Sauerkraut

I have to admit I have never liked sauerkraut.  I don’t even like looking at it most of the time, much less smelling it!  My husband’s family serves it every year at Thanksgiving after they’ve cooked it for hours in a crock pot.  It is very brown and limp looking and I simply can’t stand the smell.

I don’t think I ever ate it as a child, but remember trying it at some point and just not liking it.  So I guess you can say that my faint memories combined with my present reality during Thanksgiving has put a damper on trying to make my own lacto-fermented sauerkraut.

One thing I knew before I decided to give it a go is it would be different from my inlaw’s version because you don’t cook it.  And after continued praise of this culinary concoction from countless resources, I have finally given into giving it a try.

The main praise of lacto-fermented sauerkraut (along with other lacto-fermented veggies and fruits) is that is has beneficial bacteria, or naturally occurring probiotics, which are great for our digestion.  Having a gut populated with billions of these beneficial bacteria are vital for everyone to have good digestion.

However, I have to say I wasn’t thrilled about making it.  I love cooking.  After I cook for my clients, I go home and create more things for my family to eat and enjoy.  I have always loved this simple act of creating a nourishing meal and then sharing it with company.

But I did not enjoy chopping and shredding and mashing and pounding and pounding…did I say pounding? my BIG head of cabbage.  I don’t even like cabbage!  I don’t think it smells very good and I happened to buy a very large head, for God knows why!

But here I was with the head of cabbage, sweating it out with my humble food processor and my meat mallet.  I ended up taking Debbie’s advice and running it through the food processor once shredded and this did help with releasing more juices and giving my arm a much needed break.

You’d think that pounding a cabbage for 10 minutes after you have been trained to hold a 30 pound toddler for the same amount of time wouldn’t be such a big deal.  But I guess it uses different muscles.  Maybe if I had been angry, this would have been a gratifying procedure.  But on the contrary, I didn’t enjoy it very much.

Now if I haven’t sold you on making your sauerkraut yet, I’m very sorry, but I am being very honest about my experience.

But I have some good news!  Hey, I was even surprised when I decided to check on my 2 and a half quart containers (yes it made a lot so I can enjoy it for a long time!) this evening and was actually quite surprised.

I tried the juice, as is recommended in the GAPS guide book, when you’re introducing fermented veggies.  And I have to say, I liked it.  It tasted of caraway, since I added some caraway seeds to the mix.  It was also tangy, telling me it was on its way to fermentation.  It also wasn’t too salty.  I liked it!

I decided to give it at least one more day on the shelf, giving it a total of five days as is recommended.  But I am just happy to know that I like it and it’s not going to be a chore to eat it!

Also, the sauerkraut is a bit orange because I added two grated carrots to the mix.

Update: I wrote most of this post before my sauerkraut was completed.  I went ahead and gave it another day on the counter and then transferred it to the fridge.  We have been enjoying it, but today when I looked at it (three days after putting in the fridge) I see that the top of the kraut is getting a bit dried out.  There just isn’t as much liquid in it as before.  Does anyone have an explanation for this?  There wasn’t a great amount of liquid in it to begin with because I didn’t use whey – just salt, a lot of pounding force and a little salt water.  Any suggestions for this?

a little dry on top...

you can see it has more liquid down below

Kombucha making:
On another note, my husband and I finally got back to making our Kombucha the past couple of weeks.  We had started making it this past spring and then I think he got tired of doing it.  I had never really learned how to do it because I was letting him handle it.  So, our big mushrooms stayed in the fridge for a couple of months (at least) before I decided I really wanted some homemade Kombucha again.  We have already gone through our first batch and waiting on our second.  I hope to get at least two gallons going at the same time so that we always have some to drink.  It took me a little while to get used to it, but now I love it!

A simple and yummy meal from our garden:

Some other adventures of the week included making a garden frittata, grain-free almond crackers and another grain-free and gluten-free pizza crust made from almond flour.  The Garden Frittata was made with veggies from our garden, with fresh tomatoes, basil and red malabar spinach.  I also added onions to the mix and the result was a yummy creation.  Elijah loved it!

Garden Frittata

Grain-free, gluten-free and dairy-free almond crackers:

The almond crackers were a bit of an experiment, but I made them twice and they turned out better the second time.  They are actually quite delicious and buttery tasting.  I got the recipe from The Gut and Psychology Syndrome in the recipes section for egg-free baking.

The main thing I learned with the crackers is rolling them thin enough.  The first time I didn’t make them thin enough and they turned out more like thin flat bread, which I liked but were not like crackers.  The second time I made them, I rolled them much thinner and they were much better.  However, they were pretty brittle and about a third of them broke while taking them out of the pan.  I will share more about this recipe in another blog post.

