cooking asparagus: February 2013

Skillet Asparagus & Tomato Medley

The simples are my favorite. Full of color and flavor, this is one of those easy dishes I could eat almost everyday. The tomatoes are bursting with juiciness and the sautéed lemon adds a wonderful touch. Something about adding lemon to the skillet brings out their sweetness in a most delicious way. Pairing all of this goodness over a grain of choice, as well as a bean, rounds this meal out by giving you extra protein and fiber to leave you satisfied without feeling weighed down. Feel free to add other vegetables to this as well. This is just a template.

Skillet Asparagus & Tomato Medley

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
10 oz. asparagus
1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
whole garlic cloves, as many as you like
2 lemons, quartered and seeds removed
1 tablespoon or so olive oil
himalayan salt & cracked pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon or so thyme
1 can (15oz) white beans (I used cannellini)
cooked quinoa, farro, barley, brown, jasmine or basmati rice (I used quinoa)

Prep your veggies and place in medium size bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, mix to coat. Add salt, pepper and a sprinkle of thyme, mix again. Heat skillet on medium to medium high. Add vegetables and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally, or until tomatoes soften. Serve on a bed of grains and beans...or however you like it! Serves two generously.

Enjoy the simples!

Quinoa Salad with Baby Spinach and Grape Tomatoes

Quinoa salad with baby spinach and tomatoes #vegan #glutenfree

Quinoa salad with baby spinach and tomatoes.

Quinoa + Spinach = Salad Days

Here is a wonderful year-round salad that is inviting, fresh and vibrant. The sort of salad a certain individual needs on a damp, late winter day when the sky is paper white and the clouds are thick with snow. On a day such as this it is tempting to head straight for comfort food. That leftover Kicked Up Baked Mac 'n Cheese in the fridge. That wedge of Roasted Vegetable Kugel. But what the body craves may- or may not be- what the body needs.

I'm just saying.

I'm no expert on cravings. But I do know that if I make a habit of indulging every gnawing whim and urge that wiggles its way into my sun deprived brain I'd munch Blueberry Crumb Cake for breakfast and eat Horseradish Spiked Red Potato Salad every noon hour from now till the Vernal Equinox (a serotonin-boosting strategy not recommended, by the way, for those of us past a certain age where you can pack on voluptuous pounds faster that you can say blueberry pancakes on a stick).

It also doesn't help that yours truly sports three honkin' titanium screws in the left hip joint, curtailing one's enthusiasm for certain popular aerobic routines. Maybe if I Zumbaed I'd still fit into my ~~summer~~ winter jeans. As of last week there's not a pair of jeans in the house I can riggle into. [And by the way, why do doctors insist on referring to hip screws as pins, embroidering knitting group safe visions of a petite and delicate procedure that in no way involved a couple of workbench sized clamps and a battery operated power drill?]

All I can say is thank goddess for black leggings. Paired with a tunic top they hide a multitude of muffins.

And cake.

Read more + get the recipe >>

Slow Cooker Red Curry Beef Pot Roast – Teaching Old Meat New Tricks

When shopping, I like to take a quick peek at the end of the meat case where they sometimes have marked-down cuts that are past their prime. I usually stay away from the smaller, thinner pieces, as they tend to go bad faster, but once in a while I’ll find a big roast, like the one that inspired this delicious red beef curry; and as the old saying goes, the only thing better than a 3-pound chuck roast, is a half-priced, 3-pound chuck roast.

By the way, this “Reduced for Quick Sale” meat is generally fine taste and texture-wise, but the surface of the meat has oxidized, so it doesn’t look very appetizing. Other than that, it’s perfectly fine to use, especially in a slow-braised recipe like this.

I cooked mine on low, for about 7 or 8 hours, until it was fork tender, but if you’re in a hurry, you can do it on a higher setting. Conventional wisdom is that the longer slower method is superior, but in all honesty, I don’t think there's a huge difference, so suit yourself. No matter what setting you use, simply do not stop until the meat is tender.

Some of the most frustrating emails I get, are the ones that say, “I followed your braised-whatever recipe exactly, but the meat came out hard.” Actually, no you didn’t. Every time I give an approximate cooking time for something like this, I’ll always say, “or until fork tender.” So why would anyone stop cooking it while the meat is still hard? I find it as mystifying as I do annoying.

