Triple Digit Meal

When it is over 100, I would rather not cook. I would rather just consume this:

Lemonade concentrate and mint, put in a blender. Add club soda.

But if you simply must cook (ie. Robin can't afford to lose any more weight ;) ). Make a black bean burger that takes very little time and requires no oven.

Ingredients:
-1 cup black beans
-1 egg
-1/3 cup bread crumbs
-garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper

Mash half the black beans. Add the other ingredients and fry in a hot pan.

The other key piece of this was some quick pseudo-pickled cucumber.

For that:
-1/2 cup white vinegar
-1/4 cup white sugar
-2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
-1/3 red onion, sliced

Mix vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil. Let cool for a few minutes, then add to cucumbers and red onions. Refrigerate.

This was last night. With some celebratory ACA wine. A really lovely day.

Sandwich for Summer

Today it was 108 in St. Louis. Anyone who wants to turn on the oven when it's this hot is either more dedicated or more dumb than I am.

As a result of some impressive heat, we have lots of sandwiches this week. Nothing earth-shattering, but delicious nonetheless.

Cue Caprese Sandwich.


Cast of Characters:
-Ciabatta bread
-pesto
-fresh basil leaves
-tomatoes
-fresh mozzarella
-balsamic syrup (found here)

We toasted the bread, and I put the mozzarella on the bottom so it got a little melted.

Add some broccoli and it was a pretty lovely meal.

Our Fave Spot

Coming up later today, a few photos from Abby and Adam's wedding. But I thought I had posted this, so here goes....

We met Joe and Jackie (and Mr. C) at Local Harvest on Father's Day.

I think I had the best deal: the slinger. Vegan chili, onions, cheese, potatoes, scrambled egg. Num!

Robin had the always popular chorizo pot pie.

Joe had biscuits and gravy, and Jackie had stuffed french toast.




Num num num!

Also, non-food related but kind of a big deal, Obama passed some pretty neat legislation last week. Read about it here for a basic run-down. I work at a clinic that primarily serves Latinos, so it is definitely a hot topic of conversation in my life. Given the fact I thought I posted this last week, I'm a little late but hey - still pretty fascinating.

Abby and Adam's Wedding Weekend

There was no cooking, but a lot of delicious food. And most importantly, there was the wedding of great friends who are perfect for one another. And a great live band, dancing, great food and a number of other people I love. All that to say, it was lovely.

Summer Pasta

We have had a couple of great pasta dishes this week. First, Phoebe and Nick brought all the ingredients for a tofu/broccoli/garlic penne pasta. We sautéed the tofu, added broccoli and garlic, and tossed it all with penne.

Next,I made a Caprese pasta salad.you can't go wrong with fresh basil, a locally grown tomato, and some white balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Non-food related, but on Monday we got to share our Caprese salad with Mr. C. In addition, we took a stroll and made good use of the swings and kids fountain. I am in love with this kid - so giggly and fun. 2 1/2 might be his best age yet (his mom might not agree, but we get to give him back ;) ).

Gertie's Post

Healthy Pup Breakfast:
This is a great way to start your summer day on a healthy, colorful note:

1 Cup Acana Grasslands kibble
Fresh strawberries, sliced (ask parents for help since they have thumbs)

Arrange the strawberry slices and enjoy for a second before devouring everything without chewing or breathing. Actually, I took a little more time so I could make sure to save one of the strawberry slices for last ;)

Yup, summer's been pretty great so far. At the end of a fun day hiking with my backpack, cruisin' the Farmers' Market, or playing at the dog park, I like to kick my feet up and snooze...

(Mountains beyond Gertie feet beyond mountains)

 Bye friends!
-Gertie

Sweet Potato Salad

It feels like summer for certain in St. Louis today - a good day for a barbecue. And while I love potato salad, I love sweet potatoes even more. So here's my take on potato salad, with - you guessed it - sweet potato and kale. I tasted it before adding kale, and it was lovely so if you don't like kale, just leave it out.

Ingredients:
-4 medium sweet potatoes
-3 Yukon gold potatoes
-1 onion, chopped
-1 orange bell pepper, chopped
-olive oil (~5 tablespoons)
-jalapeño slices
-lemon juice
-garlic
-cilantro

First, steam the potatoes. While they steam, sautée the onion as long as you can stand it. For the dressing, blend all of the liquid ingredients, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeños.

When the potatoes are done, add the pepper, chopped kale, and dressing. You can eat it warm or chill it. Happy summer weekend!