So Good and Tasty

Chocolate Black Bean Truffles

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:02:00 +0000

By now I'm sure many of you have heard of those curious black bean brownies that popped up on many blogs a couple years or so ago, maybe you even made yourself some. I've made a few batches of them myself, each time trying a slightly different recipe, and I think they're pretty good. They're definitely not exactly like a classic brownie, but they still seem to offer a healthier fix when you get a chocolate craving. Today however, I'm not sharing a recipe for my version of the perfect black bean brownie. I'm sharing chocolate black bean truffles which, in my opinion, are even better.

Now before you skim the recipe below and think to yourself, "how can these possibly not taste like beans, especially when there's no refined sugar or butter and they're not baked?" Let me be the first to tell you that if you didn't know there were beans in the recipe, you'd be hard pressed to not think they were the real thing. The magic of whirling black beans, with coconut oil and a bit of maple syrup, is that they whip themselves up into a smooth dark dough-like texture that shows no trace of the beans they once were.

Upon first bite you break through the hardened chocolate coating and slowly your teeth sink into the smooth chocolaty filling. And just like a traditional rich cream filled chocolate truffle, they feel incredibly decadent and you'll only need one or two before your satisfied.

Chocolate Black Bean Truffles / makes 16-18 truffles

Here I've used beans I cooked myself. You can definitely use canned, but you may not need to add extra salt. Also, the sweetness is really going to depend on your preference. Taste the mixture before rolling into balls to see if you want more, but keep in mind that if you use a semi-sweet chocolate for the coating, it will add a bit of extra sweetness to the finished truffles.

1 cup cooked black beans, if using canned rinse and drain
2 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
pinch of sea salt
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup, depending on sweetness preference
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped dark or semi-sweet chocolate

Place the beans, coconut oil, cocoa powder, salt, maple syrup, and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor. Blend everything until well combined, scraping down the sides if you need to. It should start coming together into a smooth ball. Pinch out about a tablespoon sized piece, roll into a ball and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Place in the fridge to chill for about an hour or in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile melt the chocolate in a double boiler. When the balls have chilled pull out just a handful (you want them to stay cold, so do them in batches), carefully insert a toothpick into the center and dip in the melted chocolate to coat. I found the best method for removing them from the toothpick was with a fork. Carefully slide the fork tines under the side where the toothpick is inserted and slowly twist while pulling upward and place on a sheet of parchment.

Let chill again so the chocolate coating sets. Store truffles in the fridge.

Spicy Smoky Veggie Bean Chili

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:18:00 +0000

My boot clad feet leave the unnatural solidness of the parking lot and grab hold of the snow covered trail. Slowly and clumsily I slide each boot into my snow shoes, strap them tightly in place, and soon we're off. In the beginning my steps are slow and heavy, my legs trying to find their rhythm while I navigate the fresh powdery snow. My mind is still and focused on what's ahead.

After the first uphill stretch, I can feel myself growing stronger, anticipating where each step takes me. I feel my hearts rapid, steady beating and the flow of air filling my lungs and I start to find my rhythm. I feel light and whole and my heart is soaring with so much emotion at the beauty before me that I can hardly share words to express this feeling. I am quiet. I don't think about the worries and tasks of everyday life. I'm filled with complete happiness and I want to feel this way forever.

The wind blows hard and cold, but the sun is shining bright and I try to think of how I can make it possible for this to happen every day. Mt. Rainier, if you've never been, is as much a grand place as you've probably heard. I've grown up and spent my whole life in it's shadow and yet, I'm still in awe every time I go back. I have this same feeling in any place where I am completely surrounded by nature, it's addictive. Every time we leave I feel my time there was too short and the next adventure can not come soon enough.

The trail wound itself around a steep cliff where the wind gust were so strong you had to stop for a moment before resuming to maintain balance. The trail took us to two frozen lakes that sat just below the peak of the mountain. From every angle, and time of day or season, it looks different and I image the fiery red and brilliant blues of the wild flowers that will soon blaze across the meadows this June and July.

As the sun began it's decent we made our way back to the cabin. By this time we were spent and ready for a hot meal. I made a batch of my favorite chili the day before heading up. It was the exact meal we needed. We ate in the dimly lit cozy cabin, in our long underwear and thick wooly socks. If I was to think of a perfect day this might just be it.

I've been making this chili every winter since spying it on Dana's blog a couple year's ago (in fact I just realized she posted it right around this time too, funny). It's the perfect bowl of comfort with just the right amount of smokiness and spice to it. I've made it countless ways since then and for this version added in a few carrots and sweet potatoes for a little extra vegetable action. This chili begs for toppings too. We ate it unadorned this time around because of our location, but top it with cilantro, avocado, crushed chips, cheese, plain yogurt, green onions; the options are really endless, just go for it. Dana notes the importance of dicing everything the same size and I couldn't agree with her more, so try chopping the veggies roughly no larger than the beans.

Spicy Smoky Veggie Bean Chili
Adapted from Dana Treat
serves 4-6

1-2 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 red bell pepper diced
1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced, plus 1 teaspoon sauce
2 cups cooked black beans or 1 15oz. can, drained
2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 15oz. can, drained
1 4oz. can diced green chiles, drained
1/2 cup frozen corn

Heat a large pot over medium heat, once hot add the oil. Sauté the onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, carrots, and sweet potato and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add all the spices and salt, stirring to coat. Stir in the bell pepper, cook another couple minutes, then pour in the tomatoes and water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the chipotle pepper and sauce and reduce heat to a simmer.

Stir in the beans, green chiles, and corn and cook at a gentle simmer, partially covered, for 20-30 minutes. Serve warm. If making ahead let cool completely, then store in the fridge and re-heat when ready to use. The best part about making this ahead of time is how much the flavors develop and deepen. It also gets a tad spicier, so take that into account based on your preference.

Parsnip Chips

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:33:00 +0000

I've never been one to crave potato chips, I've always been more of a sweets snacker than a salty or savory one. Don't get me wrong though, if I do reach for the satisfying salty crunch of a chip, I can never stop at just one. The past few months though, I've been making a switch to craving all things savory versus sweet, to satisfy my snack attack. Go figure. So when I saw a lonely giant parsnip sitting in the crisper I had a hankering for some spiced up parsnip chips.

Parsnips are pretty gnarly looking, but nothing compared to a few other root vegetables out there, so if you're new to adding slightly less known roots to your diet, I would suggest this be one of your first. It resembles a carrot, but it's flesh is white and I usually find them a bit larger than carrots, with a more distinct taper. They also have a slightly sweeter taste, especially when cooked, but if they are more mature they can sometimes even be a bit spicy. You can eat them raw or cooked, in pretty much any way you would a carrot, they're a pretty versatile root.

It's important to slice these pretty thinly and as evenly as you can. If you have a mandolin, use it, but a sharp knife and some patience works too. These are not as crispy as potato chips, but they were still seriously addictive (I probably could have eaten the whole parsnip if Scott wasn't around).

Parsnip Chips
Adapted from Full Circle
serves 4, unless you have a particularly large appetite, as my husband and I do, then it serves 2

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and ground

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chile powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 lb. parsnips, peeled and sliced no thicker than 1/8-inch

2 tablespoons coconut oil or other high heat oil

salt

Preheat oven to 475˚F. Have ready two rimmed baking sheets.

Mix the fennel, cumin, chile powder, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl and set aside.

Pat the parsnips with paper towels and place in a large bowl, drizzle with oil and toss with the spice mixture and season with salt to taste.

Place the parsnips in a single layer on the baking sheets (if you don't have two you'll have to do this in shifts). Roast for 15-20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom half way through and flipping the chips over with a spatula. Baking time may vary depending on a lot of factors, so make sure you stick close by the oven and watch for burning.

