New Camera | New Knife | New Menu

What does that mean? A renewed beginning for Very Good Food.

Let us start at the end where you are most interested - the menu.

Due to a previously mentioned crisis of content with The Husband giving up strict vegetarianism (though not vegetarian meals entirely) I figured it was time to alter the recipes I present to match our broader choices. Afterall, this blog was inspired by how we cook and what we cook, so it seems unfair to both chef and reader to not continue this authentic approach.

The focus will still be to showcase complete, whole-food-centric vegetarian dishes, however I will also make mention of (and take pictures of) variations of the dish that can be made with clean animal protein. By including items such as organic eggs, poultry and fish I hope to not only reach those who may just want to eat less meat (than those specifically eating a 100% vegetarian diet) but also capture realities of a shifting food scene as many people opt for other diets, such as paleo/primal, Whole30, low-carb and low-FODMAP, to name a few. (Stay tuned as we cover just what the heck FODMAPs are in March). My aim as always is to include, not offend, and help everyone eat more seasonally-tuned meals above all else. Every dish will remain gluten-free.

Continuing the reverse order - a new knife can be a great source of pleasure and draw one into the kitchen to fondle its curves while experimenting with new combinations and old favorites. Uncharacteristically I did not do any research for this purchase, it was completely spur of the moment. The knives were on sale and this one is a shape that complements my chopping style (especially for lots of fresh herbs & leafy things) and has a great weight and balance to it. If you don't already have a good chef's knife - get one! It's the most important tool in the whole kitchen. Get a good quality one - try out different shapes if you are uncertain what will best work for you - and KEEP IT SHARP. This also means never put it in the dishwasher - you won't be able to put it down for that long anyway, right?

Lastly I'm very inspired by the new camera, and my expanded ability to bring you better quality photo is low light (which is often the limiting factor in my kitchen). The camera, along with a new knife happened rather serendipitously, and have reignited my passion for sharing Very Good Food with you. I can't wait to see what new feasts we'll discover.

Happy Eating!

A Crisis of Conscious (& Content)

It has been a few months since I posted last – partly because of all the busyness of a beautiful

summer and a fantastically long and warm stretch in to fall - and partly because the blog is at a crossroads. 

You see at the end of June, after over 20 years of vegetarianism, the Husband announced that the time had come once again to. eat. meat.

Whoaaa. My mind reeled a bit. What about this? What about that? What about the blog???

Now I remind you that I have always been an omnivore, and have embraced vegetarianism at home 90% of the time, and when eating out when I could (I’ll address why that’s hard in a moment).  However I am definitely, solidly, the still the ‘gluten-free’ portion of the equation.

So why give up over 2 DECADES of meat-free living, with the occasional foray into full-on veganism? In a word: travel.

For four years or so the Husband as endured many, many flights crisscrossing the great Pacific Northwest and the country. He has logged over 100 segments so far this year alone. So how does that push a vegetarian into the land of bacon? In another word: carbs. Or more specifically, refined, empty white carbs.

You see, quite often vegetarian meals are not vegetable heavy. No, they are what I like to refer to as some version of a cheese sandwich. Pizza, tortellini, quesadilla – all heavily reliant on white flour and cheese. Even the token veggie burger is likely grain-heavy or made of gluten.

“So have a salad,” you are saying. Well, that too can be difficult to muster. Many are meat- or seafood-centric (this vegetarian does not eat fish – and if you do you are not a vegetarian so please stop confusing people). And while the PNW can be great for subbing the steak in a steak cobb salad for a veggie patty, hold the bacon,[i] room service in Salt Lake City at 11 pm because that’s all you can get for dinner? That’s another story.

So, sick of often having only one option on the dinner menu, and that option being some permutation of a cheese sandwich (see how the gluten-free girl get’s left out here?) it was not without much debate and forethought that JJ decided to “go to the dark side” as he called it. Just like becoming a vegetarian over 20 years ago was a health decision, so too he has decided to include meat again so that he can eat healthier on the road.

