Sweet potato & leek soup

2 Leeks cleaned & chopped
1 Small onion
2 tbsp olive oil
2 Sweet potatoes peeled & chopped
1 Can pumpkin
2 Cloves garlic chopped
1 Quart vegetable broth & 1 cup water
2 Bay leaves
1 tbsp sage
1 tbsp each cinnamon, cloves & ginger
Salt & pepper to taste


Saute onions & leeks in olive oil in a big soup pot. Add rest of ingredients & cook till potatoes are tender. Then remove bay leaves & puree soup in blender.

Favorite Christmas cookie?

What is your favorite Christmas cookie? I have always loved Pfeffernusse! Or as I called them when I was a kid... Poof cookies!!!

Chili with hominy

I made this satisfying chili just last night & it turned out great. Even my husband did not miss his beloved meat! And the surprising element of hominy is a great edition. This chili is guaranteed to warm you on a chili winter night.

1 large yellow onion
1 TBSP olive oil
1 Large can diced tomatoes
1 large can Mexican style hominy
1-2 TBSP chili powder
1-2 TBSP cumin
1 can cannellini beans drained
Sprinkling of red chili flakes (to taste)
Salt & pepper to taste
Grated cheddar cheese & diced onions for garnish

Sauté the onion in the olive oil in a large dutch oven.
Add all of the ingredients & simmer for 1 hour.
Season according to taste.
When finished serve up in a bowl garnished with a sprinkling of diced onions & cheese.

Most unusual dish...

What was the most unusual dish you ate for thanksgiving?

Mine was pumpkin cheesecake instead of pie DELISH!!!

Andrea

Creative recipes

Anyone have any creative recipes that use up some of the excess candy that our kids have collected this Halloween?

Refrigerator Pickles

I love a good deli pickle. But the pickles you buy in those jars at the market just don’t cut it! They are all soggy & not at all tasty. I had always heard about these pickles you could make & keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. After doing some research I found some recipes & tried them out. Of course, I had to make a recipe my own, & this is what I came up with.

Take 6-8 pickling cucumbers & quarter them lengthwise into spears. Place them in a container that you can seal & keep in the refrigerator. Cover the spears with this combination:


2 cups cold water
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 TBSP. kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
5 whole peppercorns
10 grinds of pepper
3 cloves of garlic

Keep these pickles in the fridge. I have been told that they last for 2 weeks, I really do not know because my family devours them in less than a week!
P.S. I also read that they need 2 days to “cure”. But, I love them even after 1 day!

Favorite Halloween treat

Is there a favorite Halloween treat you make for the kids?

Lentil soup with collard greens

Anybody who has read my healthy cooking articles, or who has visited my kitchen knows that I love my slow cooker. Whether I am working or driving Kylie to school & gymnastics, it is always great to come home to a hot home cooked meal. And the perfect way to achieve this is with the slow cooker.

Soups & stews are perfectly prepared this way. The “crock-pot” is great for one pot meals. Here is one of my favorites. It’s one of my mom’s favorites too!

Lentil soup with collard greens
1 TBSP. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot chopped
3 chopped red skinned potatoes
2-3 chopped garlic cloves
1 ½ cups dried lentils
7 cups vegetable stock
1 TBSP. soy sauce
Several large handfuls of collard greens cut in ribbons
Salt & pepper to taste

In a large saucepan sauté onions ,carrots & garlic cloves in olive oil. When onions are translucent add mixture to slow cooker & add all ingredients except for the collard greens. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Right before serving, cook collard greens in boiling salted water till slightly tender. Drain & add to soup. Salt & pepper to taste & enjoy!!!

Lets give it a try!

So many times I wish I could reach through the computer & talk to you guys. So, I thought of something that might help my need for connection. How about a place where I can ask a question & you let me know what you think?

Lets give it a try!!!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COMFORT FOOD?

Conversion Table for Cooking

How many times have you tried to adapt a recipe that feeds six to a recipe that feeds four? Or have you ever watched a great chef like Nigella Lawson and heard her measure her ingredients by European standards & not known how to adapt them to our own U.S. measurements? Well, here is a convenient guide that I find very helpful. Hope it helps you too!

Conversion Table for Cooking
U.S. to Metric
Metric to U.S.
Cooking Measurment Equivalents

U.S. to Metric Capacity
1/5 teaspoon = 1 milliliter
1 teaspoon = 5 ml
1 tablespoon = 15 ml
1/5 cup = 50 ml
1 cup = 240 ml
2 cups (1 pint) = 470 ml
4 cups (1 quart) = .95 liter
4 quarts (1 gal.) = 3.8 liters
Weight
1 fluid oz. = 30 milliters
1 fluid oz. = 28 grams
1 pound = 454 grams


Metric to U.S.
Capacity
1 militers = 1/5 teaspoon
5 ml = 1 teaspoon
15 ml = 1 tablespoon
34 ml = 1 fluid oz.
100 ml = 3.4 fluid oz.
240 ml = 1 cup
1 liter = 34 fluid oz.
1 liter = 4.2 cups
1 liter = 2.1 pints
1 liter = 1.06 quarts
1 liter = .26 gallon
Weight
1 gram = .035 ounce
100 grams = 3.5 ounces
500 grams = 1.10 pounds
1 kilogram = 2.205 pounds
1 kilogram = 35 oz.

