Sautéed Swiss Chard with Garlic

This recipe comes to me from my friend Vickie, who is an Italian cooking pro. (Happy birthday Vickie!) We were discussing greens such as Swiss chard, and what to do with them. Her recommendation? A simple, yet flavorful way to get a serving of veggies into your meal when you are sick of salad.

This recipe works with any type of greens, such as spinach or kale but the texture is best with Swiss chard because their large stems provide a good crunch without being too bitter.

Ingredients
• 1 bunch fresh Swiss chard (I used green chard)
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• sea salt

Directions
1. Wash chard thoroughly and chop up.
2. Heat large frying pan over medium heat.
3. When pan is hot, add olive oil and garlic. Sauté for one minute, just enough for the garlic to flavor the oil.
4. Add half the chard and cook, stirring almost constantly.
5. As there is room, add another handful of chard. Keep stirring to coat new chard with oil.
6. Continue this process until all chard has been added. Stir and keep cooking until all chard has wilted and turned dark green.
7. Pour into serving dish. Season with sea salt and serve hot.

Sweet Potato & Brown Rice Risotto

 I was intrigued by this beautiful Beet Risotto on ktmade.com, but by the time I got around to making it, my beets had gone bad. Instead of tossing the idea, I totally revamped it using a sweet potato left over from a previous recipe. 

This recipe is perfect for those who have dairy sensitivities or are vegan. This risotto is a lot different than my normal risottos: it is creamier and a little sweeter (because of the coconut milk), and definitely better as a side dish than a main dish, but tastes great as leftovers. I encourage you to give it a try if you are looking for a fun twist on risottos.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into small pieces
• 3 cups vegetable broth (split use)
• 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 15 oz. can coconut milk (do not strain)
• 2 cups medium- or long-grain brown rice
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat medium size stockpot over medium heat.
2. Add oil, then garlic and onion. Cook until onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Reduce heat slightly if necessary to avoid burning. Add sweet potato and 1 cup of the vegetable broth. Cover and cook until sweet potato has softened (pierce-able with a fork), about 5 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to medium low. Add vinegar, rice and coconut milk. Stir well. Cover and let cook, stirring two to three times, until most liquid has been absorbed.
5. Add the other 2 cups of vegetable broth, stir well, and recover until most of the liquid has been absorbed and rice is cooked.
6. Uncover, turn heat to low, and let rest of liquid cook off – about 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Texas Caviar

I brought this recipe to a recent 6th grade event where a coworker and I did a workshop on healthy snacks. This is simple for kids to make - most of the ingredients just need to be rinsed. They may need some help chopping the pepper and celery, to get the pieces small enough.

This recipe is versatile because it can be scooped up with tortilla chips, or served as a side dish with your meal.

Thanks to my friend Steph who suggested this recipe! (And yes, this is the Stephanie of Fruit Pizza fame!)

Main Ingredients

·      15 oz can black eyed peas, rinsed

·      15 oz can black beans, rinsed

·      15 oz can corn, rinsed

·      1 green pepper, diced

·      1 stalk celery, diced

Dressing Ingredients

·      3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

·      1/4 cup olive oil

·      1 cup sugar

Directions

1.    Combine main ingredients in a large bowl.

2.    In a separate bowl, combine dressing ingredients. Whisk until sugar has dissolved.

3.    Pour dressing over main ingredients. Cover and refrigerate. Let sit for at least four hours, but hopefully overnight. Drain well.

4.    When ready, serve with tortilla chips or as a side dish.

Greek Style Salad with Simple Dressing

photo by Alison Tyne

Slowly but steadily I have had a new fan every week or so on the Artistic Eatables Facebook page, even during my recent hiatus - thank you to all who have patiently waited for a new recipe!

This weekend, my friend Alison came to photograph my husband's band. After they got home, we decided on a non-traditional salad for dinner and chose to create our version of a dish from Salads by Jane Price.



INGREDIENTS (serves 3-4)
For a vegan meal, be sure to omit the cheese.

