#got some. zucchini and pepper and onion and feta........some tomatoes to put on top...........

[whoslaurapalmer]

okay in more positive posts! I am making a frittata for dinner and I'm really excited!!!!!!!!!!! 🍳

[rederiswrites]

Menus, Oct. 23-30

Several people were open to seeing my menu planning, and it's something I enjoy doing well, so here we go!

Notes: My dishes can all be gluten free (they are, for us) by using gf pasta (we like Rummo brand gf noodles and Tinkyada are good too). Otherwise, we're pretty generally low carb and most things are from scratch, but typically pretty simple. Most of these rely on root vegetables or beans for their carbohydrates.

Feta tomato pasta and sausage --This was viral on Instagram a while back, and I decided to try it. Now my daughter requests it pretty often. I don't make it quite like the original--mostly, I add some zucchini, double the feta, and add a bunch of Italian seasoning. This link is pretty much the same thing. They add shallots, which does sound lovely but costs a bit extra. I cooked some sausage with the meal because I didn't want to load up on pasta, personally, as I'm still staying very low carb.

"Bowl of the Wife of Kit Carson"--modified caldo tlalpeño--Pity poor Maria Carson, whose indigenous name I can't even learn, now remembered by her husband's name. That aside, it's a family favorite. We make it with the entire can of chiles in adobo, but that's a family preference. The avocados are pretty much the vegetable in this one so uhh...have plenty. I make the rice separate, both because that way you can vary it depending on your spice tolerance and because that way the rice doesn't suck up all the soup for leftovers.

Roast whole chicken, roasted mixed root vegetables, and garlicky kale. I basted the chicken with avocado oil (expensive but healthy; feel free to sub cheaper vegetable oil), seasoned it with a Penzey's mix I like called Ozark Seasoning, and stuffed it with rosemary, onions, and garlic. The root vegetables can be whatever; mine were yellow beets (slightly less "earthy" tasting than red, which might be more appealing to some), rutabaga, and carrots. Salt, pepper, and garlic powder is enough, seasoning-wise. And the kale, I blanch and then saute with a LOT of garlic.

Garlic parmesan white beans, brussels sprouts, and Gujerati carrot salad. I've not made the beans yet; they'll be a new dish for us. Sound great, though, and I'm trying to learn more meatless dishes generally and bean dishes specifically. We like to halve or quarter our brussels sprouts, depending on size, steam them, and then eat them with sour cream. And the carrot salad is a longstanding family favorite, which I got from my well worn copy of Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking. This is almost the same recipe, but I don't add cayenne, and I wouldn't use olive oil, since it has such a low smoke point. I'd use peanut or canola or something. It's not spicy or "exotic" tasting, and it's been well-received at potlucks.

Pot Roast. There's no point giving a recipe for this one; just pick one that looks good to you. Just include lots of good veggies. I like carrots, onions, potatoes, and parsnips. It's fun to add a bag of frozen pearl onions, and I like frozen peas put in at the very end of cooking.

Tuna salad. I eat it over lettuce, the others eat it as a sandwich. Dinner for a tired night. My tuna salad is made with well-drained chunk light (in water), finely diced celery, finely diced green salad olives, salt, pepper, and mayo to bind. My family really likes the olives so I go heavy and also use a little of the jar liquid as a salt stand-in.

Deviled eggs and raw veggies with hummus. Another phone-in meal, or it would be if I didn't find making deviled eggs such a hassle. We all love them, but I have some inexplicable personal antipathy for how long they take to make. ANYWAY, my deviled eggs are the bestest, and you will not think so if you eat yours southern-style with (shudder) "salad dressing" instead of mayo, or sweet relish. No, mine are made with salt, pepper, mayo, and lots of finely minced green salad olives, and topped with paprika, preferably sharp paprika.

Pork tenderloin, frozen corn, and stewed apples and quince. Aren't we just POSH? Jacob got me a quince to try at the farmer's market. It's uh...well pretty much I guess it's like a rock-hard and fairly tart apple, with the granular texture of an Asian pear. They're generally eaten cooked, which is why I decided to stew it mixed with apples. So I just sliced the apples and the quince up fine (just leave out the quince if you don't have it which you probably don't, and maybe add a dash of lemon juice instead), simmered them in a couple tablespoons of apple cider (or juice; we had cider), and threw in a teaspoon of pie seasoning, a fistful of dried cranberries (the recipe called for raisins) and very approximately a tablespoon of allulose syrup. Obviously you could just use sugar instead. I topped mine with pecans and it was so so good. Oh, and also the pork: Usually two tenderloins come in a pack of tenderloins, so I put a different seasoning on each just for fun. Various blends. Lemon pepper and Montreal Steak Seasoning are favorites, but tonight I opened an unlabeled container in the pantry and discovered that it was rosemary salt the bestie made and left here, so I mashed it up with some garlic and put that on one, and did bbq rub on the other. The frozen corn....is frozen corn. Except, you know, microwaved.

[tim-official]

How do you make a good salad? I been trying to eat healthier and this could help!

ive gotten so good at this oh you have no idea.. my bf is a master chef of salad

a salad is a bowl of texture with a sauce that makes the texture taste good

put as many things as you can in there. just nothing soft. doesn't have to have much lettuce. possibilities: cucumber, cherry tomatoes, zucchini (raw), red onion, green onion, carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, broccoli stem, kohlrabi, cauliflower, cooked root vegetables (raw or pickled beets are really good if you cut them very thin). You don't even need lettuce or any leafy green (their main purpose is to be rough and ragged and hold a lot of dressing compared to, like, a cucumber slice)! Just make a bowl of texture!

fruit is good too, for tartness and sweetness. apple slices, dried cranberries, raisins. my secret weapon: dried figs. not too expensive and you only need a few. slice them up. if you can find fresh herbs for not-crazy expensive, those are flavor bombs. throw a sprig of dill in there. or basil.

protein in the form of meat or tofu if you want it. not required

invest in a big thing of nuts (walnuts work well, relatively cheap) and some kind of crumbly cheese (feta is ideal bc cheap, blue if you like stinky). get them at costco if you can. sprinkle just a little of both on top. if you have tortilla chips / potato chips lying around sprinkle some on too. it makes a difference. you get occasionally nutty or cheesy bites. variety. it's exciting and dynamic

the dressing: make your own if you can. make a big batch and keep it in the fridge. a decent "house" dressing is: one part honey, one part red wine vinegar, one part white wine vinegar, one part olive oil. add peanut butter OR tahini (my favorite, seriously, it's magic - not a lot, just a little) for a nice creaminess. other good dressings, search them, there's many recipes: white miso dressing (my personal favorite out of all i've tried), greek yogurt dressing, various takes on "dragon bowl dressing" (based around nutritional yeast and tahini), roasted red pepper dressing (grinding up canned roasted red peppers into a paste) or a really simple balsamic vinegar dressing (balsamic + olive oil + mustard + some source of sweetness). ranch also exists

final life hack: toss the salad before you make it, with the dressing. then move it into the bowl you'll eat it from. when you pour it like this, the smallest bits (crunchy stuff) that was on the bottom of the first bowl after being tossed end up on the top of the salad. i take this very seriously.

tim this seems expensive

it can be, especially upfront. the condiments i have available to me are like 5 types of vinegar, nice olive oil, miso, mirin, tahini, peanut butter, nuts, cheese, nutritional yeast. all those together, most bought from costco, probably cost about 175 bucks but last for many months. thing about a good salad is that you need a great many items but only a tiny amount of each of them.

as for fresh veggies. i get mine from a farm co-op. i go pick them up once a week for 33 bucks, they're fresh-picked and i swear it's like 60 dollars worth of veggies if i got them at the store because i live in quebec and veggies have always been fucking expensive up here. (only problem, if you're a picky eater or have dietary constraints, is you can't always choose what you get). i eat them every meal and still struggle to finish them by the time the next week rolls around. a lot of places have excess produce programs that are similar.

so for me, now, it's cost-effective because i'm eating salads like every day and i have a huge variety so I never get bored. but I had to commit. I only go grocery shopping for, like, condiments, chips, eggs, milk, cream, rice. and I don't eat a ton of meat.

obviously this is not accessible to everyone, because Hell World and food deserts and subsidies for grain only. i didn't even mention the labor of cleaning + chopping all these things. but hopefully this gives you an idea of what you could do with what you have. (you do not, as i do, need to own five types of vinegar.)

