Superbowls, Yin vs. Yang, and Dude Food

Yesterday was Superbowl Sunday. Following football has never been a ritual of my own, but it is a deeply ingrained part of Andrew's life. Because of this, I've learned more about football this past year--the rules, the players, the teams--than I ever dreamed of knowing! When I do find myself watching with him, it is usually a mix of laughter and horror. I tend to watch football with a different lens, shall we say, finding the humor in the facial expressions of the coaches (intense!), the hilarious dances a player makes (or chest bumping with his other teammates) when he gets a touchdown, the constant butt slaps (?), and of course, the tight pants :).

I'm going to take a little bit of a leap here, but I found the relationship between the theory of yin & yang and football food to be quite uncanny. Football is fantastically yang. Attributes of yang include: bright, fierce, outward, fast, and masculine. The attributes of yin are: quiet, inward, dark, solitary, and feminine. There is a whole theory about yin and yang pertaining to food where having too much of one or the other tends to offset our bodies and our minds--basically making us feel out of balance, off kilter, blaaah--you get the point. Some examples of yin foods are: alcohol and chemicals, dairy, oil, sugar and coffee, spices, leafy green vegetables, roots and winter squash. Foods that are classified as yang are: salt, eggs, red meat, cheese, poultry, fish, and grains. One example of how the yin & yang theory works is people tend to naturally want to nibble on something salty when they are, say, having a drink. Have you noticed that bars usually have bowls of salted peanuts or salty hot wings to have with the pints of beer or alcohol they serve? The salt (or yang) offsets the alcohol (or yin) balancing the two out so you (theoretically) don't overdo it--that is entirely up to the consumer, however, as to how much of either is actually consumed ;). So if you eat something hearty with your glass of wine or beer, say, a Superbowl Chili + homemade guacamole, you'll feel pretty good--because you've balanced the beer (yin) with some meaty chili (yang). It's interesting to think of foods having these properties--and another way to think about eating :).

In tribute to this masculine (yang) day, we made some super-meaty chili and homemade guacamole--part of a food group I've lovingly dubbed Dude Food. Those of you with boyfriends, husbands, sons, and/or all male households (including the dog) know exactly what I'm talking about. Personally, red meat doesn't do much for me, even high quality meat fresh from the butcher--it makes me feel sluggish and dulled out. There are some nice cuts of Italian cured meats that I enjoy in small quantities (and usually with a glass of wine with a side of some salty olives! yin and yang...) like prosciutto or a nice salami. But I digress, because I'm not talking about hoity-toity food, I'm talking about dude food here--straightforward, simple, and can be quite delicious.

The guacamole is so simple, I learned how to make it from a Mexican woman in my early twenties. You take 2-3 fresh, ripe avocados, 2-5 limes, some sea salt, and 1 garlic clove (chopped finely). You scrape the avocado into the bowl, removing the skins and pits, you squeeze the hell out of the limes, one at a time into the bowl, sprinkle with about a teaspoon of salt (or to taste), and add the finely chopped garlic. Then with a big fork (or if you have a big mortar and pestel, that would work too), smash it all together leaving big hunks. Dip your chips and enjoy! In the summer, I finely chop a ripe tomato too, taking out all the seeds, and add it in--delish.

The chili seemed to be a big hit with Andrew and his friend Scott--it was a bit meaty for my taste, but I still ate a small bowl of it gladly. Make sure you have fun toppings for it like sour cream, monterey jack cheese, chopped green onion, cilantro, and you can even squeeze a little fresh lime juice on the top. This recipe is generally a crowd pleaser :).

Super Bowl Chili via FOODday
Chipotle peppers give a kick to this main dish, which you can make ahead so you don't miss the game. Makes 8 servings.

3 pounds lean ground beef
1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak, cut into small chunks
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium carrots
2 medium yellow onions
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons cumin
4 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
6 to 7 cups reduced-sodium beef or chicken stock
2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed

Garnishes:
chopped fresh cilantro
sour cream
monterey jack cheese
chopped green onions
freshly squeezed lime

In a large heavy pot set over high heat, saute ground beef and steak chunks, stirring frequently, until browned, about 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove beef to a plate and pour off the remaining liquid in the pan. (I used a strainer over a large bowl, and put all the meat in it to drain the excess fat off).

Add olive oil to the same pot that you cooked your meat in and set over medium heat. When hot, add carrots, onions, and garlic and saute, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Return beef to pot, and add chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and chopped chipotle chile; stir and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and broth. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook for 30 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Much of the liquid will cook down during this time.

Stir in all but 1/3 cup of black beans and cook 5 minutes more. Mash reserved beans with a fork, and stir into the chili to give it extra body. If chili is too thick, stir in as much as 1 cup additional broth and heat several minutes to warm. Chili can be prepared two days ahead. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat over medium heat, stirring often.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with toppings. Enjoy!

Homemade Goat Cheese

Cheese. There is nothing quite like eating cheese! Depending on my mood, I love the nuttiness of a hard manchego paired with a sweet homemade jam (quince or a mellow marmalade) and a hard piece of toasted crostini; or a creamy, creamy feta. While living in Greece several summers ago, I discovered Bulgarian Feta--I would buy it in slices from the feta counter (yes, imagine your specialty grocery store's cheese counter--except it is all different kinds of feta!), a few fresh tomatoes still warm from the sun and just eat them together on my walk home, juices running down my hands and arms probably with a huge grin on my face. But I digress, because there is a special place in my heart for a good goat cheese too. And luckily for me (and maybe you too!) it is very easy to make.

When I first saw this recipe, I had to read it a few times because the photos were so stunning. My eyes kept roving over the screen, drinking in the milky-white images--of what?--and once it registered--homemade cheese--I set to work making some myself. With a huge grin on my face :).

I've made it a few times since my first try, trying a new fresh herb chopped finely and stirred in, or just eating it naked--with a sprinkling of sea salt. And each time I feel a little surprised at how easy it is to do! (Both make it AND eat it, that is). And the flavor is wonderful, mellow, with a hint of the lemon--which I absolutely love mingling with the sea salt and/or fresh herbs. I toast up some bread I've made, or a baguette I've picked up in the oven sprinkled with a little olive oil and wa la! It becomes the best hor d'oeuvres, snack, lunch, dinner, or all of the above.

I highly recommend giving this a try! Pick up some fresh goats milk (pasteurized is better than ultra-pasteurized if you can find it--I've used both with good results though...) from the store, grab a few lemons, and sniff through the fresh herbs checking to see which ones look the best and go from there. Serve it to your friends and they will be wildly impressed. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me :). Cheers!

Homemade Goat Cheese via Kiss My Spatula via Over the Rainbeau, Living the Dream of Sustainable Farming

"Feel free to experiment with your herb(s) of choice and any other flavor combinations that float your boat. The sky’s the limit! Be careful not to drain your cheese for too long, as it may begin to dry out and lose that supple, creamy consistency you’re going after. If you do happen to lose track of time, reserve the whey “drippings” and fold, 1/4 tsp at a time, back into the cheese until you reach your desired consistency."

Ingredients

1 quart pasteurized goat’s milk (avoid ‘ultra’-pasteurized)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 clove freshly grated garlic
a few pinches herbs de provence
freshly chopped parsley
coarse salt, to taste

Method

In a medium saucepan, slowly heat milk until it reaches 180 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Let stand until milk starts to curdle, about 15-20 seconds. If milk does not curdle, add a little more lemon juice.

Line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth and place over a large bowl. Ladle milk into colander. Pull up and tie the four corners of cheesecloth together and hang on the handle of a wooden spoon, set over a stockpot or very deep bowl. Allow to drain until the consistency of slightly dry cottage cheese is reached, about 1-1.5 hours. Transfer to a bowl and fold in salt, herbs and garlic. Serve immediately atop warm crostinis. Can be stored in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to 1 week.

Minttu's Pulla

The unexpected but remarkable friendships and connections I've experienced since starting this blog have enriched my life beyond anything I ever expected. It really is the most remarkable thing about the internet--being able to connect with people who you would never in a million years been able to do so with--and certainly not quite so easily, either.

