Kabocha, Kombocha, & Monster-cakes

Posted on January 9, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

Man, I can’t believe the weekend is already over! Why, oh why is Monday so far from Friday, yet Friday is so friggin’ close to Monday?? Oh, what I wouldn’t give to have a job that allowed me to work from home! But, since it is not exactly in my budget to purchase a million-dollar CAT scan machine and have it installed in my living room, I guess I’ll just have to keep going in to the hospital until I can think of something! 😉

I guess I’m still riding the green wave from yesterday, because this morning’s meal was all about the monster…the GREEN Monster that is! They may look scary to some, but I have been in LURVE with the Green Monster since the very first time I tried it! I really wanted a big cool glass of “G” juice this morning, but I couldn’t let a perfectly good Pancake Sunday get away from me…oh no, no. Sooooooooooo, lookie what I did!

Green Monster-cakes with Coconut “Mud”:

Green Monster:

  • 1 cup spinach, packed
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/2 banana
  • splash of vanilla
  • 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder

Combine all ingredients and mix in a blender (or Magic Bullet) until smooth.

Pancake Mix:

  • 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1. Stir together the dry ingredients.
2. Add Green Monster to the mix and stir until combined.
3. I had some shredded carrots left over from yesterday’s baking adventure, so I                 decided to throw in 1/2 cup into the mix.
4. Spoon batter into skillet and cook on medium-high heat for approximately 5-6 minutes     per side.

Coconut “Mud”:
From Heather, the genius of all things coconut butter!

  • 8 ounces unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 bar of high quality dark chocolate

1. Place shredded coconut place in your food processor
2. Break chocolate into pieces, throw in with the coconut and blend, blend, blend!

You may have to scrape down the sides a few times, but it doesn’t take long to come together. The heat from the food processor warms the chocolate and melts it into the coconut, giving you a warrrrrrrm chocolately sauce!

I thinned my “mud” with a little water and enjoyed a good-sized drizzle on my monster-cakes!

Don’t let the earthiness full you, these monster-cakes were full of natural banana sweetness and had a nice soft texture thanks to the protein powder!

Later today, I found myself back in Nashville again. Two weekends in a row? Yes! My friend Jen wanted to pick up a few things from Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods and asked if I wanted to come along. Helllllllllll-o?! Do fish breath underwater??

I picked up some more good eats, including a few special items for a foodie swap that I’ve planned with the lovely Christin! So excited to “see” her face when she gets the package!

Of all the items purchased, this was by far the BEST buy of the century!

At long last! I finally found me a KABOCHA!!

At first, I thought it was just a stand full of buttercups (which the sign indicated) but  a really nice man working in the produce section told me that they were all kabochas, but they had been labeled incorrectly. I about jumped up and down! I’ve seen these all over the blog world and have been on a mad hunt for one for at least 3 months!

I sliced it up and roasted it in a 425 degree oven for about 30 minutes sans seasoning so I could get the true kabocha flavor. Oh my gosh! I’ve tried many different squashes but this one is the sweetest and best tasting one I’ve EVER tasted…definitely my new favorite veggie! I should have bought the entire display!

All sliced up, roasted and ready to devour savor! Did you know you can even eat the skin?

Yesterday’s salad was so delicious, I decided to make another with a side of warm buttery whole wheat naan that I got at Trader Joe’s today! Sweet, sweet naan…oh how I love thee!

If you’ve never heard of kombucha before, here’s a few facts:

  • Kombucha is a fermented tea used for medicinal purposes
  • Kombucha has been shown to be antimicrobial, anticancer, hepatoprotective qualities (good to Mr. Liver), and to be antioxidative.
  • Common claims: increases energy, sharpens eyesight, aids joint recovery, improves skin elasticity, and aids in digestion.

Source: Wikipedia

I have to admit the first…and well, the second time…that I tried kombucha, I was NOT a fan! It has a very interesting taste to it that takes a little getting used to, but with something that is THIS good for you, how could you not give it a second chance…or a third?

We have a winner folks! The more I sipped, the more I liked! Lindsay will be so proud! 😉

I even have photo documentation!

So there you have it! I started the day by eating a monster and now have a monster-sized love for hard-to-find squashes and fermented tea!

Tell me, if you could only eat ONE vegetable for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I think you already know my choice!

Posted in Breakfast, Entree, Pancake Sunday | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

A Touch of Green

Posted on January 8, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

How is everyone’s First Weekend of the New Year going? Don’t know about the rest of you, but this past week felt like it was TWO WEEKS long!

