tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8805846407617593852024-03-13T12:40:21.501-05:00Have Your Cake and Edith TooUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger271125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-77679338114285937392024-03-08T14:26:00.005-06:002024-03-13T12:39:48.724-05:00Tres Leches Rice Pudding (amazing *if you like* rice pudding)<div><p style="text-align: justify;">
I hate to include a caveat in the title, because this rice pudding is
unequivocally absolute next-level rice pudding perfection, and I want to
encourage anyone who has even the <i>slightest </i>interest in rice pudding to
go make this yesterday and swim in its horchata-style glory. A caveat's
inherent misgivingness sort of cuts against my zeal.<br /><br />
<a><img alt="Untitled" height="500" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53575866240_aca17ab523.jpg" width="419" /></a> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">BUT. I want you to know that I wouldn't post anything here that
wasn't worth posting! How can you trust me on that if I'm not totally
honest?<br /><br />The deal is this: I grew up eating rice pudding (and just a lot
of rice, generally) and I love it and I love horchata and I love tres leches
cake and typically I welcome an interesting mouthfeel, particularly if what's
in my mouth is dead delicious. Moreover: I'm at a point in my
midlife home chef / recipe connoisseur journey where it's tough for a
recipe to surprise me, i.e., I wouldn't try it if I didn't have a pretty good sense
of how it might result, and my sense is pretty reliable. Therefore: This
<a href="https://crayonsandcroissants.com/2012/10/31/tres-leches-rice-pudding-from-the-smitten-kitchen-cookbook/">recipe</a>, adapted from
<i><a href="https://smittenkitchen.com/books/">The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook</a></i>, was a no-brainer for me. To boot: The outcome wildly exceeded my fairly
high expectations<i>. </i>And <i>yet</i>: Only two of our household of five
appreciate this rice pudding, and I can only surmise that this division among
us relates to some kind of misguided, essentialist, "it's a texture thing"
rice pudding-aversion on the part of the losers (because, I assure you, the
haters are the ones losing out here).
</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
All that to mean: I don't want to pretend this is one of those bogus
recommendations a la, "This will make a mushroom lover out of your
mushroom-hating spouse!" Or, "Your family won't even taste the rice!"
</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
This recipe isn't going to change anyone's palates. It will simply reward
those with the <i>right </i>palate.
</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
My adaptations were minor: I adjusted proportions and "milks" based on what I
had and what I like, and I thickened the pudding with a cornstarch slurry in
lieu of an egg. <br />
</p>
<p>
<a><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53575633808_7db793bafc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
</p>
<u>Tres Leches Rice Pudding</u><br />Yield: serves 8<br /><br />
2 cups cooked white rice*<br />
2 tablespoons cornstarch, arrowroot, or tapioca starch<br />
1 cup (8 oz) milk (any kind! I used plain soy milk; the original recipe
recommends canned evaporated milk; any refrigerated cow milk would work fine)<br />
One 13.5-oz can unsweetened coconut milk <br />
One 12.5-oz can sweetened condensed milk<br />
2 cinnamon sticks or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste<br /><br />
To finish, if you'd like: fresh whipped cream, berries, a dust of cinnamon<br /><p></p></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
Pour your first milk into a large measuring cup. Whisk in the cornstarch or
alternative until there are no dry clumps. <br /><br />
Stir the coconut and sweetened condensed milks into the rice, then add the
cornstarch-milk mixture and stir to combine thoroughly. Drop in the cinnamon
sticks, or stir in the ground cinnamon. Place the pan on the stove and cook the
mixture over low-medium heat, stirring every couple minutes so it doesn't stick or burn, until about 90 percent of the liquid is absorbed
(about 25 minutes). Remove from heat, and carefully remove the cinnamon sticks,
if you used those. Stir in the vanilla extract, then divide the pudding among 8
serving dishes. Deb suggests that you keep the puddings in the fridge until
fully chilled, about 1 to 2 hours. And, practically speaking, of course that
makes sense for a make-ahead dessert. But it ALSO makes sense to eat a (modest) bowl of this warm from
the pot. It's a very decadent alternative to your morning oatmeal. You're welcome.<br /><br />
Dollop a spoonful of whipped cream on top of each bowl of rice pudding, top with
some fresh berries, dust with ground cinnamon, then enjoy.
<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
* If you are starting with dry rice, you'll need 3/4 cup uncooked white rice.
Put it in a medium saucepan with 3/4 teaspoon salt and cover with 1 1/2 cups
water. Bring to a low boil, cover with tight-fitting lid, and cook for 15 minutes, until water is
absorbed. Remove from heat and proceed with recipe above.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-15957342731750931612024-01-05T16:25:00.008-06:002024-01-06T09:00:26.697-06:00For A Crowd: Mom's White Chili<p>Hey! Speaking of missing mom's cooking... <br /><br />Today I'm posting for posterity a much-beloved recipe that covers a million bases often left vacant in this household, despite a mom's best efforts. What are these bases? you wonder. Off the top of my head, hear are a few:<br /><br />
<b>EVERYONE LIKES IT!</b> Except for like one week when one child, who requested it the time before, changed their mind. Some kids just like to remind you that humans always have the right to change their minds. Even on their birthdays, or visiting grandparents who make white chili because you said it was their favorite, or right when you get to the front of the Velocicoaster line, which you've sweatily endured for something like three hours. And it's true: human prerogative. Anyway, except for that one kid that one week, everyone likes this and asks for the recipe. (And now I can just say, check the blog!) <br /><br />
<b>Makes a lot of chili.</b> I guess that's one of the defining features of chili, right? Lots of it? And yet, I can't take the volume of this recipe for granted. Too much food has never been one of my kitchen problems. We waste little and the children are all quite big and continuing to bigger their bigness and they're quite physically active to boot and, so, they need a lot of food, and yet, despite being aware of this fact on a daily basis - admiring the hems of their pants ascending further from their shoes than is ideal from a fashion/warmth perspective, meeting a straight-on eyeballs gaze where once was a forehead - I find myself vaguely plagued by some misguided Depression-era frugality when I'm at the grocery store, thinking to myself, "should I double the recipe? No. That's a lot of chicken." Or beans. Or whatever. And then, invariably, we don't have enough dinner. It's a thing. But! Here, I don't even have to double it! It's just loads of dinner, in one pot, following one recipe, no multiplication required. Which brings me to...<br /><br />
<b>It's super easy. </b>There's barely even any chopping! No fancy, hard-to-find ingredients. Just your basic staples and some chicken (or no chicken, if you go the veggie route, but then a little more chopping).<br /><br />
<b>Big on flavor, short on time. </b>Seriously. Start to finish this takes 30 minutes, only 15 of which I'd consider "active" time.<br /><br />
<b>Vegetarian option is just as good as the chicken version!</b> I mean, I personally prefer it with chicken. But! If you're not a carnivore, the meatless option is delicious. (I enjoyed it for lunch just this afternoon and, no complaints.)
<br /><br /><b>There are accoutrements!</b> It's like <a href="https://avilaselranchito.com/newport-beach/">El Ranchito</a> circa 2001, my friends. Need I say more? Oh, I do? On the rocks with extra salt? What do you mean you're closing? I'm picturing an adult male blonde named Ben crashing our party? We met on the internet and he was perhaps in the FBI or was a designer of WMDs? And every second he spent at our table was cringily awkward but also magical, due to a combustive combination of tequila and salt and heaps of jalapeños and onions and the kind of friendship that makes you want time to stand still? (And, scene.) </p><p>(A thought: Taylor Swift laments a lost love like so: <i>You painted all my nights a color I have searched for since.</i> I stopped searching (thanks, therapy!) but can still quite readily, lovingly, vividly conjure a nostalgic longing for my Newport Beach posse. Those nights were a bold, energizing color.)<br /><br /><a><img alt="Untitled" height="500" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53445253749_45bb5e6479.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /></p><p> I digress! This chili is not Mama Avila's soup, but it is MAMA EDITH's soup! And I don't just mean me, the Edith in Cake and Edith. I also mean my mom, who is also named Edith. (True story!) My Mom Edith makes this soup especially for me when we are visiting one another because it's been a favorite of mine since my consumption repertoire consisted of five very particular things (four of which were refined carbohydrates). My Mom Edith is pretty famous for making consistently, impressively spectacular food, and always more than enough of it. <br /></p><p><br /><a><img alt="Untitled" height="500" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53443859442_2e452cf4a3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />
Also, did I mention that EVERYONE LIKES THIS CHILI? I really can't downplay that one. You know those admirable folks who have to try out a recipe before they make it for company? Maybe you are one of them, even? Okay, so if you are, take a break this time! Everyone will like your risky new white chili recipe on your first go. I promise! Go get a pedicure instead.<br /><br />
<u>Mom's White Chili</u><br />
This recipe is slightly adapted from a New Mexico restaurant-specific cookbook (I'll give proper credit after some research!)<br />
Yield: 10-15 servings <br /><br />
4 tablespoons butter or olive oil (or a mix)<br />
1 large onion, diced<br />
1 jalapeño, seeds removed if you like less heat, minced (optional)<br />
1 cup uncooked white rice<br />
3 quarts vegetable or chicken broth<br />
1 tablespoon ground cumin<br />
1 tablespoon ground coriander<br />
2 cans (15.5 oz) garbanzo beans, undrained <br />
2 cans (15.5 oz) hominy, undrained (I can only find 25.5 oz cans of hominy, so I use just one of those)<br />
1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see below for vegetarian variation)<br />
2 cans (4 oz) diced green chilies (OR, you could use one large poblano chili - dice and sauté with onion and jalapeño)<br />
Salt and pepper<br /><br />
For serving: lime wedges, crumbled queso fresco, pico de gallo, thinly sliced cabbage, cilantro, sliced avocado, tortilla chips<br /><br />
In a large soup pot, melt butter or heat oil over medium-low heat. Add onions, half a teaspoon salt, and jalapeno, if using (and poblano, if you go the fresh route), and sauté for 5 minutes. Add rice and sauté until rice is opaque. Add broth, cumin and coriander, garbanzo beans and hominy with their liquids, chicken, and diced green chilies. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. <br /><br />
Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken and shred or dice into bite-sized pieces. Return to the pot. Taste and adjust for seasoning. You might need to add salt, depending on how salty your broth and bean liquids are.<br /><br />
Serve with <i>accoutrements</i>. And a margarita??<br /></p><p><b>Vegetarian Version: </b>Omit the chicken. Add two large chopped carrots and two peeled and chopped parsnips when you add the broth, etc. It's veggie-centric and tasty! <br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-71914394601086233082024-01-04T13:09:00.007-06:002024-01-05T08:01:46.622-06:00Resolving to Eat More Vegetables for Dinner: Caprese Orzo Salad<p>In January, we eat healthier! Here, let me show you.<br /><br />
<a><img alt="Untitled" height="500" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53441016808_87a8f552e1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />
This is our go-to lately for healthy meets crowd-pleasing. It makes a big enough batch for five decent-sized dinners (supplemented with another veggie side, in this case roasted delicata squash) and next-day lunches for two. My middle schooler brings it in a thermos to school as a break from the tragic tedium of sunbutter and jam sandwiches, which he has opened his lunchbox to discover in disappointment approximately 840 times in the last 7.5 years. (I just did some actual math to come up with that estimate and now can see why he's over it.)<br /><br />
<a><img alt="Untitled" height="500" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53441197209_b30cea5fc7.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a><img alt="Untitled" height="500" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53441016813_3d3234f1f9.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />
I start with a bunch of baby greens, chopped with kitchen shears into bite-sized bits. Then I add halved baby tomatoes, orzo, shallot, a good amount of basil, fresh mozzarella pearls, chickpeas (or sometimes brown or green lentils that I cook for ten minutes in salted water before adding the orzo and shallot) and a drizzle of vinaigrette. Toss and let's eat. Except not so much let's eat right away, because this is a good make-ahead option, so it's more like, toss and put in fridge for folks to grab in between evening commitments, which are many during this thick, frenetic, delightful era we currently occupy.<br /><br />
If you try it, I hope you like it! And I also hope that someday, after my children have fled the nest but before the world's gone post-electric, this website can be a resource to them when they crave mom's food but just can't stomach another SBJ sandwich.<br /><br />
<u>Caprese Orzo Salad</u><br />
Yield: 6 servings<br /><br />
1 cup orzo<br />
1 small shallot, very thinly sliced<br />
5-oz bag baby spinach or baby kale (or any kind of sturdy but soft greens you like, about 3 cups) <br />
1 pint tiny tomatoes<br />
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned, drained chickpeas<br />
8-oz package of mozzarella pearls (drained if they are water-packed)<br />
Big handful of basil<br />
Your favorite sweetish vinaigrette (or mine, see below)<br /><br />
Optional additions that are nice if you like these things: big handful of parsley, tablespoon of capers, chopped up artichoke hearts or olives from a can<br /><br />
Bring about a quart of salted water to boil in a medium saucepan. Add orzo and shallot and cook until al dente (about 8-9 minutes). Strain and set aside to cool in strainer.<br /><br />
Meanwhile: chop up your spinach and halve your tomatoes. Thinly slice your basil and any other additions you're going with. Put everything in a large bowl, drizzle with vinaigrette, and toss. Taste and add some more salt, pepper, acid (lemon juice or vinegar), or oil if needed.</p><p>For my "vinaigrette," I just drizzle/zest/sprinkle all these ingredients on the salad before tossing (amounts listed are best-guesses. Of course adjust according to your palate's preference!)...<br><br>
1/4 cup olive oil<br />
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar<br />
2 teaspoons honey or agave or date syrup (Trader Joe's sells a tasty, affordable date syrup, which is the drizzle you see in the photos)<br />
Zest and juice of one lemon<br />
1 teaspoon <a href="https://www.penzeys.com/online-catalog/lemon-pepper-seasoning/c-24/p-441/pd-s">Penzey's lemon pepper</a> (which has salt in it AND which makes everything taste delicious) <br /><br />
</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-85223391355670587582023-12-05T11:38:00.014-06:002023-12-19T13:07:22.924-06:00Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting (egg-free / vegan option)<div style="text-align: justify;">Good morning! I've got an itch to do something creative but am also kind of low on energy and ideas. So the best I could manage was checking off an item on my to-do list: save and share pumpkin bars recipe. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I tinkered around quite a bit to get these right and want to ensure the successful outcome is repeatable. Here's the deal: I often think pumpkin "bars" are mislabeled pumpkin <i>cake</i> - delicate crumb, sort of spongy, airy, etc. All well and good, but sometimes I want a pumpkin <i>bar</i> that's denser, with a crumbly chew I can savor, like a brownie or blondie. Dense baked goods frequently rely on eggs to afford that rich texture without compromising moisture. So all that tinkering was to figure out a blondie-style pumpkin bar, sans eggs. And I think I did it! <br /></div><div><br /> <a><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53353622280_f2f490a0e1.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br /><br />
See?<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
It's got butter in it, and I topped it with a cream cheese frosting. I added some vegan options below though, for anyone who might like those. <br /></div><div><br /><a><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53353169546_2208cf6e6a.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
See below, our contribution to the festivities: all the carbs. Also, notwithstanding indications to the contrary, this post has certainly <i>not</i> been brought to you by Ove' Glove and Apple.
