Gettin' Fresh!

Quinoa Mushroom Risotto

2012-01-05T16:02:00.000-08:00

A nice warming comfort food in the cold of winter when you can get virtually nothing fresh. If you can’t find the mushrooms fresh, use dried mushrooms soaked in warm water until soft and pliable. Use the mushroom liquid to replace some of the stock, leaving all sediment behind. Serve this indulgent recipe with a salad of winter greens and a crusty bread with a good quality olive oil for dipping.

A shallot, finely chopped
2 T unsalted butter
½ lb (1 oz dried) of your favorite mushrooms, the larger ones cut in half
4 - 6 c simmering vegetable stock
1 ½ c uncooked quinoa
A packet of saffron, dissolved in a tablespoon of broth
½ c freshly grated Parmigiano
2 T minced parsley
1 T of unsalted butter
Salt & pepper to taste (for an extra layer of flavor, use a mushroom or truffle flavored salt!)

Sauté the shallot in the butter, and when it has wilted and become golden, add the mushrooms. Mix them well. Then add a ladle of the broth. Cook for 10 more minutes, then stir in the quinoa and continue cooking, stirring and adding broth as the quinoa absorbs it. Shortly before the quinoa reaches the al dente stage, stir in the saffron mixture. Stir in the remaining butter, the cheese, and the parsley. Serve immediately.

Fresh vs. Processed: Cooking is processing too!

2012-01-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

Cooking really is processing your food. Even the minimal processing of cooking your food can lead to nutrient loss. However the difference in nutrient loss between processed foods purchased at a grocery store and raw foods cooked at home can be significant. Processed foods typically have a nutrient loss of 50% to 80%. Whereas steaming or blanching cause 5% to 15% nutrient loss. Of course this all depends on the nutrient and how carefully you watch the vegetables to make sure you do not overcook. Oftentimes this minimal nutrient loss is beneficial as the cooking process aides in digestion and absorption of the vitamins and minerals into your body. In fact, some foods contain enzyme inhibitors which prevent nutrient digestion if uncooked.

This list, adapted from Dummies.com, shows which nutrients are sensitive to which kinds of processing:

Vitamin A - Heat and Fat
Vitamin D - Fat
Vitamin E - Heat, Air, and Fat
Vitamin C - Heat, Air, and Water
Thiamin - Heat and Water
Riboflavin - Water
Vitamin B6 - Heat, Air, and Water
Folate - Heat and Air
Vitamin B12 - Heat and Water
Biotin - Water
Pantothenic acid - Heat
Potassium – Water

For example then, sautéing carrots which are high in Vitamin A in olive oil would be a poor choice for nutrient retention. But don’t get too wrapped up in memorizing this list or confusing yourself with cooking times and temperatures and methods. Simply avoid overcooking your food and enjoy raw fruits and vegetables whenever possible.

Chili and Cornbread with Quinoa

2011-11-27T14:53:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was a very special holiday for KC when she was growing up. Friends and family everywhere. Playing in the leaves outside with all the cousins. Cribbage with Grandpa. Decorations on the table. Talking. Laughing. Cooking. Starting Wednesday afternoon people would start arriving. Each bringing a dish to share for Thanksgiving dinner but also looking for something to eat when they got there. KC’s mother always made chili. It was easy to make and keep warm and a universal favorite. Her recipe was usually meat based and did not have quinoa. I mean who had ever heard of quinoa back then? But this recipe is inspired by KC’s mom’s recipe.

Quinoa Chili

1 c quinoa, well rinsed
2 c water
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 med green bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 jalapeno, minced (or to taste)
2 15-oz cans black beans, well rinsed
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
2 T chili powder
2 T fresh parsley
2 T fresh oregano
2 t ground cumin
½ t black pepper
½ t salt
Cheddar cheese or sour cream and scallions as a garnish

Combine quinoa and water in a saucepan and cook until done, approximately 15 minutes. In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and jalapeno. Cook for 10 min over med heat. Add beans, tomatoes, and seasonings and cook about 25 minutes over low heat. Add quinoa and stir to combine. Serve with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese or a dollop of sour cream and the scallions.

Quinoa Cornbread

One of the best things about visiting Uncle Don and Aunt Shirley, was Aunt Shirl’s cornbread! Perfectly sized fried cornmeal fritters really. This is not her recipe, only KC’s version. Complete your pre-Thanksgiving always-ready meal with these cornbread fritters and a salad made of fall greens.

½ c quinoa, well rinsed
1 c water
1 c cornmeal
1 c whole wheat flour
1/3 c agave nectar or other sweetener
1 T baking powder
2 med eggs
¾ c milk
1/3 c olive oil
2 scallions, sliced
Oil for frying

Cook quinoa in water 13 to 15 minutes until done. Cool. Mix remaining ingredients and fold in quinoa. Add more milk as needed. Heat about ½ inch of oil in a heavy bottom pan or skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is very hot, drop batter by spoonful into the oil. The process of cooking the cornbread should take about 6 minutes, turning once. Increase or decrease your heat if needed. Remove each piece of cornbread from the pan and let rest on a plate with paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Serve immediately.

Fresh vs. Processed Foods

2011-10-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

This is the first in our series about Fresh vs. Processed Foods.

Fresh (unprocessed) in general means food in its naturally occurring state. Like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and uncured meats. There are a few exceptions that we regularly use in our recipes like tofu and other fake meat products, flours, and dried fruits. We recommend using whole grain flours and fruits dried without sulfites, though they can be hard to find. Sugar is another highly processed food that we try to avoid. We use honey or maple syrup whenever possible. If you can find maple sugar or honey granules, they can be used in recipes that call for white sugar.

Food is your fuel, yada yada yada. Everybody knows what you put into your body effects the way your body performs. Processed foods frequently have all sorts of additional ingredients like added sugar, salt, and preservatives. Let’s face it, the last thing most of us need is more sugar and salt. Don’t get us wrong, bacon is one of our favorite foods, but we only eat it very occasionally. Although approved by the FDA, the preservatives and chemicals in overly processed foods are linked to all sorts of different health problems. Many times in the past the FDA has approved a color, sweetener, or flavoring, only to ban it at a later date when problems arise. It’s difficult to keep track of things like trans fats and MSG hidden in the confusing ingredient list, so the easiest thing is just to avoid processed foods whenever possible. We know that this makes making food that much more of a pain in the neck. But if you turn meals back into a social function rather than a chore, you’ll enjoy the experience much more.

Even if they don’t have added ingredients, processing can reduce the nutrient value of the foods. In our next post about Fresh vs. Processed Foods, we’ll discuss the reduction of nutrients in your foods.

