Cranberry Apple Sauce

While growing up, cranberry sauce was a staple at our Thanksgiving meal and truth be told I didn’t like it.  We always had the canned version and there was just something about it that didn’t really sit quite right with me.  I don’t know if it was the taste or texture, regardless it was a dish that I passed over.

When I started making Thanksgiving dinner for Scott and I, he told me that they always had cranberry sauce too and that he liked it.

Say wha?!

This meant that I needed to supply him with some  cranberry sauce.  In the beginning, I just bought the canned version and let him go to town.  Eventually I came around and stared being able to tolerate it.  When OHC was in it’s infancy and before we cut out HFCS, I even used it to make this salad.

Now taking a look at the ingredient list, yikes!  Corn syrup and HFCS are the first two ingredients.  Ick! That means we stay far away from the canned grocery store version and I had to start experimenting on my own to make cranberry sauce.

Do you know it’s really easy to make cranberry sauce?  Like 10 minutes easy and you only need a few ingredients that you can find anywhere?

Ever since I started making my own, not only do I love it but I also feel a lot better about providing Scott with some cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving.

Andrea’s Cranberry Apple Sauce

  • 1 pkg Whole Cranberries (12oz)
  • 1 Large Sweet Apple, chunked (I used a huge honeycrisp)
  • 1/2C Organic Cane Sugar
  • Pinch Cinnamon
  • 1C Cider

Rinse off the cranberries and remove any that have started to turn (they get mushy).  In a medium sized sauce pot, add all ingredients, stir, and bring to a boil.  Then reduce heat to a simmer and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.  With a masher, go through and mash the berries and apples to your desired texture.  Continue to simmer for about another 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, pour into a glass bowl and allow to cool.  Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.

I like a little bit of texture so I don’t make a completely smooth sauce.  I just use the masher to help break down the apple and cranberries just a touch.  While I’m not big on using a lot of sugar in recipes, cranberries kind of call for that because they are just so very tart.  To me, they can leave a bitter taste on the tongue that is not very pleasant.  I combat that with the sugar and also the apple.

By adding in the apple it brings in another fruit and therefore another taste level to the cranberry sauce.  I prefer this method but of course you can leave out the apple and sub in a tad more sugar if you wish.  You are also free to peel or not peel the apple, that’s completely up to you!

Now, what can you do once you have sauce in your possession?

It makes a great mix-in for some pumpkin oatmeal!  Oats not your thing?

How about some Pumpkin Cider Corn Cakes?  Uh-huh!

You can make a salad dressing with it, you can slap it on a sandwich and I hear through the grapevine that it goes well with some mashed sweet potato as well.  So many options for this simple little sauce!

Want to kick this sauce up even more?  Add in:

  • The juice of one orange
  • Some orange zest
  • Some orange liquor

Oh yeah!

Have fun guys and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cider Corn Cakes

Pancakes are pretty much on the menu each Sunday here at the HQ.  Yes, occasionally we have eggs and sometimes waffles but nothing warms my heart and fills my belly as well as pancakes.

It’s an interesting turn of events really because I was never a real big pancake eater.  I ate them and liked them well enough but I didn’t seek them out or love them.  My mom would make pancakes from a boxed mix and make them into small silver dollar size rounds.

When I started making pancakes for myself and Scott over a decade ago (holy cow!), I did it the same way my mom did.  Then I gave up on pancakes for a while and didn’t really pay much attention to them anymore.

Until now.  Now I cannot get enough of the fluffy goodness.  I’ve learned that you don’t have to use a box mix.  Heck, you don’t even need eggs, milk, or butter to make them!

A few simple ingredients can yield yourself a great pancake.  I have found that I really like using cornmeal in pancakes.  It makes them a little fluffier and lighter to me.

With this being Pumpkin Month what better time to create a fall and pumpkin inspired pancake!

Andrea’s Pumpkin Cider Corn Cakes

  • 1 1/2C Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1/2C Cornmeal
  • 1/2C Pumpkin puree
  • 2C Apple cider
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 2TBSP Sugar
  • 2tsp Vanilla Extract

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and cinnamon.  Whisk together until everything is incorporated.  In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the cider, pumpkin, and vanilla.  Whisk that together until blended and then gently pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture.  Stir to combine.

