bud's vegan cookies and beaches

I have been neglecting to post yummy recipes recently and short on time to prepare anything tasty. Last week my mother and I took a trip to see a friend of hers who moved to Fort Myers. I'll have to post a photo of a beach on Sanibel Island. We enjoyed the time with beautiful Sandy and her husband. She is a card and enjoys a great laugh!

I have had time to prepare and deliver lunches twice this month and will be making a mango chicken salad and black bean soup this week. Both recipes will be from scratch and rather simple. I just put the dried bean on to soak for the soup. Did ya know when you cook dried beans you should never cook them with just plain water? I read this in one of my Italian cookbooks. It is true and makes a whole lot of sense. The house has a wonderful scent from my cooking beans ... was lazy this time ... dried garlic, cilantro, pepper. I love to use rosemary especially for chickpeas when making hummus.

Long and short of this post I am crazy excited to visit with Dan's mother's cousin's wife in law ladeda. She is going to teach me to make a family recipe. Her father loved cookies but had to modify a recipe for health reasons...and modify he did into vegan cookies. I am stupid with excitement! These are the soft, fat sugar cookies that are slicked with icing...mmmm.... I've had a week from ... and been eating poorly so this will be the perfect way to close the chapter on this torturous week.

garden planning

I am a bit behind but am getting the ball rolling on my garden plans for Mill Street 2010. It is late (11:18pm) but here's what is dancing in my head...
leeks, eggplants, peppers (tollies, ancho, and wicked hot), cucumbers (canning and Armenian), onions, shallots, peas, beans, kale, collards, squash, zucchini, lettuce (a few varieties), radish and... more to be determined. There will certainly be a variety of tomatoes again!

too ugly lentil, rice and sweet potato pilaf

UPDATE: this is the pilaf made into a beautiful bowl of soup with quinoa and pilaf leftovers...

This pilaf was too ugly to photograph and looked a bit like swamp mud but was so tasty. I stirred and handled the pilaf too much but it was an experiment, it will be prettier next time. I love the taste and texture of lentils. I buy my organic lentils from Echo Hill because I'm not ready to commit to buying a 25 lb bag for my business.

Did you know?
lentils are a fiber super star. So not only are they great for your heart (cholestoral reducing soluble fiber), are chock full of insoluble fiber to keep your plumbing clean, the soluble fiber also helps maintain blood sugar levels and feeds your body with a slow burning kind of fuel (i.e complex carbs), are full of iron and . . . are easy and quick to prepare!

I also sneaked in some vitamin C & A and extra fiber by adding sweet potato. mmm. . . This recipe makes at least 4 cups and if for some reason (there is no excuse) you can't eat it all use the leftovers to make soup. Mix up some broth, a can of diced tomatoes and shop in your fridge on on your shelf for your other favorite goodies to add.

too ugly lentil pilaf

1 cup sweet potato, chopped (about the size of bullion cubes)
1 3/4 cups broth or water if you are watching your sodium
1/2 cup brown jasmine rice (I'm a rice junkie thanks to echo hill but use what you have on hand...and man oh man I hope it's not white rice)
1/2 cup french lentils or green lentils
1/3 cup onion, chopped
3 T celery, minced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp thyme

In a saucepan over medium heat, add the oil, onion, celery, and saute for about 6 minutes or until onions are translucent. Then add the garlic to cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in the sweet potatoes and rice to cook for 2 minutes. Add the lentils, broth and thyme bring to a boil cover and reduce to low and cook for about 25 minutes.