Nourishing Flourishing

Hello! It’s a beautiful day here in Boulder, Colorado — the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the squirrels are peaking into our window, and… people are stumbling home wrapped in nothing but a blanket. It’s the day after St. Patrick’s, so you better believe our university town is pretty hungover this morning. Thankfully, I’m only nursing a reaction to all the Benadryl I had to take yesterday — Spring is lovely, but a bit of a transition, immunologically, for some of us!

I must say that Sunday is, now, without a doubt, my favorite day.  While they used to be a source of great anxiety, I feel like I’ve finally grown up a little, and now I look forward to Sunday mornings with joy. At last I’ve realized that a necessary component of “success” in my endeavors, is to set boundaries for myself, and to commit to making time for rejuvenation. Because Sundays were such a stressful time for me in the past, I chose to implement them as a day devoid of all pressure; I do only what I want to do on Sundays, insofar as it is possible.

Today, I wanted to drink strong coffee (usually a once-a-week treat for me), make a special breakfast, and linger over it with my favorite person.

So that’s precisely what I did.

And I was so utterly delighted (and shocked!) with this recipe — which I’ve been playing with for months, and only today wrote down the measurements for — that I just had to share it with you. Forgive me if the photos aren’t the best — I was so eager to post the recipe that I shot this stack on my porch as soon as they were off the griddle! It is wonderfully simple, and my husband (who is a gluten-eat) devoured two batches… Two batches!

Gluten-Free Almond Flour Pancakes
These pancakes taste just like those of my childhood, but without all the dryness that would compel me to drown them in syrup. They are perfectly moist, tender, and just sweet enough to tantalize. Delicious even without maple syrup, they would work beautifully as a quick rolled-up PB and J. Top with succulent fruit, and savor spring’s arrival! Reawaken those mornings of your youth — but be sure to serve with a more adult side of strong coffee for maximum pleasure. (That sounded like a prophylactic commercial. Sorry.)

Ingredients:
~1 TB extra virgin olive oil for pan (you can’t taste it, don’t worry!)
2 C. blanched almond flour  (make your own, or buy it here in bulk, like I do)
1/4 C. arrowroot powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 whole eggs + 2 egg whites
1/4 C. agave nectar (you can decrease this by 1 TB if you like)
1/2 C. unsweetened almond milk
dash of vanilla extract

Recipe:
1) Heat oil in a small cast iron skillet over medium.
2) Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3) Mix wet ingredients in a small bowl; whisk eggs thoroughly.
4) Add wet ingredients to dry. If you want to thin it out a tad more, add another small splash of milk.
5) In ~2-3 tablespoon size scoops, pour the batter into the skillet one pancake at a time. Using a fork, spread evenly to a thin layer.
6) Keep a close eye on the bottom of the cake — you will likely need to turn it down a notch over the course of cooking the pancakes, because almond flour burns easily. Once bubbles start opening on the top of the batter, very, very carefully (supporting the pancake completely with a spatula), flip the pancake. When browned on both sides, set aside on a plate. (It may take a couple tries to get the method down, but they’ll be delicious even if malformed.: )
7) Repeat until all the batter is gone.

Top with pure maple syrup, and, if you like, fresh, organic strawberries. My husband liked a few of his slathered with a little natural peanut butter as well. They keep quite well in the refrigerator, just be sure to keep them well-covered.

Over breakfast, we chatted (amongst other things) about how reading fiction changes us (which was rooted in this interesting piece). This semester, I have achieved my goal of reading for fun again — not academic purposes — and it is a beautiful revival! I can’t seem to put my reading down at night, and I have even been walking home from classes and the gym with novel in hand (well, my novel on my Kindle in my hand, but you know what I mean). There’s so much to be learned about a good and flourishing life in works of imagination!

I’m now going to return to my novel, and pretend that I don’t have any midterms this week. Just for today. Ah, grad school — it’s one big delusion after another… I also hope to catch up on comments, which I seem to be perpetually behind on — alas. Know that I love reading them. I hope you can take some time today for a healthy and delicious treat (like pancakes!) and/or a good chapter of a novel. Nourish yourself!