[hiramsbottle]

Spicy bacon pasta (alt remove the spicy)

Bacon, onion, canned tomato (+tomato paste), pasta (garlic peppers)

salt, pepper, oregano, dried chili/fresh chili/cayenne

Cook up bacon and onion with oregano and chili (add peppers and garlic a bit later), (stir in end cook good plop of tomato paste), dump canned tomatoes in, tomatoes need salt, lett simmer a bunch while boil pasta. If it cools down a bunch add some pasta water at the end. Pretty quick, very tasty, could easily eat on toast or something if you don’t have pasta.

Simple veggie pasta.

Garlic, onion, carrot, peppers, tomato

Oregano, salt, pepper, (chili, basil)

Base of onions, garlic, pepper, carrots. Cook with salt and oregano (chili) until a bit soft and smelling nice. (Plop in some tomato paste mix around and simmer in olive oil a bit). Add tomatoes and salt, cook a bunch until tastes nice while cooking pasta.

Variations: add extra carrot and blend it at the end, throw in some eggplant or zucchini ect, would be good with chicken, some spinach leaves,

Decent base for a ricotta spinach lasagna

A bit of hard cheese like Parmesan or grand padano is extra tasty sprinkled on top, but don’t be restrictive! Got some feta? Throw it on! Taste it first, but a lot of cheeses of other salty/crumbly/funky toppings will nicely compliment the sauce!

Learning to make a decent tomato sauce you think is tasty is great because it’s really easy to keep your kitchen stocked with extra canned tomatoes and tomato paste. Add some garlic and/or onion and you can probably make something tasty with what else you have around.

Dried/canned lentils/legumes/beans throw in some broth/water and what ever veggies you can dig up and you’ve got a semi-decent filling soup

With the right spice combo you can cook up almost any meat in a tasty tomato sauce, or as a side sauce.

Got some hardy greens? Throw some tasty sauce on them (or throw them in sauce) enjoy away.

Got some eggs? Get your sauce simmering, make some cozy egg indents/bowls, crack eggs in, turn down, put the lot of and let them poach/steam. Eat with toast or rice or greens or pasta, plop of some potato. (—> look up shakshuka recipes, very tasty) this can be done with any spice/flavor profile you’ve got available

Potatoes can be great cooked in tomato sauce, good with extra onions, great with some meat thrown in. Might be decent with egg thrown in at the end?

Great additives to pump up the flavor other than spices: balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, wine, other vinegars, sugar (some canned tomatoes really need a bit of this), bullion (just crumple in some broth powder or concentrate)

The big thing here is learning to make it so you like it, the point isn’t to make a specific dish, but a basis for your own day to day food!

Do any of u have decent recipes that are like 5 ingredients (not including spices) and take 45 mins or less to prepare i gotta stop eating sandwiches for dinner

[louisestable]

Zucchini & Tomato Pie with Feta and Homemade Pesto

I love pies! It’s so simple yet fun because you can get creative with the filling and try out new variants. For a dinner with my sister yesterday, I wanted a vegetarian pie filled with vegetables - so I decided to combine two recipes, one for a zucchini and spinach pie, one for a tomato and feta cheese pie. The result? A very filling but also summery and fresh pie. The pie pairs perfectly with my homemade pesto.

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How to make it:

For 4-5 servings

Ingredients

Pie crust - I used a store bought to save some time.

Vegetables

1 large tomato 

1 zucchini

1 large garlic clove

1 small red onion

Fresh thyme

5-6 sundried tomatoes

A handful of fresh spinach

150 g feta cheese

Olive oil

Filling

150g shredded cheese (I used priest cheese for extra flavor)

4 eggs

1 dl Oatly’s Creamy Oat or other type of cooking cream

Salt and pepper

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 200°C and pre-bake your pie crust for 10 minutes.

Finely chop the red onion and press the garlic. Cut the zucchini into thin half moons, sprinkle some salt over and let them rest for a few minutees. Slice the tomato. Finely chop the sundried tomatoes.

Line a baking tray with baking paper, place the fresh tomatoes and drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper. Let the tomato slices roast in the oven for about 20 minutes until they have a nice color. When they are ready, take them out and set aside to use for garnish.

Meanwhile, drizzle some olive oil into a frying pan on medium heat and add the garlic and red onion. Once it is soft, lower the temperature, add some thyme and then add the spinach until it welts. Remove from heat and put in a bowl to set aside. Add the sundried tomatoes to the same bowl.

Fry the zucchini in a fresh pan, until it is has got some color. Remove from pan and add to the same bowl as the rest of the vegetables. Let the vegetable mix cool before crumbling down the feta and stir with a big spoon to combine.

For the filling, use a whisk to combine the eggs, shredded cheese (save a little) and cream in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the vegetable mix into the pie crust and finish by pouring the filling over top. Finish off with the saved shredded cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes - the pie should be golden in color! Finally, garnish your pie with roasted tomato slices and fresh thyme.

[ssportlive4]

Pesto pizza by goober87. Top a prepared pizza crust with pesto, your favorite veggies and feta cheese and you've got a great, quick and easy meal. Top with tomatoes, bell peppers, olives, red onions, artichoke hearts and feta cheese. My Pesto Pizza recipe is a favorite in my house, not only because it is delicious but beautiful.

Arrange chicken, and tomatoes over this, and top with sliced chicken breast. Step up your pizza game with this Beet Pesto Pizza with Goat Cheese and Kale, a decadent yet healthy pizza that's packed with nutritious flavor. Get yourself some pizza dough (I would, of course, highly recommend the Easy Peasy Pizza Dough).

Hey everyone, it is me, Dave, welcome to our recipe site. Today, we're going to make a special dish, pesto pizza by goober87. It is one of my favorites. For mine, I am going to make it a bit unique. This is gonna smell and look delicious.

Pesto pizza by goober87 is one of the most popular of current trending foods on earth. It is enjoyed by millions every day. It's easy, it is quick, it tastes delicious. Pesto pizza by goober87 is something which I've loved my whole life. They're fine and they look fantastic.

Top a prepared pizza crust with pesto, your favorite veggies and feta cheese and you've got a great, quick and easy meal. Top with tomatoes, bell peppers, olives, red onions, artichoke hearts and feta cheese. My Pesto Pizza recipe is a favorite in my house, not only because it is delicious but beautiful.