• 1 bag baby spinach
• 1 can artichoke hearts, drained, halved or quartered
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• sundried tomatoes, cut into strips
• kalamata olives, pitted
• 1/2 red pepper, sliced (roasted red peppers would also be nice)
• feta cheese (optional; parmesan is another alternative)
• olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper, optional

DIRECTIONS
To plate each salad:

1. Lay down a bed of baby spinach.
2. Arrange a few artichoke hearts, olives, and red pepper slices around the edge of the plate.
3. Sprinkle sundried tomato strips over greens.
4. Top with some lemon zest and feta cheese (if using).
5. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil, then about 1/4 of the lemon juice over your salad.
6. Top with some freshly ground black pepper, if desired, then serve.

Black Bean Soup

Thanks to all my readers, who have been extremely patient during this busy time for me! We have been working toward buying our first home, and hope to be in by Christmas time. Thankfully, the paperwork has slowed down enough for me to try out some new recipes. Here is the first of what will hopefully be a return to somewhat regular postings for me.

I've had a variety of black bean soups over time, including ones that were entirely pureed. This is one that caught my eye because it was a little bit different. It is somewhat pureed (creating the thickener) but still maintains its body by having small chunks of vegetables and beans. It also has a simple, yet flavorful, seasoning.

This recipe was adapted from Food.com.

Ingredients
for a gluten-free meal, be sure to use a gluten-free bouillon cube, such as Herb Ox brand

• Olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and chopped
• pinch of dried cumin (about 1/2 tsp)
• a few shakes each of salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• two 15-19 oz cans black beans, (do not drain) divided use
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 bouillon cubes
• 2 tsp cornstarch

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add onions, garlic, and celery. Cook for 5-10 minutes, until softened. Add a little bit of water if it begins to stick.
3. Add cumin, salt and pepper, red bell pepper, and one can of black beans + their juice. Cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Using an immersion blender, puree soup. Alternatively, you can transfer it in batches to a blender to blend, then return to the large pot.
5. Add water, bouillon cubes, and second can of black beans + their juice. Bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to low. Scoop a mug-full of soup out, mix in cornstarch, then add back into pot. Stir well and serve immediately alongside bread or corn chips.

Chickpea, Potato, and Kale Soup

My friend Jonah, of the Jonah's Fish Chowder recipe fame,  came to visit a few weeks ago with a lovely surprise for me from his local farmers' market. It included oyster mushrooms, wedges of different cheeses, and a large bunch of chard. Since then, I've been daydreaming about leafy greens. (I know, that probably puts me in the category of food dork, but I'm okay with that.)

This is a variation on a soup that I used to make a long time ago. I love the combination of chickpeas and potatoes, and also how flexible the recipe is. Feel free to throw in other aromatics like carrots or celery with your onions; replace the kale with swiss chard; or even add some ground sausage to the mix.

Ingredients
(for gluten-free recipe, omit bouillon or use a gluten-free bouillon)
(for dairy-free or vegan recipe, omit parmesan cheese when serving)

• olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1/4 tsp dried whole thyme
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4-6 red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 8 cups water, divided use
• 3 tsp vegetable bouillon (or 3 bouillon cubes)
• two 15 oz cans of beans, drained and rinsed (I used one can of chickpeas and one of pink beans)
• 3/4 bunch fresh kale, rinsed well and chopped
•  parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, thyme, smoked paprika, and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper. Cook until translucent.
2. Add potatoes and 4 cups of the water. Cover and let sit until water comes to a boil. 
3. Reduce heat to low and stir in bouillon. Add the other 4 cups of water, and place kale on top of other ingredients. Return cover to pot and let the kale start to steam. 
4. After about 5-7 minutes, add beans, stir well, and return cover to pot. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, then turn heat off. Let sit, uncovered, for a couple minutes, then check flavors. Add more salt and pepper as needed.
5. Serve with a side of parmesan cheese, for sprinkling, if desired.

Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Wow, it's been an interesting few months. In my part of New York State, we've been dealing recently with major flooding - the first day of school was cut short and the rest of the week canceled. It's been kind of unreal, to help people rip apart their houses, haul out furniture that has gone bad from being saturated with flood water, and pump out basements. Please send good thoughts to the Southern Tier as many deal with the effects of the flood.

I am hoping to ease back into blogging with a wonderfully easy salad dressing recipe. The base of it is one I've been using for a few months, but discovered the special ingredient while watching an episode of The Pioneer Woman's show on Food Network.

I love making my own salad dressing, and I hope you will too. Once you see how easy it is to manipulate with different flavors (such as adding in some Dijon mustard, or using a different kind of vinegar), you can have a lot of fun with it.

