Day 20: Vegan "Cheesecake" Breakfast Smoothie - Νηστήσημο "Cheesecake" Πρωινό Smoothie - March 22, 2014

The other day we were reading through Facebook, and so many people post recipes that they like or foods that they want to make, enticing others to try the recipes or to share the foods.  That is exactly what happened to us -- we were enticed by a title and a recipe that we saw on Facebook.  And, because we enjoyed this one so much and will include it in our repertoire of recipes, now, we are going to share this recipe with you.

We made a smoothie.  The interesting part about this smoothie is the flavour -- Raspberry Cheesecake.  Who doesn't like cheesecake?  We could n to figure out how this could be vegan and taste like cheesecake at the same time, unless it had some tofu in it.  Guess what?  This has only five ingredients, none of which are unusual or hard to get.  And, for us, these  ingredients are staples in our cupboards.

Making a smoothie is a quick process and takes very little time, provided you have the right tools.  For our smoothie making, we use a Ninja blender.  With this recipe, because there is no ice to crush, any blender will do -- even an immersion blender!  If you want it totally frozen and you add ice, then make sure that your blender is strong enough to break through the ice.  For us, we cut the recipe in half when making it, but we are providing the amounts for a full recipe below.  The quantities provided  make about 3 cups.

For this recipe, you will need the following:

1 1/2 cups almond milk
1 cup raspberries*, fresh or frozen
2 ripe bananas
2 Tablespoons cashews
3 pitted dates

In the blender, mix the almond milk, banana, cashews, and dates.  Make sure that the mixture is mostly smooth.

Then, add the berries and blend again.  Blend until it is all smooth.

Serve.

You can garnish this with extra raspberries, crushed nuts, almond slivers.  And, if you made too much for the one day, this smoothie will keep in the fridge for up to two days n an airtight container.

And, if you are drinking smoothies as part of a health routine, you can add a scoop of vanilla protein powder to this and boost the nutritional value.

* If you prefer other berries, blueberries, strawberries, or blackberries will work, too!
We want to note that we often put very ripe bananas in the freezer specifically for making smoothies.  We have found that the most convenient way is to peel them, cut them, and freeze them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, so they don't freeze as a big mass of banana.  The banana used today was in the refrigerator for a few days, waiting to make it into the freezer.  Frozen banana would have made this smoothie colder, and that would have been nice.

This was a nice treat.  All of us enjoyed the flavour, but did not like the seeds of the raspberries.  We are excited to try other berries to see if it still tastes as good.  Also, it was easy and fast because there was no ice to crush.  It was cold because of the frozen berries and frozen banana. We want to make it again and freeze the liquid to make smoothie freezer pops as a treat as the weather gets a little warmer.  Did you taste the cheesecake?  If you try this, let us know how it turns out.

Image source: http://www.orthodoxartsjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/St.-John-of-Kronstadt.-Icon-based-on-Photograph..jpg

From St. John of Kronstadt (My Life in Christ; Holy Trinity Monastery pg. 174):

"Prayer is spiritual breathing; when we pray we breathe in the Holy Spirit; "praying in the Holy Spirit" (Jd. 1:20). Thus, all church prayers are the breathing of the Holy Spirit; as it were spiritual air and also light, spiritual fire, spiritual food and spiritual raiment."

Source of quote: http://theodorakis.net/orthodoxquotescomplete.html

Day 19: Seafood Risotto - Ριζότο με θαλασσινά - March 21, 2014

We read so many recipes on a regular basis that sometimes it is difficult to remember from where a recipe originated.  And, then, we make it so many times, it is even more difficult to know if that is the recipe at all, or is that just how we make it.  Well, seafood risotto is one of those recipes that we make regularly and do so by experience more than written directions, so we are giving you the written version closest to what we make.  The written version is taken from the website for Eating Well magazine, in the food section.  Perhaps this is where sour version originated, and it is very much like what we make.  This way, you get the written measurements for your use.  And, we believe that after a few times, you, too, will adjust the recipe for yourself.