On a preheated and greased griddle, drop a large spoonful of batter onto the griddle.  Spread out the batter a bit with a spoon and allow to cook about 4 minutes or until you start to see bubbles popping up in the middle.  Flip and let the other side cook for about another 2-3 minutes.  You can stick a toothpick in the pancake to double check it’s done.

Remove from griddle, plate up and serve immediately!

I like a lot of toppings on my pancakes!  The cider along with the cornmeal helps keep these pancakes light and fluffy.  They puff up a good bit as they cook but don’t let that fool you into thinking you are going to have a huge stack of cakes.  Once flipped they drop down, so don’t worry!

They also brown up a great deal which makes them look burnt, but they are not, just tasty!

Scott and I loved these pancakes and I’m going to be sad when cider is no longer in season because it gives a nice twist to the pancakes.

Make them big or make them small, just be sure to make some because they are a lovely tasty treat!

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

At Home Barista: Pumpkin Latte

Since it’s Pumpkin Month it’s about time we get some pumpkin goods up in here, am I right?  As soon as the end of August starts getting near and the thought of September hits our consciousness, what does everyone start thinking about?

Pumpkin Lattes!

Don’t play, you know it’s true.

The concept I’m about to discuss is not one that I came up with, I have to acknowledge Mama Pea for this inspiration.  Last fall she discovered that a pumpkin latte from Starbucks made with soymilk and no whip is in fact not vegan.

Apparently there is some dry milk or something similar in the pumpkin spice syrup used to flavor the coffee.  I’m not really down with that.  I’m not vegan by any stretch but my preference for dairy comes in the form of cheese.  If I don’t want dairy and I’m actively trying to avoid it in food products, I really don’t appreciate having it snuck in behind my back.

A pumpkin spice syrup really doesn’t scream out that it requires milk, right?  So why have it in there?

Mama Pea came up with her own pumpkin spice latte and I turned around and made my own version as well.  It produces a rich creamy drink that is actually very filling!  We have been enjoying pumpkin lattes ever since!

We typically have a pumpkin latte on the weekends when we have a bit more time to relax and enjoy morning coffee.

Andrea’s Pumpkin Spice Latte

  • 1 1/4C Vanilla Soymilk (or vanilla nondairy milk of your choice)
  • 1 1/2TBSP Pumpkin Puree
  • 1tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4tsp Ground Allspice
  • 1/4tsp Ground Clove
  • 1tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/4tsp Molasses

Toss all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth and frothy.  Makes enough for two mugs of pumpkin latte.  Fill mug close to half way with pumpkin mixture, then add in your freshly brewed coffee.  Stir and enjoy!

Frothy, delicious, and totally makes you think of fall weather.  It also smells mighty fine!  Now the next time you’ve got a hankering for some pumpkin spice lattes, you can make them at home!

Want a pumpkin spice latte using a homemade syrup?  Brandi just made some and she shares her technique!  Check it out!

Happy Pumpkin Month! :pumpkin:

Pasta and Lentil Salad

This past summer was a hot one here in Columbus.  Extreme humidity and high temperatures.  The kind of heat where even sitting indoors with the luxury of air conditioning, you still don’t want to eat anything hot.  Or heat up the kitchen.  This left me seeking out meals that we could eat cold.  A lovely cold meal that I could make ahead and pull out of the fridge when supper time rolled around was exactly what I wanted.

I am a huge fan of pasta salad despite the fact that I’m not a huge pasta eater.  However, I’m extremely picky when it comes to pasta salad as well.  So much can be done with pasta salad that using a store bought mix or bottled dressing is unnecessary.  Pasta salad is not only easy to make using ingredients you have on hand but it’s quick and the longer it sits the better it gets.

That is my kind of meal!

I love when pasta salad is loaded up on veggies!  I view pasta salad as a way to get in as many veggies as I can, not as a source for eating as much pasta as I can.  My personal opinion is that pasta is a vehicle for veggies and what better way to enjoy veggies than in their simplest form in a pasta salad!

