(Bacon + egg) brussel sprout salad

I'm spending an inordinate amount of time thinking about salad these days. Boring salads—and how not to wind up eating them for five days straight. Non-lettuce salads—and how they won't get sad and wilty when I turn my back. Meaty salads—and how to put all of them directly in my mouth. 

Here is one I came across while googling things like "salad + full + protein" (eyeroll, I know), and that I've been enjoying for lunch this week: 

Soft-boiled eggs, bacon, avocados, and parmesan—all resting on roasted sweet potatoes and raw, shredded brussel sprouts, tossed in olive oil, lemon juice, and honey. What more could you ask for?

Found this at SafeEggs 

Scallion pancakes with ginger dipping sauce

I'm eating this for dinner all week. And I'm pretty happy about it. These mild scallion "pancakes" are complemented well by the soy and rice-wine vinegar based ginger dipping sauce.

Ingredients

2 cups flour (I used cup-for-cup gf flour)

1 cup boiling water

4 teaspoons sesam oil

1 cup scallions, sliced very thinly

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Salt

Dipping Sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon scallion greens (for garnish)

1. In a food processor, slowly add boiling water to flour. Pulse in 10 second intervals. A ball of dough should form. 

2. Remove ball of dough from food processor. Wrap in plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.

3. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces.

4. For each piece: Roll the piece flat into a disc. Baste lightly with sesame oil. Lightly salt.

5. For each piece: Roll up the dough into a log. Fold log into a spiral. It's OK if it comes apart.

4. For each piece: Roll the piece flat into a disc. Baste lightly with sesame oil. Lightly salt. Evenly sprinkle 1/4 cup scallions onto disc.

5. For each piece: Lightly press scallions into the disc so they stick. Roll up the dough into a log. Fold log into a spiral. Now the sesame oil should be evenly incorporated.

6. For each piece: Roll the piece flat into a disc. Now the scallions should be worked into the dough.

7. For each piece: Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan. Cook evenly on both sides until brown and toasted. On medium heat, this should take ~7 minutes.

8. When cool, cut into wedges and serve with dipping sauce.

Thanks, Pantelligent, for helping me branch out!

New tea pot

I'm pretty into tea. And by that I mean I'm very, very into tea.

Ritual included, but leaves alone as well.

That is, in part, why I was so excited to get a new, elegant tea-for-one set:

Thanks, David's Tea, for the pot and the picture.

Caramel apple cider cookies

I love apple picking. In Charlottesville, Virginia during college (with the ever-delicious Carter Mountain cider donuts). In Ipswich, Massachusetts while teaching (with a picnic next to a chilly orchard). I like that it's sunny, but that it's crisp outside. I like those long apple-picking arms that are a pain to carry around. I like that you have to buy your keep in bushels. 

So now, even on the west coast, where it's never very fall, I declare that fall approacheth! And with that, I'm now going to put apples on and in everything.


Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (7.4 ounce) box spiced apple cider instant drink mix (like hot chocolate packets; don't use the sugar free version)

2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract


1 (14 ounce) bag soft caramels, unwrapped (Kraft, Werther's, etc., just make sure it's not hard candy)

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. 

2. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. (Depending on the thickness of your cookies, the melted caramel may stick to the bottom of the pan.)

3. Pre-mix dry ingredients: In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside.

4. Using a mixer, cream together butter, sugar, salt and all packages of apple cider drink mix powder, until light and fluffy. 

5. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix well. 

6. Gradually add dry mixture into wet mixture. Mix until just combined.

7. Scoop out a cookie dough ball roughly the size of a large walnut (about 2 tablespoons). Split the ball into two equal pieces and flatten each. Press an unwrapped caramel onto one, cover with the other, and seal the edges of each little raw cookie sandwich.

8. Place cookies on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until very lightly browned around the edges.

9. Once you pull the cookies out, slide the parchment paper off of the baking sheet right out onto a heat-resistant counter or woodblock. When cookies are cool enough to be firm but still slightly warm, carefully twist them off of the parchment paper, flip them, and allow to finish cooling upside down.

I prefer to eat these pretty hot, but they are also good when totally cool or, after reheating for about 3 seconds in the microwave.

Thanks, Gimme some Oven, for the recipe.

Compare to these salted caramel chocolate monstrosities.

Chocolate breakfast pudding

This past week was my first (and final!?) week back at school after a long summer. In an effort to cut down the brain energy I had to devote to food each day without compromising deliciousness, I planned and made much of my breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Sunday before the week began. So adult. Much wow.

This week's breakfast: a [refined-sugar-free] chocolate chia pudding!

Because of it's sweetness and its adaptability, it makes an equally good breakfast, snack, or dinner.

Ingredients

8 dates, pitted (could substitute other sweetener here)
3 cups milk of choice (I used almond milk and it was still perfectly rich)
1 cup fresh strawberries
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cacao powder
Generous pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup chia seeds

Topping ideas
Fruit 
Dried fruit
Nuts
Coconut
Matcha
Raw Oats
Chocolate or cacao nibs

This recipe made enough for five individual breakfasts.

1. Boil water. Add pitted dates and continue to boil for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, discard water and add dates to blender.

2. Except for chia seeds and toppings, add all ingredients to the dates. Blend until very smooth.

3. Add chia seeds. Pulse briefly ten times. Fully incorporate chia seeds by hand with a whisk.

4. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Stir or shake to prevent clumping.

5. Return to fridge for at least three more hours.

6. Top and serve cold. 

Copied off of Sprouted Routes.