crepes

I have recently discovered the incredible world of crepes! Crepes are essentially flat pancakes that you can eat plain or wrap around delicious fillings both savory and sweet! There are many recipes for crepe batter, but here is the one that I have been using. If you are opposed to butter, there are less fatty recipes out there.
 1 egg
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tbsp melted butter
pinch salt
 Beat the egg. Add flour. Stir. Hard. I use a whisk and just get it as mixed as I can before adding the milk and water. Add the milk and water a little bit at a time. It will be lumpy, but try to get as smooth as you can. Add butter and salt. mix. Okay, this is the fun part (you should already have your filling ready before you start this part). Make sure your pan (a large cast iron frying pan is perfect) is hot enough to sizzle and either well-seasoned or coated lightly with butter/evoo. Scoop a bit more than a third of a cup of batter (using a half-cup measuring cup works well) and pour into the pan. rotate the pan quickly to spread a thin coat of batter across the entire pan. Wait a few seconds until the crepe is shiny and semi-solid on top, then use a spatula to flip. Quickly spread about a quarter cup of solid filling in the middle of the crepe and flip the sides to make a little packet. remove to plate. repeat with remaining 2-3 crepes. I can make a small batch of crepes in less than fifteen minutes if the filling is already prepared.

 My favorite thing to do for filling is scramble an egg with garlic, onion, zucchini, oregano, and anything else that seems yummy at the time and split it between two crepes. The third crepe is either left plain or smeared with peanut butter (while on the pan. the peanut butter melts quickly) and chopped banana. sometimes there is a fourth crepe; it depends on how large I made the others, how hot the pan was, how closely I paid attention to batter levels, etc. Add a salad and voila! a perfect, light meal for two! Drizzle dressings or sauce over the top of the finished crepe. Do not try to put them inside.
Other favorite fillings include lightly steamed or roasted veggies, leftover curry/dahl/wrap fillings, and slightly cooked fruits. A bakery near us makes a delicious Mediterranean crepe with spinach, olives, nuts, feta cheese, and tomatoes. Their crepes are huge.

Pinto Beans

Pinto beans
olive oil
3 cans pinto beans
1 cup vegetable broth
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
texas pete
oregano
pepper
salt

cook onion and garlic in large pot over medium-high heat
drain and rinse pinto beans. add pinto beans to pot with broth and oregano. simmer for 1 hour. add texas pete, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve with cheddar cheese and cornbread. or rice. Delicious! spicy and warm for winter nights. No spellcheck was harmed in this post.

Warm Beans and Veggie Wraps

It's been awhile! Not that anyone would notice... We found this recipe on the internet several months ago, and it was an immediate favourite. My family loves beans, zucchini, garlic and onions. We eat them all of the time. This can be made vegan by eliminating the cheese (I don't know if vegan tortillas exist, though). My brother likes it without cheese and with a bit of taco sauce. We actually bought a bottle of Italian seasoning, but it smells as though it is mostly oregano and rosemary. You could probably just make it up. These are easy to reheat, and you have half of the vegetables left over to make more next week! Make only the amount of tortilla wraps you need, then stick the filling in the fridge. It keeps for awhile, and makes a ten-minute meal when you need it. Obviously.
Olive Oil (or non-stick cooking spray if you are really, really opposed to olive oil)
1/2 red pepper
1/2 onion
1/2 large zucchini
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning mix
1/2 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 (15 oz) can corn, drained
shredded mozzarella
tortillas
1. preheat oven to 375.
2. Heat oil in large sauce or frying pan on medium.
3.Add red pepper, onion, zucchini and garlic. Cook about 3 minutes.
4. Add Italian spice and mix. Cook while you...
5. mash black beans in a bowl with a potato masher or fork. (don't mash them overmuch. leave a good portion whole.)
6. add corn and cooked veggies to black beans.
7. spoon mixture into the tortillas, wrap up and bake on a cookie sheet for about 10-12 minutes. The tortillas will brown slightly.
8. serve with sour cream if desired (I don't).
9. LET THEM COOL DOWN FOR A FEW MINUTES.

