Turmeric and Ginger Harvest

I am honored to participate in the harvest and cooking of fresh, organic turmeric and ginger grown in a Vermont greenhouse.

May the fruits of the harvest inspire us to find balance during this fall equinox time. Equal day and equal night call for a pause, a moment to revel in what surrounds us, appreciate it for what it is, and reflect on what's working in our lives and what we could let go.

Let these traditional Indian recipes inspire you to support your digestive health and immunity with turmeric and ginger. I have learned how to prepare these dishes from Dr. Vasant Lad, director of the Ayurvedic Institutes in India and New Mexico.

Ginger: warming, anti-inflammatory, soothes stomach cramps, reduces flatulence, alleviates common cold and flu symptoms. Clinical studies show that ginger consumption decreases arthritis pain and protects the liver from damage.

Turmeric: anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory, turmeric contains anti-inflammatory curcumin, which helps to heal GI diseases such irritable bowel syndrome. It prevents cancer cells from growing new blood vessels to feed themselves and induces the death of existing cancer cells. It also breaks up accumulated amyloid plaque in the brain that’s related to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Rajma

Rajma means red kidney beans in Hindi. This is an adaptation of a traditional Punjabi recipe. These rich and hearty legumes are high in iron and protein. They support gut health with their fiber content.

To pressure cook* the beans:

¾ cups rajma (red kidney beans)

1 ½ cups water

*If you do not have a pressure cooker, just soak the beans overnight and boil in water until tender, about 45 minutes.

For rajma recipe:

• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

• 2 teaspoons fresh grated turmeric

• 2 cloves fresh chopped garlic

• 1 ½ teaspoons red chili powder or 2 fresh chopped chilies

• 1 teaspoon coriander powder

• 1 teaspoon cumin powder

• 1 cup chopped tomatoes

• ½ teaspoon garam masala

• Salt to taste

Wash dried rajma under running cold water till water runs clear.

Soak them in enough water for at least 8 hours or overnight.

If using canned beans, there is no need to soak or pressure cook them. Just rinse under the water and use beans in the recipe

Pressure cooking beans: discard the soaking water and add rajma to the pressure cooker with 3 ½ cups of fresh water. Close the lid and put the top on. Cook on high for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to low and cook for another 10 minutes. Let the pressure go down by itself and then open the cover. After pressure cooking the rajma, they should be soft and some of them will open up. Discard any leftover water from pressure cooking.

To prepare the rajma, heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add bay leaf and saute for 30 seconds. Add chopped onions and salt. Cook the onions till they are light brown in color, about 5 minutes. Saute ginger, turmeric and garlic for a minute.

Add tomato. Mix well and let it cook till all the moisture is evaporated and oil starts to leave the sides of the pan. do stir in between to make sure that it is not sticking to the pan. Add all spice powders. Mix well and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the beans, cook for 10 more minutes, and enjoy over rice.

Aloo Saag

In Hindi, aloo means potatoes and saag means spinach. This classic side dish can also be made with kale or collard greens.

You will need:

• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil or ghee (clarified butter)

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, sliced

• 1 inch each of freshly chopped turmeric and ginger

• 2 large potatoes, cut into chunks

• ½ tsp each: salt, cumin, and garam masala

• 1 tablespoon mustard

• 2 cups spinach leaves

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion, garlic and ginger, and fry for about 3 minutes.

Stir in the potatoes and spices. Continue cooking and stirring for 5 minutes more. Add a splash of water, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

Check the potatoes are ready by spearing with the point of a knife, and if they are, add the spinach and let it wilt into the pan. Take off the heat and serve with grilled chicken or cooked beans and rice.

Kitchari

Kitchari means mixture, usually of two grains. This is one kitchari recipe that is particularly nourishing and easy to digest. I like to prepare the rice and lentils separately and mix them in my bowl.

Rinse 1 cup long grain brown rice. Bring to a boil with 2 cups water. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, with lid askew, for 30 minutes.

In a skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon ghee or coconut oil with:

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon each: mustard seed, cumin seed, cumin powder, coriander powder

• 1 inch each of freshly chopped turmeric and ginger

When seeds start popping, turn off heat and slowly pour mixture into cooking rice.

You can add zucchini, summer squash, peas, cauliflower, broccoli or asparagus to the rice.

For the lentil dahl, rinse 2 cups yellow split lentils. Drain and bring to a boil with 5 cups water.

Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Skim off any white foam that develops and discard it.

In a skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon ghee or coconut oil with:

• 1 teaspoon each: salt, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala

• 1 inch each of freshly chopped turmeric and ginger

Add vegetables such as beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, collards, kale and spinach to the skillet. Add 1 cup water, cover, and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Mix into the lentils, stir, and enjoy!

First Harvest Time

Lammas, "Loaf Mass" - also known as Lughdnasah by Gaelic people - is the first harvest time, when agrarian people of the Northern hemisphere prepare fermented foods and enjoy the gifts of wheat, corn, beans, and summer squash.

Try these recipes to include first harvest foods in your meals.