To get started with this particular recipe, we must prepare a few ingredients. You can cook pesto pizza by goober87 using 7 ingredients and 5 steps. Here is how you cook that.

The ingredients needed to make Pesto pizza by goober87:

{Get of pizza stuff.

{Take 4 tbsp of pesto.

{Make ready 1 1/2 cup of your favorite pizza sauce.

{Take 20 slice of pepperoni.

{Take 1 packages of mozzarella cheese.

{Take 1 small of onion, chopped.

{Prepare 2 envelope of betty crocker pizza dough in a bag.

Spread the beet pesto over the dough, leaving. Chicken Pesto Pizza Recipe with walnuts and pepper jack cheese This Caprese Pizza is made with pesto, tomatoes, red onions, and fresh basil, then topped with mozzarella and a drizzle of balsamic reduction at the end! Be one of the first to write a review!

Steps to make Pesto pizza by goober87:

Make two boxes of dough per dough directions.this is easy only needs one cup hot tap water for both packages. let rest in bowl set aside..

Chop onion .Get out your pesto,pizza sauce .mozzarella and pepperoni..

Take dough out plop on center of pizza pan.In your dough bowl put half cup flour put knuckles in flour bowl start flattening and spreading out dough.for crisp crust spray pizza pan with cooking oil. 12 to 14 inch pizza pan..

After dough spread out apply pesto and spread with spoon or rubber spatula.know spread pizza sauce and add onion, pepperoni ,and cover with mozzarella cheese..

Preheat oven to 425 set pizza in oven bake ten to fifteen minutes check after ten minutes leave longer for crispier crust..

Using the back of a spoon, spread the pesto over the dough. Stretch pizza dough into a large circle or two small ones on a baking sheet brushed with olive oil. Voedsel levering aan huis in Boedapest. De beschrijving van Pesto Pizza. Étel házhoz szállítás Budapest területén. Enjoy a light, gourmet pizza at home with a fresh zucchini, squash, and pesto topping that tastes like it came right from the farmers' market.

So that's going to wrap it up for this special food pesto pizza by goober87 recipe. Thanks so much for your time. I'm sure you will make this at home. There is gonna be more interesting food in home recipes coming up. Remember to save this page in your browser, and share it to your loved ones, colleague and friends. Thank you for reading. Go on get cooking!

[travelonlinetips-blog]

New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/13-of-the-best-sunshine-coast-kid-friendly-cafes-and-restaurants-4/

13 of the best Sunshine Coast kid-friendly cafes and restaurants

From aqua parks to wildlife experiences of the up-close-and-personal kind, the Sunshine Coast is a playground for family goodness. But the fun doesn’t stop there.

Soak up the Sunshine Coast’s atmosphere ­­– and take the fam’s taste buds on an adventure too – with this go-to list of kid-friendly cafes and restaurants. Consider the hunt for new eating experiences with menus for everyone, caffeinated drinks for grown-ups and distraction zones for kids sorted.

The Velo Project, Mooloolaba

This back-street community café in Mooloolaba looks after hungry kids and adults alike with a menu that supports local farmers and producers.

Kids will love ‘The Little Harry’s Club’ unicorn chino, grilled toasties with avocado and cheese or Nutella and cream crepes. Mums and dads can avoid FOMO with buckwheat crepes filled with crunchy peanut butter or smoked salmon, or a toasted tortilla wrap filled with slow-braised ginger and soy pork belly.

Velo’s coffee game is strong (they even serve it up in bowls!), but for an alternate pick-me-up, try their healing organic teas. You’ll find a shaded kids’ area out the back with enough toys and cubbies to keep them busy while you sip.

Where: 19 Careela St, Mooloolaba. Open: Breakfast and lunch daily 7am-3pm. Hot tip: Add the Fraser Island spanner crab side for a next-level breakfast.

Guru Life, Rosemount

Head west from Maroochydore and swap the beach for lush gardens, a pond and ducks at Guru Life. The setting is perfect for little explorers and the menu is full of colourful, healthy options.

Start your day under the umbrellas with a wet coconut brekkie bowl (fruit salad with coconut yoghurt for kiddies) or if you’re visiting for lunch, follow the hypnotic smell of their vegan burger with eggplant parmi, cashew cheese, pickled veggies and relish; while the kids can make tracks for crispy calamari or battered fish with chips.

Where: 522 Petrie Creek Road, Rosemount. Open: Breakfast and lunch daily 6am-3pm. Hot tip: This is a good spot for bird-chasing kids to play a feathery version of Where’s Wally so you can finish your coffee while it’s still hot.

CK Coffee Bar, Mooloolaba

It’ll be hard to get your kids to leave the cute indoor play area with books, toys and a play kitchen that entertains while the food and drinks are prepared.

The CK Coffee Bar team have also crafted a kid-friendly menu (based on learnings from their own fussy eaters) with short stack banana pancakes with coconut ice-cream for breakfast or mini Angus beef burger with sweet potato fries for lunch.

Parents, get ready to make the tough choice between a sweet or savoury breakfast with banana and cinnamon waffles with coconut yoghurt or truffle scrambled eggs with herb roasted mushrooms and marinated feta.

Where: 17 Brisbane Road, Mooloolaba. Open: Breakfast and lunch daily 7am-2pm. Hot tip: Lactose-free milk is up for grabs for those with sensitive tums.

Cafe Doonan, Doonan

An adorable rustic café set amongst the trees on a country road outside of Noosa, you’ll spot toys and books indoors or you can head down to the big garden area complete with sandpit and toy boxes.

Breakfast options start with the classics: muesli and zesty smashed avocado. But you can also get adventurous with Café Doonan’s quinoa apple waffles, or halloumi stack loaded with grilled vegetables and topped with a poached free-range egg and housemade pesto.

From the drinks menu, kids can choose from the milkshake range or stick with a babyccino to go with their beans on toast or toasted wraps.

Where: 777 Eumundi-Noosa Road, Doonan. Open: Breakfast and lunch Monday to Thursday 6:30am-4pm; breakfast, lunch and dinner Friday and Saturday 6:30am-8:30pm; and breakfast Sunday 6:30am-12pm. Hot tip: Friday and Saturday dinners have an ever-changing blackboard menu. Go à la carte or put your trust in the chef’s three-course set menu, which is usually themed (and always delish).

Izba Espresso, Birtinya

Breakfast doesn’t come handier than a brekky wrap – and the Izba interpretation is top notch (bacon, egg, cheese and Spanish onion drizzled with homemade tomato relish on a wholemeal wrap). Go for the fig and walnut loaf if you’re looking for something lighter or, if you’re up for a serious challenge, take the triple stack pancakes for a run.

Kids can also pick pancakes (just two, though), Humpty Dumpty eggs or the kids’ mini breakfast (two free-range boiled eggs with thick buttery toast) from the all-day brekky menu.

The lunch menu is crammed with burgers and wraps for adults and cheeseburgers and toasties for the little ones. Whatever meal you choose, enjoy some ‘me’ time while they make good use of the playground area suitable for kids aged four and up.

Where: Corner of Lake Kawana Blvd and Birtinya Blvd, Birtinya. Open: Breakfast and lunch Monday to Friday 6:30am-5pm, Saturday and Sunday 7am-5pm. Hot tip: Check out the jaffle bar at one of Izba Espresso’s other Sunshine Coast branches at Bells Reach.

