Buckwheat has made a grand appearance in our kitchen this week–and thank goodness it has. Chilly mornings before setting out for a vigorous hike or bike ride, I crave something dense, warm, and nourishing like buckwheat pancakes. Quite simply, I love them. Toss some fresh, almost mushy and insanely sweet berries on top with a splash of maple syrup, it doesn’t get much better than that. Or does it? I ran across a recipe for a Fleur de Sel Buckwheat cake and didn’t know what to think. Cake? Buckwheat cake? The author, David Lebovitz, is entirely reputable and any recipes I’ve made of his have been fantastic. Having lots of buckwheat flour in the house, I decided it was a must try. The warmer days have had me looking for foods a little more on the salty side and less sweet.
Let’s talk a little bit about buckwheat first. It’s actually not a grain, but a fruit seed akin to rhubarb. This makes it a great option for people who are gluten sensitive or intolerant. It has a deep, nutty flavor, earthy in taste and texture. Buckwheat is fantastic for your cardiovascular system. It helps lower cholesterol, maintain blood flow, keep platelets from clotting excessively, and provides the body with flavonoids, or phytonutrients that protect against disease by extending the action of vitamin C and acting as antioxidants. Nutrients in Buckwheat may also contribute to blood sugar control by lowering blood gulcose and insulin levels–one of the main reasons I love eating these pancakes in the morning. It is also a great source of magnesium–a very important mineral in our bodies. Magnesium helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. It also also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. The wonder mineral!
Below is my never-fail, go-to Buckwheat Pancake recipe. This recipe makes it easy to whip up a plate of these in the wee hours of the morning, minimizing your anxious waiting for hot, aromatic, and deeply satisfying pancakes. If you find yourself craving them, don’t say I didn’t warn you. It won’t be easy to go back to regular pancakes knowing I could eat buckwheat and be satisfied on so many levels! Adding a hint of vanilla and cinnamon really round out the nuttiness of the buckwheat–they are fragrant and flavorful and will keep you satiated until lunch.
Buckwheat Pancakes, recipe adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian 1 cup all purpose or whole wheat pastry flour 1 cup buckwheat flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon maple syrup (yes, in the batter too) 2 eggs 2 cups milk or water 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
Preheat griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat while you make the batter. Mix together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the eggs, milk or water, vanilla extract, and oil or melted butter. Stir together until completely well mixed. If the batter seems too thick, add a little more milk or water. If your griddle or skillet is non-stick, you can cook your pancakes right on there, but otherwise, use a little butter first so they don’t stick to other surfaces. Adjust the heat as necessary; usually the first batch will require a higher heat than the later batches. The idea is to brown the bottom in 2-4 minutes without burning it. Flip the pancakes when they are cooked on the bottom and cook until lightly browned. Serve warm with maple syrup, fresh berries, peaches, or Greek yogurt! Enjoy!
And now for the cake. I am tremendously impressed with the flavor and texture of this unassuming cake. It’s brown, it’s small, there’s nothing fancy about it –except it’s taste. I could get lost in a forkful of it’s subtle hints of flavors. It is like walking down a garden path and wandering through a variety of different scents and scenes–but it’s all happening in your mouth. Something about how the dark rum mingles with the spicy hints of cinnamon all carried through by the earthy aroma of the buckwheat. There is also quite a bit of butter involved, which folds all the flavors into one another, connecting them and creating new sensations. Then there’s the fleur de sel. Yes. This is the icing on top, because just when you think you have it all figured out, you are pleasantly surprised by a tiny salty aftertaste. And of course you’ve got to try it all over again, just to be sure you got it the first time. It can turn into a vicious cycle, leading to eating many more slices of this cake than intended. I made some fresh whipped cream flavored with maple syrup (have you tried this? it’s delicious!) for the side, but would also pair well with any fruit compote, or simply naked.
