doing that post a while back about the pierogi stir fry got me thinking. pierogi are good for so many things, and if i can use them in stir fry, what else can i use them in?
then, i went out for mid-day beers with a friend (it was the weekend, don't judge me), and had that home-for-dinner-somewhat-drunk-let's-eat-crap sort of feeling. the great thing about this is that it's not really crap at all, but it tastes like it is!! i guess it's on the MORE processed side of things for me (ie: store bought pierogi, daiya vegan cheese) and a little more carb-centric than i really tend towards, but aside from that it's mostly vegetables!
this dish made about 3 large servings. i used real cheese to top matt's, but the sauce is made with daiya (vegan), and mine had daiya on top.
this recipe is super quick and easy, and goes perfectly with all those slow-cooker soups and stews i've been throwing at you lately. it's also very customizable - the recipe i've created makes a savoury dinner-style biscuit, but you could always try different spices, or leave the spices out and throw in some berries or seeds for a tasty breakfast treat. you could make them plain, and eat them with jam, etc etc. the possibilities really are endless (i love recipes like that!)
these literally take less than 10 minutes to prep, and 20 to bake - perfect for those rushed, slow-cooker nights. (i served them with my vegan winter veggie stew, this time)
they are light and chewy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside and ever so delightful. i may have been eating too many of them...
i know, i know - another soup! but honestly, this is one of the best soups i have ever had, and i just have to share it. i have been trying for years to perfect the curried squash soup, and i've finally hit on the perfect recipe! it's got just enough spice, it's perfectly creamy, and i added red lentils to give it an extra heartiness.
i find red lentils have a bit of spiciness all on their own, and they go really well with curries, the flavours just compliment each other so well.
focaccia bread is so amazing.
here at my house, we tend to eat it almost like pizza... maybe with a salad or bowl of soup, but with some veggies and cheese on it. i know that's not exactly traditional, but it's how we roll.
you could certainly use this recipe to make a more traditional focaccia - just leave out the veggies and cheese, or throw some olive oil and a few olives and sundried tomatoes on instead! i have even been known to throw on fake chicken or tofurkey sausages, mushrooms, spinach, you name it.
however you choose to eat it, this bread is fantastic. fluffy and chewy and ever so tasty.
i don't know about where you are, but it's still pretty wintery in calgary. i know i'm going to have to tone down the slow cooker posts soon, but while it's still snowy and cold here, i'm using it all i can!
i've been feeling really busy lately, but there's nothing i particularly want to give up, either. aside from working a full time job, blogging and making virtually all of our meals from scratch, i'm trying really hard to concentrate on health and happiness. i'm insisting on taking the time i need to be healthy - running every day, making sure i'm eating good whole, healthy food... and i'm trying to make more time for things i love; reading, sewing, and i'm taking a jewellery-making class with the lovely and talented sheryl from notsoseemless!
i love cooking, but it doesn't always win out over the other things i have going on in my life, and this is why i have been using the slow-cooker so much lately. it's so easy to just get up in the morning and spend half an hour throwing everything into the pot, and ending up with a gourmet meal in time for dinner!
matt had never had pierogi before we met. i honestly can't even imagine how he lived without them! as a kid, they were one of the few things i'd eat, and i've never lost my taste for them.
for the longest time, i'd always eat pierogi fried, then dipped in some sort of sauce - this is how i introduced matt to them (and he LOVES them) and how i enjoyed them so much as a kid...
but then one day, we had a fabulous idea! i don't actually know whether it was my idea or matt's (despite his lack of interest in cooking, he does come up with amazing food-related ideas from time to time), but we had the idea to use pierogi in stir fry! they make a great substitute for rice or noodles, and onion and potato pierogi (my favourite) go very well with any type of stir fry sauce you can imagine!
i've included sauce in this recipe, but use your imagination - there are a million different ways to make pierogi stir fry!
spaghetti squash is one of the natural wonders of the world. honestly, i remember the first time i saw someone peel the squash out of the skin with a fork, seeing it form those perfect little spaghetti strands. it was magic.
if you are looking for a lower-carb, lower calorie, gluten free or just plain healthy pasta substitute, look no further. spaghetti squash has about 1/4 the carbs/serving of pasta, and about 1/6 the calories.
i often make spaghetti squash and "meat" balls, and it is also a great substitute for angel-hair pasta to serve with stir-fry. but, like with "real" pasta, one of the very best ways to cook it is baked and drowning in cheese. i guess eating healthy spaghetti squash makes me feel like i can go a little more overboard on the cheese - because it's all about balance, right??
this recipe makes one lasagna-pan full of baked "pasta", or about 6 servings.
