Two Delicious Vegetarian Recipes

First from big green Gourmet Today cookbook:
Hummus and Vegetable Lavash Wraps

Confession: We used whole wheat tortillas as well as flatbread (which is lavash.)

1 lavash
Hummus
1/2 seedless cucumber, cut into 1/8 in. slices
1 lg. carrot, cut into ribbons with vegetable peeler
1 sm. sweet onion, cut into 1/8 in. thick slices
6 radishes, shredded on lg. wholes of a box grater
1/2 c alfalfa sprouts
1 T sesame seeds, toasted.
Optional (our addition) fresh mint leaves, sliced.

Confession 2: We didn't use the sesame seeds, but I bet they are good.

Spread humus evenly over lavash. Top with remaining ingredients. Roll lavash up tightly, jelly-roll fashion, and trim ends. Cut into 8 slices with a serrated knife. Garnish sandwiches with sprouts and sesame seeds.

Confession 3: We just made individual sandwiches, burrito style.

Next: Enjoyed with Dad and Marty Nygaard this week:

Martine's White Bean and Portobello Salad
Small White Beans
Chopped red bell pepper
Small pitted nicoise olives
Chopped roma tomatoes
Fresh mozzarella balls
Artichoke hearts
Pine nuts
Slices of grilled portobello mushrooms
Mixed greens

We ate it with citrus-mustard vinaigrette, but any number of dressings would be good.

Aunt Nancy is 50 Today!

Nancy’s Jubilee
16 February 2010

Our beautiful sister and Aunt Nancy is 50 years old today! We sisters celebrated with a brisk, bushwhacking, burr-bearing snowshoe trip up Millcreek canyon and finished with lunch and gifts at Granato's in Holladay. The perfect day for the perfect girl (she'll always seem a girl to me!). Here's a little tribute for her:

1. My sister Nancy is good on a pogo stick
2. And a unicycle
3. A bicycle
4. And many other toys and tools that are dangerous.
5. Nancy has beautiful dimples
6. And clear, lovely blue eyes.
7. She is full of wisdom
8. And seeks knowledge.
9. Nancy is faithful at all times and in all places.
10. She is a true peacemaker, and as such,
11. Brings peace wherever she goes.
12. She makes colored rice.
13. Nan is patient, now and forever.
14. She is long-suffering.
15. Nancy cares deeply about her parents and other forebears,
16. Her very special and blessed children,
17. And all Father in Heaven places in her path.
18. She is loyal
19. And obedient
20. And brave
21. And forgiving.
22. She is a master gardener
23. And inspired leader.
24. Strong,
25. Musical,
26. Humble,
27. And generous in praise.
28. Nancy is temple-loving
29. And temple going
30. And Covenant keeping.
31. Herb and
32. Nature-loving, too.
33. Health-minded,
34. Sacrificing,
35. Singing,
36. Multi-lingual
37. Responsive,
38. Open to understanding,
39. Hopeful
40. Positive,
41. Kind,
42. Full of revelation,
43. Adaptable,
44. Focused,
45. Progressive,
46. Visionary,
47. Tender,
48. Willing,
49. Christ-like,
50. Celestial.

Music

I heard this poem on NPR, and the essence of it stuck with me. I finally came across it again; it's by Ann Porter, in her book Living Things.

MUSIC
When I was a child
I once sat sobbing on the floor
Beside my mother's piano
As she played and sang
For there was in her singing
A shy yet solemn glory
My smallness could not hold

And when I was asked
Why I was crying
I had no words for it
I only shook my head
And went on crying

Why is it that music
At its most beautiful
Opens a wound in us
An ache a desolation
Deep as a homesickness
For some far-off
And half-forgotten country

I've never understood
Why this is so

But there's an ancient legend
From the other side of the world
That gives away the secret
Of this mysterious sorrow

For centuries on centuries
We have been wandering
But we were made for Paradise
As deer for the forest

And when music comes to us
With its heavenly beauty
It brings us desolation
For when we hear it
We half remember
That lost native country

We dimly remember the fields
Their fragrant windswept clover
The birdsongs in the orchards
The wild white violets in the moss
By the transparent streams

And shining at the heart of it
Is the longed-for beauty
Of the One who waits for us
Who will always wait for us
In those radiant meadows

Yet also came to live with us
And wanders where we wander.

Our Week in Pictures

We swung.

We drew.

We cooked.

We ate.

We bent.

We stretched.

We created!

We enjoyed!

Italian Baked Chicken

This is an improved version of a different recipe. We served it last month to Jack and Marie Ashton, our dear favorite Garden Parkers!

Ingredients:
Organic Chicken Breasts
Sun-dried Tomatoes
Thin-sliced Feta Cheese
Fresh Basil Leaves
Fresh Minced Garlic
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Kosher Salt and fresh ground Pepper

Directions:
Rinse and dry chicken.
Slice chicken breasts crosswise, but not completely through
Brush or sprinkle garlic inside slit
Add a thin (1/4 inch) slice of feta cheese, some chopped sun-dried tomatoes and a large leaf or two of fresh basil between layers of chicken.
Carefully place breasts in oiled glass casserole dish. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, fresh ground pepper and Parmesan cheese.
Bake in hot (450 degree) convection oven until breasts are golden brown on top and just done inside.

Tummy Pains With Yummy Inexpensive 'Conflict Free Food'

If you ask anyone unfortunate enough to have gone with me lately to the grocery store, they will attest to the fact that it is a difficult experience for all those within earshot. A certain Michael McCain says about the experience, "She hates buying low-quality food, and she hates spending money, so she gets a bit crabby." I'll show HIM crabby... well, I have. And I want it to stop.

The very idea that I'm eating my money, and not enjoying it, is a problem. Because food should be enjoyable. I grew up fully aware of the enjoyability of food. So what happened, and how can I get back? Not only is expense an issue, but my morals and values also get in the way of me buying whatever food looks good and easy. I would like to buy guilt free food in more than just the effect it has on my physical body. I'm avoiding meat with the exception of fish for the most part, but would still like meat ideas, and where to get what I call "happyish animal products. (This goes for dairy and the like as well)." It is true that you are what you eat. I want essentially "conflict free" edibles. But want to be able to have money left over for other parts of my life! I also don't with two jobs and something of a social life, have time for elaborate, arduous kitchen adventures.

I would love inexpensive ideas for where to buy 'conflict free food,' and how to make them enjoyable in a simple way. I have enjoyed learning creative recipes, and am excited to learn more! Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Happy fooding!

Hannah

the photo is of a happy little omelette recipe I played with to great success, that reminded me how fun food is, and made me want to learn more.

Delicious Salad

This is not nearly so entertaining as Ariel's post--sorry, but this is a very hearty and tasty salad

Oasis Restaurant’s Mediterranean Salad
Unauthorized Version

Grilled Potato
Grilled Red Onion slices
Grilled Ahi Tuna (optional)
Scoop of Hummus
Chunk of Feta
Chopped Tomatoes
Kalamata Olives
Mixed Greens
Pepperoncini
Balsamic Vinaigrette