Pear and Ginger Sorbet with Ginger Molasses Cookies

2011-10-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

One of KC’s favorite things, no matter what time of year, is ice cream or sorbet. Unfortunately, both are usually very high in sugar and ice cream, of course, has tons of fat. So for her birthday this year, her sweetheart got her a snazzy new ice cream maker. That way she can make both in lower calorie versions. These new ice cream makers are the kind that you put the bowls in the freezer overnight, chill the mixture in the fridge, and once you turn on the mixer, you’ve got 6 to 12 ounces of frozen delight within 5 to 10 minutes. KC keeps her ice cream maker bowls in the freezer at all times now. Of course her first foray with the ice cream maker was NOT low calorie! Here it is: Pear and Ginger Sorbet with Chocolate Sauce and Ginger Molasses Cookies!

Pear Ginger Sorbet

1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1 one inch piece vanilla bean, scraped
1 one inch piece cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
3 pounds ripe pears of your choice, quartered, and cored
2 tablespoons pear vodka or other pear liqueur
2 tablespoons finely minced crystallized ginger

Mix the sugar, water, zest, vanilla bean with scrapings and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Add the pears, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the pears are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and discard the vanilla bean and cinnamon stick. Using a food mill puree the pears in batches, discarding the skins. Then combine the poaching liquid and puree with the lemon juice and liqueur. Stir in ginger.

Chill the sorbet liquid. If using an ice cream mixture, follow manufacturer’s instructions. Otherwise, pour the mixture into ice trays or a 9-inch square cake pan. Freeze until the mixture is mushy in the center, then turn it into a chilled bowl and beat with an electric mixer or food processor until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Spoon back into the container, lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface and freeze until firm. Serve with chocolate sauce and ginger molasses cookies.

Chocolate Sauce

4.5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 c heavy cream
1 t dark rum (optional)

Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Be careful not to add too much air to the ganache. Stir in the rum if desired. Stir until all the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. It may look done after 1 minute of stirring, but keep going to be sure it's emulsified.

Spicy, Chewy Molasses Cookies

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1 large egg
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 freshly ground cloves
1 freshly ground cardamom pod
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon flake or coarse sea salt
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, finely minced
sugar in the raw, for rolling

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg until smooth.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Stir flour mixture into molasses mixture. Stir in candied ginger.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls and roll each ball in the sugar in the raw before placing on baking sheet. Press just enough so that the balls do not roll around on a baking sheet.
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set but not browned.
Cool for 5-10 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.

Fresh! Food Field Trip: Jet Setting

2011-10-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

I’ve spent this past month it seems traveling. First Seattle with all its wonderful sights, sounds, and flavors. Then my plans were Chicago, Denver and on to Salt Lake City. Chicago was unseasonably cool and of course windy. While I was in Chicago I ate like a princess! Grilled chicken linguine with arugula, lemon, garlic and pine nuts, an asparagus and mushroom risotto that was creamy and delicious, grilled brie and apples on cinnamon raisin bread, and an amazing sampler platter: artichoke and cheese “beignets”, a refreshingly light crab salad, and duck and apple sausages served with a blueberry sauce. DELICIOUS!!

Then in Denver I got the flu. UGH! But not before I went to this WONDERFUL little market, EVOO Marketplace, LLC, on 15th Street near the convention center. WOW!! This incredible little store allows you to try all the oils and vinegars that they have for sale before you buy them. Balsamic vinegars like chocolate, fig, strawberry, and honey ginger! A variety of first pressed extra virgin olive oils, as well as flavor infused oils like, chipotle, wild mushroom and sage, and garlic. In addition they have dark sesame, truffle, and walnut oils. I tried some combinations like the Persian lime olive oil and White Peach balsamic. I ended up bringing home only three bottles. The blood orange olive oil, lavender balsamic vinegar, and cinnamon pear balsamic vinegar. I’m going to try the vinegars over fresh or grilled fruit, the olive oil and lavender balsamic as vinaigrette on salad, and the olive oil to make scallops or shrimp and to roast sweet potatoes as fries.

Alas, I was unable to continue to Salt Lake City and enjoy the sights and smells in that delightful place. The flu took over and I caught the next flight home.

Next Fresh! Food Field Trip: Washington DC for KC’s birthday!

Washington Apples

2011-09-08T17:55:00.000-07:00

Apple pickin’ is most assuredly the thing to do in Washington in September. However unless you are looking for bushels and bushels of apples, don’t expect to spend much time doing it! It took three of us about 5 minutes total to pick 31 pounds! So go ahead and block out an afternoon. You can go to one of the wonderful local vineyards to relax after your grueling efforts! Then bring a few bottles of wine home with you. Stop by one of the many gorgeous fruit and vegetable stands and pick up the tail end of the amazing heirloom tomatoes and any other veggies that tickle your fancy. And to round it off? Some goat, sheep, and cow’s milk cheeses, honey, and fresh multi grain bread. After your long demanding day, relax with some antipasto and wine!

So! What to do with all those apples? Apple sauce, apple butter, apple pie filling, apple juice, dried apples, grated apples (to be frozen and later thawed and added to cakes, pancake batter, bread), I could go on and on. Try this crazy, amazingly delicious apple crisp recipe, though for sure. You could even use the crystallized ginger and five spice powder to make jarred apple pie filling and use it for crisp later!

Five Spice Apple Crisp

6 large Macintosh apples (or other good baking apple), peeled, cored, and sliced
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 teaspoons five spice powder
4 tablespoons finely minced crystallized (aka candied) ginger
1/4 cup honey
Streusel Topping, recipe follows

In a medium bowl, combine the apples and with the lemon juice. Using another small bowl, mix together cornstarch, five spice powder and ginger. Add the dry mixture to the apples and toss until coated. Drizzle with honey and mix well.

Coat a 9x13 baking dish with butter and generously fill with the fruit mixture (it will shrink down as it bakes). Top with Streusel topping and bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until the fruit is tender and topping is golden and crunchy.

Streusel

½ cup old fashioned oats
2 ½ ounces cold butter, unsalted
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar

Using a pastry blender, combine the oats, butter, flour, and sugar and blend just until crumbly.

Frozen Melon Soup

2011-08-26T16:06:00.000-07:00

Late summer is the time when melons start coming out your ears. It is also the perfect time for something icy and sweet. This super easy dessert requires no ice cream maker or the time consuming stirring associated with other frozen desserts. Simply pour into the ice cube trays. Since alcohol inhibits freezing, the champagne keeps the cubes a little soft, the perfect eating texture.

3 c coarsely chopped cantaloupe
3 c coarsely chopped honeydew melon
2 c fresh orange juice
3 T honey
2 c dry champagne
1 c whipping cream

Place the melon in a blender with the orange juice and honey. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Stir the chilled champagne into the soup. Pour the soup into ice cube trays and freeze. When ready to serve, whip cream and use as garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Summer Roasted Vegetable Salad with Quinoa

2011-08-07T15:25:00.000-07:00

Wondering what to do with all the vegetables from your garden or CSA? Don’t want to heat up your kitchen during the scorching August days? Make a batch of this satisfying dish. Make a double batch and impress your friends at a summer picnic! Serve with thirst quenching lemonade and some bread with olive oil and parmesan for dipping. Then for dessert, grill nectarines and serve with dollops of honey sweetened mascarpone.

