Success with Lacto Fermenting

Last summer I fermented the excess cucumbers from my garden as a way to preserve them.  They turned out okay, but my family wouldn’t eat them so well.  I was worried after growing mold on top of the brine they would make us sick.  I didn’t feel right insisting, even though nobody had any ill effects.  I didn’t have any confidence with it and they weren’t at all delicious, so I pushed it all to the side.

For the past year I have been researching lacto fermentation.  After learning the health benefits, I knew it was something that I wanted to push through and learn.  I scoured a lot of websites, went through some e classes, devoured the section in Nourishing Traditions and borrowed Wild Fermentation from the local library.

I jumped in with both feet. I started straining whey from my raw yogurt to make spreads, dips and thick Greek style yogurt.  With this ingredient always around, it made it easy to throw it in things that I made like hummus, salsa and mayonnaise.  I found that adding extra sweetener to strike a little balance with the sour that the fermentation creates, eased the transition.  As we all got used to the flavor it was not a problem to pull back little by little.

I decided I was ready to try vegetables again.  My intentions were to start with Nourishing Tradition's Ginger Carrot recipe, but I had 2 heads of cabbage that needed to be dealt with, so sauerkraut it was.  I used the recipe in Nourishing Traditions; it turned out so salty and bitter that it ended up being thrown out.  I learned in Wild Fermentation that using whey yields a more consistent result.  I also read some reviews on the Nourishing Traditions sauerkraut recipe and it is commonly reported being too salty. I couldn’t get too down.

Then, it was time to get my summer garden planted and I had not kept up on the beets.  I had a mix of golden and red beets that I harvested all at once, which I diced and fermented together.  These turned out really nice!  I especially loved the color.  By the third day, the brine had all turned a beautiful purple-red, the golden beets were stained on the outside, but still were bright orange-yellow in the center.  I wish I would have gotten a picture, it was really fun.  Slowly, the color penetrated deeper and deeper until they were red all the way through.

Later my green beans got out of control and I was needing a good way to preserve them.  I fermented whole beans with garlic, banana peppers, dry dill and coriander.  They took on great flavor, stayed nice and crisp and are still in the fridge doing their thing!  Now I have got cucumbers getting backed up in the crisper.  I got one jar done last week, but the flavors are not quite right.  I am going to try throwing in a few cloves of smashed garlic to see if that livens them up.  For the next batch, I want to track down a bunch of fresh dill and compare the flavor.

There is a dairy free way to get into lacto fermentation. In Nourished Kitchen's ecourse, Jenny recommends Caldwell's Vegetable Starter for consistent results.

Wardeh at GNOWFGLINS is offering a new ecourse that is perfect for those who are committed to learning lacto fermentation.  She will sell you on the health benefits of this method, for sure and is a great resource when you are ready to get your feet wet.
links; Real Food Wednesday, Traditional Tuesday, Works For Me Wednesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Kitchen Tip Tuesday

Herbed Smoked Salmon Yogurt Cheese Spread

Have you made yogurt cheese?  It is a great way to make your yogurt thicker to any degree.  Just pour into a fine cheese cloth, tie the ends, let it hang and drip into a bowl (I use a wide vase)  A short drip of 2-4 hours will just give you a creamier yogurt like a Greek yogurt.  4-6 hours yields a great sour cream replacement that makes great veggie dips.  To make a cream cheese consistency, you will need to drip for 6 hours, open cloth, scrape, stir and turn contents to loosen, then drip 4 more hours. For this recipe I used a cheese somewhere between sour cream and cream cheese.

4 ounces smoked salmon

1 small shallot, finely minced

¼ cup fresh herbs, minced

4 ounces yogurt cheese

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour to let flavors meld.  Spread on a fresh English muffin.
links; Hearth and Soul Hop, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Monday Mania, Happy Homemaker Monday, Menu Plan Monday

Pear Butter

After my recent post on preserving pears, I learned that I had not nearly exhausted the possibilities.  I ended up dehydrating more to grind up for a crumbly topping on oatmeal and muffins.  I canned loads of pear sauce and I had my first attempt with pear butter.  This stuff was worth making just to enjoy the smell that wafted through the house.  I never wanted it to be done simmering!

