Spring Has Sprung Allergy-Fighting Smoothie

Much to our disbelief, spring has definitely sprung in the Pacific Northwest (I can't say anything about the snow-pocalypse out east!). The cherries are blooming, the big bumbler bees are out investigating my Andromeda shrub in flower, and the squirrels are chasing one another up and down the telephone pole.

And of course comes with it the pollen reign, the sneezing, the itchy eyes and nose and throat, and a mountain of kleenex.

As I have shared in the past, there are numerous foods that you can load up on to help fight allergies with your diet. Check out this post and this one for the whys and hows, and some tasty recipe ideas.

After I ran out of frozen blueberries recently, and in full anticipation of the explosion of birch tree pollen to which I am especially susceptible, I've been enjoying some variations on my Cran-Pineapple Allergy-Fighting Smoothie to keep the itching and sniffling at bay. Then I thought why not up the free-radical-fighting antioxidant power with pomegranate juice and acai berries.

Cran-Acai Antioxident Smoothie

Makes one quart | Serves 1 as a meal or 2 as a snack

In the blender vessel, add:

• 1 cup frozen cranberries with no added sugar
• 1 Sambazon pure acai berry unsweetened smoothie pack (could sub gogi berries)
• 2 large leaves of kale, large mid-rip removed (or sub spinach, chard, mesculun mix or lettuce)
• 1 scoop green powder (I used Greens + Organic Superfood Raw Greens Powder)
• 1 t chai seeds (flax or hemp would work too)
• 1 T hemp hearts

And the following liquids until the level in the blender reads 3 cups/12 oz:

• 1/2 c (4 oz) unsweetened pomegranate juice (could sub cherry, plum or grape juice)
• 1 and 1/3 c (11 oz) coconut water (or sub water), and
• water (if needed) to make up the remainder
• (If the fruit is not frozen, or you like things especially cold, you may want to add some ice cubes)

Blend on low to incorporate – I find the green powder gets everywhere but in the smoothie if you abruptly start on high – then move to high speed until thoroughly blended and smooth.

Go out & enjoy the sunny day!

Inspired By San Francisco

The Bay Bridge

On our recent trip to San Francisco and Sausalito we were more than delighted, with not only the food
and the atmosphere, but the culinary creativity that it engendered in us by being there.

I officially christened it as the "trip of the amazing vinaigrette" - a small but welcome detail that put many dishes over the top for both of us (and I'm a hardcore lemon-citrus-acid lover but he is not, so not easy to do).

Sausalito

Its always a bit of a gamble with SF - do I have a big breakfast, skip lunch because we're sightseeing and get to indulge in dinner, or have an amazing lunch and push dinner to the last seating so that we can get it all in?  See, the trick is to eat only what you think will be worth using up the real estate in this ridiculously foodie town.

White Sangria, Shishito Peppers and Peas in Vinaigrette at Bar Bocce 

Some of the highlights that will inform our future and summer menus (as they are about a month ahead if us seasonally) are:

• burrata (cream infused fresh mozzarella) with stone fruit and the most amazing stone fruit-infused vinaigrette on greens and basil from Perbacco
• the mint and tarragon vinaigrette we had on the peas at Bar Bocce
• 'burgundy onions' on the Wellington JJ enjoyed at Millennium, as an addition to our already loaded Shmeat Loaf

Millennium in particular was a treat - all vegan, with a healthy respect for gluten sensitivities.  We had a number of amazing dishes, which diverged only where JJ had to indulge in pastry dough & the like.  This was the menu that we had the hardest time choosing from - with so many options and so many components to the dishes.  Oddly, it was the first time that I had a whole meal where every dish had a fried component! Including crusted king trumpet mushrooms with a spectacular yuzu-citrus-chile dipping sauce, fried green tomatoes with a spicy-cashew harissa 'ranch', and cornmeal & thyme crusted zucchini on mousakka spiced mushrooms.  Of course I'm leaving off a bunch of the accompaniments to these dishes - you'll just have to go try them for yourself!