Andrea’s Pasta and Lentil Salad

For the Pasta Salad:

  • 1C Uncooked green lentils
  • 3C Uncooked Whole Wheat Medium Sized Shells
  • 1 1/2C Shredded Carrot
  • 1 1/2C Peas (I used frozen that I let thaw)
  • 6 Green Onions, chopped, both the white and green parts
  • 1 Large Tomato chopped (do not remove seeds)
  • 1C Shredded Red Cabbage
  • 1 Small to Medium Sized Head of Broccoli, chopped in small bite size pieces

Dressing:

  • 2 1/2 – 3 Heaping TBSP of Dijon mustard
  • 1/4C White Wine Vinegar
  • 1/4C Olive Oil
  • 1/2tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2tsp Soy Sauce
  • 1tsp Sesame Oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes

Cook the lentils according to package directions and allow to cool.  Cook the pasta in boiling water till just shy of being “done”.  Drain and allow to cool.  You want the pasta to still have some good bite to it, otherwise it will get mushy in the salad.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, lentils, and veggies.  In a small mixing bowl combine the ingredients for the dressing and whisk together (can also be blended in a blender).  Pour the dressing over the pasta, lentils, and veggies, and stir till everything is coated.  Allow to sit in the fridge for about an hour.  Gently stir before serving.

This is not a heavily dressed pasta salad.  The dressing is meant to give the pasta and veggies a touch of added flavor.  If you want more dressing on the salad, I suggest making the initial batch, and once the salad had a chance to sit in the fridge for a bit, you can drizzle on some more right before serving.

The reason I keep the dressing simple and light is because I want the fresh veggies to be the star and not to be overpowered by a heavy vinegar dressing.  The same goes for the pasta, I like my pasta lightly dressed or with just a touch of sauce.  Otherwise the sauce takes over and you can’t focus on the pasta!

This recipe makes a good bit of pasta salad.  Scott and I were able to have this for dinner two nights in a row.  It is definitely better the next day!  The dressing will soften the veggies and the pasta the longer it sits, this is why it is important to not cook the pasta too far.  Otherwise you will be met with a bowl of mush the next day.

I topped our pasta salad with chunks of good quality extra sharp cheddar which took the dish up to the next level and provided fun little bites of creamy cheese.

You can of course, use whatever your favorite veggies are or what you happen to have on hand.  I’ve made this with kale and some red and green peppers.  You can use red onion instead of green onion.  Whatever your little heart desires. It’s pasta salad, the possibilities are endless!

The recipe itself is vegan, adding the cheese clearly makes it not vegan.  I’m sure you realized that though!

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

Farmstand Green Bean salad with wheat berries

This summer has been notable for two reasons: heat and farmer’s markets.  Because of the heat, I have only wanted to eat a lot of cool things.  The HQ has been seeing various kinds of salads for meals this summer.  We have also been frequenting Farmer’s Markets because local towns have picked up hosting mid-week markets which fits our schedule a little better.

I noticed a lovely batch of green beans on a recent trip to the Farmer’s market and I had to have some.  I’m not the only one in this house who loves green beans, Rocky loves them too.  I picked up enough for all of us to enjoy!

Green beans are a bean that I have always been in love with.  I don’t care how you serve them up, I will eat them.  That includes fried green beans although I won’t eat as much of those as I will other variations.

I knew I wanted to do something different with these green beans and then it occurred to me that I could probably make a nice ode to summer salad out of them. I walked through my kitchen looking around to see what else I could add to the salad and I stumbled upon some wheat berries.  I had yet to use them in anything and figured now would be a great time to try them out.  Fresh veggies and whole grains?  Perfect combo!

Andrea’s Farmstand Green Bean Salad with Wheat Berries

  • 1lb Fresh Green Beans, trimmed and cut on the bias into bite size pieces
  • 1C Uncooked Wheat Berries
  • 1 Large Red Tomato, chopped
  • 1 Large Orange Tomato, chopped
  • 1/2 Large Red Onion, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 1/2 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar
  • 3 TBSP Olive Oil

Cook the wheat berries and allow to cool once fully cooked.  Blanch the green beans and rinse under cold water, you want them crisp and to retain their color.  Once the wheat berries and green beans are cool, combine everything in a large bowl.  Allow to sit for at least 1/2 an hour in the fridge before serving.

Well first things first, if the salad looks gorgeous that pretty much guarantees it will taste fantastic.  This supports that theory beautifully.  You’ll notice that I did not say to seed the tomatoes.  This is because I want the tomatoes to help create the “dressing” for the salad.  Tomatoes have a lot of juice and sometimes we want that extra goodness.

I also dressed this salad very simply, with just vinegar and oil.  The point of this salad is to accentuate summer.  I didn’t want to cover up the tomato and green bean flavor with something else.  Instead I highlighted it by using a simple dressing that won’t overwhelm your palate.