¼ c olive oil
1 small eggplant, cut into 1” pieces
1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1” slices
8 oz white button mushrooms, quartered
About 12 patio tomatoes (or 24 cherry tomatoes), halved
3 small leeks, white and pale green parts, sliced in half lengthwise
1 lb green beans (or asparagus), cleaned and stemmed
1 cup uncooked quiona, cooked according to package directions
20 basil leaves, shredded
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 oz pine nuts
Sea salt and pepper

Prepare grill (or preheat oven to 450 degrees). Drizzle all the vegetables with olive oil and toss. Grill vegetables in a grill cage until they have begun to caramelize. Or, roast in the oven, turning once. The eggplant and zucchini will take longer so put them in a separate cage. The eggplant and zucchini will take about 20-25 min while the rest of the vegetables will take 10-15 min. Once the vegetables are finished, toss them with the quinoa. Add basil, feta cheese, and pine nuts. Combine well. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Thai Eggplant with Basil

2011-07-24T11:53:00.000-07:00

This recipe uses up a lot of the eggplant, peppers, and basil that are so abundant this time of year. And it cooks quickly so you won't be slaving over a stove all day. If you enjoy a little spiciness in your food, add some red pepper flakes or slices of fresh Thai chilies as you are warming the oil. Pair with some Thai iced tea and for some protein, chicken satay on the grill.

1 cup jasmine rice
2 Tbs. peanut oil
3 baby eggplants, cubed into bite-sized chunks
4 oz fresh shitake mushrooms, stems discarded and chopped
1 medium-sized onion, diced
1 medium-sized red bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
3 Tbs. dark soy sauce, such as tamari
2 Tbs. dark brown sugar
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn

Cook jasmine rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat a deep skillet or wok-shaped pan over high heat. Add oil heat until hot. Prepare all the vegetables as you will be stirring almost continuously. Add eggplant, and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic, and stir-fry for 3 minutes more. Add vinegar and soy sauce. Sprinkle with sugar, and toss for 1 or 2 minutes longer or until eggplant is tender. Remove pan from heat, add basil leaves and toss to combine with eggplant. Serve over hot cooked rice.

The Method to Our Madness

2011-07-07T16:57:00.000-07:00

We’re a couple working gals, just like most of you, unless you’re a man, and then, well, you know. . . we’re not. We also have to come up with something healthy and tasty, that doesn’t destroy the planet, to eat every night of the week. So if you look at it that way, in that we are saving the planet, you can call us SUPER KC and Shanna Ree! Okay, back to reality. We have several criteria for our recipes. In fact it gets a bit confusing at times. Is it more important to be organic? Local? Fair-trade? Well, our main focus is on superfoods. With a secondary focus on local and seasonal foods. And above all, we want to make recipes for REAL people. People with jobs. People who care. We know everybody can’t make a decision to eat only food grown within a 100 mile radius of their home. We know not everybody can afford organic foods. It’s all about making the best choices that you can for who you are and what you want for our world and your health. That’s Gettin’ Fresh!TM

So what is all this Gettin’ Fresh!TM stuff about anyway? Well someday (soon) we’re going to publish a cookbook: Gettin’ Fresh!TM in the Kitchen with KC and Shanna Ree. This blog is all about gettin’ ready for that cookbook. We post about one recipe per month. Experiments, tests, and proto-types. So bear with us, after all, practice makes perfect! We also post our take on food issues that we think are important. Local, seasonal, organic, fair trade. . . And best of all we’ll post our Fresh! Food Field Trips! Our first couple, the trip to NOLA and NYC, have already been posted along with recipes inspired by the trips. We’ll fill you in on each of our expeditions. The good, the bad, and the Fresh!

In reality this whole thing is one big Fresh! Food Field Trip. Join us in our journey. Let us know what you think. Where we’ve gone wrong. What you love. What you’d like to taste. We’ll get around to telling you all about why we’ve chosen superfoods. And why local and seasonal foods top our list.

But for now let us introduce ourselves. And believe me, you want to know us, honey! Not only are we a couple of spicy, sassy, cheeky ladies, aka Fresh! but we are going to be famous some day. Well at least KC is. Shanna Ree doesn’t want to have any part of that.

KC (aka tinabit, inky, and snugglupagus) has been doing fractions since she was four. Well that’s what her mother always said. At any rate she’s been halving and doubling recipes and otherwise helping her mother in the kitchen for as long as she can remember. In college she moved out of the dorms so she could cook her own food. I mean, really, cafeteria food? She became a vegetarian for environmental reasons and although she's no longer a vegetarian, a whole new world of foods opened up for her. A world of quinoa, tofu, bulger, amaranth, taro, legumes. And a world of ethnic cooking she had never dreamed of. KC lives in Aberdeen MD with her sweetheart, dog, and two cats.

Shanna Ree grew up in the “foodie capitol” of the US (the San Francisco Bay Area) where food is more than a way of life, it is essential to the soul! Shanna honed her epicurean expertise (snobby, huh?) after many years of indentured servitude in all facets of the food industry; cashier, hostess, waitress, prep-cook, kitchen mama, and finally Caterer. She's often been accused of being a coffee snob, a cocktail snob, and a mountain snob, but that's a whole other story! Although her Southern family roots, (hence the Shanna Ree), keep her hankering for the “crispy fried crunch” in life, her not so fun health issues have steered her towards the fresh and fabulous. Admittedly, her favorite food group is the “cocktail category”…and yes, this too can be fresh and fabulous! Shanna lives in Baltimore, Maryland (not a food capitol by the way!) with her loving husband Geoff and her fuzz ball pooch Samantha.

Strawberry Kabobs with Orange Lavender Glaze

2011-06-19T14:42:00.000-07:00

There’s not much better in the whole world than strawberries in June freshly picked early in the morning with little droplets of dew still clinging to the crimson fruit. If you can’t grow them yourself, go to a local u-pick farm. Try to find one that doesn’t use pesticides. Strawberries are on the dirty dozen list (with approximately 59 different pesticide residues detected). Then pick as many as you can afford. Clean them by gently brushing off the dirt (never soak strawberries). You can make all sorts of things from strawberries to preserve them, but we freeze most of ours. After they are cleaned and hulled, put them in a single layer on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to gallon size zip top bags. If you are lucky they will last until next spring. Ours never last past September! The same day that you pick your strawberries, plan to grill out and make these delicious fruit kabobs.

1 qt strawberries, cleaned and hulled
2 apricots halved
1 bananas, peeled and sliced 1” thick
2 plums halved

Presoak six wooden skewers in a pan of water for about ½ hour. Slide the fruit on the skewers, alternating the type of fruit. Brush the kabobs with the Orange Lavender Glaze. Wait 5 to 10 minutes and brush the fruit with the glaze again. Grill the fruit approximately 3 minutes and flip. Grill 3 more minutes. Brush a final time with the glaze and serve.

