The Seasonal Plate

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 19:18:00 +0000

I have decided to take a break from blogging for the time being to concentrate on family and enjoying life on the other side of the lens. I plan to keep my recipes and blog up for friends and family.

If you are on a gluten and dairy free diet, I recommend this website and cookbook. They have both been a great resource and help to us especially during the holidays.

Nourishing Meals Cookbook

The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen

Gulf Shrimp Aguachile & Change in the Air!

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:49:00 +0000

I'm happy to announce that there will be some changes happening with The Seasonal Plate over the next few months. First of all, I'm taking a food photography course in Seattle this summer which will give me an opportunity to play with my food and my camera! I hope to use these new skills to take better photos that will highlight the wonderful produce growing around here...well, when it isn't 103 degrees anyway.

The biggest change will happen in September when The Seasonal Plate becomes Austin In Season. I will be highlighting seasonal produce, local farms, activities and events around Austin and The Hill Country with a focus on family and seasonal living.

But, for now, clear your calendar this Friday night and try this Gulf Shrimp Aquachile recipe!

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Mexican food is by far my favorite type of food. Much of it is naturally gluten and dairy free and this dish has to be one of the easiest ones we've made in a while. Peppers, cucumbers and okra are one of the only things growing in this heat and this recipe utilizes both peppers and cucumbers and comes together so quickly that you'll be celebrating Friday with a margarita in no time.

We couldn't believe the amazing flavor of the aguachile when we put this dish together and found ourselves raiding the kitchen for anything that we could add to the remaining sauce to soak it up! Avocados worked quite well and so did tortilla chips.

Serve it up with some sliced avocados, chips (We love El Milagro or Way Better Snacks) and salsa, a quick cucumber salad, or maybe some elote.

***If you have kids at home, leave the peppers out when blending the ingredients and pull a little out for them and then add the peppers for the rest. Our little guy loved this recipe.

Gulf Shrimp Aquachile

Adapted from Dos Caminos Mexican Street Food by Ivy Stark with Joanna Pruess

1 lb. Gulf shrimp, peeled and de-veined then poached or steamed

2 cups fresh squeezed lime juice (we used what we had on had which was a combination of freshly squeezed orange juice, lime juice and Meyer lemon juice)

1 large or 2 small cucumbers, peeled and seeded

1 cayenne pepper with seeds if you like some heat or 4 serrano chiles, seeded (ours came from my parents' garden)

1 chicken or vegetable bouillion cube

1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves (our garden)

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves

1 (500 mg) vitamin C tablet (helps to make the aquachile green)

1 small red onion, thinly sliced for garnish

mint and cilantro leaves for garnish

3-4 radishes, julienned for garnish

1 small cucumber, julienned for garnish (Johnson's Backyard Garden)

1. Steam shrimp for 1-2 minutes or until pink in a sauce pot with a steamer basket. Make sure water does not touch the steamer basket. Steaming the shrimp makes them nice and plump and great with this dish.

2. In a blender, add the citrus juice, cucumbers, peppers, mint and cilantro leaves, vitamin C tablet and boullion cube. Blend on high and strain into a bowl.

3. To plate, stack the shrimp in the middle of a low bowl and add garnish to the top of the shrimp tower. With a spoon, measuring cup or gravy boat, pour the aguachile around the shrimp tower as if to make a moat. Serve immediately.

Now try not to drink the remaining aquachile. You know you want to.

Gringa Tinga

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:35:00 +0000

Gringa Tinga

Adapted from Chicken Tinga Recipe from Tacos by Mark Miller

"Tinga" means "messy or unruly" in Spanish. At times my cooking feels this way, but it usually results in a recipe coming out better than expected. We use what we have on hand and take advantage of the season's offerings.

I took a local spin on this recipe and was so glad that I gave it a try. I love the smoky and sweet flavors and it makes use of all of the great mid-summer produce that can be found at the farmers' markets right now.

We had the opportunity to visit Dewberry Hills Farm this past week. Jane and Terry Levan's chicken farm is located in the rolling hills near Lexington, Texas. As we pulled up the drive, The Levans' dogs greeted us much to our son Clay's enjoyment. Clay quickly became friends with their dogs who apparently flock to their home from around the neighborhood as if they are called to the place where animals are respected and cared for. It is also home to two horses and a mischievous mule.

The farm is 10 acres in size and at first glance seems to be a chicken campground with various chicken tents set up on the grounds with mister systems and fans to make sure the chickens stay cool during the hot summer months. The chickens have their share of water, bugs and native grass before moving to the next location on the farm.

Jane inspects every chicken before it leaves the farm to make sure it is up to her high standards. Chefs from around Austin and the surrounding area are clamouring to get on her waiting list. Her chickens seem to be very popular and for good reason. She believes it is the terrior that gives them their distinct flavor.

She told us that sometimes a fox, owl or bobcat will take one of the chickens, but she understands and feels the land is shared with all of the animals. Just take a moment to read their philosophy and you'll understand their commitment to the animals, land and their rural community.

At the end of our visit, Jane generously sent us home with a pastured hormone-free chicken. (You can pick up Dewberry Hills Farm chicken at restaurants around town, Wheatsville and Sunset Valley Farmers' Market.) We paired ours with fried okra that we bought from a friendly couple selling watermelons, cantaloupe and okra on the side of the road that had been picked in McDade, Texas. Their truck was piled high with straw that cradled the huge striped watermelons. We were eager to try the orange variety.

We roasted the chicken that evening and used the leftovers to make this recipe. You could also marinate fresh chicken and cook it prior to sauteing the peppers and onions.

Gringa Tinga

1 poblano, deseeded & sliced

1 red bell pepper, deseeded & sliced (Johnson's Backyard Garden)

1/2 yellow onion, chopped (5 Mile Farms)

1 large clove garlic, minced

1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped

3 smoked tomatoes (5 Mile Farms), chopped (or rehydrate the ones from Boggy Creek Farm)

1/2 cup fig balsamic vinegar (Texas Olive Ranch)

8-10 fresh oregano leaves (our garden), chopped

2-3 TBSP local honey or brown sugar (We love Goodflow or Round Rock honey)

leftover roasted Dewberry Hills Farm chicken, shredded (whole chickens available at Wheatsville)

salt & pepper

grapeseed or olive oil (Texas Olive Ranch)

1. Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat and drizzle a little olive oil into the pan. Add the poblano and red bell pepper and onion and saute until tender.

2. Add the garlic, chipotle peppers (with a little of the adobo), chicken, smoked tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, oregano and honey or brown sugar and stir until most of the liquid has cooked out (or about 5 minutes). Serve warm.

Dewberry Hills Farm Recipes

Dewberry Hills Farm BBQ Chicken and Grilled Okra and "I Love You Like Peaches" Pie

Chill Out with a Few Healthy Summer Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 18:09:00 +0000

I'm a sucker for a good magazine, especially one that has seasonal recipes! This month's Delicious Living has several seasonal popsicle recipes as well as a way to take advantage of the zucchini and fresh corn you've picked up at the farmers' market.

At home we're making honeydew, cucumber and mint juice, slicing up watermelon, making criolla and trying out some of the tea and popsicle recipes from this month's Delicious Living magazine and mainly just trying to enjoy the slow days of summer.

Delicious Living is available at People's Pharmacy and Natural Grocer around Austin or check out their website that has all of the recipes listed below.

Healthy Frozen Pops **Try the strawberry pop with dairy free cream recipe and use watermelon or cantaloupe instead!

Vegetarian Grilling Recipes

Berry Tart Recipes

Sunshine & Tomatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 18:56:00 +0000

We've been savoring summer by sampling the many flavors of Mom & Pop's Popsicles (available at Wheatsville and People's Pharmacy), dipping our toes in the Frio River, swimming at Deep Eddy and eating simple summer meals. Anything to stay cool.

I can't say I've spent as much time laboring in the kitchen lately, but who needs to when there is such amazing summer produce at the farmers' market and farms around Austin right now. Summer produce is so easy to put together with little to no prep or cooking time.

I'm a lazy summer gardener and have been depending on the hard work of local farmers to fill our plates. Don't forget them in this sometimes unbearable heat and visit a local farmers' market or look for local produce at your grocery store!

If you have a little more free time this summer, make a day or weekend trip to Fredericksburg to pick up some peaches or blackberries. It is worth the trip. Our favorite orchard stands happens to be Vogel Orchards and Marburger Orchards, but you should decide for yourself.

Did you know that there are several peach varieties? Look for freestone peaches in late summer with varieties such as Loring, Dixiland, Ruston Red, Redskin, O'Henry and Flameprince.

Be sure to check our Farmstress Maggie's post, Consider the Peach, on how to choose the perfect peach, peach storing guidelines and great peach recipes.

Have a peach (or tomato) tasting party and let your guests decide! Tomatoes are starting to fade so get them while you still can!

Here's a few ways to make the most of the summer abundance....and to add cooling foods to your body during the heat.

Fennel & Cherry Tomato Tart from Russell James, Raw Food Chef

Watermelon, Mint and Honey Popsicles from Honey Dumplings

Tomatillo Gazpacho with Pickled Cactus from Creative Loafing

Pickled Farmstand-Tomatoes with Jalepeños

Water with Sliced Local Cucumbers (simple and refreshing!)

