Potatoes ‘n Parsley

As you probably have realized from reading my blog, my mind works in a way where almost everything is connected to food. Which means when I’m reading (for pleasure or for study), I constantly relate what I’m reading to food in some way. Whether it’s conjuring up an image of a character’s favorite meal, or coming up with a recipe that reflects a text, I always find a way to daydream about eating while I’m reading. This explains why I stuck parsley on top of mashed red-potatoes because I thought it would look like trees on top of a mountain.

I did this because I’ve been reading a book that my grandma recommended called The Education of Little Tree. It is such a good book, and different from what I’ve been reading lately! It’s a book about a boy named Little Tree who lives with his ‘Granma’ and ‘Granpa’ and is raised with the traditional Cherokee values that they instill in him. He is able to roam free through the woods, learns how to harvest properly from the earth, and receive a different education than traditional schooling. While most children his age are enrolled in traditional school, Little Tree observes his grandparents and soaks up their beliefs, values, and experience. His Granma reads to him from Shakespeare plays, he is instructed to learn 5 words per week from a dictionary and use them in conversation, and his Granpa instructs him in his whiskey trade that supports the family. At an extremely young age, Little Tree possesses not only textbook-type knowledge, but an ongoing learning relationship with other people and the earth. His curiosity in regards to how he can better engage in a relationship with the world around him is astounding; he constantly notes the actions of creatures around him – the wiliness of a fox, the tenderness of a mourning dove, and the passiveness of fish relaxing in deep holes in the creek bed. He knows when to harvest plants and maintains a deep respect for mother earth when taking anything to eat for himself. And perhaps the most beautiful aspect of his ‘education’ comes from the wisdom imparted from his grandparents, both vocally and through actions. A quote from this book that really hit me is this:

“Granma said everybody has two minds. One of the minds has to do with the necessaries for body living. You had to use it to figure out how to get shelter and eating and such like for the body. But she said we had another mind that had nothing atall to do with such. She said it was the spirit mind.
Granma said that when your body died, the body-living mind died with it, and if that’s the way you had thought all your life there you was, stuck with a hickor’nut spirit, as the spirit mind was all that lived when everything else died. Then, Granma said, when you was born back – as you was bound to be – then, there you was, born with a hickor’nut spirit mind that had practical no understanding of anything.
Then it might shrink up to the size of a pea and could disappear. If the body-living mind took over total. In such case, you lost your spirit complete.
That’s how you become dead people. Granma said you could easy spot dead people. She said dead people when they looked at a woman saw nothing but dirty; when they looked at other people they saw nothing but bad; when they looked at a tree they saw nothing but lumber and profit; never beauty. Granma said they was dead people walking around.” [59-60]

I think that this quote has a lot to do with the major themes of the book which are living in harmony with yourself, others, and nature. Every aspect of the characters’ actions contain consideration for others. The connections to nature and a deep appreciation for other humans throughout the story are especially inspiring and lead to reflection. I really enjoyed reading the book! And I also enjoyed both making and eating these parsley-topped mashed potatoes!

Yum.

As I cooked, I thought about The Education of Little Tree and was glad I had fresh parsley to sprinkle on top since in the book, Little Tree explains that “everything growing wild is a hundred times stronger than tame things…and just a handful would carry more flavor” [101]. Although I didn’t just stumble across a parsley plant in the wilderness, I took more time than I usually would to appreciate the freshness of the herb. The flavor of fresh herbs are always so much more potent than the dried and bottled type.

These potatoes are packed with parsley and are a lovely side to light-fish dishes, hearty summer greens, or tofu hot-off-the-grill. They are flavorful, healthy, and if you plate them the right way, they kiiiiiiinnndd of look like potato mountains with parsley trees growing off the sides. Okay, so maybe that’s a stretch, but hey, I tried my best.