Boathouse at Mooloolaba Surf Life Saving Club, Mooloolaba

Surf Clubs are the go-to venue for many a family get-together and this one is no exception. Located in the hub of Mooloolaba, it’s the spot to refuel after a morning at the beach.

Boathouse’s all-day dining menu begins with breakfast staples like bacon and eggs and toasted muesli; while seafood a-plenty and a roast station is sure to fill bellies later on.

On the ‘Nippers Only’ menu you’ll find old faithfuls like fish and chips, penne Napoli, cheeseburger and chips or chicken schnitzel. The best part (for them) is the free ice-cream cone included. Once it’s demolished, they can escape to the kids corner for arcade games.

Where: The Esplanade, Mooloolaba. Open: Breakfast daily 8am-10am, lunch and dinner daily from 11:30am-late. Hot tip: On the first Sunday of each month, your kids can meet and pat pooches as part of the Surf Club’s support of Smart Pups, a local charity that provides Assistance Dogs for children with special needs.

Kelly’s of Peregian, Peregian

Just across the road from one of the locals’ fave beaches you’ll find Kelly’s of Peregian, where you can grab a bite to eat after a morning of sandcastle constructing or an afternoon of salty splashing.

The Kelly’s chefs often get high fives for their halloumi and zucchini fritters, which make an appearance on both the breakfast and lunch menus. They do a baby benedict for your little ones, or they can satisfy their hunger pains by chowing down on a kid-friendly portion of steak and chips.

They can then run amok outside on the village green, perfect their sand-building skills in the sandpit or make the most of the fully enclosed indoor play area with toys and cubby.

Where: 2/6 Kingfisher Drive, Peregian Beach. Open: Breakfast daily 7am-12pm, lunch Monday to Thursday 12pm-3pm, lunch Friday and Saturday 12pm-5pm. Hot tip: If you’re looking for a hearty iron injection to round out the week, head to Kelly’s on Friday or Saturday for their $20 steak night special.

Nouveau Restaurant, Novotel Twin Waters, Twin Waters

If your crew likes to feast on an array of food, try the family-friendly themed dinner buffet at  Nouveau Restaurant.

Sit outside and watch Marco Polo action unfold in the hotel pool or stay close to the foodie action inside where the whole fam will be going back for seconds of tasty Mexican, Asian delights, roast goodness or seafood delicacies depending on what day of the week you drop by.

Where: 270 Ocean Drive, Twin Waters. Open: Dinner daily 6pm-9pm. Hot tip: They also put on a delicious daily breakfast buffet with hot and cold options.

View Restaurant, Peppers Noosa Resort & Villas, Noosa

View Restaurant is the foodie heart of Peppers Noosa Resort & Villas but is open to anyone (not just the lucky resort guests).

Their lunch menu will get your mouth watering with dishes like slow-roasted lamb shoulder with grilled Mediterranean veggies, smoked olives and pesto or spaghettini with barramundi, tomato, capers, garlic and parsley. And you won’t need to bribe the kids to get through their dinner as they’ve got seven meal options that all come with a drink, dessert and Peppers kids pack.

Where: Little Hastings Street, Noosa Heads. Open: Breakfast daily 7am-11am, lunch daily 12pm-2:30pm, dinner daily 5:30pm-late. Hot tip: Kids eat dinner for free if you’re a Mantra+ member, which you can sign up for while dining.

Noosa Boathouse, Noosaville

Wander along the jetty from Noosaville’s main drag where sitting pretty on the Noosa River is Noosa Boathouse with three-levels of foodie fun. 

Boathouse’s seafood is pretty special. Parents can share baked scallops, freshly shucked oysters and chilled Mooloolaba king prawns, or go all in with the seafood experience for two which has everything a seafood lover needs from calamari and bugs to crab and fish.

Little foodies can pick battered dory and chips, bangers and mash, or pasta from their own menu.

Where: 194 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville. Open: Lunch daily from 11:30am, dinner daily from 5pm. Hot tip: For the ultimate picnic, grab a family pack from the fish and chips takeaway window and find a spot on the sandy bank of the river.

Coffee Cat on Kings, Caloundra

Place your order inside and snag a table outside with views of Kings Beach at Caloundra.

Go for healthy AM options like the Cocowhip breakfast bowl and quinoa Nasi Goreng, or dial up the heftiness with the Beach Jaffle filled with savoury mince and cheese. Juniors can choose between a bunch of toast-related options with hash brown, salmon or halloumi extras.

Lunches are all about burgers, wraps and salads, with the usual suspects like mini grilled chicken burger and Hawaiian pizza for kids combo options.

Where: Shop 4, 8 Levuka Avenue, Kings Beach, Caloundra. Open: Breakfast daily 6am-11:15am, lunch daily 11:30am-2:30pm. Hot tip: Stick around for the live music and fun vibes on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons.

The Ginger Cafe, Ginger Factory, Yandina

Your taste buds can celebrate all things ginger at this café inside at thee Ginger Factory.

Sweet treats like ginger scones and ginger ice-cream are served up, while the savoury dishes are just as unique – think beef burger with ginger onion jam or Vietnamese ginger chicken salad.

When you’ve had your fill of gingery goodness, let the kids loose in the fenced playground.

Where: 50 Pioneer Road, Yandina. Open: Breakfast and lunch daily 9am-2:30pm. Hot tip: Make a day of it and check out the tours and fun at the rest of the Ginger Factory.

The Pub at Aussie World, Palmview

Don’t be disturbed by the screams as you chomp through your chow at this family-friendly spot. It’s not your kids refusing to eat their veggies; it’s just people having a blast on the rides at Aussie World right behind you!

The Pub dishes up classic grub like chicken schnitzel, steak sandwich and pizza through to crispy skinned barramundi and lemon myrtle calamari. Kids under 12 can take their pick of the battered fish, cheeseburger or crumbed chicken tenderloins – all served with chips or vegetables plus ice-cream.

While you’re in the area, work off the food with a few rides and slides next door.

Where: 73 Frizzo Road, Palmview. Open: Lunch and dinner Sunday to Thursday 11:30am-7:30pm, Friday and Saturday 11:30am-8pm. Hot tip: Adults score entry into Aussie World at kids prices.

WHAT’S YOUR GO TO KID-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT OR CAFE ON THE SUNSHINE COAST? SHARE YOUR FAVES WITH US IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.

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[japanheart88-blog]

Turkish Cucumber-Tomato-Olive Chopped Salad with Sumac ♥

Today's gorgeous summer salad: A colorful crunchy mix of fresh-fresh summer vegetables in a lemony dressing spiced with the delightful sourness of sumac plus cumin, smoked paprika and oregano. It makes a great supper salad or better yet, a salad for a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern meze platter. Weight Watchers Friendly, just 1 Freestyle point. Low Cal. Low Carb. Gluten Free. Paleo. Primal. Vegetarian. Not just vegan, "Vegan Done Real". And naturally, completely delicious.

So yeah, call me summer's broken record. Every year about this time I am surprised to experience the same thing: just how easy and fun it is to cook when tonight's tomatoes were picked from the garden this morning, when we've been waiting/watching patiently for just the right moment to pluck an expanding green pepper from the vine, not too big, not too small.

Not that there's any cooking to throw together this little gem of a salad, just some quality time with a knife and cutting board, is all.

