Veggie Masala

 Missy Tippens

I tried a new recipe this week that came from Dinnerly. I thought I'd share the main ingredients so you can try it sometime. It would be great if your family does meatless Mondays. And of course, if you're vegetarian, you'd love this!

Prep: I cut up a head of cauliflower into small florets. And I chopped a couple of large cloves of garlic.

In a large pot, cook the cauliflower in some butter and oil until it starts to brown a bit. Then remove the cauliflower and set it aside.

In the same pot, add more butter and sauté the garlic with a couple of teaspoons of curry powder (I ended up wishing I had used more--maybe a tablespoon). Then add 16 oz of tomato sauce. The cans that came in my kits were Spanish style--which I think added a lot of good flavor. And add a little water if needed. Season with a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer a bit and add the cauliflower back in. Near the end, add in some fresh green peas and cook until tender. I also added in some leftover frozen corn at the same time.

I'm sorry I didn't take photos!

Serve over rice and top with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt that's been mixed with some of the freshly chopped garlic.

I did take one photo of my plate after I started eating and realized how tasty it was. :)

If you make this, let me know what you think!

www.missytippens.com

Cauliflower and Mushroom Roast

Missy Tippens

I ran across this recipe in one of Martha Stewart's newsletters and promptly saved it to Pinterest. Then when we made plans to have some friends over, I went to find it. (Don't you love how Pinterest can store recipes for you?!)

Here's a link to the original recipe: click here.

Basically, you slice a head of cauliflower into steaks, brush with oil and roast partly.

Then you add a tray of oil-brushed mushrooms and roast separately. Then you flip the cauliflower, top with mushrooms, some cheese and breadcrumbs and finish roasting. I didn't bother with roasting the bread in the recipe. I just sprinkled on some breadcrumbs.

Be sure to slice thick enough so that the steaks don't break up like some of mine did!

I have to admit this dish ended up being over-done. An almost-kitchen-fail! (Another tip: Don't try new recipes when you have company.  haha)

I'd suggest not roasting for the whole time. My mushrooms were tough and dry. So play with it and watch carefully to make sure you don't overcook it.

Of course, I forgot to take photos of the finished product because our friends had arrived. But I will definitely make this again sometime! With a decrease in the roasting time. :)

www.missytippens.com

Welcome Guest Jolene Navarro and her Roasted Blue Cauliflower

Hello, Yankee Belle Café. I’m Jolene Navarro and I’m honored to be a guest. Thank you Cate Nolan for hosting me today.

I was going to share one of my smoothies, (I have become an addict) but roasted cauliflower has popped up in four separate conversations this week. I’m going to share the recipe that has my teenage boys mad when they come back for seconds, but it’s already gone. Yes, I have had to start roasting two heads of cauliflower to keep everyone happy.

It’s really simple, which is key in my life. I teach High School art and write just about every day.  The boys have been known to fix it on their own when I’m on a deadline.

There are many nutritional experts that say cauliflower, along with broccoli is one of the healthiest foods nature provides.

Here are a few reasons why: It is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, pantothenic acid, and vitamin B6. It is a very good source of choline, dietary fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, manganese, phosphorus, and biotin. Additionally, gives us a dose of vitamin B2, protein, vitamin B1, niacin, and magnesium. WOW – if you’re not eating it you should be, right?

I have been known to chop it up into a smoothie.

 The trick is we want food that excites us and taste good. That’s why it has become a favorite in our house.

We use purple cauliflower when we find it, but any color works.

Why purple? It has the same nutrients found in white cauliflower. However, purple cauliflower will provide you with a couple of other nutritional benefits. The purple color come from a subtype of flavonoid compounds called anthocyanins, (trust me it’s good) which is reported to regulate your blood lipid and sugar levels and body weight, (what’s not to love about that?) It may also help to lower your cancer risk.

Here is how we cook Roasted Parmesan, Parsley & Purple Cauliflower is the Casa de Navarro.

A head (or two) of Purple Cauliflower

1 tsp fresh Parsley (or two)

1 tbsp olive oil for each head

Salt to taste (I love grinding Himalayan Pink Sea Salt)

Freshly grounded black pepper

½ cup or a cup of shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400

Slice the cauliflower florets like mushrooms. Toss in the olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper. Make sure each slice is coated. I use a stone, but a cookie sheet will work (parchment paper makes it a bit crisper if you use a cookie sheet ad easier clean up - yay).  Spread them out evenly.

Place in the oven. At 45 minutes turn over and sprinkle cheese over the slices. Let cook for another 5 to 10 min. It is meant as a side dish, but it also makes a great snack.

                Maybe share it with family and friends over the Memorial Day weekend.

