Tag Archives: potato pancakes

For The Love Of Vegetables

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Ever since I was little I always remember having a love for vegetables. Whether it was my grandmother’s sopa de auyama or a plain bag of carrots and lettuce, I was known to be a veggie monster. Or perhaps I thought I was a bunny?

Proof lies in the spinach beard I proudly showed off for the camera

Although I don’t have it often, one of my all-time favorite breakfasts is a plateful of latkes. I would usually just eat them with applesauce, but people also serve them with sour cream. My dad likes to add corn to them when he makes them–something I definitely recommend trying.

Over the weekend I went on a full-blown cooking storm, and I’m pretty sure that’s what I spent most of my time doing. But really there’s not a day that goes by where I don’t prepare something. Anyway, I had stumbled upon a recipe for Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers. Having just used the sweet potatoes for another recipe, I used delicata squash instead. Besides it had been hanging around for too long. For the spices I used a ‘blackened seasoning’ blend, nutritional yeast, and thyme.

After the veggie burgers were done, and I had gone on a late night run (my prime running time), by the time I came back… I don’t know what it was but I decided that the veggie burgers would be great for breakfast! Not just that, but instead of serving them as a patty I thought they’d be interesting as pancakes. Something reminiscent of potato pancakes or latkes.

Something was missing...

It needed something to contrast in color and in flavor.

Aha!

I love how spring onions are a mild yet put a skip in a dish’s walk. They tasted good, but were a bit dry even if I had served them as veggie burgers. Next time I’ll experiment by adding in some eggs and oil to the equation.

So remember I said I was part bunny when I was little?

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Deconstructed

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To make my bowls of oatmeal interesting I like to deconstruct dessert recipes.

And the way I remember that dessert is spelled with two s’s is because I’d like two scoops of ice cream. What flavor? Cherry amaretto ice cream, please. I whipped up some banana soft-serve, pitted a handful of cherries, drizzled it with amaretto syrup, and topped it off with Cacao Bliss. The amaretto syrup gave this bowl of oats a zing.

Hello delicious wake up call!

Remember how I mentioned that I realized that I didn’t have a birthday cake this year? Well look what I found! Chocolate cherry amaretto ice cream cake. And it just so happens that it won a raw ice cream cake contest.

On the topic of ice cream... what else is there to talk about?

I stumbled upon my soul sister and her dad’s favorite ice cream! This little lady’s recommendations never disappoint, so of course I put the pint of Mocha Almond Fudge coconut milk ice cream in my basket. Verdict? Oh my gosh. There are just enough almonds, each bite has that yummy fluffy mocha ice cream, and the swirls of fudge seal the deal. Pint start with a ‘p’ so I can make alliterations like… personal pint.

Something else deconstructed?

I was browsing the Veganomicon cookbook when my eyes wandered on to these words “samosa stuffed baked potato.” You all know how much I love Indian food! I’m so use to making deconstructed recipes for breakfast that I don’t usually think of making them for lunch… or dinner for that matter.

I took away the potato's vegan status and spread on some ghee.

Oh and I can’t leave out my mom’s dish! The night before she made a curried coconut milk vegetable dish that had me eating spoonfuls from the pan she had just cooked it in. I decided to mix in some cooked lentils the next day.

I don't go to the movies often so this was a nice change.

My mom’s friend had special tickets to watch a movie before it would be released in this theatre and she asked if we wanted to go. We gladly accepted her invitation and watched ‘The Solitary Man’. It was a pretty good movie, but I didn’t like the ending. The theatre I went to is one of my favorites because of the interior and comfy seats. If you don’t feel like finding your own parking spot you can always opt for the valet parking. What can I say? This is the state where people go to retire!

Inside the movie theatre--check out the ceiling!

On another night me and my mom went to support some friends that were dancing in a show.

She never ceases to amaze.

And neither does he!

Complete with samba dancing as well.

Making dinner milk rolls from one of my favorite cookbooks.

I love making bread! My favorite part is kneading it, and after that I love the smell that wafts through the house when it’s baking. Then of course there’s the satisfaction of biting into the fresh bread you made.

They remind me of the Brötchen we would pick up daily from the bakery in Germany.

My mom said they tasted even better! She’s such a mom hehehe.

Yum! This is just asking for some butter.

Speaking of Germany…

Yours truly got ready for a day that would be filled with many German things.

Note: I straightened my hair for the first time in years!

What did that day behold?

We went to a German restaurant to see their first game in the World Cup 2010!

Deutschland is my motherland and where my heart belongs, so when they beat the Aussies 4-0 I felt very proud!

I'm not a big beer person but I tried their heferweisen and I liked it!

Another goal? More beers on the house!

They still make the best potato pancakes I've ever had--three or four rounds of these were ordered!

Ever since I was little, it just has always gone without saying that I get the most potato pancakes or latkes.

I'm not typically a cake person, but I do think they're beautiful and there are the exceptions of tiramisu and carrot cake.

