Cilantro Lime Noodles with Shrimp and Snow Peas

I made this recipe last week and was fairly pleased with how it came out. I'm not a huge snow pea fan, so I did not use them, nor did I use cilantro because again...not a fan, but you might be! In place of those things I used green peppers and parsley, but I did everything else the way the recipe calls for.

8 ounces angel hair or vermicelli rice noodles
4 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed and cut in half crosswise
1/4 pound carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1 pound cooked shrimp (21-25 count) peeled and deveined
2 limes, zest and juice
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 1 cup packed)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste


Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the snow peas, carrots, and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp, lime zest and juice, rice wine vinegar and cayenne pepper and saute another 3 minutes until heated through. Remove from heat; toss with baby spinach, cilantro, 2 tablespoons olive oil and cooked pasta. Season with salt and pepper and serve with extra lime wedges.


I loved how the cayenne gave this recipe a nice kick and the lime made it taste so fresh. Heidi and Piper seemed to enjoy it a great deal as well, so I might be willing to make it again. Plus it was incredibly easy and quick, especially if you do all of your chopping ahead of time. Definitely something for you to try!

Naan Pizza with Pictures!

I know I already have a recipe post for Naan pizza, but I decided to do another one that includes actual photographs! I know, you must be completely amazed, right? No? Yeah I don't blame you.

Anyhow, if you'd like to try making some Naan pizza, it's quite simple. First, you'll need to get your naan, some sort of sauce and cheese and then whatever toppings you might like to have. To keep it simple, I usually don't top with anything besides garlic and sometimes onion. The last time I made it, I dressed it up a little with more seasonings, but you can really do anything you want.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Brush some olive oil (or another oil you enjoy) all over the naan bread. This is when I seasoned it with onion powder, garlic powder, oregano and basil. Then I threw on some sliced garlic and put Sun Dried Tomato Pesto over that. I probably won't be buying it again because there are too many ingredients in it, but if you want to give it a try it's pretty tasty and not too terrible (I think). Then I sprinkled on some cheese and threw it in the oven.

For the four of us, I made six pizzas and amazingly, I was able to get all of them covered with just that one jar. Of course, I didn't go very heavy on it, especially not on Heidi's and Piper's since they hardly eat the bread anyway, so you might want some other sauce as backup if you plan to use this pesto. After about 10 minutes in the oven (or 12 for browner cheese) it's ready to eat!

It is pretty tasty if I do say so myself. Not to mention being an easy, quick dinner for those nights you just don't feel like doing much. I actually got my naan on sale so I still have a package in the freezer waiting to become pizza some day. Yum.

Monthly Meal Plan

Inspired by Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama, I decided to take the plunge and make a meal plan for the entire month of June (with the exception of weekends because they're always weird). Thanks to this handy list, I can look at a week ahead of time and know what I need to shop for based on what I've already decided we're having. Yeah, well, we'll see how well this works out...

June 1: Oven fried cod, baked potatoes, steamed broccoli
June 2: Pasta and bean salad (I made that up.)
June 3: Chicken Pot Pie
June 4: Wings (I know this because we'll have company.)
June 6: Spanish Beef and Rice, salad
June 7: Koushari
June 8: Curry with rice (in some form)
June 9: Fish, baked potatoes, vegetable (Hey, it makes sense.)
June 10: Pasta, salad, garlic bread
June 13: Homemade veggie burgers (never made them before), homemade french fries, kale chips, salad
June 14: Stir fry over noodles
June 15: Spanish rice, Homemade tortillas, "Mexican" black bean mixture
June 16: Shrimp scampi
June 17: Hot dogs, Sauerkraut, Mashed Potatoes, Salad
June 20: Rotisserie Chicken, Rice Pilaf, Green Beans (On Monday's Whole Foods has a fantastic a.k.a. antibiotic/hormone free chicken for $7!)
June 21: Roasted Veggies, which may include potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, onions, brussel sprouts, asparagus
June 22: Bean sautee over rice
June 23: Meatloaf, baked potatoes, salad
June 24: Salmon, Barley Pilaf, Artichokes?
June 27: Pasta, salad
June 28: Steak, asparagus, homemade french fries
June 29: Oven rice and lentil pilaf, salad
June 30: Curry over rice (in another form.)