Potatoes ‘n Parsley
Ingredients (serves 4)
12 red potatoes
2 tablespoons butter (or earth balance)
1/2-1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons fresh parsley (plus a bunch more for garnishing at the table!)
How To
1. Put potatoes (with skins still on) in a large pot. Add water to the pot until the water sits about two inches over the potatoes. Set the pot on the stove top and crank the heat up to medium-high or high.
2. Boil the potatoes for about 30-40 minutes, or until potatoes are tender enough to break with a fork.
3. Pour the potatoes into a strainer and dispose of the water. When the potatoes have drained, put them back into the large pot that they were boiled in.
4. Add about 1/2 cup of broth to the potatoes and mash them with a fork or potato masher. Leave the skins on through the entire process- they add nutrients to the dish and a great chunky texture! Continue to add broth as needed, until the potatoes are well mashed and smooth in consistency. Add in butter and stir well. Add parsley and chop more to set out on the table for garnishing. Also, add salt and pepper to taste!
5. Take a little time to thank the earth for the potatoes ‘n parsley, share some food with family and friends, and then dig in!

Summer Spaghetti Supper

To me, summer is as much about soaking up time with family as it is about soaking up sunshine. Now that my brother and I are in college (on different sides of the country), it’s a big deal for us to sit down as a family to supper. Summertime is special because it acts as a window into years past, where eating dinner as a family was simply routine for us. My parents always sought to make healthy meals to share with the family, so I quickly learned habits from them; incorporating vegetables into every meal, serving a huge bowl of fruit for the family to share, and accommodating meals for the entire family to enjoy.

Since I’ve been home from school (and unabashedly professed my love of cooking to the world), I’ve put myself in charge of cooking family dinners several times a week. Cooking is an outlet for me. Often more importantly than that, it’s a way to show people close to me how much I care for them. I love cooking meals that satisfy everyone’s taste buds, nutritional needs, and are loaded with fresh, seasonal veggies which is why I came up with this versatile dinner that everyone felt good eating.

(Spaghetti squash on the left, spaghetti on the right)

Since my brother can eat nearly a box of spaghetti by himself and I can pound nearly a whole spaghetti squash in one sitting, I decided to play up both of our strengths and offer options to the family. I made a simple, light, broth-based sauce to top either of the bases with, and roasted a slew of summer-fresh vegetables to pile on top. Sadly, we weren’t able to dine as a family because of hectic schedules, but everyone was well-fed with a home cooked meal.

This meal is perfect for making on those days where you feel like you’re running all day and getting nowhere. It’s quick, versatile, easily microwaveable, and easy to adjust for anyone’s diet. Plus, it takes advantage of some delicious summer flavors that you won’t want to miss. Not to mention, it looks pretty too!!

Summery Spaghetti Supper
Ingredients
A base: 1 spaghetti squash, 1 box spaghetti, 1 box penne noodles
1.5 cups broth (vegetable or chicken broth)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons ground Italian seasoning
Cooking spray
15 cherry tomatoes
8 stalks asparagus
1/2 yellow onion
10 cloves garlic, whole and peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
Optional toppings: parmesan cheese, extra Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, fresh parsley
How To
1. The roasted vegetables will take the longest, so start with those. In a lightly sprayed large casserole pan (or a cookie sheet), place whole cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves. Next, break asparagus at natural breaking point and then chop them into bite-sized pieces. Add to pan. Chop the onion up and add to pan as well. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over all of the vegetables.
2. Put the vegetables into the oven and cook them at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Be sure to stir a couple times while they are cooking.
3. While the veggies are roasting, prepare the base of your meal. Cook spaghetti squash in the microwave by puncturing it lightly with a fork or knife several times and then cooking for 10-15 minutes, checking it to ensure it doesn’t explode. Cook pasta according to package directions.
4. Prepare the ‘sauce’ by mixing broth with vinegar and seasoning in a large bowl. Mix well and let them sit so the flavors meld together as the dinner is cooking.
5. To assemble, simply pour strained pasta into the bowl with the sauce mixture and stir well. Then, use a slotted spoon to serve pasta on plates. Top with roasted vegetables. If eating spaghetti squash version, simply put spaghetti squash on a plate or in a bowl, then pour a small amount of sauce on top. Top with roasted vegetables. *Note: you will need FAR LESS sauce if you make only spaghetti squash, as the vegetable is liquidy and therefore does not soak the sauce up as well. However, pasta will soak up some of the flavor and sauce so use the directed amount.
6. Sit down with your family and a huge bowl of fresh strawberries and blueberries, and dig into a great summertime meal!

