Sourdough Discard Waffles

Hello again, readers! I know you just finished reading my recipe for Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches and just couldn't get enough of me! Like most other people stuck in quarantine, I decided to hop on the bandwagon and try my hand at making a sourdough starter. Now when you make a starter, every day you have to discard a portion of the starter and feed it with flour and water. But doesn't it seem wasteful to just throw out what you spent the last week or more growing and nurturing like a little baby?!

Thankfully my husband recently got a copy of Backwoods Home Magazine in the mail, which featured recipes using sourdough starter! So after looking through it, I settled on making Nate and myself a delicious batch of Sourdough Discard Waffles with toasted nuts.

Sourdough Discard Waffles

Sourdough Discard Waffles in the golden morning light

1 Egg, beaten
1 C Sourdough Discard
1 Lemon, zest only
1/4 C Vegetable or Canola Oil
1/4-1/2 C Milk
1/2 C Flour
1/8 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp Salt
3 Tbsp Sugar
3 Tbsp Mixed Nuts (I used hazelnuts, almonds and pecans)
Non-Stick Cooking Spray

In a small bowl, combine egg, sourdough discard, lemon zest, vegetable oil and milk. Set Aside.

In another bowl, combine all other ingredients.

Slowly sift dry ingredients into wet and whisk together until batter forms. If the batter is too thick, slowly add in up to 1/4 C of milk. Allow the batter to sit for 5 minutes before use.

While your batter is resting, heat your waffle iron until ready for use.

In a dry skillet, heat whole nuts on low until fragrant and toasted. Be careful! These can burn very quickly! After your nuts are toasty and warm, roughly chop.

When your iron is ready for use, spray liberally with non-stick cooking spray and pour 1/4-1/3 C of batter in each well of your waffle iron. Top each well with 1-2 Tsp of chopped nuts. Close and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the waffles release from the waffle iron.

Repeat until all batter and nuts are used.

These waffles are not your everyday waffles for sure. The sourdough flavor is present but in more of an aromatic element than the funky acidic taste that's typically in the bread. It's difficult to describe but it was utterly delicious when topped with butter and Grade A Maple Syrup.

If you happen to have some sourdough starter laying around, or for some reason want to make your own, I highly recommend trying out this recipe!

Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches

Happy Saturday, readers! I don't know about you, but this week has been difficult for me. I was unfortunately let go from my job at the Brewery due to a backtrack in COVID-19 health orders. I don't want to make a thing about it but I will say, before you call out restaurants for wanting to stay open during this time, think of the people like me who now lost their jobs. Additionally, I am still waiting for the governor to give my gym the go-ahead to allow for group fitness classes to start. So, it's been a week to say the least.

I've been distracting myself with daily workouts, preparing for when I can teach group fitness and cooking, of course! So enough of my pity party, I'll get on with the recipe! About a month ago I won an Instagram contest from Lightlife, one of my favorite plant-based food companies! I was lucky enough to be shipped 6 packages of their products which included sausage links, sausage patties, burgers, ground protein, bratwurst and Italian sausages. So far everything has been incredible! 

Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches

Lightlife Italian Sausage and Pepper Sandwich

4 Tbsp Butter, divided
1/2 Onion, sliced
1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and sliced
3 Garlic Cloves, minced and divided
1 C Water
1 C Vegetable Broth
1 C Pale Ale Beer (I used the Oskar Blues Dale Pale Ale)
Salt and Pepper, to taste
4 Italian Sausages (I used Lightlife, obviously)
1 C Italian Parsley, chopped
4 Hoagie Rolls
4 Slices Cheddar Cheese, halved

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a deep skillet over medium-low heat and saute onion until softened. Add pepper and 2 cloves of garlic to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a pot over medium heat, bring water, vegetable broth and beer to a boil. Season the broth with salt and pepper. Add sausages to the pot and boil for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the sausages from the liquid and move to the skillet with the vegetables making sure the sausages make direct contact with the pan. Increase the heat to medium. Fry the sausages for 3-5 minutes per side for color, for a total of 15 minutes.

