Kale and Hijiki with Rice Noodles in an Oyster Mushroom Broth

Bring to Boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes:

3 cups water
salt and Pepper
1 tbs sesame oil
some braggs aminos
one big bunch of oyster mushrooms cut up
one portabello mushroom or 5-6 babies cut up (stems too)
1/3 cup hijiki seaweed
thyme
5 cloves garlic chopped

Add to finely chopped KALE, Scallions, and pre-cooked rice noodles or try Eden Muggwort Soba noodles.
Add Siracha or other asian chili sauce and tamari or more Braggs to taste! SOOO good!

Brussel Sprouts That will make you Famous!

I swear, really, these brussel sprouts will make you famous!

Your Need:

-a good bunch of brussel sprouts maybe 1 or 2 lbs.
- about 3 tbs black mustard seeds
-about 3tbs olive oil
-about 3 tbs soy sauce or Braggs Aminos for GFree and less sodium
- ground black pepper

Set oven to 350 degrees F. To prep the brussel sprouts, with a perry knife, cut the ends of each and then cut two deep slits in that same end in a cross. You can either boil the brussel sprouts quickly to get them softer or put them straight into a roasting pan with the rest of the ingredients. The out come is not much different, you just dont need to raost them as long. Toss the brussel spouts in the pan and the seeds, etc, and stick in the oven for about 45 minutes. Open oven and move the sprouts around about every 10-15 minutes.

Take out of the pan and enjoy with something like these red lentils boiled in tumeric, nutmeg, paprika, ground mustard seed, cumin, red chili flakes, and curry.
-Two cups water to one cup lentils, less than a tsp of each of the spices, more tumeric and curry and chili flakes than the others. should be ready in less than 20 minutes.

First time foraging for Shrooms

Hilarious picture of some mycologist and some morels.

I have been very interested in foraging for wild edibles and today I took my first mushroom walk without any direction from more seasoned mushroom hunters. I checked out the woods behind my house, a state forest that is about 400-600 acres. The forest used to be utilized as a cross country skiing conglomerate of trails, however, it has long since been turned over to daytime hikers, motorsport riders, and to the forest itself.


I went on a super awesome walk with my puppy!

I know this isn't the season for most mushrooms, but in some reading I was doing, I found out it was Morel season, a mushroom that brings in about 40$/lb. at a regular market. They are also very tasty, so I wanted to try my luck.

Unfortunately, I was not able to find any, but I have been encouraged to continue looking. But I did not come back empty handed!



I found two oyster mushrooms! Its really not enough to do much with but I was happy to have been able to identify it even without looking specifically for it. These mushrooms have very few dangerous look alikes and they have a very distinct, but mild anise aroma about them. I am not sure what I will do with them, but I think I am going hunting again tomorrow!

Almond-coconut Rhubarb Croustade--GF DF V

In anticipation of Miss Danae, aka the Vegan, coming home for the summer and the fact that I must make a chocolate cake for my son's birthday on Sunday, which will NOT be vegan or gluten free, because he is not, I decided that I would make something with my fresh from the garden rhubarb.

Since being gluten free is new to me and I haven't had much experience baking GF let alone GF, dairy free(me) and vegan(Danae) this was a challenge. And one that I was up for! I have been thinking about making this croustade for a few weeks, and finally all the components came into my mind. So without further ado, I give to you, Almond-coconut Rhubarb Croustade.

-------Crust--------

• 1 cup brown rice flour mix
• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 1/3 c almond meal/flour
• 1/3 c toasted and coarsely ground almonds
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp xantham gum
• 8 Tbsp of coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp cold water

-------Filling-------

• 4-5 cups sliced rhubarb
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp earth balance "non dairy butter"
• coarsely ground toasted almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. For the crust, mix the dry ingredients. Add the coconut oil and mix with a pastry blender until coarse crumbs form. Add the wet ingredients and mix until it forms a ball, adding more water if necessary. Roll dough out on the cookie sheet with a well seasoned rolling pin (meaning, it should be somewhat oiled from rolling pie crusts) Set aside.