Perbacco is an all-time favorite, and we both tend to work our way around the menu in different arcs, with only the appies able to share between us.  Luckily, the stone fruit & burrata was likely the highlight of the meal, though the other dishes gave it a run for the money, as expected.  Sadly, no pictures in the low light of this romantic restaurant. But that's a good thing.

In all, we loved getting the small bites from the tapas, which gave us the the room to indulge in delicious, unctuous, inspired dinners. Oh, and there was lemon verbena ice cream on both dessert menus, but none that I was able to sample (one was out, one was a compromise for a girl who never saves room for dessert).

As my own little lemon verbena plant is rocking it out on the back porch because I gave it 'wine' while we were away, so I'll just have to make that myself!

Versatile Veggie Sauté

When the Week 1 basket of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) veggies arrived and I spied bok
choi, I immediately started thinking of stir-fry, miso, hoisin, and a host of other Asian cuisine staples. The Husband is not a huge fan of bok choi like I am, so I figured it was my duty to use as much as possible (see more along this line here soon).

For me that largely means 'lunch bowls'. And by chopping and cooking enough veggies all at once, I could quickly whip up different variations on the theme for a few days in a row.  It also gave me an excuse to try out this 'gluten-free ramen' pack that I bought on an impulsive, empty stomach.

Now, I understand that by definition 'gluten-free' cannot not equal 'ramen' - lets just say I was seduced by the marketing - as what you end up with is rice noodles, fancy rice noodles compressed to look like the instant noodles that you had for lunch in junior high, and a far cry from what any purist would even consider to be ramen.

I was further seduced by the purple noodles of the 'forbidden rice' variety, thinking they'd make for an exotic lunchtime treat.  I was equally impressed by the short and pronounceable list of ingredients in the seasoning package that came with. So enough reason to give it a try.

Well, as is often the case, my idea of what something will be like is much more optimistic (and tasty) than what actually appears.  While the noodles were indeed a becoming shade, the resulting broth was not - largely due to all the starch from the noodles being left there to make a bit of a cloudy mess.  The directions did not say to drain before adding the 'flavor' package to the water, but I'd almost consider starting with fresh hot water for the broth, while it would take longer.

Regardless, I was happy that I had already decided to bump up the nutritional value with a mix of sauteed veggies and some baked tofu. Not only did they help to add freshness and crunch, but also color. Gotta remember we eat with our eyes first!

So that just goes to show how a quick and easy assemblage of whatever sturdy veggies you have on hand can be a great addition to dishes of many different stripes - noodles, soup or rice to name a few - whether you meant to add them or not.

Versatile Veggie Sauté

Makes about 2 cups | Infinitely scalable

The key is to slice the veggies in a manner which will be easy to eat and quick to cook, without loosing their texture.  In this case I sliced most things thinly with by knife, but pulled out the mandoline slicer to quickly and uniformly dispatch the carrots. Alternatively, you could cut them into matchsticks, they just might need a little longer to cook.  Vary the order you add the veggies according to the ones you are cooking with - sturdier ones first, delicate last - even if that means treating one vegetable two ways as is the case with the stems and greens of the bok choi.

Special note for the bok choi:

• Separate the greens from the wider, thicker portions of the stems
• Cut the stems on the bias in 1/4'' to 1/2'' chunks
• Chop the greens

Into a medium-hot sauté pan, add:

• A drizzle of good oil (I used sesame)
• 1/2 a sweet onion, diced
• 1 stem green garlic, sliced (can sub a garlic clove)
• 3 large crimini mushrooms, sliced

Sauté until just softened, then and add:

• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 4 bok choi stems, bias cut

Add any seasonings that appeal: salt & pepper, or wheat-free tamari are good choices depending on where you see the veggies landing.