Anyway, assuming you don’t stop, won’t stop, until the meat is succulent, you are in for a real treat. Feel free to add any vegetables you like, and if you want, you can cook them separately and just add to the finished dish. I generally don’t serve this over rice if I use potatoes, but that's just my personal hang up, so don’t feel like you need to deny yourself that particular pleasure. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 giant or 6 regular portions:

2 1/2 or 3 pound beef chuck roast

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 chopped onion

1 or 2 tsp red curry paste, or to taste

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

2 cups chicken broth

1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
1 can (10-oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies (or any diced tomato product)

3 tbsp Asian fish sauce, or to taste

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp tomato paste

4 cloves minced garlic

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced

juice of one lime
2 bay leaves

1 1/2 pound small potatoes, halved

4 or 5 baby bok choy, sliced

1 rounded teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water

To garnish:

chopped roasted peanuts

chopped fresh cilantro leaves

View the complete recipe

Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake – You Asked For It!

As promised, here’s the recipe for the chocolate cake that was featured in the orange Crème Anglaise video recipe we did a few weeks ago. In case you missed it, here’s what happened: We uploaded a perfectly fine looking custard sauce video, which no one cared about once they saw this gorgeous looking cake.

Not only did the vast majority of the audience lose all interest in the Crème Anglaise, but they also started requesting the cake be shared in video recipe form. And by “request,” I mean they demanded under threat of grievous bodily harm. Well, it worked.

By the way, you can use any pan for this cake, even a cupcake tin, as long as you’re prepared to adjust your baking time. I’d love to give you specific times, but that will depend on the exact size/type of pan. Best to test early and often with the old bamboo skewer, until it comes out clean.

I joked in the intro that if you messed this up, you should never try to bake anything else again. The funny this is, that’s not a joke. You’ll have to try really hard for this not to come out awesome. In fact, the ganache is probably the trickiest part, and all that entails is pouring boiling cream over chopped chocolate and stirring. I hope you give this ridiculously easy and delicious chocolate cake a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 1 Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake:
Recipe from Bi-Rite Market's Eat Good Food

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter

1/3 cup high-quality cocoa powder (use the best you can find)

1 cup water

1/2 tsp fine salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the ganache:

4 ounces good quality dark chocolate, chopped or broken into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup heavy cream

*Bring cream to a boil and immediately pour over chocolate. Wait 1 minute and stir until smooth and glossy.

Mango Pineapple Banana Smoothie

I've been in a mango mood lately eating them as is, using them to top pancakes and adding them to fruit tarts. This smoothie is an extension of my mango love...and need I say how delicious it is! I use one whole fresh mango, a frozen banana and a spear or so of pineapple with a little water. If you're like me you always have frozen bananas on hand for smoothies or raw ice creams like this Almond Chunky Monkey Ice Cream or this Chocolate Banana Ice Cream. I also buy one pineapple a week, slice it into spears taking one or two for to-go lunches as a snack, or just eating at my leisure at home. Fruit, nature's candy! So most of this is on hand for me, all that is needed is a mango or two, depending on how many servings you're planning. Hopefully this will inspire you to get in some good habits if you're not already doing it. Your reward will be the many wonderful and tasty options you have to using these ingredients. Clean and healthy foods to keep you feeling good and high on life!

Mango Pineapple Banana Smoothie

Ingredients

1 mango, cut into chunks
1 frozen banana
1 cup pineapple chunks
1/2 cup water or almond milk
chia seeds, for garnish

Peel and diced your mango. Combine mango, banana, pineapple and water/milk into blender and blend until smooth. Pour into serving cup and top with chia seeds. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Enjoy!

Happy National Margarita Day!

I just heard that today is National Margarita Day (thank you, Twitter), and so I thought I’d repost this ancient video recipe I did for About.com. Please keep in mind that this isn’t a Food Wishes video, so there’s a few things you may not be used to. I had to be under 3 minutes; it couldn’t contain inappropriate humor; and maybe worst of all, I was forced to show my “face for radio.” In fairness, I do get better looking after a few of these. Enjoy!

Tahini Miso Dressing-Dip

Today I have this most delicious and slightly addicting dressing-dip to share with you. I used this dressing in a recent post with steamed broccoli, Broccoli + Tahini Miso Dressing, and have been loving it ever since. It pairs great as a dip for sliced raw veggies too, or use it as a dressing in a slaw salad or any of your usual leafy lettuce salads. You could also use it as a spread for sandwiches. It's a nice mix up from the Simple White Bean Hummus and Favorite Hummus that I usually make. All in all, this is a great versatile dressing for use with raw, steamed or roasted vegetables. Make this thick or thin to suit your needs.

Tahini, which is made of sesame seeds, is a great source of calcium...1/4 cup contains 351 mg of calcium, slightly more than 1 cup of milk provides. It also contains vital nutrients like copper, manganese, zinc, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin E, protein and fiber.

