When the Pollen Rains, it Reigns

I've always been especially in tune with the spring-time raining down of pollen - and often suffered some what as a result.  And with this beautiful balmy boost to the spirits, in the full sun I see the golden snow as the trees release - and

we sneeze.

One of the best and simplest way to combat the pollen onslaught is to cover your mouth and nose while you are outside, and shower off promptly when you come inside.  This leeks you from further tracking pollen all over the house, sprinkled on your dog and falling in your eyes as you toss your hair in the gentle breeze.

I was also reading an Organic Gardening article on Springtime Allergies and saw that they mention broccoli, kale, collards, and citrus as having 'the right stuff' to help prevent symptoms in the first place.  This happen to conveniently fit into the time of the year that you can buy or harvest these wonder veggies.

So that also makes a great reason to take advantage of the end of the citrus season with a refreshing Grapefruit and Arugula Salad - dressed up or down with what you have on hand.  I recently enjoyed this as an energizing breakfast - nothing like salad in the morning! I highly recommend it - especially along with eggs instead of the usual starches.

Grapefruit and Arugula Salad with Pecans

If needed, rinse off a handful of arugula or mixed greens per serving.  Dry. Place it a low dish or pasta bowl and top with one grapefruit, supremed and the juices added (pitch & rind discarded or used for Candied Grapefruit Peel). Add 1 T slivered almonds per dish.  Drizzle with good cold-pressed oil (evoo, flax, walnut) and fresh cracked salt & pepper. Enjoy!

Other great additions include: avocado, pomegranates, goat cheese, other nuts, and/or fresh herbs.

For more Citrus Celebration check out this post
For more on eating to fend off spring sneezing, check out Foods For Allergy Sufferers, or this fast & tasty recipe for a Cran-Pineapple Allergy-Fighting Smoothie

A Quick Salad is Easy With a Few Staples

Even amid a reno that has stretched into its third month, the gorgeous Pacific Northwest weather has
inspired me to indulge in the freshness and crunch of raw fruits and vegetables - of which one of the best  presentations is a cool, crisp salad. And if you have mayo and salsa in the fridge - and part of an avocado laying around - try this easy dressing!

There really are no rules for salad assembly, so use up what you have on hand and you might surprise yourself with a new winning flavor combination! I seriously wanted to add a small apple sliced over the greens, but saw that the tomato needed to be used up , so I'll save that idea for next time.

Now that there seems to be potential for actually getting a ripe avocado, and not merely green weapons, I was also inspired to use some for a chunky avocado dressing. I stretched the creamy factor with a bit of veganaise (but regular or homemade mayo would work too), along with some flavor and zip from salsa verde. You could also substitute some good flax or extra virgin olive oil for the mayo for a vegan and/or soy-free version (depending on the kind of mayo you're substituting).

Quick Salad with Chunky Avocado Dressing

Serves 1

Combine in a bowl 2-3 cups of whatever vegetables and fruit you have on hand. Today the crisper afforded me the following:

• 1 small center of a romaine heart, chopped fine
• 1 small handful shredded carrot
• 1 handful baby kale
• 1 roma tomato, sliced (or one small apple, sliced)

Season with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper, toss to combine. Add more seasoning if desired - some fresh herbs wold be nice here too.

Chunky Avocado Dressing

Combine in a small bowl or ramekin:

• One-quarter of an avocado, peeled & chopped into chunks
• 1 T salsa verde (I used Frontera Grill Tomatillo - one of my favs!)
• 2 t mayo-like product of your choice, or good cold-pressed oil (I used Veganaise)

Stir with a fork, leaving some large chunks. Add more heat if desired. Spoon onto salad and toss lightly to combine.

Make it a Meal

Add some protein of your choice to finish it off, some great options are:

• Nuts such as almonds or hazelnuts
• Seeds such as sunflower, hemp or pumpkin
• A hard boiled egg, sliced
• Any left over baked or sauteed tofu
• A pan-seared veggie patty (GF of course)

Enjoy your quick, clean salad and soak up some sun!

