When I went upstairs to go to bed last night, I realized I had not gotten dressed all day. Hmm… I only stay in my comfy sweats/sleep clothes when I’m sick. But I’m not sick! That I know of.
In fact, I actually got a lot done yesterday. I’m nearing completion of a chapter of my memoir-in-progress, and I got some significant work done there. Then I cooked and baked while listening to the set list from Elton John’s July 6, 1976 concert at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. This event figured in the chapter I was working on, so it was helping to bring back memories of that time. I can’t be sure if I was there on July 6th or 7th, but it was the first concert I ever went to; I went with my best friend and her dad. It was our eighth-grade graduation presents from our parents. I was in love with Elton John, and I’m still in love with his music. So.
I’ve made this version of aloo gobi in the slow cooker before, and it’s excellent. I did not make proper note of the amount of cayenne pepper I used last time, so I guesstimated a teaspoon (as opposed to the tablespoon in the original recipe), and it was way too hot for me. I’m thinking a 1/4 teaspoon would be about right.
Another thing I alter is I add some cubed tofu or chickpeas. This time it was chickpeas. I wanted some protein in there. Then I cooked up some brown rice, and we were all set.
White ceramic bowl of Aloo Gobi
with cauliflower, potatoes, and sprinkling of cilantro.
Set on an orange & yellow-striped tablecloth.
From ThePerfectPantry.com
Next, I looked up a recipe for the over-ripe bananas. I wanted something not overly sweet and that would let me use up the almond flour that was expiring in the freezer. I love being able to type a bunch of ingredients into the Google search bar and see lots of recipes to scroll through. This one is a keeper from The Roasted Root: Grain-Free Banana Cake. Sorry, but I did not have the ingredients for the cashew “cream cheese” frosting. For the icing, I had to freestyle it with some Kite Hill non-dairy cream cheese, confectioners sugar, a dash of almond extract, and a few tablespoons of Silk soy creamer. Although we have all these in our house, and we do not eat meat, we are not vegan. We eat eggs occasionally and egg whites all the time; I occasionally use real butter; we eat fish. And I eat milk-based yogurt and cottage cheese, but my partner won’t touch the stuff.
Anyway, this cake uses 6 bananas and is very banana-y and not too sweet, allowing the icing to do its work. And it was done in 28 minutes rather than 55. Good thing I was keeping an eye on it! Here it is below, right out of the oven.
What are you cooking and baking during your self-imposed quarantine?