Orange Lavender Glaze:
1 1/2 tsp. dried lavender blossoms, finely minced
1/2 cup honey, warmed
Zest from 2 oranges
Juice from 3 oranges

Mix the ingredients well. Allow flavors to combine about ½ hr. Brush on fruit liberally. Depending on the sweetness of your oranges you can use less honey. Make sure to mince the lavender very finely.

New York City

2011-06-03T17:11:00.000-07:00

The city that never sleeps. The Big Apple. The Empire City. Gotham. Being only a few hours from New York City, you’d think we’d go more often. But we do have jobs, significant others, pets, and most important, limited funds. So about once a year is all we can manage and we make the most of it! Museums, shows, and fabulous food!

Of course you can’t forget the cocktails! A trip to New York City wouldn’t be complete without a sip of a Cosmo. But during our trip we also tried quite a few other tasty beverages. A super yummy hard pink lemonade. Blood orange mimosas. A delectable French pear martini. Coconut-coffee frappe. And the drinks that inspired these refreshing cocktails.

Gingeraide

1 ½ oz Thatcher’s Cucumber Liqueur
1 oz Absolute Wild Tea Vodka
1 t ginger honey*
Ginger Ale
Ice
Mint

Shake liquors and honey in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a highball glass. Add several ice cubes. Fill remainder of glass with ginger ale. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
*To make the ginger honey, gently warm ½ c of honey with a 1 in chunk of fresh ginger, sliced very thin. Strain and allow to cool before using in the gingeraide.

Wild Cucumber Martini

1 oz cucumber-lime juice*
1 oz Absolute Wild Tea Vodka
1 t agave nectar or to taste
Club Soda
Ice

Shake juice, vodka and agave nectar in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a martini glass and top off with ice cold club soda. Enjoy!
*To make the cucumber-lime juice: Put one unwaxed cucumber and the juice of one lime into a blender. Blend until smooth. Add club soda if necessary. Alternatively, use a juicer to juice the cucumber.

Our Long Absence

2011-05-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately our long absence was not because we were taking a fantabulous foodie vacation in some exotic local. But as they say, life gets in the way of all of our best laid plans. We haven’t posted any recipes since Valentine’s Day, and it’s the beginning of June! In fact we haven’t even been cooking in that long. Blech!

The reasons are long. KC got a new job at the same time that her personal life went haywire. Shanna Ree’s husband got laid off and they’ve been scrambling to survive. But we’re back in the kitchen and cooking up a storm! Things are still a little crazy around here so don’t be surprised if we miss a post once in a while, but keep your fingers crossed that we’ll be able to keep up.

Soon we’ll be posting the Method to Our Madness. A rundown of what we’re about. Of course we’ll be continuing with our recipe posts. Some of the recipes you might see soon include: Strawberry Kabobs, Frozen Melon Soup, and Pear Ginger Sorbet. We’ll also continue our posts about various food issues with a new series about Fresh vs. Processed Foods. All in all we’ve got a pretty tasty line-up for 2011! Make sure you let us know what you think!

Chocolate Beef Stew and Powerhouse Chocolate Salad

2011-02-13T09:52:00.000-08:00

What goes better with Valentine’s Day than chocolate? And what goes better in the middle of February than a yummy warming stew? These recipes may seem to be a strange combination of ingredients, but they really are delicious. Surprise your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate Beef Stew

4 large tomatoes or 1 can (28-ounce) fire roasted tomatoes
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
Olive oil
2 lbs or so blade pot roast, cut into large chunks
3 T vegetable oil
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 c beef broth
1 T ground cumin
1 T ground cinnamon
1 T dried oregano
2 heaping spoonfuls of cocoa powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 oz 70% dark chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes and onions onto a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Meanwhile, carefully sear the chunks of beef in vegetable oil in a very hot pan. If needed, prepare the beef in batches to brown evenly. Add all the meat back to the pan. Add the celery and carrots. Add the roasted onion. Pull the skin off the roasted tomatoes and add them to the pan, chopping them a bit with a spoon. Add the beef broth, spices and cocoa and stir well. Season with salt and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering until the beef is very tender and the broth has thickened, about 1-1/2 hours. Stir in the dark chocolate and serve immediately!

Powerhouse Chocolate Salad

To serve two people, start with 6 cups of any combination of spinach, watercress, alfalfa sprouts, and broccoli as the base for the following ingredients:

1 c blueberries
1 mango, sliced
½ c walnuts, chopped
¼ c cacao nibs

Chocolate Vinaigrette

juice from 1 lemon
1/3 c olive oil
2 oz melted dark chocolate
pinch cayenne pepper
1 ½ t prepared stone-ground mustard
1 ½ t sugar
1T balsamic vinegar
1 ½ t champagne vinegar
3 T fresh chive blossoms

Share a Beast (Portion a Pig, or Carve a Cow)

2011-02-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

This is the fourth and last in our series of posts about buying and eating local food.

When Shanna Ree’s friend Heather told her that every year she purchased a third of steer, she thought Heather was insane, and maybe a bit piggy. But, after a complete explanation of the practice it came to make good sense for her health as well as her pocket book. Turns out, it is a little like the CSA of the animal world.

Generally, this option is not officially organic but normally the small production allows for a steroid-, growth hormone-, and antibiotic-free product. These issues are big concerns when it comes to animal food products. Beyond the steroid, hormone and antibiotic issues, these animals are not mass-produced. Normally a local farmer has a few cows or pigs that he or she grows and sells locally, which is obviously good for the local economy. Additionally, the price is better than comparable store-bought meat because there is no middle man, the farmer is guaranteed a sale once you place an order, there is limited packaging and no transportation costs, cuz you pick it up. You know who and where it comes from and even where it is butchered. So, you can meet the farmer and butcher to ask all the questions you want. The only real downfall is the large amount you need to buy at one time. You can either buy the entire animal, or find a friend to share the cow or pig. Splitting the animal into quarters or thirds yields a reasonable amount for a family or couple. You get farm fresh meat that you can keep frozen for up to a year. So, it is not so crazy after all! These farmers usually sell their products by word of mouth. Now that you know, you can ask around and find a local farmer near you.

Spicy Pinto Bean Dip

2011-02-01T11:29:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl parties are not Shanna Ree’s friend! Don’t get us wrong, she LOVES fried foods and rich and creamy dips and chips. But alas, they do not love her. For some reason, football goes with bad food, like cookies go with milk. Shanna Ree has difficulty avoiding all of them at once. So, she brings her own! With no fat in this dip, you can eat and eat until your heart’s content! Park yourself next to this bowl during the Bowl and stay put! Serve with vegetables or chips to dip.

2 c dried pinto beans

1 jalapeno, deseeded
2 T chipotle chili pepper
1 shot Tequila
2 T white wine vinegar
Dash of Habanera chili powder (be careful!)
1 t paprika
14 cloves garlic (that’s right, fourteen!)
Juice of one lemon
2 t coriander
1 c fresh cilantro, chopped

Rinse the dried pinto beans and add to 6 cups of cold water in a medium pot. Boil 2 hours or until soft. Watch closely and add more water if needed. Once soft, drain the beans and add to a food processor. Add the next nine ingredients, reserving cilantro. Blend until smooth. You may need to scrape the sides down and rotate the bottom of the mix to the top often, as the beans near the blade will mix more quickly. Once smooth, remove from the processor and mix in cilantro. You can make this ahead and refrigerate, the flavors will combine. Serve with baked chips or add to tacos or fajitas instead of refried beans.

