Sweet and Spicy Trail Mix

The other morning I made a big patch of trail mix. Basically for the mr for when we go camping, but that didn’t stop him from eating some, not camping, but watching tv. So you see trail mix is not just for the trail! HA

A big batch of snack for any snack related needs. This trail mix is a mixture of Chex and Cherrios, pretzels, walnuts and seeds, and dried cranberries all seasoned up with some maple and smokey and spicy chili. Sweet, savory, crispy, deliciousness. What else can you ask for when snacking on a trail mix? Nothing.

To the trail mix!

The stuff. A big ass bowl of cereal. I used Cherrios, and wheat and rice Chex. Also have pretzels. walnuts, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, maple suyrup, chili powder, melted vegan butter, and salt.

Mix together the melted butter, maple, an chili powder.

Drizzle the wet mixture all over the cereal and nuts (not the cranberries) and toss until evenly coated.

Dump the mixture onto a lined baking sheet and spread it out evenly and sprinkle with salt. Pop into hot oven and bake for 3ish minutes, removing and toss after 15. After 30 minutes, keep in oven but turn oven off and crack door. Let mixture cool in oven for 15 more minutes.

And once you pull it from the oven, toss in the cranberries .

That is it.

Now it is time for you to trail mix it up.

-C

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Sweet and Spicy Trail Mix

makes about 10 cups ( a good amount to share or have on hand for a week)

• 5 cups plain Chex cereal (wheat (if not gluten free) rice, and or corn)

• 2 cups plain Cherrios

• 2 cups pretzels (any shape will do and use gluten free if you need to)

• 1 cup raw walnuts

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

• 1 cup dried cranberries

• 1/3 cup real maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder (Optional. Adds a little more heat)

• 2 tablespoon vegan butter melted

• 1-2 teaspoons flakey sea salt

Preheat oven to 325.

In a large bowl, mix together all the cereals, the pretzels, the walnuts and sunflower seeds. In a smaller bowl mix together the melted butter, maple, and chili powder. Drizzle the wet mixture all over the cereal mixture and toss with a spatula until everything is evenly coated. Dump and evenly disputemixture onto a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt.

Place mix into preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, carefully removing from the oven at 15 minutes and mixing it around. At 30 minutes, keep in oven but turn heat off. Crack oven door and let mixture cool for another 15 minutes then remove and let cool completely. Once cooled, toss in the cranberries.

Eat however much you want and then store the rest on a airtight container. Should be good and crisp for a week.

Johnny Cakes (AKA Cornmeal Pancakes)

Recently I went through my pantry, did an inventory of what I have, what I am out of, and what needs to be used up.

This is a reminder that we all should be doing this, especially now if you are a cold weather/holiday cook and or baker. Get a head start, make sure you can find flour and sugar, and make sure your baking powder and sodas are active!

My pantry is pretty freaking well stocked if I do say so myself. One thing I like to do though is use up ingredients that are not super staples (like cornmeal) before I buy more. And I was low on cornmeal so I figured I would just use the rest up for dinner and pick up a fresh bag during the next grocery shop. I was planning on making a pan of baked cornbread but time got away from me and it was too close to dinnertime for me to bake. So I grabbed a skillet and made cornmeal pancakes instead.

Just as good, if not better (I would say better) then cornbread. Crispy, soft, rounds of perfection. Eaten by the mr who claims he doesn't like cornbread( he really liked these🤷‍♀️) and took all of 8 minutes from start to finish for dinner. And now I will probably be making these way more often now because these little pancakes are perfect for serving with soup and chili. And I did get a fresh bag of cornmeal so I am all good to go!

To the cornmeal pancakes.

The stuff. Cornmeal, white whole wheat flour, salt, baking powder, honey or maple, olive oil, and boiling water.

Simple here. Cornmeal, honey or maple, and oil into a bowl. Mix in hot water until completely incorporated. Let sit for a minute or two then add in the flour salt ,and baking powder. Mix til combined.

Batter into a hot skillet to cook, just like you would expect. Each side cooked until golden brown.

Look at that color. Cooked to perfection.

Place them on a wire rack instead of a plate as you make them, if you care about keeping them crispy.

Then you eat them. Anyway you like. You can go the sweeter route and pour some maple on a stack or smear some jam on top. Or savory like I did here, topped with tomato stewed chick peas and avocado mousse. OR just eat them straight up hot, warm, or cold.