There are honestly about five blogs I look at and read fairly regularly--I have a lot more on my google-reader, but I get really overwhelmed when I turn that thing on, so I end up never turning it on! Instead, I mostly rely on my memory to hand-type in a handful of favorite sites I visit a few times a month, see what they are up to, and to say hello. I know, I know--it's bad blogger etiquette to not read more fellow bloggers sites and comment--but that can get furiously overwhelming, so I simply do it when I can.

One of the blogs I visit regularly is Pattern Bakery. They are a group of four designers, Salla, Maria, Miia, and Minttu, best known for patterned designs and illustrations sold for the interiors, fashion and paper industries. They are based in Finland, but sell their patterns and textile designs world-wide. Each year, these four talented women come out with a new collection based on color themes and moods. Their studio in Helsinki, Finland is in an old nostalgic wooden house that turned out to actually be an old grocery and bakery. "A house with a history of freshly baked bread and pastries keeps inspiring our work (and our tummies)." That would certainly inspire me too! It was reading this that I realized I had found a group of kindred spirits across the Atlantic. They also have a wonderful website you can find here:).

Minttu is the group's lover-of-food. She's known for conjuring up heavenly meals at a moments notice--and then blogs about it on the Pattern Bakery's blog. A few weeks ago, she posted about her mother's Pulla--a traditional Finish sweet bread spiced with cardamon. I have a special affinity for Pulla because my best friend Kiija and I used to make it as girls with her grandmother Aune, who was Finnish. Or Kiija's dad would make loaves and loaves of it to stock the freezer with--I felt like we were always snacking on a piece of Pulla while at her house--it was the best :). I even blogged about it once, you can read about it here.

I am fascinated with the stories that food conjures up. And knowing that Kiija and her dad share a deep love and regard for this family flavor and ritual, I wondered if Minttu shared similar feelings. So, I emailed her. And she emailed me back the most fantastic story ever, about her family's Pulla. Her mother had learned to make the Pulla shaped like this from her Mother-in-law, who was from Ingria, a land attached to Russia. Her great grandfather did some work for the last czar of Russia, and the czar's children were very fond of the Finnish Pulla her great-great grandmother would send them as a treat! "So maybe this special shape has been passing along the generations and is the same the last tsar's kids ate," writes Minttu. Amazing! Minttu and her cousin have agreed to keep this family tradition alive and well by shaping their Pullas like this from now on. Pulla can come in many shapes from a large braided loaf to shapes like little boys and girls with raisin eyes--but the woven circle will be a special one for Minttu and her family. So neat!

(Minttu's pictures)

Minttu's Family Pulla via Pattern Bakery

0,5 litres milk (2 cups)
50 g yeast (3 tablespoons or two packages)
2 tsp salt
2 dl sugar (a little more than 3/4 cup, but not quite a full cup)
2 tsp cardamon (not the pods, but open them and use the bits inside)
1 egg
14 dl wheat flour (6 cups, maybe a little more)*
100 g butter (1/2 cup or a whole stick)

(Minttu photographing her mother as she makes her Pulla)

Add yeast to hand warm milk. Mix with salt, sugar, cardamon and egg. Add flour little by little, whisk more at first to mix some air in to the dough. Then knead until it feels alive in your hands, say maybe 10 minutes or so. Add soft butter towards the end of kneading. Let rest in a warm place, covered with a tea towel. When the dough size has doubled, knead it softly to remove the airbubbles, for couple of minutes.

Cut pieces of the dough with knife and start rolling it under your hands to form long shapes. Cut pieces of app. 10 cms. Press two pieces together at top. Twirl one of the dough pieces around the other. Press the ends together to form a circle. Set on a baking sheet on a baking tray, brush with some egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in oven, 450 degrees F for 10 minutes or so, until golden brown.

*I tried one batch with whole wheat (pastry) flour and one with unbleached, all-purpose white flour, and I must say, I like the white flour better for my taste. It allows the cardamon to shine through, mingle with the sweetness, and keeps the bread nice and soft--the whole wheat flour took over the flavor and dulled the cardamon flavor for me.

Cheers!

The Parsnip Group

In the past few days, I've had several encounters with the wonderful root vegetable, the parsnip. On Sunday, my friend Blake made me brunch and she was gushing about parsnips. She is going to have a weekly cooking spot on a local news channel and is going to talk about seasonal produce and demonstrate simple recipes--the first one is going to be about the parsnip. "No one knows what it is, much less how to cook with it!" she mused with me, "and they're easy to grow too!".

It's true. My run-ins have been much fewer and farther between than I'd like with the parsnip-- and all root vegetables in general. I've used them in projects and have cooked with them a few times (see the Uprooted Dinner) but buying them and making them on a regular basis has escaped me. Blake rattled off the recipe she was going to demonstrate on the show and I just felt my eyes get wider as I heard words like "balsamic vinegar...apples...roasting...and wa la!" I made a mental note to get the whole recipe from her and try it out...

The following day was my first day of lectures at Integrated Nutrition. To make connecting and discussion easier in an online format, all of the distance learning students were broken up into groups, each with the name of a root vegetable. Maybe you've already guessed what group I am in, but none other than the Parsnip Group! I had a good laugh--but was sort of surprised how many people in my group had never tried a parsnip themselves. I emailed Blake, confirming her statement that parsnips go pretty much unloved (and unknown) by the general populace, and asked for her roasted-winter-vegetable-wonder-goodness that she had rattled off to me the day before in order to share with my fellow Parsnippers and you!

She was so gracious to share this recipe with me! And she's one of the most talented Chefs I know--she is exceedingly passionate about cooking, food, and farming--and you can taste it in her meals. It's a rare but wonderfully quality to experience this in someone who cooks for you :). So go ahead, make this and taste the variety winter root veggies have to offer! And if you make it for someone you love, you will definitely taste that in there too. Cheers!

Roasted Winter Vegetables with Apple and Pancetta, via Blake at Good Keuken

Roasting rutabagas is a wonderful way to take advantage of this lesser-known of our winter root vegetables. The flavors of the carrots, apples and balsamic glaze compliment the sweetness of the rutabaga while adding color. And lets be frank, everyone loves the addition of pancetta. --Blake

Serves 8

2 large rutabagas
2 large parsnips, or 4 smallish ones
2 carrots
1 yellow onion
1/4 cup golden raisons
1/4 lb pancetta
2 Granny Smith apples
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
olive oil
2 tbsp chopped parsley
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400°.

Peel and chop vegetables. Chop the apples (do not peel) and hold aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half, creating a syrup.

Drizzle olive oil in a roasting or Pyrex pan, at least 9”x13”.

Spread vegetables and raisons in the pan, drizzle with more olive oil and salt to taste (about 1 1/2 tsp).

Pour the glaze over the vegetables. Top everything with chopped pancetta (leaving the pancetta on top allows it to crisp).

Roast at 400° for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss with the apples. Cook for another 20 to 25 minutes until apples are tender and the vegetables have caramelized. Add more salt and pepper as needed and parsley.
Enjoy!

Blake Van Roekel
503.753.1655
blake@goodkeuken.com
www.goodkeuken.com

Dovetail Bakery finds a home

I am so happy to announce that my very talented friends over at Dovetail Bakery have finally found a storefront space + wonderful kitchen to call home! The owner, Morgan, started baking out of her house, and the business grew. She found the kitchen in St. Johns and baked there, doing each part of the business herself and grew. All the recipes (save for the trail mix cookies) are Morgan's own that she has developed from scratch. Eventually, she hired employees. "I love dovetail bakery," she says, "and i am so grateful to my family and loved ones who have helped me grow the business." Now, they have their baked goods in local Portland Whole Foods stores and their own shop right on Alberta Street--a wonderful arts district that has huge crowds drawn for First Thursday, where all the galleries and shops along the street open their doors and artists set up tables all along the street to sell their beautiful goods. What a fantastic addition to the street!

