I LOVE to Cook!!!

I have been in the kitchen lately creating new recipes! I love to invent, if you will, new tastes and recipes. Lots of new ones to follow!!

Nancy's Chicken Quinoa Salad

Nancy's Chicken Quinoa Salad

3 cups cooked and cooled quinoa

2 cooked chicken breasts (diced)
2 zucchini (diced)
1 slice red onion (diced) or more if you like
2 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2-3 TB olive oil
1 tsp thyme
2 basil leaves cut in strips
10 cherry tomatoes (halved)
salt and pepper (I used sea salt and a pepper grinder)
add a few pine nuts to the top (optional)

Put all ingredients in a big bowl and mix well. Taste to see if you need more of any seasoning. Make it your own!

Roasted Cauliflower/Tomatoes/Chicken and Quinoa Pasta

I made this tonight! Inspired by my weekend with my friend Celeste. We had roasted cauliflower at a cute Bistro and she told me how she roasts her tomatoes. I did both and put them together. This was so DELISH!

1 large head of cauliflower pulled apart
15 cherry tomatoes (halved)
2 cooked chicken breasts cubed
1 cup quinoa pasta (cooked)
olive oil and seasonings
1 minced garlic clove

Place cauliflower and a 2 TB. olive oil and seasonings (I like 21 seasoning salute from Trader Joe's) and the minced garlic in a large bowl and coat by hand each piece well.
Transfer to a baking sheet and bake at 375F for about 20 minutes turning at least once to make sure it browns on both sides.

Same method for the tomatoes except use 1 tablespoon olive oil.
You can roast both at the same time on the same baking sheet. One on each side. I stuck it under the broiler for a few minutes watching carefully to brown it up even more after the first 20 minutes.

This makes two servings. Divide the quinoa pasta by 1/2 cup servings and place in 2 shallow salad bowls. Top with cauliflower, tomatoes, add 1 cut up chicken breast to each bowl. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and about one tablespoon balsamic vinegar to each. Salt and pepper to taste. (thought) Wouldn't roasted garlic be so good on it as well? Next time!

Nancy's Breakfast Cookies

NANCY'S BREAKFAST COOKIES

Makes about 14 or 15

1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup of quinoa flakes
1/2 cup unsweetened raw shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup pistachio nuts (shelled)
1/4 cup raw almonds
2 TB. flax seeds
1/3 cup dried cranberries (this is the only thing that has a little sugar in it)
1/2 scoop pea protein powder (optional)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cups ~plus~ 2 TB coconut oil (melted)
3 ripe bananas smashed really good

Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combing the oats, quinoa flakes, coconut, nuts, seeds, protein powder, salt and cranberries. Mix with spoon. In another bowl:
Melt the coconut oil and add it to your smashed bananas. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix well. Form the cookies with your hands. Place on parchment paper and smash down a bit making sure they keep their shape.
Bake cookies 25 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.

Way Way Way Out of My Comfy Zone!

Last night I went way out of my comfort zone. I was up past my bedtime, hung with the youth and listened to the "F" bomb get thrown around like a ball! I stood up in front of this amazing crowd of poets and artists to read a poem that I had written.  My heart pounded in my frame as I stood alone. I felt eyes piercing through my flesh. Silence. I felt a sense of power and strength I did not know was in me. I was inspired and encouraged by everyone I met. I enjoyed all of the creative souls and their words so deep. After everyone read their poetry Aaron Samuels spoke and read some of his poetry. So deep. So moving. His passion spilled over the room like a gush of warm water. I bought his book.
YARMULKES & FITTED CAPS. 
  
I am not the same person who pulled up to that curb. I left her far far behind!

Spirit Train

Towering timbers. Rails on high.

You thunder. By and by.

Standing here. Waiting here.

I hear you coming. Down the tracks.

You thunder. By and by.

I want to hear you pass over me.

I hear you coming. Down the tracks.

Closed eyes. Standing here.

I want to feel you pass over me.

Quivering. Pounding. Shaking.

Closed eyes. Standing here.

Pounding echos deep within.

Quivering. Pounding. Shaking.

I feel Your POWER. I feel Your STRENGTH.

Pounding echos deep within.

Spirit train passing through my soul.

I feel Your POWER. I feel Your STRENGTH.

Standing here. Waiting here.

Spirit train passing through my soul.

Towering timbers. Rails on high.

~Nancy Craig~
© 11-14-13

Look at those lips!! Funny! I am sure I was saying the line,

waiting here by the shape of my mouth!

APPLES~APPLES~APPLE BUTTER!!!!!

Today I canned my apple butter for the year. It is a two day process....or three if you include the day I made the applesauce. I roast the applesauce with sugar and my secret seasonings all day long and then process it the next day. 

Digging Even Deeper!

About fourteen years ago my husband and I were at a Farmer's Market in Southern California shopping, snacking and enjoying the festivities. We strolled up and down the lanes of arts and crafts taking our time weaving in and out of the crowds when we came upon a flutist. I stopped dead in my tracks and was drawn in....mesmerized. I closed my eyes and just let the tones pierce through my soul. I stood in that same spot for almost an hour. I went home with the CD. (Fast forward)
On a road trip my husband and I came upon an Indian Reservation in the state of Oklahoma. They sold flutes. And yes, I bought one with intentions of playing it.  (Fast forward again) It has been about six years now that I bought that flute which I never learned to play. Still having the desire but not moving forward on my yearning. Well, last night I went to a class taught by the Native American Flutist, Peter Ali. Peter, whose heritage is of the Yaqui tribe of Sonora Mexico and is a self-taught flutist whose music comes straight from his heart. I learned so much and enjoyed the class tremendously.

Letting My Imagination Run Wild!

Just a quick blog to say I have been digging deep into my creative side lately! I have been writing poetry for almost forty years...but never learned how to do it in the right form. This past Sunday I attended my first Poetry Writing Workshop. I LOVED it!! I loved meeting other poets and our instructor was an accomplished poet who has had several poetry books published. His name is James Bertolino. We had four different writing assignments to complete within twenty-thirty minutes each. We each had a turn reading our poems aloud and then we had some discussion and critiquing time.  It was a challenge to write under pressure but I feel I held my own since this was my first time! I am excited about writing again and polishing up some of the poems I have already written.
I am grateful for youtube for having so many videos on poetry. Soooo much to learn! My goal is to read at a Poetry Reading someday!