Saturday, March 28, 2009

The Purple Monster

I love smoothies for breakfast. The only problem I have with them is that they're CHILLY, and I don't like how they make me so cold inside when the weather is cool. I do use non-frozen fruit sometimes, but the smoothie isn't as thick and creamy. When you make your smoothie use as much or as little frozen fruit as you want; the more frozen items in your smoothie, the thicker and creamier it will be. This particular smoothie is my favorite because it has great flavor and the antioxidant content is out of this world! It's my secret weapon against all the free radicals that assault my body throughout the day. It's nice to realize that your health is what you make it, and if you give your body the right tools (in this case the antioxidants found in non-animal foods) you can delay aging and fight disease. This smoothie gets it's power from acai berries, blueberries, and chocolate.




Purple Monster Smoothie

In a blender:

1 banana, frozen for preference
1 c blueberries
1/2 packet unsweetened frozen acai berry pulp, broken into chunks your blender can manage
1-2 T cocoa powder
non-dairy milk (I like unsweetened almond): start with about 1 1/2 cups, and then thin as desired. You'll need less with fruit that isn't frozen.
about 5 drops liquid stevia, or other sweetener to taste

You know what to do.

Serves 2

If this is all you'll be eating for breakfast, you may want to add a scoop of rice or hemp protein powder (Trader Joes has reasonably priced hemp protein powder now!) and/or a tablespoon of ground flax seeds.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Mochi Waffles

Doesn't everyone have a package of mochi languishing in the fridge?

Maybe not, but I found myself with a package of chocolate-walnut mochi that was about to expire. It hasn't been used because it's a flavor I picked up on impulse, and it isn't exactly useful in the same ways that I use savory mochi. Chocolate mochi melted over cabbage and carrots, anyone? Gross.


I love how mochi melts gooey and cheese-like over hot dishes while baking or steaming. I like it in crispy, puffy oven baked squares. The puffy squares are like dim sum if you serve them with dipping sauce. This chocolate mochi, however, got the waffle iron treatment. I must say it was pretty cool.


Mochi Waffles


1 package of mochi, any flavor


toppings (see my ideas below for starters), limited only by your creativity and the willingness of you taste buds


All you do is grate a package of mochi on the large holes of a box grater, and sprinkle if over a pre-heated waffle iron. Put a little pressure on the iron when you close it. (You don't have to stand there, pressing on it the entire time it's cooking, though.) If you open the iron when the time would be up for a normal waffle, it will still be in it's gooey/melty state, so wait about 2 or 3 times as long as you would for normal waffles. It should be nice and crispy. Really crispy, like a giant rice cracker.


We ate ours with powdered sugar and peanut butter, but jam or vegan butter and rice or maple syrup would be very tasty too. In fact, I think if you did this with savory mochi and topped it with tahini and green onions it would be pretty bomb. Maybe next time I'll do a version of chicken and waffles: mochi waffles, breaded and fried seitan or tofu, and a dipping sauce. I could be onto something...


You can find mochi in the refrigerated section of most health food stores. It's usually by the seitan, tempeh, and tofu.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Finger Paints

I bought a bottle of No Miss nail polish this weekend after my curious little girl got into my bag of polishes and went crazy. I had to throw away every bottle. The good news is, I finally found a nail polish I can feel good about! This stuff is so great...there's no formaldehyde, camphor, toluene, or dibutyl-pthalate. There are tons of colors (over 150!) available. Most contain natural earth pigments and are therefore free of nasty chemical dyes. (Some of the colors are made with FD&C dyes, but they appear to be phasing these out.) With lots of finishes to choose from, you can go wacky with glow in the dark polish or toned down with a classic color in a shiny finish. The polish is totally full coverage, and dries really quickly. It's non-yellowing -- yay for nice nails when the polish comes off your toes at the end of summer! No Miss brand is completely dedicated to cruelty free products, and that means a lot to me. It's responsible and fabulous!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Happy Spring!