What is your Sunday ritual?

Are you reading anything for fun?

So apparently I’m not easing into the season as smoothly as I thought I would…

I went and bought an ice cream maker at Goodwill for $3 a couple weekends ago.

And now… I think I have a problem. It’s called “ice cream.”

And I can’t stop making it.

This recipe uses just three ingredients. THREE.

The ice cream actually came into being on a rather cloudy, brisk day. It was the first time I’ve worn jeans out of necessity in months! But, I love Fall and all its cozy glory, so I celebrated by eating a bowl of this on the porch, all bundled up and content in my sweater.

It’s the little things.

Once we tasted this miracle, we were in awe. We started dreaming immediately about how we could find excuses to make it for any occasion. Can you imagine — a scoop with apple or pumpkin pie?! Oh. Oh. Oh oh oh. Just wait ’til those holidays roll around. It’s gonna be ice cream biznass time, all the time. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, don’t worry — you can try this using the Ziploc method that Lynnea so kindly shared on the Nourishing Flourishing Facebook page:

1 quart sized ziploc bag and 1 gallon sized ziploc bag are a great icecream maker. : ) put ice and salt in the big one, put you ingredients in the smaller one, zip the smaller one and place into the bigger one, zip it up and shake for 10 minutes. : D [thank you 2nd grade science!]

Thanks Lynnea! <3

I should be transparent, though, and say I haven’t tried it that way, so I’m not 100% sure it will work for this coconut milk base – but I would presume so. If that makes you nervous… I know — none of us like to have too many appliances. I don’t even own a real blender. Or a stand mixer. Or anything else considered normal and necessary. But this was a good purchase. Thrift stores abound with ice cream makers. In the less-than-five-dollar range. After all, those poor ice cream makers need a home to make memories in. Put them to their joyful labor, and enjoy the benefits year-round. Ice cream is for any time of year. Especially this cinnamon kind. Oh. My. Word.

It might not look like much, but this is honestly one of the best things I have ever tasted.

Seriously.

Cinnamon Coconut Milk Ice Cream

This is the perfect harmony of creamy, cold, and refreshing, with the warmth, comfort, and sweetness of cinnamon. Imagine a snickerdoodle in smooth, frozen ice cream form. (I’m drooling just typing this…)

Ingredients:

1 14 oz. can coconut milk (light or full fat…though full fat is going to taste even better)
1/3 C agave (or honey)
1 TB ground cinnamon

Recipe:
1) Mix coconut milk, agave, and cinnamon in a bowl, and process according to ice cream maker’s instructions.
2) Freeze for an hour or two so it can firm up completely.

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It was amazing. We kept taking spoonfuls out of the freezer when the other wasn’t watching… And finally we just sat down and at it together straight out of the container. I got the idea to try this flavor largely from that ice cream shop I worked at in high school – which also inspired the lime and mango ice creams of last month. Apparently, eating ice cream all day that summer really affected me? I promise, though — this is the last ice cream recipe for a while. (I hope I can keep that promise…!)

It’s another very busy week here for us, but for some reason I am just brimming with gratitude. There’s something about autumn that slows and simplifies things for me. I regain perspective — in little glimmers — but those glimmers are so rich. P.S. …It might really just be my delight that pumpkins are back in season… WOOHOO! Brace yaself.

What’s something you’re thankful for today?

I’m thankful that I live close to mountains, wake up next to my best friend every morning, and don’t eat (and thus get sick from) gluten anymore. Also, baby pigs. Also, scarves. Also, you. <3.

So I had the privilege to meet dear, sweet blog reader Brenda before she moved away — but I got the most adorable text message from her yesterday saying she made the baked beans (one of my most popular recipes) and loved them, and when the heck am I going to post more recipes?! Well, she said it a lot cuter and nicer than that. <3 Sure, I’ve been super busy, but y’know, the time has come!

