Good ol' Diner Cookin' - Katie Style!

     "Tuna" Melt!

     For some reason, a tuna melt came to my mind today...I have no idea why. So I went with it and my meal reminded me of what might be served in a small diner - although mine is a little bit more health-promoting (but I did provide a typical "sorry" amount of broccoli - like most diners would...just keepin' it real).

     The base of my "tuna" is garbanzo beans paired with a tahini mayo, complimented by scallions, sprinkled with mozzarella daiya cheese, and served with roasted butternut squash fries. I love that it's open-faced - 2 pieces of bread is just too much sometimes. I enjoy using Ezekiel bread, but you take your pick (GF bread would be a great choice too). Give it a try - it is quite delicious (& nutritious - full of protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats).

Please YOUR palate today and be perfectly satisfied!
*Free of soy, dairy, fish, & gluten (depending on your bread choice)*

       
     For your "Tuna" Melt:

 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (canned is fine)
1/3 cup scallions, finely diced
1 recipe tahini mayo
1/2 cup of mozzarella daiya vegan cheese
4 pieces of bread, your choice

     Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. With a fork, mash garbanzo beans. Stir in tahini mayo and scallions until well combined. Place a quarter of the mixture on each piece of bread and sprinkle with 1/8 cup of daiya. Once all 4 open-faced sandwiches are completed, place on a cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes, until cheese is melted.
     If only needing one open-faced sandwich, this mixture stores wonderfully in the fridge for 2-3 days.

*Variations - feel free to jazz it up even more - diced carrots, onion, celery, etc.

     For your Tahini Mayo:

1/3 cup tahini (sesame butter)
1/3 cup water
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp ume vinegar
1/2 lemon, juiced

     **Simply blend all of the ingredients in a blender until well-combined
        (or just stir together in a bowl - easy peasy).

     Roasted Butternut Squash Fries:
           *enough for 3-4 people*

1/2 butternut squash, sliced into 3x1/4x1/4 inch pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
Seasoning of choice - I used a combo of sea salt, pepper, and lemon zest

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toss butternut squash with olive oil and seasonings. On a baking sheet, create a single layer of fries and bake for 15 minutes. Take the fries from the oven and flip. Bake for 10 more minutes, until tender.

Don't deny yourself a "good ol' diner experience" -
but just DIY at home - so much more nutritious and satisfying -
honestly...you won't finish feeling groggy & greasy. :-)

Quick Trip to D.C.

     I have to say, I love that I can go visit one of my best girlfriend's in only 2.5 hours! :-) I had the joy of visiting my sweet friend and her husband in D.C. for the day. We had a lovely afternoon in the sunshine walking the mall and exploring the sites of our nation's capitol. We also took pictures of me at the WWII memorial in front of all of the states I've been to (or through) this year...there are quite a few...fun times and sweet memories made.

.been friends for over 10 years now. :-)

.the new MLK Jr. memorial. phenomenal.

.beauty.

.WWII Memorial.

.home for 6 months.

.just passing through.

.another pass through state.

.favorite.

.college state.

.what's one more state to pass through?.

.Arlington.

.visit to the capitol.

.home for 1 month - being aunt kate.

.home for 10 years.

.home for 2 weeks...so far.

  
     What a year. I'm thankful for each and every experience this year has brought to me...many more to come while learning patience, quietness, & confidence...waiting on the Lord in the midst.

     So moving on from too many pictures of me - I leave you with a picture of a recent yummy treat I made - Fruit & Nut Pinwheels. Yum! See, I don't just travel - still cooking & baking like always! Big hugs to all!

.Fruit & Nut Pinwheels.

Hey Pumpkin! ;-)

     It's officially fall! I actually can't believe it's already October. So many life-changing events have happened this year...who knows what the rest of the year will bring (hopefully a fantastic job & a cozy apartment). As of last week, I have joined my mother and most of my immediate family in E-town, PA. It's a quaint little town with charm and sweet character.

     It didn't take long for my mom and I to find a farmer's market and lunch at a precious chocolate cafe. I am definitely in chocolate land - Hershey, PA is just around the corner. In fact, when I step out of my mom's apartment, the aroma of chocolate tickles my nose...I'm okay with it! :-)

     While we were exploring the farmer's market, we stumbed across a Long-Neck Pumpkin...we of course happily bought it in hopes of making yummy treats and desserts!


LongNeckPumpkin...to be made into pumpkin puree!



First step - peel the pumpkin...this takes quite the energy, believe it or not!



.process of cutting...



.and de-seeding.



.Cut into 1-inch pieces to steam until soft.

.Once the pumpkin is soft, blend in a blender to make pumpkin puree.

     
     My longneck pumpkin made 7 cups of pumpkin puree! Woohoo! Lots of desserts to be made in the very near future. I put some in the freezer for later use in the season, but also left some in the fridge to make goodies in the next week or so. I'll keep you posted on how I choose to use the fruits of my labor! :-)

     Thanks for being a loyal reader...please let me know if you ever have any questions or need food advice. I'm your gal! ;-)