Snacker Day Saturday: 5/19

It’s gonna be a great Saturday if you spend a couple minutes in the kitchen whipping these up. Yep, you heard me right – a couple minutes for a perfect sweet and salty snack that’ll blow your tastebuds right out of the kiddie pool and into a lounge chair in the sunshine where they belong. Bonus? They’re so cute that if you managed not to inhale them all straight after making them, they’d be perfect to bring to a summery barbeque, a memorial day picnic, or just as a little snack to pass around during a late-night summer movie with the family. Another bonus? You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry.

Summertime always reminds me of s’mores, which kind of inspired this snack. My brother and I used to sit out in the backyard on fallen logs and roast a bag of marshmallows each over our homemade firepit. I’d brave swarms of ticks and chiggers in the high grass just to find the perfect roasting sticks while my brother fanned the flames. Once the fire simmered to the point in which little coves of scorched logs trapped heat, and we were able to lightly brown our marshmallows by simply twisting our sticks a couple times, we’d break into our bags and start chowing down. And I wasn’t joking when I said we ate a bag of marshmallows each.

Now I know you might be thinking, what do s’more have to do with this snack? There aren’t any graham crackers. Or marshmallows. Or flickering flames lapping up a creamsicle sky. Truth is, I’ve never loved graham crackers. My favorite way to eat marshmallows over a fire is to stuff a marshmallow with a thin sliver of chocolate and then smear peanut butter all over the outside of it after it finishes roasting.

Since my house is currently being rebuilt (it was hit by a tornado), I don’t really have access to our usual firepit. I almost bought marshmallows at the store the other day but it felt wrong to eat them before puffing them up and adding a crispy outer layer to them in the flames. So I did what I do best: I switched up a recipe so it is almost unrecognizable. Case in point – traditional s’mores: graham cracker, chocolate, marshmallow. My revamped summer snack-attack version: pretzels, peanut butter, banana, chocolate. This snack is s’more like in its’ layers, chocolate-laced character, and satisfying sweetness. Oh, and in crowd-pleasing abilities. Trust me, everyone will swarm to these snacks like flies to the sticky-sweet chocolate bars that always melt near the flames. I like to think though, that they’re a little better than s’mores, if only because of the fact that they are nutritionally superior. These nibbles are filled with potassium, protein, and antioxidants. So go ahead, get snackin’!

PB&Choco Banana Pretzel Bites
Ingredients
1 banana
7 pretzels (+1 for sprinkling)
2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
.5 oz dark chocolate
How To
1. Set out 7 pretzels on a small plate.
2. Spread the peanut butter evenly on each pretzel.
3. Chop the banana into 7 sections (be sure to cut off the two ends of the banana and eat them or discard them – don’t use them on the pretzels). Top each PB covered pretzel with one slice of banana.
4. Place the dark chocolate on a microwave safe plate or bowl and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Check on the chocolate and stir a little bit. Then, put the chocolate back into the microwave for another 15 seconds and check on the chocolate. If necessary, microwave for 10-30 seconds more, ensuring that you don’t burn the chocolate.
5. Once the chocolate is melted, spoon a little bit on the top of each banana. Smooth it out and let the chocolate start to harden. While it’s hardening, crumble a pretzel into very small pieces and sprinkle the pretzel on top of each chocolate topping. Then, let the chocolate harden for a while, or just eat the pretzels as is. Either way, I guarantee you’ll want s’more!

So I know I usually recommend a short story or poem, but today I have a little something different to share as far as reading materials go. Yesterday I blogged about a sweet potato and apple casserole that Jane Brody included in her book Jane Brody’s Good Food Book. I’ve been reading the opening chapters of the book that details a nutritional outline of what humans need and how Brody believes these requirements are best met. She includes tons of information about foods that seem common but have been neglected because of the introduction of technology, food processing, and various diet-references to certain foods. For example, she talks about white potatoes (and how they are healthy!!), wheat and how it has been stripped of most nutritional properties, and more plant-based methods of attaining full and complete nutrition than what society relies on today. Since I’m so into the book, I figured I’d recommend it as a snacker day Saturday read. Best part about this book? You can read as little as a section per time, or as much as the whole book (which would take you a few days because it’s loooonngggg). Also great? The book has hundreds of healthy recipes at the end that follow the nutritional guidelines she suggests. Hope you have a great snacker day Saturday!