Of course this is subject to change, but it is a nice thought to think I won't have to think about dinner for a while, yes?

My First Curry!

The other night I made curry for the first time and I was so pleasantly surprised with how well it turned out, I've decided to make it a staple in our house. Even Steve ate it! So, in honor of my recent discovery, I'm sharing my very simple recipe with you.

Here is what I used:

1 cup chicken broth
1 can cannelini beans
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 green onions, chopped
1 tbsp corn starch
Hot cooked brown rice
Salt
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Cumin
Curry Powder

-First I sauteed the onions and garlic (not the green onion) until they started to get soft (over medium heat). I drained and rinsed the beans and threw them in, tossing them around a bit.
-To my cup of chicken broth, I added the cornstarch and stirred it until it was combined well. I was hunting around for my curry powder at this point, so I added a little bit of onion and garlic powder and then several dashes of cumin and some salt.
-When I finally found the curry powder, I added about a tablespoon. I stirred in the chicken broth, brought it to a boil and lowered the heat so it could simmer for a bit. I was doing many other things at this time so it sat for at least 10 minutes.
-Just before serving, I threw the chopped green onions in and let them cook just a bit. Of course, you could also leave them completely raw and put them on top of your food, but I think either way is just dandy. I served this mixture over short grain brown rice (mmm, my favorite!)

I plan to do infinite alterations to this recipe in the future - using chicken or maybe beef in substitution for the beans (or addition to). OK, maybe there aren't infinite alterations, but I look forward to trying it a number of ways. Heidi and Piper had 3 helpings each so it's worth a shot!

Onions and Garlic

What I'm about to share with you may cause you to think I'm a little weird, but I don't care. It is soooooo good. Mmmm....

The other night, I made this combo of onions and garlic for some reason (obviously doesn't matter) and I was reminded of how desperately I enjoy it. Thus, I made it again the next night so I could enjoy its deliciousness.


To begin, chop up one onion and several cloves of garlic. Duh.



Then, heat up your little sautee pan and add whatever oil you prefer. At this time, I used coconut oil because it's my new BFF. You don't want your pan to become terribly hot, so I'd keep it at medium-low (for me, this is around 4).





I then add my onions and garlic to the pan and sprinkle onion powder and garlic powder on top of them. Did I just blow your mind? I bet you're sitting there thinking, "Why on Earth would I need to do that?" So just trust me for a second. On we go.





Sautee them for a while until the onions start to become translucent or whatever. Then...are you ready?? Sprinkle some Bragg's all over them, about a tablespoon or less. Yeah, that's what I said. Mmmm. Then you stir them up a bit again, make sure you're still in the medium-low range on the stove and cover it.

He's not getting any.

After allowing this to chill out for 4 minutes or less, remove the cover and gasp at its beauty! Stir it up and make sure you gather all the crusty goodness that has formed on the bottom.

Here's a close-up so you can see how awesome it is. It isn't burned, just tasty. Ugh I want some right now!




Anywho, for this particular mixture, I put it over some potatoes (the other potatoes have salsa), but this can go with nearly anything. Put it over a steak, sautee in some chicken or some mushrooms, top a rice pilaf or whatever you're in the mood for. This is so tasty you won't regret it! Do you know what you're making for dinner tonight?

There's Just Something About Spaghetti...

Every so often, I get an intense, irresistible craving for spaghetti with meatballs or meat sauce. Of course I can go long periods of time without it, but there's just something about the blend of flavors and the delectable texture as it rolls around in my mouth that keeps me coming back for more...and prevents me from being a full-fledged vegetarian.




Mmm...doesn't that look tasty? I bet you're jealous right now. (Though not quite as jealous as Kelly at Becoming Crunchy who is going grain free right now...sorry :) )

Anyway, the point of this post is to give you my brief yet tasty recipe for garlic bread because a pasta meal is never complete without it.


How I Make Garlic Bread:

Look at this loaf of literal garlic bread I picked up! Of course you can use whatever bread you want, but as my father always says, "Too much garlic is never enough!" This type has garlic cloves embedded into its soft goodness so each bite ends up bursting with garlic, buttery goodness once it's done.

