Odd Little Bits and Pieces

Iced Cinnamon Honey Latte. Prep Time 5 minutes Total Time 5 minutes Servings: 2 lattes

Ingredients

US Customary     1/2 cup milk of your choice     1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract     1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon     flaky sea salt     4 warm espresso shots or 6 ounces of coffee     1 tablespoon honey, plus more to taste     Ice

Metric     118.29 ml milk of your choice     0.5 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract     0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon     flaky sea salt     4 warm espresso shots or 6 ounces of coffee     1 tablespoon honey, plus more to taste     ice

Instructions

Chicken Artichoke Melts Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Servings: 4 Active time: 20 mins Total time: 35 mins

Ingredients

    Four (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves     1 tablespoon olive oil     1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, divided     1 cup frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted and finely chopped     1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese     1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened     1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic     1/4 teaspoon fine salt     Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving

Steps

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Have ready a large sheet pan.

2. Place each piece of chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and use a mallet or rolling pin to pound the pieces to about 3/4-inch thickness. Pat the chicken dry, then rub each piece on both sides with the oil, place on the sheet pan and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.

3. In a medium bowl, use a fork to thoroughly mix together the artichoke hearts, parmesan, cream cheese, granulated garlic, salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

4. Top each chicken piece with a quarter of the artichoke mixture, spreading it in an even layer.

5. Roast for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked through and registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Turn on the broiler and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the topping is nicely browned. Divide among plates, garnish with parsley and serve.

Substitution suggestions:

The Best Vegan BLT Sandwich Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Optional Marinating Time 30 minutes Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

US Customary

For the Sriracha Mayo     ⅓ cup vegan mayonnaise     2 teaspoons sriracha sauce, or to taste

For the Tempeh Bacon     3 tablespoons soy sauce     1 tablespoon maple syrup     1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar     1 teaspoon liquid smoke     ½ teaspoon smoked paprika     ½ teaspoon garlic powder     1 (8 ounce or 227 gram) package tempeh, thinly sliced (¼ inch or thinner)     2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the Sandwiches     6 slices sourdough bread     ½ medium head romaine lettuce     1 large tomato, sliced     1 avocado sliced     Salt and pepper, to taste

Metric

For the Sriracha Mayo     74.67 g vegan mayonnaise     9.86 ml sriracha sauce, or to taste

For the Tempeh Bacon     44.36 ml soy sauce     14.79 ml maple syrup     14.79 ml apple cider vinegar     4.93 ml liquid smoke     1 g smoked paprika     1.5 g garlic powder     1 (8 ounce or 227 gram) package tempeh, thinly sliced (¼ inch or thinner)     29.57 ml vegetable oil

For the Sandwiches     6 slices sourdough bread     1/2 medium head romaine lettuce     1 large tomato, sliced     1 avocado sliced     Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Avocado Pine Nut Salad Prep: 15 minutes Total: 15 minutes Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

DRESSING: 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar 3 tablespoons olive oil 1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard salt and pepper, to taste

SALAD: 1 head green leaf lettuce, cleaned and chopped 1 head red leaf lettuce, cleaned and chopped 2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped 1 large avocado, chopped (about 1 cup) ⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

PREPARE THE DRESSING: Place the dressing ingredients in a shaker jar. Shake well (or whisk in a bowl) and refrigerate until chilled.

PREPARE THE SALAD: Add the salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss with the chilled dressing (add a little at a time until you have used a desired amount). Serve immediately.

Notes

Irresistible Texas Cheese Fries Serves4

Ingredients

    1 bag frozen fries     2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese     8 pieces cooked thick cut bacon, crumbled     2 green onions, sliced     Fresh ground black pepper, to taste     2 tablespoons sriracha

Ingredients

    Bake fries according to directions on the bag until they are nice and crispy.

    Remove fries from oven and top with Cheddar cheese, bacon, salt and pepper.

    Return to oven and let cheese melt. Watch closely.

