Energy Bars

I’m not sure that any of us really need any more energy, in the sense of calories, in our lives! The calorie is easy to find around these parts, but it is nice to have a treat now and then. I’ve been making way too many of these, so trust me, if you want to put on weight, this is what you should eat. These are very densely packed calorie bombs that will surely keep you moving if you know what’s good for you! This would be a great snack to carry with the road bike crew or mega run in prep for a marathon. Of course, a bite or two for your average teacher is a good thing too! These are stored in the freezer and best to eat when frozen.

Ingredients:

Chocolate Coconut Banana

• 2 cups Medjool dates
• 2 cups raw cashews
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup unsweetened grated coconut

Chocolate Cherry

• 1 cup Medjool dates
• 2 cups dried cherries
• 2 cups raw almonds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened grated coconut
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• pinch of sea salt

Apricot Orange

• 1 cup Medjool dates
• 1 cup dried pineapple
• 2 cups dried apricots
• 2 cups raw cashews
• 2 mandarine oranges zested and juiced
• a pinch of sea salt

Lemon Coconut

• 1 cup Medjool dates
• 1 cup dried pineapple
• 1 banana
• 1 cup unsweetened grated coconut
• 2 cups raw cashews
• 2 lemons zested and juiced
• a pinch of sea salt

Orange Cinnamon Chocolate Apricot

• 2 1/2 cups dried apricot
• 2 cups Medjool dates
• 2 cups raw cashews
• 1/8 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup sprouted and dried buckwheat groats
• 1/2 cup dried pineapple
• 2 clementines zested and juiced
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions: Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until the mixture comes together. If the mixture is too dry, add more dates or a dash of water. Pour the mixture onto parchment paper to form a flattened square. A pastry blade is helpful to shape the edges. Wrap in parchment and place in a baking pan in the freezer. When frozen cut into one-inch cubes and store in the freezer.

Plum Galette

Do you ever wonder what happened to good old-fashioned pie? Do you occasionally crave it, then find the slice that sits in front of you to be woefully inadequate? What happened to that thick slice of pie chock full of fresh fruit with a richly flavored, not-too-dry yet flaky crust?  I sometimes dream of that pie, but so often forget it can’t be found in a bakery. We can all find lots of mediocre pie at chain restaurants and grocery stores but if you want to find the real thing, you might be looking forever. Perhaps some nice old Finish lady in Northern Minnesota could hook you up, but if you’re looking in a store or pastry shop, you’re probably out of luck. I feel bad for kids these days because I don’t think they’ll ever know what pie really is. There is just something about old-fashioned pie that can’t be replicated in the bakery kitchen.

Having grown up with a nice old Finish lady to show me the ropes, there are a few things I know. First, butter is a must. I am a practicing vegan except when it comes to pie – no margarine allowed. The dough has to be cold, cold, cold so leave it in the fridge for a good long rest before you roll it. And finally, don’t roll your crust too thin. It’s just a beautiful thing to eat a slice of pie from tip to crust – to end with a generous chunk of flaky dough lightly kissed with caramelized fruit juices and sugar. Mmm mmm!

I know that one problem with pie is that it seems too difficult. So many of us just don’t have the time anymore, so I made a galette instead of pie. Galette is a fairly easy alternative allowing for free form rather than fussing with a pie pan and crimping edges. Fortunately, with a galette, we still get that old-fashioned sense of the pie!

Ingredients:

Crust: For a really clear and easy-to-follow recipe, see Elise’s directions at Simply Recipes.

Filling:

• 6 red plums
• 2 Tbs. flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 1 beaten egg
• turbinado sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.
2. Cut the plums either into small chunks or thin slices. Place them in a mixing bowl.
3. Add flour, sugar, nutmeg and lemon juice and mix.
4. Roll out the pie crust to about 1/8 inch and place on parchment covered cookie sheet.
5. pour plum mixture into center of pie crust. Push all the plums together into a tidy flat circle.
6. Fold the pie crust up over the plums crimping the dough where it doubles over itself.
7. Brush the dough with the egg wash and then sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
8. Bake for about 50 minutes until the dough is browned.

Green Juice For Life

This was breakfast. Not breakfast for six people – breakfast for two. Can you imagine the workout trying to eat all this veg in one sitting? It’s a daunting task to think about, but not if you’re a juicer. I juiced this lovely bowl of veg this morning for breakfast and with that was able to get closer to my body’s daily requirement for vegetables. You see, I found out the hard way, exactly how many fruits and vegetables we really need to stay healthy and fit – it is a lot!