I was so excited to wake up this morning on my own at the lovely time of NOT 5am! I woke up and made a little something different for breakfast and was finally able to shoot some pics in the light of day! I love you sunshine!

This morning’s bowl of oats was inspired by the lovely Heather after seeing here Oat Bran 101 post yesterday.

"Green" oats and a nice cup o' Joe!

All I did was cook 1/3 cup of oat bran in 1 cup of water, added a good handful of spinach and gave it a whirl in the Magic Bullet. Then I topped it with mild salsa, a bright and sunshiny egg and some fresh ground black pepper.

After breakfast, I headed over to SAMs Club to stock up on some produce for the coming week. Next week I will be working my late shift (9a-7:30p) so I like to make sure I have plenty of fresh food options to choose from.

Left to Right: Sliced mushrooms, mandarin oranges, 3lb container of spinach that will be gone by this time next week, sweet mini-peps, snap peas, frozen mixed fruit: mango, strawberries, peaches, and pineapple, Honeycrisp apples (so excited these are still available), portobello mushrooms, raspberries, and blackberries (great deal on the berries, only $3!)

Yep, this should keep me pretty busy! 😉

As soon as I got home, those little peppers were just screaming, “Make a salad with us!”

A Mighty Colorful Lunch:

  • spinach
  • mushrooms
  • mini heirloom tomatoes
  • cucumbers
  • shredded carrot
  • mini peps
  • red onion

Topped with roasted pine nut hummus and served with baked tortillas (I cut up a Trader Joe’s whole wheat tortilla and baked in the oven a 350 degrees until lightly browned and crispy). After the pic, I drizzled a little balsamic vinaigrette dressing on top.

I LOVE plates full of color!

I needed to scratch the baking “itch” that’s been nagging at me all week, so I decided to finally make some of Katie’s 24 Carrot Gold Muffins that I’ve had bookmarked FOREVER!

While the muffins were baking, I decided to make myself a little snack. I’ve been dreaming of a creamy chocolate dip for the last few days so I decided to take a stab at it:

Bitter Chocolate Pudding Dip:

  • 1/4 ripe avocado
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/8 cup + 1 tablespoon almond milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon agave nectar
  • splash of vanilla
  • dash of cinnamon

All ingredients went into the Magic Bullet and were pureed until smooth. I added a little sweetener to it, but not much since I like the taste of bitter dark chocolate. Feel free to add more agave or honey as needed to suit your own taste.

 

Does this not remind you of a crab? Dip=shell, apples=feet 😉

I dipped honeycrisp apple slices, but I think this would also go great on sliced banana or graham crackers too!

Oh don’t worry, I didn’t forget about the muffins!

I spread some greek yogurt “frosting” on top of the taste-tester muffin with a little dash of cinnamon! Oh my…oh my!! I decided to go with raisins, coconut, and walnuts for my add-ins. I loved the way they all came together to make such a wonderful mix of textures with just the right amount of sweetness! Thank you Katie for the awesome recipe!

And then there was dinner! I couldn’t forget #2 of my list of “intentions” for the year!

Smoked Paprika Salmon wih Balsamic Green Beans

The salmon was from a pre-cooked frozen package I picked up at Trader Joe’s so all I had to do was thaw it out, season it up, and slap it on the grill (pan). I sprinkled some fresh basil on top just for color, but it ended up really upping the flavor of the dish! Loved it!

I served the salmon atop some of Bob’s Red Mill Quick Cooking Bulgur and simply followed the cooking instructions on the side of the package. This was my first time trying bulgur. It tastes a bit like soft rice with a great nutty taste. Just like other grains, it is very versatile, but with a much quicker cook time! Plus, plus!

Balsamic Green Beans with Mushrooms & Onions: (makes 2 servings)

  • 6 ounces fresh green beans
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 red onion, sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • pepper to taste

1. Place green beans in a covered pot with about 1 inch of water in the bottom. Turn to           medium-high heat and steam for about 5 minutes, or until the beans have a bright               green color to them.
2. Saute mushrooms and onions in olive oil, stirring occasionally until brown and                   tender, about 7-8 minutes.
3. Add green beans to skillet with mushrooms and onions, add balsamic vinegar, and stir.
4. Season with Italian seasoning and pepper and continue to cook over medium heat until     the balsamic thickens into more of a sauce and clings to the veggies.

Best green beans I’ve ever tasted! If you’ve never cooked with balsamic vinegar, you MUST give it a try. Just add it in to your next veggie saute! The flavor is amazing!

Hope I’ve entertained you enough with my day of cooking adventures. Didn’t realize till just now how long this post has gotten!