Ingredients (serves 2-3)

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• a few shakes each of salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tsp brown sugar (if gluten-free, make sure to use a GF brown sugar, such as Domino brand)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a resealable container. Shake well before serving.
   
   Note: Store on the shelf, not in the fridge, as olive oil will coagulate.

Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary and Thyme

I've noticed that my cooking interests rotate with the seasons. During summertime when there are so many wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables available, I find my recipes highlighting simplicity. Just like with my last recipe on Fresh Tomato and Red Onion Salad, today's recipe doesn't involve a lot of complex dressings or spices. Instead, it relies on the starchiness of the potato combined with the slight tartness from the apple cider vinegar to create a flavor that, when joined with salad and burger, rounds out a meal perfectly.


Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 quart new red potatoes, washed and cut into chunks
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 4-5 cloves garlic, smashed and cut in half
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
•  In separate bowl, combine oil, vinegar, rosemary, thyme, and pepper.
• In 13 x 9 baking dish, combine potatoes, shallot, garlic, and onion.
• Pour oil mixture over potato mixture. Stir well.
• Bake at 450 degrees, uncovered, for about 45 minutes. Stir at least once while baking.

Fresh Tomato and Red Onion Salad

Do yourself a big favor. Go to the nearest farmers' market or roadside stand and buy the most beautiful tomato you can find. Slice it up, drizzle some oil and vinegar on top, and sit down. Stop everything else you're doing right now and let yourself enjoy the flavor. It is summertime: the perfect time for tomatoes.

Sure, you can buy beefsteak or vine ripe tomatoes from the store, but you would be doing a huge disservice to your palate. Talk to the farmers - ask about their favorites. The tomato I bought today was absolutely gorgeous. It was a deep red, bordering on purple, with a crown of green. The farmer told me that it was the perfect time to eat them. He said, "You will never taste a better tomato in your life." In a world of over-exaggerated statements, this one was 100% accurate.

I love the simplicity of this salad, as well as its flexible nature. Feel free to try it with different tomatoes, different vinegars, additions, or even caramelizing the onions to create a sweet / salty combination.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1 large heirloom tomato, cut into wedges (room temperature is best)
• sliver of red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
• drizzle of olive oil
• drizzle of balsamic vinegar
• freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Arrange tomatoes on a plate. Sprinkle onion around them.
2. Dress with a drizzle each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
3. Top with freshly ground black pepper.
4. Enjoy!

Marinated White Beans with Tomatoes

While preparing for a recent picnic, I decided to mix up some marinated beans. After seeing this recipe on Budget Bytes, I had been thinking about a cold bean mixture to enjoy during the hot days of summer. I adapted her idea with a few tips from Jamie Oliver's salad video to create this great snack, crostini topper, or side dish.

Ingredients for Dressing

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp high quality mustard (ex: stone ground or Dijon mustard)
• small handful fresh flat leaf parsley, minced
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Other Ingredients

• one or two 15 oz. cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained (for a dish with lighter dressing, use 2 cans of beans)
• 1 small vine ripe tomato, diced

Directions

1. In a small lidded container, combine dressing ingredients and shake well.
2. In a separate bowl or container, combine beans and tomatoes. Pour dressing over top and stir until coated. 
3. Let mixture sit at least fifteen minutes before serving atop toasted baguette slices or as a side dish.

Sautéed Sweet Potatoes with Granny Smith Apple

After a hectic end to my school year, I am back in the kitchen. Thanks for being patient!

I write today with a recipe that could easily be part of breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Think of it as a fusion of traditional home fries and Thanksgiving dinner's sweet potatoes. The recipe, adapted from Susie Middleton's Fast, Fresh & Green, caught my eye for its excellent description of walk-away sautéing. Middleton breaks up her book by technique; other techniques include grilling, braising, and gratins.


Important tips when walk-away sautéing:
--Cut your vegetable into similar sized pieces. The closer in size, the easier it will be to avoid larger pieces being undercooked.
--Don't be afraid of caramelizing or browning the potatoes - this will bring out their flavor
--This technique is flexible, as long as you keep in mind that it works best with firm vegetables like potatoes, carrots, or even cauliflower, paired with an aromatic vegetable such as mushroom or onion.