Fleur de Sel Buckwheat Cake via 101 cookbooks via David Lebovitz For the cake: 7/8 cup (140g) buckwheat flour 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/3 teaspoon fleur de sel 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 pound (240g) unsalted butter, at room temp 1 cup (200g) sugar 4 large egg yolks 1 large egg 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons dark rum
For the glaze: 1 large egg yolk 1 teaspoon milk
Butter a 9 or 10-inch (25-cm) tart pan with a removable bottom or a 9-inch/23 cm springform cake pan). Preheat the oven to 350F degrees (180C).
In a small bowl, whisk together the buckwheat and all-purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the cinnamon.
In the bowl of a standing mixer or by hand, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat the 4 egg yolks and whole egg with the vanilla and rum with a fork, then gradually dribble the egg mixture into the batter while beating. If using an electric mixer, beat on high speed so the butter gets really airy.
Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top as flat as possible with an offset metal or plastic spatula.
Make a glaze by stirring the single yolk and milk together with a fork, then brush it generously all over the top. (You may not use it all, but use most of it.) Take a fork and rake it across the top in three parallel lines, evenly space; then repeat starting from a slightly different angle to make a criss-cross pattern.
Crumble the remaining 1/3 teaspoon salt over the gateau with your fingers and bake for 45 minutes (hs note: you might want to place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack below your tart in case it leaks at all – also, don’t over-bake or it will be on the dry side – start checking after 35 minutes or so). Let cool completely before unmolding.
Reprinted from The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz via 101 Cookbooks. Broadway (May 5, 2009)
Cheers!
It’s strawberry season–the sweet tangy flavors of these berries always get me ready for long, lazy summer days. On Sunday I made a rustic strawberry galette with fresh berries from the farmers market. It oozed, splattered, splashed, and dripped all over our plates, chins, and shirts until we had eaten it all. It was accompanied by a huge dollop of fresh whipped cream (made with a hint of vanilla) and it was pretty amazing.
Today is also my birthday. I usually make my own cake each year for no other reason than, I like to bake. There are not too too many times throughout the year that one can go all out and make huge cakes–I get torn between just doing it and then having a lot of waste–my guilt with the waste usually rings in first, so I back off and wait for those special occasions. I’m not saying that I wouldn’t mind someone else baking a cake for me because that would be amazing as well! But there are a few specific, special people in mind that would blow all our minds with a fabulous cake: Kiija + Brent, Drew, & Ellen. I’m just sayin’ 
.
Now I’m off to do whatever it is we do on our birthdays: what we want to do! For me, that’s taking a jog, reading my huge stack of health books (thanks, Mom!) that I specifically asked for and enjoying immensely (I can’t seem to get enough of the nutrition/health reading…), maybe bake a cake, teach a yoga class, and generally just have a good day. I hope you have a fantastic day today too! Cheers!
Strawberry Galette
For the dough: 2 cups non-bleached all purpose flour 12 tablespoons cold butter 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Preheat your oven to 400 F. In your food processor or in your mixer with the paddle attachment (I’ve also just used my hands for this), mix all the ingredients together until the butter is pea-sized in shape. Put in the fridge for up to 2 hours if the butter seems too soft. It’s a good idea to keep it in the fridge anyway while you prepare the strawberries.
Strawberry filling: Cut up about a pound and a half of fresh strawberries. Add maybe a tablespoon of brown sugar–if the strawberries are on the tart side, add a little more, but if they are super sweet and wonderful, a tablespoon or less is fine. Add a capful of vanilla extract. Toss everything in a bowl until well coated. Set aside
Roll out the dough in a irregular circle-like shape until it’s approximately 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough to your baking sheet or stone. Add the berries to the center then gently start folding the sides up to keep everything in the middle. If there are large cracks, you might want to dip your finger in a little water to seal them. Inevitably, some juices will escape, but you want to try to keep as much of those juices inside–they make it taste the way it does! Aka: amazing. You can dip a pastry brush in either milk or heavy cream and brush the top dough parts to give it a golden crust when it comes out. Sprinkle it with some turbino sugar too if desired, then, absolutely enjoy.
In my quest for finding simple, fresh, and delicious recipes, I’ve re-discovered one of my favorite cookbooks: The Complete Tassajara Cookbook. I love the way Edward Brown approaches food and cooking. He is, after all, also a zen buddhist, so his calm and straightforward demeanor is really appealing to me. Brown infuses his recipes with stories and reminders to taste, touch, feel, and smell–so that the food turns out just how you would like it.
