Carrot Slaw with Cranberries and Toasted Walnuts

I made this as a side to corn griddle cakes, and it was really good. It also helped me use up the juice of the orange I had zested for that recipe! The carrots released a bit more water into the bowl than I thought they would, but serving it with a slotted spoon fixes the problem. I love the mix of carrots and cranberries with the sweet citrusy dressing. The green onions would have been great, but by then I had used them all in the griddle cakes, so I had to omit them from the salad. Obviously, you can omit the nuts as well if you wish.

1 lb carrots, peeled and grated
3 Tbsp walnut oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp lemon zest, from one lemon
2 Tbsp lemon juice, from one lemon
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice, from one orange
1 ½ Tbsp honey or maple syrup
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup walnuts or pecans, toasted (optional)
3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper and honey/syrup. Serve cold.

Corn Griddle Cakes with Sausage

I made this recipe from Bon Appétit, tweaking a bit (ha!) to make it vegetarian and less dairy. Instead of regular breakfast links, I used some vegetarian sausage links by Morning Star. They were good and smelled like the real thing, but I must admit I was missing the taste of pork breakfast links (which I never have at home anyway, though). While I do think that either kind of sausage is good in this recipe, my preference would go to ethical pork sausage, if there is such a thing widely available. I liked the taste of the green onions in these griddle cakes, but we had them for dinner and subsequent lunches, not for breakfast; judging by the picture in Bon Appétit, they are omitted in the breakfast version. That being said, these griddle cakes were really good, and both the Engineer and I quite liked them. I served them with a side of carrot slaw.

The original recipe also calls for making orange-honey butter as an accompaniment. I did so, even though it contained too much lactose. I didn’t have enough honey, so I used half honey and half agave syrup, even though the latter is much thinner; I omitted the salt and pepper. While the mixture was good, and needed to offset the dryness of the griddle cakes, I honestly don’t think the butter was necessary. Next time, I’ll use maple syrup and orange zest, which I think will suit the purpose nicely. I’d also halve the recipe, because we had a lot left over after all griddle cakes were gone (and there were a lot of those). That’s what I’m writing down below.

1 ½ Tbsp finely grated orange zest
½ cup maple syrup
¾ cup (about 7 oz) breakfast sausage (vegetarian or ethical pork), casings removed if necessary
1 ½ cups fresh (or frozen, thawed) corn kernels
1 cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup white whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly cracked black peppercorns
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
pinch of cayenne or Korean pepper
1 ¼ cups buttermilk (I used lactose-free milk with a splash of vinegar)
2 large eggs
6 scallions, chopped (optional)
¼ cup safflower oil or grapeseed oil

Mix orange zest with maple syrup and keep warm.

Cook sausage in a 10" cast-iron skillet or other large heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking up into small pieces with the back of a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a small bowl. Add corn to same skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned, 5–6 minutes. Transfer corn to bowl with sausage and let cool. Wipe skillet clean and reserve.

Whisk cornmeal and next 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk (or substitute) and eggs in a large bowl; add dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Fold in sausage, corn, and scallions.

Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in reserved skillet; working in batches and adding oil as needed between batches, add batter to pan by tablespoonfuls. Cook until cakes are crisp and golden brown, 2–3 minutes. Turn cakes over and cook until browned, 1–2 minutes longer. Transfer cakes to paper towels to drain. Serve warm drizzled with orange syrup.

Batch of links

- It is a sad, sad day here in the life of a lactose-free girl. Lactaid has discontinued its lactose-free half-and-half. True, I hardly ever used it, and I’m sure low sales were the reason Lactaid discontinued it. But there’s so much more room for lactose-free cream in the market! I’m looking forward to getting some Natrel this summer when I visit Canada, and I can only hope that Lactaid follows suit in the States and starts making it!

- I’ve said before that too many people are aware only of the term “lactose-intolerant” without actually knowing what that means, which gives way to those people unleashing misinformation unto an unsuspecting general public (things like “goat’s milk doesn’t have lactose” – seriously, were you dropped on your head as a baby?). Anyway, now Miley Cyrus tweets nonsense like “I am allergic to gluten and lactose and that’s why I’m thin.” Sometimes I think people should have a degree before they’re allowed to write on the internet! There’s no such thing as an allergy to gluten OR lactose. There’s gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, wheat allergy and dairy allergy, none of which are the same thing and none of which will prevent you from having a normal weight if the condition is managed properly. Also, note to Miley: when cooking vegan, gluten-free or otherwise, don’t stick your hand in the blender.

