Guacamole

I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July!  We spent the evening on a friend's rooftop, where we could see fireworks in every direction.  It was spectacular!  And all of the fireworks were just far enough away that I wasn't irrationally afraid of them, like I often am.  Win!



The 4th is a particularly big celebration in the Monkey Scientist's family because so many family birthdays fall right around the holiday.  We've had a blast celebrating all week long, and it will continue this weekend!  For our birthday gift to the Monkey Scientist's brother and his girlfriend, we gave them this mortar and pestle from Sur la Table that I just love!  Not only is it made of volcanic rock, it's a little pig! Too cute. Of course we gave it to them on the 4th so that we could make guac for the party.



Much overdue to all of you, here is my go-to guacamole recipe.  I guess over the years I've adapted it from a plethora of recipes out on the web and made it my own.  We make it all the time - especially for big parties or family dinners.  It goes great on burgers, tacos, or just with chips.  It's the perfect treat for the summertime!  If you're not familiar with tomatillos, they're often sold with the tomatoes and avocados.  They look like miniature green tomatoes but they naturally have a paper-like outside that easily peels off.  They can be a bit sticky but that comes off with a good rinse under cold water.  They're the secret to my famous guacamole!



Guacamole

Ingredients
3 ripe avocados, removed from skins, pitted, and cut into chunks
1 medium to large tomatillo, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, diced
1 jalapeño, diced
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you like spicy)

Instructions
1. Add the avocado, tomatillo, garlic, and jalapeño to a large bowl or mortar.  Smash with the back of a spoon, a potato masher, or a pestle until only small chunks remain.
2. Add the lime juice, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper and stir to incorporate.

Smokey Roasted Chicken Tacos with Spicy Goat Cheese Crema

As you probably guessed, I've been having a lot of internal debate lately.  There are a lot of days where I just say, that's it. I want to quit the blog.  But then, like the hot girl at the gym, a recipe comes along that I have to share with you that changes my mind.  So I'm back here again.  So don't despair.



So what have you missed?  We had a delicious Valentine's Day dinner at what just might be our favorite restaurant in Chicago.  I am so excited for my a la Chicago cards to come in the mail so we can go back again ASAP.  The Monkey Scientist had a milestone birthday, which called for two cakes - a graham cracker torte from me and a carrot cake (his favorite) from his mom.  We had a romantic French dinner for our anniversary at a Chicago institution.  And now, of course, Cadbury Mini Eggs have returned to my daily food pyramid.  They almost make up for the fact that Spring has definitely not sprung yet in Chicago.



For my loyal DC following, I did make a quick trip back to my former home last month.  It was great to be back, even just for a couple of days.  I got in an amazing workout with my old trainer who I miss every time I work out in Chicago.  No one can kick my butt into shape quite like he can.  I also had a really great dinner at Maple with some friends I love and miss every day.  That little corner of Columbia Heights has really transformed since I moved with new restaurants and bars! I'm loving what's going on there food-wise.



Oh, you just wanted to hear about the tacos?  The tacos are incredible.  This is not your every-Tuesday taco.  It's definitely up a level.  The goat cheese crema has a kick from the jalapenos that I really enjoyed.  And the chicken is smokey, spicy and exactly what I needed.  Way better than my standard ground chicken/turkey (even though I do love my homemade taco seasoning blend).  It takes a little more work, but it's still a pretty easy weeknight dinner if you give yourself the time to roast the chicken.  We will definitely be having this one again soon.  Or at least making some more crema, because I could eat that stuff with a spoon. (OK, I did eat some of it with a spoon.)



Smokey Roasted Chicken Tacos with Spicy Goat Cheese Crema
slightly adapted from How Sweet Eats

Ingredients
1.5-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 sweet onion, sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 limes, sliced into wedges
spicy goat cheese crema
1 tablespoon coconut oil (or unsalted butter)
1/2 jalapeño pepper, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup milk
6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper
for serving
whole wheat tortillas, warmed
chopped tomatoes
sliced avocado
diced red onion
tequila lime salsa
lime wedges

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne, mixing to combine.
3. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then rub to coat with the spice mixture/
4. Spread the sliced onions evenly across the bottom of the baking dish, then set the chicken on top. Place lime wedges in between the chicken pieces. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45-60 minutes.
5. Remove chicken and let cool slightly, then shred with two forks.
6. While the chicken is cooling, make the goat cheese crema:  In a medium saucepan, melt the coconut oil over medium heat.  When completely melted, add the garlic and jalapeno, cooking while stirring for 1-2 min.  Add the flour and whisk to form a roux.  Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes to brown very slightly.  Then, whisk in the milk.  Reduce the heat to low and allow to cook for another 1-2 minutes until thick.  Stir in the goat cheese until entirely melted, then season with salt and pepper.
7. Assemble the tacos on warm tortilla shells, with the shredded chicken, goat cheese crema, tomatoes, onions, avocados, and salsa.  If desired, top with fresh squeezed lime juice.