Brazilian Black Beans and Quinoa

2011-01-23T19:08:00.000-08:00

While KC was in college, every Sunday she would go to this great Brazilian restaurant and order an Iron Vegetarian which was a sort of black bean stew served over rice. This recipe was inspired by that dish. Serve with Brazilian Fries (thick wedges of fried potatoes served with mayonnaise, salt, and pepper)

1 c vegetable broth
1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
1 t ground thyme
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced lengthwise into quarters and then into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 medium leeks (white parts only), rinsed well and sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch wide slices
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices
2 Tbs. fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 15-oz can fire roasted tomatoes
2 16-oz cans black beans
Plain nonfat yogurt
Cooked quinoa

Heat the broth and add cumin and thyme. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook 1 minute. Add sweet potatoes. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Next add leeks and cook 5 more minutes. Stir in bell peppers and onion. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Then add lime juice, combine well and cook 5 minutes more. Add tomatoes and beans. Cover and simmer an additional 10 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.

Ginger Udon Noodle Soup

2011-01-18T13:45:00.000-08:00

4 c low sodium chicken broth
6 T fresh ginger, roughly chopped
8 oz Japanese Udon noodles
2 t olive oil
¼ lb shitake mushrooms, cleaned and quartered, stems removed
¼ c carrots, cut into match sticks
½ c snow peas, cut into match sticks
3 T fresh ginger, minced
2 shallots, minced
3 c bok choy, chopped in 1-2 inch pieces
2 t low sodium soy sauce
2 t sesame oil
1 t rice wine vinegar
1 ½ c cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

In a large pot, bring broth and the roughly chopped fresh ginger to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20- 30 minutes. Strain out ginger chunks and return broth to the pot, keep on warm. While broth is simmering, cook noodles following the directions on the package, strain and place in a bowl, toss with 1 tsp sesame oil and set aside.

When the broth is finished, heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add mushrooms, carrots, snow peas, the minced ginger, and shallots. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and browned, approximately 5-6 minutes. Add bok choy and cook 2-3 minutes longer. Bring reserved broth to a simmer then add vegetables, soy sauce, vinegar, and remaining sesame oil to broth. Add precooked shrimp, heat until shrimp is warm. Add noodles to broth mixture and serve in bowls with chop sticks.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

2011-01-10T09:06:00.000-08:00

This recipe is best made on the weekends when you have a little more time. It takes approximately 1 hour to prepare and another hour to bake. Make a double batch and freeze for later. Make a tall stack of nalesniki, to serve with the dinner. Save the fresh cabbage heart leftover from this recipe for another day. One idea: make shredded cabbage in a lime-cumin vinaigrette.

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce:
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, sliced thin
3 c (or one 28-oz can) crushed tomatoes
1 T white wine vinegar
1/2 T sugar
Freshly ground black pepper

Stuffing:
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T sundried tomato paste
1 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 pound lean ground beef or ground beef style veggie ‘meat’
1 small egg
3/4 cups cooked quinoa
Freshly ground salt and black pepper
1 large head green cabbage, about 3 pounds

For the Sauce: Coat a 3-quart saucepan with the oil and place over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar; simmer, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with pepper and remove from the heat.

For the Stuffing: Place a skillet over medium heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the tomato paste, parsley, and 1/4 cup of the prepared tomato sauce, mix to incorporate and then take it off the heat. In a large mixing bowl, combine the raw ground beef or fake meat with the egg, the cooked quinoa, and the sautéed onion mixture. Mix the filling together with your hands to combine, season with a generous amount of pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove the large, damaged outer leaves from the cabbages. Cut out the core of the cabbage with a sharp knife and carefully pull off several of the leaves, keeping them whole and as undamaged as possible, you’ll need about 7or 8. Blanch the cabbage leaves in the pot of boiling water for 2-5 minutes, or until pliable. Run the leaves under cool water then lay them out to cool. Next, carefully cut out the center vein from the leaves so they will be easier to roll up. Put about 1/2 cup of the filling in the center of a cabbage leaf and starting at what was the stem-end, fold the sides in and roll up the cabbage to enclose the filling. Place the cabbage rolls side by side in rows, seam-side down, in a casserole pan.
Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls. Bake for 1 hour.

To freeze cabbage rolls: The rolls are best if they're frozen uncooked. Line a large baking pan with plastic wrap. Place the rolls spaced well apart from each other on the prepared baking sheet and freeze. Stack the frozen rolls in plastic freezer bags or containers.

To cook frozen cabbage rolls: Prepare the frozen rolls in the baking pan as you would above. Place the prepared casserole on the lowest rack level, in the oven; turn the oven to 500'F and bake for 30 minutes; then reduce the heat to 425'F and bake for 1 hour.

Spiced Pork Loin with Butternut Squash

2011-01-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

If your squash from fall start to go bad before you can use them all, roast them, puree them and freeze them in one or two cup packages. One way great way to store them: put them into freezer bags, flatten them out, and stack them on top of each other. They store nicely this way and will thaw faster.

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 medium (about 1 1/4 lb) butternut squash or 2 c squash puree
1 lb boneless pork loin
1 T allspice
salt and pepper
2 t olive oil
1 c chopped onion
¼ t cinnamon
½ t allspice
¼ c chopped walnuts, toasted
½ c chicken broth
2 c hot cooked white rice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and pulp. Place squash cut side down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray then coat skin of squash with cooking spray. Place in oven and roast until the squash is soft to the touch. Approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Let cool enough to hold. Scrape the squash meat from the skin and set aside.

Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Rub the outside of pork roast with 1 T allspice, salt and pepper. Place the roast on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until the temperature in the thickest part of the roast reaches 170 degrees with a meat thermometer. Meanwhile, add olive oil to a skillet on medium high heat. Add onions and cook until soft and lightly browned, approximately 7-10 minutes. Add roasted squash, cinnamon, ½ t allspice, salt and pepper, and walnuts. Cook until warmed through. Add chicken broth, to thin slightly, and heat until warm. Remove the roast from the oven. Place slices of pork onto hot cooked rice and top with squash mixture.

Baby Smallz Tea

2010-12-29T16:55:00.000-08:00

Last New Year's Eve, KC became an auntie for the first time! In preparation for Annabelle Lea's birth, KC created a tea blend for her sister and her family. Now to celebrate Annabelle Lea's first birthday, we're posting the recipe for you! This herbal tea blend has a little bit of sugar and spice and everything nice. First we added a hefty scoop of hibiscus flowers (they're what gives the tea that delicious red color). Then we added cinnamon chips for a hint of spice. Next came the cornflowers and calendula flowers and last, for that touch of sweetness, we added a tiny bit of an all natural sweetener, stevia.

