Avocado 'Mayonnaise' (or Egg-Free, Vegan Mayonnaise) - the perfect condiment for Memorial Day cookouts!

Matt and I are now firmly entering into the preparation stages for our upcoming move. It's exciting (our first time in a real place - with spare rooms, stairs, and a real lawn!) and a little stressful (we'll be packing and moving everything ourselves) but let's be honest, it hasn't really left me a lot of time for blogging.

Thank goodness, then, that today's recipe is ultra-short and super-simple. In fact, it only has two ingredients, but don't let that fool you, it's big on taste and a perfect accompaniment to all those juicy burgers - of the beef, veggie, or portobello variety - that you'll be grilling for Memorial Day this weekend!

Avocado 'mayonnaise' may sound a little unusual, but it's a great, natural alternative to the regular kind - filled with healthier fats and also perfectly appropriate for vegans. The flavor is surprisingly similar - especially when spread on burgers or in sandwiches. It's also great with Mexican food, and if you're a bit skeptical, you can think of it like extra smooth and creamy guacamole!

I happened upon this tasty condiment when I was preparing some super-ripe avocados for freezing - you'll notice that the preparation method is almost identical, which also means that you can make a big batch and freeze the leftovers without any issues (they'll keep in the fridge for a couple of days, but anything beyond that and I recommend freezing).

Whether you're not a fan of regular mayonnaise, just sick of buying it, or want to try out a new use for avocados, give this 'mayonnaise' a try - you won't be disappointed.

Easy Avocado Mayonnaise

Ripe avocado, seed and skin removed
Lime or Lemon juice (1 Tablespoon per avocado)
Salt, to taste

In a blender (I use my mock Magic Bullet) blend avocado flesh until smooth and creamy. Add 1 Tablespoon of lime or lemon juice (lime is recommended) for each avocado blended. Blend again until mixture is light and smooth - it should be somewhat frothy. Add salt to taste. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. Enjoy as you would regular mayonnaise - on sandwiches or burgers, or as a condiment for mexican food, pasta, or baked potatoes. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

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Pinned There, Done That: Grow Your Own Green Onions!

It's Springtime - and that means lots of green, growing things. To be honest, it's felt like spring for weeks around here, but now that the dogwood tree outside our apartment is in full bloom (it's one of my favorite trees - how lucky am I!), I know that the warm, sunny days and increasingly temperate evenings are here to stay.

I love this time of year, when the world wakes up after winter and we can slowly peel off our layers and enjoy the sunshine. I love the first sign of buds on a tree, and the way even the most desolate places spring to life at the promise of warm, wet days (believe me, I spent a few years in the desert in Arizona, and spring there is just as much a marvel as it is on the verdant East Coast).

Ever since I was a child, I've loved growing things - which is why I'm doubly disappointed to have somehow ended up with two black thumbs! I nurtured gardens all through childhood, with great success, but somehow my skill with plants must have gotten lost with my baby teeth...until now.  Early in the year, I decided to give my green thumbs a second chance. That may have been a bit ambitious, given that Matt and I don't have so much as a patch of dirt to our names, but thanks to this simple project, I'm off to a pretty good start.

I've shared my admittedly checkered gardening past because I want to convince you just how easy it is to grown your own green onions. If I can do it, anyone can. And we have Pinterest to show us how!

The Pinspiration:

The Product:

So here's how to grow your own onions:
1. Using your last ever bunch of store-bought green onions, cut off the green flesh, leaving about two inches of white flesh above the root (I cut mine a little too short and they grew more slowly as a result).

2. Fill a shallow glass container with enough water to just submerge the roots and stand the cut onions in the water (you may need to bundle the onions with an elastic band to get the to stay upright at first).

3. Change the water daily and keep your onions in a sunny place. You should see growth within the first day or two.

4. Continue to water the onions daily until they're long enough to harvest. You can repeat the process as often as your onions will keep growing. You may need to start afresh after a few cycles.