This recipe was featured on Full Plate Thursday!

Grilled Stuffed Jalapeños

I realized that somehow, even though I have been posting my weekly recipes from Thursday Night Grilling, I haven't actually posted any recipes that you make on the grill. So this week we're mixing it up!

I whipped up these stuffed jalapeños on Wednesday night, so on Thursday I just thew them in the grilling basket and cooked them up.  They were super easy to make and had great flavor!  They honestly are not that spicy if you're at all accustomed to spice, so don't be afraid!  The hottest part of a jalapeño is the seeds, and since they're all scraped out these are actually pretty mild and perfectly smoky.

I was so surprised to see this recipe originally derived from a Cooking Light recipe.  Don't be fooled my friends - you're eating cheese and bacon.  Don't get me wrong - two of my favorite ingredients - but don't go eating all 28 pepper halves on your own!  They're definitely worth saving some weekly calories for, though.  They're absolutely scrumptious!



Grilled Stuffed Jalapeños
slightly adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Ingredients
4-6 slices bacon
14 jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise
1 (8-oz) package reduced fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used sharp)
1/4 cup minced scallions
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Instructions
1. Preheat grill to medium heat.
2. In a medium skillet set over medium-low heat, cook the bacon until browned and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Allow to cool slightly, then crumble.
3. While the bacon cooks, scoop the seeds and ribs from the insides of the halved peppers using a small spoon. In a medium bowl, combine the crumbled bacon, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, scallions, lime juice, salt and garlic. Stir to combine.
4. Stuff each of the pepper halves with some of the cheese mixture. (At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the stuffed peppers, then cook them later.)
4. Spray a grill basket or pan with nonstick cooking spray then transfer the peppers to the prepared pan. Place the pan in the preheated grill and cook (with the grill cover closed) for about 8-15 minutes, or until the cheese mixture browns slightly, and the bottom of the peppers is charred. Transfer the peppers to a serving platter and serve immediately.

Indian-Spiced Lentils and Lamb

One of the many things I love about the Monkey Scientist is that he's really willing to try just about anything I tell him to eat.  Even if he doesn't like it, he'll at least give it a shot.  I once made him try tripe in a Chinese restaurant (without telling him what it was) and even though he will never try it again, the fact that he did made me smile.  Case in point was this meal - I told my Mom I was making Indian lentils and lamb for dinner and she said "oh, interesting" (which in our family means "please don't expect me to be eating that").  The Monkey Scientist, on the other hand, was excited!  It makes cooking for him so much fun!



Despite this recipe not being my usual style of cooking, I knew this would be a recipe we'd like because of the spice factor.  Curry powder + cayenne + jalapeno is a spicy combo.  Right up our alleys.  Fortunately for me, the greek yogurt cools the palate back down.  Also, by serving this on top of rice, it made the whole dish a lot more mild - definitely something I'd recommend if the spiciness scares you (and to add more substance to the whole dish).



I liked that this recipe was fairly low-cost.  Although lamb can be expensive, you don't need that much of it in this meal.  Lentils are one of my favorite money savers because they are filling and tasty, but only cost about 89 cents/bag (which is enough to make this recipe 2-3 times!).  My biggest cost-grief is the coconut milk.  My grocery store only has 1 brand and its nearly $4/can.  Do you know where I can buy it cheaper (and maybe in half cans)?



This was one of my favorite low cost, healthy recipes I've made in a long time.  Bold flavors do so much to make up for lower fat content in dinners.  The spicy flavor combined with the sweetness of the coconut milk and tomatoes elevated inexpensive lentils.  The little bit of lamb brought an otherwise vegetarian dish to an new level - but could be left out if you wanted to keep it vegetarian.  The tang of the Greek yogurt was the perfect finishing touch.  The color of the whole dish is gorgeous from the curry powder, tomatoes, and coconut milk.  We both loved this one!



