Roasted Tomatillo Corn Salsa

I have a bunch of healthy home stuff I want to write (laundry detergent recipes, for example), but I also feel like I need to push some of my seasonal recipes up so they're out there before the produce is, gulp, gone. Like many of our eats these days, this Roasted Tomatillo Corn Salsa recipe was entirely inspired by our latest CSA basket. It is mild and sweet, so it's a nice change from tomato-based salsas.

We love pairing it with our Veggie Loaded Quesadillas!

ROASTED TOMATILLO CORN SALSA
Just 5 ingredients. Makes five 8-ounce jelly jars perfect for freezing!

What you'll need . . . 

• 3 cups fresh corn kernels 
• 16 medium tomatillos 
• 1 large onion
• 1 bell pepper or a mix of other peppers
• Salt and pepper -- to taste
• Up to 1 cup water 

Method . . . 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Chop all ingredients coarsely and place on a well-oiled + rimmed baking sheet. 
2. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Then mix around and bake another 15-20 minutes. Stir again and finish with another 15-20 minute bake, until lightly browned. 
3. Place everything in a food processor (you may need to scoop to get some liquid) and pulse a few times with salt, pepper, and water. I added 1/4 cup at a time until I reached my desired consistency (around 3/4 cup).
4. Spoon out into small Ball jars with 1+ inches of headroom. Use right away or freeze for up to 1 year. 
5. To freeze just let salsa cool completely, then place a top on your jars and place in your freezer. More info on freezing in glass jars -- as well as some FAQ about my freezing process.

// PROCESS


// RESULT


Freezing in-season foods for the off-season?

Yes. Please. Let's capture the goodness while we still can!

What's your favorite way to preserve foods?

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Vegan Curried Cornbread

I didn't invent this combination: cornbread + curry. At least now I know I didn't. Boo. A quick Google search allowed me to discover that. But for a few minutes in my kitchen last night, I thought I was a culinary genius. Curry goes famously inside a lightly sweet cornbread. And with a hearty bowl of Super Simple Chili?

Well, I think we're starting this snowy season off right.

CURRIED CORNBREAD 
yields 8 wedges perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even dessert!

What you'll need . . . 

• 1 cup yellow corn meal
• 3/4 - 1 cup white-whole wheat flour 
• 2 tablespoons golden flax meal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 (heaping) teaspoon yellow curry powder
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 cup olive oil

 Method . . .

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 8 to 9 inch cast iron pan with coconut oil (or olive, etc.). Let preheat in the oven.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. Then pour in the wet and mix until just combined.
3. Pour mixture into preheated pan. Bake for 20 minutes, until lightly golden brown on edges. There's a fine line between being done and over-baked.
4. Let cool before slicing into wedges and topping with butter or Earth Balance.

Between dinner last night and breakfast this morning (with poached eggs!), I definitely ate half the pan. The maple syrup makes this "bread" sweet enough to even pass as a cake. So, obviously, I need to make more soon to pair it with even more of my favorite soups and toppings.

I'm sure I'll be giving you even more great cornbread recipes (I already have quite a few) as the season rolls on. It's just that time of year. We already have a dusting of snow on the ground and the thermometer has yet to reach above 30 degrees this morning. We're in for it now . . .

Pssst: Don't forget to enter the Baked Doughnuts for Everyone! giveaway. You can win a copy of Ashley McLaughlin's new book!

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Crock Pot Veggie Stew

Remember all that progress I wanted to make in the kitchen last weekend? Well . . . we didn't cross a single thing off our to-do list.

But we did add something: A cabinet over the stove.


We use it to store the millions of mixing bowls that I just can't get rid of. Don't get me wrong, I've purged a lot of unnecessary things -- but my mixing bowls all have different purposes!

I feel really thankful to finally be able to do something in our kitchen. But I can't help saying "is it OVER yet?" pretty much any chance I get. One reason I'm so irked is that cooking is impossible. I've read a lot of great things about how you should do kitchen remodels -- and almost all involve setting up a makeshift kitchen elsewhere in the home.