CRANBERRY BEAN AND CORN SALAD

You will need:

• 1 pound cranberry beans

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 3 shallots, chopped

• 2 ears fresh corn, shucked

• 1 teaspoons thyme, de-stemmed

• 2 teaspoons rosemary, de-stemmed

• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon each: salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soak beans in cold water overnight or for 8 hours.

Then, bring beans and 8 cups water to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and cook until beans are tender - about 35 minutes.

Drain and transfer to a bowl; set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook shallots until soft, about 5 minutes.

Remove corn from ears and add to skillet.

Add thyme and rosemary. Cook for 5 minutes more.

Let cool slightly; transfer to bowl with beans.

Toss with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Enjoy!

CORN CAKES WITH FRESH HERB SPREAD

For the spread:

• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves

• 1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/3 cup cashews

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• Juice of 1 lemon

Blend these together in a food processor. Set aside.

For the corn cakes:

• 1/2 cup organic, non-GM cornmeal

• 1/2 cup flour (wheat, spelt, or millet)

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

• 1 cup milk (almond, rice, or cow)

• 2 eggs OR 4 tablespoons flaxseed meal dissolved in just as much hot water

• 3/4 cup fresh sweet corn kernels - about 1 large cob

• olive or sunflower oil for cooking

Whisk together cornmeal, flour, powder salt and paprika in a large bowl.

Make a well in the center, add butter, milk, eggs/flaxseed, and corn.

Whisk wet ingredients together briefly then incorpoate with dry ingredients.

Heat some olive or sunflower oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Pour small amounts of batter onto the skillet (about 1/4 cup per corn cake).

Cook until cakes are golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.

Serve warm with a garnish of herb spread.

Women in Food

March is Women's History Month, and I invite you to honor the role of women in food. How do you see this role in your life, family, and community?

Here are some accounts of women in food history from historian Alice Ross.

It has been suggested that the division of food responsibility was a consequence of women's limited mobility, resulting from childbearing and extended periods of childcare. In any case, their familiarity with plants and their own identification with creating new life (the male role having been as yet unrecognized) were undoubtedly factors in their monumental innovation, the formation of the first organized agriculture (c. 8000 B.C.E.). Women often cooked grains and vegetables, singing songs about the food as they prepared it as a way to bind family and community as well as pass on food preparation methods to children.

Evidence of the high regard women earned is reflected cross culturally in the stories of universal origin even up to and including subsequent patriarchal systems. For example, in ancient Greco-Roman mythology, the story of Demeter (Ceres), the goddess of agriculture and fertility, and her daughter Persephone (Proserpina) acknowledge women's responsibility for developing agriculture, the origin of growing seasons, and the agrarian skills that they taught people. In distant Mexico people worshipped Ceres' counterpart, the pre-Aztec Great Corn Mother known as Chicomecoatl; variants of her story abound. She is Earth Goddess who teaches how to grow food from her body. Often her body was sacrificed, as she demanded, so that her children could grow food on it. This is a constant reminder to her descendants to treat the land as their Mother.

Amaranth

Thanks to Dr. Andrew Weil for his recent inspiration about this delicious grain.

For Aztec people, amaranth was not only a dietary staple, but an important aspect of religious rituals, as the women would shape a mixture of amaranth seeds with honey to be eaten ceremoniously.

Today, amaranth is often popped like popcorn and mixed with honey, molasses or chocolate to make a popular treat in Mexico called "alegría" (meaning "joy").

Although amaranth derives its name from the Greek for "never-fading flower," it is its highly nutritious seeds (and greens, though they are hard to find), not its vibrant red blooms, that are its most valuable asset.

Like buckwheat and quinoa, amaranth is an especially high-quality source of plant protein including two essential amino acids, lysine and methionine, which are generally low in grains. Amaranth is gluten-free, easily digestible, making it a traditional food for people recovering from illness or transitioning from a fast or cleanse.

Look for amaranth is at your local natural food store.

SIMPLE COOKED AMARANTH

Combine1 cup amaranth with 2 1/2 cups water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for up to 20 minutes, until grains are fluffy and water is absorbed.

For a porridge-like consistency, use 3 cups water for 1 cup grain and cook a little longer.

AMARANTH FLATBREAD

Take 2 cups cooked amaranth and mix in a bowl with:

• 2 Tablespoons flaxseed meal

• 1/4 cup coconut flour

• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil

• 1 cup shredded carrots

• 1/2 teaspoon each: nutmeg, cinnamon, salt

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes in an oiled pie or baking dish.

Cool and enjoy with sauces and spreads of your choosing!

Vegetable Literacy

Spring is coming, and so are the vegetables! Get excited for a wonderful new book, which hits the shelves TODAY, both in bookstores and online.

The book, which I am lucky enough to have contributed to, is written by Deborah Madison, who is a leading authority in vegetarian cooking and has published eleven cookbooks.

Click this link to learn more and purchase a copy.

Vegetable Literacy is a gorgeously photographed reference for cooking vegetables. It is organized according to twelve families from the edible plant kingdom and includes over 300 simple, delicious recipes. Try making the Kohlrabi Slaw with Frizzy Mustard Greens or Griddled Artichokes with Tarragon Mayonnaise. Learn from Madison's extensive knowledge of cooking, gardening and botany.

