Recipe: Hot Weather Salad

It is 93º here. We keep breaking records every day and it's not supposed let up anytime soon. I don't even cook anymore. Lean Cusines are so much easier when moving makes you melt. But I was in desperate need of some fresh fruit and veg, so I whipped up this super easy, heat-free summer salad.

I discovered the mix in Palm Springs and have developed my own version. It's pretty free-style and takes advantage of summer's most delicious produce.

Ingredients:

1-2 peaches

2 ears of corn

2 ripe tomatoes

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Basil

1/2 cup fat-free Feta Cheese

Tablespoon grated Parmesan

Olive Oil & Balsamic

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

In no particular order, slice the peaches, chop the tomatoes, and cut the corn of the cob. Toss in a bowl with basil, a teaspoon or two of olive oil, two tablespoons vinegar, and the cheeses. Add salt and pepper to taste. Eat all of it.

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Recipe: Low-Fat Crepes for One

UPDATE: In the original recipe, I talked about the wonders of yogurt, but I've recently discovered it's what was making my pancakes and crepes tough. Apple sauce makes a way better oil substitute! Yogurt is still a delicious topping :)

I reworked Jacques Pepin's classic recipe to make it lower in fat and easier on my poor, dumb gallbladder.

They turned out pretty excellent. Make sure you mix the batter just long enough to get out the lumps, but no longer!

Ingredients:

1 whole egg

1 egg white

1/2 cup non-fat milk

3 Tbsp unsweetened apple sauce
3/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp sugar

1/2 cup cold water

Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Heat a mid-sized, non-stick frying pan over medium heat.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and apple sauce. Then add the dry ingredients and mix just enough to get rid of lumps. Now stir in the cold water.

3. Spray the hot pan evenly with cooking spray. Use a small ladle to spoon the the batter into the pan. Two scoops should be enough. Pick up your pan and tilt it around to spread the batter evenly. The movement is in the wrist. This takes a little practice to get perfect, but, remember, even ugly crepes taste delicious!

4. Let the crepe cook for 2-3 minutes and then flip (cooking times may vary).

5. Fill with your choice of toppings. Fresh fruit, jam, more yogurt, or just cinnamon and sugar! I went with all 5 toppings ;)

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Hustle & Bustle

I'm always surprised at just how much busier I am during the Holidays. This year I am even busier than ever! I picked up a seasonal job at Paper Source, my Etsy shop is doing great, and I'm making as many Christmas presents as possible. I've also started conspiring with fellow Seattle blogger, Bella, of The Citizen Rosebud to host a big giveaway. Check back in on Friday for more on that topic!

That's all fun-busy. I'm also lame-busy with my property management job. How many sewage problems can one building have? That's all I'll say about that.

Here's what else I've been up to...

I made a Christmas town! It's my pride and joy. The roofs have been dusted with "snow" since I took this picture. If you want to make your own Christmas town, I have a set of little paper houses for sale in my Etsy shop.

Speaking of Etsy, that place is so full of wonderful things! I'm really hoping Santa puts a pair of these neon coral earrings in my stocking.

I want to make these beautiful paper lanterns! I just need to find big enough pictures of castles...

I usually like to post gift guides this time of year, but I just haven't had time! Have you posted one? You should share it on IFB!

If you're in need of a gift guide, then head on over to my favorite lifestyle blog, Cup of Jo, for guides tailored to fit everyone on your list.

I've eaten nearly all the hungarian goulash I made last night. I loooove soup with dumplings. Here's a similar recipe that looks delicious!

