Showing posts with label lime. Show all posts

Special: Mango Salsa

Ok, mango salsa isn't Polynesian either, it's more of a tropical, mexican, quasi, international marriage thing. Kind of like Izzy marries Jenifer Lopez but with less calories and drama. This works up really fast and goes well with so much. Add a little lettuce and you have a salad...wallah.

Mango Salsa
1 mango cubed
1/2 red onion chopped
2 sweet chilies chopped (or hot chilies if you like it hot...some do)
1 cucumber chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
juice from 1 lime
salt to taste

Mix it up and there ya go........wallah.....

Day 24: Phad Thai

There are two really great places I can recommend for some phenomenal Phad Thai. One is in St. George Utah at Benja's Thai and Sushi...mmmmmm. Probably one of my top restaurants! The other is in the food court at Ala Moana mall in Waikiki. Benjas is a bit more expensive due to the atmosphere but if you count airfare, hotel, and car rental you're really saving yourself.

I could eat phad thai all day....actually, I've never tried, I'll have to put that on my list of things to do. It really is a delightful thing! There is such a mixture of flavors...hmmm, I'm making myself hungry. I better just skip to the recipe before I hurt myself.

Phad Thai
thai peanut sauce
phad thai rice noodles ( I prefer the flat ones)
peanuts crushed
chopped cilantro
bean sprouts
green onions
lime wedges

Cook the thai noodles par the instructions on the packet. Toss with the thai peanut sauce and top with crushed peanuts, cilantro, green onion and bean sprouts. Serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over.

Day 20: Cous Cous Salad

Several years ago I lived just down the street from my fantastic sister-in-law. Those were good times! We were at their house on a regular basis (a little too regular they thought). We had adventures at the park, carved my brother-in-laws head on a pumpkin, and put up their Christmas tree for Halloween. I know he won't admit it but even my brother-in-law felt magic in the air.

I want to apologize to my sister-in-law in advance for her "honorable mention" on this blog but our adventures in the kitchen never fail to bring a smile to my face. If there were to be a cooking show like Tool Time, my sister would be Tim. I say that with all the love in my heart! I really look up to her in SO many things!

One evening we went to their home for dinner and I brought warm cous cous as a substitute for rice. The family, having tried some of my other concoctions and not being fans, took a little coaxing. After the first bite they loved it. My sister asked what it was. I told her it was cous cous and she gave me a confused look. I told her she could get it at any health food store.

To my surprise, the next day I got a call from my sister. She had gone to the health food store, I think for the first time. She had bought cous cous, cooked it up, and it was terrible - nothing like mine. I asked her what spices she put in it, "spices, what spices? You didn't say anything about spices." Which was true. This reminded me of the time when I was telling her how to make gravy. I said, " you start out by making a rue." To which she replied, " rue, isn't that Kangas baby? You're just making these words up right?"

I adore my sister-in-law, and in her defense I have recently heard that she makes scrumptious homemade rolls. I can't wait for her to teach me and for many more memory making moments in the kitchen...which will be posted soon. For now, Here comes the cous cous

Cous Cous Salad
1-2 c cous cous
1 can black beans
1 can corn
cilantro
1 green chili
EVOO
lemon or lime juice

In your loyal rice cooker cook your cous cous in double the amount of water (2 water to 1 cous cous). Drain, wash, and drain your black beans. The beans need to be clean with no juice or they will turn your cous cous black. Drain your corn. Mix cous cous, beans, and corn in a bowl. In the food processor or blender, add your cilantro, green chili, EVOO, and lemon juice. Puree and place everything in the fridge. Let everything cool. Just before serving, drizzle the salad with the dressing. This is a great refreshing meal.

Day 9: Tacos

As a teenager I moved to Utah from California. It may as well have been a different planet! We moved from a 4 bedroom townhouse to a house with 4 acers. I was in culture shock to say the least. This was only compounded one day when we invited a friend over for dinner.

"What ya havin," he asked.
"Tacos"
"What are Tacos?"

I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at him to see if he was joking....he wasn't, and rightly so! You don't joke when it comes to Tacos!

But, I ask you, how on earth, in a civilized society, can someone not know about Tacos? I'm sorry for bringing this traumatic story up but I promise it has a purpose. This story is sad and upsetting to the mojority of us. Thus proving that Tacos are a staple, a basic, a necessity! And that inner basic need for tacos is no different for vegans. Thus, The Taco


Tacos

1lb lentils
1 pkg taco seasoing
refried beans
1/2 bunch of lettuce
2 large tomatoes
1/2 an onion
1 bunch cilantro
2-3 green chilies
1 lime
garlic powder or fresh
taco shells

Pull out that trusty, loveable little rice cooker and cook up some lentils. Add water, lentils and taco seasoning. Now, in a food processor add tomatoes, onion, cilantro, chilies, the juice of 1 lime, and a pinch of salt. Pulse to make fresh salsa. Wash and chop lettuce. Heat your refried beans and taco shells. We serve everything family style and make our own but you can pre-make them for a more elegant approach.