2 c cinnamon chips
2 c dried hibiscus flowers
1 c dried calendula flowers
1 c dried cornflowers
¼ c dried stevia leaf

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container. When ready to use, spoon 1 tablespoon into a tea strainer, put into a large mug and cover with boiling water. Steep for several minutes and enjoy. Delicious hot or iced.

Chai Latte

2010-12-19T09:40:00.000-08:00

One of Shanna Ree’s favorites for her birthday! Light a fire, curl up in a big chair, and savor this creamy, spicy tea on a chilly winter’s day. Tea has lots of anti-oxidants. Use local honey to help prevent allergies. Cheers!

1 c water
2 cardamom pods, crushed
½ stick cinnamon, lightly crushed
3 whole black peppercorns, crushed
2 whole cloves, crushed
½ t crystallized ginger, chopped finely
2 T high quality loose decaffeinated black tea, or green if you like
3 c skim milk
2 T honey (or more if you like it sweet)
Whipped cream (optional)
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Bring water, spices (from cardamom to cloves), ginger, and tea to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for 20-30 minutes until liquid is reduced to approximately ½ cup and starts to thicken. Watch so that you do not boil off all water. Strain out all solids, set aside. Heat the milk and honey on medium heat, until very hot. Do not boil. Mix tea syrup and milk mixture together. Pour into two mugs. If desired top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.

What is a CSA?

2010-12-12T11:38:00.000-08:00

This is the third in a series of posts about buying and eating local food.

So what is a CSA? Community Supported Agriculture. This is a super great way of supporting your local farmer and getting the freshest produce. In traditional agriculture, farmers take all the risk. They buy their seed, plant it, and basically hope for the best when it comes to harvest time. At a CSA, consumers share the risk and pledge to support the producer regardless of the outcome of that season's results. Last season (2009) was a horrible year for tomatoes here on the east coast, remember? Farmers and home gardeners alike were losing their plants left and right to tomato blight. The CSA we’re members of was no different. In our shares of fruits and veggies, we didn't get many tomatoes. We still had plenty of our other produce, so we got our money's worth, but had to go without tomatoes that year. This type of relationship between farmer and consumer produces a strong sense of solidarity.

CSAs are usually organic and sometimes provide other products besides fruits and veggies, like eggs, flowers, honey, dairy, and meat. Pick-ups are usually once per week and most places you can buy a full or half share. Seasons usually range from 4 to 6 months. Prices vary widely depending on whether or not your CSA is organic, how much produce you get per share, how long the season is and what part of the country you live in.

Growing your own food is the best form of eating local, but not everybody has the time, energy, space, etc. to have a vegetable garden. A CSA is the next best thing.

Here is a great website for finding a local CSA near you: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Fruity stuffed Acorn Squash

2010-12-06T07:29:00.000-08:00

Looking for something to do with all those beautiful acorn squash you got from your CSA this fall? They are fresher than anything you will get from your supermarket, so they will keep in a cool dry place for several weeks. But when you are ready to use them, try this aromatic recipe. Red quinoa can be a bit more difficult to find than white, but the two can be used interchangeably. Each half of the stuffed squash is enough for one adult depending on the size of your squash (and your adult!).

1/2 c white quinoa, rinsed

1/2 c red quinoa, rinsed

1 c orange juice

2 c apple juice or cider

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t allspice berries, crushed to a coarse powder

1/4 t nutmeg, freshly grated

1 1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
5 T butter, divided
1 med onion, diced
1 carrot, sliced
1 celery rib, sliced
1/2 c dried goji berries (try dried cranberries or cherries if you can’t find goji berries)
1/2 apple, chopped
2 T maple syrup
1/2 c toasted sliced almonds
1/4 c parsley
2 acorn squash

Combine the quinoa, orange juice, apple juice, and seasonings. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the onions, carrots, and celery in 3 T of butter for about 12 minutes over medium heat. Add the sauteed vegetables to the quinoa. Stir well. Add the dried goji berries, apple, and maple syrup.

Simmer the mixture until the quinoa is fully cooked and holds together like sticky rice.

Remove from heat and stir in the sliced almonds and the parsley.

Prepare each squash by carefully cutting each one in half lengthwise and removing the seeds and membrane.

Set the squash cut-side up in a baking dish and brush with 2 T melted butter. Mound each half with quinoa mix and place in a baking dish. Cover the squash with an aluminum foil tent and bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 min or until the squash tests done with a fork.

Crockpot Jambalaya

2010-11-29T08:16:00.000-08:00

During our time in NOLA, we had the opportunity to try many different versions of Jambalaya. We were inspired to create this one. Super easy, just throw all your miscellaneous meats into a crockpot with a few other ingredients and go! Yumm! This is also a great way to use up some of that leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

1 lb of andoulie sausage
2 lbs of any combination of additional meat (turkey or chicken, ham, fish, or shrimp)
2 bell peppers, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 c crushed tomatoes
½ c dry white wine
2 c broth, any kind, depending on your meat choices
3 T fresh parsley, chopped
3 T fresh basil, shredded
1 ½ t dried oregano
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 c uncooked quinoa
4 c uncooked collard greens
Hot sauce to taste

Add all ingredients, except hot sauce, shrimp (if using) and collards to a crockpot. Simmer on low for 8 hours. Add shrimp and collards and cook until shrimp is opaque. Season with hot sauce.

Thanksgiving Quinoa

2010-11-21T10:59:00.000-08:00

Just in time for Thanksgiving! This recipe is great for small Thanksgiving gatherings. If you don't want to make a lot of side dishes, like sweet potatoes or stuffing, this versatile dish can serve multiple purposes. So if you don't want a ton of leftovers, make this tasty pilaf. Plus to make it vegetarian, just use vegetable broth instead of chicken.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove minced garlic

1 small sweet onion, chopped

1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced

1/3 cup quinoa

2/3 cup chicken broth

3 large fresh sage leaves, shredded

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and sage; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add broth and quinoa. Cover the skillet, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the quinoa is done and sweet potato is soft, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Café Brulot

2010-11-12T09:55:00.000-08:00

Our first recipe inspired by our trip to New Orleans: Café Brulot. Café Brulot is a spectacular experience, or so we’ve heard. Our version is a bit more subdued. We’ve made ours into a latte and left out the part where they light it on fire. This recipe is enough for two giant cups. After all isn’t that the way coffee should be served?

Zest of one orange

Two cinnamon sticks

8 whole cloves

2 T sugar

3 oz cognac

1 ½ c milk

3 c hot, strong, black coffee (we like chicory coffee made in our French press)

Whipped cream

Heat the first six ingredients in a medium saucepan until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and add the coffee. Strain well and serve in extra large mugs with a dollop of whipped cream.

Spicy Squash Soup

2010-10-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

The chilly nights of October are almost over and pumpkins, squashes, and gourds are everywhere! Enjoy this spectacular fall soup with a hunk of warm crusty French or sour dough bread and a salad. Try a salad of greens, blue cheese and walnuts with basic balsamic vinaigrette and put the soup in a small hollowed out pumpkin for that extra special touch.

