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Pink & Black Rosemary Vodka Martini with Owl’s Brew

February 28, 2014

Welcome to the first cocktail week on Fake Food Free. This week I’m recapping some of the excellent cocktail mixers I discovered at the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco in January. This is post three of three. Check out post one and two for more great drink ideas!

I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m attracted to cool packaging, especially bottles. This usually leads me to all kinds of good stuff for the kitchen – olive oils, sea salts, and this time, cocktail mixers!

I heard about Owl’s Brew before I attended the food show in January so I was on the lookout. What is different about Owl’s Brew is that it’s all about tea. There are three different blends, two made with black tea and one with English breakfast tea. The teas are brewed with whole spices, fruit peels, fruits and herbs, and slightly sweetened with agave. The idea is to use two parts of Owl’s Brew to one part of your favorite spirits and plenty of suggestions are provided on the bottle.

Cocktails using tea are something new to me and Owl’s Brew served as the perfect introduction. I’ve steered away from mixers in the past, but with less sugar and all the natural ingredients in this, I can see keeping a bottle around for good. You can also get all three flavors in a sampler pack. Gift giving for cocktail and tea lovers is totally taken care of!

So how about those flavors. I mentioned there are three:
Coco-Lada – Black tea with chai spices, pineapple and coconut
Pink & Black – Black tea with strawberries, lemon peel and hibiscus
The Classic – English breakfast tea with lemon peel

I had a sample of Pink & Black to work with. I tried it with a lager at the show and it was delicious as a beer cocktail. This time around I wanted to concentrate on the strawberry flavor that comes through in the brew. I love rosemary and strawberry so a vodka martini seemed like a good idea.

And a good idea, it was. This drink is nice and simple with both the rosemary and the flavor of the Pink & Black tea mixer coming through. It’s also a beautiful deep pink color. Perfect for spring!

Pink & Black Rosemary Vodka Martini with Owl’s Brew

Makes: 1 drink

2.5 oz. vodka
1.5 oz. Pink & Black Owl’s Brew
2 small sprigs of fresh rosemary
Ice

Place the vodka in a cocktail shaker and add the leaves of one of the sprigs of rosemary. Mull the leaves with the vodka to extract the oils.

Pour in the Owl’s Brew. Add ice. Cover and shake until cold.

Strain the martini into a glass. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and serve.

Disclosure: This product was provided for review purposes. I was not required to post about it and received no compensation for doing so.

Cocktail Week: Lemongrass Mint Vanilla Cooler and Ginger Lemon Bourbon and Brandy with Ayala’s Herbal Water®

February 24, 2014

I gave up my beloved diet soda about five years ago (I used to drink 3 cans a day!). It was a big step in cutting artificial sweeteners out of my diet and one of the best decisions I’ve made.

While I can’t even think about drinking a diet soda these days, there is something I still crave often. The carbonation. We make our own club soda all the time, but I’m always on the lookout for flavored carbonated waters without any sweeteners. Especially when we need something for a road trip or when we make cocktails at home.

Let me introduce you to my new favorite find — Ayala’s Herbal Water®. I was thrilled to discover this product at the Fancy Food Show last month. Ayala’s Herbal Water® is water infused with organic herbal extracts. It has no sugar, no sweeteners and no preservatives. It also comes in both still and sparkling varieties.

The flavor combinations are anything but boring, but I thought me simply showing you water in a post might be. So I decided a couple cocktails were in order. The sparkling varieties are perfect for cocktails.

I had four sparkling flavors to try — Lemongrass Mint Vanilla, Cinnamon Orange Peel, Ginger Lemon Peel and Lavender Mint. There were none that I disliked, but my favorite surprised me. It was the Lemongrass Mint Vanilla and typically I’m not a huge mint fan. I really enjoyed how the vanilla flavor came through with this one and the mint was balanced by both that and the lemongrass.

None of the flavors need much to be turned into a great cocktail, especially since the refreshing flavor of the water should come through. I decided to use the Lemongrass Mint Vanilla and the Ginger Lemon Peel. A great choice. (P.S. The Lavender Mint is great with gin and the Cinnamon Orange Peel goes well with dark rum.)

Both of these drinks are perfect for spring, which is already arriving here in California. Proof is in all the gorgeous mint that I picked out of our herb garden. I hope spring makes it your way soon!