So what have you been up to? I hope your season has been festive and bright so far!
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Recipe: Skinny Pumpkin Bread

If I set my mind to it, I can work through a loaf of pumpkin bread in a couple of days. I'm trying hard to not polish this loaf off before my husband gets any, but just in case, I made it a tad healthier by cutting down on the sugar and replacing the oil with yogurt and apples. The result? A super moist, pumpkin bread packed with the delicious flavors and textures of Fall. Trust me, you won't miss the sugar or the fat!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups whole wheat flours

½ cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp white sugar

½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or just good old cinnamon)

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup chopped apple

½ cup fat-free plain yogurt

2 eggs, beaten

¼ cup brandy (or water)

¼ tsp maple flavoring

¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds

¼ cup chopped walnuts

¼ cup dried cranberries

1 tsp flax or chia seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

2. Whisk together your dry ingredients. Toss in the chopped apple and stir to coat.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin, eggs, yogurt, maple flavoring, and brandy or water. Mix thoroughly. 

4. Add your pumpkin mix to the dry ingredients along with the nuts, seeds, and cranberries. Mix until just combined.

5. Pour into a well-buttered 9x5 loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes or until your tester stick comes out clean. Turn out onto rack to cool before slicing.

Idea: A slice of this pumpkin bread and few slices of sharp cheddar make a delicious lunch!

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Recipe: Sweet Chili Spam Wraps

Take your taste buds on a trip to Mexico... wait, no Hawaii... actually, maybe it's Vietnam? I took some of my favorite flavors from these three places and combined them to make a delicious little wrap. Crispy, salty Spam is balanced with cool cucumber & avocado, and a sweet & spicy chili sauce. Layered on a simple cabbage slaw and a corn tortilla, this recipe is satisfying and gluten free!

Ingredients:

For the sauce

 ½ cup vinegar

  ½ cup water

 ½ cup sugar

 ½ - 1 Tbsp red chili flakes

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp corn starch

For the slaw

 ½ a small cabbage, sliced thinly

 ¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 tsp black pepper

Juice of half a lime

1 can lite Spam

1 small avocado, sliced

 ½ cucumber, julienned

Small corn tortillas

Cilantro for garnish

Directions:

1. Make your slaw first so it has time to marinate. Slice up your cabbage, season generously with lime and pepper, then mix in the cilantro.

2. Heat broiler on high

3. In a small saucepan, bring vinegar to a boil. Add all dry ingredients to ½ cup of water and stir well. Add to vinegar. Boil, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

4. Slice spam into 8 pieces. Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange Spam. Place under broiler, watching carefully. When the slices are brown and crispy, carefully flip and brown other side.

5. While the Spam is cooking, heat a small frying pan over medium. Heat tortillas, one at a time.

6. To assemble, place a few spoonfuls of slaw on a warm tortilla. Arrange the julienned cucumber and cilantro, then top with sliced Spam. Top the Spam with avocado slices and spoon chili sauce over everything.

Enjoy!

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Cheap & Easy Dinner Ideas

 Whether you're strapped for time or just get tired of cooking, here are some cheap and easy ideas to help you get dinner ready in a snap!

1. Let the spices do the work

No need for complicated recipes and forget that energy sucker known as your stove! With the right seasonings, you can turn simple lunch staples into delicious main courses.

What you'll need:

2-3 tsp  low-sodium taco seasoning -or- 2 tsp hot sauce

2 cans of tuna 

Mayo -or- ripe avocado

½ cup Bell pepper and onion, diced

Tostadas

Salsa for serving

Mix up your tuna like you would for tuna salad sandwiches. Stir in the bell pepper, onion, and taco seasoning or hot sauce. Spread some on the tostada, plop some salsa on top and enjoy!

If you're vegetarian or vegan, you can make the same thing using refried beans. Skip the mayo, and mix the taco seasoning, pepper, and onion into a can of vegetarian refried beans. Heat it up on the stove, then serve it up like you would the tuna or eat it with tortilla chips!

If you have a little extra time, make your own pico de gallo! It's delicious and a great way to get your raw fruit and veg. I add chopped cabbage to mine for more roughage.

2. Get your Omega-3s without spending a fortune

I know that fish is best for you, if you're gonna eat animals, but it's sooo expensive and sooo gross to handle, that I almost always use canned fish. Sardines are your best choice. They are more sustainable than other canned fish, have high levels of Omega-3s and low levels of mercury. Here's a an easy pasta dish featuring sardines and just 5 other ingredients!