Cooking Measurment Equivalents
16 tablesppns = 1 cup
12 tablespoons = 3/4 cup
10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = 2/3 cup
8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
6 tablespoons = 3/8 cup
5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = 1/3 cup
4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
2 tablespoons = 1/8 cup
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = 1/6 cup
1 tablespoon = 1/16 cup
2 cups = 1 pint
2 pints = 1 quart
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
48 teaspoons = 1 cup
Botanical.com Home Page
Copyright 2009 © Electric Newt

Tea Magazine Article

http://www.teamag.com

Thank you so much...

Thank you so much for becoming a follower of my recipe blog. If you have any ideas or suggestions please let me know. I really do appreciate your support & look forward to hearing from you! Andrea

HUMMUS

1 cup canned chick peas (garbanzo beans) rinsed
3 TBSP. olive oil
½ cup tahini
juice of 2 lemons
6 cloves minced garlic
¼ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
paprika
fresh parsley

Place all ingredients except for paprika & parsley in a food processor & process till blended. Garnish with paprika, fresh parsley & a drizzle of olive oil.

Hummus is one of the most nutritious & simple foods to make. It is great in sandwiches or as a dip for crudite & pita chips. I love it with brown rice & a crisp summer salad of heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers & green onion. It’s a perfect summer dish. So, make a double batch & get creative!

Cupcake Cones

My daughter loves cupcakes & she loves ice cream cones, so this is an idea that brings the best of both.

My daughter Kylie loves these cupcake-cones & there's no need to worry about messy ice cream drips all over the house! We usually use an organic chocolate cake mix, but any store brand will do. By using a mix, she gets to make the whole cake herself & learn about baking as we go. I place organic ice cream cones in my muffin tins & fill almost to the rim with the mix. We then pop them in the oven at 350 for around 20 minutes. I find it takes longer than regular cupcakes, but every oven is individual & you know it best.

When they are finished let them cool down & frost & decorate as you wish. I usually let her handle the sprinkles etc. These are great for a party or just as a special treat. But she loves them & loves to show them to all her friends and she especially loves that she made them!

Cheese & tofu-bologna sandwiches

Wondering how to brighten a sick child's day? How about taking them on a picnic? Or better yet, how about bringing the outdoors into them? All you need is a few different springtime cookie cutters, a little imagination & your child's favorite sandwich ingredients.

My 5 year old Kylie loves cheese & tofu-bologna sandwiches on whole grain bread. One day when she was home sick from school, I came up with the idea of making her butterfly & bunny sandwiches & having a little indoor picnic of our own.

1. First, we lay one piece of bread on the cutting board. Then we layer our ingredients, 1 slice cheese, 2 slices veggie bologna, 1 slice cheese & then top it off with the second slice of bread.

2. Then I let her use the cookie cutters to make flower & butterfly shapes.

3. We then add fruit strips & raisins to make the eyes on the bunny, and the designs & antennae on the butterflies.

Now all you need is to pack up everything as if you really were going on a picnic. Pack a picnic basket, place a blanket on the floor, bring some juice and paper plates & she'll be having so much fun, she just might forget that she's sick!

These sandwiches work well with almost any ingredients. I serve them to Kylie with peanut butter & jelly, or even scrambled eggs & cheese for breakfast. And, of course, you can use any cookie cutters you like, but my little girl loves the idea of a springtime picnic, even if it's in the middle of January, spread out on a blanket on our living room floor!

In case you are wondering, that was not a typo. My daughter loves whole grain bread. She really does. We all know the value of eating whole grains as opposed to refined white foods, the trick is in getting your child to eat them & actually like them. That's where these little sandwiches come in .handy. When kids get to make their own food & make it fun- somehow they forget all about whether the bread is brown or white. They are having fun, & we know that they are eating right!

Focaccia (Italian Flat Bread)

My daughter Kylie loves to get her hands into everything, especially in the kitchen. So, I decided to put her desire to touch, punch & play with her food to good use. Why not make bread? A simple foccacia recipe will let her knead & punch to her hearts content, and when it comes out of the oven, she can sprinkle on her favorite ingredients. She can truly make it her own. Plus, in the process she can learn a little about how bread rises & becomes the delicious food that we adore.