Lightlife Italian Sausages frying with onion and red bell pepper in boiling liquid

Remove the pot with the boiling liquid from heat and ladle 1/2 C at a time of the liquid on the veggies in the skillet every 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and toast the hoagie rolls for 2 minutes.

In a small bowl, melt remaining 2 Tbsp of butter and stir in parsley and garlic. Set aside.

After the rolls are toasted and the sausage and veggies are cooked, divide evenly between the 4 rolls. Divide remaining boiling liquid among the rolls. Top the veggies and sausage with prepared parsley and garlic butter and layer on 1 slice of cheese per sandwich.

Bake the sandwiches for 15 minutes.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

These sandwiches were hearty, the sausages were meaty and the boiling liquid was so full of flavor I could die! I was definitely not left wanting after eating this incredible meal and it will definitely be put into my regular dinner rotation from now on! A big thank you to Lightlife for gifting me so many delicious goodies!

Thank you for stopping by my little blog and stay tuned for more great recipes!

International Cuisine - Brazil

Good morning, readers! Happy Friday! This morning began with a loud bang, an announcement from the Santa Fe SWAT team, and police sirens. Thankfully it was across the river from us so not too nearby but I am certainly curious as to what was happening. Will update!

Anyway, you may or may not recall (since it's been roughly 2 years now) that Nate and I previously would randomly choose a country, cook a traditional dish and teach each other about the history and culture of the country chosen. My last country was Nigeria. Unfortunately this practice fell by the wayside but I figured while in COVID-induced Hell, why not bring it back!?

Last night I made Brazilian Fish Stew and Brazilian Limeade - both dishes that can be found around the country.

Brazilian Fish Stew

Brazilian Fish Stew with Cilantro Lime Rice and Brazilian Lemonade

2  Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Lime, juiced
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 lb Tilapia, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Broth:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and sliced
2 Serrano Peppers, cut into half moons
14 oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
14 oz Can Full Fat Coconut Milk
1 C Vegetable Stock
1 1/2 Tsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Paprika
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Lime, juiced
3 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Marinate tilapia cubes with 1 Tbsp olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Cover marinating fish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, heat a skillet over medium heat and cook fish in 1 Tbsp olive oil for 3 minutes. Remove fish from skillet and set aside.

In a stockpot over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in oil for 3 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add peppers to stockpot and cook for 5 minutes.

Add liquids to the pot and bring to a simmer. Season with sugar, cumin, paprika and salt. Cover the broth with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or until thickened.

Once the broth has thickened, add tilapia back to the pot and cook for an additional 2 minutes to heat the fish through.

Add fresh lime juice and cilantro to the pot right before serving.

Serve the stew over a scoop of Cilantro Lime Rice (recipe to follow).

The stew is definitely not lacking in flavor! It is very fresh, slightly spicy, smoky and not at all fishy! Great for a hot summer day or could be equally delicious in fall or winter!

Cilantro Lime Rice

4 C Water
2 C Jasmine Rice
2 Tsp Salt
2 Limes, juiced
1/2 C Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Bring water to a boil over high heat and add dry rice to the pot. Cover with a lid, drop heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed.

Once the rice is fully cooked and fluffy, add salt, lime juice and cilantro and stir to combine. Taste check and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Since no dinner is complete without a beverage, I made Brazilian Lemonade!

Brazilian Lemonade

4 Limes, skins scrubbed and cut into 1/8ths
6 C Water
1 C Sugar
6 Tbsp Sweetened Condensed Milk

In the cup of a blender, combine 1/2 the limes, water and sugar and blend for 2 minutes. Repeat until all ingredients have been blended. I had to do 2 batches of blending.

Using a sieve, strain the blender contents over a pitcher and push with a spoon to get all the juice out of the limes. Discard excess pulp and skins. Repeat this step until all ingredients have been strained.

Stir sweetened condensed milk into pitcher and taste. Add more condensed milk if too tart.