Pick up a local juicing box from JBG Organic for $25

Open-faced Goodseed Burger with Dai Due Pickles and Mustard, Sliced Local Tomatoes and serve with Dr. Blueberry Organic Blueberries (from North Texas and available at Central Market)

And a final note....would someone local please make some dandelion and chicory root coffee substitute? (I know Johnson's Backyard Garden is growing dandelion...hint. hint.) Dandy Blend is my afternoon treat that is so much like iced coffee without the caffeine and even easier to make. I buy mine from People's Pharmacy. To make put 2 TBSP of Dandy Blend in a mason jar with some cold water, ice and almond milk, honey simple syrup and shake the jar until combined.

Lembas for Breakfast and Brunch

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Sat, 05 May 2012 13:49:00 +0000

Lembas

6701 Burnet Rd
Austin, TX 78757
Tuesday-Friday: 7 am - 11 am
Saturday & Sunday: 8 am - 2 pm

***UPDATE 5/8/12 - The Lembas trailer was damaged and is out of commission for now. Please help support them by ordering online. They would be happy to deliver!
Delivery Menu: http://www.lembasaustin.com/dmenu.pdf

Enjoying a lazy Saturday or Sunday morning by skipping out on doing the dishes and heading somewhere close for breakfast is something that is made more difficult when switching to a gluten and dairy-free diet. Thanks to Lembas, it is easier to get my guys out of bed on the weekends with the promise of coffee, green eggs and ham, homemade gluten-free bread and gluten-free chocolate scones.

Although math has never been my strong suit, let me share a very important equation. Gluten-free chocolate scone = Happy Kid. Happy Kid = Mommy and Daddy get to drink coffee while it is still hot and enjoy a slow Saturday or Sunday morning catching up while our son runs his cars along the picnic table.

I first heard about Lembas, the cute little chartreuse food trailer located on the Burnet Road Farmers' Market grounds, from a few fellow Austin Food Bloggers, ATX Gluten Free and Austin Food Carts. Many of the ingredients are sourced locally including eggs, coffee, honey, pork belly and pecans.

All locally sourced ingredients are listed on their menu board. There are several baked goods to choose from and they will arrive at your table with about the most friendly service you could ask for.

There is plenty of room to lounge with coffee in one hand and scone in the other at one of the shaded picnic tables. If you happen to go on Saturday morning, you can pick up your local produce and from the Burnet Road Farmers' Market from 9 am - 1 pm.

On Saturdays and Sundays they stay open into the early afternoon so that you can enjoy your brunch whenever you'd like and did I mention that it is BYOB?

If you really can't drag yourself out of bed, then host a brunch at your casa instead because Lembas delivers and even has party trays for your hungry crew. Or, maybe you want to treat mom to their Tea Time Treats with mini cookies, cupcakes and brownie bites on her special day.

Lavender Loquat Jelly - Food & Community

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:54:00 +0000

People around Austin are feeling the love for loquats this spring. Those mysterious orange orbs decorating the trees all over Austin are actually edible! A mild winter allowed these winter blooming trees to bear spring fruits in abundance. People are curious about how to enjoy loquats and it seems that everyone is talking about them. At my son's school, recipes were shared over coffee. I sat and chatted with neighbors and farmers over possible jelly flavor combinations using fresh mint from the garden or which sweetener might work best. I read Edible Austin's list of 5 Things to Do with Loquats in their monthly newsletter...loquat cobbler cups or simple syrup, anyone?

Several of our neighbors were kind enough to let us lighten their trees in exchange for the promise of loquat jelly. I called my sister, a Master Gardener in California, to see if she had any ideas on loquat jelly making. She remembered that my stepmom used to make loquat jelly when we were young. When I called my stepmom to see if she had any recipes, she laughed telling me that there were several jars of loquat jelly made with her mother's help at our childhood home. I was just too young to remember. It sounds a lot like a story I remember of making too many sugar cookies with her sister at Christmas one year...

When I told Clay that we could pick the loquats in the neighborhood, he was almost halfway out the door ready to harvest before I could finish my sentence. Harvesting is, after all, one of his favorite things to do in spring. He wanders our backyard garden each morning in search of anything ready to pick. Many times over the last few weeks he has come into the house beaming saying, "I love spring!".

So, we headed over and filled up our berry picking box with tart, not-quite-ripe loquats and headed home to make our first batch of jelly. The taste of a loquat is almost that of a sour lemon when it isn't completely ripe, so when mixed with honey in a jam it has sort of a lemonade jelly sort of flavor.

Clay with his kid-safe knife, helped to slice the loquats in half, remove the stems and seeds before simmering in the pot, a task he later told me was SO MUCH FUN! I just enjoyed making something special with him by my side and having him experience making something delicious out of a fruit that might have gone unnoticed.

I suggest spreading some loquat jelly on Elana's Gluten and Dairy-Free Biscuits. We made ours with honey instead of agave and you could use lavender or orange blossom honey as well. Or, try some loquat jelly into your favorite yogurt or dairy-free yogurt. The honey gives it a very spreadable texture.

Lavender Loquat Jelly
Yields 6 Pint Jars of Jelly

One large bowl of rinsed loquats (you can use any extra juice for other recipes or drink over ice) - you will want 4 cups of loquat juice for this recipe ***Look for ripe golden orange loquats without bruising or damage if possible. If you prefer tart loquats, pick them when they are a yellowish-orange color.

4 teaspoons Pomona's Pectin, a 100% pure citrus pectin (available at Wheatsville)

4 teaspoons calcium water (included in Pomona's Pectin box. Mix 1/2 teaspoon calcium powder with 1/2 cup water in a small, clear jar and store in fridge)

1/2 -1 cup of local honey depending on desired sweetness, we love Goodflow Wildflower Honey, Round Rock Honey or Imagine Lavender Honey or infuse with culinary lavender wrapped in cheesecloth and tied with butcher's twine before you boil the juice

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

water

Begin by preparing your kitchen so that you can move seamlessly through the process. You can also start the loquats simmering and spend that time preparing everything else for the jelly making! You will want an uninterrupted 30 minutes of time once you start the jelly making.

6 pint size mason jars or 12 half pint mason jars (make sure they are new lids or use the Tattler reusable lids available at Wheatsville)

one large pot for sterilizing jars, rings and lids

one large pot for simmering halved loquats and water to make juice

one heavy bottomed pot for making jelly

jelly strainer for the juice set over a large bowl (as shown in photo)

ladle

small bowl for combining pectin & honey

jar lifting tongs for lifting hot jars out of pot

tongs for squeezing loquats in the jelly strainer

clean rubber gloves

one jelly roll sheet or cake pan for finished jelly jars to make them easy to move

non-slip cutting board and knife for halving loquats

bowl for seeds and stems

measuring cups and spoons

2 clean handtowels, one for wiping lids and rings for jars and the other for wiping the jar lids

skimming tool or bamboo skimmer/spider in case you have bubbles in your jars before sealing them

1. Wash your hands. Fill the large pot 3/4 full with water, then put the clean mason jars, lids and rings in the large pot. Make sure they are completely submerged in the water. Bring the water to a boil and make sure the water stays hot until you are ready to fill the jars with jelly. Prepare the calcium water needed for the Pomona's Pectin by combining 1/2 teaspoon calcium powder with 1/2 cup of filtered water in a small, clear jar. Follow the directions in the Pomona's Pectin box for storing the calcium water. Set aside.

2. Begin by taking your bowl of loquats and cutting them in half lengthwise and removing the seeds and stems and any bruised portions. Collect the halved and seeded loquats in a bowl. Put the seeds and stems in another bowl to compost (or plant!).

3. In a large pot, add the loquats and enough water to cover them. Turn the pot on high heat until the water boils, then turn down to a simmer and let them simmer until the liquid reduces by about half. It could take an hour or so. You can also use a potato masher to get more of the juice out once they are soft, just push gently so that the hot juice doesn't burn you.

4. Make sure your jelly strainer is placed securely on a bowl. Using your ladle, ladle a small amount of loquats and juice at a time into the jelly strainer and with your rubber gloves on, use your tongs to squeeze the liquid out of the strainer into the bowl below, careful to do this gently so that you do not burn yourself. Repeat until you have squeezed out all of the juice possible. You will need about 8 cups of the loquat and juice mixture from the pot to yield 4 cups of loquat juice. Once you have measured out 4 cups of loquat juice, set the bowl aside.

5. With your rubber gloves on, use the jar lifter tongs to safely remove the jars, lids and rings from the boiling water, being sure to pour any water in the jars out before filling. Set your clean, sterilized jars and rings on a jelly roll pan or cake pan. Make sure everything is ready to go so that you are ready to ladle the jelly into the jars when the jelly is ready.

6. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 -1 cup of honey (depending on desired sweetness and the sweetness of the loquats) with 4 teaspoons Pomona's Pectin and set aside.

7. Ladle 4 cups of loquat juice and 1/4 cup of lemon juice into the small heavy bottomed pot. (If you would like, infuse the culinary lavender bag at this point for 15 minutes and then remove). Add the honey and pectin mixture and stir rapidly as the mixture comes to a boil. Allow it to boil 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat. Skim off any bubbles or foam that appear at the top.

8. Using the ladle, fill each jar leaving 1/4" headspace at the top of the jar. Wipe rims clean and screw on the two piece lids. Using the jar lifter tongs, carefully place jars in the boiling water for no longer than 10 minutes. After that point the pectin starts to break down. Make sure the jars are completely submerged in the water.

9. The pectin starts to gel when it cools. Set on a counter for 2 hours then place in fridge for 24 hours before enjoying. You'll hear the "ping" of the jars sealing within about 10 minutes of taking them out of the water bath and the lids should be sucked down in the middle if they have a good seal.

***Because this recipe uses honey instead of sugar, the Pomona's Pectin instructions dictate that it lasts up to one year unopened, although the flavor and color may start to decrease after 6 months. Enjoy within 3 weeks of opening and store in fridge.