Miso is also a beneficial addition to this dressing. Its health benefits include being a complete protein containing all essential amino acids. It's a quality source of the essential vitamin B-12. Miso stimulates the secretion of digestive fluids in the stomach and restores beneficial probiotics to the intestines. And it is high in antioxidants to fight free radicals while also strengthening the immune system.

This dressing-dip is another way to get these beneficial ingredients into your meal rotation.

Tahini Miso Dressing-Dip

Ingredients

1/4 cup tahini
1 tablespoon white miso
juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon tamari
pinch or two red pepper flakes, optional
1 tablespoon - 1/4 cup water or more depending on how thin you like it

In small to medium size bowl, combine all ingredients adding the water in small increments until desired thickness/thinness. Taste for flavor and serve as desired.

Use less water for dips and sauces and more water for salad dressings. Typically this will serve four to six depending on how much extra was is added.

Enjoy!

Cheese Straws – These Don’t Suck

I took a few things for granted in this cheese straws video. I assumed you could tell how delicious they were as I crunched into them, which is why I never said as much. I also assumed you’d figure out how, where, and when to use them; as I failed to give my usual serving suggestions. I was so taken by the sound and texture of these cheesy sticks, that it just never occurred to me to state such obvious facts.

So, for the record, let’s make this official. These really tasted great, and that’s without any embellishments whatsoever. There are so many things that will work with this technique, including, but not limited to garlic butter, fresh herbs, crushed nuts, and/or literally any dried spice. As far as approved uses, it’d be easier to list things this wouldn’t work with.

Any soup, stew, or bowl of chili would look substantially better with some of these alongside. A few cheese straws will make that sleepy bowl of leftover pasta suddenly seems special again, and substituting them for toast at breakfast is a proven crowd-pleaser. Dipping toasted bread into a runny egg yolk is nice, but dipping with a warm, crispy cheese straw? That goes way beyond nice.

As long as you use some nice, grate-able pungent cheeses, and cook them long enough to get crisp, there’s no way these won’t be great. I hope you give them a try soon, and report back with all your brilliant adaptations. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
frozen puff pastry

about 2 tsp olive oil , or as needed

about 1/2 cup total finely grated aged cheddar and Parmigiano-Reggiano, or more as needed

salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

Gluten-Free Shepherd's Pie Two Ways (one vegan)

Gluten free shepherds pie two ways - one with chicken and one with tofu and veggies and dairy-free cheese topped mashed potatoes

Cooking light- gluten-free shepherd's pie with lovely gravy, two ways.

Gluten-Free Shepherd's Pie Two Ways (one vegan)

A cold rain is rolling through Connecticut, interrupting a whisper of mist with sudden bursts of stinging wet drops. The skies are wooly gray, gloomy and low. It's the kind of day that calls for comfort in the form of food. Something baked in a crock. Something piping hot and old fashioned. Something with mashed potatoes...

A savory pie, I said out loud, standing at the kitchen sink, listening to the staccato of rain drumming the skylights.

Don't tease me, said my husband, looking up from his latest screenplay.

I wouldn't joke about a thing like pie, I assured him.

Seriously. I'm thinking a shepherd's pie, I said. But not the usual shepherd's pie. No beef. No onion. No peas.

Please, he said. No peas.

You know, that could get you into trouble, I told him. Your pea prejudice. The foodie police will be at our door before you know it. Demanding equal time for peas. And I'm already in enough trouble with their ilk.

Their ilk? he asked.

Read more + get the recipe >>

Raw Kale Salad – Mmmm…Tough and Bitter

I realized after watching the finished video for this raw kale salad that I used the words “tough” and “bitter” about a dozen times. Not exactly a ringing endorsement. I used those words because kale is tough and bitter, but when properly prepared, those are valuable assets, not liabilities.

If you slice it thin, and toss it with other tasty treats, the kale mellows out, and serves as a perfect foil for other vegetation. The sweet, wet crunch of raw apple counters the bitterness, and the texture of the leaves elevated from opposite directions by juicy orange and crunchy nuts. It’s quite a scene.

I’m going to do a video for the orange cumin vinaigrette, but in the meantime, the ingredients are listed below. Feel free to copy my salad formula, but this is more of an idea video than an actual recipe. You know what you like, so whatever that is, add it to some raw kale, and see what happens. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 big or 4 small Raw Kale Salads:

1 head green kale

1 persimmon, sliced

1 apple, sliced thin or matchstick cut

2 seedless oranges, cut into segments aka “supremes” (click here for video)

handful of chopped nuts

For the dressing:

1 rounded teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 rounded teaspoon orange zest

1 tsp cumin, or to taste

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 tbsp orange juice

1/4 cup rice vinegar (or white wine or sherry vinegar)

1/3 cup olive oil, or to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Raw Fruit Tartlet

These were just something special. So colorful, simple and delicious! A classic fruit tart, the kind I remember enjoying with mixed fruit. We had this wonderful little grocery store in Claremont, Ca called Wolfe's Market that sold fruit tarts in their bakery and I would always pick one up when in the area. I love fruit, I love creams and the crust was just an added bonus. I must say that having had theirs, and now this one, I much rather prefer and love this raw version. After eating it I felt cool, refreshed and wanting another. Makes for a great breakfast or dessert that won't leave you feeling weighed down in the least. You can be sure that every ingredient is beneficial and I know you will love this raw fruit tart as much as I do.

