Mother of all grains

Don't you sometimes get bored with the good old recipes you've been making all this time and are looking for something new, yet simple? Look no further than your can of coconut milk or package of quinoa. As much as I always used to think those recipes were just to fill the empty space on the packaging, after trying several, I now am convinced that most of them are actually pretty tasty! Here is the newest addition to my cookbook, a recipe from an Archer Farms' quinoa packaging, simply called:
Quinoa with Black Beans and Corn. The main ingredient is a grain that is becoming increasingly popular in the US, but has been known for ages in South America, especially by the Incas, who called it the "Mother of all grains".
Cook 1 cup of grains according to the packaging instructions. Add 1 can of black beans, 1 can of sweet corn, 1 diced red pepper, 1/4 c chopped cilantro (although I used wayyyy more, as I love this wonderful herb), 3 tablespoons of lime juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of cumin. Mix all together. You can of course make variations of this recipe, adding different vegetables, depending on what you like; as you may notice I added fresh mushrooms. This dish can be used as a side salad, taco filling, or you can follow my idea and make lettuce wraps, which make a light, yet filling summer meal. Meat lovers - add some andouille sausage and let me know how it turns out!

Cool it

Last days of summer. There, I said it. I am dreading fall and winter and hanging on to the nice weather as long as I can. If you see a girl in a coat and scarf drinking her morning coffee on the porch in October just because it is sunny - yes, that would be me.
But I am getting ahead of myself. After all, we still have over a month of a calendar summer left. So here's a recipe for either a great appetizer or a dessert soup. Inspired by my lunch at the Dakota Harvest, I just had to know how to make this wonderful cold concoction and here is the result of gathering and tweaking a few recipes. Now, this is one of those recipes where you're the boss and you decide how you want it done!

In a food processor chop up about half a watermelon. Use the other half to munch on during your hard work of cooking or mixing ingredients, rather. Pour into a container, in which you will store it. Warm up about half a cup of water and add couple of tablespoons of honey, just so it dissolves. Don't heat the water too hot as it will kill the important nutrients in the honey (a gross fun fact about honey to follow below, those with a weak stomach - please don't read). Chop up several leafs of fresh mint and add into the pot/container. Add juice of half a lime. You may add some fresh ginger if you'd like, really, sky's the limit! Enjoy on the porch or, as a friend rightfully suggested, you may use it as an alcoholic beverage mix!
PS. Gross fun fact - if you love honey you basically enjoy eating bees' puke, as nectar is turned into honey by the process of regurgitation. Good news is that some cultures consider it an elixir of immortality, so eat up!

Hide your knives

If you haven't seen the movie "Forks over Knives", you must watch it. It may change your life, your health and the way you think about food; what it should be and what it could be. I didn't used to eat much meat at all, but coming to the US definitely took care of that - I was even eating steaks. So I was very excited when after watching this documentary Jeff suggested that we change our ways. And so we did. The changes you implement don't need to be drastic. For example, at this point we are eating about 70%-80% vegetarian (vegan at times) diet, but when we go out to eat we certainly order meat if we feel like it.
Here we have two very different recipes; one for those who want to challenge themselves in their culinary lives and one for those who would like to stay carnivores for a little longer.

Spring Rolls

 I was very excited to try making spring rolls one beautiful early summer night. For those who live in Grand Forks, ND, I found the rice paper at Toucan International Market, as the guy at Target did not even know what it was.

As you see on the price sticker - they were very affordable! I also used the vegetables visible in the photo, but you can use whatever you would like. I think next time I may add cooked rice noodles in some kind of a creamy sauce, as they would hold in the wrap nicer than just the veggies I used. I ended up sauteing the mushrooms with onions and broiled the asparagus just to give it a little softness. I submerged each rice paper in a bowl of water for about 6 seconds, then let it sit on a place for 10 seconds to let the water absorb. Next I organized my vegetables and wrapped it in a way that a burrito is wrapped. My very first roll did not quite work out, so it is one of those things that you just need to practice.
I got my inspiration for the dipping sauce from an article from the Sunset Magazine, which I unfortunately cannot find on line any longer. I mixed low-sodium soy sauce with sambal oelek, which is an Asian chili sauce (you can find it at Target) and minced garlic.Voila. Dip and eat. Surprisingly, it was very filling.