It ended up cooking down to about half, I canned 8 half pints in a water bath, just as you would regular jam.  As long as you have a good blender, you don’t even need to peel the pears.  I loved how it was super sweet without too much sweetener added, unlike common jam.  AND, no pectin requiredJ

10 pounds bartlett pears, cored

1 cup white grape juice

2 inches fresh ginger, quartered

1 cup lemon juice

1 cup sucanat

1 cup honey

½ teaspoon all spice

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Simmer pears in white grape juice until very soft (20 minutes).  Puree very finely (I used my vitamix).  Place pear sauce, ginger,  lemon juice, sweeteners, all spice, cardamom and nutmeg in crock pot or other deep pot to simmer for 12 or more hours.  Tent with tinfoil, or position lid to keep the splatters in, but allowing steam out. When first setting the temperature, stir every 20 minutes.  Once a low simmer is holding, stirring is unnecessary.  After 12 hours, check the viscosity.  Take a spoonful out and drop it on a plate.  If liquid pools around it, it needs to simmer longer.  Once the dollop stays set, without pooling juice, it is done.  Pull out the 4 pieces of ginger, mix in vanilla and lemon zest and bottle up!  Makes about 8 half-pint’s.

Great on toast, waffles, pancakes, biscuits, in muffins, on top of pastries, yogurt, oatmeal or ice cream.

links; Pennywise Platter, Simple Lives Thursday, Frugal Friday, Fight Back Friday, Grocery Cart Challenge

Coconut Cream Concentrate

I found this delicious and nutritious product that I can’t help but tell you about. I just got it a few weeks ago from Tropical Traditions. I have been having so much fun experimenting with it in hot breakfast cereal, smoothies, cake and frosting…next is ice cream :)

Coconut Cream Concentrate is purely ground up high quality coconut meat with BIG coconut flavor. It comes in glass jars (no BPA!) no additives, fillers or water. This concentrate resembles natural peanut butter in texture. The oil rises to the top and you stir it in to make a nice smooth spread. Mm, mm, mmm!

The best sale I have seen is going on right now. You end up with 4 jars, but they make great gifts!

Make sure you get signed up for my last class of the season this Saturday. We will be making and taking yummy tortillas made with spelt. And a special bonus surprise!

Creamy Italian Dressing

Salad dressings are something I am passionate about.  To me, it stands as the gateway in the big picture of a food change.  You must know; even the healthiest of store bought bottles are incredibly unhealthy.  Greens should be eaten regularly, and served with ample fat to utilize the fat-soluble vitamins.  So, say buh bye to fat free dressings and makeover your fridge with jars of homemade. 

Last week in class we focused on dark leafy greens.  These winter greens are no longer common place on our tables.  It takes time to learn to enjoy something we have been estranged from for so long, but we made some good headway.  I didn’t take a poll or anything.  I just gather from the comments that the Creamy Italian was the class’s favorite dressing and tat soi was the class’s favorite winter green. 

Tat Soi is a true winter green as it can withstand temperatures as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit and has been harvested from under snow.  Tat soi is often found in Asian cuisine and is a member of the brassica family.  It has a very faint mustard-like flavor and slightly sweet.  With a spoon-like shape, the leaves appear remarkably delicate and are delicious in a raw salad. If you want to give tat soi a try (and live in the Mesa area) shoot me an email and I will get you the latest order form from The Backyard Farmer.

I will be putting out a new schedule soon…8 weeks this time, a couple new classes and they will be held on Saturday mornings.

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon shallot

1 garlic clove

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/3 cup homemade mayo

Blend in all ingredients in blender.

Great on romaine, leaf lettuce and water cress.

Creamy Italian salad toppings; cucumber, red onion, tomato, pine nuts, parmesan cheese.


