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Sunday morning

mind-energizing

gotu kola

for clarity of the mind, mental expansion

Awakening Gotu Truffles

 grind gotu kola into fine powder in a spice/herb grinder

mix with honey

 roll into a gotu kola truffle

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The Golden Elixir

i finally made ghee

for the first time

///

i cannot get enough of its seductive nutty aroma and flavor

///

Heat 1 pound unsalted organic butter on medium for 5-10 minutes.
Skim white foam off that rises to the top.
Milk solids will settle at bottom of pot.
Strain through cheesecloth into jars and allow to cool.

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Classic Pot of Beans

In my kitchen, the days of opening cans of beans are pretty much long gone. Of course now and then, cans are there in a pinch...for the occasional pureed bean dip, or for when I'm craving some creamy cannellinis but forgot to plan ahead. I remember my first attempt at cooking dried beans. I had no idea what I was doing. My pretty green flageolets, after boiling for over an hour, turned out partly disintegrated and tough. Disappointed, I didn't even attempt working with dried beans again until a few years later when my dear friend Jesse taught me the basics of cooking a simple pot of beans. Everyone should know how to transform these dried legumes into something rich, creamy and delicious. I am now confident with my bean-cooking skills and I have realized the inherent difference between freshly cooked beans and those that have been sitting in a can. Whenever possible I buy organic heirloom varietals (Rancho Gordo has a wonderful, diverse bean selection, and Community Grains has amazing quality beans as well; I am 100% hooked on their cannellinis), as their flavor and texture far surpass the rest. I love waking up in the morning and putting beans on the stove to simmer. They keep well in the refrigerator for use in a variety of dishes in the days that follow.

The only obstacle that might stand between you and your succulent pot of beans would be not thinking ahead. You must soak dried beans, preferably overnight. Place 2 c dried beans in large bowl and cover with water. Water level should be at least three inches above top of beans to allow for absorption. Let stand uncovered at room temperature overnight. In morning, prepare your vegetables. Dice up around 1 carrot, 1-2 stalks celery and a half or whole yellow onion. Smash 2 cloves of garlic, and mince 4 five inch stalks fresh rosemary. Place everything (along with any other herbs you'd like; I usually add a bay leaf or two) in a medium sized pot with a few tablespoons oil (i switch off among coconut, olive and sunflower oils) on medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, for around 5 minutes. Drain beans from their soaking liquid. Add beans to pot, followed by fresh water to about an inch above level of beans. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover pot with lid. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours (cook time depends on size and varietal of bean) or until beans are perfectly tender. Remove from heat. Add a few teaspoons of good quality salt to taste. Obviously beans can be enjoyed in infinitely wonderful ways. One of the more simple ways I like to enjoy them while they are still warm is ladled into a bowl with some of their liquid, drizzled with vibrant extra virgin olive oil and topped with some crushed walnuts and a bit of salt.

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Foraged Local Nettle Soup

with Coconut Milk

Spring has begun to gift us with its soft petals and pollen-scented air. I harvested a bag of fresh, young nettles last week, drying most of them for future tea and keeping the rest for immediate cooking. I just attended my first weekend of classes at The School of Traditional Western Herbalism. We held a potluck to ring in the beginning of our program, for which I put together this super simple fresh nettle soup. Rich in minerals, nettles have a characteristic deep, earthy flavor that I absolutely love. They have to be one of my favorite ingredients EVER. If you do harvest your own nettles, be sure to remember that they STING. Their sting is on the mild side, but it is best to wear gloves and be mindful of other bare skin. Their stinging property goes away once they are cooked or dried.

3 Tbsp coconut oil

1 large yellow onion

3-4 cloves garlic

2 shallots

3 yukon gold potatoes

fresh nettles (at least 2 lbs; the quantity I used

was a densely packed plastic bag-

the kind you would find in the produce section)

water to cover

salt to taste

whole organic coconut milk (for garnish)

Before starting the cooking process, make sure your nettles are trimmed and washed and ready to go. I use gloves and kitchen scissors to trim nettle leaves from the more fibrous stems (discard stems). Once trimmed, use tongs to place nettles in a large stainless steel bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water and allow nettles to soak for a few minutes, tossing them gently. Remove nettles from bowl with tongs and place in colander to strain. 