“Meat? Healthy?” you ask. Well loaded bacon double cheese burgers aside, when you consider a chicken caesar salad versus cheese ravioli, the former has more nutritive value and protein than the latter. Baked salmon and green beans vs. lasagna? No contest. Really, it’s more about the simple things. Now he can order soup and salad with impunity, whereas before it involved numerous questions and trips to the kitchen to inquire about the stock (many vegetable soups have a chicken stock base) and no option to add protein to the salad.

So what is a vegetarian gluten-free blogger to do? The bulk of my trial-by-fire cooking education has occurred while married (to a vegetarian), as such I can put a mean sear on some tofu, but am less confident about searing a steak. So in cooking meat I am sort of back to square one, albeit with a better cooking intuition for lack of a better term. And I've learned to stop guessing and use the thermometer. So if I do post meat recipes, you will still get a glimpse into the world of recipe testing, just as you do with my regular VGF features and flops.

One thing to note, the gluten-free portion definitely stays – with me eating that way by necessity, and the Husband eating that way most of the time (at least at home) to satisfy his low-carb desires. And I like cooking and eating well-thought out vegetarian dishes, so I'm not looking to jettison them wholesale.

So dear readers, I know that there are more of you who peruse the blog than there are those of you who are signed up for Google (and thus can leave comments below). I want to put it to you – what are you looking for?

Are you diehard gluten-free vegetarians who like the confidence that you could consume the results of any of the recipes I post? Are you busy parents who are looking for ideas on how to feed your vegetarian-might-be-a-phase teenager alongside the chicken-crazed tween? Are you a considerate host and entertainer who likes to have a well-though out menu for the vegetarian, vegan and/or gluten-free guests at your table but normally have more omnivorous tastes? Do you really need another chicken recipe, or are you more interested in putting out something delectable for Meatless Monday? 

Comment below, email me your thoughts on the subject to foodforgoodnesssake@hotmail.com, or leave me a comment on facebook. I’d love to hear from you.

---

[i] You’d be surprised how many times that they get the veggie burger part right but they throw on the bacon! Do they think it’s not really meat but a condiment? JJ likes to joke something to the effect of “I checked, and bacon isn’t a vegetable” or “I tried growing bacon in the garden once and it was a dismal failure”.

CSA Week 2

I've been a little behind lately, but it doesn't mean that we haven't been enjoying fresh veggies from our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) adventure!  Here is a glimpse at what we received for week 2, with week 3 and a bunch of recipes soon to follow.

We also were away in beautiful San Francisco for our anniversary recently, and will have to share all kinds of culinary delights and inspirations that were to be found there.  So much, much more to come now that the schedule is (mildly) back on track.

For more on CSAs and the beginning of our adventure, check this post. Or click on the CSA Adventure label at right to follow along as we navigate these seasonal delights.

This week we were happy to see some arugula - one of my favorites that barely made it past day one - along with more succulent radishes and butter lettuce.  The whole bundle included (pictured roughly l-r above, excluding the lettuce):

• 1 large bunch of collard greens
• 1 large bunch of radishes with tops
• 1 bunch of arugula
• 1 stem of green garlic with a large bulb (as green garlic goes)
• 1 smaller bunch of green onions (scallions)
• 1 head of green butter lettuce

CSA Week 1

We have been really happy with our first week of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) with Sauvie Island Organic farm (SIO).  Getting to chat with Peter, one of the SIO farmers that staffs the pickup site, getting one heck of a giant head of red butter lettuce, and getting to try out more green garlic recipes have been the highlights so far.  For more on CSAs and the beginning of our adventure, check out the previous post.