Put the sliced rhubarb in a bowl and add the sugar, lemon juice and zest until well combined. Add the earth balance "non dairy butter" and mix well. Place the filling in the middle of the rolled out dough and spread to side leaving around an inch or two. Fold the edges over to cover the side of the filling. Sprinkle with the coarsely ground almonds and a little bit of sugar. Bake for approx. 45 minutes (or until done) The filling should be bubbling the rhubarb will be soft and the crust, nicely browned.

Weekend of Sweet Brooklyn Eden (Eatin')

This weekend Mom and me spent the most beautiful weathered weekend together gallivanting through the city! We spent the first day at the High Line Park and Chelsea Market where we found an unopened bottle of wine left in a store next to a chair and liberated it from being consumed by people who didn't need it as bad as we did! After hitting up the market, we walked to the East Village to try and go to dinner at Souen, a super delicious macrobiotic restaurant, but the 13th st one was closed. We decided the the Alphabet City Souen would be too far to walk to so we went to Sacred Chow on Sullivan St in the West Village.

I didn't have my camera, but we ate delicious collards with sesame seeds, steamed asparagus with Dijon mustard, and absolutely scrumptious eggplant and millet cakes with Dijon mustard. We also ordered a pitcher of Sangria which wasn't that good, but it was such a nice day for it, the idea of delicious Sangria might have been enough!


The next day, we spent the day in Williamsburg, we checked out a bunch of used clothing stores and vintage shops and stopped in the afternoon for a beer. I had a Flower Power IPA from Ithica Brewing Company. It is something that I have been wanting to try for a long time! It was delicious, very robust and full of sensuous flavors of bitter hops and grapefruits! We also snacked on Falafel chips (my mom got me hooked!) and the most amazing vegan cheese I have ever eaten, Dr. Cows Aged Cashew Cheese. It seems like it might be a tad expensive, but once you take your first bite, it is entirely worth every penny.


We stopped at the farmers market and bough a bottle of tart cherry nectar, we decided to make our own Sangria later with the Nectar, the wine we commandeered, some raspberry vodka, and a granny smith apple I had in my apartment. We also decided to do dinner in that night and made a super delicious Coconut Curry with tofu, cauliflower, carrots, kale, and mango over Basmati Rice. we Ate on my roof and watched the sunset with the sangria and a few beers.

The next day we planned to go to the Brooklyn Flea market in Park Slope and then the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. We saw some beautiful roses and an English Weeping Beach Tree and relaxed in the grass. Later we ran into a street fair and then stopped for dinner at The V Spot in Park Slope. After dinner we went to Lula's Apothecary and got a pint of PB+J and Banana Vegan Cashew Ice Cream. Superb!!!!



SE FIN!

GFDF Banana Bread

What would you do on mother's day if you had the choice? Me, I'd bake. Funny that my daughter also baked....pineapple upside down cake. It's the best way to spend a cold Winter's day, even if it is May (the temperature was in the twenties.)

Since I've been on a gluten free and dairy free diet, I have made some horrid recipes. What I've learned is this; use your old favorites and adapt them, so you know they were good before and they can be good again. I didn't get to the apple tart that I also wanted to make, but the banana bread was awesome. The thing about GF flours is they are very light in taste, so your flavors are more dramatic. You definitely got the taste of banana and coconut with a hint of vanilla.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil

2 eggs
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup soured almond milk*
1 tsp vanilla

2 cups of brown rice flour mix**
1/2 cup of coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp of salt
3/4 tsp of xanthan gum

1 cup of chopped pecans

Makes 12 muffins and 2 mini loafs. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 mini loaf pans and place muffin papers in your muffin tin.

Cream sugar and coconut oil. Add eggs, soured almond milk, bananas and vanilla. Mix well. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Add nuts. Spoon into muffin tins and greased loaf pans. Bake until lightly golden on top and tooth pick comes out clean. The muffins will cook quicker than the bread. I did not time it, so I am not sure about the time. So, cook until done!