3. Eggs aren't just for breakfast!

I will eat a poached egg on top of just about anything. They're delicious on rice, noodles, beans, sandwiches and even sauteed vegetables! They add a satisfying kick of protein and are a cinch to cook. Not to mention they're cheap! Even if you buy the organic dozen, one egg will cost you less than 45¢ (on average). If you've never poached an egg, here are some simple directions.

4. Ok, maybe eggs are just for breakfast

If you're not into eggs over beans, then why not just have breakfast for dinner? It's one of the simplest, most satisfying meals of the day, so why dismiss the toast just because it's 6pm? So fry up an egg, slice up some fruit, and enjoy your toast! For more ideas, read this post on breakfast basics made better, or try this simple recipe for peaches and toast.

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Recipe: Curried Lentils with Sweet Potato & Quinoa

I will eat pretty much anything that contains raisins. I just love how they plump up when you cook them. Combine them with spices and coconut butter and I am completely smitten! The best part is that this dish is really good for you. It's full of fiber & anti-inflammatory spices, plus it's vegetarian and gluten free!

Ingredients:

2 tsp Turmeric

1 tsp paprika

2 tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp cumin, ground or whole

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp ground ginger

pinch of cayenne

1 bay leaf

2 Tbsp coconut oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 small sweet potato, diced

1 tomato, diced

½ cup raisins

½ cup quinoa

½ cup lentils, rinsed

2 cups vegetable broth

1 container plain yogurt

1. Start by heating the coconut oil on medium heat. Add the spices and bay leaf and cook till hot and fragrant. Stir them pretty consistently & careful not to burn them. Pour into small bowl and set aside.

2. Add remaining coconut oil to hot pan and saute onions, sweet potato, and tomato for about 5 minutes.

3. Add spice mix, raisins & lentils and stir to coat. Add vegetable broth. Make sure the broth covers everything by about 1/2 inch. If it doesn't, add some water.

4. Bring to a boil, stir then reduce heat to low-medium. Simmer for about 20 minutes

5. Add quinoa and cook for another 20 minutes, or until both lentils & grain are soft. 

6. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt (this can be omitted to make the dish vegan!) 

Serve and enjoy!

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Recipe: Goat Cheese Crackers

Ingredients:

½ cup corn flour

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp sage

4 oz. soft goat cheese

½  to 1 cup ice water

⅓ cup olive oil

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350ºF

1. Combine corn flour, salt and sage in a medium mixing bowl. 

2. Add goat cheese. Use a fork to break it up.

3. The next part is easier with your hands: as you mix in the goat cheese, sprinkle a couple teaspoons of ice water on the mix. 

4. Now, drizzle some olive oil on everything. Alternate between ice water and oil till the dough stops falling apart when you try to press it flat.

5. Roll the dough into a ball and place to one side of a large piece of wax paper. Fold the other half of the wax paper over the ball of dough and gently press to flatten a bit.

6. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a little more than a ¼ inch thick. (Your dough will have a few cracks around the edges, but if it cracks a lot or falls apart, put it back in the bowl and mix in a little more water or oil.)

7. Use a cookie cutter to cut your crackers. Line them neatly on a cookie sheet and use a fork to make divots in the centers.

8. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until the edges turn a nice golden brown.

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Recipe: Spinach-Pear Smoothie

How much fiber are you getting everyday? FYI, women need 25 grams and men need a whopping 38 grams! I know my husband and I haven't been getting enough, so I've been trying to sneak in a little extra into every meal. I bought a fiber supplement and have been making more beans, which are ridiculously high in fiber. I get bored of beans, though, and tired of cooking, so we have smoothies a couple nights a week. They're a great way to get your veggies and fruit and they're fun to make!

This smoothie has some awesome superfoods in it and contains almost 9 grams of fiber. Drink up!