Our half share included:

• 1 big, beautiful head of red butter lettuce
• 1 bunch of lacy red ursa kale
• 1 succulent head of bok choi
• 1 baby fennel bulb with lots of delicate fronds
• 1 large bunch of crunchy celesta radishes
• 2 heads of green garlic

CSA Seasonal Adventure

In an effort to eat more local, seasonal food while supporting the local economy, we are excited to be part of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) with Sauvie Island Organics! If you're not familiar with CSA, as a member you purchase a share of the harvest in advance - in our case its for 28 weeks (last week in May to the first week in December).  The farm gives you an idea of what crops they are growing and when they expect to harvest them, and you get farm-fresh produce once a week from whatever the current bounty is.

Purchasing a CSA share connects you more directly to the farm, and the risk that the farmers are taking in growing their (and your) harvest each year.  Paying up front for the whole season often gives small farms the capital they need to get plants in the ground, and while it may seem like a bunch to fork over before you see a single veggie, its usually quite reasonable if you work out the weekly rate.

With Sauvie Island Organics (SIO), we have the option of getting a 'full share' also known as a 'family share' designed for 2-3 vegetable loving adults or a family four, or a 'half share' designed for 1-2 adults or smaller households, or even a 'salad share' to get a 1/2 pound bag of mixed baby greens each week.  The full share is $945 ($33.75 per week), the half share is $515 ($18.39 per week), and the salad share is $145 for 25 weeks, or $5.80 a week.

I was gung-ho to get a full share, even though we usually are just a family of two humans and one homemade-raw-food-eating canine, we do qualify as veggie-lovers after all!
 But then reality set in, and I realized that with one human being away on business a lot, that would mean lots of 'putting up' (or food preserving) for me.  Logistically, I cannot put up that much food, and really don't want to be slaving over the canner on the stove each week because I lack freezer space.  And really, I'm in this to eat fresh veggies after all!

Seeing as I also grow a modest amount of food at home - check out some of the varieties on my latest Gardening in the Round post - I also like to peruse the many local farmers markets here, especially when friends come to town.  So that all being said, I was reasonable for once (!) and decided on a half share.  I'm excited to push my imagination each week in coming up with new and delightful dishes, and really stoked that the veggies are being grown less than 12 miles from my house. I'll do my best to post each week, check it all out under the label CSA Adventure on the right-hand column.

If you are intrigued by the CSA model, I encourage you to seek out farms in your area.  CSA's exist for not only veggies, but some include fruit, eggs, and even mushrooms! And while it would work for us, there are even meat CSAs too.  If you are in the Portland area, SIO still has shares available if you are interested.

Check out their blog to see what is in a share this week, along with seasonal recipe ideas to enjoy the harvest, and check out their website for more info on CSAs, what they grow and to sign up.

Happy Seasonal Eating!

(These are all my pictures, to check out some of SIO connect with their Flickr account)

Happy Earth Day!

While every day is really Earth Day (where else would we go?), it is a good reminder to think about our place in the great salad bowl of life and rededicate ourselves to living lightly on great mother Gaia.

One of the biggest impacts you can have on your ecological footprint is to make food choices that are lower on the food chain, closest to their natural state, sourced close to home, and grown with minimal use of chemical inputs.

As a bonus, these foods also tend to be the tastiest, freshest, most nutrient dense, and most supportive of a vibrant local economy.  So I invite you to make yourself a big tasty salad - from your yard, fields, forests, and/or markets - and think about what it means to be a citizen of earth.

A good place to start is with this Earth Day post on Gardening in the Round (where you can also find inspiration to grown your own!).

Happy Eating Happy Earth Day

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.

---

[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.

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/

Summer Lunch

It need not be complicated to eat well - load up on this first flush of cherry tomatoes & spicy basil. Add some nice herbed goat cheese. Scoop up with GF crackers, endive spears or cucumber wedges. Sit back & enjoy the summer.

Summer lunches have a bit of a theme around here....
check out this one from last year in beautiful Hood Canal, WA.

Are You Independent?

