Posts tagged heidi swanson

This dip is the reason that I fell in love with Heidi Swanson (guac with curry?!), and I like sharing it with new people. We made a batch yesterday to enjoy with Corinne and Mahnaz after our gardening adventure. Avocados and Mustard Seeds (from Super Natural Every Day) 2 ripe avocados 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt  1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon butter  1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 small yellow onion, mined 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 small chile, minced Cut each avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh into a small bowl.  Add the lemon juice, salt, and most of the cilantro.  Mash the avocados a bit with a fork, but don’t overdo it— you want the mixture to be quite chunky.  Set aside.Heat the butter n a skillet over medium-high heat.  When it is hot, add the mustard seeds.  Keep a lid on hand because the seeds will scatter as they pop.  When the spattering stops, after about a  minute, stir in the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent.  Stir in the garlic, curry powder, and chile.  Count to ten, and then remove from heat.  Stir in the avocado mixture, but just barely, and transfer to a serving bowl.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Garnish with remaining cilantro. 

This dip is the reason that I fell in love with Heidi Swanson (guac with curry?!), and I like sharing it with new people. We made a batch yesterday to enjoy with Corinne and Mahnaz after our gardening adventure.

Avocados and Mustard Seeds
(from Super Natural Every Day)

  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon butter 
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 small yellow onion, mined
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 small chile, minced
Cut each avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh into a small bowl.  Add the lemon juice, salt, and most of the cilantro.  Mash the avocados a bit with a fork, but don’t overdo it— you want the mixture to be quite chunky.  Set aside.

Heat the butter n a skillet over medium-high heat.  When it is hot, add the mustard seeds.  Keep a lid on hand because the seeds will scatter as they pop.  When the spattering stops, after about a  minute, stir in the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent.  Stir in the garlic, curry powder, and chile.  

Count to ten, and then remove from heat.  Stir in the avocado mixture, but just barely, and transfer to a serving bowl.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Garnish with remaining cilantro. 

Oatmeal casserole backyard brunch (and ginger juice) with two of my favorites.

My lunch every day this week. (Taken with instagram)

My lunch every day this week. (Taken with instagram)

Favorite bran muffins of all time, version 4: Chocolate Chip Raspberry I’m enjoying baking these every week to keep my snacking out of Cheez-It territory. Before this I made cinnamon apple, banana espresso, and blueberry versions. Michelle brought in some show-stopping banana bread with chocolate chips today, so I was inspired to be a little sweeter tonight.

Favorite bran muffins of all time, version 4: Chocolate Chip Raspberry

I’m enjoying baking these every week to keep my snacking out of Cheez-It territory. Before this I made cinnamon apple, banana espresso, and blueberry versions. Michelle brought in some show-stopping banana bread with chocolate chips today, so I was inspired to be a little sweeter tonight.

First projects of the day: Favorite bran muffins of all time, blueberry edition, and ginger strawberry orange juice.

First projects of the day: Favorite bran muffins of all time, blueberry edition, and ginger strawberry orange juice.

Inspired by Heidi Swanson’s Banana Espresso Muffins from her first cookbook, Super Natural Cooking, I added some banana and coffee to my all-time-favorite bran muffin recipe tonight for snacks all week.  I substituted 2.5 mushy bananas that had been in the freezer for a while for one of the cups of yogurt, and just added 1 tablespoon of (decaf) coffee into the dry ingredients.

Inspired by Heidi Swanson’s Banana Espresso Muffins from her first cookbook, Super Natural Cooking, I added some banana and coffee to my all-time-favorite bran muffin recipe tonight for snacks all week. 

I substituted 2.5 mushy bananas that had been in the freezer for a while for one of the cups of yogurt, and just added 1 tablespoon of (decaf) coffee into the dry ingredients.

Tonight I made a Heidi Swanson ginger juice that was pretty close to the amazing juice we had earlier this week at Hill Cafe. Peeling and grating ginger is not one of my favorite things, so next time I’ll try peeling then food processing instead.

We also converted Wayne and Amie to Bohnanza lovers. Wayne won by a landslide.

Heidi Swanson’s Lime, Grapefruit and Ginger Juice (via 101cookbooks)

3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons ginger, peeled then grated (or food processed)
1 cup water
2 juicy limes
2 juicy red grapefruits

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, stir together the sugar, ginger, and water. Simmer for 5 minutes, transfer to a glass bowl or cup, and place in the freezer for a few minutes to cool.

Strain the ginger into a pitcher along with the lime and grapefruit juices. You can either strain the citrus juices or leave them pulpy, just be sure to catch any seeds before they go in. Serve straight in a tiny chilled glass with ice. Or use a splash to freshen up a glass of sparkling water.

Makes about 2 cups (I made a double batch).

Next time, I think I’ll just buy nice grapefruit juice to save some time and money.

consolejunkie replied to your photo: Inspired by Heidi Swanson, I made sesame avocado…

Were they good?

Yes! I just had a couple to augment my lunch today, and I wish I’d brought more to work. They’d be good to keep in the fridge as a quick snack.