Lemongrass Mint Vanilla Cooler

Makes: 1 drink

1 oz. vodka
1 oz. dark rum
3 oz. Lemon Grass Mint Vanilla Ayala’s Herbal Water®
Ice
Mint sprig

Add the vodka and rum to a lowball glass and stir. Add the water. Add ice to fill the glass.
Garnish with a mint sprig and serve.

Ginger Lemon Bourbon and Brandy

Makes: 1 drink

1 oz. Kentucky bourbon
.5 oz. brandy
½ tsp honey
3 oz. Ginger Lemon Peel Ayala’s Herbal Water®
Ice
Lemon slice for garnish

Add the bourbon, brandy and honey to a small cocktail shaker. Stir well to dissolve the honey.
Pour into a lowball glass. Add the water. Add ice to fill the glass.
Garnish with a lemon slice and serve.

Disclosure: This product was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to post about it and received no compensation for doing so.

Grilled Rosemary and Garlic Salmon with Smoked Sea Salt Recipe

January 27, 2014

Salmon is one thing that I never order when we go out to eat. It’s not that I don’t like it, but that it is so simple to make at home. I can’t justify paying so much more for it when we are out. (I have similar feelings about pasta.)

I’m perfectly capable of tossing some herbs, citrus, salts or oils on a beautiful piece of salmon and putting it on the grill. Not only is it healthy, it one of the fastest meals I can throw together.

With commitments to both eating more fish and firing up the grill more often in the new year, this salmon has been making the dinner rotation quite a bit. I realize not everyone lives in the mid-60 degree temperatures of the East Bay right now, so grilling may feel out of season. You can easily broil or bake the salmon, it just won’t have the same smoky flavor so be sure to try it again when the temps warm and you pull out the grill.

Grilled Rosemary and Garlic Salmon with Smoked Sea Salt

Makes: 6, 4 oz. Servings

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tbsp olive oil + plus extra to brush on the grill
1 ½ tsp finely chopped rosemary leaves, about 2 small sprigs
½ tsp smoked sea salt (this Bourbon Smoked Sea Salt from Kentucky is my favorite)
1 ½ lb. filet of salmon, skin-on (check Seafood Watch for the best varieties)

Fire up the grill and take it high heat, about 475 to 500 degrees F.

In a small dish, stir together the garlic, olive oil, rosemary and salt. Place the salmon on a baking sheet, skin-side down, and rub the herb and oil mix over the fish.

Brush the grill with olive oil and place the salmon on the grill, skin-side down. Grill for 15 to 17 minutes, until the thickest part is cooked through and begins to flake.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish recipes and images without written permission. Feel free to Pin images and share links to my posts, but please do not copy and paste recipes or photos and share them on other sites. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution.

Lettuce Wraps with Almond-Basil Chicken from Bountiful by Todd Porter and Diane Cu

November 8, 2013

Thoughts on the stunning cookbook, Bountiful, and a recipe for delicious lettuce wraps with almonds, basil and chicken.

Lettuce Wraps with Almond-Basil Chicken from Bountiful by Todd Porter and Diane Cu | Fake Food Free

If you ever have the pleasure of listening to a conference session or class instructed by Diane Cu and Todd Porter, the main message will stay with you.

Tell your story.

It’s a mission statement that drives beautiful work. It only takes one look at their blog to prove it. It is a theme that comes through in their new cookbook, Bountiful.

When I opened its stunning cover I was immediately drawn into the story. Diane’s story, Todd’s story and the foods and photos that tell the story of time with friends and two of cutest pups you’ve ever laid eyes on.

Bountiful overflows with simple dishes that are full of fresh flavor straight from Diane and Todd’s California garden. It’s inspiring. During a time when food has started to feel more complicated to me, this book brings back simplicity. It’s a welcomed reminder, especially right before the holidays.

I probably don’t have to mention how stunning the photography is, but I will anyway. Moody, intriguing, comforting, rustic — the pictures are everything I love about food photography. I could study them for hours and still discover new details, new stories.

The photo of the Lettuce Wraps with Almond-Basil Chicken grabbed my attention from the start. After reading through the recipe, I knew I wanted to give them a try. Light and refreshing with that familiar tang of Asian flavors, these could not be easier to make. I’m already planning how to fit them back into our dinner rotation.