Almond Crakers - grain-free and dairy-free

Grain-free, dairy-free and gluten-free pizza crust:

I loved this pizza so much I made it again toward the end of the week.  I used pizza sauce (not home made this time) mushrooms and almond cheese.  I made the crust with blanched almond flour but I would like to try hazelnut flour next time.  It was yummy, but my husband has confessed that he misses yeasty pizza dough.  Sigh!

Grain-free and gluten-free Pizza crust

The great potato harvest:

On Sunday, I started pulling some weeds out of the garden and then realized they were the remains of our potato plants.  Then I saw some fingerling potatoes swimming in the dirt and got excited.  We had already harvested some of our potatoes but we knew there were still some hiding in the soil.  So I started digging with a shovel with Elijah by my side and we started finding more and more potatoes – fingerling and blue.  I felt like I was on a scavenger hunt or discovering buried treasures.  With the plants long gone, we just had to keep digging and looking for them, not really knowing where they would be.  It was so fun!

Blue and Fingerling potatoes from the garden

So, that is my week.  Busy, busy.  I wish I had more time to blog;  there are a ton of things I want to share including recipes, but I only have so much time with everything else.  Would love to hear any comments about the sauerkraut or anything else that catches your eye!

Although very LATE, my original intent for this post was for Wardeh’s Tuesday Twister.  Well, it’s Friday.  But I say, better late, than never!

I actually like it better than my first attempt at slice-able, casein-free cheese.  The first one was a bit flimsy, though it did slice.  And the only way to get it to grate was to freeze it, which was time-consuming and a bit cold on the fingers!

I found this new recipe in The Real Food Daily Cookbook by Ann Gentry under “Cashew Cheddar Cheese.”  I made some adjustments – such as replacing the soy milk with almond milk and canola oil with olive oil.  I also halved the recipe completely because it called for 2 ounces of agar agar.  At around $7 or so an ounce of this seaweed, I decided to just half the recipe to see if I even liked it before spending so much on the agar agar!

Because this recipe uses agar agar, it is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.  The previous recipe called for gelatin, which I’m not too fond of either.

The other great thing about this new recipe is that the cheese can be grated without freezing it!  See below:

And yes, it can be melted after it hardens, or you can use it as a melted cheese when you first make it.

As for the flavor, I thought it had a nice flavor, however I may use a tad more garlic and onion powder next time and maybe a bit more nutritional yeast.

Here is the recipe:

Cashew Cheddar Cheese
Adapted from The Real Food Daily Cookbook by Ann Gentry
PREP TIME:  25 MINUTES * MAKES 16 SERVINGS

Ingredients:
2/3    cups cashew nuts
1/4    cup nutritional yeast
1        tsp onion powder
1        tsp salt
1/8   tsp white pepper
1/2    tsp garlic powder
1 3/4 plain and unsweetened almond milk
1 oz (about 2/3 cup) agar flakes
1/4   cup olive oil
1/8   cup soy-free miso (made from chickpea), or an additional 1/2 tsp salt and 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Steps:
1. Finely grind the cashews in a food processor.  Add nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Pulse until spices are blended.

2.  Combine milk, agar and oil in a saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over high heat.  Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until agar is dissolved.

3.  Pour the milk mixture into the food processor and blend into the cashews until very smooth and creamy.  Add the miso (or additional salt and nutritional yeast) and lemon juice.  Pour mixture into a loaf pan or another mold to cool and harden in fridge.  Use right away for melted cheese or let harden and use within an hour or so.

4.  Enjoy grated or sliced on pizza, tacos, burritos, salads, sandwiches, or anything else!

A note on portions: Even though I halved this recipe from the original, it still made plenty of cheese.  The cookbook says it will stay fresh for 4 days in the fridge, so unless you want to freeze it, or make a lot of pizzas, the above recipe works well for a family of 3-4.

Per Serving: 76 Calories; 7g Fat (75.2% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 216mg Sodium.

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it.  Or if you have any other ideas for dairy-free and casein-free cheese, let me know!  I am also going to work on a nut-free version so any ideas about this would be welcome!  I would love any comments so don’t feel shy to say hi!

Did you you know that it used to be common practice to soak flour in cultured milk, buttermilk or cream to make baked goods such as pancakes, muffins and cakes?  For people who are allergic to dairy products, water with a little lemon juice or vinegar can be used.

Why soak the flour?

As many people know, wheat and other grains are one of the hardest things to digest.  This accounts for many of the sensitivities to wheat and grain products that people have today.  However, if the grains and flours are first soaked for 12-24 hours, this begins the “digestion process” well before it hits your stomach.

