Sneak your veggies.

I was having a discussion yesterday with my sister (who also posts here) about vegetables. She prefers them raw or with a light steam. Strangely, so do I. I say "strangely" because we were raised with a different methodology for "enjoying" vegetables. Our mother would open a can of veggies for dinner, plunk it into a dish, & stuff it into the microwave for 1-2 minutes (where sometimes it was forgotten).

Now, to Mom's defense - She likes veggies. A LOT. & If she could, she'd have many small mainly vegetarian dishes for dinner. However, she was feeding a family of 7 back then, & she was working 8-12 hour days as a nurse.

Anyways - back to the veggies. So, last night, I made a chicken pot pie for me & the man. We used 1/2 of a (leftover) roasted chicken, some homemade gravy (which was mainly low sodium chicken broth), (leftover) roasted carrots & onions, roasted butternut squash, green beans, & some fresh sage. I made a quick crust to cover it all, & that was that.

The kicker? It was MAINLY vegetables. The man didn't even notice. & he's from Texas - So, he'd notice. I thought it was a pretty successful dish. Overall, we just needed more salt in it. I added the recipe for it below.

Also, I watched Top Chef last night. One of the favorites put bananas into his polenta. (If you're Italian & reading this, I do apologize for the shock.) It got a lot of "wows!" from the taste-testers. & I thought - what another clever way to add more nutrients into your meal.

What do you do to add vegetables into your meals? Do you have to sneak them?

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Chicken Pot Pie

This is a rough estimate of a recipe - I mainly did a lot of "throw this in, throw that in." I used this recipe as a guideline, but I made it faster & cheaper by using leftovers. When I roasted the chicken, I stuck the carrots & onions into the roasting pan. So, the onions were full of flavor & ready for putting into the pot pie. The carrots - I wish they had been fresh. In the recipe below, I listed it as though you were using fresh veggies. Do either - I'm sure it'll be great either way.

1/2 leftover roasted chicken
4-5 cups of gravy (we had a gravy shortage - so I upped the ante.)
8 leaves of fresh sage, chopped
10-15 baby carrots (or 2-3 larger carrots)
1/2 cup of onions (pearl, boiling, or regular)
2 cups of fresh or defrosted frozen green beans
1-2 lb. butternut squash
1 fresh or pre-made crust
4 individual pie pans, or two medium pie pans. (We used medium casserole dishes, which worked fine.)
salt/pepper
1 egg (if using egg wash for pie crust)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Chop the leftover chicken, carrots, onions, and green beans into bite-size pieces. Peel the butternut squash & chop into cubes.

Drizzle the butternut squash with some olive oil and a little salt, to taste. Toss to coat the squash with the oil and transfer to a baking sheet. Roast until the squash is cooked but still has some texture, about 15 to 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

Put the onions and carrots into a pan with a little oil & sweat the veggies on medium heat. The carrots should be more tender & the onions should get a little translucent.

About this time, the squash & the onion/carrot mixture should be ready. When the squash comes out of the oven, reduce the oven temperature down to 375.

Now, it's time to assemble the pot pie. Divvy your veggies (carrot/onion, squash, green beans) & sage with the chicken into your pie-cooking containers. Ladle the gravy in & fill about 3/4 of the container. Add salt/pepper to taste. Top each container with a pie crust. Crack your egg, whip it, & brush the top of your pie crust (if you want to put a sheen on your crust). Cut slits into the top of your crust to allow it to vent.

Put your pot pies into the oven, & bake for about 30-35 minutes. I had extended it to almost 40 minutes b/c I wanted the crust very crispy, which turned out pretty well. However, in tasting it, we would've liked it less crispy. Hindsight!

This made about 4-5 servings of pot pie.


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Buckwheat Pancakes

These pancakes are gluten, egg, nut and dairy free.

1 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups hemp milk (or milk of choice)
2 tbls ground flax seed
1 tbl oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp baking powder
dash cinnamon

Heat cast iron skillet on medium heat. In small bowl, mix together flax, oil and 1/4 cup water. Mix together flours, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add flax mixture and milk. The consistency should be slightly runny. If it's too thick, add more milk or water. If it's too thin, add a bit more flour. Pour mix in 1/4 cup amounts onto skillet and let sit until edges are cooked. Flip. Adjust heat as necessary. Continue until pancakes are all made. Store leftovers for tomorrow's breakfast, or a snack for later. Enjoy!

Variation - Use half hemp milk and half apple cider, and add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the flours. Yum!

If the batter is thin, so will the pancakes be. These are filling, but don't lay like a brick in the belly.

Just in time: Pumpkin bread

I was reading Food Network's website, & I came across an Alton Brown pumpkin bread recipe. Might be good to try with the leftover pumpkin insides from carving pumpkins. The man bought me 3 (3!!!) pumpkins. So, he'll definitely get some pumpkin treats as a thank you.