I am sharing this post on Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday

Marinara Sauce

The perfect marinara is all about balance: salt, sweet, a hint of spice with fresh acidic notes. When the tomato sauce is center stage, the flavor must be top notch. If you are enjoying tomatoes galore right now, this recipe can be used with fresh tomatoes by doubling the cooking time and using the full 6 oz. of tomato paste for 4 cups peeled tomatoes. On the other hand, use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs when fresh are not available. To taste a slammin' marinara, buzz by my favorite restaurant Red, White & Brew, they were my inspiration on this one.

What is your perfect marinara?

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1-2 teaspoons hot pepper flakes (optional)

1 medium yellow onion, diced fine

3 large cloves of garlic, minced

28 ounce can Muir Glen crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon sucanat

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

Saute onion in olive oil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste, sugar, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Black Bean Salad

Beans are so healthy, they have it all; the fiber, the protein, lots of vitamins, minerals and protective phyto-chemicals. I have been learning about the benefits of soaking grains and beans in a slightly acid solution. The purpose is to neutralize the phytic acid which blocks absorption of some of the minerals. Just a tablespoon of kefir, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar per cup of beans in the the soaking liquid for 12-24 hours does the trick. Of coarse they cook up faster this way too.

Black beans are so versatile as they are fairly small and become soft while holding their shape. The texture blends well with lots, try them in sloppy joes, shepard's pie, tacos or enchiladas. I added quinoa to my salad, another power house, which is totally optional. It should be soaked and cooked separately. I cooked it for 2 minutes in my pressure cooker. I bet avocado would be good in this too. I love the light dressing, it brightens the flavor of the salad/salsa.

1 pressed garlic clove
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 cups black beans (cooked)
1 cup corn (I like the roasted corn from Trader Joe's the best)
½ cup cooked red quinoa
¼ cup red bell pepper, finely diced
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

Whisk together garlic, vinegar, oil, honey and spices to form a dressing. Combine all other ingredients, pour dressing over and toss. Serve as a side dish alone, with chips or in tacos.

This post is part of Kitchen Stewardship's October Fest Carnival of Super Foods, Whole Foods for the Holidays

Sorta Fresh Salsa

We had a sweet, family friend cater our recent family reunion, it was really quite a treat. I spent some time in the kitchen chatting over her recipes. She did a delicious roasted onion and feta breadstick and scrumptious strawberry cheesecake pancakes, but I was really wowed by her salsa. She brought it already prepared, we had it for dinner on day two, yet it tasted so fresh.

My fresh salsas always turn to a watery, mushy mess the day after, and canned salsa just isn’t the same. So I got the secret for making your fresh salsa keep better; canned petite diced tomatoes. So it is not quite the same as fresh, but when tomatoes are not in season, you are feeding a crowd or need to save time, this is a great option over Pace. I seem to never be able to make a recipe just as it is given to me, so this has been altered to fit my taste. Muir Glen just came out with petite diced tomatoes that are delicious, now if they could just get the BPA out of their cans!

28 oz can petite diced tomatoes
¼ yellow onion, chopped
5 green onions, sliced
1 cup cilantro, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon oregano

Combine all ingredients and let flavors marry for 1 hour before serving. Great with chips or tacos.

Ranch Dressing

Contrary to popular belief, homemade ranch dressing is not a packet of seasoning mixed with prepared mayonnaise and pasteurized buttermilk at home. I will credit this as a step in the right direction, however. The prepackaged bottles are far worse, using low quality vegetable oils and lots of preservatives to stand the test of time. Steer clear, for they are a health hazard.

Ranch is the most likeable of all the salad dressings. It imparts good clean flavor, a hint of sweetness and a creamy base. I formulated my ranch dressing around these loveable attributes. The purpose of a dressing is to aid in the consumption of more vegetables. So dip away, my friends.