Check out some other great ways to use your loquats at Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking

Crisco, Pickles & Sage - Food & Family - Part I

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 20:25:00 +0000

My paternal grandmother, who we affectionately called "Tutu", the Hawaiian name for grandmother (or "kuku wahine") after a trip to Hawaii, was a collector of cookbooks and recipes torn from the pages of Southern Living that can be found tucked into her many cookbooks. Some of her cookbooks grace our shelves alongside our own growing cookbook collection. Her cookbooks have been passed down to me along with her favorite recipes for family favorites like Texas Sheet Cake, pecan and pumpkin pies nestled in Crisco-laden pie shells (a common ingredient in many of her baked goods), cornbread made in a cast iron skillet and a recipe for sweet & hot pickles that is now made for friends and family at Christmas. It is the sweet & hot pickle recipe that is asked for time and time again. Her pastry board sits on our kitchen counter and is often used as the backdrop for my photos of the meals we've prepared.

These reminders of food and family keep me inspired in the kitchen and bring back warm childhood memories. I love to think about laughing with my cousins at the kids' table which happened to be within arms reach of the row of pies that my grandmother prepared at their Hill Country ranch. I can't pick a leaf of sage without thinking of my grandmother's stuffing at Thanksgiving.

Food has always been a part of our family and you can find most of us in our kitchens a good part of the day. My sister and I have also found a love for gardening which means we might be found in our garden as well. Most of our gatherings growing up centered around what we would eat and how it was prepared. Our family members tend to be the ones hosting the parties and dinners rather than just attending them.

Although my maternal grandmother had stopped cooking very much by the time I was born, my mom told me that she was known for her brandied fruit, boiled beef tongue with cream sauce, green peas and diced carrots and peanut brittle that she would pour and let cool on a buttered white tile kitchen counter and whole wheat bread that my mom loved. I never had a chance to meet my grandfather, but I have heart stories about him making sauerkraut in a large, round ceramic jug in their family home utility room that according to my mom would "stink to high heaven".

There have been many food traditions over the years, like having chicken spaghetti, a recipe passed down from my maternal grandmother, on Christmas Eve or black eyed peas on New Year's Day. We all loved fried okra sprinkled with salt or a nice cold glass of sweet tea on a hot summer's day. Our Christmas table usually included my grandmother's more traditional Southern recipes alongside a few Tex-Mex favorites like tamales, guacamole and salsa.

After my grandparents passed, the holiday meals continued to be the same as my parents and my aunt, siblings and cousins followed the same recipes. Over time, however, our diets have changed, we've made healthier additions or changed recipes a bit to fit our own personal tastes. My sister continued the Tex-Mex tradition and created Mexi-mas, an annual party near Christmas where posole and a lucha libre piñata have been known make an appearance.

To preserve some of these family recipes, I made a family cookbook several years ago to preserve our family recipes. After finding the Heritage Cookbook, Lulu Cookbook, Zazzle Cookbook Binders, Cookbook People, Heirloom Cookbook sites, it makes me want to compile a more comprehensive recipe book combining both sides of our family for our son, Clay. What a wonderful piece of history to pass down to your kids!

When I was looking through the memoirs of my husband's grandfather, I found a little story that reminded me of the importance of recording the oral history of past generations.

"We had to save and live on what we had. There were no jobs for money. So we had to grow a garden, had cows for milk, chickens for eggs, or corn for meals. If we did not have syrup we would have honey. After I got old enough to take care of beehives, I had plenty of honey.

We carried our lunch every day. Sometimes we did not have too much to build a lunch from. I would carry my lunch in a bucket. Back then we would have a syrup bucket. We had syrup in a one gallon can and after we would empty the can, we would use it to carry our lunch for school. I would put some butter in a small glass and add some syrup and biscuits with bacon and egg inside of the biscuit. That was my lunch."

Texas has a rich and complex food heritage and it is important that we preserve this tradition through oral history, community cookbooks and sharing of family recipes and teaching our children where their food comes from and the history behind it.

At this year's Foodways Texas Symposium at The Blanton at UT, Texas Preserved was the theme and speakers at the Symposium ranged from farmers, shrimpers, photographers, environmentalists, restaurant and bar owners, history professors and food writers. The amount of food knowledge in the room was astounding and the love for Texas food culture and Southern cooking was shared. All of the speakers shared their version of how we should preserve and support the unique food culture in Texas.

As was pointed out by MM Pack, the local food movement is not new to Texas or to the Austin area. In the early 1910s, housewives formed canning community centers and canning clubs to preserve the harvest in rural and urban areas. Housewives used to ask their local grocer to stock specific butters or jams from local farms.

The same is true today. We search out our favorite farmers to find the perfect sunny egg yolk or sweet strawberry. This renaissance of sorts in the local food movement is making canning cool again. I thought I might brush up on a few tips on canning and took notes while Stephanie McKlenny, of Confituras, led a canning demonstration at the Symposium and MM Pack led a discussion on native fruits.

At my parents' house, the twisting vines that will soon be heavy with mustang grapes and then simmered and jarred for mustang grape jelly have inspired me to search out other Texas native fruits to make into jam and marmalade. I hope to search out recipes to preserve the local fruit harvest this spring and summer and will share my adventures along the way.

At the symposium I also had a chance to chat briefly with Hoover Alexander who feels the same way about helping kids understand where their food comes from and the rich food heritage of Texas. He said it was part of the reason that Soular Food was born. As he explained it, he wanted to create not only a place that celebrates local food, but creates a meeting place for storytelling. A way to bring in the new generations and remind them of the value of knowing where their food comes from, the history of the food and the importance of sharing stories and experiences. He said something that caught my attention. He said is doesn't have to be all or nothing. It can be easy to get caught up in creating a perfect diet, but it really is about coming together over something that will nourish the body and soul.

We stopped by Hoover's Soular Food trailer and shared the rawBella platter, pork loin 'cue and some amazing sweet potato and pecan vegan ice cream from Thai Fresh for dessert. I loved sitting under the trees and colorful strings of lights just soaking up the sunshine with my family. It was a great way to spend a Saturday.

In the next few weeks I'll be highlighting some of the information presented at the symposium along with some of the food movements and events that are happening around Central Austin right now as well as some personal stories about food and family. I hope you'll share some of your family food traditions as well.

Please share your own family memories or Texas food history tidbits in the comments section below.

Karen Morgan, of Blackbird Bakery in Austin, is producing a community cookbook to recreate gluten-free family favorites. If you are interested in submitting a family recipe that would be converted to a gluten-free one, contact Blackbird Bakery.

Bring Spring to the Table (Alley Flowers Optional)

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:36:00 +0000

Wildflowers are lining backroads and highways and the pecans are starting to show their leaves. It is time for spring, although I'm not sure we ever got a glimpse of winter. The rains should make the wildflower show a good one this year and I can tell by email inbox that spring has truly arrived. Gardening events, preserving classes and outdoor potlucks are filling up our calendar quickly. If only there was more time in a day.

I've been busy in the garden with the abundance that the rain and early spring has brought us and our table has been filled with veggies and fruit from our own garden and local farmers. It seems so easy these days to just start with a bed of lettuce and pop in a few things from the garden.

Clay has been busy collecting flowers from our alley and his little garden to decorate the table. I'm amazed at the beauty of the simple blossoms on our apple tree and the bees that circle our meyer lemon tree, that is no doubt fooled into thinking we've moved to California. Usually our lemon tree produces lemons in November and December then drops its leaves to rest until spring when we see bright white blooms. This year, however, we were able to pick fresh lemons until February, have small lemons and new blossoms. I was even able to make a little Vanilla Meyer Lemon Syrup.

Try this Vanilla Meyer Lemon Syrup Recipe from Cooking Light (replace sugar with local honey and add vanilla bean - omit whipped cream and use cashew creme or rice whip if you are dairy free). Or, try this recipe for Raw Meyer Lemon Vanilla Bean Cheesecake or Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking's Meyer Limoncello.

Our recent trip to Fredericksburg reminded us of how breathtaking the Hill Country can be during the spring. Row after row of little pink peach blossoms lining the fields eager to produce sweet peaches. Is there anything better than stopping at a roadside stand to pick up a box of warm peaches in the summer?

Before the heat arrives along with the mosquitoes, get outside, visit your local farmers' market and attend one of the many great events happening around Austin.

Slow Money Potluck

Slow Money Austin & 5 Mile Farms is having a potluck on Tuesday, March 27th from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. at 5213 Jim Hogg. Please bring your own dish and label local ingredients.

Slow Money Film Series

Markley Farms U-Pick Strawberries

Be sure to visit Markley Farms to pick your own strawberries. Call first to find out availability. Our strawberries and my new raspberry bush and last year's blackberry bush are looking promising, so we hope to have some of our our berry harvest very soon!

Try one of these recipes with your harvest.
Lemon Balm Infused Berries
Strawberry and Raspberry Fool (first photo on my blog post)

Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking - Canning and Preserving Classes

I love her tips on great things to do with the last few weeks of citrus season!

March 25 Austin, TX: Hip Girl's Guide to Spring Preserves. 5-7:30pm, Central Market

March 29 Austin, TX: Beets and Sweet Pickling Class with JBG Organics 6-8pm, Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts

April 29 Wells Branch, TX: Fridge Pickling and Beginning Fermentation Workshop 1-3:30pm, Wells Branch Community Library

Register for classes at the Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking Site

Farm to Plate

May 10, 2012

25 top chefs prepare a lovely, local meal at the beautiful and historic Barr Mansion. Benefits the Sustainable Food Center of Austin.

