Herbed Polenta with Beans and Bok Choy

Weekend is over and the weather was very rainy and the temperature lowered over 10°C.  But the weather will be better the further the week goes. Well we hadn't rain the whole July, so for the nature it was good, but myself I stayed inside the whole day. I couldn't go to the garden and I had nothing specific going on. To say a lazy day with reading a lot. Since I got holiday - already two weeks I read a lot, 3 books and now I'm on my fourth. That's quite a record. When I got the time I love to read a good book.

Beside being lazy I of course had to eat something for dinner. Going throught my shelf for an idea. Usually I'm not a big polenta-lover, but a few years ago I had herbed polenta at a vegetarian restaurant and I really like it, so fluffy and light. AND I wanted to try to make it myself, see if I could make as good as I had it. Together with some sauted vegetable - according to the weather.

Polenta is an easy corn, fast done, but you got to taste it with your favorite spices the way you like it. Mostly I had plain polenta with sauce while living at home - not my style.

Anyway, wheather you love or hate Polenta, hopefully this recipe will change your mind.....

 

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Herbed Polenta with Beans and Bok Choi



The seasoning are lightly to keep the freshness of the fresh ingredients.

Ingredients:
Polenta:

4 1/4 cups water

1 cup polenta

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons chopped basil (I used 2 teaspoons dried)

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

2 teaspoons chopped oregano

1 teaspoon chopped rosemary

 

The fresh ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, chopped (or a combination of colors)

8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup vegetable broth

6 ounces baby bok choy, sliced

1 14-ounce can kidney or cannelloni beans, drained (or beans of choice)

1 teaspoon dried basil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar

Optional: Vegan Parmesan

 

Direction:

Polenta:

Bring the water to a boil in the cooker. Stirring, sprinkle the polenta into the water. Add the garlic, salt, bay leaf, half of the basil and parsley, the oregano and rosemary. Lock the lid in place and over high heat bring to high pressure. Immediately lower the heat to maintain pressure for 5 minutes. Let the pressure come down and release any remaining pressure after 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and stir the polenta well. If the polenta seems too thin, simmer while stirring for a few minutes.

Sprinkle with remaining herbs and serve as is or pour into pie pans to cool. When cool, cut into slices or brush with oil and pan sauté or grill. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Vegetable:
In a large non-stick skillet, sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes, until it softens. Add the garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms and add a sprinkle of salt. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until mushrooms soften. Add the broth, bok choi, beans, and basil, stir well, and cover. Cook for about 5 minutes, until bok choy is wilted but still bright green. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in vinegar.

Serve atop polenta cubes, sprinkled with vegan Parmesan, if desired.

Summer Samosas with Sweet and Spicy Mint Chutney

Today after an appointement in the City Basel I went to the Asia Shop for grabbing some stuff. It's been a while since the last time and I wasn't really sure what I needed or wanted to buy. Just passing through and see what I will find.

- I bought a pack of Instant soft Tofupowder - hmm, let's see, I'm curious..
- pack of frozen Wontonskin
- a pack ricepaper
- 1 kg frozen Edamame (yeah! I love them)
- of course ricenoodles
- bright misopaste
- I pack Okra's
- fermented Beancurd with Sesam - let's see how it taste...
- Teriyakisauce
- spicy Mint Chutney

My very small (unfortnatly) fridgepart in the refrigerator and it's overloaded now with the frozen stuff. I had to hold back things befor closing. The bad thing is that I have no electricitybug in my basement part :((
so no possiblities to buy an additional refrigerator or fridge.

Anyway, while going home by train I was thinking what I could make for dinner. I wanted to make something asian - gotten inspired by the shop - but what. Of course something with vegetables and then the idea came up with samosas but made with the  ricepaper instead of selfmade dought.  I once had them at a restaurant but I disliked the frying stuff and never ordered them again. But now I wanted to make my own ones without FRYING! Just made in the oven.

They were so good, better than made with the dought I think, but that's taste.

I served them a fresh summer green salad with cucumber and cherry tomatoes. Perfect for a hot evening.