 

Ingredients:

½ cup milk or juice
1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 cup spinach leaves
2 tsp fiber powder

1 small pear, chopped

¼ cup blueberries

¼ cup pineapple pieces

1 tsp chia seeds

½ scoop protein powder (optional)

Directions:
1. In a blender, combine the milk/juice, lemon juice and spinach leaves. Blend till smooth.
2. Add fiber powder and blend
3. Add fruit, one portion at a time.
4. Throw in the remaining ingredients and blend it all up. Pour over ice and enjoy!

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Recipe: Bacon & Sweet Potato Hash

All you need to know is that this recipe is quick, easy, and delicious!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 strips uncured bacon

1 large sweet potato, washed and cubed

1 small bell pepper, chopped

2 Tbsp chopped shallot (or onion)

A handful or 2 of spinach

2 tsp balsamic

2 tsp sweet hot mustard

½ tsp caraway seeds

Ground pepper

Dash of cayenne

Directions:

1. Over medium heat, fry up the bacon. When it's cooked thoroughly, remove from pan and let cool.

2. Toss the shallot (or onion) into the pan and stir to coat in grease. Cook for about 3 minutes.

3. Add the sweet potato, stir, and cover. Let cook for 5-7 minutes

4. While the sweet potato is browning, chop up the bacon into little bits.

5. Add the bacon, bell pepper, and caraway seeds to the pan. Stir and let cook for another 5 minutes.

6. Now it's time to stir in the mustard, balsamic, and remaining spices. You can also throw in the spinach.

7. Reduce heat and cover. Let the spinach wilt a little.

8. Serve with a little extra mustard and ketchup, of course.

5 ways to get your 5-a-day!

Goodness know's why it's so much easier to do the things that are bad for us. Like one of my favorite Rufus Wainwright songs says "Everything it seems I like's a little bit sweeter/ A little bit fatter/ A little bit harmful for me". So what you've got to do is find tricks and ways to make it easier to put your health first. One of the easiest ways is to eat more vegetables, but that alone can seem hard for the human brain, which scientists are finding is programmed to choose the easiest ways to do things (such as grab a box of cookies when hungry).

Here are my favorite ways to maximize your veg intake with minimal effort:

1. Get them in at breakfast!

For me, vegetables sometime seem out of place at the breakfast table, but that's not so. Add some chopped peppers & onions to your scrambled eggs. Or top your toast with arugula & a poached egg. (And yes, that egg yolk was actually that bright!)

2. Prep your veggies before you're hungry

Try to always have a container of carrot sticks & celery in your fridge. Easy fresh snacking! If you don't like celery swap it for, my favorite, cucumber!

3. Hide your veggies

No, not under the bed! Hide them in your food! This is especially handy if you have picky eaters at your house. Peas are great in pasta; corn & fresh spinach are delicious additions to soup. I grate zucchini (my husband hates it) and add it to pasta, dips (like the one shown above), etc.

4. Buy in-season

For some reason, a lot of people think fresh produce is only for rich people. Those people have never priced a pound of carrots. They're like under a $1 all year long! If you get sick of carrots though, use this Peak-Season Map to find out what produce is at its peak (and cheapest) in your area. Even if it says there isn't anything, just look at California, Florida, or Texas to see what in-season produce will be on its way to your grocery store.

5. Stock your brain with veggie-centric recipes

Search for vegetarian or vegetable-based recipes. You can always add meat if you want!

Here are some recipes to get you started:

Power Salad

Emerald City Bean Spread

Veggie Wraps

Easy Beans & Rice

Spicy Pasta with Sardines & Kale

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Recipe: Poor Girl's Latte

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I always knew I could make foamy milk for lattes at home, but I was still surprised by how easy it was! I was heating up milk for my coffee when I grabbed my flat whisk and thought "I wonder..." Sure enough, the hot milk foamed up like magic and I had myself a poor girl's latte!

I was a barrista for 2 1/2 years, and let me just say, I am able to make better foam with this technique than I ever made with a professional steamer! (I kinda sucked at my job)

Ok, let's make a latte!