We have no space for that, so I've decided our "mini-kitchen" is the crock pot.


(BOOZY) CROCK POT VEGGIE STEW

I don't need to explain how to make stew in the crock pot. But I'll tell you what we put in our most recent go at it, and maybe you can share some of your own favorite combos with me!

• 2 cooking onions, chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chopped delicata squash (skinned and seeded)
• 2 cups canned kidney beans, rinsed
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 2 cups frozen green beans (chopped into smaller bits)
• 1 zucchini (chopped)
• 28 ounces tomato puree
• 12 ounces winter beer (or veggie broth!)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pepper to taste
• Smoked paprika, oregano, and thyme -- all to taste

I cooked the onions and garlic in a tablespoon or two of olive oil over medium heat on the stove. Then I put everything into the pot -- stirred -- and cooked on high for 3 hours. I seasoned more till I got it just right (read: I dumped in half a jar of smoked paprika -- hahaha).

Serve with crusty bread + cheese + another brew for good measure. Delicious. And lots of leftovers for lunch.


As I mentioned in the ingredient list, you can certainly substitute veggie broth for beer. I use beer when I'm being lazy/don't have broth/and want to add a variety of flavors. In this case, we used a Sam Adam's Winter Lager -- lots of orange peel, ginger, and cinnamon flavors.

I'll be cranking up the heat in the pot again tonight. What is your favorite crock pot meal? I need ideas beyond our usual Pumpkin Chili!

Pssst: Check out Writing Chapter Three for part II of our quest for a simple holiday. Ada's Christmas list.

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White Bean & Corn Veggie Burgers

When Stephen and I don't know what to make for dinner, we often default to our favorite veggie burger recipes. This evening, we made up a new one to add to the bunch.

WHITE BEAN & CORN VEGGIE BURGERS

What you'll need . . .

• 1 cup canelli beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 small onion
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown mustard
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1/2 cup wheat bran
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 cup corn kernels
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method . . .

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil.
2. Put everything but the corn kernals into a food processor and pulse until relatively smooth (you'll want some texture, but how much is up to you).
3. Then mix in the corn and form into 4 patties. The "dough" will be very wet -- we patted ours into some extra cornmeal to shape.
4. Then coat a frying pan with a bit of oil and brown on both sides over medium-high heat.
5. When all are browned, place them on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool.

But the real trick is in the sauce.
Took our dinner from eh to WOW in 1 minute flat.
Plus, we found a use for the pineapple Stephen's parents gave us this weekend.


1-MINUTE PINEAPPLE BBQ SAUCE

Combine the follow ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Then put in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir occasionally for 15 to 20 minutes (to thicken a bit).

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup pineapple
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (we used a kind that also has chipotle)
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds

And if you'd like to read about our failed weekend hike, head over to Writing Chapter Three. Ada: 1; The parents: 0.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's recipe. It's the healthiest cookie I could come up with . . . that uses Reece's peanut butter cups as a base.

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Olive Oil Skillet Cornbread

There are so many different ways to make, well, EVERYTHING. And just when we think we've found our favorite method, texture, taste . . . we discover a new twist. Cornbread is definitely one of those foods that lends itself well to experimentation.

We've made many different varieties and shared several recipes on the blog:

Spelt Cornbread
Pomegranate-Lavender Poppy Cornbread
Pumpkin Cornbread
Hot Pepper Cornbread

Today's recipe is a twist on the Spelt Cornbread -- without the spelt and made with olive oil. Baked in a cast iron skillet, it turned out to be our favorite mix so far. But, as always, that's subject to change with our next try at it.

Plus, simple is best in our book. We didn't add in anything (corn kernels, chopped peppers, etc.) for flair. Yea or nay? You can be the judge.

OLIVE OIL SKILLET CORNBREAD

What you'll need . . .