“Because they are acidic, buttermilk,cultured milk, yogurt and whey (as well as lemon juice and vinegar) activate the enzyme phytase, which works to break down phytic acid in the bran of grains.  Sour milk products also provide lactic acid and lactobacilli that help break down complex starches, irritating tannins and difficult-to-digest proteins.  Soaking increases vitamin content and makes all the nutrients in grains more available…”  Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, pg. 476.

Before I went completely gluten-free in my diet, I experimented with soaking my flours for breads before I baked them.  For me, this wasn’t enough and I found I needed to cut wheat and gluten out of my diet.  However, since going gluten-free and sometimes grain-free, I find that these baked goods are already much easier to digest even without soaking the flours first.

I am also a creature of habit and a spontaneous and impatient one at that.  Maybe I am like my toddler who wants what he wants, when he wants it.  I think we all have this quality in us at some point or another!  Needless to say, sometimes I just don’t want to wait 12 hours to bake my bread!

However, I’ve been re-inspired to continue soaking my baked goods, primarily due to the inspiration I derive from Wardeh Harmon at GNOWFGLINS. Her nourishing and traditional methods of preparing foods has inspired a new level of baking in my house, and for this I am grateful.

I also know that there are many people who still can’t eat wheat or gluten flours, even if they are first soaked.  And, many people continue to have problems with grains, even when they eat foods containing no gluten.  So, here is one of my first successful soaked, gluten-free muffin recipes.

And, I find that the extra soaking does make them more digestible!

This recipe is actually also grain-free, because it is made with quinoa flour.  However, I still soaked the flour because according to Nourishing Traditions, all non-gluten flours should be soaked, including quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat, which are all grain-free.

Please share what you know about the subject of soaking grain-free “grains” and other grains and flours in the comments section.  Thanks so much!

Apple Muffins:  Grain-Free, Dairy-free and Sugar-free

3  cups quinoa flour

1  cup goat or cow’s yogurt and 1 cup water, combined, or 2 cups water and 2 Tbsp lemon juice  if allergic to dairy

1 1/3 cups applesauce

1/2  cup coconut oil

2/3 cup raw agave nectar

3 eggs

1 apple, grated

1/2 tsp vanilla

Dry ingredients:

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp xanthan gum

3/4 cup dried, unsweetened dessicated coconut

1/2 cup flax meal

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans

Steps:

1.  Combine the quinoa flour and yogurt water or lemon juice water, together in a medium mixing bow.  Mix well until well combined.  Cover with a towel and leave overnight for 12 hours or up to 24 hours.

2.  In a separate bowl, combine the coconut oil, agave or other sweetener and eggs together.  Add the grated apple and vanilla and stir.  Add this mixture to the soaked quinoa flour.  Stir until well blended.

3.  In another bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients together – the salt, baking soda, xanthan gum, coconut, flax meal, cinnamon, raisins and nuts.  Stir until combined.  Add dry ingredients to the flour mixture.  Stir until well combined.

4.  I made these into muffins and they made about 24 with a little batter left over, which I made pancakes out of the next morning.  You can also make this into a loaf bread.  For the muffins, I baked them at 350 for 25 minutes in well oiled muffin tins.  They were very moist, not too sweet and very nourishing.  For a loaf, you would bake in a well oiled pan for at least 1 1/2 hours.

I am submitting this post as part of the Tuesday Twister Carnival at GNOWFGLINS.  There were other tasty things I made this week, which included a new and improved recipe for dairy-free and casein-free cheese that is grateable, as well as a wonderful quesadilla I made with dairy-free seed cheese, olives, caramelized onions and fresh herbs.  I will be doing a separate post very soon about the cheese!

I recently checked out the book, The Kid-Friendly ADHD and Autism Cookbook at my library to see what new recipes I might find for the GF and CF diet.  I haven’t completely finished perusing the book but for the most part I would highly recommend it.  One great thing about it is that it has many soy, nut, egg and corn-free recipes as well.

One recipe that caught my eye was the “Sensory Sensible Pot Pie Muffins.” This recipe is a muffin for kids who can’t eat gluten and dairy and who may not like to eat regular chicken or vegetables.   To solve this problem, they put the pureed chicken and veggies right into the muffin.

This, I gotta try, I said.  My son used to eat literally anything I put in front of him.  But with the toddler stage, he has become a bit more picky.  He still loves cooked veggies, especially green beans but isn’t too fond of chicken these days.

Also, since we’re on the go a lot, I was looking for a snack that was travel-friendly, healthy, gluten and dairy-free and high in protein.  These muffins seemed like the answer!

Pot Pie Muffins made with Namaste muffin mix

I really tried to follow the recipe for the first attempt.  But I have to say that although it looked easy, it turned out to be confusing.