Ingredients:

½ cup milk

hot coffee

sugar, to taste

Tools:

Coffee filter & cone

A small sauce pan

small whisk, preferably flat

Directions:

1. Make your coffee.  Make a little less then a full cup, so you'll have room for the foam. You want strong coffee for this, so poor it through the coffee filter twice (that's the "poor girl" part, haha).

2. Put the milk in the sauce pan and heat it over low-medium heat.

3. Watch your milk carefully. It can burn easily! After about 3-5 minutes test the temperature with your finger. It should be nice and warm.

4. Start whisking! It should start foaming up immediately. If it doesn't, let it heat a little longer.

5. Poor the foamed milk into your coffee. Enjoy!

In Photos: A Tea Party

Fleur d'Elise has been very busy! I have been baking and crafting all week, and now my tea party is over and the post-party blues have set in. At least they're mild, because, well, I'm not 5 anymore and I know there will be more parties. It was so lovely having all of my friends over. It's a lot of work, but I think I quite like entertaining. I had an excuse to use my Villeroy & Boch set (appropriately named "Petite Fleur") and an excuse to make loads of delicious deserts!

Here's what I made:

Raspberry-flavored Mexican Wedding Cookies 

Blood Orange Cupcakes

Cardamom-Pear Cupcakes

Peach & Raspberry Gem Candies

Coco Butter Body Balm (not edible)

For the cupcakes, I used a buttermilk recipe, which I cannot find. This Martha Stewart recipe is pretty good, though. I used the juice and the zest from a blood orange to flavor both the cake and the frosting, and just reduced the vanilla extract so it wouldn't make things too runny. As for the Cardamom-Pear cupcakes, I chopped up a pear and added it & ground cardamom to the batter, then used apple jelly, cinnamon, & cardamom to flavor the frosting. (If you would like more detailed directions or measurements, just ask!)

My mom brought delicious scones and homemade pickled vegetables. My friends & family brought green tea short bread, little cucumber sandwiches, Almond Rocha, and those delicious thin cookies that are mostly toffee and chocolate.

 I found the body balm recipe via Pinterest and am crazy about it! The ones I made for favors are little hearts (made in a chocolate mold). I also made bigger ones for Christmas presents that got rave reviews, so I figured they'd make fun party favors. I put them in little chevron print bags (that you can buy here) and then sealed them with a heart. I completely forgot I owned these stickers, so I ended up cutting out hearts from lick-&-stick kraft paper. Oh well, gotta use it for something.

I went all out and bought a piping bag and a number 7 tip for frosting cupcakes. Thanks to the helpful ladies at Home Cake Decorating Supply Co. in the Roosevelt neighborhood, I could not have asked for more perfect cupcakes. The party was a great excuse to spend like an hour browsing at Home Cake. It's been around since 1960 and has pretty much anything you could ever need for baking and making candies. My favorite is the rack of flavorings. They have just about every flavor you could think of (well, ones that would taste good in cakes & candies, anyway) I also really love all the kitschy little cake toppers they have, like dear and bumble bees.

I've already prattled on quite a bit, but I want to tell you about my china set! It's actually the same pattern that my mom chose when she married my dad 30 years ago. Mine, like many of my treasures, was found at an estate sale for a pittance. It's an odd set, possibly factory seconds, but I couldn't be happier with it. Those 15 cups of various sizes really came in handy at the tea party! Villeroy and Boch will always have a special place in my heart. It's even one of the things my husband and I bonded over before we started dating: both our families owned sets from the factory outlet and his mom gave me jam spoons that match my set.

My amazingly talented and patient mother made the felted tea cozy you see to your left. She made it in my favorite color and with my favorite flowers :)

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Recipe: Buttermilk-Pear Bread Pudding

When was the last time you saw fruit for $.69 a pound? Yeah, I can't remember either, so when I drove past a fruit stand the other day with a sign that read "Pears $.69/pound" I had to stop. I had planned to make most of the pears into jelly or pear butter, but I had some buttermilk and lots of old bread to use up, so I decided to make a bread pudding as well. And of course I'll share the recipe with you!