 

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Summer Samosas with Sweet and Spicy Mint Chutney



makes 16

Ingredients:
8 round rice paper wrappers (for spring rolls) 22cm
You can also use 16 wrappers and double them up for extra strength

Filling
knob of ghee or coconut oil
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. minced ginger
¾ tsp. sea salt
½ cup unsalted unroasted cashews
¼ cup unsweetened dried coconutflakes
3 medium carrots
1 ½ / 250g cup green peas
1 cup chickpeas
2 cups / 75g firmly packed fresh baby spinach

Spices
1 Tbsp. cumin seeds
½ Tbsp. mustard seeds
½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. coriander
¼ tsp. cardamom
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
cayenne (to taste)

Direction:
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast cashews until lightly golden. Remove from heat, roughly chop, and set aside. In the same skillet lightly toast coconut until golden. Remove from heat and set aside.

Dice onion and carrots to about the size of the peas.

Heat a knob of oil in a frying pan. Add the cumin and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to “pop” add the onion and the remaining spices and minced ginger. Cook five minutes, then add the garlic. Cook a couple minutes, then add carrots. Stir to coat with spices, cook five minutes, add peas and chickpeas. Remove from heat and stir in spinach, coconut and cashews.

Pour a couple cups of water into a large flat-bottomed bowl or shallow dish. One at a time, place a rice paper wrap in the water and let soften, just until it becomes pliable (this step is important!) Remove from water and place rice paper on a clean, flat surface. Using a very sharp knife or a pizza cutter, slice the rice paper circle in half. On both halves, place a generous scoop of the filling. Fold the bottom corner about a third of the way up the round side of the half, followed by the top corner to meet the base of the fold you just made, creating a triangle. Fold the round edge up onto the top of the package to seal it, and flip it over. This is now the top of the samosa. Repeat steps with the remaining rice paper and filling. (If at the end the result is no triangle - it does not matter for the taste, just for your eyes)

Melt about a tablespoon of ghee or coconut oil in a small saucepan. Lightly brush the tops of the samosas with a tiny bit of oil (this will create a nice crisp crust). Sprinkle with coconut if desired.

Place samosas in a 200°C oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and flip over to crisp on the other side. Bake for another 10 minutes until lightly browned and crisp. Remove from oven and serve hot with the Sweet n’ Spicy Mint Chutney.

Green Salad with Ginger Miso Dressing

Another hot and sunny day, unfortunatly I couldn't enjoy the afternoon chilling in the garden. I met a friend at her new apartement and she got no balcony. So we had to sit inside passing by the great day. I found it really bad, but I couldn't change it... I couldn't live without a balcony or a garden. I love to be outside, seeing your plants and vegetable growing. That's pure pleasur for the heart.

Well her new apartement was all over new, with a great kitchen and a own washing station, but that's it. For me defently too small and a little bit cold. No colour on the wall, just plain white. Of the kitchen I was really jealous.

Well back at home I was really hungry and my body graves for a fresh salad. I harvest a salad from my garden and back in my kitchen I immediatly knew what kind of dressing I wanted for the salad - asian dressing. Spicy, fresh and a little bit sweet. Weeks before I saw a asian salad dressing in a magazine I searched for it and made it, as I have most the ingredients always at home. Together with some chopped and grated vegetable - perfect and I immediatly fell in love for the dressing.

You could add as well some chopped tofu dices to bump it up or more vegetable if you like.

Enjoy :)

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Green Salad with Ginger Miso Dressing



Ingredients:

Dressing:

1 Tablespoon orange zest

½ cup orange juice, (from 2 oranges, freshly squeezed is best)

2 Tablespoons miso

2 Tablespoons ginger, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

½ cup avocado oil, (or olive oil)

1 Teaspoon sea salt

Salad:
Lettuce Salad or any other one you like
1 cucumber
1 red pepper
2 carrots
 

Direction:
Dressing:

Zest the orange and measure out 1 Tablespoon. Juice the oranges and add the juice with the rest of the ingredients to a blender.
 

Blend on low, increasing to medium speed until dressing is completely emulsified.
 

The dressing will keep for at least a week in the fridge.
Salad:

Remove a few strips of peel from the cucumber and cut off the ends. Cut lengthwise into quarters

Cut Pepper - after desseding - lengthwise and chopp into small dices

Grate the carrots- either by hand or in your food processor.

Mix everything with the lettuce and pour the dressing over the salad.