Seafood risotto is a dish that is not traditionally Greek, but fits well into our culture.  After all, it is a rice dish, and Greeks eat rice regularly.  So, what is so special about risotto that make people say "wow" when told that you have made this dish?  It is known to be a dish that takes time and a lot of stirring to get right.   It is true that there is some time involved with making this, but the stirring thing is beyond us -- we don't stir a lot, we stir occasionally.  This gives us the freedom to make other things while the risotto is on the stove.

Some people even believe that risotto is not good without a lot of cheese.  Well, today, we are making a vegetarian version of risotto -- it is not vegan since there is Lent-appropriate seafood.  You can make risotto with vegetables like mushrooms, artichokes, asparagus, spinach, and others, or you can add specific seafood.  When we cannot decide which seafood we want, we use the convenience of the seafood mix.  This comes with a little shrimp, some mussels, clams, squid, and tidbits of other seafood, not fish.  It is a delight in that it comes ready and is rather inexpensive to buy.

For this recipe from Eating Well Magazine, you will need the following:

5 cups water, seafood stock, or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads (or use ground saffron)
1 1/2 cups arborio or other Italian “risotto” rice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dry white wine
1 pound peeled and de-veined raw shrimp (21-25 count) (we used 2 cups of seafood mix, whole)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed (we did not have any peas, so we omitted these)

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First, saute the onion.

Add the garlic and the saffron.   You will see the contents of the pot become a beautiful yellow colour from the saffron, and you should smell the onion and garlic cooking.

Add the rice and the salt, and then mix well so the rice is fully coat with the other ingredients.

Now, add to the hot pot 1/2 cup of broth and mix well.  You want to mix everything to make sure that none of the ingredients are stuck to the bottom of the pan, and any brown bits that are already on the pan are now lifted and incorporated into the dish.  Let this sit and cook until the liquid has been cooked off and/or absorbed by the rice.

Adding the dry white wine

Add the wine and allow that to cook into the rice until it is fully absorbed and/or cooked off.  Then, add another 1/2 cup of broth.  Each time that you add liquid, mix the risotto and then let it sit on the heat to cook off the liquid.  Once there is no more broth in the pan, add the next half cup.  You want to do this in half cup increments so you can control the rate of absorption into the rice.  This is the time consuming part.  Our electric burner was set on 7 1/2 out of 10 (about medium high).

When you get to the last cup of broth, add the seafood to the pot.  If you have peas, add them now, too.  Mix this all together well so that the seafood is well incorporated to the mix.  Then, add the last cup of broth to the pot and mix well.  Make sure that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan, and that everything is covered.  Let this cook until the rice is fully soft and there is very little liquid left in the pot.  Then, allow this to sit on the burner for a couple of minutes to finish absorbing the liquid and to allow the flavours to meld together.  

Serve this hot, as a side dish, a main dish, or an appetizer   You can squeeze some lemon on it to enhance the seafood, or you can serve it without.  As long as it is served hot, it should be good.  

We have used this for many occasions, with company, for family, or for just us as a simple, filling meal at home.  When paired with a nice salad, a little bread, and even a cooked vegetable, seafood risotto becomes a well-rounded meal for any day, any time of the year.

Source of image: http://orthodoxchurchquotes.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/st-augustine-of-hippo-2.jpg


“What is perfection in love? Love your enemies in such a way that you would desire to make them your brothers … For so did He love, Who hanging on the Cross, said ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’” (Luke 23:34)– St. Augustine of Hippo, Sermons on I John, I.9

Source of quote: http://orthodoxchurchquotes.com/category/sayings-from-saints-elders-and-fathers/st-augustine-of-hippo/

Day 18: Parsley and Quinoa Salad With Tomato and Scallions - Σαλάτα με Πλιγούρι (ή Quinoa), Ντομάτα και Πράσινα Κρεμμυδάκια - March 20, 2014

Bulgur wheat is an interesting ingredient with many uses.  It is made from different wheat sources, but most often durum wheat and is a whole grain that gives us fiber and protein.  Perhaps you know it from one of its most common uses, which is the Middle Eastern food Tabbouleh Salad.  In fact, that is sort of what this recipe is -- tabbouleh!  We were surprised to find a more Greek version in the Veffa Alexiou book Veffa's Kitchen.  We should not be too surprised, since many Middle Eastern foods and Greek foods are the same or similar by different names.  They may have one or two ingredietns that differ, but overall, they are very similar foods.

