Sausage-infused Ratatouille

As I was strolling around our local Whole Foods looking for a healthy afternoon snack yesterday, I quickly gave some thought to dinner. So far on the menu we had Brussels sprouts and sausages, and I knew that was not going to cut it. I spotted an eggplant, knowing my husband likes them, and added it to the basket, figuring I could think of specifics later.

It wasn't until I spotted a yellow onion and Roma tomatoes sitting atop my fridge that inspiration struck, and I came up with this ratatouille inspired dish.

I chopped everything up into more or less bite-sized pieces (half-inch to one inch pieces).

As I sat there chopping, thinking about the order in which to cook everything, my eyes fell on this small container of basil-infused olive oil my brother-in-law had brought back from when he was in Italy. I decided it would be the perfect thing to use for this dish.

The onion went in first, cooking for about 5 minutes. Then I added the eggplant and sausage along with some thyme, oregano, and salt. I let that cook for another 10 minutes before I added the tomatoes near the end. The Brussels sprouts had been roasting in coconut oil in the oven (my favorite method), and when they were done, I tossed it all together.

It was a flavor-filled, healthy creation perfect for a grey, soggy night here in New England.

Ingredients:
1 eggplant
1 medium yellow onion
4 Roma tomatoes
4 sausages
2 bags Brussels sprouts
4 Tbsp basil-infused olive oil, separated (use ~2 tsp basil if using regular olive oil)
3 Tbsp coconut oil
~2 tsp thyme
~2 tsp oregano
salt, to taste

Directions:
1. Spread Brussels sprouts over parchment lined sheet tray. Melt coconut oil and pour over sprouts. Put into 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Turn sprouts around with spatula, then roast for another 20 minutes.
2. Chop up the eggplant, onion, tomatoes, and sausages into half-inch to inch thick pieces.
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes, turning frequently to prevent burning.
4. Add the eggplant, sausage, spices, and remaining olive oil to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant and sausages are warm, about 10 minutes.
5. Add in the tomatoes and cook until they are heated through.
6. Toss finished Brussels sprouts with the skillet mixture to complete the dish.

Cooking Fun: Scones, Breads, and Macaroons

I recently began dealing with some food allergies. The good news is that my doctor believes most can be reversed. The bad news is that I have to stay away from pretty much everything for a few months while my body readjusts and can learn to distinguish food from non-food. Pretty much just certain meats and low-carb, low-glycemic veggies for me for a while.

One thing that makes this hard is that I get paid to cook. I'm not chef or anything, but part of my job involved preparing food for hundreds of folks every week. Add to that the fact that my community loves to get together and fellowship over food, and it makes it hard to stay on my limited food regiment.

Take the below items, for instance. One of my good friends is getting married, and I helped organize a surprise tea party for her. I made some cranberry scones and lemon blueberry bread-neither of which I could eat. But don't they look so tasty?

Cranberry scones recipe from Fine and Feathered

Lemon Blueberry Bread recipe from A Muse in My Kitchen

For myself for the party, I found this coconut and chia seed macaroon recipe from Meet the Shannons, and I gave it my own twists based upon my dietary needs. The first time I made it, I replaced the powdered sugar with agave nectar and used half the amount of shredded coconut. It turned out well, but slightly crumbly, like they said.

I decided to try it again, but with a few additional changes. Here's my recipe, which makes 7 macaroons. (I don't like to make large batches because that just means more being left around for me to eat.)

1/2 can coconut milk
1 Tbsp ground chia mixed with 2 Tbsp water for 5 minutes
1/2 tsp Stevia
2 Tbsp coconut flour
1 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut flakes (I eyeball this)

Mixe the milk, chia seeds, Stevia, and flour together until well blended. Then stir in the coconut flakes. On a parchment lined baking sheet, place the loosely formed*, golf-ball sized coconut balls.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Once golden, move them to a cooling rack still on the parchment paper. They will get more firm after cooling.

*I personally like tightly formed balls, but pretty much every recipe will tell you to make them loosely. Part of this reason is so that coconut flakes peak out and get toasted. But I find mine get toasted enough for me my way.

Like the original post pointed out, these are not as firm as store-bought macaroons, but this second batch actually held together better than the first. And since these are the first macaroons I actually like, I'm okay with that.

It was my first time working with Stevia, too. I've read online about others claiming a bad aftertaste with it. I didn't experience that, though maybe it's because I used such a small amount. This second batch is not as sweet as the first, but I need to be careful of my sugar/sweetness cravings anyway, so that's probably a good thing.

Now the question is, which dessert should I try next?

Something old, something new

First, for something new:

No, this isn't my way of announcing a pregnancy :) It's a card for my cousin and her soon-to-arrive second daughter. At a card making session a few weeks ago with friends, I was reminded how much fun it is to create cards rather than always buying them. So I got this idea in my head for her card, and I'm quite happy with how it turned out.

Now for something old. As I want this blog to detail items I make, I wanted to highlight some of my creations which were previously being posted on my last blog. I was quite pleased with how the below items turned out and even going back through my posts, they still make me excited to see what I created.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:

Fun with watercolor

Hellman's Law

Blueberry Swirl Pastries

Family Est. Signs

Wooden picture frame

Etched goblets and painted napkins

These are just a few of the things I have created since last fall, and I'm looking forward to seeing what I may be creating in the next few months!