Whether you are a new cook, well seasoned in the kitchen or looking for ways to turn garden harvests into simple meals, this book is the perfect fit. It is an asset to any cookbook collection, but I’ll warn you now. This one you’ll want on the coffee table so you continue to be inspired by the photos.

Lettuce Wraps with Almond-Basil Chicken

SERVES 4

From the book:
Rarely are we without a head of lettuce in the fridge or a new batch of lettuce seedlings in the garden. Lettuce is the starter or base for many of our meals, particularly those with Asian-inspired menus. Our Vietnamese noodle salads or wraps will always be accompanied by a huge platter of raw lettuce, and often the lettuce dish is the decorative centerpiece of the table. In this versatile recipe, you can substitute shrimp,beef, pork, tofu, or chopped vegetables for the chicken.

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or other cooking oil
1 small onion, minced
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 pound (455g) chicken cutlets, diced small
1 small red bell pepper, halved, seeded, and diced
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons fish sauce or soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
½ teaspoon rice vinegar
1 head fresh lettuce leaves, broadleaf variety, for wrapping
½ cup (20g) chopped fresh basil
¼ cup (23g) roasted almonds, sliced

1 In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft.

2 Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.

3 Stir in the bell pepper, honey, fish sauce, hoisin sauce,and rice vinegar. Continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked, 10 to 15 minutes.

4 Serve the chicken in a shallow dish alongside a plate of the lettuce leaves. Fill the leaves with the chicken mixture, and top with a sprinkling of basil and almonds.

Disclosure: This book was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to write about it and received no compensation for doing so.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes or images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Coconut Bamboo Rice with Green Garbanzo Beans Recipe

May 31, 2013

I consider myself well-versed in fresh foods and in what my food looks like before it gets to my plate. I’ve grown a lot, and I have seen a lot in my travels. And that’s not to mention all the things I come across online. Yet, California continues to surprise me when it comes to produce.

I find something new to me at the Farmers Market almost every week. As you’d probably expect, I’m not shy. Many of the foods don’t have signs and at the market I go to some of the signs are only in an Asian language. As soon as something catches my attention, I walk right up to the vendor and ask what it is. I refuse to pass up on any food knowledge.

This past week, I spotted some small pods that I’d never seen before. Guess what they were. Garbanzo beans! I use garbanzo beans all the time, but I’ve never once seen the fresh version. I purchased a couple handfuls, not quite sure what I would do with them.

After posting the picture on Instagram, I got some help with how to cook them. The easiest way is to steam or boil them, and they cook rather quickly, similar to peas. I shelled and boiled mine, it took about 7 minutes or so to cook them.

It’s hard to describe the taste. They are obviously similar to the cooked-from-dried and canned versions, but they are fresher and lighter in both flavor and texture. I don’t know. Maybe it is just that green color making me think that, but either way, I loved them!

I picked up some bamboo rice (short grain rice infused with bamboo extract) a little while back and I’ve been hungry for something coconut. I used both and put together this very simple dish. It hit the spot for lunch after my mid-morning run.

Coconut Bamboo Rice with Green Garbanzo Beans

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup bamboo rice
¾ cup chicken or vegetable stock
¾ cup lite coconut milk (I chose lite this time because it’s thinner)
1 tbsp chopped, fresh chives
¼ tsp salt (optional)
1 cup cooked, fresh (green) garbanzo beans

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium, add the rice. Cook about 60 to 90 seconds, stirring often. Pour in the stock and coconut milk. Bring to a low boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is softened.

Stir the chives and the salt into the rice. Note: if you are using salted stock you may not need the salt, so taste before adding it.

Divide the rice onto two plates and top with a ½ cup of the garbanzo beans. Serves 2.

20 Holiday Cookie Recipes

November 30, 2012

Even though I compiled this list in 2012, I return to it every year during the holiday season. It contains links to my favorite holiday cookie recipes which have all been featured here on Fake Food Free.

20 Holiday Cookie Recipes | Fake Food Free

Friday is a good day for news, right?

As in, big news.

As in, life is being flipped upside down, but in a very good way kind of news.

As in, we’re moving from central Kentucky to the East Bay in California news!

Perfect because I was so ready to share that! And we are so excited!

