Monthly Archives: October 2012

Pistachio Pesto Pasta and Scary Monster Bento

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Monster

Maybe I went too far. I didn’t realize how scary this was going to look! A few years ago my oldest daughter forbid me from making scary bento, so I haven’t until now; but I just felt so inspired! I put the vegetables on the bottom, pasta on top, cut the mouth out of a cucumber and put a strawberry behind it. The eyes are raw mushroom, cucumber, and strawberry.

Pistachio Pesto Pasta Recipe
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Pesto
1/4 cup salted pistachios
1 cup packed cilantro leaves
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
*

Pasta and Vegetables
8-10 ounces gluten-free pasta
1-2 tablespoons oil
mushrooms (2 cups chopped)
2 cloves garlic
bunch of asparagus (2 cups chopped)
salt

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For the pesto, combine the pistachios and cilantro leaves (and garlic if using) in a small food processor and pulse until it is a chunky paste. Pulse in the olive oil and set aside.

Cook the pasta. (Remember to salt the water and if using rice pasta it tastes best if rinsed after cooking.)

Saute the vegetables in a bit of olive oil, then toss with the cooked pasta and pesto.

Enjoy hot or cold.

* If you make the pesto for another recipe, you might want to add 1-2 cloves garlic- I did not do that here because the garlic in in with the vegetables.

Shared on Bento Blog Network, Allergy Free Wednesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Wellness Weekend

Celebrating a Birthday

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This year for Sierra’s Birthday we had 3 “cakes”.

1) I sent cupcakes to kindergarten to share with her friends. I used the basic vanilla cupcake recipe from Gluten-Free Cupcakes but added lemon zest and Chocolate Frosting from my cookbook. The “Happy Birthday Sign” was part of Sierra’s bento that day. The other half of the bento was filled with Chicken Salad- her favorite food.

2) For a little get together with the grandparents, I made the Acorn Squash Cake from my cookbook and frosted some of it with left-over chocolate frosting and some with cashew cream and mangoes (6’s because she is 6).

3) For a party with a few of her friends I made the Chocolate cake from my cookbook and frosted it with pink cashew/coconut frosting (which started to look odd but still tasted good) and toasted coconut.

The rest of the party spread included humus with cookie cutter veggies, some chips, and apple slices.

I can’t keep up the pace of making three Birthday cakes for every Birthday… but at least I have something to blog about!

Speaking of blogging… please share my blog- let your friends know about me.

Mango Lassi Ice Cream and Mango Lassie

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Mango Lassi Ice Cream

I spent a semester living abroad in Sri Lanka (something like 17-years-ago). The food of Sri Lanka is very similar to Indian food, with lots and lots of coconut in it. Everything was made with coconut. And chilis. Seriously spicy food. At first I had a tough time adjusting to the diet.

Dessert was less common there and often was fruit. So, this ice cream reminds me Sri Lanka. Coconut and mango, with cardamom, only lightly sweetened. If you like more sweet, add more honey (I will give you a range in the recipe). I have made several batches of this ice cream. In the photo above you will see one scoop is more orange than the other. That is the natural variation in mango colors. For the lighter one I used frozen (then thawed) mango chunks. It was not as good. For the more orange version I used two very ripe and juicy mangoes. Delicious.

Mango Lassie

While planning for this post, I ask my husband, “How can I make Mango Lassi Ice Cream cute?”

He said, “How about a dog”.

“What?”

“You know, Lassie”, said my husband Tim.

Oh, that is it! I have to do that! I was laughing hysterically. (Easily inspired/amused I guess!) So, yes, just for my amusement and out of dedication to the blog I purchased a collie cookie cutter.

I laid the kiwi and grapes out on the plate, then poured vegan jello (coconut water and agar agar) over the top. Let that set while I prepared the flowers, then quickly assembled the whole thing.

Mango Lassi Ice Cream Recipe
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1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk (full fat)
1/3-1/2 cup honey (or agave for vegan)
1/2 cup coconut water or other non-dairy milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (cardomom is a strong flavor, you can use less if you prefer)
2 cups mango chunks

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Combine the coconut milk, honey, and coconut water in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil (whisking occasionally as it heats). Add the cardamom. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes, whisking frequently. (This heating process is important for the texture of the ice cream.) Set aside to cool in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Combine the chilled ice cream mixture and mangoes in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into an ice cream maker and use according to the manufactures instructions.

Enjoy! (If you have left overs in the freezer, just let the ice cream soften a bit before enjoying again.)

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I am sharing this recipe on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Whole Foods Fridays, Melt in Your Mouth Mondays, Meatless Monday, Mix it Up Monday, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Wellness Weekend