Roasted Cheesy Broccoli Vegan Style

Last week I wrote about wanting to make roasted broccoli and cheese sauce, and the week came and went and no cheese sauce materialized magically before me. DAMN. So I had to pull one out of the hat. Thankfully I'd been reading a blog called A Life Unprocessed instead of making said cheese sauce. There, the mom was making roasted kale chips with cheesy tang on them made from nutritional yeast...heh an easy delicious solution.


BIG HIT. EASY. NO CHEESE SAUCE. QUICK. Whew, day saved, happy family. Cheesy broccoli vegans can eat too.


Roasted Cheesy Broccoli
 1 pound fresh broccoli
1 TBSP good oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup nutritional yeast


preheat oven to 350˚
line a baking sheet with parchment paper
wash and dry the broccoli
cut into bite size pieces, cut the head off the stem and then separate the smaller heads, peel the large stem and cut into coins too
place in a bowl and toss with the oil
pour onto the baking sheet
sprinkle with the nutritional yeast
roast for 20-25 minutes at 350˚
you can roast it for a shorter period if your oven is at 400˚ 15-20 minutes might be great


before roasting

After Roasting

 


Peace and Love--

Sort Of Cornish Pasty

A completley NON traditional Cornish Pasty, mind you. The dough is bread dough and the filling is leftovers reworked. So yeah NON traditional is right and we were all completely fine with that, more than fine with that. Holy cow theses were good and kind on freakily easy too.

A traditional Cornish Pasty is made with more of a pie dough crust, flour, lard, salt and water mixed, chilled, and rolled out. The filling is bites of beef, turnips(swedes?), potatoes and onion. I've tried, to great failure, to make a Cornish Pasty with pie dough. The results have been a blob of goo. It gets a bit depressing when you try and fail several times. These were no fail today, I like that, even if the dough isn't quite right.

Also? Traditional Cornish Pasties HAVE TO BE MADE IN CORNWALL not Alaska.


Sort of Cornish Pasty--oven 350˚

bread dough for one loaf of bread--use fresh or frozen, mine was an experimental batch of sourdough (YUM!)
1 Tablespoon of flour for your hands
3/4 pound leftover cooked ground beef
1 cup cooked potatoes, mashed or otherwise
1 medium zucchini, shredded
1 dill pickle shredded
pinch of garlic granules
splash of pickle juice
salt and pepper to taste
butter if desired for the tops

let the dough rise for the first time, punch it down and divide into 8 pieces
set aside to rest for 10 minutes
pre-heat the oven
warm the beef, potatoes, shredded vegetables, garlic and pickle juice in a skillet
taste and add salt and pepper as needed, stir occasionally until warmed through, not raging hot just warmed and holding together
line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or foil or use a baking stone to avoid all that
flour your hands and working directly on your baking sheet take the first piece of dough pat it out into a rough square about 4x4 inches, bigger or smaller is fine
divide the filling in the pan into 8 servings
take one of the 8 servings and place it on the square fold over to cover, crimping the edges as needed
continue making the Pasties until the dough and filling are used up
bake for 35-40 minutes until the Pasties are a nice deep golden brown
about 5 minutes before they are done you can rub the tops with some butter and then continue baking until done


Filling

Pre-Baking

Baked

Peace and Love--




 

Just Another Meatless Monday--Jarfaits

A what? A Jarfait! A Parfait in a Jar, Jarfait. A parfait is simply a layered dessert, usually pudding layers topped with fruit and whipped cream.  I make mine with yogurt in jars for boy's school lunches instead of  those expensive single servings of yogurt. Plus since I control the ingredients we stay far away from food coloring and unneeded additives. And talk about about inexpensive! I can make 2 weeks+ worth of yogurt for less than 7 dollars. 

Jarfaits--makes two jarfaits2 half pint canning jars with lids 1 1/3 cup of yogurt2 Tablespoon kefir1 ripe pear, chopped bite sized2 Tablespoons--more or less to taste
in the bottom of each canning jar layer in 1/6 of the chopped peardrizzle on some of the honey put 1/3 of the yogurt in each jartop with 1 Tablespoon of kefirrepeat the pear and honey layeradd the last of the yogurt to each jartop with the remaining pears and honeyscrew in the lid and off it goes to schooldon't forget to take a spoon

Low Sugar Blueberry on the left, Pears and Honey on the right


To make low sugar jam jarfaits simply layer jam, yogurt and kefir in the jars. Start with jam then add yogurt and kefir and more jam in layers. Try all different kinds of fresh made Jarfaits, you'll be amazed at how versatile and delicious yogurt can be.
If you want to start making low sugar jam or jelly, no sugar jam or jelly or jam and jelly made with honey I would recommend Pomona Pectin. Here's a list of my posts and a few recipes using Pomona Pectin:

• Strawberry Vanilla Jam--good reasons listed to use Pomona Pectin
• POM Jelly
• Strawberry Jam

 Peace and Love--

 

The Penny Worthy Project

Don't forget to check out my huge Full Circle Farms giveaway, 4 weeks of organic vegetable delivery.
It's been a bookish week for me thrifting and that's about it. Seriously the things I liked were over priced and I just couldn't bring myself to buy one more thing I might not be able to sell. Or that I might not really want. Left myself with very little treasures and I'm fine with that. I don't need to thrift, necessarily!!, to live a thrifty life, I still find plenty of ways to save and be happy. If I had to give up thrifting entirely I would not be a happy camper, some weeks are better than ever. To me that's part of the thrill. 
We have a leprechaun in our house. he lives here torturing us and being tortured by us from about mid February through equinox when the Queen of Spring banishes him to live outdoors and ride squirrels all summer. Most years it's been an all out war with him but this year sympathy has almost won out. He was first spotted attempting to steal tooth fairy money but since then he's been given a home in a small cabinet. An acorn bowl, a blanket, two pizza box tables(the little triangle from the middle of pizzas) and a little wine have been doled out too. I think boys might be trying to win him over and avoid the mayhem he creates trying to steal their money. I feel so blessed to be part of the magic, my boys live in.
So here is the leprechaun

and this is the cup I found for him this week. 

Poor thing needs a little TLC, until he tries to make off with my wedding ring, then once again it will be war. 
The books I found were pretty solid for selling. I mean that I believe each of them will sell and I will make money on them. 
#1 Tacos on the Tundra, which I may not sell I might just pass it on, is about Pepe's Restaurant in Barrow-looking though it I immediately started reading and became engrossed and forgot I was writing....ahem

#2 is Mrs. Bridges Upstairs Downstairs Cookery Book--the only one listed on eBay is listed for 999.00 HA!! but I will list mine for a much more reasonable price probably with a start price of .99¢ 

#3 is The Easy Bake Oven Gourmet lots of great recipes to whip up in an easy bake oven with out having to buy those horridly expensive mixes

Peace and Love--

 

Fester

If you came to my house right now the jars on my counter might scare the bejesus out of you.

Bubble. Fester. Ferment. 

Left to right they are sourdough starter, home made apple cider vinegar, kefir.






Peace and Love---

 

Menu Planning, Winner {and Another Giveaway?}

Wow this week sure went FAST. Are we ready for the winner of the 2 week Full Circle trial? The winner is Amber who said " so awesome! I would love to win this giveaway....I'd have so much fun coming up with new ways to use fresh produce!" February 19, 2012 8:18:00 PM AKST Congratulations Amber!

 Are you bummed you didn't win? Don't be you could win this week! Yes it's true I have another giveaway from Full Circle, this time it's for 4 weeks of produce boxes. Yes, you're right that is awesome. Details to follow my menu plan

Hello gorgeous produce!

The beets are gong to be used in a brownie beet experiment, have you made chocolate beet ANYTHING? I'm curious, curious enough to plan on making something. I have no interest in hiding vegetables in my kids food, shoot they wrestled for the last piece of roasted kale tonight, I'm simply looking for a unique way to use beets.

Speaking of kale...this lovely bunch is already gone

and by was it delicious. I used my fail proof Kale for Kids recipe, you should try roasted kale it is the best!



The broccoli is bound for another experiment, I love to make Roasted Cabbage and Cheese Sauce, I want to try roasted broccoli and cheese sauce. YUM.

Zucchini I love you it's been too long since I had you at my disposal. I'm thinking some zucchini fritters and maybe a zucchini brownies? Or you know raw is always great!

Lettuce and tomato will be made into a HUGE Taco Salad, we love taco salad don't you?

Lunches and snacks:
raw fresh carrots
cucumber slices
snow peas
apples
tangerines
pears

Would you like to win a 4 week trial of FRESH ORGANIC PRODUCE from Full Circle? Full Circle has provided me with a four week trial for one LUCKY winner! To win you must live in a Full Circle delivery area to redeem.Visit  Full Circle to check availability in your area.

Ways to enter:

1. leave a comment on THIS post stating why you'd like to have fresh organic produced delivered to you from Full Circle--mandatory entry
2. follow this blog for an extra entry--leave a comment
3. Like Full Circle Farms on Facebook for an extra entry--leave a comment
4. Like Hey What's for Dinner Mom on Facebook for an extra entry--leave a comment
5. Follow fullcirclefarms on Twitter for an extra entry--leave a comment
6. Follow whats4dinnermom on Twitter for an extra entry--leave a comment 

6 ways to enter!
Winner must use a have a credit card to set up their account with Full Circle. It will not be charged it is mandatory for accounts. Once your free winnings run out you must cancel your account in order for your card not to be charged. Remember this!!