Be sure to check the site bar on my blog for more upcoming events this spring and summer. If you know of one I've missed, please leave a comment below.

2012 Raw Food Guide for Austin, Texas

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 02:20:00 +0000

2012 RAW FOOD GUIDE

Austin, Texas

Whether you are a serious raw foodie looking for new places to dine, an at home raw cook packing a picnic lunch for a concert in this fabulous Austin weather or just looking for something healthy before taking on SXSW, there are plenty of raw food options in Austin if you know where to look.

My favorite way to prepare raw food is to shop at the local farmers' markets for fresh produce and then flip through my collection of raw food cookbooks for a little inspiration, but every once in awhile I like to treat myself or our family to a raw food lunch or dinner...and a little dessert...at a local raw food cafe.

Look for the entire 2012 Austin City Guide put together by the Austin Food Bloggers Alliance in mid-March which will feature favorite eats and drinks around Austin.

EAT

Beets Cafe
1611 W. 5th St., Suite 165
Austin, TX

Open Monday-Thursday 9 AM - 9 PM

Friday and Saturday 10 AM- 10 PM

10% off with GoLocal card
Download their Menu

Just like your favorite neighborhood diner, Beets Cafe is clean, friendly and full of light. What sets it apart is its commitment to raw food and supporting local farms. Beets Cafe sources their produce using Farm to Table, a resource for restaurants looking to include local produce on their menus. Currently, Beets Cafe is using locally grown radishes, beets, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage and more in their raw dishes. Just check out the green sign near the cashier's counter for an up to date list. They also have a great selection of raw products for making meals at home as well.

Asian Style Noodle Salad from Beets Cafe

No wonder this one's a customer favorite. It is a perfect combination of creaminess and crunch. The Asian Style Noodle Salad is made from napa, red and green cabbages, kelp noodles, sea vegetables, pickled daikon radish, bok choy, broccoli, carrot, scallions, cilantro and tossed with Sweet n' Spicy Miso Dressing, garnish with gomasio.

Just-A-Good Burger

Just as it says on the menu, this burger is a perfect balance of texture and flavor. It's made with carrot, beets, sprouted sunflower seeds, celery, onion, parsley, flax, olive oil, crystal salt, spices and served open-face (or as pictured with sprouted almond sunflower flatbread for $1.95). It is pilled high with romaine leaves, high-vibe sprouts, tomato slices, mayo and mustard. Served with veggie chips and kraut.

Raw Reuben
This is one of my personal favorites. I can't turn down a good reuben and I was happy to see that I could have one again! This reuben is made with sunflower flatbread layered with raw 1000 island dressing, kraut, marinated portabella mushrooms, caramelized onions, aand Swiss cashew cheeze. Served with beets salad and veggie chips.

Taco Plate
An entry in the Mayor's Fitness Council Challenge, these three crispy corn taco shells are filled with a veggie ground meat, topped with shredded lettuce, salsa and drizzled with cashew nacho cheeze. Served with “sunflower beanz” and a choice of side salad. No reason to miss out on some really great Tex-Mex even if you're eating raw.

Don't forget the brazil nut milk lemon cheesecake. Trust me.

DRINK

Daily Juice in Hyde Park or Downtown - They have an amazing choice of fresh juices and smoothies and are stocked with really great raw snacks and treats. Go for a green drink from their extensive juice menu. Try one of my favorites, the Cool Hand Cuke or Pineapple Popeye. Most of their menu is gluten and dairy free or can be made so with raw bread and vegan cheese. My husband and son are wild about their raw nachos and Texicali tacos.

ELT - Love this one! The eggplant "bacon" on this is a thing of beauty. It actually fools me into thinking I'm having a BLT every time.

Bella Bello - Marinated portabella mushrooms with sesame seeds on raw bread - Delicious!

Good Seed Burgers - Austin based gluten and dairy free burgers served on a gluten-free bun. It's not raw, but I highly recommend it!

Austin Raw Treats - Made in Austin and some with local ingredients like Texas citrus. Try the Mexican Cacao, Strawberry Coconut or Baklava or any of their amazing flavors. Grab one of these babies with your meal.

Juicebox
Juicebox offers some really great options for juice in South Austin. Check out their takeaway menu. I think the Jalepiña is calling my name, so I may need to try that one.

Juiceland

Photo courtesy of Juiceland

The funky decor at Juiceland is very much Austin eclectic. We picked up a raw lunch to go there recently and loved every bite. At the juice bar, my son chose a Rosie Cheek juice with watermelon and raspberry juice. The Cold Shower with cucumber, mint, watermelon, parsley, lime and salt looks amazing. I imagine we'll be regulars there this summer after taking a swim a Deep Eddy. Two locations on Barton Springs Road and Lake Austin Boulevard.

SNAP Kitchen

At Snap's Triangle location they feature a fantastic salad bar with a variety of raw add-ins including local kale from Oak Hill Farms in Poteet and organic kale from Martinez Farms in Pleasanton. If you're in a hurry, grab one of the pre-packed kale salads or fruit salads.

In their drink case you'll find four raw varieties of cold-pressed juices, including the Carrot Ginger Elixir, Antioxidant Juice (spicy apple carrot beet juice), Energy Boost (watermelon mint papaya juice) and Super Greens (spinach kale and romaine). I love them all, but especially the Carrot Ginger and Antioxidant Juice! Two locations in Austin - Flagship location at 4616 Triangle Ave. at The Triangle

ENJOY...like an Austinite

Wheatsville Co-op

If you're like me and you have a hard time finding raw snacks or meals when you are on the go or at festivals, pack a picnic and pick up some great local, raw snacks at you local farmers' market or our favorite neighborhood grocery store, Wheatsville Co-op!

A run down on all things local and raw from Adrienne Beall, Grocery Buyer from Wheatsville...

Thunderbird Energetica Bars are a customer favorite (and they’ll be on sale 2/$4, reg $2.49, during SXSW as well!) My very favorite is the cherry walnut crunch. The bars are vegan, raw and hand molded. The wrapper is compostable.

Sirius Chocolate is vegan and raw and very fine. Our customers love it.

New Earth Superconscious Superfoods has a variety of raw snack foods- from Chocolate Goddess Clusters to Banana Walnut Bites to Chipotle Chia Crackers, there is something for every raw food lover. Better descriptions of their foods can be found here.

Bearded Brothers are another local, vegan and raw line of bars that we are proud to carry.

The Bodacious Blueberry Vanilla is our best seller:

Then there is the wildly popular Buddha’s Brew, kombucha made right here in Austin. We have all of their flavors in 16 oz bottles, which will be on sale for 2/$5 during SXSW (reg $3.19). Kombucha is great for hangovers.

There is also Dallas based Hail Merry. We carry their delicious little tarts and macaroons.

You can also find veggies and fruit from local farms, like Johnson's Backyard Garden, in the produce department. Just look around the store for the signs that say local and their distance from Wheatsville.

Wheatsville, an Austin original, celebrates their 36th birthday this year!

Other raw food finds around Austin

Wunder-Pilz Kombucha - available on tap at HOPE Farmers' Market on Sundays or SFC Austin Farmers' Market on Wednesdays. We love the Heart flavor.

HOPE Farmers' Market or Austin Farmers' Market - Besides the amazing in season produce offered by the farmers and vendors (carrots, oranges, radishes, kale for kale chips, etc.), pick up some raw treats created by local vendors like Open Heart Foods. I love her Fabulous Flax Crackers and Super Fudge Chunks!

People's Pharmacy - Several locations in Austin and a great place to find raw snacks and smoothies.

LEARN

Beet's Chef, Sylvia Heisey is hosting a Raw Food Basics class that will cover how to make:

Almond Milk
Creamy Zucchini Soup

Raw dessert case at Beets Cafe

Mediterranean Kale Salad
Not Tune Pate
Zucchini Noodles Marinara
Chocolate Mousse

Class will be held at
Beets Cafe
1611 W. 5th Street, Suite 165
Saturday, March 17, 2012
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Register online or at Beets Cafe

Don't forget Cleanse ATX is coming up on March 20-31. Become a member here.

Sea Veggies for Your Heart & Immune System - A Local Approach

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:53:00 +0000

Clay is a pretty adventurous eater for 4. I knew that placing kelp noodles on his plate could possibly be pushing the envelope, but to my surprise he LOVED them. He ate the whole bowl of them. He even wanted them for a snack. Maybe it is the novelty of eating clear "glass" noodles or the crunch that you don't expect when biting into them.

Either way, they were back on the menu this week and I wanted to pair them with mostly local ingredients. Around our house we find that putting individual ingredients out on plates or in bowls allows everyone to create their own version of the meal and less stress at meal time.

Sea veggies (or seaweed) are great for your heart, your thyroid and your immune system. Even your hair is supposed to get thicker and stronger. So, freak out your husband, your kids or your friends with these eerily translucent noodles and know that they are getting some really great health benefits from eating them.

Read more about local company Austin Sea Veggies in an article by Megan Meyers and a second one by Addie Broyles.

Austin Sea Veggie & Kelp Noodle Salad

We started with a salad base, then placed the honey mustard kelp noodles on top and loaded on the other toppings depending on our personal preferences.

