Salted Caramel Chocolate Cashews

Is it wrong to make chocolate treats for dinner instead of...actual dinner? I should think not. My biggest issue with this is not that I eat my weight in chocolate (surprisingly) or deprive myself of nutrients not found in chocolate alone. No, it's that I won't have a lunch for work the following day. For example, today's lunch is corn tortillas and a can of black beans...and I didn't even bring a can opener. Who does that?! It's all in the name of chocolate. And speaking of chocolate...Valentine's Day might be my favorite holiday. You thought I forgot, huh? Alas, I'm not even remotely romantic. I grew up with two brothers, the vast majority of my friends are of the male variety, and I'm more tomboy than prettygirl. But if there's two things I love, it's flowers and unexpectedly receiving chocolate goodies. Arguably the things to recieve on this blessed, blessed holiday. 

I don't care if it's over-commercialized. Seriously, what isn't? No really, I really want to know. A day of celebrating love (let's not forget flowers and chocolate) is a pretty radical day in my book. I'm down for that. Plus, my favorite color might be pink. It's a win, win, win, win!

This recipe is a win, too. These little guys are absolutely delectable. I got the idea from a friend who told me her husband buys her a huge bin of those salted chocolate cashew clusters from Costco on Valentine's Day. That's pretty awesome. I decided to add a little date of nature's chewy caramel to them because, let's be real, caramel deserves to include itself in anything and everything. Also, nothing is as good as it could be if it's not salted. It's a fact. Seriously. 

These are scrumptious little cashews, wrapped in chewy caramel dates and dipped in smooth chocolate, all finished with a sprinkle of flake salt. 

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cashews 

Makes about 50 balls (about 1 1/2 cups)

• 3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 Tbsp. non-dairy creamer or milk (I used hazelnut Silk creamer)
• 8 medjool dates, pitted
• 1/2 cup raw whole cashews (about 50 nuts)
• flake salt for topping

In a small pot, bring about 1 inch of water to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low and place a small, heat-safe bowl over the pot of water. Add the chocolate and the creamer to the bowl to melt. Stirring occasionally, melt the chocolate then remove from heat but keep the bowl over the pot. 

Meanwhile, pit the dates. Cut in half and then cut each half into thirds. There should be six pieces to each date. 

Take one cashew and wrap one piece of the date around it, like they're hugging, to make a ball. Continue with the remaining date pieces. 

Prepare a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Dip the cashew/date ball in the chocolate to coat and place on the parchment paper. 

Sprinkle the top with salt and continue with remaining balls. 

Freeze for 15 minutes to harden. Store in airtight container in freezer. 

As I was cleaning, I moved the curtain and to my squealing delight I found this guy hiding! I felt so bad because I didn't know he was growing back there and he was so thirsty! Poor little fella. It's a Valentine's Day miracle! 

Can you see me?

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[yumprint-recipe id='77']

Red Potato and Beet Bourguignon

For the last week, I've been going to bed at about 8:30 pm and am still waking up completely and utterly exhausted and depleted. I think our galeforce winds are sucking the life from me...like a Dilbert cartoon or something. Mother Nature is being a real monster.

I can see it, my soul being ripped from me and carried on the winds to god knows where. I need snow and I need to be outside. Neither of which I've been fortunate enough to enjoy for the last week or so. It's no way to live, people. It's no way to live.

My restlessness has been burgeoning, but now it seems to have imploded. I'm like a caged animal! 

Anyways, irritability has seeped into even my grocery shopping! Normally, a bourguignon has pearl onions in it. If you're a skrillionmillionaire, then go ahead and saute them with the mushrooms. I decided not to drain my 401k, and so I left the tiny $6 pack of pearl onions at the store. Annoyed, as I stood there staring at the expensive little cuties, I concluded that my bourguignon would be fine without them. 

Despite the absence of pearl onions, this bourguignon is rich with flavor. Hearty chunks of beets and red potatoes mingle with thick slices of portobello mushrooms and meaty lentils for a filling meal.

Isn't it odd what we decide to spend our money on? $16 vegan Omega-3 supplements, yes. $9 vegan and cruelty-free deodorant, yes. $6 pack of pearl onions...over my dead body!! It's intriguing, because usually with fruits and vegetables I'm pretty liberal with my spending. Except for grapes. What, did I recently win the lottery recently or something?!

Red Potato and Beet Bourguignon 

Serves 6

Notes: If you'd like this more stew like, just double the wine and vegetable stock.

• Lentils:
• 2 cups green or brown lentils, dry
• 4 cups water
• Sustenance: 
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 medium beets, peeled and chopped
• 4 medium red potatoes, chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• Flavoring:
• 8 oz. red wine
• 16 oz. vegetable stock
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 
• Mushrooms:
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 large portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 10 crimini mushrooms, quartered
• Thickening:
• 2 tsp. arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
• 1 Tbsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils and water. Over high heat, bring to a boil. Then, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until almost tender. Drain and set aside. 

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onion and garlic. Saute a few minutes, until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add in the remaining sustenance ingredients and cook for 5 additional minutes. Add in the flavoring ingredients and continue to cook, covered, for 20 more minutes. 

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add in the mushrooms. Saute for about 5 minutes over medium-low, until shrunken and dark and all the water has evaporated.

In a small bowl, mix together the thickening ingredients then pour into the soup pot and stir to combine.

Add the cooked lentils and mushrooms to the soup pot and stir.

Remove bay leaves and serve hot!  Top with nutritional yeast if you like. 

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[yumprint-recipe id='76'] 

Grecian Kalamata Pasta

TGIF, yes? Gahhh, I am officially "poo-pooing" this entire week, Madeline style. Unfortunately, there won't be any playing outside this weekend. We have absolutely zero snow, 80 mph winds, and an air-quality advisory. Poo poo! Looks like it will be a weekend filled with homemade bagel baking, yogilates, Game of Thrones reading, and Modern Family watching. That actually doesn't sound too bad. You know what else doesn't sound bad? This Grecian Kalamata Pasta. It's a filling pasta dish with Greek flair, including Kalamata olives, Roma tomatoes, and spinach. Lentils give it a hefty protein boost. 

Also, I really like this Greek proverb so I thought I would share with you. 

Isn't that nice?

Grecian Kalamata Pasta    

Serves 8

Notes: Be sure to save 1/4 cup of the pasta water for the sauce. Avoid red lentils for this dish, as they wouldn't hold up as well as brown or green.

• Sustenance: 
• 1/2 cup brown or green lentils, dry
• 1 cup water
• 16 oz. pasta (penne or similar), dry
• Sauce:
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• Goodies:
• 3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped (save innards and seeds)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 6 oz. fresh spinach (3 large handfuls), rough chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, diced
• 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

In a small saucepan, bring the lentils and water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and allow to cook for about 25 minutes, or until the tender. Drain and set aside.

Bring a large saucepan full of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Add pasta and cook according to package for al dente pasta. You will want it slightly undercooked for this recipe. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the water and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a food processor add the sauce ingredients and blend until smooth.

Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the innards with a spoon. Add only the innards to the processor and blend until well incorporated. 

In a large frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Add in the goodie ingredients except for the olives and walnuts. Saute until the onions are browned. Cover with a lid for a minute or two during, to wilt the spinach. 

Add the lentils, sauce, goodies, olives, walnuts, and reserved pasta water to the cooked and drained pasta. Stir well to coat. 

Serve hot!

I like this calming song: 

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[yumprint-recipe id='75']