Soothing Rice Dishes

During the holiday season, our systems can become over-loaded with rich, heavy foods. To soothe and gently cleanse the intestines this new year, try adding brown rice to a meal. 

Based on inspiration from a Turkish cookbook, I share these soothing rice recipes with you.

Mediterranean Cabbage with Olives and Rice

¼ cup olive oil

1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon each: coriander and paprika

salt and pepper to taste

½ medium head of green or red cabbage, shredded (about 5 cups)
1/2 cup brown rice

¾ cup water or vegetable stock

¾ cup black olives, pitted

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

4 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, salt and pepper.

Lower the heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.

Add the garlic, coriander and paprika and cook, for 2-3 more minutes.

Add the cabbage and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.

Add the broth/water, adjust the heat to medium-high, and bring to a strong simmer. Add the rice and ½ teaspoon salt, stir to incorporate, adjust the heat to very low, cover the pan, and simmer (without stirring or lifting the cover) for 25 minutes.

Remove the cover, add the olives, stir the mixture once or twice, replace the cover, and set aside off the heat for 15 minutes. Add the lemon juice and parsley and stir to mix. Taste for salt and serve hot with white bean velouté if you like.

***

Rice Pilaf with Carrots and Leeks

¼ cup olive oil

4 carrots, chopped

1 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste

½ teaspoon nutmeg

4 large leeks, halved length-wise, rinsed and chopped into crescents

1 splash white wine (if desired)

¾ cup water or vegetable stock

¼ cup brown rice

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 Tablespoons fresh dill, minced

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cook, for 5 minutes.

Add the leeks, nutmeg, salt, pepper and wine (if desired). Cook, stirring frequently, until leeks soften, about 10 minutes.

Add the broth/water and bring to a simmer. Add the rice stir to incorporate, adjust the heat to very low, cover the pan, and simmer (without stirring or lifting the cover) for 25 minutes.

Remove the cover, stir the mixture once or twice, replace the cover, and add the lemon juice and dill. Stir to mix. Taste for salt and serve hot with sautéed chicken or tempeh if you like.

Peanut Soup

Winter Solstice is this Friday, December 21st. Celebrate the shortest day of the year with some warming, slightly spicy soup.

Thai-Style Peanut Soup

You will need:
Sesame or olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger root, minced

1 teaspoon each: salt, black pepper, turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon each: fenugreek seeds (or powdered fenugreek) and cinnamon
pinch cayenne if desired

1/4 cup peanut butter (you can substitute almond or cashew butter if you like)
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups stewed tomatoes

1 cup tofu or chicken, sautéed in:
2 Tablespoons sesame or olive oil
1 teaspoon Tamari (i.e. wheat-free soy sauce)

chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Sauté onion on low heat for 10 minutes, until browned. Add carrots, garlic and ginger. Add spices and sauté on low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add nut butter and stir to dissolve.
Add broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce to summer and cook about 30 minutes on medium-low heat.

Prepare chicken or tofu.
Add to soup pot.
Mince cilantro and mix into soup. Serve hot with rice and lime wedges.

Holiday Foodie Gifts

STOLLEN

This traditional recipe from Germany is a favorite in my hometown of Bressanone, Italy. I offer a healthy twist on the tradition by omitting powdered sugar and using maple syrup instead of refined cane sugar.

This delightful bread makes a lovely holiday gift and ships well, too!

First, combine:

• 1/2 cup golden raisins

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1 orange, peeled and diced

• 1/4 cup boiling water

• Let stand for 1/2 hour.

• In a large bowl, mix together:

• 2 cups flour (spelt for wheat-free or millet & rice for gluten-free)

• pinch salt

• 1/2 teaspoon each: cinnamon, ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon each: cloves, nutmeg,

• 1/2 teaspoon each: baking powder & baking soda

Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine & heat gently:

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/2 cup milk (either almond or cow milk)

• 1/3 cup butter or coconut oil (vegan), softened

• 1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel

Add this mixture to dry ingredients & stir to incorporate.

Then, mix in:

• 2 eggs, beaten or 2 Tablespoons flaxseed meal (vegan)

• 3 teaspoons lemon juice 

• Half of the soaked raisin/orange mixture (save the other half for glaze)

Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough (about 1 cup).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into an 8-by-12-inch oval. Fold dough in half lengthwise to within ½ inch of the opposite side; press closed.

Transfer to a greased baking sheet.

Mix 2 Tablespoons olive oil into the other half of the soaked raisin/orange mixture. Pour and spread over the stollen as glaze.

Bake at 375 for 35 minutes, or until nicely browned. Cool on a wire rack.

HONEY ALMOND CANTUCCI

These delicious Italian tea and coffee cookies are a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays.

You will need:

• 1 cup flour (sorghum or spelt)

• 1 cup almond flour

• a pinch of salt

• 1/4 teaspoon each: cinnamon and nutmeg

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

• 2 eggs

• 1/3 cup raw unpeeled almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.

Add the eggs, honey, almonds and almond extract and mix all the ingredients.

Transfer the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it into two rolls that are approximately 12 inches long and 2 inches wide.

Place the rolls on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Place each roll on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into half inch slices.