First, I slice the bread into reasonable slices (feel free to define what 'reasonable' means to you.)

Then, after I lay them out on a baking sheet, I sprinkle them with olive oil, oregano and garlic powder. After that, I place the butter atop the spices as evenly as possible, though it depends on whether or not I've actually let it get soft (usually I don't). Then I sprinkle more garlic powder and oregano on top of the butter and throw it in the oven until the butter has melted and it starts to get crispy.


You could really use any spices you desire to tailor your bread to the meal like basil, rosemary or parsley and of course you can always add minced garlic on top of the butter. Even better, you can roast the garlic beforehand and squeeze it out onto the bread so it can melt along with the butter.

Are you on your way to the store yet?

The End: 40 Days of Homemade Food

I know I totally slacked on this post, but I'm sure you didn't miss it...until now!

I really don't have anything Earth-changing, spectacular or miraculous to say about our Lenten challenge to eat only at home. While we did basically complete this challenge, we did end up ordering pizza more than I would have liked to and having fast-food (mostly chik-fil-a, which is thought to be the best fast food restaurant) also much more than I would like to. Of course, I journeyed to NY to visit my mother, so I am quite unsure of what Steve did during that time. :)

I will say that this was not as difficult as I thought it might be, which may be partially due to the fact that I cook at home almost every day anyway, but when you know you cannot eat out, you tend to throw things together to eat fairly quick. Even when I was so tired I didn't want to move, I still had to make dinner and I did. I often think about women who were housewives in the '50's or earlier who literally had no choice but to make three meals a day, sometimes with multiple courses, to please their husbands. I wonder how they managed to pull that off while still keeping the house clean and taking care of children and then wash most of their dishes by hand and do a lot of laundry by hand. Ugh, it makes me want to take a nap just thinking about it.

Some how, we all get through each day and still have the will to do it all over again tomorrow. I think making all meals at home really isn't out of anyone's league and is probably a lot more feasible than you think. It doesn't always have to be fancy and doesn't have to make sense. It's food. We need it to survive. We're going to chew it up and digest it anyway so relax a little. There's plenty of room for fancy, put together dinners, but if you do that a couple of times a week, feel free to throw random things together and call it a meal on the other days without any guilt. The point is, you're eating at home, you're eating together as a family and you're eating whole, real foods rather than buying something someone else made that came from who-knows-where.

On that note, here is a recipe for something I made the other day that I found completely tasty.

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 onion, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 green onion, sliced
1 can tomato sauce
2 handfuls of mushrooms, chopped
1 handful of spinach (or however much fits in the pan), chopped a bit
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Basil
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder

1. I sauteed the onion and garlic in coconut oil, added the mushrooms and the green onion (this is because I forgot I had both of those in my fridge and added them last minute).
2. Add beans and tomato sauce, stir and bring to boil. Throw in spinach, reduce heat to low and allow spinach to wilt.
3. What's that? I forgot to season? Yeah, you bet I did! I took the girls outside and when I came back (this had been sitting on low for about 20-30 minutes), I added all the seasonings above. Serve over brown rice.

Chocolate. Need I Say More?

I do not like sweets. I hate doughnuts, Twinkies, cheesecake and any type of frosting that isn't made from whipped cream. So believe me when I say this: If you make these cupcakes, you will eat all of them. Immediately.

My mother made this recipe for her birthday to treat herself (because she has been following Weight Watchers) and I'm pretty sure that in two days time, I ate about 5 of these things (which is A LOT for me). Hey, I didn't want the whipped cream to go to waste!

Double Chocolate Cupcakes (From the Light & Easy Cooking Collection)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsweetened orange juice
1/3 cup water
3 tblsp vegetable oil
1 tblsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate mini-morsels
1 tsp powdered sugar (I think this is technically optional)

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl; make a well in the center of mixture. Combine orange juice, water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla; add to dry ingredients, stirring until just moistened. Fold in the chocolate morsels.

Spoon into foil or paper-lined muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Yield: 1 dozen (about 153 calories each).

Instead of sprinkling with powdered sugar, we dipped the tops of the cupcakes in whipped cream and sprinkled extra mini chocolate chips on top of that. Hold me back.

