Roasted Brussels Sprout salad

Roasted Brussels Sprout salad:

cut brussel sprouts in half or quarters.

toss in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little vinegar

dump onto a cookie sheet and put in the oven at 400

Meanwhile put this in a bowl:

lettuce (I used the pre-washed spring mix)

purple onion thinly sliced

blue cheese 

prunes/dried plums cut in 4ths

avacado

Dressing: 

mustard (Dijon or regular)

honey

rice vinegar (or a white vinegar)

oil

salt & pepper

Toss the roasted sprouts on and mix it all together. It is delish. I fried an egg and threw it on top for protein. This isn't really a kid-friendly dinner (obviously). 

Easy Homemade Pizza

This is a tried a true recipe.  I make it all the time, with lots of different toppings.  We all love it because it is super easy and tastes great.
 
Pizza Dough

Dissolve:
1 T yeast (1 package)
1 C warm water

Stir into yeast mixture and let sit for 5 mins:
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 T oil
2 1/2 c flour

Bake 400 for 20 mins.


Pizza Sauce

Mix:
16 oz tomato sauce
8 oz tomato paste
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
3-4 big, heaping tsp parmesan cheese
1 pinch basil

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

I always crave this soup, but it's especially delicious when red peppers are in season (and cheaper). It's surprisingly simple and still very tasty. Sit outside in the summer air and enjoy.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup  

3 red bell peppers

1 yellow bell pepper

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

3 cups stock (veggie, chicken, etc…)

1 Tbls flour

black pepper, salt

1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (If you don’t you’ll have black marks from the peppers that don’t go away). Cut peppers in half and clean out seeds. Lay cut edge down on baking sheet. Broil until skins black and blistered.
2. Place the peppers in a plastic and a close it with a tie or zip lock. Let it sit and cool off.  When cool peel off skins and discard. Roughly chop peppers.
3. Put onion, garlic, and 2/3 cup stock in a large saucepan.  Boil until stock reduces in volume.  Lower heat and stir until onion and garlic soft and just beginning to color.
4. Sprinkle flour over onions.  Gradually stir in the rest of the stock.
5. Add chopped roasted peppers.  Bring to a boil. Cover the saucepan and simmer 5 minutes.
6. Let soup cool slightly. Puree in food processor or blender.  Return to saucepan.  Season with pepper and salt.  Reheat.

Makes about 4 servings

• Another version: cook the onions and garlic and butter with rosemary sprigs.  After cooked remove rosemary.  Add roasted peppers and stock.  Boil add a few Tbls of tomato puree, cook it all together, let cool and then puree.  Add a little paprika and ¼ c. cream.
• Another version: chop up 1 or 2 sweet potatoes and cook with onions and garlic in the stock.  Then after adding the red peppers cook together, let cool, puree, then put back in pan on the burner.  Add salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce to taste.  

COLORFUL COLESLAW

1/3 medium head red cabbage thinly sliced
2 large carrots coarsely grated
1 medium onion thinly sliced (red or sweet white)

DRESSING
1 1/2 T mustard
1 T honey
1 T fresh lime juice (more to taste)
1 T cider vinegar
1 T olive oil
1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper (more to taste)
1/4 c fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
1 tsp poppy seeds (optional)

I saw this recipe in USA Weedkend May 25. I have made it twice.  The second time I cut the dressing proportions in half since it thought it was too watery.  The "Cut" version appears above.  I didn't put cilantro in either time because I didn't have any.  I keeps for days in the fridge.  It can be used in place of lettuce on a sandwitch which is how we use it the most.

Mom/Gayle

One to watch

Don't judge it by the cover. This movie is sooooo good. For real. And totally inspiring. The whole thing is true  which makes it even better. And the only "bad" thing about it are the bikini's. 

Running Socks

Just wanted to pass along that I have just discovered the ultimate running sock:  the Balega Womens Enduro Sock.  You have to try it if you like to jog.  They are so comfortable!  So don the sock and let's get in shape!

Love Post (late)

Person that I love: ALL OF MY NIECES AND NEPHEWS. Cath and I were recently talking about how we used to think it was weird when people were obsessed with their nieces/nephews. Now I'm one of those people. I love kids in general, but there is something special about being an aunt. I love them so much! (Note: just because I have a picture of Allyson, Spencer does not mean they are my favorite and I love them more than my other nieces and nephews. No snarky comments, Ang)

Place I love: Quiet places. Everywhere I live, I always have an outlet, a nature-y place where I go to escape the noise and people and just think. I have made some of my biggest life decisions in these places. In Provo, it was the Provo River Trail/Utah Lake:

In North Carolina, it's a close call between the Duke Trails or the American Tobacco Trail:

Thing that I love: Technology. No, really. And not just because there was that one song on Napoleon Dynamite that was really catchy about technology. I really do love it. Embarrassing as it is to admit it, I can not remember how society ran smoothly without it. Unlimited knowledge at my fingertips. Access to all of the talks I can want from Conferences all the way back to when I didn't exist. Podcasts. Music to listen to while I run. Ways to connect and spread love/build friendships. Ways to stay connected. Really, technology is awesome.


Activity that I love: Bananagrams. And scrabble. Yes, they are my favorite favorite. They are even better when you make cookies to eat while playing (although I can't say I ever crave cookies these days)...