Gingered Carrot Millet Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:46:00 +0000

I realized the other day that I have so many recipes either bookmarked from online or tagged in my cookbooks and magazines, that have been sitting there, waiting for me to get to it, for way too long. Many times they're a seasonal recipe I discover at the end of it's prime season, so it gets saved until the next spring, or summer, or fall arrives in the hopes that I remember to come back and rediscover the recipe I found the year before.

So I found myself going through them, editing down my long list to what is relevant to me in this moment now. I felt quite organized after doing this and ready to start fresh and tackle the recipes I had long been waiting to try. The first was a millet muffin from Heidi's book. I remember when I first came across her recipe and how intrigued I was by the idea of crunchy little millet seeds in a muffin. So I whipped up a batch for the weekend. They were delicious. Slightly sweet from the honey with a bit of tang from the yogurt, and of course, the crunch of millet that I was anticipating.

Her muffins were what lead my brain to these little gingered carrot and millet muffins. I craved adding some shredded carrots to the recipe. Then I gave myself the challenge of making them vegan so I could share a batch with our weekly Monday night potluck friends and everyone could enjoy. That meant no yogurt, honey, or eggs. Those got replaced with coconut oil, natural cane sugar, and flax meal. I thought about how ginger would make a great flavor profile alongside the carrots, so I added fresh and ground to the batter too. By that point they were a whole new muffin, but they came out as perfectly as I had envisioned. I knew there was a reason I had tagged that page. They inspired me to a new delicious recipe and hopefully one for you too.

Did you know millet is actually a small seed from the grass family and not a grain. Awesome right! I've been cooking millet for awhile now and love it combined with quinoa or bulgar for a slightly different texture. This was my first time baking with it and using it in it's uncooked form, but I can't wait to try it baked into more things. Have any of you experimented with millet in other baked goods?

Also this recipe yielded an awkward 15 muffins for me. I think next time I'm going to fill them as high as possible in the paper cups to get 12, as well as a slightly higher dome on top.

Gingered Carrot Millet Muffins

Inspired by Super Natural Everyday by Heidi Swanson

makes 12-15 muffins

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 cup raw millet

1/2 cup cane sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons flax meal + 6 tablespoon water combined

1/2 cup almond milk

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

2 cups grated carrots, about 3 large carrots

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a muffin tin with paper muffin liners.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, millet, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the flax meal mixture, almond milk, coconut oil and fresh ginger. Stir in the carrots, then pour all the wet mixture into the dry. Fold the wet into the dry just until combined. This may take a few strokes as the batter is very thick.

Scoop out batter into prepared muffin tins, filling roughly level with the top of the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool slightly. Serve warm or room temperature. Store covered for about 2-3 days or freeze for a month.

Roasted Roots & Spinach Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:22:00 +0000

This salad is really more about the lemon tahini dressing than the salad as a whole. I wanted to share with you more ways to use the dressing than on a traditional green salad (which is equally delicious) and since roasted root vegetables have been a weekly staple since well, late fall, that's what I cooked up. A hearty winter root salad, livened up by a dressing you really must try.

I've been eating this dressing on everything for the last few weeks. Yes, every. Single. Thing. It's just so good and I've found it so versatile too. I can't believe it's taken me this long to share it with you.

It's rich and nutty tasting, balanced by the tartness of lemon and spiced up from the garlic and cayenne. It's super creamy and goes well over a sturdy salad made with Romaine and equally as well spooned over a wrap or for dipping your sweet potato fries in. I can hardly wait until summer arrives and I can drizzle some over eggplant or keep it thick and dip fresh veggies in.

I've kept the roasted vegetable amounts below pretty loose. You'll want roughly 4lbs for 4 meal sized servings. If you can find sunchokes, use them. They are absolutely one tasty little root, but other options could include parsnips and sweet potatoes. The dressing has been adapted from The Northwest Vegetarian Cookbook. It's a great little book full of recipes from small farms all over the NW and I've got little tags hanging out all over it for new recipes to try.

Roasted Roots & Spinach Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

serves 4

4lbs. root veggies of your choice (I used red sunchokes, carrots, and yellow potatoes)

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

pinch of salt and ground pepper

1 bunch baby spinach, washed and dried

for the dressing

1/4 cup tahini

just and finely grated zest of one lemon

1 tablespoon white miso

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley

pinch of cayenne

water as needed

Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Have ready a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat mat.

Wash and scrub the vegetables well and roughly cut into even thicknesses so they bake at relatively the same time. Drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Give everything a good toss and roast in the oven for about 30-45 minutes, depending on the thickness you cut everything. The vegetables should be tender and have lightly golden crusty ends.

Meanwhile make the dressing. In a small bowl whisk together the tahini, lemon juice and zest, miso, and garlic. Mix in the cilantro and cayenne and enough water to reach desired consistency. I like to thin mine out quite a bit for this recipe. You can also do this in a small food processor to make it quickly. Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to a week. Makes about a 1/2 cup.

To assemble, place the spinach on a plate, pile with the roasted veggies and drizzle with the dressing and serve.

Cumin-Scented Black Rice & Quinoa

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:44:00 +0000

I found myself with a lot of welcome down time this weekend. Scott and some friends decided going surfing up in the Straits was a good idea even though there were predictions of snow. So Saturday afternoon he headed North to meet up with them and Sunday morning they caught an early ferry across to the peninsula. I don't blame him for his itch to get in the water, even when there is snow on the beach. It's been at least since early fall that we've gone and surfing has this hold on you that's hard to let pass by. The only reason I opted to stay home was the fear I'd loose all my fingers and toes to frost bite.

Instead I cozied up at home enjoying my own company alongside our cat Sofia. I put together a large batch of yeasty dough to make bread, caught up on some reading, started knitting a hat for Scott (á la Jacques Cousteau - as per his request), and went through a very large box of photo's from my childhood that my mom had given me for Christmas. The photo's all came from my grandmother's albums (over 20 of them!) and when she passed away over a year ago, my mom scooped them up, took them home and went through every single one dividing every picture for my sister, cousins, and I to have and cherish ourselves, as much as she did. It was my favorite gift by far.

As I was going through the pictures, there were lots of smiles, big hugs, celebrations, and summer's spent at our family cabin. Then I found a picture of my great grandfather holding me when I was about 2 years old. I stopped at this one for awhile. I didn't really know my great grandfather or my great grandmother, both passed a way before I was 6 or 7, but they lived on the eastern side of Washington state, in a little town called Wenatchee. I used to call them great grandma and grandpa 'natchee because that was my best pronunciation and it seemed to stick even after I could say it right.

I love the story this picture seems to tell and instantly fell in love with it and with the lifestyle I know he and my great grandmother lived. It took me back to a simpler time, before internet and before the constant go-go-go world we live in today. The expression on his face and mine is priceless, almost like he was just in the middle of telling me a tale, when someone decided they couldn't pass up this kodak moment. I love that my great grandfather and I are the main focal point, but whoever took it definitely wanted to make sure and get those big, ripe tomatoes in the frame. They're the kind of imperfectly perfect juicy tomatoes that only come from ones home garden and displayed out at the end of the harvest season; so it's no wonder you'd want to show them off. I wish I could know them today, I know I could learn a lot from them and it would be lovely to eat a meal cooked from their kitchen.

This side dish would make a fantastic addition to any Spanish style meal, maybe something like this. I've kept it simple, but it also seems perfect to add too, I'm thinking fresh tomatoes and avocado in the summer and possibly even roasted root vegetables in the winter, maybe throw in some pinto or black beans too, make it yours. If you can't find black rice you can swap it out for brown, but I really suggest you try it, it's a delicious little grain. Although beware, it will stain everything it comes in contact with a purplish hue if you're not careful.

Elsewhere: I've made a nice big healthy kale salad for Whole Living this month, get the recipe here.