The hard way? You ask. Let me back up.

I recently discovered I suffer from inflammation which over the years has caused my body to fight against itself. My cells have been attacking the high acidic foods I eat so my white blood cells, in constant combat position have had no time build my body’s immunity. Over time, my body began to show symptoms that something was wrong. I began to gain weight – especially belly fat, I often had migraine headaches, I had trouble waking up in the morning, I was grumpy much of the time and I developed red tingly toes. If you google red tingly toes, they’re a symptom of many illnesses like obesity, diabetes, lymes disease, heart disease, nerve damage, depression and inflammation.

Since my husband has Lyme’s Disease, I decided to start with a visit to the doctor in order to rule that out as well as other concerns like allergies, a possible thyroid problem, vitamin or mineral deficiency issues or some unidentified ailment. Blood tests and other diagnostics showed that according to mainstream thought I had nothing wrong with me. My doctor was left stumped and unable to provide an answer. I knew from my obsessive love of food that diet can often be the underlying cause of diseases and ailments, so I decided to take treatment into my own hands.

At the same time I was experiencing these weird symptoms, Jeff’s Lyme’s disease was causing him to suffer excessive fatigue and pain. In researching how to help him, we both stumbled across information regarding ph neutral diets and the connection to decreased inflammation. Diet, not buckets of medication, seemed to be the answer. I also watched a couple of food documentaries that prompted me to address my symptoms with diet – they were, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, Forks Over Knives and Crazy Sexy Cancer. It seems that there are a couple of factors that come into play when you eat a mostly raw diet. First you feed your immune system lots of vitamins and minerals and secondly you are getting enough enzymes to aid digestion. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is very high acidity and low enzyme and that seems to be what causes most of our ailments – everything from type two diabetes, heart disease and many cancers.

So here I am today, twenty pounds lighter, unbelievably happy, and symptom free! And, it was easy thanks to green juice and smoothies! I love vegetables, but I’ve always reached for breads or other grains first to satisfy hunger. Juicing helped me to cut all food cravings out of my life. I find the juice so satisfying that I don’t need much else. I started with a juice fast of about ten days. I wasn’t a purist about it as I had a few salads and a couple of sprouted grain veggie sandwiches over the course of those ten days, but overall, I drank freshly made vegetable juice and I drank as much as I wanted.

During that phase of the plan I also drank HUGE amounts of water and a cup of Smooth Move tea each day. I had read that some people get constipated when they first start a juice fast, and part of the idea is to remove all the toxic build up from your body. You want to sweat it out, flush it out and brush it off your skin, so exercise, drink lots of water and exfoliate the skin. Two days into the fast I felt happier than I had felt in years and I began to lose weight right away! It was very exciting as I had never been able to successfully diet in my life.

Once the fast was over, I simply continued to juice using juice as a meal replacement for breakfast and lunch. For dinner we eat huge salads with greens, chopped veg, nuts and my homemade balsamic dressing. Fats are important to consume so oils from nuts and seeds, olive oil and avocado are all completely acceptable and necessary. Notice the diet is mostly raw foods, however we do eat roasted cauliflower, broccoli, and sweet potatoes as well as a variety of cooked beans. I have found that a small amount of sprouted wheat breads don’t bother me, so I love to eat hummus sandwiches with sprouts, avocado and tomato. I’m sure as the winter months approach we’ll be adding soups to our diet as well.

I cannot express enough how satisfying and liberating this style of eating is. Menu planning is simple, grocery shopping is simple and food preparation is a breeze, but the most amazing thing is how good we feel. This has not been a diet for me, but a lifestyle change.

Here’s the quick and dirty of what I learned and what I do:

Cut Out:

• most grains (except a small amount of brown rice, quinoa and wild rice)
• potatoes
• sugar
• coffee
• alcohol
• dairy products
• animal products
• any processed food
• any food containing white (white flour, white rice, white pasta, white tortillas, etc)

Eat Organic:

• fresh vegetables and fruits – as many as you want
• nuts and seeds
• sprouts
• olive oil
• green tea and herbal teas

Do:

• Meal replacement with freshly made juice or smoothies
• Make your own sprouts
• Exercise 3-5 times per week

Green Juice Recipe I

Ingredients:

• 4 apples
• 2 peeled lemons
• 1 bunch curly kale
• 1 bunch bok choy
• 2 zucchini
• 1 small chunk fresh ginger

Green Juice Recipe II

Ingredients:

• 4 apples
• 1 lemon
• 1 fennel bulb with stems and fronds
• 1/2 bunch celery
• 1/2 head cabbage

Directions: Wash and prep the vegetables then run through a juicer. (We have a Breville Juice Fountain Ikon.)