Steak au poivre

We celebrated Jeff's birthday in a truly carnivorous manner with filet mignon cooked in cream, pretty much. I know that the last sentence sparked your interest, so read on! PS Did you know that in some European countries filet mignon refers to pork?
Jeff cracked a bunch of peppercorns and covered the steaks in them. He took 1/3 cup of cognac and flambeed it until the alcohol cooked off before adding a cup of heavy whipping cream. He reduced the sauce for a while, until just before the consistency that he liked and added the steaks to cook to about medium rare.

Using a dutch oven may be advantageous in this situation as it spreads the heat evenly. Easy, huh!? And oh, how tasty!

Full of surprises...

... this stew is. I promise.
I love recipes that come from the Sunset Magazine; they're always surprising but simple. And tasty. Since it is a magazine for those who "live in the West", I find that the recipes are often for a palate requiring a bit more than just "meat and potatoes" and perhaps this is what attracts me to them - a nice change of scenery!
This stew contains ingredients that may not necessarily go together, or you may just think that initially. The combined flavors work together really well. I chose to make a vegan version, excluding the chicken and substituting it with tofu and using vegetable broth instead of the chicken one. However, if you would like to stay true to the recipe, you can find it here. Otherwise, you can follow my directions below!

• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 container extra hard tofu
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large white onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoonchile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 can fire-roasted diced canned tomatoes 
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzos), rinsed if canned
• 1 cup pimiento-stuffed small green olives

I don't enjoy soft tofu that falls apart as you try to stab it with your fork, so I broiled it to harden the edges, you may also saute it. I marinated it with olive oil and just a bit of the spices listed in the recipe, so the flavor of the whole dish stays true. While the tofu was broiling in the oven for several minutes (don't forget to supervise it, it may burn easily!), I sauteed the onion in some olive oil till soft and added all the spices, including garlic. I added the rest of ingredients, besides olives and beans, let it boil and then simmered for about 10 minutes, so the quinoa can cook. At the end I added the chickpeas and olives and of course the tofu. I chose to chop the olives coarsely, as I thought that adding them whole would make the meal look as if I went to the fridge and asked myself "what else can I add to this dish? Perhaps some olives could do"! ;)
Overall, the dish is very satisfying and light at the same time. I couldn't stop eating it!

Heaven on Earth

Yes, it does exist. And it's just in Arizona, if you're willing to hike to it...
We flew into Las Vegas and spent there a night a a part of the morning. For those looking for the best meal of their lives, I recommend the Bellagio's breakfast buffet that overflows with fantastic food and mimosas, which proved to be very satisfying before the next night...

Since the closest hotel to the beginning of the trail was 3 hours away, we decided to camp in front of our rental car to avoid getting up at 3 am to make the drive! Right, Melissa? First time sleeping under the stars, it was pretty amazing. 

Good thing we got some rest for the hike ahead in the incredibly hot weather.

Mules, mules everywhere...

Hiking through the Havasupai tribe village. We thought we were so close, but oh how wrong we were...

Is this it? You would think so since it looks amazing. Just some falls we passed on our way down the canyon...

Finally, bathing in the lower pools of the Havasupai. Amazingly clear, cool water, just what I needed after almost dying to get here!

Incredible Havasupai Falls...

Ahh... A nap is in order after such a busy day! The key is for the girls to nap and for the boys to set up camp.

Mooney Falls. 200 feet of amazing.

Helicopter out from the village back to civilization. It's either that or walking for hours again, and though I love hiking, after that big, home-made burrito I had for breakfast, I was every more glad to take the very first ever helicopter ride! What an adventure! Looking at the top of the canyon was truly amazing.

Vegan Thai Curry Sauce with Bok Choy

Bok Choy, I was scared to work with you. You seemed so foreign; I did not know what I was getting into. But as it turns out, you’re a pretty easy fella, you cook in minutes, can be sautéed, steamed or even boiled in this delicious Thai curry sauce.

Here’s a recipe I tried last night, which proved a great success and it will be a staple at our home. Sweet and spicy, just what you need to spice up a  Wednesday night… I borrowed it from All Recipes but modified it a little bit by adding carrots and jalapenos, because, well, I just like a little bit of spice! Here’s the ingredients that I have used:

1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk  
1/4 cup soy sauce, divided  
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar  
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder  
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger  
2 teaspoons chile paste  
2 carrots, sliced  
2 bunches green onions  
4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped  
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced  
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped  
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil  
4 cups chopped bok choy  
salt to taste

I used a cast iron pot, since it keeps the heat in so nicely. I mixed the coconut milk, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, curry powder, ginger, and chile paste, brought it to boil and then simmered for about 7 minutes so that the carrots can soften. I added tomatoes, green pepper, mushrooms, and finely chopped green onions. Covered, and cooked 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mixed in basil and bok choy. The basil I used was freeze dried and not fresh, as I couldn’t find any at the store, but it worked just fine! Then I added the remaining soy sauce and cooked for about 7 more minutes. And voila! 

