More adventures in food

I had a good weekend, but it wasn't filled with the long list of everything I got to do and photos that usually come on Mondays. I think I was just burned out and needed some down time this weekend. I still had plenty going on, but I also turned some stuff down to get things done and go to bed early. 


I would like to report on two things I ate this weekend. I was at lunch with two of my friends, and they told me I needed to document my lunch. We were at a local restaurant where they supposedly have the best pizza crust. They had limited choices for lunch, but I was really brave and ordered a pizza with artichoke pesto, roasted red peppers and goat cheese.

I'll say the goat cheese was what swayed me, but the artichoke pesto was pretty amazing and I didn't even pick off the peppers. I was pretty proud of myself.


The other thing I ate this weekend was chili. That may seem like a normal and safe choice to you, but it's something I've always been. If I'm in a situation where I have no choice, I can usually eat enough to be polite. And I remember a time when I was on a mission trip and chili was all there was for dinner. The beans are usually what get me, and I remember this one having a lot of those big, mushy beans. I hated it and didn't want to eat any of it. But that was all there was, and my youth leader literally sat with me and told me to smile after every bite. It was like I was 5, and I was probably acting that age.


Anyway, on Sunday I voluntarily went to a chili cook-off with church. I did not try the 10 different chilis, and the one I did eat was called "Traditional." So I wasn't so far out of the box, but I did eat and enjoy an entire bowl of chili. 


I didn't compete in the chili cook-off, but I didn't go empty-handed either. I found a recipe for a green bean dish that didn't have to be hot, and I was able to use the last of my green beans. I liked it, and it was all gone after the party. Here's the recipe:


Green Bean Salad from The Food Network

• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 2 teaspoons walnut oil or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water with a steamer basket to a boil, add green beans and steam for about 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Toast the walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat until they become fragrant, about 2 minutes, and then transfer them to a small bowl to cool. Add the parsley and onion to the walnuts and stir to combine.

In another small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and mustard. Toss the dressing with the green beans, top with the walnut mixture and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Evidence

I ran out of flour on Monday night.

I don't think I've ever run out of flour in the middle of a recipe or even run out of flour at all. And this was particularly surprising because I remember actually buying the bigger bag of flour within the last six or seven months.

I mention this because it's the latest sign that my habits are changing. I've gone weeks with only going by the grocery store for cereal, milk and granola bars and maybe a few other odds and ends to complete a recipe. But I've been eating better than I ever have since living on my own.

On Saturday, I stopped by the Farmer's Market and picked up a zucchini and a tomato to tide me over until my share this week. I've made two dinners with leftovers for lunch and my breakfast for the week with those two vegetables. Even four months ago, I never would have thought I could have made even one dinner with those vegetables, much less two when I wanted to eat the leftovers.

But it hasn't just been lunch and dinner that have been affected. The reason I'm out of flour is because I've been making more stuff for breakfast from scratch. Breakfast is one of my favorite meals, and I literally can't even talk to anyone before I've had my cereal. I don't give myself a lot of time in the morning, but I need something besides cereal.

For the past few years, I've made muffins from a package (just add milk), cinnamon rolls from a can or bought banana bread from the store. But I can't tell you the last time I've had any of those things. I've been eating zucchinni bread (also in muffin form this week) and scones and despite their appearance cinnamon rolls from scratch. And I can't wait to get some blueberries (coming this week!), so I can make blueberry muffins from scratch.
 
I look in my pantry and refrigerator, even my freezer, and wonder who has taken over my kitchen. Although the expired stuff that accumulates in the fridge does give me away, I'm still amazed at how different it is just three months after I started this experiment. Another strange thing, I actually gave up my bread share when I realized wasn't eating it because there was too much other good stuff and no need for peanut butter sandwiches.

I am going to leave you with this recipe for grilled pizzas from Every Day Food. I put sauteed zucchini, tomatoes and garlic on it with just some olive oil for sauce and then topped it with gruyere cheese (a rare splurge for me). Best homemade pizza I've ever made (so good I ate it before I took a photo).

Pizza dough

• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl and brushing
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

Pour 1 cup warm water into a medium bowl; add sugar and sprinkle with yeast. Let stand until foamy, 5 minutes.
 

Whisk oil and 1 teaspoon salt into yeast mixture. Add flour and stir until liquid is incorporated. Turn out onto floured work surface. Knead until dough comes together in an elastic ball, 2 minutes. Transfer to an oiled medium bowl; brush lightly with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; set in a warm, draft-free place place until dough has doubled in bulk, 45 minutes. Punch down dough and cover; let rise another 30 minutes.
 

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Let rest 15 minutes before using.
 

Also, you can refrigerate dough pieces, covered, up to two days, or freeze up to one month.

Grilling

Heat grill on one side at medium-high heat. Lightly oil hot grill.
 

Stretch or roll out one piece of dough into a 10-inch long oval. Brush one side lightly with olive oil and season with coarse salt and ground pepper.
 

Place dough, oiled side down directly over grill. Brush top of dough with olive oil and cook until underside is light charred and bubbles form all over top, 1 or 2 minutes. With tongs, flip dough and cook until lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes. Slide dough to cooler side of grill (or turn down heat for grill pan).
 

Top with desired cheese and toppings; cover grill. Cook until cheese melts and toppings are heated through, 2 to 5 minutes.