Place the cantucci back on the cookie sheet.

Turn off the oven, place the cookie sheet inside, and leave them in there for about 30 minutes.

Allow them to cool completely before packaging them.

Cacao Creations

Based on your requests, I am offering more tantalizing ways to cook and savor cacao. Click this link to let me know what you think! Your feeback helps me improve my offerings. 

Red Chile Mole

¼ cup coconut oil

1 large onion, minced

1 teaspoon red chile powder (ancho is wonderful)

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon cumin powder

2 teaspoons coriander powder

½ teaspoon clove powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup raisins

2 Tbsp. tahini (roasted sesame seed butter)

4 garlic cloves, crushed (in a garlic press)

In a large skillet, melt coconut oil. Add the chile and cumin seeds. Toast on low for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the onion and add it to the skillet. Add the rest of the spices EXCEPT the cocoa powder. This will come later. Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

You can add a splash of water if the onions are sticking to the bottom of the skillet.

In a small bowl, pour boiling water over the raisins. Let them soak for 5 minutes. Drain ¾ of the water, add tahini, and mix well. Add this mixture to the skillet.

Now add the cocoa powder. Stir well to incorporate the flavors. Press the garlic into the skillet and cook, covered, for 5 minutes.

Enjoy over rice, grilled chicken, pinto beans, or cornbread.

***

Chocolate Almond Chicken

You will need:

¼ cup coconut oil

1 large onion, minced

1 inch fresh ginger root, minced

1 teaspoon cumin powder

2 teaspoons coriander powder

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon cinnamon powder

1/4 cup almonds, coarsely chopped

1 cup almond milk

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 pound organic, free-range chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs

1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

In a large skillet, melt coconut oil. Chop the onion and ginger. Add these to the skillet. Add the rest of the spices EXCEPT the cocoa powder. Saute for 5 minutes.

Add the chicken, raise the heat to high and saute, stirring constantly with a metal spatula, for 5 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned.

Add the almonds and almond milk.

Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

Now add the cocoa powder. Stir well or whisk gently to incorporate the flavors. Press the garlic into the skillet and cook, covered, for 5 minutes.

Enjoy over corn tortillas and with a side of cooked greens if you like.

***

Corn Tortillas

You will need:

2 cups masa harina (fine corn flour)

water

1 teaspoon lime juice
2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon or olive oil

The night before making tortillas:

In a mixing bowl, place 1 ½ cups masa harina, lime juice, salt, and enough water to make a thick batter.Cover with cloth and allow to sit for 8 to 24 hours.


Stir well. Let the dough remain like a thick batter.
Heat a cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet on high heat. Add enough oil to coat skillet thinly.

Prepare dough by mixing remaining ½ cup masa harina and olive oil into batter.

If you have whole corn kernels, add a handful to the batter for texture.

Pour batter in pancake shapes on skillet and cook for 2 minutes on first side and 4 minutes on second side. Use a spatula to flip.

If the oil on the skillet is smoking, reduce heat, wipe off with a paper towel, and resume process with less oil.

When each tortilla is done, place it in a damp cloth and cover it to keep pliable.

***

Cardamom Brownies with Raspberry Jam Swirl

Dry ingredients:

1 ½ cups flour (spelt OR a mixture of millet and rice for gluten-free option)

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

pinch salt

1/2 teaspoon each: cardamom and cinnamon

Wet ingredients:

2 eggs OR 4 Tablespoons flaxseed meal

½ cup maple syrup 

¼ cup melted coconut oil

1 cup chopped, unsweetened chocolate

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir together.

Make a well in the center, combine the wet ingredients and stir until thoroughly blended. Incorporate dry into wet and stir until just blended.

Grease 8 or 9 inch baking pan with vegetable oil. Pour batter into greased pan. 

Take 4 Tablespoons of raspberry jam (I like Bionaturae or another fruit-sweetened kind) and whisk it in a spouted container with 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil. Pour in a pattern all over the brownie batter. Have fun with the swirling patterns!

Bake for 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center tests slightly damp. Allow brownies to cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

***

Pear Chocolate Tart

For the crust:

1 ½ cups flour (wheat-free : ¾ cup each barley & spelt; gluten-free: 1 cup millet four & ½ cup rice flour)

1 cup almond meal

1/2 cup solid coconut oil, cut into pearl-sized chunks

pinch salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup almond milk

About 2 fresh, ripe pears, sliced into eight sections 

For the filling:

1 egg (OR 2 T flaxseed meal dissolved in boiling water if you prefer vegan)

¾ cup maple syrup

¼ cup melted coconut oil 

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup almond milk

1 cup chopped unsweetened chocolate

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a pie plate with vegetable oil.

Combine all the crust ingredients EXCEPT almond milk. Coat the coconut oil with flour. Add the milk,  stir gently, and press into the pie plate to make a crust. Do not worry if it doesn't go all the way up the sides. Just use your hands to make sure it is of uniform thickness.

Arrange the pears over the crust.

In the same bowl, mix the ingredients for the filling. Pour them over the pears.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center tests clean.

Serve with a garnish of maple yogurt of you like.