(guests enjoying the warm atmosphere)

I've written about Dovetail before--as Lauren, a baker at Dovetail, was the brains behind baking the big bread for my Bread Friend Map series. Dovetail specializes in vegan baked goods--no butter and no eggs in any of their goodies. I have a love/hate with vegan baked goods--I mean, butter and eggs are a HUGE part of baking! Right? Maybe?... Dovetail Bakery is the sole reason I embrace vegan baking as an honest-to-goodness ally in the world of baking. Somehow, these ladies have discovered the magic way around these "necessary" ingredients making their treats taste light, fluffy, crumbly, or however it should taste.

The true test? If you went in there and didn't know it was vegan, you'd walk out still not knowing it was vegan because their treats are truly incredible. They are well known for their famous sticky buns. But be sure to try the Pear-Cardamon Muffin or Lemon Blueberry (with real big fresh blueberries) scone (they both come in a hard tie for my favorites there)-- you may find yourself unable to stop sampling. If you do find yourself in this position don't worry. Just take a deep breath and ask to take the rest "to go." You won't be disappointed!

You can find Dovetail Bakery at:

3039 NE Alberta St., Portland OR 97211
(On the corner of 31st and Alberta)

503.288.8839
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 8am-6pm

Not your mother's Macaroons

I have another guilty pleasure: coconut. I love it in all it's forms including shredded, the milk, the oil, and coconut water. To me, it is like eating the nectar of the gods--especially with the lack of sun up here in the Pacific Northwest. I wonder if eating the coconut is somehow transferring all the sun it took to grow it, to me. Let's hope!

And I can't seem to get enough of it. The other day, I found myself making a big pot of brown rice with coconut milk--the full fat kind. And last week, I got a surprise box of goodies from my school, The Institute of Integrative Nutrition, with some amazing coconut macaroons in there. They were made by a graduate who has started his own business called The Laughing Giraffe Organics. And, they pretty much blew my mind. These are vegan?... and raw? I thought to myself. It was right then and there I decided I was going to trust my taste buds instead of listening to the long list of stigmas those two words tend to conjure up in my mind. Because these were incredible!

So I decided to do a little sleuthing to figure out how to make some of these on my own. I found a lot of recipes out there that use a dehydrator, and I have a feeling that is how the Laughing Giraffe does his too. But I stumbled across another recipe that looked like it was going to be the winner. And as far as I'm concerned, it is--my coconut fix will forever be--fixed! What I love about these little no-bake cookies is that they have very few ingredients: shredded coconut, almonds, coconut oil, agave, and a little sea salt. You can keep them in your fridge in an air tight container for a long time (at least a month, maybe more) and in your freezer for even longer. People, I am telling you, if you are looking for an amazing sweet fix that won't make your teeth fall out or you feel woozy afterward, then this is your treat. They actually give you a nice burst of energy--try eating one or two of these things before working out or as a mid-afternoon pick me up!


No-Bake Coconut Vanilla Almond Macaroons, recipe adapted via Annaveda

3 Cups Shredded unsweetened Coconut

1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or one vanilla bean, pods extracted

1 1/2 Cups Raw Almonds

1 Cup Agave Nectar

Pulse the almonds in a food processor until broken down and only some medium size pieces remain. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon or strong rubber spatula. Get in there with your hands and mash it all together.--This is actually AMAZING for your hands, they will feel super soft, like you just had a manicure, if you get them in there and mix using them. Coconut oil is wonderful for the skin too. So go for it!

Form large golf ball sized macaroons with a tablespoon and your hands, transfer macaroons to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour prior to serving. You may also wrap individual macaroons in an airtight container and freeze - simply thaw out before serving.

Bon Apetit!

Honey Spelt Bread

I really enjoy the earthy goodness of spelt. Its texture and flavor are a bit lighter than whole wheat but still packs a punch when it comes to tasting good and is good for you (the two can coincide at times;). Some people who have gluten intolerance can enjoy spelt as an alternative to wheat but not all as it does have a limited amount still present. What is spelt, you ask? It is an ancient grain that is a hybrid between a type of wheat and a type of tall growing grass. It has more protein than regular wheat, is high in fiber, and has a high amount of B vitamins (B vitamins make you feel happier). Yeah, yeah--nutrition jargon--so what is the big deal with spelt?

It tastes good. Pure and simple. Next time you are at the store, pick yourself up a loaf of spelt bread and I think you might be surprised. It's soft, it has a wonderful nutty flavor, and it tastes great as toast or in a sandwich. I stopped eating store-bought whole wheat bread a few years ago and it was well worth it. When I do buy my bread, I get it from Dave's Killer Bread, straight from the factory here in town, fresh (and spelt!). They don't put anything strange in their bread--and they support a wonderful cause.

But when I don't buy it, I make this bread. I usually make two loaves and freeze one for later use (the freezer is an amazing utility to make the most of!). It's hearty, dense, has wonderful flavor, and I eat it with just about anything. I love it when it (or any bread really) comes right out of the oven and I smother it in fresh butter--and mean smother--I have a weak spot for fresh bread and butter. One of life's little guilty pleasures :).

Enjoy!

Honey Spelt Bread recipe adapted from Food and Wine

4 1/2 cups whole-wheat spelt flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 3/4 cups warm water
2 + tablespoons honey (I used almost 4)

In a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook add the water, honey, and yeast. Let stand for about 5 minutes to get nice and foamy. Add the salt and flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix until the flour is moistened, about 2 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Increase the speed to medium and knead until a stiff dough forms, about 2 minutes longer.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and shape into a ball. Set the dough in a well-floured bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450° and spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with vegetable cooking spray. Invert the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently punch it down. Fold the dough into a loaf, tucking in the sides and pinching the seams. Transfer the dough to the loaf pan, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Remove the plastic wrap and lightly dust the dough with flour. Using a razor blade or sharp knife, make a shallow lengthwise gash down the center of the loaf. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the loaf is risen, golden on top and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads 180°. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then tip it out onto a rack to cool completely before serving.

Favorite Meal: Yuri and Erin + Mast Brothers Chocolate

It's been a few months since I last did a Favorite Meal, but this one has been well worth the wait. I decided to try something a little different by trying to do it long distance. I wanted to see how it would work, if my physical presence was really needed, and if creating a framework for the participant(s) was enough. After working with Yuri and Erin-- who did a fantastic job and looked like they had a lot of fun--I decided it depends on the favorite meal and those who are carrying it out. If you'd like me to do a favorite meal for you long distance, send me your ideas!

Just to recap, the Favorite Meal series (click to see other favorite meals that have been done) started as my thesis project for my masters degree. I ask people a series of questions about their favorite person. Based upon their answers, I create an entire experience--food and environment--really focusing on connecting themselves with their Favorite and with themselves. It is a wonderful design challenge, forcing me out of my "comfort zone" with having to cook and experiment with different foods, experience intimate moments and memories, and face the humanity of the experience for all of us involved. Some 'Favorites' have been present (and that is a lovely surprise for both parties!) while most are for a 'Favorite' who is deceased. Some Favorite meals have been really funny and some have been heavy and sad; others have been uplifting and cleansing--it all depends on who the Favorite is, who the facilitating person is, and what the situation is. But they ALL have been a celebration of life in its various forms, from the painful to the hilarious, clearing the air and the way for people to experience that and move on. And I have been so incredibly grateful to have been made a part of my participants journeys!

(Erin (left) and Yuri--wrapping and tasting their own chocolate bars)

Yuri and Erin are friends of friends from undergrad--we all went to DAAP for various forms of design. They live in Brooklyn and I live in Portland--this was a great test for distance because, well, that's pretty far! But it worked out beautifully. Yuri chose his Uncle Bunky as his favorite. Johannes George Devos, otherwise known as Uncle Bunky, was Dutch. Yuri used to spend summers with him in Holland; Uncle Bunky was a food connoisseur and lover. He used to plan field trips to various wine, cheese, and olive oil making farms because he valued, treasured, and loved the traditions of food so much. They took all the pictures of their excursion to the Factory and of their meal.

(The front counter at Mast Bros.)

(A Mast Brother hard at work!)

