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Gail Watson

Road Food- The Energy Bar For A Queen

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Well, whaddyaknow, but I am back on the road again. Took a 2500 mile road trip (solo) last weekend down to Southern Florida and back, this weekend I am flying out to Dallas for my Fiancee’s induction into the Women’s Softball Hall of Fame (YES! she IS amazing!!!), and the weekend after that I drive another 1500 mile loop out to Indianapolis.

I will say that road food has improved in some ways in recent years. It’s now possible to get fresh fruit cut and prepared, salad, and non fried meals on the go. It really is wonderful to see these offerings, and even better to see that people are opting for them.

Yet even with these better options, I do my best to take along a snack bag that I can ice down and bring some of my own things. Not only is it cheaper and removes any mystery, it also saves time. I carry fruit and low fat mozzarella sticks, sometimes yogurt in containers and- of course- these bars.

There are a lot of power bar recipes out there these days- I am certainly not reinventing the wheel here, but I will admit that I like mine the best. First off they are not overly sweet, which I find is a real problem for these bars. Yes, they are meant for energy, but pure honey, agave or syrups are just too much for me. I feel like that starts leading these treats into the direction of candies and I’m not really keen on that.

I use dates as my base. It’s a great option- high in fiber, iron and not overly sweet. Personally I am not a date fan on their own, but when combined with the other ingredients, you can’t tell they’re in there.

So this is one of those recipes that you have some latitude. I will provide you with my recipe, but feel free to tweak to your hearts content.

Here are my combinations:

Date/Oats/Peanut Butter and Dried Cherries
Date/Oats/Pistachio/Cinnamon
Date/Oat/Cocoa Nib/Coconut

I store mine in the fridge in small grab and go bags. They’re great post work out, or just to keep in your bag when you’ve got one of those long days ahead of you.

One note: Though they are healthy and full of nutritious ingredients, they ARE calorie dense- so in the words on Bonquiqui “Don’t go CRAY-ZAY”

The Method is the same for all- place all the ingredients into a food processor and whizz to even consistency. If your mixture is a little dry, add a teaspoon of water one at a time until you get a sticky clay feel. You want to avoid mushiness, but too dry and they crumble. Err to the moister side of things.

Date Oat Peanut Butter and Dried Cherries:

2 C pitted dates
3T fresh ground peanut butter
1c instant oats
1 fist-full of dried cherries
Pinch of salt

Date Oat Pistachio Cinnamon

2c pitted dates
1c instant oats
1c shelled unsalted pistachios
1t ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

Date Oat Coca Nib Coconut

2c pitted dates
1c instant oats
.5c cocoa nibs
1c shredded unsweetened coconut

After you’ve made your doughs you can either pat them into a square pan then cut into bars, or pinch and roll into balls. I obviously rolled the CocoNib balls in more coconut- but you can also roll them in finely chopped nuts, or nothing at all.

They store for a real long time in the fridge- if you can get them to last that long.

Warm and Spicey Clam Broth with Cous Cous

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The cool is coming in and already I am feeling the day’s light getting shorter. Aside from the childish pleasure of running out the door and not having to remember a sweater- I love the long days of golden light that we get in the summer months in the North, and I will really miss them.

I love the Fall though. More than anything, I truly enjoy the change. I am reminded every few months that no matter how much I desire it, change is happening. Life is a river. We are the river- and it’s joyous to embrace the flow. Have you ever swam against a strong current and then tried swimming with it? Going against is hard and you get nowhere fast- but going with nature’s flow makes one feel powerful and exhilarated. It’s hand over fist glory- Look at MEEEEEEEEEEEE!

My birthday is coming up soon. It’s a big one. One that makes a person usually take a few moments to evaluate. One often asks:  Is this where I expected I’d be at this point in my life? The answer is, I am always here. I am always in this moment right here, right where I am supposed to be. So decade markers mean nothing as I move forward into change, they simply just do not matter.

I used to resist change. I used to fight for the exact spot and location of where I wanted to be, and then hold onto it for dear life. I thought this was right and good- I also thought it was success.

I now think differently.

Change means growth. Change means lessons learned (hopefully). Change is life.