Robert Rodale brings up a good point about the lack of independence and self-sufficiency in the population - almost 30 years ago.

Read about how this meshes with a similar but opposite point by Wendell Berry about how we are missing out on the interdependence of our whole food economy.

What is your take?  Read up and take up your hoe! Gardening in the Round

Some Food For Thought on Earth Day

Perusing the plethora of food available in the grocery store can be a relative gauntlet of choice these days. A little information can go a long way to helping you ‘hedge your bets’ in the produce aisle, as you try to reconcile the sometimes conflicting values of sustainability, price, nutritional value, and taste.

 

Turns out organic apples and conventionally grown grapefruit are two good choices while we wait for more local fruit to grow. My rhubarb is getting bigger by the day, and those scrumptious local strawberries aren’t far off, but if you want to get your five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, chances are you are buying some out-of-season produce from the grocery store.

 

While the Environmental Working Group (and nutritionists, along with me) advocate that you eat produce of any kind rather than eating no produce at all, you can substantially reduce your exposure to pesticides by avoiding the ‘Dirty Dozen’ plus two more veggies that might have pesticides of special concern. If at all possible these potentially ‘dirty’ varieties should be bought organic, or avoided in favor of the ‘Clean 15’ – those that are conventionally grown but up to 98% of samples tested had no pesticide residue, and no single sample had more than 5 different chemicals (some of the ‘dirty’ ones had up to 64 different pesticides in a single sample). And if you’re wondering, all samples were tested after being washed and/or peeled.

 

Two crops that the Working Group added as an addendum to the ‘Dirty Dozen’ - leafy greens (kale & collards greens) and green beans - were due to their testing positive for the presence of organophosphates, a class of insecticides that are toxic to the nervous systems of humans. Thankfully these insecticides are being withdrawn from use, but they are still applied to certain crops and pose serious hazards to health. This is especially true of children exposed to higher levels of organophosphates while in the womb (see Rauch et al. 2012[i] in the resources below). The Working Group also found pesticides in commercial baby food – testing 190 samples each of green beans, pears, and sweet potatoes. While the sweet potatoes had virtually no detectable pesticides, the other two weren’t so hot. Check out the website found in the resources below for further details.

 

The Dirty Dozen + 2

• Apples (98% of samples tested positive for pesticides
• Celery (96% tested positive; 13 different pesticides found in a single sample)
• Sweet bell peppers (15 different pesticides found in a single sample; 88 different pesticides residues found in total; high levels of organophosphates)
• Peaches
• Strawberries (13 different pesticides found in a single sample)
• Nectarines – Imported (100%; highest total weight of pesticides; high levels of organophosphates)
• Grapes (15 different pesticides found in a single sample; 64 different pesticide residues in total)
• Spinach
• Lettuce (78% tested positive)
• Cucumbers (81% tested positive)
• Blueberries - Domestic (13 different pesticides found in a single sample)
• Potatoes (91% tested positive)
• Green Beans (high levels of organophosphates)
• Kale & Collards (high levels of organophosphate

 

 

 

The Clean 15

 

• Onions (98% of samples had no detectible pesticides; no sample had more than one pesticide)
• Sweet corn[ii] (98% of samples had no detectible pesticides; no sample had more than one pesticide)
• Pineapples (More than 90% of samples had no detectible pesticides)
• Avocado (98% of samples had no detectible pesticides)
• Cabbage
• Sweet peas
• Asparagus
• Mangos (78% of samples had no detectible pesticides)
• Eggplant
• Kiwi (75% of samples had no detectible pesticides)
• Cantaloupe – Domestic (60% of samples had no detectible pesticides)
• Sweet potatoes
• Grapefruit
• Watermelon (67% of samples had no detectible pesticides)
• Mushrooms

 

While the Working Group used a number of metrics to determine a compound score of pesticide contamination[iii] in every case, each one was weighted equally to represent the uncertainty inherent in the current knowledge of the effects of pesticide exposure.[iv] They state:

 

The EWG’s Shopper’s Guide™ is not built on a complex assessment of pesticide risks but instead reflects the overall pesticide loads of common fruits and vegetables. This approach best captures the uncertainties of the risks of pesticide exposure. Since researchers are constantly developing new insights into how pesticides act on living organisms, no one can say that concentrations of pesticides assumed today to be safe are, in fact, harmless.

