While participating in our weekly harvest I heard several people talking about steaming kale or cooking it in garlic. I decided to look through a recent favorite cookbook called “Pure Flavor” and found an interesting recipe called Braised Kale Gratin. I changed a few ingredients, added some local sausage and would have come back for thirds and fourths if my stomach were big enough. I was even surprised that my husband got up for seconds and polished off what was left, while telling me “this is really good”. Bonus in my book.

Even better was the recipe called for several ingredients I had just plucked from the garden that morning. Again, I was so excited to use what we had grown to feed our bodies. This connection is so fulfilling, it’s almost a meal in and of itself. I would easily use chard or arugala in place of kale if needed.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 inch baking dish. Wash kale, strip leaves from stems and cut leaves into 1-inch strips. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Throw kale in pot for 2 minutes (this is called “blanching”). Drain kale and rinse to cool, squeezing out excess water. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 4 min or until it begins to brown. Add chicken stock and boil for 3 min or until liquid is reduced to less than 1/4 cup. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, quinoa and kale. Remove from heat and stir in egg, yolk and 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Mix.

Spread 1 cup zucchini slices on bottom of pan. Add half of kale mixture to pan. Spread last cup of zucchini slices on top of kale mixture. Spread 1 cup cooked sausage on top of zucchini. Add rest of kale mixture to pan. Top with 1/4 cup cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for about 40 min or until gratin is golden brown and bubbling.

This recipe is easily made vegetarian by omitting the sausage. There does not need to be a replacement for the sausage as the quinoa has all the essential protein and amino acids needed for a complementary diet.

1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup cooked sausage
2 cups sliced zucchini (1/2 inch slices)
2 bunches kale (about 10 leaves per bunch)
2 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk (I use non-fat)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1 3/4 cup shredded parmesan
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

Yes, you heard me right. Keg. My husband has been enjoying Virgils root beer from a keg lately and the very last bit was too flat to really drink but was perfect for making popsicles. In order to make popsicles with carbonated soda you have to let as much carbonation leave as possible. Otherwise, as the soda freezes it spills over the molds or explodes all over the freezer. This recipe is especially important to incorporate less carbonation as you add ice cream to the soda, which just increases the fizz.

Place root beer in freezer for about 10 min before pouring in molds to even further decrease carbonation. Fill 1/3 of mold with root beer. Add one scoop ice cream and fill remainder of mold with root beer. Leave a little space on the very top in case soda fizzes while freezing. Place top on mold. Continue to fill all molds in this manner until complete.

Place filled molds in freezer for at least 6 hours. Carefully remove mold from bottom and enjoy! Feel free to make your mold go “zoom” if it is in the shape of a rocket ship.

2 cups root beer, flat
1 cup vanilla ice cream

This time the dough was soft but crunchy, the ranch dripped from the pizza and the bacon was perfectly crisp and greasy. As always, I also wanted to include as many local ingredients as possible. It started with onions and peppers from my cooperative garden, ranch and cheese from the co-op and bacon from Oakland Bay Farms. All the ingredients for the crust came from the co-op as well.

The dough recipe comes from a terrific site that helps any novice bread maker or those of us that are afraid of yeast like the boogie man seem like childhood fears. I usually make the dough the night before or in the morning before work so all I have to do when I get home is roll out the dough and put the toppings on the pizza.

I highly recommend rolling the dough out on parchment paper and placing toppings on the pizza while it’s on parchment. His recommendation to place the pizza stone in the oven while it heats is very helpful and significantly decrease cooking time and improves crust flavor. I just transfer the pizza, with the parchment paper underneath straight from the counter to the pizza stone in the oven. Makes the whole process much easier.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees (or as high as your oven will go) and put pizza stone in oven while oven heats. If you do not have a pizza stone, just use a baking sheet but do not preheat in oven. Caramelizing onions and peppers is a simple process. It helps if you cook the bacon first, keep the bacon fat in the pan, turn the heat to medium low and add the chopped onions and peppers, salt and pepper and cook until softened and transparent (about 10 minutes). If you do not use meat or choose to avoid the bacon fat then use a cooking oil or butter and make sure the vegetables stay well oiled as they can easily dry out.

After rolling out the dough, as directed in the recipe, spread the ranch sauce over the pizza dough evenly coating it. It will seem thick but some evaporates off.

Add chopped bacon, caramelized onions and peppers and cheese. I used a combination of mozzarella and parmesan and it was perfect. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place in oven for 5-10 minutes, checking often to see if crust is golden and cheese is bubbly. Take out of oven when this occurs and allow to cool. Slice and enjoy!

Dough (makes two pizzas)

2.5 cups all purpose flour
1/2 Tbsp sugar or honey
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup room-temperature water

Toppings-
1 green, yellow or red pepper, chopped
1 small onion
1/2 cup ranch
5 slices bacon, cooked and chopped-save grease in pan
2 cups mozzarella or grated parmesan cheese

These measurements are best guesses and should most definitely be altered for your taste and preference.

The low and wet temperatures in the early part of the summer meant we have had a very late harvest and it has been something several farmers in the area have been battling. We have also been battling strange cabbage disease, moths, slugs and crows. Recently, we discovered moles in one of our gardens. As a collective we have made a commitment to being sustainable and this includes thinking of very creative solutions for these problems. A post about these issues and our solutions will be posted soon, until then, you get to enjoy the bounty of our hard work in my posts.