Inspired by Heidi Swanson, I made sesame avocado brown rice balls tonight. I think that I made them a little big, though, as I see now that her recipe is supposed to yield two dozen balls. They were a tiny bit bland, but adding some soy sauce did the trick! Sesame Avocado Brown Rice Balls (inspired by Heidi Swanson’s Sesame Almond Brown Rice Balls) 2 cups brown rice 4 cups water 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup sesame seeds 1/4 cup minced green onions 1 acovado, cut into small pieces and sprinkled with lemon juice Cook rice in a rice cooker. Fluff with a fork, then gradually add and incorporate the sesame seeds and green onions. To form the rice balls, cover a small cup with plastic wrap, sprinkle the plastic wrap with a dab of water, then fill the cup 2/3 full with rice mixture.  Tuck a couple of avocado pieces in the middle and add some more rice on the top. Gather the plastic wrap like you would a ponytail, and twist at the base of the rice. Squeeze out the air and form into a ball. Carefully remove plastic wrap and set the rice ball in a parchment lined container or on a plate. Repeat with the remaining rice. Tip: If your fingers get sticky, dab with water. Serve with a bit of soy sauce.

Inspired by Heidi Swanson, I made sesame avocado brown rice balls tonight. I think that I made them a little big, though, as I see now that her recipe is supposed to yield two dozen balls. They were a tiny bit bland, but adding some soy sauce did the trick!

Sesame Avocado Brown Rice Balls
(inspired by Heidi Swanson’s Sesame Almond Brown Rice Balls)

2 cups brown rice
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup minced green onions
1 acovado, cut into small pieces and sprinkled with lemon juice

Cook rice in a rice cooker.

Fluff with a fork, then gradually add and incorporate the sesame seeds and green onions. To form the rice balls, cover a small cup with plastic wrap, sprinkle the plastic wrap with a dab of water, then fill the cup 2/3 full with rice mixture.  Tuck a couple of avocado pieces in the middle and add some more rice on the top. Gather the plastic wrap like you would a ponytail, and twist at the base of the rice. Squeeze out the air and form into a ball. Carefully remove plastic wrap and set the rice ball in a parchment lined container or on a plate. Repeat with the remaining rice.

Tip: If your fingers get sticky, dab with water.
Serve with a bit of soy sauce.

This weekend, I found my new favorite muffin recipe from Heidi Swanson (of course). My last batch made 20 muffins, and only used 2 tablespoons of butter! Oat Bran Muffins(basically Heidi Swanson’s Baby Bran Muffins) 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 1/2 cups oat bran 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda 2 tablespoons white sugar OR brown sugar 2 cups yogurt 1 egg, lightly beaten 1/2 cup honey 2 tablespoons melted butter Preheat oven to 425F degrees, racks in the middle. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oat bran, salt, baking soda and sugar. Beat together the yogurt, egg, honey, and butter in a second larger bowl. Add the dry ingredients and fold in until everything comes together. Fold in any optional add-ins, raisins, nuts, and the like. Resist overmixing. Either grease a muffin tin with butter. Fill each 3/4 full. Bake 15 minutes, until muffins are golden on top and cooked through. 

This weekend, I found my new favorite muffin recipe from Heidi Swanson (of course). My last batch made 20 muffins, and only used 2 tablespoons of butter!

Oat Bran Muffins
(basically Heidi Swanson’s Baby Bran Muffins)

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 cups oat bran
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar OR brown sugar
  • 2 cups yogurt
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 425F degrees, racks in the middle.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oat bran, salt, baking soda and sugar.

Beat together the yogurt, egg, honey, and butter in a second larger bowl. Add the dry ingredients and fold in until everything comes together. Fold in any optional add-ins, raisins, nuts, and the like. Resist overmixing.

Either grease a muffin tin with butter. Fill each 3/4 full. Bake 15 minutes, until muffins are golden on top and cooked through. 

  • Me: Did you see those cinnamon buns I blogged today? Oh, no you didn't...I put it on Pinterest. Heidi Swanson's cinnamon bun recipe!
  • CR: Can you make me one of those tomorrow?
  • Me: A Pinterest account? Wow, you actually want one?! You can make it yourself with your Facebook...
  • CR: No, a cinnamon bun.
Proud of myself for coming home and making lentil soup despite wanting to just eat cereal for dinner and watch Hulu. My intention was to make H.Swan’s coconut red lentil soup, but we didn’t have scallions, tomato paste, coconut milk, or cilantro, so it’s basically just the lentil/split pea soup with curry that I always make. Disregard those Christmas stockings in the background. I just got a head start on decorating for next year.

Proud of myself for coming home and making lentil soup despite wanting to just eat cereal for dinner and watch Hulu. My intention was to make H.Swan’s coconut red lentil soup, but we didn’t have scallions, tomato paste, coconut milk, or cilantro, so it’s basically just the lentil/split pea soup with curry that I always make.

Disregard those Christmas stockings in the background. I just got a head start on decorating for next year.