Love the ingredients, not the food.

Overwhelmed

Written on March 15, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I’m overwhelmed by the number of comments on this post.

I’m overwhelmed by the number of you who have tried this recipe and told me you love it.

And after not having made this recipe for 3+ months, I’m overwhelmed by how delicious it still is.

A lot of people have asked if you have to peel the chickpeas, which can feel overwhelming given how many there are to peel. The answer is no, you don’t have to peel them for this recipe any more than you do for any hummus recipe. But peeling the chickpeas will make any hummus incredibly smooth and is worth the effort in my opinion.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Dessert Hummus(Original post)

Ingredients:

2 cups chickpeas
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Add all the ingredients into the food processor(I used some brown sugar because I was low on maple syrup).

Puree until smooth.

Add the chocolate chips and fold them in.

I’d like to be able to suggest serving this with banana chips, graham crackers, Nilla wafers, or something else fun. But really the only way I can suggest is with a spoon.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m about to go be overwhelmed by how much hummus I can eat in one sitting.

31 Comments - Leave a comment!

Cannellini Beans With Kale And Walnuts

Written on March 14, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

I’ve been trying to eat very healthily to prepare for my marathon in a few weeks; I’d like to think that that could make up for a full season of laziness and daily desserts. And so I’ve been eating lots of beans, vegetables, and nuts. This dish has all of that. It’s a flavorful mix that’s perfect for a hearty vegan entrée or a side dish to some fish. I use walnuts in place of pine nuts for some added omega-3’s(also, if you’ve ever shopped for pine nuts you might notice that they cost more per pound than some precious metals). Beans, beans, the magical fruit; the more you eat… let’s just say you should be eating them.

Cannellini Beans With Kale And Walnuts

Ingredients(Makes 4-6 side servings or 2-3 entrees):

4 cups chopped kale
2 cans cannellini beans, drained of water
2 Tablespoons olive oil plus more for finishing
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat a large pan with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over a burner set to medium.

Add in the kale and sauté until it has reduced to about half of its volume.

Mix in the 2 cans of beans and leave on the heat until they’re warmed.

Turn off the heat. Add in the walnuts, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and stir the contents of the pan until fully mixed. Serve hot and drizzle on top some of the good extra virgin olive oil(the kind you would serve Ina Garten).

This is my idea of hearty Italian comfort food. The only thing that might make it better would be sautéing some garlic into the oil in the beginning, but my breath really doesn’t need any more garlic.

26 Comments - Leave a comment!

Shockingly I’m Not Pregnant

Written on March 13, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

First of all, congratulations to bloggers Emily and Sabrina who both announced this week that they’re each pregnant with their first child.

But if this leaves you thinking that you’re the only one without a bun in the oven, don’t despair—I’m here to assure you that I’m not pregnant.

I might go to the bathroom an average of 40 times a day, but shockingly I’m not pregnant.

I might cry at awkward movie moments like Wolverine stabbing Phoenix at the end of X3, but shockingly I’m not pregnant.

I might need to let out some of my pants after the holiday season, but shockingly I’m not pregnant.

I might pop chocolate chips like they’re Tic Tacs, but shockingly I’m not pregnant.

I might wake up with sore hips and legs, but shockingly I’m not pregnant.

I might not sleep for longer than 2 hours at any time, but shockingly I’m not pregnant.

December 28th 035

I might only have alcohol when I cook with it as in Balsamic Brussel Sprouts with Red Wine, but shockingly I’m not pregnant.

I might constantly be eating for 2(or 3), but shockingly I’m not pregnant.

*No babies were made in the production of this post*

40 Comments - Leave a comment!

Who I’d Most Like To Cook With

Written on March 12, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

Cooking doesn’t always have to be a one-person deal. What brings people closer together than food? Cooking with others can be fun, especially if you’re with the right people. I first got this idea from Jessica to think about who I’d most like to cook with. All I can say is I better start cleaning up if any of these people were coming over.

Oprah Winfrey:

Why: It’s Oprah. She owns the world along with the OWN Network and probably has every famous person in her cell phone. We have absolutely nothing in common to talk about, so I’d just ask her incessant questions about her camping trip with Gayle(remember those magical episodes?) and when she’s going to run for president.