FOCACCIA (Italian flat bread)

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 envelope active dry yeast
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic,minced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
Salt & pepper to taste



Step 1.
Heat milk & butter in a saucepan till butter is melted. In a large bowl mix together 1 cup flour & yeast. Gradually add milk mixture until blended. Add 3/4 cup flour to make a thick batter, then add the last cup of flour & combine with a wooden spoon to make the dough. Place the dough on a floured surface & let the kids knead it for 5-10minutes. Adding a little flour if it gets too sticky.

Step 2.
Roll dough into a ball & place in a greased bowl. Cover & let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Step 3.
Let kids punch the dough down & then roll it into a 13x9 rectangle. Place in greased dish & cover, let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Step 4.
Heat olive oil in a skillet & saute onions & garlic till slightly brown. Let cool.

Step 5.
Uncover dough & let kids sprinkle on the cooled onions & garlic. Sprinkle on salt,pepper & fresh basil. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cut into squares & serve while still warm.

Making bread requires yeast & kneading. Kids will enjoy learning that yeast is actually thousands of microscopic living plants that are activated by warm fluids & fed by sugar & starch. That is what makes bread rise. Then you punch it down to remove excess gasses so that you can shape the dough into it's final shape before rising. Making bread is a great way to teach your child that cooking can be very scientific, not to mention fun & tasty!

Beets are one of my favorite vegetables.

Beets are one of my favorite vegetables. They are very nutritious & an absolutely beautiful scarlet color. Unfortunately that is also the problem with beets. Their deep red hue makes them very messy to prepare. By the time you finish peeling steaming & slicing, everything is red! A while ago a friend shared with me this simple & relatively mess free way to roast beets. Once you try it you’ll be preparing this delicious vegetable more often. Slice them up in a salad with goat cheese & micro greens. Or serve them as a delicious side dish. Enjoy!!

Preheat oven to 350. Cut off tops & ends of beets & scrub them clean. Wrap them up in foil & bake for about 2-2 .1/2 hours. Let them cool slightly & slice them up & toss them in a little butter & salt & pepper. This way they retain their flavor & nothing else you are roasting turns pink.

Borscht is a beet classic & well worth the mess. You can serve it hot or cold. I prefer cold.
32 oz. vegetable broth
2 lb. coarsely chopped beets(already cleaned, tops & bottoms removed)
1 bay leaf
½ cup orange juice

Place beets, broth & bay leaf in a large stock pot.
Bring to a boil & turn down heat.
Let simmer till beets are tender.
Take off stovetop & add orange juice & chill for a least 3 hours.
Garnish with chopped green onions, cucumbers, fresh dill or sour cream.

Winter is one of my favorite times of year.

Coming from Chicago I am quite used to cold weather & all of the inconveniences that come with it. But there are some cold weather happenings that are warm & wonderful. Like cuddling in front of a crackling fire. Sipping hot chocolate & warming up with a hearty winter stew. But now that I am eating a healthier vegetarian diet- what do you do? Get creative, that’s what. This is one of my mother’s favorites. I call it No Chicken & Dumplings. And the best thing is that I make it in the slow cooker.
What could be easier? I think you will like it.
Enjoy!!

1 small sweet onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 32 oz. box of no chicken vegetable broth(vegetarian but chicken tasting)
1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables or 1 cup each of broccoli, carrots & cauliflower
1 packet vegetarian chicken gravy seasoning
1 Tbsp. flour
1 & 1/2 cups multigrain baking mix
½ cup fat free milk

Sauté onions in olive oil & add broth,vegetables & gravy seasoning mix to slow cooker. Cook on low for about 4 hours. Add flour, stir & cook for another 20 minutes. For dumplings mix together baking mix & milk & add by spoonfuls to top the mixture cover & heat another 30-40 minutes.

Sweet Potato & Corn Pancakes

Like so many of you out there, one of my Resolutions is to lose 5 pounds. And it does not matter whether you have to lose 5 or 50 pounds, it is tough. I love potatoes. So any time I can find a way to make them more figure friendly I go for it!!! Here's one of my favorites. Happy New Year!!!

Sweet potato & corn pancakes.

This is a great way to use up leftovers & with only using egg whites & a small amount of olive oil, they wont break your diet or your wallet!

Two cups Mashed potatoes
1 cup sweet corn
½ cup flour
1 small diced onion 1 egg white
Salt & pepper to taste
Olive oil

Place a small amount of olive oil in a skillet & turn on the heat. Mix all ingredients together & eyeball it. If it looks like it needs a little more flour to make it a nice thick consistency, go ahead & add a little more. This is one of those recipes where you have to judge for yourself.

Take a large wooden spoon & shape potato mixture into patty shapes.
Place in skillet & cook for a few minutes till browned on each side.
Remove from heat & serve.