With this in mind, I created a little field trip of their own, right in Brooklyn to the Mast Brothers Chocolate Factory. I screenprinted some "tickets" with the information of where it was and when to go--the tickets were meant to resemble the beautiful wrappings the Mast Bros. use on their chocolates. Did I mention that this chocolate tastes amazing too? It's good chocolate. Real good. I then sent him a recipe of an authentic Indonesian curry to make when they got home from their excursion. It looked delicious and they even platted their meal beautifully--so nice guys!

Yuri's Favorite Meal Answers:

Who would you like to have a Favorite Meal with?
Bunky - Johannes George Devos. Bunky is my uncle from my mother's side. He lived in Holland his whole life.

Why?
I chose Bunky because I would give anything to cook a meal for him. He passed away two years ago and as I continue my culinary journey, I would love to share with him all I have learned. He was fascinated by everyone and everything. He would call my mother and want to know all about her work, life, the kids and what we were doing. He was extremely passionate about art and music. Bunky worked as vice president of legal sales for Dunhill and Peter Stuyversant cigarettes. One major accomplishment in his career was putting art work in the factories to improve the decor and work environment. He was a painter himself, as well as his daughters and wife. Bunky provided for his family in every way possible. He was so close to his three girls, and was determined to stay close to them his whole life. He was the "master of the house", as my whole family called him. He always wanted to bring the family together. My parents, sister and I spent the summers in Holland when I was a child. We took trips to the south of France and I watched as the adults ate and drank for hours. He was all about the tradition of sharing a meal with family and friends. He would take us all to wineries, cheese shops, and once the oldest factory which made hazelnut oil. He visited as many things local as he possibly could. He cared about it all. In a small village in the south of France, he woke everyone up at four a.m and took us to a cow trading auction. We stood in cow shit and watched the farmers buy and sell cows. His fascination with life was so amazing. It was so fun to watch him eat. He took so much time to smell, taste, raise his glass, do a whole song and dance to have the first drop of a bottle of wine. [personal note: sounds amazing, right?]

(Yuri is a great cook--he was excited when he saw quail eggs as part of the recipe:)

What flavors remind you of this person?
Bunky was a lover of Indonesian food. He enjoyed spicy hot food. He liked savory over sweet. He loved scallops, oysters, foie gras, as much as an occasional white castle or Mc donalds hamburger to remember his childhood. Two foods that come to mind that he didn't like are brussel sprouts and pumpkin. We learned this one thanksgiving when the family came to Cincinnati. He was never a fan of sushi.
Bunky loved to drink. He drank scotch and then moved onto wine with almost every meal. He drank beer with Indonesian food.

What time of day would be most appropriate for the meal? It could be any time of the day ...breakfast, cocktails, midnight snack...?
The meal most appropriate would be cocktail hour and or dinner.
Where do you see this favorite meal happening? A specific city? A climate? A time period?
His home in Amsterdam on Van Bree Straat. He always loved to be home.

What smells remind you of this person?
Smells that come to mind are cigarettes and his cologne.

Are there any mementos or small trinkets that you have that you'd like to incorporate and are special to them?
A bow tie he gave me. He always looked sharp. He wore bow ties.

Indonesian Prawn Curry with Quail Eggs

INGREDIENTS
12 quail's eggs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 shallots or one onion, finely chopped
1 inch piece fresh ginger root, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 inch piece lemon grass, finely shredded
1-2 small fresh red chilies, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 lbs raw shrimp tails, peeled and deveined
14oz can coconut milk
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
4 oz of Chinese leaves (bok choy or napa cabbage), roughly chopped
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 scallions, green parts only, shredded
2 tbsp shredded coconut to garnish

1. Boil the quails eggs for 8 minutes. Refresh in cold water, peel by dipping in cold water to to release the shells and set them aside.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok, add the shallots or onion, ginger, and garlic and cook until the onions have softened, without coloring. Add the lemon grass, chilies, turmeric, and fish sauce and fry briefly to bring out their flavors.

3. Add the prawns to the wok and fry briefly. Pour the coconut milk through a strainer over a bowl, then add the thin part of the milk with the chicken stock. Add the Chinese leaves (bok choy or napa cabbage), sugar, and salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 6-8 minutes.

4. Turn out the prawn curry on to a warmed serving dish. Halve the quail's eggs, using a sharp knife, and toss them in the sauce until they are well coated. Sprinkle with the spring onions and the shredded coconut. Serve with plain boiled rice.

5. Enjoy with a cold Amstel!

(They even made Uncle Bunky his own plate--love the veggie letters :)

Thank you so much Yuri and Erin for letting me create the framework for this experience for you! The chocolate factory looked so amazing to go visit--I'm a little jealous ;).


Cheers!

Waffles!

I love breakfast! I love eating traditional breakfast foods but I especially love the ritual of eating first thing in the morning. Call me superstitious, but I believe that the first thing I taste in the day will dictate how the day will go. For instance, something sweet will give me a little more pep initially and get me to my early morning yoga classes in a fine mood--no one wants a grumpy teacher! In fact, there is a difference between sweetness too. Give me something made with white or brown sugar, and I will indeed be grumpy in a few hours. But something made with real maple syrup or agave nectar never has that effect and I'm good to go! Something a little more savory, like eggs or a quiche get me focused. The proteins put my mind in a little more grounded state for some good mental work to come that day. Have you ever noticed anything like this with what you eat in the morning? Someone once said to me, "you have to gas your car up before it can run, right? You can't take it anywhere if it has no gas in the tank--why would we expect our bodies to do the same?" It was kind of like a "oh...well, yeah...duh" moment for me, but the simplicity and truth of it has really stuck with me. Thinking about this must have something to do with the fact that I'm getting certified as a holistic health counselor ;). I've really been enjoying learning about the relationship between food and lifestyle and how it affects our health, happiness, and well being--it is really fascinating!

The other day, Andrew and I remembered we had a waffle maker (joy!). Our kitchen is a funny, small place where, like in many older homes, the cupboards go really high up. That's where things that are not used very often get stored--and forgotten about. We've gotten into a really nice habit of making breakfast together--it is actually a great way to begin the day :). Some days he takes the reins, other days I do, but we are both in there helping the other out. I started perusing some of my cookbooks for a good waffle recipe and found that they were all pretty similar--and from reputable, trusted sources. I decided to go with the one by Debora Madison out of her Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (a goldmine of great recipes). She gives a basic waffle recipe and then has variations for multi-grain, pecan, and rice waffles. I made a variation on the multi-grain as I didn't have a variety of grains to add. I made a 75/25 whole wheat version that was incredibly filling and a nice vehicle for your favorite toppings. Because I used whole wheat flour and not whole wheat pastry flour (a little lighter than just the regular) they were dense, but not in a bad way. I think I'm going to keep tweaking the recipe though and trying different things until I am totally satisfied.

I added real maple syrup and dried goji berries on top, but you can add whipped butter, honey, pecans, jam, or whatever your heart desires--they're your waffles! And I didn't feel any mid-morning slump because of the lower amount of white flour and real maple--which is an important aspect to what I eat in the morning. If you have any good waffle suggestions, feel free to let me know! I'm on the lookout.


Whole Wheat Waffles, recipe adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk or buttermilk
1/4 cup canola or olive oil, or butter melted (I used olive oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour (I used 1 1/2 cups whole wheat and 1/2 cup all purpose--75/25:)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a bowl, mix the wet ingredients together. In another bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Pour the we ingredients into the dry and combine them with a fork. The batter should be on the thin side or your waffles will be too cakey. Test a spoonful to be sure and add more milk if it's too thick. Cook according to your waffle iron instructions. Top with your favorite toppings and serve warm.

Cheers!

sweet roots, sweet change

Do you ever just feel a change on the horizon? Even if you are not exactly sure what is going to happen, you know that something will happen? This could be for a lot of reasons: maybe you've been putting something out there or you've been working diligently on something, or maybe it's a feeling you just get from running into the same problems or issues--like it's time to turn right or left. This has definitely been a time like that for me.