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 (to 1/3) cup olive oil
• 2 eggs (3 teaspoons Ener-G replacer with 4 tablespoons almond milk)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup bread flour
• 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup milk (or almond milk)

Method . . .

1. You'll need an 8 or 9 inch cast iron skillet. Lightly oil one with olive oil and set aside.
2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together maple syrup, salt, olive oil, and eggs. We substituted Ener-G egg replacer, and it worked out great!
4. Add the flours and cornmeal. Then the milk. Mix together until everything is moistened. But don't over-mix.
5. Pour into prepared skillet. Then put in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

The skillet baked this bread i.n.c.r.e.d.i.b.l.y evenly, which is actually one of the annoying issues we commonly experience when making other types. The center of the bread -- when made in a loaf pan -- takes a while to set and usually isn't the same texture as the rest. If you have this problem, too, you may want to give this method a try.

Oh, and we never eat our cornbread naked. It goes so well with soups and stews.

This autumn stew recipe is coming soon . . .


Check out our to-do list progress today on (never home)maker, baby! . . . we're making our way, but have prioritized now that it's crunch time.

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Dinner on the Cheap

We're not experts with the whole budget grocery shopping thing. But we're slowly finding our way and making the most of the ingredients we buy. Take this meal, for example. It fully satisfied my pregnant tummy and cost nearly nothing to make!

BUDGET BREAKDOWN:

• 2 baked potatoes: 90 cents
• Half a bag of collards: $1
• 2 corn cobs: 50 cents
• 1 container of Greek yogurt: $1 (on sale)
• Chives: Free -- from our garden

That's a grand total of $1.70 per person. If each meal cost only this much, we'd be well under our $50 goal each week. However, we realize that's a bit unrealistic (and we'd get bored of eating potatoes alone pretty quickly!).

TRUTH TIME: From our weekend fund, as it was Sunday, after all, Stephen supplemented his meal with some shrimp ($7) marinated for an hour in home-brewed beer and tossed with lemon juice, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Like I said, though. Even without the shrimp, this plate of food filled me and baby up.

And it was oh-so good . . .


The BEST part was the baked potato. So much, in fact, that I just have to share our favorite way to bake them. The skin is crisp, but not too crisp. Salty, but not too salty. The center is soft, but not too mushy. I'm sure you get the idea.

BAKED POTATO PERFECTION:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grab a long sheet of tin foil and fold over once or twice.
• Rinse and scrub potatoes. Dry well. Then prick all over -- deeply 6 to 8 times with the tines of a fork.
• Place potatoes on tin foil and rub with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil each. Then sprinkle on some coarse kosher salt -- roll to get it well distributed.
• Place foil/potatoes (note that you DO NOT cover the potatoes with foil, you merely use it as a sheet underneath them) in the center rack of your oven for 1 hour.
• Flip potatoes halfway through cooking and remove from oven to cool for a few minutes before serving. The salted skin = incredible.

CHIVED GREEK YOGURT:

• 1 small container (6 ounces) plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives -- chopped finely
• 1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek
• Just mix 'em up and serve on the side!

And don't forget the corn! Our prepared it by boiling in a large stock pot on the stove until the yellow color really pops. There's not true right or wrong way to do it, as we haven't screwed it up yet, but we also like to let it sit in the water as it cools for 5 minutes, so it gets extra tender.

What are some of your favorite meals created on a dime? I feel like it's much easier in the summer to eat on the cheap because I crave more simple foods. A little salt and lemon juice goes a long way, too.


Be sure to check out (never home)maker, baby! today for some preliminary details on our nursery design. We've got a long way to go . . . but we've been inspired!

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East-Meets-West Chowder

We posted a recipe for wasabi dinner rolls a couple weeks ago. I've been meaning to post the chowder recipe since then, but couldn't find my notes. Fortunately, during the cleaning and reorganizing that went on this weekend, I found them. Phew! I'm always losing things. Seriously, despite how clean the house may look online, it can be quite messy. OK. I can be quite messy. Stephen's nodding his head at that statement . . . right . . . now.