This is how a typical day has been going for me lately: work, meeting, teach class, meeting, work, work, oh, it’s dinner time! I’m STARVING! What do I EAT? Think about cooking? I’m too hungry to think! What do I have on hand? Nothing! Damn these whole grains! They take too long to cook!….and the digression continues until I end up making a cheese quesadilla or sauteing some kale in garlic (still not a bad option in a pinch and are looking for some greens!). So, The Complete Tassajara Cookbook now lives next to my bed. Each night I’ve been flipping through it to find 2-3 recipes I would like to make the next day and it has been a fantastic rescue. The nice thing about this book is that I have most of these things on hand. When I grocery shop, I try to avoid the “middle isles” of the store and stay on the periphery where there is fresh produce, dairy, the deli, and not a lot of processed junk. The other side to this is, well, it all needs to be made each night. Cooked. And sometimes I get overwhelmed by this.
Brown takes the guesswork out of simple yet amazing combinations of flavors and textures. He’s made it his life’s work to honor food and all of us who eat, and he’s done a great job at it! The other day I made his Garden Salad: red butter lettuce, minced shallot, spearmint, chives, avocado, salt + pepper, roasted sunflower seeds, and an olive oil balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Incredible.
Today I made his Apple Salad. In the book, it’s true title is Excellent Apple Salad which caught my eye. If Ed says it’s excellent, I’ve got to try this! was my first reaction. And it really did knock my socks off. Brown is a magician with flavors and making sure that all of them are present and delightful in a meal. Plus, most of the ingredients are things you probably have around your kitchen or in the bottom of your vegetable bin in your fridge. I know that my celery more often than not gets mushy before I actually use it! But I’m determined to change that. Enjoy this one of a kind salad! It’s like a flavor explosion, and truly excellent.
Apple Salad
3 apples (gala, pink lady, anything crunchy) 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3 stalks celery, thinly cut into diagonal pieces 1 cup pistachios, walnuts, or almonds roasted* and chopped 1/2 cup raisins or currants 2 tablespoons honey 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar 1-2 pinches of salt 1/4 cup fresh spearmint, minced
Slice the apples into quarters lenghtwise and cut out the cores. Then cut into 1/2 inch chunks, and toss with the lemon juice. Combine with remaining ingredietns,reserving the mint for garnish. Check seasoning: salty? sweet? sour? Garnish with the mint. *Note: to roast the nuts, put into a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Chop in a food processor or toss them on whole!
After my trip to the farmer’s market, I was inspired in so many ways. And one of the ways this inspiration manifested was through a pie. And not just any pie, but the first pie I made without using any measurements–I went with just the feel of the dough in my hands, taste, texture, and sight. Risky business, I know, but I was ready for the challenge. After all, I’ve been making pies for a long time now, wasn’t it about time I just trusted my instincts? I thought so, so I went ahead and gave it a shot.
I sliced up the fresh rhubarb–the seasons first–cut up two fresh pears, Bosc I believe, sliced a fresh vanilla bean down the middle and scooped out the insides with the blunt end of a butter knife, tossed it all together in a bowl with a few tablespoons (about 4-6) of sugar and let it sit while I made the dough. I like to let my fruit mixtures sit for a bit while I do something else, this gives them a chance to mingle, let their juices run into each other. They become better acquainted making your fruit dish (pies, cobblers, etc…) an even better experience.
I then set in for the dough. I scooped out what I thought looked like a quarter cup of earth balance buttery-spread, cut off what I believed was about 8 tablespoons of butter from the fresh brick of Kerrygold we had in our fridge, dumped in about 3 cups of flour, added a bit of apple cider vinegar, and ice cold water, then kneaded it with my hands. It was a pretty neat experience just trusting my hands to tell me if it was ready or not. It felt a little dry initially, so I simply added a little bit more water, worked it a little longer with my hands, and wa-la! Pie dough was ready to go. I gave it a rough roll out with my rolling pin–meaning I kept the dough pretty thick and was just trying to get it flat so I could lay it in the pie plate–filled the pie with the fruit, then realized I needed a topping. I used about a cup of oatmeal, some brown sugar, a bit of cinnamon, and a few tablespoons of olive oil, mixed it all together, and sprinkled it on the top. In it went at 400 degrees F and baked for 40 minutes.