I happen to have little mini cake pans to use as a mold. They're about three inches in diameter and were inexpensive for a set of three, but I only used two for this recipe. If using the classic tartlet molds you should get about three with the crust amount, to get all six double the crust recipe. The fruit tarts held up great. The crust stayed in place and didn't become soggy, even after being in the refrigerator overnight. But if making these for parties, for best appearance I recommend serving within a couple hours of making. All in all, everything held up fantastic and it was quite delicious!

Raw Fruit Tart

Ingredients

kiwi
strawberries
blueberries
mango
cashew sweet cream

Crust (makes 2 -3)

1 cup almonds or walnuts, or combo (I used almonds)
5 medjool dates
dash or two of cinnamon
2 tablespoons water, divided

Make your cashew sweet cream and keep in the fridge for at least three hours. This can also be made a day or two ahead.

Make your crust by combining all the ingredients, except water, into a food processor/blender and blend until combined and somewhat chunky. Add one tablespoon of water, process until dough forms. Add the extra tablespoon of water if needed. I used it but you may find in your climate or altitude that you may not need it. We don't want the dough too wet, just enough so that it combines nicely. Cover and place in refrigerator for 20 min to stiffen a bit.

While dough is setting, prepare your fruits and set aside.

Using molds of choice, line each with a piece of saran wrap like the picture shown above. Fill each pan with a layer of dough, about 1/4 inch thick, by pressing firmly yet gently into place. Fill each tartlet with cashew sweet cream, almost to the rim, and level out, top with fruit. To remove tart from mold, gently lift the edges of saran wrap, place on flat surface and using a spatula carefully wedge under the tart and move to desired flat surface. You can prepare these a couple hours ahead, cover with saran wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Makes 2 three inch fruit tarts using the mini cake molds. Each fruit tart is about 2 serving.

Notes: If using classic tartlet mold, the cashew sweet cream will fill all six and the crust will cover three. If using mini cake pans like I did, the cream will fill three and the crust will cover two.

Enjoy!

Kale Salad with Quinoa, Tangerines and Roasted Almonds

Gluten-free kale salad with quinoa tangerine and roasted almonds

Kale salad with tangerines, quinoa, and almonds.

My Kale Crush

Something has frozen over. Or maybe pigs are flying. I actually, um, like kale. After all my mocking, my nose crinkling, my eye rolling. After tweeting disparagingly about the taste of this dark leafy green (I believe the word I used was swampy). Behold. I am converted. I have seen the light.

The turning point? Lacinato kale (also called Tuscan black kale, or dinosaur kale). The long, slender leaves are delightfully un-swamp like. And unlike many good-for-you greens, there is little bitterness to harsh your mellow. Lacinato (like its curly kale cousin) does benefit from massage- especially in silky extra virgin olive oil.

But then Darling- what doesn't?

Read more + get the recipe >>

Cashew Sweet Cream

Cashews are such an incredible and versatile ingredient in the vegan & raw vegan kitchen. They can be made into cheeses, sour creams, dressings, sauces and raw cookies to name a few. Here is a simple and delightful sweet cream version. This sweet cream can be used in many ways. With varying the amount of water, this can be a thick cream or a drizzle style cream. Using a thicker cream you can use as a dip for fruits or as a center in a raw fruit tart. You can also use it to top on pies as a cool whip replacement, or as a frosting for cakes and cupcakes. Add to the center of crepes along with some fruit. It can be slathered on top of pancakes, waffles, banana bread or cinnamon swirl bread. You can even add in a little cinnamon, vanilla bean seeds or other favorite dessert spices. The uses and flavor combinations are only as limited as our imagination and taste buds. With this one recipe you can create many wonderful creations. This is raw, minimal ingredients, gluten free, dairy free and so very delicious!

Cashew Sweet Cream

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews, preferably soaked 2 to 3 hours
4-5 medjool dates
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 - 1 1/4 cup water +

Combine all ingredients, start with only 3/4 cup water, and blend until creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add additional water 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time until desired consistency. If you find you added too much water, add a few more cashews and blend. Taste for flavor adding an extra date or two for added sweetness if desired. Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to five or so days.