Honey Brittle Nut Bars

These bad boys fall into the dessert category for me, so I wouldn’t normally encourage anyone to have such treats around the house, but my dad’s honey is just the most amazing thing, and I wanted to come up with a way to really highlight its sweetness.

In an effort the last few months to stay away from grains, raw almonds have found their way into our pantry along with a few other nuts and seeds like cashews, pumpkin and sunflower. Apparently when eaten in small quantities, these powerhouses of life provide healthy fats, omega-3 as well as a myriad of other vitamins and minerals. That is when they are raw. Turning them into dessert by toasting them probably diminishes much of the health benefits. Regardless, these brittle bars are a really tasty snack made from all whole foods. If anything, they are a good source of energy for your average marathoner or long-distance biker. Since Jeff completed 72 miles this morning, I think I’ll encourage him to have a few of these!

Once these cool, they do become brittle, however as they rise to room temperature the honey begins to soften. I would recommend cutting them and storing them in the freezer in an airtight container.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbs. coconut oil
• 3/4 cup honey
• 2 cups whole almonds
• 1 cup whole cashews
• 1 cup hulled pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup large flake coconut
• 1 tsp. flaked kosher salt

Directions:

In a non-reactive sauce pan slowly melt the coconut oil. Add the honey and bring it to a simmer. Stir frequently and allow the mixture to simmer for about ten minutes.

While the honey simmers, toast the nuts separately as the small ones will burn if you try to toast them together. After each batch is toasted pour them out onto plates to cool in a single layer.

Once the nuts are all toasted and the honey has simmered and evaporated for ten minutes, pour the honey mixture over the nuts and mix well.

Pour the mixture out into a 9×9 square baking pan lined with parchment paper. The bars will be about an inch thick in this pan. Use another sheet of parchment on top to press the mixture firmly together.

Place in the refrigerator to cool.

Cut into squares and store in airtight container in freezer.

Rhubarb Sorbet with Garden Herbs

Here’s the local beat in Minnesota right now: mint busting out of its pots and rhubarb galore! Why not have a tart little midsummer cool-down treat.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups rhubarb, very thinly sliced
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large sprigs mint
• 1 sprig oregano
• 1 Tbs. triple sec
• 1 Tbs. Grenadine Syrup

Directions:

1. Simmer rhubarb, water, sugar and herb sprigs until the rhubarb is soft and begins to break down.
2. Refrigerate until the mixture cools.
3. Remove herb sprigs.
4. Puree mixture and add triple sec and Grenadine.
5. Freeze in ice cream maker.
6. Transfer to freezer container an allow to freeze for at least four hours.

Sesame Slaw with Golden Beets and Kale

The only way to get my son to run errands with me is to bribe him. As you can imagine, this can sometimes be costly and frustrating! But getting him to the coop is easy and free…all I need to do is remind him of the samples! He usually lingers by my side in the fresh foods area picking out bananas and other fruits, but as soon as we turn the corner, he beelines to the deli for samples of cheese, spreads, crackers and salads. The other day he came running up to me with a little cup filled with some sort of a kale salad.

“Here Mom, this is for you. I thought you’d like it. It has kale.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a kale and golden beet salad from the deli.”

“Did you try it?” I asked incredulously thinking the coop had cast some sort of spell over the boy who hates vegetables.

“Of course not! It has kale. I got it for you.”

What a sweet boy and what a sweet salad. I knew from the first taste, something like it would need to come out of my kitchen. The coop salad had the same general flavor devised with sesame oil, sesame seeds and ginger that my recipe includes, but did not have raisins. Somehow a little sweet seems like a good pairing for the beets and carrots. I think some fresh fruit like chopped nectarines, mangoes or apples would also cut the bill. (What does that mean, anyway?)

Ingredients:

• 3 large carrots grated
• 1 large golden beet, peeled and grated
• 1 bunch curly kale, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 Tbs. sesame oil
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• a few splashes of rice vinegar (2-3 Tbs.)