We are finally getting a good variety and amount of shares that I am getting to play with in my kitchen. I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoy slicing a zucchini that I grew with my own hands or frying a potato I pulled out of the ground earlier that day. It is one of the most fulfilling experiences I have had a cook. Planting a seed, watching it grow, pulling the vegetable, preparing it and consuming it into my body. I cherish each phase, each part of the process with such gratitude.

Even if you do not have your own garden, take a moment as you chop or slice or saute to remember who grew your food, where it came from and how it will nourish your body. Connect to the moment and the food you are preparing while you try this recipe, you will feel differently when you sit down to eat it.

If you would like a 101 on cooking quinoa you can click here. Place 1-2 Tbsp oil in frying pan. Place cubed potatoes in pan and sprinkle with salt, pepper and other favorite seasonings. When potatoes begin to soften (about 5-8 min) throw in chopped zucchini.

Fry for another 3-5 minutes until zucchini begins to soften, then throw in diced garlic and bratwurst and fry another 2-3 minutes.

Remove pan from heat, add cooked quinoa, peas and mustard. Stir until blended. Season with salt and pepper or other favorite seasonings to taste.

1 medium zucchini, sliced
3 medium potatoes, cubed
3 cloves garlic, diced
1-2 Tbsp oil (Sunflower, Canola)
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup fresh/frozen peas, cooked
1 Tbsp stoneground mustard
salt/pepper
1 bratwurst, cooked and sliced

This grain takes less effort and prep time than rice. It can be eaten plain or dressed in a variety of sauces and vegetables. The wonder of the grain is it contains all eight amino acids(proteins) and is a nutrient-dense grain perfect for those who wish to obtain their protein in sources other than meat. It contains about 15 grams of protein per serving. I used homemade chicken stock I had waiting in the freezer instead of water. Once the grain was cooked I mixed in fresh cooked peas and stone ground mustard with some salt and pepper. More recipes using quinoa will inevitably be on the site at a future date.

Rinse quinoa with water and drain. Place rinsed quinoa, salt and water in 2-quart pot. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15-20 min. DO NOT stir the grain while it is cooking. The key to properly cooked quinoa is the air pockets it naturally creates when cooking and stirring breaks up these pockets. You can test to see if the grain is finished cooking by tilting the pan to one side, make sure all the water has been absorbed. Fluff with a fork before serving.

This grain is an excellent starter for babies 6 months and older. Add a small amount of breast milk or water and run through the blender. Terrific source of protein for little ones!

1 cup quinoa
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 3/4 cup water

This recipe is appropriate for chickpeas (garbanzo), pinto, black, lima, navy, kidney, great northern, Swedish brown, cannellini and christmas limas. I did not use kombu because I was lazy but I would like to try it in the future as the beans were very plain. As a personal note, the beans did not seem to affect my flatulence due to the cooking and soaking steps.

Buying beans: It is recommended to buy beans in bulk from a store that changes or cycles through their beans rapidly. Old beans will be dull and faded instead of bold and shiny.

Soaking beans: Place beans in large bowl and cover with twice as much water as beans (2 cups water for 1 cup of beans). Let stand 8 hours or overnight. You can quick soak beans by bringing same amount of beans and water (1 cup beans, 1 cup water) to boil, turning off heat and letting soak for two hours. This quick method does not aid quick digestibility.

Cooking: Put soaked beans, fresh water and kombu in pot, bring to boil. Lower heat and let simmer, covered, until beans are tender or are easily mushed by your tongue to the roof of your mouth. About 55-60 minutes. Salt beans at end of cooking time. You can also add onion, garlic or other seasonings during cooking to enhance flavor.

Freezing beans: You can freeze cooked beans for 6-12 months.

Babies: For infants 10 months and older you can use a few well-cooked beans as finger food.

2 cups dried beans, soaked for 6-8 hours
6 cups water
2-inch piece kombu, soaked 5 min in cold water
1-2 tsp salt

I get most of my cooking items from the bulk section at the co-op, including the flour, flax, baking soda, peanut butter, honey, eggs, sugar and vanilla. I just re-use containers and get new product. It’s an incredibly satisfying feeling to re-use what you already have to contain an item you need instead of buying bags or jars over and over only to recycle or throw them away. I gotta admit I get a cheap thrill out of filling my own peanut butter or honey, makes me feel like it made it myself.

When I use bananas in a bread recipe I prefer if they are black on the outside, even showing off some white mold. It means the insides are almost pure natural sweet sugar and will increase the banana flavor and decrease your need for sugar. I usually include one banana that is not so black and a little spotty so I have chunks of banana in the bread or muffins.

I also rarely purchase dark brown or light brown sugar. Typically I buy a jar of molasses and mix together white sugar and molasses. Brown sugar can rarely be found in it’s pure form in the US due to guidelines regarding bacteria so most brown sugar is just white sugar and molasses blended anyway. In baking recipes I usually put the same amount of white sugar into the dry ingredients as is asked for brown sugar and pour about 1 Tbsp molasses for every 1 cup light brown or 1/2 cup dark brown sugar into the wet ingredients. For example, in this recipe, I measured 1/4 cup white sugar and put it into the dry ingredients and then put 1/2 Tbsp molasses into the wet ingredients. You can also just mix the molasses and white sugar in a separate bowl and add to the wet or dry ingredients once mixed.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat muffin cups with nonstick spray or re-usable muffin cups. Stir together first five ingredients in small bowl to blend.

Beat together bananas, honey, peanut butter, eggs, applesauce, sugar and vanilla to blend.