1/2 cup kefir (or buttermilk)
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 small clove garlic
thin slice of onion
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
1/2 cup mayonnaise

In blender, place kefir, maple syrup or other sweetener, mustard powder, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and parsley. Blend on high for 20 seconds. Add in lemon juice, dill and mayonnaise and blend on low until fully mixed.

Mayonnaise

Bring out the mayo! Seriously, it seems to be in everything at the Fourth of July picnic. Like a lot of pre-made products, I have some beef with the common jar of mayonnaise and it is not with the fat--big surprise. It is that nasty soybean stuff that sounds healthy enough until you learn what is done to it; chemicals, heat, extreme pressure, preservatives, deodorizers. This bean is toast! Most vegetable oils, including canola are mass produced for efficiency not for quality or health. They process it until it is a clear, tasteless substance, then filter it,, add preservatives and deodorizers to lengthen shelf life and cover up the rancid mess. It can be found in almost any package of snack food on the market, which leads to an even bigger problem – the omega 6 content. It is high. Really high. With this oil being so prevalent, our bodies are becoming toxic while the label is claiming it is healthy, but what’s new? It is important for proper body function to have a balance of omega 6 to omega 3 (3:1 or better is optimum). Good sources of omega 3's include; wild fish, pastured beef, chicken and pork, sea weed, raw nuts and seeds…do you see the problem? These previously common staples have become hard to find, expensive commodities.

Okay, enough trash talking the white stuff in the jar, let's get to the real stuff. Homemade mayonnaise requires some patience and I have had enough bad experiences to know how handy it would be to just pick up some at the store. It is a skill that can be mastered however and I am determined. I have found the highest quality of oil that can be used is pure olive oil. Extra virgin becomes too bitter through the emulsification process, coconut has too much flavor and I opt for the low omega 6 slightly processed oil over the high omega 6 less processed expeller pressed canola oil.

*UPDATE; I got a tip from my friend Sonya, who made this recipe with excellent results in her kitchen aid with the wire whips. So I tried it in my Bosch and it was easy and fast as ever! The oil can be drizzled faster because of the greater surface area. Also I found this method requires less scraping down and can hold more oil if you want to do up to another 1/2 cup. I did it on medium speed and it worked great. This method saved me 10 minutes and seems like it will yield very consistent results!

2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon honey
3 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups pure olive oil

*Beginning with all ingredients at room temperature is important for emulsifying.

In mixer, blend yolks, salt, honey and mustard with wire whips. Combine lemon juice and vinegar in a separate bowl add half into the yolk mixture. Place oil in a container with a pour spout that can easily be controlled (I like to use a plastic condiment bottle, it fits exactly 1 1/2 cups oil). Start mixer on medium and add a slow stream of oil until the liquid seems to thicken and lighten a bit. Then, increase the oil flow to a faster stream. Once half of the oil is in add the rest of the lemon juice mixture. Continue adding oil until all of the it is incorporated. If you get distracted and dump the oil to quickly, the emulsion will break and get very runny. From here you can begin the process again with two new egg yolks and the broken mixture, starting drop by drop and moving to a steady stream. This recipe can also be done in a food processor, blender or whisking by hand. Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Pear Salsa

You may have noticed we are big fans of fish tacos. I make them with tilapia, crappie, perch, cod, dorado and salmon. I put them on corn, flour, soft and crispy tortillas. I top them with sauces, traditional tomato salsas, tropical salsas and here I share my new fave. We had this with black beans, avocados, cabbage and dorado on THE tortillas—DELISH.

2 firm pears, chopped
¼ cup cilantro, minced
1/2 jalapeno, finely diced
½ small red onion, finely diced
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
½ bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients, let flavors combine 1 hour before serving. Strain off juices if necessary.

This salsa goes really well with fish in tacos or just served on a fillet of broiled fish.

The Medium Pesto

Basil plants are so easy to grow and around here they last 9 months of the year. Right now is pesto season, when the leaves grow so fast there not enough time to eat them. Pesto is great to season vegetables, chicken, pizza, pasta, sandwiches or just a dip for bread. Along with a thousand different uses, this little mess of flavor has a thousand different recipes.