Creamy Coconut Buckwheat Bowl

Makes 3 to 4 cups | Easily doubled

The other morning I was yearning for a substantial breakfast, but trying to be mindful of healthy options at the same time.  I looked longingly at the jars & jars (& jars!) of whole grains, but as is usual for the breakfast hour was hungry NOW and didn’t want to wait 20 to 40 minutes for whole grained goodness, and quick oats held no appeal.  Then I spied the buckwheat - perfect! 

Contrary to what the name would suggest, buckwheat is not wheat at all – in fact, it’s not even a grain.  Like quinoa and amaranth, buckwheat is given the lackluster distinction of being a psuedograin, as none are actually part of the grass family that gives us common grains.  While buckwheat can be used like a grain, it contains no gluten and it’s actually related to rhubarb (!).  As a bonus it is a great source of all eight essential amino acids, most of the B vitamins, calcium and vitamin E.[i]

If you’ve got eastern European heritage, it’s likely that you’ve come across this little wonder before as a breakfast porridge, or the toasted buckwheat called kasha as a side dish.  Buckwheat flour is also a key ingredient in Japanese soba noodles, Russian blinis and savory French crêpe galettes.  

Breakfast really is an excellent time for buckwheat groats because they are so quick to cook up – only 10 – 15 minutes depending on how soft you like them.  Add some fun flavors to the cooking liquid and you have yourself a wonderful, healthful, quick & delicious bowl of goodness!  Even better, make up a batch and store it in the fridge – then add a little milk of your choice, and either warm briefly or eat cold with fresh fruit…. Either ways is delicious!

Add to a medium saucepot with a tight-fitting lid:

• 1 c whole buckwheat groats
• ½ c lite coconut milk (canned type – could also use the beverage type for something lighter)
• ½ c water
• 2 handfuls dried fruit (I used blueberries and currants, both unsweetened)
• 1 t warm spice(s) (singly or a combo of cinnamon, ginger, clove, star anise, and/or allspice)

Give it a quick stir, put on the lid and turn to hi.  Watch it as it can be a voracious bubbler!  Once it boils, turn the heat down to low and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the grains are fluffy but not mushy.  Don’t worry, this isn’t as temperamental as rice – you can take off the lid and give it a quick stir and a taste to see where it’s at - I tend to err on the 10 minute side and then I can always go a couple minutes longer if needed.  It should in no way resemble ‘mush’ unless you prefer it that way.

When it’s ready, fluff it with a fork and then portion into bowls – about a cup per serving (this is very filling!). Top with any/all of the following:

• Milk of your choice (almond and coconut are nice)
• Fresh seasonal fruit
• Nuts & seeds (almonds and hemp hearts are favorites – shredded coconut is good too!)
• A drizzle of maple syrup, agave nectar, molasses or honey

Dig it to a tasty bowl of buckwheat for breakfast!

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[i] Wood, Rebecca. 1999. “Buckwheat” in The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia. Penguin: New York, NY. 47-9 p.

Citrus Celebration

Makes ~ 6 cups + juice

The absolute best eating comes from local, seasonal food, picked at the peak of freshness and spared from long travel distances from farm to fork.  The second best is eating seasonally, even if that locale is a little farther away. 

In winter and the earliest reaches of spring comes the welcome blessing of citrus season.  While these fruits necessarily hail from places like Texas, Florida and California, their natural “packaging” makes them easy to ship in quantity without refrigeration.  And they are a bright light in the middle of what may seem like a fresh fruit void.  While frozen berries in winter are always a delight, a fresh citrus salad can lift the spirits, not to mention the gloom of winter rains in the Pacific Northwest.  So gather up a basket load of succulent citrus while at its best, and dream of tropical escapes.

This can be as simple or as fru-fru as you want to make it – either way it is best to take a little extra time to cut the fruit into suprêmes – a French term for cutting citrus into sections minus their membranes and pithy cushioning (check out How to Cut Supremes).  Don’t fret – it’s really easy with a sharp knife (you need at least ONE sharp knife to function in a kitchen!).  You can section them into a small bowl to check for pits and pith before adding it to the main dish, or just section off into the big bowl and try to catch them as they come.  Either way be sure to squeeze all the juice from the left-over membrane – this can be the best part!  If when you are done the salad is too “soupy” for you, drain some of the juice off and make yourself a beautiful glass of OJ or splurge with an exquisite mimosa.    