Mango-Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients

    1 1/2 cups orange juice, chilled     12.3 ounce package light silken tofu, chilled and drained     1 cup frozen unsweetened whole strawberries     1 medium mango, pitted, peeled, and chopped (about 1 cup)     Fresh mango chunks (optional)     Fresh whole strawberries (optional)     Orange sections (optional)

Directions

Bok Lahong (Cambodian Green Papaya Salad) Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 4

Ingredients

*Dressing 1/4 cup tamarind concentrate 2 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar 2 tablespoons fish sauce 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedge for squeezing 1/2 teaspoon fermented shrimp paste 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 small Thai chiles, stemmed 2 small garlic cloves

*Papaya Salad 1 small (about 1 1/4-pound) green papaya, unpeeled 10 large cherry tomatoes (4 ounces total) 1 carrot, unpeeled 1/2 cup packed fresh Thai basil leaves 1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves 1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves 3 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts 2 tablespoons crispy fried shallots

Directions

*Make the dressing: Process tamarind concentrate, brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, shrimp paste, salt, chiles, and garlic in a blender until very smooth, about 40 seconds. *Make the salad: Peel long strands of papaya using a papaya peeler into a large bowl to equal 6 cups. Add tomatoes, crushing using your hands as they are added to bowl with papaya. Toss tomatoes with papaya strands until thoroughly combined. *Peel long strands of carrot using papaya peeler; add to papaya mixture. Add basil, cilantro, mint, and Dressing; toss lightly for a slightly airy, bouncing salad. Top with peanuts and shallots, and squeeze a lime wedge over salad. Serve immediately.

Orzo Salad PREP TIME 30 min YIELD 16 servings

Ingredients

1 package (16 ounces) orzo pasta 1/4 cup water 1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn 24 cherry tomatoes, halved 2 cups crumbled feta cheese 1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped 1 small red onion, finely chopped 1/4 cup minced fresh mint 2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped, optional 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

Cook orzo according to package directions for al dente. Drain orzo; rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer to a large bowl. Advertisement

How to Make Sauerkraut PREP TIME 1 day 1 hour TOTAL TIME 1 day 1 hour Servings 10

Ingredients US Customary

8 cups red or green cabbage (finely grated or chopped) 1 ½ – 2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste) 1 small beet (finely shredded) 3 whole carrots (finely shredded) 3 Tbsp fresh ginger (shredded / grated) 3 Tbsp fresh turmeric (shredded / grated) 4 cloves garlic (finely minced)

– Metric

908 g red or green cabbage (finely grated or chopped) 1 ½ - 2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste) 82 g beet (finely shredded) 183 g carrots (finely shredded) 18 g fresh ginger (shredded / grated) 18 g fresh turmeric (shredded / grated) 12 g garlic (finely minced)

Instructions

Sterilize any equipment you will be using for fermentation, especially the jars (we prefer using mason jars or these Weck Jars that are about 850 ml). It is extremely important that everything is sterilized to allow for proper fermentation. Do so easily by pouring boiling water over clean jars and lids and drying completely. Let come back to room temperature before adding ingredients.

Add finely grated cabbage (we used our mandolin) to a large mixing bowl and top with 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt (or the lower end of the suggested range if making a different batch size). Wash hands thoroughly and massage cabbage for ten minutes. The cabbage should start softening, shrinking in size, and releasing water (see photo). Continue massaging until this happens. Add shredded beet, carrot, ginger, turmeric, and garlic and massage once more with clean hands for 4-5 minutes until thoroughly combined (see photo). Then taste test and adjust flavor, adding more salt for saltiness, grated ginger for more zing, or garlic for more intense garlic flavor. Use your clean hands to put the sauerkraut mixture into your sterilized jars and press down firmly to pack. There should be enough liquid from the massaging to rise up and cover the vegetables. If this doesn’t happen, top with filtered water until covered (it is unlikely that you will need to add water). Also, make sure there is plenty of room (about 1 ½ inches) between the contents and the lid so it has room to expand. Seal with a lid and set on the counter where there’s not much direct sun exposure or in a cabinet. The ideal temperature for fermentation is above 65 degrees F (18 C), so try to keep your environment on the warmer side to encourage proper fermentation.

Fermentation can happen as quickly as 24 hours if your space is hot, or it can take as long as 2 weeks, (again, depending on the environment). We found our sweet spot to be about 10 days. During this fermentation process, open your jars once per day to release air (you should feel pressure release and see air bubbles when you open the jars). Press down with a sterilized object such as a spoon or the bottom of a drinking glass to ensure that the vegetables are still completely covered in the liquid. Doing so helps encourage proper fermentation. The longer it sits and ferments, the tangier it will become, so sample occasionally with a clean utensil to test and see if it is at the right stage for you. Once it has reached the desired tanginess, cover securely and transfer to the fridge, where it should keep at least 3 months and up to 6 months. When serving, don’t double dip to avoid contamination.

