FOR (BUSY) PEOPLE WHO LOVE GOOD FOOD
I don’t post in real time very often, but here is the amazing breakfast I just made – old fashioned oats with strawberries from the freezer and pecans from the pantry. It’s been a crazy week, and I didn’t get a chance to prepare any interesting meals once my bowl of Panzanella was gone.
When I start my day with a healthy breakfast, I feel better all day long. So here’s to a good Friday!
I told you I’d find something to do with the leftover roasted eggplant. I cut it into cubes, and put it in a wrap with sun dried tomatoes and cheddar cheese. A few minutes on each side in a frying pan coated with cooking spray, and I had an almost gourmet meal.
I’ve made panzanella before, a winter version and a summer one. But this particular recipe caught my eye, and I’ve had it on my list for a while. When I saw a loaf of multi grain bread in the day-old bin at the store, I decided that now was the time. Plus, I got to use more pea tendrils. But the key to the flavor here is the fresh basil!
The best thing about panzanella is that you can eat the leftovers all week long, and you don’t get tired of it. I think it’s because every bite is different.
Here’s what I threw in a big glass bowl:
1/2 loaf multi grain bread, cut into cubes and baked at 375F for 15 minutes
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 2″ pieces and steamed for 5 minutes
3 cups pea tendrils, washed and chopped
1 leek, sliced and sauteed in 1 t olive oil
1 (15 oz.) can white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
Drizzle olive oil
Splash balsamic vinegar
Splash red wine vinegar
Salt and Pepper
I read about pea tendrils on Elizabeth’s blog, and I was definitely intrigued. And it was my lucky day when I went to my favorite produce market on Saturday and spotted them! As the name suggests, pea tendrils are part of the plant which produces peas.
I prepared the pea tendrils by cooking them in olive oil and garlic, and adding a splash of lemon juice at the end. They have just a hint of the flavor of fresh peas, and are not bitter like other greens. The texture reminded me of Chinese broccoli; the stalks are fairly firm and I needed to cut them with a knife in my dish. They are only available for a short season, so look for them now at your favorite produce market!
Trust me, Domino’s does not deliver anything like this! If you cut the eggplant slices nice and thick, they are almost, dare I say, “meaty”. And putting fresh basil leaves in the sauce made this just a little fancy, in a good way.
Oh, I’ve posted plenty of pancake recipes, like the banana pancakes with chocolate swirls. But there’s always a new variation to try, like these Banana Sour Cream Pancakes. I used whole wheat flour and skim milk, and they were still light and fluffy. I am often tempted to take shortcuts, but the lemon zest really does add something here, and to be fair, one of my cooking elves zested the lemon for me. It was a beautiful breakfast!
I received a manufacturer’s coupon from Peanut Butter & Co. for a free jar of any flavor. This is no ordinary peanut butter; the company makes specialty flavors including White Chocolate Wonderful, Cinnamon Raisin Swirl, and Dark Chocolate Dreams. I think I spent 20 minutes in the aisle reviewing all the flavors available before making my choice.
My sister and brother in law and I took turns cooking dinner this weekend for everyone, which worked out pretty well. My family does not typically eat Indian food, so I was a little nervous, but they devoured the Chicken Saagwala, Chana Masala, Indian Spiced Vegetables, and brown rice. In fact, the leftovers were even served for lunch the next day.
The past month has really flown by! In the end, it was actually pretty easy to eat vegetarian for a month. I was inspired to try some new recipes for easy lunches and dinners, like the Spelt Veggie Burgers and the Curried Cashew Spread. I found plenty of good options at restaurants, and although my choices seemed more limited at take-out places, I ended up saving money by preparing my own quick meals instead. It wasn’t difficult at all to watch others enjoy meat; it didn’t really affect me. My only real craving right now is sushi.
It was somewhat complicated to explain to other people why I was choosing to eat vegetarian this month. I am not ethically opposed to killing animals for the purpose of food. I believe that meat can be part of a well balanced diet. But I do feel inspired to support farmers who treat the animals humanely by feeding them appropriate diets, allowing them to grow at normal rates, and raising them in an environmentally conscious manner. By not eating meat this month, I was not supporting the factory farming industry.
So what’s next? (And no, I don’t plan to eat a big burger for lunch!) My goal is to spend my grocery dollars in a manner which supports farmers who are doing the right thing. I am not exactly sure where I’ll be purchasing meat, so for the moment, it’s off my grocery list. At restaurants, I will continue to choose the vegetarian option. But technically I will be a flexitarian, and I will be eating meat on occasion. This month taught me that I don’t need to rely on meat in order to create a healthy meal plan. With a little creativity, I can do better.
Tomorrow I will recap some great meals from Memorial Day weekend!
I am mixing it up today, getting ready for a long weekend! I hope to be spending three lovely days soaking up the sun, I mean, applying my SPF at regular intervals while enjoying time outside.
Recipes that Fit 