Ingredients
(This recipe can easily be made vegan by omitting the butter)

• 1 Tbsp butter
• generous drizzle of olive oil
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, skins on, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 medium white onion, diced
• kosher or sea salt
• 1/4 Granny Smith apple, chopped
• splash of apple cider vinegar
• dried parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. Heat large frying pan to medium heat.
2. Add butter to melt, and olive oil
3. Add sweet potatoes, onion, and a few shakes of salt to the pan. Cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes. Stir every once in a while but do not scrape bottom of pan.
4. Once sweet potatoes are tender, add fresh apple and a splash or two of cider vinegar. Cook for another minute or two, until apples are warm.
5. Dish onto plates and top with a pinch of parsley and another sprinkle of salt. Serve hot.

Green Beans with Simple Dressing

When I was younger I remember not being big on vegetables. My mom was able to sneak carrots or broccoli into my repertoire only if ranch dressing was available on the side.

My taste has matured (slightly) since then, but one thing I still love about vegetables is the crunch. These green beans are cooked, but retain their bright green color. This not only means that the nutrients are left for you to eat (rather than boiling away into the water), but also that the beans still have a bit of crunch to them.

What I love about this recipe is how simple it is to make, yet how fancy it looks when presented.

Ingredients

• 2-3 large handfuls fresh green beans, ends snapped off
• juice of 1 lemon
• drizzle of olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• sliced almonds

Directions

1. Boil green beans until just barely cooked; beans should still be somewhat crunchy.
2. Transfer beans to serving dish. Dress with lemon juice and olive oil, then mix just barely. 
3. Top with salt, pepper, and almonds. Serve immediately.

Polenta with Fresh Tomatoes, Basil, and Shallots

Polenta is cooked cornmeal. Translation: a great dinner option for those who are avoiding wheat or other products with gluten.

Polenta can be purchased pre-cooked, usually in a package whose shape resembles a giant pill. Or, you can go the old fashioned route and buy cornmeal, cooking it according to directions that are usually written on the back of the box.

Try out this dinner meal alongside grilled chicken, or as a vegetarian option accompanied with some greens. Ours cooked up crispy on the bottom and smooth inside. You can mix it up by adding parmesan cheese to the polenta before you bake it, or changing the toppings to your liking.



Ingredients

• 2 cups cornmeal
• olive oil
• 4 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 bunch fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 1 large shallot, sliced (or can substitute 1 medium red onion)
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cook cornmeal according to package directions. (usually a 1:1 ratio with water)
3. Coat glass 8x8 baking dish with olive oil.
4. Spoon cornmeal into pan and top with tomatoes, basil, and shallots.
5. Drizzle olive oil on top of vegetables and add salt and pepper.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until shallots are tender.

Traditional Hummus

Hummus is one of my go-to party foods, and has also become a staple for my lunches when I've gotten sick of PB&J's. I make a big batch, then bring some in a container along with crackers or tortilla chips for a lunch I can eat all at once or snack on throughout the day.

Tahini, one of the ingredients, is like peanut butter, but made from sesame seeds rather than peanuts. It's a strange ingredient - and I rarely use my tahini for anything but hummus - but it is truly necessary if you want the creamy consistency for which hummus is well known. You can find it in many grocery stores near the peanut butter.

If my garlic hummus was too strong for your taste, you will undoubtedly enjoy this recipe, which has a much more mellow flavor.



Ingredients

• one 28 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• one 15 oz can chickpeas, mostly drained
• two drizzles of olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• spoonful tahini (sesame butter)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper (1-2 tsp, to taste)
• juice of 1 lemon

Directions

1. Combine both cans of chickpeas (including the small amount of liquid from the smaller can of chickpeas), olive oil, garlic, tahini, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.
2. Add black pepper and half the lemon juice. Pulse to mix well. Taste test and add more lemon juice to your liking.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup

Sometimes I get inspired by food. It happens at random. The orange of a beautiful sweet potato is what did me in this time. I chose this recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen for its simplicity, high nutritional value, and staying power.

Friends joined us and we made up some fresh guacamole, enjoying it with tortilla chips as an appetizer. This soup came next, along with some fun beverages that fit the evening's theme. One friend commented that the soup 'surprised' him. Although he watched it being prepared, the finished product was not what he expected.