Directions:

Long grate the carrots by cutting them just the length of the food processor feed tube. Empty into mixing bowl. Next grate the beets the same as the carrots. I chose to quickly saute the golden beets in about a tablespoon of sesame oil as they were a titch bitter when raw. Leave them a little crunchy to the bite.

Mince the garlic, jalapeno and ginger in a food processor and add to carrots and beets in mixing bowl.

Remove the stems from the kale and chop the greens into fine pieces. The kale can be massaged to soften, steamed or sauted.

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and season to taste. Serve at chilled or at room temperature.

Cold Winter Curry

Oh, the flavors! Oh, the warmth! Oh, the kale! I can’t get enough of the stuff! I’ve consumed four large bunches and another of swiss chard this week – almost entirely on my own! Once I started eating it, I couldn’t get enough! The same happened with beets, and I think sweet potatoes must be right up there in the Gotta Have It department. While the rest of you “Master” cleanse, juice and go raw, I’m focusing on ROY G. BIV and powerful spices warmed to perfection!

In this recipe:

• Red – tomatoes
• Orange – sweet potatoes
• Yellow – cauliflower
• Green – kale
• Blue/Indigo/Violet – last seen in Beety Tweety Bird Nests
• Powerful Spices: Ginger, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, hot peppers

Ingredients Chickpea Curry:

• 2 Tbs. coconut oil
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch fresh ginger, mince
• 1 Serrano pepper, minced
• 3 fresh tomatoes, blended
• 3/4 can light coconut milk
• 1 Tbs. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. whole brown mustard seed
• 2-3 tsp. Garam Masala
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 cups chickpeas, pre-cooked
• 1 bunch kale, finely chopped

Directions: Cook chickpeas or use canned. On medium heat, melt coconut oil. Add red onion and saute until translucent. Add cumin, brown mustard seed and Garam Masala to the oil for a quick toast. Next add garlic, ginger and chile pepper. All these ingredients should be cooked for a minute or so, just until the aromas are released. Next, add the pureed tomato, coconut milk and chickpeas. Allow to simmer on very low heat for about 5 minutes. Right before serving, mix in the kale cooking it just past raw to bright green.

Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes in Madras Peanut Curry Sauce:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1/4 can coconut milk
• 2 Tbs. creamy peanut butter
• 1 Tbs. Madras style curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions: Warm the coconut milk and the peanut butter in a small pot. When the peanut butter begins to melt, whisk the two ingredients together. Add spices and mix well. Toss in cauliflower and sweet potatoes. Allow to steam on low heat for a few minutes until vegetables are tender.

Note: I tried roasting the veggies with the sauce at 450 degrees. They cooked, but did not crisp at all. I love the idea of serving the cauliflower roasted like I did here. Next time.

Plantain Soup

It’s the time of year that my mind wanders off to Honduras, Ecuador and Mexico. I dream of warm weather, tropical foliage and platanos! Platanos are particularly important in the diet of Coastal Ecuadorians, and I don’t believe I ever had a meal that did not include them in some form. They usually eat the plantains green either fried, baked or mashed to make empanada dough. My favorite way to eat the platano is fried and smashed in what they call, “Patacones.” In other parts of Latin America fried and smashed plantains are called, “Tostones.” They are an acquired taste as they tend to be quite dry, but the minute I tasted them topped with hot and spicy Aji, I couldn’t get enough. Aji is a hot chile, cilantro and lime condiment served everywhere in Ecuador.

An Ecuadorian custom from the highlands  is to serve a light soup as a first course for the mid-afternoon meal, and it’s common to see a few platanos floating around the broth with diced potatoes and a sprig of cilantro. Slices of avocado, toasted hominy and Aji were always served with the soup.

Today’s recipe combines an Ecuadorian platano fetish with my never-ending quest for maximum nutritional value. Here you will find copious quantities of kale! And don’t even think about eating the soup without the Aji. Yes, it’s a condiment to be served on the side, but it without it, you’ll feel like you’re eating mashed potatoes without the gravy.

Ingredients:

Soup

• 1 Tbs. canola oil
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large sweet potato, diced
• 1 large Yukon gold potato, diced
• 2 plantains, peeled and sliced
• 1 bunch curly kale, deveined and chopped
• 8 cups water
• 1 Tbs. cumin
• 2 tsp. salt
• avocado and lime as garnish

Aji

• 4 Serrano peppers
• 1 small bunch cilantro
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 lime juiced
• salt to taste
• splash water

Blend together in food processor or blender.

