How often do you make a pot of brown rice and have a lot left over? This happens all the time for me and while I usually put it to good use later on, it never hurts to have a few more ideas for it. This brown rice pudding is something I do all the time–breakfast, snacks, I’ve even eaten it for dinner when nothing else would hit the spot. It’s a versatile recipe where you can substitute, add, and subtract all sorts of goodies to it. Instead of raisins, try another dried fruit like chopped dried apricots, apples, or peaches. Use coconut milk (decadence!) instead of coconut water when simmering it down. Try throwing some granola, yogurt, or nuts on top. Sweeten it with real maple syrup, agave, or brown sugar. Look to see what you have in your cupboards, sometimes a dried cereal or a sliced banana is great on it too. The options are endless!
I’ve had an abundance of nuts hanging around for too long–they needed tending to. So I made this spicy nut mix. You can make this in bulk and store it for a while in your cabinets (in a mason jar or something that is air-tight). It’s great to take to work or have in your bag for a quick pick me up in the afternoon. The garam masala gives it an exotic flavor that is warm, not spicy as in hot, but literally bursting with taste. All of the ingredients satisfy our six tastes: salty, sweet, pungent, sour, bitter, astringent–which means that you and whomever you share these with will feel really satisfied. The tongue is always looking for all the flavors in a dish (or in an entire meal); now you can give them what they’re looking for!
I find it challenging at times to keep things simple. My mind wants to find ways to add more or do something differently–which can be great for many other reasons. However, I like to remind myself from time to time of the basics, especially when it comes to the food I eat. When I come back to those foundations, I find that I actually have a lot more to work with than I thought. It’s also easier to build (and let the mind start experimenting!) off of basic recipes and food ideas. Simple snacks make me feel good all around—tasty food that doesn’t waste or take time!
Brown Rice Pudding
2 cups left over brown rice, cooked 1-2 cups coconut water—or coconut milk, or rice milk 1/2 cup shredded coconut 1/2 cup raisins—I prefer it with golden raisins 1 cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon cinnamon 10 cardamon pods or 1/2 teaspoon cardamon
In a pot, stir together all the ingredients over medium high heat, until the liquid has been dissolved into the rice and the raisins are plump. Serve warm.
Spicy Mixed Nuts
2 cups of a mix of almonds, pecans, and cashews 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1-3 teaspoons garam masala sea salt (to taste)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix together nuts, coconut oil, and maple syrup in a bowl. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. When finished baking, sprinkle the nuts with the garam masala and sea salt, toss, and let cool. Store in an air tight container. Enjoy!
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!
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
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
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or one vanilla bean, pods extracted
Bon Apetit!
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
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!
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!
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.
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!
