Succulent Summer

Wow, where does the time go?  I find it hard to believe that July is nearing its end, but luckily the month has been filled with activity and of course, LOTS of eating.

Let's start with dessert.  Possibly my favorite part of being an adult is that you can eat courses in any way you choose, and sometimes you want dessert first!

You may remember a previous post where I made a chocolate bundt cake, but didn't really get to eat it because we were in the midst of a cleanse.  This one I can assure you I've eaten plenty of!  It's moist, rich, chocolatey, and has a secret ingredient...

Beet Chocolate Bundt Cake with Truffle Ganache Glaze

  Have you guessed yet?  Believe it or not, there are two cups of roasted and pureed beets in this chocolate confection!  Even people who hate beets would probably enjoy this cake.  However, a love of chocolate is a prerequisite and since my sweetheart isn't a big fan, I've brought half to work!  Always Order Dessert is a great blog when it comes to making sweet things, plus she talks about other interesting subjects beyond just filling your belly.  If you're in NYC, Alejandra Ramos, (the blog's owner) offers cooking classes- and that's where this recipe comes from.  Click beneath the photo to view the recipe.

T. Rex hitching a ride.

The past couple of weekends have been especially fun.  First, we rode to the top of Pikes Peak on the motorcycle.  This was rather monumental for me, as it was the first time I had been to the top since moving to Colorado Springs.  People told me there was a donut shop at the top but I thought they were playing a joke on me...

It wasn't a joke!

  This past weekend, we joined our dear friends in celebrating the 15th Annual Festival in the Clouds in Alma, Colorado.  We attended last year, and the cooler climate and breathtaking surroundings made it a must this year as well.  The dogs went along and were perfect angels!  Of course.

  Then Sunday we braved the miserably oppressive heat in Colorado Springs and went downtown to show our support in the Gay Pride Parade and Festival.  Hard to believe it was my FIRST Gay Pride Parade!  It was fun.  Although, things are always more fun when you're with the one you love!

  Enjoy these wonderful summer breakfast recipes!  They are great for making use of the velvety sweet fruits that are best enjoyed in the warmer seasons.

  Better than oatmeal, because it's the marriage of oatmeal and coconut refrigerated and soaked in water overnight.  Then heated up and thickened with almond milk, you add something special to this breakfast cereal by caramelizing nectarines in maple syrup.

Coconut Breakfast Pudding with Sauteed Nectarines

Quinoa Crunch with Berries, Greek Yogurt, and Honey

 To make Quinoa Crunch:
 Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
 Toss 1 cup of uncooked, rinsed, drained quinoa with:
 1 TB agave syrup
 1 TB neutral oil (I used coconut, but you can use canola,safflower, etc.)
 Spread the quinoa mixture on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.  Stir occasionally.
 Use as a topping for yogurt, ice cream, anything!

Southern Indiana Daisies

  My next post is dedicated to recreating some recipes from a favorite Middle Eastern restaurant in Indianapolis.  I discovered new spices, the fine line between caramelized and burnt, and that I will eat lamb in the most delicious of circumstances.  Stay tuned!     

 

In Defense of Decadence

  Decadence is a dish best served in moderation, but certainly not a dish to be ignored. Life is short. Tomorrow is not promised. If you want to eat this or that, don't wait. Don't work yourself into diabetes over it, but don't dismiss your cravings.
  Speaking of gluttony, here's a cake I recently made for someone special, per their request. Lemon poppyseed cakes brushed in lemon syrup are layered with vanilla bean cream cheese frosting, where they all work together in taunting you until you must have your cake! And eat it too.
  The recipe comes from a website I happened upon one day. If you make this, don't worry about finding/making caster sugar. I used regular granulated sugar and it turned out just fine!

Lemon Poppyseed Layer Cakes with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

   This next descent into decadence is more of the simplistic indulgence.  Some good old butter, sugar, flour, and a few other easy ingredients combine to make an absolute hit for dessert in any season.  The original recipe calls for apples, but any stone fruit or other fruit will do.  I like using whatever seems juiciest and ripest.  Behold, Nectarine Crumble (and vanilla ice cream).