Makes anywhere from 1 1/2 cups and up, depending on how much water you use.

Notes: You may also like to use almonds without the skins. Soak your almonds at least eight hours or overnight.

Enjoy this clean sweet cream!

Broccoli + Tahini-Miso Dressing

Simple, flavorful and creamy. Tahini and miso pair so well together and are both full of nutrition. No empty calories in this recipe, each ingredient holds benefits to unlock your bodies full potential. This easy to make dish can be served as a side dish, paired with rice or quinoa, or simply eaten as is. I found this to be a great lunch or dinner as is with a nice glass of lemon water. Filling and light, yet very satisfying. I look forward to coming back to this again and again. Feel free to serve the broccoli either raw, steamed or roasted. I have mine lightly steamed here. If keeping broccoli raw, you may like to keep the florets on the smaller side.

Broccoli + Tahini-Miso Dressing

Ingredients

2 cups broccoli
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Tahini-Miso Dressing

1/4 cup tahini
2 teaspoons mellow white miso
pinch or two red pepper flakes, optional
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon or so water for thinning

Prepare your broccoli as desired, either raw, steamed or roasted and slice your green onion.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, mix well adding any additional water 1 teaspoon at a time as needed to thin. This is meant to be on the creamy side but you may prefer it a little thinner, and it will stretch farther by adding water.

Combine everything together and serve as desired.

Serves four, or if you like me and eat it for lunch or dinner...one.

Enjoy!

A Friendly Spaghetti Carbonara Reminder

I was channel surfing this evening, when I ran across a chef in New York making an authentic spaghetti carbonara. I've never wanted anything so badly in my life. Having already eaten dinner, self-control prevailed, and I settled for a pretty decent pear. This primal blend of pork, pasta, pepper, egg and cheese is truly one of life's great pleasures, and soul food of the highest order. Just in case you missed it, here's our version. Enjoy!

If you'd like to read the original post, and get the ingredients, follow this link.

Orange Crème Anglaise – Not a Day Late, but 364 Days Early!

As promised, here is the video recipe for the Orange Crème Anglaise recipe we featured in our Grand Marnier soufflé Valentine’s post. You’ll find it very similar to the written version we published beneath the aforementioned recipe, with a couple minor tweaks.

In that version I said to use medium-low heat, but it’s probably best to go for something a little closer to medium. I was erring on the side of safety, but it does take a while to come up to temperature, so don’t be afraid to crank the heat up a little if you’re feeling impatient. Unless you let this simmer, which you aren’t going to do, you shouldn’t really have a problem with scrambled eggs.

I also remembered I like to stir a teaspoon of Grand Marnier into the finished, cooled sauce for a little extra orange kick. Any time you heat a liqueur, the alcohol will evaporate, which does change the flavor. By adding a bit at the end, we get that wonderful orange cognac flavor in all its undiminished glory. I hope you give this easy, incredibly delicious, and versatile dessert sauce recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Crème Anglaise Sauce:

(Makes about 1 cup)

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup white sugar

2 large egg yolks

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp Grand Marnier

Once sauce is cooled, add:

1 tsp freshly grated orange zest

1 tsp Grand Marnier, stirred into cold sauce

View the complete recipe

Simple Zucchini Pasta Salad

I love, love, love the simplicity of this dish. Simple flavors that work well together. This is fresh, light and will leave you feeling vibrant and healthy. The noodles can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for a couple days for a quick grab and go meal idea any time you need. And don't forget your almond parmesan. It is a great staple to have in the pantry or fridge for meals like this. It really tops if off nicely while adding more nutrition and flavor!

Simple Zucchini Pasta

Ingredients

1 large or 2 small zucchini, julienned or spiralized
1 green onion, thinly sliced
handful cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
few large leaves of basil, julienned
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
pinch or two of red pepper flakes
himalayan salt & cracked pepper to taste
almond parmesan, for dusting

Prepare your vegetables. In a medium size bowl combine all ingredients and serve with a dusting of almond parmesan on top. So simple, easy and delicious...

Enjoy!

Best Gluten-Free Pancakes

Gluten-Free Pancakes and Maple Syrup - for a gluten-free diet

Wonderful pancakes for a gluten-free diet.

Sunday Worthy Gluten-Free Pancakes

When I was small and clueless I ate the world in tiny bites. I chewed apologetically, counting each deliberate grind in time to the spiral beats of a song in my head that only I could hear. A tune not unlike a mosaic of bird calls, and the powdery flutter of wings feeding on the garden lit by young Mozart's star.