From the food perspective, just in case you are unaware (although I doubt you are), the East Bay is a incredible food destination. Well, really the entire area. In addition to a past stop in San Francisco, I’ve visited twice so far in the moving process. In that short amount of time I’ve enjoyed Peruvian cuisine, vegan soul food, seafood, Montreal-style bagels, Hong Kong-style bakeries, craft beer, and of course, wine.

Then there are the amazing Farmer’s Markets. The fact that I will have access to fresh figs, nuts, artichokes and avocados is surreal for me. Yes, you should expect some posts soon!

And fortunately, there are lots of places to run. I think all the food access may have subconsciously played a role in my decision to register for the San Francisco Marathon in 2013!

I should finally arrive in California on New Year’s Day so Christmas will be light around here, but I still plan to get in plenty of baking. I may not have a tree up, but I refuse to pack the mixing bowls and cookie sheets just yet.

As for right now, I just got back from a California visit and you’ve probably noticed my week long blogging break has turned into almost two. I’ll be back in the kitchen this weekend, but I want to kick off the Christmas season with a cookie round up.

If you are looking to add some cookies made with whole grain flours and minimally refined sugars to your baking list, look no further. Some traditional treats are mixed in, but many of these fit those criteria.

I’ll be back next week with a review of what is turning out to be my favorite cookbook of 2012! Meanwhile, tell me what you are baking this year!

(Clicking on the name will take you to the recipe.)

Chocolate Covered Marzipan Cookies

Matcha Tea Cookies with Gooseberry Filling

Chocolate Almond Oatmeal Cookies

Jamaican Coffee and Spice Biscotti

Honey Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Lemon Rosemary Thumb Prints with Peach Jam

Ginger Rum Molasses Cookies

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Whole Wheat Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Russian Tea Cakes

Cherry Nut Cookies

Fiery Peanut Butter Cookies

Bourbon Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Spicy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies with Curry Glaze

Crunchy Peanut Butter Date Balls

Whole Wheat Black Sesame Cookies

Chewy Chocolate-Tahini Puffed Grain Squares

Chocolate Snowballs

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cookies

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Spiced Gooseberry Oat Bars Recipe

September 29, 2012

A few weeks ago, a slight freezer malfunction caused a hiccup in my food storage. All is good now, but there were a few things that managed to completely thaw before I was able to catch them. One of these was the gooseberries that my parents had given me earlier in the summer.

I spent a few days staring at them in the fridge, and then decided that baking was the only answer. (I’ve learned that baking is the answer to a lot of things. I recommend trying it the next time you have a problem.)

I decided that these tart little berries would go great in my favorite oat bars. Since this gave me the opportunity to make the recipe again, I decided I’d experiment with a few other ingredients as well.

I made this batch with virgin coconut oil, which worked great. Keep in mind that this makes them a delicate, crumbly bar; one you will want to eat with a fork and not pack in your snack bag. I also had some gluten-free flour. Since this is a recipe that doesn’t need to rise, I felt it was safe to substitute all the white whole wheat flour for the gluten-free mix. Another winner. (Although, as you probably know if you eat gluten-free, oats are a tricky food. So I won’t be quick to name these 100% gluten-free. But you can easily make yours that way, if you need it.)

With fall finally arriving, I decided to spice this batch up a bit with ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. I loved the way the flavors went with the tart berries. If you can’t get your hands on gooseberries, almost any berry will work. Cranberries and blueberries have been two of my past favorites.

Spiced Gooseberry Oat Bars Recipe

Adapted from Blueberry Oat Bars, Bryant’s Blueberries

1 ¾ old fashioned rolled oats
1 ½ cups flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free All Purpose Baking Flour in this batch)
¾ cup mascavo (muscovado) sugar (or brown sugar)
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¾ cup melted virgin coconut oil

2 cups thawed gooseberries
¾ cup raw sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch or arrow root
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with coconut oil.

In a medium bowl combine the oats, flour, mascavo sugar, walnuts, baking soda and salt. Add the ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour in the melted coconut oil and stir to mix well. You should have a crumbly mixture that is wet enough to hold when pressed together. Reserve about ¾ cup of the mixture.

Press the remaining oat mixture into the baking dish. Spread it evenly and press it firmly into the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a sauce pan combine the gooseberries, and raw sugar (you can add more or less sugar to your taste). Bring to a boil, then simmer, for about 2 minutes. Stir to break up the berries.

In a small dish, stir together the cornstarch, water, and lemon juice to make a paste. Add the paste to the gooseberries and stir until the fruit is thickened. Remove from heat.