Sweet Summertime

Summertime is full of sweet things. Juicy watermelon, ice cream melting on a sunny day, snow cones, funnel cakes, fresh strawberries and blueberries, and apple pie on warm nights. Sweltering summer days are sometimes cooled best by a cold cup of sweet tea, or a heaping serving of cantaloupe.

This being said, you might not think that ‘casserole’ is necessarily synonymous with summer; in fact, you probably cringe at the word casserole right now. Hot, rich, heavy, filling. You probably think Thanksgiving or blustery, bone-chilling days when I say the word casserole. So when my dad said he wanted me to try a sweet potato and apple casserole that I used to hate when I was a kid, I was a little tentative.

Since my dad had to work today, I was in charge of making the casserole. It only has five ingredients which made me even more tentative. Five ingredients? And it tastes good? Without my dad here to supervise, I was left to my own devices to ensure I sliced the sweet potatoes and apples thin enough and layer them properly in the dish.

I made this casserole throughout the day, using an awkward break between appointments to peel and slice the potatoes, and then another break in the day to peel, core, and slice the apples. Before dinner I was able to neatly pile and layer the ingredients in a casserole dish and then put the dish in the oven for the long hour and fifteen minutes of cooking time it requires.

When we all sat down to dinner and I finally got to try the casserole that I disliked as a child and worked hard on all day today, I was anxious. It looked so plain on my plate; no seasonings, only two main ingredients, and a mixture of fruits and vegetables. However, upon the vibrant orange and pale yellow thin slices hitting my mouth, I regretted not consuming entire casserole-dishes of this recipe as a child. I mean, what was I thinking?

The sweet potatoes and apples work perfectly together to create a casserole light enough to serve alongside any dinner dish. Barbeque tofu, grilled salmon, a slice of lentil loaf; you name it, this side would work perfectly. The thinness of the fruits and vegetables give the casserole a summer-y vibe. I’m proud to say that I ate three huge servings of the casserole (to keep pace with my dad who said that I made it just like he used to), and that everyone in my family liked it. It’s easy to make, versatile, light enough to eat in the midst of the heat, and packed with nutrition. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the recipe; the taste is incredible without any added spices or sauces.

I know I’ll be making up for lost time as a neglectful sweet potato-eater as a child and eating this casserole a ton more in the future. Hope you love it as much as I do now!

Sweet Potato and Apple Slice Casserole
(Recipe from Jane Brody’s Good Food Book)
Ingredients
4 sweet potatoes
3 apples (Red Delicious recommended)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon butter or Earth Balance to veganize the recipe

How To

1. Peel the sweet potatoes. Slice them as thin as possible.
2. Peel the apples. Core them. Slice as thin as possible.
3. In a large bowl, mix apple slices carefully with lemon juice.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. In a large casserole pan, put down a layer of sweet potatoes so that the entire bottom of the pan is covered. Next, put a layer of apple slices on top. Continue until you reach the top layer of sweet potatoes. Try to layer the sweet potatoes in a pretty formation.
6. Pour the apple juice into the casserole pan, over all of the slices. Scoop the butter on top and then cover the casserole pan with foil.
7. Cook the casserole for 1 hour with the cover on. Then, remove the cover and cook for an additional fifteen minutes. After that, you’re free to serve this delectable creation alongside any meal and enjoy the taste of sweet summertime!

Smoke [Restaurant Review]

Cue jazz music. A hint of blues.
Paint the walls with cozy brick. Decorate them with local artwork.
Spot the restaurant with sleek wood tables, black cloth napkins, and leather enclosed menus.
Sophisticated, suave, and smoky.

All of this can be found at SMOKE., a restaurant located on Cherry Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A relatively new establishment, this restaurant has made itself popular with people looking for good food and a place to kick back and smoke a cigar. Wait, what? Oh yeah, I can’t neglect to mention the enclosed cigar room popular with those looking to snack on elaborate appetizers or sip from a variety of adult beverages while smoking a cigar. This addition within the restaurant almost gives the place a 1920′s feel.

If you’re not a fan of smoking, you can still experience smokiness through tasting any of the delicious offerings of the place. Local food and seasonal vegetables are utilized in dishes to optimize taste and just to be neighborhood-friendly. All of the meat is prepared specially so that it infused with a noteworthy smoky flavor that enhances each bite. How do I know this? We went for $5 burger night on Monday and I can say that I’ve never tasted a burger quite like it in my time. Rich, smoky flavors flood your mouth with each taste. Even the bed of lettuce under my burger took on the grill-fresh taste of the burger because it was so pungent. Delicious. And I haven’t even started describing my local, seasonal hot-off-the-grill okra that replaced the standard serving of fries. It made me want to rush home and put my own slew of okra on the grill. Subtly charred, the okra packed a flavor punch that I didn’t think it capable of.

