GUEST POST: Priya’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon-Maple Muffins
September 27, 2011 § 3 Comments
I want to take a minute to give my childhood chum, Priya (writer for the deliciously delightful “muffins on sunday” blog) a mongo-mega-super-dooper thank you! She not only came up with a kick-tush muffin for this gluten-free carb-o-holic, but she was also willing to write up a guest post and share her secrets of success with you. I’m thrilled, two-fold: First, I’m delighted to get this blog back in gear, thanks to Priya. (On this note: I have one more month on the homestead in Maine; after that, I’ll resume blog-business as usual!) But more than this, I’ve been so excited to share my friend with you!
Oct 21 Update: I made a slight alteration to this recipe so that it jives with the SCD diet and fellas – no exaggeration – this is my favorite breakfast. I’m smitten. (See SCD diet notes at the bottom.)
Take it away, Priya:
is it ok to kick a guest post off with a confession? i’ll go for it: regina’s blog was the first food blog i started reading regularly. it was a couple of years ago and coincided with some big life changes. a recent convert to vegetarianism, i had also just moved across an ocean to germany to do a masters degree. while i assumed some major changes would accompany this major move, one thing i did not expect was just how central a role cooking would come to occupy in my new life.
for better or (more likely!) worse, eating out in america is pretty dang cheap. throughout college, i would often grab dinner out multiple nights a week and not bat an eyelash. what i discovered in germany was that this luxury was no longer affordable (excluding, of course, the university cafeteria, where thousands flock to each day between the hours of 12 and 2pm for a bargain lunch). in three years in germany, i estimate i ate out no more than 15 times. total!
the wonderful upside? learning to cook! mostly through reading blogs (thank you regina! thank you internet!) and fumbling awkwardly around in the kitchen, all the while trying just as awkwardly in broken german to reassure my new roommates that there was nothing to worry about (note: there was plenty to worry about). but i happened to discover that muffins were one thing i was particularly decent at. i started making them every sunday, in fact, and a cooking blog was born.
for regina, i wanted to make a tasty muffin that was gluten-free and autumn-inspired. these cinnamon maple muffins fit the bill. a batter of coconut flour, eggs, and yogurt is drizzled with cinnamon, maple syrup, and almonds right before baking. the result: light, fluffy, sweet muffins perfect any time of day.
gluten-free cinnamon maple muffins
makes about 6 muffins, inspired by comfy belly (http://comfybelly.com/)
Ingredients for the Muffins:
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1/3 cup plain soy yogurt
1/2 cup maple syrup
Ingredients for the Topping:
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Method:
preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. grease a muffin tin or fill with cupcake liners.
make the muffins by combining all the dry ingredients and mixing well. add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
fill cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way with batter.
drip the cinnamon and maple syrup topping over the top of each muffin. you can use a fork to poke the topping into the batter to get it to seep through into the muffin.
bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. enjoy!
Diet Notes: Gluten-Free.
This muffin can easily be tweaked to fit the SCD-diet. Here’s what I (Regina) do:
Ingredients for the Muffins:
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/3 cup plain SCD-yogurt
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon orange zest (optional)
Fiesta Salad: Roasted Tomatoes, Corn and Mango
May 24, 2011 § 1 Comment
The saying goes, “Knee high by the fourth of July,” but blog-o chums, just two hours South of my Saguaro-ville home, corn has grown past the thighs. Harvest season, in the hotsy-totsy southern parts, has begun. It occurs to me that unless you live in Arizona, south of the border or in Florida, none of the three star ingredients in this salad (see title) will be seasonal. But for the smattering (read: four of you?) that live in these parts, I wanted to share a salad I’m smitten with. I’ve made it two times in three days and I intended to make it again tomorrow, but my third mango was ripe for peeling tonight.
Ingredients:
8 cups leafy greens
2 early onions, chopped (including scallion-like green part)
1 large mango, cut in slivers
2 ears corn, cut from the cob
2 cups cherry tomatoes, preferably heirloom
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
Ingredients for the Dressing — approximations
Juice from one large orange (~ 1/3 cup)
few glugs of white balsamic vinegar (~ 2 tablespoons)
small spoonful dijon mustard (~1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon)
pinch sea salt (at least 1/4 teaspoon)
10 cracks pepper
2 teaspoons maple syrup (real-deal)
1.5-2 tablespoons olive oil
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop tomatoes in half. Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chopped garlic and sea salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and stir. Bake for a remaining 15 minutes until carmalized and slightly browned/blackened around a few edges.
2. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil on the stove. Cut corn kernals from cob. Boil in salted water for 2 minutes, ridding the kernals of a raw-corn taste. Blanch in cold water (or rinse thoroughly under cold tap water) and set aside.
3. Prepare the rest of the salad ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together all ingredients in the salad dressing, save the olive oil. When thoroughly combined, begin adding in a slow stream of olive oil. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
4. When tomatoes are finished, remove from oven and cool for ten minutes. Assemble salad. Toss with dressing just before serving.
Diet Notes: Gluten-free, vegan, nut-free
A Simple (Tangy) Side: Avocado Grapefruit Salad
March 17, 2011 § 4 Comments
When I first told my folks I was going to make them an avocado and grapefruit salad, I received two shifty glances and prolonged, dubious stares. But after serving this for brunch along side an herbed omelet and fresh sourdough bread, my pops — lover of grilled cheese and tomato soup — requested that we stick this salad in our recipe repertoire! I’ve since whipped this together many times with different dressing tweaks and alterations. The ingredients below are my favorite combo. (Cool note: My neighbor and friend, Marcia, makes a similar recipe, subbing the Meyer lemon juice with grapefruit juice and nixing the mustard. Her favorite way to eat this salad is over a bed of peppery arugula.)
Guys, this side dish couldn’t be simpler: The two primary ingredients — grapefruit and avocado — are tossed together as soon as they’re cut, in a tangy, mustard dressing. This dish has got to be eaten as soon as you make it. Mind you, it will last in the fridge until the next day should you find yourself with leftovers (even the avocado will still be green; thank you, citrus juice), but it shines at room temperature, as soon as the fruits are picked from the trees and scraped off the cutting board.
Ingredients:
2 Ruby Red grapefruit
2 small Hass avocados
juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon (approximately 2-3 tablespoons)
1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup*
generous pinch sea salt
cracked pepper
*For SCD-diet: omit maple syrup and swap with honey.
Method:
1. Whisk dressing, taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Supreme grapefruits: Slice bottom and top off grapefruit so fruit can stand upright on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut away the peel and pith, following the curve of the fruit with a knife. Cut the grapefruit segments out of their membranes over a bowl, allowing the juices to catch. When finished, remove grapefruit segments from juice and place in a separate bowl. (Sip grapefruit juice; snack for the cook!)
3. Cut avocado into thick, 1/2″ slices. Dunk in dressing to prevent browning. In a bowl, gently toss grapefruit and avocado slices with dressing. Serve immediately at room temperature.
Diet Notes: Gluten-free, SCD-safe (see asterisk), nut free, vegan
Heart-Swooning Peanut Sauce with Seasonal Veggies and Rice Noodles
February 11, 2011 § 4 Comments
If you were to take a peek in my recycling bin on any given day, you’d likely see a few glass tea bottles, a cardboard box or two and at least half a dozen empty jars of chunky, all-natural peanut butter. I can’t think of a day in the last eight months when I haven’t eaten PB scooped on top of oatmeal, shmeared on a muffin or scooped from the jar via spoon (favorite). I’m a peanut butter fanatic. As such, I’ve been tweaking one of my all-time favorite sauces: you got it! PEANUT SAUCE. This recipe has been four months in-the-making and I’m grinning at this very moment, because I’m awfully exited to finally share it.
Side note: I’m not a vegan, but if you’re trying to convert your loved one to veganism, good heavens — start with warm noodles and veggies, dredged in peanut sauce. This dish is hearty, healthy, gluten-free, comforting and delicious. After the photo shoot (above), I served my mom this plate and between bites she smiled and said, “Reg! I just don’t want it to end!”
Before we begin, a couple recipe notes:
(1) There are few foods on earth that I truly cannot stand, but ginger and green peppers are two of them. The later is irrelevant, but ginger is often a used in peanut sauce recipes. If you can’t live without ginger, go ahead and throw in a minced teaspoon or two.
(2) After whisking the peanut sauce, should you stick it in the refrigerator (or even if your house is a little chilly) it might thicken a bit. To reconstitute it, simply add hot water to the sauce a tablespoon at a time. I generally have to add between 3 and 6 tablespoons of hot water during the making of the sauce or just before serving it.