Here’s the recipe:

• 1 box (14.8 oz) store-bought GFCF muffin or quick bread mix

• 1 cup pureed vegetables (one or more of the following:  carrots, squash, peas or green beans)

• 1/2 cup applesauce

• 1/2 cup pureed chicken*

Steps:

1. In a large bowl, prepare cake mix batter according to package directions.  Add pureed vegetables, applesauce and chicken and mix to combine.
2. Lightly grease muffin tin or line with paper liners.  Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about 2/3rds full.  Bake at 375 F for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.*To puree chicken, combine cooked, chopped chicken with a bit of water or stock in a blender and blend until desired consistency is reached.

Easy right?

Okay, so first of all I have to tell you that it’s a production to make these muffins.  If you want to make them, make the chicken the night before and make extra veggies when you make dinner for the muffins.  That way you are already half way done.

The other thing that was a bit of a challenge was finding a muffin mix free of sugar.  I personally don’t like using cane sugar in baking and every mix I picked up had this in it.  Also, I couldn’t find one that was exactly 14.8 oz and I didn’t have time to figure out mathematical calculations in my head with my toddler yelling at me, “down, down!”

So, I ended up grabbing the Namaste mix because I wanted to make it simple and follow the recipe as best I could.  It is also made of brown rice verses white rice flour and is free of most allergens.

When it came to baking, I measured out just under 2 cups which is about 14.8 oz.  So I have a bit of mix left because it was a full pound.

So when I went to prepare the muffin mix, I felt I should modify the muffin mix directions because 1) I wasn’t using the whole bag and 2)  I felt like these muffins were going to be way to wet when I added the chicken, veggies and applesauce.  So I decided to use one less egg than was called for in the mix (called for 2).

They seemed like a good consistency so I went ahead and baked them.  They were actually good, but still a bit wet.  They taste more like heavy cake than a muffin.  They also deflated a bit due to the heaviness.  I personally like my muffins a bit more muffiny than these turned out to me.  It may have been that the extra egg would have helped, I am not sure.

No matter what I think of the muffins, Elijah loved them.  So there you go!

I decided to take a new approach and sack the prepared mixes.  I started again with one of Elana’s recipes with coconut flour because I was interested in making them grain-free as well.  They already called for carrots since they were her carrot muffins so this was a good start.

Pot Pie Muffins adapted from Elana's Carrot Muffin Recipe

Here is her recipe and what I did to change the recipe is next to her’s:

Gluten Free Carrot Mini Muffins
¼ cup coconut flour (I used 1/2 cup)
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt (I used 1/2 tsp)
¼ teaspoon baking soda (I used 1/2 tsp)
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground (I used 1.5 tsp)
3 eggs (I used 5 eggs)
¼ grapeseed oil (I used 1/2 cup)
¼ yacon syrup (I used 1/3 cup agave nectar)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (to tell you the truth I forgot to add this, but would do 1.5 Tbsp)
1 cup carrots, grated (I used just over a cup and I grated them instead of cooking and blending)
¼ cup currants (I used 1/3 cup)
I added:
1/2 cup chicken puree
1/2 cup applesauce

1. In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon
2. In a large bowl, blend together eggs, oil, sweetener, (applesauce, chicken) and vanilla
3. Blend dry ingredients into wet, then fold in carrots and currants
4. Grease a mini muffin tin with grapeseed oil and then dust with coconut flour
5. Spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of batter into each greased mini muffin cup (I used regular sized muffins and it made about 15 and took 25 minutes in the oven)
6. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes
7. Cool and serve

I had a good feeling about these muffins as I was mixing them and as they were baking.  They smelled yummy with the added cinnamon and I felt like they were going to be better than my first attempt.

Besides them sticking to the pans a bit, they were much better than the first recipe – much more springy and muffin-texture-like than the first batch.

The only thing that my be a problem for people is they definately need eggs – I used 5.  With this amount of eggs in them, it would be hard to convert this particular recipe to be egg-free.  They also have coconut flour in them but if one is allergic to coconut, you could use a GF baking blend with rice, tapioca and arrowroot.

As far as making these little babies last, I wrapped each one in plastic wrap and then put them all (except a few to munch on) into a freezer bag and froze them.  That way I can just take out one or two when we need them and they will last a lot longer.

And what did Elijah think of the second batch?  He gobbled them up too!

Anyone else have some great travel-free healthy snacks for kids?  I’d love to hear about them!  Thanks so much!

