Spicy Toasted Pecans

I got this recipe from epicurious.com and cooked up a batch for my Christmas Eve Party. They were so delicious I've been making them ever since and eat them as a great mid-day snack. I think I love them so much because they remind me of the flavors in the "chex-mix" my mom whipped for family holiday get-togethers during my childhood.

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Spicy Toasted Pecans

Yields 2.5 cups

3 tbsp organic butter

1/2 tsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (try Annie's brand)

1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce

1/4 tsp organic black pepper

1/4 tsp organic sea salt

2.5 cups organic pecan halves (about 10 oz.)

Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees

Melt butter in a sauce-pan over moderate heat, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, pepper and salt. Remove pan from the heat and add the pecans, tossing to coat well.

Spread pecan mixture in one layer on a baking sheet or shallow baking pan. Bake until fragrant and a shade darker, about 8-10 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Once cooled they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Inspiration for Winter Salad Making

Don't we all love salads during the summer and autumn when we are blessed with an abundance of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, lettuces, corn?? Yes, summer seems to be the season of salads. However, I eat a salad nearly every day year round. And I am not talking about a salad in December with tomatoes and cucumbers. Since I began eating more in harmony with the seasons I only get to enjoy these hot weather produce treats when they are actually grown in the ground by my local farmers or from my own garden. The benefits of a raw vegetable salad are many-they are overflowing with fiber and vitamins and minerals in their natural form. So eating a somewhat seasonal salad throughout the winter can be challenging. First of all I try to grow a lot of my own salad greens, which I have success with from March-November. During the December, January and February months I rely on hardier greens from the grocery store like kale, cabbage, swiss chard, spinach, etc. These are the items I'm currently eating in my winter salad. I hope they inspire you to munch a raw salad every day!

In Health,

Miss Jolie Ann

Kale

Purple Cabbage

Kohlrabi

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Carrots

Grated Raw Parsnip

Grated Raw Beets

Radishes

Canned Beans: Garbanzo, Kidney & Black-Eyed Peas

Nuts: Cashews, Walnuts & Pecans

Seeds: Sunflower & Pumpkin

Cheese-grated or cubed: Cheddar, Parmesan, Swiss

Spanish-Spiced Yam & Garbanzo Bean Soup

This recipe is adapted from the Gypsy Soup recipe in the Moosewood Cookbook (1992 edition) by Mollie Katzen. I started cooking this recipe 2 years ago and it's a great simple soup with several variations. I love the eclectic combination of the spanish spices. When this soup is cooking your will kitchen smell amazing! I adapted the recipe so that my version is more in harmony with seasonal produce during the winter. I usually serve this soup with some toasted garlic ciabatta bread.

In Health,

Miss Jolie Ann

Spanish-Spiced Yam & Garbanzo Bean Soup
Yields 5 servings

2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
1 large organic yellow onion-chopped
5 medium organic garlic cloves-chopped
2 stalks organic celery-minced
1 medium organic garnet or jewel yam-peeled and chopped
1 tsp organic sea salt
2 tsp organic paprika
1 tsp organic turmeric
1 tsp organic dried basil
a pinch of organic cinnamon
a pinch of organic cayenne
1 organic bay leaf
1-28 oz can of organic chopped tomatoes
1-14 oz can of organic garbanzo beans
3 cups water

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 10 minutes until the onion is soft.
2. Add the garlic, celery, yam, salt and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes.
3. Add the paprika, turmeric, basil, cinnamon, cayenne and stir to combine the spices and veggies. Continue to sauté for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the bay leaf, tomatoes, garbanzo beans and water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat to medium.
5. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for approximately 20 minutes. When the yams are very tender the soup is done.
6. Remove the bay leaf and serve. This soup stores well in the refrigerator for several meals.

The Best Breakfast Oatmeal

Steel cut oats are the best. You might be more familiar with rolled oats for your hot breakfast cereal. Steel cut oats are the unprocessed whole grain oat and are very nutritious and delicious. Once a week I cook a big pot of steel cut oats and reheat a small portion each morning for breakfast. It's a great start to your day. My version of steel cut oats is a real "breakfast of champions" packed with whole grain, fiber, and protein. Here's the basic recipe then all of my add-in's:

1 cup steel cut oats
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp alcohol-free pure vanilla
4 cups water

Place the oats, cinnamon, and vanilla in a medium-large pot and add the water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn down the heat to the lowest simmer. Cook covered for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and check to make sure oats aren't sticking. Add additional water as needed. This will yield enough oats for me to eat for about 6 mornings. I don't sweeten my cereal beyond the cinnamon and vanilla, because I really don't need the sugar. Consider rethinking sweetening your morning cereal.

Each morning I reheat a small portion of the oats (About 1/2 cup) with these add-ins:

1/2 cup organic unsweetened soymilk
1 organic banana-sliced
1 tbsp organic raisins
1 tbsp organic sliced almonds
1 tbsp organic chopped walnuts
1 tsp organic unsweetened raw shredded coconut

A note about cinnamon...I love cinnamon for it's delicious taste and also for it's magical/folklore uses. I need as much good energy and positive vibrations I can gather every morning to start my day! In "The Goddess in the Office" by Z. Budapest she says there are a number of magical herbs and spices associated with wealth. And you guessed it-cinnamon is one of them! She recommends baking cinnamon in cookies, rolls and bread. So, here's what I'm saying-I'm going to add cinnamon to my food every morning to symbolize my readiness for financial prosperity and growth. How about you give it a try too and let me know how it works!