Directions:

Be careful not to overcook this soup. Serve immediately.

Heat oil in a stock pot. Add onions and cook until they are crispy. Next add the garlic and stir it until fragrant. Add water, cumin, salt, potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are almost tender. Add plantains and cook for a few minutes until the potatoes and plantains are tender. Add the kale just before serving. It should just wilt and turn bright green. Serve with Aji, avocado and lime on the side.

Vitamin Supplement Number Two – Beety Tweety Bird Nests

Last week when I went for groceries, the goal was to make the cart look like a CSA box. Midwinter legumes, grains and soups have been great, but this time of year you may feel your body craves the vitamins from more rainbow-colored foods. At the grocery two things particularly caught my attention: beets and greens. I bought four hefty deep purple roasters as well as mounds of kale and swiss chard. Last week’s Beet Sweet and Kale Soup was so satisfying, I’m loving the look of the ruby-red long grated strands, so having two of the beets already roasted in the fridge made this warm salad really easy to make. I filled the nests with a Greek yogurt seasoned with salt, pepper and a bit of minced ginger, but can imagine them stuffed with sautéed mushrooms and goat cheese, humus, or just shaved pieces of Pecorino Romano.

This will make approximately two dozen nests depending on how large the beets. The beets I had were big ones – about four inches in diameter!

Ingredients:

• 2 large beets roasted then grated
• 1 inch chunk fresh ginger, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbs. minced red onion
• salt/pepper
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1/2 cup semolina flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions: Preheat oven 425 degrees.

Mix all ingredients and spoon into greased muffin tins. Use the back of a spoon to form an indentation in each mound of beets. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove the nests immediately from the muffin tins or they may stick.

Vitamin Supplement Number One – Beet, Sweet and Kale Soup

Enough of the death dirge already!  I hear you. A few of my “fans” have been concerned that the black shroud and “Mock Chicken” was a sign of death to the blog. Perhaps I was one of those bloggers not quite willing to come right out and wrap it up, you thought. Truth be told, I never intended to be away so long, but in all my moments of cooking, have had little to motivate. Summer’s end brought me back to work with no weekly CSA and little motivation. The family plate reverted to our standby Mexican stuffed burritos with a variety of salsa, simple soups or stir-fries. Not much that was blog-worthy, I’m afraid.

Today, the sun is shining brightly over Minnesota, and this winterized body is craving some vitamins. A stop at the grocery, and the fridge is filled with chard, kale, beets, broccoli and a variety of fruits. Here’s what I came up with for Vitamin Supplement Number One:

Ingredients:

• 2Tbs. olive oil
• 2 large beets, peeled and grated
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and grated
• 2 cloves garlic, grated with beets
• water to cover veggies
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 Tbs. Garam Masala
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bunch curly kale, deveined and sautéed in olive oil
• Slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:

1) Wash and devein kale. Chop and saute in a splash of olive oil. Cook until just wilted and still bright green.

2) Grate sweet potatoes and beets. Place in large stock pot with olive oil and water to cover. Add salt and pepper, vinegar, honey, garam masala. Bring to slow simmer and cook until beets are just tender.

3) Toast slivered almonds in a dry skillet. Keep the almonds moving, and toast until the edges start to brown. Turn the toasted almonds out onto a cool plate.

3) Serve in large bowls with greens and toasted almonds on top.

Mock Chicken

I’ve often wondered how mock duck was made. I knew what it was – wheat gluten – but never knew what the process involved. I finally decided to do a little research only to realize that mock duck is basically a dumpling. It’s also very easy to make. I found a recipe on a site called,  Ma Cooks! and used this as the springboard for this recipe.You’ll notice by the garlic, cumin and oregano, that this mock duck is destined for a Latin American theme. In fact, I hope to use it to make green chile enchiladas.

Jeff returned yesterday from a conference in Albuquerque and upon my most pointed request, carried with him five giant tubs of frozen chiles. If you have never used frozen New Mexican chiles before, I highly recommend urging any friend traveling to the Southwest to traffic for you as much as they can carry. The Bueno Foods website will deliver six small containers for $25 dollars plus a $50 dollar delivery fee! I’m sure there are many New Mexican transplants who are willing to pay this exorbitant fee.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups wheat gluten (I used Bob’s Red Mill.)
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tsp. salt

Stock:

• 1 Tbs. canola oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. hot pepper flakes
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Mix the gluten, rice flour, salt and water together. Knead briefly until the gluten strands develop. Let the dough rest while you prepare the stock.