Colors were a mysterious and spiritual language infused with deep logic and meaning. A lime green Jello box invited tunneling and confusion, but the sweet brush of balsam as I sought asylum beneath its rooted symmetry petted my pining fatherless heart.

Trust is green and hard to paint, but so is betrayal.

Not only the betrayal by others. The betrayal you participate in. The hammering of your spirit self into propriety. The brittle, safe shell you construct and will curl inside for the rest of your life. You inhabit it sullenly. Sometimes willingly. Because sometimes it works. Mostly to fool them. Fool them into thinking you are someone else. Someone uncomplicated they can love. Someone like themselves.

In order to keep this armor snug you must give up on certain pieces of yourself. The ugly, muddy parts those in charge find distasteful or irritating or inscrutable. What no one tells you is, you end up missing these rejected quirks and knots. And spend the rest of your life searching for all those abandoned bits and wrinkles. The shining fragments of earlier music and jewels of petaled rain.

But if you are lucky you meet a painter.

A soul adept at conjuring a thicket within their non-judging arms. You learn about green and its secret origin. How to stir ivory black with cadmium yellow and a teaspoonful of cerulean. You dream of butterscotch pines and inhale and your spirit-body becomes too big for the worn out shell.

So you crack it.

Sideways at first. Sticking out fingers and elbows when no one is looking. Digging out fragments long forgotten. Rubbing off neglect and holding wobbly pale parts of yourself closer to the sunlight.

And you meet yourself for the first time in a long, long time.

In the rays escaping.

***

Gluten-free pancakes on the griddle.

I use a stove top griddle across two burners on medium-high heat.

For the first time in a long, long time I made pancakes.

Because I craved a family Sunday with pancakes.

And The Beatles.

And lots of maple syrup.

Read more + get the recipe >>

Bhel Puri?

My friends Daniel and Mirra from The Perennial Plate traveled through India recently, and just posted this great video featuring one of their favorite street food recipes, bhel puri. I’ve never had it, or even heard of it for that matter, but it looks and sounds amazing. I'm intrigued. Anyway, I just wanted to share the video, and see if any of you have had any experience with this dish. Enjoy!

“Red Hot” Liqueur – Nicer AND Quicker

There’s an old Valentine’s Day saying that goes, “Candy is nicer, but liquor is quicker.” It’s really a lovely sentiment, but implies you have to choose one or the other. Hopefully this beautiful and delicious homemade cinnamon liqueur will prove that you can use both.

This is dead simple to make, and I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it came out. As I mention in the video, the candy’s spicy cinnamon flavor and sweetness really mellows the burn of drinking straight 80-proof booze. This makes for some very smooth sipping, but at the same time demands at least a modicum of restraint.

I enjoyed mine neat, but imagine this would be great over ice, maybe with a splash of soda. I’m also wondering how it would be in a mug of hot cider, and by wondering, I mean obsessed with finding out. Stay tuned.

I’d like to extend a very special thanks to my friend, and fellow food blogger, Sean Timberlake. Sean publishes Hedonia and Punk Domestics, and he’s the one who turned me on to this brilliant elixir. His only request was that I use the knowledge for good, and not evil. Sorry, too late!

Anyway, giving edible gifts like chocolate is very traditional on Valentine’s Day, so why not a drinkable gift? And if you do decide to bottle some up, don’t forget your own customized warning label, as it will really show how much you care. I hope you and your Valentine give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes about 2 1/2 cups of “Red Hot” Liqueur

1 cup Red Hots candy
2 cups cheap vodka

Banana French Toast....Yes Please!

French toast, a classic breakfast or brunch food. But we know it's great any time of day. I love French toast and this does not disappoint. Did you know, according to wikipedia, the earliest reference of French toast dates back to the 4th or 5th century and mentions soaking in milk, no eggs were used. It is perfectly possible, as you see here, to have wonderful French toast without the eggs we have become so accustomed to. And as creative creatures we are, we have adopted different variations...like this Banana French Toast or this Orange-French Toast. I find this to be flavorful with great texture bite after bite. It uses healthy ingredients like banana, almond milk, cinnamon and vanilla. This is wonderfully egg and dairy free...nothing but goodness here!