Tomato Bread

I am trying a new recipe today. It is tomato bread from allrecipes.com. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tomato-bread-i/Detail.aspx It lets me paste links again! Ingredients
1 cup tomato juice
1 cup water
1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 cloves garlic
1 carrot, shredded
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups bread flour
Directions
1.In a sauce pan, heat the tomato juice and water over a low heat until warm to the touch. Pour into a large warmed bowl, and add yeast and honey; stir to dissolve yeast. Allow to rest until yeast is creamy.
2.Mix in oil, parsley, onion, garlic, carrot, and salt. Add 1 cup of the flour, and stir until smooth. Add more flour, until a firm dough is formed. Knead five minutes on a lightly floured surface. Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface completely. Allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
3.Punch down, and divide into halves. Form two loaves, and put into greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for another 45 minutes, or until loaves have doubled in size.
4.Bake at 400 degrees F (220 degrees C) for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.
I will let you know how it goes.

vegetarian chili #1

I am making this chili for dinner tonight. We have three recipes for chili, but htis is probably the best to eat and worst for your body. It's also the simplest.
Tiger's Chili
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans navy or Great Northern beans
1 onion
2 packages chili seasoning (we use
2 oz can tomato puree
1 16oz can crushed tomato
Combine all ingredients in a soup pot over med. heat. Cook at least 15 min. stirring occasionally. If you want to loosen it up a bit, you can add vegetable broth. Be careful of burning because it is really thick. Mine is ready now.
Again, we are having cornbread. We do not eat cornbread with every meal. Really.

Mexican Minestrone

This is another bean soup, but with a whole different flavor and texture. Although it can be done in a soup pot, it is a crock pot recipe, which means that it has to cook for several hours, but you don't have to do anything during that time. This is great for winter days when you are rushed in the evening.
Mexican Minestrone
1 diced onion
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
2 15oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 14-1/2oz cans Mexican style stewed tomatoes
2 14oz cans vegetable broth
1 15-1/2oz can whole kernel corn
1 15oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups diced red-skinned potatoes
2 cups frozen or canned green beans. (drain if canned)
1 cup salsa
Cook onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.

For crock pot: combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook for 9 to 11 hours on low or 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours on high.

In soup pot: combine all ingredients in soup pot and cook for 1/2 to 1 hour.

This is another recipe that is good with corn bread. I usually put a bit of mozzarella on mine. The recipe recommends sour cream on top.

Welcome with Black Beans and Corn

I'm a vegetarian. I just don't like raw vegetables. And I like junk food. A lot. And I know that I'm not the only one. So here are some recipes and ideas that my poor, desperate-to-force-healthy-food-down-my-unwilling-throat family has found effective. (Okay, so they're not that desperate). Because it is winter, time of constant soups, I will start with our favorite soup. If you don't like corn, you can leave it out, but if you don't like beans, then you are out of luck.
Cuban Black Bean and Corn Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper
3 15oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

in a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the onions and garlic until soft. Add pepper and cook until soft. stir in the beans and tomato paste and cook for 1 min. Stir in the broth, 2 cups of water, the oregano, cumin and salt and bring to a boil. It will not look appetizing. Don't worry, it gets better. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least ten min. Transfer 4 cups to a blender/food processor and puree until smooth. Return to pan and stir to blend. Add the corn and stir. cook until the corn is just warmed through. About 4 min. Serves 4. Easy to double, and freeze. Best with corn bread, or try spooning it over rice. I like a little bit of cheddar cheese sprinkled on mine.

Please comment on foods that you do or do not like and I will be glad to find and test recipes. And if I won't (avocado for example), I volunteer Dad to test it for me! Coming soon: healthy yet soft and delicious muffins, Mexican Minestrone, Spanish rice, Everyone Loves Spaghetti, pastryless quiche and simple Chili without meat substitute.