Truth is, the BFF Manfriend has been doing 90% of the cooking lately, while I’ve been scrambling. And I don’t mean eggs. In fact, this meal was inspired by the man himself. And his version actually might have been better. Also a true story. I know that you might think, Hey, this has two recipes, it can’t be fast or easy! But I promise – it’s simple, delicious, and can be thrown together in probably fifteen — tops twenty — minutes. I say this with confidence because yesterday I ran to the store down the street, and when I came back, the BFF Manfriend announced dinner was ready. Um. Yes? And you thought the mango heart was sweet.

This the perfect recipe if you (or a generous friend — thanks Ann!) have an abundance of tomatoes from your garden, getting way too ripe on your counter.

The tomatoes are strained of their seeds/juice, cooked down with a little olive oil, and seasoned as a tomato should be — with only salt, pepper, and oregano. The reserved juice and seeds aren’t wasted, though — they are added to lend some piquancy to the other layer of the meal — cooked black beans, which are seasoned with just some salt, pepper, cumin, and a touch of oregano.

Here’s what it looks like when those tomaters are all good and squeezed:

After mashing or blending the bean mixture (the Husband smashes; I blend [lazy]), you spread them on a slice of GF bread, and dollop on a spoonful of Succulent Tomato Topping. With salad on the side, this is an efficient (read: fast), high-protein, nutritious, vegan, and totally delicious meal. I like to think of it as “Grad School Gourmet” — cheap, but with a touch of class. I mean, I used “piquancy” to describe it. That’s not only a GRE word, it’s definitely made the rounds in fine cooking magazines…

NOTE: You do not have to include the strained tomato juices/seeds; feel free to omit the step of adding it to the beans and just dispose of it.

Simple, Succulent Tomato Topping

Ingredients
1.5 TB extra virgin olive oil
5 small to medium-sized tomatoes
1/2 t salt
1/2 t coarse ground pepper
1 TB oregano

Recipe
1) Quarter tomatoes and remove seed pulp/juice (you can just squeeze them or run your fingertip along the seed line to remove). Reserve juice in a separate container.
2) Coarsely chop tomatoes.
3) Warm olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high, and add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and oregano.
4) Stir occasionally to keep from sticking; allow tomatoes to cook down (5-10 minutes).
5) Turn off heat, and, using a spoon or spatula, drain liquid into the container with the other tomato seed pulp/juice. Taste, add more seasoning if necessary.

Makes about 1/2 cup, depending on the size of the tomatoes. It should be enough for about 4 large slices of bread.

Classed-Up Quick Bean Spread

Ingredients
Reserved tomato juice/seeds from recipe above
1 1/4 C prepared black beans (= 1 14.5 oz can, rinsed and drained)
1 1/2 TB cumin
1/2 t salt
1/2 t coarse ground pepper
1/2 t oregano

Recipe
1) Combine all ingredients in a shallow bowl and mash until combined — OR — place all in a blender and process until desired texture — OR — combine in a bowl and use an immersion blender until desired texture. Taste and adjust spicing accordingly.
2) Spread or pour (depending on consistency) over toast, and cover with Simple Succulent Tomato Topping.

Makes about 1 – 1 1/4 cups — enough to top 4 large slices of bread.

Mmm… Bean-y Bruschetta.

Like I said in the note above, the beans will be thicker if you add less (or no) juice. Also, as always, play with the spicing to your preference! These recipes are so simple that the real gem here is just the method; it’s amazing how easy it can be to just put a little bit of a different spin on something traditional, and end up with deliciousness. This felt like comfort food gone… adult.

What surprise meal successes have you had lately?

We made two different kinds of vegan ice cream this weekend.

I know. We might have a problem. But hear me out!

Please see the following list for really good justifications reasons:

1) When were visiting my parents for a few days this weekend, I knew I wanted to get as much use out of this limited-time nectar-of-the-gods-making appliance (–> that we don’t have) as I could while we had the chance. (We are grad students, on a grad student budget — did I mention that 8000 times already?).
2) It is like the 5th circle of Hades hot outside right now.
3) The maker was my grandma’s, and holds some special memories in it’s adorable wooden frame.
4) The last time I made ice cream was with my grandma and this maker. It was a simple coconut milk base sweetened with agave, but G-Funk couldn’t get over how awesome it was that we used no dairy or refined sugar. She was crazy about such a neat new treat, one that I could take part in no less! (She was devastated that I couldn’t eat like most people.)
5) You know what? Coconut milk ice cream tastes better to me than dairy ever did. And I do what I please.