This will keep for a few days in the fridge, so make a big batch even if you are only 1 or 2.  You can serve this just as it is, or with a dollop of plain yogurt and some gf granola.  You can even turn it into a citrus salad (see below). 

And anytime you are going to make a big batch of citrus anything, consider peeling the fruit first and making home-made candied citrus peels and get flavored simple syrup as a bonus.  Talk about using it all up!

Cut into supremes a mixture of seasonal citrus, such as:

• 6 navel oranges, such as Cara cara
• 3 blood oranges, such as Minolo or Tarroco (these make the juice a wonderful magenta and offer a unique flavor too)
• 3 tangerines, like Honey
• 2 large grapefruit (or 3 small), I prefer the red varieties
• 1 or 2 Meyer lemons, sweet limes, or kumquats for the adventurous

Ginger makes this salad a potent immune booster!

With beautifully sweet-tart fruit, you may want to leave well enough alone.  Otherwise you can follow one of the following variations:

• 3-4 t freshly grated ginger OR
• A handful of fresh mint, chiffonaded  (check out Stella Culinary for a chiffonade how-to video)

If the juice is a little on the sour side, add

• A drizzle of agave syrup once you serve  (adding it to the whole batch could make overly sweet)

Citrus Celebration Salad

Dressing:

• 2 T juice
• 1 T flax oil (or hemp, or evoo)
• 1-2 t your favorite mustard
• Dash of garlic powder
• Fresh cracked pepper
• (for a twist, add 1 t garam masala or curry powder)

For each portion plate

• Large handful mixed baby greens, spinach or lettuce, seasoned with kosher salt and cracked black pepper & tossed with dressing

Top with

• ½ c citrus segments, drained
• 1 oz goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 T nuts such as sliced or slivered almonds, cracked hazelnuts, or walnuts (toasted is nice!)
• ½ T dried fruit such as currants, golden raisins or cranberries

Makes a great appetizer, side salad or light lunch.  Add a hard-boiled egg for a great dinner salad.

For a fascinating account of all things citrus, check out http://www.enotes.com/citrus-fruit-reference/citrus-fruit

Leek, Chanterelle & Kale Tart with Press-In Herb Crust

Serves 6-8

I was inspired by a Leek & Chanterelle Tart recipe that I found online, but that used a traditional pie crust.  This gave me the opportunity to try out a GF one that I found in a new Almond Flour cookbook[1] that I picked up in Boise.  However, when I looked in the fridge I only had half of the pound of chanterelles that the recipe called for.  No worries – I beefed up the ones I had with some button mushrooms (but definitely use all chanterelles if you have them) and though that it could use a little extra green kick with some kale, which was conveniently growing outside. 

You could have fun with a whole myriad of substation possibilities – try portabellas for their meaty texture and robust flavor, or sub the kale for swiss chard, spinach, arugula or whatever greens you have on hand (or outside the back door).  For even less fuss, omit the crust all together and add an egg or two to bind it for a filling-rich pseudo frittata.

Serve this with a lightly dressed green salad for a light dinner or a fabulous weekend brunch.  It will keep nicely in the fridge for 2 days and is even good cold!

Press-In Herb Crust

Makes one 9” crust (increase amounts slightly for a 9.5” crust)

Ready a 9” shallow tart dish/pan.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl combine the following dry ingredients:

• 1.5 c almond flour
• 1 T fresh herbs, minced, such as rosemary, thyme or what will complement your flavors (I used thyme)
• ½ t cracked black pepper
• ½ t salt

In a medium bowl combine the following wet ingredients:

• ¼ c grapeseed oil (or other neutral vegetable oil)
• 1 T water

Whisk briefly and add to dry ingredients.  Using your hands mix the two until thoroughly combined.  Then press into the tart pan as evenly as possible, redistributing dough from thick to thin areas as necessary. 

Bake for 15-20 min until golden.  Let cool completely before filling.

MJ’s NOTE: This is the original recipe and it is vegan.  It worked fairly well but the crust fell apart a little if served before it was completely cool.  If the diet allows, I would suggest adding either an egg or half of the cheese from the recipe below along with the wet ingredients to help it bind further.  It was still tasty as is, albeit not as pretty as I had hoped.  Let me know what you think if you try either of these options – and I will report back with future attempts too!