<br /></div><div><br /><a><img alt="Untitled" height="403" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53353622255_57ed81cd22.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br /> </div><div><br /></div><div><u>Pumpkin Bars</u><br />
Yield: 13 X 9" pan (20 v. generously-sized bars)<br /><br />
3 1/4 cups flour<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon allspice<br />
1 1/2 cups sugar<br />
1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter (could use vegan butter sticks)<br />
1 15-oz can pumpkin<br />
2 tablespoons molasses
<br /><br />
Grease a 9 X 13" pan. (If you want to serve these straight from the pan, just greasing is sufficient. If you want to take them all out and cut them to bring to your neighbor's Thanksgiving dinner, then you might want to line pan with parchment paper for easy removal.) Preheat overn to 350.<br /><br />
Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cream together sugar and butter in your biggest bowl. Add in pumpkin and molasses and beat until smooth. Add in dry ingredients and stir gently until there are no floury streaks left. <br /><br />The batter will be pretty thick, closer to cookie dough than cake batter. Spread it into a pan and, if needed, use a wet off-set spatula to spread it evenly into the pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a knife in the center and seeing if it comes out clean. If it's still coated in batter, bake for 5-min increments until done. Allow to cool completely before frosting.<br /><br />
<u>Cream Cheese Frosting</u><br />
From <a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/229508/pumpkin-bars-with-cream-cheese-frosting/">All Recipes</a>
<br /><br />
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened<br />
1 cup unsalted butter, softened<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
4 cups powdered sugar<br />
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon<br /><br />
Using an electric mixer, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until fluffy and smooth. Add in powdered sugar and cinnamon and mix until you've got a spreadable frosting.<br /><br />
<u>Dairy-free alternatives</u>: use vegan cream cheese and butter and follow recipe above. Or, option two: cream together
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar,
1/2 cup vegan butter or shortening,
1 teaspoon cinnamon,
1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 cup soy milk or other non-dairy milk,<i> one tablespoon at a time </i>until you get the consistency you want. <br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-71089577663875530732023-04-18T20:29:00.009-05:002023-04-19T14:51:07.047-05:00Creamy Roasted Tomato Pasta (inspired by "Baked Feta Pasta" TikTok sensation)April it is, and characteristically erratic. So far, we've had snowstorms bookend a steamy, sunburning week of highs-in-the-upper-80s. We have lilac buds and tulip blooms and all kinds of green shoots and stalks and tendrils fighting to stake their claim among fifty shades of brown. We've enjoyed wet walks and dry walks and pothole birdbaths and patio dining and a trip to the North Shore and too much birthday cake. There has also been a great deal of dining in. I'm trying to be better at family dinner, historically not where I've brought my A-game. There are just too many of them. Day after day after every day. But! I've recently allowed myself to accept and indulge the great unifying nature of pasta, and that's helped. I resisted pasta as a dinner staple for a long time (refined carbs and all) but the family likes it. It's quick and easy. There is no end to its variations. Inflation hasn't hit it so badly yet. And makes the absolute best leftovers. <br><br><a><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52827614608_2843bfa249_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Pasta"/></a><br><br>
Last night's pasta was a variation on a theme. About a year ago I first tried out the <a href="https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a35421563/baked-feta-pasta-tiktok/">Baked Feta Pasta</a> that got a lot of press coverage after it broke the internets when it debuted as viral TikTok sensation. (Or something? I don't even know the right words to use when TikTok is involved, <i>or</i> who should get credit for this recipe. I can speak to its deliciousness though. It's delicious.) At any rate! I made this a couple times almost exactly as written (less oil). Last time, as my spouse and I savored the <a href="https://flic.kr/p/2oo6jiQ">feta tang</a>, and while our children complained it was "too sour," I wondered whether a hunk of Boursin would work just as well, affording a milder, family-friendlier flavor. (My children are pretty picky. They hate my A-game.) I finally gave it a go last night and - YES! - it's delightful. Straight-up silky-smooth creamy. The combination of onions, garlic, lemon zest, and <a href="https://flic.kr/p/2ou79a4">my favorite dried herb blend</a> ensure it's at least as flavorful as the feta version. Everybody wins. <br><br>My other changes from the original are these: cut oil in half, used dried herbs instead of fresh thyme (unless it's growing in my summer herb garden, I find thyme a bit too fussy and not-my-favorite-enough to be worth it), went with baby red onions instead of shallot (first local farm produce of the season!!), and added a bag of baby spinach. That's gnocchi in the photos, but I've used whatever shelf-stable pasta is stashed in my cupboards and it's always turned out great. It's kind of heavy, as far as weeknight dinners go, so we ate it with a big green salad last night, and roasted cauliflower or green beans when it was colder out.<br><br>
<a><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52827357304_ece4a45989.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Pasta"/></a><br>
<a ><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52826601447_f0ee7a23f3.jpg" width="500" height="367" alt="Pasta"/></a><br>
<a><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52827173526_71c06c5aa9.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Pasta"/></a><br>
<br>
<u>Creamy Roasted Tomato Pasta</u><br>
Serves 4-5<br><br>
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes<br>
1 small red onion or shallot, sliced thinly<br>
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed<br>
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided<br>
1/2 teaspoon table salt <br>
2 teaspoons dried herb blend (better yet: Mrs. Dash or Penzey's wonderful rendition of same: <a href="https://www.penzeys.com/online-catalog/mural-of-flavor/c-24/p-219/pd-s">Mural of Flavor</a>)<br>
1 package Boursin cheese* (or 6- to 8-oz block of feta)<br>
10-12 oz pasta, cooked according to package instructions<br><br>
<i>To finish</i>:<br>
5 oz baby spinach<br>
Zest of 1 lemon <br>
Fresh basil, for garnish<br><br>
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss tomatoes, onion, and garlic with 3 tablespoons olive oil in a 9X13" baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and dried herbs. Make a space in the center of the mixture and put the Boursin cheese there. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of oil on the cheese. Bake for 40 minutes or so, until tomatoes have started to burst a bit and the Boursin has browned on top slightly. <br><br>
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil and cook your pasta. Coordinate the pasta cooking time with your sauce-in-the-making. You'll want the pasta to be done just a minute or two before the tomatoes and Boursin. Reserve a cup of pasta water before straining. <br><br>
Remove baking dish from oven. Add pasta and baby spinach, top with lemon zest, and stir until spinach wilts, and the Boursin and tomatoes turn into a creamy sauce, coating pasta. If you'd like the sauce thinner, add some pasta water, two tablespoons at a time. (I did this with the feta, but found the Boursin version was saucy enough on its own, and did not add any pasta water.) Sprinkle with basil leaves before serving. <br><br>
*Tip: put the Boursin in the freezer while the oven preheats (10 minutes or so). That firms it up so you don't lose any bits with the foil encasing it.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-1903272385006669542023-03-20T13:43:00.016-05:002023-05-13T17:17:22.734-05:00Spiced Chickpea Sweet Potato Stew and Happy MarchHappy Monday, my friends! I hope your March is going well. Here, March brings with it two household birthdays, a much-anticipated spring break, new hardwood floors and siding (on the construction side of things) - AND, strangely, sort of disturbingly, it marks my ninth month of dream-chasing. A human gestation period's worth of dream-chasing. It doesn't feel v. dreamy, unfortunately, or like I've gotten much closer to those aspirations I'm after. In January, I completed my first short story, which certainly felt like an epic accomplishment when it finally happened, but the subsequent let-down and failure to launch whatever is meant to come next have cut against that ever-so-fleeting feeling of dead chuffed. Self-motivation is tricky to sustain. Right? <br><br>
I've specifically struggled to unearth that archived motivation I once had - loved having, in fact - to regularly write <i>to be read</i>. I had that when I posted here more regularly in the long-gone days of feeding toddlers and teaching cooking classes. (Presently, I have two middle schoolers; and the last cooking class I taught was in 2017.) That era stands out in my memory as a creative time. And though memory has its flaws... I was creating babies and a family-oriented life and a hodgepodge, exciting, inspiring alternativy career and new-to-the-face-of-the-earth content, and even, it felt like, on the best days, community. While those years were frantic and, in retrospect, sort of dicey on the mental health front, I saw steady improvement in my ability to find just the right word, I made really great food because I was always on the lookout for something worth sharing, I think I was brave without knowing it, and I generally identified as a creative person in the thick of creating a life, and growing and nurturing other lives, and fostering creativity online, at home, and in the Local D'Lish classroom (RIP). The well didn't dry up, even when I worried it might. I have always worried it might. That's why I'm back here, spottily for now, but earnest. Trying to make systems and build practices and come up with a supportive structure to make this work. To make work. To write my damn book. Or maybe something else entirely. Or maybe just to share one of my favorite dinners. Regardless, thanks for reading. <br><br><a><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52757518652_4c85d010aa.jpg" width="479" height="500" alt="Untitled"/></a><br><br><a><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52758306829_34d0aecbdc.jpg" width="471" height="500" alt="Untitled"/></a><br><br>
My sister first introduced this chickpea stew recipe to me. It's from canceled NY Times contributor <a href="https://time.com/6263099/alison-roman-sweet-enough-interview/">Alison Roman</a>, who, despite it all, I kind of like and kind of relate to because I say the wrong thing too sometimes, have endured disastrous episodes of grandiosity, and prioritize a nice crunch in my salad. Maybe it's her oversized Elizabeth Cole earrings. Or more likely, her <a href="https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/12/salted-butter-chocolate-chunk-shortbread/">food</a>. I like her <a href="https://www.alisoneroman.com/recipes/labneh-dip-with-sizzled-scallions-and-chile">food</a>.<br><br>
Anyway, my sister cooked this for me and my family a couple years ago, employing her own adaptations - it was her idea originally to add the sweet potatoes, and she used broccoli instead of leafy greens. One of us at one point had a moment of genius that led to throwing in a half-cup of split red lentils to thicken the sauce. All this to say this recipe is one of those gems, conducive to resourcefulness and modification and virtually impossible to ruin. Just don't skimp on the turmeric! It infuses the creamy sweet potatoes and chickpeas as it simmers, and, IMHO, is the only non-negotiable. My main changes from the original include: a bit of streamlining, added coriander, subbed kashmiri chili (milder, more curry-like) for red pepper flakes, and I cut the fat in half - Roman, not famous for her judiciousness, calls for 1/4 cup of oil and two cans of coconut milk - and haven't since missed it. The stew thickens more quickly with the reduced liquid, and the addition of sweet potatoes makes up for any velvet lost on account of the reduced coconut milk fat.<br><br>
<a><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52758058036_9bc3298a7e_z.jpg" width="521" height="640" alt="Untitled"/></a><br><br>
<u>Spiced Chickpea-Sweet Potato Stew</u><br>
Adapted from <i><a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019772-spiced-chickpea-stew-with-coconut-and-turmeric">NY Times Cooking</a></i><br>
4-6 servings <br><br>
2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee <br>
4 garlic cloves, chopped<br>
1 onion, chopped<br>
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, finely chopped<br>
1 teaspoon table salt<br>
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric<br>
1 teaspoon ground coriander<br>
1/2 teaspoon kashimiri chili powder or red-pepper flakes<br>
3 cups cooked chickpeas (or 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed)<br>
1 small sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes<br>
1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk<br>
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock<br>
1 bunch Swiss chard, kale or spinach, coarsely chopped*<br>
3 scallions and/or handful of cilantro or mint, for garnish<br>
Brown rice, pita, for serving
<br><br>
Heat oil or ghee in a large pot over medium. Add garlic, onion, and ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown a little at the edges, about 5 minutes.