Psst: that is indeed a Trader Joe’s can from one of my ridiculous cross-country pilgrimages.

So… I used to not like mango. Seriously. But when I was in high school, I worked at a local ice cream shop (now out of business, God rest its soul) and while I didn’t get a discount, I did get the freedom to eat as much I wanted while on the clock. Anyway, one of the unique flavors was mango, and I was so convinced it would make me gag I didn’t even try it for months. Then one day, my life changed. Enter Mango. Hence, this classy, healthy, vegan, dairy-free, super-simple-with-no-nasty-high-fructose-corn-syrup-and-who-knows-what-else-flavoring version! It’s not even sweetened with refined sugar. Whaaa?

Bam! Deliciousness.

Ingredients:
1 16 oz can coconut milk (I used TJ’s light, but ten bucks says a the full-fat stuff has better flavor)
1 fresh mango (about 1 1/2 cups cubed; you could probably sub frozen mango chunks)
1/3 C honey, agave, or equivalent other sweetener

Recipe:
1) In food processor or blender, puree mango with sweetener until as smooth as possible.
2) Add coconut milk to puree and blend.
3) Follow directions on ice cream maker, then freeze.

You could easily adjust the sweetener based on how ripe your mango is – perhaps you’ll need more, perhaps less. The joy is that you can taste your mix before dumping it into the ice cream maker.

Actually… who am I kidding? The joy is in eating this stuff!

And licking the beater…

This is my shame/surprise face as I give proof of my ghetto-fabulousness over the sink.

After being found, enjoy properly, with garnish:

I took these photos as it was raining outside my folks’ house. ‘Twas a challenge with all that cloud cover and dripping! Nevertheless, the recipe needed to be shared. Immediately. So. Yeah. Borrow an ice cream maker if you don’t have one, or check out thrift stores. We saw about 90 in the Florida Goodwill when we were down there in July!

Even my (extremely picky and super-tasting) dad enjoyed a bowl…

= Winning.

I had to laugh when I saw how many other bloggers had the same thought this week — ice cream! Must be August, eh? If you are looking for more tropical vegan ice cream ideas, check out Elana Amsterdam’s recent post on a vegan Pina Colada ice cream. It looks so refreshing! She also has a list of links for other bloggers who are sharing this same brain for cold, sweet, dairy-free yummology

What flavor are you craving? (We have one more to share!)

I’ve never been a huge fan of Green Goddess Dressing. This shocks me, as well, seeing as I love green so much my blood is probably closer to an emerald tinge… (Random nerd question: Did you ever watch Star Trek: The Next Generation? Ok, please don’t stop reading my blog just because I’m weird like this. Anyway, Vulcans have green blood! I can relate. That is all.) For some reason, when I whipped this up, it worked for me, despite my not being keen on most GG varieties. It is tangy, herby, and reminds me a lot of ranch dressing, but without all the…gross stuff. Heh. Plus, it looks quite delicious atop all this colorful bounty our garden can’t stop generating!

If you are harvesting an abundance of herbs from your garden, you can easily substitute fresh basil and/or oregano. In fact, I think perhaps this dressing would really pop with an even more vibrant flavor if you did so! Just use the conversion of 1 tablespoon fresh herb for each teaspoon dried herb. Voila! You’re a fancy cook who uses fresh garden herbs. Don’t you feel classy?

Ingredients:
1 small avocado (~1/2-3/4 C diced…these are hard to measure precisely!)
1/2-3/4 C water (start with 1/2 C, add more if thinner consistency desired)
1/4 C chopped fresh parsely
1 Tb fresh lemon juice
1 t apple cider vinegar
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t salt (warning: this might be a bit much for non-salt lovers like myself)

Recipe:
1) Add all ingredients except for herbs to a food processor.
2) Process briefly until things have combined, but aren’t perfectly smooth.
3) Add remaining ingredients (herbs). Process until smooth.