This Turkish Chopped Salad was a very-last-minute addition to a family swim party, good thing we all played hard in the pool because man-alive, did we ever eat! Green Chile Burgers topped with jack cheese and the oh-so-gorgeous Green Chile Sauce (Salsa Verde) I'd made the night before. Ratatouille filled with vegetables from the garden. We were so full, so satisfied that instead of making the peach cobbler I'd intended, I plopped the kids at the kitchen table with a jug of milk and Banana Oatmeal Cookies. My kinda party.

Now this crew rarely raves. But the Green Chile Sauce and this Turkish Chopped Salad, they got compliments. And more compliments. And more compliments.

I'll take a little credit but mostly, the garden earned all the accolades. The peppers this year are oh-so-good and I really do recommend skin-thinned garden peppers here (and the green ones, to boot) versus their thicker-skinned grocery store Dutch bell pepper counterparts.

RECIPE for TURKISH CUCUMEBER-TOMATO-OLIVE CHOPPED SALAD with SUMAC

Hands-on time: 20 minutes Time to table: 20 minutes Makes about 5 cups

CHOPPED SALAD Collect about 5 cups chopped vegetables, total Cucumber Green pepper Super-ripe summer tomatoes Onion or red onion Good olives (don't skip) Fresh parsley & mint

DRESSING 1 clove garlic Zest & juice 2 lemons (about 4 tablespoons lemon juice) 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon oregano 1/4 teaspoon sumac (don't skip) 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt & pepper to taste

CHOPPED SALAD Chop all the vegetables into equal-size pieces, some times I'll do big pieces, here I wanted the salad to go a long way so I chopped everything into small pieces. Even the olives!

DRESSING In a mini food processor, chop the garlic into tiny bits. Add the remaining ingredients, taste and adjust the seasoning.

COMBINE Just before serving, toss the dressing into the vegetables and fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

MAKE-AHEAD TIPS This is an easy salad to make ahead of time. Just keep three separate containers until it's time to serve, the chopped vegetables, the parsley/mint and the Dressing.

LEFTOVERS Turkish Chopped Salad is best within an hour or so of mixing but stays quite fresh for a couple of days without turning soggy.

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES FRESHNESS This salad is all about freshness, use the very freshest vegetables you can put your hands on. CUCUMBERS If you're using thin-skinned English or Persian cucumbers, there's no need to skin the cucumbers; with garden cucumbers with tougher skin, consider either "striping" or peeling the skins off and scooping out any large seeds. RED ONION I've used finely chopped red onion, also red onion shaved thin-thin-thin in short lengths. For extra convenience? The most-wonderful Spiced Pickled Red Onions are like "pre-chopped" red onion, any time you need just a bit. TOMATOES Tomato lovers will want to err on the side of the tomatoes here, especially early in tomato season. I think this salad would be especially pretty made with the tiny little tomatoes that grow by the bushel in the garden. WHAT IS SUMAC? I wrote about sumac here, Fattoush (Traditional Middle Eastern Salad). Sorry, I don't have a substitute to recommend, it adds an addictive sourness to the dressing that's difficult to replicate without sumac itself. I know it's tempting to skip an ingredient rather go out of your way to buy something for just one recipe. I find sumac easy to use, here's a few recipes that call for sumac.

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION Adapted from either Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat or Well Fed 2: More Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat by Melissa Joulwan. Sorry, I'm not sure which cookbook it came from, both copies came from the library and are now back on the shelf!

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Half Cup: 50 Calories; 4g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 39mg Sodium; 4g Carb; 1g Fiber; 2g Sugar; 1g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS: WW Old Points 1 & WW PointsPlus 1 & WW SmartPoints 2 & WW Freestyle 1 CALORIE COUNTERS 100-calorie serving = 1 cup (2g protein).

Still Hungry?

NEVER MISS A RECIPE!

For 'home delivery' of new recipes from A Veggie Venture, sign up here. Once you do, new recipes will be automatically delivered straight to your e-mail In Box.

MORE FAVORITE CHOPPED SALAD RECIPES

~ Babe's Naked Fruit & Veggie Salad ~ ~ Raw Beet, Carrot & Kohlrabi Salad ~ ~ Spring & Summer Sliced Salad ~ ~ more Chopped Salad recipes ~ from A Veggie Venture

~ Quick 'n' Easy Raw Salad ~ ~ Power Food Broccoli Salad ~ ~ Bloody Mary Salad ~ ~ more salad recipes ~ from Kitchen Parade, my food column

COOKING IN SEASON: THIS SAME WEEK ACROSS THE YEARS

Tomato & Zucchini Salad ( Quick Broccoli Soup with Chive Oil For Instance Technique V (raw veggies with Italian dressing) Broccoli, Pepper & Celery Salad Corn Cayenne Tomato Ginger Jam ( Quick Microwave Sweet Corn Summer Tomatoes for Winter Greek Greens (Flash Cook to Eat Later) ( Mom’s Potato Salad ( “Lost Recipes” Classic Coleslaw with Boiled Dressing Dear Anonymous: THIS Is Why We Blog Ripe-Tomato Relish with Peaches & Pears (Sharon's Pickle) ( Watermelon, Cucumber & Feta Salad Melon, Blueberry & Feta Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette Caponata - Sicilian Eggplant ( Raw Corn Chowder ( Julia Child's Cucumber Salad Israeli Couscous Salad with Yellow Squash & Sun-Dried Tomatoes Summer's Best Corn Chowder ( Garden Eggs "Benedict" Spiral Zucchini Noodle Salad with Homemade Catalina Dressing Warm Caprese Bites

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2018

Source: http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/2018/08/turkish-chopped-salad.html

[drylip0-blog]

Turkish Cucumber-Tomato-Olive Chopped Salad with Sumac ♥

Today's gorgeous summer salad: A colorful crunchy mix of fresh-fresh summer vegetables in a lemony dressing spiced with the delightful sourness of sumac plus cumin, smoked paprika and oregano. It makes a great supper salad or better yet, a salad for a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern meze platter. Weight Watchers Friendly, just 1 Freestyle point. Low Cal. Low Carb. Gluten Free. Paleo. Primal. Vegetarian. Not just vegan, "Vegan Done Real". And naturally, completely delicious.

So yeah, call me summer's broken record. Every year about this time I am surprised to experience the same thing: just how easy and fun it is to cook when tonight's tomatoes were picked from the garden this morning, when we've been waiting/watching patiently for just the right moment to pluck an expanding green pepper from the vine, not too big, not too small.

Not that there's any cooking to throw together this little gem of a salad, just some quality time with a knife and cutting board, is all.

This Turkish Chopped Salad was a very-last-minute addition to a family swim party, good thing we all played hard in the pool because man-alive, did we ever eat! Green Chile Burgers topped with jack cheese and the oh-so-gorgeous Green Chile Sauce (Salsa Verde) I'd made the night before. Ratatouille filled with vegetables from the garden. We were so full, so satisfied that instead of making the peach cobbler I'd intended, I plopped the kids at the kitchen table with a jug of milk and Banana Oatmeal Cookies. My kinda party.

Now this crew rarely raves. But the Green Chile Sauce and this Turkish Chopped Salad, they got compliments. And more compliments. And more compliments.

I'll take a little credit but mostly, the garden earned all the accolades. The peppers this year are oh-so-good and I really do recommend skin-thinned garden peppers here (and the green ones, to boot) versus their thicker-skinned grocery store Dutch bell pepper counterparts.