Roughly chop onion, garlic, and shallots. Place in large pot with coconut oil over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally for 5 minutes. In the meantime, slice potatoes into about 1/4" pieces. Add potatoes to pot. Cook for a few minutes, then add water to the pot, enough just to cover the vegetables. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Add nettles to pot in batches (using tongs). They will immediately decrease in size as they begin to cook and you will be able to keep adding more.  Once all the nettles are in pot, top off with more water so nettles and vegetables are just covered with water. Cook for 5 more minutes. 

Blend the soup in batches, scooping from the pot to the blender until entire soup is pureed. (You can also use an immersion blender or a food processor.) Pour pureed soup back into soup pot and season with salt. Serve soup with a swirl of coconut milk. 

You can alternatively stir in desired amount of coconut milk to entire soup before serving. Toasted, crushed walnuts or almonds are a wonderful addition to the top. I also love sauteed black trumpet mushrooms for garnish. You could skip the coconut milk completely and instead top with a dollop of delicious, whole sour cream (with nuts and mushrooms!).

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new city

\\\

new textures

+ + + bringing back the blender + + +

red russian kale

apple

lemon

ginger

banana

dates

aloe vera juice

almond milk

///

banana

almond butter

almond milk

dates

vanilla

maca

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i was craving green tonight

cleansing, hearty, simple

g r e e n

///

Green on Green Salad

I threw this one together and kept it pretty simple, craving a light, healthy salad. But it would be delicious with other additions as well, like some shredded beets or carrots, radishes, avocado (sky is the limit). The following makes 1-2 servings.

Chop 1/2 bunch (about 8 stems) lacinato kale (ribs removed), 1 c parsley and 1/3 c fennel frawns. Place in mixing bowl. Grate about 1/2 c kohlrabi and add to bowl. In separate small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp tahini, 2 Tbsp white/yellow miso paste, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, a splash balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp water and a pinch of salt. Mix well. If dressing seems too thick, add a bit more water, but dressing should be on the thicker side. Pour dressing over other ingredients and "massage" oils into the kale for about a minute. This helps break down the more fibrous parts of the kale and makes it easier to chew and digest. Top salad with raw pumpkin seeds.

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< <  N E T T L E  > >

the depth of its earthiness is unparalleled

mineral

earth

green

(it is in my top 5)

(lunch)

sauteed nettles

buckwheat

avocado

poached egg

flax oil

(dinner)

Rustichella d'Abruzzo linguine

nettle puree

parmigiano

walnuts

olive oil

all i can think about

is the rich, pureed nettle soup

that will be my next creation

with chestnuts + sour cream

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it may look like a bowl of

nothing

but actually it was

the best midnight snack

warm quinoa

goji berries

coconut flakes

tahini dollop

raw pepitas

hemp seeds

crushed brazil nuts

a pinch maca powder

spoonful of honey

homemade almond milk 

tiny sprinkle sea salt

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a wedding gift

to my parents

these were coated with layers of

B L A C K

since i can remember

i recently scrubbed them

and ordered new un-broken knobs

they are now set for

a second lifetime

<< a lifetime i look forward to >>

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the best part of my recent days

has been stocking the jars in my new pantry

ready

set

go

thanks to

People's Food Co-op

The Herb Shoppe

Whole Foods

Alberta Co-op Grocery

The Woodsman Market

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kraut/kombucha

hibernating

in my new pantry

(first time making kraut in my new

ceramic crock from flea market!)

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made a batch of

a l m o n d  m i l k

for the first time today

{ THE }

easiest thing to make, ever

and one of the most delicious

This recipe makes about 2-3 cups of fresh almond milk that will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I like to double the recipe. Store it in a glass jar or other airtight container.

1 c raw almonds

2-3 c water

3 dates

1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract

1 nut milk bag (or cheese cloth + sieve)

DAY ONE: Soak one cup of raw almonds in water for 12-24 hours.