Use a stock pot to saute onions in the canola oil until translucent, add garlic and spices. Cook for a minute until the spices and garlic are lightly cooked and giving off aroma.

Add four cups of water to the stock pot and bring to a boil.

Lightly knead the mock duck dough and break into six to eight pieces. Once the stock comes to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, place the mock duck dough into the water, cover and slowly simmer for about an hour.

Once it is finished, it can be sliced and added to any dish calling for chicken. I would caution you not to use it in really wet dishes as the texture gets a little mushy.

Garam Masala Vegan Dip

Living the vegan lifestyle is a concept that I both accept and deny. I love vegetables and cannot imagine eating animal flesh, yet when in comes to the satisfying creaminess of cheese, ice cream and other dairy products, the thought of giving them up, causes my head to involuntarily shake out a most-emphatic, “NO!”

I’ve found with a pizza oven in the back yard, dairy product consumption is at an all-time high around our house, and has given me a little pause. And although we’re still topping our little wood-fired babies with fresh mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, and Gorgonzola, I’ve begun to wonder about vegan alternatives to cheese.

I’m not yet ready to take the dive, but thought I would start experimenting with vegan cream sauces. This recipe has as it’s base walnuts, olive oil and tahini and when mixed with a little soymilk, turned white and creamy and sweet. I was surprised by how sweet my plain soymilk made the dip, so to make it savory for the cucumber sticks, I added garlic, white wine vinegar and Garam Masala. As you can see I served it with vegetables, but it’s very satisfying spread on crackers as well. I might try it another time, sans savories, as the cream filling for a chilled fruit tart.

Ingredients:

Sweet:

• 2 cups walnuts
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup plain soymilk

Savories to add to Sweet:

• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. Garam Masala

Directions: Mix all ingredients together in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add more or less soymilk depending on how thick you want the dip.

 

Green Pizza Toppings

Not your average pizza topping is it? But, it’s become my signature. Every week our pizzas sport a concoction of caramelized onion, olive oil, greens and garlic. I figure, there’s just not enough green in the world, so any chance to pair it in an uncommon way, and I will. We also serve a simple field green salad to top every pizza! This slightly sweet vinaigrette pairs wonderfully with the rich savory flavors of cheese, crust and sauce.

The pizza below is host to many local Minnesota veggies straight from the CSA box: turnips and their greens, broccoli, red onion, garlic, and brussel sprouts.

Caramelized Onion and Greens

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 large bunch of greens (here are some ideas: swiss chard, kale, turnip, mustard…)
• brussel sprouts and broccoli (optional)
• salt and pepper

Directions: To caramelize onions I place them in a saute pan on high heat until they begin to brown. Then I turn the heat down and allow them to slowly cook for about twenty minutes stirring every now and then. Add salt and pepper and garlic until fragrant, then add the greens. Saute until the greens are tender and bright green. Careful not to overcook as they will cook more on the pizza.

If you choose to add the brussel sprouts, cut them in half and cook them with the onions so they get nice and browned. Other greens can be added at the end of the cooking time. Of course, Kale needs a few minutes more than tender greens.

That fire swooping up over the top just amazes me!

A New Cook

I’m out on a limb here. I’ve moved into unfamiliar territory and I feel like a novice. With a pizza oven in the backyard, I think I should be some pro, or something, but I have a lot to learn. Fortunately I found a great pizza crust recipe to work with, but I didn’t know different flours and yeasts behave differently. I’ve become a pizza crust chemist  running weekly experiments out of the kitchen. One day I try the yeast cold, another day I work with 105 degrees, and I’ve got gluten to think about. Am I using all-purpose for this batch or a bread flour? I never realized the tremendous amount of work that goes into bread diagnostics! However, once you get it figured out, pizza dough is pretty easy.

Easy if you don’t deviate from the rules: Rule number one: Cold Fermentation, Rule Number Two: Make your dough sticky, Rule Number Three, bread flour. If you like to improvise with recipes like I do, DON’T! It just won’t work. Did you know that if you use a warm fermentation you actually will use more flour to create the same dough consistency, and I have no idea why? With a warm bath for your yeast you’ll end up with a thick crust that is hard to stretch out. Instant yeast and a cold, delayed fermentation overnight in the fridge uses less flour, and gives you a lovely Nepoletana crust with a nice chew. I get similar results with a normal active yeast dissolved in cold water.