RECIPE for TURKISH CUCUMEBER-TOMATO-OLIVE CHOPPED SALAD with SUMAC

Hands-on time: 20 minutes Time to table: 20 minutes Makes about 5 cups

CHOPPED SALAD Collect about 5 cups chopped vegetables, total Cucumber Green pepper Super-ripe summer tomatoes Onion or red onion Good olives (don't skip) Fresh parsley & mint

DRESSING 1 clove garlic Zest & juice 2 lemons (about 4 tablespoons lemon juice) 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon oregano 1/4 teaspoon sumac (don't skip) 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt & pepper to taste

CHOPPED SALAD Chop all the vegetables into equal-size pieces, some times I'll do big pieces, here I wanted the salad to go a long way so I chopped everything into small pieces. Even the olives!

DRESSING In a mini food processor, chop the garlic into tiny bits. Add the remaining ingredients, taste and adjust the seasoning.

COMBINE Just before serving, toss the dressing into the vegetables and fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

MAKE-AHEAD TIPS This is an easy salad to make ahead of time. Just keep three separate containers until it's time to serve, the chopped vegetables, the parsley/mint and the Dressing.

LEFTOVERS Turkish Chopped Salad is best within an hour or so of mixing but stays quite fresh for a couple of days without turning soggy.

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES FRESHNESS This salad is all about freshness, use the very freshest vegetables you can put your hands on. CUCUMBERS If you're using thin-skinned English or Persian cucumbers, there's no need to skin the cucumbers; with garden cucumbers with tougher skin, consider either "striping" or peeling the skins off and scooping out any large seeds. RED ONION I've used finely chopped red onion, also red onion shaved thin-thin-thin in short lengths. For extra convenience? The most-wonderful Spiced Pickled Red Onions are like "pre-chopped" red onion, any time you need just a bit. TOMATOES Tomato lovers will want to err on the side of the tomatoes here, especially early in tomato season. I think this salad would be especially pretty made with the tiny little tomatoes that grow by the bushel in the garden. WHAT IS SUMAC? I wrote about sumac here, Fattoush (Traditional Middle Eastern Salad). Sorry, I don't have a substitute to recommend, it adds an addictive sourness to the dressing that's difficult to replicate without sumac itself. I know it's tempting to skip an ingredient rather go out of your way to buy something for just one recipe. I find sumac easy to use, here's a few recipes that call for sumac.

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION Adapted from either Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat or Well Fed 2: More Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat by Melissa Joulwan. Sorry, I'm not sure which cookbook it came from, both copies came from the library and are now back on the shelf!

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Half Cup: 50 Calories; 4g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 39mg Sodium; 4g Carb; 1g Fiber; 2g Sugar; 1g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS: WW Old Points 1 & WW PointsPlus 1 & WW SmartPoints 2 & WW Freestyle 1 CALORIE COUNTERS 100-calorie serving = 1 cup (2g protein).

Still Hungry?

NEVER MISS A RECIPE!

For 'home delivery' of new recipes from A Veggie Venture, sign up here. Once you do, new recipes will be automatically delivered straight to your e-mail In Box.

MORE FAVORITE CHOPPED SALAD RECIPES

~ Babe's Naked Fruit & Veggie Salad ~ ~ Raw Beet, Carrot & Kohlrabi Salad ~ ~ Spring & Summer Sliced Salad ~ ~ more Chopped Salad recipes ~ from A Veggie Venture

~ Quick 'n' Easy Raw Salad ~ ~ Power Food Broccoli Salad ~ ~ Bloody Mary Salad ~ ~ more salad recipes ~ from Kitchen Parade, my food column

COOKING IN SEASON: THIS SAME WEEK ACROSS THE YEARS

Tomato & Zucchini Salad ( Quick Broccoli Soup with Chive Oil For Instance Technique V (raw veggies with Italian dressing) Broccoli, Pepper & Celery Salad Corn Cayenne Tomato Ginger Jam ( Quick Microwave Sweet Corn Summer Tomatoes for Winter Greek Greens (Flash Cook to Eat Later) ( Mom’s Potato Salad ( “Lost Recipes” Classic Coleslaw with Boiled Dressing Dear Anonymous: THIS Is Why We Blog Ripe-Tomato Relish with Peaches & Pears (Sharon's Pickle) ( Watermelon, Cucumber & Feta Salad Melon, Blueberry & Feta Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette Caponata - Sicilian Eggplant ( Raw Corn Chowder ( Julia Child's Cucumber Salad Israeli Couscous Salad with Yellow Squash & Sun-Dried Tomatoes Summer's Best Corn Chowder ( Garden Eggs "Benedict" Spiral Zucchini Noodle Salad with Homemade Catalina Dressing Warm Caprese Bites

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2018

Source: http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/2018/08/turkish-chopped-salad.html

[eathealthylivefree]

Shawarma Chicken Wraps Recipe

Shawarma Chicken Wraps are flavorful and fun to eat. This recipe makes it possible to recreate a popular street food in your home kitchen. I’ve been making these Shawarma Chicken Wraps for the past eight years, and my kids love them. They’re packed with flavor (the garlic mayonnaise compliments the spiced chicken perfectly), and look like a burrito or taco so it’s a great way to introduce something new to your family.

Spiced Shawarma Chicken Wrap

Have you ever heard of Shawarma chicken? I started exploring Middle Eastern cooking in 2012 when I discovered Faith Gorsky’s cookbook, An Edible Mosaic. The first recipes I tried were Shawarma chicken and her Zucchini Fritters). Faith’s cookbook provides so many little tips and tricks that are incredibly helpful, including how to duplicate the crispy pieces of Chicken Shawarma that you might get at one of the little shops in the Middle East that specialize in this sandwich.

I watched a few videos and read several blog posts about Shawarma and it seems there is almost a cult-like following. In fact, people seek out the very best Shawarma shops and do their own taste testing. Faith says that in populated areas you might see half a dozen Shawarma vendors within a few blocks.

The spices in Shawarma are almost curry-like, comprised of a laundry list of aromatic spices – cumin, coriander, cardamon, ginger, allspice, fenugreek, cloves, paprika, turmeric, cayenne and black pepper. I actually had all these spices (you should see my spice drawer!) in either whole or ground form, so I was able to recreate the recipe from An Edible Mosaic exactly as written.

Shawarma is eaten in Arab countries, Israel, Mexico (introduced by Middle-Eastern immigrants), Pakistan, South Africa and the United Kingdom, and the meats, toppings and sauce vary depending on the country. Traditionally, Shawarma is made with chicken, lamb, beef, or goat that has been marinated, and is wrapped and cooked on a vertical rotisserie (similar to Greek gyro meat). When an order is placed, meat is shaved off and served as a wrapped sandwich (using pita bread or Lavash flatbread) with fresh vegetables (cucumbers, tomato, lettuce, onions), pickles and a sauce or two (a garlic sauce called Toumieh and sometimes Sesame Sauce).

I wanted to make a Chicken Shawarma as authentic as possible, so I made the Cucumber Pickles a week ago, marinated the chicken overnight, and made a batch of Garlic Mayonnaise (highly recommended by Faith) as well as Sesame Sauce.

Garlic Mayonnaise

Finding the proper bread proved to be easier than I thought – our local Greek store had whole wheat pocketless pita and I found oat bran/whole wheat lavash flatbread in the deli section of a supermarket.

Although this sandwich is considered fast food in the Middle East, it does require some preparation of all the different components, but it is well worth the effort. Faith uses a clever trick to replicate the crispy chicken pieces of an authentic Shawarma.