***

Zoom Balls

You will need:

1 cup tahini (roasted sesame seed butter)

½ cup cashew or almond butter

¼ cup honey (more or less to taste)

¼ cup toasted, ground oats

3 Tablespoons coarsely chopped almonds or sunflower seeds

1 teaspoon each: cinnamon and cardamom powder

2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Mix tahini, nut butter and honey until smooth.

Add oats and nuts - mix in well.  Mix in enough coconut to make dough thick.

Add spices and cocoa powder. Mix once more.

Roll the dough into small balls. You can also spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and cut into squares.

Store the balls in baking tins in a cool place. They will last for 3 weeks.

Soups To Warm Your Bones

Try to set aside time this weekend to make some of these dishes. Put them in portion-sized containers to nourish you during the week ahead. You can bake cornbread, quinoa almond pancakes, or rice to go with any of these soups.

Reishi Astragalus Broth

This vegetarian broth will deeply nourish and strengthen your immune system.

You will need:

• 8 cups water
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 bulb garlic (at least 10 cloves), chopped
• One 1 1⁄2 inch (3 1⁄2 cm) piece of fresh ginger root, chopped
• 5 pieces sliced dried Astragalus Root
• 2 cups fresh, sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 1 large reishi mushroom

Bring all the ingredients to a boil in a large stock pot. Reduce to medium low heat and simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Strain and use as a base for the soup recipes below.

***

Pumpkin Cashew Soup

For this soothing and sweet soup, you will need:

• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil 
• 1 can coconut milk (8 oz.)
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 1 inch fresh ginger root, chopped
• 2 cups pie pumpkin, peeled and diced 
• 1/2 cup roasted cashew nuts
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• pinch each: ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, ground coriander
• freshly ground black pepper 

Heat coconut oil in a large stock pot. Add onion and sauté for a few minutes, until softened. Add garlic, ginger, pumpkin and cashew nuts. Save some nuts for garnish if desired. Cook gently for 2 minutes. 

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add coconut milk and simmer to 20 minutes, until pumpkin is tender.

Place into a blender or use an immersion blender and process until smooth.   Serve with a garnish of cashews if you like.

***

Mushroom Goulash Soup

For this traditional Austrian recipe, you will need:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 medium onions (about 1 1/2 pounds), chopped 

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 pound crimini, shitake, or a mix of both mushrooms, chopped

3 tablespoons paprika (preferably Hungarian sweet)

1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup tomato sauce

5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large russet (baking) potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)

Heat oil in an heavy stock pot. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until golden. Stir in paprika and caraway seeds and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. 

Add mushrooms and saute for 15 minutes.

Whisk in vinegar and tomato sauce and cook, whisking, about 2 minutes. 

Stir in broth and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium and simmer soup, covered, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.

Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Add potatoes to soup and simmer, covered, until tender, about 20 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper. Soup may be made 3 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, before chilling, covered. Reheat soup, thinning with water if desired.

Serve with freshly chopped parsley as a garnish if you like.

***

Corn and Beet Soup

For this traditional southwestern soup, you will need:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
• 3 medium beets, coarsely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• pinch each: coriander and cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• freshly chopped cilantro 

In a stock pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Saute the onion until it is translucent. Add the beets, carrots and garlic. Add salt and spices.

Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer the soup, covered, for 50 minutes. Taste for salt and add some if necessary.

Add corn kernels, cilantro and black pepper. Simmer for 5 more minutes and serve hot!

Sweet, Sour, Salty: Fall Flavors

Ayurveda, the 'science of life', is a centuries-old healing modality from India, which highlights food as medicine. This traditional method is still practiced widely today. Cooking classes at the Ayurvedic Center of New Mexico highlight the importance of changing the way we cook and eat in accordance to the seasons. Fall is a time to focus on foods that are sweet, sour, and salty in nature.

Maple Macaroons

You will need:

2 organic egg whites

1/2 cup maple syrup

Pinch of sea salt

1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

2 tablespoons spelt OR rice flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the egg whites, maple syrup and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until just warm, about 1 minute. Add the coconut, flour, vanilla, and cardamom and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture just begins to sizzle and is slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.

Using a teaspoon and your fingers, form the dough into 24 small mounds on the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool completely before serving.

Get creative: chop your favorite dark chocolate and place it in a dry metal or glass bowl and set it over a pan of gently simmering hot water (or use a double boiler if you have one). Stir the chocolate constantly until just melted. Remove it from the heat.

Dip the macaroons into the melted chocolate, then place them on a pan or plate lined with wax or parchment paper. Chill in the refrigerator until the chocolate hardens. Enjoy!

Greek Lemon Soup

You will need:

8 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 shallots, or 1 small red onion, peeled and chopped

6 1-inch pieces of unpeeled fresh ginger, minced

1 cup carrots, peeled and diced

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon each: thyme and coriander

½ teaspoon each: turmeric and paprika

Pinch cayenne

1 organic/free range chicken breast half, cut into 1/8-inch-thick diagonal slices

OR 1 cup cooked white beans (I like canellini)

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

2 tablespoons sliced scallion, cut thinly on the diagonal, for garnish

Coat the bottom of a soup pot with olive oil. Combine the shallots, ginger, carrots, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and sautee over high heat for 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Stir the thyme, coriander, turmeric, paprika, and cayenne into the soup.