We store ours in a small glass mason jar, but it never lasts more than two days, the way we eat! : ) The citric acid from the lemon should keep things tasting nice and fresh for at least a couple days. If you prefer your GG dressing sweetener, simply add a few drops stevia.

P.S. – A trick for keeping your herbs fresh? Place them in a mason jar with just enough water to reach the tips. Keep in the fridge, towards the front (the back gets too cold and could freeze ‘em). Just make sure to trim off the leaves that would be submerged, or they’ll get goopy! If you’re worried it will get too chilly, just place a plastic bag over the top.

This is excellent tossed with a lettuce salad, or used as a healthier ranch dip! I served my first version of this with the Cucumber Lettuce Wraps at a party, and caught one rather reserved, professorly man uncharacteristically and quite enthusiastically maneuver himself across the table to grab the whole jar. He ate at least half of it by himself! Love those moments. I’ve since tweaked this recipe a bit, so hopefully it will send him running, not just awkwardly jogging and reaching, next time…

What kind of salad dressings are your favorite?

I grew up mostly on vinaigrettes, and we never had ranch, so it makes me yack when I even smell it! Never been a ranch fan. Our all-time favorite is the Honey Mustard Poppyseed, but here are more ideas: Apple Cider Vinaigrette, Asian Peanut Salad Dressing + Sauce, Summer Grilling Marinade (<– great on salads or as a marinade), and Zesty Italian Dressing.

When I used to go out for sushi on a semi-normal basis, my favorite part wasn’t necessarily the sushi… It was the complementary salad that some of the restaurants I frequented would offer. More specifically, it was the ridiculously delicious peanut dressing that was dolloped on the lettuce leaves. However… the whole “mayo” and “high fructose corny syrup” and “preservative” thang was sort of a turn-off.

Do you want to know something funny? I love lettuce — I will eat it like an apple right off the head, I will chomp on leaves like a rabbit, I will eat a salad without any dressing at all. And I’ll like it. I am not a dressing person… But I also know that I am a freak little different than most people. And since I want to serve healthy food to the people I love, I realize that I’m a lot more persuasive when I serve my veggies with a little somethin’ somethin’ to drench them in. I’m no fool, folks — I am fully cognizant that my friend Joshua comes over to our place to eat solely for the honey mustard poppyseed dressing. Hey, I’m just glad he’s eating a fresh vegetable… those bachelors like to get a little reliant on smoothies and breakfast burritos, from what I hear… (<3 you Joshua!)

When a lovely reader named Brenda asked if I could please post some more dressings (apparently she, too, is hooked on the honey mustard poppyseed), and preferably ones that don’t require a blender, I was more than delighted to oblige. So, here is the first in hopefully a string of successful vegetable-disguising-or-complementing-depending-on-your-perspective dressings! I served an unfortunately water-ed down version of this with the cucumber-wrapped salads (apparently I have sushi on the brain lately, eh?), along with another dressing yet to be published. I tweaked this by eliminating the added water altogether and voila! Perfection. It’s now gone after just one sitting between the Husband and myself. Yes, we like to eat.

The best part? You probably already have all the ingredients, and it takes about 2 minutes total to get everything together, poured, and whipped up. Win!

Ingredients:
1/4 C peanut butter
2 Tb agave
1.5 Tb lemon or lime juice (fresh)
1 Tb apple cider vinegar
2 tsp gluten-free tamari (you can sub soy sauce if you eat gluten)

Recipe(ish):
1) Mix all ingredients in a bowl or small glass mason jar. Cover and store in the fridge.

Wow. One step. That’s pretty easy, yes? Not to mention it is crazy healthy! This dressing has a protein punch thanks to the peanut butter, which I don’t think any other variety of salad dressing can boast. It’s also versatile; it would be delicious as a sauce to toss with stir-fry, or pour over whole grains like millet or brown rice (my BFF Manfriend will be coating his pasta with this from now on), or in a number of other delicious scenarios. (Personally, I’ll be eating the salad I just made for these photos. It’s 8am, but I don’t care. It’s awesome. So. Yeah.)

