cooking ala mel

healthy recipes and the occasional craft

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Red Velvet Beet Smoothie

This weekend, I picked up some beets from our local farm stand.  The farmer mentioned that she usually doesn’t bring beets from the farm, as they don’t sell well, so she was glad to see someone uses them.  When I told them I was planning on making smoothies with them, they seemed mildly disgusted.  But I was really excited to try out this smoothie from Caroline at Chocolate & Carrots, and I tried my best at convincing them it would be fantastic.

I really love beets, but I never really thought to put them in a smoothie.  They always remind me of Quail Man (do you remember the show, Doug?) trying to get everybody to eat beets.  Beets are something that I can totally get into throwing into my smoothie, as they make such a vibrant, pretty smoothie, which is rather unlike how most green smoothies look if you add any colored fruit (blueberries, strawberries, etc.). [Read more…]

Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free)

While I was at home for the weekend, we stopped at one of my favorite places from my childhood, the penny candy store, Baldinger’s.  Big shocker, I actually did not purchase any candy during this visit (my childhood self is probably screaming; I was super sugar crazy, which is probably why I’m done with it now – I overdosed!), but I did purchase some locally made buckwheat flour!  I’ve just recently realized that buckwheat is gluten free; the name is pretty misleading, having wheat in it.  So of course, I was really excited to get experimenting with it!

I’ve only ever had buckwheat pancakes, and that was when I was probably about 6 or 7 years old.  I remember that I really enjoyed them, and everybody was surprised, since they’re generally considered healthier for you.  I’m looking forward to making some buckwheat pancakes soon, but I figured I’d start my buckwheat adventures with a classic:  chocolate chip cookies.

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Apple Hand Pies

I had a great weekend at home spending time with my parents, and on my return, I’ve discovered there are lots of new kitties in the area.  Tesla and Nymeria are not quite sure what to make of their newfound kitty friends that come to visit at the window, but we sure are having fun with it!  Tonight, I opened the door a crack to pet one very friendly free-range kitty (as we’re calling them, since our kitties don’t go outside), and she tried her very hardest to get past my arms and into the apartment to play with our kitties.  It took all of my willpower to drag myself away from the window so the kitty would finally go back to its actual home!

Enough about kitties, though.  I have a pretty tasty recipe to share with you today!  Last weekend, I spent all day in the kitchen, and I listened to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on audiobook while I baked these hand pies.  It felt so fitting, as they often talk about pasties at feasts, which is just what these are!  Of a sweeter variety than often mentioned in the books, of course.

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