Cumin-Scented Black Rice & Quinoa
Adapted from Bon Appétit
serves 4

1/2 cup black rice
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup salt plus more to taste
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
fresh ground black pepper

Bring rice and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling, cover, reduce heat to low and cook until the rice is tender and water has been absorbed, about 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the quinoa, bay leaf, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup water in another small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. If you have any remaining water, drain, return to the saucepan and keep covered for roughly 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaf, fluff with a fork and transfer quinoa to a large bowl.

Heat tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin seeds and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add the onion mixture to the quinoa. Add the cooked rice and mix everything well. Stir in the remaining 1-2 tablespoons oil (depending on preference), fresh lemon juice, cilantro, parsley, and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or room temperature and garnish with avocado slices and lemon wedges if desired.

Mushroom Leek & Barley Bake

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:23:00 +0000

The last couple days have been beautiful around here. They've been the kind of days that are full of sunshine, but also full of winter's brisk temperatures that keep my hands wrapped around my endless mug of tea. The cold had me thinking about casseroles and baked dishes and asking myself why I rarely ever make them.

I do love the idea of a casserole. I always picture a gathering of people around a table, each helping themselves to their corner of the hot dish. A casserole is the perfect way to feed a hungry crowd or to stash away any leftovers in the freezer for those days your pressed for cooking time. Plus they seem like the perfect way to rid your fridge of any leftovers you may have. I think the reason I rarely make them has more to do with the stereotypical style of casserole I grew up knowing. The kind that are possibly only good because of the gobs of cheese, layers of pasta, and starchy potatoes, which all lead to little room for my favorite thing... the veggies.

I could easily have taken these same ingredients and made my usual fare of whole grains, combined with sauteed leek and mushroom, tossed in a handful of almonds, rounded it out with a bit of Parmesan and topped it with a crumbled hard boiled egg or two, but I didn't. I wanted to make something different from my regular routine and something that would keep me satisfied and warm at the same time.

Another magical thing I discovered about casseroles; how much I can get done in the 30 minutes or so it takes to bake! I'm not kidding. Once I popped it in the oven, I washed the sink-full of dishes (I don't own a dishwasher), scrubbed the sink, and swept the floors. It had me feeling like I should make casseroles every night, just to keep the chores from piling up!

Really though this casserole is delicious, simple to make, and perfect for using up leftover grains. I used barley, but I imagine rice would make a great stand in as well. Have a beautiful weekend and stay warm!

Mushroom Leek & Barley Bake

serves 4-6

2 tablespoons olive oil

4-6 ounces mushrooms, chopped

1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups cooked pearl barley (about 1/2 cup dried cooked in 1 1/2 cups water)

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/2 cup Parmesan, divided

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375˚F and grease a 1 3/4 qt. baking dish.

In a large frying pan heat the oil over medium heat. Add in the mushrooms and a pinch of salt, cooking for about 3 minutes or until just beginning to soften. Stir in the leeks, cook another 2 minutes, then add in the garlic. Continue cooking until everything is softened and the mushrooms are a nice brown color, about another 3 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Place the barley in a large bowl. Stir in the mushroom mixture, the almonds (reserving some for garnish), and half the Parmesan.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and salt. Fold the eggs into the barley mixture, then pour into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the last half of the Parmesan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the left over almonds and serve.

* Starting on Thursday, January 26, check out other potluck dishes fellow gojee contributors shared. Go to gojee.com and enter “gojeepotluck” into I Crave. You can also follow #gojeepotluck on Twitter.

Lemon Tart with Rosemary Crust

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:38:00 +0000

Today I'm sharing this lemon tart with rosemary crust over on Kelsey's blog, Happyolks. Her blog and writing is one of my favorites, so please go and check it out.

Oh and, I promise you, this beauty of a tart is anything but a sugary toothache. It's fresh, light, tangy, and creamy all at once and has an added surprise of rosemary in the crust. You're in for a real treat!

Spicy Lentil Collard Wraps

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:22:00 +0000

I hope you all had a great New Year's eve and are ready for the year to come! We had a few different offers for an evening of celebration with friends, but after being out of town every single weekend since before Thanksgiving, and just getting back from an entire week with family in eastern WA on friday, we decided to have a quiet evening at home.

I made lentil "meatballs" and a big salad for dinner. We settled in to watch a movie about The New York Times and there was even a few leftover cookies from Christmas for dessert. It was the kind of night that seemed so normal, even though many people were out celebrating, but it just felt right for us. It was the quiet evening we really needed.

Over the last week or so I've reflected on what 2011 was for me. It was a great year in terms of growth and learning even more about myself as my husband and I continue running our small business. I don't ever really make resolutions on the new year; I prefer to reflect on my birthday. Not resolutions so much, as goals and/or fulfilling ideas. Since my birthday is in November, by the time the new year rolls around, it's like a little reminder to see if I'm on track.

I also want to thank all you dear readers. I don't thank you enough, but everyday I am grateful to have your support and I'm surprised every time, by the kindest of comments and emails you've left for me. It's my little space on the web where I come to share recipes, photos, and short stories from my life and it truly is a place I look forward to coming to. I have a few things I'm excited to share with you in the new year (can't wait!), but you'll have to wait.

I've had the idea for these spicy lentil wraps on my mind for a couple weeks, but hadn't had the time to actually make them until now. Which is perfect because I'm pretty sure lentils and collard greens are good luck when eaten in the new year.

I've combined red lentils with bulgar and spices as a great filling for wraps. To keep it on the lighter side, post all that holiday food, I used collard greens for the wrap rather than a flat bread. Slightly spicy with a hint of nuttiness from the tahini. These are a healthy and super satisfying meal. If you prefer your collard greens cooked, bring a large pot of water to a boil, place the leaves, one at a time, in the boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove and let dry between a clean towel, repeat. this will also make the leaves a little more pliable when rolling.

Spicy Lentil Collard Wraps

makes 6-8

1 cup dried red lentils

1/2 cup bulgar

1/2 white onion, roughly chopped

3 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

big pinch cayenne

6-8 collard leaves

1 medium carrot, thinly shaved

tahini

fresh lemon juice

hot sauce

Rinse and drain lentils and place in a saucepan. Cover with water 2-3 times the amount of lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes. Drain and let cool briefly.

To cook the bulgar, place in a small saucepan with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Once the liquid is absorbed, cover, remove from heat, and let sit for 10 minutes.

Place the cooked lentils, cooked bulgar, onion, parsley, cumin, salt, and cayenne into the bowl of a food processor. Puree until the mixture is smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Take a collard leaf, trim off the thick stalk and carefully, with a sharp knife, shave down the middle of the stalk so it's even with the leaf. This will help with rolling. Place down a layer of the shaved carrots, then roughly a 1/2 cup of the lentil mixture (see image). Spoon on some tahini, squeeze a bit of lemon juice and hot sauce, then carefully start to roll, starting with the sides and tucking the end of the leaf under at the end, kind of like rolling up a burrito. For larger wraps you can double the leaves up.

Stored in an airtight container in the fridge and you've got yourself lunch ready to go for a week!

Gingerbread Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:50:00 +0000

One of my favorite things about the holiday season has always been all the baking that takes place. Although I used to go a little crazy (and maybe still do) thinking about all the possibilities there were when it came specifically to cookies. When I was younger I would go to the bookshelf, grab a stack of my mom's cookbooks and baking books, and sit quietly pouring through each one until I found the perfect cookies to bake that year. I always wanted to try a new variety, though it seemed I'd always come back to the traditional favorites.

I'd roll up my sleeves, set out all my ingredients, and together with my mom, get started on the list. Soon the house would smell of butter, sugar, and spice. My dad would come inside to sneak a cookie or two and I remember it used to make me so mad because I wanted to save them as a surprise. The smile on his face after he took his first bite however, took that feeling away and made me feel proud that the cookies tasted so good.

