Versatile, seasonal, and low-cost. Those words are music to my ears! Especially when it comes to fantastic tasting summer salads for the many BBQ’s, get togethers, and parties the warmer months spur on. I’ve been really enjoying two salads in particular: a pesto pasta heirloom tomato salad and a wheat-berry spinach salad. Pesto is super versatile and is the perfect playground for imaginative flavor combination. You simply start with a green base: basil, mint, Italian parsley, or spinach to name a few. Then you add in a little zest: fresh garlic, scallions, red onion, green onion, etc. Next, you might want to bulk it up a little, try: pine nuts, fresh crumbly parmesan (Trader Joe’s sells some of my favorite Parmigiano-Reggiano), sun-dried tomatoes, etc. Of course, don’t forget the olive oil, nothing less than 1/4 cup will do–it needs to be nice and juicy. And there you go! This particular pesto salad I used Italian Parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and olive oil. It was fresh, summery, and delicious! Next time, I think I may try adding some Parmesan too, just to mix it up a little.
Parsley Pesto
1 bunch fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
4 cloves fresh garlic
4 sun dried tomato halves, soaked in hot water for 15 mins
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
optional 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Pulse in your food processor until a past, fold into pasta (I used Oreccheti pasta, one of my favorite shapes). Add sliced heirloom tomatoes and stir. Serve and enjoy!
Wheat berries are one of my favorite grains. I love their chewy texture and how satiating they are! I also love them because their flavor expands and develops the better you chew them. As someone who tends to eat on the fast side (or more like wolfing down food! I just get excited I guess), this has been a great food to eat for me to meditate a little more on the amazing range of flavors and textures a food can provide. Wheat berries tend to be more of a winter food, however, I’ve found that using them in cool summer salads have been great. I like the tangy flavor of the feta mixed with the subtle sweetness of the wheat berry and the green crunch of the fresh spinach. A dollop of olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon, a little pepper and wha-la, summer wheat berry salad!
Wheat Berry Salad
1 cup wheat berries, boiled in 4 cups water for 70 mins on low
1 package of feta cheese (I say the more the better, but this is total personal preference)
1 clove fresh garlic or 1 scallion, minced
1 bag or package of fresh baby spinach
1/2 small lemon juice
1/8 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Wash wheat berries in a strainer until the water runs clear. Boil 4 cups water and add the washed berries, cook on low heat for 70 minutes. Strain berries from cooking water and transfer to a bowl. Add feta, garlic or scallion, spinach, lemon juice, and olive oil and stir. Let sit for a few minutes to let the spinach soften just a bit. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!
I made the avocado cake again and decorated the top with fresh raspberries (from my Aunt’s garden) and fresh strawberries (from Mt. Hood). I like cake.
Andrew and I went on a trip through Central Oregon for the holiday weekend. Oregon never ceases to amaze me–the coast is so beautiful but central Oregon has sun (and more sun!), desert, fantastic hikes, views of the Cascade’s that will blow your mind, and cute towns with good brew pubs. We first went to Crater Lake. We tried to go last year but the lake was hidden beneath a thick blanket of smoke from smoldering forest fires (they happen naturally from lightning). So we went again to get the full majestic and breathtaking views it has to offer.
Looks a lot like the Caribbean! Crater Lake’s water is clear and amazing.
We also went to Bend and Smith Rocks. The desert was beautiful–hot sun, but the air was cool. The temperature did not rise above 78 degrees F. We camped there then drove home the following day on some scenic back roads.
From left: Mt. Bachelor, The Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson.
Andrew took this photo!
We stumbled upon these beautiful falls and a lake most appropriately called Clear Lake. Row boats beckoned us, so we went out on the lake for a break from our drive. This alpine lake was a gem to stumble upon!
Cheers for summer!
Thank you all for playing along with Where in the World! I was, in fact, on a cruise hopping along the south east coast of Alaska–so kudos to those of you who threw that one out there! Norway, Patagonia, and Sweden were all fantastic (and places I plan to visit sometime) guesses. I chose the winners based on if they knew the exact location of the picture which makes Mary, Rebecca, Rainbow, and Grace the winners! Congratulations!
Day One: Glacier Bay
Day Two: Juneau
Day Three: Sitka
I didn’t post pictures of these places (only so many hours in the day!) but we also went to Ketchikan…
…and Victoria, B.C.
The trip exceeded our expectations with the beauty, lush sea life, forests, and diverse landscapes. From the baby hump back who wanted to play with us to the still waters and quiet forest we kayaked in, the people, rich history, and stunning vistas in south east Alaska absolutely blew us out of the water–pun intended 
.
Winners: please email me your address and which picture (choose any of the ones posted from the trip) you’d like. Congrats again!