Go nuts with the possibilities! (No pun intended; peanuts are legumes, not nuts…hehe.)

In other news, this weekend, I will be staying up in the mountains with my mom’s side of the family. We get the chance to celebrate my grandma (I called her G-Funk, and yes, she was adorable and loved it) and her life, which ended early this spring. Even though I am saying my final goodbye to one of my best friends (I mean that sincerely), and it will feel strange to be savoring all the things she loved without her, I am so thankful that we get to be together in one of her favorite places, and enjoy nature just as she would have.

What are you doing this weekend?

Have you ever tried the awesomesauce that sushi places serve on salads?

I’m not the first person to make an avocado-based vegan “ice cream” or frozen pudding. I realize this! (And if you or someone you know about has a fantastic vegan ice cream/mousse recipe, please leave a link in the comments for others to enjoy; I’m honestly not even sure where I first encountered the idea years ago, as it’s become so ubiquitous!) But, the interesting twist is that I hadn’t intended to make this in the first place; it was the byproduct of a failed attempt to create something else. Hopefully later this week I can show you a (not-failed) finished product of my original goal… This is still smooth, sweet, and totally delectable. In the meantime, here is a happy accident; similar to ice cream, this creamy treat is perfect for the dog days of summer.

Or, you know…whenever you want chocolate.

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
1/4 C + 1 Tb cocoa powder
1/4 C agave nectar
1 t vanilla extract
4 Tb unsweetened almond milk (I used vanilla)

Recipe:
1) Throw all ingredients into a blender or food processor and mix until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
2) Pour/spoon into glass container and place, covered, in freezer for about 5-8 hours. (I used a champagne flute for added classiness…or because it’s what would fit in my overstuffed freezer.)
3) Remove when it is fully frozen (which admittedly, takes a while), and devour!

Now, as with pretty much all my recipes and methods, you can adjust this pretty easily. One avocado might be smaller or larger than another, so if you want to gradually add the agave as you make it, certainly do so. You all know that I am a proud supporter of “tasting along the way,” yes? Yes. And if you haven’t played with this green fruit outside of guacamole, and are wondering what is wrong with me…. Try it. You can’t taste it. At all. Fo rizzy.

Healthy-sneaky win!

Have you tried avocados in dessert before?

Featured in Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

I’m back! So, some of you saw my hints on Twitter and Facebook already…oh my word, do I have some stories to share. But more on that later. I feel badly that the blog has been kind of wacky lately. I would guess that, although you seem to enjoy laughing at my travel exploits, you might miss the recipes. Thus, today I will start with the food from our trip, and save the chronicles of craziness for another time. These aren’t really straight-up recipes; they are more methods that you can adapt to your needs and tastes. I just wanted to share some ideas, in case you’re overwhelmed with “What will I eat?!” camping dilemmas. Please do not assume that camping has to be rough just because you don’t eat gluten, or dairy, or meat. Even if you’re not in any of those boats, after this (egregiously long) post, you’ll know what to pack for your (high-maintenance) friends  ; )

These are some “essentials” for camp cooking that I personally bring, and recommend:
- cast iron skillet (even just a small one)
- heavy duty aluminum foil
- metal utensils (fork, spoon)
- paring knife
- substantial water container (more on that tomorrow…)
- Klean Kanteen

I prefer to use a firepit with a retractable grill instead of lugging around a propane stove. All you have to do is wrap your metal skillet, pot, or food itself (see below) in heavy duty foil. Everything will be fine. Really.

(And of course, please reuse what foil you can!)

Any guesses as to what I’m stirring?

The first night we arrived, I tried something a little different than our usual camp food fare: I made curry!