When veggies are all almost done to your liking, add:

• bok choi tops, chopped
• 2 radishes, sliced (alternately, leave off the radish for garnish)

Taste the dish and add any additional seasonings. Keeping it more modest makes the veggies more versatile, but if you are committed to going a certain direction for a couple of dishes, then why not add some gluten-free, vegetarian hoisin or teriyaki sauce (San J is a good brand for this) or alternatively stir in a tablespoon of miso paste.

Use half of the veggies to dress your ramen bowl, top with radish (if using for garnish) and protein of choice.

Use the other half for another 'lunch bowl' delight, such as on rice, with sesame and topped with cashews as pictured below. I guess you could always share too.

Use Veggies for a Rice Bowl Too

Cran-Pineapple Allergy-Fighting Smoothie

After doing some research into foods that help one through the spring allergy season, I got the idea for this cranberry-pineapple ‘meal in a jar’.  Tangy and sweet, this smoothie is great for a quick breakfast or 3pm slump pick-me-up while being full of immune-boosting quercetin (see the previous post for all the info).

It is basically the same ratio that I use for all my smoothies, so is infinitely adaptable depending on your mood and larder.  And don’t skip the fresh greens – you won’t even taste them – though all green powders are not created equally and some of those you definitely will taste.  The one I used includes stevia and apple flavor, and so adds some fruity sweetness even though it darkens the color somewhat of the end result.  If you are adventurous go with spirulina or alfalfa powder as greener-tasting alternatives.

Cran-Pineapple Smoothie

Makes one quart

In the blender vessel, add:

• 1 cup frozen cranberries with no added sugar
• 1/3 can pineapple chunks and juice (from a 20oz can, about ½ c; canned in juice with no added sugar)
• 1 handful mixed baby greens (spinach, kale, chard, mesculun mix or lettuce)
• 1 scoop green powder (I used Garden of Life’s RAW Organic Green Superfood in Apple)
• 1 t flaxseeds (chia or hemp would work too)
• 1 t cold-pressed oil (I used flax)

Then pour in enough liquid to make up to the 3 cup line in the blender (while all of the above is already in there). I used a combination of:

• a third of the pineapple juice from the can
• ~ 2 c coconut water, and
• tap water to make up the remainder

Other good options for the liquid are more pineapple juice, other fruit juice such as apple or cranberry, or just go with straight tap water.  If the fruit is not frozen, or you like things especially cold, you may want to add some ice cubes.

Blend on low to incorporate – I find the green powder gets everywhere but in the smoothie if you abruptly start on high – then move to high speed until thoroughly blended and smooth.

I love the flavors of this blend but it is definitely a thinner consistency, more like juice than what you might consider a typical smoothie.  If you want to add some more body and/or protein for additional ‘staying power’ some good choices are (chose one or two): 

• 1 heaping T nut butter
• 2 oz silken tofu
• 2 T more seeds
• 1 T fiber powder
• 1 T protein powder
• ½ a medium avocado (flesh only; omit the cold-pressed oil above to reduce fat if desired)
• ½ c yogurt

Either drink the whole quart yourself, or another good option is to go halfers with a friend and then have some raw seedy crackers and fresh fruit on the side (while you peruse food magazines for more food ideas, as is happening here!).

Shown are Okanagan Rawsome Apple Sesame Flax Crisps - sooooo delicious if you find yourself in British Columbia, Alberta or Saskatchewan.  Thanks to my friend Alana for sharing so I could bring some home! 

Enjoy!

Foods for Spring Allergy Sufferers

Kale in bloom

The recent rains may have helped reduce the amount of pollen swirling around out there, but judging by the plethora of allergy medication ads I’m seeing, we are still in the full swing of the season.

I mentioned some foods in a previous post that might relieve allergy symptoms, including broccoli, kale, collards, and grapefruit. Some more to add to the list include garlic, buckwheat, pineapple, and those high in the antioxidant quercetin.  A bonus is that many of these foods to double or triple duty in the allergy battle and so are great to work into your diet at every opportunity.