For pasta, you want it light, for vegetables you want it heavy. Some like it garlicky and chunky, while others like it spicy and smooth. Maybe it needs to be spread-able, or maybe dip-able. I make mine on the in between mark of all three of these scenarios.

The blender on slow makes it smooth but not too smooth. If I have time to roast some garlic, I add three cloves, but if it is raw, just one. Just enough oil to spread out onto dough, but not so much that it runs off my sandwich. Using half spinach and half basil makes pesto between mild and rich, while keeping the dip/sauce/spread/seasoning greener. Come on by, I have plenty to go around.

1 clove garlic
2 cups fresh spinach
2 cups fresh basil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup grated parmesean
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons olive oil

Place garlic in blender to break it up into small pieces. Add the rest of the ingredients, blend on low speed, scrapping down as needed. A tamper is very useful in getting all the leaves into the blades.

To store, press plastic onto the surface of the pesto and keep refrigerated up to 5 days.

Green Chili Enchilada Sauce

This one is dedicated to my SIL Jill who frequently asks "do you have any new recipes?" Because of this simple inquiry, I was able to resurrect this lovely recipe from my sent mail. Three cheers for Gmail! I worked hard on this recipe tweaking this and that and the end result was amazing. I made triple batches and canned this stuff so I hadn't made it in a while, recreating would have been a long time coming.

I got inspiration from Cafe Rio's medium enchilada sauce--heavenly. Ask for a sample next time. We had burritos last night, I had one again for lunch today. So yummy! I use the sauce to flavor my brown rice, pinto beans, shredded beef or chicken and then pour some over the top "enchilada style." Really, I can't get enough. Control the level of heat with cayenne pepper and thin it out with water if needed.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoon fresh ground cumin seed
2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
cayenne pepper to taste
1 large can (27 ounce) Hatch green chilies, chopped
2 tablespoon white bean flour (or other flour)
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sucanat
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Saute onion in olive oil until soft. Add garlic, and spices, stir until fragrant. Dump in chilies with juices, sprinkle with flour and mix well. Let cook until paste forms and juices evaporate. Stir in stock and sucanat. Simmer for at least 15 minutes. Blend slightly with immersion blender. Take off of heat and stir in vinegar. Salt to taste.

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

When I think Greek, I think lentils, pita bread, hummus, falafel and cucumber yogurt sauce--a variation of tzatziki. It is important to know all yogurts are not created equal. It is the tendency of many to go for the low or non fat varieties which are inferior in quality, flavor and nutrition. Also look out for the thickeners and additives that create a fake look-a-like. Some brands only have one kind of culture in them, while others have four to six. Some even are cultured during production then processed with heat in the packaging process, which kills the health benefits. Most yogurts in the dairy case are chock full of sugar, which counter acts any beneficial bacteria, therefore no longer fits the status of "healthy." There are usually one or two acceptable specimens hidden in there. To find the real deal find a label that only includes milk and at least 4 cultures. My favorite is Trader Joe's Organic European Style whole milk plain yogurt, the one in the red container. Do check the expiration when buying yogurt, because as it ages the cultures diminish.

Ideally you make your own raw milk yogurt. Cultures for Health have a number of options for making homemade cultured products and more. I use the viili starter which is cultured at room temperature, how easy is that!? Yogurt cultures are most active in the first week after culturing, it is virtually impossible to get a yogurt from the store in that time frame.

You can leave the cucumbers out of this recipe to give a smoother sauce. Thicken it up a bit with mayonnaise or Veganaise. I only add garlic when I need the extra flavor like in chicken gyros. Use as a salad dressing, a vegetable dip, or a sauce in any pita sandwich.

16 oz. plain yogurt
2 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons brown rice syrup
1 clove minced garlic (optional)
1 medium cucumber, finely chopped

Combine well.