This salad also made me fall in love with Wheat Berries.  I love how nutty and chewy they are.  I know a lot of people like adding them to their oatmeal but I think I prefer them this way, in something more savory and intense.

Everything in this salad gives a different texture and it keeps you involved in the process of tasting it.  You’re not sure which flavor or texture you’ll get next and it makes for a lovely experience.

Thankfully I have all of these ingredients on hand to make another batch for this very hot week we are having!

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

The last installment of Salsa Week and this one just happens to be in a close running to winning the title of my favorite salsa!

Whenever I look at jarred salsa, the one kind I always search out is a black bean and corn salsa.  I love those!  The beans and corn add such a nice texture to the salsa.  It even allows me to handle a more spicier salsa because somehow the beans and corn seem to tame down the assertive peppers.

Eventually I wondered to myself if one could make salsa with black beans and corn as the main ingredient instead of them being added into a tomato based salsa.

You’re never going to know the answer to your question until you try it, right?  So that’s exactly what I set out to do and now I cannot get enough of this salsa.  I could pretty much consume the entire batch myself without giving it a second thought!   This salsa is super easy to make and takes maybe 10 minutes at most to prepare.

Andrea’s Black Bean and Corn Salsa

  • 1 15oz Can of Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 2C of Fresh Summer Corn
  • 1/4-1/2 Red Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 Jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
  • The Juice of 1/2-1 Whole Lime
  • Sprinkle of Salt and Black Pepper, (about 1/2tsp each)
  • 1/2-1tsp Chili Powder
  • 1/2tsp Garlic Powder
  • Cilantro, to taste, finely chopped

In a large glass mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

This salsa smells good even before you add the seasonings to it!  It is so fresh and crisp tasting that it screams summer and backyard relaxing.  I add a bunch of cilantro because I love it but again, you can add as much or as little as you like.

This salsa also will easily take on additional veggies if you want to toss some in there.  This batch, I actually added in about half a diced red pepper for added color and crunch.

You want to cut the corn off the cob while it’s raw.  I have a handy tip about cutting corn off the cob to help you with that task!  If you don’t really want to eat raw corn, you can sautee the kernels for about two minutes in some olive oil.  Raw corn is so good in this dish though!  It’s sweet and crunchy and almost delicate tasting.

If you don’t have fresh corn because maybe it’s dead of winter, you can sub in 2C of frozen corn easily.  Just thaw them a bit first and drain off some of the excess water.

The reason I have “The Juice of 1/2-1 Whole Lime” is because the lime and your taste preference will determine the amount needed. If you have a super juicy lime, you may only need 1/2 of it or you might think a whole lime is too much of a good thing.  Start with 1/2 and see where that takes you.  I normally use a whole lime though.

Fresh black beans that you made is totally acceptable!  I would guess around 2C of those would be a good starting point.

This salsa has been a huge staple for us this summer!  It’s been so hot and humid this year that eating a hot dinner isn’t always that appealing, so we’ve been eating this in all kinds of different ways.  It’s perfect for just snacking with tortilla chips as well!  I probably already told you this smells fantastic, right?  A typical Scott comment is, “I don’t know what you’re doing, but it smells amazing over there!”

If you love beans and corn, make yourself some of this salsa!  It’s summer in a bowl!

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

Roasted Green Salsa

Day 2 of Salsa Week and this time we are kicking it with a Roasted Green Salsa!

Recently a reader contacted me with a question about my Roasted Tomato Salsa.  Then she asked me about a green salsa.  She said that her favorite Mexican restaurant serves this green salsa but that it’s not made with tomatillo.

Curious!

Because when we think of green salsa, we automatically think of tomatillos, right? Those little green things that look like tomatoes but are located with all the peppers.  She mentioned that the server didn’t really know what the salsa was because it was a secret but that they thought it was made from jalapenos.

While this could very well be the case, imagine how many jalapenos you would have to use to get the amount of salsa needed to serve an entire restaurant.  Exactly!  A crazy huge number!  I thought about it for a little bit then said well maybe they used poblano peppers.  They are green and might be able to produce a nice salsa.

The more I thought about it, the more I was very interested in playing around with the poblanos to see if they do make for a good salsa.  Cooking is always a big experiment anyway, right?  So I got to it!