My dad, brother and I all scooped up a deal with the $5 burgers (a deal that’s so popular you need to make reservations on Mondays to get a table), while my mom dined on the wood grilled salmon which was served over a bed of vegetables. She was sweet enough to slice a piece of the fish for me to try and I savored every morsel. The flavors that only such an innovative and well-executed style of cooking the meat could bring were phenomenal and transformed the meal from “just another salmon fillet” to a dinner I’d consider dropping by SMOKE. specifically to indulge in.

We all lingered over our meals, raving over the flavors of the burgers and the thinness of the shoestring fries. And my brother loved his burger so much that he ordered another one. Thankfully, the waiter was completely understanding and said it happens all the time. If that doesn’t tell you how good the burgers are, I don’t know what would.

While my brother dined on his second round of dinner, my dad asked to see a dessert menu. Expecting another classic, black leather-bound menu to come out, I was surprised to see the use of an iPad to show us drool-worthy pictures of each dessert they had available that night. Banana-foster inspired bread pudding, creme brulee, flourless chocolate cake, and finally the clincher: peanut butter and chocolate torte. My dad ordered one of those and we all took a bite. Surprisingly light and fluffy, the torte packed less of a peanut-butter punch than I expected, but it was still good. The plating was exceptional, with the torte resting among caramel and chocolate dots swirled onto the plate that were perfect for dipping. As my brother explains, the dessert was like an “oversized Reese’s that was a lot more fluffy”.

I would highly recommend SMOKE. It’s a restaurant backed by chefs who have extensive culinary expertise, flavorful imaginations, and a penchant for local ingredients that would please any crowd. Whether stopping by for a drink, a sampling of appetizers, a cigar with friends, or a $5 burger, there is so much versatility in the menu that nearly everyone would be happy to dine on the fare. From fried green tomatoes to grilled romaine, to oysters grilled in bacon-tabasco butter for appetizers, to grilled scallops, potato gnocchi, or a classic steak for a main course, this restaurant is innovative and comfortable at the same time. The prices are on the higher end for most entrees, but if you live like a local and make reservations for a Monday night special, you’ll receive the same incredible service, food, and atmosphere for a fraction of the price. Obviously, this just means you’ll be able to indulge in more of the desserts at the conclusion of the meal!

The Hunger Games Meringues

The moment summer hit, I sat myself down and read The Hunger Games. More specifically, I walked out of my last class of the year, sat down on a bike in the gym, and read until I’d finished the last page and my legs felt like they were about to fall off (totally worth it). After another year full of heavy literature, interpreting single words in the middle of poems, and deducing the meanings of every last detail in historic novels and short stories, I felt I owed it to myself to read something that takes nearly no brain power.

Enter The Hunger Games. Enter addiction. Enter references to Katniss, Gale, Peeta, and Prim into my daily life. I bought the second and third books of the series on a trip to Barnes and Noble (where I also purchased a huge stack of books for literature research I’m doing this summer) and I haven’t stopped reading since.

Today I got the urge to bake and it should come as no surprise that I made something related to The Hunger Games. Since meringues are pretty easy to make, a summery treat, and versatile, I knew that somehow I could adapt them into a Hunger Games related dessert. Here’s what I came up with.

All of you Hunger Games fanatics will probably know what these meringues refer to. Remember Rue? Of course you do. And I made lemon-infused meringues shaped like little yellow flowers in reference to her. Even if you don’t read the books, these light cookies are perfect for any summer events you may have planned.

Especially if you have beautiful farm-fresh eggs given to you by a neighbor just pestering you to use them up.
While I get back to finishing the third book of the series (I can’t believe I’m almost finished with them), feel free to whip these up and snack on them while reading some fun summer books, or share them with a crowd.

