Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Fun Food and Drink

Michele and I - okay, mostly me, but Michele's a great sport - have always had fun trying out new recipes. It's especially been fun trying out new things during this pregnancy. We're of course trying the eat really healthy - even healthier than normal! - but we have to be pretty creative because I get tired of things a lot quicker than usual. I thought I'd share a few of my favorite recipes so far.

Oh so yummy: Lemon Arugula Soup
I actually found this recipe in Whole Living magazine, but you can also find it on this blog. The blogger made some of the same adjustments that I did - substituting vegetable stock for the chicken stock. I also added some cayenne pepper - because I add cayenne to pretty much everything. The only further adjustment I'd make is to add the arugula to each bowl - that way if you don't eat it all in the first sitting, you can reheat the soup and then add arugula to that bowl too. I added the arugula to the pot as the recipe suggested and arugula in the leftover soup was pretty gross on reheating. The soup - after picking out the limp arugula - was super yummy, though!

My favorite Refried Bean Salad
Michele and I have loved this salad since we each first tasted it. It used to be served at a restaurant in Columbus and I think we went there and had this salad on one of our first dates. At the time we were really broke college students and together with drinks, the whole meal for both of us cost only $7 (for BOTH of us, not EACH, BOTH!!)! So we ate this salad A LOT!!

Here's how I make it now:
Refried beans: I use canned black beans - 2 cans. I heat a little olive oil in a pan and mash and fry one can, then add the other can - unmashed. I then add a couple tablespoons of sour cream, a dash of Mrs. Dash, some salt, and a liberal pinch or two of cayenne - of course. That's it for the cooking for this meal.
Lettuce: We used organic romaine and a spinach and mixed greens blend.
Cherry/grape tomatoes: garden fresh is best. Cut them into quarters.
Sliced red onions
Salsa, sour cream, and cheese on top.
Just about the best thing I've eaten, well since the last awesome thing I ate - I have really been enjoying eating lately!!

Pink Frosties
I found the recipe for these on the Ocean Spray website. I must give credit where credit is due, but also must admit that I didn't use Ocean Spray in my version (don't tell Ocean Spray!) Wegman's has a version of the sparkling juice that OS used in the recipe and since I have loads of that at home, I used that - the Pomegranate Cranberry sparkling juice. I paired that with Pomegranate Passion Fruit sorbet - also from Wegman's (hey, Michele works there, I've got to support them!). Oh, these drinks were amazing!! And SO easy and quick to make. Just the two ingredients, plus a straw, because that makes it fun!

7 comments:

  1. Yummy!! Your kitchengarden?? You have not showed us anything this summer!? :-) Anne:-)

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  2. Lemon Arugula Soup!!I like your blog, it’s always fun to come back and check what you have to tell us today.

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  3. Thank you for bringing such nice posts. Your blog is always fascinating to read.

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  4. Everest Trekking


    The Everest Trek region of Nepal is one of the best known treks in the world. This is the land of the Sherpa people and the world's great 8,000 meter peaks. Many trekkers walk in from the road head at Jiri, through the lovely rolling hills of the Solu region. Others fly in to the village of Lukla to start their trek. A few days above Lukla is the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park and the town of Namche Bazaar, where most trekkers take a day to acclimatize to the high altitude. From here one may branch towards the village of Thame or continue on to take on of the two main Khumbu routes, to Gokyo Lake or towards the Everest base camp. Beyond Namche Bazaar is the Sherpa village of Khumjung and further on the famous monastery of Thyangboche. Here the Mani Rimdu festival of dances is celebrated every year.

    www.trektohimalaya.com

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  5. Everest Base Camp Trek

    Mount Everest Base Camp Trekking one of the most fascinating trekking around the world is best things to do in Nepal. As this treks takes you to the heart of Mount Everest, Lukla to Everest Base Camp along with some other multiple side trips and villages through out the trail. Before heading for Mount Everest Trekking you need to know more about some other factors like Map and weather. Normally trekking on Mount Everest Base Camp last for 13 days to and from Kathmandu using Lukla Flight to and from Kathmandu, If one is looking for trekking in Nepal and has around fifteen days in total then no doubt Everest base Camp Trekking is best choice.