Here is the recipe with my alterations. You can purée more or less depending on your preference for a creamier or chunkier soup. Also, the scallions seem unnecessary, like a garnish, but they add another layer of texture (crunchy) that deserves to be included.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 large sweet potatoes, chopped into small chunks
• two 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed
• 4 cups water
• juice from 1/2 lime
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced

Directions

1. In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Cook onion and garlic until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add cumin, cinnamon, and generous amounts of salt and pepper. Stir well.
4. Add sweet potatoes, black beans, and water. Cook until sweet potatoes are very tender.
5. Remove a little less than half the mixture and purée using an immersion blender or regular blender. Return to pot and heat until soup is hot throughout.
6. Add lime juice and stir well. 
7. Remove from heat and stir in scallions. Serve with bread or tortilla chips.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

You may remember my love for roasting vegetables.. some may call it a problem. I call it a healthy obsession.

This recipe evolved from my need for butternut squash soup. I went to a friend's house with all the ingredients to make us lunch and realized that his kitchen's contents did not include a vegetable peeler. After the shock wore off, I was able to improvise. I guess I should thank my friend for slacking in the kitchen accessories department, since it resulted in a delicious soup, but in reality he will be receiving a special Groundhog Day present. I bet you can guess what it is.


Ingredients
for a dairy-free or vegan meal, omit heavy cream and garnish with a sprinkle of brown sugar

• 2 butternut squashes, halved and cut into large chunks for roasting
• olive oil for roasting
• salt and pepper
• olive oil for sautéing
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 onion
• 1 1/2-inch chunk fresh ginger, grated
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• salt and pepper
• 4 cups water
• heavy cream for garnish (optional)

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 
2. Place squash chunks, flesh side up, in baking dish(es). Drizzle with a good amount of olive oil and coat with salt and pepper.
3. Bake at 450 degrees for 70-80 minutes. Check for doneness with a fork - squash should be soft.
4. When squash are almost done, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a large stockpot.
5. Sauté onion, garlic, and fresh ginger for 3-4 minutes, until onion is translucent.
6. Scoop squash from its skin and add to stockpot. 
7. Add ground ginger, cinnamon, thyme, salt, pepper, and water. Simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes.
8. Remove from heat. Mash with potato masher (for a chunkier soup) or blend with immersion blender (for a creamier consistency).
9. Dish into individual bowls and top with a splash of heavy cream or sprinkle of brown sugar, if desired.

Tomato Florentine Soup

This is a great soup because it is accepting of any flavors you might want to add. It's loosely based on Budget Bytes' Swamp Soup recipe and it caught my eye because of the ingredient list. I've never made a tomato based soup that actually used pasta sauce in it before, but it made perfect sense to me. We often have a half full jar of tomato sauce in our fridge that is left over from one thing or another. Adding it to this soup tasted great because the sauce is already seasoned so I had to add very little in terms of spices for this soup.


After changing the recipe quite a bit and working with the contents of my own kitchen, I ended up with this. Dan the Man wanted it on the record that future versions of this soup should experiment with the addition of chicken or pasta. To make it a little heartier I'd like to try adding another can of smaller beans, like Great Northern beans, to add some extra protein and color variation.


Ingredients
for a vegan or dairy-free meal, omit the parmesan cheese at the end and replace with fresh basil leaves for garnish.

• drizzle of olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 4 carrots, sliced in 1/4-inch pieces
• 4 stalks celery, sliced in 1/4-inch pieces
• big pinch (about 1/2 tsp) oregano
• big pinch of basil
• big pinch of parsley
• freshly ground pepper
• 3 oz (about 1/2 bag) fresh baby spinach
• 28 oz can diced tomatoes (don't drain - you will need the juice)
• 15.5 oz can beans, drained and rinsed (I used red kidney beans)
• 12 oz (or 1/2 jar) tomato sauce
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in large stockpot over medium heat.
2. Add garlic, onion, carrots, celery, spices, and pepper. Stir well and let cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Add spinach, cover stockpot, and reduce heat to low. Cook until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes (with their juice), beans, tomato sauce and broth. Cover, return heat to medium and cook until soup is heated throughout.
5. Serve as is or sprinkled (covered?) with parmesan cheese.

