Hello Friends,

I’m so sorry that this post is a few days later than normal.. and also that it is going to be so short. Things have been VERY crazy around here (in a good way mainly) and this feels a bit like the first time I’ve been able to sit down with the computer in days.

Anyhow – to get things off on the right foot – I’m going to start by sharing ‘that’ cookie recipe, which I was talking about all last week. These are the cookies I baked last week, in my fit of homesickness, which turned out to be some of the most delicious I have baked. So NEARLY as good as these, only without the wheat OR the hypoglycemic attack… and yet still totally cookies you can have for dessert. Warmed slightly in the microwave and served with a bowl of vanilla ice cream = heavenly. Although my cookies were not gluten free, on account of having barley, they easily can be made gluten free by substituting rice flour for the barley. I even have a hunch that they could easily be made grain free by using all almond flour instead. These are definitely the cookies of the moment in my mind, and you totally have to try them.

Now – having got that off my chest the other world sweeping internet news that I’ve decided to share today is that I will be taking a brief break from blogging. This is actually something I am in many ways VERY sad about as I love writing, sharing and communicating with you guys (note that I did not add my attempts at food photography to that list of loves…).

However, as I’m not sure I’ve mentioned on this blog before, although I am over in the states for 5 1/2 months Louis can only be over here for a total of three. We are therefore coming up to his last couple of weeeks here and I’m super keen to spend every available moment with him. I’m also really keen to use this time to improve my cooking skills as much as possible and (weirdly) blogging has been a bit counter intuitive to that. I usually end up only wanting to cook things I can photograph, and not wanting to make too many changes to the original recipes etc etc. In the end I feel like Im compromising on both improving my own cooking, and my recipe sharing with you guys to boot. I’d much rather use the next month to perfect a few skills and recipe and then come back when I really have some GREAT stuff to share.

Now, I know that blogs are a dime a dozen and also that peoples interests change BUT if you are still around and fancy joining me again in mid June, you know I’ll love you forever. I will of course still be scouring the internet (ie your blogs) for recipes, fun and inspiration – and will continue to use Instagram obsessively so please join me there. Otherwise I’ll see you in June!

Vegan Oatmeal-Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

9 cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons barley flour – unpacked
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup sucanat
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
2 tablespoons applesauce OR butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup peanut butter (chunky works best!)
1/4 cup dry roasted salted peanuts
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Grind oats to flour in a food processor. Add flour, baking soda and salt and pulse to mix.

Stir oil and both sugars together in a medium bowl, using a wooden spoon. Add applesauce, peanut butter and vanilla. Add flour mixture and stir until blended. Fold in peanuts and chocolate chips.

Using about 2 tablespoons of dough, form dough into balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Flatten with the back of a spoon. Bake until edges are golden brown; for me this took 12 minutes, although it can take up to 15. Cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool completely. Cookies will firm up as they cool.

Nutrition: Calories 198, Protein 5g, Fat 11g, Carbohydrates 21g, Sugars 12g, Fibre 2g.

Nutritional Highlights: Um… taste!!!

1. Pizza in Class

Yesterday in class we made a variety of breads and pizzas (!!!!) and also learned a bit about the history of bread making. Although the first breads were not actually sourdoughs – they were yeast-less flat breads – they were baked just by grinding grains and water and leaving them on rocks to bake. This meant they had what was effectively a yeastless long-proofing period, and the gluten proteins were partly broken down before eating. Many of our problems with both breads – and gluten generally – only really took off after the introduction of instant yeast .. and also the influx of wheat into the American diet.

