I meant to post about all of the books that I am reading and I haven't posted about any of them... At least I am going to put a little list of what I'm reading so that I don't forget. Going in reverse chronological order so i can remember:
* Indian Summer, Howells -- I picked it up at Myopic Books in Wicker Park. Among the dizzying array of fiction choices it is hard to decide what is going to be trustworthy, so I went for something from the Library of America series. Howells. Nicely written and witty but very light.
* Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson -- This one and Neuromancer are a throwback to sci-fi for me. I loved reading them both. I forgot how fun sci-fi is. I wanted to read the books that were foundational for the creation of virtual worlds like Second Life. Snow Crash has an amazing description of the virtual world that truly does seem like Second Life. The plot is not that great, but the visions of metaverse are awesome.
* My Name is Read, Orhan Pamuk -- This one is from my book club. OK. Hard to get into. Lots about different techniques of illustration but the big ideas in it, about perspective, art, and hubris are not that big really. The mystery is pretty fun.
* Neuromancer, William Gibson -- Too good.
I am about to read The Omnivore's Dilemma, Pollan and to re-read Mountains and Minds, Jeff Sawyer.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Couscous Style Quinoa with Roasted Fruit and Vegetables
Ingredients:
For the roasted fruit and vegetables:
* 1 apple
* 1 sweet potato
* 2 or 3 tomatillos
* 1 or two small potatos
* 1 large onion
and/or
* zucchini
* any sweet winter squash
Chop all the vegetables into bite size chunks. Toss with olive oil and a little salt. Roast at 400 degrees for about an hour or until they are all soft and getting brown.
For the sauce:
* 1 onion
* several cloves of garlic
* 1 large tablespoon garam masala
* 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
* 2 cups of vegetable broth
* 1 small can of crushed tomatos
* 1/2 cup of raisins
* 1 lemon
* olive oil and salt
Chop the onion and garlic. Saute them in olive oil until they are soft. Add the spices and saute until the onion and garlic are coated. Add the broth and tomatos and raisins. Simmer until the sauce thickens (and tastes really good). Remove from heat and stir in the juice of the lemon right before serving.
For the couscous-style quinoa:
* 2 cups quinoa
* 2 cups vegetable broth
* 2 cups water
Bring the broth and the water to a boil then add the quinoa. Simmer until all the water is absorbed.
When everything is done, combine the sauce with the quinoa and mix well. Then add the roast vegetables and mix it all together. This goes well with sauteed greens.
For the roasted fruit and vegetables:
* 1 apple
* 1 sweet potato
* 2 or 3 tomatillos
* 1 or two small potatos
* 1 large onion
and/or
* zucchini
* any sweet winter squash
Chop all the vegetables into bite size chunks. Toss with olive oil and a little salt. Roast at 400 degrees for about an hour or until they are all soft and getting brown.
For the sauce:
* 1 onion
* several cloves of garlic
* 1 large tablespoon garam masala
* 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
* 2 cups of vegetable broth
* 1 small can of crushed tomatos
* 1/2 cup of raisins
* 1 lemon
* olive oil and salt
Chop the onion and garlic. Saute them in olive oil until they are soft. Add the spices and saute until the onion and garlic are coated. Add the broth and tomatos and raisins. Simmer until the sauce thickens (and tastes really good). Remove from heat and stir in the juice of the lemon right before serving.
For the couscous-style quinoa:
* 2 cups quinoa
* 2 cups vegetable broth
* 2 cups water
Bring the broth and the water to a boil then add the quinoa. Simmer until all the water is absorbed.