After marinating the chicken overnight in lots of spices and yogurt, the chicken is cooked twice – first baked, then sauteed. This extra step makes the chicken chewier and crispy, and results in authentic-tasting shawarma according to Faith.

I actually used four different wrappers for my Shawarma – Lavash Flatbread made with Whole Wheat and Oatbran (which was the easiest to roll up), Whole Wheat Pocketless Pita Bread (I found this at our local Greek market), Corn Tortillas (for a gluten-free version), and Collard Wraps (I got collards in my CSA Box and have been wanting to try them as a wrapper). For toppings, I chose fresh tomato, lettuce, onions and Cucumber Pickles.

Shawarma Chicken Collard Wraps

The boys really loved these Shawarma Wraps – and Faith was right, the Garlic Mayonnaise definitely made the sandwich. Personally, I liked the garlicky Sesame Sauce and have been slathering it on just about anything I can think of. I’m starting to wonder if I smell like garlic everywhere I go.

These Shawarma Wraps were so good, I wish our fast food joints sold something this tasty.

I highly recommend doubling the recipe for this Shawarma Chicken and using it for your weekly meal prep – delicious! I included a small container of the garlic mayonnaise (cheat: mash garlic with salt and mix with mayonnaise), and included a simple cucumber tomato salad with crumbled feta, and pita bread).

Spiced Shawarma Chicken Wraps (SHAWARMA DAJAJ)

This dish is not hard to make, it just requires a little bit of planning ahead. Well worth the effort!

Chicken Shawarma

1 batch Shawarma Spice Mix

½ cup 125 ml plain yogurt

1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 large cloves garlic (crushed)

1½ teaspoons salt

2 lb 1 kg boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 tablespoons olive oil (plus more for sautéing)

16 flatbreads

Shawarma Spice Mix

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

¾ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground sweet paprika

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

¹/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne (optional))

Pickles (MEKHALLEL)

1 cup 250 ml hot water

2 tablespoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar 7-10 Persian or Japanese cucumbers washed and ends slightly trimmed

2 cloves garlic (peeled)

Purified water (to cover the cucumber)

½ teaspoon oil

Garlic Mayonnaise

2 cloves garlic (crushed in a mortar and pestle with ½ teaspoon salt)

2 large egg whites or 1 large egg

1 cup 250 ml oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon cold water

Chicken Shawarma

Prepare the Shawarma Spice Mix.

Combine the spice mix with the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F and spread 1 tablespoon of oil on the inside of a large baking dish.

Scrape off any excess marinade from the chicken with your hands. Starting in the center of the oiled dish, arrange the chicken so that it overlaps, and drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil on top. Bake (uncovered) 1 hour, or until the chicken is fully cooked; cool. (It’s done when you cut into the center and there is no pink.)

Remove the chicken from the pan and transfer it to a large cutting board; slice it very thinly across the grain, then transfer it back into the pan it was cooked in to soak up the juices (the chicken can be refrigerated this way for up to 3 days before continuing with the rest of the recipe, or you can continue after 10 minutes).

Coat the bottom of a large skillet over medium-high heat with oil. Once hot, add the sliced chicken and sauté until crispy and golden brown (you may need to sauté the chicken in two or three batches so the pan isn’t overcrowded).

Spread some Garlic Mayonnaise in the center of each piece of bread; add some chicken and pickles (and any other vegetables you like) and roll it up.

Toast the sandwiches on a dry griddle or a flat sandwich press so that the bread gets golden brown and slightly crispy.

Serve as is, or cut into small rounds; serve with additional Garlic Mayonnaise for dipping.

Pickles (MEKHALLEL)

Combine the 1 cup (250 ml) hot water, salt, and sugar in a large measuring cup with a pour spout; stir until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved and then cool to room temperature.

Sterilize a 1-liter (1.06 qt) canning jar.

Cut the cucumbers into spears by cutting them in half lengthwise, and then cutting each half lengthwise into 3 equal pieces.

Put 1 clove of garlic in the bottom of the jar, add the cucumber spears, and then add the other clove of garlic on top.

Pour in the water/salt/sugar mixture, then add enough purified water so that the cucumbers are completely covered, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of free space at the top.

Let the jar sit at room temperature to form pickles. The pickles are ready to eat when the cucumber turns khaki green in color, and they smell faintly of vinegar. This will take about 5 to 7 days in hot weather and 15 to 20 days in colder weather.

Once the pickles are ready to eat, drizzle in the oil and store refrigerated.

Garlic Mayonnaise

Crush the garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle until it forms a smooth paste.

Whisk together the garlic paste and egg until well blended.

Add the oil, drop-by-drop, while whisking (after you’ve added 1 tablespoon of oil drop-by-drop, you can add the oil a little faster). Make sure the oil you add is fully incorporated before adding any more.

Once you’ve added ½ cup (125 ml) oil, alternate between gradually adding the oil and lemon juice and continue mixing until fully incorporated.

Add the cold water and mix until smooth and creamy.

Recipe courtesy of An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair by Faith Gorsky (Tuttle Publishing; Nov. 2012); reprinted with permission.

  The post Shawarma Chicken Wraps Recipe appeared first on Jeanette's Healthy Living.

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[indianculinarycenter]

“You are going to pay $75/- to eat vegetables? You are crazy!” exclaimed my father when he learned that I am going to Dirt Candy for a special event on Canada Day.

“They are not just vegetables dad. They are cooked in a unique way – in ways we could never imagine.”

“They are still vegetables,” he responded, still questioning my decision.

Well, I don’t blame him. I had the exact same feeling when I first heard of Dirt Candy which is is located on the Lower East Side of NYC.

http://www.dirtcandynyc.com/

I went there for the first time last year and was impressed by the chef’s creativity. When I heard vegetarian restaurant, I thought pasta, salads and grilled vegetables – but Dirt Candy is not that. I didn’t write about it back then and so my memory is flawed but the two most memorable dishes were:

Brussels Sprout Tacos

Brussels sprouts tossed in Mexican bistek sauce and served on a sizzling stone with iceberg lettuce wrappers and accompaniments so that diners can make their own tiny bites that are one part Chinese sung choi bao and one part strange Mexican tacos.

The accompaniments are usually: smoked avocado, pickled red onion, cotija cheese, radishes, crispy brussels sprout leaves, tortilla strips, pickled jalapenos, salsa verde, and crema.

Not in my wildest dreams would I imagine eating brussels sprout tacos and loving them.

Kale matzoh balls served in kale galangal broth with stir-fried shisito peppers and red amaranth. Topped with pickled okra seeds, micro cilantro, and a poached egg. Matzoh ball soup is supposed to be comforting, and there’s nothing more comforting to me than a poached egg slowly dissolving into a warm, rich, spicy soup.

This is the most insanely delicious soup that I have ever had and now you know what I mean by clever? I love matzoh balls and the other ingredients mentioned above, but never could I come up with these combinations or the techniques she uses to transform foods we are all familiar with.

Now back to my current meal at Dirt Candy which was last week. Amanda Cohen the brilliant chef is from Canada and so to celebrate Canada Day she organized a special meal where we would go camping indoors.

That’s where the aforementioned $75 for vegetables comes in. My mom made the reservation for me as a special treat and I went with a couple of friends.