There is one last think I want to share with you. Because Memorial Day is upon us, I’m sharing a page from my grandfather’s WWII diary. Forrest F. French kept a diary during his time serving with 7th Div. Co. K 184th Infantry. Okinawa. He return home but was killed in an accident way before I was born, but because of his ( illegal ) diary I got to know him a bit and a little of the men he served with. Many didn't make it back home. These words are straight from his diary. 

May 18 1945.
Everyone calls me Tex or Eagle Eye. As it seems I am one of the best shots in the Co. I have my name Texas Kid carved on my rifle. The new guys can't seem to understand yet why we are cleaning our rifles and oiling them all the time. They will soon find out that it is your most dearest friend when we move up. 
May 25, 1945. 
I got a piece of grenade in my right thigh, but it just barely stuck in. Has rain for three days non-stop. We have to go back about 2 miles for ammo and rations. Snipers all along the way back. Wish they would get them cleaned out.
May 28 1945
We will push off to take the cliffs this noon. It is going to be rough as we have to cross a wide valley. Will be at their mercy. As they will be above us. Don't know how much longer I will last.
June 5 1945.....I am now in charge of the squad. I wish I weren't for it is a great responsibility. Only 5 of us are left. 

Have a blessed weekend and remember the ones that gave all.

 

A seventh generation Texan, Jolene knows that, as much as the world changes, people stay the same. Good and evil. Vow-keepers and heart breakers. Jolene married a vow-keeper who showed her that dancing in the rain never gets old.

She uses her art degree to teach inner city kids about the world and they teach her about life. 

When she’s not in the studio or hanging out with her family, she loves creating worlds of strong heroes and powerful heroines who find love in spite of the obstacles they face. (Actually even then she’s getting ideas for the next story) She is currently working on her sixth Clear Water Book for Harlequin’s Love Inspired. Her fourth book, A Soldier’s Surprised Family, will be released August 23

Jolene can be found online, where she loves to make new friends and chat about life.

 https://www.facebook.com/jolenenavarrowriter/       https://jolenenavarrowriter.com/

Jolene's books:

The Soldier’s Surprise Family - September 2016
A Texas Christmas Wish, Love Inspired - October 2015
Lone Star Holiday & Lone Star Hero   now available

Fantastically Flavor-FULL Fauxtatoes

Tex here and yep, you read that right. Today we're talking fauxtatoes. 

As a part of THM healthier lifestyle, I've cut white potatoes out of my diet. Oh, I might sneak a french fry or two if I'm out, say at a writer's conference, but in my daily living, white potatoes are a thing of the past.

Why?

Basically, as soon as we ingest those potatoes, they turn to sugar. 

And since I've cut sugar out of my diet... You get the point.

However, sometimes you just gotta have mashed potatoes. So what's a girl to do?

Come up with an alternative that fits into her new lifestyle.

Enter the dreaded cauliflower.

(dum, dum, dum...)

Now, I have to admit that I've heard about mashed cauliflower and how it was "just like mashed potatoes" for years. Don't get me wrong. I like cauliflower. 

But there's no way it could possibly taste like potatoes.

Well, you know how the old adage goes. Don't knock it until you've tried it.

I've knocked it. Now I've tried it.

And you know what?

It's a pretty close substitute.

Yes, the texture is a little different, but the flavor is pretty darn good.

To start, you're going to need this.

Our old friend cauliflower, cut into uniform pieces.

Though, you could also use frozen cauliflower.

Next, I put about 1-2 inches of chicken or vegetable broth in a large sauce pan.

Bring to a boil, then add your cauliflower.

I like to add a little coarse sea salt at this point, but that's purely optional.

Cover and steam until all pieces are tender.

Next, you're going to need:

Butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder and whipping cream.

Drain the cooked cauliflower and put into blender or food processor.

Add about 3-4 tablespoons of butter and about 1 tablespoon of the cream and blend until smooth.

Scrape down sides and add 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (more, if you like) and salt and pepper to taste and blend again. You can also add a little more cream, if needed.

And here you  have it.

Creamy fauxtato goodness. 

And you won't believe it. My oldest son, the king of mashed potatoes, even likes them.

He says they taste different than potatoes, but they're still good. I was shocked when I came in one night to find the bowl empty. He'd polished them off!

A miracle, I tell ya.

And probably the first vegetable he's voluntarily eaten in almost 10 years. 

Like Jan, my Nov. 1 deadline is fast approaching. However, I think I'll actually turn my manuscript in early.

Whoo-hoo!!!

That means a few days to catch up on housework and cooking before I hit the next book.

My family will be so appreciative. 

And, since Saturday is November 1st, I'll be baking pumpkin bread.

I can hardly wait. And no, I will not be leaving out the sugar. Yes, I will eat some. 

But I will not feel guilty. I will enjoy every bite. :)