I speak Greek ... Salad!

GREEK SALAD...

If you sometimes you like to pucker when you eat salad like I do, the Greek salad is for you!  I absolutely love this salad with its taste of salty and tangy.  In fact, if you've been reading this blog, you know that I actually like/love most Mediterranean foods.  

The Greek salad is fresh, tasty, and colorful. Basic Greek salad is made up of olives, feta, romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onions.  With the array of ingredients, the nutritional benefits of this salad include vitamins, minerals, proteins, antioxidants  and omega-3 fatty acids.  The fatty acids comes from the olives and olive oil, which are usually part of Mediterranean dishes.  

Olives are very nutritious, providing both Vitamin A and Vitamin E to the diet.  Olives also provide monounsaturated fats, which help relieve rheumatoid arthritis and asthma.  Kalamata olives originated in Greece and are usually marinated olive oil, which increases its fat content, or in vinegar.  The intense flavor of kalamata olives means that a little goes a long way.  I usually dice about 8-10 olives in one family-sized salads and that is usually enough.  Now, olive oil (remember cold-pressed extra virgin) is high in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats, which are good for you.  Though I usually tell you to google the benefits, I wanted to share one informational site on olive oil with you (see: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/facts/olive-oil-nutrition-facts.htm).  I use olive oil in/on almost everything.

If you're thinking, "Greek salad has feta cheese!"  Well, yesterday, I provided the recipe for a tofu vegan version of feta that you'll also have to make in advanced.  I call it "fake feta!"  Please make this a day or two before you need it so that the flavorings will soak into the tofu.  

To make my Greek salad, I use:

• Romaine lettuce 
• Grape tomatoes (or whole tomatoes chopped)
• English cucumber (or any cucumber)
• Red onion
• Pitted kalamata olives
• Pepperocini peppers (optional)
• Fake feta (recipe posted on May 23, 2013)
• Greek salad dressing

Remember to buy organic whenever possible to avoid endocrine resistors from pesticides.  If you're like me and make about three or four servings of salad at one time, then remember to only put dressing on the salad that you are going to eat.  Otherwise, the oil will cause your salad to wilt.  The following Greek salad dressing recipe serves ten.  

GREEK SALAD DRESSING

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
• 1-1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1-1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1-1/4 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon Monk's pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
• 1/2 cup organic red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions: 

In a container, mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, onion powder, and Dijon-style mustard. Mix vinegars and lemon juice separately and then pour in the other ingredients and shake vigorously until well blended. If you are not as picky as me, you can put everything in a jar and shake it once you finish putting in the ingredients. Store tightly covered at room temperature. Note: If you're all about refrigeration, then remember to take the salad dressing out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before using to allow the oil to liquefy. 

The colorful medley of Greek salad ingredients.

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Enjoy it!  I know I do!!! :)  If you do, let me know or share how you made it better.

Vegan (or fake) feta makes salads betta!

FETA CHEESE...

Feta cheese was originally made from sheep's milk.  I've also seen goat feta and now in most grocery stores you can buy cow feta.  For whatever reason, the sheep and goat feta is known to be more nutritious than cow feta; though cow feta is lower in fat.  If you're vegetarian, you may google this!  However, vegans desire to stay away from any animal by-product.

Tofu is one way to make vegan feta.  There are also nut milk versions, which require more work, but using tofu is the no-bake easy way to make vegan feta.  Tofu is bland and has the ability to soak up the flavors of whatever you put with it.  It is also very nutritious.  A half cup of raw tofu has a bit more than 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat (mostly mono- and polyunsaturated).  It also has folate and minerals, such as calcium, magnesium (which allows your body to absorb the calcium), iron, and other trace minerals.

If you've ever eaten feta cheese, you know that just a little goes a long way.  It has an intense tangy flavor and is pretty salty.  Mostly, you've eaten it on salads if you've ever had it before.  It's not something that you're going to eat out of the tub, unless you're a "REAL" feta cheese lover.

I only need feta in small doses and I love a little on my Greek salads mostly.  Like the animal version, the fake feta not only gives that tang that
my Greek (or even my garbanzo) salad craves, but also the look.  It has been a hit with my family.

Here is my recipe for vegan substitute for feta cheese.  Some recipes use more ingredients such as miso, oil, and even nutritional yeast.  I don’t find those necessary for my salad feta recipe.  I would use the nutritional yeast if I were making the fake feta for another dish, maybe a vegan spanakopita.  Otherwise, I love the recipe below.  In fact, I started making my feta a few days ago because I wanted to have it in my garbanzo salad (see picture). 

Chopping my tofu into feta-y bites.

FAKE FETA (VEGAN)

Makes 1½ cups

Ingredients: 

• ¼ cup water (I like using alkaline water)
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon Monk's pepper
• 1 pound extra firm tofu, cubed

Instructions:

Press every drop of water out of the tofu that you can , so that it can absorb the marinade.  Once this is done, place everything but the tofu in the bowl and whisk together. Add tofu, stir, and let sit for at least 12-48 hours (the longer, the better).  Drain. Use in your salad. 