I haven't tried the recipe, but I figured that I'd post it in case anyone else was itching for something pumpkiny. In the comments for the above recipe, someone recommended how to implement a gluten-free version with agave nectar, which would be good for me!

What are you going to make with your pumpkin this year?

Apple Galette.

On Friday, we had some people over to play Winerd, which if you don't know is a wine-related board game. We asked the players to bring a dish or two for sharing. The man made two quiches - one with ham, spinach, cheese, milk & bacon - the other had spinach, cheese, and smoked sun-dried tomatoes. Both had gluten-free crusts, which I made from scratch adapting this recipe with gluten-free flour. Both quiches were excellent & from his family recipe.

I made an apple galette, which was delicious even cold. I followed the recipe from Epicurious (originally from Bon Appetit) to the T. We had an embarrassing moment with it. Everyone had arrived, & I put the galette in the oven at 450 degrees to start.

Then there was smoking. Lots & lots of smoking.

Apparently, the apricot jam partially trickled out of the galette, went down the flat baking sheet, & fell onto the burners. I lowered the temperature to 350 & left it in the oven. Thankfully, the crust hole seemed to be filled, & jam only ran a little.

The guests loved it, & they even raved about it the next day when we saw them again. They even liked the crust! (Which I used sorghum flour & brown rice flour as a substitute for all purpose flour.)

I'd give the recipe 4/5. The man said the same. Sadly, it was all gobbled up before I could remember to take a picture. But do make it!!

Beef Bourguinon

There are high expectations when you attribute a quintessential French recipe to a renowned French chef. You expect melting deliciousness with a well-rounded flavor profile.

Food & Wine listed a recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon with the name Jacques Pepin with it. I thought, "Well if something can pull me back into the cooking game, it's Jacque Pepin's beef bourguinon."


The Preparation Area: Complete with Digital Recipe laptop

First, let me say: There were a few items that I couldn't/wouldn't comply with. The man called me from the grocery store & couldn't find pancetta or cippolini onions. We got bacon & "white boiling onions" that basically resembled large pearl onions. Also, I didn't peel the baby carrots. Who peels baby carrots? The French, that's
who. Nobody else. Being not French, I plopped those right into the mix. (I blow my nose in their general direction!)

When the recipe called for boiling the pancetta, I cooked my bacon in the skillet instead. I wasn't going to boil bacon. That is le gross. Then, I crumbled it into the vegetables (or garnishes as Chef Pepin calls them).

How was it? Well, the sauce was very good. Originally, I didn't put any butter in the sauce as we were fresh out, but it definitely tasted better once I added it.

Words of advice:
1. Get the pancetta. Bacon didn't make it better. There is something about chunks (not scraps) of lardons that make recipes better.

2. Get a full flavored Burgandy, Cotes du Rhone, or Beaujolais wine. I used a South American Syrah, which was rather flat. The French recipe poo-pooed it.

3. Let it stew for longer. The broth wasn't reduced enough as per Food & Wine's pictures. It would've been much better if it was more concentrated.

The man gives the broth a 4/5 stars - but the stew together got only 2 or 3 stars.
I'd give it a 3/5 stars. I liked it, but I'm on the look out for something better. Neither of us packed it for lunch the next day.

Next boeuf bourguinon is going to be Julia Child's from Mastering the Art of French Cooking (recipe here). I hope it's better!

Review: Arrowhead Mills Gluten-free baking mix

The man wanted to make eggs for us for breakfast. I was thinking pancakes, but I figured that I'd let him cook. If he cooks, then we're having eggs. But lo & behold, there were only 2 eggs left. (I WIN!) So, I made us chocolate chip pancakes with agave nectar & Arrowhead Mills baking mix.

(Don't know why I put a low glycemic sweetener with a bunch of chocolate chips, though!)

How were they? One word: GRAINY!

We decided that we DON'T like Arrowhead Mills' gluten-free baking mix for tender baked goods (e.g. cookies, pancakes, etc). Next time, we'll stick to heartier things for this mix.

Chicken Soup for the Cold

Our Chicken Soup

1 whole organic free-range chicken
2 beef marrow bones
8 carrots
6 stalks celery
1 parsnip
1 rutabaga
1 turnip
1 celeriac
2 bunches parsley
1 onion
2 leeks
salt
peppercorns
vinegar
noodles of choice

Find a large stock pot. Quarter the chicken, reserving the organs. With a cleaver, chop the neck and wings. Skin the chicken, keeping the skin on the wings. Add the bones, meat, organs, neck and wings to the pot. Add in the vegetables, all in large chunks. Quarter the round roots, cut the tapered ones into thirds. If they are not organic, make sure to skin them first. Put in a quarter bunch of parsley, a few pinches of salt and two pinches of peppercorns. Add water to cover and two tablespoons of vinegar. Let sit for 30 minutes. Turn heat on high. When the pot starts to boil, pay attention. Any impurities will rise to the top as foam. Skim this off. Keep boiling and skimming until no more foam forms. Then cover and simmer.