What we’d make:

Oprah and I share a clear affection for a certain orange spud, so naturally Sweet Potato Rounds would be on the menu. She’d probably want to eat pretty healthy, so we’d also make Balsamic Brussel Sprouts with Red Wine and Maple-Soy Chicken.

Suze Orman:

Why: Suze Orman scares me to death. I’m not even kidding about that; if I saw her walking down the street I’d probably hustle over to the other sidewalk(don’t act like you don’t do that to people you don’t want to talk to). But she would get me to make that kitchen spick and span; there wouldn’t be a better organized pantry after she’s through with me.

What we’d make: I’d be terrified to serve Suze anything that costs more than $5 to make but still want to impress her with flavors so I’d focus on all-in-one dishes like Chickpeas with Sole and Spinach and Vegged-Out Quinoa.

Paula Deen:

Why: Who could say no to the butter queen, ya’ll? Paula and I share a love of all things fat and sweet, just like us. She’s also a big Kathy Griffin fan, and like Kathy Griffin has quite the potty mouth when you get her off camera. What wouldn’t be fun about that?

What we’d make: When you have Paula Deen in the kitchen, you really need to go big or go home. Fudge Pies, Microwave Fudge, Outrageous Triple Chocolate Brownies—and those would just be the appetizers.

Who would you most like to cook with?

16 Comments - Leave a comment!

Carrots Vichy

Written on March 11, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

I, just like George Washington, can not tell a lie: These are not Carrot Vichy. If you don’t know what Carrot Vichy is, clearly you’ve never googled it. According to Epicurious, it’s thinly sliced carrots cooked in butter, sugar, and Vichy water(whatever the hell that is) and sprinkled with parsley. Instead I made these with honey and olive oil for a lighter flavor, and swapped the herbs for what I had on hand.

(Almost) Carrots Vichy

Ingredients:

1lb large carrots, sliced thin
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon dried herbs
salt to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Thinly slice the carrots about 1/4-inch thick and put them in a mixing bowl.

Pour in the olive oil and honey.

Next add in the salt and herbs(I used dill; herbs de Provence would also be good here) and mix it all together. Lay out the carrots on a baking tray and cook for about 45-55 minutes or until the carrots are soft and tender.

I don’t care what you call them; these are tasty. Every other time I’ve made roasted carrots they’ve come out tough, but these were actually soft. But I guess since I used tap water these are Carrots Tap?

15 Comments - Leave a comment!

Maple-Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Written on March 10, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

In case it isn’t obvious, I love maple and roasted things. Any excuse to add sugar to vegetables sound good to me. These have just enough flavor to get anyone to eat their vegetables.

Maple-Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

1 bunch brussel sprouts, stems removed
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons cooking oil
splash of white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Toss the brussel sprouts with the maple syrup, oil, vinegar, and salt.

Lay the brussel sprouts out on a single layer. Bake for 45 minutes or until they’ve browned.

Even though these were frozen vegetables, they still tasted darn good. I’m looking forward to eating this again when the vegetable is fresh and in season to get a better caramelization. Until then, I’ll just have to see what else I can cook in maple syrup.

16 Comments - Leave a comment!

Garlicky Cashew Cream Sauce

Written on March 9, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

If you haven’t picked up this March’s Rachael Ray magazine yet, ~~don’t bother because I’m not in it~~ you might not know that there’s a 4-page spread on “meatless mains.” Better yet, these aren’t Sandra Lee pop-a-tofurky-in-the-oven-and-call-it-dinner recipes; no, these are actually good recipes made with real food.

The first one that caught my eye was their “cashew cream sauce” which they put over tofu. I followed the recipe for the most part but changed it a bit and upped the garlic(I clearly wasn’t going anywhere that night).

Garlicky Cashew Cream Sauce(adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients:

1 cup cashews, soaked and drained
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt

Soak the cashews for 3-4 hours until they’re soft. Drain the cashews reserving some of the water for the sauce.

Add all the ingredients together in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days.