From start to salad, it took me about three weeks to grown my onions (I'm sorry I don't have a final picture - we were hungry!), but your timeline may vary depending on light conditions and such. Also, although my onions grew just fine in a Mason jar, I don't think I'd recommend it. A few onions seemed 'stunted' by the sides of the jar - although that could just be the lingering influence of my black thumbs!

How to Freeze Avocado

Did you know that you can freeze avocados? Until last week, I didn't either - and the discovery came just in the nick of time.

You see, I have a little avocado addiction. Every time I have a salad, I scoop the flesh of half an avocado into it. It works as a great substitute for salad dressing, adding some much appreciated flavor and a helping of healthy fats without any unusual chemicals or unwanted oiliness. I buy up handfuls of avocados when the price is good, ripening them one by one on my kitchen counter and keeping the others in the fridge until they're needed. This system works well as long as I keep eating them, but last week's stomach flu left me with no appetite and a bowlful of overripe avocados.

Even without the flu, it can be tough to catch an avocado when it's perfectly ripe. I'm sure some of you have been there - you poke and prod your avocado, thinking you have a few days before it reaches peak softness and then, suddenly, it's going downhill fast and you're desperately trying to figure out ways to add guacamole to every meal.

I couldn't bear the thought of wasting one more of these gorgeous green gems, so I decided to give freezing a try. After a few minutes on the internet, I came up with the following method - which I can honestly say is pretty amazing. The avocado is pureed and combined with lime juice (to prevent oxidation), so its use will be slightly limited, but it's still great thawed over salads, stirred into guacamole, or eaten, as is, with tortilla chips.

The best part: you're only three steps away from never having to waste another avocado again!

Step 1. Scoop avocado flesh into a blender and combine with 1 Tablespoon lime (or lemon) juice for each avocado. Puree until the mixture is smooth (this also helps distribute the lime just evenly, so your avocado won't turn brown).

Step 2. Spoon into airtight containers or resealable bags (folding the top of the bag over, as shown above, will prevent the seal from becoming dirty during this process). Seal bags, removing as much air as possible. Using a pair of chopsticks, create a grid of indentations (as shown below) in the unfrozen avocado. This will make it easier to remove and thaw the frozen avocado as you need it.

Step 3. Place on a flat surface in the freezer until avocado is frozen solid. To use, 'break' off as many sections of avocado as you require and return the rest to the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator (you can thaw at room temperature, but the avocado may brown slightly - if you need to speed the process, try stirring the frozen avocado).

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Indulgent Vegan Chocolate Mousse

This recipe began its life as a vegan frosting, over at Chocolate Covered Katie (you can check out my take on the original recipe here), but pop it in the fridge overnight and, voila, you have vegan chocolate mousse! While it's good as a frosting, it's great as a mousse, so it's a wonderful surprise that this transformation is as simple as a little bit of extra time in the fridge (and just a tiny little tweak of the ingredients).

The texture of the mousse is as light and airy as the non-vegan versions that contain things like egg yolks or gelatin. Be sure to serve it chilled, though, since the mousse softens slightly as it warms. The hands-on time for this dessert is ridiculously low (though you will have to exercise your patience while it chills), so it makes a great, simple finish to an elaborate dinner.

Divine Vegan Chocolate Frosting

I was looking through my recent posts yesterday and noticed something a little upsetting - it's been a while since I featured any chocolate on the blog. Given the usually faithful presence of chocolate in my life, this is a sad thing - but fret no more, I'm here to remedy that deficiency.

The truth is, I've been trying to eat a little healthier lately which, for me, means less baking. It's a sad, sad fact. Which is why it's a good thing that this treat doesn't need much justification, and absolutely no baking at all (I'm good at loopholes, no?). In fact, it's made with such wholesome ingredients, and so little added sugar, that it might even be considered healthy (am I pressing my luck yet?).

This recipe comes to us from the lovely and endlessly creative Chocolate Covered Katie (isn't this girl just the queen of raw and vegan desserts?). She serves hers as frosting shots, modeled after the trendy treat from Sprinkles Cupcakes, but whether you scoop it out of a shot glass or use it to top a rich, vegan chocolate cake, this confection is equally divine.

