Picnic Fun

Kevin and I are trying to enjoy the great north before winter sets in, so off to Lake Superior we go!  To save some funds, we are packing meals.  Good thing we did.  All that is around here is bars and a one cafe. Here are two sandwich spreads I am trying out.

Walnut Lentil Spread
Inspired by Food 52

1/2 c. roasted walnuts (just pop them in the toaster oven for 5 min at 350 degrees)
1 1/2 c. lentils, cooked
1 tbs. onion powder
1 tbs. dijon mustard
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbs. soy sauce

Combine all ingredients in the food processor and blend.  I like it chunky so I didn't blend it too much, but you can do it to taste.  This actually tasted good to me.  Was good with some mayo and lettuce on a sandwich.

Tofu Chickenless Salad
Inspired by Veggieonapenny

1 package frozen tofu (thawed)
1/4 c. mayo
1 tsp. dijon mustard
2 tbs. soy sauce
1/2 of a green pepper, diced (Kevin doesn't like celery)
1/4 red onion, diced
1/4 c. nutritional yeast
salt to taste

Mix all together.  Kevin said it was "the bomb" and asked what recipe I used.  

Classics Revised

Vegetable Pot Pie
Inspired by Minimalist Baker and Trisha Yearwood Chickenless PotPie

This fall we have had some amazing church members share their produce from their gardens with us. When I was a kid, one of the easy, yummy meals was a box dinner with a can of chicken soup kinda stuff and then there was a drop biscuit mix to put on top.  I decided to use the fresh produce to make something similar meal I remember having and enjoying.

1 onion
1 c. potatoes diced (around 1-2 potatos)
1 c. chopped carrots
1/2 c. chopped celery
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 c. zucchini chopped
1/2 c. corn
1/2 c. peas
(basically just use any vegetables you have on hand)

3 tbs. butter
1/3 c. flour

2/3 c. almond milk
1 3/4 c. water
2 tsp. Better then Bullion Vegetable Broth

In a size 10 cast iron pan*, fry the onions, potatoes, celery, garlic, zucchini, corn, peas, until tender.  May want to add the zucchini in a little bit after the potatoes and carrots are cooking so they do not over cook.

Push the veggies to one half of the pan and add the butter.  Melt the butter and then mix in the flour.  Then pour in the almond milk.  Stir the almond milk into the rue until it is smooth.  Then add the water and bullion.  Mix all together and let simmer.

Begin making the biscuits while the veggies are cooking.

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. white wheat flour (or just use another 1/2 c. all-purpose flour)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons butter
1 c. unsweetened almond milk and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients.  Cut in the butter.  Add the lemon juice to the milk and let sit for 5 minutes.  Then add to dry ingredients.  Do not over mix.

Then drop the batter by spoonfuls on top of the vegetable mix so that you are making drop biscuits.  Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

*If you don't have cast iron, use a pan that can transfer to the oven or pour vege mixture into a 9x13 pan and drop the biscuit batter on top.



Cream of Mushroom Noodles Revised
Inspired by my Mom :)

A staple in our house was Cream of Mushroom Noodles.  Basically it was Campbells cream of mushroom soup on top of egg noodles.  It was the best.  Here is a different take on that family classic.

2 large portabello mushrooms, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
1 c. zucchini ( or any vegetables you would like to add)
1 tbs. balsamic vinager
2 tbs. soy sauce
2 tbs. butter
3 tbs. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. Better then Bullion Vegetable Broth
1/2 c. water

1/2 bag of egg noodles, cooked

Fry the onion, mushroom, and zucchini with balsamic vinegar and soy sauce.  Push to the side.  Melt butter and add flour to make a rue.  Add the milk and the water and Bullion paste.  Once thickened poor on to egg noodles.  Enjoy

Apples Galore!

It is officially fall today, and I have a huge box of apples from my mom and dad's place that needs to be used up and so I have been looking for recipes with apples!  Here is the latest two.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
adapted from All Recipes

1 Butternut Squash, peeled and diced.
1 onion, diced
1 apple, cored and diced
1 potato, peeled and diced
handful diced carrots (around 1 cup)
4 cups broth ( I used Better then Bullion Vegetable flavor)
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup unsweetend almond milk (optional)

Simple fry the onion in a little oil till translucent.  Add the rest of ingredients and boil until all is cooked through.  Then take out bay leaf and blend with a hand blender or in batches in the blender. To make it a little thinner and creamy-er I added a bit of almond milk.

Cinnamon Apple Scones
adapted from King Arthur

2 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/3 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon ground flaxseed
6 tablespoons water
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon butter
cinnamon and brown sugar mix.

Add all the dry ingredients and mix.  Cut up butter into pieces and crumble into dry ingredients. In a separate dish mix all wet ingredients.  Add dry and wet ingredients together and knead until they hold together.  Split into to and make 5 inch diameter round disks.  Drizzle butter on top of the disks. Add Mix cinnamon and brown sugar together and sprinkle on top.  Cut into 6 pieces (like a pizza).  Spread them out so there is at least 1/2 inches between pieces.  Bake at 425 degree F for 20  minutes.

*These turned out yummy.  The dough was really crumbly but don't worry, it will turn out.  There is no measure for cinnamon and brown sugar mix because I had made it for another recipe and I just eyeballed the amount.  Think cinnamon roll :)

An article by Washington Post gave a brief history of the common phrase, "An Apple a day keeps the doctor away".  Originally the saying was, "Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread."  :)  Apples are great food source as they are low in calories, high in fiber, and eating an apple a day can lower bad cholesterol and may help prevent strokes.