And now I leave you with a picture of our first garden harvest: heirloom French (also known as breakfast) radishes! We ate them sliced with a fresh avocado, a squeeze of lemon, and some sea salt.
Last weekend, Andrew and I went to visit his brother and sister-in-law for a little mini-vacation. It had been a while since we had gone anywhere, and when the opportunity arose to get out of town for a bit, we jumped at it. We did some skiing and snowboarding–well, I attempted with the snowboard. I was down in the snow more than I was up on the board! Andrew, on the other hand, is an incredible skier–but he was really patient with my foibles and wipe-outs, never leaving me in the dust (or powder!–what they call that soft, powdery snow in the Rocky Mountains), and always encouraging.
I also had the chance to see a little bit of Salt Lake City itself. The scenery around this city is absolutely stunning. Stunning! Surrounded by mountains on all sides looking like they’ve been lightly dusted with powdered sugar this time of year and the city spreads out across the valley.
While there, Alana (Andrew’s sister-in-law) and I teamed up to make dinner one night. She made her famous prosciutto wrapped scallops with apples and sage–it was fantastic! The combination of flavors and textures was flawless–the apples paired with the sage and browned together with the scallops were like magic. And, surprisingly easy to do! On the side, she made some crispy yet tender roasted asparagus and then threw in some tomatoes to roast too. Together we made a basic french bread loaf and a lovely panna cotta with blackberry compote for dessert. I had so much fun! I really love cooking with others, especially people who are just as excited about good food.
Prosciutto wrapped sea scallops
4 servings
12-16 large scallops, washed and dried
8 slices Prosciutto, halved lengthwise
1 bunch fresh sage
1/4 cup butter (60 ml)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish (30 ml)
2 apples (pink lady, gala, golden delicious), peeled and cored
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (15 ml)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (5 ml)
1 tablespoon butter (15 ml)
Pat the scallops dry and wrap one half-slice of the prosciutto around the equator of the scallop. You can use toothpicks or kitchen twine.
Melt 2 tbsp. of butter and olive oil together in a sauté pan. Bring to a slight smoke.
Toss in the sage leaves and sliced apples wedges into the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Turn up the heat and add the sherry vinegar. Cook until soft and caramelized. Finish the sauce by swirling in butter until just melted. Add lemon juice.
Season the scallops with salt and pepper and place in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes per side, or until golden.
Image by Andrew Owen
Panna Cotta via David Lebovits
4 cups (1l) heavy cream (or half-and-half)
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 packets powdered gelatin (about 4 1/2 teaspoons)
6 tablespoons (90ml) cold water
Heat the heavy cream and sugar in a saucepan or microwave. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
(If using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds from the bean into the cream and add the bean pod. Cover, and let infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the bean then rewarm the mixture before continuing.)
Lightly oil eight custard cups with a neutral-tasting oil.
Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a medium-sized bowl and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.
Pour the very warm Panna Cotta mixture over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Divide the Panna Cotta mixture into the prepared cups, then chill them until firm, which will take at least two hours but I let them stand at least four hours. (Judy told me American refrigerators are colder than European ones. )
If you’re pressed for time, pour the Panna Cotta mixture into wine goblets so you can serve them in the glasses, without unmolding. Run a sharp knife around the edge of each Panna Cotta and unmold each onto a serving plate, and garnish as desired.
For the blackberry compote:
2/3 bag frozen blackberries thawed or 1 carton fresh blackberries
a dash of cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg
a splash of vanilla
In a saute pan over medium high heat, combine all the ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up some of the berries for more juice. Heat until about half of the berries are juicy and serve warm over the cooled panna cottas.
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
I’ve been using what is in my refrigerator and cupboards to find inspiration to think of some new (or old, but haven’t eaten in a long time) snack ideas. Forcing myself to turn on a different part of my brain, to actually try to see what I have differently, has been a challenge! But a good one–I do love a challenge. Thankfully, I’ve been good about buying “whole foods” for the most part–nuts, seeds, dried fruits, vegetables, grains. But sometimes seeing foods like this in their raw, or native forms, can be overwhelming. What the heck can I make with all of this? Once I get over that initial shock of seeing, my brain goes into create-mode.
Yesterday, I found some celery that needed to be eaten, seed butter, and raisins—the perfect combination for the classic Ants on a Log. I don’t even remember the last time I ate this snack, but it was all around satisfying. It tasted of playgrounds, elementary school lunch-time, and I thought I may have even heard the shrill laughter of young kids playing as I crunched into this memory-laden snack. Try making it with a variety of nut or seed butters–almond, cashew, and sunflower seed butter are all great. Instead of just using raisins, experiment with dried blueberries, cherries, or cranberries. You can even sprinkle some sliced almonds on top as well, for a little added crunch!