Lemon Curd

Got lemons? I can't believe my eyes when I see someone in the grocery check out BUYING lemons. Everyone I know that has a lemon tree has more than they would ever know what to do with and would be GRATEFUL to all who would offer to take boxes of them away. Just ask 5 of your neighbors and at least one is bound to have a tree. I squeeze lemon on a lot of stuff this time of year and it is getting to be the time to squeeze and freeze for the next six months.

For small jobs, I find this lemon press really handy. My only issue is the size. My mother in law's lemons are the variety that take steroids. The juice squirts all over when I try to use this lemon press. They make an orange press that I think would be perfect. My zester of choice is always a microplane. It is great for taking off that very fine layer of goodness that is covering a good bit of yucky bitterness. Other zesting devices just collect zest and keeps it trapped in all its little teeth. The microplane generously gives up all the zest easily. Also use for garlic ginger, chocolate, hard cheese and fresh nutmeg. You can find these handy dandy tools through Amazon or Bed Bath and Beyond. (And the fun jars are at Wal-Mart.)

Lemon curd is a great spread for just about anything. I gave this out for Christmas and have had a mob of people after me for the recipe. You can use a double broiler if you have one--it is safer that way, but takes twice as long. This stuff is even easier to make if you double or triple the batch...less temperature sensitive. It freezes well so cook away. Frequent stirring is essential, or you will get curdled eggs and even though that is what the name seems to imply, you don't want that. In fact, my husband is embarrassed by the word "curd" so we just call it lemon butter around here.

2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
zest of one lemon
1 stick butter, cut into 9 pieces

Combine eggs, yolk and sugar and whisk until smooth. Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk smooth. Whisk very frequently over very low heat until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove promptly from heat and stir in butter 2 pieces at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. Remove to a clean container and cover by laying a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Guacamole

I love this stuff, restaurants never give you enough and put so many fillers in it that it tastes mostly like salsa. On a salad, taco or served with chips, I wanna lot of guac! Choosing an avocado is hit and miss sometimes. You can never tell if the center is going to be black or grossly stringy. Unless they are on sale for very cheap (check Fresh and Easy and Superstition Ranch Markets) I just splurge at Costco because if they are yucky, I just put the cut open fruits in a Ziploc and return them for a full refund, no problem.

One thing I wanted to share through posting this recipe is that you don’t always have to go all out all the time, reserve the right to simplify. Sometimes time is of the essence, you need to get a meal out fast or only have a short window to dedicate to meal preparation. Maybe you are short on ingredients, most recipes suffer very little when you leave something out or don’t have as much as is called for. Simple substitutions are allowed too. This time of year I use lemon juice for lime juice, they are so abundant and free that it is not worth keeping limes on hand for their particular pucker. Same goes for fresh herbs, if I have them on hand I find ways to incorporate them, but when they are out of season I use dried or leave them out completely. Most of my recipes have grains in them and can be easily switched out for other grains or left out completely : ( I also try to cram as many vegetables as I can into my casseroles, so if you have to leave a few out, the dish will not be a flop. But do make sure you have an avacado...

Simple
2 medium avocadoes
1 small clove garlic
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lime juice

Dressed up
2 medium avocadoes
1 small clove garlic
½`teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon lime juice
1 tomato, chopped
¼ teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Mash and enjoy.
links; Tasty Tuesday, Hearth and Soul Hop, Tempt My Tummy, Kitchen Tip Tuesday

Coconut Syrup

This is when experimenting pays off, can you say YUM-O! This syrup is a 100% genuine recipe original. I started experimenting with syrup when I gave up on learning to like real maple syrup. It is just too strong for topping pancakes, though it works well to sweetening baked goods and hot cereals. I veered away from the FAKE Aunt Jemima type syrups long ago with the super sweet high fructose corn syrup and additives.

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup sucanat
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water
16 oz coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

On medium heat dissolve sugars and salt in water, mix in coconut milk. Remove from heat, add vanilla.