Veggie Burgers Galore!

Recently, I've had the opportunity to try some really tasty veggie burgers from several companies.

The above burger is by Sweet Earth Natural Foods, a wonderful company based in Moss Landing, CA.  http://www.sweetearthfoods.com/
The above burger was served with pickled onions and feta cheese on a pretzel bun.

This burger has some delicious Columbus-based Krazy Kraut, pickled onions, and banana peppers.  Check out Krazy Kraut at the following link: http://fermentedkrazykraut.com/

Roasted Root Vegetables

When searching for an inexpensive and healthy side dish, search no further than root vegetables.  These onions, sweet potatoes, carrots, and turnips were roughly cut and then drizzled with olive oil and fresh cracked sea salt and black pepper.

In the Food Pope's opinion, a pyrex pan works best for even cooking.

A 400 degree oven for 45-50 minutes is all it takes!

Fresh Cut Fair Fries

Last month I had the opportunity to enjoy a basket of some of my favorite fries around.  Fresh cut and deep fried in peanut oil, I've been enjoying these fries at the Franklin Apple Festival each year because of their delicious, crispy texture which makes them perfect with tons of Heinz ketchup and a bit of salt.

Of the many delicious fair food items available at the festival, fries are by and large the best!

Free Range Turkey

For the Thanksgiving holiday I'm excited that I don't have to prepare the meal.  While I love cooking and enjoy the process of making a range of side dishes, desserts, and entrees for everyone to enjoy, it's always very nice to occasionally not have to worry about cooking and just sit back and eat.

While I was visiting the Worthington Farmer's Market this weekend, I chanced upon some fresh free-range turkeys for sale.  At a future holiday gathering, I hope to have the opportunity to purchase and prepare one of these ethically raised and killed turkeys from Ohio.

November Tomatoes

To my utter disbelief, I walked outside yesterday to find a wide variety of cherry tomatoes still alive and well on the plants I had planted in May.  While I usually think of the beginning of October as the end of Ohio's growing season,  the below tomatoes suggest otherwise.

My concern that the tomatoes would be flavorless was quickly dispelled when I arranged several on a salad.  They were sweet and flavorful; far better than anything available at the supermarket this time of year.

Light, Healthy, and Delish!

After enjoying stuffed grapes leaves at a local restaurant several weeks ago, I decided to try my hand at making them at home.  My recipe needs a little tweaking, but the stuffed grape leaves still ended up being really tasty!

Start with cooked barley.  To view a simple recipe for cooking pearl barley, visit http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-barley-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-198693

To your cooked barley, add olive oil, lemon juice, small cubes of feta cheese, and parsley.  Mix thoroughly and let the fun begin!

Grape leaves can be found at most Middle Eastern and Mediterranean markets.  They come tightly packed in salt water so be sure to remove them carefully from the jar so they remain in-tact.

 

Take a spoonful or two of the barley salad you prepared and place in the center of a grape leaf.  Begin rolling by folding both sides inward.

 Once the sides of the grape leaves are rolled inward, begin rolling the grape leaf from the back and moving forward.  The resulting stuffed grape leaf should look like a small cigar.  Place in a small glass container with the others you made and drizzle with olive oil to enjoy right away or later!

Simple Hummus

Most grocery stores sell pre-made hummus that is tasty and great in a pinch.  However, the best hummus is the hummus one makes her or himself from tasty, easily found ingredients.

To prepare a quick, simple hummus that fits almost any budget, you'll need the following ingredients:

Ingredients:
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 heaping Tbs. tahini* (available at most Middle Eastern markets and many grocery stores)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lemon, squeezed with seeds extracted from juice
3 Tbs. olive oil

Instructions:
Mash the chickpeas either using a fork or food processor--mashing by hand takes longer but I think the resulting hummus actually tastes better :)

Transfer the mashed chickpeas into a bowl and add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.  Mix vigorously.

Serve with flat bread.

*tahini is sesame-seed paste