I am so SO ready for transition to the lighter, fresher flavors of Spring! For those of you who are interested in eating seasonally, here's what's up and in season for March:





VEGETABLES:

ARTICHOKE
ASPARAGUS
CELERY
FENNEL
MOREL MUSHROOMS
PEAS -- EDIBLE POD
CHARD
COLLARDS
FRISEE
KALE
MESCLUN
NETTLES
SPINACH
TATSOI
BROCCOLI
CABBAGES
CAULIFLOWER
CARROT
CELERY ROOT/CELERIAC
JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE
RADISH
GREEN GARLIC
LEEK
SPRING ONIONS

FRUITS:
HAAS AVOCADO
CHERIMOYA
KIWIFRUIT
RHUBARB
STRAWBERRIES
MEYER LEMON
KEY LIME
NAVEL ORANGE
TANGERINE/MANDARIN ORANGE


Of course, not all these things will be grown locally in any one area. The best thing to do is to head out to a local farmer's market, which are gloriously opening once again! It's so much fun to eat fruits and vegetables in the season they actually are meant to grow...it's like getting a new gift from God every couple of months. Who wants to eat a peach when it tastes like mushy cardboard, anyway? It's amazing how the energy and benefits of seasonal fruits and veggies so perfectly correspond to what our bodies need at that particular time. I think it's no small coincidence that our bodies crave the richness and warmth of a cozy butternut squash soup during the long, cold days of winter...exactly when squash is available! And it's amazing how in spring God makes nature grow the lovely, light, astringent things that make us feel refreshed and new -- just as the earth sends forth all that is new and bright. I'm anticipating my first rhubarb crumble of the year...
PS Thanks to Renee Loux for the great seasonal produce chart in her wonderful book The Balanced Plate.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Irish-American Diner

I always mean to make festive Saint Patrick's day food, but since I don't make corned beef anymore (I'm sorry my dear Clinton!) it hasn't happened in a satisfying way the last few years. This St. Paddy's day was different, though, and I had a good time in my kitchen making interpretations of a few "classic" Irish dishes.

First on my list was the soda bread. My initial recipe turned out like a scone. It was actually a very tasty scone, but a scone none the less. I was telling my friend Kevin that even though I had never tasted real soda bread, I was pretty sure it was supposed to be a little rustic -- not so much of a delicate tea bread. Unfortunately I ran out of raisins testing my first loaf; they're not traditional anyway, so I read. I had to use dried cranberries in my second batch. Soda bread heresy!

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Irish Soda Bread

Oven 375
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment

whisk together in a bowl:

3 c barley flour
1/2 c rolled oats
1 t baking powder
1/2 t soda
1/2 t salt

mix in:

1 c raisins, chopped, or 1 c currants

mix separately:

2 T molasses
2 T maple syrup
1 c soy yogurt
1/4 c non-dairy milk
1/4 c melted coconut oil

Pour the wet into the dry and stir just until mixed. Gather the sticky dough into a ball in the bowl and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Most people slash the top, but I have never made soda bread where the raisins did not obscure the slash and make it pointless. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. This is best the day it is baked, but I find the leftovers make nice toast the next day.

This recipe could easily be adapted for use with whole wheat pastry flour and soured soy or other non-dairy milk. Barley flour is really worth seeking out, however, as it is a bit nutritionally superior to wheat, is less of an allergen, and has a pleasant, light texture.

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Next, I wanted something nice and GREEN! This is just a simple green goddess dip with crudites.

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Green Goddess Dip

(Does anyone else think the word "dip" adds a certain undesirable trashy flair to anything it touches?)

1/2 c veganaise
1/2 c silken tofu
2 chopped scallions
1/2 c roughly chopped (not packed) parsley
2 t lemon juice
1/2 t white wine vinegar
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 t kelp powder
1 t capers

Combine until smooth in a blender or small food processor. If you have an immersion blender, now is the time. The flavors will improve over a few hours in the refrigerator, but I think it's just fine right away as well. This also makes a lovely salad dressing when thinned with a little "milk".

Last is my take on colcannon. I wanted it to be a little more fun than just mashed potatoes with cabbage, so I made

Colcannon Baked Potato Boats!

First:

Bake in a 400 degree oven:

4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and poked all over (with a fork or skewer, silly)
*Organic please! Potatoes are highly contaminated with pesticides when conventionally grown.*

When tender, remove from oven and place on a baking sheet. Lower the oven heat to 350. Slice the potatoes in half the long way, and leave until cool enough to handle.

Make the cabbage while the potatoes bake:

Heat the oil over medium in a large pot with a lid. Add the cabbage, onions, and garlic, stir to coat with the fat, and sprinkle generously with sea salt. Saute for about 5 minutes, then cover and lower the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage becomes meltingly tender, 45 minutes to an hour.