Do we have time for a little confession? Okay, so the frosting pictured here never actually made it into cute little shot glasses (I had another plan for it - which I'll reveal tomorrow), but I can attest to the fact that it tastes good by the spoonful, too.

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash (the easy way!)

From Valentine cookies to...spaghetti squash? Well, life is about balance after all, and if you baked, whipped, and frosted along with me last week, you're gonna need some veggies in your life right about now. And where better to start that with a veggie that doesn't feel like a veggie.? I mean, it's all in the name: it looks like spaghetti, it feels like spaghetti, and with a bit of sauce it even tastes like spaghetti...and all for a fraction of the calories.

In my experience, I lot of people are intimidated by spaghetti squash - and that's somewhat understandable; many varieties of squash require hours of oven or stovetop cooking to render them soft enough to be edible, but if you have a microwave, you can prepare a delicious bowl full of spaghetti squash in less that 15 minutes - about the same amount of time it takes to boil a pot of ordinary pasta!

I like to use spaghetti squash as a lower calorie alternative on those nights when Matt comes home craving a vat of starchy noodles. Half a squash will more than fill me - and all for about 40 calories per cup, (versus 200 for pasta!). Just like its namesake, it's a real blank canvas and pairs well with all kinds of meats and sauces. Leftovers will keep for a few days in the fridge or can be frozen.

If you've never tried spaghetti squash before, you're probably pretty excited right now, so let me share some more big news - I actually remembered to take step-by-step photos this time. This may be the first time that's ever happened, so what was going to be a spaghetti squash recipe is now a spaghetti squash tutorial.

I'm A Believer (Roasted) Brussels Sprouts

You don't want to miss this! Today, the world's most maligned vegetable gets a make-over. That's right, I'm talking about brussels sprouts, and today's recipe as is near to fool-proof as these miniature cabbages can get.

I tackled roasted cabbage a couple of weeks ago, and this recipe is very similar. In my opinion, though, it's much better. But then again, I don't take much convincing when it comes to brussels sprouts. Perhaps it's my British upbringing (brussels sprouts are a regular fixture of Sunday Roasts, along with Yorkshire Puddings and England's legendary roast potatoes) or perhaps it's because I don't have a problem with too many veggies (green peppers excepted), but I've always loved these mini cabbage look-alikes. Of course, most brussels sprouts are eaten boiled - and that's the big mistake. Believe it or not, brussels sprouts are my favorite veggie when cooked this way. You may be skeptical, but once you figure out how to roast them, you'll be a believer, too!

Roasted Cabbage with Lemon and Garlic

Remember those resolutions from yesterday? Well, I'm diving into action today with what I hope is only the first of many veggie recipes to come. Of course, I couldn't make it easy on myself with some nice glazed carrots or a green bean casserole. Nope, I had to choose a controversial one - I had to choose cabbage.

Apart from its often-pungent smell, I'm not sure why this veggie gets a bad rap. Its flavor isn't really that strong and its texture can be transformed from crisp and crunchy, to soft and pliable, depending on the method and length of cooking. I may be picky when it comes to peppers and olives, but I've never met a cabbage I didn't like. That being said, some preparations are certainly less palatable than others (sauerkraut, anyone?) and I sort of understand when people say they have trouble getting past the smell.

While this recipe isn't guaranteed to be odor-free, it is guaranteed delicious. Even cabbage-hating friends have been wooed by the crisp, golden inoffensiveness of a roasted cabbage. And the addition of lemon and garlic adds a bit of unexpected flavor. I always think roasted veggies are perfect for winter, and cabbage is a good source of vitamin C - which is a nice bonus for those, like me, fighting off seasonal nasties.

Roasted Cabbage with Lemon and Garlic
1 medium head cabbage, cored and cut into thick wedges
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)
1 clove garlic, crushed and finely minced (optional)
Coarse salt and ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and brush with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Brush cabbage wedges with olive oil mixture (be careful as they tend to fall apart - if it helps, you can leave a bit of the core in until after cooking!) and place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until cabbage is tender and edges are browned (don't be alarmed if some of the edges appear slightly burnt - that's where the flavor is!), about 20-30 minutes. If you're feeling brave, flip your wedges half way through for more even browning. Serve as a side dish or as an unexpected salad alternative.

