Indian style rice and potatoes with steamed beets. By the way it's gluten free

I took this picture just outside of Seattle last summer.  I love looking at it because it makes me feel happy and calm. 
  This month has been crazy busy.  As you might be able to tell because of my posting delay.  Busy in a good way though.  I have seen friends that were here from out of town, and my parents came this last week for a visit.  Lots of good food and fun.
    Even though this month has been fun, it has left me feeling a tad bit full.  You know, like when you eat too much on vacation, and when you get home you swear you will only eat lettuce for a month!  
  My tummy needed calming.  I made these two dishes yesterday for a light lunch.  The combination of food is very calming for a sensitive belly.  Yet very tasty and nicely filling.   These dishes can be side dishes to a dinner with a lean protein, or as part of a full vegetarian dinner.
  Once again I am experimenting with flavors from India, mild and a bit sweet.  And like the photo after eating lunch I felt happy and calm.

Both dishes are easy, I'll start with the beets.  I know there are a lot of people that don't think they like beets, please give them another try.  In this dish they are steamed and lightly seasoned, but beets are wonderful roasted too.  So sweet and tasty and healthy too.

Here's what I did.

Sweet steamed beets
2 cups beets, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
1T ghee
1T lemon juice
1/2T coriander

place the beets in a steamer like the one pictured, put water in a heavy medium sized pot, bring to a boil, cover and steam about 20-25 minutes.
  when done, put beets in a serving bowl pour melted ghee and lemon juice over the top, sprinkle with coriander, toss and serve. 


Rice and Potatoes
1 cup dry rice, I like Basmati
3 medium sized white or yellow potatoes
3 T sunflower oil
1t mustard seed
1t turmeric
1/2 cup water
1t salt
1 bunch fresh dark leafy green, chopped.  use one that you enjoy.  you can't go wrong that way.
11/2 t lemon juice
1T honey
garnish, fresh cilantro, chopped

cook the rice according to package directions.  While rice is cooking, cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch pieces.  Wash twice with water, draining each time.

  In a large saucepan, heat oil and mustard seeds.  When seeds pop, add turmeric, potatoes, greens and 1/2 cup water, and about 1/2 t salt. Mix well. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
  Combine the rice with the cooked potato mixture.  Add lemon juice, and some the rest of the salt. (if you like a bit of spice this would be the time to add a small amount of finely chopped hot green pepper, I don't do hot very well, no pepper for me) mix well.  Cook another 3 minutes or so, drizzle the honey all over, then stir it in well.
 Garnish with cilantro if you wish.

ahhh! Delicious
I love to know you are here and read your comments, so feel free!

 Happy eating, and happy tummy

Hominy Salad and Orzo salad, two family favorite lunch salads for warm days

Well it looks like summer has arrived early here in south Texas.   Well I wish summer was this way, it's been in the 80's all week and 80's are in the forecast as far as we can see.   Summer here is just too hot, but that's a whole different blog post.  lol.
    When the weather is warm, and lunch time is near, it's nice to have a cool refreshing lite meal.  We really like both of these salads, as either a lunch or even as a dinner side dish.  However you decide to serve them I am sure that everyone will enjoy.
   Heck, if my 8 yr old likes something, it's kind of my barometer for others to like it too.

The first one I will show you is one of my personal favorites.  It is a great way to use some basil that is in season now, either in your herb garden or the market.
  I adapted this recipe from Vegetarian Times, even if you are not a vegetarian they have wonderful recipes from time to time.

Hominy Salad with Basil-Shallot Vinaigrette

here's what I did

1 small shallot, minced
2-3 T white wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup, and then a bit more finely chopped fresh basil
1 15oz can white hominy, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cup frozen lima beans, thawed
1cup (or more to taste) halved grape tomatoes
1 small yellow bell pepper diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Whisk together shallot and vinegar in a small bowl.  Whisk in oil until emulsified, then whisk in basil.  Add white pepper and salt if you want to.

toss together hominy, lima beans, tomatoes and bell pepper in serving bowl.  Pour on dressing, toss and serve with crumbled fresh goat cheese on top.

