Last Minute Valentine

If you want to show your Honey some love in a simply sweet way  I suggest you head over here and fold up an origami heart as pictured above. These are pretty fast and easy to whip up and much more fun than standing in line at the grocery store with last minute Valentine shoppers.

Weekend in Photos

Rosemary Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is the winterized version of my favourite summer squash soup (I’ll be sure to post that one as soon as summer squash are in season).  It’s quick and easy to throw together and you can substitute the butternut for any winter squash you prefer.

Makes three-five 2 cup servings

1 Tbsp butter or olive oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

2 ½ lbs butternut squash, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

4 cups vegetable stock

In a large stock pot, over medium heat sauté garlic in the butter until it just starts to turn light brown.  Add rosemary and cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Add squash, carrots, and veggie stock.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered until squash is easily pierced with a fork.  Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes.  Puree soup in a blender to desired consistency.  Be very careful as the soup will be hot.  You may need to do this in 2 or more batches depending on the size of your blender. Season with a little salt and pepper (optional) and enjoy.

This soup reheats wonderfully.  Quite often on Sundays I will make up a batch to take to work for the week’s lunches.  Sometimes I’ll add a dash of hot sauce to spice it up.

Update:  I forgot to mention that this soup will be a little on the thick side...which is how i like it.  If you desire less thickness just add another cup or so of veggie stock.

This post is a part of Fight Back Friday February 11, 2011

A sweet way to get your greens

Years ago I would make fruit smoothies for breakfast.  They would consist of frozen fruit, vanilla yogurt, and a bit of orange juice.  Sometimes they would be made up of frozen fruit, cooked oatmeal, and milk. One day several years ago I stumbled upon the raw food movement (for those of you not familiar here is a list of blogs devoted to raw foodism) and started slowly adding spinach to my smoothies.  Eventually I ditched the yogurt and juice and made spinach the bulk of the smoothie.  I know what you're thinking "Spinach? In a fruit smoothie? Has she lost her mind?" Trust me on this one. Give it a try. In fruit smoothies you really cannot taste a mild leafy green like spinach.  Below is an example of the current evolved state of my green smoothie.

Wintertime Green Smoothie 

Makes 1-2 servings

1 large apple quartered
1 Tbsp flax seeds
1/4 - 1/2 lb fresh spinach
water

Place apple, flax seeds, and spinach in a blender.  Add just enough water to blend.  Blend on high speed to desired consistency.  Enjoy!

I refer to this particular smoothie as "wintertime" because I like to use apples in the winter.  My favourite summertime combination replaces the apples with blueberries and peaches.  A previous incarnation of this smoothie included 2Tbsp wheat germ and 1Tbsp dates.  The wheat germ was eliminated due to my gluten intolerance and I no longer desire the extra sweetness of the dates. However if these are not issues for you feel free to add them in. Also if the bright green color frightens you start off slowly adding a bit more green over time. If you go browsing the web you'll find many different green smoothie variations.  Here is one that looks pretty sweet :)

P.S. In order to blend up this mixture to a very smooth consistency you need a really good blender (I have a Vitamix). I broke a blender early on while trying to make these smoothies. My current blender can puree whole apples with no problem.

A clean well lighted...box

So you know those super cool light boxes everyone has been making for their photographic aspirations?  No? Go ahead and take a look here.  Got it?  Sweet.  Well my oh-so-wonderful husband took a box we had lying around the house and made one for me over the weekend.  Check out the results.

Pottery photo with no light box

Pottery photo also no light box

 Pottery photo taken in my new light box

 What do you think?

Weekend in Photos

 

Gluten-free Korean Style Burgers

Remember that freezer full of local meats I told you about? Well I've dipped into my stash once again for dinner.  This time it's Korean burgers.  My mother-in-law is from Korea and has, much to my delight, shown me how to make some Korean foods.  I know what you’re thinking " Burgers don't sound Korean to me." Well you’re right they're not.  But the flavors here come directly from one of my husband’s favorite foods: Korean egg rolls aka "mondu" . I'll get to the mondu another day but you can get an early glimpse with these supper yummy burgers.

Makes four ¼ lb burgers

1 lb ground beef
2 (or more) chopped green onions
1 small carrot, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp wheat free tamari (or soy sauce if you aren't gluten free)
1 Tbsp  sesame oil
1/2tbsp Korean red pepper flakes*

*For those of you unfamiliar with korean red pepper I've posted a photo of the package from the brand I use below.  You should be able to find it in your local international grocery

 Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Form into 4 (or more) patties and cook on a grill or in a skillet just like you would any other hamburger.  Top with a few shredded carrots, green onions, and black and white sesame seeds.

As I am the main cook in the house and I'm gluten intolerant we quite often will have burgers sans bun.  However since the boys are not gluten intolerant once in a while the call of bread is too much and they'll have their burgers in the traditional on-a- bun fashion. So if you’re not primal, paleo, low carb, or otherwise avoiding gluten, feel free to wrap these up in whatever manner suits you.

This post is a part of Fight Back Friday February 4th, 2011.