A wholesome and simple meal

Tonight I made a simple but very yummy dinner, inspired by the potatoes and zucchinis in my fridge and the lemon balm in my garden.  I’ll make this post quick since it’s been a long day but I was inspired to give the simple and easy recipes for this meal:

The Menu:
Turkey Sausage Patties
Baked Yukon Gold Potatoes with Butter and Nutritional Yeast
Zucchini Lemon Balm Soup

The Sausage Patties:

Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey meat (could also use chicken or beef)
salt – about 1 tsp or less
a generous amount of pepper – at least 1/2 tsp
a tsp or so of ground ginger
a tsp or so of ground sage
a dash of cayenne

Mix all ingredients well in a bowl and then make into small patties.  Fry in a cast iron skillet with a little olive oil, about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until slightly browned and cooked through.

The Potatoes (use sweet potatoes if you can’t have nightshades)

Ingredients:
how ever many potatoes you would like
salt to taste
butter or dairy-free alternative to taste
nutritional yeast flakes to taste

Preheat oven to 380.  Wash potatoes and poke holes in them with the point of a knife.  Cover in foil.  Place in oven and bake for about an hour, or until soft through.

Salt, butter and sprinkle nutritional yeast on them to taste.  Yum.
The Soup (could use asparagus, broccoli, summer squash or other veggies instead)

Ingredients:
1 cup or so of water
1/2 an onion, diced
2 medium zucchini, sliced
3 Tbsp lemon juice
a small handful of fresh lemon balm or fresh basil
1 tsp or so of marjoram
1 tsp or so of salt

Steam the onion and zucchini for 15-20 minutes until soft.  Use filtered water for the steaming water.  Remove from burner and remove the steaming basket.  Use a blending wand to blend the veggies into the water (or blend them in a blender).  If there seems to be a lot of water, drain some out before you start blending.  You don’t want it too watery.   Add the remaining ingredients and blend until thoroughly mixed.  Enjoy!

Turkey Sausage Patties and Baked Potatoes

Sliceable Dairy-Free Cheese

I found this recipe for sliceable dairy-free cheese a while back on a forum and finally made it the other day.  It seemed like every time I looked at it, it just seemed too complicated but I think that was just a first impression.  It is actually very simple and tastes pretty darn good. It is soft but still sliceable and resembles a white, mild cheese like Montery Jack.

The great thing about it is it is free of casein (milk protein), which many of the commercial dairy-free cheeses contain.  The only cheese I have found that is actually free of casein is from Galaxy Foods.

It does contain cashews, so it won’t work for people who are nut-free.  And there are a few changes I would make based on my first experiment with it.  It seems as though I can never follow a recipe exactly so I also made some changes as I made it.  I’ll add these changes below in the recipe.

I made chicken burritos the night I made the cheese and it was really great on them!  It really added some nice creaminess and cheesiness to the burritos!

I haven’t tried this yet but the recipe says you can freeze the cheese and then shred it for pizza cheese.

Another tip from the recipe is for making the cheese to resemble American or cheddar cheese:  blend in 1/4 cup pimentos and 1 tsp paprika to the recipe. (see tips below)

The original recipe is called Sliceable Cashew Cheese and it is from Best Gourmet Recipes from the chefs of Five Loaves Deli and Bakery by Neva Brackett.  This is the original recipe with my changes:

Ingredients:
2 cups cashew nuts

3/8 cup emes kosher gel (I used regular gelatin because this is what I had.  I only had 3 1/2 packs which was only a little more than an 1/8 cup – I still firmed up nicely but is still pretty soft.  I would like to try agar agar next time because I prefer this to gelatin)

1 ½ cups boiling water

2 Tbs. Lemon juice ( could use a hint more, you could also try balsamic vinegar if you don’t have lemon juice)

2 Tbs. nutritional yeast flakes (I would add at least 1 more Tbsp next time, maybe 2 because I would like a bit more cheesy flavor)

1 Tbs. Salt (I only used 1 tsp.  1 Tbsp seemed a bit much but now I think I would do at least 1 1/2 tsp. )

1 tsp. Onion powder (instead of onion and garlic powder, I added two cloves of garlic.)
½ tsp. Garlic powder

1 Cup Cold water

Steps:
1. Place all ingredients in the blender except the 1 cup cold water. Turn on and blend for 1 or 2 minutes until very smooth.

Hint: Place a towel over the lid of the blender before turning on. Hot liquids tend to splash out.

2. Add 1 cup cold water, blend briefly and pour into containers of your choice to chill and slice when firm.

Hint: This recipe makes a white cheese resembling Jack cheese. If you want half of it to resemble American cheese in color, pour half of it into a 1 pint mold and blend in ¼ cup pimientos and 1 tsp. paprika to the remainder. This can be frozen, so you might want to make a double recipe and keep it handy for future use, Frozen Cashew Cheese shreds very nicely if you do it while still frozen, and makes a great topping for Pizza. To thaw, set out at room temperature for an hour. Don’t try to thaw it in the microwave–it will melt and not be sliceable.