I was given no compensation for this giveaway. In the interest of FULL disclosure I was given a promo code to try out Full Circle for myself way back in December and I loved it so much I now subscribe to their deliveries. 

What are you waiting for?? Get to entering!!

This giveaway will run for one week with the winner being announced NEXT Friday!



Peace and Love--





 

The Rules of Inheritance {book review}

The Rules of Inheritance by Claire Bidwell Smith may well be the saddest book I have ever read. It is heartbreaking and poignant often to the point of ugly crying. Don't let that discourage you though! The story, a memoir actually, but you feel as if it is fiction, centers on the author's late childhood discovery of finding out both of her parents have cancer. Both, yes I said BOTH parents had cancer. And how she moves on through grief after they pass away.

 The tragic feelings of the normal loneliness most of us feel as we move from high school to college and adult life are mixed with the pain of losing her mother. Add that to the fear that her father is still suffering from cancer and may go soon make a monstrous grief load for Claire. The emotional release of reading this book and the tears that will flow made it one the most enjoyable reads I've had in a long time. If you need an emotional release too The Rules of Inheritance is a book you should pick up.

I am participating in the BlogHer Book Club and was compensated for the review. They provided the book and I told you what I think.


Peace and love--



 

Monday Night Mending

Monday night mending

 made better by Downton Abbey.

 Did you watch Downton Abbey? We watched last year and I'm so excited to watch this year's episodes. Damn that BBC for making such a great miniseries that I actually miss cable tv. We live in an area that if you don't have cable you don't have tv, I don't miss it normally but Downton Abbey almost makes me want to go join up again. ALMOST.


Shhhhh it's starting!!


Peace and Love--



 

Just Another Meatless Monday

Yesterday I talked about a little cook book I found that had some interesting ideas and recipes in it. This one: 

Published in 1980 by Current. 
The one recipe I really liked was for Crispy Oat Thins, I had some time before lunch today so I made them. I had to change a few things around because I didn't have all the ingredients. They needed more salt and next time I will definitely have the sesame seeds to add in. The whole family loved them and by the time lunch rolled around it was pretty obvious they WERE lunch, along with some raw swiss cheese and some blueberries from our Full Circle produce box. 
I think if you used rice flour instead of the wheat flour and wheat germ it called for these would be a pretty tasty gluten free cracker too. I'll definitely pass this along to a few of my gluten free friends. 

Here's the original recipe 

and below is how I made them. Feel free to change them to suit what you have on hand or to suit your allergy needs.

Crispy Oat Thins--Laura's Version

1 1/4 cups oatmeal1/3 cup whole wheat flour2/3 cup white flour2 teaspoons brown sugar1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 butter1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon water
preheat the oven to 375˚ whirl the oatmeal in a food processor until they are finely groundadd the rest of the dry ingredients and whirl againcut the butter into chunks and pulse in the food processor until its resembles coarse crumbsadd the water and mix until combineddrop by teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, I used a large baking stonegrease the bottom of a glass, dip in flour and flatten each ball to 1/8 inch thicknessbake at 375˚ for 12-15 minutes until crispy, they will continue to crisp up as they cool

Fresh baked crackers are magnificent much better than anything from the store, now if I could only find the time to make them every week...

Peace and Love--

 

The Penny Worthy Project

Two birthdays, Valentines Day, a festival and a 3 day school week made my thrifting week very short. I did however get in some thrifty living in other ways. I made blueberry jam with Pomonoa Pectin, the super affordable pectin I'm aways raving about.

I used about 1 1/2 cups of honey and 1/4 cup of sucanat to sweeten a DOUBLE batch of jam. That sure makes fresh jam cheap to make. I also waded into the world of Tattler lids, the no BPA canning lids, 100% REUSEABLE and Made In The USA, they are more expensive at first but the pay off in the long run is great. I won't have to buy any lids for a long long time, I've always hated no being able to reuse the  metal lids.

Union, the middle boy, worked hard washing jars, and prepping things, he also moved up to the very important job of putting the jars in the boiling water bath.

Mr. SirPrize sat around and did this. (hint he lost something in there somewhere)

I got homemade valentines cards from my card swap this week too!

LOVE!

And of course we hit up the thrift store today. I bought this little mug for our I've been caught being good box, click the link if you want details on how we encourage and reward good behavior.

Um, I love office supplies??

This cook book has some cracker recipes that look interesting, can't wait to try them out.

We love Tomie dePoala illustrations, don't you?

I found these crusty old salt and pepper shakers, aren't they great?

Anybody recognize the makers mark?

There has to be someone somewhere who can use this book. I couldn't pass up 50¢ for such a great book and I'm looking for someone to gift it to.

And for the ultimate in Thrifty Living why NOT enter to win two weeks worth of FREE ORGANIC VEGETABLES?


Peace and Love--