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Thanks for your Support!

Friends,

Thank you so much for all your supportive emails regarding the launch of this new blog site. When I checked my email today it was wonderful to receive so many emails of encouragement. Keep checking back for new recipes and gardening tips. Please let me know how the recipes work out for you and if you have any questions. I look forward to continued feedback.

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Winter Squash & Spinach Tostadas

Winter Squash & Spinach Tostadas
Recipe Created by Miss Jolie Ann February 2008

I threw this tostada recipe together to use up the acorn squash that was sitting in my produce bowl, the tortillas and bag of organic baby spinach sitting in my refrigerator. My inspiration to experiment with tostada toppings came from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop which I picked up in the Spring of 2007. I love using whole wheat tortillas to make crisp tostada shells. I highly recommend the hand-made whole wheat tortillas from Trader Joe's, they work well for this recipe. Tostada shells are a perfect foundation for an endless variety of seasonal toppings. I love avocados on just about everything and I grow cilantro year-round in my backyard kitchen-garden. They are both excellent toppings for tostadas. I hope you enjoy this recipe and are inspired to experiment with your cooking!

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Winter Squash & Spinach Tostadas

Yield: 4 Tostadas

1 small-medium size organic acorn squash

2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil

2 medium cloves organic garlic-minced

6 oz bag organic baby spinach

4 organic whole wheat tortillas

Organic sharp cheddar cheese-grated/shredded

1 organic avocado-peeled, pitted & sliced

Organic cilantro-chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Slice acorn squash in half and scoop out the center seeds. Place the squash halves, sliced side down, on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes until tender when poked with a fork. Once cooked, scoop squash from skin. Mash squash in a bowl with a fork and add salt and pepper to taste if wanted. It's also great just plain.

3. While squash is baking, heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium setting. Add garlic and spinach. Saute about 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted but remains bright green. Do not over cook! Remove from pan to stop cooking.

4. Place 2 tortillas on an ungreased cookie sheet. If you wish to make all 4 tortillas for the same meal add another 2 tortillas on a 2nd ungreased cookie sheet. To make one tostada spread a quarter of the squash on one tortilla, then top with a quarter of the spinach-garlic mixture, then top with as much cheese as you desire-I use about 1 tbsp per tostada.

5. Place the cookie sheets in the oven on the top rack and bake for 10-15 minutes. The tostadas are done when the cheese is melted and the tortillas are crispy with slightly browned edges.

6. Top the cooked tostadas with sliced avocado and cilantro.

Swiss Cheese & Onion Soup with Homemade Croutons Recipe

Swiss Cheese & Onion Soup with Homemade Croutons Recipe
Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook (2nd edition 1992)
by Mollie Katzen

Mmm-Mmm! This is one of my favorite winter soup recipes. It sounds plain but it's thick and the texture and flavor are awesome. I cook it at least once a month. If I cook it the same week as Spinach Rice Casserole then I can use the same block of Swiss Cheese for both recipes. The homemade croutons can be a little decadent when you are on a food stamps budget but I splurged this week and loved every bite! The only thing I omitted from the original recipe was the 2 tbsp of sherry because I don't consume alcohol of any kind-even with cooking. Serve this rich soup with a big green salad loaded with beans, nuts and winter's storage crops like beets, carrots, and parsnips.

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Swiss Cheese & Onion Soup

Yields: 4 main dish servings

2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil

2 medium organic yellow onions-thinly sliced

2 medium cloves organic garlic-minced

1 tsp organic sea salt

2 tsp organic dry mustard

2 tbsp organic whole wheat flour

2 cups water

2 tsp organic prepared horseradish

2 cups organic unsweetened plain soymilk

1.5 cups organic Swiss Cheese-grated/shredded

black pepper

1. Add the olive oil to a large soup pot/dutch oven on medium heat. Add the onions and saute over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes until the onions are very soft and beginning to brown.

2. Add the garlic, salt, and dry mustard to onions. Continue to cook about 5 more minutes.

3. Gradually sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly. Then add the water and horseradish. Stir thoroughly to incorporate everything. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce to a simmer on medium-low heat. Cook about 5 minutes more.

4. Add the swiss cheese and soymilk. Stir well and let continue cooking covered for another 10 mintues until the cheese is well melted.

5. Add black pepper to taste and serve with plain or with homemade croutons.

Homemade Crouton Recipe

Loaf of any type bread you fancy-I've used multi-grain baguette, ciabatta, and sourdough.

About 6 tbsp of organic butter or extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2. I wait for the bread to be several days old rather than fresh from the bakery. Slice it into small cubes.

3. Warm butter or olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the bread cubes and saute for about 10 minutes.

4. Place the sauteed bread cubes on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for approximately 10 minutes. Check for browing color. Turn over bread cubes with a spatula and return to the oven to bake approximately 5 minutes more.

5. Serve toasty from the oven or they store well for several days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.