You must make these!

Fresh Tomato and Arugula Pasta

8 ounces dried ziti or mostaccioli
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tblsp olive oil
4 - 6 medium tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped (3 cups)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional, but I used it)
3 cups arugula and/or spinach, coarsely chopped
1/4 pine nuts or slivered almonds, toasted (I didn't do this)
2 tblsp crumbled Gorgonzola or other blue cheese (I'd rather vomit than eat this)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook onion and garlic in hot oil over medium heat until onion is tender. Add tomatoes, salt, black pepper and if desired, red pepper. Cook and stir over medium-high heat about 2 minutes or until the tomatoes are warm and release some of their juices. Stir in arugula and/or spinach; heat just until greens are wilted.
3. To serve, top pasta with tomato mixture; sprinkle with toasted nuts and cheese.

I think this has a lot of potential, but for whatever reason, the arugula that I used did absolutely nothing for this dish. The only spiciness I tasted was from the red pepper flakes. I might try making it again with just spinach or maybe really fresh arugula or even asparagus (like I wanted to but time ran away from me). Nevertheless, Piper ate a ton of it, but that is to be expected because she'll eat anything since she is awesome. 

How To Make Dinner When You Have No Money (But Have What I Have On Hand)

I ran out of grocery money a week ago (boo, hiss) so I knew this week I would need to be EXTREMELY creative with what I have. If you know what I have on hand, this will make a lot more sense to you.OK, on we go.

Monday: Tilapia with lemon sauce, rice pilaf and salad.

Tuesday: Polenta with homemade sauce, salad. 

Wednesday: Steak (from Steve), noodles and broccoli. Oh, and salad.

Thursday: Oven-baked rice pilaf with lentils and.....salad!

Friday: I had no clue, so I started peeling potatoes and ultimately came up with the idea to make a chili-esque skillet thing over mashed potatoes.


If you are interested in any of the recipes I used this week, here they are:



Tilapia with Lemon Sauce
(Also known as Orange Roughy with Lemon Sauce, but I don't regularly keep Orange Roughy)

1 lb fresh or frozen orange roughy or red snapper fillets (or tilapia)
1 pound asparagus spears (or not if you don't have them)
1 14 oz can chicken broth
2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 medium yellow sweet pepper, cut into strips
4 tsp cornstarch
2 tblsp fresh chives (I didn't use these either)
2 cups hot cooked rice or couscous

1. Thaw fish if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry. Snap off and discard woody bases from asparagus. Cut asparagus in half; set aside.
2. In large skillet, combine 1 cup of broth, lemon peel and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Carefully add fish and asparagus. Cook, covered over medium-low heat for 4 minutes. Add sweet pepper strips. Cook, covered 2 minutes more or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Using slotted spatula, transfer fish and vegetables to a serving plate, reserving liquid in skillet. Keep fish and vegetables warm while preparing sauce.
3. For sauce, stir together remaining broth and cornstarch. Stir into liquid in skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Stir in chives. Arrange fish and vegetables on couscous or rice; spoon sauce over top.
I did not prepare the fish like this. I made the sauce in a separate pan and browned the fish by itself, then served the sauce over it. Heidi took one bite and said "I like fish!"

To make the polenta, I just followed the instructions on the package. Crazy, right? It actually turned out really good. For the sauce, I used:

1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
About 1/2 can tomato paste
1 onion, chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
Oregano, basil, salt, pepper and parsley

I sauteed the onion, garlic and celery for a few minutes in coconut oil because it's awesome, then I added everything else, reduced the heat and let it simmer for many hours. I used a lot of oregano because I refuse to put sugar into my pasta sauce.



Here's the basic recipe for the Oven-Cooked Rice Pilaf:
1 1/2 cups boiling chicken broth
1 tblsp butter
3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/4 cup chopped carrot

In a 1-quart casserole combine boiling water and butter; stir until butter is melted. Stir in rice. Bake, covered in 350 degree oven about 35 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Of course, being who I am, I did not do this exact recipe. I did not use butter, but I sprinkled olive oil all over the rice mixture before I put it in. I used 1/2 cup barley, 1/2 lentils and 1 cup of a wild and brown rice mix instead of regular rice. I used about 4 3/4 cups of my own homemade vegetable broth and also threw in some garlic with the vegetables (and regular onion instead of green). I baked it for 40 minutes and then let it sit for another 5-10 until all the liquid was absorbed. In order to conserve dishes, I put my rice into my empty salad bowl, that still had some dressing in it, and boy was that tasty! Heidi ate most of her portion, then finished my portion and finally turned her sights on Piper's. And when I got seconds, she gobbled right on that too. I always say I don't necessarily care how she eats it, as long as she's eating, and that she did.