Indian-Spiced Lentils and Lamb
slightly adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 lb lean ground lamb
1 teaspoon red curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped and seeds removed
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 cup brown lentils
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
3/4 cup light coconut milk
1 (15-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped (I actually added the juice too)
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or fat free)
white rice, cooked (optional)

Instructions
1. In a large, deep skillet, heat oil over medium high heat then add lamb, curry powder, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper, and cook for 2-3 minutes until it starts to brown.
2. Add onion and jalapeno and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes until the lamb is fully browned and the onions are soft.
3. Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minute more until fragrant.
4. Add tomato paste, cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
5. Add lentils, cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
5. Add chicken broth, water, coconut milk, and tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer. Cover and allow to simmer for 40 minutes or until lentils are tender.
6. Serve either in a bowl or over white rice and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Thai Beef Tacos

You might have noticed, we aren't big red meat eaters.  I don't have anything in particular against beef, and I'm pretty sure the Monkey Scientist grew up eating loads of steaks (he is from Chicago), but it has some drawbacks.  It really isn't that good for you.  And more importantly, it's expensive.  So when we do have beef, it's a special treat and we usually buy pretty cheap cuts.



The key to enjoying these cheaper cuts is not to eat them in a steak-and-potatoes kind of way.  While the Monkey Scientist does broil a mean teriyaki flank steak, tacos might just be the best way to eat flank steak. Tacos are such a simple recipe to throw together on a weeknight, and I loved the Asian twist in this recipe.  Definitely made for a unique dinner!



The Monkey Scientist did a lot of work to help me put this recipe together.  He made the mango salsa!  Since the mango salsa on our pork tenderloin a few weeks ago was too spicy, we left the jalapeno seeds out  this time around.  I liked it so much better!  The shallots were much milder than onions and the mango brought out the sweetness of the coconut milk in the marinade.  It was a great addition to the tacos.



These were some of the best tacos I've ever made.  The Monkey Scientist said this was one of his favorite dinners - I think he was happy to have some red meat, plus he's a big Chipotle lover.  I think marinading for longer than 2 hours (I should learn to prep ahead of time a little better) would have been a good idea, but it was still great.  I particularly liked the peanuts on top.  They brought out the Asian flavors from the marinade while adding a nice crunch.  This is an easy weeknight meal that you will really enjoy!



Thai Beef Tacos
every so slighty adapted from How Sweet It Is

Ingredients
1-1 1/2 pounds flank steak
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup light (canned) coconut milk
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
1/2 mango, chopped
1 shallot, diced
1 jalapeno, diced (seeds removed)
a sprinkle each of sugar, salt & pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
8-10 flour tortillas (I used burrito sized, but you could go smaller)
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce or hot salsa
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

Instructions
1. Sprinkle flank steak with salt and pepper. Combine coconut milk, chili sauce, garlic, ginger, and sugar in a bowl and whisk.
2. Add flank steak to a ziplock bag or a shallow baking dish and pour marinade overtop. Refrigerate and let sit for 6-24 hours. (I only waited about 2 hours because I don't plan ahead well)
3. When ready to prepare, remove steak from fridge and let sit for 20-30 minutes. (Yep, I skipped this)
4. In a bowl, combine mango, shallot, jalapeno, salt, sugar and pepper, mix thoroughly, then set aside.
5. Heat a large oven-safe skillet (like cast iron) over high heat. At the same time, preheat the broiler in your oven. (You can also grill the steak if you wish.)
6. Using a pastry brush, brush oil onto the skillet so there is only a very thin layer. (CAREFUL! The oil may jump when you start to brush it!)
7. Remove steak from marinade with kitchen tongs, placing in the skillet. Sear on both sides for 1-2 minutes per side.
8. Remove skillet and place is the oven directly under the broiler. Cook for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for 3 minutes more. (Less time if you like it rarer, more if you like it more well done.)
9. Remove skillet from over, and place steak on a cutting board to rest for 15-20 minutes.
10. At this time, assemble your tortillas (warm them if desired), salsa, extra chili sauce for drizzling and peanuts. After the steak has rested, slice it into thin strips. Assemble tacos as desired and eat!

Sweet and Fiery Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa

The Chinese New Year is today!  The blogosphere has been blowing up with lots of fun recipes for the Chinese New Year, so I thought it might be fun to bring you one.  I chose this recipe because it was healthy (I love Skinny Taste!), can be eaten all year long, and was a little bit outside of my comfort zone.