They are good all the ways.

-C

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Johnny Cakes (AKA Cornmeal Pancakes)

makes 8-10 pancakes

• 3/4 cup cornmeal

• 1/4 white whole wheat flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup

• 2 tablespoons oil plus more for skillet

• 1 cup boiling water

Place the corneal, honey or maple, and oil into a medium sized mixing bowl. Dump in the boiling water and stir until everything is combined. Let sit for 2 minutes. Add in the baking powder, salt, and flour and mix install incorporated.

Grab a skillet and heat to medium on stove.

Once skillet is hot, add a touch of oil to evenly coat the bottom. Scoop batter into pan with a spoon and spread into a round that is no thicker then 1/2 inch. Cook for 3-4 minutes of until the bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook other side until golden brown. Place cooked cakes on a wire rake to keep crispy.

Eat right away, sweet of savory or plain as they are. Left overs are great, just place them in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Can be reheated to crispy perfection in the oven or in a toaster!

Tomato Stewed Pumpkin with Cabbage Slaw

If you were to ask me what my favorite winter squash would be, I would have to say that I couldn’t choose, I love them all. But when I really, really think about it, when I look deep into my food soul, I could, and I think it would be pumpkin. Yup, pumpkin is my favorite.

Pumpkin is amazing and delicious, Not just as a pie or bread, but eaten in any way that any other winter squashed can be eaten. Fantastic in a soup or roasted or sautéed. And yes, blended up into all sorts of baked goods. It tastes somewhat like butternut squash but less sweet and has a nice nutty, earthiness to it and pairs well with al sorts of great spices, not just pumpkin spice. If you haven’t had it outside of a baked good, well then, make this. You are in for a really treat!

But don’t carve a jack o lantern pumpkin then eat that. Those big pumpkins are not very tasty. Get a small pie pumpkin, those are ones to eat.

Now to the tomato stewed pumpkin!

The stuff. A sugar(pie) pumpkin, a couple nice big ripe tomatoes, a large onion, a clove or two or garlic, cumin and chili powder, vinegar, shredded cabbage, and salt and pepper.

Start with the onion. Cut in half and thinly shred about 1/3 or it. Small dice the rest Also mince up the garlic too.

Add the thinly shredded onion to the shredded cabbage and toss around with vinegar a little salt and pepper then set aside.

Dice up the tomatoes.

Place the diced onions, minced garlic, tomatoes, and cumin ans chili powder into a big pot with a splash of water and stick on medium heat on stove to start to stew the tomatoes.

While the tomatoes are going, cut up pumpkin. Just cut in half, remove seeds (save for roasting) and cut into small cubes. And sure, if you are not a fan of the skin (my favorite part) just peel the pumpkin with a potato peeler before cutting it up small. But really the skin, it is sooo GOOD!

Once the tomatoes are soft and mushy, add in the pumpkin. Keep on heat and place a lid mostly over pot. Let cook.

Soft and stewed and all sorts of everything good.

And then you scoop it into bowls, top with the cabbage slaw, sprinkle with pepper and fresh cilantro if you just so happen to have some, and eat it.

Yeah, pumpkin is my favorite.

-C

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Tomato Stewed Pumpkin with Cabbage Slaw

makes 2 bigger or 4 smaller serving

• 1 small sugar pumpkin (around 3 or a little more cups cubed)

• 2 large tomatoes

• 2 heaping teaspoons cumin

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• A few tablespoons water

• 1-2 cloves garlic

• 1 large onion

• 2 cups shredded red or green cabbage

• 2 tablespoons white vinegar

• salt and pepper

Start with the onion. Cut in half and thinly slice a little more then half of the half. Toss with the cabbage, the vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Set aside

Dice the rest of the onion and place into a big pot. Grab tomatoes and dice them up as well and place them into the pot with the onions. Sprinkle with a pinch pf salt and pepper and add in the cumin and chili powder. Add 2 tablespoons of water and place on stove on medium heat to start to cook down.

While the tomatoes are stewing away, cut up the pumpkin. Just cut in half, remove seeds (and reserve for roasting) and dice it into small chunks. If you are not one to enjoy the greatness of pumpkin skin (it is really good) then before dicing it, just peel it with a potato peeler.