(3) To me, the very best salads not only offer great flavor, but fun textures, too. Keep this in mind when portioning the toppings: Don’t skimp. Second, depending on what veggies are in season, you may want to roast rather than stir-fry. (To me, roasted veggies pack the best flavor.) I roasted the broccoli and chopped green beans and sauteed the shredded Brussels sprouts. By combining roasted and sauteed veggies, this noodle salad offered different veggie sizes and textures in each bite.
(4) I’m a Meyer lemon nut and hunt for them every winter. Check out your local farmers’ market to see if they’ve got ‘um — but if you don’t have them at your disposal, not to worry: Try using half lemon juice, half orange juice whenever the recipe calls for Meyer lemon juice.
Ingredients for the Heart-Swoon Sauce:
2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup chunky, all-natural peanut butter (salted)
2 tablespoons tamari
1 teaspoon sesame oil
4 teaspoons maple syrup
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
3+ tablespoons hot water, to loosen
1/4+ teaspoon sea salt (or more, to taste)
cracked pepper
Ingredients for the Dish:
8 oz. rice noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups shredded Brussels sprouts (about 12 sprouts)
juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
1 large handful arugula
sea salt, pepper
2 cups broccoli, chopped, bite-size
1 cup green beans, chopped, bite-size
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt, pepper
Ingredients for Toppings:
1/3 cup scallions, chopped on diagonal
1/3 cup salted peanuts (chopped or not chopped, depending on your preference)
3-4 tablespoons sesame seeds (toasted preferred)
few tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and prep veggies. Wash broccoli and green beans; chop in bite-sized pieces. Wash arugula and rinse and shred brussels sprouts. On a large sheet pan with a rim, combine green beans and broccoli with a generous pinch of sea salt, cracked pepper and a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook until al dente and slightly charred around the edges — about 20-25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add rice noodles and cook according to package instructions. (Note: I find that 7-8 oz. of noodles is a good amount for four or five generous servings of this salad.)
3. Prepare sauce: Whisk together all ingredients. Add hot water to loosen sauce as needed. Set aside.
4. In a large sauce pan on the stove, heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Saute shredded Brussels sprouts with a pinch of sea salt and pepper until wilted and slightly carmazelized around the edges. Add juice of half a Meyer lemon and washed arugula and cook until the arugula has wilted and most of the lemon juice has evaporated — about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Prep toppings.
5. When rice noodles are cooked al dente, drain and add 1/2 cup of the peanut sauce to the hot noodles to allow them to soak in the flavor. Toss noodles with shredded sprouts, arugula, broccoli & green beans. Add additional sauce as needed, reserving a few tablespoons for individual dishes. Garnish with cilantro, sesame seeds, salted peanuts, scallions and a drizzle of extra sauce.
Diet Notes: Gluten-free, vegan
2011 Jump-Start: Curried Farro Salad with Pistachio Crunch & Dried Berries
January 5, 2011 § 1 Comment
I’m usually the kind of sap who spends dwindling, December days writing saga journal entries, wistfully reflecting and generally getting much more starry-eyed about the passing year than necessary. But this year, on the night of the 31st/1st, I YANKED off my December calendar page with gusto and didn’t stop smiling until about four in the morning on January 1st, after ringing in the new year with a blustery walk where, among firework shows, I witnessed a two-second-long shooting star!
Don’t get me wrong, 2010 had some kick-tush highlights: I hit the dance floor with my gals at one of my best friend’s wedding; attended (and blubbered through) two fam-weddings; harvested about a thousand tomatoes from my own garden; memorized the streets of Xela, Guatemala where I hiked in the surrounding rain forests, met rock-star friends and roommates and drank atol in the dusty, cobblestone streets with my teacher, Lesvia. But, I would be remiss if I didn’t also say that on the whole, when I do a 2010-Rewind, I tend to remember most the post-Guatemala parasite blues — (eating Saltines for months on the sofa) — that overshadowed the later-half of this past year.
But I relish new beginnings just as much as I crave good endings. As such, I’m tackling the month of January with all sorts of new projects (six word memoirs; mongo book-stack-tackling; swimming), until a new internship begins and before I drown in an ever-growing pile of GRE note cards (barf). Among these new projects are food explorations, starting with Farro (pronounced FAHR-oh).