<br><br>Add turmeric, coriander, chili powder or red-pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir for 1 minute, until spices are fragrant. Add chickpeas and sweet potatoes and give them a stir to coat them in the spices. Add coconut milk, stock, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
<br><br>Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally; every 10 minutes or so, use a wooden spoon or potato masher to mash up the chickpeas and sweet potato; their starches will help thicken the stew. Cook for about 30 to 35 minutes.
<br><br>
Add greens and stir; cook until they wilt and soften, 5-10 minutes, depending on what you’re using. Kale (which I used) will take the full ten, all the while soaking up all that big flavor. Taste and add a little more salt and/or a squeeze of lime juice if you like a tangy finish. (I prefer this really smooth and warm - no lime juice for me this time, but in the summer who knows.)
<br><br> Serve alongside brown rice or toasted pita or naan bread, and garnish with something green and punchy, e.g. cilantro, scallions, basil, mint.<br><br>
*I throw my chopped kale stems into the stew and just make sure they're al dente before serving. Gives it a texture bonus.<br><br>
The leftovers are even better. xoE-N
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-71634709432170786822023-01-31T21:33:00.005-06:002023-02-20T16:52:54.349-06:00Really Exceptionally Delightful Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake<p>Here at CakeandEdith.com, you can have your cake, and Edith too on occasion, and then <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2023/01/pear-parsnip-bread-whole-30-update.html">more cake</a> and <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2023/01/vegan-pumpkin-muffins-and-happy-new-year.html">only cake</a>. At least in 2023. I swear we eat other things, they just aren't as fun to share.<br /><br /><a><img alt="Oatmeal cake" height="500" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52660994637_72c5291b67.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Plus: I'm not even vegan.<br /><br />This cake was assembled in under fifteen minutes before my youngest got on the bus to school - a haphazard effort to amp up my morning's sense of productivity and, multitasker that I am, infuse our arctic home with a little oven heat. Also the co-op's running a sale on Enjoy Life chocolate and my spouse and I both but separately opted to milk it for all it's worth, so we have like ten bags of chocolate chips. Did you like my literary play there? Using the word "milk" to talk about vegan chocolate chips? No? Just me? <br /><br />I'm not a nerd, <i>you're</i> a nerd. </p><p><br /><a><img alt="Oatmeal cake" height="500" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52661780999_52be74e822.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /> </p><p>Anyway this cake quite exceeded expectations, especially given its slapdash origins. I started with a recipe from <a href="http://www.apt2bbakingco.com/snacking-cakes">Snacking Cakes</a>, which is wonderful and I'd probably just make all her recipes exactly as written but for egg-allergic child and that pesky insatiable obsession of mine to veganize baked goods. Absolutely worth memorializing here for at least myself, but maybe you too! (Critics unanimously acclaim: "Mom, this is, like, really good." "Can I have more?" "You used all the sugar in the recipe this time, didn't you?") The edges have a nutty-crisp thing going on while the inside is soft and v. chocolaty. Like so: </p><p><br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/52661780994/in/photostream/" title="Oatmeal cake"><img alt="Oatmeal cake" height="500" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52661780994_35c559ba96.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br /><br />I will make this again, probably next week.</p><p>So what else is new, friends? Just watched a couple episodes of <i>Russian Doll </i>last night, which had escaped my radar until yesterday, when the <i>New Yorker</i> mentioned it, thank heavens, because I don't want to miss anything involving Natasha Lyonne or that rad raspy voice of hers I've loved since she was slumming it in Beverly Hills and I was slumming it on the Newport Beach peninsula. So that romance has been rekindled (it's a really good, really funny show full of hilarious women) and all is again right in the world. Or will be soon enough, once I've binge-watched both seasons. Correction: most things in the world are not right. I'm being flip, which maybe shouldn't be allowed in 2023. Things seem kind of dire, right? Cake is still allowed though. <br /><br />
<a><img alt="Oatmeal cake" height="500" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52660994632_bb86463fd2.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />
<a><img alt="Oatmeal cake" height="500" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52661986653_ca35d0f2d3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />
<u>Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake</u><br />
Yield: One 8" pan / 12ish servings<br />
<br />
1 cup oat milk<br />
1/2 cup neutral oil<br />
1/2 cup applesauce*<br />
1/2 cup brown or white sugar<br />
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds*<br />
1 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional but lovely)<br />
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (or pastry flour or cake flour)<br />1 tablespoon baking powder*<br />
1/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
3/4 cup chocolate chips<br />
1/2 cup oats, plus 3 tablespoons for topping</p><p>Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 8-inch baking dish.<br /><br />In a large bowl, whisk oat milk, oil, applesause, sugar, flaxseeds, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and cardamom until combined. Sift in flour, baking powder, and soda and stir until just combined. Gently stir in half cup oats and chocolate chips. <br /><br />Pour into pan and sprinkle 3 tablespoons oats on top. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Mine took 45 minutes. Be sure not to confuse molten chocolate perfection for uncooked batter. </p><p> * You could <b>sub 2 eggs</b> for the applesauce and flax seeds. You might want to add an additional tablespoon or two of sugar - your call - and reduce the baking powder from one tablespoon to one teaspoon. </p><p> xoxo E-NC
</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-57964033821319036082023-01-13T13:03:00.006-06:002023-01-13T13:57:18.105-06:00Pear-Parsnip Bread / Whole 30 Update<p>Good morning! I hope this finds you well and swimming head-above-water in the wreckage of bomb cyclones, blizzards, tornadoes, or whatever other pineapple express pummeling your part of the world presently endures. It's so crazy and sad and terrifying. My hometown, Aptos, has been devastated, along with its neighbors. Here in Minneapolis, we are okay, other than rough narrow roads and some occasional mishaps associated with too-heavy snow and ice on roofs. The roof of the arts auditorium at the U of M partially collapsed and some wall bricks came down with it. While parked in the driveway, my friend's car was assaulted by an ice sheet that broke off the roof of her adjacent house. </p><p>I am safe and warm with no pending insurance claims. I've been writing more, and sharing my writing more, and continue with the Whole 30. </p><p>*** We interrupt this broadcast with an important update on Whole 30 Take 3. I'm on day 13, but have not been 100% every day, mostly on account of social occasions. Even not super strict, it's powerful and interesting. There is a tremendous reduction in daily aches and pains. Sometimes I still notice the usual things - my left shoulder, right elbow and wrist, both hips, sciatica - but I think the elimination of inflammatory foods takes the edge off. Like a morphine drip, but with more chewing and cooking. And no hospital co-pay. I do think the impacts this time around are less stark though, and I imagine that's because I'm eight years older than last time. In my (mid)forties, physiological changes are generally more delayed than they were in my thirties. Like after skiing, I get super sore muscles two days later instead of one. And I'll leave it at that. ***</p><p>
Today I made this loaf for my family, who are not Whole30ing. It's a riff on a recent favorite: Yossy Arefi's <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022493-vegan-zucchini-bread?smid=url-share">Vegan Zucchini Bread Recipe on NYTimes Cooking</a>. (Subscription required for link to work - sorry or maybe you're welcome for sharing it here for free?) <br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><a><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52625427353_3ee47ec636.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /></p><p>Pretty good looking, right? Instead of zucchini, which I didn't have, I measured out two cups of mostly grated parsnip and pear, and a leftover nub of carrot. Inspired by another, older favorite of mine: <a href="https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/12/pear-bread/">Smitten Kitchen's Pear Bread</a>. The. Best. Anyway root veggies and pears are more fragrant than zucchini! My house smells like cinnamon and fall. I veered a bit as follows: reduced sugar, used one kind instead of two, and threw in whole wheat flour along with white. Note that the gram measurements are from NYT, and I used them because I like using kitchen scales and I don't like cleaning measuring cups, and maybe we are simpatico.<br /><br /><a><img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52625197659_19ac7c95c1_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><br /><br />
<a><img alt="Untitled" height="398" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52624949291_4e04a0f796.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />
<a><img alt="Untitled" height="431" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52625379660_ca7b2b8856.jpg" width="500" /></a> </p><p>Structurally, as far as eggless baking goes, this is the holy grail. The rise is amazing (dome never sinks), the crumb is like a <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2023/01/vegan-pumpkin-muffins-and-happy-new-year.html">perfect pumpkin muffin</a>, and the sugared top gives it a lovely contrasting crunch. I would pay at least five dollars for this at a bakery, maybe even six if they served it with a generous side of salt-sprinkled butter. I hope you make it. Chocolate chips would of course be an exciting addition but I skipped those today in an effort to convince my children that not all muffins and quick breads have chocolate chips in them. <br /></p><p>
<u>Pear-Parsnip Bread</u> <br />Makes one standard 8.5 X 4.5" loaf
<br /><br />
3/4 cup / 150 grams brown sugar <br />
2/3 cup / 160 milliliters soy milk or other milk of choice<br />
1/2 cup / 120 milliliters neutral oil<br />
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar*<br />
2 cups/225 grams coarsely grated parsnip, underripe pear, carrot, or mix<br />
2 cups/260 grams all-purpose flour (I used 60 grams whole wheat + 200 grams bread flour)<br />
1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1/2 teaspoon table salt <br />
To finish: one more tablespoon brown sugar*<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease your loaf pan generously. If it's a pesky one, line it with parchment.<br /><br />
In a large bowl, mix soy milk with apple cider vinegar and set aside.<br /><br />
In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.<br /><br />
Add 3/4 cup brown sugar, oil, and grated parsnip/pear/carrot to the soy milk and mix. Add dry ingredients into wet and stir until just combined, no floury streaks. Pour into loaf pan and sprinkle with one tablespoon brown sugar.<br /><br />
Bake for 50-55 minutes, until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes.<br /><br />
* Arefi uses 1 tablespoon lemon juice, for which I subbed the apple cider vinegar here. But I've used the lemon juice with the zucchini and it's nice. Arefi also uses turbinado sugar at the end, which I've done previously but I found the brown sugar sufficiently delivered on crispy crust front.
