Strawberry Basil Jam or Sauce

Wondering what to do with one pound of sad strawberries and a bunch of basil that's seen better days? Don't throw it away! Make this jam. Of course, I'd prefer if you used, errrr, fresher ingredients. But hey, I do what I can with what I have...and what I have had was some less than stellar produce awaiting judgement day in the fridge. Except the basil. Never put fresh basil in the fridge.  I love strawberry jam. However, we never have any on hand. I buy that Kirkland signature strawberry puree from Costco that's totally amazeballs. Yet, I eat it all up too quick.  Like freakishly quick, and it's a massive jar. Anyway, Costco is about an hour away so we don't go on a regular basis. In addition, I flat out refuse to buy any jam at the regular grocery store because, well, to put it lightly...I'm a jam snob.

Growing up, my grandparents had a hugely vast vegetable & fruit farm garden full of fresh currents, rows upon rows of an assortment of raspberries, and gobs of plump strawberries. Believe me when I tell you, and this is very important...there is nothing like the taste of a freshly picked strawberry from a real ass garden. You don't know life if you haven't had one, so if that's the case get yourself to a U-Pick farm. Right now! There's no time to waste! Anywho, we used to make oodles upon oodles upon oodles of perfect jam with these home grown berries. And that's why I'm a jam snob. I'm ruined, essentially. 

I tried to make chia seed jam not too long ago (while in a state of panic due to our lack of jam). I didn't post the recipe because...I did not enjoy it. It had an odd texture (surprise!) and it wasn't sweet enough and it was just a plain insult to jams everywhere. It's still in my fridge and is made with Alaskan-mountain blueberries picked by yours truly last fall. It's all yours. So gross. 

I've been talking a lot about jam. This is because I simply refuse to acknowledge the existence of jelly. OMG, don't even get me started on that crap. Preserves, yeah, they're okay but I don't like my jam chunky, you know? But, live and let live. So, jam it is for me. NEVER JELLY.

If you're try to impress someone or just up your jam game, this is the one for you. It's a delicious, no-canning necessary strawberry jam infused with fresh basil, vanilla and cinnamon. I couldn't stop licking the spoon. 

Strawberry Basil Jam or Sauce

Makes about 8 oz. 

Notes: For more of a sauce, blend the strawberry mixture until smooth. If you'd like more of a jam, blend less. 

• 1 lb. strawberries, chopped
• 1/2 cup vegan sugar
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped and packed
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 

In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients over low heat. Continuously stir until the sugar has dissolved and it looks like the strawberries are floating in water.    Remove from heat and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth for a sauce-like consistency or leave a bit chunky for a more jam-like texture.  Transfer back to the pan and over high heat, stir continuously until it reaches the mixture reaches 220 degrees (about 5 minutes). Once it's reached 220 degrees, stir continuously for another 5 minutes. If you don't have a candy thermometer, that's okay. Once the mixture is transferred from the blender back to the pot, it should cook on high from start to finish for about 10 minutes total.  Pour into a jar and allow to rest at least 15 minutes before covering and placing in the fridge to chill. Chill overnight. Store in the fridge and consume within one week.  Oh, that's what I'm talking about.  Yes, I always match my nails to my jam. Also, there was a little bit that didn't fit in the jar...and...well, I ate it all. Straight up. Treat yo' self! [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/29271982" params="color=73a89a&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]

German Word of The Day: Jam --> Marmelade (pronounced: marma-lawd-eh) I know about orange marmalade, but who knew?!

Good Deed of The Day: All I have to say is WTF. Please sign this petition to stop a live bull from being set on fire for the entertainment of people. Grotesque animal cruelty shouldn't be tolerated, regardless of any culture it's involved in. Period. It only takes 5 seconds. You'll see my signature there! 

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Avocado-Cilantro Cream Angel Hair

This is such a delightful spring dish. It also happens to be counting as my "green" today. If you follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram you know that my morning was pretttty shitttty. Needless to say, I completely forgot it was St. Patrick's Day and ran out of the house thankful to be on time for work (breastases aren't going to be mammogramin' themselves you know), let alone wearing green. Lucky for me (I'm part Irish), not a single person pinched me today. Whew! 