Once tomatoes have cooked down a bit, place the diced pumpkin into the pot. Add another tablespoon or so of water, mix around, partially place a lid on the pot, and let cook for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin starts to fall apart. If at any time it seems like it needs more liquid, just add in another tablespoon or so of water.

Once it is all stewed up, remove from heat, scoop into a bowl or bowls, and top with the cabbage slaw that was made early.

Eat.

Chickpea Flour Onion Rings

I love me some onions, I mean I eat one everyday so I asked myself why the heck haven’t I made onion rings before? Probably because when I usually think onion rings, I think greasy and fried and that is not really my jam. But early in the week the lightbulb went off in my brain. I have been making a lot of stuff with bean flours lately and thought that chickpea flour would make an excellent batter for onions. And low and behold, I was right. Very very right.

These onion rings are so f-ing amazing. Sure they might not be the most traditional of onion ring but they are for sure just as good. A spicy crispy crunchy outer layer with a soft and creamy onion inside. Baked, not fried, and just really delightful. Easy to throw together and yeah, you got onion rings. I have made them twice this week already. Probably going to make them again tonight because why the hell not? They are simply a vegetable covered in bean. I should be eating them every day and you probably should be eating them everyday too.

Now to the onion rings!

The stuff. Onions (I used valida but any sweet variety will work) chickpea flour, spices (garlic, ginger, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and a pick or red pepper flakes), warm water, oil, and salt and pepper.

Mix up the batter. All the spices get mix together with the chickpea flour. Add in the water and then mix unit completely combined and all batter like.

Cut onions into rings.

Dip the onions into the batter and place on a oiled baking sheet. Try not to overlap too much and use the insides of large rings to place the small ones!

Into the oven and out of the oven. Crispy, dark, and delicious!

Get those rings onto a plate while they are hot, grab some dipping sauce of choice (tahini for me) and eat.

Get into this.

-C

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Chickpea Flour Onion Rings

• 3/4 cup checkpea flour

• 1 teaspoon each cumin and chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon each garlic, paprika and ground ginger

• pinch of red pepper flakes

• 2 medium sized valida onions (or whatever onions you have)

• 3/4 cup warm water

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• cracked pepper

• tablespoon or so of oil to oil baking sheet

Preheat oven to 425.

In a wide bottomed bowl mix together the chickpea flour. salt. and all the spices. Add in the warm water and mix until completely incorporated and smooth. You want the batter to coat the onions when dipped but not be overly thick. If you think it needs to thicken up a bit, add a tablespoon more chickpea flour. To thin it, just add a splash more water.

Grab onions and peel off papery skin then slice into 1/4-1/2 inch rounds. Take onion rings and dip them into the batter then place rings on a large oiled baking sheet. Try not to overlap to much and definitely place smaller rings inside bigger rings. Also use a second baking sheet if you need to.

Once rings are all battered, place in preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes, giving them a flip atfter about 25-30 minutes.

Once dark brown and crispy, remove from the oven. Place rings on a plate and eat. Dipping sauce recommendation is tahini but anything or nothing at all is also right.

Cherry Tomato Slab Tart with Olive Oil Crust and a Corn Avocado Cream

I am not complaining at the least bit, but man, so,so,so  many tomatoes. Everyday more and more are ripe and ready for the picking, some even starting to fall off  the plants.

If you were to come to my house, you will notice that I have bowls and baskets all over the place, just full of not just cherry tomatoes, but big baskets of the most beautiful heirloom tomatoes this girl has ever seen. It's actually causing me a little anxiety. I cannot bare to think of one single tomato going bad. I and am on a mission to eat as many of the heirloom ones as I can ever day. But that still leaves all the sweet little cherry tomatoes, which I do still snack on, (and try and make the mr snack on too) but am having a had time keeping up with eating all of those on top of the other kinds. But again, not a complaint, cause one can never really have too many tomatoes.

So instead of just continuing to make sauces and soups, (I have yet to do a tomato canning day, which is in need of happing asap) I figured I would give the mr a  break and make him something a little different. A big tomato slab tart. And a tart needs some type of cream, so fresh corn and avocado cream happened as well.

Lovely looking, yummy, and pretty easy to make. Uses a good amount of tomatoes (I was fooled.. I used two pints for this tart,  went to garden afterword, got 4 more pints) and is perfect for a lunch situation or a light dinner. Add some greens, maybe some cheese (the mr and his cheese) and you are sitting pretty and ready to go. 