* To sour milk, add a tsp or so of vinegar to your 1/2 cup and fill the rest with your almond milk. Let sit for 10 minutes so it curdles.

** Brown flour mix-- Taken from Gluten-Free Baking Classics by Annalise G. Roberts
2 parts brown rice flour
2/3 parts potato starch (not potato flour)
1/3 part tapioca flour

All Good Things I ate today!

This chocolate is really delicious! I got this Icelandic Chocolate delight at Whole Foods the other day and its almost gone! The company, Noi Sirius is based out of Reykjavik and has been making this chocolate since 1933. I normally like darker chocolate than this, but its about as close to "milk chocolate" that I can manage. It is sweet and creamy and has a really rich vanilla flavor and would also be really good for baking!



I wanted to introduce BIG MAMMA. She has been continuous supplying Mike and I with a delicious Kombucha brew for months and she is getting HUGE!!!! She might be 4" thick! AWESOME. We are using Puerh, a really earthy tea, and it tastes amazing.



See what I mean!?



Oh and breakfast! Todays recipe, though totally simple, is really delicious and nutritious!

Gallo Pinto

-1 yellow onion
-6 cloves garlic
-1 jalapeno pepper
1-2 Tbs olive oil
-1 can of black beans
-1-2 Tbs Chili Powder
-1 cup Brown Rice
-Salt and Pepper

Start by boiling 2 cups of water with 1 cup of rice and a pinch of salt. In a pan, caramelize 1 yellow onion chopped in some olive oil, 5-10 minutes. Add 6 minced cloves of garlic and 1 minced jalapeno pepper and let cook for another 5 minutes or until the garlic starts to brown. Add 1 can of black beans, salt and pepper to taste and 1-2 tablespoons of Chili powder. Let this cook until the beans are hot! When the rice is done (about 20 minutes) add them to the beans and eat up.

Candied Nuts!

What to do with all those nuts that you leave when you finish all the good stuff from a huge bag of trail mix... duhhhhh make them from being unappealing enough that they will never be eaten to be delicious sugary treats!!!

Make Candy out of:

NUTS
CITRUS PEELS
LENTILS
ETC...?

all you need is
-1 cup SUGAR
-1/4 cup WATER
PAN
-2 cups leftover Nuts (item from above)

Put them all in a pan and stir constantly. Water should evaporate and you'll be left with lots of sugary nuts, then keep stirring!!! You need to let the sugar melt, when it does, it will turn a nice caramel color and be super sticky and hot (!!!! really hot, caution! don't pop one in your mouth unless your tongue is made of steel or other non sensitive macho material) POur the contents of the pan out on a large plate or dish and let cool. Enjoy!!! It shouldn't take but 15 minutes total!
(pardon this super goofy picture of me)

WorD to my NYC Street Vendors!! NUTS 4 NUTS 4 LIFE

Moroccan Lentils and Kale

This is so delicious!

Moroccan Lentils and Kale (Vegan and Gluten Free)

-2 tbs olive oil
-1 yellow onion (chopped)
-1 carrot (chopped)
-2 stalks celery (chopped)

-5 cloves garlic (minced)
-1 tsp each
paprika, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon

-1 cup red cooking wine
-1 can stewed tomatoes
-1 cup red lentils

-a bunch of chopped kale (however much you can fit in the pan)
-touch of salt

Add the olive oil to a sauce pan on medium heat, add onion, celery, and carrot. Let Onions caramelize, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and spices and let cook for about another minute.

Add 1/2 cup of the cooking wine, add the lentils, and add the full can of stewed tomatoes(smoosh the tomatoes up with your hands to distribute their juices). Stir and let simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add chopped kale and the rest of the cooking wine. Stir often. Add some water if necessary. Cook until lentils are ready(they will turn light orange and then become soft).
Add Salt and parsley for garnish if you like.