This is a method, not a recipe; and I assure you, anyone can pull this off! Just trust yourself, and taste along the way. Place your (foil-laden) pot on the grill, and cover the bottom of the inside with a thin layer of curry powder, a generous sprinkling of cumin and turmeric, and a little ginger or garlic (powder, for ease). Give the spices a stir, and once they are a bit fragrant, pour some olive oil in, and stir. Add chopped onions and carrots. Stir. Add more veggies — whatever you have. We used cabbage, and precut cauliflower, broccoli, and zucchini. I also added the bag of frozen peas for protein; I love using them as “ice packs” on trips!

Add a splash (or a few) of water, and keep spicing as you go. Make the dish suit you. And don’t forget to add salt — copious amounts of salt.

Happy campers, indeed.

Save dishes, and trees: just eat right out of your pan (and lid)… Ain’t no shame in my game.

The next morning, we awoke to rain. It was not only a great excuse to snuggle into our sleeping bags a little longer, it was also the ideal setting for a hot breakfast once the sun broke through…*

And by hot, you knew I meant made with fire, right?

(Yes, I almost burned down my house as a child once. Why do you ask?)

Grilled toast (for the BFF Manfriend). Just place bread on the frame, watch, and flip. Easiest toast ever.

These (ethically-sourced) eggs were awesome, I’m not going to lie to you.

But that’s not all…

Slice. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, wrap carefully in foil, set directly in hot coals, near a flame if possible. Turn it halfway through to cook the other side. This method works with regular potatoes, as well as squash! Just keep it upright, so that oil doesn’t leak out. Remove and carefully open the foil to check for doneness. You can always reseal it and drop it back into the heat.

I also diced half the sweet potato and fried it in the cast iron until crisp — ’twas perfect!*

Can you see something hiding in the coals?

Both methods are superb. Just don’t be so adult that you leave your agave ketchup behind… Adulthood is overrated!

At this point, we embarked on our hike. Which, again, is a tale in itself, and shall be recounted in detail soon. I will share that we were utterly depleted when we reached base camp again, and I was not about to spend an hour slaving over a hot stove burning fire. At this point in the camping day, I like meals that I can just throw into coals and walk away from. Call me lazy.

Foil-Wrapped, Fire-Cooked, Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers

2-3 green bell peppers
1 can of black beans
1 can or small jar of salsa or Ro-Tel (or a mix)
organic cheese or Daiya, if desired

1) Carefully cut tops of bell peppers, like you would a jack-o-lantern.
2) Remove seeds.
3) Pour beans (I rinsed and drained mine a couple times in the can) to cover the bottom of each pepper.
4) Add a layer of salsa/Ro-Tel.
5) Repeat.
6) Replace top, and carefully wrap in foil. Keep upright and place in hot coals/fire.
7) Turn halfway through (again, check for doneness at any point, just be careful when resealing).
8 ) Remove and top with cheese if you prefer. Eat directly out of foil with a fork.

If your significant other tries to pass off their pepper remains to you once the filling is gone, fight the urge to selfishly devour it, and hint that some salt will really bring out the flavor. Be patient with his or her skepticism. Then bask in the glow of a happy spouse and no leftovers.

Whew! That’s a serious recap. But I know that so many of you are traveling this summer, and I don’t ever want you to feel left out because of a dietary restriction. Hopefully these examples can provide some inspiration and encouragement for your own creative camp meals. And don’t be intimidated by the fire: remember, everything tastes better when cooked outdoors! : )

Featured in Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free

Any other camp cooking ideas?

*Sorry for the inconsistent quality in photos… The lighting was a bit tricky to work with on this trip!

First of all, before you tell me you hate mushrooms, let me tell you a story:

I didn’t used to like mushrooms

My husband didn’t used to like mushrooms.

Kids (in general) didn’t used to like mushrooms.

Guess who’s bringin’ mushrooms back? (Be honest, do you have Justin Timberlake stuck in your head now?)  I threw this dressing together on the fly the other day as we prepared a meal for my in-laws. There was some teasing at the generous amount of mushrooms I had bought, but after they had marinated in this dressing and were served up at the table, even my little one year old nephew was asking for “Mo!” I am taking that as a win. I know the kid loves food, but…hey. A mushroom is a mushroom.

That, and they tasted like pepperoni. In a very vegan way. Or something.

