Pasta Caprese

So I am realizing I need some more colorful dishes to really make these pictures look as good as the food tastes, but alas, last night's fresh summer pasta came out great. This is from my head so the recipe is not an exact science- just the best of summer ingredients thrown together for a light dinner.

Pasta Caprese
6-8 small tomatoes (I used these very tasty "Flavorino" tomatoes)
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
2-3 cloves garlic, minced (optional, but I LOVE garlic)
bunch basil
olive oil
salt and pepper
Thin Pasta (use whole box if you want leftovers)




1. Chop tomatoes and place in bowl with juices. Add mozzarella, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Let sit while you cook the pasta (the longer the better).
2. Cook pasta al dente.
3. Add basil to tomato mixture, stir and check seasoning.
4. Toss tomatoes with hot pasta and serve.
Note: I didn't want to murder my basil plant, so in addition to the leaves I plucked I tossed in a frozen cube of pesto I made last week.

Argentinian Empanadas

These are savory-sweet pastries that are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. This is a vegetarian version of the usual meat-filled South American pastries, from "Vegetarian Main Dishes from Around the World."

1/2 lb. frozen flaky pastry, thawed (phyllo is what I used this time but it's hard to work with)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 T. chives, chopped
1 pear, finely sliced
2 peaches, finely sliced
1/2 C. red lentils, cooked
1 T. sugar
1/4 C. dry white wine (optional)
1/2 t. cinnamon
2 T. margarine
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven 400. Heat margarine and fry onion until soft. Add tomatoes, pepper and chives and cook about 5 min.
2. Add pear, peaches and lentils and mix well. Sprinkle some sugar and pour wine to taste. Add cinnamon then season.
3. Roll out pastry and make circles about 4 in. diameter (you can use a bowl and trace around it).
4. Put some filling on half of circle, then moisten edges with water. Fold over and press together with fork. Poke a few holes to let steam escape. (I also brush pastry with a little melted butter).
5. Fill all empanadas and bake on tray for about 20 minutes until pastry is puffed up and golden.

I served with a green salad and homemade guacamole and chips.

Dal with Cucumber Raita and Banana

This is an easy and filling dinner. I made it on the spicy side since I made the Raita, and doubled this recipe to freeze some for later (don't freeze Raita). This is adapted from "Vegetarian Main Dishes from Around the World."

1 C. red lentils
2 small potatoes, diced
2 T. oil
1 large onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 t. ground cumin (or to taste)
1 t. ground turmeric ("")
1 t. madras (hot curry powder- I used regular and cayenne pepper)
2 t. ground ginger

1 can chopped tomatoes
salt and pepper
To Serve: 1 sliced banana, mango chutney, cucumber Raita

1. Cook lentils and potatoes in boiling water 10-20 minutes or until soft, drain.
2. Heat oil in pan and add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook until soft, then add spiced. Continue to cook for a 1-2 minutes before adding tomatoes.
3. Let mixture cook for a further minute or so, then add lentils and potatoes. Simmer gently for 5-10 minutes and check seasoning. Serve with rice or nan and side dishes.

For the Raita I had made falafel the night before so I used a tzatziki dip and added chopped cilantro, plain Greek yogurt, a dash of cumin and pepper, lemon juice and diced cucumbers.

First Backpack Trip

Indian Peaks: Camp Dick to Red Deer Lake
We did a very nice and easy overnight this weekend in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. We started at Camp Dick, fairly close to Nederland, CO and about 8500 ft. elevation. From there we hiked up through a cool forest for about 4 miles until the trail opened up into a meadow full of wildflowers. Steep, rocky cliffs that seemed to be mid-crumble surround the meadow. We continued into the actual wilderness area and were soon rewarded with views of snow-capped peaks. The trail follows a fast-flowing creek and passes a rocky outcrop with views of a waterfall. At about 9800 ft. we headed up a fork in the trail to Red Deer lake. The lake remains hidden from view until the very end, where after short climb a snow covered cliff appears with a glistening alpine lake below (about 10,300 ft.).
We set up camp in a wooded area near the lake and explored. A very beautiful setting and a nice intro into mountain backpacking.

Lates Hikes Update!

Well it has been quite a while...just to update, we are now living in Boulder, CO and eager to enjoy all the natural wonders around us. We have tubed Boulder Creek- an exhilarating trip and gone on a few local hikes and one backpacking trip so far.
The first hike we did was the Canyon Loop Trail in the Betasso Preserve. 3.2 Miles- pretty easy. There were great views of Boulder and beyond and the trail winds through shady forests and into open vistas.
We hiked the Anne U. White Trail- also an easy trek, about 3 miles in Fourmile Canyon. It was shady and cool, and also very easy to get to.

The First Flatiron hike was a great trip. It starts in Chautauqua park and heads up a wide gravel road into switchbacks that pass through forest. There were several rock climbers tackling the mini Flatiron. From there we headed up a boulder field and a few more switchbacks until we reached an amazing view of the valley, some of the Indian Peals, and the other Flatirons.

The Amazon is a scary place

Yes, it has been awhile. But you, whoever you are, GO READ the book "The Lost City of Z" by David Grann. A great adventure story with history, science and anthropology thrown in the mix, it tells the story of one of the greatest exploration mysteries- the disappearance of Percy Fawcett and his party during their search for Z, a supposed Eldorado-like lost civilization in the Amazon. One thing becomes clear early on- the Amazon is a place where everything in nature it set against humankind-the bugs, the reptiles, the fish, the "native savages", the weather etc. I greedily devour exploration tales- Krakauer is a favorite and I am searching for a copy of Shackleton. It is so wonderful to hear about places on the planet that have yet to be corrupted and destroyed- that still hold a wild mystery to outsiders.

I've Gone Avocado Crazy!

Avocado is quite possibly nature's most sublime food. Recently I purchased a bag of them, since Trader Joe's only sells them 4 or 5 to a bag (how inconvenient, really). So I've found myself with excess avocados, but there really is no such thing. My only issue is that it takes them a few days to ripen, and now of course they are all ripe at once and must be eaten soon. I think I am up to the task, however. Last night we threw one in a salad-it lends a nice, mellow, creamy texture to contrast with crisp lettuce and veggies. Today I made a sandwich with low-fat cream cheese, veggie morningstar bacon and avocado (lettuce and tomatoes were not around but they'd be good in there too). What a satisfying concoction! I mashed up the leftover parts with some 3-pepper salsa and ate with tortilla chips. Can't let any go to waste! Tonight I plan on making a pizza with cheddar and swiss, veggie bacon and of course the last two avocados! Sorry for this little ode- my love is too great to keep silent. Thank you avocado for your spicy guacamole, beautiful color and creamy goodness. And they say you are a "healthy fat"- while I've never quite understood those, I can feel less guilty about gobbling you up several times a week! I am now seeking avocado ice cream- my heart melts at the thought!