Spiced Oatmeal

First off, I'd like to thank everyone who voted for me in the Manly Cupcake Challenge - I was chosen as the People's Choice! Along with two other final finalists, my recipe will be tested by the amazing bakers at C&C Cakery and a winner will be chosen. Congrats to the other finalists, whose cupcakes looked delicious!


On to the recipe...

This weekend I was fortunate enough to visit my favorite tea store, Sensibiliteas. The owner, Donnalynn recommended a delicious twist on traditional oatmeal, which is laid out below. The beauty is that you can cater it to your taste - want your oatmeal fruitier? Try their Peaches n' Cream spiced black tea. Are you preparing oatmeal for a traditional tea drinker? Perhaps they'd like it made with Earl Grey. The possibilities are endless.

Oatmeal is a nutritious and very very easy to make, as long as you keep an eye on what type of oats you buy. Rolled oats (also called old-fashioned oats) are what I've used here. Steel cut oats, also delicious, would work in this recipe, just be sure to extend your cooking time since they do take a bit longer to complete. More information about oats can be found here.

Original oatmeal recipe adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything.

Ingredients (makes 2 servings)

• 2 tsp OR 2 tea bags of your favorite spiced black tea (I used Sensibiliteas' Organic Vanilla Chai)
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1 cup rolled oats (NOT instant)
• dash of salt
• 1/3 cup of your favorite dried fruit, optional (I used raisins)
• additional toppings, such as cream, maple syrup, brown sugar, or toasted walnuts

Directions

1. Boil water for tea. When water has come to a boil, measure out 2 1/4 cups into a small saucepan.
2. Steep tea in hot water for 3-5 minutes.
3. Remove tea bag from water. Add oats and salt. Cover and bring to a boil.
4. When water comes to a boil, turn heat to low, add dried fruit if using, and cook, covered, for another 5-7 minutes until oatmeal is tender.
5. Remove from heat and serve with any additional desired toppings.

Comments

The hardest thing about writing this entry is that there is no Scratch-n-Sniff on the internet. The smell of the oatmeal simmering in a blend of cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, and cloves permeated the kitchen, but obviously didn't show up in the photo. If you have any interest in oatmeal, I recommend giving this a try!


**Note: I was not compensated in any way by Sensibiliteas for this post. I am simply a fan of her products!

Roasted Vegetable Minestrone

For weeks, I had been drooling over this soup recipe from What Megan's Making, one of my favorite food blogs. I loved the idea of roasting vegetables to bring out their flavor in an unexpected place like soup, and couldn't wait to give this a try as the weather has cooled off here. 

To switch up the original recipe, I changed which vegetables to roast, catered the seasoning to my liking, and altered the amounts for a smaller crowd. This recipe will make enough for 3-4 people as a main dish.

Ingredients for roasting vegetables

• 1 bunch small carrots, sliced in rounds
• 1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 yellow (summer) squash, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1/2 red onion, halved and sliced thinly
• generous drizzle of olive oil
• salt + pepper

Ingredients for rest of soup

• more olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• pinch of dried thyme leaves
• 14.5 oz can cannellini beans, drained
• 6 cups vegetable broth (more if you want it brothier)
• 2 cups pasta shells, uncooked
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
• salt + pepper
• fresh parsley or Parmesan or mozzarella cheese (garnish, optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Combine ingredients for roasting vegetables in large baking dish and cover. Bake at 500 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside, still covered, until soup is complete (Step 8).
3. While vegetables are roasting, heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. 
4. Add garlic, celery, and thyme. Cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Add cannelini beans and vegetable broth. Increase heat to medium-high until broth boils, then reduce to low. 
6. Add pasta shells and cook until they are al dente (about 10 minutes).
7. Add tomatoes and cook until heated throughout. 
8. Pour roasted vegetables into soup and stir to incorporate.
9. Season with salt and pepper, and top with desired garnish.

Fresh Tomato and Roasted Garlic Salsa

Ingredients

• 5-6 cloves garlic
• olive oil
• 2 small ripe tomatoes
• 1 green tomato
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• juice of 1/2 lime
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Cut tips off the top of each garlic clove. Place in small baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 450 degrees until garlic is roasted completely, about 20 minutes.
3. While garlic is roasting, finely chop tomatoes and jalapeno pepper. Mix together in medium bowl.
4. Squeeze each garlic out of its paper and onto a cutting board, mince and add to bowl.
5. Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.