When everything is done, combine the sauce with the quinoa and mix well. Then add the roast vegetables and mix it all together. This goes well with sauteed greens.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Quinoa and Vegetable Salad
Ingredients:
* 1 cup quinoa (more if you want more grain, less for less)
* 2-3 beets
* 2-3 calabasita, zucchini or summer squash
* a few scallions
* 1 bunch arugula or spinach
* olive oil, lemon and salt to taste
Boil a pot of water for the beets. Peel the beets and chop them into bite size pieces. Boil them until just tender and drain. (Ideally you would either roast or steam the beets, but boiling is quicker.) Dry toast the quinoa in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir it frequently and try not to burn it. Stop when the quinoa smells toasty. Add the water for the quinoa directly to the skillet and bring it to a simmer. Chop the calabasita into bite size pieces, the arugula into strips, and the scallions into little rings. When the quinoa is almost ready, add the calabasita to it so it gets a bit tender and the scallions so they mellow out. When all the water has boiled off the quinoa, add the arugula, some olive oil, lemon and salt and stir it all together and taste. When it tastes good, add the beets and stir it all together again. Serve warm or cold.
* 1 cup quinoa (more if you want more grain, less for less)
* 2-3 beets
* 2-3 calabasita, zucchini or summer squash
* a few scallions
* 1 bunch arugula or spinach
* olive oil, lemon and salt to taste
Boil a pot of water for the beets. Peel the beets and chop them into bite size pieces. Boil them until just tender and drain. (Ideally you would either roast or steam the beets, but boiling is quicker.) Dry toast the quinoa in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir it frequently and try not to burn it. Stop when the quinoa smells toasty. Add the water for the quinoa directly to the skillet and bring it to a simmer. Chop the calabasita into bite size pieces, the arugula into strips, and the scallions into little rings. When the quinoa is almost ready, add the calabasita to it so it gets a bit tender and the scallions so they mellow out. When all the water has boiled off the quinoa, add the arugula, some olive oil, lemon and salt and stir it all together and taste. When it tastes good, add the beets and stir it all together again. Serve warm or cold.
Zucchini, Apple & Scallion Pancakes with 3 Sauces
Zucchini, Apple & Scallion Pancakes
Ingredients:
* 3 small zucchini
* 2 apples
* a few scallions
* pancake mix
Shred the zucchini and the apples or chop them into very small pieces. Chop the scallions into small rings using most of the green as well as the white. Mix up the pancake batter according to instructions -- I used an organic buttermilk mix. Add some salt and any other spices you want. Add the zucchini, apples and scallions and mix it all together. Use one tablespoon of batter for a each pancake.
Spinach Pesto
Ingredients:
* 1 bunch spinach, most of stems removed
* 1 bunch basil, stems removed
* 1 cup or so of nuts or seeds (walnuts, almonds, hemp seeds, pine nuts, whatever...)
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic
* 1 lemon
* salt to taste
Process all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Cucumber, Yogurt, Dill Sauce
* 1 or 2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped into large pieces
* 1 container plain yogurt (I use organic, low-fat)
* 1 bunch dill
* 1 lemon
* salt to taste
Shred or finely chop the cucumber. Chop the dill, just as much as you want. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
Mango Chutney
I buy it. If you want a thinner sauce, combine with a little apple cider vinegar.
Ingredients:
* 3 small zucchini
* 2 apples
* a few scallions
* pancake mix
Shred the zucchini and the apples or chop them into very small pieces. Chop the scallions into small rings using most of the green as well as the white. Mix up the pancake batter according to instructions -- I used an organic buttermilk mix. Add some salt and any other spices you want. Add the zucchini, apples and scallions and mix it all together. Use one tablespoon of batter for a each pancake.
Spinach Pesto
Ingredients:
* 1 bunch spinach, most of stems removed
* 1 bunch basil, stems removed
* 1 cup or so of nuts or seeds (walnuts, almonds, hemp seeds, pine nuts, whatever...)
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic
* 1 lemon
* salt to taste
Process all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Cucumber, Yogurt, Dill Sauce
* 1 or 2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped into large pieces
* 1 container plain yogurt (I use organic, low-fat)
* 1 bunch dill
* 1 lemon
* salt to taste
Shred or finely chop the cucumber. Chop the dill, just as much as you want. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
Mango Chutney
I buy it. If you want a thinner sauce, combine with a little apple cider vinegar.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)