Farro is one of the oldest grains cultivated by humans, originally grown in the Fertile Crescent. It packs a protein & iron punch and is delightfully chewy, likening itself to wheat berries. Farro can be trickier to track down than other grains like quinoa or bulgar, but you’ll find it at specialty food stores either packaged or in bulk bins, at Italian & Middle Eastern markets and, as rumored, at Costco. I’ve never cooked with Farro before this week, but I’ve made a huge dent in my 3lb. bag (thanks, Ma!), entirely because of this salad. This recipe was inspired by a bulgar recipe I came across in my newest cookbook, Cafe Flora Cookbook — a gift from my dear, Seattle-ite chum. It’s a breeze to throw together (after all, it’s mostly grains with a few, fun texture & flavor add-in’s), but the dressing kicks this dish up a half-dozen notches. Just as good (if not better) the second day, I’m happy to kickoff 2011 with such a winner.
Ingredients (for the salad):
1 cup farro, uncooked
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
1/2 cup pistachios, roasted & salted
1/2 cup dried berries (dried blueberry, cherry, etc.)
Ingredients (for the lip-smacking dressing):
1/2 heaping teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons citrus vinegar*
2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil**
generous pinch sea salt (at least 1/4 teaspoon)
cracked pepper, to taste
*Alternative: 2 tablespoons orange juice & 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
**Alternative: 2 tablespoons olive oil & 1 large clove of garlic, pounded
Method:
1. Measure 1 cup farro and rinse. In a large pot, combine farro with a pinch of salt and at least 3 cups of cooking liquid. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and cook until al dente (approximately 15-18 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, prepare dressing: Whisk all ingredients together and set aside. Chop scallions. Measure dried fruit and nuts.
3. When farro is cooked, drain and place back in the pot. Add dressing and let sit for several minutes, letting the grain soak up the curried dressing. Reserve a few tablespoons of the dried fruit, nuts and scallions for garnish and mix in the rest. Serve hot, at room temperature or cold. Because it’s chilly here, I enjoy it best slightly warmed. Just before serving, garnish with reserved nuts, berries and scallions.
Diet Notes: vegan
Snack Addiction: Rosemary Spiced Nuts & Pretzel Bites
November 30, 2010 § Leave a Comment
I hosted my very first Thanksgiving this year! I bought a small, sweet pumpkin from Forever Young Farm, stuffed it with buttermilk-cornbread stuffing and chucked the whole thing in the oven for an hour — perfuming the house with scents of rosemary and winter squash — and called the feast, “Save a Turkey; Stuff a Pumpkin!”
In the two weeks preceding Thanksgiving, I hemmed and hawed: When should I serve the thick, vegetable soup? How many desserts are too many desserts? What can I give my guests at the peckish, midday hour to hold them over until my (undoubtedly delayed) afternoon mega-feast? This last question put a twist in my noodle. I wanted to serve appetizers that would be satisfying, but not put a brick in the stomach. I often resort to simple blender-whiz things like hummus or riffs on that idea. But this year, I decided to steer away from spreadables. Instead, I roasted thick wedges of sweet potatoes and topped them with a tangy-avocado salad spiked with feta and nibbles of dried cranberries. To drink, we clinked pear ale in champagne glasses. To clear the palate, I filled a glass bowl with aromatic, sweet & spicy mixed nuts. It was a delightfully satisfying beginning: No flavors rivaled one another; it wasn’t boring (no carrots, celery and globby ranch dressing). It was a serendipitous start to a crisp day, spent near the warm oven, over bubbling pots and side-by-side with dear family.
Ingredients:
1 cup cashews (raw, unsalted)
1 cup pecans (raw, unsalted)
1 cup almonds (raw, unsalted)
2 cups pretzel bites
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon mild, Santa Cruz chili powder
1 teaspoon ancho powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
Method:
1. Toast nuts in 325 convection oven for 10 minutes until fragrant and slightly browned.
2. Meanwhile, mix together sugar, syrup, spices and salt on the stove. Once nuts are toasted, toss with pretzels in syrup and place on lined baking sheet. Bake an additional 10 minutes until crisp. Cool completely, then break apart and store in an air-tight container. Can be made several days in advance.
