Salade de carottes à l'eau de fleur d’oranger

Salade de carottes à l'eau de fleur d’oranger
(aka Carrot Salad with Orange Blossom Water)



I made this Moroccan dish last night to accompany some salmon that I put on the BBQ. I loved it, but Lucas didn't like the scent of the orange blossom water. He said it smelled like perfume and not something he should eat. Ah well.

I thought it was delicious!

Ingredients :

600g of carrots (1.3 lbs)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons orange blossom water (purchased at local Indian grocer)
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
frech chopped flat leaf parsley and cilantro leaves to garnish

Method:
Peel the carrots and cut them in half and lengthwise. Put them in a pot with just enough water to cover them, 1/2 the garlic, and the sugar. Boil until just tender. Drain.
While the carrots are boiling, mix together the olive oil, orange blossom water, remaining garlic, and pepper. Return the carrots to the pot with this mixture and sauté over low heat for a few minutes to combine the flavors.
Remove from heat, put in a serving dish, and mix with the chopped parsley and cilantro.

Yummy. Yum. Yum.

Recipe and Picture Source: http://www.la-cuisine-marocaine.com/recettes/entrees-froides-173.html

Two things that make me happy ...

Beers ... and a quick veggie patty melt!


So, there's a Polish supermarket a couple of blocks from my house that has a beer section that is just awe-inspiring. ;) They have beers from nearly every country in the world that makes beer. They even had the beer I had in Casablanca, Morocco (pictured above)! I also picked up the Zywiec Porter which is a delightful brown-sugary dark beer with 9.5% alcohol. tee hee hee.

I made this delicious, quick, and low-fat veggie patty melt for dinner yesterday to accompany my Casablanca beer.

I was quite pleased with the results.

Ingredients:
1 Boca® burger patty (or other veggie patty)
1 yellow onion, sliced in thin strips
olive oil to fry onion
1 slice 2% white American cheese
2 slices bread
mustard

Preparation:
1. Sauté the onion in a bit of olive oil until it's brown. Mmm.
2. Microwave your veggie patty and toast your bread
3. Spread mustard on toast and layer burger, cheese, onions.
4. Serve with your fave side and a nice cold beer.

MMmmmmm.

Blueberry Yogurt Bran Muffins!

Lower fat and delicious! I made these on Saturday morning and after having a bunch of friends over on Saturday night - they were gone!

Recipe Source: http://www.recipezaar.com/86793

Ingredients:
400 g any flavour yogurt (about 14 oz ... I used low fat plain)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup brown sugar (increase to 1 cup if you prefer sweeter muffins)
2 large eggs
1 cup oil (or 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup apple sauce)
2 cups natural bran (not cereal, the real wheat bran)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour (can be white or whole wheat)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup blueberries (I always use about 2 cups, I like lots of blueberries in my muffins)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven 350°.
2. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or spray with Pam.
3. Measure yogurt into medium bowl and mix in baking soda, it will foam and it is supposed too; set aside.
4. In a large bowl beat together sugar, eggs and oil.
5. Add bran and vanilla.
6. In a separate bowl mix together flour and baking powder.
7. Gradually add the flour and yogurt mixtures alternately to the sugar mixture.
8. Fold in blueberries.
9. Bake 20-35 minutes.
10. Makes 12 very large muffins or 18 large muffins. (For real - It made 12 good size muffins and an entire tray of the mini muffins! yay!)