i am going to do my best. that's it, that's the goal. i am not what i used to be. and that's okay.i am going to do my best. that's it, that's the goal. i am not what i used to be. and that's okay....more
i am getting a late start, but it's been a while since i did a monthly project at all, so i'm easing my way back into the routWELCOME TO JULY PROJECT!
i am getting a late start, but it's been a while since i did a monthly project at all, so i'm easing my way back into the routine of it. bear with me, RARRRR.
i love the way this book is set up—part 1: vegetarian recipes, part 2: vegan, part 3: pescatarian. and the author is not herself ANY of those things, so the recipes are designed for people with omnivore sensibilities:
...I've found that a lot of vegan recipes are designed for, well, vegans and therefore suit a very different palate to the tastes of people who like to eat a lot of vegetarian and plant-based meals but also love the taste of meat, poultry and game. Secondly, I know that a lot of the substitutions in vegan recipes that are there to replace things like eggs, dairy products and animal fats can put a lot of people off. With this in mind, I've tried to make sure that the recipes in this book are the kind which...just happen to be vegan, rather than being made vegan by using substitutes or processed ingredients. This is a book for meat eaters who are looking to incorporate more vegetarian, plant-based and fish-focused meals into their diets, but one that I hope will appeal to committed vegetarians, vegans and pescatarians, too.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN LET'S FIND OUT!
FETA, VEGGIE, AND LEMON BAKE (VEGETARIAN)
i took some before-and-after-roasting pics and i'm glad i did, because this:
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looks better than this:
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and this:
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looks better than this:
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i am very on-board with one-pan recipes because the less time i have to spend with the oven on during this devil-season, the better. my feta didn't brown the way hers did, and i skipped the poison bombs (olives), but otherwise, i think this was a tasty success story. not the most filling of all meals, even in the reduced-appetite summer, but that's what bread is for!
in conclusion,
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BAKED GNOCCHI WITH TOMATOES, BASIL, AND MARINATED MOZZARELLA (VEGETARIAN)
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another easy and delicious meal that follows the same "throw it on a sheet pan and bake it" philosophy as the first, and if you think i made my own gnocchi, you must not know that summer flattens me so much i can barely open a bag of gnocchi.
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this was marred only by the fact that i didn't have any white balsamic vinegar, and my ordinary balsamic vinegar left an unseemly dark coloration on the mozz balls. if you care about this sort of thing, do not come to my house for luncheon. you will be horrified by my discolored balls. among other things. everything's horrifying 'round here.
KIMCHEE FRIED RICE (VEGETARIAN)
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this one may not look like much, because sometimes when it is hot and/or i am weary, i lack the energy to turn my apartment into a photo studio and i just wanna eat the bounty i have made and fall right to sleep. despite the murky photo, it was delicious, with just enough heat to wake those taste buds up without overpowering the flavor-depth and now i know how to make those little scrambled eggies that are in fried rice, which is a terrific thing to know how to do.
SPICY, HERBY TWO POUCH MUJADARA (VEGAN)
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this one isn’t super-quick—there’s a lot of prep-work with the herbs and pomegranate (although thomas has since taught me a game-changing secret to extracting pomegranate seeds), and the onions (red and white) need to caramelize for 40 minutes, but it is so worth it. it’s a lovely mix of flavors and textures: cumin, cinnamon, parsley, cilantro, green lentils, brown rice, and pomegranate seeds, and it tastes fresh and flavorlayered. it’s also absolutely beautiful, even when i’m behind the camera.
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WARM ROASTED SPROUT SALAD WITH PECORINO AND PEAR (VEGETARIAN)
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i figured i would use up some more of those hard-won pomegranate seeds and make this dish, and it was EXCEPTIONAL! the only thing that is cooked here are the sprouts; roasted up and tossed on top of the cold ingredients along with a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, and MAPLE SYRUP! it's deliciously bonkers! and, when i was bringing some to thomas at work, i respected the mcDLT of it all and used a special compartment-tupperware to keep the cool side cool and the cooked side...room temperature awaiting its reheating.
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although, honestly, i had some right outta the fridge without reheating and it tasted just as good.
FRIED COURGETTES ON TOAST WITH RICOTTA AND FRESH HERBS (VEGETARIAN)
i have discovered the food i want to be buried with. or in. either way. it is a truly unexpected combination of flavors i never would have thought to put together myself, so this cookbook get five stars for this revelation alone. JOIN ME ON THIS JOURNEY!
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so this pan has the zucchini (and, in an executive decision, some summer squash) that’s been olive oiled and seasoned with fresh thyme and MINT and a sploosh of vinegar, right?
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and then you toast some pine nuts and generously ricotta a nice chonk of bread
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and then you assemble it AND DRIZZLE HONEY ALL OVER IT!
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and then you photograph it from a million different angles because it's just so pretty
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and when you finally stop admiring it and actually eat it = heaven.
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MAKE MY GRAVE OF ZUCCHINI! unless i die in england, and then MAKE MY GRAVE OF COURGETTES!...more