Lets get tarting!

The stuff… For the tart we have flour, slat, a little vinegar, icy cold water, frozen olive oil* and a big bowl of cherry tomatoes. For the avocado and corn cream, well we gots an avocado, a cooked cob of corn,a few cloves of garlic (I forgot in the picture) and a lemon. Salt and pepper for everything.

*Note. I recently read on the food 52 website that freezing the olive oil for crust makes the oil distribute more like butter and  makes the dough super flaky and crispy, which it indeed did. I will forever freeze oil for oil crusts, Thanks food 52 for being so smart. 

Start by making the dough. Whisk together the flour and salt, then dump in the frozen olive oil. Using a fork or a pastry cutter and working as quick as you can, cut the oil into the dough.

When the mixture resembles a course crumb, add in vinegar and mix with fork, then add in water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough starts to comes together. Dump mixture out onto a floured surface and form into ball. Wrap in plastic and stick in the fridge for at least an hour or even over night. 

Chilled dough placed on a lightly floured surface, ready to roll.

You know what to do here.. roll it out and stick it in a baking sheet or, if you don't have a small baking sheet, use a large casserole dish. You could use a pie plate, but you might have a little extra dough (pie dough cookies?)

And dump in the tomatoes. Don't forget to remove the little green tops if they have them. Drizzle with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper. and into the oven it goes.

While the tart is baking, make the cream. Scoop fruit of avocado, the corn off the cob, a clove or two of garlic, juice of lemon, and  salt to taste, into a blender (or bowl if using a immersion blender) and blend until smooth. Taste and ass more swooning if needed. and if you want the cream a little thinner, add in a slash of water. 

Cream oh creamy goodness. (So great on tart, but also makes a great dip, toast spread, salad topper, or eaten straight with a spoon.)

The tart has been baking and after about an 45 minutes, it should be done. Remove from oven when the tomatoes have all bursted and are starting to caramelize and the crust is cooked through and golden brown, 

Let cool for a few minutes. I

You got you tart, the cream, and if you are in into it, a nice serving of some freshy greens to some extra heft and color…SOmething on the more bitter side like kale or young chard pairs very well with the sweetness of the tomatoes.

A big slab on greens with cream on slab.

The mr added a little cheese to his… if your a cheese person.(he sure likes his cheese)

Pretty food.. Food so good!

Happy Humpty hump!

-C

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Cherry Tomato Slab tart with Oil Crust and a Corn Avocado Cream

For the Tart

• 2 pints of any variety cherry tomatoes. A variety look nice
• 1 3/4  cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup olive oil (frozen ahead of time)
• 1 teaspoon salt for crust
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3-4 tablespoons ice water
• salt and pepper
• 9x11 baking pan* 

For the Corn Avocado Cream

• 1 cooked and cooled  cob of corn
• 1 avocado
• 1 lemon
• salt 
• 2 cloves of garlic

*Note. I used a 9x11 baking sheet, but if you don't have one, you can use a big glass casserole dish. Or you could even use a pie plate, but you will end up with a little extra dough and you might not need all the tomatoes. 

Start by making your dough. Whisk together the flour and salt. Cut in the frozen olive oil into flour with either a pastry cutter or a big fork until it has a crumbly texture. Add in the apple cider vinegar and a tablespoon of water at a time until dough starts to come together.(about 3-4)

Dump out onto a surface and fomr into a disk. Wrap with plastic and stick in the fridge for at least  an hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375

Get your chilled dough and, on a lightly floured surface,roll out into a rectangle roughly the size of your baking sheet. Place in sheet pan and make it look pretty. You can use your fingers to lightly press the dough into pan  Dump in your cherry tomatoes. If you want, once the tomatoes are in, slightly fold the edges towards the tomatoes and away form the side of the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the finest drizzle of olive oil.  Stick into the oven for about 45-55 minutes. The Pie is done when the tomatoes   have popped and starting to brown and caramelize and the crust is golden brown.

While the pie  is baking, remove corn from cob. Add to a blender with the avocado, garlic and  and the juice of the lemon. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, slice big slabs of tart and spoon on big globs of the avocado corn cream. If your into it, a bed of fresh greens is very much nice.

Shovel into face.