Butternut squash soup; Minestrone style soup; Spinach and basil crepes with cheese; roasted vegetable strudels & crepes; Roasted cashew and oatmeal cookies, almond and banana sourdough waffles: photos of prep for tomorrow's deliveries

Blanched green beans

The streets were deserted today as Mexico played in World Cup

own grown peppers

Sauteed and steamed onions, garlic and spinach for the crepes

Roasted veggies for the strudels and crepes

The cooked spinach with nutmeg and sour cream and grated Parmesan cheese for the crepe filling will be topped with a fresh tomato sauce and baked at client's house

Minestrone style soups

Roasted veggies

The basil and whole wheat crepes

steamed quinoa with turmeric and ground cumin

roasted cashew and oatmeal cookies

Flaxseed, wholewheat sourdough waffles with roasted almonds and fresh bananas

COOKIE RECIPE FOR THE MONTH OF JULY...HONEY NUT BARS...GLOBALLY ADJUSTABLE RECIPE

Here is a truly simple recipe for a very delicious cookie.
Can be served for tea time or elegant dinner parties...please do not substitute the real honey, nor butter.

makes a 9 x13 inch baking pan or a 15 x10 inch baking pan

Cut into bars when cool enough to handle


1/2 cup honey (4ozs)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup*  broken/chopped Nuts either raw or roasted (almonds, walnuts,pecans, Brazil, peanuts, macadamia do not use sunflower seeds as they are too small and soft)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 large egg at room temp, beaten
2 cups all purpose flour or ( 50:50 wholewheat..if using whole wheat add 2 tbsp milk)

Just bring honey & 1/2 cup unsalted butter to one good boil, add the nuts and set aside off heat.
Make a dough with the brown sugar, the other half cup unsalted butter, rub together with the flour and add the egg.
The dough should be soft enough to pat into the baking pan of choice.
The refrigerate for 1 hour.

PREHEAT OVEN 35OF

Pour the nut and honey mix evenly over the chilled dough.
Bake in middle oven for 20 mins or until the nuts are golden brown.
Cool in pan on a wire rack.
Cut into squares or bars

* measure the nuts AFTER they have been chopped not before.

You may dip these cookies in Chocolate but there is no need.

You WILL  have to double the recipe once the taste testers have finished...lol

WATERMELON RECIPES: salads, salsas raw chutneys, drinks

The Humble watermelon has so many uses...and it is not just for slicing any more..
I prefer to use the old fashioned black seeded fruit too as it IS usually softer fleshed and sweeter ..the seeds can be dried and roasted and salted like nuts

 USE IN ANY CUCUMBER RECIPE and it is so much more economical

MAKES A GREAT DRINK; Just blend pieces of seeded watermelon flesh and serve over ice..may add tequila and lime


Makes fantastic salsas/fresh chutneys
add chopped and de seeded melon flesh with  any of the following in any combination and add fresh citrus juice ( lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime) instead of salt (also prevents the juices leaching out)

minced cilantro
minced scallion
chopped tomatoes
minced jalapenos
minced fresh mint
chopped jicama
minced onion
minced parsley
cayenne pepper
fresh coconut
roasted salted nuts (add just before serving)
fresh pineapple chopped
sliced stone fruit (peaches, plums, apricots)
minced fresh ginger root
minced garlic
minced smokey chipotle pepper
chopped mango
chopped papaya
Sliced grapes
tart raspberries
strawberries
blueberries
chopped tomatillos
cored and chopped/sliced apples


If using with any flavored oils or dairy (plain LIVE yogurt) add just before serving  also no need to add honey or syrups for hot dishes (sweetness balances out spices)

The peel also makes a great pickle..recipe to follow later this week

These ideas create wonderful dishes for any BBQ or summer  picnic..when watermelons are at their peak of sweetness.

Indian Style "Ratatouille"..spicy and warming RECIPE

This differs in many ways for the original, French style recipe in that it has potatoes, fenugreek &  mustard seed, and no tomatoes!
This makes a great lunch or supper dish served with some steamed brown rice and either plain yogurt or either of the cucumber or beet recipes just given.