Ingredients

One bowl of kelp noodles tossed with a dressing of Goodflow honey, coconut vinegar or apple cider vinegar (Love Creek Orchards), mustard, sunflower oil and a pinch of Celtic sea salt (use 1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil). Kelp noodles do not need to be cooked. Just take them out of the package, rinse and mix with a dressing of your choice. We purchased ours from the refrigerated section at Wheatsville near the tofu.

salad base made from sliced broccoli greens or kale (our garden and 5 Mile Farms), carrot slivers (Johnson's Backyard Garden) and golden beets (5 mile Farms)

Optional toppings

ogo nori from Austin Sea Veggies (available at Wheatsville)

French Breakfast radishes (straight from our garden) sliced thinly

Romanesco cauliflower (great selection of veggies from Johnson's Backyard Garden available at Wheatsville right now) tossed with coconut vinegar, Bragg's Seasoning or Wildly Natural One seasoning and sunflower or sesame oil and sesame seeds

local sprouts (Winfield Farms at Austin Farmer's Market)

dulse flakes for sprinkling on top (Wheatsville)

cilantro or parsley (our garden)

coarsely chopped almonds

If you feel like going out for dinner, try the Asian Noodle Salad at Beets Cafe!

Or try some recipes from Austin Sea Veggies!

EASY Kale & Citrus Salad - 2 Ways

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:17:00 +0000

I won't lie. I've eaten this salad for lunch 3 times this week.

The best part is that it is so easy, uses local and seasonal produce you can feel good about. Not to mention kale is high in beta carotene, vitamin K & C, calcium, carotenoids and when chopped and prepared raw, has cell repairing and anti-cancer properties.

I'm having lots of fun trying out new raw recipes and incorporating all of the great produce I'm getting from our garden, 5-Mile Farms and Farmhouse Delivery. I've also been inspired to try some new recipes I found on the Raw on $10 a Day blog. I can't wait to share some of my takes on inexpensive takes on raw recipes using local produce.

EASY Kale & Citrus Salad - 2 Ways

Adapated from "Simply Splendid Kale Salad" from Going Raw by Judita Wignall

Salad Base
(enough for 2-3 small salads or one really filling lunch)
1 bunch of flat or curly kale, stems removed (our garden & 5-Mile Farms CSA box)
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
2 TBSP Meyer Lemon (our garden or G & S Groves) or organic lime

Topping Combinations
Pine Nut & Cranberry
*use lemon with this recipe
1/2 cup organic pine nuts
1/2 cup organic dried cranberries or raisins
1 TBSP Texas Hill Country Olive Oil (olives are farmed using organic methods) - available at People's Pharmacy
1 TBSP flax oil
freshly ground black pepper

Avocado & Pepita
*use lime with this recipe
1 cup sprouted pumpkin seeds
sliced avocados (G & S Groves through Farmhouse)
1 TBSP avocado oil mix with 1 tsp cumin
sliced carrots (Johnson's Backyard Garden)
broccoli florets ( 5-Mile Farms CSA )

1. Clean the kale, remove the stems and then chiffonade the leaves.
2. Place the kale in a bowl with the lemon juice and sea salt and massage it into the leaves until they are softened.
3. Add the toppings and divide into bowls for serving.

Salad will keep for 3 days in the fridge, but I never have any leftover:)

Farmers' Market Finds for January & Ranch Kale Chips (gluten and dairy free)

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:35:00 +0000

It was a Wednesday in January of last year when we made our way to the Farmers' Market at the Triangle. We weren't headed to the market in search of anything in particular, but felt the need to support the farmers on a bitterly cold day. There were few farmers there that day, but you couldn't miss the bright red strawberries front and center at the Markley Farms tent. He presented his strawberries with the face of a proud papa and we were not disappointed. Clay took one bite and a smile instantly appeared on his face. I'm pretty sure he finished the pint and we gladly went back for more.

This year we weren't going to miss out. We got to the market early and bought a whole flat of sweet winter strawberries. We're freezing them for our morning smoothies and we'll be putting them in our oatmeal, chia porridge with homemade almond milk and making raw strawberry oat bars and muffins all winter long. We saved plenty for snacking on and making desserts...for now that is. Clay may have other plans.

We had the chance to visit Markley Farms last year in April and were amazed by their setup. Try this gluten-free Hot Chocolate Shortbread recipe and serve with your fresh strawberries.

Also at the markets right now are some amazing cauliflower heads in green, white, purple and orange. The purple, of course, is my favorite, but we used a green head to make this cauliflower soup. Mix in some raw cashew sour cream, sprouted pepitas, some coarse grey Celtic sea salt and Damas Ofertas Salsa and you've got a really quick, local (and a bit native) lunch.

Lately, my favorite market has been HOPE Farmers' Market. I love the slow Sunday feel and the smaller vendor tents. The music is always great and they've got picnic tables where you can sit and enjoy a Gardener's Feast spinach and caramelized onion tamale from or even a pint of Wunder-Pilz kombucha.

We picked up some Windy Hill Farms Kimchi and Provence seasoning that we we're pretty excited about and even scored some Death to False mustard in our Salt & Time Butcher's Box this month.

Although I didn't find these at the farmers' market, we stopped in at the Peach Basket on the way to Leakey and found these organic sun dried tomatoes from Lester Farms in the bulk section. It is always great to support a local, organic farm, especially when you are on the road.

Now that our fridge and pantry are full...it's time to start cooking! I can't wait to share all of the new raw recipes I'm trying as well as some new local and healthy twists on traditional comfort food.

Ranch Kale Chips (Gluten and Dairy Free)
Recipe Adapted from Ranch Dressing/Dip on The Sunny Raw Kitchen

one bunch kale, washed and dried (Farmhouse Delivery)

1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes (bulk section at Wheatsville)

1 1/2 cups cashews (soak for 1 hour prior to making dip)

3 pitted dates (soak for 1 hour) - pick up some fresh dates in the produce section at Wheatsville

3/4 cup water

juice from 1/2 lemon (our garden - also available from G & S Groves & available through Farmhouse Delivery)

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (Love Creek Orchards)

1/3 cup garlic olive oil (Texas Olive Ranch - available at Wheatsville)

3 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried or fresh dill (make sure it is bright green to be sure it is fresh - Johnson's Backyard Garden)

1 TBSP Celtic sea salt

1 TBSP ground peppercorns

1. Blend all ingredients (except for kale and nutritional yeast) until creamy.

2. Mix in 1/4 cup fresh parsley and dill, chopped (Johnson's Backyard Garden).

3. Pour about 1-2 cups of the mixture in a bowl.

4. Add kale and nutritional yeast and combine using your hands to make sure the leaves are coated.

5. Spread the leaves out on the dehydrator trays (I needed 4 trays) if using a dehydrator or line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.

5. Save the rest of the dressing/dip in a pint-sized mason jar as a dressing or dip for your farmers' market carrots, broccoli and radishes. It will thicken in fridge.

6. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 10 hours in a dehydrator or for 2 hours or until crispy at 200 degrees in your oven.

Makes 1 quart-sized bag of kale chips

Extra dressing/dip will keep 4-5 days in the fridge.

Gluten and Dairy-Free Holiday Treats & How to Upcycle Your Christmas Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:23:00 +0000

Happy Holidays from The Seasonal Plate

For the first time (maybe since I was a kid), I'm actually feeling pretty calm this holiday season. We've shopped locally for our gifts and we're almost finished wrapping our gifts. Our tree and decorations are up and Clay has been busy running his trains under the tree. We've done our best to not overschedule ourselves and set aside time to concentrate on what matters most; watching the excitement of our 4 year old at this magical time, reconnecting with family, friends and neighbors and giving back to our community.

As you buzz around town checking things off your to do list, here are a few ideas to make your next holiday get together easier. Or, make it really easy and order some allergen free treats from Better Bites Bakery to bring along so that you can indulge without worry or time spent in the kitchen.

1. Raw Cranberry Pie from the Alkaline Sisters - Can't wait to serve these for Christmas Brunch! Be sure to use local and organic Texas oranges.

2. Gluten-Free Gingerbread from Cake and Commerce (for houses or cookies!)

I used this recipe recently when our son attended a birthday party where they were making gingerbread houses. I used guar gum instead of agar powder because it's what we had on hand. You may want to dust the rolling pin with mesquite or teff flour so that it doesn't stick when you roll out the gingerbread.

I measured the pieces using a pint-sized creamer container as a guide and cut the gingerbread before baking with a pizza cutter (or use the pre-made cutouts if you're making a larger one). Apparently I would not make a good carpenter as I didn't allow for overlap, so learn from my mistake :) Let the gingerbread sit out uncovered for a few hours to let it cool and harden a bit if you're using it for gingerbread houses.

Making gingerbread houses with kids usually means that they will just eat the ingredients, so we used this gingerbread recipe and offered healthier and allergen free options for decorations such as: slivered almonds, vegan marshmallows, fruit juice sweetened candies and gluten-free pretzels, ice cream cones and cookies.

3. Gluten-Free Egg Nog Cupcakes from a girl Defloured or Vegan Egg Nog from Elana's Pantry

An Upcycled Christmas Tip: KEEP your Christmas cards this year to use as gift cards for next year. Cut out the greetings and decorations then paste, punch a hole in the corner and use ribbon to attach them to your present. How easy and green is that?

Don't forget to visit your local farmers' market to pick up local holiday gifts and ingredients for your holiday spread.

Have a wonderful holiday season and I'll be back in January with some great ways to prepare your winter veggies like a recipe for beet chili (trust me on this one), gluten-free pot pie, roasted cauliflower and more!

Local Holiday Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:36:00 +0000

Feel good this holiday season by keeping your purchases and donations local! Support a local business, home business or charity and keep your dollars in your town or city. Why It Pays to Shop Locally

We began our "keeping it local" holiday season by making a trip over to the Elgin Christmas Tree Farm to pick out the perfect Charlie Brown Christmas Tree for Clay's room and a tree for our living room. This year's trip was freezing cold, but just as fun as the last 3 years in keeping with our family tradition. Despite the press reporting that the drought has affected the trees, there are still many to choose from.

