Relax

It is the end of July already and I feel like summer is sliping away. Here in Seattle summer is short and unpredictable. Knowing that, people start booking their calendars way in advance which makes me feel like time is going by faster. Add that to working 6 days a week and always being on the go and about now I begin to get nervous that I am going to miss out on summer. 

I know - slow down, chill out and relax. Today I tried to do just that at least for a couple of hours. I asked my amazing friend Kalin if she would open the store for me today so I could have a couple of hours with Mr. Ramon. A friend of mine has an adorable store filled with refinished furniture, up cycled items and Etsy type finds called Persnickety's Awesomeness Emporium. I wanted to drag Mr. Ramon there to see if anything caught our eye for the house. 

The one room we are working on right now is the bedroom. Slowly but surely we are developing a theme. We found a nice pair of black bedside tables with mercury glass tops. For $40 for the pair I could not resist. 

To finish of our time together we decided to go to one of my favorite little spots in Seattle - Volunteer Park Cafe. Eating here in this bustling cafe always feels like home. Filled with community and conversation over local, fresh and delicious food. We showed up at 1:00pm this Saturday and breakfast was still being served along with lunch. A hard choice to make. 

Mr. Ramon started with a bowl of Matzo Soup. Delicious light broth with shredded chicken and tender carrots. The matzo ball was a "sinker" and dense and flavorful. A great soup for a summer lunch. 

I went for breakfast choosing a bacon egg panini with melted gruyere. Yum. 

This lunch left us ready for a nap. It was so nice to spend some quality time with Mr. Ramon on a summer day. 

What’s For Lunch - Red Beans and Rice

This week we had a hard time deciding what we wanted to make for our lunches. The weather here in Seattle is pretty dreary with a side of cloudy sun. Not the weather to inspire fresh salads. But not quite soup weather either - I don't want to encourage this weather. I opted for an old easy favorite - Red Beans and Rice. 

This recipe is so easy and so tasty. It remains vegetarian with any tasty vegetarian sausage. I use a locally made vegetarian sausage called Field Roast. They don't have an andouille sausage so I used the Mexican Chipolte version. It is really spicy and flavorful.

Red Beans and Rice

Serves 5

• 1 can red beans - drained, rinsed and partially mashed
• 6 oz vegetarian sausage - andouille flavor preferred chopped
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion chopped
• 3 stalks of celery chopped
• 1 bell pepper chopped
• 2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning 
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups cooked long grain brown rice

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, celery and onion mix to pan; sauté until soft and translucent.

Add sausage and cook about 4 minutes until brown. Add Cajun seasoning, salt, oregano, and garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add beans, 1/4 cup water, and tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice.

I also made a quick tomato, cucumber, red onion salad for more vegetables and a crisp tangy contrast to the spicy main dish. 

Tomato, Red Onion and Cucumber Salad

• 1 cucumber peeled and sliced thin
• 1/2 red onion sliced thin
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced in half

Mix all together in a bowl.

 In a seperate bowl whisk - 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 4 tablesppons lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

 Pour over vegetables and toss together. 

I like to serve this meal with cornbread on the side. Enjoy!!

What’s For Lunch - Couscous Mediterranean Salad

With our busy schedules it can be easy to make the decision to buy lunch daily. Not only does this add up in cost but can also result in poor food choices. We also don’t have the time or resources to make a new lunch menu each day. What works really well for us is to make a large batch recipe that is tasty as leftovers for lunches all week. In fall and winter we choose soups and casseroles that are hearty and warming. In spring and summer we look to in season produce for fresh salads. 

Putting me in charge of lunches means I can choose vegetarian options that are full of beans, whole grains and nutritious vegetables. I feel feel really good about the choices for our lunches and know that Mr. Ramon is getting something healthy. 

Over Memorial Day we had some friends over and grilled some chicken skewers with tzatziki and naan. Ever since then I have had naan and tzatziki on the brain. So this week I decided a Mediterranean inspired salad with tzatziki and naan on the side would be the way to go. 

This salad is super easy. Chop, mix and serve. It took me about 45 min from start to finish for all components. You can add in other favorite vegetables or even top it with grilled chicken.

Couscous Mediterranean Salad

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves peeled
• 1 13oz can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
• 1 english cucumber peeled - dice 1/2 for salad and grate other for tzatziki
• 1/4c pitted kalamata olives chopped
• 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
• 4 green onions white part sliced thinly
• 4oz diced feta cheese
• 2 handful flat leaf parsley chopped
• olive oil
• lemon juice
• pepper
• salt 

4 servings of couscous cooked and cooled

Set oven to 400 degrees F. Line a small rimmed cooking sheet with foil or parchment. Place tomatoes and garlic in bowl and drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over them. Season with pepper and salt. Mix till coated with the oil and pour onto the prepared sheet. Bake in oven until soft and roasted. About 30 minutes. Let cool. Chop roasted garlic.

Place first 9 ingredients in large bowl. Whisk 1/4c olive oil and 4 tablespoons of lemon juice in a small bowl until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over ingredients in bowl and mix until coated. 

Mr. Ramon likes a good dollop of this tzatziki on his salad. It is also great with grilled meats and as a dip for vegetables. 

Basic Tzatziki

• 8oz greek yogurt (low fat or regular)
• 1/2 english cucumber grated
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 1 lemon zested
• 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Place all items in a bowl and mix well until combined. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving for flavors to combine. 

To serve this meal top a serving of couscous with the salad mixture and drizzle with tzatziki. Serve toasted pitas on the side.