To be honest, I have never made pork tenderloin in my life.  I think I've only eaten it once before and it was so overcooked that I though I just didn't like pork tenderloin.  I'm the type of girl who orders my steaks on the rare side of medium rare.  I'm glad that I finally made it myself, because it turns out pork tenderloin is awesome!



I knew the Monkey Scientist would enjoy this recipe because it called for his favorite - Sriracha.  For Christmas, I got him the Sriracha cookbook.  We've only tried one recipe so far and it was so-so, but we're aiming to try many more.  Sriracha is so good on any type of meat, and this pork was no exception.  We also may or may not have drizzled more Sriracha on top of the meat before we ate it... and the Monkey Scientist might have also zipped his pork in even more like ketchup...don't judge us.  (But if you want to ship us a few more bottles, we are running low!)



So honestly, I didn't like the mango salsa in this.  I left out the cilantro because it's the worst herb ever I don't like it, but the Monkey Scientist convinced me to leave some jalapeno seeds in and it was way too spicy for me.  Also, I had lemon juice instead of lime juice and really that isn't a valid substitution.  I liked the idea of the mango salsa, but I need to work on the execution.  The Monkey Scientist liked it though, which means if you have a high tolerance for heat, you will too!



Even though the salsa wasn't great, I loved the pork tenderloin.  It was moist, sweet, a bit spicy, and absolute perfection.  This was such a great substitute for steak, which I almost never make because of cost and lack of nutrition.  I don't love to have a big hunk of meat every night, but sometimes I just crave something medium rare that I can sink my teeth into, and this totally did the trick.  I absolutely recommend drizzling it in some extra Sriracha and serving it up with a roasted veggie, like cauliflower.  I also think this is one you can trick your picky-eater kids to eat - it really isn't that spicy and you can always cut off the outside if they're super particular (and then you get to eat it, because it's totally the best part!).  Now I want to try more pork tenderloin recipes!



Sweet and Fiery Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa
From Skinny Taste

Ingredients:
for the salsa:
1 large ripe mango, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (I obviously left this out because it's soapy and gross)
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced jalapeño, seeds removed and diced
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
for the pork:
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 lb pork tenderloin
1/4 cup Sweet Red Chili Sauce (I used Taste of Thai)
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce (or more to taste)

Directions:
for the salsa:
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate salsa until ready to serve.
for the pork:
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Mix garlic salt and ginger in small bowl. Rub evenly over pork. Place pork on rack in foil-lined roasting pan. (I just used a tin foil roasting pan - easy clean up!)
3. Mix chili sauce, honey and sriracha in small bowl.
4. Roast pork in preheated oven 40 to 45 minutes* or until desired pork is cooked to your liking.  About 10 minutes before it is done (when your pork is maybe 5° away from the temperature you want it), brush the entire loin with the chili sauce mixture. (New pork guidelines allow pork to cook to 145°, if you prefer it cooked well, cook it until the internal temp reads is 160° with a meat thermometer.)  *My 1 lb loin was actually split in half, and it was cooked to between 145-150° after about 25-30 minutes.  It was medium rare perfection!
5. Slice pork and serve with pan juices and mango salsa on the side. (I also served with some roasted cauliflower)

Tortilla Pizzas

I have a confession to make.  These are iPhone photos.  And, I was simply the sous chef behind this recipe. It was a Monkey Scientist creation (although I may or may not have emailed him the recipe).  Regardless, this is such an easy, healthy recipe, that I wanted to share it with you despite not having my camera with me when the MS was cooking.  Forgive any lack of quality in photos - it doesn't indicate a lack of quality in the recipe.



My next warning I should give you, is about the jalapenos. They make this pizza VERY spicy, especially if you use whole slices, with seeds, and as many as we did.  The Monkey Scientist liked it, but my mouth was on fire and I ended up having to peel a lot of them off.  Giardiniera was a little less spicy, although of course it's very regional and you may not be able to find it (the Monkey Scientist may or may not have smuggled a jar back with him from Chicago).  If you're not into spicy (I'm talking to you, Mom and Dad), leave the jalapenos out.  The pizza will still be delicious!



I am a huge pizza lover.  I mean seriously, who isn't?  But come New Year's Resolution time, it just doesn't fit the healthy diet I'm striving for.  These tortilla pizzas are such a great alternative.  The carb-filled crust is swapped out for a crispy, crunchy tortilla.  It's no Chicago deep dish, but it turns into almost a sweet cracker - absolutely awesome.  Plus, if you load on enough veggies, you don't need to add nearly as much cheese while maintaining that cheesy taste of a delicious pizza.