The Shopper’s Guide™ aims to give consumers confidence that by following EWG’s advice, they can buy foods with consistently lower overall levels of pesticide contamination.

 

While organic produce will always help you limit your pesticide exposure, these fruits and veggies can be expensive compared to conventionally grown varieties – which aren’t all bad according to the ‘Clean 15’. Another way that you can increase the sustainability of your choices is to choose what is local, and what is in season. Both of these traits tend to reduce price, which is always an important value in our food choices. So imagine my surprise when my usual winter fare of organic local apples, and conventional seasonal grapefruit turn out to be two good picks.

 

While you're filling your basket, you can also feel good about those sacks of onions, tempting avocados, and spring asparagus that you don't find in the organic section. If you want to indulge in berries or spinach out of season, look at the freezer aisle. Often these popular foods (along with green beans and stone fruits) can be had a very reasonable prices when bought organically but frozen. And really, these frozen forms will be copacetic with the light steaming, blending or baking that you are planning on doing with these gems anyway – AND you can often find them on sale, and stock up. Now THAT is Very Good Food – good for you, good for the earth.

 

 

 

____________________________________________________

[i] Rauch et al. 2012. Association of Prenatal Exposure to Organophosphate Pesticide Metabolites with Gestational Age and Birth Weight. Environmental Health Perspectives 120(7):1055-1060. Available online at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3404666/

[ii] Sweet corn is differentiated from commodity corn grown for use as animal feed or biofuels, which tends to be grown from GMO seeds which are designed to withstand heavy pesticide applications. Some sweet corn for human consumption is also grown from GMO seed – if this is a concern opt for organic varieties, which cannot be grown from GMO seed to meet certification standards.

[iii] Contamination was measured in six different ways: percent of samples tested with detectable pesticides, percent of samples with two or more detectable pesticides, average number of pesticides found on a single sample, average amount (in parts per million) of all pesticides found, maximum number of pesticides found on a single sample, and total number of pesticides found on the commodity. “ For each metric, [The Working Group] ranked each food based on its individual USDA test results, then normalized the scores on a 1-100 scale (with 100 being the highest). To get a food’s final score, [they] added up the six normalized scores from each metric. The Shopper's Guide™ shows a full list of fruits and vegetables in order of these final scores. http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/

[iv]Our goal is to show a range of different measures of pesticide contamination to account for uncertainties in the science. All categories were treated equally; for example, a pesticide linked to cancer is counted the same as a pesticide linked to brain and nervous system toxicity. The likelihood that a person will eat multiple pesticides on a single food is given the same weight as the amounts of the pesticide detected and the percent of the crop on which pesticides were found.

 

 

Celebrate Spring!

The weather might still be iffy, the air chilly, and your nose sniffly, but today it is officially SPRING!  So the vernal equinox gives you as good an excuse as any to plan a nice meal that celebrates the season, as spring brings to mind all manner of new shoots, budding growth and delicious green things to create a fresh and delicious feast.

We are still waiting for the first asparagus to appear in the Pacific Northwest, the peas have just sprouted, fall-planted favas are just beginning to flower, and strawberries are a looooooooooong way off.  There are, however, other springy seasonal foods that abound in garden and market right now.  Roots and greens that overwintered might include: parsnips, turnips, kohlrabi, sunchokes, carrot, kale, leeks, broccoli raab, mustards, and green garlic.  Tender plants that you or the farmer transplanted early and nurtured through the calamity of February might include radish, lettuce, arugula, bok choi and beet tops. Not to mention the weedy and wild delights like dandelion leaves and buds, chickweed, and nettles.  Even some hardy herbs might be raising their leaves in defiance of the hail and gale - I have lovage, salad burnett, parsley, chives, oregano and marjoram ready with verdant delights.  You might also have rosemary, thyme, tarragon, and/or chervil in your midst (these are on my planting list this year).  So see?!  Many seasonal delights abound for a springly feast.