If you happen to be one of those poor souls who hates cilantro (I hear it's genetic...no, seriously) stay far, far away from this dish. Same goes if you strongly dislike avocados. However, I have yet to meet such a person and will totally notify you if I ever do. Who hates avocados?

This is one luxurious dish. Angel hair pasta bathes in a light and dreamy avocado-cilantro cream sauce. It's a bit sweet, with a hint of ginger and zesty lime. Barring any anger towards cilantro or avocado...you're going to love it. You'll also love that it's done in the time it takes to boil up some pasta! And that's something we can all be thankful for. 

Side Note: It's weird to me now that I used to make pasta sauces sans veggies. Like non-vegan, traditional mac & cheese and alfredo sauce. My vegan mac & cheese is made with sweet potato and my alfredo sauce with cashews and cauliflower. Then there's this delicious cream sauce with cilantro and avocado. Ponderous. How sad and boring (not to mention lacking some superfly nutrients) it must be for people to make traditional pasta sauces. They don't know what they're missing...and that makes my heart all glum. 

Avocado-Cilantro Cream Angel Hair

Serves 6

Notes: The pasta should be done at the same time, or just after the sauce. You don't want it to sit cooked. 

• 16 oz. angel hair pasta, dry
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 6 large garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 large ripe avocados, pitted
• 1 large bunch of cilantro (stems and all)
• 3 limes, juiced
• 1 small knob of fresh ginger, peeled and rough chopped
• 1/2 cup plain non-dairy milk
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. agave nectar or maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. When boiling, cook according to package which is usually about five minutes. Drain and return to pot. 

Meanwhile, heat the 1 tsp. of olive oil in a small saute pan. Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes, until browned and fragrant. Remove from heat. 

In a food processor, add the remaining ingredients including the sauteed garlic. Process until smooth and creamy. 

Add the sauce to the cooked and drained pasta, stir well to coat. 

Serve hot. 

Careful not to break your juicer! Todd doesn't know his own strength...

Oh dear. 

Listening to Yuna – Someone Who Can

Good Deed of The Day: Don't even get me started on the parents that buy little chicks and baby bunnies for their kids on Easter, let alone if they're dyed. I'm going to just stop right there. Sign this petition to help Julie Burge, the director of Burge Bird Rescue, stop the selling of baby chicks, ducks, and bunnies for Easter. It only takes 5 seconds. You'll find my signature there! 

German Word of The Day: Cream (with regards to food) --> Sahne (pronounced: Zahn-neh)  - Remember, I am not German...regardless of how much I might pretend. I am learning the language though! If you ever see that I am wrong *gasp* or just have something to add, please do! We're all learning together and I love the additions!Be Recipe Card

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Lemony Garlic Pasta with Brussel Sprouts & Crispy Polenta

Lemony Garlic Pasta with Brussel Sprouts & Crispy Polenta. What's wrong with me? Ugggh. This might be my longest dish name ever. Apparently naming dishes is not in my book of talents...or is it? I guess it depends on who you ask. Regardless of it's name, this pasta dish was pretty bomb-diggity. Unless you don't like brussel sprouts or polenta. But who doesn't? What's almost as good as this pasta was how quick and easy it was to make, not to mention it's pretty darn healthy. Everything can be prepared and cooked while the polenta bakes in the oven and the sauce is already made thanks to Citizen Chef.

Citizen Chef is my personal sous chef. No, that's a lie. It a food company that has a line of ready-made, fresh sauces and salads. Normally I'm not really big on pre-made things like sauces, but sometimes I'm just too busy to whip one up myself. Imagine that. We can all relate, yes? Yes. Okay, so here's what you need to know about this ready-made Limone Garlic Sauce from Citizen Chef so you can hurry up already and get back to your busy life.

Limone Garlic Sauce by Citizen Chef

What: The Limone Garlic Sauce is "made from scratch with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and a fresh squeeze of lemon." It can be used in simmering, grilling, sauteing, and baking. This particular sauce is made primarily from a vegan stock, onions, olive oil, garlic and lemon. There's four servings per container with 70 calories a serving. What I really liked about this sauce in contrast to many others, is that it's not loaded with sodium. It has 250 mg per serving which is less than most I've seen.

