Happy Monday, everyone! Was your weekend as cold as mine? Egads! This weather is the pits. The up side to it, though???? A lot of my time spent inside was in the kitchen! Here’s what I cooked up:
Pictured above are some delicious breadsticks. Jessy got me really craving breadsticks the other day, so Ioooked up a recipe that was simple and delicious, but I can’t remember where I found the recipe! My husband could not stop eating these and said they were the best he’s ever had. I also thought they were good, but they’re not the best I’ve ever had. I think both Pizza Hut and Olive Garden have awesome breadsticks, but I never eat them because they have no redeeming nutritional value. So, I will call my breadsticks the best HEALTHY breadsticks I’ve ever had.
For dinner on Saturday, I made ratatouille and served it over pasta with vegan meatballs, broccoli, and topped it with Urban Vegan’s Winter Pesto. I’m excited to be a tester for Urban Vegan’s upcoming cookbook and this Winter Pesto was just one of four recipes I tested this weekend. This pesto was incredible – a gorgeous green, garlicky spread with wonderful taste and consistency! The ratatouille (another slow cooker recipe) called for pesto to be mixed in just before serving. The ratatouille on its own was incredible, but the pesto amped up the incredibleness. I still have a ton of pesto leftover, so I’m happy to have it waiting in my freezer until another pesto opportunity presents itself.
On Sunday morning, I tested Urban Vegan’s recipe for Better-Than-Buttermilk pancakes. I am not a great pancake maker, so I was taking a real risk in making these pancakes, but I’m glad I took that risk! This batch of pancakes was the most successful batch I’ve ever made. Light, fluffy, and golden, they tasted as good as they looked. My husband loved them (he specifically commented on their great texture) and my daughter ate a whole pancake – something she’s never done before!
I made a Greek Feast for last night’s dinner. I made Urban Vegan’s Smoked Paprika Hummus and served it on pita topped with lettuce, tomato, and cucumber. Over top of the sandwiches and the steamed kale I made, is Urban Vegan’s Easy Tahini Sauce. The hummus was delicious – incredibly flavorful and an awesome texture and the tahini sauce can only be described as heavenly. I could eat this stuff for days! Alongside the sandwiches and kale, I served braised potatoes. I got the recipe from this book. These potatoes were incredible and the recipe couldn’t be easier. The pita recipe I used was also from this book and all seemed to be going well with making my own pita until it came time to bake the pita. None of my pitas puffed up at all. My oven was set to 500 degrees. Does anyone have a fool-proof way of guaranteeing puffy pita? Please leave any suggestions in the comments!
I hope you all had happy weekends and welcome back to the work week! Thanks for reading!
aTxVegn said,
November 17, 2008 @ 5:37 pm
I’m testing for UV and I want to make the hummus and pesto too. This is going to be fun!
I am not a rabbit said,
November 17, 2008 @ 5:41 pm
It looks like you had a very delicious weekend! Everybody keeps making me jealous with test recipes! Those pancakes look amazing, I really must try some American style pancakes (British ones are so much thinner- a bit like crêpes I guess). How long ’till that book comes out and I can make those pancakes….
)
Lisa said,
November 17, 2008 @ 5:53 pm
Hey! I’m a tester too and the hummus and tahini are on my radar too!! I made the pancakes on Saturday and they were awesome. My daughter has already put in her request to have them again next weekend.
jen molica said,
November 17, 2008 @ 6:07 pm
hey vegannifer, all looks good! and yes, it’s getting to be what i refer to as “soup weather” outside. i just wanna curl up with my kid, blanky, and a nice mug of soup. no snow in b-town yet, just dustings here and there.
lisa (show me vegan) said,
November 17, 2008 @ 6:09 pm
The Greek Feast looks SOO good! What fun for you to test the recipes. I look forward to her book!
Bianca- Vegan Crunk said,
November 17, 2008 @ 6:10 pm
Your making me super excite for Urban Vegan’s book!!! I’m especially curious about that pesto.
jessy said,
November 17, 2008 @ 6:10 pm
that’s so cool that you’re a tester for Urban Vegan! how awesome is that?! yay! looks like she’s got some tasty, tasty recipes go’n on as well. mmmmmmmm!
as for the pitas – did you roll them out thin enough? and did you make sure the baking stone or baking sheets you were using were heated to 500 degrees as well? i think making sure the vehicle the pitas cook on is to temperature might help ya out some.
the braised potatoes looks soooo super good – and your ratatouille dish looks absolutely divine! now you’ve got me craving breasticks again! ahahahaa! yay!
oh yeah – that’s great that your munchkin ate whole pancake! those are some perfect look’n pancakes, indeed!
it was cold here this weekend and is still pretty darn cold so far this week, too. eek! stay warm, Jennifer!
River (Wing-It Vegan) said,
November 17, 2008 @ 6:29 pm
Look at all the food! Everything looks spectacular!! Your pancakes look so thick and fluffy, what a perfect batch! *swoon*
BitterSweet said,
November 17, 2008 @ 6:58 pm
It was actually unseasonably warm in my neck of the woods, but it rained the whole weekend! I would much prefer cold, sunny days instead.
Homemade pita = one of the best [savory] things ever, by the way.
Shelby said,
November 17, 2008 @ 7:15 pm
Mmm, those breadsticks look amazing and so does that stack of pancakes! I didn’t even know Urban Vegan had a book coming out!!
Joanna said,
November 17, 2008 @ 7:30 pm
i love pizza hut breadsticks too!!!!! they are amazing. yours look very delicious- more like the olive garden ones.
shellyfish said,
November 17, 2008 @ 9:58 pm
Everything sounds so good! And more breadsticks? First Jessy, now you? I guess I better give in and make some…
twoveganboys said,
November 17, 2008 @ 11:34 pm
The food you made over the weekend looks delicious. And yippee for baby girl trying something new.
lauren said,
November 18, 2008 @ 2:14 pm
Wow! So many unbelievable meals! I don’t know which one to comment on! They all look and sound so tasty! Great weekend eats!
Bethany said,
November 19, 2008 @ 12:52 am
wow, you had quite a feast this weekend. Yummy.
I love pancakes, but I am really lazy when it comes to making them. That’s Andy’s job
Breadsticks look fantastic. I love every type of breadstick. the pizza dough kind, the thin crispy kind, the kind with toppings, etc.
mihl said,
November 19, 2008 @ 12:16 pm
Look at all that carby goodness. Those pancakes are calling my name!
Vegan_Noodle said,
November 19, 2008 @ 10:16 pm
Your pancakes look perfect!!