Tart Filling

Prepare:

• 3 large leeks, white and light green parts only

Chop of the root ends and the very dark green outer leaves.  Cut in half the long way and run under water while gently fanning the layers to remove any grit.  Then slice each half across in thin (~1/4”) slices.  You should have about 3 cups.

Bring a large heavy-bottom pan up to medium-high heat, then add

• 3 T butter (or extra virgin olive oil or a combination)

Add the leeks and sauté until the leeks are soft, about 3-5 minutes.  Then add

• 1 c lacinato kale leaves, chopped and thick mid-rib removed (or substitute swiss chard, spinach or other hearty greens)

Stir to coat with oil/pan juices and then add

• A splash of veggie broth, white wine or water

And cover with a lid to steam and hasten cooking for a minute or two, once beginning to wilt and turn dark green, turn up the heat and add

• 1 lb chanterelle or other mushrooms, cut into ~1” pieces. 

Cook, stirring constantly until the mushrooms have released their juices and are beginning to brown, about 5 – 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine:

• 3 T unsweetened, unflavored almond milk (or milk product/substitute of your choice)
• 1 t potato starch (or substitute tapioca or corn starch)

Wisk briefly with a fork to remove any lumps and distribute the starch relatively evenly.  Add this to the pans along with

• ½ T fresh herbs, such as thyme or rosemary (I used thyme)

Let it incorporate for a minute or two, then turn off the heat and let the ingredients cool slightly.  Meanwhile grate

• 8 oz of gruyere cheese (or other flavorful hard cheese), about 1 cup

Spread half of the cheese on the prepared tart crust (if not already incorporated into it – see note above).  Then spread the leek-mushroom-kale mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Bake on the center rack until the cheese is melted and golden, about 25-30 min.  Remove and let cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting.  Serve warm or at room temperature (and even good cold out of the fridge!).

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[1] Amsterdam, Elana. 2009. The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook. Celestial Arts: Berkley, CA. 136 pp.

Apple Cake

Serves 8 - 12

I must confess that I finally bought a springform pan – to make a mushroom torta.  As you may have noticed from the posts, dessert is kinda low on my radar.  But when the fresh apples come out, I find myself craving this “cake”.  Really, the apples are the star here and there is barely enough batter to hold them together.  So cake is really a misnomer if you are expecting something spongy, but I think this beats cake hands down.  I’ve tried to come up with another name for it, but I’m too busy stuffing my mouth with “samples”.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease a 9” springform pan and cut a circle of baking parchment to fit the bottom.  Grease the bottom & sides of the pan, lay down the paper then grease it lightly too.  While you are at it, pull out a baking sheet (and line that also with parchment or a silpad if you like) for putting the springform on to catch any drips. 

In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients with a whisk or fork:

• 1.5 c brown rice flour, or neutral GF flour
• 1.5 t baking powder
• 1 t xanthan gum
• 1 T freshly ground spices, such as cinnamon, allspice, star anise, nutmeg or ginger (I use ½ a stick of Mexican cinnamon, 11 allspice berries & 1 whole star anise)
• Pinch of salt

Melt and cool

• ½ c unsalted butter (1 stick) or substitute oil

Cut in half and remove the cores of

• 6-7 medium apples (~8 c), a mix is nice – Swiss Gourmet are a favorite - cut into quarters then ½” pieces

In a large bowl whisk until foamy

• 4 eggs

Then whisk in

• ½ c unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 c agave syrup
• ¼ c dark rum, brandy or apple brandy
• 1 t vanilla extract

Whisk in half the flour mixture until incorporated, then half the butter, then the remaining flour, then remaining butter, mixing well after each addition to get a smooth batter.  This will be rather thick.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in the apples until they are well coated.  Scrap the batter into the pan prodding with the spatula to get it roughly even.

Bake in the center of the oven for 45-60 min, or until the top is golden and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5-10 min, then run a butter knife around the edges to loosen.  Unsnap and remove the springform and let the cake cool to room temp (or slightly warmer).  Then place a plate upside down on top of the cake and quickly invert everything so the pan bottom is facing up.  If the bottom is loose, simply remove it and the parchment and then place another plate (or cutting board) on the cake bottom and flip back over.  Otherwise, slide a metal spatula between the parchment and the pan bottom to loosen and then flip upright again.  Cut into wedges and serve.  For an extra decadent touch, serve with barely sweetened freshly whipped cream or ice cream.

