My new challenge

Hello friends,

I realize its almost the middle of January, but it has taken me a while to come up with my New Year's cooking challenge. Last year I committed to 52 recipes (one weekly), featuring a seasonal ingredient. I managed to see this project to its completion despite having a new baby, dealing with a tough sibling transition, and training for a marathon. I'm so glad to have done this. I learned a lot and I had fun along the way.

This year brings new and more complex challenges. For starters I now have 2 very active children who refuse to nap, which basically translates to ZERO quiet time during the day. Our dinner time is 6pm sharp every night so I don't do a whole lot of cooking in the evenings (who has energy for it anyway?). So, that brings me to this years challenge...

This year I'm going to feature a monthly recreation of a Mexican favorite...veganized. Yes, you heard it right. I won't be crafting up new recipes. I am merely going to find suitable meat and dairy substitutes to the most popular Mexican dishes we eat. I'm committing to a monthly challenge because of my current time constraints. I have to be realistic, cooking while carrying a baby and tending to a toddler is not an easy feat so I hope that I'm able to bring you some useful information and recipes.

My first challenge is to recreate Green Mole or Pipian. It is typically prepared with chicken broth and simmered with shredded chicken. I plan to make mine from scratch, using pumpkin and sesame seeds, peanuts, green chilies and spices and serving it over....not sure yet. Will report later this month :)

Cheers to the New Year! Hope you all have some interesting challenges of your own. Let me know about them if you do.

Lucia


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Causes

Everyone has a cause, or at the very least we all strive to stand behind what we believe to be real or true.

Public protests are not my preferred way of expressing discontent. I don't judge them. I just don't find my full potential expressed in them.

I am a a rebel, though in many ways I yearn to fit in. There are some things however that I will not compromise.

This weeks theme du jour is acceptance for Breastfeeding in public. I have two things to say: 1) do what is comfortable and acceptable for you and your child. 2) ignore everyone else. When you are comfortable and confident (and you show it!) people will have two options as well. 1) suck it up. 2) accept it and move on. By dramatizing it you only bring unnecessary attention onto it. Stop.  Unless that's really your goal.

Week 52--Butternut Squash

Ok, so I'm technically a day late on this post, but here it is, the last of my weekly recipe collection for 2012.   This is my own creation and one I hope you will enjoy.

Roasted Butternut Squash Curry

Ingredients (Remember to choose organic whenever possible, especially the tofu and bell peppers)

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 white onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 blocks extra firm tofu, drained
4 to 6 cloves of garlic
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled
4TB curry powder
1TB Garam masala
1TB cumin
1tsp cardamon
6 to 8 cups of vegetable mix.  I used broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and bok choy
1 quart vegetable broth
2TB olive oil, separated
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl toss butternut squash with 1TB olive oil salt and pepper.  Spread on to a single layer cooking sheet and bake until tender (approximately 20 minutes).  Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan saute onion in 1TB olive oil until translucent.  Add bell pepper and cook until tender. Add spices and cook until just fragrant. Set aside.
4. In a large food processor or blender place onion/pepper mix, garlic, ginger, 1/2 of butternut squash along with some broth and process until smooth.  Return to saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Add tofu, vegetable mix and rest of butternut squash and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Turn off heat, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve over rice or as is my style, just in a big bowl all on its own :)  Enjoy!