Finally, I made a really quick dinner tonight off the top of my head that may sound weird but was actually pretty good. Some people eat chili on baked potatoes, so why not have something similar over mashed potatoes?

I used:
1 can each black beans and kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
2 carrots
2 cans of tomato sauce
1 tblsp tomato paste left over from pasta sauce the other day
(And I used some leftover broth to mash the potatoes with)

I sauteed the onion, garlic and carrot in coconut oil for a couple of minutes, then added both cans of beans, the two cans of tomato sauce and the tomato paste. I seasoned with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder and cumin. Brought the mixture to a boil, reduced heat and let it simmer until I changed diapers.

I mashed the potatoes with however much butter was left in the end of a stick, a little bit of broth, salt and some cayenne. In a pinch, it worked.

Fabulous, Tasty Salad Dressing!

I've decided to share my treasured secret for the most tasty salad dressing ever. OK, it's not really that impressive, but I like it, Heidi and Piper like it and my mother likes it. I first came up with it when I suddenly ran out of Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing, which has been a favorite of mine for a long time. I tried to replicate it using some of the ingredients he listed (those I had on hand) and this is what I came up with! So if you feel compelled, please try it :)

First, I take an extra light Olive Oil and using my handy squeeze bottle, I squeeze a steady stream back and forth over the salad across it and back again (confusing? maybe.) Essentially, I squeeze enough to cover the salad.

Then, I take my red wine vinegar, and sprinkle it over the salad, but not as much as the olive oil because it can become quite strong. (Of course, any of the ingredients can be adjusted after a taste.)

 Then I sprinkle my Bragg's all over the salad in a similar manner, also being careful not to over do it because I don't want it to be too salty. There is a perfect balance that comes with just the right amount of vinegar and Bragg's that gives this the most perfect taste.

At this point, I ad-lib. For this salad, I chose to sprinkle onion powder and Mrs. Dash's Garlic and Herb blend (slobber slobber).

Sometimes, I'll also sprinkle dried parsley in addition to the above seasonings, or use any combination of the three. It's totally up to you and what you feel like having at the time. Here is the finished product, though you can't really tell how delicious it is/was.

Who Needs Taco Bell?

Tonight I made homemade tortillas to go along with our soft taco, Spanish rice dinner. This is a fairly easy recipe, but I find that anything that requires rolling makes it slightly work intensive, so be prepared. Luckily, while I was rolling, Heidi and Piper were enjoying a rousing game of 'hide and seek' in the cupboard beneath the butcher block I was working on.

Here is the original recipe: Flour Tortillas

Because there is no way I would ever need 24 tortillas, unless I was having a tortilla party, I cut the recipe in half and used the following:

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tblsp shortening
3/4 cup water

Yes, despite the warning she gives not to use vegetable oil or shortening in place of lard, I chose to use the shortening because A. it was what I had and B. I wouldn't be caught dead with a block of lard, although I have heard it's not as bad as we're made to believe it is.

Now, I'm not sure if I overfilled my measuring cup and didn't notice, but when I dumped the last remains of the water into the mixture, it became a sticky, soppy mess. I had to add A LOT more flour to get it to form into dough again and then still more when I was rolling the tortillas. So I would tell you just to add the water a bit at a time until you get a nice doughy consistency. (On a side note, once you notice the ingredients that go into making these perfectly adequate tortillas, wonder why most store-bought brands contain a paragraph of ingredients.)