In the fridge, there was also an abundance of heirloom carrots and a big ginger root. (I always keep a ton of ginger around, especially during the winter months.) So I juiced them and drank the sweet, spicy juice with my logs! This juice is a great pick me up in the afternoon–especially if you are craving something sweet.
During my hunt, I also came across several cans of beans, some frozen chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and cilantro. Recently, I had read about tortas, a Mexican style sandwich that is as versatile as it is delicious. And since hadn’t had one since I’d last been in Mexico City four or five years ago, I suddenly had a craving! I used to get them from a small sandwich shop in La Condesa; they were slightly crunchy on the outside and absolutely filled a with combination of refried beans, pork, sausage, salsas, tomatillos, avocado (either as guac or straight up), mayo, vegetables (fresh or stir-fried), cheese (either crumbled on or melted over)–basically you name it, you got it. My favorite was pretty simple—beans, avocado, salsa (red with chunks of tomato and onion), and crumbled cheese. So I used some left over ciabatta and toasted it for the bread; Andrew and I made the most amazing refried bean recipe ever; we sliced up some avocado, drizzled on the salsa, and crumbled some good feta on top (yes, feta, and it is fantastic on this sandwich!) and wa la! A torta that took me right back to La Ciudad de Mexico.
Chipotle Refried Beans, via FOODday
Makes more than enough for 4-6 sandwiches
This recipe makes more beans than you likely will need. Save the rest for quesadillas, burritos, huevos rancheros or future tortas.
2 15oz cans black beans, well drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves – I used some flat leaf parsley here and it still tasted great
1 to 3 canned chipotle peppers–you can use chipotles in adobo sauce, also excellent!
1/2 cup water
1 to 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt
1 lime, squeezed
In a food processor combine the beans, garlic, cumin, cilantro, chiles, water, brown sugar, and lime juice; process until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary with a rubber spatula. Pulse in 3 tablespoons of olive oil and adjust seasoning accordingly.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the bean mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until texture has thickened and flavor has mellowed, 8 to 10 minutes on medium high heat. Prepare sandwhiches immediately or transfer to bowl and keep warm.
Salud!
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
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!
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!
You know when you find a small source of inspiration, like a sparkle that keeps you focused and moving towards your goals? Sometimes, those goals can seem so far away–like they will never happen. Those are the best times to lift the ol’ head up and focus on something else, something small–kind of like an anti-overwhelm. Books tend to do this for me. I can really loose myself in a great book–it becomes almost meditative where I am not thinking, but just doing and reading. I just finished David Lebovitz’s The Sweet Life in Paris. It is a great read and absolutely hilarious. (I even found myself laughing out loud which is something I don’t usually do). His love for food (especially desserts), his humility, and his honest attitude towards life, change, and growth were absolutely refreshing. He is also a wonderful observer of people and their quirks, including his own–which I totally appreciate .
Sometimes, it is necessary to stop and sit quietly. This is something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately–as I am always facing my active disposition to go, go go! But constantly being in motion can actually hinder me in that I miss what is truly important. I know exactly where I get this from too–the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree shall we say –and a “strong work ethic” was always a big deal growing up. But sometimes the idea of the strong work ethic can overtake the actual work ethic–in which I tend to spin my wheels more instead of going anywhere.
So I’ve been simmering a lot of thoughts lately–about where I want to go with my business and what my true intentions are. I want to start from a solid foundation, one that completely resonates with my values, philosophies, and heart. This is actually a lot harder than it sounds! I want to do something that can and will grow with me through the years. I believe that these preliminary steps I am taking now will make the world of difference for me down the road. So, the big pot is on the back burner, simmering all it’s flavors together into a wonderful soup. It’ll be done soon, I can feel it–but a watched pot never boils! And this couldn’t be more true when it comes to thinking too much, or paying too much attention to certain thoughts or ideas that just need time and space to breath a little and simmer down into a beautiful sauce.
Speaking of soup, I made a certain birthday man a lovely White Bean, Kale, and Roasted Vegetable Soup . The roasted vegetables were insanely good, although I think I overdid it with the kale in this one. You know, all that kale we have sitting around here, I couldn’t be bothered to only use the allotted 4 cups, but had to throw the whole head in! Not highly recommended, albeit good for you . You could even totally eliminate the kale and it would still be great. This was a hearty and vegetable heavy wonder that will delight your winter table for sure.
I also made a Blueberry Clafoutis for dessert. What a spectacular and amazingly easy dessert to make! If you like custard and simple ingredients, this one is for you. Andrew is a lover of all things blue, especially blueberries–this was a great recipe. The nice thing about a good Clafoutis (pronounced claugh-fooo-teee) is that lots of other fruits can be substituted. The original recipe from The Sweet Life in Paris called for Plums and Raspberries–amazing! But plums are already out of season–le sigh–so I went with the bounty of summer berries we have in our freezer and made him one with his favorite fruit instead. That plum and raspberry recipe WILL be used later–it just sounds too delicious to ignore!