This chowder isn't traditional. What prompted us to create it? Well, what usually is responsible for our crazy flavor combos: We use what we have, when we can, and we don't worry about the end-result.

If that means using shiitake mushrooms instead of white . . . so be it! If that means subbing in sesame oil for vegetable oil . . . alright, then! Low on spices means using green curry paste to give the whole thing flavor. And speaking of green curry paste, if you'd like to make your own, Emily recently posted a wonderful, from-scratch recipe!


EAST-MEETS-WEST CHOWDER

What you'll need . . .

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 cooking onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 cups red-skinned potatoes, diced
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon green curry paste
• 2-1/2 cups almond or soy milk
• 1 can (about 1-1/4 cups) vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 1 can low-sodium corn kernals, drained and rinsed
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method . . .

1. Heat sesame oil in a large stock pot. Add the onion, green pepper, garlic, and potato. Saute over medium heat for approximately 3 minutes. Until onions are glassy.
2. Add in the green curry. Stir to coat everything well.
3. Stir in the flour (make sure it coats everything). Then stir in the almond milk, vegetable broth, and soy sauce.
4. Add the mushrooms, corn kernals, and black beans. Bring everything to a boil (keep stirring it), then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. The green peppers and onions should be tender, but not soggy.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with wasabi dinner rolls.

This recipe is great to make for dinner . . . and then turn around and pack for lunch. Just toss in your dinner roll. It will get soggy -- but not too soggy -- and absolutely delicious. Feel free to add/substitute whatever vegetables, mushrooms, oils, milks, and spices you need/wish to. Just use equal measurements for whatever you exchange. You should be just fine. :)

How have you recently used the ingredients you have on hand? Sometimes it's difficult. But I hate seeing good food go to waste. We'd love to hear you creative recipes! Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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Leafy Green Pancakes and Superfoods

I admit they are freaky looking at first. Gross, even. But if you are willing to trust me, and I hope you'll trust me, please keep reading. These pancakes taste great. And they have all the leafy green benefits found in green smoothies and green oats. What exactly? Beta-carotene, carotenoids (lutein and zeaxathin), vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin B6, manganese, potassium, and calcium.

And for once, at least it seems, not being able to pronounce some of those words is a GOOD thing. It's better than what you'll find in Bisquick! (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin, mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, canola oil, baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, dextrose, sugar, tricalcium phosphate, salt, datem.)

Anyway, that's why you read so much about kale in magazines and on health blogs. It's a true superfood. So, I'm on a quest to incorporate it into my breakfasts, lunches, and dinners -- as much as possible. We created this recipe on a whim Sunday morning. I've been craving kale and spinach. I've also been highly conscious of the food I've been putting into my body -- trying to stay as healthy as possible before our race.


LEAFY GREEN PANCAKES

What you'll need . . .

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium ripe banana
• 1 handful kale (or other greens, like spinach or chard)
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tablespoon grape seed oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 can of corn kernels (no salt) -- optional
• Ground pepper, to taste

Method . . .

1. Whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a blender, blend the banana, kale, milk, oil, and water until smooth. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix until there are no lumps.
3. Stir in the corn kernels and pepper.
4. Heat a lightly oiled pan over medium-high heat. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto it and cook until lightly browned on bottom. Flip and cook until lightly browned.
5. Repeat with remaining batter.

To top these green beauties, we didn't go with traditional syrup. Instead, we followed our savory side. A few slices of red pepper -- briefly grilled. We even made a peppered butter (well, Earth Balance) with a touch of strawberry jam. Simply mix together your perfect blend with a fork:



Also, I'd like to give a shout to Julie (Savvy Eats). She's such a sweetheart. When she heard about my slammed finger issue (if you don't know what I'm writing about, check this video post for the details), she sent me a care package filled with Ithaca goodness (tasty vegan macaroons, to be more specific).


THANK YOU, JULIE! I'm sure if I lived in Ithaca, we'd be good buds, I just know it!