Diet Notes: vegan
GUEST POST: Lori’s (my Ma’s!) Eggplant Lasagna
February 1, 2010 § 1 Comment
Regina asked me to be a “guest contributor” on her food blog after I made this Eggplant Lasagna recipe. I agreed to do it, but I must admit, I approached the task with a little trepidation. Do I admit that I don’t always buy rbST hormone-free cheese when I can get it cheaper at Sam’s club? Or that I bought organically grown eggplant this time, but only because it was the same price as the tainted stuff? And, photographing each “step” – do I really want the world to see how my sauce overflowed from the food processor onto the floor? I’ll cut to the chase and save myself further embarrassment:
Guest Contributor: Mom
Adapted from original recipe posted by Danny Boome on Allrecipes.com
Serves 6-8
Ingredients for Lasagna
2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise 3/4 inch thick (8 slices)
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for baking dish
sea salt, pepper
1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon basil or thyme, chopped
15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese (I tried low fat, too; it’s good either way)
3 eggs
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, divided
2 tablespoons oregano leaves, fresh
2 cups Nona’s Marinara Sauce (see below)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees; prepare 9 x 13 baking by brushing a little olive oil on bottom and sides.
2. Arrange sliced eggplant in a single layer on 2 baking pans. Brush olive oil on both sides (3 tablespoons or so) and season with salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant until it is soft and golden. Turn slices halfway through. (I cooked them for about 25 minutes, total.)
3. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the sliced mushrooms. Saute about 7 minutes, until soft. Add the minced garlic and chopped basil (or thyme). Cook another 2 minutes. Once the mushrooms are cooked, remove and set aside to cool.
4. In a large bowl, add the ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, oregano, mushrooms, 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix well.
5. Make Nona’s Marinara Sauce (instructions below).
6. Spread half of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay 4 slices of eggplant on top of the sauce, followed by ricotta mixture. Lay another 4 slices of eggplant and finish with remaining marinara sauce. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until golden brown at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes or so before slicing.
Nona’s Marinara Sauce
5 cloves garlic
sea salt, pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup basil leaves
2 tablespoons oregano or parsley, fresh
1 (28 oz) can crushed or plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Directions for Marinara Sauce:
1. Peel 5 cloves garlic and place them in a square of foil. Sprinkle the cloves with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Wrap up the foil (I would suggest double wrapping so that no oil will leak out) and place it directly on the oven rack. Roast the garlic until it is brown and tender, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool enough to touch and squeeze the garlic from the skins. Set aside.
2. Saute onions and carrots with the oil in a medium saucepan. Add tomato paste and stir well. This will cook off the tomato paste. Cook for about 10 minutes. When the vegetables are softened, add the roasted garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano and maple sugar (or sugar) and stir together until incorporated. Pour in the tomatoes. Fill the empty can with water (28 oz) and add it it to the pan. (I added an extra tablespoon of tomato paste to thicken it a bit.) Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour, uncovered. Stir occasionally. Once sauce is ready, carefully* pour it into the food processor and puree until smooth or slightly chunky. (* When I first made this recipe, apparently I overlooked the “carefully” part. My sauce was everywhere.)
Diet Notes: Gluten-free, nut-free
Orzo Salad with Roasted Rutabaga, Feta and Brazil Nuts
January 11, 2010 § 2 Comments
Today is my first full day of work since graduation and I’m positively itching with excitement! Today marks the beginning of a new era: a life with packed lunches and no homework! (In Regina-lingo: BLISS!)
This past weekend I spent eons (cha-ching!) at farmers’ market booths and came home with two sack-fulls of desert winter bounty: herbs, winter squash and lettuce galore! As a result, I spent a good portion of my weekend in the kitchen, whipping up soup after salad after bread, dolling out each recipe into giant Tupperwares — prep for quick lunch-packing later this week.
This orzo salad, however, was simply too good for a fast back-of-the-fridge shove. As I nibbled a few bites I started to chuckle (no one heard, save my dog, who bee-lined into the kitchen, tail a-thumping). “Forget leftovers!” I thought as I promptly retrieved a small bowl out of the kitchen cabinet and ladled myself a warm, addictive meal (at only 3 o’clock in the afternoon, for Pete’s sake)! This salad was inspired by Melissa Clark (a hoot!) from the New York Times.
Ingredients:
1.5 cups whole wheat orzo (uncooked)*
1 large rutabaga, chopped (approximately 1-1.5 cups)
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt, pepper to taste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
juice from 1/2 orange (2-3 tablespoons)
1 small shallot, minced**
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup feta, crumbled
1/3 cup toasted Brazil nuts, chopped
4-6 cups arugula
* For gluten-sensitive eaters, swap whole-wheat pasta with brown rice or quinoa pasta.
