Spring Rolls

I'v made the spring rolls that I love so much, however they aren' tthe same as the one's I buy at Clafouti.  Clafouti is a little diner across the street from my work.  It's an amazing place, the food is always fresh and good.  The prices are great too.

Their spring rolls are made with shrimp and chicken... not together thank goodness as I don't like shrimp.

Rice noodles
Coriander
Carrots
Soy Beans
Mint
Lettuce

and Rice paper of course.

Soak the rice noodles with Warm water so that they become soft and don't stick together, rinse under cold water and drain.

wet the rice paper on both sides with hot tap water, shake off any excess water and set on a plate to sit for a minute or so,  gather your ingredients and place in the bottom center of the rice paper.. fold in on the ends and roll the sides.  Easy as pie... but you need to get the nack for it... take a look at the huge roll in the center of my plate... that was the first one I made  LOL it's a funny looking one.  Ideally they all should be that size and well wrapped but I only made 5 of them as I am only one person to eat them, no need to over eat.

I also made peanut butter sauce but couldn't get it to be a thin sauce even with the hoisen sauce added to it.  Bit it was good none the less.  Will have to tweak it some more.

Morphed spaghetti squash

So today is the first day that I felt like cooking in ages.  I have gone through a terrible loss- my dad.  It has thrown me for a loup and back again.  I love cooking, photography, socializing and reading... all of which I have lost the urge to do.

My dad was a man who was a pure 'meat and potatos' kinda guy.  And he didn't like to try new things.  I on the other hand love anything mediteraniany (no fish or sea food though), he didn't like to try my cooking unless it was cabbage rolls, spaghetti sauce, my roasts and oh my - my turkey.  He loved my turkey, he always wanted me to cook my turkey with stuffing, fresh cranberry sauce, mashed potatos, carrots and turnip - oops don't forget the parsnip.  The typical holiday meal.  Do not add anything new like raisens, apples or nuts to the stuffing.  SCANDELOUS!

The reason why I am writing this is because he would not like my dinner tonight.  I left work after it being my first day back after some time off (to be with dad).  It was a fine day, it was sunny and bright, people in shorts and t-shirts, out for lunch and strolling about.  I decided that it would be a relaxing evening.  I synced my iPhone with my iTunes library, tried my new ear phones with the thing you could talk into and well headed out to the grocery store.  I never learn, going shopping when you are hungry is never a good idea.  That's exactly what I did.  I ended up with just a few things.

My original idea was to try some rice noodles with a stir fry concoction-  not quite.
I ended up with a spaghetti squash, 1 jalapeno pepper, 3 bulbs of garlic, some cherry tomatos, a bag of cherries-- so good!- a tub of vanila yogourt, 1 zucchini , some mint and some shreddies.  Exciting isn't it?

Not sure what I'd end up making and to be honest I knew it would be a couple of meals all at different times.

I made the spaghetti squash in the oven with some olive oil, 1/2 jalapeno chopped small, with garlic.  I baked it until it was right,

I also started some red quinoa - sauteed some mushrooms and garlic with lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.  Threw in some cherry tomatos and some corn nibblets, chick peas and once it was warmed up or hot I tossed in some mint leaves.

Now what?

Ok, so I shredded the spaghetti squash put some butter on it and  threw it in with the mushrooms, garlic, lemon juice.... my sautee thingy was done... not quite.  The red quinoa and chickpeas, corn nibblets needed to go in too.

My out come was delishious.  No pictures today I'll let you fuss with your recipe and maybe you could share yours.  I'll be posting photos soon.

Later

Meatless at home.

Well, i've decided to become meatless at home.  For a couple of reasons- dispite the obvious- killing/hurting animals, the chemical additives used in the food the animals eat and are given,  even the 'free range' animals who are treated 'properly' until they are slaughtered...

I feel better -less bloating and I am not as tired or fatigued, not as many migraines and headaches.  I tried this once before and felt better, however it isn't easy to do.  I've bought countless cookbooks, magazines and read dozens of blogs and counting on going meatless and i'm comfortable with it .  Although I have cheated once, OK twice since last tuesday I think that it isn't as bad as I could have been. (one breakfast sausage some bacon and  a small peice of chichen in an asian summer/spring roll)  I'm not saying that I won't eat meat, i'm saying that I will watch what I'm eating and think about the consequences that go along with the meat that I'm injesting.

I've had fewer headaches (just headaches over the last week and not migraines) the main reason why I've decided to try cutting out meat.  I've been buying fresh grains and fresh veggies/fruit and it is nice to have them  around as you always can munch on something.

I will admit that I will not cut out eggs (in cooking and on occation), and cheese.  I don't think I could live without cheese.  I have not done enough research to find out what is suitable substitute.  I am working on this  and am willing to try.  Another thing that I am (scared to, ) and will try is to cook tofu with the many ways that it can be prepared... Ugh, I will get it right one of these days.