- When baking, do you know when to use a metal pan, a glass one, a ceramic or a silicone one? Here are some tips.

- An interesting article about guerilla cooking, or more precisely, cooking lunch in a poorly equipped office.

- For those of you who want to get rid of a few books you won’t read anymore and want to know when/where they’ve found a new home, try Book Crossing. The idea is simple: you sign up on the website and are assigned a tracking number, which you write into your book. You then share it (the preferred method is to “release it into the wild”), and whoever finds it can enter its number online, allowing you to know that your book has found a new reader. Of course, you can always donate books any way you want (charity organization, hospital, library, school, nursing home, etc.), but having a tracking number eases the separation. If you’d rather trade them, consider Paperback Swap. For selling and buying online, there’s always Abe Books.

- Top 10 misconceptions about yoga. I used to do yoga, and I liked it. Maybe I should start again. I’m just so apathetic about working out…

- Sarah Haskins: I just love her take on how the media and advertising treat women – it’s funny because it’s true. Plus, here’s an (unrelated) neat video about the high price of materialism.

- A gallery of real women’s bodies: just enter your height, weight and body shape, and you’ll see pictures of other women with bodies similar to your own. I love this site because I think that most body types are not represented in the media, which can lead women to mistakenly think that their body type is not acceptable.

- And finally, I mentioned before how much I love Dove Silky Smooth Dark Chocolate (not high-brow, but oh-so-good), and the new packaging says that it’s now made with Rainforest Alliance Certified ™ cocoa! One more reason to buy it! (It’s not vegan, but it is lactose-free, and the packaging has no warning about nuts, peanuts or gluten.)

Quinoa galettes, two ways

A while back, I made quinoa cakes with lemon and parsley, from a recipe on Love & Olive Oil. It called for olives, which I omitted, and my only problem with them was that I thought the onion was too potent; I wanted to grate it rather than chop it. I threw in the last of my Meyer lemons, because I had to use it or lose it (so yes, it was a while ago). On the picture below, you can see the size, texture and color difference between my Meyer lemon, on the right, and a regular lemon, on the left. The Engineer said it was a great way to present quinoa and found these little cakes very flavorful. I would have posted the recipe, too, had it not been for the fact that very shortly after, I saw another one on Cannelle et Vanille that was remarkably similar, but called for sweet potato. I decided to make that one before talking about the galettes. I made it with grated onion this time, and the result was much better.

Both the recipes were fantastic, and it turns out I can’t really choose between them. So I’ll give you both variations here, the lemon one and the sweet potato one, and you can choose what you like. Interestingly, I served the lemon quinoa galettes with a side of candied sweet potato soufflé, because I do think you need some kind of colorful vegetable to go with them (though candied is certainly not the healthiest way to go). I served the sweet potato quinoa galettes with a kale salad.


Quinoa Galettes with Lemon (about 12 galettes)
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
½ tsp salt
4 large eggs, beaten
1 medium yellow onion, grated
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 cup panko bread crumbs (or gluten-free, panko-style breadcrumbs: buy them, or make them by drying gluten-free bread slices in the oven and chopping them in food processor)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper or crushed red pepper flakes or Korean pepper
1 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Place quinoa, water, and ½ tsp salt in a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Cover, decrease the heat, and simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. You’ll need 3 cups of cooked quinoa for the recipe.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together onion, garlic, cheese, parsley, lemon zest, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and cooled quinoa. Add eggs and stir until quinoa is evenly moistened. Add water to thoroughly moisten mixture. Quinoa should be slightly wet so it doesn’t dry out during cooking.

Scoop out mixture and compact it into a ¼-cup dry measure; this will give you aesthetically pleasing quinoa patties, which pop right out of the measuring cup into the skillet. The cakes also hold together really well that way. Alternatively, use clean, moist fingers to form patties.

In a large skillet over medium low heat, heat olive oil. Add four to six patties to the hot pan (or as many as you can fit without overloading; you’ll need a bit of room to successfully flip them). Cook until beautifully browned, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Medium-low heat helps insides cook at an even pace. Remove browned cakes to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with remaining quinoa mixture.

Quinoa mixture will keep, uncooked and covered in the refrigerator for a few days. Just prior to serving, cook as directed and serve hot.