Watermelon Fries and Strawberry Dip Prep Time: 20 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 6 Yield: 6 1/2 to 8 cups, 3/4 cup dip

Ingredients

    1 mini seedless watermelon (4 to 5 lb.)

    2 large strawberries, hulled     1/2 cup low fat vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt     1 Tbsp. honey     1/2 tsp. lime zest

Directions

    Cut the rind off of the top and bottom of the watermelon, about 1-inch thick. Stand the watermelon up on one of the cut sides. Cut the rind off from the top down rotating the watermelon as you go. Using the crinkle cutter cut the watermelon in half lengthwise. Place watermelon half, cut side down, on cutting board crinkle cut crosswise into 1/2" slices, getting half moons. Working with each slice crinkle cut fruit into 1/2-inch-thick sticks from there. Using a crinkle cutter, cut each slice into 1/2-inch fries.

Asian Vegetable Pasta Salad

Ingredients 3 oz linguini 8 oz fresh sugar snap peas 2 c celery thinly sliced 1 c red bell pepper thinly sliced 1/2 c scallions sliced

DRESSING 1/4 c rice wine vinegar 1/4 c low sodium soy sauce 1-1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil 1 tsp spicy (chili) toasted sesame oil 2 tsp peeled fresh ginger grated 1 large garlic clove grated 1/2 tsp sugar 1 Fresno chile seeded and finely chopped (optional)

GARNISHES- USE ANY OR ALL Chopped cilantro Dry roasted peanuts chopped Crushed black pepper Toasted sesame seeds or toasted almonds Bean sprouts

Pink Panties Cocktail Serves: 2 8 oz glasses

Ingredients     1/2 cup of a 12oz can frozen pink lemonade concentrate     3 oz peach vodka     2 oz Malibu rum     1/2 cup vanilla ice cream     1/2 cup frozen strawberries     1 cup crushed ice

Instructions

Brazilian Beer-Marinated Chicken Active Time 30 MIN Total Time 30 MIN Yield Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, smashed Four 1/4-inch slices of peeled fresh ginger, smashed 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon sweet paprika 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 2 cups dark lager or stout (SEE NOTES) 1/4 cup vegetable oil Four 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1/4 cup chopped cilantro Lime wedges, for serving

Step 1 - In a shallow dish, mix the garlic, ginger, onion, paprika, salt, black pepper, caraway seeds, green pepper, mustard, beer and oil. Add the chicken, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, turning a few times. Step 2 - Light a grill. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill over high heat until nicely browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a platter and brush with the melted butter. Scatter the cilantro over the top and serve with lime wedges.

Notes

ROASTED VEGETABLE SANDWICHES WITH GARLIC AVOCADO AIOLI Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 40 minutes Total Time 1 hour Servings 4

Ingredients US *For the Roasted Garlic Aioli 2 medium garlic bulbs 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 ripe avocados 3 tablespoons lemon juice ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste ½ cup fresh basil leaves 3-4 tablespoons unsweetened non-dairy milk, as needed *For the Roasted Veggies 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1 medium broccoli crown, broken into florets 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into strips 1 small onion, roughly chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste *For the Sandwiches 4 (6 inch) sandwich rolls, sliced open and optionally toasted Fresh basil Red pepper flakes, optional

Metric *For the Roasted Garlic Aioli 2 medium garlic bulbs 14.79 ml olive oil 2 ripe avocados 44.36 ml lemon juice 3.7 g salt, or to taste 12 g fresh basil leaves 44.36 ml unsweetened non-dairy milk, as needed *For the Roasted Veggies 226.8 g cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1 medium broccoli crown, broken into florets 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into strips 1 small onion, roughly chopped 29.57 ml olive oil 2.46 g salt, or to taste 2.46 g black pepper, or to taste *For the Sandwiches 4 (6 inch) sandwich rolls, sliced open and optionally toasted Fresh basil Red pepper flakes, optional

Pickled Balsamic Strawberries

12 ounces fresh strawberries, halved Small handful of fresh thyme + basil 1 cup white balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons honey or coconut sugar (add 2 tablespoons more for a sweeter taste) 1 vanilla beans, seeds removed