Prep time: 15 min Chill time: 4 hr or overnight. (It only took ours about an hour to be ready to be eaten with our burritos.)

I would love to hear if you make this and your thoughts about it.  I am going to freeze part of my batch and see how it grates.  I think this is what I am most excited about!

Tuna Tahini Salad with Farmer's market herbs and strawberries

There is something so wonderful about going to the Farmer’s market and looking at all the beautiful, home-grown produce, herbs, plants and flowers for sale.  If you can’t have your own garden, I think this is the closest you can get to incredibly fresh and beautiful food.

A couple of weeks ago  when I went to the market, I spotted some fresh herbs, some of which I had never used before.  The man at the organic herb stand told me that the chive flowers, featured above in the salad, were all the rave with the local chefs. I tried it fresh in my salad and it was, oooooooooh, spicy!  (I ate the whole flower in one bite).  If you like onion flavor, this would be a great herb for you.  But I would recommend cutting them up a bit instead of devouring them whole like I did.  You can also saute these flowers and the chopped stems, and use them in vegetable or meat dishes.

I also decided to try the “Anise Hyssop” herb, just right of the salad in the picture above.  If you like licorice or anise flavor, this herb is for you.  It is quite strong but has a very lovely flavor and can be added to salads fresh or chopped up and used in fish, chicken or vegetable dishes.

I decided to put the anise hyssop in a dish I created with golden beets and fennel.  Now, these two vegetables may not be favorites of some people.  But again, if you like licorice or anise flavor, you will like this dish even if beets aren’t your favorite vegetable.

Golden Beets and Fennel with Anise Hyssop

Here is the recipe:

GOLDEN BEET and FENNEL SAUTE with ANISE-HYSSOP
Servings: 4
Time: 50-55 minutes

Ingredients:
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
3 medium-large golden beets
1 head of fennel
½ cup chopped fresh anise-hyssop herb
½-1 tsp salt, to taste

Steps:
1.    Scrub and trim the ends off the beets and remove any hairs.  You can peel them but don’t have too.  Cut them into small ½” cubes.

2.    In a large and heavy skillet with a lid or heavy Dutch oven, add the olive oil and heat to medium heat.  Add the beet cubes, cover and continue to heat at medium heat until the beets start to “sizzle.”  Stir occasionally.

3.    Reduce heat to just above low heat and continue to cover for another 10 –15 minutes, or until you can insert a fork into a beet but it is still firm.

4.    Cut the end off the fennel bulb.  Cut the stalks off of the bulb.  Cut the bulb lengthwise into fourths, and then slice so that you have smallish pieces.  Cut the stalks and fronds as well into small ½” slices.  Add the fennel to the beets after the 10-15 minutes on low heat.  Add the chopped herbs and stir.

5.    Cover and cook the beets and fennel together for another 20-30 minutes, or until they are soft.  Stir occasionally.

6.    Add additional olive oil or flax oil and salt to taste.

Enjoy!

Globe artichokes - photo by Sarah

I talked with Diane Eblin today from The Whole Gang.  We had a great little chat and had some laughs about the discoveries we make in the kitchen.  We both agreed it takes a little adventure to delve into cooking some unknown or unusual foods.  But I think we would agree that this is where we have fun and discover new and delicious foods to enjoy.

This week at The Whole Gang for the Friday Foodie Fix, the food is artichokes.  This is giving me a great opportunity to get back into blogging, which if you haven’ noticed, has fallen by the wayside during the past couple of months during our move and transition to Frederick. Thanks Diane for the inspiration!

I will start by saying that artichokes are one of my favorite vegetables for a few reasons.  I love the taste of them, especially the hearts.  I love them on pizza, in salads, in pasta, in dips and other wonderful dishes.

But another reason I enjoy them is they take a long time to savor.  You eat each leaf, one at a time, hopefully with a yummy Hollandaise sauce, or just mayo if you like it.  It isn’t a vegetable you can prepare or even enjoy in a haste.  It almost beckons you to sit down, rest and enjoy each morsel of its tastiness.  I am lucky enough to have memories of enjoying artichokes at home with my family.  Other people I talk to, including Diane, didn’t have the experience as a child of learning how to cook this delicious vegetable or to enjoy one fresh.

But even if you’ve never tried cooking an artichoke, I will tell you right now, it is very easy!!!  Of course there are more complicated ways of cooking them, but if you’ve never done this before, just try steaming them.  Please see the recipe below for more instructions, plus a dairy-free Hollandaise sauce.

And lastly, an artichoke has a HEART and it also has the word ART in it – two of my favorite things!

Following is a poem I wrote over ten years ago, so you can see I’ve been thinking about artichokes for sometime now!

Eating an Artichoke

First, you gotta steam it so that you can even eat it;
This takes a while and you gotta be patient.