 DAY TWO: Drain the almonds you had soaking, add them into the blender along with 2-3 c water (the less water you add the creamier the almond milk), dates, and vanilla. Blend for a couple of minutes. Once it is completely blended, pour your almond milk through the nut milk bag (or cheese cloth/sieve) into a bowl. Squeeze as much of the liquid from the bag as possible. Once all the milk has drained through the bag you can either toss the remaining almond pulp or lay it on a cookie sheet and dry it out in the oven at 175F until it is dried out (you will have your own homemade almond meal).

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Spiced Winter Butternut Soup

A quickie soup that hits the spot on a rainy day. I just made this for lunch during Red Barn Studios' second Herbal Body Care workshop. Served with a hearty kale salad, it was the perfect creamy complement. I prefer to roast the squash ahead of time in the oven (peeling and chopping raw butternut squash is a bit labor intensive), but you can also chop the squash and add to the pot at the same time as the potatoes. If you'd like you can roast the squash a day ahead, or the morning of making the soup. You can also experiment by adding a larger amount of spices. Garnish soup with toasted pumpkin seeds and organic whole sour cream or Greek yogurt.

2 small-medium butternut squash (or combination of squash varieties)

2 Tbsp coconut oil

2 Tbsp ground or whole coriander

2 Tbsp ground nutmeg

2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

  2 Tbsp chili flakes

2 yellow onions, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, smashed

2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced

3 yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/4" slices

water to cover vegetables

salt to taste

  

To roast squash: Preheat oven to 400F. Slice squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place face-up in a baking dish. Add about 1 inch water to dish, cover with foil, and place in oven for about 45 minutes, or until tender. When cool enough, scoop squash flesh from skin into a bowl. 

 In large soup pot, heat coconut oil and all spices on medium-high for 2 minutes. Then add onions and stir occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, potatoes and water (about 4-6 cups) just until the level reaches top of the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes. Add all squash to pot, and a little more water if necessary. Continue to simmer until potatoes become tender. Remove pot from heat. Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Transfer back to soup pot and add salt to taste. Serves 8-10.

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new batch of sauerkraut

with caraway and ginger

(at least i'll be prepared for end of the world?!)

 

in large bowl, toss:

 

3 heads of cabbage, chopped to about 1/2 inch shreds

(can be mixture of green + purple)

 about 1/4 c of good salt

1/2 c caraway seeds

1/4-1/2 c fresh ginger, minced

Pack tightly in sealed jars. Let sit in cool, dark place for at least a week.

If kraut is to your taste, begin to enjoy! Will keep for weeks.

More detailed information on creating sauerkraut here.

 

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Cumin Coconut Soba Noodles

I threw this dish together, served it, ate it and never stopped to take a photo.

Imagine hearty buckwheat noodles in a creamy coconut milk sauce, enriched with salty miso, warming ginger, garlic and cumin, with kale and crunchy walnuts. This dish is healthy yet somehow decadent, and the perfectly enjoyed on a winter evening alongside a crackling fire.

5 ounces soba noodles

2 Tbsp coconut oil

4 Tbsp ground cumin (i prefer grinding whole seeds)

1 tsp chili flake

1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped 

1/4 c fresh ginger, chopped

2 cloves garlic, (blends better if already minced)

1/2 c red (or white) miso paste

3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 Tbsp mirin

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

1 can whole coconut milk

6 stalks purple (or other variety) kale, roughly chopped

1/2 c walnuts

Place coconut oil in a medium-sized pot on medium-high heat. Once melted, add freshly ground cumin and chili flake. Stir for a couple minutes as spice aromas release. Add chopped onion to pot, give a stir, then turn heat to low and cover with lid. Fill a second pot with water and bring to a boil. In the meantime, combine ginger, garlic, miso, sesame oil, mirin, lemon juice, and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Turn on and blend until a smooth sauce is created. After onions have cooked down for about 10 minutes, remove lid and add whole can of coconut milk. Continue to simmer and add kale. Place soba noodles in boiling water and cook until al dente. While noodles are cooking, add ginger-miso sauce to coconut milk-onion pot. Once noodles are done, strain and add to sauce pot. Lightly toast walnuts in a cast iron skillet, then chop or crush (place nuts on cutting board and with the smooth underside of a large bowl, apply pressure to nuts, crushing them). Serve noodles in bowls, making sure to include some of the sauce, and garnish with walnuts. Fresh herbs such as chives, parsley, or tarragon would be delicious on top as well.