Eat yum!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Well, I just about have my kitchen remodeled and my baking center is awesome. The only bummer is that my doctor wants me to do a gluten free elimination diet to see if gluten is the cause of all my woes. How unfair to now have to give up [baking] one of my passions. The first week was tough as not only did I go through baking withdrawals, but gluten withdrawals too; and my first attempt at baking pizza from scratch was a disaster. I tried it again last night and had somewhat better results, but still, not very good. I did however, come across a flourless chocolate chip cookie cookie recipe in "The Bon Appetit Cookbook" as I was making regular cookies for my son to take to college. What a surprise to see it! I decided to give them a try and made some this morning. Well, I think these may be the best damn Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER! Flour or no flour. And, they're super easy too.

Recipe:

1 Cup of super-chunky peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned or freshly ground)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of chocolate chips (Ghiradelli bittersweet are my fav)
(I also added 1/2 cup of chopped pecans)

Mix until well combined. Roll a tablespoonful of cookie dough or so in WET hands (to prevent sticking) and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until done (ha ha, my favorite saying) about 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the center is still soft. I am not sure how well they will keep...they won't make it through the day here, I'm sure, so does it matter?? Yummy. Well, "Bon Appetite", Thanks!

Spring= Yummy Raw Salads and KOMBUCHA!!!!

We have survived the winter! I know this officially because yesterday I spent the morning riding my bike to see the wild Monk Parrots of Brooklyn (in a t-shirt and shorts), lounging in Prospect Park eating a pumpernickel bagel from Terrace Bagels in Park Slope...they said they were the best, and their good but not the best pumpernickel bagel I have ever had...

***my friend told me you cant judge a place by its pumpernickel, but that's the only kind I like so I think its fair grounds.. and if you were wondering I think Bob's on University and even Ray's does a good pumpernickel***

But then I sat on my roof sunbathing and reading and getting hungry!!!

A Raw Cabbage Carrot and Onion Salad with lemonjuice, vinegar, oliveoil, tamari, pepper, paprika, and a touch of maple syrup(not raw)


this is the developing scooby

kombucha! our continuous brew has begun!

We are using Pu-erh, a black earthy tea and a culture that we were given from our good friend Audrey! Its not ready, but maybe in a week!

Ey! PAELLA! Ey...black garlic?

ALL HAIL to Won's mighty Paella! I didn't actually eat any of it... (the whole vegan thing...) but it smelled amazing and also looked delicious. Won made this dish for my friend Mauricio's birthday, I believe he turned 25!

This is a mixed Paella (Paella Mezcla) with
-Roasted Chicken -Whole Jumbo Shrimp -Mussels -other meats? -Peppers and onions and some veggies -White rice
This is a traditional Spanish (Valencian) dish that was influenced my the Moors' rice dishes. In Spain it was often made with RATS, EELS, and Butterbeans. Also traditionally a "poor man's dish" it is often utilized to feed large numbers at fiestas or other community gatherings.

Like in this picture, the company NOMAD is catering an event using an enormous Paella pan that will feed 250 people!





While Checking out their site, I discovered BLACK GARLIC.

this was invented in South Korea about 5 years ago. It is put through a patented process that involves putting raw garlic in a fermenting cellar at high temperatures for a month, producing a chewy texture, blackening the garlic, and delivering a sweet blend of licorice, balsamic vinegar, and porcini mushrooms.


MMM interesting. I want to try that!

And apparently its a big deal. Theres a few websites (another one) devoted to it, the Washington Post calls it "The Next 'IT' Ingredient"

SOUP NAZI-- Cream of Broccoli with Cheddar and Chicken

Making homemade soup is such a visceral experience, rewarding and believe it or not, easy to do. Not only that, but delicious and nutritious and a way to WOW the crowd. Ever watch the episode of Seinfeld's "Soup Nazi"? Well, it's that good. Stand in line for an hour good. Better yet, simmer on the stove all day good. BETTER the next day good, that is, if it lasts that long.