In addition to spelt pizzas, we also made some gluten free pizzas (shown above!) and some gluten free breads that were surprisingly delicious. However, sourdough will always be my favourite and – until I have a really good starter – I think bread is something I would prefer to have more occasionally and leave to the total professionals. One thing I will say though is that – as summer rolls in – I find I’m craving meats and fats less, and responding to eating more grains better and better. It could well be that in the summer I have more energy anyhow, so the brain fog impacts me less, but I’ve actually noticed myself doing this naturally in years before as well; in the winter I tend to go for lots of roast chicken, potatoes and dried fruit instead of grains – whereas in summer I eat both more lighter dairy (yogurt!) and bread-like things .. and find I actually feel better doing so. Maybe because I do more (read: ANY!) cardio.

In other news; I topped my pizza yesterday with pesto, goats cheese, ricotta, olives, capers, red onions, grilled asparagus … and then fresh basil, mint and balsamic to finish. Best pizza ever!

2. Workout DVD

I had a crazy moment and did this workout DVD on Wednesday before school. The exercises look so easy (do NOT tell me they are so easy) that I thought it would be cinch and really pushed myself to do more and more. As a result I actually made myself ill through over-exertion (I’m not even kidding) and spent Thursday compulsively taking my own temperature and wondering WHO gave me the flu. Laughter was also wildly painful. Anyway I’ve pretty much recovered now, and am all ready to attempt the abs workouts again. They must be doing something right?!

3. Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies

Those cookies that I made on Thursday I’m still loving … even if some of the batch were a little overdone. However, as much as I love them I really, really, really love them warmed for 15 seconds in the microwave. Does anyone else do this with cookies? It makes them taste fresh baked and they are especially amazing with fresh vanilla ice cream. Last night I had a very portion controlled dessert – inspired by Jackie and also my class! – where I had one small cookie and half a single serve tub of vanilla ice cream. SO good!

4. Kale Lunches

On Thursday I had lunch of steamed purple kale, covered in a super vinegarry dressing (apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar and mustard) to offset the bitterness. I topped it with some fresh goats cheese and had a grapefruit for dessert. Seriously it was one of the best lunches I have had in quite a while.

5. Yogurt Breakfast

Speaking of new favourites, my new favourite breakfast has arrived and it doesn’t include either peanut butter OR dried fruit. My new obsession is actually yogurt with strawberries; strawberries are so cheap out here – you can get a whole punnet or organic strawberries for less than $3. I top my bowl with a big handful of toasted almonds, plus a good few tablespoons of flax seeds (given to me by Jackie!).  It’s so delicious, filling and summery tasting.

Normally we get the organic, whole milk greek yogurt from Costco … but I’ve also recently experimented with some local goats yogurts and found I love them too.

What have been your weekly highlights?!

Dessert.

One of my favourite things in life generally and also, as we learned in class this, originally intended to act as a sort of palate cleanser. The point of dessert was never to stuff yourself as a final course .. but rather to give you a slight lift after a larger meal, and also to leave a pleasant taste in your mouth. I love it! My dad in fact was always a big supporter of a little bit of chocolate after dinner; he said it helped clarify to the appetite that meal-time was over.

I am totally a sweet > savoury person and, although it is definitely so much better now I eat good amounts of protein and fat, I kind of feel I always will be. I really have tried, but I’ve also sort of accepted I am just happier with a bit of sweetness after lunch and dinner. If I’m being good it’s fruit or dried fruit (medjool dates! Fuji apples!!), if I’m being ‘sort of good’ it might be wine (after dinner!). Occasionally, I sack off lunch altogether in favour of buttered sourdough and honey … and on Sundays I’ll follow dinner with a big bowl of salted caramel ice cream and a sprinkling of almonds on top. Yummy! In the spirit of totally honest confessions I also don’t always keep my proper desserts for the weekend; like yesterday, I was feeling a bit under the weather and a lot homesick and so I baked some cookies. It was like a hug and an energy boost all at once. It made me happy.