People, this pie was fantastic! I would recommend trying to make a pie, or any dish for that matter, based on touch and flavor, then relying on the visual. It keeps you present, honest, and fully in the moment–especially if you want your food to taste good! I also used really good ingredients which definitely helped with the flavor. If you do try something like this, I’d love to know how it turned out–even if it comes out looking like and/or tasting like hell! The first try is always a little wonky, so don’t give up and give it a go again. Your thoughts are always much appreciated.
In other news, I’ve made some significant updates to my Food Loyal website. I’m excited the direction it is taking. It just makes so much sense to pair health coaching with eating design, bringing people a creative and holistic approach to their health and nutritional needs. I can not WAIT until I am certified in May and can start seeing clients then officially! I especially love working with small groups and families to find creative solutions to reach their goals and meet their needs–so much fun and talk about an interesting design challenge. Hope you are having a wonderful week!
The past few weeks have been tireless. I honestly have no one to blame other than myself–being one’s own workhorse has it’s benefits and drawbacks. The benefits of finding my own path, and choosing how best to accomplish my goals definitely outweigh the negatives. However, I tend to get wrapped up in worries–incessant, ceaseless, never ending lists of worries that try their damnedest to bring me down. This winter, I took a lot of time to pin point the sources of these worries and get to the root of some of my core fears. This, my friends, was challenging! I realized that I fed off of some of my fears, basing my reality in what was little more than a distant childhood memory. How liberating is has been to even just realize this–and now, to be able to take steps and move forward.
The past few days have been especially challenging–I can trace back most of my angst to one little place: impatience. And there are two sides to everything–on the upside, impatience gets a fire lit for me, get’s me going in areas that I may dawdle or procrastinate unnecessarily on. But on the other hand, when I’ve done everything that there possibly could be done, or better yet, I am in the MIDDLE of doing something (like research or planning…) I imagine the final result so clearly, that I just want it NOW. Does this ever happen to you? This is when try to remind myself “Hey girl, slow down. Good things come to those who wait…”, well, I certainly hope that’s true, chimes in my cynical side.
Today I had one of those serendipitous moments where I met with a friend and she was having some of the same concerns. It is interesting, and in a way calming, to hear your own questions being voiced by someone else. It’s like, ‘Hey! That’s what I was thinking too!’ in that way that really brings people closer together. I don’t know why I get in the rut of thinking I’m alone, or I’m the only one who thinks/feels… but it is just not true, for any of us. And that fact is really such a wonderful thing to dwell on for a moment.
Verde means green in Spanish. It’s the color of my city 365 days a year, the color of my eyes, and the color of millions of living things. It is also a color that I’ve been wanting to eat more of. If you are not convinced, check out my post on kale I did a few months ago–talk about a super food. To welcome the warmer weather (WELCOME WARM WEATHER!!! I’ve MISSED you!), I decided to make a green smoothie–just to see how it would go. Would it be palatable? Delicious? Or spit-it-out so bad? I decided it wouldn’t kill me to try, in fact, it would do just the opposite! So what the heck. But after making it, I was so convinced by its great flavor (and especially the way it made me feel long term)I decided that this was going to become a new habit. Green smoothie making would be something I did each week and if I made enough, I would only have to do it once, maybe twice, a week–perfect!
The smoothie I made was juicy and full of pulp, just the way I like it–it had undertones of green but vibrant flavors of mango, ginger, and a little coconut. There are so many combinations, I’ll give you a list to get your creative juices (no pun intended, or maybe there is…) flowing. I found that having a glass of this for breakfast, I wasn’t hungry until lunch–no crazy hunger pains or blood sugar drops mid morning and I felt great. I’ve been drinking the rest of it for the past few days which has been a nice treat and snack. It’s so easy to grab for this, instead of a hunk of cheese or something of that sort (which I normally do), and feel satiated. I’m glad I took the challenge!
