Even more veggies

Here is the same chicken salad as before, but I have added the avocado, and thinly sliced carrots. I also added some toasted ciabatta bread with a drizzle of olive oil. The bread is so crunchy and really its hard for me to feel full without some grain based item on my plate. Its kinda the way people feel about meals needed to include meat. I like my simple carbs more than animal based proteins. If you look at my salad its only 3 oz of chicken. I split a 6 oz chicken breast between me and my husband.

Chicken on a bed of greens

This salad is inspired from the TGI Fridays Caribbean chicken salad. Which is grilled chicken on top of mescalin, bell pepper slices, avocado chunks, pineapple pico, and mango chunks. And it has this amazing dressing full of cilantro and citrus flavors.

I roasted the chicken because I do not have a grill. The only seasoning I added to the chicken was some Italian Salad dressing I like. For the salad I sliced thin strips of orange bell pepper, red onion, and cucumbers. I wanted to add avocado slices, but the avocados were too hard to cut. I also had to skip the pineapple pico and the mango from lack of supplies. So if you make this you should add them because it is really awesome.

Now the real star here is the home made dressing. recipe to follow:

1/4 cup red onion
1 clove garlic
1 pinch dry ginger
1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine in a food processor until finely chopped. then slowly drizzle in

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

And wham bamm you have an amazing salad dressing to go over one of the best salads ever.

Vegitarian Fajitas

1 small sweet potato (cut into match sticks)
1 small zucchini ( cut into match sticks)
1 large onion (cut into strips)
1/2 cup bell peppers (cut into strips)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
1/2 the juice of a lime
Oil for frying veggies
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt




Heat oil in a pan, cook sweet potato first because it will take the longest to cook. After a about 4 minutes add the onions and bell peppers. Cook for 2 minutes then add the cilantro, garlic, and zucchini. While the zucchini finishes cooking mix all the spiced together in a bowl then sprinkle over the veggies. Once all the veggies are cooked to tender but not mushy squeeze 1/2 a lime over the veggie mix. stir to combine all the flavors.

My husband was not looking forward to fajitas that didn't have steak or chicken, but he loved them . He even said he wanted to make them again and here the kicker "I wouldn't change a thing!"

We only ate half of the mixture and were quite full. I would defenestrate say this would feed 4 people. If you were to add rice, black beans, or corn it could feed up to 6 people.

All in all I am really happy with how this turned out. I hope to make this again soon.

Pumpkin Spiced Crepes with Pumpkin Butte

Recipe can be found http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/10/pumpkin-spiced-crepes-with-pumpkin.html

Mac Cheese... Well not cheese but awesome!

I took the wonderful Alton Brown's Baked Mac and cheese recipe and made it lactose free. I replaced his milk with lactose free milk ( You could also use soy milk or almond milk), I used an eight oz package of Daiya cheddar cheese flavored cheese, and as usual I did not use real butter... I used equal amounts of olive oil. I also deviated from his recipe by adding 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder. If you do not want to use diced onions or can not chop the pieces small enough I would also recommend using onion powder.

Moosewood restaurant Fudge Brownies

I look through cook books all the time and I found the line of cook books from the Moosewood Restaurant, and so far they are awesome! I have been trying to make brownies that taste better than the box mixes for about a year now. My dad thinks I'm crazy but I really like baking things from scratch, makes me feel more accomplished.

1/2 cup butter
3 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup AP Flour

preheat oven to 350
Butter an 8x8 inch pan
Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl. Let cool.
Stir in brown sugar and vanilla
Whisk eggs in a separate bowl and then whisk into the chocolate mixture.
Stir in flour until combine.
Pour into 8x8 pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Pictures to come!

Ricotta cheese ( lactose free)

I have not had real stuffed shells in... 7 years. I have tried to use fake cheese and tofu... and it was not the same. But I have found that 1 year aged Parmesan cheese, 1 year aged provolone cheese, and home made ricotta with lactose free milk = the best stuffed shells ever! And no tummy trouble!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so happy I ate like 3 servings.

If you do not over dry the cheese you get about 2 cups of ricotta for 2 quarts milk and 1/4 cup lemon juice. This really took no time at all. Including draining it through the cheese cloth it took 15 minutes.



Heat the milk to 175 degrees Fahrenheit (stirring to prevent scorching).

Stir in the lemon juice, stir for 3 minutes.

Turn off the heat, and let sit for 5 minutes.

Place cheese cloth in strainer over a bowl, and slowly poor in what is not milk and whey.

Let drain until you get the dryness you want. I over dried it so I took some of the whey I captured in the bowl and re added it to the cheese and fluffed it up with a fork.

Than I made my favorite cheese stuffed shell recipe, and it was amazing. Everything I had been missing. And I plan on using this to make cannolis as soon as possible.