Back to SUPERFOODS for a moment. According to WebMD, the following foods are actually superfoods we all (especially active people) need to eat more of.

• Beans
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Oats
• Oranges
• Pumpkin
• Salmon
• Soy
• Spinach and kale
• Tea (green or black)
• Tomatoes
• Turkey
• Walnuts
• Yogurt

Have you tried to incorporate superfoods into your diet? Which foods do you use . . . and how to you use them? I went on a sweet potato kick a few months ago -- and now I'm sick of eating them, unfortunately. Currently, we're eating more blueberries, Greek yogurt, pumpkin, and tomatoes. Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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Savory Corn Pancakes and Pan-Browned Brussles Sprouts

This weekend was good. Restful and free from scheduling -- thank goodness! Friday night, we had planned to head downtown for the monthly arts fest -- but at the last minute, our inner homebodies swayed us in another direction. You see, we only have one TV. We've always thought it was enough (and still do, really). But lately, we've been wanting one in the bedroom. Or just upstairs so we can enjoy different programs at the same time (we often don't agree on what to watch). I, for example, want to view yoga DVDs while Stephen wants to watch Shark Week. So, we caved and bought a nice, sleek 26-incher.

And from THAT, we decided to also move around our bedroom furniture. I didn't get great photos because we also want to paint and finish several other things in this room. But it went from this layout . . .


To this . . .


Yeah. The house is a constant project. If you'd like to see more of our humble abode, just head over to our house tour.

Saturday, we woke early and headed out on mid-length runs -- mine was an 8-miler, Stephen's was a 9. Great day for a run, too. The temps were in the upper 60s with pretty much zero humidity. A marathon training girl could get used to it! Unfortunately, though, it looks like summer is back today. It's already steamy. Anyway, my favorite part of Saturday was the afternoon/evening. We trekked to Ithaca to visit some of our best friends.


I even took my first set of maternity photos! They turned out beautifully :)


Sunday I was "supposed" to run 19 miles. However, I decided that the plan I am following is too advanced. I have officially dropped down to the same plan I did last year (Hal Higdon's Intermediate I). I gave myself a day off from running because I'm already caught up with my long runs according to that plan. Instead, I biked 25 miles around my neighborhood. It was fun to change things up a bit.

And now, the recipe I promised you on Friday!


Savory Corn Pancakes and Pan-Browned Brussles Sprouts

What you'll need . . .

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 15-ounce can of corn kernels, low or no sodium
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal
• 2 eggs (we used Bob's Red Mill replacer equivalent, follow package instructions)
• 1 egg yolk (we added two tablespoons water)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Method . . .

1. Whisk together the flour and cornmeal in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. In a food processor, blend a little more than half the can of corn kernels and the almond milk. Pulse until smooth.
3. Beat in eggs and yolks (or replacer and water).
4. Pour wet ingredients into the dry. Stir until just combined.
5. Fold in scallions and rest of corn kernels. Add pepper.
6. Heat skillet, add some oil, and cook as you would for normal pancakes.
7. We topped ours with melted brie and raspberry jam. Just sayin' :)

To make the Brussels sprouts, all you need to do is cut fresh ones in half. Also cut half a medium onion into slices (and set aside). Steam the Brussels sprouts on the stove or in your microwave. Then, in a pan over medium-high heat, pour in a bit of olive oil and add the onions and cook until glassy. Add in the Brussels sprouts and turn up the heat a bit. Add in a splash (1 teaspoon) of lemon juice and salt, pepper, and garlic powder (to taste). Continue cooking until browned.


Other Monday morning stuff:

• This week is our Healthy Living Celebration! We're super excited because we've received TONS of stories from readers about what inspired them to get up off the couch and live the healthy life. Check back for some major inspiration starting this afternoon.
• If you haven't yet, enter our SHUTTERBUG GIVEAWAY for your chance to win a pretty trivet.
• We posted yesterday -- and we usually don't post on weekends. Check out Exercise: What's Too Much? if you missed it!

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!!

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