The Hunger Games Meringues
Ingredients
3 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
15 drops yellow food coloring

How To
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with wax paper.
2. Using your chilled beater and large bowl (just like I explained in my meringue post) beat egg whites, salt and cream of tartar on medium-high until white and foamy (about one minute). With mixer still running, add sugar in 3 additions (beat for 2 minutes between each addition). After the last addition, beat another 2 minutes until stiff peaks form.

3. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and food coloring. Beat to blend (about 1 minute).
4.  Scoop the meringue into a large freezer bag (try not to stir or mix as you’re scooping) and cut a 1/4 inch hole at the corner of the bag. Pipe 1 inch meringues onto a baking sheet. If you want to try to make them look like small yellow flowers, gently pattern 4-5 small petals and then pipe a small amount of meringue into the center of the petals.

5. Bake at 250 for 45 minutes. Turn off the oven after 45 minutes and let the meringues sit in the oven for at least another 45 minutes (important: DO NOT open oven at all during this time). Remove meringues from oven and let them cool. Then serve and enjoy!

Coming up later this week is a restaurant review about a swanky venue in midtown Tulsa, and a book review that’ll have you running out to a book store to pick it up! Hope you have a great start to your week!

Snacker Day Saturday: 4/28

This week we’ve had a mix of spring showers and sunny days, meaning that I’ve been alternating between craving warm comfort food and light, delicious treats to keep me cool. The only problem? I always crave ice cream when I come back from a long walk in the sun. Don’t get me wrong – craving ice cream is no problem, but if I were to give in and eat a pint each time that I wanted some, I’d probably start to resemble a nice, round scoop of the delicious stuff.

This week I came up with a snack that looks as beautiful as a freshly decorated cupcake, but is simple and cool. So get outside and enjoy the sunshine, because when you come back from your walk, from mowing the lawn, or from lounging poolside you can whip this up and enjoy a nutritious snack!

Frosted Grapefruit Coolers
Ingredients
1 grapefruit
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Optional: 1 teaspoon brown sugar, lemon and lime zest
How To
1. Cut the grapefruit in half. With a knife, cut around the edges of the fruit. Then, cut the fruit into segments, but leave all of the fruit inside of the peel.
2. In a small bowl, mix yogurt with cinnamon.
3. Top the grapefruit with the yogurt mixture. If you want it to look prettier, Put the yogurt in a sandwich bag and then pipe it onto the grapefruit. Next, sprinkle with optional toppings if you’d like.

Hope you enjoy the snack! And to keep this post citrus-y and sweet, here’s your little snippet of literature for the day. It’s a poem that’s a lot heavier than the snack I just suggested, but it’s an interesting one to think about. It’s called “Sunday Morning” and it’s by Wallace Stevens. Hope you enjoy!!

Breaking Clean [Book Review]

This is a memoir that will have you re-reading pages to check that your eyes aren’t tricking you. It’s a memoir that will cause your electricity bill to rise for a couple of nights as you read under lamplight until your eyes just can’t stay open any more. It’s a memoir that will captivate your senses, imagination, and awe as you read about Judy Blunt’s life.

The title of the memoir I’ve just made so many claims about is Breaking Clean. Judy Blunt, who now resides in Missoula, Montana, chronicles her upbringing as a third-generation homesteader on the harsh plains of eastern Montana.  Unimaginable snow storms with winds strong enough to make a house shriek, roads that Blunt describes as “gumbo” in texture surround her childhood home, and frequent, dangerous encounters with both animals and farm equipment make pocks in her like hail does a roof. Not only is Blunt shaped by these natural forces, but also by the codes that regulate life on the plains: the pressure on women to maintain homes, help out on the farm, and expect no credit for either, the strict code imposed to never question an elder, and the constant favoritism of males over females in regards to inheritance and perceived ability. Blunt shoulders these adversities (along with many others) throughout her upbringing and pummels her way through obstacles and self-doubt to determine what she truly wants in life.

The community that Blunt grows up in is small, set in tradition, and shaped by the land. Homesteaders in this part of Montana live in near-isolation. They rely on themselves to produce enough food to last through frigid winters. They rely on the men to tend to the cattle and the business. The women are expected to keep up with housework, canning, gardening, raising kids, cooking, and assist their husbands when they can. Each person who lives out on these plains works as hard as a human body can. This impeccable work ethic ingrained in Blunt is highlighted once she goes to high school. It is the norm for high-school students from the plains to pay room and board in order to live in town and go to school. On top of these adult responsibilities, adjusting to life in a city, living without parents, and succeeding in academics, Blunt picks up a job at a local diner where she is awarded a bonus on her paycheck because she works so hard. If this doesn’t demonstrate to you Blunt’s commitment to succeed and her unfailing trait of putting every ounce of herself into a task, I don’t know what does.