However, this berry black forest cake was amazingly incredible! Our table ordered this cake to go, and about five more slices to have at the table, plus a chocolate mousse cake for the super chocolate lover (my mom’s friend’s husband). Victory was ours and we ate like champions as well!

In honor of the World Cup 2010 being held in Africa I decided to make use of a box I found in my parent’s pantry. So what does a box have to do with the World Cup?

This box!

Fufu flour! It’s a fun word to say and it’s even more fun to eat. What is fufu exactly? “Fufu is a staple food of West and Central Africa. It is a thick paste usually made by boiling starchy root vegetables in water and pounding with a mortar and pestle until the desired consistency is reached.”

It's traditionally served with a soup... or rather in a soup.

It came out lumpy--oops! But still safe to eat.

I made a peanut soup to go with it, and mark my words when I say… TRY THIS! Here’s the recipe for the peanut soup, but I made some changes. Instead of a green bell pepper I used a red. Also make sure to use real peanut butter to get the most flavor. I used my favorite kind and the crunchy peanut bits actually added a smokiness to it.

Did I mention that you eat this with your hands?

Are any of you keeping up with the games? Favorite teams?

Also, what are some of your favorite deconstructed recipes?

Soaking Up the Last Rays of Sun

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Here’s the right way to start every day!

Coconut smoothies and cheers to the sun gods!

On my last day I managed to write a paper and work on my tan.

Finally, when I could take the sun no longer I headed inside to get ready. My mom really wanted to take my friend to this German restaurant that has become one of her favorite places for dining out. I think it’s partly because everyone that works there loves her. In fact, when we were seated, a few of them came up to our table to say hello and they just wanted to talk to my mom hahaha.

I spy... lots of delicious German chocolates.

She made a new friend!

Welcome to Old Heidelberg! Wilkommen!

Weird lighting, but as long as I'm with my soul sista' it's all good.

My dad with the star of the restaurant.

Prost! Those are just .5 L

Fresh bread = THE BIGGEST BOMB.COM

My friend got a salad with her meal.

I thought it was cool how it was like a sample of various German salad dishes. They were only missing the famous German potato salad. Anyway, the vegetarian choices on the menu were barely existent, but I managed to find something. And it did not disappoint.

The BEST potato pancakes I've ever had, and I swear the sour cream was housemade.

Potato pancakes, latkes, whatever you want to call them… are one of my favorite things! So saying these were the best is saying a lot.

German Beef Rouladen with mashed potatoes and a bread dumpling

Paprika Rahm Schnitzel: red and green peppers, sour cream sauce, and rice

Bavarian Lamb Shank served with mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes

Then it was time for the desserts!

Rote Gruetze with Vanilla Sauce

One of my favorite desserts... carrot cake!!!

An adorable plate: freshly baked apple strudel with vanilla sauce and ice cream

Oh my gosh I was so happy to be eating delicious food from my home country. Not to mention, Germans do desserts right. They’re not overly sweet, instead they let the actual flavors shine through. I love that about their desserts. It brought back so many memories and we told my friend of all the traditions they have over there. I’m so glad to be going back there this summer. Can’t be away from home for too long, can we? Eventually we rolled ourselves out of the restaurant and made our way down to Miami for our last night of south Florida fun!

Showin' our tanned legs!

We ended up going to this place my mom wanted to go to that had an intense tropical theme going on. There were performances in two areas going the whole night. It was neat to see them re-enact the Brazilian carnival with the beautiful and barely there costumes. There were also men dancing their hearts out, and I actually thought they were much better than the women… and not just because they were better looking. We decided to end the night pretty early around 1 or 2 am since I had to start driving the next day. Was it really almost time to leave? The beginning of the week seemed to go by slowly, but towards the end time just seemed to speed up.

Started the day off with OIAJ, diced apple, and a strawberry & honey compote.

On our last day, my friend and I went to an incredibly relaxing yoga class in the morning. We thought it would be good to get some stretching in for our long car trip ahead.

My parents surprised us with German goodies when we came back from the class.

That marzipan you see there is not just any marzipan. Oh no siree! It is marzipan with apple, cinnamon, and bread. It was so good! Kinder, Milka, and Yogurette are my favorite chocolates ever! I even posed with the Milka cow stuffed-animal when I was a baby. What can I say… Germans love their chocolate enough to have glamour shots with one of the mascots. That cheese you see in the back was also tasty and I made a sandwich for myself for the road with the bread they brought back as well.

They also brought back quark--which is like a fresh cheese.

Lunch before we hit the road.

Last of the lentils + rice + coconut oil. Also had some of that bread with the cheese, tomato, fresh basil, and black pepper. On the side I had a big fresh salad!

Matilda left Florida with a new look

Bye bye Florida... for now!!!

And on our way back Kelley was able to relive some of her childhood when we stopped at Checkers

We made it safe and sound by the next day, and we belted out to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” with the windows down driving up a busy road to let everyone know that the girls were back in town!