Ingredients

Fruit filling

• 6 cups roughly chopped fruit (Stone fruits work well, or cored, peeled apples)
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Crumb topping

• 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour (King Arthur's or regular unbleached all-purpose)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick cold, unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Prep
  With a rack in the middle of your oven, preheat to 350 degrees.  Use any kind of cooking vessel for this recipe.  I like a square, 8-inch baking dish the best, but a pie pan with high sides would work well too.  Blend sugar and cinnamon together.  Place fruit in a bowl, sprinkle with lemon juice and cinnamon sugar mixture.  Gently mix together, and then put fruit mixture into baking dish.
  Now make the topping: Place flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.  Mix together dry ingredients.  Add butter and incorporate into flour mixture by rubbing butter between your thumb and index finger.  Or you can use a pastry blender.  You know you're finished when there's no loose flour mixture, the color is yellowish-golden, and the crumbs are large.
  Sprinkle crumb topping over fruit mixture.  Bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown on top in most places.  Let cool a bit before eating.  Tastes great warmed up with vanilla ice cream!

  I can't resist including this other gem of a summer dessert recipe.  This is a newly discovered way to enjoy strawberries and rhubarb, which is probably my favorite combination of flavors.  Roasting strawberries and rhubarb together in a syrupy sauce imparts an amazingly tart-sweet melding that is absolutely genius!  Don't just take my word for it, try it.  Today.

  Maple syrup, sweet vermouth, and balsamic vinegar create an experience you won't soon forget!

And of course it goes great with ice cream!  Find the recipe here.

Well, that's all I have on the topic of decadence!  What do you eat when you're feeling indulgent? 

Meet me on the sunny road...

What an amazing summer of wonder and discovery!  I have thoroughly enjoyed my rudimentary explorations of Colorado, my new home.  I continue to be awestruck by the diverse climates and landscapes I find, each place having its own beautiful and harsh nuances.  There is definitely something "great" about this West, whether that be in its vastness or the rugged handsomeness of its valleys and peaks.  It's hard not to wonder what the first newcomers thought of such places, and it isn't difficult to understand the reverence and worship that the Native Americans have felt for natural landscapes for centuries.  Anyone who knows me knows how very non-religious I am, and yet when I am in the presence of such earthly splendors I've never felt closer to god.  Appreciation is the prayer, enjoyment and preservation are the worship.    

Cottonwood Pass-Continental Divide

In many ways I feel as if I've been a tightly-furled blossom, closely guarding my inner secrets, life and love giving abilities, in anticipation of a brilliant sun.  And with the perfect proportions of nourishment and light, I....

  Bloom.

My new and improved, plant-based lifestyle has been coming along swimmingly.  I can't quite tell if I feel so much better because I have cut meat and dairy out of my diet, or due to the fact that I'm paying much closer attention to what I eat.  As predicted, cheese has been the most difficult thing to stop eating.  I'm borrowing a bit from Alcoholics Anonymous with my "One Day at a Time" approach.  I realize it is unnecessary to think about whether I will be able to not eat cheese a year from now, and instead channel my sole focus into not eating cheese today.  Ironically or not, I'm beginning to understand that I was addicted to that component of my diet.  By making the conscious and informed choice to remove it, I'm empowering myself to start taking better care of myself and the world around me.

Kitchen experimentation has been frequent and fruitful.  There have been some flops, but they have been few.  What is most exciting, to me, is finding ways to reinvent the ingredients I love.        

Some tidbits from the kitch:
(Click on the recipe title, below the picture, to be redirected to the recipe!)

Olive-Oil Roasted Tomatoes & Fennel w/ White Beans

I dare you not to eat this all in one sitting!  Use the best olive oil you have, and a cast-iron skillet makes the transition from stove-top to oven easy.  Try this over pasta, greens, or the best way: sopped up with crusty whole wheat bread.

