Cooking in Pajamas

2 Zucchini, medium size, grated 1 c. Plain yogurt (fat-free) 3/4 c. Sour cream (fat-free) 1 tbsp Cream cheese (light) 2 tbsp Olive oil 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar 1/4 c. Fresh cilantro, chopped 2 Garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp Ground cumin 1/2 tsp Salt Cayenne pepper Chilli powder Parmesan cheese Grate the zucchini into a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let zucchini drain for 30 min. Rinse well and drain again for another 15 min. Squeeze as much water as possible from zucchini using a towel. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sour cream, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add the cream cheese and parmesan cheese. Mix well. Add in zucchini, cilantro, garlic, cumin powder, cayenne pepper and chilli powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refridgerate for 2 hours to blend the flavour. Serve with pita bread. My comments: This was a simple and healthy vegetable dip, esp for someone who doesn't own a food processor, someone like me! I found the dip to be a bit bland and I th

1 Pie shell (homemade or frozen) 3 tbsp Olive oil 1 Red onion, large 2-3 Mushrooms, sliced 5-10 Asparagus, cut into 1" pieces 1 tsp Balsamic vinegar 1/2 c. Light cream 1/4 c. Milk 3 Eggs 4 tbsp Romano or Parmasean (or 1 1/2 c. of your favourite cheese, grated) Salt and Pepper Pinch of nutmeg If your pie shell is frozen, bake the shell according to the box instructions. Let the shell cool before adding the filling. Slice the onions into thin strips (also refered to as French-cut). Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil on a frying pan on medium heat. Add the onions and add a little salt. Cook for about 10 minutes; the onions should be soft and transparent. Reduce the heat to low and cook for another 30 min. Stir occasionally. When the onions are brown, add balsamic vinegar and cook for 10 more minutes. The onions should be completely caramelized. Remove from heat. Soften the mushrooms and asparagus in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and cream. Add

[Vegetarian version: Omit the chicken or replace it with chickpeas.] 1 c. Brown rice 1 3/4 c. Water 3-4 pc. Chicken thighs, deboned and cut small 1/2 Red onion, chopped small 1 tbsp Curry powder 1/4 c. Olive oil 1 tsp Cumin 1 tsp Paprika 1 tsp chilli powder 1/2 tbsp Sesame oil 1 Apple 2 tbsp Honey 1 stalk Celery Fresh Cilantro (3-4 sprigs) Dried cranberries Salt Chopped walnuts or pecan (optional) Wash the rice a few times with water and drain as much as possible. Put the rice and water in a pot and add water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 40 min. Turn off the heat and keep cover for at least 10 min. Fluff the rice with a fork. In a frying pan, cook the chicken with 1 tbsp olive oil. Add a little bit of salt while cooking. Set cooked chicken aside. In a small pot, combine the olive oil, curry powder, cumin, paprika, chilli powder and sesame oil. Mix well and let the oil simmer for 1 minute. Add the chopped onion and cook until they are translucent. Add honey to the