Andrea’s Roasted Green Salsa

  • 4 Large Poblano Peppers (seeded, chunked)
  • 1 Large Red Tomato (cut into sections)
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic
  • 1/2 a Medium Onion (chunked)
  • 1 Chipotle Pepper + One heaping spoonful of adobo sauce
  • Juice of 1/2 a Lime
  • Cilantro to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Olive Oil for cooking

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat the peppers and tomato pieces with olive oil, a very small amount, around 3 tsp.  Sprinkle with just a touch of salt and place on a lined baking sheet.  Roast in oven for about 10 minutes or until everything is warmed through and softened.  You’ll be able to smell them and that’s when they are about done and ready to come out.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.  In a food processor, combine the peppers and tomato along with all the other ingredients.  Pulse until you get the consistency you like.  I prefer a smoother salsa, so I pulse mine for a few minutes.

Taste and see if more salt and pepper needs to be added.  I used probably around 1/2 tsp of salt in mine.  Serve with chips and veggies!

I was very impressed with this salsa!  It was so yummy and totally unexpected!  It’s not your typical “green” salsa and that is what thrills me the most I think.  It gives you a little twist on the norm.

This salsa isn’t overly spicy hot but instead it has a nice background heat that builds the more you eat.  I wanted to do something different to bring spice to the table which is why I used the chipotle pepper instead of a fresh jalapeno or something along those lines.  The chipotle gives a lovely smoky heat and provides color to the salsa.

I love that with this salsa not only do you have the green but you can see little flecks of red and white throughout letting you know that some other things are going on to bring in flavor.  Scott and I really enjoyed this salsa!

I used a bunch of cilantro in this salsa because I love it so much but you can use however much you want.  And if you want to kick the heat up more, add in more chipotles!  It’s a very easy salsa to play around with.

It does not last long though.  While my Roasted Tomato Salsa, if stored in a glass tupperware container, will easily last you over a week, this green salsa only has about a three to four day shelf life.  For some reason the peppers don’t last nearly as long.  You shouldn’t have trouble with it going bad on you though! :)

Have fun guys and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

Pineapple Mango Salsa

Remember how I said that I needed to get caught up on recipe posting?  Well it’s time to start!  I’m calling this week, Salsa Week and I’ll be posting a few of my newest salsa recipes.  They are super easy and you’ll notice that they all follow a similar concept.  You’ll be whipping up salsa in no time flat!

The first salsa to be showcased this week is a fruit salsa.  I have heard many mentions of people eating salsa made from pineapple and mango but yet I’ve never come across any!  I haven’t seen a recipe, nor a jar of it in the store, not even seeing it listed on a menu someplace.

The pineapple and mango salsa has been out of my grasp!  I decided that it couldn’t be that hard to make and tried my hand at making a test batch.  The first step was getting some fresh mango and fresh pineapple which can be tricky depending on the season and what your grocery store has available.  Fresh ingredients are necessary though so make sure you have these for salsa time!

Andrea’s Pineapple Mango Salsa

  • 1 large mango, peeled and chopped
  • 1C Fresh pineapple finely chopped
  • 1/4 of a Red Onion finely chopped
  • 1 Jalapeno, seeded and chopped
  • Juice of 1/2 a lime
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped,  for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a small glass mixing bowl and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.

I was a little skeptical at first because I’m never sure how a fruit is going to taste when paired with savory things but this salsa delivered!  It’s sweet with a hint of spice and heat from the onion.  The lime juice and cilantro keep things light and summery tasting.

If you have a mango that is a bit hard because it’s slightly under ripe, you can quickly sautee it up with the pineapple, onions, and jalapeno in a touch of olive oil for about two minutes.  Remove from heat and then mix in the lime juice and cilantro.

This makes a great addition to any summer cookout or backyard party!  Perfectly paired with tortilla chips, you’ll be snacking while getting in your fruit servings for the day!

Have fun guys and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

Other OHC Salsas:

Roasted Tomato Salsa

Watermelon Salsa

Roasted Tomato Salsa

It’s Cinco de Mayo!  Do you have any plans for embracing the holiday?  I’m going to hit up the store and hopefully make a nice feast for us for dinner.  In honor of the day, I’m sharing a new salsa recipe!  I’m very particular about salsa.  It has to be just right for me to enjoy it.  The best salsas that I’ve had have been at little Mexican restaurants.  I’ve tried to recreate them myself with zero luck.  I had no idea what the problem was because I tried every which way.

