Dinner

Veggies Galore

I feel like I’ve been in front of the computer all day! I got a ton of stuff done though including my paper and blog work so I feel its been a productive day. I did get a break to hit the gym for a good arm, back and ab workout though so I guess I wasn’t in front of the computer all day. After the gym, while I was plugging away on my laptop I snacked on some of my homemade trail mix (cashews, pumpkin seeds, banana chips and dried cranberries) and made a special treat: a decaf espresso shot! Oh, it just took me right back to the streets of Paris when I would always order one after dinner (before I ate my nutella crepe, of course!). Mm….I think I need to go back to Europe…..anyways!

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For dinner I just reheated the bbq beans my mom made a couple weeks and froze for me. On the side I made roasted brussels sprouts, a slice of my whole wheat bread, and….mashed cauliflower, which sounds sort of gross but is actually really really tasty! Here’s what I did–it’s not really a recipe!

Mashed Cauliflower

A big handful raw cauliflower florets, probably about 1.5 cups or so

2 tbsp vegetable stock

1/2 of a garlic clove, minced

pinch of coriander

1/2 tbsp Earth Balance buttery spread (or butter or promise light)

salt and pepper to taste

In a microwavable safe tupperware, steam the cauliflower with about 1/4 cup water for about 2 minutes or until its tender, but not mushy. Drain the excess water and put the cauliflower in a blender with the remaining ingredients, minus the salt and pepper. Blend for about 20 seconds or so until the texture is creamy, leaving a few chunks. Take out of blender and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 2

Yum! What a great, veggie-filled dinner. You all need to really make these beans. They taste sooo good and freeze so well…its so easy to make a big batch and eat the leftovers later on. Plus, beans are such an economical (and protein rich!) dish to make. I just love ’em!

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Tonight at school we are making Challah braids and soft rolls. We are done with the artisan, crisp-crusted breads and are now moving on to those really really soft, golden, slightly sweet loaves that make the best french toast ever. 😉

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  • Ashley H
    March 5, 2008 at 10:31 pm

    Do you think your mom could post the recipe for those wonderful looking beans!? Yum!!
    PS I love mashed cauliflower!

  • jenna
    March 5, 2008 at 10:32 pm

    the recipe for the beans is on the sidetab! enjoy

  • Meghan
    March 5, 2008 at 10:33 pm

    Yum, now that’s my kind of dinner! Bread, veggies, and baked beans! I think sometime soon I’m going to make some cornbread and some baked beans! Delicious! Jenna, the website looks awesome. Keep up the great work!

  • hk
    March 5, 2008 at 10:39 pm

    The website and your dinner, of course, look great!! Mashed cauliflower (and spices such as curry..etc) is a favorite veggie-dish of mine!! Happy baking!

  • VeggieGirl
    March 5, 2008 at 10:50 pm

    Mmm, mashed cauliflower is delicious; and definitely better than mashed potatoes (in my opinion, as least) – looks great with the baked beans (your mom has such wonderful recipe ideas!!)

    Oooh, I LOVE challah!! Can’t wait to see photographs of that, for sure!!

    Haha, I hear you on returning to Europe ;0)

  • jess
    March 5, 2008 at 11:04 pm

    any thoughts on my previous suggestion of putting pictures of the recipes on the recipe pages themselves? I just think it could be really cool and drool-worthy, haha.

    Have an amazing night- your dinner looks Fab and inspired my lunch (well, in that I’m going for something utilizing the can o’ black beans sitting in the pantry, haha).

    -jess

  • Romina
    March 5, 2008 at 11:10 pm

    Gosh I hate that feeling of being around the computer all day. I get restless because my body just wants to move!

    Mashed cauliflower sounds delicious. This isn’t the first I’ve seen of it, so I must give it a try. Yum!

  • kay
    March 5, 2008 at 11:43 pm

    WOW! Your page has changed quite a bit. I like the “let’s shop” tool that you have 🙂

    I thought it was a little strange because the first word on your blog banner is “steak” and you don’t eat any meat??

  • erica
    March 5, 2008 at 11:58 pm

    i just tried the mashed cauliflower, and i will never make mashed potatoes ever again! it was SO incredibly easy, and in my opinion, tasted way better than actual mashed potatoes! yum!

  • Lynn
    March 5, 2008 at 11:58 pm

    That’s so funny, because i just watched rachael ray make smashed cauliflower! Quite the coincidence.
    It’s weird how you will never have heard of something, and then you see it once and notice it’s all around you..
    haha.

  • Serena
    March 5, 2008 at 11:59 pm

    I have a question about challah bread. I bought a loaf at the farmer’s market last weekend and then realized I had too much bread and didn’t want it to go bad before I could get to it, so I froze it. I sort of wondered if Challah bread would freeze well – it seems like it might not (maybe b/c of the butter in it?) Anyway, if you’ve ever frozen it before or have any thoughts, I’d love to know what to expect when I take mine out of the freezer (to make french toast!)

  • Andrea
    March 6, 2008 at 12:02 am

    mmm i love mashed cauliflower! how do you prepare the brussels sprouts?

  • Kristie
    March 6, 2008 at 12:21 am

    Mashing cauliflower is pretty much the only way I ever eat it! The few things you mixed into it though and the idea of putting in a blender sounds very enticing… I’m going to try that for sure next time! Mmm.