I love this pizza! It can be adapted so many different ways to fit the ingredients you love.  While we pretty much stuck by the original recipe, we added sausage for some extra protein. I absolutely LOVED the white beans in it.  I didn't stick by the proportions of the original recipe, but compared to what you see on my pizza, I wish I'd had a lot more beans.  Per usual, I also dug the artichokes on this pizza - they're one of my favorite things.  As far as portions - I had 1 plus less than 1/4 of a second, and the Monkey Scientist ate 2.  I would aim for 1 for a light (read: female) meal and 2 for a more robust (read: male) meal.  This would also be a really fun recipe to make with your kids - let them load the toppings on themselves! (Just do the "putting in the oven" yourself please!)



Tortilla Pizzas
from Eighty Twenty, with some small additions

Ingredients
4 10" whole wheat flour tortillas
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 cup sliced onions
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup white beans, drained and rinsed well
1 1/3 cups quartered artichoke hearts (patted dry if canned), separated into smaller pieces
1/2 cup low fat, low sodium chicken sausage, sliced (optional)
1 1/3 cups baby spinach leaves, stemmed
2 oz crumbled feta cheese
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup jalapeno slices or giardiniera (optional)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat 1 tsp in a skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and saute until soft, ~5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. On each tortilla, spread 1/2 tsp olive oil. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp minced garlic onto each tortilla, then spread white beans, artichoke pieces, sausage, spinach leaves, sauteed onions, cheeses and jalapenos (if desired) evenly onto tortillas.
4. Place in oven, directly on middle rack or on a cookie sheet, and bake for 10-16 minutes, or until tortilla is crispy and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and allow to cool for ~2 minutes prior to cutting into quarters and serving.

Falafel Burgers

My old friend from summer camp came over for another vegetarian meal this week (and a sleepover!).  I love when she comes for dinner because it really makes me think outside the box and try new vegetarian recipes that I might not have otherwise. I was a vegetarian for 4 years when I was younger, but I never really experimented with recipes like I do now.  The ability to search for interesting recipes on the blogosphere has made vegetarian cooking a lot more fun!



I learned yesterday from a coworker that there are 2 types of falafel, Israeli and Indian.  I am accustomed to eating the Israeli kind - it's what they always served at one of my favorite sub shops growing up.  They might have been Greek, but MAN they made good falafel.  Then, when I went to Israel I finally tasted the Israeli falafel street food.  It just might have been my favorite part of Isreal.  Why America went for hot dogs instead of falafel is beyond me.



I digress... these burgers are the Indian type of falafel, hense the tumeric.  I love the beautiful yellow color that the tumeric gives to these burgers. I left out the coriander because I don't like coriander/cilantro and therefore didn't have any.  I didn't miss it at all - these still had tons of flavor - although I did add freshly ground pepper which it didn't call for.



I need to just take a minute here to talk about this tahini.  I'd never bought tahini before, and I do NOT know why.  It's like peanut butter, but with a sesame flavor. It's divine. I bought this at the Asian market, H-Mart, but I think you can find it in your regular grocer as well.  Now I'm on a mission - what else can I make with tahini?



Tahini also went great with hot sauce - which leads me to the bargain of the day.  Even though the sign isn't posted, Frank's Red Hot is on sale at Giant this week for $1.99 plus on coupons.com you can find a $0.50 off coupon (which Giant will double).  Usually over $3 and this week you can get it for $1!



The verdict?  They were approved by my camp friend.  And me too!  They have tons of subtle, warm flavors, complemented well by the nutty tahini paste and a little kick from the jalapeño and hot sauce. Although we ate them for dinner, they'd make a great lunch by the pool.  We served them up with salad while enjoying the sunset over the Washington monument from my balcony - it was the perfect close to the day.  While it was very different from the falafel on the streets of Tel Aviv, it tasted SO much healthier (not deep fried) and absolutely delicious.



Falafel Burgers
From Jenna of Eat Live Run on PBS blog

Ingredients:
1 15-oz can chickpeas
½ red onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, minced
3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons of olive oil (divided)
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon sea salt
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup tahini
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 egg white

Instructions:
1. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, 2 tsp of olive oil, lemon juice and tahini. Blend well and scoop out into a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat up 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Once hot, add the onions and jalapeno and sauté for about six minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute until toasty and fragrant. Add coriander and tumeric and mix well.
3. Add onion mixture to the chickpea mixture and stir well to combine. Add the salt, egg white and breadcrumbs and mix well.
4. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in the same skillet as before. Form patties with the chickpea mixture and fry for about three-four minutes per side, until golden and crunchy. Drain on paper towels.
5. Serve falafel burgers in warm whole wheat pitas with tahini sauce, hot sauce and sliced red onion.

