Wineday Wednesday + a Tabouli Recipe

Ok, unfortunately, I have no wine reviews for you today, just a recipe.

I simply wanted to take this time to recap my alcohol/sweets hiatus during Lent and tell you about where I'm taking it from here.

In all honesty, I stopped "giving up" alcohol and sweets for Lent about a week and a half early. I didn't make the decision because I wanted to get toasty at a family wedding, or at the Easter dinner that was on Saturday instead of Sunday. I did it because I felt that I found what I wanted in giving it all up in the first place.

I didn't think restricting any more was necessary. I've always used Lent as a way to take a step back from my habits and learn that I can live without them. In the words of Dan Millman (from The Way of the Peaceful Warrior); “Habit is the problem. All you need to do is be conscious about your choices and be responsible for your actions.” 


Well, there way a day a few weeks ago where I thought 'gee, I just want a cookie right now...why I am not allowing myself to have one?' Overindulging was my habit but I felt like I had it pretty much under control before Lent was over. 


Oh, and something else that really struck me when I was reading The Peaceful Warrior...spontaneity. So, hell. I ate a damn cookie.


And then I had a beer. (by the by, let me take this moment to apologize to anyone who finds it annoying that I began a sentence with "and")


So, where I'm at now? We've been [trying desperately] to brew our own beer. I am also making my own cookies. I'm enjoying a dessert every now and again. I enjoy a beer or a glass of wine every so often. Sometimes I feel like it, sometimes I don't. I am intentional about my choices and responsible for my actions.

Ok, gee whiz.

Time for that recipe!

millet tabouli

serves 4-6
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 20 minutes

ingredients:

• 1 cup millet
• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 cup chopped parsley (any type)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt, pepper and oregano to taste

directions:

• Put 1 cup of millet and 2 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover and let cook for 15-20 minutes (or until all the water has been absorbed by the millet)
• When millet is done cooking, mix with all other ingredients in medium sized mixing bowl. Season with salt, pepper and oregano to taste

How did lent go for you? What did you learn from it?

Peace, Love & Bagels,

Hashbrowned Potato Pizza

What do Becca and Brandon do when the whole middle level in the fridge is empty? What anyone else would do, whip up a strange and fun new recipe idea. Hence, Hashbrowned Potato Pizza was born. I was lukewarm about it because I wanted the potatoes to be crispier and I wasn't sure that the idea of hashbrowns really went with the idea of pizza in my head.

That being said, I helped Brandon devour it after we cleaned our bathroom. Along with a Great Lakes Brewing Co's Conway's Irish Ale. Yum!

This isn't so much a recipe as it is a technique. If you have any tips for me on making crispier hashbrowns...please throw them at me!

Hashbrowned Potato Pizza [for two]

ingredients:

• 2 medium sized red potatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ¾ cup store-bought tomato sauce (remember, nothing in the fridge.)
• 2 ounces muenster, shredded, from the farmer’s market (all grass fed and delicious!)

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Shred potatoes with a cheese grater or your preferred shredding method
3. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet. When skillet is hot, lay shredded taters across the bottom of the skillet in a thin layer. Mix potatoes every now and then to prevent burning, but let them get brown and crispy.
4. When potatoes are done, form them into a flat, pizza-like shape (this can be done in the same cast iron skillet, or other oven safe pan - I used a small cookie sheet)
5. Top potato pizza “crust” with tomato sauce and shredded muenster
6. Put the pizza in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is as melty as you want it and the crust gets a bit crispier. Enjoy!

W00t! w00t! My empty cast iron skillet! Apparently, this is the only picture I can upload right now (and I'm thinking I should stop tying up my office internet with large picture uploads) so I'll update with pictures later on!

What do you make for dinner when there is nothing left in the fridge?

Peace, Love & Bagels,

Fun Things Friday + Argentine Lentil Stew

First, I'm slacking on procrastinating lately and have only found a few fun things to share with you this week. My thoughts are totally and completely on my upcoming vacation on Maui to visit my family. It's been two years since I've been home, so I'm waaaay overdue for some Hawaiian sun, beaches and FAMILY. I won't be going completely radio (uh, er...internet) silent but I will have a few people guest posting as well.

So on this lovely snowy Friday, I leave you with a few fun things, and a recipe re-post (I posted it on my old blog forever ago, so now you can have it here on PL&B!)

Just in case you wanted to let someone know how awesome they are

secrets

this video is why I want to be a high school math teacher:

well, that and the best pickup line ever:

"Can I be your derivative?....So I can be tangent to your curves!"

and now, a recipe for Argentine Lentil Stew

from allrecipes.com 

• ingredients: 
• 1 cup dry lentils
• 1 quart water
• 1 cube vegetable bouillon
• 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 medium apple - peeled, cored and diced
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 large clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup barbeque sauce (or a mixture of ketchup and worchestershire sauce)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• salt and pepper to taste
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• method:
• Place the lentils and water in a large pot, and mix in the vegetable bouillon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes.
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• Stir the tomatoes, onion, carrot, apple, peas, garlic, olive oil, barbecue sauce, and paprika into the pot. Continue to simmer 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

• My thoughts: I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious this soup was!! First of all, I NEVER have good luck with lentils, but I diligently cooked them long enough this time and it worked out alright! 
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• And what's with the apples and the barbecue sauce?!? It gave the soup a sweet and savory flavor. It was delicious and packs a nutritional punch. Best of all, it's incredibly easy! Except for lentil cooking time you basically just throw everything in a pot and go.
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• On another note, this soup is best enjoyed with a glass of my Gascon Malbec (my favorite!!)
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• What is your go-to wine for dinner? And are there any weird ingredients you've included in a recipe that just made the dish? I'd love to hear about them!
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• Peace, Love & Bagels,
• Becca (blogger is driving me nuts today and won't place any picture where I want them to go, so no fun signature to close today's post [sadface])
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