We buy fresh fruit every week, mainly for breakfast and afternoon snacks. We ended up having 1 lb strawberries, 1/2 cup blueberries, and 1 cup black seedless grapes leftover, so we decided to try this recipe: https://kickassbaker.com/mixed-berry-jam/ Our modifications: first, we reduced sugar to 1/4 cup. Second, we found the jam was ready in about…… Continue reading Small batch mixed berry and grape jam
Tag: vegetarian
Chunky guacamole
We made this recipe while on travel: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/chunky-guacamole-recipe-1942743. We used a shallot instead of a red onion, but we didn't soak it in water. (Apr. 2024)
Indian black-eyed pea curry, Instant Pot style
As very late converts, we recently purchased an Instant Pot. For our first attempt with this new device, we tried one of our favorite stovetop recipes, Shubhra Ramineni’s black-eyed pea curry. We followed the Instant Pot instructions here: https://pipingpotcurry.com/instant-pot-black-eyed-peas-curry-lobhia/ but we used the ingredients from Shubhra’s recipe. Our only prinary modifications were to use uncooked…… Continue reading Indian black-eyed pea curry, Instant Pot style
Indian lentils and rice (dal kichdi)
We made this recipe using jasmine rice: https://www.funfoodfrolic.com/dal-khichdi-recipe/ At the end of natural release after pressure cooking, we folded in about 2 oz of baby spinach to the kichdi. The flavors were strong and it was tasty, but we found the rice mushy. We garnished with fresh cilantro. (Apr. 2024)
Pakistani chick peas and rice (chana pulao)
I am a big fan of beans and rice in many forms, and I love trying new recipes exploring this combination. We made this recipe: https://fatimacooks.net/chana-pilau-pulao-pakistani-chickpeas-rice/ We followed it very closely, and it yielded a delicately seasoned dish that we inhaled. Our modifications: first, we sliced a medium red onion along the grain. Second, we…… Continue reading Pakistani chick peas and rice (chana pulao)
Potato leek soup
My husband loves potato-leek soup. We decided to try this straightforward, relatively healthy SkinnyTaste version: https://www.skinnytaste.com/potato-leek-soup/ This soup was delicious and satisfying. (Apr. 2024) Note: We recommend this method to thoroughly clean leeks: https://www.wellplated.com/how-to-clean-leeks/
Chinese tangy soy dipping sauce
We enjoyed more homemade dumplings, and we tried this dipping sauce from Andrea Nguyen: https://www.splendidtable.org/story/2000/12/12/tangy-soy-dipping-sauce (Feb. 2024)
Tuscan pasta and bean soup (pasta e fagioli)
We had the most delicious pasta e fagioli at our favorite local Italian restaurant. But unlike other pasta e fagioli recipes, the restaurant's version was heavy on the beans (tender, nearly disintegrated, velvety), light brown, and had virtually no other vegetables. We suspected the soup's foundation was homemade bean broth (as opposed to stock plus… Continue reading Tuscan pasta and bean soup (pasta e fagioli)
Indian mung bean dal (moong dal)
We made this recipe as a side dish: https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/moong-dal-recipe/ We used a pressure cooker, and we followed the blogger's tip about adding a bit (1/2 tsp) of red lentil to the 1/2 cup of moong dal to reduce stickiness. We found the instructions confusing and imprecise (for ex, it is vague about the amount and… Continue reading Indian mung bean dal (moong dal)
Chinese smashed cucumber salad, version 2
We had Persian cucumbers and decided to try this recipe: https://thewoksoflife.com/smashed-asian-cucumber-salad/ Our modifications: first, we found 5 Persian cucumbers equivalent to the 2 standard cucumbers called for in the recipe. Second, for the chili oil, we used 1.5 tsp Sichuan chili sauce (laoganma). This was a refreshing and delicious side dish to gong bao chicken… Continue reading Chinese smashed cucumber salad, version 2