Garlic

A great way to cook either kale or collards is with garlic and onions, along with a little lemon and red pepper flake to add a some zing.  So there you go, a nutritious and delicious allergy-fighting powerhouse!  Garlic has been used since time immemorial as a health tonic and for good reason: its antiviral and antifungal, reduces ear and sinus infections, and promotes healthy intestinal flora while eliminating toxins [i] (among a host of other things).

For an allergy-friendly feast: reduce or eliminate the cheese (to cut down on mucous) in this Leek & Kale Tart Recipe, use whatever mushrooms you have available as the chanterelles are a fall delight, and pump up the garlic for a great spring dish.  Heck, you could even make the crust with buckwheat flour…

Buckwheat

Buckwheat, contrary to the name, is not wheat but a relative of rhubarb and is naturally gluten-free [ii].  You can find buckwheat as groats or flour, both untoasted and toasted (which is usually referred to as Kasha).  Try this in a pilaf, as a side dish, or this Creamy Coconut Buckwheat Breakfast Recipe. 

It is very fast cooking, filling, and does not cause an insulin spike like some other grains.  This large starchy pseudo-grain is very high in all eight essential amino acids, calcium, vitamin E, and almost the whole range of B vitamins

Pineapple

This delicious tropical fruit contains the enzyme bromelain, which helps to break down the agents that cause swollen tissues – like in your poor nose, perhaps – has a soothing effect on a sore throat, and also aids the digestion of protein and starches [iii]. While few of us are lucky enough to consider pineapple a local crop, it does hit peak season in late winter and early spring.  Of course you can also find it frozen and canned – avoid it dried though, as it’s often loaded with sugar.  Make a pineapple smoothie, add some to plain yogurt, or make a tropical-inspired marinade to get your dose of bromelain. Update: here is a Cran-Pineapple Allergy-Fighting Recipe idea!

Foods High in Quercetin

Capers

Quercetin (supposedly pronounced kwer-SI-tin, though I say it kwer-CET-in) is a yellow plant pigment found in varying concentrations in leaves, fruits, vegetables and grains.  It is an antioxidant that had been shown to reduce allergic reactions by preventing the replication of histamine-secreting cells [iv] – those responsible for your swollen nasal passages and watery eyes.  Foods especially high in this flavonol include, in decreasing order: fresh & canned capers, lovage, sorrel, radish leaves, carob, dill, cilantro, Hungarian wax peppers, fennel leaves, red onion, radicchio, watercress, buckwheat, kale, cranberry, black plums, cow peas, sweet potato, red apples, broccoli, and black tea [v].  Other good sources are blue-green algae and red wine [vi].

Now most of us are probably more likely to have a bottle of red wine in the cupboard rather than have blue-green algae on hand, and some of these are definitely not ‘seasonal’ during allergy season.  As we’ve covered kale and buckwheat so far - and I’m sure you have an idea of what to do with dill and cilantro - the following are some foods that you might find more readily this time of year that I’d like to highlight:

Capers

These savory-salty gems are the brined, unopened flower buds of the Caper Bush (Capparis spinosa) native to the Mediterranean. I just love them for adding umami flavor to devilled eggs, to use in a Greek salad when you don’t have olives, as a critical component of Pasta Puntanesca, or to make a wonderful Herb Vinaigrette or Parsley Gremolata. Who knew I was loading up on quercetin when I was concocting these?!  If you've never used them, its worth getting to know these allergy-friendly superstars. 

Lovage in Spring

Lovage

I grow lovage in my Portland garden, and it’s pushing up its beautiful green leaves just in time! This celery-like herb is a great addition to the kitchen, and I often use the leaves as a substitute for celery or parsley.  In fact the gremolata recipe above would be great with lovage – I might just have to try that for lunch! You can also wait until the hollow stalks are larger and use them as straws for refreshing summer coolers or a piquant bloody Mary.