Bananas are one of the most widely eaten fruits in the world. They are affordable and come in their own package making them ideal options. Bananas also carry many health benefits, like easing depression with their high level of tryptophan, which is converted into serotonin (the good mood enhancer). Bananas also aid in digestion and are a great source of dietary fiber containing 16% of the recommended amount. They help against acid reflux, can help stabilize blood sugar in between meals and are a great source of vitamin B6. Find more about banana's from this article from Food Matters: 25 Powerful Reasons to Eat Bananas

Want to get more bananas into your life? Take a look at my Almond Chunky Monkey Ice Cream...it's raw, no ice cream maker needed and has only four ingrediets! It would make for another great breakfast option. :)

When making my french toast, I love picking up a loaf of bread that I can slice into whatever thickness I want. You can leave it for a day or two before using or if using a fresh loaf cut the pieces and set them out in the air until ready to use. It's better when they are a bit stale and dry. I prefer my slices on the thicker side, leaving a soft pillowy center. I happen to use a sourdough loaf here which gave my french toast an extra tang that I really enjoyed. This recipe works great with whole grain artisan bread, cinnamon swirl bread or any of the usual breads you typically use to make your French toast.

Banana French Toast

Ingredients

1 ripe banana
3/4 cup almond milk, or milk of choice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste
dash of nutmeg, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
coconut oil, for greasing
French or sourdough loaf cut into any size you like, or use any bread you like (6 slices)
pure maple syrup for serving

In flat bottom, shallow medium size bowl mash the banana until creamy and fairly smooth. Add the cinnamon, vanilla and optional nutmeg, mix well. Lastly, add in you milk and stir until combined.

Heat your skillet or griddle on medium heat. While griddle is heating slice your bread and gather serving items.

Using about 1 teaspoon of coconut oil, grease the griddle/skillet (do this each time you make add a new batch). Quickly dip bread into wet mixture and flip to coat the other side being not to not let the slices soak, or you may have soggy french toast. Place slices on griddle/skillet and cook about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden on both sides. If slicing into thick slices you may find that you'll need a little extra time to completely cook the center. Serve with pure maple syrup and fresh fruit of choice. Serves three.

Enjoy!

Grand Marnier Soufflés – Rising to the Occasion on Valentine’s Day

Presenting this gorgeous Grand Marnier soufflé to your Valentine at the end of a romantic dinner would certainly impress, but imagine actually making this while they watch.

What a golden opportunity to show off your cooking skills, and a flair for the dramatic; not to mention the countless innuendos and double entendres such a scene would afford. Afraid it won’t turn out, and you’ll completely embarrass yourself? Too bad! No guts, no glory, and by “glory” we mean…glory.

The good news is, contrary to popular belief, and many cartoons, soufflés are actually very easy to make. I hope after a few viewings of this video, and maybe a practice run or two, you’ll realize just how simple this really is. Of course, to make things a little exciting you can over-fill these like I did, which can cause some wild and unpredictably shaped soufflé tops.

I think they still look super cool, but if you stop filling a 1/4-inch from the top, they generally will rise a little straighter. Having said that, anyone who’d complain about the shape of a soufflé top has some serious issues, and should probably be asked to leave immediately.

By the way, I do have a Crème Anglaise video recipe in the works, but for now you’ll have to rely on the simple written recipe below. As I mention in the clip, this is an extremely impressive dessert “as is,” but when you pierce the top of that hot, steaming soufflé, and pour in the silky, sexy sauce…well, you saw the video. Let’s just say it’s a very nice touch.

Speaking of nice touches, if you’re still looking for that extra special Valentine’s Day dessert for your extra special Valentine, I hope you’ll put aside your fears and give this a go. You really should get lots of compliments. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 Grand Marnier Soufflés:

2 (8-oz) heat-proof ramekins, brushed inside with melted butter and coated with sugar.

Note: Mine were closer to 7-oz, which is why I overfilled them as you saw. This amount of batter should fill two 8-oz ramekins. Amounts may vary depending on volume of your eggs/meringue, so don’t be surprised if you have a little more or less.

2 large eggs, separated

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons melted butter

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cold milk

1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup white sugar

powdered sugar to garnish finished souffles

View the complete souffle recipe

Crème Anglaise Sauce:

(Makes about 1 cup)

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup white sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 tbsp Grand Marnier

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk everything together in a small, but heavy saucepan. Place over med-low heat, and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula being scraped across bottom, until the mixture is hot, and thickens slightly. The mixture should not come to a simmer (but close). The temp should be around 180 degrees F. when it’s done. Remove from heat, strain to remove any over-cooked particles of egg, and let cool. If you want, you can add some fresh orange zest to the sauce as it cools. Serve ice cold with hot soufflé.

View the complete sauce recipe

Love & Kisses: (Sexy!) Gluten-Free Love Foods

ipad painting by karina allrich (roses)

Roses- iPad painting by Karina

Valentine's Day is looming. A dicey day for those of us who need to live gluten-free. In spite of our pragmatism and gritty resolve to stay healthy, we crave our romance, too. We celebrate love- in all its multitudinous incarnations, right?. We champion Love (sexy) over Fear (not sexy).

Now more than ever.

So don't worry, Darling. I've got your back.

