refrigerator roundup, or what to do with those summer vegetables.

[okay, i think an awful lot about food...and for those of you who know me...when i appear to be staring off into space, chances are i'm concocting some meal in my head with what i know to be in my refrigerator, soo, i just have to share this tasty, little vegetarian better-than-fast food i scared up in the kitchen sunday night...round up all those languishing summer vegetables in your fridge...taco bell ain't got nuthin' on this Mexican pizza]

2 limed corn tostadas
1 cup freshly made, or canned chipotle refried beans

[note the chipotle is verrry important. the smokiness is incomparable]
1 zucchini, diced
1 red pepper cored, diced
1 spanish onion, diced
[feel free to come up with your own combination of vegetables, but these worked especially nicely]
1 pinch cumin
1 pinch powered chili
1 ounce queso blanco or other Mexican cheese
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
1 small avocado, slivered [optional]
2 tbs grapeseed oil, divided [can substitute olive oil, or some other vegetable oil]

Heat 1 tbs the grapeseed oil in a skillet over medium high heat

Flash sauté the zucchini, onion, and red pepperSeason with the cumin and chili

Remove from heat and set aside warm

Return the skillet to the burner
Heat the second tbs. of oil until warmed.

When thoroughly warmed, press one tostada into the pan evenly with your fingertips
Allow to cook for approximately 30 seconds or until it begins to golden

Spoon the refried beans on top of the tostada as it continues to crisp

Spoon the zuke/onion/pepper mixture as a second layer

Top with the cheese
Finish with Avocado and Cilantro

Place the second tostada on top and [masterfully] flip

Wait as patiently as possible [important…it's in the details] until the second side is crisp and golden.

Remove to dinner plate, and mind your manners as you devour.

* if you must indulge in something akin to sour cream, try plain fat-free yogurt.
it's full of protein and healthy probiotics

[yum]

adventures in going raw...or the wonders of walnut meat.

i've been drawing great inspiration for transitioning to raw lately by submersing myself in great 'un'cook books like the fabulous RAWvolution by matt amsden, and wanted desperately to make a great raw dinner on the fly without having to put too much effort into the prep or process. it's a little overwhelming at first to adapt to a cuisine that tastes best with some pre-meditation [ie. soaking whole grains and nuts or sprouting seeds, and the like] or dehydrating for 24-36 hours before eating, but his cookbook is filled with enough off the cuff recipes to thrill even a happy kitchen geek like me.

i've yet to acquire an excellent food processor, so my tools were a little limited. but substituting my [usually adored] magic bullet mini-processor, i ground my walnuts [un-soaked] and followed the recipe to the letter, except for the substitution of tamari for nama shoyu. [i must make my weekly visit to my favorite local asian market for the right supplies].

sure enough.. i imagine the nama shoyu or braggs is essential, because the woody taste of the tamari was pretty overpowering, and the magic bullet more pulverized instead of chopped the walnuts...so the consistency left a bit to be desired, but my fast raw dinner was a pretty good quick eat after an hour of cycling home in the rain.

[how my walnut taco meat should have looked but didn't]

Ingredients

1½ cups raw walnuts, ground in food processor

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

¾ teaspoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons Nama Shoyu or Braggs Liquid Aminos

a pinch of cayenne

Preparation

Mix and serve. [pretty basic, eh?]

recipe courtesy of: gone raw