Grilled Squash + Steamed Broccoli Florets

When you have bought a small, stout squash because it sounded like a nutritious idea and it has been lying around in your pantry for sometime because you did not want to deal with all the peeling, you throw it in the BBQ the next time you grill something. The result: a blackened exterior and a mushy interior, good to pack away in the fridge for some more days. Then one morning when you no longer have all the ingredients for your go-to breakfast or when they (the ingredients) are available but it (the dish) is beginning to really get on your guts, you turn to your blackened, mushy resource and amass all of your creative power.

Experiment of the day: 

Objective: To transform your blackened, mushy resource primarily into an edible meal, but very preferably into a gourmet one, with the expenditure of as minimum time and effort as possible.

Tools: A paring knife to scrap off the squash's burnt skin; a tablespoon to remove the squash's innards and to mash up the rest; an old chopping board that can afford to take in all of the black, burnt gooey bits from the squash; a small bowl; a chef's knife to chop up any available allium; a small pot; your softless, worker's hands; your relaxed mind flying high and in all directions with imagination; your softless, worker's hands.

Squash companion: 3 spring onions, liberally chopped; an inch-wide slice of salted butter; a few pinches of sea salt; a few turns of black pepper.

Creative steps: 

• Melt butter in pot and saute spring onions (save the upper green bits) for a few minutes until soft. 
• Add mashed squash and green bits of spring onions; combine well for a couple of minutes. 
• Add sea salt and black pepper; fold in. 
• Serve with slightly steamed broccoli florets seasoned with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a couple of pinches of sea salt, and a couple of squeezes of lemon juice. 

Optional but highly recommended eating style: 

Spear broccoli florets into the allium'y/smoky/butterly-rich squash goodness. Remember to chew mindfully, swallow mindfully, and ENJOY!

P.S. Dear dedicated readers (and non-dedicated readers alike!), I'm still around, travelling quite a bit, cooking a decent part of my life away, and strategizing on how to bring you "quality" content in a, ahem, sustainable way. And just so you know I have not been slacking all this time, I'm going to post the photos of some of my favourite dishes from the bygone months, two dishes for each, to serve as proof! (Some day, just some day, all of this backdating business will be behind me). And once you all have had enough time to digest all of the pictorials (read: to go goo-goo gaa-gaa over them), then I will be posting the recipes. And because I want to be kind and generous, I have already posted the recipe for one. This one.

P.S.S. Welcome to my voice. And because I care for those people who don't want to be bothered with my voice and want to go straight to the gist or for those who do care about my voice but are simply in a hurry, I have annexed a more direct, thorough and brief version of the recipe right below.

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Serves two 

Ingredients: 

• 1 small-sized acorn squash 
• 3 spring onions; chopped crosswise, upper green parts separated from the rest 
• 1 inch-wide stick of salted butter 
• Sea salt to taste 
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste 

Creative steps: 

• Grill the squash on a BBQ with lid covered for 30 - 40 minutes, or until mushy. Begin checking for readiness in 30 minutes. Remove from BBQ to use right away or pack away in the fridge to use in a couple of days. 
• When ready to use squash, use a small knife to scrap off the burnt skin, get to the core and scoop out the seeds using a spoon, and then mash the flesh of the squash in a bowl. 
• Melt butter in a pot over medium heat and saute the spring onions (without the green parts) for 2 to 4 minutes, or until soft.
• Add the mashed squash and the upper green parts of the spring onions to the pot; combine well for 1 to 2 minutes. 
• Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste, fold in and then remove from heat. 
• Serve with slightly steamed broccoli florets, or other vegetable of your choice, seasoned with a couple of squeezes of lemon juice, a few pinches of sea salt, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. 

Enjoy! 

Mexican-inspired Part II

When you have had good results from your first Mexican-inspired dish, you tend to make it again and again. And each time with slight variations, it's more fun that way.

In Part II...

Instead of the full-blown guacamole, why not go the speediest (and laziest) route of just avocados? Afterall, guac is really about the avo.

Instead of green or yellow cabbage, why not red cabbage? Afterall, red is more flavourful (and more nutritious?) than the rest.

And then the addition of cilantro takes the dish to a WHOLE OTHER LEVEL and more so to the category of Mexican-inspired.