Sweet Potato and Quinoa Galettes (about 8 galettes)
½ cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup water
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for frying
1 small yellow onion, grated
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup grated sweet potato
¼ tsp coriander
¼ tsp black pepper
2 eggs
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs (or gluten-free, panko-style breadcrumbs: buy them, or make them by drying gluten-free bread slices in the oven and chopping them in food processor)
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 Tbsp finely chopped chives

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add quinoa and ¼ tsp of salt. Stir, reduce heat to medium low, cover with a lid, and cook for 20 minutes, until quinoa has absorbed all the water and is tender. Set aside to cool.

Heat a medium sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and cook the onions and garlic for 3 minutes. Add the grated sweet potato, ¼ tsp salt, coriander, and black pepper, and cook for another 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, and chives. Add the cooled quinoa and sweet potato mixture. Stir to combine.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Spoon 1/4 cup of the mixture and shape it into a round cake (or compact it into a ¼-cup dry measure, which makes for a more uniform cake that holds its shape). Add enough cakes to the pan without overcrowding it. Cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Finish frying all the cakes. Drain them on paper towels if needed.

Kale Salad with Apricots, Avocado and Parmesan

I often like kale salads, when there are enough additions and dressing to make them interesting, and this one was no exception. You can adjust all the proportions to your liking, of course, and eat it for lunch or as a side. I served it as a side to sweet potato and quinoa galettes, and also enjoyed it for lunch (once with crack sauce for a dressing).

6-8 oz of kale
6-8 dried apricots (I used more)
1/3 or so cup cooked beans (I had pinto beans, but use your favorite kind)
¼ or so cup almonds or pecans (optional)
8-10 flakes of Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 avocado
salt and pepper

Remove the tough inner stem from the leaves of kale. Tear all the leaves into bite-sized pieces and put them in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

Cut the apricots into little bits and add them to the bowl with the kale, along with the beans, the almonds, and the cheese. Whisk together the oil and vinegar (or shake it in a small canning jar, which is my favorite method). Pour the vinaigrette and a healthy pinch of salt over the salad and use your fingers or salad tongs to toss and rub everything together.

Just before eating, slice the avocado into cubes and spoon them over the salad. This salad will keep for about 24 hours, preferably refrigerated.

Candied Sweet Potato Soufflé

Remember the candied yams I made for Thanksgiving 2010, using puréed sweet potato instead of solid sweet potato pieces? Right, so I made that again, but on purpose this time, with a different recipe. It’s not a pretty dish once plated, but it sure hits the spot. There’s no point in saying much about it, it’s pretty self-explanatory, so here’s the recipe I adapted from The Kitchn; it makes about 6 to 8 servings as a side. I served it with lemon quinoa galettes.

2 15-oz cans sweet potato purée (or make your own purée by roasting sweet potatoes at 400 °F for one hours, then mashing them)
¼ cup maple syrup (or to taste)
2 Tbsp margarine
2 Tbsp lactose-free whole milk
2 eggs
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of salt
Marshmallows (store-bought or home-made)
bacon crumbles, for garnish (optional)
praline crumbles, for garnish (optional)
snipped chives, for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 °F.

In a stand mixer, combine sweet potato purée and maple syrup (adjusting to personal taste and for the sweetness of the potatoes; keep in mind that marshmallows are very sweet, too.) margarine, milk, eggs, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Pour mixture into a 10-inch cast iron skillet or an 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove casserole from the oven and increase heat to BROIL. Top the casserole with marshmallows. Cook, WATCHING CAREFULLY, until the marshmallows just begin to melt and brown, about 1 - 2 minutes (mine took 2 minutes, but it was a matter of 30 seconds for them to go from barely blonde to perfectly browned).

Carroty Mac and Cheese

Melissa Clark, we’ve got to stop meeting like this! First I fell in love with your red lentil soup, then there was your granola, then I came across your carroty mac and cheese in last month’s O Magazine (which I bought because I heard about it from three different sources, and it had some really good articles). I’m hereby adding Melissa Clark’s blog to my reading list!

This dish was good and satisfying, everything I would expect from mac and cheese, and it had the added bonuses of being lactose-free and of discretely containing a serving of vegetables per portion! If it were up to him, the Engineer would top the dish with breadcrumbs; apart from that, we wouldn’t change a thing. We got 4 generous servings out of this dish.

