[pinny url=”http://74.48.178.175/2014/04/27/kapama-style-l…-rainbow-chard/” media=”http://74.48.178.175/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/IMG_0329-3.jpg” description=”Lamb Kapama with Orzo and chard”]
Over the weekend we went house hunting here in Portland. My husband and I have been wanting to get our own place here and feel like now is the time. Our family has been here for three years and my daughter will be going into the 2nd grade in the Fall and we want to hopefully have our own property and not be giving our hard earned dollars to rent. Currently we live in a great area, the Hollywood district, schools are good, it’s safe, but it seems like we just don’t quite “fit in here”. We did ask our landlord about selling his house to us, but he was not too keen on the idea, and it’s probably out of our price range anyway. Continue reading “Kapama style Lamb Ragu with whole wheat orzo and rainbow chard and house hunting in Portland, Oregon.”
Super easy Asian slaw with homemade Tahini Dressing (Vegan and Gluten Free)
With summer just around the corner, I want to post some recipes that won’t interfere with our quest to look in swimming suits…of course they have to be delicious too! So here is my latest obsession. If there is one thing I have always hated it is store bought mayo. I don’t understand the appeal, it tastes like bland goo, it fattening, and it spoils at room temperature. Unless I am making my own fresh with olive oil I don’t use mayonnaise at all. So in lieu of mayo I usually always use a vinaigrette, but sometimes folks will complain that they miss the “creaminess” that mayo adds. The thing I’ve been obsessed with is tahini, it is often used in hummus, but lately I have been experimenting with it in other applications. Tahini is a paste made of sesame seeds it is strong, nutty, and rich, almost like peanut butter, but is more easily blended with other flavors. It’s vegan and won’t spoil if you are serving it at room temperature. By itself tahini can be way too heavy and rich, but I was inspired by the Tahini garlic dressing at Whole foods and I bought a bottle….but at $3.99 for 8oz I wanted to find a way to make my own. Whole foods uses liquid aminos in theirs and nutritional yeast. I didn’t have either on hand so I subbed in soy sauce and used some siracha to spice it up. This recipe makes a ton and it is good in the fridge for a week or longer. I make my dressing in a big mason jar and use a hand held blender. Super easy, you can of course use blender.
1/2 cup Tahini
1 cup water
2 cloves garlic more or less to suit your taste
2 tbsp vinegar, cider is good, I had red wine and it worked great
3 tbsp soy
2 scallions chopped
Juice of one lime
1 tbsp sciracha
blend together until smooth, that is it! WARNING: This stuff is super addictive!
To make the slaw, I got a bag of slaw mix at the store and grated 1 cup of jicama mixed in 1/3 cup of the dressing. I added sesame seeds, cashews, cilantro, and some scallions. As delicious as this recipe is, it also just happens to be vegan, and depending on the soy you use can easily be gluten free! Try this recipe at your next pot luck! Summer is just around the corner and I hope you try this slaw in place of the usual mayo based variety!