Pickled Eggs

I love hard boiled eggs, I do not however like boiling them.  I do like the ability to pickle eggs for later use, which is why I make this recipe after Easter - when there are always boiled eggs and not enough time to eat them all before they expire. These eggs have a slight outer seasoning with normal egg taste and texture on the inside. My favorite part about these eggs is that I can have a hard boiled egg with very little effort when ever I want after making these, I really dislike having to boil an egg - let it cool and then dig in.

• 12 eggs hard boiled and peeled
• One quart sized glass mason jar and lid, sterilized
• 1 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon molasses
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon pickling spice, I use ball mixed pickling spice
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

1.  Hard boil eggs, in a large pot, cover eggs with 2 inches of water.  Bring pan and eggs to a boil over high heat. turn off burner and cover pot with lid - let pot and eggs sit for 20 minutes.  using a slotted spoon, pull eggs out of water and run eggs in cold water to cool.  Once eggs are cool to the touch or if you want to wait until a later time peel eggs.
2. A cool trick to easily peel eggs is to take a sturdy drinking glass, like a pint glass. add a small amount of water to the glass - basically pour water in then out - it will help lubricate the egg shaking.  Egg shaking?  Yes.  place one egg into the glass, cover top of glass with a hand, hold glass horizontally and shake.  The shell will crack into many pieces and will be held together by inner and outer membranes.  A tough to peel egg will be easier to peel if shaken for a  good 10 seconds. Easy to peel eggs will start to peel themselves in the glass, you'll see pieces of shell fall right off.  All in all this is a good way to peel eggs, out of 16 eggs, only one was a poor peeler that lost most of it's whites. 
3. OK, now that is all finished. Give the peeled eggs a rinse off in water and set aside in a bowl.
4. Sterilize a quart sized mason jar, first make sure it is washed and clean then, in a pot of boiling water emerge jar for 10 minutes. 
5. While jar is boiling, in another pot bring everything but the eggs to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.  Turn off heat and prepare eggs in jar.
6. Pull jar out of boiling water, slowly add eggs to empty jar.  Jar will fit 12 eggs in four layers of three eggs.  once eggs are in place, pour brine over eggs.  Brine must cover eggs completely. 
7. Wash and boil mason jar lid, I just drop it in the jar water for 3 minutes.
8. Place lid on eggs and refrigerate for 4 weeks. The eggs will keep for 3 - 4 months in brine.

Use these in deviled egg recipes, egg salad, or just chopped in a salad.  The recipe can be halved - just be sure the eggs are covered in brine. 

Pantry Items Pad Thai

I love Pad Thai, it is amazing, the depth of flavor, the crunch of peanuts, the sweetness of basil.  I concocted this recipe to be use simple ingredients that I keep in my pantry - eggs and chicken are replaced by flax seed meal and nutritional yeast.

• 8 ounces flat rice noodles, soaked 20 minutes in a bowl of warm water 
• 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons A1
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon date sugar (any sugar will do)
• 2 tablespoons chili sauce
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons flax seed meal
• 1 can bean sprouts, drained
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1/4 cup water

1. In a medium bowl stir all ingredients except noodles to create sauce.
2. Pour sauce in a large cast iron skillet, warm for five minutes, add noodles stirring to coat.  Cook until warm and combined.
3. Serve warm. Top with a pinch of chopped peanuts if you have them.

Sugared Maple Fennel Seeds

I am testing out whether fennel will be helpful with some stomach issues, the fun stuff like bloating and gas.  Candied fennel seeds are like a after dinner mint at Indian restaurants... so I will probably buy some at a Indian market once the test run works out.  I say that because the purchased candy coated would be better for travel unlike my slightly sticky candy.  These are promising though, sweet, maple flavor followed by a wonderful licorice flavor.  I am loving them. 

• 1/2 maple syrup
• 1 cup fennel seeds
• 1/4 cup sugar

1. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, add maple syrup and fennel seeds.  cook and stir until syrup almost disappears, about 5-7 minutes.  
2. Turn off heat and add sugar to mixture. Stir to combine.
3. Pour sugared seeds on to waxed paper, parchment, or a silicone mat to cool.
4. Break up seeds as they cool.
5. Store in an airtight container once cooled.

If you want to add more flavor - toss sugared seeds in a dash of cocoa powder or cinnamon.

Lemon Bars

Lemon is my favorite flavoring for sweets, muffins, pies, cakes, or donuts. This is a my dairy free, gluten free, and vegan, verison of deliciousness.