We also headed over to Toy Joy so that Clay could pick out an ornament for this year's tree and were happy to see that they had a tree set up at the back of the store with tags asking for donations of toys for kids in Bastrop affected by the wildfires. All you have to do is select one of the tags with the child's name and age listed, purchase a gift and Toy Joy will wrap it and make sure it gets into the hands of a deserving boy or girl!

What are you doing this season to support our local economy and community?
Please feel free to leave your comments and ideas at the bottom of this post.

Five Ways to Celebrate Local in December

1. Satisfy a Sweet Tooth...
Better Bites Bakery - Pick up one of these delectable gluten, dairy, peanut, soy and corn-free cupcakes, cake balls and more at People's Pharmacy on North Lamar. Try their Churro bites! Delicious!

Bird's Nest Bakery - Custom made cakes and treats by my fabulously talented Aunt Julie!

2. Support a farmer...

Johnson's Backyard Garden - Farmers' Market Bucks or Gift Subscriptions

Farmhouse Delivery - Gift Certificates and Food Gifts

3. Celebrate good taste...

Salt & Time Gift Box - A great gift for the guys on your list

Antonellis Cheese Gift Guide

Gift Certificates to Locally Owned Restaurants like Hopfields or Pacha

4. Stuff a Stocking with a Local Treat...

Bearded Brothers Bars & t-shirts - My favorite is the Bodacious Blueberry Vanilla (available at People's Pharmacy)

Confituras Gift Baskets filled with local jams & jellies - Try the Baker's Box or Jam Shares wrapped up with red & white twine

5. Pamper yourself or someone you love...

So.A.P. - South Austin People's Peppermint Foot Cream - SO amazing! Love this stuff. Available at Wheatsville

Austin Soap Gift Baskets - Individual soaps available at Wheatsville

Cleaning services from Purple Fig Cleaning Company or maybe your own homemade peppermint oil cleaners

Don't forget to treat yourself before all the holiday indulgence! Try out a workout at my favorite locally owned place to get fit, Dancer's Shape. They even have a new cardio dance class beginning in January. Or, get a gift certificate or some comfy new workout gear for a friend!

Dancer's Shape is located at 5350 Burnet Road, Suite 7 in Austin, Texas
www.dancersshape.com

Pacha & Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 02:03:00 +0000

When you first walk into Pacha, the first thing you'll notice is that it is a real neighborhood coffee shop. There are people working on their laptops, friends meeting for coffee and everyone is there for the friendly service and great community feel.

90% of their ingredients are organic and many are sourced from the local farmers' markets. Be sure to check out the chalkboard near the door to see which ingredients are local that week.

Empanadas, salteñas, breakfast tacos, quiches and seasonal salads are made in-house and their herbs come from local farmers' markets or their very own garden. I was also excited to see the gluten and dairy-free treats at the counter such as fruit & nut drops or coconut clusters.

So, as the holidays approach and you feel the need to refuel or maybe just enjoy a little break from the chaos that is December, just remember your mother, Mother Pacha.

They are serving up organic pancakes made from scratch, local Vital Farms eggs and locallly roasted Casa Brasil or Texas Coffee Traders coffee every day. Pacha serves up Texas Daily Harvest milk as well as non-dairy options like rice and almond milk.

Find it on Lo-Burn,@ 4618 Burnet Road in Austin, Texas

Mother Pacha is OPEN

Monday - Friday from 6 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Saturday - Sunday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Bring your Go Local card for 5% off your food purchase.

Follow them on Twitter for menu updates at @MotherPacha.

And...if you're like me and can't enjoy their delicious pancakes because of a gluten intolerance, then satisfy your coffee addiction at Pacha and head home and try out these Mesquite Flour & Almond Butter Pancakes at home.

We've tried a LOT of pancake recipes and this is our favorite. Mesquite pod flour is our new favorite ingredient. You can find mesquite pod flour at some natural food stores. The flour is naturally sweet with hints of mocha and cinnamon. We found our Dowd & Roger's Organic Mesquite Pod Flour when we were at The Peach Basket in Fredericksburg.

Mesquite Flour & Almond Butter Pancakes (Gluten and Dairy Free)

Makes 8-10 pancakes

5 TBSP almond butter (room temp)

3-4 eggs, Vital Farms

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1-2 TBSP organic mesquite pod flour (optional)

REAL maple syrup

Earth Balance soy-free spread

1. In a bowl, whisk eggs (one at a time) into almond butter until the batter has a pancake batter consistency.

2. Add all other ingredients and whisk until combined.

3. Heat a skillet or griddle to medium, add Earth Balance spread to coat bottom of pan so that the pancakes don't stick.

4. Pour a small amount of the batter to do a tester pancake. Then turn the heat down a bit before cooking the rest of the pancakes.

Eat Turkey. Repeat.

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 20:43:00 +0000

In case you're in the mood for something other than your traditional Thanksgiving leftovers...
Try this turkey pho recipe that I snagged from the GOOP Newsletter. Chances are you have most of the ingredients around your house anyway and I can't think of anything better to warm you up on a cold day. After all the preparations to get ready for Thanksgiving we're settling in for a lazy weekend.

I hope your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

We have many great memories from this year.

I loved making the Almond Bread, Apple, Italian Sausage and Pumpkin stuffing with Clay. He used the spiral peeler to peel and core apples then chopped them into pieces with his own set of kid-safe knives.

We played Risk like we did when we were kids,watched Clay play in the mud and just took time to catch up and relax.

We are happy to report that the Longhorns were victorious in the last game (for now anyway) between the University of Texas and A&M. Go horns!

Leftover Turkey Pho

Adapted from Turkey Pho by Winnie Ab from the GOOP Newsletter
**Double the recipe if you have friends or family over.

2 quarts homemade turkey or Dewberry Hills Farm chicken stock (Tip: Roast the leftover turkey or chicken carcass for 45 minutes before making the stock and you'll end up with a much tastier stock)
1 bunch scallions, green parts only if you prefer, Austin Farmers' Market
1 bunch kale or swiss chard, sliced thinly, Johnson's Backyard Garden or your own garden
1 small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and smashed
1 TBSP local honey
1 TBSP fish sauce
leftover cooked turkey, shredded (ours came from Richardson Farms & Farmhouse)
1/2 - 1 box rice noodles
sunflower oil

For garnish:
lime wedges, Farmhouse Delivery
cilantro, Farmhouse Delivery or your own garden
hot sauce, Dai Due or Sriracha hot sauce
optional spices: 2 TBSP coriander seeds, 4 whole cloves, 4 whole star anise and 1 cinnamon stick
optional ingredients: local Kitchen Pride mushrooms, jalepeños or local sprouts

1. Warm a large pot or dutch oven on medium and add the spices (optional) to toast until fragrant and then set aside.

2. In the pot, drizzle in a little sunflower oil, scallions, ginger, honey and fish sauce until fragrant, then add the spices (optional) and the stock.

3. Let the stock boil, then drop the heat to low to simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Add the kale or swiss chard to cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the turkey and noddles and cook for a few minutes to soften the noodles.

5. Serve in bowls and add garnishes as desired.

Thanksgiving 2011

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

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Richardson Farms turkeys are taking a bath in brine made with Dai Due's delicious smelling brining mix. I've got my recipes organized for tomorrow and am about to roast a Dewberry Hills Farm chicken that I will use to make stock for our Thanksgiving recipes. I think I'm ready for the cooking frenzy tomorrow.

This year we have a lot to be thankful for. In addition to our family and friends, we are thankful for all of the farmers who worked so hard this last summer in the heat and drought, for the Austin food community that works so hard to support them and for their continuing efforts to improve our health and wellness as a community.

Don't forget there is still time to support your Central Texas farmers! The SFC Austin Farmers' Market at the Triangle will be open from 3-7 on Wednesday, November 23rd.

In keeping with our local and seasonal menu, here's our contribution to this year's Thanksgiving table.

Richardson Farms Heritage and Broad-Breasted Turkeys brined in Dai Due brining mix

Local Apple, Pumpkin, Italian Sausage and Pecan Stuffing made with Almond Bread instead of corn bread (see recipe below)

Raw Mushroom & Cashew Gravy with Kitchen Pride Mushrooms

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta from Salt & Time

Almost Raw Pumpkin Butter Tarts with Raw Pecan Crust

Mini Raw Local Apple Tarts and Pecan Tarts with Gingersnap Crust

Johnson's Backyard Garden Carrot Pie with Raw Pecan Crust

Almond Bread Recipe - We use either a square baking pan for bread or mini-muffin pan to make rolls.

Check out last year's posts for more ideas.
Thanksgiving Menu Planning 2010
Thanksgiving Recipes and Leftovers for 2010
Thanksgiving Centerpiece Idea 2010

Slow Money Event at Barr Mansion on December 2nd

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:38:00 +0000

Information about the event from Sophie Eckrich with Slow Money...

Slow Money Dinner at Barr Mansion on December 2nd!

Come one, come all to our Farm to Economy dinner at Barr Mansion on December 2nd. Learn how your dollars, big or small, can play a vital role in food security and sustainable food systems. Meet farmers, producers, consumers, and investors, and let's see how we can all work together to strengthen our local economy.