Parallel to the nature that surrounds these tough homesteaders, Blunt experiences periods of tragedy in her life, but also celebrates in harvest. She describes situations such as a massive wildfire racing toward her home, torrential downpours that make the roads nearly impassable when she needs to go to the hospital, snow storms that obliterate masses of cattle, and with them any hope of success for the year. She elaborates on her schooling experience in a one-room schoolhouse, reflects on the introduction of plumbing and electricity into her life, shares stories of how she kept herself entertained with her brothers and sisters where games included fire and facing bulls head to head. There are tender moments in the memoir: bonds formed with farm animals who had to be killed for the family to survive, intimate details of rage and disbelief as she physically transitions into a woman, feelings of isolation and loneliness from the perspective of Blunt as she craves any form of attention or acknowledgment from males in society, and the communication of a feeling of suffocation in a community where women were expected to remain in their places and complete massive amounts of work without any sign of weariness or grudge. The multitude of topics, situations, emotions, and syncretism between the actions of nature and the feelings of man make this memoir potent in its power to foster genuine emotion within the reader.

The memoir is written in a manner as raw and honest as the wind-blown prairie that the memories stem from. Blunt explores each facet of her upbringing, schooling, community, and marriage with as much curiosity as she does the ripples, dips, and dents of the vast land that she studies on horseback throughout her youth. Each startling description of a life characterized by determination, hard work, astounding obstacles, and the stifling traditions of the community is accompanied by subtle humor and an overwhelming beauty. The story is awe-inspiring, insightful, and a powerful tale of human struggle, and success in a place where it appears that little more than prairie-grass should be able to flourish. I highly recommend this book and commend Blunt not only for the incredible words between the covers, but also for her introspection, work ethic, and courage to follow an unpaved path towards the life that she needed.

Roasted Zuchinni Mock-sagna

There are some days I just crave lasagna. Ever have one of those days? It usually happens to me when the day is long and cold – like today! Despite the fact that it’s April, a day filled with chill-to-the-bone weather, grey skies, and a drizzle of rain popped up. I spent the day shuffling to class, rushing into the warm gym to work out, and then hustling home to get snuggled into sweat pants. All I wanted for dinner was a heaping slice of lasagna, piled high with veggies and filled with warm Italian flavors. Then I wanted to eat. And repeat.

However, I had no lasagna noodles on hand and not nearly enough ingredients to fill an entire casserole pan with veggies, so I resorted to my next best option: creating my own “mock-sagna” with an array of vegetables, spices, and tofu from my supply in an individual casserole dish. I’ve raved about this utensil before, this useful, one-dish-wonder individual casserole pan that creates perfectly portioned dinners. I’ve made a creamy pasta casserole and a coffee infused sweet potato casserole in it before and I love the way that it bakes the meal evenly throughout and doubles as a great bowl to eat out of.

Today was the perfect day to break out the casserole dish again, and I combined numerous roasted veggies to create a mock-sagna that satisfied my craving for a hearty lasagna while only using ingredients that I had on hand. I paired the vegetables with a “cheesy” roasted tofu that takes on the texture of ricotta and adds a saltiness to the dish. Best of all, this meal was quick to make and perfect for an oddball chilly day in the middle of spring. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

Roasted zucchini Mock-sagna
Ingredients
1 zucchini
1 tomato
1/2 package frozen spinach
1/5 block of firm tofu
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Italian seasoning

How To
1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice zucchini longways, into very thin noodle-like pieces. Be careful doing this and try to make each piece even.
3. Slice tomato into thin slices.
4. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking oil and place the zucchini onto it. Sprinkle zucchini with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Pop them in the oven until they brown slightly around the edges.
5. At this point, add the tomatoes to the pan and sprinkle with same spice blend as zucchini. Cook for 5-10 more minutes. When finished, place to the side to cool.
6. Remove spinach from the freezer and microwave as per package directions. Take half of the spinach and drain it. Put it into a skillet and mix in mashed tofu. Heat in skillet with nutritional yeast until tofu is slightly browned/firm.
7. Grab your casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the dish with zucchini slices. Next, layer half of the spinach and tofu mixture. Cover with all of the tomato slices.
8. Layer another layer of zucchini and then top the dish with the remaining tofu and spinach mixture. Sprinkle extra nutritional yeast on top, if desired.
9. Bake the mock-sagna until the top is slightly crisp and the dish is clearly heated. Then, sit down and enjoy your own personal piece of comfort!