For the past few months, I've retracted a little, made myself a little more scarce and a little less accessible. Not that you couldn't or wouldn't be able to get a hold of me, I was definitely around--but I was quiet. This is something I had never done before--just be quiet. It was almost like a mental detox time--purging old tape recordings (that can play on repeat in my head at times); revising what ideas worked and didn't work anymore; identifying, sorting, arranging, and organizing my wants, needs and desires; literally attempting to leave no stone unturned and throwing out what wasn't good for me anymore. I was surprised with how much energy this took to do!

(This old sieve is amazing! It's been in the family for a long, long time, recently aquired by Chelsea via her grandmother. Applebutter and fruit butters galor! Plus, its symbolism related to sieving thoughts or old habits is pretty fantastic too :).

But winter has that effect on me. It is an inward, more quiet time which, take it or leave it, can be really beneficial. It's a time when focus and earthy energy are needed to sustain our physical/mental/emotional energy on these short days. Both of those qualities can be enhanced by eating root vegetables.

I went to visit a friend today and she heated up some of the best soup I've had all season. It hit the spot in a way I didn't even know I was needing! It was that good. The best part was, she made up the recipe by listening to what she wanted (and her body needed). It's a basic butternut squash soup base--thick, creamy, with the aromatics of leeks and garlic. But she wasn't satisfied so added coconut milk, cilantro, and then squeezed fresh lime on top. It was simply out of this world! Sometimes, it's the little things that make all the difference.


Chelsea's Butternut Squash Soup with a Thai Twist

Take 2 leeks, wash them thoroughly and slice very thin. Sweat in a skillet with both butter and olive oil (about 2 tablespoons each) for at least 15 minutes.

Crush three smallish garlic cloves, chop them and add to the leeks.
Dice one yellow bell pepper, add to the leeks and garlic, sweat for another 15 mins.

Add some spices--coriander, turmeric--anywhere from 1/2 - 1 teaspoon each. Use some cayenne even to spice it up.

Peel and cube one small butternut squash, add to the sweating veggies and saute for about 3 minutes.

Add vegetable or chicken broth to cover. Add a half (or whole) bag of nice frozen corn. Heavy simmer for a while, until the veggies are super soft and kind of smoosh together when you stir it with your wooden spoon.

Add one can coconut milk.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Finish with fresh cilantro and squeeze fresh lime on top. Serve warm and enjoy!

Moroccan Lentil and Garbanzo Bean Soup

Strangely enough, in the past few weeks I have had several close people in my life stop eating gluten and, quite frankly, this boggled my mind. I'm a baker--one of my main materials is flour aka gluten. A strange fear started to well up inside of me, my ego seizing the moment and blaring words across my brain: What if that was youuuuu! What would you doooooo! It's so scaryeeeeee!! Eeeek!! After about a day of some intense worry, I laughed. Well, I thought to myself, it isn't me, this actually has nothing to do with me (silly girl), but I could find out more information about it to help out those in my life and myself understand more about what gluten intolerance is.

What I found out was that for some people, gluten activates their immune system and their bodies want to fight with it. This can cause strange things to occur like rashes that look like eczema or severe pain in the belly, ouch. The small intestine is lined with tiny, hair-like projections called villi. Resembling the deep pile of a plush carpet on a microscopic scale, villi work to absorb vitamins, minerals and other nutrients from the food you eat. The gluten harms this villi making it impossible for you to be, well, healthy! A severe form of gluten intolerance is called celiacs disease, and the only reason it is classified as "disease" is because of how the body reacts to the gluten with the immune system (classifying it officially as an autoimmune disorder).

However, there really are tons of options out there for eating gluten free--I was amazed actually. The Gluten-Free Girl, a wonderful blogger, has done an amazing job of taking her gluten intolerance by the reins and living a full and delicious life. Plus, she has tons of recipes, great photos, and is an incredible writer--it's a site I enjoy often. There is also an entire magazine (yes, glossy, full color, and comes via snail mail) dedicated to gluten free living called, well, Gluten Free Living; a group exists for gluten intolerant people and teens as well as a gluten free restaurant awareness program, listing restaurants that offer gluten free options.

For a short list of things that gluten intolerant people can eat, it's actually quite wide and varying in textures, flavors, and goodness. They include: amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, popcorn, cornmeal (polenta and tortillas), millet, as well as breads, cereals, crackers, and pasta made of corn, rice, potato, soy, arrowroot, tapioca, sago, flax, and hominy. What not to eat includes wheat in all of it's forms.


As I was flipping through this week's Food Day, I ran across a recipe with the title: GLUTEN FREEDOM, Moroccan Lentil and Garbanzo Bean Soup (in bold). I took this as my queue to research this topic more, come to terms with it for myself, share the information with you, and make this warm, aromatic, and slightly spicy soup. Mom, Dana, this one is for you!

This soup won't disappoint. It even made my house smell incredible!

P.S. Happy Birthday Mel!

(sauteeing the vegetables)

Moroccan Lentil and Garbanzo Bean Soup, via FOODday

Makes 6 servings

For a little extra spiciness, add about 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper along with the black pepper. Feel free to vary the vegetables as well; try cubed butternut squash, turnips or zucchini. This soup gets even better the next day, once the flavors have married.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt (I only needed one, but it's up to your tastes really...)
1 cup dried brown or green lentils
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
7 cups water
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1/2 lemon (I used a whole one, delish)

In a medium pot, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in the ginger, cumin, cinnamon, pepper, salt, lentils, tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the garbanzo beans to the soup and continue simmering about 10 minutes longer. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cilantro and lemon juice. Taste the soup before serving and add additional salt or black pepper if needed.

Three cheers for gluten freedom!

Be Nourished

I love that name for a business! I worked with the wonderful women at Be Nourished to do something a little different at their open house. They just moved to a new space in an actual house which is so appropriate for the work that they do. It is so wonderful to work with people who's philosophy and ideas are in tune with yours--a treat actually. Their approach to food and healing is absolutely nourishing:

We believe that the capacity and potential to change is within every person. Our passion is helping people explore how an enjoyable relationship with food happens naturally when the focus is more on nurturing the body and mind and less on dieting. We encourage a non-diet approach to food, weight, and health. Our approach helps people heal from the side effects of chronic dieting. People who repeatedly diet often experience a “diet backlash” – increased rigidity regarding good and bad foods, restriction leading to increased binging, reduction in trust of self with food, feelings about not “deserving” food, social withdrawal and shortened duration of dieting episodes.

Dana came to the luncheon I did this summer for one of her clients who is also my friend, Lacy. It was a serendipitous meeting and the pieces kept falling into the right places and I am now working with Be Nourished more frequently. For the open house they wanted a new twist on hour d'oeuvres and a way to incorporate all the senses to demonstrate mindfulness with food through an experience--as opposed to only setting out nice little canapes. So I re-created a taste-station based on the 6 Ayurvedic tastes (salty, sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, astringent) and had samples of all those foods for people to taste what they were. Then, I collaborated with my friend Nicole to come up with a variety of small canapes and snacks that would incorporate these tastes together. It was a big hit and the food was all fantastic.

I baked bread, whole wheat pitas, and made a wonderful Indian Vegetable dish (see recipe below). We used the bread I made for the canapes which included: goat cheese, salmon, and dill; goat cheese and pickled raisins; blue cheese, marionberry jam, assorted crackers, and a piece of rosemary; gluten free brown rice bread, salmon, a slice of meyer lemon, microgreens. I'd have to say the crackers with blue cheese, jam, and rosemary were my favorite--a fantastic melody in my mouth! But it was all truly good.

(goat cheese, capers, salmon--mmm)

(picked raisins, goat cheese, scrumptious)

(These sweet/savory crackers were aromatic and my favorite)

The Indian Vegetable dish actually incorporates all of the tastes in it making it extremely satisfying. This recipe is fairly simple and really hits on all the flavor notes in your mouth. Serve it with some coconut rice, spicy brown rice, or a whole wheat pita (or naan) and you will be good to go!

(Sushi rice--or sticky rice--balled up and rolled in toasted coconut! Can be served sweet or savory, so good!)