I never use a recipe to make soup and tonight was no different. I've been craving broccoli cheddar soup for a week, but tonight, it's whats for dinner. I used a left over chicken carcass from last night's precooked chicken (for chix Caesar salad) and added water to cover, 2 celery stalks with tops on and a tablespoon of peppercorns or so. Since it was precooked, I didn't add salt, but if it is a fresh whole chicken I would add salt to the water. Simmer for a few hours until the chicken is falling off the bone. Let sit until cool (or over night as I did) and strain. Add fresh broccoli florets to fill the liquid, cover and simmer until soft. In the mean time, saute an onion with a little olive oil in a pan. When softened, add a tsp of red pepper flakes or so. Saute 1 minute and add to broccoli and broth. Continue to cook until broccoli is very soft. Puree with a "boat motor", one of those little hand held blenders. Turn off burner and add half and half, a cup or until creamy looking. Add grated sharp cheddar cheese, like Cabot's, oh about 1 1/2- 2 cups. Add a squirt of Srirachi Hot Sauce to taste. Then add any chicken that was left from the bird, maybe 2 cups. Let sit for a few minute and serve with a loaf of crusty bread. OK, I know, I always say that, but add a hot crusty loaf of bread to any meal... well it just makes it better.

Check out the Soup Nazi on Youtube :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2lfZg-apSA

FYI: Sprouting (almost) Everything

(mustard seed sprouts before they are hulled)

Mike and I have been eating a lot of sprouts lately, those deliciously healthy stringy plants, grown from all sorts of seeds and legumes. Recently Mike purchased a sprouting container From The Sprout People as well as a large amount of different seeds including clover, alfalfa, mustard, onion, dill, fenugreek, radish, garlic, celery, tatsoi, etc... Though you can make a sprouting container out of a mason jar, by simply replacing the sealing lid with a sprouting screen and securing it with the threaded ring of the lid... this container was cheap enough and provides a bit of shelter from the light, being a pale white plastic.

WHAT TO SPROUT?

Sprouting most legumes and seeds can be done very easily, some take more time than others to reach a full sprout, but the general time ranges between 3 and 8 days for one batch which can increase in volume from seed any where from 2x to 10x.

In order to sprout anything it must be raw. Any cooking of a seed or legume kills the potential life inside and disables the processes of growth. By sprouting, one creates living plants. Though You can sprout most legumes and seeds, some are toxic unless cooked after sprouting (black beans) or should be entirely avoided (kidney beans)... you should make sure the things you sprout are not toxic to eat raw before you sprout them!

So far we have sprouted (see picture below):
Red Lentils
Clover Seeds
Mustard seeds
Fenugreek Seeds
Dill Seeds

(This picture is about 8 oz of sprouts which came from 2 Tbsp of seeds. It's massive!)

How to Make the Magic...

Check out this site for really precise instructions:

THE SPROUT PEOPLE

"Why sprout?" you ask...

1. It is very easy and not time consuming to sprout on your own. There is no "green thumb" requirements, just some attention.
2. Fresh Veggies all year round! Depending on the size of your operation, there is no need to step into any sort of outdoor environment.
3. Health benefits= immense!; Alkalizing in your stomach helping you digest, all of the vitamins and proteins increase 300%-1400% from the seed (which contains the instructions for that growth...i.e. a tiny sunflower seed can grow into a 10 foot thriving plant), a nearly complete food, like live foods in general they are enzyme inhibitor neutralizing as well as phytic acid nuetralizing which is a problem in the digestion of many legumes and seed, soaking the legumes and seeds lowers the fat content of the plant by breaking down dense veggie proteins into simpler amino acids.
4. The Sprout People give this Nutritional inforamtion about sprouts: “Nutritional info: Vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K
   Calcium, Carbohydrates, Chlorophyll, Iron, Magnesium, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc
   All Amino Acids
   Trace Elements
   Protein: up to 35%”

Saag With TOFU

Oh my god. I am bowing down to Jenn Shaggy! Her fantastic Vegan Food blog gave me the craving for this delicious Indian dish. Really, I ate until I could not eat anymore. I am in heaven.