Onions

Onions, especially red ones, have a good dose of quercetin - however this is mostly concentrated in the skin and the layer close to it, along with the area near the stem end. So one of the best ways to use (and gain from) these otherwise composted parts is to so make veggie stock with cut, whole onions – such as this recipe by The CrisperWhisperer.  Other ways to load up on onions are with the Quick Pickled variety, or add savory Unctuous Onion Base to some veggie broth for a wonderful soup base.

There was so much “eating for spring allergies” information that I want to share with you that its spilled into yet another post! So stay tuned from some recipes inspired by my research into quercetin, as well as some herbs that would make great spring tonic teas… Until then, check out some of these allergy-fishing foods.

DISCLAIMER: The contents provided by Very Good Food ~ For Goodness Sake are for educational purposes only, and is in no way intended to substitute for the advice of a health care professional. I encourage you to be skeptical and critical of any internet-sources of information. If you are taking prescription medication or have a chronic condition, consult a physician or a qualified medical herbalist to ensure that you get the best, most relevant care for you.

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[i] Wood, Rebecca. 1999. Garlic (Allium sativum). The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia. Penguin Compass: New York, NY. p 47-48.

[ii] Wood, Rebecca. 1999. Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum). The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia. Penguin Compass: New York, NY. p 140-141.

[iii] Wood, Rebecca. 1999. Pineapple  (Ananas comosus). The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia. Penguin Compass: New York, NY. p 262-263.

[iv] Balch, Phyllis A. 2002. Quercetin. Prescription for Herbal Healing. Penguin Puntam: New York, NY. P 113-114.

[v] Wikipedia. 9 Feb 2014. Quercetin. Availble at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercetin (Accessed 4 Apr 2014).

[vi]Balch, Phyllis A. 2002. Quercetin. Prescription for Herbal Healing. Penguin Puntam: New York, NY. P 113-114.

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

Links to Preserve the Harvest

Well that fall chill is starting to creep in, and around here that means that its time to get out the canner and steam juicer - its grape harvesting time.  And while I have all the equipment out and the water bath going, I'm always inspired to try my had at some new recipes.

Now I am relatively new to canning, and didn't benefit from an upbringing that saw any use of preservation methods other than putting things in the deep freezer, usually never to be seen again.  I've relied on my mother-in-law, books, and of course, the internet.

Here is a great site that I came across with some great information for new and seasoned preservers alike, along with some great tips on canning with honey. Check out 40 Preserving Links: Beginner tips, pro tricks and canning with honey at Simple Bites

One of the recipes links is for Rhubarb-Rosemary Jam from Local Kitchen which looks like a great one to try, seeing as the rhubarb is still going strong at my house, and one of the husband's favorite things is rosemary. As we are not a toast-and-jam household, this also appeals due to its mix of sweet and savory, and my mind is already slathering some on a GF cracker and topping with some lovely aged cheddar.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Also while at Local Kitchen blog, I traveled down the proverbial internet rabbit hole and ended up at Eggplant Bacon - which is marinated, dried eggplant. The sweet'n'salty umami-rich marinade features tamari (be sure to use a wheat-free one), smoked paprika and maple syrup.  This looks like a great way to preserve some of the local eggplant bounty for the cool days of winter ahead.

Look back for some great grape recipes, as we tackle this year's harvest before the rains and hordes of starlings have their way with the fruit.  Some favorites are Grape Juice, Hot Pepper Grape Jelly, Wild Rice Pilaf with Grapes and Pecans, and Rustic Grape Galette.

Some Great Online Finds

Here are some great links that I've happened upon recently that you might want to check out:

Positively Vegan

A great looking site that puts plants at the forefront - and many recipes are also gluten-free and oil-free. I'm looking forward to trying the Cauliflower Pizza Crust! 

http://positivelyvegan.blogspot.com

Edible Education 103 with Michael Pollan

UC Berkley lecture series featuring numerous experts in their fields, discussing all aspects of food: farming, sustainability, politics, marketing and more. 15 videos totaling over 21 hours.

http://www.youtube.com/course?list=EC28B5EDF74E734607

The Savory

A fun, visually-based food website with cheeky diagrams alongside useful info. Check out Pantry Staples for Grilling Improv, How to Make Your Own Extracts, or have some fun with Culinary Tattoos, or Choose Your Own Gin Adventure - I landed on a Gin Elderflower Cocktail.

http://www.thesavory.com/

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!