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Serves four

Ingredients:

For the black bean/red cabbage combo 

1 cup black beans; soaked overnight, or for 8 hours

¼ of a medium-sized red cabbage; very thinly shredded

6 garlic cloves; minced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

For the garlic tomato sauce 

10 medium-sized red tomatoes (preferably Roma); diced 

8 garlic cloves; minced 

1 jalapeño pepper; halved, seeds intact 

1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil 

Sea salt to taste 

For serving

1 cup short-grained rice; steamed in 2 cups of water 

2 avocados; seeded and diced; ½ avocado per serving 

1 dollop of sour cream per serving, or to taste

1 lime wedge per serving, or to taste 

Corn tortilla chips (optional) 

Creative Steps: 

Black bean/red cabbage combo
First prepare the black beans. Put them in a large pot, add 3¼ cups of water, throw in the herbs, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook between 30 minutes to an hour and a half (depending on size and age of the beans), or until the beans soften throughout without getting mushy. Begin checking for readiness at 30 minutes. Once cooked, strain and keep aside. (Tip: boil large portions of black beans, adjusting the measurements above proportionally, and store in the fridge for miscellaneous use).

In a pan over medium heat, sauté the garlic in oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the garlic softens and releases its flavour. Stir in the black beans and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in the cabbage and combine well, and then remove pan from the heat. Add salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste. 

Garlic tomato sauce 

In a pan over medium heat, sauté the garlic in oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the garlic softens and releases its flavour. Stir in the tomatoes and then bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, use a spatula to push out the juices of the tomatoes (if tomatoes are still chunky), add salt to taste, throw in the jalapeño pepper, and let simmer over minimum heat for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Divide the two dishes between individual plates or bowls and serve with the hot steamed rice, avocados, sour cream, lime wedges, and corn tortillas chips (if using). Enjoy! 

Pho-inspired: Spicy Tofu Beetroot Noodle Soup

Mid-day Snack: Peanut Butter + Rhubarb Jam on Soda Crackers (+ green grapes)

Go-To Breakfast: Rolled Oats + Some Powerful Seeds + Some Dried Fruits + Some Fresh Fruits + Almond Milk

Quinoa Feta Cheese Salad - Variation 1

Exotic Salad Part III: Baby Kale+Spinach with Avo+Mango+Chia Seeds

Recipe coming soon...(or see title). 

Potatoes Green Beans Soft-boiled Eggs

Squash Oatmeal (with Green Onions and Dill)

Spicy Thai Eggplant (closer to the real deal)

Potato Parsley Scrambled Eggs

Exotic Salad Part II: Steamed Kale+Orange+Dried Cranberries+Sesame Seeds

Recipe coming soon...(or see title). 

Exotic Salad Part I: Baby Spinach-Beetroot-Granny Smith Apple-Grape Tomatoes-Ginger

Recipe coming soon....(or see title). 

Mexican-inspired

You probably shouldn't make a dish that requires using three pans simultaneously when you are an hour and a half away from being picked up to go to the airport to catch a flight...but...it happens.

Why?

Determination.

Why not? (that's Determination speaking)

Plus it's peace of mind when you have all of your bags zipped up and weighed to meet the baggage rules of the chosen airline. 

Plus when you have a helpful and the most loveliest company around (i.e. my mama!), you feel slightly invincible.

Together, we crowed, hymned, increased stove heat, shook pans, decreased stove heat, and worked like pros not wasting a single second in vain. We even subbed one another as each of us went off to take a shower. We could do this everyday and forever, it felt like.

Home-soaked black beans and cabbage stir-fry, garlic tomato sauce, guacamole, and sticky short-grained steamed rice- all made from scratch and ready in time. A dollop of sour cream, a handful of blue corn tortilla chips, and a wedge of lime to complete the package of a dish that is truly, but not really, Mexican-inspired.

Serves four

Ingredients:

For the black bean/cabbage stir-fry 

1 cup black beans; soaked overnight, or for 8 hours and then strained
1 bay leaf
2 fresh sprigs of oregano (or ½ teaspoon dried oregano)
1 fresh sprig of sage (or ½ teaspoon of dried sage)

¼ of a medium-sized green or yellow cabbage; shredded

6 garlic cloves; minced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

For the garlic tomato sauce 

10 medium-sized red tomatoes (preferably Roma); diced 

8 garlic cloves; minced 

1 jalapeño pepper; halved, seeds intact 

1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil 

Sea salt to taste 

For the guacamole 

3 ripe avocados; seeded and mashed 

1 red tomato; seeded and minced 

1 tablespoon minced red onion

½ teaspoon minced garlic 

½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

½ teaspoon crushed chilies (optional) 

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste 

For serving

1 cup short-grained rice; steamed in 2 cups of water 

1 dollop of sour cream per serving, or to taste

1 handful of blue corn tortilla chips per serving, or to taste 

1 lime wedge per serving, or to taste 

Creative Steps: 

Black bean/cabbage stir-fry 

First prepare the black beans. Put them in a large pot, add 3¼ cups of water, throw in the herbs, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook between 30 minutes to an hour and a half (depending on size and age of the beans), or until the beans soften throughout without getting mushy. Begin checking for readiness at 30 minutes. Once cooked, strain and keep aside. (Tip: boil large portions of black beans, adjusting the measurements above proportionally, and store in the fridge for miscellaneous use).