In any case though, when I do eat a proper dessert, I have always tended to be a total big cookie/brownie/ ice cream type of girl. Always choosing desserts with substance! However, after my class yesterday I’m feeling inspired to try out some slightly richer, smaller portion desserts; homemade truffles, little lemon mousses etc. They aren’t things I have ever really craved – let alone made – but I’m now feeling pretty intrigued. We learned how to make pretty healthy versions of such desserts.. and they’d make a change from all the dates at any rate.

This week, we also learned the basis of ensuring your desserts also have some nutritional value – including fruits, spices, cocoa etc (although I’m pretty sure the most essential aspect is always portion control). Some variants we made were DELICIOUS; I especially liked a pistachio and saffron crust that was made by one group, and cardammon infused shortbread, made by another. If you can add some nutritional value, why not!?

I’m definitely intending to try my hand at re-creating – and sharing with you guys! – some of those recipes in the near future. In the meantime, I’m getting back to writing up those cookies from yesterday. Hot gooey, peanut butter and chocolate chunk cookies … they weren’t gluten free, because I used some barley flour, but I’ve definitely read that rice flour works just fine too. They were total ‘dessert’ food – way more traditional (and kind of more yummy) than these cookies, and also just as good as these cookies, (and without any refined flour or sugar). I loved them and Louis declared them to the best cookies I’ve ever baked. I’m loving this whole feeling good about a small daily dessert business.

In other news, tell me YOUR thoughts on dessert! And have a wonderful Friday! 

Two things you need to know about me:

1)I have a problem when it comes to Medjool dates and therefore the keyboard of my computer is always covered in sticky date paste. Gross!

2) I am probably the only person in the world who is actively involved in trying to reduce their soy consumption. Yep – reduce! Every since soy stopped being the darling of the health world – since people decided it probably disrupted hormones, rather than helping them – I’ve been lamenting the loss of my daily soy latte. Don’t get me wrong – I love whole milk too! But seriously, I almost love soy milk more. It’s a bit like my frozen yogurt obsession. Tacky.

Anyhow, although I don’t actually think soy is the devil that so many people do – and if you don’t react well to milk, it’s definitely better to have some soy than to carry on drinking milk regardless – I’ve been trying to cut down. A bi-monthly soy latte (my exciting life) and the occasional Cliff Bar stolen off my husband. Luckily though, there are some soy products that most people believe are better for you than generic soy milk or soy chips … namely tempeh (which is fermented tofu) and sprouted tofu (self explanatory!). I loooove tofu nearly as much as I love soy milk so it’s good to know I still have some less contraversial options left.

This dish is an adaptation of one we learned at Bauman College, and is possibly my new favourite way to have soy based amazingness. Louis and I both loved it.. it’s sort of like a vegan korma, only the tofu absorbs far more flavour than the chicken does, and also has more bite. We still haven’t totally determined how much flavour the braising actually imparts – and we both agree you could probably get away with just marinating the tofu, instead of braising as such. Having said that, if you’re by the stove anyhow, you might as well braise right?!

In other news this dish is best served with brown rice or green veggies, extra lemon and TONNES of chopped cilantro (and hot sauce). As for the topping, toasted coconut flakes were recommended … but we did cashews the second time and preferred it! Enjoy!

* If you recognise the photos from Saturday, yep – they ARE the photos I had previously deemed non-blog worthy. In fact, I still do! But all my best intentions (and anticipation) to cook this dish again were laid to rest by the insanely hot temperatures over the past few days. So, instead of cooking curry, Louis and I went swimming in the lake and came home to eat quesadillas. No regrets!

Coconut Pineapple Seared Tofu

Serves 4

Ingredients

16oz sprouted tofu or tempeh.

2 cups pineapple juice (or can use a mix of pineapple juice and water)

1/4 cup Tamari

2 inch piece of ginger, sliced thinly

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon sweet parika

1 tablespoon butter or ghee

1 red onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 3/4 cups of coconut milk (one regular sized tin)

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/4 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ghee or butter

1 teaspoon fresh lemon

1/2 cup toasted cashews

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Directions

Cut your tofu or tempeh into inch thick triangular pieces. For the sprouted tofu I bought (which came in two slabs, equalling 16 oz in total) this meant cutting each slab into 4 triangles and then cutting those triangles cross ways, so that there were 16 triangles in total. *This is ideal area for the braising.. but it doesn’t actually matter that much. You can basically cut the tofu to the shape you most want to eat/ present it in.