3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 12 oz), divided
2 cups whole wheat macaroni (or your gluten-free equivalent)
2 ½ cups coarsely grated carrots
4 Tbsp margarine or butter
¾ cup lactose-free sour cream (or vegan sour cream)
¼ cup lactose-free whole milk
2 eggs
1 tsp kosher salt
¾ tsp mustard powder
black pepper, to taste
¼ cup grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 °F and grease an 8”-inch square baking pan.

Cook the macaroni in salted boiling water; a few minutes before pasta is finished, add carrots. When the pasta is done, drain, then stir in 2 ½ cups cheddar and the margarine.

In a bowl, whisk together sour cream, milk, eggs, salt, mustard powder and a few grinds of black pepper. Fold into pasta mixture and pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheddar and the parmesan on top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Muffins aux pommes

Cette recette de muffins aux pommes est adaptée des Gourmandises d’Isa. Au lieu d’utiliser un mélange de farine tout-usage et de farine de blé entier, j’ai utilisé seulement de la farine de blé blond entier, comme je le fais habituellement de toute façon. J’ai eu assez de pâte pour 14 muffins, alors j’en ai fait 12 de taille normale et un gros dans un ramequin, que j’ai mangé pour dessert. Je pensais mettre une demi-douzaine de ces muffins au congélateur, mais ils ont disparu bien trop vite!

2 tasses de farine de blé blond entier (ou 1 ½ tasse de farine tout-usage + ½ tasse de farine de blé entier)
1 tasse de cassonade
1 ½ c. à thé de poudre à pâte
1 c. à thé de bicarbonate de sodium
½ c. à thé de sel
1 c. à thé de piment de la Jamaïque moulu (allspice)
2 œufs
1/3 tasse d’huile de tournesol (j’ai pris de l’huile de pépins de raisins)
1 tasse de compote de pommes
½ tasse de lait de soja (ou de lait sans lactose)
1 ½ tasse de pommes en petits cubes (1 grosse pomme ou 2 plus petites)
2 c. à table de cassonade

Préchauffer le four à 375 °F et préparer un moule à muffins en le garnissant de 12 caissettes en papier.

Combiner ensemble les 7 premiers ingrédients dans un grand bol.

Dans un autre bol, battre les œufs, l’huile, la compote de pommes et le lait. Verser cette préparation sur les ingrédients secs. Mélanger à la fourchette jusqu’à ce que le tout soit homogène.

Ajouter les pommes et les incorporer délicatement.

Verser la pâte dans les caissettes en papier et saupoudrer de cassonade. Enfourner pour 20 à 25 minutes. Vérifier la cuisson en insérant un cure-dents au centre; s’il en ressort propre, le muffin est cuit.

Salade de haricots à œil noir

Cette recette, trouvée sur Obsessions gourmandes, était à l’origine une recette de salade avec des pâtes fregola sarda. Il s’agit de pâtes en forme de petites boules, plus petites que l’orzo. Je n’en ai pas trouvé ici, alors j’ai utilisé du gros couscous perlé; je crois que c’est un bon équivalent, car le couscous est en fait une pâte, et celui-là avait la bonne forme et la bonne taille. Si vous ne trouvez ni l’un, ni l’autre, je vous recommande d’utiliser de l’orzo. Comme légumes, j’ai mis une grosse tomate, un gros concombre et une échalote; le fromage feta est facultatif (je n’ai pas trouvé d’équivalent sans lactose, mais il est très bon; si vous l’omettez, ajoutez un peu de sel à la salade). Nous avons adoré cette salade santé légère comme tout! Elle est délicieuse seule comme repas, ou en accompagnement (ici, d’un chausson croustillant aux pommes, au bacon et aux oignons caramélisés).

1 ½ tasse de pâtes fregola sarda ou de gros couscous
1 boîte de petits haricots à œil noir
2 tomates italiennes (ou une grosse tomate)
2 concombres libanais (ou 1 gros concombre)
80 g de feta (facultatif)
1 petit oignon rouge (ou 1 échalote)
3 c. à soupe de coriandre fraîche hachée
1 gousse d’ail
2 c. à soupe d’huile d’olive
sel et poivre, au goût

Faire cuire les pâtes selon le temps prescrit sur la boîte, mais surtout pas trop. Égoutter, passer à l’eau froide et égoutter complètement pendant quelques minutes.

Égoutter les haricots à œil noir et les rincer à l’eau froide.

Couper les tomates en dés, puis les concombres et l’oignon en petits dés. Couper également le feta en cubes de la taille que vous voulez.

