A New Resource!

While perusing the Web, trying to decide what to have for dinner this Sunday, I came across a resource I just have to share. The Vegan Nutritionista has all sorts of useful information. I really appreciate that she has a Vegan Meal Plans ebook. I purchased the ebook and am so happy that I did.

This Sunday we will be having most of the Week 2, Day 5 menu; Kidney Bean Burgers and Un-Potato Salad with Lemon-Dill Dressing. I can hardly wait!

The Kidney Bean Burgers include the kidney beans, chopped onions, garlic, hot sauce, oregano, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, nutritional yeast, rolled oats, flour, salt, almonds, and olive oil; they also call for cilantro but since I am not fond of this ingredient I am leaving it out. The Potato Salad has along with the potatoes, green beans, corn, cucumber, green onions, lemon juice and zest, Dijon mustard, fresh dill, sugar, and olive oil.

I am also making a dish we've had several times in the past: Green Beans with Mushrooms Medley. This is a truly yummy recipe! I may leave the green beans out of the potato salad since I'm making the medley. Here is how I've adapted the medley:
I use olive oil in place of butter. I dropped the teaspoon of salt (it's not needed) and I use a garlic clove instead of garlic salt. I steam the green beans, carrots, and onions together. Then I saute the mushrooms and garlic in olive oil. When I feel everything is ready, I then stir the steamed vegetables in with the mushrooms. Add the seasoned salt and pepper and cook together for about 5 minutes. Like I said, this is truly a yummy recipe!

We've decided on Christmas dinner. We're having salmon, macaroni & cheese, peas & mushrooms, green salad, pumpkin-cranberry spice cake, and pecan pie (Mom's). I'm also preparing a pork tenderloin with honey butter for the carnivores; when I ate meat I would make this periodically - it is a very simple dish that is quite tasty.

As always, I'll let you know how it all turns out. And, whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I hope yours is a happy one.

After Dinner Thoughts

Not the best, not the worst, dinner was just fine this evening. I couldn't get the carrot and parsnip latkes to form into patties, so I made it into more of a stir-fry; good enough like that. The portobello caps were yummy enough too. I roasted the baby squash medley with a tablespoon of olive oil and some salt and pepper, and they were quite good that way. All in all, a fine meal.

I'm off work until January 4th. While we won't be going anywhere this year (sure do wish we were going to Florida again, but oh well), I plan to get my home office in complete order. It's a real mess. I still have unfiled papers from when we lived in Springfield nine years ago! It's really, really time to get things cleaned up and out. So, if I can't be on a beach I guess I'll get my life in order.

I don't yet know what will be on the menu next Sunday. Until then, let's all have a terrific week.

Where've You Been?

Last Sunday I hosted my 6th annual Cookie Exchange. We each baked and brought 6 dozen cookies to exchange. I had a new Christmas Jeopardy PowerPoint, a Christmas Duets mix for the gals to guess who was singing, and refreshments. We had a great time! Twelve of my girlfriends came to the party so we had 156 cookies to swap. Then, on Monday we had a cookie exchange at work; I made 3 dozen cookies for that exchange. All together, I made about 15 dozen cookies this year: 9 dozen to exchange, I burned 2 dozen (and threw them away), and we had about 4 dozen in the house. We're a little cookied-out around here.

I made four different cookie recipes this year. There were Cinnamon-Spiced Hot Chocolate Cookies, Crisp Chocolate Chip with Dried Cherries and Pistachios, Pistachio Sandwich Cookies with Fig Filling, and Oatmeal Pecan Lace Cookies. All were yummy! I swapped the Hot Chocolate and Chocolate Chip cookies at my cookie exchange and the Pistachio Sandwich cookies at the work cookie exchange. I took some of the Oatmeal cookies to the trivia game we went to last weekend too.

The Pistachio Sandwich cookies are my favorite; the original recipe calls for cherry preserves and I made them that way the first time I baked them. However, I like them best with the fig filling. I also used a Christmas Tree cookie cutter so they looked kind of neat. Also, the oatmeal pecan cookies are incredibly easy to make and a real crowd pleaser! I will make all of the cookie recipes again.

For refreshments I made:
Wind & Willow White Chocolate Cherry Cheeseball served with Club crackers honey wheat snack sticks
Brie & Pepper Jelly Shots served with crostini from the Dierbergs 2009 Holiday Idea Book
Salami won tons (roll salami up in won tons, secure with a toothpick and bake until browned - 400 F about 18-20 minutes)
Cheese Tortellini salad (the Mediterranean Orzo salad with cheese tortellini instead of Orzo - see September 13th)
Fresh Veggies (cucumber, carrots, bell peppers, and grape tomatoes)
Fiesta Ranch Dip
Hot Crab, Spinach, and Artichoke Dip - look on page 13
Crunchmaster original crackers (love these - and they're gluten free!)
and Super Stuffing Stuffed Mushrooms

My sister, Cindy, brought Pomegranate Martinis (page 17) over. Boy were they YUMMY! Everyone really enjoyed those.

I got the stuffed mushrooms recipe from a Healthy Cooking Showcase hosted by the University of Illinois Extension that I attended in November. I've made them twice now; they're really easy to make and people really like them. Here's the recipe:

Super Stuffing Stuffed Mushrooms
20 large white button mushrooms, stems removed
1 cup leftover stuffing
1/4 cup grate Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil

1-Preheat oven to 400 F. On a lightly greased baking sheet, bake the mushroom caps, stem sides down, for 10 minutes.
2-Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the stuffing, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, and olive oil. Flip the mushroom caps over and mound the stuffing into each one.
3-Bake until the mushrooms are tender and the stuffing is golden, about 20 minutes.

Yield: 10 servings (2 mushrooms per serving)
You can prepare these a day in advance and they are microwavable.

So, that's what was on the table last week. This weekend I plan to make:
Carrot-Parsnip Latkes
Baby Summer Squash Medley from Whole Foods that I'll steam
and Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Portobello Caps

I got the latkes recipe from my Weight Watchers meeting this week. We all received a small weekly magazine that's new. It's more like a little brochure.

The latkes call for:
3/4 lb carrots, peeled
3/4 lb parsnips, peeled
1 small onion, peeled
3 large egg whites, lightly beaten OR 1/3 cup fat-free egg substitute
1/4 cup all-purpose flour OR plain dried bread crumbs
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1-Set a rack on a large baking sheet and place in the oven. Preheat the oven to 200 F. Coarsely grate the carrots, parsnips, and onion into a medium bowl; stir to combine. Add the egg whites, flour, thyme, salt, and pepper; mix well.
2-Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Drop the mixture by 1/4 cupfuls into the hot skillet to make 4 mounds. Press each mound into a 3-inch pancake. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer the latkes to the oven and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Yield: 8 servings (2 latkes per serving) for 1 point per serving.

I'll let you know how it all turns out.