A few notes: The trickiest part of this whole recipe is getting your cabbage wedges to stay together (and as you can see above, I wasn't entirely successful). You can leave a bit of the core in, as mentioned, but just remember to remove before serving as it may still be tough and inedible! Don't worry too much if your wedges fall apart - they may not look pretty, but they'll still taste good.

Personally, I prefer this recipe without the hint of lemon. But then again, I already love cabbage. If you're not sure, cut the amount of lemon to 1 teaspoon or try half with and half without. Don't worry, this recipe makes a lot of cabbage! For those who like to experiment, I could see this going well with a splash of balsamic vinegar, or maybe even a reduction. Meat eaters may want to sprinkle it with bits of bacon. Cabbage is a great blank canvas, so have some fun with it!

No-Cook Pumpkin Overnight Oatmeal

It may already be December - the month of peppermint, gingerbread, and eggnog - but in our house, it's still pumpkin season. Of course, that's mostly because I finally got around to cooking the bigger of our two pumpkins this past weekend. I know, I know, I'm a little behind the times, but considering the fate of last year's pumpkin (a.k.a The Pumpkin of Shame), I think I'm doing pretty well.

Although I'm not averse to using canned pumpkin, I love to make my own puree and I pick out a couple of pumpkins for that purpose every year. This year, one large pumpkin and one pie pumpkin (the flesh of the smaller, 'pie' or 'sugar' pumpkins is usually sweeter) were chosen to make the transformation from pumpkin to puree.

Unfortunately, the cleaning, cooking, and pureeing process can be laborious and messy (all those stringy insides and slippery seeds - and then you have to wait hours for the rinds to cook in the oven!) so I usually try to have a bit of fun with our pumpkins first. Since traditional carving makes the inner flesh unusable, I usually stick to relief carving - and cut into the pumpkins only a few days before I intend to cook them.

Coco for Coconut Oil!

You may have noticed a lot of coconut oil sneaking into recipes on this blog lately. Matt's mom gave us a big jar during our recent visit and I've been taking every opportunity to try it out since. It was great in my Black Bean Brownies, added a bit of Asian flair to some beef-and-broccoli, and totally transformed a Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. The oil may seem a little pricey, but a little goes a long way - I've been able to reduce the amount of fat called for in some recipes and still have more than half a jar left!

The appeal of coconut oil isn't just it's slightly tropical flavor - it also has numerous health benefits. It's high in lauric acid, a natural antibacterial and antiviral agent which helps the body fight diseases. It also protects cardiovascular function by helping to prevent high blood pressure and cholesterol. In addition the medium-chain triglycerides in coconut oil are also thought to aid weight loss and thyroid function, while antioxidants keep hair, skin and nails healthy. Doesn't it sound great?

I-Can't-Believe-There's-No-Butter: Accidentally Vegan, Intentionally Delicious Chocolate Cake

I'm well aware that I've been posting a lot of sweet and guilty recipes lately, so I thought I'd try to balance it out a little by posting one that only looks sweet and guilty.  Well, it's still sweet but this rich chocolate cake has a healthy little secret - it's vegan.  I'm a bit ashamed to say that this is the first consciously vegan recipe I've ever tried and, yes, it comes from that standard of vegan cookery, the "Veganomicon" (by way of Kim O'Donnel's blog for the Washington Post).  I'm also ashamed to say that I tried it by accident - but I'll certainly be making it on purpose in the future.

And this awful picture is the only one I got of this delicious cake! I wish it did it justice...

How exactly does one make a vegan cake, or any cake, by accident? Well, you see, Matt and I decided to have some friends over on a whim one night last week, and I'm the kind of hostess who always wants to have something sweet and tasty to serve her guests - mostly because I like to eat sweet, tasty things, and it gives me an excuse to bake more frequently.  You've already heard, more than once, that we only have bread flour left in the house (before this move is over, I could probably write a whole book of recipes using only bread flour) but we've also run out of eggs and butter, so now baking requires some serious determination and creativity.