What did I stuff these tortillas with, you ask? Well, I'll tell you. First I sauteed an onion and a few cloves of garlic along with chopped red, orange and yellow pepper. Then I added a can of corn and a can of black beans. You probably don't want to drain all of the liquid from one of the cans just so you can keep your mixture moist (I made that mistake this time and had to add some water). Then I seasoned with onion powder, garlic powder, Adobo and cumin. I brought it up to a boil and then let it sit on low until I was done with those stinkin' tortillas. (They gave me a lot of trouble because of the excessive water. You can have a much better experience!) I served this with Near East's Spanish Rice Pilaf (because it was on sale!) and some salsa on top. Both Heidi and Piper ate their weight in rice.

Steve altered the recipe further buy mixing the rice and beans with some Mexican blend of cheese and serving it with some chicken that he made. The possibilities are endless!

Wordless Wednesday: The Evolution of Soup

 

 

 

How I Eat An Artichoke (Or Two, Or Three, Or Four)

*Please note: This has the potential to be a very time consuming process, especially if you are going to share with your children. Even if you do not, you may find yourself running to the store for more artichokes once you've finished your first batch. You have been warned.

Ahh, the baby artichoke. Such tender, tastiness waiting to be unearthed from its leafy shell. Mmmmmmm.

OK, on to the actual recipe. For me, baby artichokes are a bit more work than full sized ones because I like to trim them and skin the stems rather than just chopping them off in the larger variety. Of course, you don't have to do it this way, but I like to eat the whole stem with the heart (of the baby artichoke) and if I don't cut off the outer layer it just isn't tasty.

First, I break off the outer leaves until I see a light yellow and a white color around the base of the leaves. Then, I take my paring knife and skin the stem, chopping off the very end, until it is that nice shade of light green. Then I throw them all in a steaming basket above a large pot of water and boil them until the leaves come off easily. For these, it took about 40 minutes. I also added a few cloves of garlic to the water (which I will discuss later) but you could also add lemon slices to infuse a bit of flavor into the artichokes.

Steam away!

When they were finished, I took a few out and started breaking them apart to give to my hungry children. They were probably a tad overdone as you can see how dark they became, but nevertheless a fantastic treat.

Most of the time, the outer leaves are fairly inedible, providing very little 'meat' that would normally be scraped off with one's teeth. I had to peel off quite a few of them to get to the nice yellow leaves that are tender enough for Piper to eat. Heidi actually eats the whole leaf, no matter what kind you put in front of her.

Once I get to this point, I rip each leaf in half (or wherever it offers the most give/tenderness to break) to make the plate for Piper. For Heidi, I leave the leaf intact as I would for myself.

As you can see, the right side of the plate has the bottom, tender part of the leaf for Piper to eat (or what you would eat) and the top part is discarded.

Now, you may be wondering if we just eat these fabulous vegetables plain or if I make some sort of mind altering sauce to dip them in. It's the latter. And here is how I do it.

Note that the bowl seen here has already been used for this sauce and is not simply a dirty dish.

First, I fill the bottom part of the bowl with fresh lemon juice. Ultimately, the sauce is all up 'to taste' so you can always add more throughout the process or less the next time you do it. Then I add some sprinkles of Bragg's Amino Acids, generally enough to change the color of the lemon. (To see my post on Bragg's, click here.)

In the above photo, I added a clove of the boiled garlic to the lemon and Bragg's.

After I added the luscious clove of garlic to the lemon and Bragg's, I added about a tablespoon of butter. 

Then I pop it into the microwave for 30 seconds if the butter is ice cold, maybe 25 seconds if it is room temperature, depending on your microwave. Then you'll want to check it to see if all the butter has melted or if it needs a bit more time. 

As you can see, the butter is not completely melted, but with a quick stir, it almost dissolves. However, I like to have the sauce reach a slight boil, so I would put it back on (in the microwave) for another 8 - 10 seconds. Also at this point I crushed the garlic with my stirring fork and incorporated it into the sauce before microwaving the additional time....someone stop me!

At last! The sauce is complete! Be careful, it will be hot, but it will provide the most delicious dipping sauce for your artichokes you have ever tasted! Generally speaking, I like to use this sauce on any vegetable I eat, though I do not always use the butter (and of course I don't always have garlic).

Heidi enjoyed dipping her entire leaf into the sauce and sucking it all off before gobbling the whole thing.

Try it, love it, use it on everything for the rest of your life! :)