Christmas is this weekend and it just wouldn't feel right if I went the entire month of December without baking a single cookie. So once again, I channeled my inner little girl self, rolled up my sleeves and set out to make a Christmas favorite in our household... gingerbread.

There has always been something about the warm spices and simple unassuming look of gingerbread. I've changed around my favorite childhood recipe to fit in better with how I bake now, but nothing has been lost, if anything I think they taste even better.

When it comes to decorating these cookies, I tend to lean on the very minimal side. Opting for a little sprinkling of turbinado sugar before baking rather than piping icing. Choose whichever you prefer, just don't skip this step because it really does add a little something extra to these gingerbread cookies.

I'd love to hear what all of you have been baking this month or what some of your family favorites are?
I wish you all a merry and bright holiday weekend!

Gingerbread Cookies
makes about 3 dozen 4-inch cookies

4 cups spelt flour
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup Muscovado sugar or dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
2/3 cups blackstrap molasses
turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and pepper, set aside.

Using a stand mixer or hand blender, cream the butter until pale and fluffy. Add the sugar and cream thoroughly. Add the eggs one at a time, then the molasses. Mix until the batter is an even dark brown color.

Pour in the flour mixture in two additions, mixing just until combined. Divide the dough into two pieces, wrap each disc in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Once your dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350˚F and line 2 baking sheets.

Lightly flour a countertop and roll the dough out to 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thickness. Make sure and not roll the dough too thin (use a ruler if you need to). Cut out desired shapes and place on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar, place in the oven and bake for 7-9 minutes. You don't want to under or overcook these cookies, so really make sure and watch them for your oven setting.

Mini Twice Baked Potatoes with Spinach & White Bean Filling

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:07:00 +0000

I was recently invited by Guilt Taste to participate in reviewing some of their beautiful gourmet products. The first shipment was their Chef's Garden box from Farmer Jones Farm. It arrived on my doorstep late last week and after bringing it inside I headed straight to the kitchen to open what was inside. Carefully wrapped in insulated bubble wrap with a cold pack was a beautiful assortment of seasonal vegetables and herbs. I just about squealed with delight when I discovered the colorful little edible flowers (I guess the sight of flowers this time of year is exciting, considering most of what's outside right now around here is brown and dying). After carefully taking stock of what all was in there I had my mind set on making a healthy seasonal appetizer.

Everyone loves a two-bite sized appetizer, but most of the time they're a little on the unhealthy side, especially when it comes to twice baked potatoes. I decided to resolve that by adding a little protein (in the form of white beans) and spinach to the potato filling and seasoning it all with spices and fresh herbs. The result is so good you won't even miss the cream, butter, or cheese.

These are simple to make and don't really take much time to make aside from filling them, but they can be assembled a day ahead and quickly re-heated the next day to save yourself some time. It will seem like a lot of spinach when your done chopping, but once it cooks down it all fits in nicely. I had a little leftover, but I just nibbled that up myself. In fact, I could have eaten just the filling by itself, and decided you could make a lazy version of this as a meal and instead of filling the potatoes, just mash everything up together, maybe add more beans and seasoning and call it dinner.

Mini Twice Baked Potatoes with Spinach & White Bean Filling
makes 24 small potatoes

24 small potatoes, scrubbed and washed well

2 tablespoons olive oil diveded

4 ounces spinach, washed and dried

1/2 cup cooked white beans

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

pinch of cayenne (optional)

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano

Preheat the oven to 425˚F.

Toss the potatoes in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place on a baking sheet, pierce each with a fork, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced. Let cool for about 10 minutes or until you can handle them without burning yourself.

Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, use a small spoon to hallow out the middle. Make sure to leave enough of the side so the potatoes maintain their structure. Transfer insides to a bowl and set aside.

Thinly slice the spinach into strips. The easiest way to do this is to stack each leaf on top of one another and slice with a sharp knife. In a large skillet, heat up the last of the olive oil. Gently cook the garlic for a minute, then add the beans, cooked potato flesh, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne, if using. Cook while mashing everything together with the back of a fork or a potato masher. Once everything is well mashed and incorporated stir in the spinach. Cook until spinach just begins to wilt. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh oregano.

Take the hallowed out potato halves and fill them with the spinach mixture. I started this process trying to be really careful with a fork, but soon found it was much easier to really fill each potato if I held it in my hand and used my other hand to grab a bit of the filling and pack it down in.

At this point you can either pop them right back into the oven for about 8 minutes to warm up again or you can place them in the refrigerator until your ready to heat and serve. If cooking later, turn your oven back up to 425˚F and heat for 8-10 minutes.

Some tasty topping ideas would be sliced green onion, Greek yogurt, sour cream, caramelized shallots, chives, or more fresh herbs, and cheese.

* Full Disclosure: Guilt Taste graciously provided me the spinach, potatoes, garlic and oregano for this recipe. I was not paid and all photo's, text, and opinions are my own.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:38:00 +0000

I probably only realized my love for brussels sprouts a few years ago. Like many, my youth brought mushy, boiled sprouts that never received a second thought, until they day I tasted them roasted.

This totally changed the game for me and now I eat my fill this time of year. But while I normally roast them in a high temperature oven, they would often still be missing a certain flavor or texture I was looking for. Then about a week ago I saw a technique on The Kitchn that has you actually broil them quickly instead. It made total sence and I couldn't wait to try.

Tossed with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper, then thrown into a hot cast iron skillet before a quick roast under the broiler; it couldn't be any simpler. They turned out charred and smoky on the outside, with a perfectly cooked, but not mushy, inside. I went back for more. Even though this post is less of a recipe and more of a technique, I urge you to find yourself with a full bag of brussels sprouts and about 10 minutes of your time, because that's about all the time you'll need for this simple and healthy side dish.

A squeeze of lemon is all you really need to jazz them up a bit, but Parmesan is a nice touch if you do dairy too. I like to keep them on the side because I don't want the lemon juice to soften up the crispy outsides of the sprouts too soon.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts
adapted from The Kitchn
serves 4 as a side

1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and outer leaves removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
lemon wedges for serving
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Place your oven rack at the very top and turn on the broiler and set a large cast iron skillet over high heat.

Cut the prepared brussels sprouts in half lengthwise, place in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. When your cast iron pan is hot enough to where a water droplet evaporates on contact, pour all the brussels sprouts in and quickly flip them all over so their cut side is down. It's ok if they don't all fit just get them all in there and don't stir them around once they're set.

Place the skillet in the oven and broil for 3 minutes. The outer leaves should have started to darken and turn crispy. Keep them in for several minutes longer, about 5-7 minutes in total cooking time.

Serve immediately alongside lemon wedges and Parmesan cheese if using.

Chipotle Delicata Squash Soup

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:09:00 +0000

I thought I'd sneak in one more Fallish type soup before winter officially settles in and heartier stews and chiles start taking their place. Rich, creamy squash soups kind of waver on that line of hearty and filling like a stew though anyways, so I'll probably still be making this one through winter until we run out of squash. Or get tried of it, which ever comes first.

I really love winter squash combined with chiles and all things spicy. I typically go for that flavor combination over squash that's been sweetened with brown sugar and cinnamon, it's just too sweet for me. I had my mind set on using chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, a favorite of mine for when I want to add a distinct smoky flavor to things with a spicy kick to it too. It worked out perfectly, and the best part is how simple the recipe is and how few ingredients are needed. I love when that happens.

The soup is super creamy with just enough spice to it, where you know it's there, but your mouth isn't overwhelmed with heat. It's so rich and velvety and feels like there's cream in it, but that's the beauty of pureed squash.