Tricia’s Green Smoothie 3-4 leaves dino kale, washed and stem removed, rough chopped 1 hunk (about the size of your thumb) fresh ginger, skin removed 1 tablespoon flax seeds 1/2 cup coconut kefir (you can use yogurt, regular kefir, or just juice instead here) 1 cup pinapple juice 1 fresh mango, skin removed and sliced 1 stick celery, washed and cut into 4-5 pieces, easier for the blender
Blend it and drink up!
Other smoothie ideas: 2-3 cups any greens of your choice, 2 cups papaya, 2 oranges, 3 dates
1 handful lettuce leaves, 1 handful mint, 4 bananas, 1/2 cup water
Winter Smoothie – 1 cup organic frozen berries (any kind), 2 cups fresh spinach, 1/4 inch fresh ginger, water
Spring Smoothie – fresh orange juice, ripe bananas, frozen mangoes, and several large leaves of kale (extra frozen mango gives lovely thick consistency you eat with a bowl + spoon)
1/2 bunch romaine lettuce, 1 cup strawberries, 2 bananas, water
4-5 kale leaves, 4 apples, 1/2 lemon juiced, water
2 big handfuls mixed baby greens, 2 pears, 2 mangoes, 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Choc-mint – 2 cups spinach, 10-12 mint leaves, 3 bananas, 2 Tbs. carob powder, 1 cup water
1 handful of spinach, 2 stalks of celery, 2 bananas, 2 pears, 1 apple, 1 cup water
1 small handful of spinach, 2 cups arugula, 2-3 mangoes, 1 cup water
1/2 head romaine lettuce, 1 small pineapple, 1 large mango, 1-inch fresh ginger
1 handful wild greens (e.g. dandelion), 1 small handful mint leaves, 3 cups honeydew melon
3-4 stalks celery, 2 ripe persimmons, 1 banana
1 handful chard leaves, 5-6 kale leaves, 3 large bananas, 1 cup water
1 handful parsley, 3 cups of peeled papaya
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!
We had Asian pears coming out of our ears this week! There was a point while peeling them last week that we just said, enough! and started to can them. So, we had a few left over. They sat in a brown paper bag waiting their turn, and their turn finally came–via a cobbler! I also had some left over raspberries from the market that I threw in. What a great way to use good, left over fruit in your kitchen. It makes me feel like I am being less wasteful while still being able to enjoy the process of baking and tasting something delicious and sweet:).
First, I browned a few tablespoons of butter in my iron skillet. I then sliced down the middle a vanilla bean, scooped out some of the beans into the butter, then threw the entire thing in to the butter to simmer. While the butter was browning on low, I cut up the rest of the pears, then threw them into the pan with some raspberries. I let the whole thing simmer on low, stirring every now and then to get everything nice and coated with their juices. While the fruit was simmering, I mixed up a bowl of mostly oats (2-3 handfuls), a couple heaping tablespoons of whole wheat flour, a couple heaping tablespoons brown sugar, small handful of pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and unsweetened coconut flakes. I chopped up a few more tablespoons of butter, mashed the whole thing together with my hands, threw it on top of the fruit, then placed the whole skillet into a preheated oven of 350 degrees F. I let it bake for a half hour.
(I left the vanilla bean in there even while baking to really infuse the whole thing with great vanilla undertones…yum! Then just discard it when you find it while serving:)
You can try this with most any fruit: apples, pears, berries, plums, whatever you have around your kitchen! It came out really tasty too. It was fun and super easy to make with very little clean up (always a bonus!). You can also use other spices like ginger (fresh or powdered), cinnamon (sticks or regular), cloves, cardamon, and vanilla. I really liked how vanilla-y this was, it was a really wonderful compliment to the Asian pear and raspberry taste–I didn’t want to mingle it with anything else! When experimenting like this, try to keep your list of ingredients simple, and maybe stick with one–no more than two–spices. You might be surprised with how good something fresh can be when paired with only one other flavor. Or, you might want to try it differently next time. Either way, it’s a win 
.
Happy Weekend!