Beat in flour mixture, divide batter among cups about 3/4 cup full and top with coconut, nuts or oats. Bake muffins until toothpick comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Allow muffins to cool for about 5 minutes then remove from pan and let cool on wire rack.

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup white flour
1/4 cup ground flax/bran/wheat germ
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
2 large eggs
1/3 cup applesauce
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
coconut, chopped nuts or oats for topping (optional)

I have a habit of peaking at the recipe books of friends when I visit and I noticed a friend had an incredible book about feeding your family. I was won over by the illustration done by Nikki McClure, our local artist who I would stalk if I could, on the cover. The book is called “Feeding the Whole Family” and I immediately went out and bought it for myself. It’s excellent. It is a great basic cookbook for families, moms and children. It’s practical, simple and full of intuitive advice.

While planning our own gathering of family and friends, I stumbled across a recipe for crumble that was simple and included no sugar. I was convinced it would be terrible but was up for experimentation. Lets just say, this recipe appears twisted but is perfection in disguise.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix oats, flour, coconut and salt together in bowl. Add butter and 4 Tbsp maple syrup. Mix well.

In small bowl, combine water, 2 Tbsp maple syrup, spices and vanilla. Put fruit in well oiled pie pan or 8x8 baking dish. Pour liquid mixture over fruit and toss gently.

Spoon the oat-nut mixture evenly on top of the fruit. Cover and bake 40-45 min. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more to crisp the topping.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or coconut milk ice cream. Savor every bite and enjoy the company who shares it. When I made this recipe I used a 13x9 pan and used 2 extra cups of fruit. I used strawberries, raspberries and mango. I doubled the topping recipe. My tweaks on the recipe are adding ginger and coconut. You can omit both if you choose.

Topping
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 Tbsp maple syrup, divided
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut (optional)

Fruit syrup
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ginger (optional)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

5 cups chopped fruit

If you are not aware, flax seed in its ground form is a seed superpower. It has a host of incredible health benefits but its three most powerful traits are:

Omega-3 essential fatty acids, “good” fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s.

Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed contains 75- 800 times more lignans than other plant foods

Fiber. Flaxseed contains both the soluble and insoluble types.
It’s recommended that every person get 1-2 tablespoons per day. I buy the seeds whole and grind them in my coffee grinder and freeze for up to 6-12 months. I usually go through a small batch in about 2 weeks.

So my muffin obsession combined with my obsession for healthy food packed with incredible seed superpowers melded to make this recipe come to life. I’ve always had a soft spot for morning glory muffins. How could you not love these moist little packages stuffed with carrots, raisins, coconut and apples? I found the original recipe here and gave it a few tweaks. It’s a muffin that is sure to make every morning as glorious as the sun shining through the windows.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease muffin tin. 

In a small bowl, cover the raisins with hot water, and set them aside to soak for about 5-10 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir in the carrots, apple, coconut, and ground flax. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, applesauce, vanilla, and ginger juice. Add to the flour mixture, and stir until evenly moistened. Drain the raisins and stir them in. Fill muffin tins with batter. Sprinkle with demerara sugar.



Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes in their pan on a rack, then turn out of pans to finish cooling.

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp salt

2 cups carrots, peeled and grated

1 large apple, peeled, cored, and grated

1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

1/4 cup ground flax seed
3 large eggs

2/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup ginger juice
demerara sugar, for topping

I obtained some local, fresh strawberries from Spooners Farms and some rhubarb from the community garden I belong to and began putting together my perfect pie. After a lot of thought I decided I would try a new crust recipe that used butter instead of crisco. While I believe this is the BEST crust recipe, I just couldn’t bring myself to buy a tub of suspicious lard. Due to my commitment to local and seasonal I went with a butter crust recipe and was not disappointed. I also tried to cut the sugar as much as possible while maintaining taste. I put it all together, crossed my fingers and was overwhelmingly pleased with my creation. So pleased in fact, it has become a nightly ritual to cut a slice, add a heap of vanilla ice cream and watch Dexter. It makes any day end perfectly, an ideal treat that hums with comfort and home.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. The crust recipe makes two complete crusts. I usually make the whole recipe and freeze half. You are also welcome to just half the recipe. Whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Cut cold butter into cubes and toss in flour mixture to coat. Cut butter into flour mixture with pastry cutter or two forks, until crumbly. Drizzle ice water in small bits and stir flour mixture. As soon as mixture comes together in ball, stop adding water and divide into two equal balls.

Flatten into disk and wrap in parchment paper and then plastic wrap. Refrigerate the disks until firm, about 1 hour. I have found the longer you refrigerate/freeze, the easier the dough is to roll out into a thin disk without sticking. Dough can be refrigerated for 3 day or frozen up to 3 months. If frozen, needs to be thawed in refrigerator first.

The key to pie dough success is to handle the dough as little as possible. When refrigerated, the dough is harder to roll, but you are usually able to successfully roll it out in one try and transfer to the pie pan before baking without it sticking to the surface, crumbling or falling apart. It should be rolled out to a thin, but not see through, level. Make sure you roll the dough out about 1-2 inches beyond the diameter of the pie pan. When you put the dough in the pan, it should drape over the sides. Leave 1 inch of draped crust over sides. Place pie pan with crust in refrigerator until ready for use.

Mix together all ingredients of filling and gently place in pie pan inside of crust.

Mix together all ingredients of crumble and place over top of filling. Place pie in oven and bake for 45-60 minutes or until crumble and crust is browned.