I was originally going to make this using butternut squash, but when my csa box arrived and inside was a few delicata squash, plans changed. It happens, but I figured it would still turn out just as delicious. I'm sure most winter squash would work too, try butternut or kabocha. You should be able to find chipotle chiles in adobo sauce in any ethnic aisle of your grocery store. They come in a can and since there are always way more in there than I ever use in one recipe, I end up freezing the rest to use later. I also just found out you can keep them stored, tightly covered, in the fridge for about 3 months too.

Chipotle Delicata Squash Soup
serves 4-6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 3/4 - 2 pounds delicata squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1/2-inch pieces
5 cups vegetable broth
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot add the oil and onion. Cook stirring frequently until the onion starts turning golden and caramelizing. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.

Add the squash and vegetable broth and bring everything to a gentle boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the squash has softened. Stir in the chipotle chile, cumin, and salt. Cook for another 5 minutes.

If you have an immersion blender use it to puree the soup until completely smooth. Otherwise, use a blender and puree the soup in batches. Hot soup will explode out of a blender if filled too high, trust me. Taste and season with salt if needed. Serve hot with a handful of roasted squash seeds and a dollop of Greek yogurt or cashew cream if you're vegan.

Store any leftover soup tightly covered in the fridge for a couple days and re-warm before eating.

Pumpkin Pie with Hazelnut Crust

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:17:00 +0000

As with most years, the holiday season always seems to sneak up on me. We get so busy with day to day tasks, that I always seem to have unaccomplished projects or loose ends to tie up when the new year finally comes around. This year however, instead of rushing through, I want to make the most of every moment. There will never be enough time to do everything or see everyone, so the only thing I can do is be present in all the activities I do find time for. I have so much to be thankful for in my life, that when I sit down to think about it I become overwhelmed with happy thoughts and a very full feeling. Taking it all in, one day at a time, will remind me of all the positive things in my life and to celebrate each of them.

Pumpkin pie was always my favorite dessert on Thanksgiving and still is. Then I realized I don't even have a recipe for pumpkin pie on my blog yet. I think the reason for this was because I've been waiting until inspiration struck. There are already so many great version of pumpkin pie out there, I wanted something different to share. So even though I posted about a pumpkin hazelnut bread recently, I just couldn't help myself to combine the two together again.

This pie however, is something amazing! And will probably end up being made every year. The best part (besides how tasty it is), it's vegan, gluten free, and low in sugar. I know how hard it can be to accommodate everyone at the table, so this might be a good option if you're looking to make only one or two desserts for the table this year, but still have dietary restrictions to maintain. The filling is smooth and creamy and full of pumpkin flavor with slight hints of cinnamon and spice. For those of you who fear pie dough, this is a pat in the pan style crust, which means no rolling or chilling! It's super easy and stays together nicely.

The most important part in making this pie is to allow it to cool completely before cutting into it. The filling needs time to rest to hold its shape. You can make it the night before and you'll already be on top of your Thanksgiving game, just add any garnish right before serving. Also, using fresh spices and grinding them yourself will lead to a better spice flavor. At the very least, make sure the spices you use are fresh and haven't been sitting on your shelf since last year.

Elsewhere: Over on the Whole Living blog I have another recipe perfect for any last minute Thanksgiving vegetarian menu items you may be looking for, Roasted Delicata Squash & Garlicky Kale with Parsley-Sage Dressing. I've been eating versions of it this whole month, it's so delicious. Enjoy your holiday! I'd love to know what you all are making this year too, anything special or different than usual?

Pumpkin Pie with Hazelnut Crust
makes one 9-inch pie

crust
1 3/4 cup + 1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut butter, melted
pinch of salt

pie filling
2 cups pumpkin puree
2/3 cup pure maple syrup or brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
3/4 cup coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

For the crust
Place the 1 3/4 cups hazelnuts into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times, then grind the nuts up to a coarse meal. Should take about 3-4 minutes. You don't want to blend too far or you'll end up with hazelnut butter.

Place the hazelnut meal into a medium bowl, add to it the almond flour, coconut butter, and a pinch of salt, blend until everything is well incorporated.

Dump the nut mixture out into a 9-inch pie pan and start pressing, from the center out, with your fingers, until you have an even crust all the way around, set aside.

For the filling
In a large bowl combine the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, cornstarch, vanilla, salt, and spices. Stir in the coconut milk until no white streaks are left behind. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pie crust.

Bake the pie in the center of the oven for about 1 hour (check after 50 minutes) or until the sides are completely set and the center jiggles only slightly when shaken lightly. Allow the pie to cool completely before cutting into. Pie can be made the night before and stored in the refrigerator. Right before serving coarsely chop the remaining hazelnuts and use for garnish. You can also top with whipped cream or creme fraiche, unless of coarse you're vegan.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cashew Coconut Cream

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:04:00 +0000

Over the weekend we celebrated my birthday. Celebrating a birthday during the month of November in the North West is sometimes a challenge. I really enjoy doing things outdoors, but I've come to realize that the weather will always be icy cold and most likely rainy, so I should just do whatever I really want because there are just some things you can't predict or change. So when a friend mentioned a trip up to Lopez Island a few weeks ago, I made no hesitation and we started planning.

We woke before the sun rise on Friday and made our way North on I-5 for a 2-3 hour drive. The sunrise that morning was beautiful. A magnificent crack of deep orange sitting just below very dark blue-gray clouds outlining Mt.Rainier. Our first stop before getting on the ferry to Lopez was at Deception Pass. The water was crystal clear blue and looked icy cold. Just as we stepped out from the car we felt the first droplets of rain and bundled up into our coats and boots for a walk down the trail to the beach. We combed the shoreline, watched the diving birds and seals, and chased the tides while running around the rocky shores. It was beautiful.

Soon we found ourselves on the ferry where we slowly rocked across the Puget Sound through all the islands before finally reaching our destination. The first thing you see when getting off the ferry is all the tall evergreen trees lining the cliff edges, soon you find yourself in yellow wheat fields where fluffy sheep are grazing and old farm houses are in the distance. My first thought was "how am I going to leave here?" It's so beautiful, even in all its gray and rain. There are no fast food restaurants or ugly billboard ads, only the locals who wave every time you pass them, we waved back.

We stayed with family that one of our friends had on the island. It was nice to cozy up each evening after a full day of wandering around the grassy cliff side shores of Otis Perkins Park, Shark Reef Park, Iceberg Point, and Lopez Hill. It pretty much poured rain the entire time we were there, but I still had such a great time and now we're trying to figure out how soon we can go back.

The day before we left I wanted to make a little birthday treat to pack along with us. Since we were going to be doing a lot of driving I figured cupcakes would be easier than a full layer cake. I debated about the frosting. I was originally going to make a light coconut whipped cream type, but wasn't sure how it would travel. Instead I settled on making cashew coconut cream and frosting them after arriving so they wouldn't get messy if tossed around.

The cakes themselves are practically sugar-free, using only a little honey. They have a nice chocolate flavor and the cake is a little denser than regular chocolate cake, almost bordering a cake-like brownie.

The cake and frosting can easily be made vegan by substituting the honey for agave of maple syrup. I think the only change I would make in the future would be the frosting, maybe using coconut butter in place if the coconut milk for a stiffer version. This cake is also great for using up an last bits of pumpkin puree you may have around. It doesn't taste anything like pumpkin and since I used a yellow banana (instead of a super ripe speckled one) it barely tasted of banana at all.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cashew Coconut Cream
cake loosely adapted from My New Roots
makes 12 cupcakes

for the cake
1 1/4 cups light spelt flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flax meal mixed with 6 tablespoons water
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 small banana, mashed well
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

for the frosting
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 1 hour
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners

I a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a medium bowl combine the flax mixture, pumpkin puree, honey, vanilla, mashed banana, and apple cider vinegar, mix very well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and slowly fold in just until the dry ingredients are fully wet, do not over mix.

