blackberry, cucumber and mint salad

In effort to eat more of this GIANT pile of spinach, I made an outstanding fruit salad that can go on top of any salad greens you have haunting you from your fridge.




1 small carton of blackberries
1 medium cucumber
2 tsp chopped fresh mint
1 Tbsp of any variety of fruit vinaigrette salad dressing ( I used strawberry!)

Wash, and peel off most of the waxy skin of the cucumber, then quarter it and slice it into nice 1/2 inch chunks. Put in a bowl, wash the blackberries and add to the bowl. Finely chop the mint and add to the bowl, finally drizzle the vinaigrette and mix. Plunk this on a bowl of fresh spinach and call it a night because this is almost too easy.

herb goat cheese artichoke pasta

With the farmer's market now open I find myself with lots of leafy greens lying around, so get ready for spinach/lettuce everything. This pasta was easy enough to make for two right before starting a movie, and it was filling enough to keep us from snacking long after the movie was over.

12 oz jar of quartered marinated artichoke hearts (or 2 freshly steamed artichokes if you're feeling plucky)

1 shallot, finely chopped

3 tbsp. white cooking wine

1 & 1/2 cup 100 % whole wheat rotini pasta

4-6 oz soft goat cheese

1 & 1/2 cup fresh spinach

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano ( or fresh basil)

Salt

Fresh ground black pepper

1 tbsp. olive oil

Juice of 1 large lemon

In a 350 degree oven, roast the quartered artichoke hearts, shallots, cooking wine and olive oil for about 15 minutes, till the shallots look translucent and a little brown and the artichokes are hot.

While that's roasting, cook the pasta (use rotini pasta to hold the cheese and herbs better!) Drain the water and add the pasta back to the pot, mix in the roasted artichokes and the rest of the ingredients. They should all be hot enough to wilt the spinach.

vegan-er oreos

Now technically oreos are already vegan, but if you want make your own to impress a boy (it worked for me), or just have some with ingredients you can actually pronounce have I got the fix for you .

for the cookies:

3/4 cup nonhydrogenated vegetable shorting, at room temp

1 cup sugar

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup nondairy milk

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup dutch cocoa powder

2 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

for the filling:

1/4 cup nonhydrogenated margarine, softened

1/4 cup nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening, at room temperature

2 1/2 - 3 cups powder sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. In a mixing bowl, cream the shortening and sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed. When light and fluffy( 1 minute) add the vanilla and nondairy milk and mix. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until the dough holds together.

2 chill the dough for 10 minuets or so.

3. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, take piece of dough about 1/2 Tablespoon size make into a flat circle and lay on baking sheet 1/2 inch apart. (I didn't make mine too thin, because I like them higher and softer.)

4. Bake for 11 minuets if you want them softer, or 12-14 minuets for crunchier texture.

prepare the filling:

1. Use a hand mixer on medium-high speed to cream together the margarine and shortening. Add the powder sugar in about 1/2 cup increments until thoroughly combined. It should be stiff and pliable. Mix in vanilla, (and I added a splash of soy milk to help smooth it out.)

to assemble:

1. Spoon a grape size dollop of icing on each cookie, sandwich another cookie onto the top of that and gently push down until the filling is relatively flush with the edges. If it's hot in your kitchen, refrigerate until ready to eat.

crisp sweet black bean tacos with spicy sweet potatoes

Smitten Kitchen has become a daily topic of discussion at our house. So taking her recipes such as the crisp black been tacos with feta and slaw as a jumping off point is a common occurrence on Tuesday nights. The final product was a crisp black bean taco with guacamole, mango peach salsa, alpha sprouts, feta cheese and sweet potatoes covered in herbs and spices.

Start with the sweet potatoes

Pre heat oven at 375

2 sweet potatoes cut into very thin strips

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

1 sprig of fresh rosemary and 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme chopped

1 tsp of each: cinnamon, smoked paprika, cayenne red pepper, and coriander

salt and pepper

mix potatoes with oil, herbs, and spices and place on a lined baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and bake. Checking every 15 minuets or so.

Now to make guacamole

1 avocado

1/4 of a red onion diced

half of 1 lime's juice

1 tsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

salt and pepper

Cut the avocado, place in a bowl and smash with a fork till you get an constancy you like.

add rest of ingredients and mix. You should serve it fairly soon or cover, but i was fine setting it on the table till the tacos and potatoes were ready to eat.

And finally the tacos

1 can of black beans

4 corn tortillas

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tub of fresh mango & peach salsa

1 carton of alpha sprouts

* fat free feta (optional)

Drain and rinse off beans, then smash about half the can and divide into four equal servings. Take a skillet on med-high and place tortillas flat and spoon beans in a strip down the center and sprinkle with cumin. Now you leave them there till they start to get golden.

Sweet potatoes should be done if not turn the heat up to 425 for a few more minutes, remove from oven and plate along with tacos and dress with salsa, sprouts and feta.

Serves 2, with two tacos and one sweet potato per person.

Couscous

Couscous is one of my favorite easy meals, maybe because its basically a fine ground pasta, but really I think it's the fact that couscous is so flexible and works with nearly anything you can throw at it.

Hummus, salad, and fruit? You bet, Fido did a delicious job with their special tonight, a Couscous plate with almonds, pears, apples, onion, hummus, feta, pita. I wiped my plate clean.

Or add Indian spices like I did and find yourself with a hot meal in 15 minuets.

Eastern Couscous
serves 2

1 box plain instant couscous
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 good size yellow onion ( Pictured cut into long slices)
1 Tbsp fresh Thyme
1 red bell pepper (sliced or chopped)
1/4 broken walnuts
1-2 tsp curry powder, turmeric, paprika, cumin,
ginger, coriander, nutmeg or any Indian spices you have

In saute pan, heat oil, once hot add onion and thyme, let brown.

Cook Couscous according to makers directions

Add red pepper, once soft add walnuts allowing them to just toast, add spices and combine with cooked couscous.