We'll have a bountiful feast with contributions from over 20 producers and farmers including:

Barr Mansion, Salt & Time, Quality Seafood, Bastrop Cattle Company, Lick Ice Cream, Tiny Pies, The Nurturess, Maine Root, Arnosky Farms, EIEIO Organic Farm, Greengate Farms, Johnson's Backyard Garden, Springdale Farm, New Earth Center, Farmhouse Delivery, Greenling, Bountiful Sprout, Windy Hill Organics, Pure Luck, 5 Mile Farms, Love Creek Apple Orchard.

What a feast!

Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased at www.slowmoneytexas.eventbrite.com

Stay tuned for more information, and we can't wait to see y'all there!

Fire Roasted Tomato Soup with Dai Due Carrot Top Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:18:00 +0000

Carrots are back! Last Wednesday we made our way over the the Triangle Farmers' Market to raid Johnson's Backyard Garden of their carrots and to pick up a picnic pack at Dai Due's tent.

We were not disappointed and our basket was filled with much more than carrots and a picnic pack as usual. We picked up some really beautiful garlic, eggs and lettuce and indulged in some lively conversation with Chris at Milagro Farms then headed over to see Jesse Griffiths with Dai Due.

We spread out a blanket, listened to some great music and opened up our picnic pack that included a roasted chicken from Dewberry Hills Farms, Dai Due bread and butter pickles, coleslaw and a little container of carrot top sauce that we all loved.

I saved a little to add to our tomato soup the next day for lunch and it add just the right vinegar kick to the fire roasted tomato soup. We also helped ourselves to some Summer Vegetable Escabeche and Wild Boar Chorizo to take home.

Check out Dai Due's weekly market menu, pick up a picnic pack, bring your blanket, a bottle of local wine from Triangle Wine & Spirits and all the sudden you've got a gourmet sunset picnic.

Fire Roasted Tomato Soup
with Dai Due's Carrot Top Sauce

Adapted from Fire Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe on www.keepitsimplefoods.com

1 28 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes (or make them yourself with the tomatoes left at the market)
2 carrots, sliced from Johnson's Backyard Garden
1 handful of carrot tops, chopped
1/3 cup blanched almonds
1 clove fresh garlic, Milagro Farms
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp tumeric
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt
pepper (to taste)

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender and warm before serving or add ingredients to a pot and blend with an immersion blender. This would also be just fine served cold, at room temperature or even as a sauce for pasta.

2. Drizzle a little Texas Olive Ranch olive oil, some Dai Due Carrot Top Sauce and a few chopped almonds over the soup before serving.

Want more ideas on how to cook with carrot tops? Have some of your own? Post a comment and share!

Hopfields Gastropub - NOW OPEN - Serving Craft Beer, Savory Drinks & French Style Street Food

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:26:00 +0000

Hopfields

Serving craft beer, savory drinks & French style street food

A Place to Sip and Graze

UPDATE - Hopfields Opened on Tuesday, November 22nd

For the owners, Bay and Lindsay Anthon, their neighborhood gastropub is a labor of love. Love of beer, food and life is what drove them to pour their heart and soul into the creation of Hopfields. At Hopfields you'll find craft beers whose taps will adorn their copper walls and the carefully chosen recipes that have been passed down through generations by Lindsay's French born mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

But don't be mistaken by the modern decor and French cuisine, this gastropub plans to have a vibe that focuses on comfort and friendly service, great food and great beer. Hopfields will have 40 craft beers on tap, half of which are local, including unique ales. Several wines by the glass and bottle will also be available and even rare sours and cocktails made with sake, vermouth, port and sherry.

Instead of waitstaff, the customer will be greeted by friendly, approachable, knowledgeable staff available at the counter whenever they need a recommendation or to place an order. Without having to be stuck at one table, customers can feel free to linger, wander, explore the beers and become part of the Hopfields community.

Long tables will be installed under their modern yet rustic fixtures to create a sense of community as neighbors, friends, families and co-workers sit together to unwind after a long day. You might just find couples sharing one of the wooden pews with a cup of french press coffee or maybe even a group of friends lounging in the back room with a few pints and some good laughs.

As parents, The Anthons understand what it means to have a place where you feel comfortable bringing your children to your favorite establishment. Highchairs will be available so that families with smaller children can still enjoy themselves.

The importance of family is apparent in every detail at Hopfields. The 150 year old French recipes have been passed down by Lindsay's mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. In fact, it is Lindsay's mother that you'll see preparing seasonal salads, paté and tarts and serving local paté and, of course, the baguettes, cheeses and crepes that are such an integral part of French fare.

Many of the ingredients on the menu will be sourced locally from Pate Letelier, Springdale Farms as well as the Austin Farmers' Market. You will not find a freezer in Hopfields for good reason. Besides the bread and some of the patés all of the dishes are made by hand in house.

In the future they plan to feature movie nights with food pairings and football games to watch while you enjoy a pint, but Hopfields is not to be confused with your traditional sports bar.

Lindsay and Bay hope that Hopfields will be a pub unlike anything currently offered in Austin. As my husband and I sat listening to our friends' concept and vision, we both smiled at the thought of this unique restaurant opening in our neighborhood.

I think they've hit the nail on the head. The duo seem to intermingle the masculine and feminine details of this gastropub beautifully.

"Work is the curse of the drinking classes."

- Oscar Wilde, Irish dramatist, novelist & poet

Hopfields plans to open their doors in the coming weeks, but in the meantime you can follow their progress on their blog, Facebook page and Twitter.

Have a suggestion? Want to see a beer on tap? They would love to hear from you. Customer input is welcomed as they want this to be your favorite place to land at the end of the day.

You can find this little jewel at:

3110 Guadalupe Street, Suite 400

Austin, Texas 78705

(just north of Wheatsville and West Campus)

A "Not So Spooky" Local Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:37:00 +0000

Happy Halloween!

Our little guy isn't into the really spooky Halloween scene quite yet, but he was excited to carve his pumpkin into a spooky ghost (which has a striking resemblance to the ghosts on PacMan). We're having a "not so spooky" get together with our neighbors and have a locally sourced spread to feed the kids a healthy meal before the sugar overload.

Savory Treats
Pumpkin Apple Soup with apples from Love Creek Orchards in Medina

Avocado and Tomatillo Salad with Lime Macadamia Dressing made with tomatillos from Johnson's Backyard Garden and limes from Farmhouse Delivery

BBQ Kale Chips made with kale from Caeda Farms in Elgin (We don't have a dehydrator, so I made ours in the oven at 200 degrees for 4 hours)

Olive & Rosemary Spiders with rosemary from our garden

Sweet Treats
Apple Mini-Muffins with Crispy Texas Pecans from Pecan Shop in Waco (available at Wheatsville) - Use the recipe from the link and then add chopped GF oats, pecans and maple syrup on top of the batter before baking

Grain-Free Pumpkin Bread with Vital Farms eggs

Raw Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cookies with pumpkin from Farmhouse Delivery

Raw Caramel Apples with apples from Love Creek Orchards in Medina

Organic Kettle Corn from Hot Rock'n & Pop'n Kettle Corn at Barton Creek Farmers' Market

Marzipan Candies - Blend 2 cups blanched almonds in a food processor and slowly add 1/2 cup local Goodflow Honey. I plan to press the marzipan into candy molds to make spooky shapes. You can also dust them with cocoa powder.

Check out this site for great raw food Halloween ideas.

Celebrating Dia de los Muertos? Try some Butternut Squash Tamales made with local butternut squash from Johnson's Backyard Garden.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Reserve your local Thanksgiving turkey from Richardson Farms or Farmhouse Delivery!

Apple & Persimmon Maple Granola, Watermelon Gazpacho and Apple Moop

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:38:00 +0000

We started our day with a little granola and homemade almond milk. Many of my recipes are made on the fly with the seasonal ingredients we've purchased at the farmers' market or appear in our Farmhouse Delivery bushel.

I knew I wanted to make some fall-inspired granola, so I gathered all of my seasonal ingredients and my 4 year old sous chef and got to work. He peeled the apples while I peeled the persimmons. We both stirred our separate bowls of fruit with maple syrup and spices or toasted gluten-free oats and nuts. Together we made a granola that celebrates the flavors of fall.

Later in the day, I went to Wheatsville to do my weekly shopping and noticed that there were a few remaining Texas watermelons for sale. I have a family of watermelon fans in the house, so I thought I'd go for one last summer recipe while we can. I guess the heat around here is good for something!

After enjoying our watermelon gazpacho this evening, Clay looked at me and said, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I looked at him curiously and answered, "I'm not sure. What are you thinking?" He told me with a little twinkle in his eye, "What if we took an apple and made it into a bowl and put watermelon in it?"

Well, I can't say that in a million years that would have been what I was thinking, but I thought it would be a pretty fun way to eat watermelon. So, we tried it. Clay named it "Apple Moop" and since he came up with what seems like a pretty original idea to me, I figure it should have an equally creative name. He also got a kick out of seeing the star left behind after removing the seeds from the bottom of the apple.

Apple & Persimmon Granola

2 apples, peeled & cubed, Top of Texas available at Wheatsville or through Farmhouse Delivery or Greenling

2 persimmons, peeled & cubed, Lightsey Farms at Austin Farmers Markets and Barton Creek Farmers' Market

dried or fresh dates, pitted and chopped (peeled if they are fresh), Lightsey Farms at Austin Farmers Markets and Barton Creek Farmers' Market

1/2 cup handful of Texas crispy pecans, Pecan Shop in Waco available at Wheatsville

1/2 - 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats

cinnamon

nutmeg

vanilla or vanilla bean

REAL maple syrup like Coombs Family Farms

1. Toast the rolled oats and pecans in your toaster oven or toaster until warm and fragrant.

2. In a medium sized bowl, add apples, persimmons, dates, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and maple syrup. Coat fruit with maple syrup and spices.