Pour batter into the paper cups, filling about 3/4 of the way full. Place in the oven and bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Prepare the frosting.
Drain the soaked cashews and place in a food processor. Add the coconut milk, honey, and lemon juice. Puree until very smooth, stopping to scrap down the sides if necessary. Store in refrigerator until ready to use. Stores for about 1 week.

Pumpkin Hazelnut Bread

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:21:00 +0000

It's already a week into November and the little orange pie pumpkins I bought just before Halloween needed to be taken care of. Because I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do with the puree, I decided to cut them in half, place them in a 9x13 baking dish with a small amount of water and bake them until their flesh became soft enough to scoop out. No salt, no oil, just a little water to get things steaming and soft.

I'm one of those people who is probably a little on the extreme side when it comes to wastefulness. I can't stand it when I have to toss something when it's gone bad. I insist to my husband that there is still at least a whole spoonful left in the peanut butter jar if you just scrape the sides. I reuse and re-purpose things the best that I can. So when it came time to scrape out these pumpkins, I was in there and getting every last bit. I saved the seeds and roasted them too. The only thing that went off to compost was the skin, but I was fine with that.

Have you ever roasted your own pie pumpkins? They have the most beautiful brightly colored orange flesh, nothing like what you get from a can. I'd recommend giving it a long go in a food processor to get all the strands fully chopped up and smooth. Nobody likes stringy things in their baked goods or soup.

I probably was able to get about 5-6 cups worth of pumpkin puree from just one pumpkin. I decided on making a batch of pumpkin ginger cookies first. They turned out alright. I remembered I'm not really a cakey type cookie person and whenever you use something like pumpkin puree, applesauce, or banana puree in any kind of cookie, they always end up on the cakey side. Then I saw a jar of hazelnuts and decided to try out a pumpkin bread with roasted hazelnuts. The resulting taste is strongly hazelnut with hints of spice, in a bread that's slightly sweet with a nice crumb. The only change I latter thought to make was adding a handful of shaved chocolate to the batter. I simply cannot resist hazelnuts and chocolate together.

You can definitely use 1 cup of canned pumpkin puree if you would like. *If you want to roast your own, cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the center, seeds and all. Place the two halves, cut side down, into a baking dish large enough to hold them. Pour in enough water to come up about 1/4-inch. Place in a preheated 350˚F oven and bake for about 35-45 minutes or until you can pierce the flesh easily with a knife. Time will vary depending on how large your pumpkins are. Cool, scoop out flesh and run through a food processor until completely smooth.

Pumpkin Hazelnut Bread
Adapted from Simply Recipes
makes 1 loaf

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons toasted hazelnuts, divided
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon all spice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup pumpkin puree *see above notes for making your own
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease or line with parchment a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Place 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts in a food processor and process until ground into a flour. Don't blend too far or you will get hazelnut butter.

In a large bowl sift together the hazelnut flour, pastry flour, salt, baking soda, and spices.

In a large bowl combine the pumpkin puree, oil, and sugar. Add in the eggs and water, mixing well. Add the dry mixture to the wet, mixing until everything is just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons roughly chopped hazelnuts and pop in the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan, then remove and cool on wire rack before cutting.

Asian Cabbage Salad

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:33:00 +0000

These days walks to the post office or down to the beach start with layers upon layers of clothing and a briskness in each step. The sky is a faded blue and barely streaked with a few white clouds, the air feels clean, crisp, and cold. There are still trees holding tightly to their leaves, all shades of deep red, brilliant orange, bright yellow and even a few green ones still left; knowing that the first strong wind and rain storm to pass through is coming soon and will tear them from their worn out branches.

As I was preparing this salad, it reminded me exactly of my walks from these recent days. Studded with orange form the carrots, reds and greens from the peppers, and yellow green from the cabbage. Even though I usually crave warming foods this season, this salad was welcome if only for it's beautiful colors. It even tasted of the crispness in the air, if you can image.

It's not very often that I make salads with an Asian inspired dressing, but cabbage seems to beg to be dressed with all things sesame, soy, and vinegar. It comes together pretty quickly once everything has been chopped and if you have a food processor it makes the task of shredding even quicker.

This salad is still great the next day, but it's not quite as pretty because the cabbage begins to soak up lots of the dressing and sort of slumps over. I would however recommend giving it at least 30 minutes to really soak in the dressing before serving if you can.

Asian Cabbage Salad
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics
serves 6-8

4 cups grated savoy or napa cabbage
2 cups peeled and grated carrots (about 2 large carrots)
4-5 fresh green and red chilis (use mild and hot varieties), seeded and minced
1 cup diced shallots
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
roughly chopped peanuts or almonds for topping(optional)

dressing
2 tablespoons vegetable or other neutral oil
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar, or more to taste
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon mirin or dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey or sugar, or to taste
pinch of salt

Place the cabbage, carrots, peppers, shallots, garlic, and cilantro in a large bowl (make sure it's large enough that you can toss everything without spilling everywhere).

In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss thoroughly. Taste and and more salt or vinegar if needed. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:44:00 +0000

A large box, overfilling with sweet, crisp apples, sat in my kitchen for the better part of this month. The first round was picked by Scott and I some time in late September. The second (much larger) round was dropped off by my parents, who were happy to have gotten so many before the deer did. All of this, from only the two trees on my parents property.

Their rosy red imperfect skins and intoxicating sweet floral smell greeted me each morning. I cut them into bite sized pieces and ate them in my oatmeal with cinnamon and maple syrup. Mid-afternoon snacks turned into slices with a smear of peanut butter or a chunk of cheese. I made this Dutch Appletaart again. I put them in salads. I chopped some up and lightly caramelized them to top off a stack of pancakes. But there were just too many to consume. I have no place to properly store this many apples before they start softening and eventually rotting. My solution, homemade applesauce.

Applesauce is nothing new, but it is really easy to make. It does take some time to peel the apples, but it passes faster than you think once your thoughts start to drift and you get into a rhythm. All you need, besides some time, is a good amount of apples, some liquid, a touch of lemon juice and a large pot to cook them in. Some people add in sugar, but choosing a great sweet apple should leave you with enough natural sweetness to not need any extra at all. Another option is to add in a cinnamon stick or two. I like to add a dash of cinnamon in when I eat it, but adding a stick of cinnamon as everything cooks down, infuses it with a cinnamon flavor more so than a strong cinnamon taste.

Another thing about applesauce that many may dispute is the texture. I love it smooth with absolutely no chucks of apple in my sauce. This may be because I disliked cooked chunks of apple (as in apple pie) when I was little. Maybe it's because I grew up eating it smooth and it's sort of a comfort thing now. Either way it's your call on how much you decide to puree it because in the end it all tastes the same.

I used what I believe are Jonathan apples, but any good sweet apple, such as Gala or Fuji, will make some lovely applesauce. You can cut the ingredients below in half if you don't want to make so much. To make more you'll just need to do it in batches, unless you have several large stockpots. I made this batch about 3 times. I've been enjoying it topped with almond ginger granola in the morning and it's like dessert for breakfast!

Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce
makes about 6 pints or 3 quarts

4-5 pounds apples, peeled and cored
1 1/2 cups water (optional fresh pressed apple juice instead of water)
juice of half a lemon

Place the prepared apples into a large stockpot (I was able to fit them all into a 6 qt pot). Pour in the water and juice from the lemon. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. I give the whole batch a good stir after about 20 minutes, so the apples at the top have a chance to soften up as much as the ones on the bottom.

