Testing, Testing

I'm currently testing for two different cookbooks, lucky me!

First, two from Tami and Celine's new finger foods cookbook.

Roasted Leek Bread Spread. An eggplant and leek dip, perfect for snacking with pita chips.

Potstickers. Filled with a gingery tempeh mixture, these little appetizers are totally addictive. This was my first time making potstickers and they are quite easy. Now I'm dreaming up all kinds of different fillings that I want to try!

Next, a few testers from Joni's fusion cookbook.

Brown Rice and Barley Tabouli. The chewiness of barley is fantastic in this lemony tabouli.

Feelin' Green Smoothie. No, your eyes don't deceive you; this smoothie is blue. But it's packed full of healthy green kale and spinach, as well as blueberries and pineapple.

Ginger Sesame Steamed Kale. Simple steamed kale is gussied up with a sweet, citrusy dressing.

Ginger Carrot Coconut Bisque. Soooo fast and easy, and look at that beautiful sunshiney color!

Black Sesame Edamame. A perfect snack, we kept going back for more!

My handsome boy, fresh from the bath. I love when they are all clean-smelling and ready for bedtime cuddles.

Are you doing (or have you done) any recipe testing?

Happy St. Paddy's!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope you are all wearing your green and avoiding the leprechaun's pinch. 

Here are my latest testers for Joni's fusion cookbook. 

Esquites (Mexican street corn) -- so creamy, spicy, awesome!

Cotija Style Tofu Crumbles -- these crumbles mimic the dry, salty Mexican cheese known as cotija. I used them to make rajas poblanas, with a side of esquites.

Sweet Chili Tofu Noodle Bowl -- tofu is marinated in a sweet chili sauce, then grilled and served atop miso broth with noodles. Yum.

Tahini Garlic Roasted Cauliflower -- a nutty tahini sauce makes a delicious coating for roasted cauliflower.

Here are a couple of shots from our playgroup's St. Patrick's Day party. Jackson and his buddy battled it out with their light sabers.

Olivia went a more peaceful route and enjoyed the swings.

Tempura Time

My latest tester recipe for Joni, Sesame Sriracha Tempura Veggies, sounded so good that I tried it three different ways for today's lunch.

Asparagus - awesome! 

Cauliflower - cool!

Brussels sprouts - bad idea? I should've halved them, maybe. Not Joni's fault. 

I'm getting really good at frying things, which is good for my culinary confidence, yet bad for my thighs. To strive for a bit of balance, dinner was a green smoothie. Extremely green, thanks to a huge amount of spirulina powder. It also contained banana, chia seeds, vanilla, and stevia. I realized tonight that I don't actually like bananas in a smoothie. Luckily, I just bought a 30-lb. bag of frozen blueberries at Costco (not really, but close enough), so I will still be able to have my smoothies, banana-free.

Today was Jackson's last soccer lesson. He has had such a great time.

We will be signing him up again for spring. Soccer is a great sport for young kids. He is learning a lot about sportsmanship and being on a team.

I joked when Jackson was growing in my tummy that he would love soccer, because he kicked me constantly. Looks like my premonition was right! 

McKenna Museum

Today we took a little road trip to the McKenna Children's Museum down in New Braunfels. Jackson and Olivia were entertained for hours by the various interactive games and displays.

Jackson showing off some moves on the light-up dance floor.

Olivia and her friend taking good care of the baby.

Jackson responding to an emergency call.

Their favorite part was the outer space-themed area.

Ready for their first space mission.

Blast off!

For dinner I attempted to make the Samosa Stuffed Baked Potatoes from Veganomicon. I got overzealous with my potato scooping and tore some of the skins. So I decided to chop it all up and throw it in a casserole dish to finish baking.

Not the most attractive presentation, but totally yummy, especially with a dollop of Joni's Cilantro Chili Lime Sauce, a tester recipe for her new cookbook. Sarah suggested this awesome pairing. Thanks, Sarah!

Seeing Soundsuits

Today we rode the train downtown. Jackson wondered whether zombies are allowed on the train (answer: yes, as long as they are silly 4-year-old zombies). 

Our destination was AMOA-Arthouse, to see the 'Hiding in Plain Sight' exhibition by artist Nick Cave. I'm a fan of his soundsuits, having seen them previously at the Brooklyn Museum. Jackson thought they were pretty cool.

Olivia enjoyed the childrens' loft, where she could create her own art.

We got home close to dinner time, so I threw together this Lentil and Spinach Curry. Super fast and quite tasty with garlic naan.

Here are this week's testers for Joni. Smoky Chili Lime Sweet Potatoes, which look almost charred, but that's just the chili powder coating them. I served them with Lentil Walnut Burgers, from Dreena Burton's Let Them Eat Vegan. My word, those are some tasty burgers. I am never buying frozen veggie burgers again. I had no idea it was so easy to make your own.

Next up we had some meaty, grilled Kofta Kebabs. I served them with raw cauliflower tabouli and cilantro tahini sauce (both recipes from Living Raw Food) and garlic naan. I don't have much experience with raw cuisine, but the idea of using cauliflower in place of tabouli is genius as far as I'm concerned.

Capital of Texas Zoo

Today we visited the Capital of Texas Zoo with some friends. It's a small, rustic, family-owned zoo, but the animals appeared well-fed and the kids appreciated being able to get up close to the animals. 

Tiny goats, is there anything cuter?

Jackson was fascinated by the prairie dogs.

I had never seen an albino peacock before. Gorgeous!

My favorite odd-looking creature, the capybara.

Dang it, I forgot what these adorable little guys are called. They look like a cross between kangaroos and bunnies.

For dinner, I made another one of Joni's tester recipes, Thai Peanut Fried Chicken and Waffles. First time making savory waffles.

Peanut sauce, I want to eat it every day.

Tofu "fried chicken" turned out perfectly. Love that crispy breading!

Once I put it all together, I couldn't wait to dig in! Perfect with a drizzle of maple syrup. All waffles need maple syrup in my opinion, even the savory ones!

More Testers

Here are this week's testers for Joni Marie Newman's vegan fusion cookbook.

 

Sesame Tofu Fingers - a bit fancier than your standard roasted tofu, these little guys are fried, coated in a creamy sesame sauce, then baked.

 

 

Sesame Miso Ginger Garlic Dressing - delicious in a wrap with spinach and tofu fingers. Probably would be perfect with any greens.

 

Sesame Tofu Noodle Bowl - another use for the tofu fingers. Miso broth, udon noodles, and veggies make for a light, healthy dinner.

 

Cold Cabbage and Noodle Salad - this one really wowed me. How such basic ingredients as noodles and cabbage can taste so good that I end up eating two bowls, I'll never know.

 

The Skull Car

Today, a couple more testers for Joni Marie Newman's vegan fusion cookbook.

 

First, a gorgeous jade-green chimichurri sauce. This parsley-based sauce is garlicky, tart, and addictive.

 

 

It makes a perfect marinade for grilled corn.

 

 

Next, Sloppy Joe Pho. Yes, Joni has managed to combine sloppy joes and the spicy Vietnamese noodle soup known as pho. I admit I was a little skeptical, but wow, this soup is so good. Tony and the kids liked it too.

 

 

Jackson was so awed by this sweet purple ride, he insisted on posing for a photo in front of it.

 

 

"Come on, Mommy, it has skulls on it!" Who can pass up skulls?