Now I understand why she is serving this dish at her wedding. Here is her recipe, with a few slight alterations. She uses home made vegan paneer for this dish, which I simply did not have time to do, but if you are looking to make this dish "authentically" Indian, I suggest you try the paneer, it just sounds so damn good.

Saag Tofu

• 2 TBSP Vegan Ghee (recipe follows) or Sunflower Oil
• 5 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 TBSP finely chopped Ginger
• 1 cup Tomato Sauce
• 1 TBSP ground Coriander
• 1 tsp ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 large bag of fresh spinach
  
• 1 package of extra firm tofu
• 1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
  
• 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder

Fry cut up tofu in 3 Tbs oil or Vegan Ghee until golden brown. Set aside.

Heat oil in 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger root; stir-fry 1 to 2minutes or until garlic is golden brown.

Stir in tomato sauce, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground red pepper, and salt; reduce heat to low. Partially cover and simmer 7 to 8 minutes or until thin film of oil starts to form on surface of sauce.

Stir in chopped spinach. Cover and simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until spinach turns a light olive green.

Stir in fried tofu. Cover and simmer 3 to 4 minutes; remove from heat.

Stir in milk and Garam Masala.

Vegan Ghee

• 1 stick (or 8 TBSP) of Vegan Margarine

Heat the stick of margarine over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it reduces by a little more than half. This should take about 7-10 minutes.

RESOLUTION

I forgot to mention my new years resolutions....

1. Make cooking and cooked foods a luxury (but also luxurious).
2. Find more good beer.
3. Climb more ladders.
4. And; therefore, eat more apples??? Winesaps Please!!!
5. Make more films- lots more.
6. Scare myself sometimes.

"Why Winesap?" You might ask... given that there are about 2,500 varieties of apples grown in the United State alone, some are obviously suited to one persons taste better that another, some suited to certain applications better than another, and some more ablely produced at certain times unlike another....otherwise there would be fewer apple varieties. Since there are so many apples and the consumer has the right to choose their consumables (within the realm of what is presented as "the consumables"-allow me to add this) what are apples to some are oranges to another. I am from the Northeastern U.S. and take great pride in my area, it is beautiful and delicious. Most local and native foods are the staple of my diet; Kale, Squash, Lettuce, Potatos, corn, carrots, peanut butter, pickled food, hearty grains, good hoppy beer, first and foremost apples. So here goes my argument for the apple of my desire.

This apple was first developed in 1866 by Dr. Joseph Stayman of Leavenworth, Kansas, right on the western banks of the Missouri River in the Northeastern corner of the state. Producers like to coin this as an "antique" or "19th century" apple, an heirloom variety. Where this apple grows best; the minimum temperature averaging above -20 F, perfect for areas prone to early frost, good levels of constant rainfall, ripening in mid October requiring about 170 days for full maturity. The skin is prone to imperfections because it reacts to the environment, therefore it is a discouraged product for new large scale commercial production. Though it was once a largely distributed grocery store item, it has since disappeared from the produce isle and has been replaced by prettier, sweeter, more genetically altered fruit stuff that are just not as good. This is a winning feature of the Winesap because of the dangers of mass production of food commodities... bigger, "better", faster, cheaper which it will not identify with.

The apple itself is fantastic and robust. It is medium to large in size and remains firm and crisp if stored properly (the difference between a fruit cellar and a basement or pantry). The skin is a deep violet red with some greens and yellows, depending on the sub-variety. The flesh is white and crisp with just the right tartness and a sweetness that emulates the sensation of a dry spicy red wine, hence the name Winesap. It is perfect for baking, making apple butter, pressed ciders, and eating raw (with peanut butter= perfect raw meal any day and for me, I would eat it every day if it were possible). It could be eaten at all times of the year! It is a beautiful fruit, first thought of as a signature "dessert variety" and now found in farmers markets around the Northeast, a prize for Winesap enthusiasts like me!

The first pages of my "Cookbook"

I Wrote these on the train one day...
If these are hard to read... I apologize. But its just a sneak peak....