So, when we wanted to make this salad, we realized that we did not have bulgur in the pantry, and we had little time to go shopping.  So, we decided to seek an alternative grain.  Knowing that the bulgur gives fiber and protein, we thought aobut what other grains have similar properties.  We considered buckwheat, but realized that they actually are very different since buckwheat is not a grain (even if its name implies that it is a grain), it is, in fact, a seed of grass. Buckwheat is actually related to the sorrel and rhubarb!

Then, we thought about quinoa.  Bulgur and quinoa have similar nutritional profiles for the most part and offers both protein and fibre.  And, it has the benefit of being gluten-free if anyone has that concern.  Lastly, quinoa can be cooked quickly in the microwave or on the stovetop, so we can forego the soaking process!  Sounds like a winner to us!  Then, just to make sure that we were on the right track, we went looking through several places to find other sources that agree with our theory of using quinoa.

Uncooked Quinoa

Cooked Quinoa

Quinoa is a very popular grain and is easy to cook. Originally a South American grain, it has gained great respect because of its nutritional richness in proteins and other nutrients. We were able to cook this in the microwave on high for about 10 minutes to get a nice, fluffy dish.  Quinoa triples in volume when it is cooked.  You can cook this on the stove top the same way that you make rice, boil, cover, simmer -- and that may take 15 to 20 minutes.  You decide how you want to cook the quinoa.  Make sure to use the same amount as you would use with bulgur wheat, though.  They measure the same way!  We did make only half the recipe, but we are providing you with the full amounts for measuring, which will serve 4-6 people. You can adjust the quantities as you need.

For this recipe, you will need the following:

1 cup bulgur (or quinoa)
3 cups fresh parsley
1/2 cup mint
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup scallions
1/2 cup lemon juice
6 TBSP oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

As we stated above, cook the quinoa.  If you are using bulgur, soak it in boiling water for 15 minutes, then, drain any excess liquid.  Allow it to dry for a moment, so there is no residual water in the mixing bowl.  While the bulgur soaks or the quinoa cooks, prepare the other ingredients.

Chop the parsley, mint, and scallions.  Put them in the mixing bowl.  We used dried mint which we grow in our garden during summer months; consequently, we have some available all year round.  If this were spring or summer where the mint was fresh and abundant in the back yard, we would be using the fresh mint.  But, today, we have the dried… make sure to crumble the leaves only from the mint, and not to include stems.

Chopping parsley can be a challenge for some, and we wanted to show you an easy way to do it, without the use of a food processor.  Pick all the curly leaves off the stems of the parsley, and discard the stems.  Gather and pinch the leaves into a pile, starting to try to roll the pile into a cigar shape, where the leaves are very tightly packed together.  Then, slice very small slices to make what is known as a "chiffonade" of parsley.  Once that has been done in one direction, gather the parsley as well as you can and cut a chiffonade in the other direction.  If you are more comfortable cutting like you see on television, then rest your passive hand on the top of the knife blade, hold the knife parallell to your body, and use the rocking motion from the shape of the blade, rocking back and forth over the pile of parsley.

Afterwards, seed and chop the tomatoes.  To seed a tomato, one of the easiest ways is to cut the tomato in half (see the pictures below) and squeeze a bit.  You will see the pouches of seeds and pulp start to pop out, away from the flesh of the tomato.  You can either squeeze hard enough to break the inner connection, use a spoon and scoop the pulp out of the tomato, or use a knife and cut the connection at the stem end.  Now, you are ready to chop the tomato and add it to the mixing bowl.

Put all the ingredients into the mixing bowl and gently mix them together.  We say gently mix because you do not want to break apart or smash any of the individual components.  Now, combine the oil and lemon in a separate bowl to make a dressing.  This is a good place to taste the dressing to see if you have added enough lemon or enough oil.  It will not thicken, but the two ingredients will come together nicely.  Once you have the flavour combination where you like it, add the dressing to the mixing bowl and toss the salad.