Mélanger tous les ingrédients dans un grand bol, réfrigérer et servir!

Crispy Turnovers with Apple, Bacon and Caramelized Onions

So what did I do with the rest of my bacon after making pasta? I made these turnovers. And they were absolutely awesome. The Engineer and I both loved them, and he went so far as to suggest that we should have a stash in the freezer, like a secret weapon for unsuspecting guests. I would definitely keep these in mind for a Christmas brunch or something similar. If you want them for dinner, serve them alongside a salad.

2 sheets frozen puff pastry (or you could be super enthusiastic and make your own)
6 strips bacon, diced
2 medium-sized yellow onions, sliced thinly
1 apple (of the baking variety), diced small
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
2-3 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 egg yolk mixed with one tablespoon warm water
grated lactose-free sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and set it on the counter to thaw, still in its package.

Set a large skillet over medium heat and gently cook the bacon until all the fat is rendered and the bacon is just starting to become golden and crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set it on a paper towel to drain.

Pour off all but one tablespoon of the bacon fat. Still over medium-heat, slowly cook the onions with a pinch of salt until they are completely soft and caramelized. For best caramelized flavor, this should take about 30 minutes (but if you’re pressed for time, you can turn up the heat a nudge and cook them faster).

When the onions are as done as you like them, add the apples and another pinch of salt. Cook for 5-10 minutes until the apples have softened but are still firm in the middle. Stir in the cinnamon and a final pinch of salt. Add the cider vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pan to get up any caramelized brown bits.

Let the cider bubble until the pan is nearly dry again and then remove from heat. Combine the onion mixture and bacon in a bowl. If using, add the cheese when the mixture has cooled slightly.

Heat on your oven to 400 °F. Line two sheet pans with parchment or silpats.

Sprinkle a little flour on your work surface and unfold the puff pastry on top. If there are ridges in the pastry, gently flatten them with a rolling pin. Cut each piece of puff pastry into four equal squares (eight squares total).

Place two spoonfuls of the filling in the middle of each square. Dampen the edge with egg yolk and fold the squares over into triangles. Poke vent holds in the top with a paring knife and brush each turnover with egg yolk. Transfer to the baking sheets, spaced a few inches apart.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tips of each turnover are toasted brown and the tops are golden. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. (These turnovers are at their flakiest within a few hours after baking. Leftovers stored in the fridge will still be delicious, but not as flaky. I stored half of the turnovers raw in the fridge, covered, for baking another night. If you are planning for the long term, it’s better to freeze the turnovers un-baked and then bake them off individually).

Rose barrettes - or, why is it so hard to find an outfit for this wedding?

Dear Sister is getting married next month. And for whatever reason, I think I’m having more trouble getting my outfit together than she is! What I had in mind was a coral dress, but I couldn’t find any (some I saw online but they are no longer available, some I saw in stores but they didn’t fit). I ended up buying this orange dress, which is slightly too big in the upper back. Unfortunately, after some investigation and basting trials, I think it is beyond the scope of what I can fix. If I could just find a nice shawl, shrug or wrap, though, I could keep that problem hidden most of the time… I’d feel a little white trash, but no one would have to know. I managed to find shoes and a purse to go with it, though, because none of what I owned went with orange! That’s really what I’m dealing with for the shawl; orange is a tough color to coordinate. The other dresses I own don’t seem nice enough for this wedding, with the exception of one that is unfortunately a bit too short (come to think of it, that’s why I never wear it; I should consider adding fabric to make a new ruffled hem or something).

In an effort to look nice, I wanted to put some color in my hair, and I had thought of a flower barrette, like this one or that one from Etsy.

In the end, I decided to make my own, using this tutorial from The Purl Bee. The result is surprisingly similar to what I had in mind, and even goes with the dress. The problem is that when I put one on, I’m not sure it looks quite right. So I’ll take them with me and decide on the spot whether I’m wearing one.

All this to say: I’m not 100% sure what I’ll wear to my sister’s wedding, and I’m not 100% sure I’ll wear this rose barrette. But I like this rose barrette and hope you will, too.

Bacon and Pumpkin Pasta

I found this recipe and adapted it according to what I had on hand (so I didn’t make that recipe, but it was the same idea). It was originally called “Healthy Bacon and Pumpkin Pasta”, but that recipe called for evaporated milk and cream cheese, on top of the bacon, so I’m not sure how it qualified as healthy. I changed it by using lactose-free sour cream instead of the evaporated milk and cream cheese, though it think it would have been good with Greek yogurt, too. So obviously my sauce wasn’t the same consistency as the original, but it was very good nonetheless, and lactose-free to boot. I doubled the recipe to make 4 servings. The Engineer made his happy face when he tasted it and said it was very nice; I approve as well. The recipe as written below is mine.