If you have bad childhood lima bean memories, this salad will erase all those.  So good.


My next salad is one that I have been throwing together forever, it's never exactly the same, because I throw it together.  But last time I did it I payed attention.
  I like to get the green and kalamata olive mix with feta chunks from the deli section of my grocery store for this.  The olives and feta that are in a marinade.  It's not necessary for this recipe to work, I have done it with just kalamata's in a jar and fresh feta.
   The deli mix is nice if you have it, and like it.  You can certainly leave out the olives if you don't care for them.  My son picks them out. 
  It was hot last weekend, and my son asked for this specifically.  After he helped me toss it up he proudly went outside and told his friends he made Greek food.  lol.


Greek style Lemon Orzo

1 cup orzo
1 zucchini chopped
1/4 cup green onions, or red onion if you have it handy.  I didn't this day
1/2 cup-ish fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
1/4 cup-ish fresh mint, finely chopped
1/4 cup-ish fresh basil, finely chopped
Juice of 2 big lemons
1T olive oil
1 cup of halved grape tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped olive mix (mentioned above)
as much or as little feta as you want

cook orzo following package directions

whisk together lemon juice and olive oil, add salt and pepper if you wish

put everything else in a bowl, pour dressing over and toss. 

Either one of these salads can be served right away, but I like to let the flavors work together for at least a 1/2 hour in the fridge before serving.

Happy Eating!

 

Roasted pineapple with honey ginger chicken

I took this photo a couple of years ago.  Yesterday my husband, son and I went for a long walk in the park.  We saw so many butterflies and such lovely flowers I couldn't help but remember this shot.
   When it was time to decide what to make for dinner I was still in a bright mood, I had some pineapple in the fridge and always my ginger and soy. I had gone to Whole Foods over the weekend and splurged on some organic chicken. hmm, how do I put it all together in to a dinner that matches the sunshiny day.
  Ah ha! my memory banks went into overdrive as I tried to think of something yummy.  Then it came to me, and I was excited to give it a try.
I adapted this recipe from the book "Supermarket Vegan" I don't own the book, I checked it out from the library last year.   I don't own many cookbooks because I can never follow a recipe anyway, but I do love to read them to store up ideas, so I borrow them from the library.  I love the library.
   I had to do this by memory, and I used chicken, so no vegan dinner for us, but I have made something similar with tofu and it was good.
   
 The results were simply sweet and yummy.

Here's what I did

Roasted Pineapple
3 cups or so of cubed fresh pineapple
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 a large red onion sliced thin
1T ish of toasted sesame oil
1T sunflower oil
palm full of light brown sugar..enough to sprinkle over all the fruit and onion when on tray
juice of a lime
salt and pepper to taste

arrange pineapple, red pepper and onion onto a large cookie sheet.  I lined with foil. 
drizzle with sesame and sunflower oil, salt, pepper and brown sugar. toss and spread out evenly

bake at 375 for about 30 minutes or until it's nice and brown.  squeeze with lime juice and place in a serving bowl. 
  a sprinkle of sweetened coconut is what the original recipe called for, I had none.  Add it if you have it.

 about an hour before I started the pineapple I mixed up a quick marinade for my chicken breasts. I put the chicken in for the last 20 minutes of cooking time with the pineapple.

Honey soy marinated chicken breasts

1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
juice of one big lime
1 tsp fine diced fresh ginger
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

mix the first 4 ingredients in a big baggie.  put the chicken in and place in the fridge for an hour.

Like I stated above, I put the chicken in the oven in a baking dish.  I think grilling them would be fantastic if the grill is ready to go.

I served the combo over white basmati rice.

Making an easy dinner, that is tasty enough for your child to love, yet not a child like food is a good thing to find.  I think this is one of those dinners. 
  Please give it a try, put on the tiki lights, blast some hula music, heck maybe even have a rum drink.  It could turn in to a fun evening.  :-)

Aloha