Vida Local: Coven

I had about 30 seconds to spare before a meeting in Salem this morning and decided to grab an iced coffee and some kind of pastry at Coven. The interior is really fun, with tons of local art everywhere (Rich Flynn Cheap Art!) and a television that was showing everyone's favorite meddling kids, The Amazing Chan Clan.

I got the large iced coffee and a blueberry muffin that was inspiring. As in, I took the first bite and could taste all the right ingredients and instantly wanted to run home and bake my own. Not the usual clod of fats, sugar and flour, but a light, yet substantial cup-cake-sized muffin with fresh blueberries. Bonus points too, for the little spice shakers shaped like lightbulbs at the coffee station.

Coven is located on Essex Street across from Harrison's Comics.

Vida Local: Coven

Bargain of the week! Hummingbird Feeder

Guess what I found in the "Seasonal" aisle at Shaw's yesterday? $1.49 Hummingbird feeders! It was fairly easy to set up, just needed to climb a tree next to the patio to get the right "hang". I found this site that has some good info about using the feeder and a nectar recipe to boot!

Bargain of the week! Hummingbird Feeder

(Almost) Guilt-Free Waffles!

I got a waffle-iron a couple of Christmas's ago and it's one of the favorite things in our kitchen. Chloe's able to pour in the batter pretty well now and it's fun for her to watch the egg whites turn into foam. I started out with making the traditional recipe that came with the appliance booklet, but it made way too many waffles and used an entire stick of butter. Since someone in the family has to watch their cholesterol (ok, both of us), I've adapted the Whole Wheat Waffles recipe that was also in the Oster booklet.

I should have taken a picture, but these were so good I ate them before I remembered to.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat bran
4 tbs wheat germ
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, separated
1.5 cups soy milk
2 tbs honey
4 tbs olive oil

Preheat your waffle iron

Mix the dry ingredients together

Beat the egg whites until just stiff

Mix together the egg yolks, soy milk, honey and olive oil

Using a rubber spatula, stir the egg yolk mix into the dry ingredients. Fold in the egg whites.

Pour the batter in about 1 ladle-full at a time into the pre-heated waffle iron and bake.

These are really good with maple syrup and blueberries!

(Almost) Guilt-Free Waffles!

The Lost Art of Real Cooking

I found this via Delicious Days' website. I found a great excerpt here, but you can find it slightly cheaper here. I can't wait to get this! It's the perfect combination of self-reliance, thriftiness, localvore-ness and taste that I've been looking for! I just hope that my attempt at beer won't turn out like this:

The Lost Art of Real Cooking

East Indian Succotash with Brown Rice

I had to use up some vegetables this evening and decided to put a recent purchase of bulk brown rice into the mix as well. Actually came out really good! The texture of the brown basmati rice and the silky coconut curry sauce really took me back to the days of dining out in restaurants that don't hand out crayons (sigh)

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice (dry measure)
2 cups water

1 large zucchini
3 ears of corn
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 med can stewed tomatoes (or fresh)
3 or 4 scallions
1 cube vegetarian bouillon
6 oz coconut milk
1 teaspoon curry paste

Cook the brown rice in either a covered pot or a rice cooker

At the same time, boil the ears of corn for 2 minutes, then remove them from the pot and use a knife to slice the kernels off the ear.

Chop the zucchini and scallions and add them to the oil in the wok. Stir fry until the scallions are soft and the zucchini has browned a little.

Add the tomatoes. Use some of the liquid if you are using canned or add 1/4 cup water if fresh.

Add the corn and simmer everything for a few minutes.

Pour in the coconut milk and add the vegetable bouillon. Stir until the cube is dissolved.

Add the curry paste and stir until blended. Simmer for a few more minutes, then add the stew to the brown rice when it's ready.

East Indian Succotash with Brown Rice