Place the tofu in a pan with the pineapple juice and all the herbs and spices. Bring to a light boil and then reduce to a low simmer so that the tofu braises in the liquid. Whilst the tofu is braising you can make the sauce.

For the sauce, begin my sauteeing the onion in small saucepan (with the butter) until golden. This should take 5 – 7 minutes. Add the garlic and fry lightly for about 1 minute. Add the spices and salt and fry quickly and then add the coconut milk. Bring to a light boil and then turn the heat right down, so you can simmer whilst searing the tofu.

(By now the tofu should have been braising for about ten minutes. If it hasn’t pour yourself some wine and take a little breather. The longer it braises for the better, but any time over ten minutes is good).

Once the tofu is done braising, drain it from the liquid (the liquid can be discarded, or kept if you think you might like to make the dish again in the next few days). Put the tofu on a plate whilst you heat the final tablespoon of ghee or butter over a medium high heat, in a medium saucepan.

Sear the tofu until lightly browned on each side (about a minute or two each side). Once browned turn down the heat and allow the pan to cool a little. Then pour the coconut sauce over the tofu, deglazing the bottom of the pan with the sauce. Bring to a light boil and then turn down, just enough to allow the sauce to thicken slightly. The total time from adding the sauce to the pan and it being ready should be about ten minutes.

Once the sauce is thickened and the tofu cooked through the dish should be served immediately. Squeeze in the lemon and give a final stir. Serve over rice or steamed greens (we used kale). Divide the tofu pieces, spoon over the sauce, garnish with cilantro and toasted cashews. So good!

Nutritional Info: Calories 391, Fat 30g, Protein 13g, Carbohydrate 12g (of which 3g sugar)

Nutritional Highlights: 44% Calcium RDA, 56% Iron RDA

I’m hoping to a regular Monday link up page of articles, recipes, news – you name it! – that I am finding interesting.

Yesterday I was feeling pretty homesick (and needed to make myself feel better through an impromptu date with my Cali bestest). Therefore today’s post is a little late. However, and without further ado, here are some of my favourite links from the past week!

Have sex daily for seven days straight! It’s not really something I feel is wildly appropriate to talk about on a food blog, but I do find the links between good health (both physical and emotional) and sexuality pretty interesting. Read this article and get inspired to try out the strategy for yourself!

Technically it’s a bit late for Cinco De Mayo cocktails.. but tequila is great for celebrating any occasion (with the possible exception of childrens birthday parties). Here are some great tequila cocktail recipes, all collected in one place.

Your movement in every day life is just as important as your cardio at the gym. After reading this article I’m getting inspired to try to jump around more in my every day life, and also to stand on one foot whilst brushing my teeth. (Louis is on the fence about how attractive this behaviour is).

Unusual food pairings. Here is a really cool little piece about some wacky food pairings that are currently getting attention. Despite my love of sweet and salty I’m a little dubious about all of them… except for parmesan and dark chocolate which I would like to try like.. immediately!

Jogging increases lifespan. And it’s good for your brain. And your waistline. No, duh. Now all you have to do is to do it!!

Every week I see so many recipes that I desperately want to try.. and, as I am constantly moaning to Jackie, there is just not enough time to eat all the food I want to eat. However, in line with our current veggie burger obsession, I would have to say these beet, rice and goats cheese burgers top my ‘I want’ list at the moment. Perhaps followed by this lemon mousse. Care to join me?

What’s been interesting you this week?