Tip: You can put the tofu in a colander and cover it with a saucer.  Place a 5lb dumbbell on top of the saucer.  Also put a plate to catch the liquid on the bottom, but first gently squeeze the tofu to remove all the liquid you can.  I have never been able to get all of the liquid out yet, but this method helps me get a good portion out.  If you have other tips to do squeeze the tofu dry, I would love to hear them!

Fake feta drained after 48 hours.

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Let me know what you think!  I'd love more tips and tricks as well.  

I gobble garbanzo....salad!

GARBANZO BEANS...

Well, I love garbanzo (chickpeas) beans!  These beans are a huge part of Mediterranean cuisine.    Did I mention I love Mediterranean food?  Falafels, pitas, hummus, grape leaves, Moroccan salad, tabouli, tahini sauce, babaganoush, and lots more are loves of mine.  I love the Mediterranean salad that's the topic of this blog.  It is fresh, light, and filling, but it was originally made with yogurt.  So, I decided to veganize it.

Now, let me tell you a bit about garbanzo beans.  They are high in protein, fiber, iron, folate, and manganese.  The taste of garbanzo beans are great.  Vegans often use them in patties, cheeses, dressings, etc.  I usually stock up on the dried chickpeas more than I do any other bean, even though I do not discriminate with my beans. I'm generally an equal opportunity bean lover, but I use garbanzo more than any other bean.

So, how do I make these babies?  I make them in my pressure cooker in a snap (about 10 minutes) after picking through them and soaking them overnight. For those of you who have pressure cookers, I've included a YouTube video regarding how it's done. I actually have a pressure cooker similar to the one used in the video.  Tip: If you don't have time (20 minutes) to wait for the pressure to drop, try moving it to the sink directly off of the burner and running cold water over the pot until the pressure button goes down.

Pressure cooker video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN08K52uoDM

So, without further ado, let me give you the recipe to what I'm having tonight.  I've included the inspiration (nonvegan) recipe for all of you who want to try it the vegetarian way.  It is important to say that I've made my "fake feta" in advanced and from leftover tofu.  It takes about 24-48 hours to make fake feta due to the tofu having to soak up the flavoring.  I've included a picture of my fake feta below.

Close up of the fake feta (tofu).

MEDITERRANEAN GARBANZO SALAD
Original recipe: http://dashingdish.com/recipe/mediterranean-chickpea-salad/

Salad:

• 2 cups garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
• 1/8 cup parsley (flat leaf), chopped
• 1/2 cup bell pepper (red or green), chopped
• 1/2 cup roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/8 cup kalamata olives, sliced
• 2 Tbs   vegan feta cheese crumbles (recipe coming tomorrow!)
• 1/8 cup red onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup English cucumber, diced

Dressing

• 1/2 Tbs lemon juice
• 1/2 Tbs red wine vinegar (or apple cider)
• 1/4 tsp garlic, chopped
• 1 Tbs plain Coconut Greek-style yogurt or soy cream cheese
• 1 pinch salt and Monk's pepper (or to taste)
• 1 pinch of cane sugar/drizzle of honey

Instructions:

Cook garbanzo beans, let cool to room temperature, and set aside. Place in a medium bowl. Wash and dice vegetables to small bite size pieces (This is best done with an onion dicer). Add to the bowl with the garbanzo beans. Crumble vegan feta and add to bowl along with the sliced kalamata olives. 

In a bottle with a lid, add the ingredients for the dressing, and shake and/or stir to mix. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat with dressing. Chill in fridge for about an hour to chill or enjoy immediately! 

Fresh garbanzo salad for dinner!  I'm in Mediterranean bliss!

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Enjoy!  Let me know if you like it! 

I begged his pardon and got me a garden!

THIS YEAR'S GARDEN...

I didn't think I'd get a garden this year.  Last year's garden was pretty much nonexistent due to lifestyle challenges.  I don't know how to till the soil and I do not have a tiller.  I think I'd need a strong man for that!  So, what's a girl to do?  Buy some containers!  

Though my husband promised to do a nice sized traditional garden in my backyard in March, by May, I insisted on a container garden.  We planted a few staples, such as squash, zucchini, cucumbers, bell peppers, and tomatoes along with herbs such as basil, mint, and peppermint.  My oregano plant that I had for about three years now refuses to let me kill it, and so that is also going strong.  I also have a monster rosemary bush in the backyard.  So, I am pretty much presently content.  I would have loved to have an array of hot peppers, snap peas, eggplant, corn, and carrots.  Because I'm not a veteran gardener, I am now taking baby steps.

Well, I'll be updating you all on the progress of my garden, but if you don't have at least a container garden yet, get one. It will save you tons of money on produce in the summertime.  Use organic soil and remember to fertilize, which is an important step (I as a novice gardener did not fertilize).  I used to think only sun and water did the trick, but fertilizer feeds the plants.  Now, I feel as if I have at least developed into a better gardener than I was.  For me, it was trial and error and connecting with very knowledgeable friends and family. 