**I love a sharp tang of onion or shallot in my dishes. But if you’re a bit more sensitive to this flavor, instead of adding raw shallot to this salad as I’ve suggested below, you could pan-fry a few medium-shallots in a bit of olive oil until wilted and slightly crispy and add at the end, along with the feta and rutabaga. Alternatively, you can add minced shallot to the dressing (along with the garlic). The vinegar and salt will take off some of the edge.
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel/cut skin from rutabaga. Chop into bite-sized pieces. Toss with olive oil, sea salt and pepper to taste and maple syrup. Layer evenly on a baking sheet and bake approximately 25-35 minutes until slightly crisp around the edges and tender in the center.
2. Meanwhile, bring salted water to a boil on the stove. Add orzo and cook according to package instructions.
3. Prepare citrus dressing: Combine minced garlic, 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Whisk. When orzo has cooked, drain and toss with dressing and set aside.
4. Chop Brazil nuts and toast in a dry skillet on medium-heat for approximately 7 minutes until fragrant and slightly browned. Set aside.
5. Wash arugula and layer in the bottom of a serving bowl. Layer dressed orzo on top of arugula and toss slightly – the arugula will wilt a bit from the heat and take away a bit of the peppery edge. When rutabaga has finished baking, remove from oven. Layer orzo salad with roasted rutabaga, shallots, Brazil nuts and crumbled feta. Serve immediately, at room temperature or cold.
Diet Notes: Gluten-free (see asterisk)
Orange Creamsicle
October 3, 2009 § 3 Comments
Last weekend my mom decided to organize the kitchen cupboards. Three hours later, I walked into the kitchen and saw her hovering over a small pile of Tupperware lids without bottoms, bottoms without lids and a bunch of marred cutting boards. She quickly ushered me over to another pile of “cool stuff” which included some terrific “finds” – junk we vaguely knew we had in the house but weren’t quite sure where to look for it. Highlights included a single-serving casserole dish (!) and six, small popsicle containers.
There are about five gazillion combos of flavors you can attempt when making your own popsicle, so don’t feel like you have to stick strictly to these proportions below. Also, don’t feel daunted if you haven’t found six random pop containers lurking in the back of your cupboards. Just use small, freezer-proof plastic cups or disposable paper cups and popsicle sticks.
Small recipe for three little pops:
1/2 cup plain, whole-milk yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3+ teaspoons dark chocolate, slivered
1 teaspoon orange zest
Methods:
Mix OJ, yogurt and zest in a bowl. Once combined, ladle a few spoonfuls of mixture into each pop container. Sprinkle chocolate chunks into each cup and using a spoon, stir to let some of them sink toward the middle. Insert plastic attachment or popsicle stick all the way down, into the cup/container. Freeze at least 6 hours before serving. When ready to serve, simply dip molds/cups in warm water before unmolding.
Diet Notes: Gluten-free, nut-free
Simple Quartered Cabbage
March 9, 2009 § 3 Comments
Last week at the farm we harvested sugar snap + snow peas, collard greens, lettuce mix, a couple teeny beets and carrots, and some beautiful cabbages. This one was a little shrimpy, so I got to take it home. I toyed with making stuffed cabbages (vegetarian-style), but I decided that for the first cabbage of the season, I just wanted to appreciate it plain. This is a recipe I made up that is simple, quick, flavorful, and you only need a couple of ingredients.
Ingredients:
1 head green cabbage
1-2 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey*
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
few tablespoons water
few teaspoons olive oil
sea salt, pepper
*If following a strict vegan diet, substitute maple syrup.
Methods:
1. Peel off scraggly layers around cabbage. Rinse and quarter.
2. In a medium-large sauce pan, splash a little olive oil to cover surface of pan. Heat on medium-high. When hot, add cabbage quarters and cook until crispy on one side (about 4 minutes). Then flip to other side and cook until browned.
3. Meanwhile, combine mustard, honey, cider vinegar and a little water in a small bowl. Whisk until combined.
4. When both sides of cabbage are nicely browned, pour liquid into pan and simmer, lowering the heat to medium. When all the liquid has boiled away, test cabbage with a fork. If necessary, add an additional two tablespoons of water to continue cooking.
5. When cabbage is cooked, take off the stove and serve immediately.
Diet Notes: SCD-safe, gluten-free, nut-free, vegan (see asterisk)