1. I had SUCH a good recipe all lined up for yesterday. It’s a (slight) adaptation of a recipe we made at school, and it will definitely make the cut to steady rotation meals around here. Unfortunately, no matter how much I play with the photos I can’t make them do justice to the wonderful dish (I wish I’d read Tricia’s sweet husbands exposure tutorial BEFORE I started shooting!). Anyhow, the photo above is a little teaser.. hoping to have some something proper for you guys on Tuesday!

2. In other news my forays into soaking and sprouting are not going as well as I’d hoped. It’s actually a kind of intricate procedure and – having now wasted a few bowls of good quality grains, not to mention a batch of muffins – I’m slightly re-considering. The beans are cinch to soak – and it really doesn’t effect the  texture at all – but grains are kind of another story. Don’t even get me started on nuts -  soaked cashews are not my friend! Anyhow, I’m thinking I’ll return to eating grains maybe a few times per week … and just trying to stick with ones I find more energising (oats, millet and – weirdly – barley!) or ones that someone has done the hard work with, like sprouted bread. Oh, and having them with a good amount of protein of course, to prevent sugar crashes. I love toast and lattes! (Thank you to both Lou and Jennie for pointing out their strategies with regards to eating grains and keeping well energised).

3. On that note, I found this super cool article about staying rational with your food choices. (I also love Staceys article on soaking grains- a big relief for me to read!). Although I don’t identify as strongly with the Christian aspects of the piece, it actually in many ways corresponds with one of my very first blog posts.. and also my recent post for the WEGO health challenge. Eating healthily is SO important … but equally it is not the be all and end all. Eating healthily is about eating whatever keeps you the best energised.. which may or may not correspond with the latest nutritional research regarding fats and carbs and fats etc.

Oh AND there are other factors that are equally as important.. spiritual health, friendships, GENETICS, chance etc. All our lives are half chance.. it’s just the way it is!

4. Lighter note.. it’s Cinco De Mayo! I’m not sure if this is like most other holidays where there are suppoused to be a ton of more selfless and spiritual aspects that I’m just completely failing to engage with. Or whether it’s okay for to just be excited about the Margaritas and the pulled pork tacos? Not to mention Mexican Hot Chocolate. Love, love, love, love.

5. It’s ALSO, starting today, official get-to-hang-out-with-food-bloggy-people week for me.

a) Tonight Louis and I have been lucky enough to be invited to our new friend Simone’s house for a birthday party (on the subject of Cinco De Mayo you should DEFINITELY check out her jicama taco recipe immediately. Grain free days what?!). Simone is also the amazing organiser of a kickstart campaign to get the first certified gluten free shared kitchen up and running in San Fransisco. Do check it out immediately!

b) THEN tomorrow for brunch Louis and I are heading up to Napa to meet – for the first time – Christina - before she moves back Southwards. It’s so brilliant to get to meet people with similar interests, who feel like friends already, through this whole weird blogosphere thing. Makes all those awful photoshoots (see point number 1) worth it.

(Oh and Christiana, if you remember, was also one of the inspirations behind our legendary Margarita Pie fest. Totes ready for another one of those by the way).

c) And what’s happening next Thursday? I get to meet up with Jackie again… and bring along the old ball and chain (AKA Louis Gill). I THINK we might be meeting at this bakery which she sent me a message about eating a peanut butter frosting covered brownie at. ARGH – sounds wonderfully dangerous. I totally can’t wait to see her again too!

6.  This is brilliant. Although Louis pointed it to me, with a bit too much admiration. Does he think I am not a good sharer?

7. Currently I’m: drinking coffee and meal planning for the week (dork alert), heading to the gym (not in the mood but will be worth it), eating a lemon poppyseed muffin at the dog park (weekend!!), chasing my dog around like a weirdo (fun!), eating tacos in Dolores Park, catching up with Simone and meeting her husband (YAY!!) and TRYING to get an earlyish night before tomorrow.