Crust:

• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 oatmeal
• 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, plus extra for pan

Filling:

• 1 large lemon
• 4 tablespoons flax seed meal
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup melted butter substitute, I used Earth Balance
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup gluten free oatmeal

Topping:

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a small bowl place flax seed meal and water, mix and let this become gel like in texture
3. In food processor, combine walnuts, coconut, and  oatmeal. Process until crumbly, add oil.
4. Lightly oil bottom and sides of a 8×8 cake pan. Press crust into bottom of pan.
5. Wash and cut lemon into smaller pieces, remove stem and take out seeds. 
6. Process lemon alone in food processor, peel and all, (not the stem or seeds), scrape down sides. Add melted butter process to incorporate. Add flax mixture, oatmeal, vanilla and sugar. Process until combined.
7. Once the mixture is completed pour over crust, smooth filling evenly over crust.
8. Bake 35 - 40 minutes, the entire top should have become a big bubble sheet, it will cool flat, no worries, the edges should be starting to brown.
9. Let cool to room temperature, about an hour. Before serving sift powdered sugar on top, the bars will absorb the sugar. 
10. Enjoy!

Spinach and Mushroom Turkey Meatballs

I love meatballs, as it turns out though, ground beef isn't on the menu for me. Turkey meatballs are usually not something to love, runny, grainy, and lacking flavor, not with these. The texture is a great selling point, they are firm, they hold together, there is flavor! The secret for the texture is oatmeal and ground flax seed meal, these ingredients actually make the meatball have some spring to them, pushing on them with a fork does not turn them in to crumbles. The flavor is due to the mushrooms, nutritional yeast, and spinach, feel free to add anchovies, cumin, and red pepper flakes.

• 8 ounces mushrooms, diced 
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 2 tablespoons flax seed meal
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/2 cup gluten free french fried onions (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 cup frozen spinach, defrosted

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Dice mushrooms, lightly oil cast iron skillet with oil, toss in mushrooms. Flip to brown evenly, once the mushrooms brown add salt and pepper. Move cooked mushrooms into a large bowl, or my favorite new appliance, a stand mixer.
3. In the stand mixer add to the mushrooms: oatmeal, spinach, flax seed meal, nutritional yeast, fried onions, salt, and basil. Mix on low to combine. 
4. Add turkey to the mixer, mix on low until combined. Let mixture rest for 10 minutes. This will give the oatmeal and flax seeds time to absorb moisture from the turkey, really improving texture.
5. Lightly oil a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet.
6. This is where I cook a small meatball sized patty in the cast iron skillet to see if I need to add any more salt or other seasonings.
7. Using a small scoop make one inch meatballs, roll into nice circles.
8. Bake 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, the bottoms will be browned. Top with sauce of your choice, these are mild in flavor and would be great topped with tomato, buffalo, gravy, or whatever you want over meatballs. Yum! 

 For more flavor add to recipe above (read a meatball that can be eaten alone and without sauce) these are great with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar:

•  2 ounces anchovies in oil
• 2 tablespoons A1
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Marinated Tofu Feta Cheese

I loved feta, back when I thought I could eat cheese - I would heat feta in a cast iron skillet to make a beloved halloumi type grilled cheese, side note if you can eat dairy - find and eat halloumi, do it for me. I don't want to waste space with a story but, I had it once in Albania, I still remember that grilled cheese, I wish I could order it now. 

• One package extra firm tofu, pressed of water
• 2 tablespoons brown miso
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1.  Open container of extra firm tofu, wrap in a paper towel sheet, then again in a kitchen towel.  Lay tofu on counter, place a plastic cutting board on top followed by a wooden cutting board.  this will slowly and evenly-ish press water out of tofu - making room for our marinade.  leave the tofu for at least two hours, but no more than four hours.  the tofu will be firmer the longer you leave it and be more receptive to the marinade. 
2. In a small bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients.
3. Cut pressed tofu into smaller cubes, toss into a medium sized bowl, cover with marinade, toss to coat.
4. Marinate for at least 2 hours (I sample right after it is coated, FETA!) in the refrigerator, the next day coat tofu with olive oil to keep it fresh. 
5. I eat this quickly but it will last 2-3 weeks covered in oil in the refrigerator.

Adapted from http://greenevi.com/vegan-tofu-feta-cheese-new-and-improved/

Pumpkin Miso Soup

So easy, so delicious. I like that this recipe doesn't need to be pureed, it is so simple - a whisk and less then ten minutes to a satisfying and delicious soup. Serves four, easily double recipe to make this a meal.

• One vegetable bouillon cube
• 3 tablespoons mellow brown miso
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Nori strips for garnish, buy the small flavored packets, I used Texas BBQ for mine 

1. Over medium heat in a  medium pan, add water, bouillon, miso, onion powder, garlic powder, and ginger. Whisk all until combined.
2. Add olive oil, pumpkin, and soy sauce, whisk to combine.  Cook until simmering.
3. Serve with nori strip garnish, use kitchen shears.