Cooking is not only about nutrition, health and nourishment, it's a sensual experience- if done with gentle attention, generous attitude and love. Is there a cook among us who doesn't understand the seductive power of a meal stirred with lust- I mean- affection? It’s no accident that our Bubbes and grandmothers instructed us with the well-buttered axiom, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Olfactory studies reveal that men prefer culinary over floral fragrances. I kid you not.

The two sexiest scents according to men submitting to a blind sniff-off?

Pumpkin pie and vanilla.

Your granny was right. So with the delicate art of seduction in mind, I thought I'd share a short list of goddess approved Love Foods to inspire us all. Because it's all about love, Babycakes.

And if- by fate or choice- you happen to be sans a honey this particular V-day season, consider treating yourself to a gorgeous meal.

True love begins at home, I always say.

Read more + get the recipe >>

Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage, Tofu and Red Pepper + Soy Awareness

By learning you will teach. By teaching you will learn. ~ Latin Proverb

I'd like to go over the subject of soy and what forms of soy are good for you and which ones to avoid. There was a time when I avoided soy almost completely because I thought soy was bad. That is not the case and I was missing out on the very beneficial qualities that some soy products like tofu, tempeh, miso, tamari, soy sauce, whole soybeans and natto offer. These are the soy products that are good and can be eaten fairly freely. Tempeh, miso, natto and tamari are fermented soy. Fermenting soy creates good bacteria and health promoting probiotics to keep us well. It also reduces the estrogen content in soy foods. The soy to avoid is highly processed soy, especially soy isolate protein. Soy isolate protein has been linked to, some serious, and some not so serious, health issues. If possible please avoid soy milk, soy cheeses, soy powders (like soy baby formula and soy protein powders), soybean oil (often labeled as vegetable oil), packaged products that include soy ingredients, etc. Look for alternatives and stick with fermented soy products or buy tofu, whole soybeans and soy sauce as they are beneficial. And buying organic or at least non-GMO soy products is important as well. They do not cost much more and is well worth the few extra cents especially because soy can be very inexpensive...at least tofu is. So enjoy your crispy pan fried tofu or tofu scrambles, and use soft tofu in smoothies, cheeses, sauces and dressings....but do use it in moderation and not at every meal. Make your miso soup or use miso in dressings and enjoy the added benefits of vitamin B12, a good source for vegans, plus it's ability to aid the digestive tract.

Below are three articles that you can read at your leisure. They will explain much better than I can. I always recommend for you to do your own research. Everything is out there just waiting to be found and I want to pass along the information that I find in hopes that we can all create good healthy habits for ourselves and the world around us.

Soy Information Sources:

The Soy Controversy from the Huffington Post

The Evidence Against Soy from Dr. Mercola

Soy Alert from The Weston A. Price Foundation

So now let's enjoy this wonderful and flavorful tofu dish. I saw this recipe from the NY Times and thought it needed to be put into the recipe collection. I didn't go too far from the original recipe and only changed a few things while adding a little red pepper flakes because I love spiciness. Feel free to omit this if your not a fan of spice. This meal can be ready in about 30 minutes or so making it a good go to recipe when you need something quick.

Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage, Tofu and Red Pepper

Ingredients

12 ounces firm or extra firm organic tofu, cut into slices a little bit more than 1/4 inch
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce, divided
1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
5 cups shredded cabbage or about 1/2 cabbage (red, green or both)
1 red bell pepper, julienned
3 green onions, sliced (reserve one green onion for garnish)
pinch or two red pepper flakes
himalayn salt & cracked pepper to taste
sesame seeds as garnish
quinoa, basmati or jasmine rice for serving

Start your quinoa or rice and set aside.

Cut the tofu into dominoes (mine are double domino size) and press between paper towels or dish cloth (there won't be too much water so this will go quick). In a small bowl or measuring cup combine the stock, 1 tablespoon tamari and rice wine vinegar.

Heat a large wok or large skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil and swirl to coat, add tofu and stir-fry until golden, about 3 minutes, 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Add remaining tablespoon tamari/soy sauce, toss together for a few seconds and transfer to a plate.

Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, add the garlic and ginger to the wok/skillet and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add red pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute, or until it begins to soften. Add cabbage, stir-fry for 1 minute, add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, stir-fry another 1 to 2 minutes, until crisp-tender. Return the tofu to the vegetable mixture, stir in stock/tamari mixture and stir-fry for another minute, until it has just about evaporated. Remove from heat and serve with quinoa or rice of choice. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serves 4.

Enjoy!

If you have any questions about soy and/or finding replacements your always welcome to contact me through posting a comment here, finding my email in my about page or messaging me on Facebook.