For this next step, you'll need:

Additional fat of your choice, several tablespoons
a small amount of warmed non-dairy milk (1 c or less)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
sweet paprika

As soon as the cabbage is done and the potatoes aren't screaming hot, scoop the potatoes out of their skins, leaving a shell for the filling. Press the potato "insides" through a ricer--always my preference for making mashed potatoes--or mash. (Never use a hand mixer for mashed potatoes! It makes the starch very angry and everything gets gluey.) Add a little fat, warmed "milk", and salt and pepper as you would for regular mashed potatoes. Fold in the cabbage mixture, and refill the potato shells. Replace to the baking sheet they were cooling on. I sprinkled them with paprika, cause I'm old school like that. Bake in a 350 degree oven until everything is piping hot, about 10-15 minutes. Run under the broiler for a few minutes before serving so the tops get toasty and brown. Serve, sprinkled with the green onions tops if you so desire.

I ate mine with ketchup, because I'm disgusting.

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Thanks to Kevin for the photo. He really has a way with potato photography. It's hard to work with potatoes, and Kevin knows just how to coax out their cuteness.

For the feeling good about what you're eating part, potatoes are high in vitamins b and c, potassium, and contain magnesium, phosphorous, iron and zinc. The cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin c and beta-carotene, which are anti-oxidants that protect our bodies from free radicals. Nice!

I hope everyone had a very happy St. Patrick's Day!

Monday, March 16, 2009

Ratatouille

Ratatouille is one of my favorite recipes to have made up and sitting around to turn into lots of different meals. It's good over pasta, grains, couscous, or polenta, on pizza, in pita pockets, or eaten by itself like stew with a drizzle of olive oil. The optional dulse flakes are a great source of minerals.

Ratatouille
olive oil
1 large onion
5 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1 t marjoram or oregano
1 1/2 t basil
pinch of red chili flakes
1 t chopped fresh rosemary (or 1/2 t dried)
several sprigs thyme
Chop these veggies into about 1/2-3/4 inch cubes:
1 globe eggplant
2 red peppers
3 small zucchini
15 oz can diced tomatoes and their juice
salt and black pepper
about 20 kalamata olives, sliced
2 T dulse flakes, if available
Cover the bottom of a dutch oven with olive oil. Saute the onion with a sprinkle of salt over medium heat until softened. Add the garlic, all of the herbs (just put the whole thyme sticks in) and the chili flakes. Saute until fragrant. Add the eggplant and sprinkle with salt. Lower the heat a bit, cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until just tender (12 minutes). Add peppers, zucchini, tomatoes and juice, another pinch of salt, and black pepper to taste. Cover and cook about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until everything is tender. Remove bay leaf and thyme sticks, scraping any leaves still clinging to the sticks back into the pot. Stir in olives and dulse if using, and taste for salt and pepper. Serve.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Tofu Scram!

I love making tofu scrambles for breakfast. I thought this combination was so tasty that I want to share it with you! We had blueberry muffins and carrots sticks with our scramble this morning, but I think it would be ideal with toast and good olive oil, or warm pita.

Mediterranian Tofu Scramble

splash of oil
14 oz pkg tofu (I use firm or ex-firm)
large clove garlic, minced
1/4 t turmeric
1/4 t dried oregano (fresh would be much better. Alas, none is growing outside yet.)
1 1/2 T nutritional yeast
2 T soy sauce, tamari, or liquid aminos (just use slightly more if you're using liquid aminos)
8 kalamata olives, chopped
4 sundried tomatoes, chopped
handful of spinach, chopped


In a large frying pan, heat the oil. Crumble the tofu into the pan, and add the garlic, turmeric, oregano, nutritional yeast, and soy sauce. Saute over medium high-ish heat until the moisture evaporates and the mixture starts to dry out. (about 8 minutes) Add in remaining ingredients and saute until the spinach is wilted. Serve.


