Geeky Cat Miusings

Earlier this year I decided that I should expand my repertoire of recipes so that I could cook beyond my standard fare of Moroccan chickpea soup and scambled eggs. I do not enjoy eating the same things everyday and I find that not only do I need a variety of foods, but also, a variety of cuisines. I found this resolution was a bit difficult to keep for many months, given my lifestyle, but I felt a renewed commitment to my goal after watching Julia and Julie on the big screen one day late this summer. I did not want to become anything like Julie - I could not imagine how her husband could stand the ordeal she put him through. But my goal was very modest in comparison to her devotion: I decided I would try a new recipe every week. I understood that I needed to make this commitment elastic to accomodate my lifestyle. So I allowed myself to skip a week and do two dishes the next week if it was necessary.

Happily, I have been able to dedicate myself to this fun experiement since August and made the following recipes. Many of them can be found online at one of my favourite gourmet websites, Epicurious.

Butternut squash soup with lemongrass chilli mint - excellent mixture of tastes and very warming
Caramel popcorn with chipotle - yummily addictive
Morrocan Quinoa Butternut Squash - Wonderful!
Mashed Sweet potato with lavender, lime, and cilantro - gorgeous
lavender rice pudding - I absolutely love this
lavender blueberry muffins - needed more lavender. I love lavender, can you tell?
leek, chive, gruyere turnover - very tasty
Thai Jasmine Rice with tempeh - good dish - I’m looking to expand my collection of tempeh recipes since it is supposed to be good for health
Curried Millet, Shiitake, and Corn Salad Restey - very nice
Spanish White Beans with Spinach - okay
Curried Potato and Leek Soup with Spinach - yummy and didn’t need too much richness
Black Bean and Roasted Tomato Soup - good
Whipped Chipotle Sweet Potatoes - yummy and spicy
Red Lentil Soup with Spiced Oil - red lentils are always a winner
Provençal Bok Choy - nice
Braised Turnips with Poppy-Seed Bread Crumbs - A winner

I would like to do at least 52 new recipes, so I have a way to go. Bon Appétit til then!