Spread the fruit over the oat crust leaving just about a ¼ inch edge on all sides. Crumble the reserved topping evenly over the fruit. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the edges of the crust begin to brown. Cool the pan on a wire rack.

Once cooled completely, cut into bars. Makes about 15 bars.

Grilled Marinara Pasta Recipe

August 12, 2012

This recipe is one of the most creative things we’ve made on the grill. Grilling tomatoes in packets and then turning those tomatoes into marinara results in a unforgettable smoky sauce.

Grilled Tomato Marinara Sauce | Fake Food Free

We’ve been making grill packets all summer so when I was thinking of how I could put a twist on a classic tomato sauce, they were the first thing to come to mind. Packets of potatoes, onions, peppers and summer squash work on the grill, so why wouldn’t tomatoes, right?

I have to admit when I got all the grilled veggies pureed and took a taste, I was disappointed. The flavor I wanted just wasn’t there.

But then I added salt.

The next bite popped in my mouth! The salt brought out the smoky flavor from the grill which is exactly what I was hoping for.

A few packets of tomato may not be enough for heating up a large grill, but this marinara is the perfect thing to make when you have the grill up and running for other things. (We grilled ours while making a chicken this weekend.) Then you can quickly throw the sauce together and freeze it for another day, if it doesn’t fit on your current menu.

Grill packets with tomatoes for marinara.

This ends up being a basic marinara for any type of pasta. I am a huge fan of homemade, but I went for a quick meal this weekend and used a whole wheat penne.

The veggies only need to be roughly chopped for the grill packets. They’ll be going straight to the blender to puree so there is no reason to spend a lot of time on the prep.

I’ll be doing this with our tomatoes for the rest of the season! The flavor is so much more interesting than when I roast the veggies in the oven.

Grilled Tomato Marinara Pasta Recipe

2015-07-22 23:01:38

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

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Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
~2.75 lbs. tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, cored and chopped
~15 leaves fresh basil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon fine ground sea salt
1 lb. pasta, cooked
Extra basil and shaved parmesan for serving

Instructions

Preheat the grill to 325 degrees F.
You will need 3 large pieces of aluminum foil, about 14 to 16 inches long. You want the veggies wrapped well, so be generous.
Divide the onion, garlic cloves, tomatoes, bell pepper and basil evenly on each of the three pieces of foil. Drizzle some of the olive oil over the vegetables in each packet and move the veggies around a bit to coat them.
You can use any packet making techniques, but I fold the long sides in first. Then I pull the two ends together in the center to meet and roll them down, smashing things together as I go. As long as you have a sealed packet, you'll be fine. Need help? Here's a post with instructions.
Place the packets on the grill, and close the lid. Let cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until the veggies are tender. Remove them from the grill and transport them into the kitchen.
Once they are cool enough to touch, place the veggies in the blender in batches. Puree until smooth and pour the puree in a soup pot on the stove. Turn on low heat, and add the balsamic vinegar and the salt. Stir occasionally. You are only warming the sauce again until you are ready to eat it. (If you plan to freeze it, you can skip the heating, mix in the vinegar and salt and portion it for freezing.)
Place the pasta in a serving bowl. Pour the sauce over pasta, and garnish with basil and parmesan cheese.

Fake Food Free https://www.fakefoodfree.com/

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Blue and White Potato Gnocchi with Fresh Red Tomato Sauce Recipe

July 2, 2012

This homemade potato gnocchi with fresh tomato sauce is made with blue and white potatoes for a patriotic 4th of July meal!

Blue and White Potato Gnocchi with Fresh Red Tomato Sauce Recipe | Fake Food Free

As I’ve shared before, this year our garden produced an abundance of Adirondack Blue potatoes. I can’t get enough of them! They are such a fun ingredient to experiment with in the kitchen. As you can imagine, with blue potatoes on hand, I thought it appropriate to create some type of patriotic dish for the 4^th of July holiday.

Yes, I know they look purple, but bear with me here. It has been a long time since I’ve made gnocchi, but that was the first thing that came to mind when I wanted to get creative with the blue potatoes. Paired with the white potatoes my parents brought me from their garden last weekend, and a few surprise tomatoes that arrived in the garden, I had the makings of a red, white and blue creation. Even if the blue potatoes came out a wee bit purple in the end.