After 30 minutes, the apples should have reduced into the pot by about a third. Let them cool for 5-10 minutes. Depending on how chunky you like your applesauce, you can either just mash everything down with a potato masher or, do as I did, and puree them in batched in your blender to the consistency you want. You could also probably use an immersion blender to do this too.

Pour into clean jars and store in your refrigerator for about a week. You can also can and freeze applesauce very easily to last much longer, just be sure to leave plenty of head room in your jars for expansion.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:02:00 +0000

Before I started this blog (and honestly, before I even knew the exact definition of what a blog was) I never really thought about the power of a complete strangers words. How I could be having a bad day or week, but after reading a post about how someone else sees the world and how they translate it into the exact words I need to hear, could make me feel better. Before the blogging world, most people only conversed about lofty topics with people they knew. Now there is a whole world of an audience and opinions as far and wide. Yet we all find those we connect to. Those who we feel are being their genuine selves and those you know, if it weren't for miles and oceans separating you, would likely be your friends.

This week was a trying one for me, nothing particular happened, it was just a couple days where I didn't feel myself. Like I should be doing more, yet couldn't push past whatever was blocking my mind and body from getting there. I know I'm not the only one who has these days, but I was lucky in that there were several posts this last week from other bloggers that couldn't have come at a better time. Posts about letting others see you for your true self, slowing down in this over-scheduled world we live in, and accepting who you are and not who you are not. All things I practice and feel strongly about, but that I needed to hear again. And hearing it from someone I've never met in person, oddly makes me feel even more hopeful and enlivened about life again.

In a world where there is less and less real life interaction with each other, it feels good knowing that there are others who see this and are also taking the action to consciously slow down and enjoy what is really happening in that very moment around them.

I was reminded that I needed to switch things up a bit. Getting out of routine does wonders for clearing my head and making me feel better. I took a walk and admired the fiery leaves. I baked these chocolate chocolate chip cherry cookies while making Halloween decorations. They were a sweet treat to enjoy after hunting for our pumpkins (on a rainy day in the muddy!) and getting our costumes started.

Intensely chocolaty, slightly crisp on the edges and softer in the middle is how I'd describe these cookies. I love biting through and hitting a chocolate chip or dried cherry for the texture. I'm thinking a small sprinkle of coarse sea salt on top before baking would have made these even more addicting.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies
adapted from Big Fat Cookies
makes 12 large cookies

1 2/3 cups (10 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened (left out for about 30 minutes)
1/4 cup packed Muscovado or brown sugar
1/4 cup natural cane sugar
1 cold egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped

Position oven rack to the middle and preheat oven to 325˚F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

Place in a double broiler, 2/3 cup (4 ounces) chocolate chips. Stir the chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, brown sugar, and cane sugar until smooth and blended, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed. Mix in the melted chocolate until blended. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until blended, about 1 minute. Next add in the flour mixture, mixing just until well incorporated. By hand, mix in the remaining chocolate chips and the dried cherries.

Scoop out about a 1/4 capacity of dough and place it on the prepared baking sheets, making sure to space them about 3 inches apart.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for about 16-18 minutes. The cookies should give slightly when pressed in the center. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking pan before transferring to wire cooling rack to cool completely.Store tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Roasted Veggie, Quinoa, Millet & Arugala Salad

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:29:00 +0000

I love roasting vegetables. It usually starts in the Fall and doesn't end until our wet Spring is over. They just seem to go with every meal this time of year and I can prepare them as simply (salt and pepper) or complex (curry spiced) as I want and they fill me up in that perfect way.

Roasting sweet potatoes and carrots together seems to happen most often. So the other night when our first batch of the season was in the oven, I decide I wanted to jazz it up a bit. I quickly brought a pot of water to a boil with some quinoa and millet, whisked together a simple dressing and washed and dried some arugula.

Aren't those carrots pretty! They're a white variety that ended up in our csa box, but they taste just like the orange ones, so don't feel like you need to hunt them down. The taste of this salad was so satisfying. The slight chewiness from the grains, mixed with perfectly tender, sweet bits of potato and carrot and topped over the spicy arugula all worked as well as I had hoped. The lime was a bit of an unexpected welcome in the dressing, but I'm sure lemon would work too. I think a light hand of crumbled feta or goat cheese would be nice here as well.

The roasted vegetables and grains I think could work well even on there own without the arugula if you'd prefer. I think if I had more limes I would have added an extra slice to each plate for others to squeeze a little extra on if they wished. I love all things tart and vinegary though. Also I kept the skins on my potatoes, it doesn't bother me and it saves peeling time, but they can be peeled if you prefer.

Roasted Veggie, Quinoa, Millet & Arugula Salad
serves 4 generously

for the salad
1 bunch carrots, washed, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 sweet potato, washed and sliced 1/8-inch thick, then halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup millet
1/4 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 bunch arugula, washed and trimmed

for the dressing
juice of half a lime
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat oven to 425˚F.

Place the carrots and sweet potato on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Toss with your hands until everything is well coated, then place in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until just tender, stirring half way through.

In the mean time, rinse and drain the millet an quinoa. Place in a small sauce pan and add the water. Bring everything to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes. Use a fork to fluff up and check for doneness. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a small bowl whisk together the lime juice, balsamic vinegar, and garlic. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking as you go. Stir in the salt and pepper.

Place the veggies and millet/quinoa into a large serving bowl and toss together. Pour in the dressing and toss so everything gets well coated. Serve over arugula with extra lime wedges if you wish.

Meatless Monday with Martha Stewart: Garlicky Green Bean & Tofu Stir Fry

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:13:00 +0000

A good stir fry should be one thing every home cook has up his or her sleeve. Just like pasta, a stir fry full of vegetables and a good source of protein, is quick and easy to make. Add a grain of some sort and you've got yourself a complete meal in a flash.

This weeks post on Whole Living I share my go to Garlicky Green Bean & Tofu Stir-Fry. I'm a huge garlic lover and make this often; subbing in whatever veggies are in season at the time and sometimes even replacing the tofu with beans or tempeh. For the complete recipe, head on over to their blog. What kinds of dishes do you turn to for a quick week night meal?

Spelt Biscuits

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:02:00 +0000

There is nothing better than a hearty, soul warming soup in the fall and through the winter, but as excited as I am about tasting each new batch or being reminded of familiar favorites, sometimes I get just as excited about the bread that will be accompanying it.

I made a big batch of stew for dinner the other night soon after finishing our chickpea noodle soup. Normally I enjoy soups and stews with a nice loaf of crusty bread; sopping up all the last remaining bits with a shaggy torn piece at the end. This time however, I was craving biscuits. Warm from the oven, flaky, buttery, homey biscuits.

Now, these are not your traditional biscuits in any sense, they are made entirely from spelt flour, but they still have that buttery, slightly flaky characteristic I was craving. So they suited me just fine.

This batch made plenty more than we could eat that night and biscuits are always a welcome sight in the morning. I rewarmed them slightly in the oven the next day just to give them that warm from the oven feel again. Then I drizzled mine with some local raw blackberry honey alongside a hot cup of tea, but jam or even just a nob of butter perks them up too. I also may have eaten more then one, but who's counting?

Now that I'm on the topic of breakfast, I'm envisioning serving these alongside scrambled eggs or tofu or maybe making a fried egg sandwich from them as well. Biscuits have so many great uses! Never be afraid to make a double batch, they will always get eaten.

Other than the change from white flour to spelt (you can use light spelt if you prefer too), there is plenty of cold butter mixed in to give the biscuits their flakiness. I used my favorite buttermilk substitute of almond milk and vinegar, but if you have a splash of buttermilk needing to be used up you can use that here too.

Spelt Biscuits
8-10 biscuits

3/4 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 1/2 Cups spelt flour
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the milk and vinegar (alternatively you can use buttermilk), set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using your hands, rub in the butter into the flour mixture until you have roughly little pea size bits.