</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-66508857105755895512023-01-03T14:47:00.007-06:002023-03-20T21:10:02.253-05:00Vegan Pumpkin Muffins and Happy New Year!<p>Happy 2023! I hope you welcomed in the new year with loved ones and that sweet spot of hedonism - celebratory but not sleepless, hungover, or puffy. (Increasingly elusive as the years pass...)</p><p>My New Year's Eve (aka "My Birthday") was mostly fantastic: filled with food, kicked off with a decadent, boozy brunch with five of the best women friends a person could ask for, culminated at a perfectly chaotic family-friendly fondue party with neighbors, and sandwiched in between - lest we otherwise starve! - my little family enjoyed its "last pizza of 2022" at <a href="https://www.pizzerialola.com/">Pizzeria Lola</a>. Unfortunately, we concluded the night with an anaphylaxis-induced ER visit. Everyone is okay! My middle child has a severe peanut allergy, however, and is sixteen months in to the miracle that is oral immunotherapy. For the most part, it's been smooth sailing and we take it for granted that he can handle his daily dose of two peanuts. There are many rules though - for good reason, we've been reminded! - and on a festive fondue-infused child-centered party-hopping night, strict compliance went the way of last year's resolutions. We messed up, and it mattered. He had his first v. scary, serious peanut reaction ever, and epinephrine is a medical marvel, and he's fine. THANK. GOD.
<br /><br />
And now I'm doing the <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2015/04/lost-and-gained-on-whole30.html" target="_blank">Whole 30</a> again and craving one of these pumpkin muffins. It's snowing cats and dogs out there; this winter is drowning us. I don't recall a whiter December in the twenty-and-change since I moved here. My nerves are still wobbly after the peanut incident plus a few other close calls of late (a 2.5-hour icy highway journey from St. Cloud to Minneapolis, a slip-and-fall involving hundred-year-old stairs and a cast iron radiator with evidently lacerative edges). So, as the inches accumulate on our roads, I worry about school buses in ditches. The drivers in Minneapolis are top notch, but still. A chai tea latte and a pumpkin muffin might be cozy on a dreary day like the one we're braving.
<br /><br />
I am staying the W30 course though because my body needs it. There will still be sugar in February. In the meantime, perhaps you will enjoy a pumpkin muffin yourself. And perhaps it will alleviate any panic tendencies to which you are prone. In which case, I'm sorry and you're welcome. xo
<br /><br />
<a><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52602267581_747a985d0d.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br /><br />
<a><img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52602780598_7fe1db3b7e_z.jpg" width="480" /></a>
<br /><br />
A word on the recipe: these really are my favorite muffins from one of my favorite oldie-but-goodie cookbooks and I probably make these more often than any other baked good. You will love them.
In the pictures some of them are topped with Trader Joe's pumpkin-spiced pumpkin seeds (seasonal - crazy good). <br /><br />
<u>The Best (Vegan) Pumpkin Muffins</u><br />
Adapted from <i>Vegan with a Vengeance</i><br />
Yield: 18 muffins (or 12 muffins + small loaf)<br /><br />
2 2/3 cups all-purpose or pastry flour (400 grams by weight - I sometimes do half whole wheat flour here)<br />
1 1/2 tablespoon baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie or baking spice<br />
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
14-oz can of pumpkin puree<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
1/3 cup brown sugar<br />
3/4 cup soy milk (or any milk)<br />
3/4 cup neutral oil<br />
3 tablespoons molasses<br />
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional but highly recommended)<br /><br />
Preheat oven to 400. Generously grease twelve-muffin tin and a small loaf pan if you've got one.<br /><br />
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. In a separate large bowl, stir together pumpkin, soy milk, oil, molasses, and both sugars, until thoroughly combined. Add dry ingredients, one cup at a time, into wet and mix until there are no more rogue patches of flour.<br /><br />
Fill muffin cups two-thirds full. Put the remaining batter in the loaf pan (or another muffin pan, or the same muffin pan after you're done with the first batch). Bake muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted in center comes out clean. For loaf, test at around 30-35 minutes. <br /><br />
</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-44790437551975844652022-11-14T11:36:00.009-06:002022-11-14T19:40:39.994-06:00#23 of Things To Do Besides Write: Make a Big Tasty Bowl of Vegetables#24: Eat it.<br />
<br />
Hello. I bet you thought you'd never hear from me again here. I am as surprised as you are!<br />
<br />
But I took advantage of my updated iPhone camera, checked to see that my Flickr account was still valid, made a delicious salty, spicy pile of kale and potatoes, and figured all that was enough to check in.
<br /><br />It is snowing today in Minneapolis and I like it. We shall see whether I still feel that way later when I'm having shoveling-plus-perimenopause-plus-tail-end-of-flu-induced hot flashes, or tomorrow when my bum left shoulder flares up as a trade-off for clear sidewalks.<br />
<br />
Here's what's new:<br />
<br />
1. Two of my children are now big brave skiing, running, mountain biking, algebra-crushing, day-brightening, urban middle-schoolers. On the food front, the older is vegetarian and her brother continues peanut immunotherapy and has outgrown the vast majority of the allergies. The peanut thing is cool: he eats two peanuts every day and - more importantly - the tolerance he's built protects him against death by chocolate-made-in-peanut-facility, e.g. KitKat and regular M&Ms. So Halloween was extra fun this year. Rounding out the bunch is my kindergartener. He is the most like me: a little bananas, needs a lot of attention, feels both beat and emotion in the music, enjoys the thrill of a battle and security of making up. Sugar addicted, prone to respiratory illness. Abso-f*!@ing-lutely hilarious. He is allergic to eggs and always hungry and eats like four things. Super fun.<br />
<br />
2. I resigned from my law job this summer and am trying to become a writer. Goals are (1) to one glorious day get paid for this thing I do, and (2) to write a novel. In the meantime I am wrapping up a short story that I started last January, and I dabble in highly melodramatic poetry.
<br />
<br />
3. I'd like to make a new blog - a container for my random poems, things I read and really like, scenes whose deletion makes me cry a little bit, reflections on God and prayer and children and public education and monogamy and lost dreams and finding new ones and writing and theater and all those things that preoccupy me besides food.<br />
<br />
4. Until then, here is a deleted scene from my story:<br />
<br />
<i>Ellen hears about the film from Allie. It’s January and a Friday. Ellen’s family is wrapping up their first week back to normal life after a jam-packed winter break. Ellen can almost taste the Rombauer Zinfandel she and David will share when the children finally go to bed tonight. She polishes off the soy milk she pours over her kids’ whole grain cereal, preps lunches, collects socks, gloves, and permission slips hiding beneath couches and radiators. David is on outdoor duty this morning, testing the limits of their recent splurge: a cordless snow blower. They manage to get everyone fully bundled and out the door by 7:30. Ellen stands by the door to the garage, waves good-bye to David as he backs out of the driveway with their three kids, snug in their barely-family-friendly Nissan Leaf. She ignores the sink full of breakfast dishes and their preschooler’s ripe, sweaty flannel pajamas on the kitchen floor, and sits down for a minute with her coffee. She wraps her hands around the warm oversized mug and enjoys the silence, keenly aware of its brevity. She admires a ray of long-lost morning sunlight coming through her east-facing picture window, and wishes it didn’t shine quite so deliberately on her dust-coated wine rack. She checks her phone, re-reads Allie’s text. OMG. METADATA. YOU WILL DIE. She makes a list on the back of one of the eight glittery masterpieces that came home in Luca's backpack yesterday: <br />
<br />
soy milk<br />
shovel <br />
dust - kid chore?</i><br />
<br />
5. My days look a lot like that scene except no one named Allie ever texts me and we upgraded from the Nissan Leaf a few years ago and I don't want to talk about it.<br />
<br />
I do want to talk about the delicious veggie stew I just devoured though! It's all the things your body wants when it's on the mend from the flu, gearing up to spend the next two weeks fighting for its life to shed middle-aged columnar epithelium and the stubborn stroma to which it's attached, and relishing its first full-day break from children in twelve boogery days and as many clammy, croupy nights. Hooray for school and wellness and hand sanitizer!<br />
<br /><a><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52499666521_8568015f6c_z.jpg" width="500" height="440" alt="Untitled"></a><br />
<br />
What a treat to use hot peppers and make the house smell of garlic and ginger and know that nobody will complain because the hot peppers and house are all mine for at least a few hours. <br />
<br /><a><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52499666496_2b65d00df5_z.jpg" width="500" height="414" alt="Untitled"></a>
<a><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52500144815_99490309fd_z.jpg" width="500" height="446" alt="Untitled"></a>
<br />
<br />
The recipe is inspired by <a href="https://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/page/3/">The Wednesday Chef</a>, which was inspired by a recipe in Meera Sodha's <i>East</i> cookbook. I have forgotten all my rudimentary HTML skills and apologize for the layout of this post. This is all v. humbling indeed.<br />
<br /><a><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52500144825_26b82f9355_z.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Untitled"></a>
<u>Spicy Kale and Potatoes</u><br />
One bunch kale thick tough ribs discarded, leaves roughly chopped<br />
Oil or ghee<br />
Half an onion, finely chopped<br />
2 tablespoons grated ginger (about an inch chunk to start with)<br />
2 cloves of garlic, minced<br />
Half a can of chopped tomatoes <br />
1 teaspoon ground coriander<br />
1 teaspoon ground cumin<br />
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or chili powder (I used Kashmiri chili powder)<br />
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1 teaspoon agave nectar or sugar or honey or whatever<br />
1/2 cup something creamy (I used cottage cheese; original recipe calls for coconut milk)<br />
1/4 cup water<br />
1 large potato, chopped into 1 cm cubes<br /><br />
<i>Note from a former cooking class instructor: This is a recipe where salting as you go makes a difference! Measure out your teaspoon and then add a quarterish of it each time you add something flavorful or something that needs salt in order to be flavorful - onions, then ginger/garlic, then tomatoes + spices, and then finally with potatoes before covering.</i>
<br /><br />
1. On a medium flame, heat 1 teaspoon ghee or oil in a pan or pot with a lid and add the onions. Cook for 5 minutes over a medium flame, until soft and sweet.
<br /><br />
2. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Add tomatoes, spices, salt (if you are doing your salt all in one go, now is the time), and sugar.
<br /><br />
3. Add the kale to the pan and stir to wilt. Add the cottage cheese or cream or coconut milk plus water, stir. Add the potatoes and stir to submerge them as much as possible, then cover. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
<br /><br />
Makes 2-3 servings.