The zucchini we marinated and grilled was delicious as well. We didn’t bother adding the sauce to the onions, as they seem to not soak it up, and are plenty flavorful on their own. You can make these into shish kebabs, broil them, or grill the zucchini in long strips, as we did. (Just try not to engulf them in flames get too much char on them like we did.)

Ingredients:
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
2 Tb red wine vinegar
1 Tb white (regular) vinegar
2 t oregano
2 t basil
2 t garlic powder (I rarely use garlic powder, but it’s better than fresh garlic in this case, for texture and a smoother flavor)
2-3 t dried onions
salt and fresh ground pepper

Recipe:
1) In a bowl, mix the olive oil and vinegars together.
2) Whisk in dry spices, and taste.
3) Add salt, pepper, and more or less of any other ingredient to taste.
3) To use as a marinade, pour into a large bag (or a glass baking dish), and add vegetables. Shake to distribute.
4) Lay bag flat, and flip over after 20-30 minutes. Marinate for 40-60 minutes, if you can.
5) Grill or broil vegetables.

We served these alongside whole grain pasta tossed in homemade pesto (obviously, I didn’t partake of this). I remember one summer we had grilled vegetables for the majority of our dinners each week. It got a little out of control…. Even so, we aren’t sick of it, and grilled veggies are the sure sign that summer has arrived! It’s so easy, there’s just no reason to use that processed bottled stuff that’s filled with preservatives and fillers. This dressing is high-fructose corn syrup, metabulsulfite, and Red #40 free, and tasty to boot! It comes together in less than five minutes — just add veggies and walk away for an hour. Zing.

What’s your go-to summer meal?

The night before last, the husband and I walked into my in-laws house (Mom S. was gone, Dad S. knew we were coming), and I looked at the four zucchinis we brought and saw potential. I wanted something more substantive than just sauteed zucchini, so I tried to envision the various ways they could be cut. I sliced most into fry shapes, without giving it much thought. And then I remembered Ashley (of The Edible Perspective)’s post on asparagus fries! Those had looked so good – why not an Italian squash, too? I tend to gravitate more towards grain-less flours like almond, as they are easier on my body, but I also love the nutty, almost buttery flavor almond flour lends to dishes. Not to mention that it adds a protein and fiber punch! These did not disappoint — they were perfect. As you will see below, I also tried breading long strips of zucchini and frying them on the stove (rather than making them into fries and baking them). My taste-tester was just slightly more partial to the fried zucchini. You could also cut the squash into round medallions, and bread them following the same steps, like fried pickles! Easy peasy.

This is another “recipe” that is more of a method… The amounts will vary by how much zucchini you use. But it’s no big thang. Just make more flax egg and add more almond flour as needed. But don’t skimp on the salt – that’s what brings out all the deliciousness.

Ingredients:
2 medium-sized zucchini
~1/2-3/4 C almond flour
1/4 C water
2 Tb ground flax seed
salt

Recipe(ish):
1) Mix water with flax seed and set aside for about 5 minutes to gel.
2) For fries, slice zucchini into ~3″ long fry spears (i.e., about the length of normal fries, but about double the thickness). For breaded zucchini, just slice  into long, flat strips. Follow directions the same unless noted.
3) In a deep plate, add about 1/4 C almond flour, and generously mix in salt.
4) Once flax has gelled some, dip or roll zucchini in the flax “egg”.
5) Roll each individual fry in almond flour breading mixture to coat. Set aside.
6) Add more flour/salt mix to plate and make more flax egg as needed until all zucchini is used.
7) Place on greased, flat baking sheet, and cook in oven at 400*, flipping carefully after the first side browns. (Keep a close eye on these — they can burn fairly quickly.) For breaded zucchini, simply fry them in some olive oil on the stove, flipping once browned on one side.

This may not be the most photogenic, but don’t worry about how it looks. It will more than make up for it’s rather non-uniform appearance with it’s uniformly delectable flavor. <3

Featured in Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

What are you cooking this weekend?

Stay tuned for another veggie-centric recipe for tomorrow…!