I currently live in Costa Rica and have decided to start writing about the food I eat here.  Though I am a vegetarian many of the recipes are really appropriate for everyone like this little gem, Torta de Flor de Itabo.   You can also see my full blog post at http://www.chicaenglish.com/my-blog/2012/05/scrambled-eggs-and-flowers.html

So here is a recipe for Flor de Itabo which are yucca flowers. If you live in the southwest no doubt you seem them everyday. I bet you didn't know that pretty white petals edible. In Costa Rica markets and roadside full of Flor de Itabo branches mark the coming of Easter known here as Semana Santa since it blooms March though April.

They are an excellent source of vitamin C and also contain iron, phosphorus and niacin, as well as fiber. So these little boogers are nutritious too!

Torta de Flor de Itabo

Remove petals from the plant being careful not to pinch or damage until you have approximately 1 cup.  Wash carefully.

Next Place the flowers in boiling water and cook about 5 minutes until soft.  The petals should still be crisp but tender.  Drain and transfer to a plate.

Peel 5 small potatoes and boil. Then roughly mash. Set aside.

Heat a small amount of canola oil and saute ½ finely diced onion and one clove of garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent.

Then add the Flor de Itabo and eggs. Mix to scramble ensuring the Itabo is well coated. Cook until the eggs are almost done and then add the potatoes.

Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Yesterday morning I whipped up a batch of my scrum-dely-icious Whole Wheat Blueberry-Banana Nut Pancakes.  These are a great morning treat.  And bonus it is healthy! 

The pancakes are a healthy treat which include fiber rich whole wheat flour, hearty healthy almonds, anti-oxidant packed blueberries and bananas.  I also use egg white to decrease the overall cholesterol.     

I wish I had more pictures but we were so busy eating we forgot to take more pics.   

    1 cup whole wheat flour
    1/4 cup all purpose flour
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1 mashed banana
    1 egg white
    1 cup soy milk (or use regular milk if you are one of those lucky lactose tolerant people)
    1 tsp vanilla
    Pinch of raw sugar
    1/2 cup almond slices
    1/3 fresh or thawed frozen blueberries

Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl.  In another bowl mix wet ingredients and add the dry ingredients.  Cook pancakes on a hot griddle and enjoy with maple syrup.

Yesterday morning I whipped up a batch of my scrum-deli-icious Whole Wheat Blueberry-Banana Nut Pancakes.  I wish I had more pictures but we were so busy eating we forgot to take more pics.   

    1 cup whole wheat flour
    1/4 cup white flour
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1 mashed banana
    1 egg white
    1 cup soy milk
    1 tsp vanilla
    Pinch of raw sugar
    1/2 cup almond slices
    1/3 thawed frozen blueberries

Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl.  In another bowl mix wet ingredients and add the dry ingredients.  Cook pancakes on a hot griddle and enjoy with maple syrup.

My bedroom is booooring!  We are by the beach so I used grey, brown and white to get a beach cottage feel even though we are in Costa Rica.  But I have run out of ideas and the room looks pretty bare and boring. 

Ideas anyone?

A friend is moving to Spain and I wanted to gift her a lovely knit snuggley cowl. I did quite a bit of research and decided I like the Holy Cowl by Hilary Hunt.  http://mypurlsofwisdom.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/holy-cowl/

I had to buy the yarn here in Costa Rica so it is acrylic.  But the actually feels pretty nice and the color is gorgeous.  It is Bernat Satin in Crimson.

After modeling this lovely surprise I decided to make one for myself.

This is a wonderful recipe form the blog /http://www.wouldrathergather.com/allrecipes/pumpkin-gnocchi-with-cranberry-walnut-pesto/.  

This is my second time making the recipe and the second version was much better.  This time I added less flour which created a lighter gnocchi.  

I served it with an organic wine from Argentina.  

We enjoyed it so much that we decided it would be out Thanksgiving meal.  

You can read the full blog post at http://chicaenglish.blogspot.com/2011/11/pumpkin-gnocchi-with-cranberry-walnut.html

This year I am once again gifting friends homemade yummies. Last year I made my Chinese 5 Spice Powder in a lovely red jar with recipes including Chinese Five Spice Powder Oatmeal cookies.  Everyone else got cookies.

This year I am planning on making 6 traditional Pannetone cakes and granola.  The granola is going in glass juice bottles like this one

Though I clearly need to spruce it up!  Also you can find my granola recipe here http://chicaenglish.blogspot.com/2011/10/granola-goodness-recipe.html

So what are you planning on making to give as edible gifts?

First, let me say my granola needs a name.  So share your suggestions. 

Second, I normally only post in the vegetarian/vegan section.  But that is the beauty of granola, it crosses boundaries and brings people together.  So I decided to post here too.    

After many requests from friends and neighbors, I decided to publish my granola recipe.  Now they can make their own! 

This batch was made for us but also to gift to a friend who just had a baby.  I am re-using a glass juice jar.  I just need to add a tag (once I have a name) and viola.   

My secret ingredients are dried pineapple and peanut butter.

You can get the exact recipe from my blog http://chicaenglish.blogspot.com/2011/10/granola-goodness-recipe.html. 

It is pretty simple.....just mix oatmeal with the additions of your choice (dried fruit, nuts, etc.)   

Combine and whisk your wet ingredients until smooth.

Then combine dry and wet ingredients and mix.  Use a wooden spoon or your hands to get nice clumpy pieces. 

Then spread in a single layer on very lightly oiled pans and bake at 200 for 3 hours.

First, let me say my granola needs a name.  So share your suggestions.  

After many requests from friends and neighbors, I decided to publish my granola recipe.  Now they can make their own!  

This batch was made for us but also to gift to a friend who just had a baby.  I am re-using a glass juice jar.  I just need to add a tag (once I have a name) and viola.  

My secret ingredients are dried pineapple and peanut butter.

You can get the exact recipe from my blog http://chicaenglish.blogspot.com/2011/10/granola-goodness-recipe.html.  

It is pretty simple.....just mix oatmeal with the additions of your choice (dried fruit, nuts, etc.)  

Combine and whisk your wet ingredients until smooth.

Then combine dry and wet ingredients and mix.  Use a wooden spoon or your hands to get nice clumpy pieces.  

Then spread in a single layer on very lightly oiled pans and bake at 200 for 3 hours.

 

I ordered myself the incredibly amazing Crypt Club pattern from Prairie Moon.  I didn't take into account the size of the cloth.  I only thought about the incredible gray color called, Thunderstorm.  Seriously, it is gorgeous.  This is how I find myself on verge of tears of terror as I contemplate starting.  But I am also excited.   

Anyone her conquered Belfast Linen?