A note on the bacon: we’re now buying Applegate Naturals bacon, which contains natural ingredients (so no nitrates/nitrites and no chemical preservatives); it is made from antibiotic-free pork fed on a GMO-free vegetarian diet; the animals also have space and fresh air throughout their lives. This may not be perfect, but it’s by far better than anything else sold at our regular grocery store (where just finding nitrite-free bacon was a challenge; Applegate seems to be THE brand they have for people like me who are avoiding those, not to mention ethically-raised animal issues). The package contains 8 oz of bacon, whereas most other packages contain 12 oz; I find this actually works better for me, because I have a tendency to use roughly half a package per recipe (it doesn’t matter if the recipe calls for 4 slices, I’ll throw in 6; but now, I really do limit myself to 4).

4 cups dry whole grain pasta shells (1 small box)
1 cup pumpkin purée
4 oz (roughly) lactose-free sour cream
½ tsp grated or minced garlic (1-2 cloves)
½ tsp salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
½ cup cooked, crumbled bacon (about 4-5 slices)
½ cup sliced scallions or green onions
Caramelized onions (optional, but recommended)

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and return to pan. Reduce heat to low.

In a small bowl, mix pumpkin through salt and pepper and stir until mixture is smooth. Add it to the pasta and stir until the pumpkin mixture is warmed through.

Serve topped with crumbled bacon, green onions and caramelized onions, if using.

Tatami shirt

It may be hard to believe, but this is actually the first piece of clothing I’ve knit for myself. Sure, I’ve knit hats and scarves and mittens before, and a shawl, plus tons of stuff for babies, but never actual adult clothing. I decided to go with this piece because the fit is forgiving; it’s a wrap shirt that doesn’t need to be tailored perfectly to look good, so I figured I could handle it.

The pattern, with a view pictured above, is called Tatami and is from NeoKnits. I got my yarn from Jimmy Beans Wool; I picked a Madeline Tosh superwash merino woolin a beautiful blue-green color called Forestry. I needed 6 skeins of it, so the shirt wasn’t cheap. That being said, I’m really happy I went with something that is both soft and machine washable! Plus, Jimmy Beans Wool gives out 5% cash-back.

Keep in mind that I only knit when watching television, but it took me a few months to knit this, mostly because at one point, I realized that I was supposed to continue in pattern (p1, k5, p1, k5, p1), but it wasn’t crystal clear, so I ended up with p1, k11, p1 from the armpits up. I had gone on a long time like that before really questioning how it would look, and then when I looked at the original picture, I realized that I should have kept up with the regular pattern. So I unraveled the equivalent of about half of the total shirt and started over from mid-back, at armpit level. Apart from that and from a typo in the pattern, it was actually pretty easy. The scary part comes when you drop a stitch in the pattern and unravel it along the whole length of the shirt; when I do that, I’m always afraid that just maybe I did something wrong ages ago and I’ll only find out when everything comes undone suddenly! It all went well, though, and made quite a difference in the final dimensions (the picture below shows the shirt folded in half, one side with dropped stitches and the other side still done up).

I’m quite happy with this shirt overall, even though the edges have a tendency to roll up (even after blocking), and I feel like the ties are a bit too long (I like the way they look on the pattern more than what I got). And because summer is pretty much here to stay in Texas, I’ll have to wait until next fall to wear it. That being said, I’m happy enough with my first clothing experience that I’m planning on making a cardigan or two next.

*Update: I forgot to mention that the yarn I picked is bleeding out color like crazy. My fingertips are stained each time I knit, the bamboo needles I used are stained, and it bled a lot when I wet it to block it. I’m planning on wearing only dark colors underneath, and I really don’t know when it’ll be safe to wear a white tank top with it!

Batch of links

- A great article in Flavor magazine discusses how foodies should respond when they are accused of elitism for buying more expensive food, especially at a time when some people have trouble putting any food on the table. Here’s the main conclusion (though the article is worth reading): “To suggest that advocating for such a change makes me an elitist is to disparage positive decision making and behavior. Indeed, if that’s elitism, I want it. The victim mentality our culture encourages actually induces guilt among people making progress. That’s crazy. We should applaud positive behavior and encourage others to follow suit, not demonize and discourage it. Would it be better to applaud people who buy amalgamated, reconstituted, fumigated, irradiated, genetically modified industrial garbage?”