A Lovely Lunch

We were recently blessed to have a lovely lunch with Carol – she and JJ got to do what they do best (talk shop) while I got to do what I am learning to do best (cook and take pictures).  Having a friend over for a meal is always a chance for me to pull out a great recipe and hone it (or in my case, actually take notes about what I did!) and get some critical feedback. 

Cooking is an art my friends, and some days you’ll have better mojo than others, but every time you have a chance to refine your art, try something new, or both.  It’s great that Carol came over, because otherwise lunch wouldn’t have been nearly as well thought out.  But that’s the magic in connecting with those you adore - and it gets you to vacuum. 

Chopped Celeriac

Here is a lovely lunch (or brunch) that you can whip up, much of it ahead of time, to serve during this ramp up to the holiday season.  I would also recommend making a batch of soup and some tartlets just for you and treating yourself to some fabulous fall flavors – you deserve it!

Menu

Sunchoke &Celeriac Soup

Served with a Delight-Fall Salad with Tarragon Caper Vinaigrette

& Ricotta Tartlets

Suggested pairing:

A fruit-forward Chardonnay, dry Riesling, or bubbles (they go with everything!)

Ricotta Tartlets

Makes 12

This recipe is adapted from one in the Canadian Living Vegetarian Collection[1], a great veggie cookbook that was given to me by my sister-in-law.  This was the first one I made out of the book because it intrigued me immensely, and has since become a huge hit with many of my friends and family.  I love to serve them as an accompaniment to Nicoise-Inspired salads, or as a clever and tasty protein boost to a green salad or simple soup.  You can change the herbs to suit the rest of your meal, or choose something mild like chives, parsley or thyme to keep them more compatible with anything you might dream up.  They keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days, but I bet they will be long gone before that!  I only have one muffin pan, but if you have two this recipe could easily be doubled. You could also halve the recipe if you have a mini-muffin tin and make fun canapés.

Start by finely grating

• 5 oz (~1 cup) parmesan cheese, or other hard dry cheese (you can cube it and run it through a mini or full size food processor to speed this up)

You are looking for something close to parmesan “dust” to coat the muffin tin (see below), but the remainder of the cheese can just be grated.  Don’t sweat it too much – cooking should be fun!

Grease a muffin tin with oil (using a pastry brush or wax paper can help with this).  Using about ¼ cup of the grated parmesan, sprinkle evenly amongst the muffin cups.   Shake and tilt the pan to encourage some cheese to stick to the sides of each cup until all sections are evenly coated and set aside.  This makes a nice crust on the outsides of the tartlets hand helps make the pan “non stick”.[2] 

Preheat the oven to 350^oF.  In a large bowl beat together the following until smooth:

• 15 oz part-skim ricotta (1 small container, about 2.5 cups)
• 2 egg whites
• remaining parmesan
• 2 T vegetable starch (potato, tapioca or corn)
• 1 T neutral tasting GF flour (brown rice, white rice, sorghum or almond meal)
• 1 t baking powder
• ~2 T fresh, or ~2 t dried herbs of your choice (can use more if mild or less if strong

Good choices for herbs are thyme, rosemary, chives, tarragon, parsley, herb du Provence, and/or lavender (used in combination with another milder herb). I like to use 1 T fresh chives with either 1 T of fresh tarragon or fresh thyme.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, dividing equally amongst the cups (about 1 T in each -the cups won’t be full).  Bake in the center of the oven until puffed and golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.  Rotate the pan halfway through the cooking time if you have any hotspots in your oven.  Let the pan cool on a rack for 5 – 10 minutes before running a butter knife gently around the edges to loosen.  Serve hot, warm or cold – all are delicious!  These are deceptively filling, so serve one to two per person depending on what they are accompanying, to save yourself from demolishing them all!

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[1] Kent, Alison & the Canadian Living Test Kitchen.  2010. The Vegetarian Collection: Creative meat-free dishes that nourish and inspire. Transcontinental Books: Montreal, QC. 288 pp.

[2] If you want to cut down on the cheese, you could try making these with paper or silicone baking cups – let me know how it works out!