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Lumberjack Cake

(adapted from Frances restaurant, San Francisco)

The original recipe for this cake was created by Frances restaurant. This was the first time I made it, but right away I decided to change a few things: I substituted whole wheat pastry flour for regular flour, added less sugar than it called for and used the coconut palm variety, added more coconut flakes, and also added almonds (one could also experiment with other nuts). The result was a very moist, flavorful cake, best served sprinkled with powdered sugar and topped with a dollop of Kalona sour cream, freshly whipped cream, or Straus vanilla bean ice cream... A bit of orange zest glaze also makes a lovely accompaniment.

1c water

1 c dates, pitted and chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 c whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 c butter, softened

3/4 c coconut palm sugar

 1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 c large coconut flakes

1/2 c chopped almonds

1 apple, peeled and medium diced

In a saucepan, bring water and dates to a boil. Whisk in baking soda. Set aside to cool to room temperature. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl (or that of a stand mixer), cream butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg. Slowly add room temperature date mixture until incorporated. Then slowly add dry ingredients until blended, careful not to over-mix. Fold in coconut, apple, and almonds. Pour mixture into a 9-inch greased springform pan and bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Rotate pan in oven and continue to bake for 10 minutes. Insert a clean toothpick into the middle of the cake and if it comes out clean, the cake is done. If not, rotate the pan and continue to bake.

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first time making crackers

 proved to be so easy

and they are SO delicious

(no reason to buy crackers again)

Al's Gone Crackers 

I stumbled upon this recipe on the My New Roots food blog and shortly thereafter, gave it a go. Although I strive to make everything I can from scratch, there are still items I have yet to test out. Crackers! These turned out very similar to the store-bought gluten-free "Mary's Gone Crackers" brand. I love this recipe because it is incredible versatile. One can add any combination of ingredients to the basic cracker dough, including nuts, seeds, spices, herbs, fruit, & vegetables. The basic recipe makes quite a bit of dough. I divided it into 3 parts and made 3 different flavored crackers. First batch: pumpkin seed, poppy seed, paprika. Second batch: currant, walnut, rosemary. And third: caraway seed, lemon zest, cayenne. All turned out so delicious, but my personal favorite is the currant-walnut-rosemary. Not only are these ingredients so tasty (and cheese-friendly), but I ended up rolling out this dough a bit thicker than the other batches (around 1/4 inch, versus 1/8 inch). I was worried about the thicker crackers getting crispy enough, but as they cooled, sure enough they did--and I prefer their texture to their thinner, wafier counterparts. The most time consuming part of this recipe is simply cooking the rice and quinoa. If you have pre-cooked rice and quinoa on hand (or cook them the day prior), assembling the dough is a breeze.

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 [ death/rebirth ]

locally foraged

 

chicken of the woods

+

giant puffball

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lately i've been eating

less white flour, less refined sugar, less butter...

but when i recently discovered the recipe behind this famous little cookie

(usually found sitting humbly in Blue Bottle's pastry case
alongside those perfect Sesame Absinthe Cigars, Rosemary Shortbread, etc.),

i immediately put on my apron and mixed up a double batch.

Saffron-Vanilla Snickerdoodles

Read this on Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks. Apparently there is a Blue Bottle recipe book lingering in our near futures. Exciting. These cookies are gems. They aren't the type that appeal to everyone, given their unique saffron flavor, but I love their subtlety. Heidi recommends making a double batch and freezing half of the pre-scooped dough for later baking. I think this is a great idea.

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giving new life to succulents

+

planting winter garden

+

starting tiny seeds

(( in love with dirt under my fingernails ))