For now, I will have my supper tonight and through trial and error make some delicious meals.

On tonights menu:  I've made a mini pizza with Greek Pita bread and some hot peppers, olives and some mozzeralla cheese.  One of my favorite fast, easy things I make when I'm too tired and fed up to cook.

For tomorrows lunch I've made brown lentils ( I got them right this time, they aren't mushy), some parsley, onions, button mushroom (I think that is what they are called), coarsly chopped walnuts, along with some feta cheese.

I haven't taken any pictures and it's usually because I get half way through preparing and or eating the meal then think- 'damn I should have taken pictures'  ---  I'm usually in the zone when cooking as Cooking Keeps Me Sane.

tonights made up soup

I came home tonight and thought about  making soup.  I had some sweet potatos in the fridge and bought 2 large leeks, I had some dill in the fridge and some garlic.

This soup was - shall I say IS fantastic.

Shana's soup...

1 large leek sliceds
2 medium size sweet potatos
2 large cloves garlic
4 handfuls of barley (to thicken)
2 small Bay Leafs
Dill sprigs choped into 2 inch peices
2 thick carrots sliced into 1/4 inch peices
salt and pepper to taste.
swirl of olive oil


Put 1 Liter of water (you could use vegetable stock, chicken stock if you have some- it would have been tastier if I had vegy stock!) and chopped sweet potatos to cook once soft enough to mash with potato masher -
Mash into smaller chuncks.
Add the Barley
Add Bay Leaf and Leek slices and stir
Add garlic, chopped carrots and some salt and pepper
Add dill sprigs (this gives a nice flavor with the sweet potatos)
Add the Barley
Mash some more and let simmer for the flavors to blend

Add salt and pepper and a swirl of olive oil

I believe this soup will be better the second day.

I can't believe I forgot to photograph it.... I'm ashamed.  :) Next time. Maybe i'll be able to take a photo of  it in the pot..

Hope you like it. A Happy Tummy is a Happy Person

cookies....

My cookies came out alright... however, the coconut balls came out a little too sweet for me but hey are good.

My shortbread was weird...it will turn out alright I guess the second time around....

I willpost photos of the coconut balls tomorrow... :)

Merry eve to you and yours if you are reading this...

christmas cooking?!

So there are times when I could cook up a storm and keep it going.  Lately my fuse has been short and it doesn't seem to be improving.  This last year has been unreal- unlucky and really crappy to say the least.  My idea for gift giving this year (execpt the core people in my life) will be to make cookies, coconut balls and peanut butter balls and put them into a little tin as a gift.

I've found recipes online for these recipes and they seem to be easy enough to make.  I just need to be in the right frame of mind to make them.. put good energy and thoughts into them so they could bring happiness and joy to those recieving them.

NYE will be celebrated with good friends (whom I call my family) and my home made pizza -  (curtesy of Amy P. my cooking encyclopedia ).

I have purchased the items for my recipes and will - if i'm up for it later tonight- will make some shortbread.

For my ONE follower (thank you for following - however long it's been) I hope not to disappoint.  Cooking Keeps Me Sane.  Maybe that's what I've been missing  besides sleep. Feel free to comment - I'll post the recipe links in my next posting and will provide pictures of the finished product.

:)

Carrots

I bought a small bag of carrots this afternoon.  The reason for this is because I saw a recipe in 'Cook with Jamie' called sticky saucepan carrots, I usually don't have carrots in the fridge becaue they go bad.  Carrots are not one of the veggies that I keep for some reason.

Reading his recipe, I thought it would be a good idea to make these.  Then I thought soup.  Looked up 101 cookbooks site and typed in carrots and found this recipe for carrot soup - I decided to make soup for the second time in my life (first one doesn't count because I fell asleep and burnt the soup).

I took stock of what I had in the fridge-
some chicken stock ( I will use the brovil and water as I didn't make any real chicken stock)
Long green peppers (not sure what kind)
challots
baby cherry tomatos
onion
chopped parsley (from the taboule that I made and pre chopped)
okra  (which I absolutly love)
carrots (of course)
mushrooms chopped small (in my case, i mushed them by accident)
some herbs from my pantry (dill, chilantro)
a large handfull and 1/2 of red lentils
2 slices of bacon
garlic
lemon juice
and olive oil

first saute the onions with olive oil, until translucent, add garlic, bacon (chopped)
chop up your carrots into small chunks, cut okra- add lemon juice,
throw in your 4 cups of broth, add carrots, okra, parsley, long green peppers mushrooms, spices, tomatos, challots and let boil for 10 minutes, then bring temp down to simmer
it's a free for all.  just go with it. add salt and pepper to taste.
I forgot the dill- oh well you could always add it later.

I'll post the photos once I clean the conter top and get the steps started.

I'm also not sure if I could freeze this soup to bring to dad.  He hasn't been feeling well so hopefully he'll like my carrot soup.