Now you may be thinking, why is this called "lemonade" if there are no lemons involved? After research, I really can't figure out why it's not called limeade?

The addition of the sweetened condensed milk makes this drink frothy and almost smoothie-like. It tastes like summer in a glass and was the perfect pairing to cool down the spicy and (temperature) hot stew!

Nate picked his country after we finished eating dinner - Armenia. I can't wait to see what he decides to make for us and to learn more about the country.

To finish us off, find an oldie but goodie link to Mushroom Philly Cheesesteaks! This is probably one of my favorite dinners to make on a time crunch, it's filling and absolutely delectable. 

Mushroom Philly Cheesesteaks with frozen seasoned fries

Vegan Thai Green Curry

Hello again, readers! I hope you're doing well on this Wednesday afternoon! I apologize for the lapse in posts lately - things have been busy here at Casa de Hart. I have been working at the brewery 3-4 days a week and eagerly prepping to begin teaching cycling and strength training classes whenever the governor gives my gym the ok to do so. Additionally, my best friend from high school (a good 12 years ago) came to visit us for the long holiday weekend! It was wonderful to get to see her again and she even bravely agreed to participate in a resistance band workout led by me (she has reported still sore 3 days later).

After a weekend of all-around over indulgence (beer, wine, food) I was craving something light, fresh and filling and this Thai-Style Green Curry was just the ticket, plus it's vegan!

Vegan Thai Green Curry

Veggie-Packed Vegan Thai Green Curry, served with white rice

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Inch Ginger, minced
6 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
2 Medium Carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
1 Small Head Broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets
1 C Green Beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 Serrano Peppers, cut into half moons (seeded if you're not a spice fan)
 4 Tbsp Green Curry Paste
13.5 oz Can Full-Fat Coconut Milk
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tsp Sugar
Salt, to taste
2 Tbsp Sriracha Sauce (omit if you're not a spice person)
Lime Wedges, for serving
White Rice, for serving

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat and saute ginger and garlic until fragrant and golden, roughly 3 minutes.

Add all other vegetables to the pot and allow to soften for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After the vegetables are soft, stir in curry paste to coat the veggies and cook another 3-4 minutes. Pour in coconut milk and increase the heat slightly to bring the liquid to a simmer.

Season with soy sauce, sugar, salt and sriracha. Cover and allow to simmer and get delicious for another 10 minutes.

Taste the curry and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve over rice to soak up all the tasty liquid (because you'll want to drink the broth, trust me) and squeeze a lime wedge over the top just before devouring.

This curry is light enough to be eaten during the *gasp* 90+ degree weather here in Santa Fe but with the fiber-packed veggies you will not be left hungry or wanting.

Stay tuned for more delicious recipes and Lindsey life-factoids and of course, as always, thank you for stopping by.

Thai Coconut Curry Soup

Welcome back, loyal readers! Yesterday was my first day of work at the brewery! It was great, easy and I can't wait to go back today and tomorrow! Being a "working lady" is wonderful, I feel a sense of independence I've been missing and being out of the house to make money rather than spend it is pretty cool too.

To celebrate my first day, Nate and I moseyed over to Santa Fe Brewing Beer Hall at HQ for some brews! This isn't going to be a full review but just an honorable mention, the Beer Hall at HQ is a new 6000 sq ft multi-level space with plenty of patio seating, gorgeous views of the mountains and desert-scape and fantastic beers since 1988. In addition to the tasty beers, we ate at the food truck parked out front - El Sabor Tapas Y Masss! The food truck was incredible - we split patatas bravas (roasted potatoes in garlic and sriracha sauce), a fried avocado with pico de gallo and yogurt sauce, grilled artichokes with capers and parmesan cheese, and the most delectable fish tacos I think I've ever eaten. Everything was utterly delicious and the 4 dishes were more than enough for Nate and I to feel full.

Now onto the recipe I promised, Thai Coconut Curry Soup!