What did you get into today? Anyone else do any baking?


 

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Friday Feasting & Fool’s Gold

Posted on January 7, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

So we FINALLY made it to Friday! Everybody here and accounted for? Wait, has anyone seen little Johnny? Oh never mind, there he is sleeping in the back! 😉

I left you last night to find some snackage and drool over the best magazine ever published (oh my gosh, so much inspiration). After seeing both Heather’s and Christin’s oat bran sundaes this week, I really wanted one for myself. I was dreaming of a concoction that included a scoop of my coffee flavored Arctic Zero, but I wasn’t sure about having caffeine so close to bedtime so I went in another direction.

Remember how I told you guys earlier that if I had to put a name to my cooking style it would be a “Look Cook”? I look around the kitchen and see what needs to be used up and POOF! it appears! It goes a little like this:

“Hmm, what to eat, what to eat, what to eat. I don’t want something too heavy before bed. I need something satisfying”
Opens refrigerator
“Oh, that carton of egg whites is still in here! I really need to use that up. Wait, what’s in that bowl again? Oh yeah, the leftover roasted veggies from the Pizza Mountain.”

*POOF!*

Roasted Veggie Egg White Omelet:

  • 8 tablespoons egg whites
  • Leftover roasted veggies (about 1/4 cup worth)
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 tablespoon nooch
  • 2 tablespoons salsa

1. Pour egg whites into small skillet* and allow to cook until the edges start to pull away.
2. Top with roasted veggies and season with black pepper. (Don’t over-do it though, you       don’t want to weigh it down too much.)
3. Carefully flip the entire thing over in the skillet.
4. Allow to cook for about 2-3 more minutes and then invert onto a plate.
5. Top with a good sprinkling of nooch and some salsa.
6. Eat with a fork as is or fold in half for the traditional omelet look.

*I actually attempted to type this twice and kept spelling “skittle!” 😀

Salads aren’t the only way to use up veggies! The nooch was the perfect addition to this little snack! So tasty! I didn’t even regret not having a “sundae.” That’s because I knew I would make it first thing this morning! 😉

I know, I know! First, she’s having cookies for breakfast and now ice cream? When will the madness end??

Hazelnut Coffee Carob Oat Bran:

  • 1/3 cup oat bran
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 scoop coffee flavored Arctic Zero
  • chopped hazelnuts
  • unsweetened shredded coconut
  • carob chips

1. Bring 1 cup of water to boil on the stovetop.
2. Add oat bran and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 2 more minutes.
4. Pour oat bran into a bowl and top with Arctic Zero, hazelnuts, coconut, and carob.

Mmm, mmm, mmm! This bowl made me think of having warm creamy oats with a freshly made frappuccino. Just like Christin said, “the warm oat bran and the cold ice cream [were] just dreamy together.”

Tonight, a friend of mine was in town from Oklahoma and I met her, her husband, their little girl and some other friends at Hooters for dinner. I got the “flappetizer” (5 hot wings) naked with medium sauce and a garden salad.

Not a fan of croutons…hence the reason they were sitting next to the wings! The salad was a lot bigger than I expected, but I finished it all, my wings, and some nibbles off my friend’s plate of fried pickles! The wings were a bit greasier than I expected, but the extra dashes of hot sauce made me forget all about that!

I rarely ever eat greasy/fried foods and with a dinner like this, I was a little worried about how my body would handle it so as soon as I got home I fixed myself a cup of tea and had a couple of pieces of my newest obsession:

Meet the lovely Crystallized Ginger!

I bought some crystallized ginger MONTHS ago for a recipe that I forgot about and then later lost…sad, I know. After seeing Elise eating this stuff like it’s the gateway to the fountain of youth, I decided to give it a taste…ok at first, but once you get past the sugar-coating, it has that ginger “burn” to it. I wasn’t a fan at first…until I tried having it with a fresh hot cup of tea. Right after chewing up a piece, just before the burn comes, I take a drink of tea and voila, pure delicious goodness!

I’ve found that as soon as I feel a touch of indigestion coming on or when I’m at work and have to scarf down my lunch in 5-10 minutes, popping a couple of these little golden nuggets eases the feeling and warms my tummy. Plus, it is so much better than taking antacids!

Well, off to bed! “See” you guys tomorrow!

Have you ever tried crystallized ginger? If so, what do you think of the taste?

Any big plans for the weekend?
Not, me! Just some reading, relaxing, and I’ll probably play around in the kitchen. I feel a bit of a baking itch coming on!

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