Enjoy the asian inspired salad.
For a light meal serve with Eggplant-Tofu-Involtini or just a vegan tofu sausage and some roasted bread with a dip.

 

Notes

I used a light colored brown rice miso for this recipe. For a richer miso flavor you can use the dark variety.

Three strawberry stuffs (Jam, Chutney, Vinegar)

A few weeks ago I went together with my sister and her little son to the strawberry field for harvesting them. I harvest 4 kilo - a lot I have to say. It's been a great and hot day and after being finish I was sweeting!
Afterward we went making pictures for her son's ID. It's been hard work making him to smile and sit straight - but my sister got good nerves ;)

Being back at home I put the strawberries in the basement, instead of preparing them for what I wanted to do, I grabbed my book and some for my sister and cycled to my sister into the garden, chilling and looking for her son, while she's making strawberry jam.

We plaid and then my sister gave me a bikini and I was sitting together with my nephew in the baby swimming pool playing. I left as the sun went down and my sister had to leave home. But befor leaving I picked some of the mini Melonplant who were grewing in her compost.

I prepared the strawberries the other day and this is what I made:

NOTE: I know the post is late for strawberry season, but I wanted to post it, when the strawberry-pepper-vinegar is done, sieved and filled into a glasbottle.

 

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8 glasses of strawberry jam
2 small glasses of strawberry chutney
pre-prepared a strawberry-pepper-vinegar (will be finished in 2-3 weeks)
some of the strawberry I just chopped and frozen in and
some I puree and  froze in
AND of course some I just ate right away - so good!

Here are the recipes:

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Strawberry Jam



Ingredients:
1 kilo chopped prepared strawberrie s
500 g gelling sugar or 1 kilo sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Direction:
In a big pan cook the strawberries together with the sugar and lemon juice till it thickings. Immediatly put the jam in hot washed glasses, close well and put them up-side-down on a wooden plate and let cool down.

For the best store them in the basement at a cool place before eating.

 

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 Strawberry Chutney



 

 

Ingredients:

250 g strawberries

2 Onion

80 ml vegan whitewine

120 g gelling sugar (3:1)

2 Tbsp. sweet Chilisauce

1 Tbsp. oil

 

Direction:

Peel and chopp finely the onion. Shortly wash the strawberries, cut the green away an dice into quarters.

 

Put the chopped onion in a preheated pan with the oil and roast till translucent. Add the strawberries, shortly roast them then add the wine, season with the chilisauce and stirr in the gelling sugar.

 

Lightly cook for almost  5 min then fill in hot sterilizated glasses and seal well. Let the chutney cool down and store eather in the refrigerator or in the basement.

 

Enjoy it with your grilled tofu or other stuffs

 

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Strawberry-Pepper-Vinegar

almost half a liter

 

Preperationtime: about 20 min

2-3 weeks till completly finished

 

Ingredients:

250 g trimmed strawberries

2 Tsp. whole pepper, finely mortared

50 g sugar

1 dl vegan redwine

2 dl red winevinegar

2 Tsp. Aceto Balsamico (italian dark vinegar)

 

Direction:

Mash the strawberry with a fork or cut finely. Fill it in a big glas with a wide throat.

 

Mortar the whole pepper. Together with the sugar and redwine cook it up, turn heat off and stirr in the vinegar. Pour it over the mashed strawberries and seal the glass well.

Store the bottle or glass in a dark and cold place for 2 - 3 weeks. During this time parttime shake it.

 

After the week, wash out hot a glassbottle and let it dry. Meanwhile sieve the the strawberry-vinegar throuh a geleetowel. Fill in the bottle and close well.

 

Tipp: Well sealed in a cold and dark place the strawberry-pepper-vinegar will be fine for 6-8 month.

 

 

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Spicy Spinach Dip, Strawberry-Green Salad with Orange Avocado Dressing

Today I finished my temporary job for sure and now can enjoy soem vacation weeks till I begin my new Job. First I thought about going to the mountains, where my parents got a little apartement, but then I changed my mind when I looked at my financial.

The vegetable in my garden would be ready to eat anyway and I wanted to enjoy them truly as I planted my first vegetable since four years. I once had a part in the garden where I lived before.
Now everything is growing very well, I already harvest some coloured swiss chard and next will be the salad.