<br /><br />
I hope you like it. I'm so glad we're both here!<br />
xo E-NC<br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-52102832530486559972021-09-04T14:24:00.002-05:002021-09-08T20:59:30.025-05:00Worth Making<p>Here are some recent successes worth both making and sharing. You will notice that we trend simple and big-batchy here lately (except for the smoothie, which makes one stressed-and-starving-mama-sized serving).</p><p><a href="https://www.veganblueberry.com/vegan-burger/">Best Veggie Burgers</a>. These are vegan, nut-free, and delicious. They remind me of an old-school GardenBurger. They are made of primarily quick oats, onion, and mushrooms, but my mushroom-hater spouse nonetheless approves. We eat them on English Muffins with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and quick pickles. Tastes like '98 - a pretty great year.</p><p><a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022438-cumin-tofu-stir-fry">Cumin Tofu Stir-fry</a>. (Link will only work if you're a NY Times subscriber, sorry.) Crunchy tofu with a dry-spice crust, heady portions of fresh garlic, ginger, and cilantro, and al dente cauliflower bites. The leftovers were even better, heated up in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. A dollop of salted plain yogurt on top doesn't hurt.</p><p><a href="https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-trail-mix-cookies-gluten-free-grain-free/">Trail Mix Cookies</a>. These are infinitely adaptable and invite experimentation and resourcefulness. I make them with seeds instead of nuts and have substituted cassava, tiger nut, and oat flours for the almond and they all work. No matter what flour I use, taste is earthy like trail mix; texture is soft like an underbaked cookie. </p><p><a href="https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/tahini-date-smoothie/">Snickerdoodle Smoothie</a>. Post-workout food of champions! I don't work out right now, so that was an inside joke with myself. (<i>You crack me up, Self</i>.) But it's delicious and has some vegetable in it, so <i>obviously </i>super healthy.</p><p><a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2010/06/peach-brown-bettys.html">Peach Brown Betties</a>. Heck yes I'm linking to my own blog! Perfectly-portioned pies without the fuss of pie dough (which, candidly, I have yet to master). </p><p>And an array of vegan pancakes for the aspiring vegans and egg-allergic in our home:</p><p><a href="https://food52.com/recipes/82737-vegan-pancake-recipe">Food52's Fluffy Vegan Pancakes</a>. Makes hands-down the best diner-style fluffy pancakes I've ever seen without eggs. Graciously accommodating of any blueberries or chocolate chips that find their way into your batter. </p><p><a href="https://www.acouplecooks.com/vegan-pancakes/">A Couple Cook's Nut-butter Vegan Pancakes</a>. Still allergic to nuts here, so we use sunflower butter (though I bet almond or peanut butter would be even better). This recipe offers something a little different from the Food52 version; a little more depth. They brown beautifully albeit quickly - watch out with cast iron!</p><p><a href="https://healthiersteps.com/recipe/vegan-banana-oatmeal-pancakes/">Banana-Oat Pancakes</a>. These are amazing. Four ingredients plus pantry staples. Quick, quite filling, and - if you make silver-dollar-style ones - they are a good lunchbox addition. If you are feeding more than you or two, I recommend doubling the recipe. And you need a VitaMix or similar high-power blender.</p><p>I suspect we eat more pancakes than the average family.</p><p>Missing you all. Hope you're eating okay and finding occasional comfort in your kitchen.</p><p>xoxoE-N</p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-52712311330221751112019-03-05T20:53:00.001-06:002019-03-05T20:55:14.540-06:00Day 4 of W30 #2Yesterday went well - <a href="https://flic.kr/p/2dEskMR">zucchini-kale scramble for breakfast</a>, chicken-veggie bowl for lunch - until I went out to dinner for a friend's birthday. I feebly abided until everyone else had alcohol and spring rolls and then I cashed in my 8% leeway and had a glass of wine and some fried things that definitely contained gluten, soy, and heaven knows what all preservatives. Everything was delicious and I had a fantastic time and all was not lost. And today I was stricter.<br />
<br />
For breakfast: mug of homemade chicken stock, pulled pork, sautéed vegetables<br />
Usual lunchtime when I couldn't get away for proper lunch: banana bread larabar<br />
Actual lunch: leftover chicken curry, carrot, apple<br />
Dinner: leftover chicken curry, greens, riced cauliflower, cup-o-kombucha<br />
<br />
Fortunately the leftover chicken curry is absolutely outstanding so it's not bad eating it several meals in a row. Would you like to see some pictures of our food? <br />
<br />
<img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7886/32353053187_c35c056bae_z.jpg" width="480" /><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<br />
It's been a long time and photography has never been my strong suit, but you get the idea. That there above is the "paleo bowl" from <a href="http://www.greenfieldnk.com/" target="_blank">Greenfield</a>, one of I think three restaurants downtown where I can find a meal that is consistent with all the W30 rules but doesn't make me sad I opted for not making my own lunch. And that there below is documentation that MC's contribution is quite meaningful in 2019!<br />
<br />
<img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7808/40330226213_9d98b379c0_z.jpg" width="555" /><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<br />
Are you impressed? Even though curry - essentially a pot of pressure-cooked mush - is not that photogenic? I am delightedly impressed. Being occasionally delightedly impressed is helpful in sustaining a longterm marriage.<br />
<br />
And finally.<br />
<br />
<img alt="Untitled" height="480" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7844/40330263353_c0792d2531_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<br />
Nomnom Paleo's <a href="https://nomnompaleo.com/post/91332244628/spicy-tuna-cakes">Spicy Tuna Cakes</a> for my Ash Wednesday supper. The two in the corner are eggless (aquafaba as a binder) for my toddler to try. <br />
<br />
I looked into my recount of my last <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2015/03/day-4-still-truckin.html">Day 4</a> and evidently I'm doing much better this time around. It must be last night's sauvignon blanc and fried tofu. Ha! No regrets - even imperfect effort counts. Onward! Enjoy your Fat Tuesday - maybe eat an extra pancake for me. xoxo<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-10078391305634259892019-03-04T21:54:00.000-06:002019-03-05T20:53:39.377-06:00Day 2 of Whole30 #2MC and I are Whole 30-ing it this month - it's his first time ever and my first since <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2015/03/whole-30-day-zero.html">2015</a>. This go already feels loads different, not only because I know what to expect and whether <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2015/04/lost-and-gained-on-whole30.html">it's worth it</a>, but also because I have a live-in partner committing to the program alongside me, and - wonder of glorious wonders - that partner's kitchen skills have vastly improved since 2015. So it's not just me prepping all the food (and then prepping an entirely separate table of food for my grain- and cheese-loving family). It's also MC and his trusty Instant Pot! I have no doubt that seasoned W30-ers (and all primary-food-preparers) will appreciate this new development without further explanation. Another development is that everything about my life has changed since 2015! I rarely blog or teach cooking classes these days, I work outside the home full time, and I have a toddler (allergic to eggs and tomatoes). We are mostly vegetarian and I barely ever cook or bake anything interesting. And worst of all is that my creative writing skills are super rusty. But I thought I'd try to keep a record here nonetheless, since 2015's record sure has come in handy and I know other W30s out there like this kind of anecdotal data.<br />
<br />
This time, I'm not doing it 100%. I'm doing it like 92%, meaning, e.g., we snacked on Trader Joe's absolutely delicious vegan jackfruit "crab cakes" last night even though they had rice bran oil as an ingredient; I ate some soup with lentils in it for lunch today because I needed to finish it up from earlier in the week and I didn't want to postpone our W30 start date. Like everyone else, we've got a lot on our plate, including but not limited to: three children, jobs, school and church commitments, endless laundry, and a gazillion feet of snow outside of our house. So we are doing our best but accepting that what our best is right now will result in a somewhat modified W30, but will still serve as a functional reset for us.<br />
<br />
We are on Day 2. We are a little hangry but hanging in there.<br />
<br />
Yesterday we ate:<br />
<br />
Scrambled eggs and sautéed kale and grated root veggies for breakfast<br />
Shredded chicken with stir-fried red peppers and zucchini + <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2010/11/ten-posts-of-pumpkin-4-gingery-lemony.html">carrot-squash soup</a>*<br />
<a href="https://pipingpotcurry.com/coconut-shrimp-curry-pressure-cooker/">Instant Pot Shrimp Curry</a>, cauliflower rice, mixed greens, and Trader Joe's jackfruit "crabcakes" for dinner. MC made the curry and it was great, though it did not meat his expectations, which I just learned were recreating <a href="https://chinolatino.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/DINNER.pdf">Chino Latino's</a> Coconut Shrimp Curry.<br />
Both of us snacked on fruit and nuts and/or sunflower butter.<br />
<br />
Today we ate:<br />
<br />
Eggs and veggies (MC) and chia-hemp smoothie (me)** for breakfast<br />
Leftover shrimp curry (MC) and veggie-lentil soup + fruit + celery + sunflower butter (me)** for lunch<br />
<a href="https://therealfoodrds.com/instant-pot-sweet-potato-chicken-curry/">Instant Pot Sweet Potato-Chicken Curry</a> with green beans and greens for dinner - this is another MC creation and it's outstanding. I wish I had taken a picture of his v. impressive mise en place, but I didn't realize I wanted to blog about all this until after the fact. Next time!<br />
<br />
More later. xoxo<br />
<br />
* Subbed three tablespoons ghee for butter<br />
<br />
** Smoothies aren't "Whole 30 compliant" but see above; this falls into aforementioned 8%.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-14143568941465152512019-02-24T13:21:00.000-06:002019-02-24T13:21:07.431-06:00Note to Self <u>Week One</u><br />
<i>To do</i><br />
Make chicken stock (crockpot on Monday)<br />
Dressing for pad thai (Monday)<br />
Chop veggies for breakfasts (Monday)<br />
Make chile verde stew (Tuesday night)<br />
Make tuna salad (Thursday night)<br />
<br />
<i>Menu</i><br />
Tuesday: Eggs and veggies<br />
Mexican bowl<br />
<a href="https://foodbymars.com/home/2018/sunflower-seed-pad-thai-paleo-whole30/" target="_blank">Sunflower Seed Pad Thai</a><br />
<br />
Wednesday: Eggs and veggies<br />
<a href="https://foodbymars.com/home/2018/creamy-roasted-cauliflower-soup-pesto-bacon-aip-paleo-whole-30/" target="_blank">Cauliflower soup</a>, raw veggies + sunbutter<br />
Big salad with chicken<br />
<br />
Thursday: Chia pudding<br />
Veggies, hard-boiled eggs, apple + sunbutter<br />
<a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2011/03/chile-verde-stew.html" target="_blank">Chile verde stew</a> + cole slaw<br />
<br />
Friday: Eggs and veggies<br />
Leftover chile verde stew + fruit + cole slaw<br />
Tuna salad, leftover cauliflower soup<br />
<br />
Saturday: Eggs and veggies<br />
Leftover tuna salad, apples, carrots<br />
Chicken-sweet potato curry (MC/Instant Pot), cauliflower rice<br />
<br />
Sunday: Spanish tortilla + 101 Cookbooks magic sauce + green smoothie<br />
Big salad w/ chicken + fruit<br />
<a href="https://foodbymars.com/home/2019/paleo-cabbage-rolls-dim-sum-style-aip-friendly-whole30/" target="_blank">Lettuce wraps or steamed cabbage rolls</a> and green beans<br />
<br />
Monday: Chia pudding<br />
Leftover Spanish tortilla, big green salad<br />
Leftover curry, cauliflower rice; sautéed greens<br />
<br />
<i>Looking ahead</i><br />
<a href="https://foodbymars.com/home/2019/paleo-greek-meatballs-keftedes-aip-friendly/" target="_blank">Greek meatballs</a> (double or triple?)<br />
<a href="https://foodbymars.com/home/2018/puerto-rican-picadillo-with-plantain-rice/" target="_blank">Plaintain rice</a>??<br />
<a href="https://realsimplegood.com/crockpot-chicken-enchilada-soup/" target="_blank">Crockpot chicken enchilada soup</a><br />
<a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2011/03/sweet-potato-quinoa-and-swiss-chard.html" target="_blank">Roasted sweet potato salad</a> - sub more chard for quinoa<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-46394622782483242872018-12-05T21:18:00.005-06:002018-12-05T21:18:57.039-06:00Tried and TrueBelow are some recent winners, stored here more for my benefit than yours. Perhaps they'll help you in a pinch or motivate you to finally experiment with aquafaba (I'm three for three with it).<br />
<br />
<a href="https://cookieandkate.com/2018/healthy-honey-mustard-dressing-recipe/" target="_blank">Yogurt-Honey Mustard Dressing</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://minimalistbaker.com/the-best-vegan-gluten-free-waffles/" target="_blank">"The Best" Vegan Gluten-Free Waffles</a> - these really exceeded expectations; I used fine cornmeal in place of almond flour and vanilla soy milk instead of coconut milk; batter seemed thin but they turned out great<br />
<br />
<a href="https://cookieandkate.com/2017/sweet-potato-kale-and-chickpea-soup/" target="_blank">Red Curry Vegetable Soup with Kale, Chickpeas, and Sweet Potatoes</a> - a recent favorite; I've so far subbed red lentils or cooked brown rice for the farro<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chickpeas-and-kale-in-spicy-pomodoro-sauce" target="_blank">Chickpeas in Spicy Pomodoro Sauce</a> - never underestimate the power of fennel and red pepper flakes; I've made this twice lately and both times I reduced olive oil amount to 1/4 cup and entirely neglected to add the fresh herbs (even though I bought them) and parmesan - still super tasty<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/herb-marinated-pork-tenderloins-recipe-1948375" target="_blank">Herb-Mustard Pork Tenderloins</a> - sometimes you have two pork tenderloins in your refrigerator, so you google "Ina Garten Pork Tenderloins" and, as you likely know, she delivers<br />
<br />
---------------------<br />
<br />
In the throes of my aquafaba experimentation, I impulse-made vegan snickerdoodles with the older children. I started with a <a href="https://www.theppk.com/2012/09/chaispicesnickerdoodles/" target="_blank">PPK recipe</a> but veered considerably. I'm very happy with the results, which turned out soft, chewy, and much more domed than the original recipe, so if you're into vegan baking (and aquafaba!), have at it.<br />
<br />
---------------------<br />
<br />
<u>Vegan Whole-Wheat Chai Snickerdoodles</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
<i>For the topping</i><br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger<br />
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom<br />
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
<br />
<i>For the cookies</i><br />
1/2 cup coconut oil<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
1/4 cup maple syrup<br />
2 tablespoons vanilla non-dairy milk<br />
2 tablespoons aquafaba<br />
2 ½ cups whole wheat flour<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper (or Silpats).<br />
<br />
Mix the topping ingredients together on a dinner plate. Set aside.<br />
<br />
Mix together all the dry ingredients (flour through salt).<br />
<br />
In a medium mixing bowl, beat together coconut oil (room temp) and sugar. Add in maple syrup, milk, and aquafaba and mix thoroughly. Add in dry ingredients.<br />
<br />
Roll dough into your desired size cookies and roll in spiced sugar. Place on prepped baking sheet and bake. (1 teaspoon-sized balls took about 8 minutes; 1 tablespoon-sized took 10 minutes.) Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes (this is important - they are fragile right out of oven but will firm up while cooling), then transfer to baking racks to cool completely.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-5923387198898807832018-01-28T21:29:00.000-06:002018-01-28T21:49:56.467-06:00Family Dinner: Baked Lemon-Basil Risotto with All Your Veggies<div style="text-align: justify;">