Why: Our world is a busy one and sometimes we have to choose between healthy food and fast food. But thanks to Citizen Chef, when crunch time comes it's nice to know that you can reach for a prepared sauce and whip something up that's healthy as well as fast. All of the ingredients in the Limone Garlic Sauce are natural and there's no artificial flavors or preservatives, because seriously we don't need them.

In addition to actually cooking a meal, sometimes finding a recipe can be just as consuming. Don't worry though, Citizen Chef's got your back with recipes on their website specific to what sauce you'll be using. Whew! Their "...passion is to empower people to make healthier choices for their bodies, their families, and the planet..." So join them! It's easy when half the work is already done!

Where: Take a look at these retailers to find Citizen Chef products, including Costco and Safeway.

Recurrence: I wasn't able to find Citizen Chef at my local grocery store and the closest Costco is a little over one hour away, so I haven't made it there yet. When I do though, you can bet I'll be picking up some of these sauces for those days of the week that get a little cray cray.

So avoid eating Oreos for dinner (I never do this...) and whip up a meal as quick as it'd take you to open that cookie package. If you're not keen on lemon and/or garlic (say what?!) you're sure to find one you enjoy, like Thai Coconut, Chipotle Adobo, Hawaiian Pineapple BBQ or others. You might just see a review for a different flavor later down the road!

Lemony Garlic Pasta with Brussel Sprouts & Crispy Polenta

Inspired by myself

Serves 4

• 9 oz. of pre-cooked round polenta (half a tube), diced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups brussel sprouts, ends removed and halved
• 3 Tbsp. of water
• 1 13 oz. box of your favorite pasta (I used whole wheat linguine)
• 1 10 oz. container of  Citizen Chef's Limone Garlic Sauce
• fresh lemon thyme for sprinkling (optional)
• vegan parmesan cheese (I use Parmela)

Start by preheating the oven to 450 degrees. Dice up the precooked polenta into bite sized pieces and arrange on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring that they don't overlap. Once the oven has reached temperature, bake for 30 minutes or until crispy on the outside.

Wash the brussel sprouts and chop them in half. Make sure to cut the stems off at the end first and discard any leaves that fall off after being halved. Feed them to your dog. Bob loves them!

In a large frying pan heat the olive oil, then add the halved brussel sprouts. Allow them to brown slightly over medium heat. This will take about 5-10 minutes. After they've browned, add in the water and cover. Turn to low and allow them to cook for about 10 minutes or until they just become tender. If you prefer your elf heads on the crunchier side, feel free to only brown them.

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While the brussel sprouts steam, cook the pasta according to the package then drain it and return it to it's pot.

Once the sprouts and polenta are all finished cooking, combine them in the pasta pot including the entire container of the Limone Garlic Sauce and mix well to combine. Serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh lemon thyme and vegan parmesan cheese. Dinner's done and in record time!

Lemony Garlic Pasta with Brussel Sprouts & Crispy Polenta

Recipe Type: Entree

Author: Katie - Produce On Parade

Serves: 4

Pan-fried brussel sprouts and crispy, baked polenta mix with linguini and a ready-made lemon garlic sauce for a fast, simple and healthy dinner with help from Citizen Chef.

Ingredients

• 9 oz. of pre-cooked round polenta (half a tube), diced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups brussel sprouts, ends removed and halved
• 3 Tbsp. of water
• 1 13 oz. box of your favorite pasta (I used whole wheat linguine)
• 1 15 oz. container of Citizen Chef's Limone Garlic Sauce
• fresh lemon thyme for sprinkling (optional)
• vegan parmesan cheese (I use Parmela)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Dice the precooked polenta into bite sized pieces and arrange on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
2. Once the oven is ready, bake for 30 minutes or until crispy on the outside.
3. Halve the brussel sprouts. Make sure to cut the stem off at the end first and discard any leaves that fall off after being halved.
4. In a large frying pan heat the olive oil, then add the halved brussel sprouts. Allow them to brown slightly over medium heat. This will take about 5-10 minutes.
5. Next, add in the water and cover. Simmer cook for about 10 minutes or until they become just tender.
6. Cook the pasta according to the package then drain it and return it to it's pot.
7. Once the sprouts and polenta are all finished cooking, combine them in the pasta pot including the entire container of the Limone Garlic Sauce and mix well to combine.
8. Serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh lemon thyme and vegan parmesan cheese.

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