Saturday links mishmash, and giveaway winner

I'm late on this post. Originally I had it up to edit yesterday (Friday)... Life just got out of control. In a good way, really--we spent all day at picnics, the park, and "shopping" for our groceries at the farm. I'm up to my ears in zucchini now, so am trying to decide how I should go about using it all by the time our next box from Great Country Farms rolls in.  (I'm thinking pasta primavera? Maybe some pickles?)  I actually love summer squash and look forward to this time of year. Zucchini presents a rather unique challenge, in that there's always so much that needs using. If you can make it through the end of summer squash season without wanting to light your zucchini plants on fire, you've done a good job.  So far I haven't had to resort to hiding it in things. (Crossing my fingers for a month from now.)



So anyway, here's what I've got for you today.  First up, a few of my favorite recipes from this here blog.  I haven't ever (at least in my own recollection) linked back to my own archives for some favorites.  Since we're in the midst of holy-crap-I-have-too-many-zucchini season, let's begin with my roasted zucchini stuffed with smoky quinoa salad. It's fancy enough for company, but easy enough to make for yourself.  Next up, another summer staple--okra--breaded and baked, with a spicy horseradish sauce. (This one comes from a Vegan Mofo Iron Chef challenge. I've made these GF with zero problems.)  No slime... I promise.  How about some homemade Lärabar bites? I made these after my kids and I got completely addicted to Lärabars last year. They're delicious--and healthy!  Since it's camping season, how about making some crunchy granola bars to take with you? (They taste JUST like those honey-nut ones you buy at the grocery store, but they're allergy-friendly!)

And, just as a plug for my single contest-winning recipe, if you're able to eat gluten please, please (pretty please?) check out my vegan Swedish cardamom braid that won the 2010 Vegetarian Times reader recipe contest. I adapted it from my mom's kneaded, non-vegan recipe. (It tastes great as French toast, by the way, and is great topped with summer berries if you prepare it that way.)



Okay, enough tooting my own horn.   How about some external links to get  you through the weekend?

Cannelle et Vanille has a gorgeous gluten- and dairy-free pistachio and apricot clafoutis that I plan on making just as soon as I get my hands on some apricots.  Shauna over at Gluten Free Girl and the Chef has gluten-free/gum-free pasta dough for you. Jenna at Eat, Live, Run has a vegan blueberry-almond tart that looks divine. Lagusta (of Bluestocking BonBons, the best chocolates ever) has a recipe for cashew bechamel up on her blog.

And for non-recipe links...  The Whole Foods blog put a post up this week about their animal welfare step program, with a spotlight on one of the hog farms from which they purchase pork.  While I know a lot of you reading are fundamentally opposed to eating meat at all, this is a worthwhile read in that Whole Foods is at least putting some information out there that maybe we should be looking at where our meat comes from.

Jenny at the Nourished Kitchen blogged about the GAPS diet, which was completely off my radar until this week.  It's an interesting read, and may be worth looking into for at least people with milder food intolerances.

And now for the contest winner... finally.  Random.org says that the winner of Wild Fermentation is... commenter #9 Congratulations Rachel!  I'll be emailing you presently.