    Everest View Trek

    Great alternative for those who don’t have enough time to trek to base camp as Everest View Trek offer incredible view of Everest from Tengboche. As trek end on famous monastery of Tengboche, people also call this trekking as Tengboche Trek or Everest Panorama Trek. Since trek does not last more than eight days it is also known as Everest Short Trek. It is suitable for kind of age group from kids to old aged people because the maximum elevation encountered during Everest View Trek is 3960 m at famous monastery of Tengboche from where we will take simple U turn and retrace back to Lukla, further fly back to Kathmandu.

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  6. Everest Three Pass Trek

    Most adventurous trekking in Khumbu is Everest Three Pass Trek as trek encounter with three different high alpine passes making a circuit from Namche. Often known as Everest High Passes Trekking, biggest challenge is to traverse Khongma La Pass at is it on elevation more than 5500 m from sea level and trails are bit technical too. Although there is other high passes on Everest, this trekking named Everest Three Passes Trekking is more popular as rest other need some mountaineering skills as well as more time span, preparation and budgets. So most suitable trekking in Nepal for twenty to twenty two days is Everest High Altitude Trek where one can get unique adventurous experience.

    Gokyo Valley Trek

    Gokyo Trek, which can be either side trip of Everest Base Camp Trek or just single trip, is one of the best places with several lakes through out the trail and even in front of settlement in 3rd lake of Gokyo. Gokyo Valley Trek is famous for its vantage view point of Gokyo RI from where one can view four eight thousand meter mountain. Gokyo Valley Trekking is best to start from Lukla and terminate on Lukla, which will last around ten days in total and offer some of the exceptional view of lakes and mountains. Listed on Ramsar Site (Wetland) there are six different lakes named from Gokyo 1st Lake to Gokyo 6th Lake. Even for Nepali Citizens Gokyo Valley is sacred place with holy lake of Gokyo 3rd where huge celebration used to occur once a year. Gokyo Lake Trek can be best alternative those who want to avoid hustle and bustle as it is very clam and quite in compare to crazy trekkers on base camp side.

    Jiri to Everest Base Camp Trek

    Often known, as Everest Classic Trek used by trekkers in previous trekking periods Jiri to Everest Base Camp Trek is one of the longest treks in Khumbu as one need to walk a week to reach Lukla from Jiri. Jiri Everest Base Camp Trek offer good room for acclimatization as every day it is up and down trail on lower elevation with maximum elevation of around 3400 m from sea level in Lamjura Pass. Everest Base Camp Trek from Jiri is suitable for those who had long holiday and want to acclimatize properly before reaching base camp of Everest. In early periods of expedition in Mount Everest, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary had used the same trail so it is often known as Tenzing Norgay Edmund Hillary Trekking

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  7. Gokyo Chola Pass Trekking

    If you want to add twist on trek then Gokyo Chola Pass Trekking is perfect blend of Gokyo Valley and Everest Base Camp as one single pass named Chola connect both valleys on one walking day. Gokyo Chola Pass Trek last for eighteen days in general, which is little big tough in compare individual trek as Chola Pass is bit tricky with rocky section and crevasse on the top of passes on ground full of hard ice. Chola Pass Trek is recommended to be accompanied by guide as it is technically bit difficult with steep up and down on pass day with absence of tea houses on the middle of trail before traversing to next side.

    Tilicho Lake Trekking

    Tilicho Lake, one of the highest lakes in the world is famous for Tilicho Lake trekking as a part of Annapurna Circuit Trek. Tilicho Lake at the elevation of 4900 m from sea level is four days round trip from trail of Annapurna Circuit. Trail are bit dangerous with landslide prone area so one need to be careful during trek as well as not recommended during mid winter when accompanied by heavy snow. Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake can be last for twenty-five days or can be shorter even up to fifteen days by using jeep on lower belt of both Manang and Mustang Valley.

    Poonhill Trek

    Shortest trek on Annapurna region, Poonhill Trek can be accomplished on shortest date of five days to and from Kathmandu on rapid move, where are from Pokhara Poonhill 5 Days Trek is the best things to do. Poon Hill Trekking is famous mesmerizing sunrise over sixteen different mountain peaks as seen from Poonhill. Ghorepani Poon Hill is often known as mini Annapurna circuit by embedding Ghandruk on itinerary. Even after adding Ghandruk, Poon Hill Short Trek can be shortest trek in Pokhara.

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