Allow pie to cool completely. First slice will be runny until pie has been refrigerated for at least a day. Enjoy with a huge scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.

Crust-Adapted from Baked
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp fine salt
1 cup cold, unsalted butter
3/4 cup ice cold water

Filling
3.5 cups 1/2 inch thick rhubarb slices
3.5 cups halved and hulled strawberries (16oz)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp orange zest
1/4 tsp salt

Crumble
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted

They are vegetable based but taste delightful with cooked shrimp, chicken or fried tofu. This is a recipe that is destined to adjust to your own taste preferences. Just close your eyes, imagine what would taste good wrapped tightly in a thin roll and dipped in a sweet soy sauce and go crazy. It’s what my mother would call a “hodgepodge” dish.

Mix together greens, soy sauce, carrot, cilantro and peanuts in bowl.

Rice noodle packages do not always have directions. Place two cups water in sauce pan and bring to boil. Remove from heat and place rice noodles in pot for 5-8 min or until tender. Rinse with cold water in strainer. If you get the size package as seen in my picture, just take one quarter of the dried noodles to add to water.

Place 2 cups water in large saute pan and cook on low-medium heat. You just want the water hot, not boiling. Take one spring roll wrapper and stick in water for about 10 seconds or until soft. Remove wrapper from pan (I do this with my hands) and place on plate. You don’t have to work incredibly fast as the wrapper stays wet for about three minutes.

Add about 1/2 cup of greens and 1/2 cup noodles to inside of wrapper. You can add more or less depending on the size rolls you want. This takes some experimentation so don’t worry if the first one isn’t perfect. Bring one side of wrapper over ingredients, fold over left and right edges and continue rolling until roll is closed like a burrito. Gently seal opening by placing roll with seal side down on separate plate. As the wrapper dries it will stick easily.

Continue these steps until all mix has been used. Mix together ingredients for sauce and serve together. If you want a peanut sauce then add 1 Tbsp peanut butter to mixture.

Rolls-Makes about 4
1 cup greens, chopped
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
2 cups thin rice noodles, cooked
1 package spring roll skins

Sauce
1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 garlic bulb, diced
1/4 cup plum sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce

I decided, this would be my next adventure in creating simple products I usually buy at the store. The ice cream machine was gifted a long time ago and it has sadly sat on my shelf, shuffled from move to move for at least ten years now. The freezer compartment has collected frost and shoved in the back, unwanted and forgotten. Happily, it was plucked from it’s very dark and sad space and put to use in two experiments. The first was frozen yogurt, often shortened as “Fro-yo”. I nabbed the recipe for Vanilla Frozen Yogurt from one of my favorite cooking blogs but was disappointed to learn I could not find all the ingredients at the co-op.

I decided to try to substitute Nancy’s Non-fat Plain Yogurt for the Nonfat greek yogurt recommended and I wish I hadn’t. I am learning greek yogurt has a very thick, smooth taste that makes regular yogurt ashamed to be placed in the same category. My brand choice also made it all much more sour then I like. I highly recommend making this recipe but please, stick to her recommendations.

I decided to try creating a low-fat ice cream recipe just days later. While making the frozen yogurt, I learned there must be a certain sugar, liquid to fat ratio that creates creamy, sweet texture of well loved ice cream or fro-yo. I had successfully made a simple vanilla ice cream on my first attempt at using the machine and it was wonderful.

I became curious about recipes that suggest using eggs and cooking the whole mess on the stove before placing in the machine. What I learned is this creates an ice cream that is more custard in form and I was perfectly happy with my egg-less success. I got all the ingredients ready to make vanilla ice cream (an success earlier in the week) and modified the recipe to include non-fat milk and strawberries.

On chance, I happened to stumble across strawberry milk at the co-op and decided to increase the adventure by substituting the non-fat milk for strawberry milk. Again, I wish I had not made this choice. As a personal preference, I like it when the strawberries gently playing among the vanilla bean base. This was a much stronger strawberry base, which may appeal to some, so decided for yourself and make this happen!

Mix together cream and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Split vanilla bean and scrape out seeds into cream/sugar mixture. Mix in remaining ingredients until well blended. Make sure the strawberries are diced or it will interfere with the ice cream machine being able to spin the liquid correctly. I tried to use sliced strawberries and ran into this little problem.

1 cup heavy cream
2 cups non-fat milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean
1-2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, diced

I love to read about exotic and incredibly challenging recipes, but I rarely want to engage in the process of making them. What I come back to time and again is simplicity. The recipes that are quick, fresh, seasonal, local and taste wonderful. While pesto tastes exotic and complicated, it’s just as easy as making a smoothie. The hardest part is getting all the ingredients together and you need to have a strong blender or food processor.

While I’d like to think I’m so much cooler or more seasoned as a cook than you, my reader, the truth is, I’m really not. The only thing separating you from me is, well, possibly a blender. If you have that then there is no reason you shouldn’t give this recipe a shot and be prepared to use generously on bagels, sandwiches, pizza and pasta. I also encourage you to take your time, be fully present and baste in the simplicity of life.

Place basil, cheese, pine nuts and garlic in processor or strong blender. Process until ingredients form paste. Slowly pour in lemon juice. Add olive oil until mixture begins to look more like pesto spread. Remove from processor, bottle and consume.