As I only worked in the morning I went after lunch to my parents garden - third time (who are on vacation) to harvest the vegetable and fruits they got. The harvest vegetable I shared with my sister and the fruits did I froze in and some I took at home to make fruitjam.

Being back home I went over to my sister, gave her some of the vegetable and harvest her rasperry and froze it in for her (she was not at home).
During summer I love to work and lay in the garden. Guess I must have this from my father ;-)

BUT for now back to my recipes. As we almost got 30 C° today, I decided to prepare a light and fresh dinner. And salad goes always on a summer day, some bread with a Dip, a slice of melone before. What do you want more??

 

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Spicy Spinach Dip



Ingredients:
1 cup vegan-yogurt or vegan cream cheese
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 small sweet onion, minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chile powder
pinch of cayenne
1 package frozen spinach, thawed
salt

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a small skillet. Add the pine nuts and onion and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is lightly browned and soft and the pine nuts are golden (4-5 minutes).

2. Add the cumin, coriander, chile powder, and cayenne. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.

3. Using your hands, squeeze the spinach until very dry. Coarsely chop it and discard any stringy pieces. Add the spinach and the vegan yogurt to the onion mixture, stirring to combine. Season with salt. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
*Can be made one day ahead of time

 

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Strawberry-Green Salad with Orange Avocado Dressing

 

 

 

Ingredients:

6 green onions, roughly chopped
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
8-10 cups spring greens or mesclun mix
1 1/2-2 cups sliced strawberries
10 asparagus stalks, trimmed and sliced into strips with a vegetable peeler

Directions:
1. Puree the green onions, avocado, orange juice, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor until smooth. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

2. In a large bowl, toss greens with strawberries, asparagus, and goat cheese.

3. Serve salad with dressing.

 

 

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Die "besten" Katzenverstecke

Die "besten" Katzenverstecke

Echt witzig. Und da selbst zwei Katzen kommen mir die einen oder anderen Verstecke bekannt vor. Hi hi

Wild garlic pizza

Sorry for not posting for a while. I had a lot going on and mostly eating just something that is not really worth to post or I hadn't the time to write it down. And of course I wanted to enjoy the warm and sunny weather.

As I finally found a job, working 100%, I probably will only find the time to post on the weekend. So please understand! Since three years I'm workless - only working temporary - and this was not always a easy time for me. Having no money and not knowing what will be next month..... But now Luck found me and I'm really happy about that.

I found a new job at surgery doctor's office with a surgery room and partime Anestesiologist and  surgery nurse. I'm really looking forward. Hopefully I will not insolence. I've been at small surgeries but like that kind of big ones. Well let's see.


For my today's dinner I will post what I ate.

On the local market I found wild garlic - thought it's almost out of season - and first I was thinking about making a pesto with it, but I wanted to enjoy the last wild garlic with it's whole taste. I decided to make a fresh pizza. Pizza's are easy and fast done. Everyone can make a pizza and children really love it as they can eat it with their hands, which is more fun :-)

 

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Wild garlic pizza




Ingredients:
1 Packet dry yeast
1 Pinch whole cane sugar
180 ml  lukewarm water
500 Grams of whole grain spelt flour 
Salt
1 Tbsp  dried herbs of Provence
4 Tbsp  olive oil
150 Grams bear's garlic or spinach
2 Onions
100 g cherry tomatoes
Pepper from the mill
200 g  vegetarian grated cheese

Direction:

Dissolve yeast together with full cane sugar in 180 ml warm water and then first loosely mix with the flour, then thoroughly knead for about 5 minutes. Let the dought go, covered for about 30 minutes in a warm place.

Give salt, herbs and 2 Tablespoons olive oil to the dough and knead again well. Form a roll, cover and let go again for 30 min in warm place.

Divide dough into 4 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Sprinkle them with some flour and let go again 15 minutes.

Wash Wild garlic and pat dry. Peel onions and cut into rings.

Wash tomatoes and cut into thin slices.

Preheat oven to 220 ° C circulating air, roll the balls round out. On a greased baking sheet place 2 pizzas. Brush with a little olive oil and top with garlic, tomatoes and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Completely cover the garlic with vegan cheese, otherwise it burns.

 

Bake pizza crispy for about 15 Minutes on the middle track in the oven.