Once it’s tender, you can peel away the leaves, and eat them.
This is very nice and very different from eating any other kind of vegetable.
You peel and peel and savor and enjoy.

Then, you get to the white fuzz that you have to dig out.
Sometimes this can be a pain.
It can also be messy.
And you usually have to use a spoon or something.

But, once all that fuzz is cleared away, Wow, you can eat the Heart!
And the Heart, in my opinion, is the best part.

But you can’t eat the Heart until you peel and dig and eat away everything else.
But, this makes the Heart of the artichoke all the more wonderful,
And I think you savor it more that way.

Spring 1997

Artichokes with Herbed Hollandaise Sauce
Servings: 4    Prep and cook time: 30-45 min.

Ingredients:
4 artichokes (smaller ones cook faster)

Equipment needed:
Very large pot with a lid and a steamer basket at the bottom.

Hollandaise sauce:
4 Tbsp butter, butter substitute or olive oil

¼ cup coconut milk

4 Tbsp soy-free or regular mayo

2 tsp lemon juice or balsamic vinegar

¼ -1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp minced herbs such as parsley or basil (optional)

Steps:

1. Wash and cut the end of the stems off of the artichokes. You can cut the ends of the leaves off or leave them as is. Steam artichokes in a very large soup pot, 20 minutes for miniature and up to 45 minutes for very large ones.  Test the stem with a fork for tenderness.  Remove from pot.

2. Meanwhile, make the Hollandaise sauce by melting the butter or adding the oil to a small saucepan. Melt it on low heat and then add the coconut milk. Stir until mixed well. Then add the mayo and blend into the coconut-butter mixture. You can use a whisk to do this. Add the salt, lemon juice and minced herbs. Enjoy with the artichokes.

Nutritional info: Per Serving: 301 Calories; 27g Fat (74.3% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 36mg Cholesterol; 585mg Sodium.

I’d love to hear about your adventures in cooking your artichokes, whether this is a new adventure for you or a favorite pasttime!

Pecan Crusted Amaranth Bread, Grain and Egg-free

But what if it doesn’t turn out?

I am usually a very experimental cook, but I do find myself stalling sometimes; stalling to try something new in cooking or baking.  The reason is simple; it’s entering into the territory of the “unknown” and that little question, hiding in the background, seems to take precedence over my best intentions sometimes.

The little question?  “But what if it doesn’t turn out?”  For some reason this stops me, and many others, from trying something new and dabbling in a little creativity.  Our minds simply don’t want to deal with the risk that something terrible might happen if we actually get up the nerve to try coconut flour or egg-free baking.

And if we really think about it, the worst that can happen is that something doesn’t turn out and we are left with a pile of tasteless crumbs.  Or maybe they are tasty crumbs that need to be eaten with a spoon.  Either way, if we actually face this question straight on, we see that it is just a small part of ourselves that is a little afraid of something new.  And that’s okay, because we all have a comfort zone that is, well, comfortable.

But what happens when life hands us a different set of cards and we find ourselves with less ingredients to work with because of an allergy or condition that limits a food group from our diet?

I have always loved eggs.  They are great protein and fill my tummy up very well if I have them for breakfast.  I even gave egg yolks to my son starting at 6 months old because they “supply cholesterol needed for mental development as well as important sulphur-containing amino acids.”  I used all organic eggs from pasture-raised chickens, which are rich in omega-3 amino acids.  These fatty acids are essential for the development of the brain and are also found in mother’s milk.  I learned this from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (pg.600).  Egg whites however, should be avoided in a baby’s diet until at least one year of age because they can cause an allergic reaction if introduced too early.

However, though not officially tested yet, Elijah breaks out around his mouth now, even after eating just an egg yolk, even worse if he has egg whites.  So, while I have always been hesitant to use egg replacements, simply because I haven’t had a problem with eggs and because it is easier just to throw in an egg, I have started using some of the many concoctions that are great for replacing eggs in my baking.

And the foods I am creating egg-free are still turning out great!  In this week’s menu planner, I included a recipe I adapted from an Arrowhead Mills package of amaranth for Amaranth Date Pecan Bread.  The original recipe had wheat flour and eggs and butter in it (I used butter but you can easily use grapeseed, safflower or coconut oil) and I converted it to be egg, wheat, gluten and grain free.

At this point, it was almost a fun challenge to see if I could make it grain-free and still taste good.  So I made up a quinoa blend with tapioca flour and potato starch.  The result was surprising!  Chewy, a little crunchy, and sweetened with dates and honey, it was a real treat.  It was very yummy and even Elijah agreed.  It ended up being great as a snack, breakfast, or slightly sweet treat.

