Banana muffins a la Bittman

Banana variation of the basic muffin recipe. We added bananas, yogurt, coconut, honey and flax as the additions.

Caribbean split pea soup

I thought I would make soup on this chilly day. We had green split
peas and sweet potatoes. I found the variation of simple split pea
soup.
The sweetness of the sweet potato is an excellent addition.

Fried rice

I decided I needed to have a good recipe for fried rice in my
repertoire. I used edamame beans from the freezer and broccoli heads
from the farmers market. I also sautéed the onion, garlic and ginger.
Then precooked short grain brown rice was the main ingredient. I added
two eggs and scrambled them in with the rice. For the final touch I
added two teaspoons of thai red chili paste. It is a winner.

Banana bread

This just came out of the oven. Gorgeous banana bread. One secret ingredient he mentions is shredded coconut. Another is any leftover grain. We had millet. Hard to be patient and wait 15 mins til it cools enough to cut. I think this is the best banana bread I have ever eaten. The texture is lovely. It is not too sweet. The coconut adds a richness. This will be a standard in our family.

My first frittata

Staying with the philosophy of using what is in the fridge and
figuring out what to make, I decided to make a frittata with leftover
veggies. We always have eggs.

I cut up leftover roasted potatoes, eggplant, broccoli, added fresh
grape tomatoes and Thai lemon basil from the garden. I threw all them
in an 8" sauté pan with olive oil.
Then I added 2 beaten eggs and let it set. After 8 minutes it looked
done around the edges but gooey in the center. So I put on the broiler
and stuck it in there for a minute. After 1 minute it was still a
little wet in the center. I put it back in for 1 more minute. It may
have been too dry. I kind of like eggs that way though. Next time I
will use the lo setting on the broiler.
This is easy enough I can throw it together for a snack or weekend
breakfast. I can try it in the big iron skillet for a bigger group.
The key is having already cooked veggies in the fridge.

Curry peanut sauce for leftover millet and veggies

Ready to serve

Veggies ready to be roasted

Plan for dinner

So, we have loads of yellow beans from a Wisconsin farm stand and green beans from our garden.  I plan to roast them. I need to start cleaning them soon.  I may as well roast small potatoes and carrots at the same time.

The kale needs to be chopped and steamed. Served with lemon juice, Olive oil, and salt/pepper.

For the tofu, I plan to press it, broil it with Annies BBQ sauce added at the last few minutes. I need to put weights on the tofu to drain.

We also have about 20 shiro plums.  I plan to sauté them with butter and cinnamon and sugar in an iron skillet.

Menu:

Roasted potatoes, carrots and green beans
Steamed Kale
BBQ tofu
Sautéed plums

I almost need to have an engineering degree to figure out the flow chart for this meal. Yesterday I started early and then reheated when we actually ate dinner, much later. This takes the stress out of making sure everything is hot when served and also eliminates the excuse of no time to cook between scheduled family commitments.  I may have solved a huge dilemma plaguing me for years.

Green tea break

Dinner last night

So my plan was to try to use Bittman's Whole grain with no measuring technique with millet I found in a glass jar in the pantry. I felt very adventurous just adding water up to 1 inch above the 2 cups of grain. I let it boil, simmered til who knew when (actually about 25 mins, but who is counting?).  Broccolli and eggplant were chopped, tossed with olive oil and put in a 425 degree oven for about 25 minutes too.

I have not figured out how to do sauces/flavorings yet so I reverted to a bottle of Trader Joe's Red Curry Sauce just drizzled on your individual helping.

Fantastic.  This is going great.  Cherries for desert and I was satisfied.

Leftovers of millet and veggies

…Or at least a competent vegetarian cook

Mark Bittman will be my guide.  We will go on this journey together.  I own two of his books (How to Cook Everything Vegetarian and  Food Matters). I also read the New York Times column/blog which he writes.  This is a man who knows how to cook like a painter knows how to paint.  I believe he raises cooking to a creative art form.  This idea is what has brought me on this journey, cooking can be creative.  I have always been a recipe follower, a baker, fond of precise measurements.  Now I see a glimmer of what it takes to be the kind of cook that looks at what is in the fridge or seasonally available at the farmers market, and whips together a balanced satisfying meal.  I will study the basics of how to's, try them out, and then have an arsenal of techniques at my disposal.

I debated how to go about this process.  First, I thought of the "Julie and Julia" style, one recipe at a time.  I don't have the patience or organizational skills to do this.  In Bittman's book Food Matters, he discusses basics you need to know how to do.  These are like cooking any grain, cooking veggies, beans, tomato sauce, salsa, etc.  This seems like a good place to start.  However, they are guidelines for a variety of different grains and veggies.  You practice as you go with different types.  This is as far away from recipe following as I can get.

Second, I did not want to run out and get all the ingredients I need.  So, the challenge is to use up what I have.  I wrote down all the grains, veggies, fruit, etc. in the house right now. Then in the future, shop for what looks good and what I want to experiment with.

My intention by starting this journey is to eat healthier, buy less packaged food, develop another creative outlet, and have fun.

Here's to the produce from the farmer's market!

Here we go...