To vegan or not to vegan

Driving an hour to Fargo for some delicious Indian food at the Passage to India can turn out a little time consuming... Maybe we won't have to do this as frequently as we just NAILED an awesome Indian recipe! The only time consuming part of it is chopping the vegetables, otherwise it is pretty straight forward and if you've never tried to cook Indian food before, this is a simple recipe you can tackle. It is a vegan meal, which you can easily make carnivorous by adding some chicken to it!

Indian Coconut Curried Vegetable

1 chopped onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp fresh ginger, 1 seeded green chili, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp coriander, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp curry, 1/2 chopped cauliflower, 1 sliced red bell pepper, 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 1 sliced carrot, 1 sliced zucchini, 1 cup coconut milk, 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste.

Use a food processor to smooth the onion, garlic, ginger and chili. Heat the mixture in a pot, then add the oils and spices. Cook for couple minutes, then add the coconut milk and the veggies. Cover and cook for about 20-30 minutes. Although I like my veggies pretty much dead and mushy on my plate, Jeff likes them a little crispier and I found there was a very fine time line before killing them, so make sure you taste throughout to your liking! Serve over rice. Simple, right?

This recipe was taken from this site and modified just a bit! As I said before, you can sure change this one, if you'd like, by using different vegetables or meats. I would certainly stick to using the cauliflower though, as it provides this meal with volume, texture and doesn't take away from the flavor of the spices.

Cafe Beignet

Beignet
 noun, Southern Louisiana
1. A square doughnut without a hole in a middle.
2. Has a mysterious quality of making people travel across the country just to eat one.
3. Melts in your mouth.

Although both Cafe Beignet and Cafe du Monde are great places offering beignets, I would like to give you advice that you may find helpful in the future - Cafe Beignet offers larger pastries. Case closed. 

 Sitting outside to enjoy our delicious breakfast.

 Alton's cat. (If you watch The Best Thing I Ever Ate, you know what I am talking about).

 Enjoy a cup of bitter chicory coffee with the sweet beignets. The making of the coffee is an old Acadian (settlers from Nova Scotia) custom where a ground up root of chicory was added to the then scarce coffee.

When in the South...

... do as the Southerners do. And we certainly did! We ate bagnets, went to the bayou, shopped at the French Market and ate raw oysters.
Dipped in a mix of a cocktail sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice and just enough horseradish to make you cry, put on a cracker and there you go - a true taste of New Orleans!

 Don't bother waiting in line for Acme Oyster House. The oysters are the same everywhere, silly! We really liked the LaBayou restaurant with the winders wide open right on the Bourbon street.

Apres ski

Finally Jeff convinced me to try cross country skiing, which is quite the change for a gal who skied in the Alps every winter during her childhood (and really wants you to know this!). It wasn't too bad. Kinda fun actually.
After our December skiing outing we did not get fresh snow until just recently and since we're so busy house remodeling we actually haven't had a chance to go again.
A friend of mine recommended David's Tea company out of Canada and the name of the tea he liked just sparked the old memories of skiing in the Alps (I am making sure you know this about me), Apres Ski. And I have to tell you, it is amazing. With large pieces of fig (and I love figs!), orange and cinnamon it will warm you up any given cold winter evening at home. And I have to tell you that one of the traditions I miss about living in Europe is the tea drinking, and no, not only the British do it. Any time you're visiting somebody, even for just a few minutes, it is expected that they will welcome you with a cup of tea or coffee and perhaps some cookies. Actually, it's always been a mystery to me how all those people have cookies for the guests in their house, mine just get eaten right away, so please, don't expect this kind of welcome from me. But if you hurry and visit me I might just have a steaming cup of Apres Ski for you.

Not your mama's potato salad

Are you ready for Superbowl? There's nothing like eating some good old potato salad doused in mayo...
Or, if you're anything like me, and if you want something fresher, though not necessarily healthier... you might just like this Giada De Laurentiis' recipe for Red Potato and Tomato Salad available on the Food Network site. A friend of mine made this last summer and it was such a nice, refreshing change from the good old mayo salad, err I mean potato salad.