Simmer for 3 minutes, then add the chicken or white beans and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, until the chicken/beans are tender and thoroughly cooked. Stir in the lemon juice and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and taste. Add more maple or salt as needed.

Serve garnished with the cilantro and scallion.

Get creative: to boost your immunity, add 1 cup of stemmed and sliced shiitake mushrooms when you add the chicken or white beans.

Spelt Gnocchi with Caper Sardine Pesto

Choose 4 medium potatoes with dry flesh. Boil the potatoes in water until soft.

Trying to keep them warm without burning your fingers, cut the potatoes into chunks and pass them through a vegetable mill or smash them with the back of the fork.

Add just enough spelt flour to give the dough consistency, about 1 1/2 cups. It needs to be supple without being too sticky.

Roll the dough into inch-thick ropes. Cut the rope into small chunks.

Roll each chunk off the edge of a fork to create grooves on one side and a hole in the other side.

As you are shaping the gnocchi, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the gnocchi in small batches and remove them from the boiling water with a slotted spoon when they rise to the top. Place them in a deep baking dish and keep them in a 250 degree oven to stay warm if desired.

Caper Sardine Pesto

In a food processor, mix:

½ cup olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ Tablespoon lemon juice

Blend at highest speed for 2 minutes.

Turn the off processor, add enough basil to fill the bowl, and blend at lowest speed, stopping occasionally to tamp basil down into blades and add more as needed.

While blending, mixture may become too thick with basil leaves. If so, pour additional olive oil in a small stream through the opening of the food processor while it is blending.

Keep adding basil until you have used about 2 cups fresh basil.

Remove from food processor and place in a large serving bowl.

Add 2 Tablespoons capers and 1 can sardines.

Add cooked gnocchi to the bowl, mix and serve with grated parmesan cheese as garnish if you like.

Get creative: instead of potatoes, use roasted, de-skinned winter squash to make gnocchi.

Spring Awakening

During this time of spring when sunlight and starlight are equal, find balance between the slow weight of winter and the quickening freshness of spring. According to Traditional Chinese Five Element Theory, spring is the time of the liver and the wood element. By adding sour flavors to our daily meals, we adapt to the changing climate, prevent seasonal colds, aid digestion, soothe inflammation, and release the heaviness of winter. Sour foods include: lemons, limes, oranges, apples, celery, garlic, leeks, mung beans, rye, teff, and fermented foods like sauerkraut. Add some sprouts as a garnish to your grains and use apple cider vinegar and olive oil as a condiment for braised greens.

Ginger 'pickles'

I recently learned this recipe from Dr. Vasant Lad at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, NM. These spicy treats stimulate digestion and balance overall metabolism. You can make a jar of them and keep them in the fridge for 3 days. Enjoy one before each meal.

You will need:

a thick piece of fresh ginger root

rock (coarse) salt

1 lime

Make ginger root slices as thin as possible with a sharp knife. Place them on a plate in one flat layer. Sprinkle them with rock salt. Cut open the lime and squeeze it onto the ginger. Let the slices sit for 5 minutes or so before eating.

Spiced mung bean stew

You will need:

1 cup mung beans, soaked overnight

 

	2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or sunflower oil (choose the one that’s local to you)
	2 large onions, diced  5 stalks celery, diced
	4 cloves garlic, minced  1 inch fresh ginger root, minced
	2 Teaspoons each: ground coriander, ground cumin, salt 1 teaspoon each: ground turmeric, paprika, black pepper ½ teaspoon ground cardamom and cinnamon
	7 cups vegetable broth (make your own or choose a sugar-free, low-sodium variety)
	Juice of 1 lemon
	3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
	2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro  Rinse the soaked mung beans. In a medium-sized stock pot, bring the soaked mung beans to a boil, using four times as much water as beans. Cook for 45 minutes on medium-high heat, skimming foam as it rises to the top of the pot.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the celery, garlic, ginger, and powdered spices. Cook for another five minutes or so. 

Add the broth and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes or so.

Once the beans are soft, place a fine mesh strainer over the sink and pour them through it. Rinse beans and add them to the soup pot.

Stir in the lemon juice, parsley, and cilantro, cover, and cook on high for 10 minutes. Serve hot with injera, sourdough rye bread, or cooked millet.

Teff pancakes or injera, ethiopian skillet bread

Teff is a gluten-free grain in the grass (poaceae) family. It is rich in iron, fiber, and calcium. When fermented for 24 hours in this recipe, it acquires a sour flavor, which awakens the taste buds to spring’s arrival.

You will need:             

        ½ cup teff flour
        ½ cup millet flour
        1 cup water
        1 teaspoon salt
        vegetable oil

Mix the teff and millet flour in a bowl. 

Slowly add the water, whisking to avoid lumps.

Cover the bowl with a thin cloth napkin and tuck the corners under the bowl. Set it aside for a day and allow it to ferment. In this time, your injera batter will start to bubble and acquire a slightly sour flavor or tanginess.

If your batter does not ferment on its own, try adding a teaspoon of baking powder.