Serves 4

2 cups cubed eggplants (1 inch cubes, sprinkled with salt for 30 mins then rinsed in cold water and drained)
2 cups 1 inch cubed waxy potatoes, (starchy ones will break down)..even more special is to use fresh small new potatoes just cut in halves

1 cup chopped bell pepper
3 cloves garlic smashed and minced
2 cups zucchini sliced 1/4 inch thick

2tbsp neutral oil
1/3 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp fenugreek seed
1tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp grated fresh gingeroot
1 tsp sea salt
1tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tbsp honey or Agave syrup
1/2 cup hot/boiling water

cilantro or fresh parsley leaves to garnish

Heat the oil in a deep skillet and add the mustard seeds, and allow them to pop, then add the fenugreek, potatoes and turmeric.
Cover and cook on medium high for 5-8 mins..shaking frequently to move them around.
Add the remaining ingredients, cover and cook over low heat for 25-30 mins or until the veggies are all tender.
Check for seasonings and serve

This is also better heated and served the day after it has been prepared.

BEET WITH YOGURT..recipe hot and spicy..cool and delicious

SWEET AND SPICY, in a creamy yogurt base...perfect for any meal.
This recipe makes 2 1/2 cups

2tbps neutral oil ( grape seed, safflower)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds ( OR use cumin seeds and add 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes)

heat the oil in a skillet and add the mustard seeds and cook until they pop (if using cumin and flakes, add and saute for 3-4 mins on medium high heat)

Add 3 cups grated raw beets & 1/4 tsp sea salt  (and 1 tsp ground cumin, omit if using the cumin seeds and flakes)and saute until the beets are tender.
remove from heat and set aside in a medium bowl, until cold.

Add to the beets:
2 cups plain live yogurt
1tbsp honey.

Chill then serve with any meal as a side dish/sauce
 
This is a great change for cucumber raita and very colorful too.

Cool Cucumber recipes..marinade, salad dressing and vegetable soup base all in one..GLOBALLY ADJUSTIBLE RECIPE & VEGAN

This is a great idea and recipe and is multi-functional.

If using hot house grown/Dutch/Persian cucumbers, do not peel nor de-seed, for all others do.

serves 2-3 and can easily be doubled

1/4 cup wine or cider vinegar
1/4 cup water or apple juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/8 cup honey or agave syrup(vegan)
1/4tbsp dill seed
1/2tsp sea salt
pinch powdered mustard or cayenne (optional)

Mix all of the above well together then add 
2 cups prepared, diced cucumbers

Allow to soak/marinade for 4 hours, better not in fridge, but in a cool, dark place, covered.

For salad dressing..blend everything until smooth, this also goes well with any grilled vegetables 

For chilled soup base, blend then add bite sized fresh veggies and chill for further 2 hours.

For side salad, remove the cucumber from the marinade and serve as a salad/side dish, reserving the marinade for use as a salad dressing.

As a dressing with cold noodles...just add and serve with fresh mint and veggies

variations:
you may add:
crushed red pepper flakes or minced green jalapeno
any local herb of choice
minced fresh ginger root
this is great with sliced onions
add any type of plain live yogurt when serving or blend with


Delicious when finished with minced fresh mint or cilantro

"Persian " cucumbers

melon & cranberry salsa; red cabbage and almond slaw; broccoli, fresh apricot & cranberry salad..photos and tips

Summer ripe cantaloupe melon with dried cranberries, fresh mint and orange juice..wonderful fresh tasting salsa

Plunge the broccoli in boiling water with a pinch of baking soda (keeps the color vibrant) and just dip and remove and cool in cold water, drain then chop, add fresh sliced apricots, plums, or peaches, any dried fruit I used dried cranberries and dress with a lemon juice and virgin olive oil

Sliced red cabbage, roasted almond pieces, grated carrots, sliced onions, fresh parsley...dress with a lemon-thyme-olive oil dressing.The secret with this slaw is to lightly dress then leave for 20 mins before eating, allows the cabbage cells to break down, for easier digestion

Split pea with black eyed peas soup; tomato basil soup; yam and carrot soup; vegetable stew; Cashew Paella in sections, with own grown Asian eggplants, picked today; Cheese cornbread, Avocado-almond-banana cakes all photos all prep for tomorrow's deliveries

own grown Asian eggplants in the base for the vegetable stew

previous 2 the split green pea and black eyed pea soup

The vegetable base for the cashew "paella" to be mixed with the turmeric rice at client's home

the yam & eggplant base for the vegetable stew will be served with whole wheat couscous

The cheese and cornbread before baking

The yam and carrot soup

Fresh tomato-basil soup topped with olive oil

Cooked turmeric (brown)rice for the "paella"

previous 2 the cornbreads, baked

The paella veggies

The stew

previous 4 the avocado-banana-almond moist and dense, pudding-like cakes. Made with butter and replacing 2 eggs with fresh ripe avocado