Thai Coconut Curry Soup

Thai Coconut Curry Soup with Pickled Veggies and Fresh Cilantro

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Inch Fresh Ginger, grated
2 Tbsp Green Curry Paste
4 C Vegetable Broth, divided
1 Can Full Fat Coconut Milk
1/2 C Creamy Peanut Butter
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1-2 Tbsp Sriracha Sauce (optional, add more or less depending on how you feel about spice)
Juice of 2 Limes
2 Packets of Ramen Noodles (any flavor - you aren't using the included flavor packet)
8 oz Button Mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
1/2 C Fresh Cilantro, chopped for serving
Assorted Pickled Vegetables, for serving
Lime Wedges, for serving

Heat oil in large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add garlic and ginger and saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in curry paste and cook for 1 more minute.

Stir in 3 cups of vegetable broth and can of coconut milk. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

While simmering, combine remaining 1 C of vegetable broth with 1/2 C of peanut butter and stir until the peanut butter is fully incorporated. Add to simmering pot and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

Add soy sauce, maple syrup, sriracha sauce and lime juice to the stock pot and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Toss in the dry noodles and thinly sliced mushrooms and simmer for 5 more minutes and ta da! You have a creamy and fresh soup! Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Top with fresh cilantro, pickled veggies and a squeeze of lime right before serving. The cilantro really makes this dish pop. I can't fully explain it but the cilantro gives the other flavors of in the soup the push over the flavor cliff - just trust me on this one. And the pickled veggies (I had radishes, carrots, pickles and jalapenos in the fridge) give the creamy soup a great acidic balance.

Despite it being summertime and therefore extremely hot, the soup is light enough to eat without feeling uncomfortable - in fact I'm finishing it off today for lunch and the high here is 84!

Well I'm off to workout, work and then home to make some tasty Black Bean Burgers and relax! Have a great weekend, and Happy Father's Day to any dad readers I may have!

Summer Pasta

Good morning readers! If you read my last post you saw that I had some exciting opportunities coming up and I'm beyond ecstatic to report I have my dream job! I was given the chance to audition for a cycling instructor position at a gym opening up here and I got it! I cannot wait to get started once the gym opens up and the governor gives us the ok for group fitness classes. In addition to the cycling instructor position, I am also going to start working (today) at a nearby brewery! I am so excited to begin the first day of the rest of my life!

Anyway, enough about my exciting news, onto the recipe! I think we can all agree that one of the best things about summer is all the beautiful produce, well and (during normal circumstances) the pools, beaches and fun. One of my favorite summertime vegetables is squash - I don't know why but something about that bright yellow gourd just reminds me of sunshine and summer. And it inspired me to make this light and fresh pasta dish for dinner earlier this week.

Summer Pasta

Summer Pasta

1 lb Penne Pasta, cooked according to package instruction
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Medium Squash, cut into half moons
1 Medium Zucchini, cut into half moons
1 Pt Cherry Tomatoes, halved
Salt and Pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tsp Lemon Zest
3 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1/3 C Fresh Basil, chiffonade cut
1/2 C Parmesan Cheese, finely grated

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt liberally, remember when making pasta you want the water to taste "like the sea" so don't be shy. Cook penne according to package instruction. Save 1/2 C of pasta water for the sauce. Drain pasta and set aside.

Bring olive oil to a simmer in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add squash and zucchini and allow to brown slightly. This will take about 5-7 minutes. After the squash and zucchini is golden'd, add tomatoes to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Allow the vegetables to simmer in their juices for 5 minutes.

Lower the heat slightly and add in butter, garlic and lemon zest. Allow the butter to melt and stir to coat the veggies. Remove from heat and add lemon juice.

Return pasta pot to medium heat. Add the sauce to the pasta pot (believe me, this is easier than trying to do it the other way). After combining the sauce with the pasta, pour in the pasta water and allow to simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in basil leaves and freshly grated parmesan. Serve immediately.

The pasta is fresh and light and summery and delicious! Basil and lemon are a winning combination, let me tell you. They are the epitome of summertime and this dish as a whole is so jam-packed with vegetables it doesn't leave you feeling heavy and sluggish - perfect for bikini season!