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly-grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

Although I was suspicious, I listened, went out to eat sushi with my husband and ordered a vegetable broth based noodle soup. It made everything all better. When I returned home, I knew I had to find a recipe to have on hand in case that uncomfortable malady returned. Luckily, I had a recipe I had been wanting to try from Sunset magazine. It had simple ingredients I happened to have on hand and it took less than 30 minutes to complete. All wonderful additions when considering the deep desire to cure that burning sensation in your body as fast as possible.

I was also obsessed with “gimpop” and had to have more as soon as humanly possible. Everything turned out perfectly and I was happily slurping and rolling away in less than 30 minutes. My husband, who has become more adventurous over the last year, even tried the seaweed wrap and thought it was great. So make the soup, get some seaweed, boil some rice and try something new. Trust me. Have I let you down yet?

Mix together minced garlic and diced ginger. Trim fat from meat and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Sprinkle meat with half of garlic mixture and all the salt. Heat oil in 5-6qt pan over high heat. Brown half the beef lightly, stirring occasionally, 3-6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a plate. Repeat with remaining beef.

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining garlic mixture to pan and cook until softened, about 30 seconds. Stir in five spice powder, then beef broth and soy sauce. Add carrot and potato. Cover and bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.

Stir greens into stew just until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in beef and cook until hot, 1-2 minutes. Cut onions in 3-inch slivers. Ladle stew into bowls and garnish with onions.

Adapted from Sunset Magazine, January 2010
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 piece fresh ginger, diced*
1 1/4 lbs flat iron steak**
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp peanut oil
2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder***
3 cups reduced-sodium beef/vegetable broth
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 potato (sweet, fingerling, new), diced
2 medium carrots, diced
12 oz greens (spinach, bok choy), chopped
2 green onions
salt and pepper to taste

* I used 1tsp ginger powder
**Stew meat or beef rib-eye can also be used
***I did not have this and did not want to purchase so I just threw in some spices I thought might compliment the recipe.

It’s highly dangerous. Not just because it is so otherworldly in taste, texture and ease. It is also light, leaving you with the feeling that you could have just one more piece, even though you have managed to have four, or is that five pieces, in the last 30 minutes. It is deceptive and addictive. The fruit on top fools you into thinking “It’s good for me”. Justifies that 11pm slice larger than your dinner plate, when you know deep down inside, it’s sugar in disguise. So, don’t make this. I plead you, beg you, save yourself. If you can’t help it, then don’t blame me when you go to share your baked bliss with your family and you realize there is nothing left to share.

Using an electric mixer, mix together butter and sugar until just combined. Add vanilla. In medium bowl, sift together flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump on surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk.

Press dough into 10-inch-round or 9-inch-square false-bottom tart pan, making sure finished edges are flat. I did not own either size pan so I opted to use a 13 inch baking pan with low edges and just press the dough out to 9 inches. You could also use a 8x8 baking dish and have a thicker crust. Chill until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter one side of a square of aluminum foil to fit inside the tart and place it, buttered side down, on the pastry. Fill with beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and beans, prick the tart all over with the tines of a fork, and bake again for 10-20 minutes, or until lightly browned. My tart was baked 20 minutes and I should have watched it more carefully as it probably would have been done in 10-15. Each oven is unique and can run hotter or colder than the temp it says on the front of the display. Just make sure you check the tart every five minutes or so after you remove the foil. Allow to cool to room temperature.

While tart is baking you can mix together cream cheese and vanilla until blended. Add 1/4 cup powdered sugar at a time and taste often. Mixture should taste like a cheesecake and have a sour cream consistency. Add more vanilla if you desire. Add filling to tart, once tart has cooled and spread evenly.

Choose fruits you want to slice to place on top of filling and place them in pattern desired. I usually start with sliced fruits like bananas, peaches and strawberries and then fill in the gaps with blueberries and raspberries.

Grate a little dark chocolate over the top when finished placing the fruit or sprinkle with coconut, or do both! Serve immediately or can be placed in refrigerator up to five days (fruit will look less fresh the longer it is in the refrigerator). Tart shell can be baked one day ahead of time and stored on the counter.

Tart Crust-
Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
pinch salt

Filling
8oz cream cheese, softened
1/2-1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping
Bananas
blueberries
raspberries
strawberries
peaches
mango
kiwi
shaved coconut/chocolate

As with many family recipes, there aren’t exact measurements and its all a matter of taste, but I’ll give you the ingredients and let you know how we used to cook it up and you can change whatever you want. I typically use Angel hair pasta but have used whole wheat, gluten free, etc and they all hold up well. Angel hair is still my favorite choice for this particular group of ingredients. A quick 101 on measuring pasta: place your pointer finger on the inside indent in your thumb so it makes a little circle. Place spaghetti inside the hole and this is one serving.

Heat up olive oil in frying pan over medium heat with garlic. Cook about 2 min then add cooked pasta and eggs. Cook until eggs are almost done, about 2 min. Throw in spinach leaves and cook until leaves are soft. Add more olive oil at any time to help keep things cooking smoothly and not burning.

Remove from heat, place in bowl, shred cheese over top of dish and salt & pepper to taste.

4 servings cooked pasta*
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cloves garlic-minced
1 bunch spinach leaves
olive oil
salt & pepper
Salty cheese, shredded**

*I prefer angel hair
**Parmigiano Reggiano is my favorite

Needless to say, I was in cooking bliss. I love learning new recipes and my new cookbook has been getting me even more excited to share recipes with you. I was falling into a brief cooking funk where BLT and spaghetti were regulars on our dinner menu. This book has kicked my adventurous spirit back in high gear and the new baking dish I purchased features these carefully made creations with such style.