The longer you simmer, the yummier this will get. Two hours or more is best. If you want to make this a stock, simmer all night long and the following day. 8-24 hours. In the last 10 minutes of simmering, add in a bunch of parsley to the pot. It adds vitamins and minerals as well as flavor. Remove from heat, strain into another pot. Boil noodles in the hot stock pot. You can use some broth to flavor the water. Search the strained soup mixings for the edible chicken and carrots. Chop or shred the chicken, slice the carrots. Throw away all other vegetables and bones.

Place some chicken, carrot slices, noodles and broth serving bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley.

I've heard of adding garlic and cayenne for their benefits as well. How do you make yours?
Happy healing!

Dinner a Child Can Love

Tofu with Stir Fried Vegetables (Homemade 'Chinese' Food)

Organic tofu - a 'deck of cards' size per person
Frozen organic stir fry vegetable mix
Organic wild rice and brown rice
Assortment of fresh vegetables - onion, leek, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, etc.
Soy Sauce
Mirin
Olive oil
Sesame seeds

Put rice mixture into pot with water, at the ratio of 1 cup rice to 2 cups of water. I put 1/4 cup wild rice mix per 3/4 cup regular brown rice. It lasts longer this way). Add in some salt, half teaspoon for a cup of dried rice. This feeds our family of 4 once. If you wish to have leftovers, double the rice, water and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 25 minutes. When done, just turn off the heat and let it sit until you're ready to serve it. Don't uncover it.

Prepare the ingredients for the stir fry first. Slice and cube the tofu, then press between paper towels. Start to heat two pans on medium. One for the fried tofu, one (maybe a wok?) for the stir fry. Mince the garlic. Chop the onion, leek, ginger, mushrooms, leftover baked squash, etc.

When pans are hot, add enough oil to the tofu pan to make it rise above the edges of the tofu. As if the pieces are taking a sitz bath in hot oil. You'll know the oil is hot enough if a piece of food sizzles immediately, or the end of a wooden spoon sizzles. Carefully put in the tofu. (Don't stuff them into the pan, you can do this in batches if you need to). Then ignore it. I mean it. Pretend it's not there.

Put enough oil in your wok or larger pan to coat the bottom of it. Add in the onion or leek or shallot. When fragrant, add the garlic. When you start smelling cooked garlic, add the mushrooms, then any other fresh vegetable you have. Sprinkle in soy sauce. When these look like they are starting to warm up, add the frozen veggies. Add more soy sauce. Cover and let steam.

Take a look at the tofu. If the bottom edges look brown, turn to fry the other side.

Check on the vegetables, add some more soy sauce if the vegetables taste bland. Mistake the mirin bottle for the soy sauce and dump a bunch of mirin into the wok, instead of drizzling it down the sides at the end. Stir. Cover if the vegetables aren't fully cooked. Keep an eye on these. Don't overcook them. Once they are done, remove them from the wok with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl.

Remove the tofu to paper towels to dry. They should be tough on the outside, chewy on the inside. If you cook them long enough, they will be crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. After the vegetables are in a bowl, put the tofu into the wok to coat with the delicious soy sauce, mirin and vegetable juices. Quickly remove to a serving bowl. Continue working in batches with the tofu if need be.

After the tofu is finished, add a bit of cornstarch to the wok. Sprinkle a bit at a time, while stirring furiously. Let simmer while you plate the food.

Put the rice, vegetables and tofu onto each plate. Spoon the thickened sauce from the wok onto dinner. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. If you have another dry clean pan, you could have toasted them first.

Serve to the kids by saying, "Woops! I put too much sweet stuff in the Chinese food! You're gonna love it." Even the three year old will eat a bunch before realizing it's just like regular Chinese take out, only a bit healthier.

Satisfying and Healthy Lunch

A quick and yummy lunch that is full of raw goodies.

Hummus
Organic Spinach drizzled with Balsamic Fig Glaze or dressing of choice
Organic Carrot Sticks*
Jerusalem Artichoke**
Leftover Rice Mix
Organic Corn Chips

Don't have these ingredients? Use your favorite beans and vegetables, and wrap them in an tortilla. The main point is to make sure we get raw food in our bellies. Enjoy!

Our Hummus Recipe
Pour one can of chickpeas in a processor. Add about 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and blend. If you need to add more water to blend into a paste. Adjust seasonings to suit your taste. If by chance you overpower it with a particular ingredient, don't panic. Add another can of chickpeas and try again, going a bit more cautiously this time.