Stir in the milk mixture with a wooden spoon. You should have a shaggy doughy mess, don't worry if it seems dry at this point. Dump everything out onto a clean surface and knead the dough 10-15 times just until all the flour is worked in.

Flatten the dough out into a 1" thick circle and use a biscuit cutter to make neat rounds of dough. Gather together any remaining dough scraps and repeat until you have 8-10 biscuits cut out. Place them on a baking pan and bake for 18-20 minutes. Serve warm.

Chickpea Noodle Soup

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 00:17:00 +0000

Hot soups were only vaguely on my mind before leaving to D.C. last week. Even though there was an obvious difference in the morning air, the day time temperatures were still reaching the low 70's. By the time I came back however the clouds had settled in, the misty cool air made me reach for a warm cozy sweater and soup was all I could think about.

In fact I've already made several this past week. The day of my return I opened up my first jar of summers tomatoes and made a big pot of tortilla soup. So good with fresh tortilla chips and a subtle reminder that summer was not too long ago. Then I turned to another favorite; lentil soup, which I don't think I will ever tire of, no matter how long our winter decides to be this year.

Last night I decided I wanted something I've never made before. I had chickpeas and spaghetti noodles, carrots and fresh radishes just pulled from the garden, so I settled on the idea of a chickpea noodle soup as a sort of vegetarian riff on chicken noodle soup. The ingredients are so few and usually ones most people stock in their kitchen. The only unfamiliar one may be the white miso. I love adding miso to soups, plus it has many good for you qualities too. The stuff seems to last forever and can really add depth to soups and dips, I encourage you to add it to your diet if you haven't already.

This had to be one of the quickest soups I've ever made. Seriously it takes about as long as it takes to cook the pasta noodles and you're already spooning out yourself a piping hot bowl. Radishes didn't actually go into this soup, but their vibrant green tops did! I love eating my veggies from root to leaf (as long as they're edible). The undersides of radish leaves have little pokeys, much like nettles, although these won't sting, but once you cook them down they go away, you just want to make sure to cut whatever greens you use into manageable sizes to eat.

Chickpea Noodle Soup
serves 4-6

8 cups water or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons white miso
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 large carrots, sliced on the diagonal
12 ounces whole wheat spaghetti noodles, broken in half
4 cups cooked chickpeas or 2-14oz. cans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch dark leafy greens such as kale, chard, or in my case radish top, cut to bite size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Place the water or broth into a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Scoop out about 1 cup of the water into a small bowl and stir in the miso until it's completely dissolved. This just helps make it easier to combine with the soup. Pour the miso and water back into the pot and stir in the salt, garlic powder, sliced carrots, noodles, and chickpeas.

Continue to cook for 8-12 minutes or until your noodles are al dente. Turn off the heat and stir in the leafy greens. They will begin to slowly wilt and cook from the heat of the broth. At this point taste and add more salt if needed.

Serve soup hot with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh ground black pepper.

Almond Ginger Granola with Blueberries

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:42:00 +0000

Do you ever go through food phases? I totally went through a granola phase for awhile. Then all of a sudden one day that ended and I haven't made a single batch of granola for about a year... until now.

It's not that I traded in my tasty homemade batches for convenient store bought versions. I just stopped eating and/or craving it for some reason. Then one beautiful late August weekend we decided to go camping with some friends of ours and they just so happened to bring along a nice large batch of granola. It was beyond delicious and I found myself shoveling handfuls into my mouth and wondering why (and how) I had gone so long without.

Fast forward to last week and I finally managed to get a recipe from my friend, which resulted in me making a large batch of the stuff on Monday, so that I'd have something healthy and delicious to snack on while flying to the east coast. In fact, I'm probably munching on some right now as your reading this and it's good, very good : )

I've made lots of changes to the original recipe and many of the changes are actually ones my friend made too. Substituting the peanut butter and peanuts for almond butter and raw almonds was the main change. I love that the ratio of nuts to oats makes this a great snacking granola, but definitely serve it with yogurt or milk too. I'm bringing it along on the plane, but I'm curious, what kinds of snacks do you travel with?

Almond Ginger Granola with Blueberries
inspired by the kitchn
about 8 cups granola

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 cups whole raw almonds
1/2 cup hulled raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup honey
3/4 cup almond butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup dried blueberries

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, wheat germ, salt, cinnamon, and ginger.

In a small saucepan, warm the honey until very runny. Turn off the heat, stir in the almond butter and vanilla until smooth.

Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture. Pour in the oil, and stir thoroughly until everything gets wet.

Spread the oat mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, stirring twice while baking. Transfer the granola to a large bowl and add the dried blueberries, tossing to combine. Store at room temperature tightly covered.

Simple Chocolate Cake

noreply@blogger.com (jacqui) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:17:00 +0000

I've read more books so far this year, then I feel I have in a long time. When I was younger I used to go through the scholastic reading newsletter that came every month at my school and barely be able to contain myself for the books I would soon receive. When they came, I devoured them. Summer always seemed to involve a long reading list and if I remember right, I had to keep track of each one and the time I spent for credit that would lead to a prize or reward of some kind for my efforts.

These days I feel lucky if I get the chance to read more than a few pages before slowly nodding off to sleep each night. But this Summer I found time, or at least I made the time. The funny thing is that three of the books just so happened to be food memoirs that I finally got to catch up on.

The first was Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, where I instantly wanted a plot of my own land to live off (and which may or may not have given me the canning bug this year). I was inspired to make things like my own cheese and yogurt, so far only the later has happened and with surprisingly good results.

Then I moved on to The Sweet Life In Paris by David Lebovitz. This book had me laughing out loud and even reading sections to my husband, who got a kick out of it as well. Recipes for apple tarte tatin, crepes, brownies that the French went nuts over, and of course a recipe for a perfectly simple, but oh so delicious, chocolate cake, which is what I'm sharing with you today. More on that though in a minute.

My most recent read, was A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg of Orangette. Another one that was hard to put down. When she described even the most simple moments where food was involved, I felt like I was there eating right alongside. She also has a chocolate cake that I want to try next. But what I first enjoyed was a big plate of roasted eggplant ratatouille because I just can't seem to get enough eggplant this year. It was delicious.

So I've been a busy reader this summer, but more than any marks or points I can mark down on my check list, I have good food to eat, share, and enjoy. I think that is better than possibly any of the prizes I received as a little girl and ones I want to keep and share. What have you been reading this Summer? I'd love recommendations!

This is my idea of a perfect chocolate cake. No frosting, a slight direction into the brownie category, rich chocolaty flavor, and simple to make. David mentions that the cake is often made a day or two ahead of time so the flavor has time to develop. Ours lasted exactly into day two and I can say it really was a bit tastier. Odd how that works. The cake puffs up real high when first pulled from the oven, but quickly flattens and sinks down when cooling. I made mine in an 8-inch spring-form pan rather than a 9-inch loaf pan and it made for easy removal.

Chocolate Cake
Adapted from The Sweet Life In Paris by David Lebovitz
serves 8-10

9 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup cane sugar
4 eggs at room temperature, separated
2 tablespoons spelt flour or plain flour
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter an 8-inch spring-form pan or alternatively use a 9-inch loaf pan, buttered and lined with parchment.

Place the chocolate and butter in a double broiler, melt until smooth. Remove from the heat, stir in 1/2 the sugar, the egg yolks, and the flour.

Whisk the egg whites with the salt. Keep whipping until soft droopy peaks form. Whip in the remaining sugar gradually until whites are smooth and hold their shape.

Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Then fold in the remaining whites just until the mixture is smooth and no white streaks remain.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the center feels slightly firm. Don't over bake. Let cool before serving. Keeps for 3 days wrapped or covered and frozen for up to 1 month.