I decided to do today's post on gardens because if you have ever felt like I used to feel, I wanted to encourage you to "let go" of the fear and jump into gardening, even if your crops fail the first three years.  You'll be sure to learn a thing or two along the way.  Right now, I am happy with the progress of my garden.  Though there's no sign of "fruit" yet, my garden still looks very healthy  almost three weeks after planting.  See for yourself, I've included pictures!  

Container garden planted May 5, 2013 has blossomed.
Trying out a container tomato garden too. Perhaps the abundant rainy days has helped them grow! 

You folks who live in apartments, I've seen some beautiful apartment container gardens.  Even if you live in a home with limited backyard space, there may be free or rental community sites where you can plant a garden.  My parents utilized a community plot when we used to live in the city years ago.

If you are new to gardening, please google tips and tricks to gardening or container gardening.  Any time you put in to developing your gardening skills will pay off abundantly, I know it did for me!

What are you planting in your garden this year!  Please share!

Muesli makes breakfast, lunch, or dinner healthy!

MUESLI...

Muesli is often called a breakfast cereal because of its fruity ingredients.  However, for years, my family has been eating it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner during the summer.  It's healthy, but sweet and delicious!!!  Sometimes we would mix it up a bit.  Salads and grains for breakfast, muesli for lunch, and a smoothie for dinner.  It works!  On Saturday night, my dad requested this dish; and so I obliged him.  I was at my sister's house and so I went out to get the ingredients and decided not to waste a possible blog post; so I took pictures.  

Now, muesli is a one-pot wonder, which means you can mix it up in the same pot you store it in.  Not only that, but it is also a complete meal.  However, I mixed it up in a large stainless steel bowl before I transferred it to a beautiful large glass pot with a glass cover.  I'm also a lover of beautiful ceramic/glass storage bowls, and I have a few of these just for my muesli.

Muesli reminds me of my childhood in Connecticut and the group of family friends we had who all ate a vegan diet.  Matter of fact, a friend of the family, Jurea Dawson, has created her own cookbooks (see below) with great information, tips, and vegan recipes.  I have given these cookbooks as graduation gifts to various former students who expressed a desire to go vegan/vegetarian.  If you are interested in checking them out or purchasing them, they can be found on Amazon.com:

1. Real Food Recipes:

• http://www.amazon.com/Real-Food-Recipes-Jurea-Dawson/dp/157258498X

2. More Real Food Recipes

• http://www.amazon.com/More-Real-Recipes-Jurea-Dawson/dp/1572584505

Anyway, Jurea's cookbook gives a muesli recipe and some suggestions on how to change it up to make it your own.  I've only made a slight variation on Jurea's recipe, which is to substitute fresh or frozen pineapple for the canned pineapple.  At times, chopped dates find their way into my bowl.  I even sprinkle chia seeds on a serving of muesli for added nutrition.  In truth, any cook will tell you, you can mix it up ANY WAY you like if the ingredients do not appeal to you.  Though I'm fond of apples, you may want to throw in crunchy Bosc pears in their place.  I love the coconut (and I cannot imagine the dish without it), but you may decide not to add it for whatever reason (I could not begin to comprehend why).  It's YOUR taste buds; so you may experiment with a recipe any way you choose.  However, if you want to keep it vegan, leave out the animal products and by-products -- meat, dairy, and eggs.

MY MUESLI

Ingredients: 

• 4 cups of rolled whole oats
• 3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup of raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 16 ozs of pineapple, crushed (I use fresh pinappled crushed in food processor)
• 2 large or 3 small organic red delicious apples (or any kind you want)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 46 ozs of unsweetened pineapple juice (juiced, frozen concentrate, bottled, or canned)

Instructions: 

1. In a large pot with lid (glass/ceramic), layer first four ingredients.  
2. Then peel one medium ripe pineapple, core, and crush in food processor  (This should be about 12-16 ozs) and layer chopped walnuts on top.  
3. Dice apples into cubes (a potato/onion dicer works great for this) and add on top of crushed pineapple.  
4. If you really want to keep it fresh, you may juice the core of the crushed pineapple and juice other ripe pineapples for the juice, and add water if not 46 ozs, but not too much water.  However, I usually use frozen pineapple juice from concentrate or pineapple in a bottle...it's faster than juicing.  Canned pineapple juice would be my last option because it leave a hint of a metal taste.  
5. Mix vanilla in pineapple juice and pour over the rest of the ingredients and combine all ingredients. 
6. Cover with lid and let sit 12-24 hours (or overnight) in the refrigerator.  The raw oats will absorb the most of the liquid during this period... I usually make it 24 hours in advance because it just tastes better once everything is all absorbed.  Enjoy! 

Dry mixture of the muesli

Adding pineapple juice.

Muesli ready to go in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

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Let me know what you think about my muesli. I know there are tons of dry varieties in the grocery stores, let me know if you've tried those and how those compare to this simple recipe.  Also, let me know how you make your own muesli.