Spoon into bowl, smooth with spatula, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika and toasted sesame seeds. Or, do it the lazy way and add those into the blender and spoon directly onto your plate. It still tastes great!

Traditional hummus is made with tahini. My son doesn't like the taste of the one we buy. So I omit it for him.

If you have dried chickpeas, they are better than canned. Soak overnight or at least 8 hours. This deactivates the enzyme inhibitors on the bean. Drain and rinse. Place in a pot with water to cover two inches above them. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, drop the heat to a simmer and let simmer until tender. Depending on the age of the bean, this can take from 30 minutes to an hour. Just remember to keep checking them. If you happen to overcook them, strain as usual. You're turning them into a paste anyway!

Have you heard about sprouting? It activates all the good things in the bean for your benefit. Sprouting is an excellent way to get extra live nutrition during the winter months ahead. If you think you're too busy for it, you may find it actually helps with cooking dinners. Sprouted beans and grains cook MUCH quicker than unsprouted ones do.

Sprouting directions: Soak 1 cup beans overnight, drain, rinse and place in one or two jars (not more than half full). Cover with a cheesecloth, screen, or dish towel, and secure with a rubber band or canning jar lid. Leave tilted so air can circulate and excess water can drain. Rinse 3-4 times a day, every day for a few (2-3) days. If you use a dish towel, make sure you change it every day or two. You'll see little shoots start to sprout. When they are ready, follow the cooking instructions above, but be careful! They cook QUICKLY. The taste they give is lighter than an unsprouted bean. You may adjust your seasonings differently.

*Organic baby carrots, while convenient, have been dipped in bleach. Best to make your own.

**The Jerusalem artichoke is a little root vegetable. I love it raw. It can be shredded or cubed and added to anything (veggie medley, meatloaf, salads, soup, etc). For this lunch, the root I had was a small one from the community garden, so I just scrubbed it and ate it whole. It's a great prebiotic, which means it supports the probiotics that keep us healthy.
Want to know more about Jerusalem Artichokes? They are easy to grow and harvest up to zone 4. Check this site.

Stuffed Squash - A Party in a Bowl

There were two little confetti squash sitting on my counter saying "Eat me, you know you want to." But what to do with them? After a very short search, this recipe jumped off the screen.

http://www.epicurean.com/featured/pecan-and-wild-rice-stuffed-squash-recipe.html

Oh how exciting! Instead of my usual vegan dinner of brown rice and stir fry vegetables, I was making a party in a bowl! No hum drum boring routine dinner here! Where's the confetti?! (I SEE you two, I meant the paper confetti).

Using what was available without a trip to the store, here's the new version:

2 small organic confetti squash
1/2 cup wild rice (I used the organic Harvest Medley mix from Costco)
1 1/4 cups water
3-4 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 stalks organic celery, minced
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 large button mushrooms, chopped
a few sprigs fresh thyme, taken off the stem
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 toasted sunflower seeds
handful of toasted walnuts
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup leftover cooked quinoa and lentils

The leftover quinoa and lentils was cooked together with a clove of garlic and some thyme sprigs in water - ratio of 1:2.

Simmer the rice in the water for 25 minutes. Cut squash in half and bake at 350 in a bit of water with the cut side down. Do some web surfing.

Turn all the heat off, take the squash out of the oven. Toast the sunflower seeds, then the walnuts, dump into a big bowl with the rice. Break up any big pieces of walnut with your fingers, or mortar and pestle. Saute onion and celery. While cooking, dump in the mushrooms, some raisins, hemp seeds, all the herbs and spices into the bowl while talking on the phone. This will ensure some mistaken spice gets added. Mine was ginger. Try to take as much out as you can. Dump in the onion and celery when done. Scrape some of the squash flesh out, add to the bowl and mix well. If the squash is still a bit hard, chop it a bit, or smush it up with your fingers. Add in the leftover quinoa and lentil mixture to make sure you have leftovers for lunch. Stuff the squash and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Put the extra rice mix into an ovenproof bowl.

When cool, put the leftover rice mixture into a lunch box for work the next day.

So yummy and exciting!! With fanfare I presented it to the children, much to their dismay. The ginger and nutmeg were too warm in their mouths to enjoy it. They loved poking at the squash though!

Both my husband and I loved the dinner. Next time, I think I'll skip the phone conversation and put in a pinch of nutmeg with a half teaspoon of cinnamon, and no ginger. There will definitely be a next time. This dinner was EASY to make, and could be made in advance too. Just make the rice, quinoa and lentils, and bake the squash in advance. Then saute the onions and celery and add the remaining ingredients before you stuff and bake for 45 minutes.