In a pan over medium heat, sauté the garlic in oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the garlic softens and releases its flavour. Stir in the boiled black beans and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Then add the cabbage and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cabbage wilts slightly but is still crunchy. Add salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste. 

Garlic tomato sauce 

In a pan over medium heat, sauté the garlic in oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the garlic softens and releases its flavour. Stir in the tomatoes and then bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, use a spatula to push out the juices of the tomatoes (if tomatoes are still chunky), add salt to taste, throw in the jalapeño pepper, and let simmer over minimum heat for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Guacamole 

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mash well. 

Divide the three dishes between four plates or bowls and serve with the hot steamed rice, sour cream, tortilla chips, and lime wedges. Enjoy! 

Spinach Tomato Basil Lasagna

Grated Beetroot and Carrot with Dill Potatoes

Basmati Rice + Mushroom Dark Leafy Green Sauce

Raw Veggie + Fresh Mozzarella Sandwich

Quinoa Feta Cheese Salad

Potato Casserole

Injera Firfir + Kinche + Enqulal Firfir = Typical Ethiopian Breakfast

Co-creators: Muler and Z.

Breakfast, Quick and Easy and Yum-Yummy

Avo + Iceburg Lettuce + Cucumber + Cherry Tomatoes, on Toast

Mini Roast: Baby Potatoes, Pearl Onions, Brussles Sprouts, and Mushrooms

Dessert of Eden Part IV

Ingredients: 

One clementine, two pieces of cinnamon-flavoured dark chocolate, and two pieces of candied ginger. Enjoy!

Here are Dessert of Eden Part I, Part II, and Part III. 

Green Smoothie - Variation 2

Serves two 

Ingredients: 

(select organic ingredients as much as possible) 

1 medium-sized banana; peeled and sliced 

1 small-sized cucumber; peeled and chopped 

½ of a large-sized green pepper; seeded and chopped 

2 cups of almond milk 

3 tablespoons of lightly toasted flax seeds 

2 handfuls of baby spinach 

3 dried figs; chopped, save four pieces for garnishing 

Preparation: 

Put the first five ingredients in a blender and blend for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the last two ingredients and blend to a smooth consistency. Garnish with the dried fig pieces and enjoy!

Soft-boiled Eggs with Cucumber-Cherry Tomato-Olive Salad

Serves two 

Ingredients:

(select organic ingredients as much as possible) 

4 eggs; boiled for six minutes and then peeled 

1 small cucumber; half peeled in alternative patterns and cut in cubes 

12 cherry tomatoes; halved 

1 tablespoon of finely chopped red onion 

6 tablespoons of organic yogurt (3 tablespoons per plate) 

4 drizzles of extra-virgin olive oil (2 drizzles per plate) 

6 olives (3 olives per plate) 

½ tablespoon of Mitmita (¼ tablespoon per plate), or to taste 

Sea salt to taste

Preparation: 

On a slightly concave plate, first smear the yogurt on the left side. Mix the cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and red onion in a separate bowl before transferring them to the right side of the concave plate. Add a couple of sprinkles of salt. Place the olives opposite to the veggies. Drizzle olive oil on all sides and then make crosswise incisions on the eggs before placing them above the veggies. Sprinkle mitmita on the eggs, and enjoy, either with bread or without! 

Gingery Beetroot Kiwi Smoothie

Serves two 

Ingredients: 

(select organic ingredients as much as possible)

1 small-sized banana; peeled and sliced 

½ of a small-sized beetroot; peeled and chopped 

1 kiwi; peeled and chopped 

2 cups of almond milk 

1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger 

½ tablespoon of minced fresh turmeric 

3 prunes; seeded and chopped 

Preparation: 

Put all ingredients in a blender and then blend to a smooth consistency. Enjoy!

Peppery Carrot Soup

Serves two

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of minced red onion
½ of a large-sized green pepper; seeded and chopped
8 medium-sized carrots; peeled and roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
Sea salt and freshly ground red peppercorn to taste

Preparation: 

In a pot over medium heat, fry the red onion in the oil for 1 minute. Add the carrots and green pepper and continue to cook for about 3 minutes, or until the carrots start to soften slightly; stir regularly. Then add water to the pot until all the vegetables are just submerged. Throw in the bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, or until the carrots become tender throughout. Remove the pot from the stove and let it cool down. Once cooled, transfer to a blender and blend to a smooth consistency. Add salt to taste at this stage. Then pour soup into individual bowls and garnish with freshly ground red peppercorn. Serve with wholegrain bread and blue cheese, and enjoy!