Monday, March 9, 2009

The White Stuff

Cauliflower, oh how we love thee for thy tasty white canvas of micronutrients! Anyway, here is my newest ode to cauliflower:

Lemon Roasted Cauliflower

1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets
1 sm head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
3 shallots, quartered
2-3 T olive oil, plus extra for finishing
red pepper, salt and black pepper to taste
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 T capers
1/4-1/3 cup of raisins, to your taste
1/3 c walnuts, chopped and toasted
chopped parsley for finishing, if available

serving recommendation: 1 c. couscous, prepared accordind to package directions

Heat oven to 425. Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, garlic, and shallots. Toss with the olive oil to coat, then season to taste with the salt and red and black peppers. Pour onto baking sheet. (I actually did all of this on the sheet to save dishes, of course!) Roast until tender but not completely soft--a little al dente, so to speak. (about 25 minutes) Then stir in the juice and zest, capers, and raisins. Return to the oven for about 5 more minutes. (I used this 5 minutes to cook a batch of couscous to serve under the cauliflower.) Remove from oven, spoon over couscous, and top with the toasted nuts and parsley, if available. Drizzle with olive oil.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Green Crayons


I have a stock of castoff crayons: stubs, broken pieces, unloved colors. I have been holding on to them in hopes of discovering some craft project that could put them to good use, knowing that petroleum-based paraffin wax just sits forever in a landfill. (One could just order soy oil crayons and not worry about it!) You can imagine my happiness upon discovery of Crazy Crayons, a company which takes crayon pieces and melts them down to make new crayons. All you do is put them in a small box and mail them off! No more old-crayon clutter in my art closet. For information, go to crazycrayons.com.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

I'm Juiced

With colds and flues about, I have been drinking this concoction almost daily, in hopes to evade the inevitable sickness just one day longer. It's been working pretty well. Plus, I think it's quite tasty.

Super Juice

Run through juicer in this order:

Small clove garlic
a good inch or so of peeled ginger
1 small or 1/2 large beet
1/2 to 1 lemon
about 2/3 c baby spinach (Or grown up spinach. Whatever.)
2-4 carrots

If you want it to be extra tasty, run 1/2 an apple through somewhere before the lemon.

Drink away! Don't let it sit around and oxidize. (But you don't have to guzzle it or anything.)

I have an Omega juicer, and it's been very good to me.

PS If I'm drinking this by itself, I chase it with a few nuts or something nice and fatty to enhance absorption of all that beautiful vitamin a. The zinc in the spinach also helps your body assimilate the vitamin a. Hey! And the beets purify your blood and support your liver, and the ginger is great for your circulation...what more could you want from your juice? Plus, with all those antioxidants, you'll be just plain hot. Until you're like, 95 or something.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Tiers of Joy!

So, I must share with you my ultimate baking triumph: A 3 tier wedding cake for my nephew Dave and his wife Lisa. I was pretty happy with the way it came out, overall. Goodness, I was just relieved that it didn't collapse on the way from Vancouver to Albany...or start oozing raspberry filling, or look like I was modeling the Leaning Tower of Pisa... Any number of fates could befall such a huge confection! (Especially with a wedding cake virgin in charge!) Sadly the cake is not vegan. Let me tell you, not sampling as you bake is torture -- at least for a confirmed cake lover as myself! It was also difficult for me to use ingredients which I have such a strong aversion to, but it was not my money purchasing the goods. I didn't have too much say in the matter, except that I pleaded at least the eggs and milk be organic. It's worth something. Anyway, family is important, and this was something I could do to be helpful and show my love, though I wish everyone in my family could see how much love and compassion a vegan wedding cake could represent! That aside, here is the cake. (May she rest in peace.)Photobucket

Tea Party

Green tea is just the best. Lots has been said lately about all the wonderful benefits of this lovely little sipper. My goal has been trying to drink 2-4 cups a day, and I started out by brewing my cup of love with regular old tea bags. I've always been drawn to the small ritual of brewing loose leaf tea, however, and so I recently purchased a sweet ceramic teapot with an infuser from Huesnbrews. I cannot explain the ridiculous amount of happiness and gratification this chubby little pot gives me. Beyond brewing single leaf teas, I've had so much fun experimenting with the herbs, seeds, and spices I've hunted out from my grocery's bulk bins. My favorite combination so far is crushed rose hips, which are full of vitamin C, and broken cinnamon sticks for tastiness and to support the digestive system. (This simple tea was recommended by Cathe Olson in her excellent book "The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook". In this book there's a small but nice selection of tea recipes, including directions for your own money-saving homemade pregnancy and nursing teas.) It's just so nice to sit down to my own little pot of tea, especially at bedtime -- such a lovely ritual that cares for both body and soul.blog1