I liked the flavor of the sauce, which was deep, rich, and strong. I served mine with baked tofu and caramelized onions; next time I would try this with something like pasta to soak up the sauce better. Oh, and I would probably make sure there are a few tins of Altoids lying around to cover up the garlic breath.

20 Comments - Leave a comment!

Maple Roasted Nuts

Written on March 8, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Snack

I should warn you before I share this recipe that these are like crack. They might even be more addictive than Pringles; the lab tests haven’t come back yet. I do know that about half of the batch was “missing” later on the day that I made these. Since I was the only one around, you can be the jury on that case. But really, these are very good, and dare I say “healthy”? They’re sweet but not too much so that they feel like dessert; and who doesn’t love the flavor of roasted nuts? You can think up your own joke there…

Maple Roasted Nuts

Ingredients:

2 cups nuts(I used 1/2 walnuts, 1/2 cashews)
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Gather your nuts in a large bowl for mixing.

Pour in the maple syrup and add in the sugar. Toss to coat with your hands, making sure all of the sugar mixture gets used up(if you’re wondering why my maple syrup bottle has a red and green ribbon on it, it’s because it was a Christmas present; doesn’t every family give each other maple syrup for Christmas?).

Line a tray with parchment paper and lay the nuts out in a single layer. Roast for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally and making sure not to burn them. Once the nuts have cooled enough to touch, separate and move them to a container to make sure they don’t stick to the pan.

If you’re like me, then you’re going to burn a few of these because you’re easily distracted and don’t bother checking on these at all. That’s OK because the ones that aren’t burnt taste terrific. I loved the walnuts in here; next time I would try adding in some almonds, too, for more flavor. Just don’t leave the jar open next to you when you’re all alone and have no will power; that’s a dangerous combination.

30 Comments - Leave a comment!

Lemon & Dill Whitefish

Written on March 7, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

Every Friday during Lent growing up we ate fish. That always confused me because you weren’t allowed to have meat and I’ve always thought of fish as meat. Still, I wasn’t complaining because usually we got fish served like this. This is by far my favorite way to prepare fish. Sure, cooking it in a chili rub and adding creamy avocado is good. But nothing makes fish better than lemon and dill. The best part about this recipe is that you can use any fish; I just happened to grab hake because it was on sale this weekend.

Lemon & Dill Whitefish

Ingredients:

1lb any flaky whitefish
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 Tablespoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lay the fish out on a baking tray and rub it with the olive oil on both sides to coat.

Next, pour on the lemon juice along the length of the fish. Generously sprinkle on the dill evenly, too.

Rub in the herbs across the fish. Bake for 15 minutes or until it’s white all the way through. Let the fish rest for 5-10 minutes covered before cutting in. Sprinkle at the last minute with salt.

Making the fish this way just tastes fresh, as if it were caught that morning. Nowadays I won’t be waiting until just Friday’s during Lent to eat fish like this.

You’re also supposed to give up something you love during Lent. I think I’m skipping that part this year, since what I truly love is wheat flour and gluten and all the stuff I can’t eat anyway. And that fast has lasted for a hell of a lot longer than 40 days. If you celebrate Lent, what are you giving up this year? If you don’t celebrate, what do you think you could never give up?

18 Comments - Leave a comment!

Sunday Confessional 5

Written on March 6, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Sunday Confessional

I spent Saturday in Boston with three awesome bloggers and didn’t take a single picture. Oops. At least they were snap happy. Photo courtesy of Tina.

I think Boston is the best city in the world. Having worked there and gone to school there, I miss it all the time. Maybe it’s the people; maybe it’s the atmosphere; but probably it’s because it’s the only city I can use the public transportation in without getting lost… much.

vaseline800.jpg (174210 bytes)

As part of my marathon training, I ran/walked 20 miles in 3:30:17 and hated every minute of it. Countless times I thought of throwing in the towel until at mile 15 a ~~crazy~~ homeless woman named Mary told me to “use it or lose it.” So I kept on using it until I was done. Mary also offered me a cigarette; as generous as that was, I don’t think it’s part of my training plan.

At mile 5 I stopped right in the middle of the path, stripped off my running tights, threw back on my shorts and stuffed the tights in my pocket for the rest of the run. Runners. Yeah, we’re different.

February 23rd 058