It is also a blessing when you can make a dish in the morning, taking all the time in the world to cut vegetables, grate cheese and layer with precision. The original recipe does not call for spinach but we had spinach fresh from the garden and I couldn’t resist add extra vegetables. I cooked the dish in the morning, let it refrigerate because we had softball to play that night and when we got home, it was quickly heated and devoured. So take a deep breath, jump in and use this recipe to bring you back to the kitchen and leave with crab, cheese and cream in your belly.

Turn broiler in oven on high. Place four corn tortillas on lightly oiled baking sheet. Using broiler, toast tortillas under flame until they are partially crisp and edges are just blackened, about 30 seconds per side.

In small bowl, combine salsa verde and creme fraiche to make a creamy sauce. Set aside.

Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of the an 8-inch baking dish (make sure it’s about 3-4 inches deep). Trim 3-4 tortillas to fit the contours of the baking dish and make one complete layer of tortilla over the bottom of the dish.

On top of the tortillas, layer one-third of the crab salad, one-third of the cheese, one third of the spinach leaves and one third of the sauce.

Repeat the layers, starting with the tortillas, another two times. As a side note, I went through the layers twice instead of three times, as my dish was not deep enough and I wanted the filling to be plump. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the edges are brown and bubbly and he casserole is hot throughout. Let rest for five minutes before serving. Once baked, enchiladas can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Adapted from Pure Flavor by KurtDammeier

10 6-inch corn tortillas
17 oz jar salsa verde*
17 1/2 oz container creme fraiche*
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
Easiest Crab Salad
8 oz semihard cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste

*I used half the verde and creme fraiche and found the dish wonderful

All of the ingredients are not seasonal but they were easily purchased at my local food cooperative. It took me about 10 minutes to mix up the salad. I omitted the horseradish and hot sauce because I am a wimp when it comes to my nostrils being on fire. I also did not have celery seed or fresh dill on hand but added a little seafood seasoning to the mix.

I laid out sundried tomato wraps, filled it with some spinach leaves, crab salad and a little mayo and dijon mustard. It was one of the fastest dinners I have ever made and one of the most addicting. The best part? He includes a recipe for Crab Enchiladas, which I will be featuring soon, that you can make from the leftover crab salad. That is, if you have any leftover.

Put the crabmeat in a large bowl and pick through it with your hands, removing any pieces of shell.

Add the green onions, bell pepper, celery, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, horseradish, hot sauce, dill, basil, celery seed and Old Bay seasoning. Mix well. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Can be stored in refrigerator up to two days, covered.

Adapted from Pure Flavor by Kurt Dammeier
2 cups lump crab meat washed and drained*
2 green onions thinly sliced
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 celery stalk, diced
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon
1 1/2 tsp grated fresh horseradish or creamy store bought
1/4 tsp Tabasco/hot sauce
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
Pinch of celery seed
1/4 tsp Old Bay seasoning

*Preferably Dungeness crab

The key, however, was the cream cheese frosting that must cover the roll so when heated becomes a gooey, sticky, sweet and glutenous mess. My husband, bless his soul, my dog and I set out in our town to find such a dream and returned home empty handed. Frustrated and even further down the craving hole of desire, I decided to make my own. Although, at first try all I could find were recipes that took hours or days to allow dough to rise and rise again. I almost had a tantrum. This would not do, not at all. I wanted that roll, RIGHT NOW. A friend had mentioned a quick recipe and my favorite blog happened to have a link, so I eagerly gave it my all.

I will warn that the dough is incredibly sticky after all the ingredients have been mixed. It was not easy to knead or handle. I would added another 1/4 cup of flour but could have easily added a whole 1/2 cup or more. A friend used white whole wheat dough and next time I will experiment using whole wheat and white to see if the dough is less sticky when using a denser flour. I would definitely recommend using more flour if the dough looks sticky and use lots of flour to knead.

Instead of rolling the dough into a rectangle I found it easier to gently massage or push the dough into the rectangle. Again, use plenty of flour or parchment paper under the dough as it will stick to the surface when you try to roll it up. I muscled my way through the directions, ending up with holes in the dough as I rolled it into a cylinder and realizing I had spread the dough too thin.

In the end, however, I managed to get rolls into a pan that semi-resembled cinnamon rolls and plopped them in the oven. To my delight they took half the time to bake as instructed and I was soon swooning over warm rolls covered in my own cream cheese frosting.

The recipe can be found here. I made some changes. I added 1 tsp ginger powder and 1 tsp cardamom. I used 1/4 cup more flour but would recommend using as much flour as needed to decrease the sticky texture of the dough. I used lots of flour when flattening the dough and rolling it up. Do not roll the dough to thin, try to keep it thick throughout as you roll it into a rectangle.

My rolls only took 15 minutes to bake, make sure you watch them carefully. I flipped the rolls onto a plate from the pie pan and then flipped them again onto another plate instead of on a cooling rack. I figured it would be less mess and they cooled just fine. I used my own cream cheese frosting instead of the one recommended in the recipe. Enjoy!

It also helps to remind me about the connection between this unfortunate rain and the ingredients I’m using to make my bread. The rain quenches the thirst of the wheat, banana, apple, coconut and blueberry plants. It provides one of the basic ingredients for the spices, walnuts and sugars to thrive and thus be cultivated and used in my own kitchen.

