Easter . . . Snow?!

This is the facts of living in my Midwestern town even though it is more than one month into spring. April showers are supposed to bring May flowers... no one said anything about April SNOW! This is a picture of green grass topped with white snow. Right now we have an inch and could receive anywhere from 3 - 12 inched today (we got 7 inches). Another sad fact about where I live is that March 26th and 27th we had beautiful sunny skies and temperatures near 80.

Garden Update....
I didn't get the potatoes planted Saturday like I had hoped because it was raining, now behind schedule some however this is not a big deal, I'll still have potatoes. I will be buying broccoli and cauliflower plants already started so these are okay to, I should be still be harvesting about mid June. This is last year's herb bed (and a great dog named pup who is no longer with us), I will post it now for motivation to hang in there a little longer. If I don't I am sure that I would be running off to California or Seattle soon and then you would never see me in blog land because I wouldn't be cooped up inside avoiding our ever changing weather.

Things that make life fun....
Matthew was in an Easter play which we attended Good Friday night, part 1, and Sunday morning , part 2 @ 6:30 am. Part 1 was the traditional Good Friday type play. Part 2 was the resurrection story investigated Dragnet style (a show from the 50's). Matt is the one in glasses. He is wearing a traditional Judea robe under his "Dragnet style" white shirt/ black tie. The play was really cute and if others knew Matt like we do they would realize he was not really acting..... that is his type of humor! His senior prom is coming up. My 6'3" baby boy is again taking a 4'6" little red headed girl for a date (I really think Charlie Brown, Matt's hero, and his little red headed girl has really affected him.)

Food....
I consider myself a family food blogger, so the fact the food follows all the above is not to out of the normal. I have three food pictures to share, considering that I eat at least three times a day and have not blogged in about 8 days = 24 meals, yet I have only three to share..... my diet as of late has been pretty boring. However, what I did do with the burritos will become a staple because I do love the convenience.

SMOKEY CHIPOTLE BURRITOS -
A NICE STOCK OF THEM IN THE FREEZER (this recipe makes 4, but I quadruple it)
I had some TVP taco meat filling leftover in the freezer that I wanted to get used up. I actually prepared it and weighed into a 1 lb package for ease of use later, sure a little fuss but I was happy for the ease of preparation when I made these. I also remember awhile back I was hankering some store bought vegan burritos, but decided that the cost was not worth it. Being a die hard "do it your-selfer" here's my filling recipe....
1 C chopped onion
1 1/2 Tbsp garlic crushed
1 - 14.5 oz can of black beans
1 - 7 oz can of whole kernel corn
1/2 C salsa
1/4 C plain soy yogurt, optional OR use veg refried beans
1 1 /2 Tbsp Smokey Mesquite Seasoning
Saute onions and garlic in a non-stick pan, when browned add corn, black beans, salsa and seasoning. Cook about 2 minutes until all is warmed. Add refried beans (or yogurt is you choose) and cook until mixture is thickened. Add 1/4 of mixture to a tortilla and top with 2 Tbsp soy cheese. Fold in sides, roll up, allow to cool, wrap, and freeze.

I originally got the recipe seasoning idea from a weight watchers core forum that I used to read some time ago, I believe they calculate at 4 points each. I put 1/2 cup of the filling into a whole wheat wrap, fold, wrap in saran wrap individually, and put into a freezer bag. Then when I want one I take it out, remove the saran wrap, and microwave on a plate for one "frozen entree" setting and it is wonderful. I usually top it with homemade salsa, serve with a side salad and follow-up with a square of dark vegan chocolate.

A Little Indian...
This picture is a little steamy, but about as good as the picture. I made it using a recipe in The Enlightened Kitchen cookbook which called it an Indian dish. However it did not use any typical Indian seasonings like curry powder. Although the dish was okay, I was a little disappointed by lack of true Indian flavor which I have come to like, although my family is a little slow to come around. I know they will eventually ... they did with Chinese style stir-fry's a number of years ago.
Last foody picture, an eggroll laptop lunch with a side of tropical veggies and a nice romaine salad topped with carrots and sliced mushrooms. I have salad dressing in the little container. I haven't actually used my laptop lunchbox in a month or so. I found a salad container that I like better so I can take bigger salads. I also have access to a frig now.... next year I will probaly not use my box at all. I will have five kitchens in my room along with 30 sewing machines. I don't regret buying it though.





Sophie likes to sit in the sun on my desk. Here she is comfortably a glow.

Black bean soup de-gassed... Read on

FEIJOADA LEFTOVERS: SOUP
I like this as much as I like feijoada (Brazilian Black Beans)! Basic seasoned black beans and rice with a salad isn't anything wonderful to photograph and neither are it's leftovers which is what this soup was created from ... but it's so pretty (in my humble and often argued against opinion) with the little sweet potato cubes and choped greens poking through. I ate myself a few bowls today. I served it along side some steamed brussel sprouts that I salted and sprinkled with balsamic vinegar. Humble and pleasing. . . I know a common ordinary vegetarian "po" man's meal (if he can grow sweet potatoes, that is). I used the Feijoada recipe from Bryanna Clark Grogan's Fiber for Life Cookbook (p. 115). In a footnote below the recipe she mentions the leftover idea for making the soup I did (only I didn't have leftover rice).

This meal was different than others because there were these two acorn squash that have been sitting around my kitchen screaming, "use me!", so they got just that today. I roasted 'em and stuffed 'em with my stew (temp 375 for 1 hour on old black ccokie sheet).

A dallop of soy sour cream to complete. Yum! That will teach those two old squash.

DE-GASSING BEANS
Here's a tip I picked up from Countryside magazine, it's about homesteading which I enjoy reading even though I do love every modern convenience I own. Someone wrote in with a question on how to de-gas beans and many people responded, some with ridiculous suggestions. One person wrote in claiming to be a chef at a Chacago upper class mexican restaurant, he said that he used the herb EPAZOTE when he cooked beans and customers have commented on how the food at his restaurant didn't make them gassy unlike other places they have eaten. This got my attention! I found the herb at Penzey's spices and use it regularly... I won't say it cures, but does help alot. I use double the serving portion listed on the spice bag and always follow a bean meal by eating a few slices of candied ginger.

Also, if my meal was distressing I drink a cup of fennel tea, made simply by soaking 1 Tbsp fennell seed in very hot water until it gets flavorful, stir and sweeten with stevia. I made ice tea with this in a quart jar also, 2 Tbsp seed in a tea ball soaked in hot water. Leave on the counter until room temp, refrigerate, drink as you please... I do this regualrly when I serve alot of beans and in the summer when we have alot of cabbage family veggies. DH now enjoys my brew and knows why I do this, before he just thought I could digest better than others (tee hee!).