Pizza dough is sticky. By that I mean you need to flour the outside of each dough ball and your fingers to work it, but when it’s sticky, it can be easily stretched. I found out that if I make the dough dryer, it get’s springy and hard to stretch out. I also played around with adding more gluten to the recipe, but ended up with a tough dough. One time I left out the extra gluten when using a bread flour, and the gluten levels were perfect. Now I stick with King Arthur bread flour. Adding gluten helped all-purpose flour have a nice chew, but not as good as the King. A sticky pizza dough is so easy to stretch with a little flour on your fingers even a novice can attempt a pizza throw or two. We had a few hit the ceiling last weekend!

The other thing I’ve experimented with is proofing the dough, or giving it a second rise. Peter Reinhart’s recipe only calls for a single fermentation rise, but one lazy evening, I decided to put the dough straight into the fridge to shape the next morning, and it was great! With the first method, once the dough is finished it gets cut into pieces, rolled into balls, covered with a little olive oil and set in the fridge overnight. About two or three hours before baking, they get pulled out to rise and soften. This method makes an amazing crust, but something happened to the flavor when it needed an additional quick knead on the morning of baking day before shaping it into the balls. Is that possible? We now had an amazing crust in texture, but the flavor was nutty, yeasty, and lush. Before it was good, but a little bland. Now what I do is make the dough, place it in a covered bowl to slow-ferment in the fridge overnight. The next day I quickly knead the dough and then form it into individual pizza sized balls. Then it goes back into the fridge to remove two or three hours before baking. I’m not positive that this extra knead causes the dough to change, but my impression is: better!

In the midst of all this experimenting, I have been thinking about how wonderful the pizza stone is. Not everybody can have a pizza oven in the backyard, but most of us can have a stone or two, and they work great. Throw them in at 450 degrees an hour before you want to bake, make sure you have a pizza peel and know how to slide the pizza off using cornmeal or flour. With these little tidbits and the right dough recipe, pizza is really pretty quick and easy to make.

Dough Riff for Twelve

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 7 cups white bread flour
• 2 tsp. (or 1 package) instant yeast
• 2 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 3/4 cups cold water

Directions: Mix the yeast, water, oil and salt together until dissolved. Next mix in the whole wheat flour. (If using a stand mixer, switch to the hook at this point.) Add the white flour and knead for seven or eight minutes. If you are hand mixing be careful not to add too much flour. I have been using a stand mixer for this dough which makes for easy mixing. The trick with the stand mixer is to watch to see that the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl yet sticks to the bottom. If the dough is too sticky, add a small spoon of flour one at a time until it is the right consistency. If it is too dry, add a few dribbles of water.

Once the dough becomes smooth and the gluten has lined up, rub the dough with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge over night.

In the morning gently punch down the dough and give it a quick knead. With a pastry blade, cut the dough into twelve equal pieces. I form the dough into a round flat disk, cut it into fourths, and then each fourth into thirds. I can see where a scale might be nice if you want your pizzas uniform.

Roll or knead each piece into a ball, coat it lightly with olive oil and place it on a cookie sheet. Once you have all twelve pizza doughs prepped, cover the tray and return it to the fridge until two or three hours before baking. To give the dough its final rise, set it out on the counter at room temperature. The balls will soften and become very easy to work.

Corn Salsa – Fresh and Fast

Are you tired of fresh corn on the cob? Turn it into a fresh, spicy burrito garnish!

If you eat at Chipotle as much as our family, then you will love this recipe when staying in for burritos. When a kid loves something from a restaurant they usually won’t have anything to do with a “re-creation” from home, but in this case, the fresh corn, and the fun of watching me cut it off the cob, enticed Max into full love!

This recipe is unbelievably simple, uses fresh corn, and just a little can really add pizzazz to a burrito stuffed with black beans, brown rice, tomatillo salsa and crema. The trick to this recipe is to zap the corn, husk and all, in the microwave for five minutes. While the corn is cooking, chop the jalapeno and cilantro. It will all be finished in six minutes, tops!

Ingredients:

• 6 ears sweet corn, microwaved for five minutes
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 1 small bunch cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• salt to taste

Directions:

Microwave corn with the husk. Meanwhile, chop the jalapenos and cilantro and juice the lime over them. When the corn is finished, remove the husks and cut the kernels from the cob. Mix together in a bowl and add a little salt to taste. Cool in the refrigerator.