When you are ready to cook the injera pancakes, stir the salt into the batter.

Place a thin layer of vegetable oil in a nonstick or cast iron skillet. Heat until a water drop dances on the surface.  Keep the heat at medium temperature.

Coat the pan with a thin layer of batter. Each pancake can be thicker than a crêpe, but not as thick as a traditional pancake. It will rise slightly as it heats.

Cook until holes appear on the surface of the bread. Once the surface is dry, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool.

You do not need to flip it. By keeping it thin, each pancake will cook all the way through.

Serve with stew, sauerkraut, and other spring vegetables that appeal to you.

Grapefruit-braised endive with apple cider vinegar

You will need:
     1 Tablespoon honey
     1 garlic clove, minced

     1 inch fresh ginger root, minced - about the same quantity as the garlic
     Juice of 1 small grapefruit

     1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
     2 cups water
     1 Tablespoon rock (coarse) salt
     5 endive hearts (inner portion)

     2 Tablespoons local vegetable oil (olive or sunflower)

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, garlic, ginger, grapefruit juice, ginger and vinegar. Set aside.

Bring the water and salt to a boil over a high heat in a large skillet. Add the endive hearts and allow them to cook for 3 minutes. Drain them and slice the endives into ½ inch rounds and set them aside. 

Add the honey mixture to the pan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook it for 3 more minutes (or until it thickens). Return the endives to the pan, turn off the heat, and stir gently to coat them with the sauce. 

Place the endive rounds on individual serving plates. Drizzle them with the pan sauce and olive oil.

Drinking Chocolate and Breakfast Spice

Santa Fe is a food destination, and its pioneers are constantly inventing delightful combinations based on traditional ingredients. While walking the sunny city streets, watching locust leaves turn golden and clouds roll off the snow-capped Sangre De Cristo mountains, I noticed a shop I have never visited before: Kakawa Chocolate House. 

Guadalupe Church in Santa Fe

Stepping inside was like walking through time into a colorful and richly scented landscape in Oaxaca, Mexico. Altars honoring ancestors covered the mantle above the adobe fire place; purple, turquoise and gold depictions of the Virgen de Guadalupe made from thin silver adorned the white stucco walls. Without a moment of hesitation, I stepped up to the counter and started sampling their chocolate "elixirs", from pre-Colombian blends to modern European ones. Needless to say, cacao's unique flavor transported me to a euphoric place. 


Drinking chocolate is simple to prepare as long as you have the correct ingredients. For a simple version, you will need 85 to 100% bitter dark chocolate and sweetner. These chocolatiers use agave nectar. You can choose maple syrup or honey if you prefer.


Drinking Chocolate:
On medium heat, melt 1 ounce of darkest chocolate in a small pot with 6 ounces of water.
Once chocolate is melted, whisk it briefly. Add 3 Tablespoons sweetener and a pinch of salt.

Altar at Kakawa

Kakawa crafts combinations such as: red chile and rose; damiana and cacao nibs; caramel and nutmeg.


I can't help but think that this incredible drink would combine well with the sweet and spicy flavors of Northern New Mexico. I am proven correct when I take local ingredients to bake a chile cornmeal muffin. I visit the farmers market, where bakers are making delicious breakfast treats while signing up visitors for cooking classes. I gather some simple staples: roasted green chiles, mesquite honey from the hills above Dixon, New Mexico, and cornmeal from the nearby town of Chimayo. When combined and transformed through the oven's alchemy, these foods create a delicious breakfast or snack. Try them with drinking chocolate to warm your soul on a chilly winter day.


Green Chile Cornmeal Muffins


Dry ingredients:
1 cup coarsely ground cornmeal
1 cup flour (rice, spelt, or whole wheat)
1 teaspoon each: baking powder and baking soda
pinch salt


Wet ingredients:
1/4 cup peeled, seeded and chopped green chiles (look for Hatch Green Chiles in a can if you cannot find fresh ones)
1/4 cup local honey
1 egg (or 2 Tablespoons ground flax seeds for a vegan version)
1/4 cup milk (almond, goat or cow milk)
1/2 cup oil (sunflower or olive oil)


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


Mix dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
Make a well in the center, add the wet ingredients, and whisk them briefly.
Incorporate dry into wet and mix until just barely blended.


Pour into greased muffin tins or a loaf pan.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until edges are golden.
Enjoy!


Take a deep breath and savor the scent of your food before you taste it. Imagine how you can taste with your sense of sight and smell before you sample a dish with your tongue. This practice will help refine your palate to choose your own personal flavor combinations.

Pinto Beans, Chicos and Roasted Chiles

Fall in New Mexico offers a delicious harvest. In this arid climate, local people have been growing beans and corn for centuries. The abundant desert sun also allows chile peppers, sweet yellow, mild green, and spicy red, to grow bountifully. Every Saturday, vendors from the nineteen Northern New Mexican Pueblos come the the Santa Fe Farmers Market to sell their produce. 


I had the opportunity to talk with a farmer who had just threshed his crop of pinto beans, sweet corn, and chiles. As I sifted my fingers through the bushel basket of beans, he shared his wisdom about ways to cook the pintos so that they grow soft and digestible while maintaining their shape. 


