Carrots 'R' Us

Two topics to discuss today: toys and carrots.  

Regarding the former, I spent all morning questing after the perfect holiday gifts for my 5 nephews and nieces, and I now declare the toy store officially closed until next year -- phew!  

And as for the latter, my refrigerator scavenger hunt unearthed precious few ingredients for a quick and healthy lunch, so what did I eat?  Roasted carrots!  Surprisingly satisfying, and what in the world else was I going to do with that half-used bag of leftover dirt candy?

Simple Roast Carrots

(serves 2 as side dish)

Note: While this recipe calls for carrots, you can use up many other kinds of leftover vegetables in this manner.  Is your crisper drawer housing an abundance of aging zucchini, or peppers, or even tomatoes?  Are you denying that your fridge smells like the inside of a compost bin?  Just blast those buggers in the oven with some olive oil and salt, and stop throwing out your unused veggies!

5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced  

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

pinch cayenne (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a medium glass casserole, toss the carrots and garlic and drizzle with enough olive oil to coat.  Sprinkle with salt, cumin, ginger, and cayenne (if using) and mix well. 

3. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, checking every 15 or so minutes to shake up the pan and ensure that garlic does not burn.

When life gives you leftover rice, make rice balls!

In my opinion, there are two types of cooks: the kind that follow recipes to the letter and produce flawless food every time, and the kind that employ their creativity (and hopefully common sense) to draw outside the lines of recipes and invent completely new dishes in the process.  I consider myself among the latter category.  I'm not one to abide by the rules of a recipe (BO-ring!).  

So, since I choose to cook in this flexible way, I often find it easy to make use of my leftovers.  "And here I am!" says the newborn rice ball.

 This is less of a formal recipe and more of a guideline that goes as follows:
- For each cup of leftover rice (or other grain - I also had whole wheat berries) mix in one beaten egg.
- Add spices, herbs, seasoning, or a whole other leftover dish - I added black lentil hummus here.
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Oil lightly.
- Form one-tablespoon sized balls of rice mixture with your hands and space out evenly on the baking sheet.  You should be able to fit 5 rows of 6, for a total of 30 rice balls.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, longer if needed, making sure each rice ball is golden and crispy on the outside.  Remove to a serving dish and enjoy as a low-cost, highly-tasty appetizer!

Not your grandma's banana bread

I consider myself a skilled refrigerator forager, willing and able to make do with what its cubed confines provide me on any given lazy day.
On one such day, not too long ago, I dug out a couple of overripe bananas and a half-full container of sour cream from an earlier taco feast. With the knowledge that I had some walnut halves and dried coconut lingering in my pantry, I carried out the divine will of the leftover-food gods and made this:

Sour Cream Banana Bread
(makes one big loaf)

1-1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 ripe bananas
2 eggs
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 4 by 9 inch loaf pan (or whatever you have on hand). Sift together the first five ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until almost smooth. Using a wire whisk or an electric beater, beat in the eggs. Once combined, beat in the remaining wet ingredients until well combined.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir until just combined. Mix in the walnuts and coconut, and pour the batter into the loaf pan.
4. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.