What to eat on "Turkey-Day" when you don't eat Turkey?

So many times when someone finds out that I am a vegetarian the first thing they say is "So what do you eat for Thanksgiving dinner?" Like they don't believe me and need to see how fast I can come up with an answer. It doesn't take them long to realize that I have been eating this way most of my life. But they still want to know what I will be eating for dinner on the day many have named after their main course "Turkey-Day."

Anytime of the year I like to eat the foods that are most abundant during that season. When to take a look at all the wonderful, comforting foods of autumn it is hard not to have many favorites. So saying they is no "traditional" dinner that I serve every year. Sometimes it is a pumpkin stuffed with a mix of hearty grains or a more traditional potato or bread stuffing accompanied by many of greens and other yummy side dishes. This is why I named one of the chapters in my cookbook "Side dishes...The Best Part of the Meal" I like to let everyone chose a favorite side.

This year my dinner will have a traditional look to it as I will be serving a "naked turkey." A vegetarian version of this holiday main course but still it is all about the sides! Starting with red onion soup then moving on to apricot acorn squash, lima beans, candied yams, fresh cranberry sauce, cabbage salad with bacon (vegetarian of course) dressing, and fresh baked bread. Moving on to dessert the ever traditional pumpkin pie and mixed berry cobbler topped with fresh whipped cream. Truly a feast filled with comfort and health.

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

What Do You Do With Apples?

In my home we love apples so fall is very delicious. I love to find a way to incorporate my special ingredient into the meal I am planning. This past weekend I was making pancakes for breakfast so I chopped up an apple very fine along with some raisins, added a little bit of cinnamon to my usual pancake batter and adjusted the liquid a little. A scrumptious, hearty breakfast was had by all.

The morning before we had chunky apple muffins for a morning on the go. I will soon be making apple dumplings, apple crisp, apple-sauce cake, butternut squash soup (which is sweetened with an apple), and chopped up and added to my salad. Oh, i forgot to mention that I also love to eat them fresh picked from the tree.

Let me know your favorite ways to eat apples this season.

The rewards of growing grapes

Three out of four seasons of the year the couple of grape vines I have give me their gifts. In the spring when the young tender leaves are about the size of your hand they can be picked and made into delicious stuffed grape-leaves. Summer time provides sweet juicy grapes that are perfect for snacking or if you have more than you can eat they can be made into a special wine. Fall comes with the task of cutting down the vines but then they can be formed into wreaths or other shapes for beautiful door decorations and more.



I love growing an

assortment of plants but the grapes seem to provide me with most variety of gifts in return.

Roast Your Vegetables For Even More Sweetness

While in the midst of a bountiful harvest the choices are endless to make a hardy meal of roasted vegetables. Roasting them bring out all their natural sweetness that makes them irresistible. After you have your vegetables roasted there are a variety ways you can chose to serve them.

First start with I start with the root vegetables like onions, garlic, carrots and parsnips. Next I like to include tomatoes, eggplant, broccoli, summer squash (green or yellow), and bell peppers, hot one if you like. Finally I add some fresh herbs, rosemary, thyme, and basil. Just include any vegetables and herbs that you and your family enjoy, maybe even an apple. Spread out on a baking pan and coat lightly with olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Bake uncovered for an hour at 350°.

Serve them as a side dish that will disappear instantly.

Blend in a blender until smooth for a sauce that can be served over rice or potatoes.

Serve over brown or black rice with the roasted vegetable sauce with some hearty bread as a main dish.

As a roasted vegetable soup blend until smooth adding some vegetable stock or water to thin to your desired thickness.

Enjoy the harvest
Enjoy your food
Enjoy your life

Kill the Weeds without chemicals

Do you have weeds that grow through the cracks in the sidewalk or driveway? How about in the walk ways or patio? I have found a great solution without using any chemicals. Boiling water! I just take a teapot of boiling water out to the weeds pour a little on and in a few days they are dead. What could be easier then that? My pets are safe the ground is safe and the weeds are gone. The only down side is that you can not use this method around your garden because it will kill all the plants it touches.

Be healthy and keep the earth healthy too!

Blueberries

The blueberries are just coming out now and are simply delicious. There are so many ways to enjoy blueberries your imagination is the limit. For example last night I took some basic butter cake that I had made in a tube pan, sliced it into one inch pieces. Then I layered cake, whipped cream, blueberries and repeated. I ended up with individual blueberries short cake! A great way to start the first day of summer vacation for my son.

Blueberries have so much more to offer then great taste. They are high in vitamin C, A, E, K, manganese, fiber, anti-oxidants, and phyto-chemical. Their benefits include helping remove harmful free radicals, and lowering blood sugar levels.

So see what you can dream up or stick to one the the many popular blueberry dishes you already are familiar with.

Book Signing

To celebrate the release of Trish's Dishes

, the Hatboro Union Library has invited the me to hold a book signing as part of Hatboro's First Friday festivities on June 3, from from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. Speaking with readers about Trish's Dishes, the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, and the challenges she faced on her path to publication. Trish will be selling copies of her book and answering readers' questions. Her second book signing is scheduled for June 11 at Bunn’s Natural Foods in Southampton from 12:00pm to 3:00pm.