Recently I had some baby heirloom tomatoes that needed used up before they turned on me.  I was flip-flopping about what to make with them when I decided that I would try making salsa again.  This time I had a different plan of attack; roasting.

There is fresh salsa that can be made with all raw ingredients and then there is salsa where the tomatoes are cooked.  I prefer cooked tomatoes but will gladly take some raw salsa off your hands if need be.

I threw caution to the wind, crossed my fingers, and hoped that this salsa would turn out delicious.

Andrea’s Roasted Tomato Salsa

  • 1 1/2 lbs Baby heirloom tomatoes
  • 1/4-1/3 Of a Small onion, chunked
  • 1 Jalapeno, seeded
  • 2 Cloves of garlic
  • Juice of 1/2 a lime
  • Handful of cilantro
  • Small amount of olive oil (about 2 tsp)
  • Sprinkle of salt and ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.  In a storage bag or medium size bowl combine tomatoes, jalapeno, garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, and pepper.  If you have slightly bigger tomatoes, you can cut them in half first.  Place tomatoes on the baking sheet and roast in oven for about 10 minutes.  You want the tomatoes to be warmed through and just starting to break down.  They will look like this:

Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.  Once cooled, dump this mixture into a food processor, add in the lime juice, onion, and cilantro.  Pulse until you get the texture you desire.  I like a slightly smoother salsa.  Taste test to see if you need to add a bit more salt, cilantro, or lime juice.  Remove from food processor and place in a glass or other nonreactive bowl.  Can be served warm or chilled!

Holy cow guys this was the best salsa I ever made!  Scott and I literally could not stop eating it and I started thinking of all different kinds of ways I could use it up!  I’m also planning on making more as soon as I can!

You do not have to use baby heirlooms, I just happened to have those on hand.  You can use cherry or grape tomatoes.  Heck you can even use regular tomatoes if you want, this was more of a technique that I wanted to share with you.

I kept the onion raw because the salsas I ended up liking the most had this comb of cooked tomatoes and raw onion.  I roasted the garlic with the tomatoes in order to cut the sharpness that raw garlic can have.  I like garlic anyway you want to throw it at me but I also realize that not everyone feels the same way.  Roasting the garlic also helps cut down on potential dragon breath.  We’ve all experienced that, right?

I’ve been playing around with salsas a lot lately so you can expect to see more this summer!

If you’re looking to try your hand at making salsa at home, try roasting the tomatoes, you might be surprised by the outcome!

Have fun guys and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

Related recipes:

Watermelon Salsa

Lentil Tacos

Chocolate Quinoa Bread

It’s the end of the month which means we are wrapping up Quinoa Month!  What better way to end the month than with some chocolate!

I originally set out to make brownies but this experiment turned out a lot more quick bread-like and not so brownie-like.  However it’s still super tasty and full of chocolate goodness!

Andrea’s Chocolate Quinoa Bread

  • 1C Whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2C Unbleached All-Purpose flour
  • 1 1/2C Cooked quinoa
  • 1/4C Cane sugar
  • 1/4C Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2tsp Baking powder
  • 1tsp Baking soda
  • 1/2tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 1TBSP Ground flax
  • Pinch salt
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1/2C Crushed walnuts
  • 1/2C Dark chocolate chips
  • 1 1/4C Soymilk
  • 1/2C Coffee
  • 2tsp Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a brownie pan or 8inch square casserole dish with nonstick spray, set aside.   In a medium size mixing bowl combine the soymilk, vanilla, and coffee.  In a large mixing bowl combine all other ingredients except the walnuts and chocolate chips.  Whisk to get all ingredients combined and fluffed.  Add in the nuts and chocolate chips, then add in the soymilk mixture.  Gently stir until everything is combined and then add the mixture to the baking dish.  The batter is a bit thick so make sure that you even it out with a spoon once it’s in the baking dish.  Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

I would try but words really can’t describe the chocolate gloriousness of this cake.  It’s rich and decadent but not so heavy that you feel weighted down by dessert.  It’s full of whole grains, quinoa, and nuts making it packed with protein and lots of good stuff for you body.  Along with the antioxidants of the dark chocolate of course!

Even though this did not turn out like brownies, it still turned out and I’m really happy with that!  Sometimes I think a lot of us might be afraid to experiment in the kitchen because we are afraid of failing.  But sometimes those failures will turn into surprises successes!  You just never know until you try.

Have fun guys and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!