This recipe is based on one from a cookbook assembled by families from my older children's preschool. It was a fund-raising cookbook; I assisted with data entry and edited recipes and the whole thing was fascinating. We all eat, cook, and feed our families so differently. You would be blown away by how many ways families have found to incorporate that box of Jiffy cornbread mix into their meals! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/39118759424/in/datetaken/" title="Plated Risotto"><img alt="Plated Risotto" height="388" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4744/39118759424_35f13202b7.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This risotto is among the gems I've found in the book, and credit for it was given to a Baby Led Weaning cookbook. When I briefly wanted to jump on the BLW bandwagon (didn't last - too much gagging and mess and heart palpitations for me), I tried it out and was delighted by both how delicious the finished product was and how not-stuck-to-the-pan the baked risotto was. (I had been worried - needlessly, as it turns out - that I'd have a glutinous crust soaking on my counter overnight. I love a recipe that cuts out hands-on time, but not when the trade off is adding time on the washing up end. This one is a win-win.) </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've made this several times now, throwing in whatever veggie knobs I've got to use up in the fridge and it's always good and it's been invariably well-received by my baby. It freezes great, reheats easily, and the leftovers make <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2015/03/a-letter-to-nicole-and-june-gf-bread.html">outstanding risotto cakes</a>. It's gluten free and vegetarian - could easily be made vegan by opting for vegetable broth and omitting the butter and Parmesan. You should probably make it!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/25955252758/in/datetaken/" title="The Evolution of Risotto"><img alt="The Evolution of Risotto" height="500" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4671/25955252758_1872e43ff5.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The version below incorporates my favorite flavor combination: fresh basil, fresh lemon, and dried red pepper flakes. I recommend it as written, but this recipe is a canvas. Go crazy. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
xx E-N</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/39198175414/in/datetaken/" title="Kitchen Sink Risotto Ingredients"><img alt="Kitchen Sink Risotto Ingredients" height="377" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4762/39198175414_8e04c4eed6.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/25955252378/in/datetaken/" title="Two Burners"><img alt="Two Burners" height="321" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4719/25955252378_30a9fd6c06.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<u>Baked Vegetable Risotto with Basil, Lemon, and Red Pepper Flakes</u></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yield: 8 servings </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 quart vegetable or chicken stock + 1 cup water</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2 tablespoons olive oil </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 onion, finely chopped</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2 small carrots, finely chopped</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3+ cloves garlic, minced* </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
4-5 cups finely chopped vegetables** </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 1/2 cups arborio rice</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Zest and juice of half a lemon</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2 tablespoons butter (optional)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional - if you opt out, add 1/2 teaspoon salt before putting in oven)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2 large handfuls fresh basil</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more for serving</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 2-quart or larger saucepan, bring stock and water to boil. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a large oven-safe casserole dish or steel pan (I used a 12" ovenproof stainless steel skillet) over low-medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onion and carrot with a pinch of salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft (about 5 minutes). Add garlic, vegetables, lemon zest, and another big pinch of salt and cook until they begin to soften (another 5 minutes). Add arborio rice and additional tablespoon of oil to pan; stir to make sure that all the grains have a light coating of oil on them. Add the boiling stock-water mixture to the pan and bring to a boil. Cover dish (or transfer mixture from pan to an ovenproof casserole dish with a cover), and bake in oven for 30 minutes. Stir gently and add more hot stock if necessary (I have never had to). Taste and, if still al dente, bake for another 5-10 minutes.<br />
<br />
While the risotto is cooking, slice or chop your basil and grate your Parmesan. Remove risotto from oven and stir in butter, lemon juice, Parmesan, basil, and red or black pepper. Serve hot, with extra Parmesan, basil, and red pepper flakes on hand.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* I used 5 cloves of garlic because I like garlic and it was by no means overwhelming.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
** I used - and recommend using! - 1 small head of broccoli, 1 red pepper, 2 zucchinis, ~10 halved baby tomatoes. You might consider using: a diced butternut squash or a mix of mushrooms finished up with arugula at the end. That would be super tasty and ever so grown up of you.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-85423189275439861182018-01-12T21:37:00.001-06:002018-01-12T21:39:24.258-06:00Maybe I'll Make ItMinnesota has gone tundra. I'm reminded by my fellow Minneapolitans that it's all relative and that my family and I actually missed the REAL cold, which descended and camped out for nearly two weeks in late December and the first days of 2018, and which we escaped in order to spend the 2017 holidays a mile in from the Pacific Coast Highway, no jackets in sight. (We couldn't have planned it better!) We were welcomed back mildly a week ago, and were spoiled with an unseasonable dose of spring until yesterday, when the outside-temperature gauge on my car informed me that we were officially in the single digits, and later the negative digits. It's customary to complain or at least commiserate with the locals about the cold here. I mean, what we deal with most winters is unfathomable to most of the world. But as a California native, I don't take the cold for granted. I kind of love it. It affords a lot of structure to your days and forces you to think before you act. It also makes you want to turn on that oven. And stove and slow-cooker and brand new instant pot. And maybe it will make me blog again. <br />
<br />
Last night we made <a href="http://www.thesophisticatedcaveman.com/pressure-cooker-chicken-faux-pho/">this chicken faux pho</a> for the second time - it's spectacular, and even more so on day two, you should make it! <br />
<br />
In the upcoming freezing days, here are some things that have motivated me to get cooking:<br />
<a href="https://www.sproutedkitchen.com/home/2017/11/20/lasagna-style-spaghetti-squash"><br />
Lasagna Style Spaghetti Squash</a><br />
<a href="http://joythebaker.com/2017/11/baked-lemon-spinach-risotto/">Baked Lemon Spinach Risotto</a><br />
<a href="https://www.sproutedkitchen.com/home/2011/12/29/lentil-meatballs-in-lemon-pesto.html">Lentil Bites</a><br />
<a href="https://food52.com/recipes/25130-tempeh-and-sweet-potato-hash">Tempeh and Sweet Potato Hash</a><br />
<a href="https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/12/salted-butter-chocolate-chunk-shortbread/">Salted Butter Chocolate Cookies</a><br />
<br />
Wish me luck!<br />
<br />
And a very Happy 2018 to you!<br />
<br />
xxE-N<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-21980787766310953052016-08-19T12:13:00.002-05:002018-01-02T13:02:41.230-06:00Dressing Up: Spiced Apple Cider Vinaigrette to Enhance Your End-of-Summer Salad DaysIt's summer and the weather's been too hot for proper cooking and life's been too fragmented for me to prep for grilling or slow-cookering or [whatever else people do]. We have been eating an awful lot of salads these days and nobody's complaining.<br />
<br />
Here's why: I don't mess around with my salad dressings. I take them v. seriously and my goal is to have on hand a couple at a time, both good enough to drink. Dressings are meant to help the veggies go down. The lovelier they are, the more veggies we'll consume, right?<br />
<br />
This one has been a go-to this summer, based on <a href="http://www.mynewroots.org/site/2010/06/the-best-lentil-salad-ever-2/">an all-star recipe from My New Roots</a>, but doubled (you'll want the extra!) and simplified a bit for those of you who get daunted by long ingredient lists and/or don't want to buy twelve spices just for a dressing. Even if it is in the top three dressings ever.<br />
<br />
This is what I put it on last night: a lentil salad, as suggested on the My New Roots blog, but with way more vegetables.*<br />
<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/29012578171/in/datetaken/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="415" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8394/29012578171_e5abfc1996.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
It would be great with some sort of quinoa or other grain salad with roasted sweet potatoes or squash and/or grilled meats of some sort. Mixing in something salty-umami (olives, capers, grilled mushrooms) with something sweet-tart (dried fruit, apricots) is nice. Go big or go home - veggies are good for you!<br />
<br />
<u>Spiced Apple Cider Vinaigrette</u><br />
2/3 cup olive oil<br />
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar<br />
2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey<br />
1-2 tablespoons strong mustard (I use a spicy stone-ground kind but dijon would be good too)<br />
2 teaspoons salt<br />
2 teaspoons pepper<br />
1 teaspoon ground cumin<br />
1 teaspoon ground coriander (or two teaspoons if this is your favorite spice and/or it's not in your curry powder - this adds a nice citrusy tone to the dressing to brighten up all the other strong spices)<br />
1 teaspoon baking spice (e.g. apple pie/pumpkin pie spice)<br />
1 teaspoon mild or medium curry powder (a more yellow one will be milder (my preference), something like garam masala would make this a v. intense dressing - not a bad thing, but if that's what you're using maybe start with 1/2 teaspoon and adjust accordingly)<br />
1/4 teaspoon or more cayenne pepper<br />
<br />
Put ingredients in a jar, shake it all up, and put on everything! Store in the refrigerator for at least a week.<br />
<br />
* In pictured salad: "zen greens" blend, tomatoes, carrots, celery, apricot, cucumber, al dente black lentils, sheep's milk feta, capers, and raw sunflower seeds. It was really good. I'm about to eat it again for lunch.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-20315811528192857852016-03-12T14:22:00.001-06:002016-03-14T20:32:53.554-05:00Rest-of-March Meal Plan<div style="text-align: justify;">
Meal plan for ten days. More for me than you, but maybe it will inspire you. Hope springs eternal. <i>Oh to be inspiring</i>, she thought, self-indulgently, before eating more than her share of <a href="http://joythebaker.com/2015/07/milk-chocolate-cookies-and-cream-cookies/" target="_blank">cookie cookies</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Day 1: <a href="http://www.upton43.com/" target="_blank">Date night</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><img alt="Untitled" height="386" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1607/25798650795_3eeac0ffeb.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We went to <a href="http://www.grandcafempls.com/">Grand Cafe</a> and discovered Sunday is Sicilian pizza night. We went big (like, even dessert) and then I got to enjoy the leftovers for lunch today. I heart leftovers.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Day 2: <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2016/02/roasted-yams-and-chickpeas-with-yogurt/" target="_blank">Roasted yams and chickpeas</a> + sautéed greens + <a href="https://food52.com/blog/9333-1-batch-of-poached-pears-5-breakfasts" target="_blank">poached pears</a> for dessert</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1625/25497959820_be0e1f043f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Day 3: Leftover <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2014/05/everyday-food-red-lentils-gone-perfect.html" target="_blank">lentil stew</a> (most of us) + leftover yams and chickpeas served over rice (others of us) + green salad + avocado slices</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><img alt="Untitled" height="493" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1620/25497961350_dcc3ba70bc.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Day 4: Brinner - starring Beeler's sausage + <a href="https://food52.com/blog/9333-1-batch-of-poached-pears-5-breakfasts" target="_blank">poached pear</a> <a href="https://food52.com/recipes/22622-heidi-swanson-s-baked-oatmeal" target="_blank">baked oatmeal</a> + yogurt + carrot salad</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Day 5: <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2010/03/as-spicy-as-you-want-it-miso-soup-with.html" target="_blank">Spicy miso soup</a> - swapping in my new favorite condiment, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gochujang-Korean-Chili-Sauce-Pack/dp/B00OQGC20U" target="_blank">gochujang</a>, for the Sriracha - with loads of veggies, tofu, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lotus-Foods-Ramen-Noodles-Millet/dp/B00HKIBKQS" target="_blank">these unexpectedly delicious noodles</a> (Full disclosure: my children won't eat soup, or anything spicy. They will, however, eat a plate of steamed vegetables, tofu (if it's salty and crispy enough) and al dente noodles, all drenched in butter. Deconstructed soup, if you will.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Day 6: <a href="http://www.rachelkhoo.com/recipe/recipe-japanese-teriyaki-salmon-buns" target="_blank">Rachel Khoo's salmon buns</a> (Alicia, come on over!) + <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2015/03/asian-cole-slaw-for-company.html" target="_blank">citrusy slaw</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Day 7: Chorizo huevos rancheros (recipe to come) + leftover citrusy slaw + homemade baked tortilla chips</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Day 8: Lentil Sloppy Joes (recipe to come) on cheesy arepas + kale chips + crudité OR <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2015/10/hi-remember-me-plus-coconut-curry-with.html" target="_blank">weeknight coconut curry</a> + quinoa, if timing gets tricky</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Day 9: <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2010/03/miso-chicken-piccata.html" target="_blank">Miso chicken piccata</a> (note: use coconut or almond flour in place of wheat flour to make this gluten free; also check your miso) + green beans, cucumbers, and tomatoes with basil vinaigrette + quinoa</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Day 10: <a href="https://food52.com/recipes/21554-snow-pea-cabbage-and-mizuna-salad-with-marinated-and-seared-tempeh" target="_blank">Snow Pea, Cabbage, and [Mixed Greens] Salad with Smoky Tempeh</a> (with a side of quesadillas for the littles...)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On Day 11, somebody is going to cook for <i>me</i>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Happy beautiful March.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