Cantaloupe Granita

I made this up, using the basis of another great recipe, which you can find here.  It's easy as pie.  Flaky, frozen, melt-in-your-mouth, cantaloupe pie.

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups cubed cantaloupe
1/4 cup agave nectar
Juice from one lime

Preparation

Put it all in the blender.  Blend until smooth.  Freeze 1 hour.  Remove; stir mixture and break up frozen chunks with the back of a fork.  Cover, freeze until firm, 2 hours or so.  Flake with a fork before serving.

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding

I. love. this. pudding.  You will too, and you won't believe that it's dairy-free!  Trust me on this one.

I leave you with a flower, until next time.

Weekend in the Clouds

  This past weekend we had the pleasure of enjoying Alma's Festival in the Clouds with new and old friends.  The festival is in its 14th year and is an annual free event that the town sponsors.  There was live music all day, children splashing in the Platte River and scraping in the sand at its shore, artists vending their wares, and a few rain showers to keep us on our toes. 

bruised sky threatens wet/snug in flimsy house we laugh/daring the drops down.

  Probably the most exciting part of the weekend was the chance to see my dear friend Lauren and meet her new husband, Greg.  The Foxes are on a westward honeymoon journey and we were just lucky enough to rendezvous with them on their travels.  Both have quit their jobs and embarked upon a quest to find their place in this vast space we call the American West.  I, for one, can't wait to see where they end up!
  We took a nice hike at Kite Lake on Sunday.  The lake is above timberline and gives access to three mountains over 14,000': Mount Democrat, Mount Lincoln and Mount Bross.  Though we chose not to climb much above the snowline, it was still magnificent.  Wildflowers blanketed the valley- sunflowers, Columbine, Indian paintbrush, and many others I could not identify.

Mariposa Lily

Some weather rolls in...

Indian Paintbrush

Puppies playing in the snow

Satisfying Summer Recipes

I'm sharing some summer favorites that require little to no cooking. Enjoy!  Comments and recipes are always welcome!

Summer Berry Salad

Black & Blue Summer Salad

Strawberry Salad

 The beauty of these salads is that you can use any fresh ingredients you have on hand.  It seems we can never eat our fresh fruit fast enough, so one day I decided to put some in the rather boring-looking salad I was having for lunch.  What a pleasant surprise!  I know I'm not the first to put fruit in a salad with lettuce, but sometimes you forget the simplest and most delicious things.

Ingredients

Salad greens; such as mâché, spinach, arugula
Fruit (strawberries, peaches, blueberries, blackberries- whatever sounds good!)
Sliced almonds
Chèvre, crumbled (optional) 
Raspberry vinaigrette or other vinaigrette salad dressing

Preparation

Rinse greens; fruit.  Place greens in a bowl.  Top with fruit, crumbled chèvre, if using, and sliced almonds.  Drizzle with vinaigrette.   

The Minimalist's (Revised) Corn Chowder

I first tried this recipe last summer and got rave reviews from everyone who tried it.  The original recipe is Mark Bittman's and stands alone as one of the best and easiest corn chowder recipes I have ever come across.  His recipe, as is, is only 60 calories per serving.  My version ups the calories a bit for the sake of flavor. 

Ingredients

4 to 6 ears of corn
1 TB butter or neutral oil, such as canola
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Preparation

1.  Shuck the corn and strip the kernels from the cob with a sharp knife.  Reserve kernels, making sure to capture any juice.  Put cobs in a large pot with 2 cups of water and 2 cups of broth.  Cover, simmer for 10 minutes.
2.  Place butter or oil in saucepan and heat on medium-high.  When hot, add onion and potatoes; season.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes.  Cook, stirring for another minute or so.
3. Strain the corn cob mixture, return to large pot, and add onion potato mixture.  Bring to a boil, turn heat down so mixture simmers.  When potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes, add corn kernels and heavy whipping cream.  Heat through.  Season with salt and pepper and fresh parsley.

  

Sweet Alma Soul Sisters perform @ Festival in the Clouds