Can't wait to detail my first day at the brewery and bring you another delectable recipe (Thai Coconut Curry Soup to be exact!)

5 Star Burgers - Taos

Happy Monday, readers! As I detailed Friday, Nate and I went on a long hike on Saturday. We drove about an hour north to Taos, New Mexico and hiked to the summit of Lobo Peak. The hike was 11 miles total with an elevation gain of 4,000 feet in 5.5 miles - to say it was difficult is a massive understatement.

The uphill started out gradually and then very, very quickly turned into an almost straight 90 degree angle for the remainder. There were many points where I wanted to stop and cry, but I soldiered on and was rewarded with a 360 degree view of the Northern New Mexico mountains. We signed the summit log, cheers'd with a North Carolina brew and then began the difficult descent to the trail head. About 2 miles down (which was just about as difficult as going up), I miss-stepped and rolled my ankle. I am very thankful it was just a roll and not something more serious, but even now my right ankle has a baseball-sized lump.

Summit Selfie!

Summit marker and a can of Brueprint Brewing Edinbrue!

After our 5 hour journey, we were understandably starving and needed sustenance. Originally we had planned on going to Taos Mesa Brewing because Nate had read online that they were open for dine-in services, unfortunately this was not the case. So we drove a little down the road and stopped at 5 Star Burgers instead!

5 Star Burgers

Location: 1032 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur, Taos, NM 87571

The Taos location is a satellite location. The original 5 Star Burgers is located in Albuquerque.

We were pleased to find that the restaurant was not only open for patio service but also dine-in, and since we were there around 2:00 PM, it wasn't busy!

After burning off 1500 calories, we wanted all the carbs (which maybe resulted in our eyes being bigger than our stomachs) but we ordered a basket of beer battered onion rings, a basket of sweet potato fries and a basket of fried green chile strips. Everything hit the spot! The green chile strips are my favorite thing 5 Star Burgers has on their menu - the strips are cornmeal crusted, crispy, spicy and served with a cup of green chile mayo to dip in. The onion rings were crispy and sweet and paired with buttermilk ranch. The sweet potato fries were just ok, I'm not a big fan of sweet potatoes personally. They're served with maple cream dipping sauce, which is just unnecessary in my opinion. Why does something already sweet need to be made sweeter?

Onion Rings, Sweet Potato Fries and Crispy Green Chile

Despite my significant calorie deficit, I was craving something vegetable-forward, so I settled on the Mediterranean Bowl with an Unburger (in place of the lamb burger that is customary). The bowl consisted of quinoa, riced cauliflower, edamame, diced tomato, kalamata olives, feta cheese, diced cucumber and tzatziki sauce. It was expertly balanced in flavors and textures and honestly just what my body was craving after the long hike! The Unburger was good too. It was made with black beans, corn, grain and spices. I'm not sure how well it would hold together on a bun but it was perfect for topping a big bowl of vegetables!

Mediterranean Bowl with Unburger and a Marble Brewing Double White

Nate opted for the Taos Burger - a big strip of crispy green chile, a slice of melty cheddar cheese and a slather of BBQ sauce on a soft cornmeal-crusted bun. Back when I was a carnivore, this was always my pick.

The service was great too! Food was served quickly and our orders were accurate and we were checked on appropriately without it being annoying. The servers were all wearing masks and gloves, the menus were disposable and I felt they were taking the right measures in light of COVID-19.

I would definitely recommend a stop at either 5 Star location for a burger, a brew and definitely a basket of crispy green chile strips!

This week is an exciting one, I start a new job on Thursday! I can't wait to be doing something again. Honestly I feel so useless since we moved to New Mexico. This experience has shown me that I couldn't be a housewife. I love cooking and baking, but I cannot keep cleaning and walking around my house looking for things to dust day after day. It's not fulfilling. But I  am extremely excited to work and feel useful! I'll detail more later so check back for updates and recipes!