xoxo</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-90241164092041091302016-03-08T11:04:00.001-06:002016-03-08T13:03:53.383-06:00You Had Me at Vegan: Date Nut Raisin Bread<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am back, my friends, because this is a recipe worth sharing. It's slightly adapted from a Date Nut Bread recipe in Food52's new <i>Vegan</i> cookbook - a delightful cookbook indeed, whether you're an experienced vegan, an aspiring vegan, or an omnivore who likes to cook and eat all kinds of different things (and maybe minimize your food consumption's harmful impact on the environment and animals). There's something kind of fresh and beautiful and clean about the cookbook, even though a lot of the recipes are the same ol' thing - tofu scrambles, mac-n-[tahini and nutritional yeast instead of]cheese. I'm a sucker for all the things the book does well: simple, straightforward recipes; stunning photography; lots of grains and greens and beans. I'm also a sucker for dates, as are my children, as we all are for all things "bread", so this recipe was rather inevitably the first one I tackled from the book, within about 24 hours of picking it up from the library. I am v. glad I tackled it. It is nothing short of absolutely delicious.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The day we baked this bread may v. well have been our last snow day of the year, given current forecasts, and nothing says baking day like a little flurry, right?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1603/25545556796_5e23120354.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
B was my helper, as usual. He's a pretty great little baker. He has gotten v. good at measuring by weight and whisking without making a giant mess. He's not so good at cracking eggs, so thank heavens for flaxseeds.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1543/25204135039_09c60a03db.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1524/25453111332_330107e028.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1640/25478962931_6d773e1f50.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1643/25276078740_735b405469.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1578/25204140289_ef5a05f7ef.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My changes were minimal, motivated by resourcefulness, economics, and safety: used 200 g of dates + 175 g raisins, as that's what I had on hand and anyway dates are like six times the cost of raisins; omitted the walnuts because, well, anaphylaxis; doubled the salt and ditched a a third of the sugar (I almost always do both of these in baked goods, unless it's the kind of crazy decadent <a href="http://joythebaker.com/2015/07/milk-chocolate-cookies-and-cream-cookies/" target="_blank">cookies</a> that are fully intended to cause a toothache, then I use the called-for amount of sugar); used bread flour because I didn't have all-purpose. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's still supergood and moist (ew!) and perfect on day 4, particularly (but by no means necessarily) if you suddenly recall that you're not vegan and top it with a big smear of butter and a sprinkle of salt. <i>Dang.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Two mega tips:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. Sift your baking soda into the dry ingredients (or wet, if you prefer; just make sure there are zero clumps). <a href="https://flic.kr/p/EVnHaC" target="_blank">Here's B showing you how</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. Cool completely before slicing. It's hard (like, really hard) but you'll have a much more structurally sound bread if you do.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><img alt="Untitled" height="425" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1719/25590738906_ed646ffdf1.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><br /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<u>Vegan Date Raisin Bread</u></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Adapted from <a href="https://food52.com/recipes/27865-vegan-date-nut-bread" target="_blank">Food52</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yields: 1 standard loaf; about 10-12 servings</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2 cups boiling water</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 cup pitted dates (I used deglet), chopped as finely as you can be bothered</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1/2 cup raisins</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose or bread flour</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1/2 cup sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 tablespoon baking soda (sift this!)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1/2 teaspoon salt (finely ground - if using kosher salt, use 3/4 to 1 teaspoon)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 teaspoon cinnamon</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3/4 cup soy milk or other nondairy milk</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (another more neutral oil will work here too, e.g. grapeseed, sunflower)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9X5" loaf pan. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Pour boiling water over chopped dates and raisins and let them soak while you prepare everything else.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, sifted baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together 1 tablespoon of flaxseeds and 3 tablespoons of the water that your dates are soaking in (or if there's not enough, just use some warm tap water). Let the flax-water mixture sit until thickened. In a larger bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the nondairy milk and vinegar until frothy. (Wondering why the vinegar? Two reasons: (1) it will "sour" the nondairy milk and act like buttermilk, making for a more tender (ew!) bread; (2) the vinegar will react with all that baking soda in the oven, helping the bread rise a bit despite the absence of eggs, which are a big player in the leavening of traditional baked goods.) Add the melted coconut oil and the flaxseed mixture. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Drain the dates and raisins well. Fold them into the batter, then stir in a splash more of nondairy milk if it seems too dry. (I didn't need a splash more of milk, but I didn't really drain my dates and raisins <i>that </i>well.) Pour batter into greased pan.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Bake for 35-45 minutes, rotating pan after about 20 minutes. Insert a toothpick or knife into center to see if it's dry. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack and cool for a least 15 minutes longer before slicing and serving. Store in an airtight container for at least four days.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-36787422758446291462016-02-08T07:50:00.001-06:002016-02-08T07:50:34.356-06:00Good-bye Local D'Lish <i>It is with a heart both slightly broken and majorly overflowing with gratitude and joy that I share some important news: Local D'Lish is closing its doors this week, and I will no longer be teaching regularly at that special store. I have so much to say about this!!! But in the mean time, please come support me, Ann, the Yin family, and our beloved neighborhood, which will be feeling a great loss, as we say good-bye to Local D'Lish and hello to new chapters in all of our lives! </i><br />
------<br />
A message from Ann Yin, the owner of Local D'Lish:<br />
<br />
Dear Local D'Lish Family, <br />
Close to 8 years ago I opened Local D'Lish with the goal of helping people connect <br />
through the power of food. I wanted to highlight and feature local farmers and <br />
food artisans by building a community centered around slow and intentional<br />
food. I feel confident that through my little "magical" store, Local D'Lish, "WE" <br />
have been able to do that.<br />
<br />
What an honor it has been to get to know all of you and introduce you to <br />
amazing local farmers, food artisans and chefs. In the last 8 years we have <br />
launched many many foodie careers (especially for women), we have raised <br />
thousands of dollars for hundreds of organizations, we have had an incredible <br />
impact on the growth of the local food/farm to table movement here in the Twin <br />
Cities. Through endless social events, winter markets, neighborhood events and <br />
product launches, we have helped to grow this incredible North Loop <br />
neighborhood into a central part of the city’s culture.<br />
<br />
What a joy it has been to be a part of all of your lives and all of this wonderful <br />
celebration around food and community. I have put my heart and soul into Local <br />
D'Lish and the North Loop, but it is time now for me to transition into something <br />
that will offer me more of a work/life balance. Most of you have watched my <br />
family grow and you also know how important my girls are to me, owning a <br />
business takes such a huge commitment of time and resources. I am so incredibly <br />
proud of what I have created and nurtured in this little store but it is time for me <br />
to find a new career that will offer me more balance in my family life.<br />
<br />
In this spirit I have officially closed Local D'Lish and am officially searching for a <br />
new career chapter in my life. To wind down the store, clear out my inventory <br />
and to celebrate all that we have accomplished I will host a final sale on Thursday, February 11 from 10am-7pm. I hope you will be able to join me and my family to say goodbye while enjoying some great discounts on inventory, equipment and general merchandise. Stop in to shop, share stories and give me a big hug. Thank you for sharing this journey with me. I genuinely treasure this experience. <br />
<br />
All my love, <br />
Ann<br />
Local D'Lish<br />
208 N. 1st Street<br />
Minneapolis, MN 55401<br />
612-886-3047Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-30604032330817145432015-10-27T11:24:00.000-05:002015-10-27T11:46:47.855-05:00How to Feed an EaterStarting ever so delightfully soon, we are hosting two beloved visitors for ten days. One of them eats a lot more and a lot differently than we do on Cake and Edith Avenue. So I have a plan, and I'm posting it here in case you need a plan too because maybe you also have a dad or several teenage sons to feed. I'll let you know how it goes.<br />
<br />
<u>Day 1</u><br />
<a href="https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/3243-skillet-chicken-pot-pie-with-biscuit-topping" target="_blank">Skillet Chicken Pot Pie</a>* (similar in method to <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2015/10/skillet-lasagna-with-homemade-marinara.html" target="_blank">Skillet Lasagna</a>)<br />
Green Salad<br />
<a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2011/08/green-beans-and-pluots-why-not.html" target="_blank">Green beans</a><br />
<br />
<u>Day 2</u><br />
Vegetarian tacos with <a href="http://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/slow-cooked-black-bean-ragout" target="_blank">Smitten Kitchen's black beans</a>, queso fresco, and <a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2010/06/sweet-potato-and-black-bean-tacos.html" target="_blank">magic green sauce</a> or <a href="http://naturallyella.com/tomatillo-dressing-site-updates/" target="_blank">roasted tomatillo dressing</a><br />
Fried plantains<br />
Rice<br />
<a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2013/03/we-should-date-or-at-least-enjoy-some.html" target="_blank">Sweet and spicy coleslaw</a><br />
<a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Escabeche-De-Cebolla--Yucatecan-Pickled-Red-Onions" target="_blank"><i>Saveur</i>'s pickled red onions</a><br />
<br />
<u>Day 3</u><br />
<a href="http://www.cakeandedith.com/2010/12/damn-good-chili.html" target="_blank">Damn good chili</a> plus all the fixins (e.g. "3 boxes of Saltines" for Eater alone)<br />
<a href="http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/10356/Raw_Beet_Slaw_Recipe_By_Diane_Morgan.htm" target="_blank">Root veggie coleslaw</a><br />
<a href="http://leitesculinaria.com/7175/recipes-cornbread.html" target="_blank">Peter Reinhart's cornbread</a> (i.e. the only cornbread we will ever eat in our home)<br />
Honey butter<br />
<br />
Day 4 might be leftovers and/or take-out plus Halloween candy. Day 5 involves a dinner party elsewhere (Alleluia!). And then we're halfway there.<br />
<br />
*You need a membership for access to that recipe. It's worth it. ATK is the best.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-32762102842390030212015-10-13T12:07:00.002-05:002015-10-13T12:09:47.896-05:00Skillet Lasagna with Homemade Marinara and Italian Sausage<div style="text-align: justify;">
You know what I love? Teaching. As of last month, I've been doing it for four years and right when I think I couldn't love it any more, I make a new batch of eager, engaging friends and am overwhelmed by my good fortune. I mean seriously. Look at these cuties! I get PAID to hang out with them!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/22067191472/in/photostream/" title="Mambo Italiano"><img alt="Mambo Italiano" height="412" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/705/22067191472_8113e09543.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Last week, I promised these all-star chefs a recipe for skillet lasagna. Skillet lasagna is basically a combination of all the components of the best-ever lasagna we've historically made in my Mambo Italiano class, only faster, thanks to America's Test Kitchen and their clever ways. (Also we skip the mozzarella, but you won't miss it.) This could be a weeknight meal (a) if you have an hour to make dinner, or (b) if you (i) make the sauce beforehand or (ii) use a prepared pasta sauce you like instead of making your own, and have 40 minutes to make dinner. It's definitely good enough for company and is best enjoyed alongside a simple mixed greens or Caesar salad. It's perfect this time of year, when it's brisk and gusty out but not yet so cold that we'd rather have a lasagna baking in the oven for an hour, warming up our freezing house.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/22114088676/in/dateposted/" title="Mambo Italiano"><img alt="Mambo Italiano" height="375" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5723/22114088676_e614161bcb.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Pretty, eh? Almost as pretty as my Mambo Italiano students last week! Enjoy! xxoxoxoxoxo</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<u>Skillet Lasagna</u></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yields 6-8 servings</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 onion, finely chopped</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 teaspoon dried basil or Golden Fig Dynamite Herbs </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
½ teaspoon each: dried marjoram, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes (could also use 1 teaspoon Italian blend)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Zest of 1 lemon </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 lb Italian sausage (optional - see note)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2 large (26.5-28 oz) cans tomatoes (diced, crushed, whole) </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 teaspoon honey or sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
10-12 lasagna noodles, broken into 1 to 2” chunks</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
4 ounces cream cheese, softened</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