Indian Vegetables via The Modern Ayurvedic Cookbook by Amrita Sondhi

*This is actually a recipe for Samosa filling, so feel free to use it in that capacity as well! But I found I loved it over rice or with a pita too--a great addition to your vegetable recipe collection!

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
1 cup onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
8 curry leaves (optional--you can find them at most international or indian grocery's)
3 cups potatoes, parboiled and cubed
1 1/2 cups peas, parboiled
1 1/2 cups carrots, parboiled
juice of 1/2 a lemon (I used a whole one, it was good)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoons salt
1 small bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 fresh green chili, minced

In a large saucepan on high, heat oil, then add black mustard seeds and cover with a lid until they all pop, about 30 seconds. Stir in chopped onions, then reduce the heat to medium high and sautee for about 4 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add turmeric and curry leaves and continue to sautee for 1 minute. Stir in potatoes, peas, carrots, lemon juice, cayenne, garam masala, and salt. Mix well and cook for about 3 minutes. Turn off heat, add cilantro and green chilies and mix well. Remove curry leaves and enjoy!

Celebrating Citrus

The citrus season brings a necessary and amazing wallop of pizazz to these bleak winter days. It's like a burst of fresh air, with a hint of zest. I love going into my local New Seasons and seeing the absolute abundance of all these different types of citrus, a true feast for the eyes!

I go in an out of liking citrus, so I decided to figure out why. I believe it comes down to the fact that I don't really crave a juicy orange unless it's cold outside. Go figure! Eating a bad orange for me is like eating a bad tomato or peach--the memory is hard to erase. And I've found that a lot of Valencia oranges and Naval oranges, like the ones you might find at Safeway, to be absolutely tasteless and super fibery--not in a good way either. It wasn't until I decided to try different types of citrus and while they were in season that I found I really love the tangy, sweet juice and delicate pieces that come from this amazing fruit category.

So I did some sleuthing and bought a variety of citrus fruits to share with you and to try myself:).

The Cocktail Citrus
This may look like an ordinary grapefruit, but don't be fooled! This has the flavors of grapefruit but is sweeter, more tender, and very juicy. It's like what the Meyer Lemon is to the Lemon, you can actually peel it, eat it, and it won't bite your head off with an over zealous lemony zest! The cocktail citrus is Porsche of grapefruits.

The Tangelo
A cross between the tangerine and a grapefruit, these little guys are juicy to the point of becoming fleshless. They will literally burst in your mouth and would make a great fresh squeezed juice in the morning to welcome you into your day. Plus, they are easy to peel and distinguishable in their smaller size and little nob that grows at the top.

The Tangerine
These are sweet little fruits, both adorable in size and in taste. They really are sweet--sweeter than your average orange which provides a little more flavor. They tend to be smaller, but can grow quite sizable in some places around the world.

The Blood Orange
These oranges have a beautiful deep ruby red color juice. Their skins tend to have a blush of the same ruby across the top in certain spots or just all over. I've had some blood oranges that taste really sweet, others super sour. Like the orange, it can range in flavors based on when it was picked, where it was grown, and how long it's been around. These are a wonderful treat if you are literally "looking" for something different--because they are beautiful!

The Mandarin Orange
This orange is tiny and while is sweet and juicy, also has a distinct flavor. It's a deeper note, something a little more complex than just your average tang of sour or zing of sweet, it's what differentiates it from the other citrus. They are easy to peel and would go great if you squeezed one or two into your normal juice in the morning.

Happy citrus trying!

Fresh soy milk

I go through phases when I know I need to cut down on my dairy intake. I'm a dairy fiend--I love good cheese, hot chocolate, and milk in my oatmeal. I know I've had enough when I start to feel a little too sluggish after I eat it, my skin isn't cooperating and is duller, and I feel heavier (not necessarily in weight but more like in density) in my body. This tends to happen to a lot of people especially during the winter months. But it's hard to cut out that soft, creamy goodness all together--it makes me feel comforted when I do eat it. So what does one do in this sort of conundrum? Make fresh, homemade soy milk!

Soy milk out of the box is actually not that great. There are always tons of additives like sugar, salt, and weird chemically sounding things. Plus, the process that many companies use to make their soy milk strip a lot of the nutrients right out of it leaving it lifeless, dull, and kind of a non-drink for your body. But soy on it's own has so many amazing benefits including cancer prevention, reduced heart risks, and strong bones. Plus, I can remedy my cravings for something sweet and creamy with this homemade drink.


When I saw this recipe, I was immediately intrigued (plus it came from a really beautiful blog, check it out!). Soy milk is so not glamorous! But it will surprise you with its deliciousness :). I haven't made many things with actual soy beans and have been wanting to try--so I thought why not go straight to the source? I used about half the sugar needed and it was still pretty sweet. Then I made another batch with no sugar at all and realized that I liked it better with a little sweetener--you can add a little honey or agave to a warm glass and it will do the trick--if you are looking for something sweeter of course. You won't be disappointed if you try this, and it may just change your mind about soy milk!

Also, if you are in the Portland, OR area this Thursday, you are officially invited to Be Nourished open house at 3719 N Williams. I am collaborating on an eating design experience and food--we'll be doing a taste station where you get to sample each of the six tastes (salty, sweet, bitter, pungent, astringent, sour) and then eat some snacks that incorporate most or all of those in them.


Fresh Homemade Soy Milk via Kiss My Spatula

1/2 cup dried organic yellow soy beans
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 cup granulated sugar, plus more to taste

Rinse dried soy beans thoroughly and drain. Soak in cold water overnight in a large bowl. Drain again. Pick through beans and remove those that have not expanded and softened.

Put soybeans and 2 1/2 cups of water in a blender. Cover lid tightly and puree until smooth and milky. Transfer the puree to a large stockpot and add 3 additional cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly and skimming off foam, as necessary. Turn heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 25 minutes.

Strain milk through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a bowl, pressing on soybeans to squeeze as much liquid out as possible. Stir in salt and sugar, adding more sugar to taste. Serve piping hot or ice cold.

Holistic Health

Why am I always amazed when I follow my gut and things work out? There is nothing truly more wonderful when situations, directions, and ideas unfold onto your lap like a present--all because you trust yourself and the greater good. And that is precisely what has happened to me this past week.

I am getting my certification as a holistic health counselor from the Institute of Integrated Nutrition. It is the perfect compliment to Eating Design, allowing me to work with clients one on one, with small groups, and with families--integrating design, food, wellness, and communication, for the betterment of an individual or community. The goals of a personalized health counseling program are to radically improve your life, resolve concerns specific to you and your body, and to provide you with tools for a lifetime of balance. I work together with clients to find the right foods for your body and to balance your Primary Foods--the areas of your life that feed you on the deepest levels. This unique approach provides meaningful, lasting results--and it is so much fun!

I am so excited to be able to use my creative approach to food and communication as truly a way to give back and to help others live a holistic life--connecting themselves with themselves and with others--as a holistic health counselor and eating designer! And I am also super excited to have you along for the journey as this will be a place I share this journey with you! Cooking tips, stories, and new approaches to food will all be right here :).

Last night, a few girlfriends and I got together and juiced some winter fruits. There was a lot of citrus action happening and we made two different concoctions. First, a coconut water, champagne mango, lime, and cucumber with coconut meat; and second, blood orange, lemon, carrot, cucumber, and ginger. We also made a quick tabuleh (parsley, spring onion pulsed in a cuisinart, cut up tomatoes, threw in some cooked Bulgar wheat, squeezed half a lemon and crumbled some feta on top--delicious) and some yeasted pita breads. We were feeling at optimum health! And it tasted great too.

Andrew and I went on another great hiking excursion this weekend, this time to the Columbia gorge. We did a hike at Wahkeena Falls and as we progressed up the extremely vertical trail, we went through mist, rain, sleet, then snow and ice. It was reall cool traveling through so many weather climates on foot!

I hope you have a fantastic week ahead! Cheers!

Compliments

Vanilla or chocolate? Put the two together and the debate becomes officially moot. I think it is hard to find a better flavor pairing--they perfectly compliment each other, adding aroma and depth to each of their respective tastes. Especially when it comes to making a cup of hot chocolate.