  • Lindsey
    March 6, 2008 at 1:28 am

    Jenna or if someone else knows.

    I would like to try roasting Brussels sprouts with evoo and garlic. What I don’t understand is people slice the garlic and put it in a large roasting pan. So how do the few garlic cloves permeate on all the Brussels sprouts? It would seem you would be eating roasted Brussels sprouts and occasionally a bit of garlic.

    sorry, beginner cook here

  • LT
    March 6, 2008 at 2:16 am

    i hope you make choc. or cinnamon Babka sometime!!!!!

  • Becky
    March 6, 2008 at 2:36 am

    Two veggie questions:

    Does anyone know a good, simple way to make eggplant? I love eggplant, plain and roasted, but can’t seem to ever make it right. Today I tried drizzling olive oil on it before roasting but about 2 pieces soaked up all the OO leaving the rest bare! Any tips?

    Also, how do people store avocado after cutting it up? I usually eat about 1/3 at a time, but the leftovers get so gross looking.

  • Lori- the pleasantly plump vegan
    March 6, 2008 at 2:45 am

    yr trail mix snack looks yummy!

  • nicole r.
    March 6, 2008 at 2:47 am

    lindsey–
    when garlic is baked/roasted, it lets out water vapor containing the esters that give it the characteristic flavor and scent of garlic. this is why when you cook garlic, your entire home smells of it! so, since you’re oven is (hopefully) closed, the brussels sprouts get some of the flavor as well. the point isn’t really to have garlic-flavored brussels sprouts—if you wanted that, you’d be better off sprinkling garlic powder on top—instead, since you have all the slices, just eat a slice with a sprout and you get the flavor that way. roasting garlic makes it really sweet and not at all sharp like raw garlic is. this is my favorite way to make brussels sprouts actually! slice up about 3 cloves of garlic, sprinkle some lemon juice, balsamic, s & p, drizzle w/ olive oil—SO good!

  • Betsy
    March 6, 2008 at 3:13 am

    ooo, everytime I have a little (decaf as well-caffine makes me crazy) espresso, i am instantly transported back to Spain. I miss living in Europe so much! I think a trip back is definately in my books in the upcoming future…

  • Cara
    March 6, 2008 at 3:18 am

    You inspire me to try new veggies all the time! Thank you!

  • Lindsey
    March 6, 2008 at 3:22 am

    Thanks Nicole, that makes sense!

    Your way of making them sounds delicious 🙂

  • nicole r.
    March 6, 2008 at 3:28 am

    oh my gosh they are SO good that way, the balsamic gets nice and carmelized—you could put paprika on top too and thats fabbbb

    if you try, let me know how you like them 🙂

  • snobird
    March 6, 2008 at 4:32 am

    Becky I have two ways that I usually do eggplant:
    1) grandmother’s recipe: cut eggplant very slimly length wise
    heat olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sweet onion (can be left out) a pinch of anise and sugar in a pan
    once onion is caramelized, add eggplant
    turn down heat, cover pan with lid until tender
    2) japanese: i love doing the above but pan frying the eggplant quickly in a bit of evoo or pam
    remove from fire, slather on japanese miso paste (at whole foods or specialty stores)
    place in broiler on cooking sheet 2-3 minutes per side or until crisp
    garnish with scallion!

  • Kelsey
    March 6, 2008 at 5:03 am

    I see that the Moosewood Restaurant cookbook is in your online store. I’m from Ithaca, NY and the Moosewood is fabulous! I have never seen this cookbook…have you tried any of their recipes?

    p.s. if you’re ever in Ithaca, dinner is on me!

  • Anna
    March 6, 2008 at 1:08 pm

    Becky, about your avocado question: if you sprinkle a little fresh lime juice/lemon juice, leave the pit in, and wrap the avocado as CLOSE as you possibly can with plastic wrap, it usually helps to keep some of the brown away. But honestly, it may look gross, but as long as the avocado isn’t a week old or anything, even if it’s turned brown, it’s still absolutely fine to eat…if you can get over the color 🙂

  • jenna
    March 6, 2008 at 2:07 pm

    Kelsey,

    I’ve made dozens of things from the Moosewood Cookbook. I love it!!! ALL of those cookbooks I own myself and cook from all the time. They are my most cherished and loved books!! 🙂 I only wish I could actually eat at the moosewood restaurant—ahh it’s my dream!

  • jenna
    March 6, 2008 at 2:09 pm

    Kay,

    I’m playing around with the header. This might not stay…I’m trying some different things. Yeah, this picture has steak in it but I took this photo myself in Paris and just LOVE it because its of a menu outside a cute little cafe and I just loved how the things on the menu were little hand drawn pictures. Too cute!

  • Lindsay
    March 6, 2008 at 2:19 pm

    That idea about having brussell spouts with roasted garlic is a great idea… and those baked beans – ahhh that is my weakness so I have to try your mom’s recipe!!!

  • Serena
    March 6, 2008 at 4:08 pm

    Becky, On the eggplant, I always sprinkle the slices with salt and let them drain onto paper towels before cooking, then wipe off the salt. You can use a pastry brush to brush on the evoo more evenly – those suckers really do soak up olive oil right where you put it! I love it roasted and I looove eggplant parm.