White Bean, Kale, and Roasted Vegetable Soup
via Epicurious
3 medium carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise
2 large tomatoes, quartered
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups (or more) canned vegetable broth
4 cups finely chopped kale
3 large fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf 1 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, drained
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with oil spray. Arrange carrots, tomatoes, onion, squash and garlic on sheet. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake until vegetables are brown and tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
Transfer carrots and squash to work surface. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside. Peel garlic cloves; place in processor. Add tomatoes and onion; puree until almost smooth. Pour 1/2 cup broth onto baking sheet; scrape up any browned bits. Transfer broth and vegetable puree to large pot. Add 5 1/2 cups broth, kale, thyme and bay leaf to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until kale is tender, about 30 minutes.
Add beans and reserved carrots and squash to soup. Simmer 8 minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to simmer before serving.)
Blueberry Clafoutis
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for preparing the dish
1 1/2 – 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
3 large eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/3 cups whole milk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Liberally butter the bottom and sides of a 2 quart shallow baking dish. Place the berries into the bottom of the dish, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Whisk the butter and flour into the eggs until completely smooth, then add the vanilla. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the sugar, then the milk. Pour over the berries and bake for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes is up, open the oven and pull out the entire shelf the clafoutis is sitting on so you have access to it, then sprinkle on the extra 2 tablespoons of sugar, and continue baking for 30 more minutes to give it a nice crusty and golden brown top. Serve warm.
Enjoy!
Yes, I do believe kale to be a magical plant here on earth. It comes in so many forms from leafy and light to dense and quite heavy–I love them all. I felt that kale deserved its own post. This past week, I have been helping Andrew’s parents move into their new home in Colorado. After long days of moving and unpacking boxes, I would fall into bed fast asleep–and dream about kale! As a Jungian enthusiast, I don’t dismiss my dreams lightheartedly. I try to take a moment to think back to what happened in the dream and take a look at the dominant colors, people, actions, and places. I’ve learned a lot about myself this way–it’s good to know what your subconscious mind is working on while you yourself are hard at work doing everything else. It helps me better connect my emotions and my actions, which is always helpful .
Dinosaur Kale
Kale was a predominant thing throughout my dreams because, well, I missed it! Lately, I’ve been sauteing a head of kale with a couple of cloves of garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil as the main part of my dinner–saving the leftover, if there is any–for lunch the next day. And because the nature of the trip–we were all moving and very busy– I went for days without anything green to eat. (However, I did get 6 full days of sun! Ah the glorious trade-offs . I even tried to talk a little kale with one of Andrew’s brothers, but he did not know what it was. Le sigh–me, my kale dreams, and my kale obsession would have to wait for a better outlet–so here it is!
Red Kale
I went to my favorite Portland grocery store today and bought three heads of kale in anticipation for eating it all week. Who knows, I might have to get some more later on in the week . I bought two kinds: dinosaur kale and red leaf kale. There are a lot of others, but these are the most commonly found in American groceries.
I made a Kale Salad with Apple, Radish, Avocado, and Roasted Sunflower seeds from the Complete Tassajara Cookbook. It was divine, super simple, and better for you than any jam packed multi-vitamin. This salad doesn’t have any oils involved either because the flavor of the kale, lemon, honey, and salt are simply magnificent on their own.
Kale is a super-food. It helps protect against cancer, cataracts, is a major source of vitamin A and beta-carrotine (both very anti-cancerous) as well as vitamin C, it promotes lung health and prevents rheumatoid arthritis. Oh, and not mention it’s an aphrodisiac, a great source of fiber and calcium, promotes mental function (yes please!), and lowers cholesterol. Yeah, I’d say that’s pretty super.
Kale Salad with Apple, Avocado, Radish, and Roasted Sunflower Seeds
The Complete Tassajara Cookbook
12-15 leaves dinosaur kale
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons lemon (about 1 lemon)
4 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
black pepper
1 apple
6 radishes
1 avocado
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds (preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and roast on a cookie sheet for about 10 minutes)
Wash and cut the kale into 1/4 inch wide strips, leaving the stem on if using dinosaur kale. Place in bowl with the salt and start massaging to release the moisture from the leaves. The salt helps this process and adds a nice flavor. You’ll notice it will start to wither down a bit, becoming a deep, dark green. Add the lemon and honey and continue to massage into the kale until it is all mixed in and the kale has become smaller. Throw in the sliced radishes, cut up pieces of avocado, apple, and roasted sunflower seeds, toss and enjoy!