Besides, who really wants to complain?  Cooler days means it’s more fun to turn the oven on, or invest an afternoon in a roast. It’s also wonderful for a soup like this one- warm and spicy and easy to make. So perfect for sharing on a cloudy day when there is nowhere to go. Steaming bowls of broth, warm friends and glasses of crisp wine.

Cooler weather is also wonderful for snuggle lovely sweaters- and really, don’t you just love that feeling when the air nips and your sweater keeps you warm and toasty? I just have to remember now to pull one down from the shelf and take it with me.

A small lesson learned. (hopefully)

Spicey Clam Broth with Cous Cous
any small clam will work in this dish from vongole, to cherry stones. If you’re not a fan of clams, you can substitute shrimp or fish filets too.
 
serves 2
 
1T Olive Oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
generous pinch of red chili flakes
1c rough chopped tomatoes
3c of mild vegetable broth or chicken broth
.33c whole wheat cous cous 
2 dozen cherrystone clams
Cilantro to garnish
S&P to taste
 
In large sauce pan warm the oil and gently sautee the garlic. After 2 minutes add the tomatoes and chili flakes. Cook until the tomatoes are wilted but still juicy-about 3 minutes.
 
Add in the broth and bring to the boil. Add the cous cous and gently boil for 15 minutes.
 
Add the scrubbed clean clams and cover the pot. Allow to cook for another 4-5 minutes until the clams are open. Turn off from heat and allow to stand for 2-3 minutes.
 
Serve into shallow bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.
 
 
 
***This dish is wonderful with a Viognier or a light Chardonnay***
 
 

Heavenly Roasted Peppers with Artichoke Puree

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Fall colored roasted peppers with a light green artichoke puree.

Taking the time to make fresh roasted peppers is well worth it in my book. Not only do I appreciate the better flavor, but I don’t drown them in oil either- which they simply DO NOT need! Peppers are packed in oil are to preserve them, but I eat mine right away. Instead of all that oil, I dress them with this fantastic artichoke spread, that will steal the show the next time you serve it.

Roasting peppers is a little time consuming, I won’t kid you. I usually throw mine into the oven when I’m in the midst of doing other things. If I can’t get to skinning them right away I’ll do it later- though between you and me- skin-on ain’t no bad thang either.

For company I’ll do them up right, but once a week I throw in a nice big tray of roasted peppers to keep them in the fridge for a great afternoon snack- or an addition to a sandwich.

This batch was a result of falling in love with all the colors at the farmer’s market. Seriously, how could I resist? I pulled them into my arms like I was arranging flowers. Once they were roasted I had a blast arranging them into a contemporary painting of colors on the platter.

I’m also really loving this artichoke dip. This was a bit of stroke of serendipity when I came up with this. At Fairway they sell lovely little jars of artichoke puree for a mere $9 each. On the other side of the aisle are the bins of pickles, olives and- artichokes. Do I need to explain my thinking?

The addition of the rosemary is just stellar. The pine flavor rosemary makes the artichokes sparkle and it compliments the peppers too. I make myself a good batch of this. It’s so good on so many things.  Rather than mayo I use this garlicky spread on my sandwiches. The flavor is amazing and it’s just as satisfying.

Strips of bright colored peppers with a nice addition of artichoke puree

So now you can add a brightly colored serving of delicious and healthy vegetables into your weekly menu.

Roasted Peppers with Garlicky Artichoke Puree
If you prefer to use pre-made peppers, that’s fine. Drain off the extra oil and reserve for salad dressing. The artichoke dip is also wonderful with other veggies too. You’ll fall in love, I promise.
 
serves 3 plus one cup of dip
 
6 peppers of varying types
1 can of artichoke hearts packed in water
1 small clove of garlic, crushed and rough chopped
2t fresh lemon juice
S & P
1T olive oil 
1T fresh rosemary
 
Preheat oven to 350˚ and line cookie sheets with foil
 
Slice peppers in half and deseed. Arrange top down on sheets. Roast until blistered and a bit shriveled. Abt 45 mins.
 
Allow the peppers to cool, then peel off skins. Slice into thin strips and arrange on a plate.
 
 
In a food processor combine drained artichokes, garlic, S&P and olive oil.
 
Puree until smooth. If necessary you can add a little water to reach desired consistency.
 
Spoon puree over the peppers and top with chopped fresh rosemary.
 
Store leftover puree in the fridge for up to a week.