Sugar Snap Pea, Cucumber, and Sesame Salad

The sugar snap peas in my garden are ready to eat and enjoy! I adapted this recipe from GOURMET June 2001.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 -1 lb sugar snap peas, trimmed

1 English cucumber

a few chopped scallions

¼ cup sesame seeds, toasted

1-2 T seasoned rice vinegar

1-2 t cider vinegar

2-4t soy sauce

drizzle of sesame oil

salt and pepper (or hot sauce)

Directions

PEAS: Trim peas & remove “threads”. Cook in a saucepan of boiling salted water just until they turn a brighter shade of green, about 30 – 60 seconds. Drain in a colander and put in bowl with cold water with ice to stop the cooking.

CUCUMBER: Slice cucumber lengthwise 2 times (4 long quarters). Cut into ¼ inch thick slices. I don’t remove the seeds, but some prefer seeds removed.

Toss peas, cucumber, scallions with vinegars and season with salt and pepper.

Add sesame seeds right before serving to keep them crisp.

Refrigerate until serving.

Mango and Avocado Salad

When Champagne Mangoes are available, I buy them by the case and eat them any way I can. Mangoes and avocados go beautifully together in this salad, especially if neither is too mushy.

Though this recipe is supposed to serve 4, I ate the entire salad for my dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 mangoes, cubed
• 2 avocados, cubed
• 1/2 small red onion or a few scallions, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• OPTIONAL: chopped cucumber, crumbled feta cheese, chopped sweet red pepper
  

Directions: Mix everything together, eat, and enjoy!

Sweet Potato Muffins

Using white, O'Henry sweet potatoes I made this recipe, adapted from 2 other recipes. Orange sweet potatoes or pumpkin would also work.
Yield: 12 muffins + mini cake

1 C white flour
1 C whole wheat flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t each nutmeg & cloves
1 1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C canola oil
1/4 C plain yogurt (I used Greek non-fat strained yogurt)
2 eggs
1/2 C milk
2 t vanilla
1 1/2 C cooked sweet potatoes, mashed

Preheat oven to 350. Stir together sugar, oil, yogurt, eggs, milk, vanilla, & sweet potato. Add dry ingredients and taste for spices and salt. Divide into greased muffin tins and bake for 15-25 minutes, or until done.

Mexican Chocolate Cake

(Picture above is courtesy of this post on Serious Eats - their recipe is very similar to this one.)

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo! A delicious, vegan, Mexican chocolate cake. Enjoy! This recipe is really from Mom, but I re-found it a few days ago and thought I'd post it...

CAKE:

1 ½ cups flour

1 cup sugar

½ cup unsweetened cocoa

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. baking soda

¼ t. cayenne pepper

¼ t. salt

1 cup cold water

¼ c. canola oil

1 T. balsamic (or other) vinegar

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat cake pan with cooking spray.
2. In bowl combine all ingredients, and stir until smooth.
3. Pour into pan and bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
4. Cook in pan for 10 minutes.

ICING:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

½ c. cocoa

6 T water

1. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, cocoa and water.
2. Pour glaze over cake.
3. If desired, dip small strawberries into glaze and place strawberries on to of cake.
4. Set aside for about 30 minutes.