So next time you notice a part of yourself stalling in someway to try something new in cooking or baking, take a step back and just notice the question or thought that might be getting in the way.  Then tell it to take a break and have some tea and you’ll get back to it when you’re done with your little experiment.  (Or not!)  Even if something does turn out to be a flop, you will always learn something from it.  And the best medicine I’ve found for being disappointed with an experiment?  Laughing!

Amaranth Date Pecan Bread (Grain-free)

Servings:  4

Prep and cook time:  1 hour and 25 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped dates
½ cup amaranth, whole
1 cup boiling water
2 eggs or egg substitute*
½ cup honey, agave or maple syrup
¼ cup butter or safflower oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups Quinoa blend**
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped pecans

* I used 2 Tbsp flaxmeal in 6 Tbsp boiling water.  Let sit for 10 minutes or until thick
** Grain-free mix – 2 cups quinoa flour2/3 cup potato starch1/3 cup tapioca flour

A reminder about egg replacements:
Use for 1 egg:

• 3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce (or another fruit puree) + 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp flax seed meal + 3 Tbsp hot water.  Let stand, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until thick.  Use without straining.
• Egg Replacer, according to directions.

Steps:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Soak dates and amaranth in boiling water for 15 minutes.  Beat eggs (or use substitute), add honey and butter (or oil).  Stir in remaining ingredients, except for the nuts, mixing well.
2.  Pour into oiled loaf pan and spread chopped nuts over top.  Bake for 50 minutes – 1 hour, or until tester comes out clean.

Substitutions: Whole amaranth: amaranth, qunioa or millet flour.  Quinoa blend: other GF blend, spelt, barley or wheat flour.  Pecans: leave out if allergic to nuts or use sunflower or sesame seeds.
Recipe inspiration: Adapted from recipe on Arrowhead Mills package of amaranth

Risotto with Artichokes and Leeks

This week’s menu:

• Hearty Fish Chowder and Carrot Raisin Salad
• Seven-Vegetable Pasta with Tarragon Glaze and Chicken and Sweet Pea Soup
• Greek Style Turkey Patties with Lemon Tahini Dressing and Green Salad with Tomatoes and Cucumber
• Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach and Wild Mushroom and Walnut Rice
• Risotto with Artichokes and Leeks with Chicken and Broccoli Cauliflower Bisque

Vegetarian Menu options:

• Hearty Quinoa and Veggie Chowder and Carrot Raisin Salad
• Seven-Vegetable Pasta with Tarragon Glaze and Almonds and Sweet Pea Soup
• Falafel Patties with Lemon Tahini Dressing and Green Salad with Tomatoes and Cucumber
• Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach and Wild Mushroom and Walnut Rice
• Risotto with Artichokes and Leeks with White Beans and Broccoli Cauliflower Bisque

Seven-Vegetable Pasta with Tarragon Glaze

This week’s menu planner is full of savory and delicious dishes, that are easy to make and should take no more than 30 minutes to prepare.  They are also very versatile – you can add chicken or fish or even beans or lentils to the dishes to fit your needs.

The Hearty Fish Stew is especially delicious – and I gave some to my son as well and he loved it.  The little bit of rice flour and almond milk makes it creamy and the nutmeg adds a savory flavor.  Enjoy!

Hearty Fish Chowder- mama and baby bowls

Hearty Fish Chowder

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons brown rice flour

3 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup diced potatoes

1/2 cup green peas

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 pound salmon fillet

1 cup almond milk

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Steps:

1.  Heat olive oil in a large soup pot to medium-high heat and sauté the onion until it is soft and translucent.  Add the garlic, salt and flour and cook for 2-3 minutes.

2.  Slowly stir in vegetable or chicken stock, carrots, celery, potato, peas, black pepper and nutmeg and cooked, covered, for 5 minutes.

3.  While the vegetables are cooking, wash the fish and cut into 1-inch cubes.  Add to the vegetable mixture and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender and the fish is flaky.  Stir in almond milk, balsamic vinegar and parsley.  Heat through and serve.

Vegetarian option: Instead of adding fish, add 1 cup of quinoa to the soup when you add the vegetables.  Bring to a boil, the reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.  Add the almond milk, vinegar and parsley at the end.

Substitutions: Salmon: mahi mahi, haddock, flounder, swordfish, etc.  Almond milk: GF rice milk, coconut milk or other non-dairy milk.  Vegetables: parsnips, blue potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, etc.

Nutritional info: Per Serving: 342 Calories; 10g Fat (25.1% calories from fat); 29g Protein; 37g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 72mg Cholesterol; 1915mg Sodium.

Recipe source or inspiration: Meals that Heal by Lisa Turner

Hearty Fish Stew with Elijah -"I want some!"