- Another great article, about Angry Birds, FarmVille and other hyperaddictive “stupid games” (my current guilty pleasure is Draw Something).

- It’s Passover, and some of you may be making matzo ball soup. Here’s a Metafilter link with tips to make your matzo balls light and fluffy (and not leaden bricks) – the tip that is given most often is to use seltzer instead of water.

- A wonderful article by J. Kenji López-Alt on Serious Eats about making the perfect McDonald’s-type French fry. It’s incredibly well-researched, and you’ll enjoy the read. I’m finally posting it because I’ve finally accepted that as cool as it is to have detailed instructions like these, I’m not actually going to make those fries.

- An explanation of the term “sushi”, which isn’t actually synonymous with “raw fish”, and a more complete guide.

- Vegan Bodega, finally open, is apparently the first vegan grocery store in New York City. It was about time! We do have pretty good choices at Whole Foods here, and there’s always Viva Vegan in Montreal (more of a boutique than a grocery store, but still).

- How to get rid of fruit flies and drain flies (I’ve never actually seen the latter, thankfully). And while we’re at it, how to prevent and get rid of weevils. We’re lucky here in that we haven’t really had any bugs inside the house, but I’d sure like to eradicate those fire ants from the yard…

- WTF – What’s this food, a really fun and educational website.

Van's Gluten-Free Waffles

I recently tried gluten-free waffles by Van’s Natural Foods. I like that they’re made with whole grains; the gluten-free flour mix contains brown rice flour, potato starch, rice flour and soy flour. They’re also sweetened with apple juice instead of sugar, and they happen to be vegan. I got the apple-cinnamon flavor, but they come in plain and blueberry, too, and Van’s has a lot of different breakfast products in the frozen section (waffles, waffle sticks, English muffins, muffin crowns and pancakes). Van’s also makes products that are not gluten-free (such as their 8-grain line or their organic products), but all products labeled wheat-free and gluten-free pass rigorous tests and are safe for people with wheat allergies and gluten intolerance.

I thought the waffles were good, but only once I got them right. You see, I was never able to get them to heat up properly in the toaster; they always stayed cold and grainy in the middle, or got overcooked if I left them in longer. I had to follow directions and use the oven to warm them up, but with the preheating time, that came out to almost 20 minutes. The reason I buy frozen waffles is because I want a quick, convenient breakfast, and this wasn’t as quick as I had anticipated. So while I would recommend them to people with dietary restrictions, it is with the caveat that they are not instant.

Mom's Chili

I realized lately that I hadn’t shared this recipe yet! It’s my mother’s chili, my favorite, which I made for the Legal Chef and E. when they were here a few weeks ago. I always make it mild, but I serve it with pepper flakes and hot sauce on the side for those who want it spicier. My mother always makes it with a five-grain soda bread, which is great, but this time I went for maple corn bread. We liked it so much that I only remembered to take a picture when I was having leftovers later – sorry. As written below, the recipe is adapted from one by Anne Lindsay. Feel free to add more beans instead of the beef.

1 lb lean ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped sweet green pepper (optional)
1 28-oz can tomatoes, whole OR crushed
1 Tbsp chili powder (I used Korean pepper last time)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp hot pepper flakes (I don’t use them)
¼ tsp savoury (optional)
2 19-oz cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained OR 1 ½ cups dry kidney beans, soaked overnight and cooked 60 min
1 cup water (optional)

In a large non-stick saucepan, cook beef over medium-high heat, breaking up with fork, until browned, about 5 minutes. Pour off any fat. Add onions, garlic, celery, carrots and green pepper (if using); cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until onions are tender.

Add tomatoes, chili powder, lemon juice, cumin, hot pepper flakes and savoury (if using); simmer 30 minutes, Add the kidney beans; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add water if too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding hot pepper flakes if desired.

Spaghetti Squash and Chard Gratin

For this recipe, I used a new-to-me product, Nancy’s Cultured Lowfat Cottage Cheese (which also comes in an organic version). While it isn’t specifically lactose-free, the fact that it’s cultured makes it reduced in lactose, and it turns out that I didn’t have any problem digesting it. I was very happy to find this product, because the only other one I could use was Lactaid’s lactose-free cottage cheese, which isn’t available everywhere or every time, so this broadens my options. For the sour cream, I used Green Valley Organics’s lactose-free sour cream. So this dish is full of dairy, but living in the States, I was able to make it lactose-free – I unfortunately doubt that this would be possible in Canada at the moment.