Very Simple Fava Beans

The favas are flushing, and here is an incredibly easy (even during a reno) way to deal with them. 

 

• Strip them from the soft, cushy pods.
• Blanch in some boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes
• If small, proceed to seasoning and eating. If larger add the additional step:
• Pierce one end with a finger nail or a knife tip and then slip out the green bean from the white outer skin. 
• Season with salt, pepper, fresh squeezed lemon and good extra virgin olive oil
• Dig In!

For all the reasons that you should grow your own favas, check out this post.

Breakfast of Champion [Renovators]

So my fridge is on my back porch (plugged in thankfully), the stove is also on the back porch (not plugged in), and my pantry staples are beneath a piles of other displaced main floor  items in the basement.

So what's girl to do for breakfast?

After a month of living in reno chaos, I have sampled all the take-out breakfast that I can handle.  I don't really want to look at another egg for a while. Yesterday I actually had a salad for breakfast at the local tavern simply for want of something different.

So today after a particularly warm morning dog walk, what I could really go for was a cold bowl of cereal.  Having nothing you would traditionally call cereal in the house, I got creative with some of the smoothie staples in my fridge.

I got all the crunch and creamy satisfaction of cereal, but with nary a grain in sight.  Instead, I used nuts, seed, fresh & dried fruit, and two different nut milks to make a delicious, nutritious, bowl that puts the 'fast' in breakfast. So this might be a good option for anyone trying to reduce their carbs or even those on a paleo-diet(?) I'm not as well versed with that one but I know its gaining some popularity.

Grain-Free Cold Cereal

Start with a base of whatever fresh fruit you have on hand; berries or stone fruits could be nice additions later in the year and apples are always a satisfying bet. Top with nuts and/or seeds of your choice, good ones are sliced almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, hemp hearts, chia, flaxseed, or dried unsweetened coconut flakes. Add a sprinkling of dried fruit for some sweetness, flavor and texture contrast such as raisins, currants, blueberries, cranberries, chopped fig, prunes, or dried gogi berries. Top with some ice cold milk of your choice - my favorites are almond, soy, hemp or coconut (all unsweetened).  Other additions are little fresh ground cinnamon or nutmeg, and a drizzle of agave nectar or maple syrup if you have to have it sweeter but try it first and you might find you don't need to. The combinations are endless, so experiment to find your own bowl of goodness.

Serves 1

What I had on hand today:

• 1 large apple, cored and sliced into bite-sized chunks
• 1 (modest) handful of sliced roasted unsalted almonds
• 2 T of hemp hearts (a.k.a. shelled hemp seeds)
• 1 t dried gogi berries
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk
• 2 T lite coconut milk (from a can) drizzled on top

Enjoy your crunchy breakfast cereal!

Lovely Lilikoi

While in Hawai’i recently, I got to indulge in one of the seasonal treats of the Island winter – lilikoi. While not botanically different from purple passion fruit, lilikoi a.k.a. yellow passion fruit, has slightly larger fruits with more tartness.  You won’t be able to grow lilikoi anywhere that it drops below 40 degrees F, making it a special tropical treat (many thanks to Irene for sharing!).

The tartness of these fruits coupled with the many seeds makes lilikoi less desirable for fresh eating but fantastic for juicing.  From here you can make jelly, sorbet, or vinaigrette, but we think its true calling is to become Lilikoi Martinis! You’re shocked, I know.