At least for now, at this moment, while I bite into this warm, sweet and slightly tart muffin with a slight crunch, I can smile at the rain. If I grab another muffin, I might even be able to feel thankful for it’s existence.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees if making bread and 375 degrees if making muffins. Mix together flour, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, baking soda and baking powder.

In a separate bowl, mix together applesauce and sugars until well blended. Add egg whites, bananas and vanilla and stir until blended.

Mix flour into banana mixture just until blended. Do not over mix. Gently fold in walnuts and blueberries. If using frozen blueberries then rinse in strainer until water runs clear. Coat lightly with flour and add to mixture. This keeps the bread from turning green from the blueberry juice and keeps the blueberries evenly dispersed in the mixture.

If baking bread, pour mixture into bread pan. If making muffins, fill tins 3/4 the way full. Top with coconut and place in oven. For bread, bake 55-60 minutes. For muffins, bake 15-20 minutes.

Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly and remove from pan. Slice and enjoy. I tend to believe banana bread or muffins are always better the next day.

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup applesauce (I used blueberry flavored)
2 egg whites
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2-1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts/pecans
1/2 cup coconut

At the farmers market I snagged some local, fresh asparagus and sweet potatoes. I felt a rush of pleasure for supporting these hard working, local stores but concerned about how this recipe would hold up to my delicate taste receptors. We happened to have leftover cornflakes in the very dark back spot of our pantry but there are plenty of options at the local co-op as well. From prep to finish it took less than 35 minutes and I wanted to eat it all over again, even though my stomach was full and my plate empty. This will be a for sure go-to for the future on nights where I don’t feel like doing much cooking but I want a healthy, incredible meal. I served it with homemade tarter sauce (1/2 cup mayo, 1/4 cup sweet relish, 1 Tbs dijon mustard) and it was a huge hit. Seriously…try it out. You have nothing to lose but the whining that will occur for “more please”.

Center one oven rack and arrange second rack in position closest to broiler. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray two baking sheets with olive oil.

Cut potatoes to thickness desired. I like to make large cuts like Jo-Jo’s. Remember the potato will shrink while cooking so don’t cut too small. Place cut potatoes in bowl and toss with 2 Tbs olive oil, salt and pepper until evenly coated. Spread in single layer on one baking sheet and cook in middle rack until golden brown and crisp. Turn halfway through cooking, should take about 20-25 minutes. You can also grill asparagus at this time by placing in baking sheet in single layer, coating with oil, salt and pepper and roasting for about 10 minutes while you prepare fish.

Meanwhile, combine crushed cornflakes and remaining 1 Tbs olive oil in shallow dish. In another shallow dish, beat egg whites until foamy. Spread flour in thin layer in third shallow dish. Season fish with salt, pepper and cayenne.

Coat fish with flour, shaking off excess.

Dip into egg whites, dredge in crumbs to cover. Arrange fish in single layer on remaining prepared pan. Bake on rack closest to broiler until cooked through. Turn midway through cooking. Depending on thickness of fish, takes about 6-15 minutes or until internal temperature is 140 degrees.

Remove potatoes from oven and reset oven control to broil. For extra crunch, broil fish until crumbs are golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Serve with potatoes and oven grilled asparagus.

Adapted from Readers Digest
4 Sweet or Yukon potatoes
3 Tbs olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 lbs whitefish fillets cut into 5 by one inch strips
1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
1 bunch asparagus

I began to get back into eating meat for several reasons. My husband, then boyfriend, really loved the stuff and I had a very close friend whose husband was a meat genius. He would ask “Do you like pork chops?”. I would reply “No, gross”. He would smile, cook them and I would eat them to be polite and then say “Uh, actually I LOVE pork chops”.

While living in Bellingham I started learning more about where my meat comes from. I decided to read “Omnivores Dilemma” and began to cultivate an idea about how animals can be raised with care and great love. I saw the movie ‘Food Inc’ and I realized the problem wasn’t about eating meat or not. It was about what meat farmers I choose to support with my money and how I cook that meat.

I began making choices about meat the same way I make choices about all the food I buy. I ask questions. Where did it come from? How far did it have to travel to get here? How were the animals treated and raised? What food were they fed? Who is the farmer? How do they treat the land? Are their farming methods sustainable?

The ideal meat will come from a local farm who raises their animals in a kind and human manner. They allow their animals to graze and forage. They do not feed grain all year round. Farmers may not be certified organic, but that is acceptable as long as their methods for raising meat are sustainable. This means they are taking care of the animals and the land in such a way that allows all the coexist year after year while making the smallest impact on the environment. The reason animals should not be constantly grain fed is because their bodies were not built to eat such a diet. This type of feeding leads to sickness, early death and discomfort for the animal. The reason it is often practiced, however, is because it allows large companies to grow meat at faster rates. Animals fed grain are usually also stuck in a 9 x 9 cell all day from the time they are 3 months old until they are slaughtered.

This meat is typically more expensive and less fatty. A cow that has been grain fed all it’s life will produce meat with 9% fat while a grass fed cow will produce 3% fat. While the cost may be more in the short run, it may be better for the health of yourself and your family. Grass fed animals have Omega 3 fats in their meat which are terrific for brain functioning and memory. The meat does not contain antibiotics in such quantity that is potentially harmful to your hormones or the hormones of your growing child. The lower fat content also means you consume less fat in the process. This means less health problems and thus fewer visits to the doctor or hospital.