Also surgically disconnecting myself from the computer so I can actually do all this fun stuff. Have a wonderful weekend!

Eeek… do I really have a blog on which I am writing my SECOND Quick Tip post, that involves ways to eat dried fruit…? I am ridiculous.

Medjool dates in particular I am OBSESSED with. Ever since one of my UK Life Team (miss you Angie) introduced me to dates and brazil nuts about six years ago… there has been no turning back. THEN, a few weeks ago, I chanced upon a giant box of Medjool dates (2 lbs!) for $7 in Costco. THEN I found 16 oz (16 oz!!!!) of Sonoma Goats Cheese for $5.99.

Hello dates stuffed with goat cheese for breakfast, lunchtime pudding, dinner pudding… and an afternoon pick me up.

It’s insane because I’m not even a big snacker – but the combination is just too delicious. Try it!!

What’s your favourite snack of the moment?

]]> http://wineandbutter.com/quick-tip-medjool-dates-stuffed-with-goats-cheese/feed/ 11 http://wineandbutter.com/wheat-free-chocolate-chip-cookies/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wheat-free-chocolate-chip-cookies http://wineandbutter.com/wheat-free-chocolate-chip-cookies/#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 00:30:03 +0000 Em http://wineandbutter.com/?p=3640

These are the cookies that I baked for my cousins BBQ last Saturday. And I need to confess straight up that – despite last Thursdays post – there was nothing sprouted or soaked about them.

They were the ones that I had intended to make out of sprouted flour BUT after co-ercing my husband into driving to the health food store (always his favourite destination) in the neighbouring town (I rationalised that sprouted flour was likely to be cheaper in Oakland?! ), realising the neighbouring health food store doesn’t even CARRY sprouted flour, announcing my current health requirements meant we should probably drive back to the health food store a good 45 minutes away, being rather uncompromisingly told ‘NO!’, charmingly asking for this arbitary decision to be reconsidered, and being forcefully reminded that I happily guzzled a double bacon sandwich and iced coffee with maple syrup for breakfast, and could therefore darn well make some cookies with one of the 72 ‘health food’ flours stocked at the health food store we were already parked at … I decided cookies made with oat flour wouldn’t be the worst thing on earth.

I chose oat flour for a number of reasons including

a) oats are gluten free, and would therefore qualify as a healthful adaptation by Bauman College

b) I adore oats, and they are pretty much the only grain I like as much as wheat (I also think they are one of the healthiest grains)

c) I used to be seriously OBSESSED with Nana’s cookies, and they are made from oat flour

I also love this recipe because it uses more whole oats than oat flour (the less refined the grain the better in my mind), and – moreover – because it uses ground nuts to such an extent. I thought the cookies sounded sustaining, and wholesome … a bit like glorified oatmeal, but totally more delicious (because, really, what is heaven if not chocolate chips and cashew nuts?). Oh and also -despite the evidently misleading name of my blog – I hate baking cookies with too much butter because they always spread so much. I was right on ALL counts!

For my cousins, I served these cookies hot from the oven and with vanilla ice cream.  Twas delicious! Now you aren’t going to fool anyone that they’re Tollhouse cookies, but that’s no bad thing. They actually reminded of a homemade chocolate chip nutrigrain bar and they’d be the perfect dessert to take on a hike, or re-fuel with after sports. If you need something more indulgent you should add vanilla ice cream (or possibly chose a richer recipe full stop), but they’re perfect for a non sugar crash afternoon treat. Oh, and I’m definitely certain they would be kid approved.

Confession: Healthwise, I can’t really go promoting cookies for breakfast – but on a personal level I used to LOVE having cookies for breakfast (how do you think I know the taste of Nana’s cookies so well?) – and I definitely enjoyed the leftovers as a Sunday treat the next morning. Paried with an iced latte made with whole raw milk… worse things totally could have happened.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies – adapted from this recipe!