I have somehow acquired an entire book on hot chocolate--recipes, the history, you name it which I finally sat down the other day and read it through. It is not a long book and the methods of making hot cocoa were all fairly similar with the exception of a few interesting ingredients in some of the recipes. But I did notice one ingredient that none of the famous European and South American chocolatiers did without in their cocoa--vanilla. When thinking of hot cocoa, I can get fairly one dimensional--all I can think about is the chocolate. So when I noticed this trend and read about vanilla becoming the essence to any good cocoa, I had to wrap my brain (and hands) around this concept and make some. Logic was telling me that this makes total sense. My experience in the kitchen was also telling me this makes total sense. But this was just one of those things that I had to try--and am I ever so glad I did.

We took a few hikes on the Oregon coast this weekend (I couldn't help but share some of these photos with you!)--the perfect weather to stop in a tiny fishing town for a cup of cocoa. In my imagination, I envisioned something like the cup I made tonight. However, I was sorely disappointed with a syrupy concoction that made my teeth want to fall out. Even so, I was determined to have the perfect cup--so I did what any good lover-of-all-things-food-cooking-flavor-and-taste did--I made it in my own kitchen.

Chocolate has a fascinating history, all wrapped up in scandal, seduction, power, and pleasure. It has literally rocked people (yes, like head-banging, horn throwing, total rocking machines) for centuries. But I think that one of my all time favorite gourmands summed chocolate up better than anyone: "If any man has drunk a little too deeply from the cup of physical pleasure; if he has spent too much time at his desk that should have been spent asleep; if his fine spirits have become temporarily dulled; if he finds the air too damp, the minutes too slow, and the atmosphere too heavy to withstand; if he is obsessed by a fixed idea which bars him from any freedom of thought: if he is any of these poor creatures, we say, let him be given a good pint of amber-flavored chocolate...and he will experience a marvel." Jean-Anthelme, I think we've all been there. I say, bring on the chocolate!

This recipe is simple and sophisticated. You can have your own cup-of-Vienna and pretend you are actually sitting on a square there while you sip this down--it's that good. I suggest drinking it in small amounts, it is quite rich and you may feel the energetic effects of the chocolate more easily than you would with cocoa powder. But if you are in need of a serious, and I mean serious chocolate fix, go ahead and pour yourself a big 'ol mug. And don't forget the real whipped cream on top.

Hot Chocolate (as it should be) via Michael Turback

*this makes one serving

1 cup whole milk (treat yourself and use a really nice, organic whole milk)
1 vanilla bean
4 oz bittersweet chocolate (around 70%), finely chopped (use a really nice bar of chocolate--go to a nice specialty shop, organic grocery, or someplace where you can find only the best for yourself)
1 teaspoon sugar

Combine the milk and vanilla bean in a small saucepan over low heat (slice the vanilla bean down the middle, using the blunt end of a butter knife, scoop out most of the seeds, put them into the pot, and then throw the entire bean-pod in as well). Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the bean. Add the chopped chocolate and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until completely melted. Add the sugar and stir. Remove the mixture from heat and allow to steep for 2-3 hours, uncovered in the pot (I just moved it to a back burner of the stove and let it sit). When ready to drink, ladle some into a small mug and microwave a minute at a time and stir between heatings. Or, if you are going to drink the whole pot, just reheat on the stove, stiring with a small whisk, ladel into mugs, and serve. If you want to be really decadent, serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

A note on letting your hot chocolate steep, or rest: Hot chocolate acquires wisdom and grace with a little age. When the mixture cools down, the chocolate crystallizes and the ingredients are bound together in a way that improves the drinks velvety texture. "As far back as the eighteenth century, Madame d'Arestrel, superior of the Convent of the Visitation in Belley, France, instructed the epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin on the importance of letting hot chocolate rest: When you would like to have some good chocolate, have it made the night before in a coffee pot and leave it. resting overnight will concentrate it and give it a velvetiness that makes it even better." --M. Turback



Cheers!

Sweet beginnings: Happy 2010

I was talking with a friend of mine the other day who told me that at the new year he gets a compulsive urge to madly write in his journal about the past year, furiously scribbling pictures and words revisiting his yearly narrative. He followed it up by saying "weird, huh." No way! I told him. That is an incredible way to look back, reflect where you've been and what you've learned, and find the exciting possibilities of where you'd like to go in the coming year.

I too get especially contemplative this time of year. It is a rare and wonderful opportunity for me to really look inward and get a clear picture of my personal road map. I follow my tracks remembering a moment where I laughed so hard I cried, or physically cringing remembering another moment. I've found that with the difficult situations I've been through, it helps me to learn from my mistakes as well as heal old wounds when I visualize a different outcome--the one that I would have liked to have happened.

This year, I've made a list of a few things I'd like to do and learn. First, I want to be more open--to possibilities, to myself, and to really listening to others, nature, and the heart (or gut); I want to better surround myself with those who are positive and supportive as well as cherish daily those who have been there for me through thick and thin; I want a fulfilling career--one that I am able give back to the community all that I have learned (and continue learning from!) which I am so grateful for ; and laugh more--to find the humor in more situations and to laugh at myself more. There is a time and a place to take things seriously, but it is truly an art to not take more than is necessary so seriously! I admire those who can turn what may be awkward, intense, or difficult situations into something else.

I was flipping through The Bread Bible to find one of my favorite bread recipes, when I came across one with the title of American Chocolate Bread. It was under a chapter that I hadn't yet ventured into called, A Slice of Divinity: Celebration and Dessert Breads. Talk about reflection (see above;), I started wondering why I hadn't been reading the recipes in that chapter. They are diverse, packed with history, about celebration (who doesn't like a good party?), and unique. This particular chapter was like getting a concentrated world history lesson via bread. Yes, please! Historically, (according to the book), there is not any link to the new year, per say, and this recipe. However, in my mind the two will be inexorably linked forever. This may even become a new holiday ritual (I do love food rituals;). These not-too-sweet breads are perfect for breakfast or a midnight snack. They satisfy the senses on many levels: the slight crunch of the sparkling sugar on the crust, the warm smell of yeasted bread, the surprise gush of melted chocolate on your tongue and lips as you bite into the center, and the heft of the roll itself--let's just say you are not eating air.

And speaking of rituals, Andrew ensured good luck for us both in the coming year by making a family favorite: black eyed peas. He made them without following a recipe but went along with his memory, intuition, and some already burgeoning good luck. They were fantastic. Happy new year!


American Chocolate Bread, via The Bread Bible by Beth Hensperger

For the sponge:
2 tablespoons (2 packages) active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Dough:
1 cup warm milk
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon salt
4-4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
8 oz semisweet chocolate (nice chocolate like Scharffen-Berger or Ghirardelli)
3 tablespoons vanilla sugar (or just regular sugar works too)

1. In a large bowl using a whisk or in the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, place the yeast, sugar, water, and 1 1/2 cups flour. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Cover and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. This makes your sponge.

2. Stir down the sponge with a wooden spoon. Add 1 cup milk, 3 tablespoons butter, salt, and 1 cup flour. Beat hard until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, to form a soft dough.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon of flour at a time as necessary until dough just loses its stickiness. It will be soft and springy.

4. Place the dough in a greased bowl. Turn once to coat top and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

5. Grease eight 4 1/2 by 2 1/2 inch loaf pans. (If you don't have these, that's fine, I just twisted mine into little rolls and baked them on my bread stone). Cut the chocolate into 1 oz portions. Gently deflate the dough. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and divide into 8 equal portions. Pat each portion out into a 7 by 4 inch rectangle about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Place a piece of chocolate at short edge of each dough portion and roll the dough up jelly roll fashion. Pinch the edges to seal and completely enclose chocolate. Arrange either in the pans or if you are not using pans, just on the floured surface, and let rise until almost doubled, about 15 minutes.

6. Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the loaves with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon sugar to sparkle the crust. Place the pans in the oven and bake 20-30 minutes, or until a delicate brown. Transfer the loaves to a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

A happy, healthy, and adventurous new year to you all!