Depending on the size and your powers of extraction, it takes 10 or more fruits to make one cup of juice.  Irene had gathered probably two dozen or so and we got about 3 cups worth of the precious elixir. The key is to be patient and give the juice all opportunity to separate from the pulp. Fortunately, it is easy to recruit a ‘stirrer’ for this process, as the other hand is left free to hold a wine glass, a camera, or whatever one fancies.

While I can’t grow a lilikoi in Portland, there are two passion flower vines that are hardy enough to withstand our climate, either of which could also be ‘juiced’ according to the same protocol.  Until I have my own vine that bears fruit, I’ll just have to dream about lovely lilikoi.

Lilikoi Juice

1) Get out a large, fine mesh strainer that fits over an appropriately large glass bowl or measuring cup (glass makes it easier to see when the juice is touching the bottom of the strainer, but you could use any non-reactive vessel that is big enough). The idea is to have the strainer fit completely within the bowl but be suspended by it, so that no juice gets lost out the sides and the whole thing isn’t too tippy.  We used an 8 cup/2 quart/2 litre pyrex measuring cup, with an 8” diameter strainer.  This set up comes in handy for many other events in the kitchen, so it is worth investing in. Also get a medium sized stainless, glass or ceramic bowl for pulp discards.

2) Prepare a clean glass stoppered bottle or lidded jar to hold the finished juice.  We used a Grolsch beer bottle – the kind that has the stopper mechanism attached.  Chose something that will make it easy to pour the juice out of, but avoid plastic if you can as it can contribute flavors/odors from the last thing that was in it.

3) Cut the lilikoi fruits in half and scrape the pulp and seeds into a blender carafe.  When you get 2-3 cups of pulp accumulated, pulse on low 4 – 5 times to break up the pulp a bit, but not so much as you start pulverizing the seeds.

4) Transfer the blended pulp to the mesh strainer (that is over a bowl) and stir gently with a spoon to move the pulp around and let the juice escape into the vessel below.  When juice is only sporadically dripping out, transfer the pulp to another bowl but don’t throw it out (yet). 

5) Continue steps 3 & 4 above until you have used all the lilikoi and reserved all the spent pulp.  If the juice in the bowl touches the bottom of the mesh strainer it will slow/stop the accumulation of juice.  If this happens, suspend operations temporarily and pour off the juice into the prepared bottle from step 2. Resume.

6) When all the lilikoi have given their tangy innards to the cause, return all of the used pulp to the strainer and stir to release any remaining juice.  Then while still over the catchment bowl, find another bowl that just fits inside the strainer and use it to push down on the pulp to really squeeze out every drop of goodness (it keeps dishes to a minimum if this is the same bowl as the one that you have been putting the reserved pulp into, so some prior test-fitting might be in order). Don’t push so hard that you wreck the strainer. Pour off any additional juice from the catchment bowl into your bottle.

7) Ta-da… You are now the proud possessor of lilikoi juice!  Make yourself a martini – you've earned it! The juice will keep in the fridge, tightly covered, for a week or more.  Freeze for longer storage.

*The waste pulp makes great compost, just beware that you might get some volunteer lilikoi sprouts in the pile too – which might not be a bad thing!

Lilikoi Martinis

Serves 1 | easily doubled

Once you've made the juice, this is relatively easy! The absolute best is to use juice that has not been put into the fridge yet - it retains this beautiful floral perfume that is especially intoxicating.  

Fill a martini shaker 1/3 full with ice. Shake briefly to help breakup the ice, then open and add:

• 2 oz good vodka
• 1 oz lilikoi juice
• ½ to 1 oz simple syrup* (or to taste)

Shake vigorously and strain into martini glasses.  Double everything to make two if your shaker allows – your friends will be very appreciative!

Now sit back and enjoy the sunset…

*To make simple syrup, add equal parts sugar and water to a pan (1 cup of each is lots). Heat to a boil then reduce to a simmer, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool and store in a covered bottle in the fridge, where it will last a loooooong time.  Discard if the liquid becomes cloudy or smells badly, which are signs of mold.