Makes 12

Ingredients

Once again I’m not entirely sure about the assigned WEGO prompt… so I’m ignoring it and sharing this long promised recipe for my new favourite seaweed salad (as if I’ve tried soooo many!).

With two quick disclaimers!

Firstly: Apologies for the appalling picture quality! I had thought I would make this salad again in the immediate future (before posting), but my chicken wing obsessed husband has ‘dragged’ me out for more ‘All American’ meals than I care to mention. Hence my lack of opportunity to re-photo.

Secondly: Although I haven’t actually been eating any of the wings alongside him (and discovered yesterday I don’t actually ribs – what the what?!), one thing I did have on Saturday morning was a bacon sarnie. Organic bacon, sandwiched between sourdough with lashings of mayo, mustard and sweet sweet tomatoes… oh my! Bacon is something I try not to eat a whole lot of, and it had been a while. Anyways, the sandwich was totally wonderful.. but it was also a good wake up call that maybe I have become a bit Bauman-ified lately. Not that there is anything wrong with eating plenty of seaweed and asparagus soup, but I do now realise that maybe comparing dulse to bacon was a bit of a poetic licnese. I’d therefore like to confirm that, even with this amazing salad, it still does taste pretty healthy. Don’t get me wrong – healthy in that amazing Asian way with plenty of ginger and a touch of sweet and salty! It makes a PERFECT accompaniment to salmon and broccoli (Louis licked the plate clean too) .. but maybe have it as one of your ‘on track’ weekday meals, rather than reserving for a Friday night splurge.

Although possibly, from the moment I said seaweed, that was never exactly your intention.

Seaweed ‘Caviar’

Serves 4, as a generous side

Ingredients

1 cup arame (it will increase in size greatly with soaking)

3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons tamari (depending on how salty you like your food, and whether you like tamari. I used about 1 1/2)

2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced

2 shallots, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons grated ginger (keep juice!)

lemon juice to taste

1/2 bunch dill, chopped … to serve.

1/3 cup creme freiche ..  to serve.

Directions:

Soak the seaweed for 30 minutes

Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a pan and saute seaweed over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add enough water to just cover and then add tamari. Bring to a boil and then cook until all the liquid has evaporated. This will take 10 – 15 minutes, depending on how much tamari you used and the strength of your oven.

Once liquid has evaporated you can move seaweed to chopping board and chop finely for a more garnish like feel. We ate it chopped in class, but I didn’t bother when we had it for dinner!

Using the same pan, heat second tablespoon of sesame oil and sautee garlic and shallot over a medium-low heat until translucent. Add to the bowl along with the grated ginger and juice. Add some lemon juice to taste and season if needed (we didn’t!). You can also add more tamari, if you like!

Serve with the creme freiche dill and whatever else you fancy!

It went wonderfully with salmon, but it would also be great on crackers as an appetizer. I think – and don’t think I’m too weird – it would also go fantastically with some sliced red cabbage, peanut butter, and vinegar… wrapped up in lettuce wraps. 

Nutritional Information: Calories 144, Fat 13g (of which saturated 3g), Protein 3g, Carbohydrates 7g (of which sugars 1g). 

Nutritional Highlights: Good source of Vitamin C and Manganese and very high in Selenium and other trace minerals. 

Today’s prompt is to write six sentence story – which sounds like a wonderful prompt, but unfortunately my mind is currently muted by beautifully hot sunshine and probably grain induced brain fog (had some homemade gluten free oat cookies for a yummy weekend breakfast ).

Luckily though, I just read one of my new favourite quotes ever. I found it on a new favourite blog and (as chance would have it) it is six sentences long. Chance is a wondeful thing! Have a great Sunday friends!

‘Have patience with everything that remains unresolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.’ -

Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to A Young Poet

For the month of April, I’m participating in the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge from Wego Health. I will be writing a health-related post per day, based on the HAWMC prompts. Thanks so much for reading!