Here is my interpretation of his recipe for cooked pinto beans:

Chiles with chicos (left) and pintos (right)

In a stockpot, place 1 cup of beans in 5 cups of boiling water; boil for 2–3 minutes, cover and set aside overnight. The next day, most of the indigestible sugars will have dissolved into the soaking water. Drain, and then rinse the beans thoroughly before cooking. Cook fresh beans for 30 minutes or dry beans for 50 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the top.


"We cook these beans with chicos", he told me, while opening a bag of smoked sweet corn for me to smell. The aroma, earthy and rich, tantalized my senses. I listened to his stories about the importance of preserving corn so that it lasts for the whole winter. First he described making chicos, sweet corn kernels smoked in their husks and dried in the sun. 


Then, he detailed the way to make posole, corn soaked in lime water and ash. This process, known as nixtamalization, is essential for producing whole grain dishes such as posole and hominy as well as masa harina, the corn flour from which tortillas and tamales are made.
Soaking the corn keeps it from sprouting while in storage. In addition to preserving the grain as foodstuff, this process also affords several significant nutritional advantages over untreated maize products. It converts B vitamins into a form that the body can easily absorb. It also makes amino acids and calcium more readily available.


Both forms of alchemy allow the corn to last for many months while creating a flavorful and digestible variation on this starchy vegetable.


Even though you may not be able to find chicos outside of New Mexico, posole is more readily available. When you have a winter day to spend at home, try this recipe for Posole Stew. It will take about 6 hours to cook and the final flavor is well worth the wait.

1 pound prepared posole corn, well-rinsed         

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 cups water

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin
5 cups water, approximately

3-6 dried red chile pods, rinsed and crumbled
2 tablespoons salt                     

Place posole and 10 cups water in large stewing pot. Bring mixture to a boil at high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer posole for 5 hours. Add the remaining ngredients to posole and simmer for 1 hour. 

Whether cooking beans with chicos or posole, many New Mexicans add freshly roasted green and red chiles. Their spicy sweetness lends even more depth to these traditional foods. 


Beyond being staple foods of the pueblos in Northern New Mexico, beans and corn are both food and seed. Every time we save a kernel of corn or a bean, we create the possibility for another crop to grow next year. Beyond their capacity to nourish us with a balance of protein and carbohydrates, these delicious seeds also feed the soil with their bio-available abundance of nitrogen, phosphorous and calcium.


No wonder each pueblo offers gratitude for beans and corn in its traditional dances and speaks of their meaning in their creation stories. Make time to cook and savor the simple richness of these foods for yourself.

Roasted Chiles

Roasting Chiles

Balinese Food

These humid spring days in Vermont remind me of the time I spent living on the equator in Bali. Every afternoon, rain showers would refresh the island and support the thriving plant life. I lived with a family who prepared delicious food and taught me how to cook it, not with recipes but with hands, stories, and laughter. Here are my renditions of some of the dishes I enjoyed so much. I hope this menu piques your curiosity!

Marinated Tempeh with Spinach and Coconut Milk

Slice tempeh into ½ inch cubes (both length-wise and width-wise,

depending on the thickness of the tempeh).

Throw cubes into a large bowl and add these ingredients:

1 Tablespoon mustard

2 teaspoons salt

1 Tablespoon each cumin and coriander

1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice

¼ cup olive oil

Toss with a spoon until tempeh cubes are well-coated. Leave to marinate for ½ hour.

Meanwhile, peel and dice two large shallots.

Then, mince 1 inch fresh ginger root.

Place 2 Tablespoons coconut oil in a deep-bottomed skillet and sauté shallots and ginger for 5 minutes, or until shallots are translucent.

Add salt, ½ Tablespoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon turmeric.

Add the tempeh and its marinade.

Open a can of coconut milk, mix well, and add to skillet. Bring everything to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer with a lid on for 20 minutes.

Wash and chop 1 large bunch spinach.

Add to the skillet and simmer for 5 more minutes, until spinach is well wilted.

Coconut Pancakes

Mix together:

a cap-full of apple cider vinegar OR lemon juice concentrate

¼ cup vegetable oil (olive or sunflower oil)

1 egg or 2 Tablespoons freshly ground flax seeds

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

¼ cup rice flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

Cook in an oiled skillet as pancakes and serve with tempeh dish.

Apples and Spring in Northern Italy

While we here in Vermont are just noticing tiny hints of flowers like pansies, daffodils, spring beauties and trout lily leaves, my homeland of the Dolomites is in full bloom! There are cultivations of delicious apples, which line the hillsides above vineyards. They have the best view of the mountains!
I miss Italy.
Apples are a wonderful refreshing and cleansing food for Spring. They rejuvenate the lymphatic system, gently cleanse the intestines, and clear the palate to enjoy the fresh flavors of Spring. Our food coop still has local apples from this past season! Try Spartan and Empire.
Here are two ways to enjoy them:
>>fresh as a snack with tahini (roasted sesame seed butter) or cheese;
>>as an after-dinner dessert, cut in half, cored, and baked face down in a glass baking dish at #75 degrees for 20 minutes.