Once everything is in the mixing bowl, combine it well so the dressing coats all the little pieces of quinoa, parsley, mint, and tomato.  Then, serve immediately.  If you are going to keep this overnight, make sure to drain off any excess dressing before putting the salad in a container.  The salad will get soggy and pastey if left sitting in excess dressing.  This will keep in the refrigerator for about three days.  In our house, it never makes it to the fridge!

Source of image: http://orthodoxchurchquotes.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/st-isaac-the-syrian-6.jpg

“If you cannot be merciful, at least speak as though you are a sinner. If you are not a peacemaker, at least do not be a troublemaker. If you cannot be assiduous, at least in your thought be like a sluggard. If you are not victorious, do not exalt yourself over the vanquished. If you cannot close the mouth of a man who disparages his companion, at least refrain from joining him in this.”

St. Isaac the Syrian

Source of quote: http://orthodoxchurchquotes.com/tag/humility/

Day 17: Simple Lenten Lobster and Bow Tie Pasta Soup - Απλή Νηστίσιμη Σούπα με Αστακό και Ζυμαρικά Παπιγιόν - March 19, 2014

There are days when we don't have a lot of time to cook, nor do we have a lot of energy to make a meal.  And, we will sometimes throw something together quickly.  One of our "go to" foods for a nutritious and satisfying meal is to make a quick soup.  Today's recipe is incredibly fast and easy to do, even if you don't have a lot of ingredients, time, or energy.

A thin soup (that is, one that is not thickened) can be satisfying if it is flavourful and clean.  It can warm  you up on a cool day, or relax you when you have stress.  We like to keep a few bouillon choices on hand so that we can  create a broth that will satisfy any craving or any dietary restriction.  These bouillon bases are from the Ontario, California company Superior Touch. Our favourite products from this company are their flavour bases line Better than Bouillon.  We use the different flavours throughout the year to meet our dietary guidelines and, because we love the flavourful soups we create with these flavour bases.  With a quick and easy broth like this, you can add whatever you want to make a soup.

Today, we chose to use the lobster base for our soup.  It is made only from lobster, without the addition of any other animal product, nor any unidentifiable ingredients.  This is one of our favourites because it is rich in flavour, pairs well with almost any other ingredient, and gives us a beautiful colour in the end product. As with virtually all flavour bases or bouillon products, sodium (salt) is a prominent ingredient in several of the Superior Touch line, making them unsuitable for those with low-sodium dietary requirements.

To use this, all you have to do is dissolve some of the paste in a pot of boiling water.  If you were making a smaller quantity, like a cup of soup, then you would dissolve the spoonful in the cup of boiling water. This product does dissolve in hot or warm water, but it is fastest and easiest if the water is at a full boil (it dissolves within a minute).  And, because it is in a paste form, it does not leave a chalky residue at the end of the cup.

Once the Better than Bouillon Lobster Base is fully dissolved in the water and at the boiling point, add pasta to it.  We chose Misko bow tie pasta from Greece because it was sizeable enough to stand by itself int the soup and we love the texture of this pasta once cooked.  Had we chosen a smaller noodle, it may seem that we would need some vegetables or something else in the soup with the pasta.  The bow ties looked pretty, too.

Let this boil for 13-15 minutes to cook the pasta. The amount of time to cook this soup varies depending on your stove, the amount of pasta you are cooking, and the chewiness level you want the pasta to be cooked.  We chose to make the bow ties "al dente" instead of fully soft.

As a garnish, we sprinkled a couple of dried mint leaves which we grew last summer in our garden.

You can serve this soup with a sprinkling of parsley, mint, or oregano.  And, putting a little bread with it makes this soup an inexpensive, filling meal in under 25 minutes!

Source of image: http://orthodoxchurchquotes.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/st-gennadius.jpg

“Seek the simplest in all things, in food, clothing, without being ashamed of poverty. For a great part of the world lives in poverty. Do not say, “I am the son of a rich man. It is shameful for me to be in poverty.” Christ, your Heavenly Father, Who gave birth to you in the baptistery, is not in worldly riches. Rather he walked in poverty and had nowhere to lay His head. “

St. Gennadius of Constantinople, The Golden Chain, 24-25

Source of quote: http://orthodoxchurchquotes.com/category/sayings-from-saints-elders-and-fathers/st-gennadius-of-constantinople/