8 ounces good quality ricotta cheese (or 4 more ounces cream cheese or mascarpone)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Salt and pepper, to taste</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Olive oil</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Equipment: One large (at least 12”) skillet with lid</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Tip: Salt as you go!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Measure out 1 teaspoon of salt and have it ready next to your stove. In 12” or larger skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onion and a pinch of the salt and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until slightly soft. Add garlic and a pinch of salt, then a minute later add dried herbs, red pepper flakes, and about half the remaining salt and sauté for one more minute. Add sausage and cook, stirring and breaking it apart, until no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes. Add one jar of tomatoes, lemon zest, the rest of the salt, and honey. Bring to boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Stir in butter (better) or olive oil. Scatter broken lasagna noodles on top of sausage and sauce and pour remaining jar of tomatoes on top. Cover and bring to simmer; reduce heat and keep simmering, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente (about 20 minutes). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine three cheeses and a few big grinds of pepper. Once pasta is al dente, dot lasagna with cheese mixture. Cover, turn off heat, and allow to steam for about 5-10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Top with fresh basil. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Notes: If you want this to be vegetarian, you can simply omit the sausage. If you want to throw in more veggies, do so before adding the lasagna noodles and can of tomatoes. If your sauce is still too thin but your noodles are cooked, continue cooking with the lid off until the liquid has reduced, stirring constantly.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-832695458103265512015-10-08T10:46:00.004-05:002015-10-09T08:05:08.274-05:00Hi! Remember Me?... Plus: Coconut Curry with Apples and Winter Squash<div style="text-align: justify;">
Contrary to what this poorly updated blog might indicate, I have been cooking! I just haven't been writing.<br />
<br />
Remember March and April? When I did the Whole30 and felt amazing and lean and energized?<br />
<br />
And then remember July? When I read a book about the hog farming industry that pretty much rendered me vegetarian overnight?<br />
<br />
And then came August, when I read <i>The Good Gut</i>, all about how to restore a compromised microbiota. (In case you are wondering how: beans + kale.)<br />
<br />
Then September brought us two hospitalizations and a staggering stack of medical bills and a lot of mac and cheese and what do you know? It's October. And my food baggage is heavy.<br />
<br />
But! I've been feeding my family, teaching at Local D'Lish weekly and in my home occasionally. I am focusing on technique rather than creativity at the moment and, to that end, am currently enrolled (from the comfort of my own kitchen) in <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/welcome-to-baking-school-224079" target="_blank">The Kitchn's baking school</a>. I also made and have been updating a Facebook page (like me, yo! - Cake and Edith Cooking Classes). But I have not been documenting much here. I hope I haven't lost you entirely. Because I'm ready to get back in business. The kind of business that is a total labor of love with no pecuniary gain whatsoever.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's also the kind of business that stores a list of recipes I want to tackle in the near future because my bookmarks bar and Pinterest fail me every time. In the spirit of technique, and just reminding myself how to follow a recipe every so often instead of relying solely on my resourcefulness and the random contents of my refrigerator to dictate what I end up cooking... hold me accountable, friends.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-slow-cooker-boeuf-bourguignon-recipes-from-the-kitchn-196361" target="_blank">Slow-Cooked Boeuf Bourguignon</a> (I said <i>mostly</i> vegetarian)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-baked-salmon-with-herbs-lemon-recipes-from-the-kitchn-53065" target="_blank">Baked Salmon</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016754-butter-chicken" target="_blank">Butter Chicken</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014830-baingan-bharta" target="_blank">Baingan Bharta</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12378-indian-tofu-with-spinach" target="_blank">Indian Tofu with Spinach</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/curried-scallops-with-spinach" target="_blank">Curried Scallops</a> or <a href="http://www.saveur.com/scallops-avocado-mashed-potatoes-recipe" target="_blank">Scallops with Avocado Mashed Potatoes</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And now... curry! I used half a butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces. You could use any winter squash though, cook it however you'd like and add about 3 cups of 1/2"-ish chunks of it to the curry on your stovetop and cook until hot.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/22024993612/in/dateposted/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="536" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5712/22024993612_4969a8fde4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Really anything goes here. I browned my butternut squash in a pan with some coconut oil, salt and pepper. Then I set it aside and sautéed a makeshift mirepoix. Just start with whatever vegetables you have in your refrigerator to make an aromatic base. Here I've got carrot, celery, a few cherry tomatoes, and some scallions.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/22047258551/in/photostream/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/636/22047258551_5fc3700d3e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Add some apple. My thinking: the inclusion of apples might prompt one's picky children to eat curry. We've had a 50% success rate with this effort. (Girl yes, boy no.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/22025000802/in/photostream/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="480" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5647/22025000802_954edb5b60_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Once the apple has softened, add some other aromatics, e.g. ginger, lime zest (pictured). Add your curry powder (I used a mild curry + some fenugreek and amchur powder because I like sweet-sour flavors and I also like to use my spices up before they are no good). Have some liquid ready to go - water or broth.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/22011122286/in/photostream/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="572" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/688/22011122286_c3ca0e9937_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/21850419659/in/photostream/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="532" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/727/21850419659_43eaf5b1ff_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/22047233571/in/photostream/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="480" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5693/22047233571_0f76a4c1cd_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Once the stock has turned everything into a nice saucy base, add in coconut milk, squash, and some chickpeas and cook until everything is heated through and the sauce is as thick as you'd like. It took mine about 10 minutes at this point. Off the heat, drizzle juice from half a lime over the curry and stir to incorporate. Serve over rice or perfectly fluffed quinoa.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/22024970742/in/photostream/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="480" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5687/22024970742_c35d83c293_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Garnish with avocado and some mint or cilantro.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/12200039@N04/22047243651/in/photostream/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/739/22047243651_57c9b7ea1d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This was a weeknight meal for us, but I am a stay-at-home mother, so I had the 40 minutes it took from start to finish (including peeling and dicing squash). I chopped the aromatics while my butternut squash was browning and then I grated ginger and lime zest while the apple was softening. It keeps well in the refrigerator and only gets better over a couple days. And like I said before, anything goes. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Enjoy!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<u>Coconut Curry with Winter Squash, Apples, and Chickpeas</u></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>This curry is infinitely adaptable. Substitute whatever vegetables you have on hand for the ones listed below. Brown tofu or chicken with or in place of squash (tofu will take about the same amount of time as squash, but chicken cut into 1” pieces will brown more quickly – just about 3 minutes per side is fine before setting aside). </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yields 4-6 servings</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2 tablespoons coconut or vegetable oil, divided</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3 cups peeled, ½”-diced butternut squash or other winter squash (about 1 delicata squash, half an “average”-sized butternut squash)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
½ an onion, chopped</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2 carrots, chopped</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2 stalks celery, chopped</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1-2 large apple(s) (you decide what kind!), peeled and cut into bite-size pieces</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Zest and juice of 1 lime</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2 tablespoons curry powder (plus other spices you might want to add)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1/2 cup water or broth</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 can full-fat coconut milk, well shaken </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 1/2 cups cooked (or one 15-oz can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1+ teaspoon salt*</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Freshly ground pepper to taste</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* Measure out your teaspoon of salt before you begin cooking and then sprinkle a little bit of it into the pan every time you add a new layer of flavors. This allows each ingredient to interact with the salt so that you are drawing out more flavors and allowing for more complexity in your finished product. After adding the lime juice at the end, taste and add a little more salt if desired, 1/4 teaspoon at a time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a large skillet, over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Add squash to pan, spreading evenly in one layer. Don’t touch the squash for 4 minutes. Check on your squash and once it has started to brown on one side, stir, add some salt (~1/8 teaspoon), and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes. Remove squash from pan and set aside.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Add remaining oil to pan over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot with a big pinch of salt and cook for 4 minutes, until beginning to soften. Add apple and another big pinch of salt; cook for two minutes. Stir in ginger, lime zest, curry powder, and the rest of your salt, and cook for one more minute. Add half a cup of water or stock and stir so that it loosens up any browned bits of vegetables or spices from the pan and forms something in between a sauce and a paste. Bring to boil. Add coconut milk, chickpeas and squash to pan. Bring to a low boil. Stir until curry has reduced and thickened a bit, vegetables and apples are cooked through, and chickpeas and squash are piping hot. Off heat, stir in juice from half a lime. Taste and add more salt, lime juice, or black pepper to taste. Garnish with avocado and cilantro or mint. Serve with pita bread or over rice or quinoa.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-880584640761759385.post-49670517837023886642015-07-28T13:55:00.003-05:002015-07-29T12:19:40.955-05:00For the Omnivores, an excerpt from Pig Tales<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm sorry I haven't posted a recipe in forever. We've been eating the old-fashioned way, heavy on resourcefulness and fresh veggies, light on recipes and oven-use. Our home is a little warm by modern standards and we don't yet own a grill, so we end up eating a lot of salads and sandwiches and rustic hodgepodge cheese-plate-ish meals in the summer. We also take more than our fair share's advantage of restaurant patios.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What brings me to post today was something I couldn't <i>not</i> share, ASAP: powerful prose I encountered this morning from food journalist Barry Estabrook's latest book, <i>Pig Tales: An Omnivore's Quest for Sustainable Meat</i>. There are loads of positive and hopeful bits in the book and Estabrook's tone, weight of his topic notwithstanding, is light, inviting, and often humorous. He loves pigs! I have opted to share a darker, gruesome excerpt, however, because sometimes it's important to face the facts, especially when we choose to eat meat in an era when we have alternatives.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>More than 100 million hogs are raised in the United States each year, 97 percent of them on factory farms. Four huge conglomerates, Smithfield Foods, Tyson Foods, JBS USA, and Excel Fresh Meats, process two-thirds of all hogs in this country. Those pigs are crowded in pens on hard slatted floors that allow their excrement to fall into pits directly below their feet, where it stays for up to a year reeking and emanating poisonous gasses that would kill the animals should the barns' ventilation fans fail. Even though a single pig operation generates as much waste as a small city, farmers are not required to treat it. Instead, they can and do spray it directly onto fields where it can be washed by rain into waterways.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Pregnant female pigs live their entire lives on top of their own feces and urine in individual crates that are too small for them to turn around in. Rubbing against the crates' steel bars causes gaping, raw wounds. Piglets have their teeth pulled, their tails amputated, and their testicles removed without anesthesia. To survive in such an unhealthy environment, pigs are fed a steady diet of low-dose antibiotics, a practice that leads to the evolution of drug-resistant 'superbugs' that sicken and kill thousands of humans each year. Even when medicated, factory hogs are notoriously vulnerable to epidemic diseases that sweep the industry once or twice a decade. One such illness, a porcine diarrhea virus, was first detected in the United States in May 2013. Within a year, it had killed more than 7 million American piglets.</i></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Industrial pigs are not even guaranteed a humane death. Some modern mechanized slaughterhouses can kill and pack more than 30,000 pigs in a single day on vast 'disassembly' lines. According to on-site investigations conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture's Office of the Inspector General, many of those animals are still alive and sentient when their throats are cut and they are dipped, struggling and kicking, into tanks of scalding water. USDA inspectors who report such abuses can find themselves disciplined or transferred to less desirable jobs. The pigs are killed and butchered by workers whose earnings have dropped by 40 percent since the 1980s. Once no more dangerous than the average manufacturing job, meat-packing has become more hazardous than working in construction, manufacturing, and even mining.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So what's an omnivore to do? I haven't figured that out for myself yet, although this week I'm 200% vegetarian. You should read the book. And in the meantime, think before you eat the bacon! Especially if the bacon is from a restaurant or conventional grocery store (though Whole Foods and other health food retailers are by no means immune from selling products at odds with their perceived message of sustainability, humaneness, et cetera). <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BeelersPurePork/info?tab=page_info" target="_blank">Beeler's</a>, at least insomuch as the Wedge co-op assures me, sources all its pork from independent farms in Iowa and states that "no antibiotics, growth promotants of any kind, nor injections of vaccines or vermifuges, chemicals used for treatment of parasites, are ever used" in its products. I cannot find any information that speaks to the humaneness of their practices. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0