The room was strung with Canadian flags and several televisions were playing camp movies. The red and white table cloths were to mimic picnic tables and the scene was festive.

We took our seats and were first presented with a basket full of jalapeno hush puppies and maple butter.

I may not have had too many hush puppies in my life but I can say that I never met a hush puppy that I didn’t love. I’m not sure how you can ever go wrong with fried dough and to guild the lily, maple butter. I was in heaven. These were hot and crispy and I had to tell myself that this was the first course of a multi course meal.  I think I forced myself to stop at 3 or 4. I don’t recall.

The menu was a preset menu where one could eat an unlimited amount  of food- music to my ears.

Next came a plate of nachos, which was the only dish that tasted like many plates of nachos I have had before. Nothing wrong with it but not something I would associate with this restaurant or this chef.

But hey, we are camping and I’ll eat anything.

I had been watching empty jars going into the kitchen and could not figure out what was in them. I couldn’t wait to see. My question was answered when the waiter placed in front of us 4 salads in glass jars set in a baking tray. Now this is what I am talking about. This is why I was here. The presentation was unique, an idea that I am surely going to steal in my meals and the salads were delicious.  They were:

Grilled Caesar Salad!

Tomato and Feta Salad!

Smoked Potato Salad!

Herb and Bean Salad!

My absolute favorite was the Smoked Potato Salad – no surprise that I loved the potato salad the most but the smoke in the potatoes was such an amazing flavor that I just couldn’t stop eating it. I thought it was liquid smoke and labeled it as such on Instagram and wouldn’t you know it – I got a message from Dirt Candy telling me that they smoke their potatoes and don’t use liquid smoke.

I love it when I hear from the restaurant or bar that I have tagged.

And so I stand corrected. They smoke their potatoes! I am absolutely going to replicate this dish at home and since I don’t have the smoking apparatus that they must, I am going to add a couple of drops of liquid smoke.

The other salads were lovely too.  The Grilled Caesar was made with baby Romaine hearts – grilled and I couldn’t tell you how she made the dressing taste that way without the anchovies. I love anchovies and always put extra in my dressing but this was done very well.

I will be honest, after having my share of the Caesar salad and the other salads – I couldn’t help but lick the potato salad jar clean with my fingers. Oh, and I forgot to tell you – the potato salad was topped with chips that made the salad look even prettier and the crunch was an important component to add to my overall satisfaction.

Can you guess what this is?

The cutest baby corn ever! I am ashamed to admit that I didn’t even know that baby corn grows this way. I thought it was some factory produced product. Don’t I feel stupid. Now I have to investigate how baby carrots are made 🙂

These are Grilled Baby Corn, Elote Style! Adorable little baby corn charred in the husk, topped with cheese and a little drizzle of lime. It was so good – I wished there were more than one – but I just couldn’t get over how damn cute and delicious these things were. I ate the whole thing – husk and all.

Yogurt Grilled Baby Vegetable Kebabs!

Even a champion eater like me was beginning to feel full but these kebabs were too delicious to pass.  There was broccoli, cauliflower, baby zucchini and either baby eggplant or a summer squash – I couldn’t tell.  The vegetables were marinated in yogurt, grilled to develop a nice char -which I love, served over saffron rice. The flavor of the rice stood up to the very assertive flavors of the vegetables. The rice reminded me of the rice that you get in the quintessential “Chicken and Rice” dish from the NYC halal carts. I mean this as a compliment. The plate was sprinkled with Sumac which I made the waiter confirm for me. I like playing – name that ingredient games with myself.

Carrot Sliders!

Things were getting serious now. I was getting so full but the food kept coming, and I have to eat everything – I just have to.

Carrot sliders you say? Yes indeed. Hands down, one of the most delicious and the most creative dish on the menu, and probably the most unique dish I have ever had. And I eat a lot. Trust me.

We were all so thrilled with the cute boxes that were placed in front of us that I forgot to pay attention to each component of the slider. I do remember that the bun tasted as though it was most likely baked on premises. It was like no popular bun that I have tasted before. And the carrot – it was a thick (ok 1/8th inch) slice of carrot that was soft but not mushy. I couldn’t tell you how it was cooked. I remember seeing some lettuce and there was some dried crunchy sea weed like thing too. But what was the best thing that added to the whole ‘burger’ experience was the ‘special sauce’ that one gets at McDonald’s. Once again, I mean that as a compliment.

The bun was chewy, the carrot was sweet, the lettuce was crunchy and the special sauce tied the whole thing up in a neat little flavor package for your mouth. Those 3 bites were pure bliss.

Broccoli hot dogs

Beet po boys

Things were getting a tad out of hand now. We have been eating for 2 hours. My back was hurting a little from all the sitting and I wanted to stretch my legs. But the food just wouldn’t stop coming. “Where is the hot dog and the Po’ boy?” asked one of my dining companions to no one in particular.

“Oh yah, we have those too,” I replied.

I was imagining the hot dog to be a hot dog made of broccoli but what we got was the above. I think its hysterical. It was a broccoli stem in a bun with hot dog toppings like sour kraut and onions maybe. I could stop laughing and I couldn’t stop eating. It was so simple and so good.

The po’ boy was made with yellow beets and mimicked oysters in their look and there was the wonderful crunch of a fried oyster with the creamy soft center. I am running out of words to describe this fun food, and definitely room in my stomach. So good – I will say and leave it at that.

Berry & Nutella Moose Ears

Sweet Pea & Mint Nanaimo Bars

  “Okay they must stop now. I am going to explode,” I said.

“But we still have dessert.”

“Yes we do,” I sighed.

And so we were brought moose ears with nutella and berries.  Turns out moose ears are fried dough. They reminded me of zeppoles.

Nainamo bars are a bar dessert which requires no baking and is named after the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia on Vancouver Island. It consists of a wafer crumb-based layer topped by a layer of custard flavored butter icing which is covered with melted chocolate made from chocolate squares.

The version we were presented had a nut bar type of consistency on the bottom made with dates and nuts, topped by what I think was some sort of marshmallow thingi, a sweet pea ice cream and then chocolate. It was a fancy frozen ice cream sandwich to me.

It was quite good but I couldn’t get through more than a quarter of it.  It’s just that I am not a big dessert person and I was really really full.  The moose ears are just not my type of dessert. Even though I am a huge fan of fried dough – somehow when it is sweet, it doesn’t appeal to me. My friends enjoyed it though, and finished up both desserts with no problem at all.

Phew! That ended the eating portion of the program. We began eating nearly three and a half hours ago!

We were satiated, happy and I was thrilled by some of the foods I had never had or imagined could be so good.

On my way out of the ladies room, I briefly said hi to Chef/Owner Amanda and complimented her on her innovative thinking.

We waddled out to First avenue and found our way back home.

I came home and showed all the pictures of the foods I ate to my dad. “So dear father, this is what you get for $75/-.  Very delicious and satisfying food. Most importantly fun and full of flavors I have never experienced before!”

I am not sure if I will ever convince him to go with me, but I am sure to go back myself. Dining at Dirt Candy is a unique experience and I would urge you to put away your prejudices against vegetables that many of us have and just go with an open mind. I doubt you will be disappointed.

Until I eat out again!

    “Yes we do,” I sighed.

    A Review of Dirt Candy in NYC "You are going to pay $75/- to eat vegetables? You are crazy!" exclaimed my father when he learned that I am going to Dirt Candy for a special event on Canada Day.