 Ingredients:

About 5 cups stale bread

2 cups buttermilk

¾ cup sugar

1 Tbsp brandy or mead

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp honey

¼ tsp ground cardamom

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

5 eggs

¼ cup cranberries

2 pears

Directions:

1. Cut up the bread into cubes and place in an oven set to 200º. This will dry the bread out so it doesn't fall apart when soaked in eggs. Alternatively, you can cut it up and leave it to dry for a couple days.

2. Whisk together the buttermilk, sugar, brandy/mead, vanilla, honey, spices, and eggs in a large bowl.

3. Add in the dry bread and mix until completely coated. Place in the fridge and let sit for up to 2 hours.

4. Chop up the pear into small chunks, reserving 2 or 3 slices if you want to decorate the top of your pudding like I did.

5. When the bread has soaked for an hour or two, mix in the chopped pears and cranberries.

6. Heat the oven to 375º and thoroughly grease a baking dish.

7. Pour the bread mixture into the baking dish and place in the oven. Cook for 25 minutes.

8. When the timer goes off, remove the pudding from the oven, but don't turn the heat off just yet! At this point you're going to butter the top of the pudding and sprinkle with a bit of sugar. Put back in the oven for another 25 or 30 minutes.

9. When the timer goes off, cut into the middle of the pudding to make sure it's cooked all the way. There may be a little liquid from the pears, but this will be clear-ish. If it still looks too gooey, put it back in, but make sure it doesn't burn!

10. Serve with buttermilk and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

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6 Ingredients or Less: Spicy Sardine Pasta

This is a great recipes if you're in a rush, but still need a good meal. It's also perfect if you're just feeling lazy (i.e. me, most of the time). My favorite part of this recipe is the fact that it includes two super foods (kale & fish) with minimal effort involved.

If you don't like spicy food, just switch out spicy sardines for ones packed in water.

Ingredients:

2 packages fresh pasta noodles

1 jar marinara sauce

1 tin sardines in Louisiana Hot Sauce

1 bunch kale

Parmesan, to taste

Directions:

1. Follow the directions on the package for cooking the pasta.

2. While your water is heating, trim off the tough ends on the kale stems and discard. Cut the kale into slices and set aside.

3. In a separate sauce pan, heat the marinara sauce over medium. Add the sardines. Try not to add too much of the hot sauce unless you like your food very spicy.

4. Toss the kale in with the noodles right before taking them off the stove to drain. This will cook the leafy greens just enough. Drain both the noodles and kale in a colander.

5. Lastly, you can serve the sauce over top of the pasta, or toss the noodles in the sauce (I prefer this method).

6. Serve topped with a little Parmesan and black pepper.

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Recipe: Mona Kay Cocktail

My experiments with homemade bitters have met with success. How do I know? Well, they're delicious. So delicious that I'm having trouble writing this. Hashtag buzzed.

I decided to try out a version of the recipe I saw in Martha Stewart's Whole Living. I used tangerine and grapefruit peel in place of the orange and lemon zest. My spice mix varied just a little, too.

To make sure my version turned out okay, I developed The Mona Kay. Why the name? While browsing old city documents, I discovered that my apartment building was christened The Mona Kay upon it's construction in the early 1940's. Since the drink and the building are a similar peachy-pink, I thought the name would fit both.

Here's a quick recipe, using store-bought bitters, just in case you're short on time:

-The Mona Kay-

8oz. grapefruit juice, preferably fresh squeezed

½ tsp sugar

2oz. vodka

Fee Brothers Grapefruit bitters, to taste

Ice

Mix the sugar and bitters in a low-ball glass, or whatever you have. Add vodka, juice, and ice. Stir. Garnish with grapefruit zest

Optional: Try a sugared rim instead of mixing the sugar into the drink. It's prettier that way.

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