3. Combine the oats, pecans and fruit just before serving and pour homemade almond milk over the top.

Serve with some morning green juice made with local apples. We added extra carrots, so ours was actually morning orange juice (from the carrots).

Watermelon Gazpacho

Adapted from the Watermelon Gazpacho recipe in the The Art of Raw Food cookbook

Blend the following ingredients in a blender, chill and garnish with your favorites!

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced, Martinez Farms available at Wheatsville

8 tomatoes, Farmhouse Delivery

2 c Texas watermelon

1 sweet onion, Farmhouse Delivery

2 cloves of garlic, Milagro Farms

cumin

2 TBSP lime juice, Farmhouse Delivery

lime zest

sea salt & pepper

optional garnishes: cilantro, Texas Olive Ranch Olive Oil, almond cheese with salt (leftover from making homemade almond milk without the vanilla and honey), lime wedges, thin cucumber slices, cubed watermelon

Apple Moop

one local apple, partially cored and seeds removed using a melon baller (available at Breed & Co.)

a few cubes of local watermelon pressed into the cavity in the apple

Energy Boosting Seasonal Whole Food Meals for Busy Families

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 17:57:00 +0000

Clay at Beets Cafe in Austin, Texas

At first, eating whole foods or raw food can seem challenging because it is so very different than the usual American diet. You might be worried about getting enough carbohydrates or whether or not you'll be full. The truth is that when you eat organically grown fruits and veggies, healthy fats such as olive oil or avocado, natural sugars (including honey or real maple syrup) or nuts, your body feels full and nourished because you are receiving the nutrients your body needs.

I personally have never felt better or had more energy than I have eating a clean diet free of gluten, corn, dairy, soy, starches such as rice and potatoes and refined sugar. Eating nutrient dense whole foods helps you sleep more soundly and helps to decrease inflammation that can cause a whole array of problems from arthritis to allergies to headaches to cancer. Your skin will also bounce back looking more youthful than ever and the dry, irritated skin you thought was just a normal winter annoyance will be a thing of the past. What I thought was eczema for my son and me was really just a reaction to a food intolerance. I don't miss my migraines or upset stomach after meals either.

I'm in the middle of reading the book Thrive: 200 Plant Based Foods for Peak Health which chronicles the food journey of triathlete, Brendan Brazier. Many of the issues he addressed in his diet are similar to what we have been going through over the last two years. Some of the best advice he gave is to start with easy to digest foods in the morning (smoothies, fruit, veggies with little to no grains) and end with easy to digest foods in the evenings. The best part is that it not only mentions a favorite raw food restaurant in Austin, Beets Cafe, but it also has an index of easy to prepare vegan and raw recipes. You might also check out Forks Over Knives or Brendan Brazier's other book, Whole Foods to Thrive.

Switching to a raw or mostly raw diet doesn't mean you need to call in the food police. Go easy on yourself at first if you decide to make the change. The hardest part of making the switch will be the mind shift, learning what to order and how to order when you go out to eat (like the yummy reuben sandwich at Beets Cafe!), when to bring your own food and how to explain the change to family and friends. Your desire for sugary, starchy foods will pass. Your body is hungry for nutrients, not just food. We changed our diet almost 2 years ago and I can say that I have no problem passing up sugary, starchy, dairy laden foods that make me feel bad. My body no longer craves those foods.

Although we still eat meat, we choose it thoughtfully. Our meat comes from Salt & Time, a local company that turns locally sourced beef, pork, lamb and poultry into artisanal salumi. We receive a Butcher's Box from Salt & Time each month (in addition to venison) that supplies us with our monthly supply of meat.

Our pantry now looks like the bulk section at Wheatsville with staples such as dried dates, local pecans, cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, dried fruit, chia seeds and nutritional yeast, but we save ourselves time and trips to the grocery store. We also make batches of our most used foods such as almond milk, cashew creme, almond cheese and breakfast and snack date bars.

Below are a few meals we had this past week. The recipes are not 100% raw but they are gluten, dairy, soy and corn-free and most of the ingredients are locally sourced, organic and whole. The web is full of raw recipes and sites dedicated to this type of diet such as The Alkaline Sisters and Russell James, The Raw Chef.

Quick Fix Mid-Week Meals

Local Green Bean Salad (just leave our the goat cheese) with Squash Blossoms with Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Almond Cheese

1. To prepare the squash blossoms, fill a bowl with water and add a generous amount of salt. Let the squash blossoms soak for several minutes. The salt in the water will kill any little critters that like to hang out inside.

2. In your food processor add the "cheese" left in the nut milk bag after making almond milk with chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, olive oil and salt and pepper.

3. In a cast iron skillet, heat a small amount of oil on medium.

4. Using a small spoon, scoop the olive & sun-dried tomato almond cheese into the blossoms.

5. Fry the blossoms in a cast iron skillet for a few minutes on each side or until they are slightly crispy.

6. Serve immediately over the Green Bean Salad.

Apple & Thyme Chickpea Salad

For a quick lunch, add sliced apples, chickpeas marinated overnight with olive oil, shallots, lemon, garlic, thyme and rosemary in a mason jar over local butter lettuce. Make a quick dressing with lemon, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper.

Try it with the Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Lettuce Tacos with Cashew Sour Cream

This recipe was one of Clay's favorites. He loves when he gets to be the chef and pick out the ingredients for his meal.

We took some of the larger leaves from our local butter lettuce head and fanned them out on a plate, made a quick pico de gallo with black beans, tomatoes and cilantro and sliced local jalepeños from Johnson's Backyard Garden. We added some sliced avocado and whipped up some Cashew Sour Cream. We also piled on some local salsa.

This recipe would be delicious with Russell James' Avocado & Lime Soup, guacamole and Beanitos, Red Pepper(or Jalepeño) Poppers or Cashew Queso.

Easy Desserts

Peach Tart

Press the pecan crust (I left out the Rawtella in this version) into a small ramekin or tart shell. Spread the almond "cheese" leftover from making almond milk onto the crust. Fan the peach slices on top, drizzle with local honey, dried lavender and fresh mint.

Coconut Lemon & Persian Lime Bars

We followed the recipe, but added local Persian limes from our Farmhouse Delivery box

Homemade Almond Milk

So easy to make and so delicious!

1 cup blanched raw almonds

2 cups water

1-2 tablespoons honey

1-2 tablespoons vanilla or 1/2 vanilla bean

1. Add the almonds to a high powered blender and blend while slowly pouring water into blender.

2.Add vanilla and honey and blend until combined.

3. Holding the nut milk bag over a bowl or pitcher, pour the mixture into the bag so that only the liquid pours out. You may need to push it through with a spoon or squeeze the bag. The leftover almonds in the bag can be used to make almond cheese later.

What's Really on Your Plate? It's Non-GMO Month!

noreply@blogger.com (Sommer) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:42:00 +0000

October is Non-GMO Month

Do you know what is on your plate?

We had the opportunity to attend the Rally for Real Food on a perfectly sunny, cooler (for Texas, people) Sunday and were happy to see there were others who spent their beautiful Sunday rallying for such an important cause. Several non-GMO vendors were there supporting the cause as well as speakers who highlighted the importance of labeling GMO crops and products with GMO ingredients.

One of the most striking comments made by one of the speakers is that there has been research done at UT that shows that 70% of cancers are caused by food. Food. Maybe we have found the cure for cancer after all. Once you read about what GMO crops do to animals in labs, you might wonder why we are feeding these products to our families and understand why our health system is failing. How can we get better when we continue to poison our bodies?

Be a superhero for your kids and your community!

1. Call your state representative, meet them in person and tell them that you want to know what is in your food. Tell them the facts and your concerns. Did you know that 80% of the processed food in grocery stores contain GMO ingredients? The USDA has already approved genetically modified alfalfa, but Obama can still veto the decision.

What will be next on the GMO wish list??? Our animals deserve better, our children deserve better. Who is my state representative in Texas?

2. Join Wheatsville's Newsletter to stay informed on Right 2 Know Happenings and Wheatsville's involvement.

3. You make decisions about our food supply every time you are at the grocery store or choose to support a local, organic farmer. Remember you vote with your dollars every time you eat. Read labels and be thoughtful about your choices and their impact.

4. Cut out the most common GMO products from your diet. Choose locally, organically grown alternatives. Look for non-GMO project verified labels when purchasing processed foods. GMO ingredients are hiding in most processed foods.

5. Join the cause by becoming involved with Millions against Monsanto on October 16, Food Day on October 24 or Right 2 Know March: A Mobilization for GMO Labeling or read more at Food Democracy Now!

If you missed the Rally for Real Food, you can check out the coverage here:

Rally for Real Food Media Coverage:

FOX 7 - Doug Foreman, Beanitos, morning show

FOX 7 - Event coverage - 3 separate clips aired Sunday

ABC KVUE – Doug Foreman, Beanitos, morning show

YNN - Event coverage

NBC KXAN - Event coverage

Mike Adams, The Health Ranger, and editor of www.NaturalNews.com:

A few photos from the event:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150308275451316.336720.35590531315#!/media/set/?set=a.10150308275451316.336720.35590531315

https://www.facebook.com/RallyForRealFood#!/media/set/?set=a.240951389290330.73688.154245867960883

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2279042088941.125565.1035424565&l=6727bd4499&type=1#!/media/set/?set=a.2279042088941.125565.1035424565&l=6727bd4499&type=1