Mel's Egg Nog

I've never been a big egg nog fan. That thick, sludgy stuff that comes out of the cartons and sold mostly during the holidays has always been a serious turn off. I went to a holiday party where a guy brought a carton and a bottle of rum + brandy (premixed), dumped them together, and served it. Even though I knew I wouldn't like it, I tried it, and immediately regretted the cup of it I was holding in my hands. The thing is, I've always wanted to like egg nog. I mean, what's not to like about it? I love its ingredients and tend to err on the vanilla side of things anyway. I love custards, creams, whipped deliciousness, and good brandy--why the heck would I not like egg nog? Because it wasn't Mel's egg nog.

Mel, Andrew's dad, is famous in many a circle for his egg nog. Co-workers, friends, and family all know that the holiday season means more than just a good turkey and good company when they are invited over to his family home. The days leading up to the egg nog's appearance were filled with excited whispers, anxious glances at the large quantities of cream, eggs, and booze, and memories of years past. One year, I was told, he didn't make it and one of Andrew's brothers simply stated "we don't talk about that year." This would be an easy place for me to gush about this because he is Andrew's dad, but this is not about political gain. It's about damn good egg nog.
So I pestered him a bit, letting him know that I'd like to hang out with him while he made this famous brew. Thank goodness he agreed. He even let me help out in the process.

People, there is still time this holiday season to make Mel's heaven-in-a-cup. This drink is for everybody (21 and up, of course), the egg nog skeptic, the egg nog lover--everyone will find a common egg nog bond with this recipe. And while egg nog tends to be kept in the box of holiday cheer for me, you may find that this could be a great drink any time of year--don't let me hold you back!


Mel's Egg Nog

1 dozen eggs
1 pound powdered sugar
2 cups dark rum
2 cups peach brandy
2 cups apricot brandy
2 quarts half and half
1/3 cup vanilla extract

Separate 12 eggs. Beat powdered sugar into egg yokes. Beat in 2 cups dark rum. Let sit for one hour. After one hour, beat in the remainder of ingredients and refrigerate covered for four hours. Keep the egg whites in the refrigerator too, and take them out one hour before whipping them. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold into the mixture. Sprinkle with a little nutmeg and a little cinnamon.

This will definitely bring on some cheer! Cheers!

Buche de Noel

Every year my mother makes a Buche de Noel for Christmas dinner. She started when she was 14, the first year she took french. And each year that I can remember, it has been made a little different. Depending on time, sometimes she brought out the duncan heinz chocolate frosting instead of making her own, or there were little decorations made from candies, powdered sugar, and the end scraps cut off from the cake. It was the ritual of making and eating this cake that was important though and no matter what, the "buche" as she so lovingly calls it, made its way to our family table each year.

Living across the country does not make it especially easy to share a slice of cake. So I called her up and asked for her recipe so I could share and enjoy this cake thousands of miles away. Growing up, I always imagined much more whipped cream in the middle than what was there. I mean MUCH more. I remember scraping through the insides trying to get each little bit of cream before I even started on the cake or icing part. Some years, for whatever reason, there seemed to be such a scant amount that I even asked for a dollop on the side. "No, honey" was the usual response, "there isn't any more, I used it all in the cake." Hmm. My little baking mind was already devising ways to make improvements in that department for the next year.


This year, I loaded the Buche with lots of cream in the center--my favorite part. The cake is light and airy and chiffon-like. It is like biting into a cloud--with a surprise middle. The dark chocolate icing pulls the whole thing together, grounding the flavors back to earth, and gives it sophistication. Let the chocolate icing just pour right on top of the rolled cake and cream combo, then scoop the excess that has gathered at it's base and reapply. The messiness of the process--the excessive amount of bowls, utensils, rolling, unrolling, rolling again, and dousing chocolate--are just as much a part of this cake as it's flavor. One bite and you'll know what I mean :).

For the next week I will be in the Rockies to celebrate the holidays and frolic in the snow--snowshoeing, making snowmen, cross country skiing, attempting to snowboard-- so I'll be signing off for a little while. Have a wonderful week and see you soon!


Buche de Noel, via my mother
*Read the directions carefully before you begin as the process of making, the cake is a little more involved than just reading through the ingredients. Cheers!*

The cake:
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp of vanilla
4 egg whites
1/2 cup of sugar
2/3 cups of sifted flour
1 tsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 cups of cocoa

Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup of sugar, add vanilla. Beat egg whites until soft peeks form, gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold yolk mixture into whites. Sift together flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt. Fold into egg mixture. Spread batter evenly into prepared jelly roll pan (151/2x101/2x1). Bake in a moderate oven at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

How to prepare the jelly roll pan:
Grease the pan then line with parchment paper making sure it extends over the edge of he pan. Grease the paper as well. Pour the batter so it covers all corners. Loosen edges as soon as cake comes from the oven. Reverse the pan onto a clean towel that has been dusted with sifted confectioners sugar. Immediately peel off the paper and trim the crust edges. Roll up before cake cools-roll in a dusted towel an place on a rack to cool.

Filling:
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp of vanilla
1-3 tsp of sifted confectioners sugar
optional: 1 tsp instant coffee

Chocolate butter icing:
3 tbs butter
2-3 oz of unsweetened chocolate
1/4 hot water,cream or coffee
1/8 tsp of salt
Melt the above over low heat in medium sauce pan
Gradually add the following:
2 cups of sifted confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
achieve a glossy finish by dipping the spatula in hot water frequently.

You can make a log knot with some of the crusts if you are industrious
I have used candies to make a holly leaf and berry
Sometimes I have sprinkled confectioners sugar lightly over the log to look like snow.

From Julie Rapp's French class 1970 (I have been making this since I was 14 years old)

Candy canes and then some

(If you click on the above image, you can see a little slideshow I put together of the pictures)

I've been day dreaming of making candy canes for a little over a month now. After watching this youtube video and researching on the web, only to find very little on the subject, I decided it would be a good idea to try and make them myself. I invited some girlfriends to join in the festivities, but my friend Nicole was the only one who could make it that day. Although the candy canes themselves did not turn out quite how we were expecting--large globs of a crusty, sugary mass--we decided to turn them into cookies. We made sugar cookies with peppermint butter cream frosting and sprinkled the candy cane bits into the batter and then again on top of the butter cream frosting before we sandwiched them. "Barbie cookies" was the first thing that came to mind to us--the frosting was such a vibrant pink it looked like it could burn us! What it did do was give me a sugar high I haven't experienced since I was about 10-- feeling giddy, anxious, started talking a mile a minute, and tired all at the same time. I wonder if by just being in the same room all day with all that sugar flying through the air I somehow inhaled it too...probably. (On a side note, my friend Lauren who is a professional baker just had about 4 root canals after never having a cavity her entire life. The dentist told her it is from the sugar that is in the air of her bakery!)

Nicole asked a friend of hers who is a pastry chef about the candy cane experience. He told her that Portland is actually a really tough place to make candy--the humidity will make the sugar crumbly much faster than normal. While this may be true, I think there were so many variables missing that when I try again next year (or maybe again for Valentines? :) I will be ready--or at least in the know about some things to expect. Sometimes it is necessary to just jump right in--if you don't try it, how will you know? There is only so much research, reading, and learning one can try to soak in before trying something. But I think (and at least this is true for myself) the real learning comes from just doing it. Woot!

Sugar Cookies via my grandmother
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup non-salted butter
1/2 cup earth balance shortening
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all purpose, non-bleached flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 - 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Cream sugars, butter and shortening until a light yellow color. Add the egg and extract, beat well. Add and mix the dry ingredients. You can either roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and with a cookie cutter or a small cup, cut out the cookies; or, you can take a teaspoon of dough, roll it into a small ball in your hand and flatten it with the end of a cup dipped in sugar on the cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 F for 8 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. The tops shouldn't brown, they will be white like little full moons.

Peppermint buttercream frosting via epicurious
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops (or more) red food coloring

1/2 cup crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes or hard peppermint candies (about 4 ounces)