I took some liberties with the seasonings. The original recipe recommends some homemade rosemary-garlic rub, which looks good, but I didn’t want to make it only to end up with another spice mix I never use. That’s also the reason I didn’t get the recommended Spike seasoning. Instead, I used 2 cloves of garlic (grated), dried thyme and dried oregano to flavor the squash. I’ve also started using safflower oil instead of olive oil in most of my cooking. I still make salad dressing with good olive oil, but the only reason I’ve been using it for other purposes is because everyone says that it’s healthy. That’s why it’s always recommended in modern recipes, and all the chefs on television use it. While it is true that olive oil is relatively healthy, it turns out that safflower oil is healthier; it has much a higher percentage of linoleic acid, less saturated fat, and a much higher smoke point. I feel it’s therefore a better choice for most applications, unless you actually want the taste of olive oil (safflower oil is pretty bland, which can be good in cooking and bad in vinaigrettes, for example).

I liked this gratin, but did not love it. It was relatively healthy, though, what with squash and chard in the same dish. I think it could have used a handful of grated sharp cheddar. The Engineer thought it was bitter, and he would have wanted this made into a frittata instead of a spaghetti squash gratin – while that would be good, I feel it defeats the point of this dish!

1 large spaghetti squash or 2 small ones (for a total of 2.5 to 3 lbs)
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided (I used safflower)
2 tsp rosemary garlic rub, or any all purpose seasoning that's good on vegetables (see above)
1 large onion, diced small
½ tsp Spike seasoning (optional)
½ tsp dried thyme leaves
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp minced garlic
12-16 oz chopped chard leaves (about 5-6 cups chopped chard; you could also use other greens like spinach, collards, or kale, but the cooking time may vary)
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh chives or sliced green onion
½ cup low fat sour cream or lactose-free equivalent
¾ cup low fat cottage cheese curds (put the cottage cheese in a fine strainer and rinse with cold water to get the cheese curds) or lactose-free equivalent
1 handful grated sharp cheddar (optional)
½ cup coarsely grated parmesan cheese plus about ¼ cup more for topping the gratin
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 °F. Wash the outside of the spaghetti squash if needed, then cut off the stem and blossom end, stand squash upright, and using a large chef's knife, carefully cut in half lengthwise. Use a sharp spoon to scrape out seeds and the slimy material that surrounds them, and discard. Rub cut sides of squash with about ½ Tbsp olive oil for each half, then sprinkle each with 1 tsp rosemary garlic rub or other seasoning of your choice. Spray the roasting pan with non-stick spray (I lined it with tin foil and used oil instead), put squash on baking sheet and pour ¼ cup water around bottom of squash. Roast squash about 45-50 minutes, or until it separates easy into strands when pulled with a fork. Let squash cool for a few minutes, then shred into spaghetti-like strands. Lower the oven heat to 350 °F.

While squash cooks, wash chard leaves if needed and spin dry or dry with paper towel. In two batches, stack up chard leaves on top of each other and slice into thin ribbons, then turn the cutting the board the other way and slice again into small pieces. Chop onion.

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in heavy frying pan, add chopped onions, season with Spike seasoning, dried thyme, and black pepper, and sauté until onion is softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook about 1 minute more, then add chopped chard all at once. Cook chard about 1-2 minutes, turning a few times, until it's wilted to about half the size it was. (The chard shouldn't be completely cooked, since it will cook more in the gratin.) Turn off heat.

Put 3/4 cup low fat cottage cheese in a fine strainer and rinse with cold water until only the cheese curds remain, then let drain. Spray a glass or crockery gratin dish with non-stick spray or olive oil (I greased a 9”x13” baking dish).

Using a large fork, gently mix the chopped chives or green onion and shredded spaghetti squash into the onion/chard mixture. Combine the sour cream, drained cottage cheese curds, cheddar, parmesan cheese, and beaten egg and mix into the chard/spaghetti squash mixture. Then put the combined ingredients into the gratin dish, and press down so it's evenly distributed in the dish. Sprinkle top with about ¼ cup more Parmesan cheese.

Bake about 30-35 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbling and cheese is browned on top. Serve hot.