Gnocchi is more of a comfort dish; one that doesn’t sound all that appealing in record high temperatures. For that reason, I kept the tomato sauce raw and fresh. The basil gives the dish a refreshing quality that makes it perfectly acceptable for summer.

Blue and White Potato Gnocchi with Fresh Red Tomato Sauce

2015-07-01 11:01:44

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

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Fresh Red Tomato Sauce

4 medium tomatoes, cored and diced
¼ large white onion, minced
20 – 30 fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

Potato Gnocchi

1 lb. blue potatoes, baked
1 lb. white potatoes, baked
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Olive oil

Instructions

Fill a large soup pot with water, about ¾ of the way full. Bring to a boil as you make the tomato sauce.
In a bowl, combine the tomato, onion and basil. Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and Parmesan. Toss to mix the ingredients and set aside.
Place the flesh of the white potatoes and the blue potatoes in separate medium-sized bowls. Mash the potatoes until smooth and no clumps are present. Often gnocchi calls for sending the potatoes through a potato ricer. I don't have one, so I do my best to mash the potatoes well with a hand-held masher or a fork. If you have a potato ricer, feel free to use it.
Next, add ½ cup flour to each bowl of potatoes. Then add ½ teaspoon of salt to each, and a ½ teaspoon of parsley. First take the blue potato mixture and combine the flour and potato by hand. Once it holds together, turn out onto the counter and knead as you would bread dough, until a smooth ball is formed.
Roll the potato dough into a thin log. You may need to do this in 2 to 3 batches. Use a knife or dough cutter to cut the log into small ¼ inch pieces. You can leave the pieces as they are, or roll them gently with a fork to create ridges. Place the gnocchi on a plate or baking sheet.
Set aside the blue potato gnocchi and repeat the process with the white potato gnocchi.
Prepare a place for the cooked gnocchi by drizzling about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium-sized bowl.
Once the water comes to a boil, sprinkle in some salt, about a 1/2 teaspoon. Add the blue potato gnocchi to the boiling water in 3 separate batches. Allow it to boil until it floats, about 45 to 60 seconds. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and place it in the bowl with olive oil. Repeat with the remaining blue potato gnocchi and then the white potato gnocchi. Toss the cooked gnocchi gently in the the olive oil.
Divide the gnocchi into 4 to 6 portions. Top with the fresh tomato sauce, and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan.

By Lori Rice

Fake Food Free https://www.fakefoodfree.com/

Happy 4^th of July to all my readers in the U.S!

Hummus Sandwiches with Carrot and Cilantro

March 28, 2012

Hummus Sandwiches with Carrot and Cilantro Recipe | Fake Food Free

Blog posts aren’t always planned. They have been the opposite of planned more times than I can count. I may spend time plotting and planning a recipe only to end up with something that never sees the food blogging light of day.

Other times I have no intention of putting a meal on the blog only to finish and think – that’s kind of pretty, and darn tasty. In these cases you can find me sprinting through the living room with a plate in hand to the room where I take my photos. I usually mumble something to my husband like – it will be ready in just a minute – as he waits patiently for dinner.

This sandwich is a perfect example of that. It’s a super simple dinner that you can turn to on a busy night.

You can use any type of hummus you like. I added a link in the recipe for my almond butter hummus as one idea. The veggies are open for experimentation as well. I love this combo, but you might find a few more in your fridge that would dress it up nicely. Feel free to go crazy with the veggies. I have no doubt that it will only make it better.

Vegetarian sandwich recipe loaded with hummus and fresh vegetables. | Fake Food Free

Hummus Sandwich with Carrot and Cilantro

Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients

2 pieces baguette (about 4 inches each)

½ cup hummus with almond butter

1 large carrot, peeled and shredded

2 green onions, whites and greens sliced

3 white button mushrooms, diced

Small handful of fresh cilantro

Hot sauce (optional)

Prep

Slice open each piece of baguette, careful not to cut all the way through. You’ll be stuffing in a lot of ingredients so it’s better to leave one side intact.

Spread the bottom piece of each with half of the hummus and sprinkle with shredded carrot. Divide the onions, mushrooms and cilantro, and add to each sandwich. Drizzle with hot sauce, if desired. That’s it. They’re ready to eat.

Easy vegetarian sandwich recipe with hummus, fresh vegetables and cilantro. | Fake Food Free