaches, as you can see in the photo, so hopefully you did too!

Just maybe you visited the other stalls too. Look at that photo again. Wow! How freakin' lucky am I??! All organic. Can you see it all? There are plums, swiss chard, peaches, tomatoes, pears, blackberries, grapes, onions, cucumber, romaine lettuce, spinach, watermelon... and there were more foods at the market (I can only carry SO much home at a time)!


Just look at this selection of organic tomatoes from "Klippers Farm", some of them heirloom tomatoes:


He also had the grapes I bought:


and the peaches (not the champagne variety):

This is the first time I have had local organic grapes. They are small and sweet and so much different than what I get at the grocery store. It's so much fun to try new foods! :)

So exciting, I seriously feel like I've hit the jackpot when I come home from the market!

You know, I used to get excited about going downtown to dance and party with my girlfriends... till the wee hours of the morn'. Now, I am waking up just a few hours later than when I used to go to bed! My, how times have changed. Now, I get butterflies when I see altaulfo mangoes on sale - and they're organic - oooooh!

p.s. I have switched over to Blogger beta now... it's super easy to do guys, takes just a minute or two - AND, I didn't get an "invite", I just went to my Blogger page and clicked through on the "Blogger beta learn more" box. Skedaddle on over and do so too! :)

[Read More...]

0 The Champagne of Peaches

These are not just peaches. These are organic champagne peaches, and I consider myself very lucky to have access to them. From our local organic farmers' market, fresh picked from the trees a mere day or two earlier.

My entire family cannot get enough of these. Our 21-month old was eating one with the juice running down to her elbow, and she was grunting for more!

Why so good? Well, obviously they are juicy! They are also super-sweet with a whitish flesh. Not one bit sour, just full-on sweet peach goodness. I cannot imagine a better name for this variety of peach (even though I don't know much about wine - Carrie, you would have a lot to teach me), I do know these are one of the finest fruits I have ever tasted, so if you ever see them - - buy them!

Which leads me to Isil's meme. I don't normally join in on these kinds of things, but this topic I love!! Here is my list of 5 things I've eaten and think that everyone should eat at least once:

1. Champagne Peaches. Need I say more??!

2. Yams/Sweet Potatoes. I mean the orange-fleshed taters, and specifically sweet potato fries. A little crispy/chewy, sweet and tender, packed with vitamins, and an amazing side dish to spicy entrees or a nice change from your standard white potato fries.

3. Fennel. Even if you don't like the licorice/anise flavor, because when cooked fennel mellows and you get a sweet, fragrant vegetable that has just a hint of that anise flavor. My favorite way is to roast or grill fennel so that it caramelizes and that sweet flavor intensifies. I also like it raw, sliced very thin for salads.

4. Hemp nut butter / hemp seeds. Hmmm, doesn't sound too exciting, right? Well, these little seeds give us the almost perfect balance of essential fatty acids that our bodies need. Plus, complete protein. See some recipe posts on hemp. What else do I do with it? Right now I'm on a kick of putting a big dollop of hemp nut butter into my soy yogurt. I don't even need to stir it in, I love it that much! Or, sprinkling the seeds onto my cereal, or blend into a shake. Not only does it taste good and give us great nutrition, in these days of nut/peanut allergies it gives us an alternative to nut/peanut butters for our kids' lunches. Try spreading on the hemp nut butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon and top with some banana slices.

5. Rooibos Tea. I drink it daily. It is caffeine free and tastes phenomenal with a pinch or two of stevia in it. I prefer some of the flavored varieties (if you tried a plain Rooibos and didn't like it, try a flavored one - with some stevia), and get mine (in loose form) here. In addition to tasting great, it is well known for its health promoting and anti-cancer properties. See my post here for more info and a link to Sally Errey's website about cancer prevention.

I leave you with one more juicy farmers' market photo. Local, organic yellow watermelon. Yes, it's seeded. Remember when watermelon had seeds?

I know, I know, it's far more convenient to not have to poke/spit out those seeds. But I swear they took out the flavor along with the seeds! This organic seeded watermelon is succulent, sweet - just perfect. Tip: you will notice that the seeds follow lines with watermelons, so run a knife down those lines to more easily remove for you and your kids... or let them spit 'em out - don't you remember how much fun that was as kids?!

[Read More...]

0 Kalamata Olive Walnut Tapenade

We didn't just have cake on the weekend for hubby's birthday. I also made a pasta dish for the new book, and my Kalamata Olive Walnut Tapenade from Vive.

It was actually Melissa that inspired me to make my tapenade again! Melissa e-mailed me while we were in Newfoundland. She had blogged the recipe and sent me a note to tell me that she really liked it. (by the way, her posts have had nicely detailed nutrition notes lately - informative stuff!). I thought "oh yeah, I really liked that one too, I'll have to make it soon".

Funny, you'd think I'd remember my own stuff!

But when I'm working on new recipes, I don't always get time to make some of my other dishes. Plus, like you, there are some recipes I go to as 'old standbys', and I almost completely forget other dishes that we love.

Now, you must like olives to make this tapenade. It has both kalamata and black olives in the mix. (But I ask you, how can anyone NOT like olives??!!) I know, some of you are cringing right now! But, if you like olives, you'll love this dish. Of course, as the name suggests, walnuts are also in the mixture, as well as fresh thyme. The walnuts and thyme, as well as some other seasonings, help to bring some nutty earthiness to the very pungent kalamata olives.

Now, if you are making this recipe, do yourself a favor and buy PITTED kalamata olives. Unless you take pleasure in standing and squishing the pits out of each olive! Black olives are typically pitted in cans, so these are easy to find. Look for pitted kalamata olives in the deli section of your stores, or you may find some bottled as well.

Finally, as much as this tapenade is fabuloso to spread on crackers or breads... think outside the box with it, folks. Pizza box that is! Use it as to spread as a base on pizzas. Then top with veg you like. It is sooooo good!!

Also, double the recipe if you want and keep some refrigerated for later use. Spread some on sandwiches too, or toss a little in hot pasta, or a dollop on soup, or stir a great big spoonful into oatmeal.
Kidding!! :)

[Read More...]