Mom's Pot Roast [Guest Blogger]

I'd like to welcome to the blog a certain someone you might have heard me mention before.  I'd like to give a big welcome to the Monkey Scientist, who will be sharing his Mom's Pot Roast recipe.  He did take photos of the prep, but very unfortunately his house was robbed last night and his camera was taken.  A big thank you to him not only for blogging, but for cooking me this meal - it was super delicious! (And I'm glad you'll finally get to see how much he teases me!!)

photo by d.liff

Greetings everyone…Monkey Scientist here. Believe it or not I do actually have a name but I’m going to leave that anonymous to add to the intrigue.

D always gets mad when I made fun of the way she writes on her blog (she does actually talk this way in real life by the way), so in that vein I am going to try and imitate her style as much as possible…

photo by the Monkey Scientist

If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I’m not usually one to follow any sort of set recipe. I more just like to throw everything together in a big pot and see how it turns out. D introduced me to this thing called a “side dish” but I still don’t quite subscribe to that belief.

So today’s “recipe” comes from my mom’s kitchen back in Chicago. Pot roast is one of her the rarer dishes that she cooks, but when she does make it we all enjoy quite the feast. For Christmas she gave me my very own Crock Pot, and since then I have made some pretty fantastic meals (you’ll just have have to wait til February for the family Super Bowl Chili recipe…my personal favorite). I absolutely LOVE cooking with the Crock Pot! It brings together so many diverse flavors, and you don’t need to break the bank in finding the best meat out there. Just your typical run-of-the-mill top round roast from the local supermarket will do. When I went to the store, I was delighted to see that roasts were the “Big Buy” of the day. Over 2 ½ pounds of meat for under eight dollars!

I’ll admit there’s really nothing fancy about this pot roast recipe compared to any other. Just throw in a bunch of vegetables with the meat and let it all soak together throughout the day. Based on a limited veggie selection at our grocery store, I just went with some white potatoes, carrots, and celery, and to add a little twist, some chili peppers…not a necessary addition but certainly worth trying if you like a little kick.

photo by d.liff

When it was done we just scooped it out of the pot and served on toast to make some nice hearty sandwiches. You might find that when it’s done it will need some sort of sauce to add another dimension. We used Sweet Baby Ray’s barbeque sauce but you can probably also use a spicy mustard or throw some flour in the meat juice to make a thicker gravy. Also, you might want to brown the meat before putting it in the Crock Pot for the day, but I was a little pressed for time so I just skipped that part. I would recommend some mashed potatoes and maybe some steamed green beans if you’re into the whole side dish thing…or just grab more out of the pot and put that on the side!

photo by d.liff

Mom's Pot Roast 
(serves 4-6)

Ingredients

2.5 lbs top roast (you can use more or less depending on size of slow cooker)

7 carrots, unpeeled (but washed) and chopped

3 medium-sized white potatoes, quartered

2-3 stalks celery

2 whole jalapeños, fresh

1 can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (if you don't love really spicy food, only use 1-2 peppers)

1 packet of onion soup mix (can be substituted or augmented with 1 whole white onion)

*Note: amounts of ingredients may vary with size of Crock Pot


Instructions

1. Chop carrots and celery into ½ to 1 inch chunks, depending on width

2. Chop potatoes into about 8 pieces, or slightly bigger than the carrot chunks

3. Slice jalapenos and cut into half circles

4. Add about half of the chopped vegetables and 3-4 chili peppers from can into crock pot. Save the other half to top around and on top of the meat.

5. Rinse the meat and pat dry. You can brown lightly to add texture and cut some of the fat but if short on time this is not necessary.

6. Place meat on top of vegetables and fill the rest of the crock pot to about ¾ depth with remaining vegetables.

7. Add water to ¾ depth, or enough to cover all contents. Add onion soup mix and lightly stir to mix it all in.

8. Set crock pot to low, cover, and let cook for 8-10 hours

9. Meat should easily fall apart with a fork and be stringy in nature.

10. Dig in and put it all on toasted bread to make the perfect pot roast sandwich