As you can tell instead of the black olives I used green ones that were stuffed with garlic because that's what I had on hand. It gives the salad a nice, earthy taste to it. And if you're planning to skip the lemon zest - don't. I tried it with and without it and there is a world of difference! So change it up this once and I promise you won't regret it!

Thai me up

 Just look at this deliciousness...
Cold winter days mean rich, comforting foods. It does not always have to be a chicken noodle soup, guys! How about some spicy, easy and super tasty Thai noodles? In search of such recipe I turned to my favorite resource, which lists thousands of recipes from well known sources, such as Southern Living or Sunset Magazines, or my personal favorite, Cooking Light. And may I say, cooking light does not take away from the taste!
The recipe I used can be found here. Although you may notice that it only has 2/5 stars, I assure you that when the right spices are used, it will not be bland! In addition to the listed ingredients, I added some sambal olelek, which is a chili paste and a sriracha sauce, which is a Thai hot sauce made of, again, chili peppers, vinegar and sugar. When I was done sauteing the tofu it was still pretty light in color and soft, but looking back I do wish that I left it in the pan a little longer to create that brown crust on it. All in all, I think this will become a staple on my menu!

PS The clever name of the post is not my creation, unfortunately. It was borrowed from the name of a great restaurant in Jackson Hole, WY where I tried Thai food for the very first time 8 years ago!

Simple salad for a lazy dinner

I am a fan of salads, not the mayonnaise doused potato creations, but the fresh, green, colorful, happy salads. With lox and blueberries.

The best salad dressing I have ever used is the Knorr Salad packets that you mix with olive oil and water. The product is very popular in Europe so I stock up every time that I'm there because it is not offered in the US! fortunately there's always Amazon...

Chi Town

What's a Polish girl to do when she misses her native cuisine? Why, go to the second largest Polish community outside of Warsaw, Poland and get herself some pierogi, of course!
P.S. Note how I spelled "pierogi". There is no "s" at the end. It is because the word "pierogi" already is plural. Now, you learned something new today and you can show how clever you are at your next social gathering.

The first thing I did in the Polish Town is purchasing a real pickle and eating it right in front of the store. And I didn't even get weird looks.
Next we had lunch at the Red Apple Buffet, or Czerwone Jabluszko (I encourage you to try to pronounce those words. And good luck). I took some photos of our plates for you so that next time you visit you will know a bit about Polish cuisine. The mysterious meat in the middle is liver. One of two things in the world proclaimed by Jeff as uneatable.
This was my favorite plate. Clockwise from the left I present a crepe, bigos (cabbage and sausage hunter stew, a typical Christmas dish), sausage hidden behind a corn salad, potato pancake, apple fritter.
Well, OK, this was my favorite plate, too. All of them were, actually. From the left we have pierogi (I am proud of you remembering that there is no "s" at the end. Good job), some meat sauce, meat dumpling, corn salad again, bean salad (Polish people love their salads), and a sauteed spinach dish.
You may wonder why the pierogi look like a shapeless mass. This is what homemade pierogi look like. I bet you only had them frozen from the store and you didn't know that. Look at the things you learn from me!
The Museum of Science and Industry was pretty interesting due to their many displays, anything from the Dr Seuss room to the Smart Home exhibit full of gadgets and other ways to live green and healthy!
We watched the chicks hatch. I didn't know standing around and looking at an egg for 30 minutes could lure so many people in. There was literally no place to squeeze in and pushing away little children was not a good idea as their protective parents were right behind them. Finally, I found a good spot after a little girl fainted from lack of oxygen created by the large crowd. Just kidding, just kidding!
Jeffrey surer enjoyed the Farm Tech display. He wants to be a farmer now.
The Shedd Aquarium was my favorite. I mean, look at the friends I made.
After all the excitement we decided that deep dish pizza would be a wonderful way to replenish all the calories we lost while walking to the Cheesecake Factory every night for their dessert. Here I am pretending I ate the whole dish. In reality I could only eat one piece of this huuuuuge pizza.

Favorite things about Switzerland

The unbelievable green grassThe desserts

The noise the cows make with their cowbells
The farmer's market every day
The nespresso machine in every home
The traditional Swiss apple tart
The cheese trays
The tiny desserts served with fresh figs
The views
The espresso
And pretty much everything else.