4 cups roasted pumpkin
4 cups roasted butternut squash
1 cup fat free sour cream, or full fat if you like
¼ cup fat free half and half
2 tbsp butter
1 ½ cups finely chopped leek, white and pale green parts only
6 cups chicken stock
2 tsp kosher salt
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper depending on your desire for spice
2 tsp crushed dried rosemary
1/3 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Wash, cut and clean out a pumpkin and a squash. Place on lightly oiled or sprayed baking sheet and spray the top of the squash. Place in a 400 degree oven and cook for approximately 40 minutes or until soft to the touch. Meanwhile, mix sour cream and half and half, put aside. Once squashes are cooked and cool enough to peel, melt butter in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven. Add leek and cook until softened and slightly golden. 5-7 minutes. Add broth, squash, salt, cayenne pepper, and rosemary. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for approximately 15 minutes. Blend until smooth in batches in a blender and return to heat. Once warm again, add 1 cup of sour cream mixture and stir in. Place in bowls, and add a dollop of remaining sour cream mixture, stir slightly to create a swirl and add ¼ of the nuts on top.

Local Organic Farms and Dairies

2010-10-17T19:24:00.000-07:00

This is the second in a series of posts about buying and eating local food.

As of 2007, just 6% of farms produced 75% of the value of US agriculture production. Every minute two acres of farmland are lost to development. Between 1974 and 2002, the number of corporate-owned U.S. farms increased by more than 46 percent. These statistics are just a small taste of the crisis in our agricultural system.

I grew up in Iowa, where over 86% of the state is in farmland! Maryland certainly doesn’t compare. But even in Iowa farmland is being lost due to suburban sprawl. And the farmland that is left is being gobbled up by the big, evil, monstrous factory farms (hog confinements and other animal ‘factories’)! What makes them so evil? Okay, so they aren’t really evil, but they are putting small family farmers out of business. And they pollute soil and water from concentrated animal wastes. Frequently property values around these types of farms are reduced. And they overuse antibiotics which leads to drug resistant diseases. Some family farmers caught in the industrial food system do not truly own or control their operations. Well, maybe factory farms are evil. But corporate farm doesn’t necessarily mean evil. Some family farmers incorporate to take advantage of the tax breaks and other legal stuff that being a corporation affords them. The true evil is the massive, greedy, corporate farms that are run by a board of directors in some other town. They don’t care about the land the farm is on, or the community they feed, or the local economy. They care about the bottom line.

So, who will rescue us from the evil corporate farm? Dun-da-da-dun! You! By supporting smaller, sustainable, family farms, you can help stop the industrialization of farms. Join a CSA, shop at a farmer’s market, go to a u-pick farm. Make your money count. And try supporting better development regulations. Advocate more dense, more sustainable, development. Support the preservation/protection of rural spaces and farmland. Learn more about the process of development. Make your vote count.

Next up in the series: What is a CSA?

New Orleans

2010-10-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

We spent the last week of September in the Big Easy, sight seeing, dancing, listening to music and of course, eating! We tried all the classic N'awlins dishes (and cocktails!), got some new cookbooks, and even went to the Louisianna School of Cooking, where we learned how to make classic cajun gumbo and jambalya.

We'll be spending the next couple weeks working on some dishes inspired by our trip. Meanwhile, coming this Sunday, the next in our series on local food, Local Organic Farms and Dairies.

Nalesniki

2010-09-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

I spent 6 months in Poland in 1998. My host mother was a great cook but I really stretched her expertise. I was a vegetarian at the time and I don’t think she had ever met someone that didn’t eat meat! Some of the more interesting things she made for me: noodles with strawberry sauce, a head of boiled cauliflower with sautéed bread crumbs, and nalesniki. Nalesniki, pronounced na-la-shniki, are basically Polish crepes. Ela would make stacks of these each morning and my host family would eat them all day, as snacks, smeared with Nutella, jam, or fresh fruit and yogurt, and with each meal. Sometimes the nalesniki would become the centerpiece of the meal, stuffed with meat (for everybody else), mushrooms, or potatoes. And for dessert with sweet cheese and fruit – think blintzes.

So try your hand at these thin tricky pancakes. Hint: the pan needs to be moderately hot before you put the first batter in the pan. Then the nalesniki cook quickly, just a minute or so per side. Don’t get frustrated if the first couple don’t turn out. It takes some practice.

Nalesniki

1 c flour
1 c milk
½ lukewarm water
4 large eggs
4 T melted butter
Pinch salt
(3 T sugar for sweet nalesniki)

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Let rest for at least 15 minutes. Using a ¼ cup measure, ladle batter into a non-stick skillet coated with butter. Swirl pan and batter until it covers the bottom of the pan. Cook until lightly brown. Turn and cook second side until light brown. Continue with the rest of the batter, buttering the pan between each addition of batter.

Savory Stuffed Nalesniki

One of the easiest ways to make savory stuffed nalesniki is to roast some meat with cabbage, mushrooms, onions and potatoes. Then use the leftovers for the stuffed nalesniki.

1 ½ lbs leftover minced roast beef, veal or lamb seasoned with marjoram and basil
OR 1 lb shredded cooked green cabbage and 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
OR 1 ½ lb sautéed wild mushrooms and 1 large beaten egg
OR 1 ½ lb boiled smashed potatoes and grated cheese (gouda is good)
2 c minced onion (leftover from roast or sautéed in butter)
1 t salt
Black pepper
Additional marjoram and basil to taste
1/3 c dry bread crumbs
1 -2 T sour cream (optional)
2+ T beef stock as needed

Mix together the meat (or cabbage and eggs or mushrooms and egg, or potatoes and cheese), onion, salt, pepper, herbs, bread crumbs and sour cream if using. Add enough stock until the filling holds together. Place ¼ c of filling on each nalesniki. Fold into little packages. Place in a buttered baking dish. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake for about 30 minutes.

Sweet Stuffed Nalesniki

2 c ricotta cheese
3 oz cream cheese or soft tofu
1 large egg yolk
2 T melted butter
Pinch salt
3 T honey or to taste
1 t vanilla or other flavoring like lemon zest
Mix all the ingredients together. Place ¼ c of filling on each nalesniki and fold into little packages. Place in a buttered baking dish. Preheat oven 375°. Bake for about 30 minutes.

Smacznego! (Smach-nay-go) aka Bon Appétit!

Oscars (aka Garbage Cookies)

2010-09-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

If you can’t find chocolate covered cacao nibs and goji berries you can use chocolate chips and dried cranberries or cherries. But the cacao nibs have an intensity of chocolate flavor that can’t be beat and it’s hard to find anything that really compares to goji berries. Quinoa flakes can also be a little tricky to find. Look in the gluten free section of your supermarket or natural food store. If you can’t find them, use rolled oats.