Snacker Day Saturday: 4/21

Snacks come in handy when you’re hiking.

I only know this because some of the most rewarding moments spent hiking are when you reach the top of a mountain or the mid-point of a trail, or a lookout and have the chance to rest for ten minutes or so and indulge in a treat. Snacks are also useful if you’ve walked for so long you feel like your feet are about to fall off and your stomach is growling.

Andrea is going hiking this weekend so I thought I’d surprise her and try to create my own bars so she could bring them on her trip with her. I’m usually not a huge fan of bars (I’d rather sit down for a real meal), but on the trail this just isn’t possible. So I did what I could to make three different flavors of bars for her to take into the wilderness for snacks this weekend.

I made chocolate peanut-butter, plain peanut-butter (both of these flavors also have variations that include chocolate chips), and…..drumroll please…..GINGERBREAD! I know, I know, some of you think that gingerbread isn’t ‘in season’ right now, but I’ll explain my rationale.

I’m not sure if I’ve confessed this or not before, but I’m a fan of listening to Christmas music almost year round. Note, I said almost. I usually take a break of a month or two and then crank up the frosty tunes starting in about June.  Last year my family moved houses and because it was summer and I had nothing else planned, I decided to physically “move” myself from one house to the other by walking. I set out on a nearly 15 mile journey from one house to the other with a water bottle in hand and speakers in my ears. To combat the above-100 degree heat, I thought it would be smart to listen to some Christmas music. So I did. The whole way. And even if the music didn’t really cool my body down at all, it put a pep in my step the entire walk.

Today I went on a walk with my iPod on shuffle and a Christmas song popped up. As soon as it did, I knew that today was the day to deck the halls. I did by coming up with this gingerbread flavored bar that would make even the grinch happy. So, without further ado, whip out your food processors and Christmas jams and let’s get snackin’!

Snacker Bars are Comin’ To Town

Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup peanut butter puff cereal
3 dates (pitted and sliced in half)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
How To
1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until all ingredients meld together into one ball or until the consistency reaches the point that you can easily put the batter in your hands and make a cohesive ball.
2. Shape the batter into whatever form you’d like or see below for a variation!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Ingredients
1/2 of batter from above
1 1/2 tablespoons chocolate chips
How To
1. Split the batter above in half with a knife. Leave one half as plain peanut butter bars and mix the other half of the batter with chocolate chips.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups peanut butter puff cereal
3 dates (pitted and sliced in half)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon agave
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
How To
1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until all ingredients meld together into one ball or until the consistency reaches the point that you can easily put the batter in your hands and make a cohesive ball.
2. Shape the batter into whatever form you’d like or see below for a variation!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
1/2 of batter from above 1 1/2 tablespoons chocolate chips
How To
1. Split the batter above in half with a knife. Leave one half as plain peanut butter bars and mix the other half of the batter with chocolate chips.

Gingerbread Bars

Ingredients
1/2 cup mixed soy nuts and pumpkin seeds
1 packet vegan maple instant oats
1/2 overflowing tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon agave
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
How To
1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until all ingredients meld together into one ball or until the consistency reaches the point that you can easily put the batter in your hands and make a cohesive ball.
2. Shape the batter into whatever form you’d like! (I suggest gingerbread men).

Now that you’ve got your hands on these bars, I’m sure that your brain is hungry for some reading material. Good thing I’ve got a little snack to appease your intellectual side. It’s a story called “Christ, Their Lord” by Stacey Richter and you can find it in the Best of Tin House Stories published in 2006. It’s an energetic story packed with strange happenings that all center around Christmas, which is why I thought it would be perfect for this snacker day that I’ve packed full of Christmas references and stories. I hope you enjoy this slightly different and artistic take on Christmas that Richter uses in order to convey the complex relationship that the main characters are involved in.

Happy snacker day to all, and to all a good day!