I am including a few links for local meat sources and other sites that have more information about the importance of buying meat in this way. If you want to watch a compelling documentary about food and meat production then watch Food Inc or King Corn. If you desire a more in depth overview read “Omnivores Dilemma”.

Many people may ask how this type of farming is rational if everyone got on board. It would mean everyone would eat meat less often, which is ideal for the sustainability of our planet and our bodies. It would mean we stop and think about how we are interconnected to the land, animals and farmers. It would mean we all couldn’t have what we want, when we want it but we would gain understanding, patience, compassion and connection. Or maybe I am just a crazy hippie who hopes you will all take a second glance at the meat you buy and ask yourself a few questions before you cook and consume.

Oakland Bay Farms
Stewarts (Some meats here do not meet standards but just ask)
Grassfed Cooking
Food Inc.
Organic Food Labeling
Grass-fed Facts

I want to know how the meat I eat is treated before it lands on my plate. I want to know that I am supporting the survival of this earth for my children. I am voting with my dollar.

This also means I will be choosing more and more recipes that are specific to the Pacific Northwest seasons. The recipes will hopefully reflect the beautiful array of available goods as they are in season. This means they will be readily available, cheaper and exceptionally delicious. When I stumble upon recipes that call for more exotic ingredients I will try to alter them to honor local or seasonal fare. Although, you can’t blame a cook for giving in to temptation every once and a while.

Another change is that posts will not always be recipes. I will talk about gardening methods, produce that is in season and the best brands to look for in your local Co-op or grocery store. I will talk about preserving foods, making jam and canning the overabundance of seasonal goods to last you the entire winter. I will share secrets for freezing or dehydrating fruit and explore the what, when, why and how of all methods.

I will talk about meat. I will talk about what to look for when shopping and the humane methods farmers can use when raising their animals. I will discuss the ways cooking changes when you use this type of meat and how it can affect your health.

I will even explore bread making and baking. I will help overcome the fear of yeast and discuss quick breads that can feed you for dinner or serve as sandwich bread for lunches and snacks. We will also discuss snacks and ways to shop with these expectations and still feel capable of running out the door with breakfast in hand. I will discuss quick dinners, lunches and breakfasts.

In other words, I want to normalize this process. I want to make these expectations feel attainable and accessible. I want to empower you as a local, seasonal farmer, baker and chef. I want you to feel as though you can make the best choices for your body, mind and spirit without compromising too much of your time or money.

This may be magical thinking but I think I can pull it off. Wish me luck and keep reading.

I’ve been craving an Asian based noodle dish with fresh vegetables and pork. I tried searching the net for recipes but found nothing that peaked my interest. I was also interested in using only ingredients I already had at the house. So, I did what any good chef would do. I prayed to the Domestic Goddess and then started throwing things together. I used some knowledge about basic stir fry and sauces to create my very own experiment. It’s exactly what I called it when I presented it as dinner that night. I was prepared to spit it out, throw it out and order pizza. Low and behold, I might actually be getting good at all this because we savored every bite and it made my lunch menu for the rest of the week. The bonus? It’s quick, cheap and easy.

Cook the pork in whatever manner suits you but I suggest small strips or chunks cooked in peanut oil, garlic and soy sauce. Set meat aside.

Cook rice noodles as directed on package and set aside. Heat sesame oil in large skillet or wok and add onions and carrots. Cook for two minutes.

Add garlic and other vegetables and cook for five minutes. If cooking with frozen vegetables then you can add them straight from the freezer into the pan but may need to extend cooking time slightly.

While vegetables are cooking, mix together ingredients for sauce.

Add meat and noodles and sauce to pan and cook until all is incorporated well. About 2-3 minutes.

Top with toasted sesame seeds and peanuts and serve.

1/2 pound pork thinly sliced and cooked
8 oz thin rice noodles cooked
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
1 cup diced carrots
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups vegetables such as snow peas, broccoli, bok choy, edamame
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds

Sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 Tbsp plum sauce
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar

I also happen to have quite a love affair with bread, or anything made with large amounts of flour and yeast. I truly cherish most quick breads. They are typically sweet, moist and easy to make. While I love to bake, I have a terrible habit. I wander into my kitchen and decide I want to make something and eat it within the next few hours. I rarely have the forethought to say “I’d like to have bread tomorrow, I’ll make some dough today”. Nope, no planning ahead for this chef. I’m much more spontaneous and quick breads fall right into my cooking preferences. I have made a lot of banana based goods and was not in the mood for zucchini or apple so I decided to experiment with my favorite fruit in the form of a bread. It turned out a little gooey (not complaints from me) but incredible. I’ve adjusted the ingredients just a bit down below and hope yours turns out with a little more fluff.

Before sharing this recipe I must make a note on chopping mangos and making puree. If you purchase a mango, the skin should have a green, yellow and orangish color. When held in your hand it should be firm but soft, like a ripe peach. You peel the skin with a knife and cut down the edge of the large seed in the middle to free up the fruit meat. The puree is easily made by putting about 1/4 cup chopped mango in the food processor.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients. Mix together mango puree, oil, honey and vanilla extract until blended. Mix together wet and dry ingredients until just moist.

Fold in mangos and 1/2 of chopped nuts.

Place mixture in greased bread pan and place in oven for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into middle.

Allow bread to cool for 5-10 minute and then remove from pan and place on wire rack to cool completely.

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup mango puree
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped mango
1-3/4 cup chopped nuts