Oscars

1 c butter
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 banana, mashed (or 1 c cooked pumpkin)
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 c quinoa flakes
½ t salt
2 ½ c flour
1 t baking soda
6 oz chocolate covered cacao nibs
1 c walnuts, chopped
½ c shredded unsweetened coconut
½ c goji berries

Cream the butter, sugar and banana. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in quinoa flakes, flour, salt, and soda. Add cacao nibs, walnuts, coconut, and berries. Drop by tablespoon onto cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes.

Cold Oriental Noodle Salad

2010-09-05T08:02:00.000-07:00

This recipe is super simple but to make it even easier, throw the vegetables to be cooked into the noodles during the last few minutes of cooking time. Then drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the noodles and veggies faster. Add some steamed shrimp or baked tofu for a more substantial version. Serve this scrumptious salad with Thai iced tea and for dessert, Mango Sticky Quinoa!

Oriental Cold Noodle Salad

1 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
juice from one lime
zest of one lime
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced, or to taste
1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 c cooked bean thread noodles
2 cups steamed or blanched vegetables (ex. sliced celery, shredded napa cabbage, sliced bok choy, snow peas)
2 cups raw vegetables (ex. sliced green onions, mung bean sprouts, sliced cucumber, grated carrot)
1/4 cup peanuts
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil

Put the sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and lime juice in a large bowl. Mix in lime zest, brown sugar, garlic, and red pepper flakes; stir until sugar dissolves.
Pour 2/3 of dressing over noodles and vegetables. Cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Toss salad again before serving. If dry, add additional dressing. Garnish with peanuts and basil. Serve cold.

Three Sisters Quinoa Pilaf

2010-08-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

Next time you have corn on the cob and veggies on the grill, make a little extra and use the leftovers to make this the next day. This recipe is great in the heat of the summer when corn and zucchini are in season and you just don’t want to eat anything hot! Serve with fresh tortillas or Native American fry bread, iced rosehip tea, and a huckleberry honey cake.

Three Sisters Quinoa Pilaf

1/3 c quinoa – well rinsed
2/3 c water
1 t olive oil
4 t fresh lime juice
¼ t cumin
¼ t ground oregano
¼ t coriander
2 T scallions
1 ½ c cooked black beans
2 t minced green chilies
Pepper to taste
1 c fresh or frozen corn
1 ½ c sliced cooked squash (yellow, zucchini, butternut, acorn. . . )
1 c cherry tomatoes.

Combine quinoa and water in a saucepan and cook until done, approximately 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Combine all ingredients and serve at room temperature. Garnish with cherry tomatoes.

Sweet Blueberry Quiche

2010-08-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

This recipe was a complete accident! I was making a savory quiche with plain yogurt and bought vanilla yogurt instead. I had already added the yogurt to the mixture before I realized. Then I rushed around to see how I could make a sweet quiche with the ingredients I had on hand. Wha-la! A super yummy Sweet Blueberry Quiche perfect for breakfast.

Sweet Blueberry Quiche
Ingredients
1 prepared pie crust
10 large eggs
2 cups vanilla yogurt
2 cups whole milk
1 c fresh blueberries
1 t orange extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place the pie crust in a 9” pie pan. Line the crust with a sheet of parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Transfer to oven and bake until light brown, about 25 minutes. Remove weights and parchment paper and continue baking until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
Beat the eggs until combined.
Place yogurt in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth; add milk and continue whisking until well combined. Add to eggs along with orange extract; mix until well combined.
Put blueberries in the cooled pie crust. Pour over egg mixture until tart shell is full (you may not need to use all of the egg mixture). Bake 20 minutes; reduce temperature to 325 degrees, and continue baking until filling is slightly firm, rather than liquid, and crust is a deep golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes more. Transfer quiche to a wire rack to cool until set, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tabouli

2010-08-16T09:51:00.000-07:00

Another great recipe for the heat of the summer when you don’t want to cook and tomatoes and cucumbers are in season. Serve with falafel and pitas, middle eastern lemonade, and baklava.

½ c quinoa, well rinsed

1 c water

¼ c fresh lemon juice

1 cloves minced garlic

½ c chopped parsley

2 scallions sliced

2 small tomatoes cubed

1 cucumbers sliced

½ c cooked chickpeas or ½ c cubed cooked chicken

¼ c feta cheese or ¼ c kalamata olives

Chopped fresh mint to taste (about ¼ c)

Combine quinoa and water and cook until done, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Combine remaining ingredients and quinoa. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Blueberry Popsicles

2010-08-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

The vanilla vodka really makes this lemonade something special. But for young ’uns, munchkins, kidlets, or whatever you call children, omit the alcohol.

Lemonade
2 c water
1 c sugar
8 c ice
4 oz vanilla vodka (optional)
1 c fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, sliced
1 lime, sliced
In a small saucepan, bring water and sugar to a simmer. Cook until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool. Fill a large pitcher with ice. Stir in cooled sugar-water mixture, vodka, juice, and lemon and lime slices.

To make blueberry lemonade popsicles:

Prepare lemonade as directed, omitting lemon and lime slices. Place several fresh or frozen blueberries in popsicle molds. Fill each mold with lemonade. Freeze and enjoy!

Local Food

2010-08-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

This is the first in a series of posts about buying and eating local food.

Local, hmm. Well local means, local. You know, around here. Not far away. For example if you wanted to buy local apples, you might choose a variety that grows in your state rather than some from Washington. Although apples from Washington would be more local than apples from China. Unless of course you live in China. The point is that local is a pretty flexible idea. But the reasons for buying local aren’t. The more local you buy, the less fuel is burned bringing the food to you, which may translate to less moola at the cash register. You’ll be supporting farmers (and the economy) in your neighborhood, region, country. Your food may be fresher and have less packaging.

People who prefer to eat locally are called Locavores. "Locavore was coined by Jessica Prentice from the San Francisco Bay Area on the occasion of the 2005 World Environment Day to describe and promote the practice of eating a diet consisting of food harvested from within an area most commonly bound by a 100-mile (160 km) radius." - Wikipedia

What the heck kind of word is locavore anyway? We promote eating local, but apparently even this can be taken to extremes. So join a CSA or shop at a farmer's market. But don't go overboard. Just make sure at the farmer's market that you are actually getting local goods. Some shady characters actually get shipments from all over the US just like the local supermarket and then sell them at the farmer's market just down the street. You might as well ask.

Next up in the series: Local Organic Farms and Dairies

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

2010-06-18T19:43:00.001-07:00

You'll be so ready for summer with these refreshing little sandwiches. Totally vegan and totally delicious! Like, totally. . .

Cucumber Dill Tea Sandwiches

1 cucumber thinly sliced
1 pkg small rye bread
½ pkg silken tofu
2 T fresh dill
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1 scallion, sliced
salt to taste

In a blender, blend tofu, dill, lemon juice, parsley, and garlic, until smooth. Add scallion and mix well. To assemble the sandwiches, spread bread with the dill tofu and divide cucumber evenly among slices of bread. Garnish with additional dill.