But you need not restrict yourself to what is purely available RIGHT NOW outside your front door.  Lovage for one reminds me of celery, so that would be a nice, fresh and crispy accompaniment.  Harvesting a few small leaves from my garden doesn't prevent me from buying a full head at the store, or from a farmer that more foresight than I and has one available for market this early.  The first, frost-kissed artichokes are arriving from California, tender and scrumptious wrapped in rows of blistered leaves.

With that being said, dreams are not of sugar plums in my head,
but a crispy crunchy salad with a bracing vinaigrette!
What should accompany such a verdant spring delight?
Eggs are a great choice this time of year, symbolizing new life.
So should it be a frittata? Ricotta tartlets? Deviled eggs work too.
What says spring to you?

So to celebrate, here is my idea for a weeknite spring-time feast.  Always subject to change of course - how will you celebrate spring?

Black Sheep Creamery Fresh Milk Cheese with Honey and Vanilla

drizzled with vanilla fig balsamic vinegar 

served on New Cascadia multigrain boule

Spring Salad of Radish, Watermelon Daikon, Dandelion Buds, Celery and Celeriac on Butterleaf Lettuce

served with lovage-caper-mustard vinaigrette 

Spinach, Roasted Oyster Mushroom, Leek and Feta Frittata

served with some nice white wine

Happy Spring Eating!

For some happy spring delights in the garden, check out Gardening in the Round

Simple Summer Pleasures

Serves 1 to 100

As you may (or may not) have noticed, the blog has been on a bit of a vacation this summer, with the author being preoccupied with, among other things, a whole home energy upgrade, a ‘collateral damage’ reno of the master bedroom due to the former (working on paint and plaster as we speak), massive garage sale, and the usual summer guests & travel.  So I do apologize, dear readers, for the lack of posts.  But do not despair as food is always near the forefront of this gal’s brain, and I have been amassing photos and recipes for a deluge of posts now that things are settling down somewhat... (except for the start of The Grape Harvest, the plethora of which will undoubtedly produce its own deluge of recipes as we try to deal with a bumper crop this year…stay tuned for that one!).

In these last warm days of a beautiful summer, and the chilly march into fall, it is the simple pleasures of life that are most rewarding.  I was fortunate enough to spend two days on the edge of the Hood Canal, west of Olympia, WA, soaking up some of the best the Northwest offers: warm sun, lapping waters, a babbling brook, and the hummus-filled air of lush cedar forests. 

In this environment, one needs little more than le cose essenziali della vita – the essentials of life – the phrase that Italians use to refer to bread and cheese.  For those on a GF journey good bread can be very hard to come by, causing borderline obsession at times (this is especially true for me when seeing the simple act of swirling fresh bread in tangy-sweet balsamic vinegar and luscious olive oil).  And so with the addition of the sublimity of summer wrapped up in a garden-grown tomato (thanks Carol!) and a riff on gremolata, one need only sit back and savor the simple pleasures of life.

Making the gremolata ahead of time makes this simple meal easily portable to any of your favorite late-summer destinations, and a decadent yet easy repas for beach, trail or picnic -- a bonus when there is so much to explore and precious little time to do so.

The ‘Essentials of Summer’ Lunch

With so few ingredients, quality is key to a sublime experience: splurge on (or make!) good bread, good cheese, good olive oil, good aged balsamic and local sunkissed tomatoes.

For each person:

• Cut 2 to 4 pieces of GF bread (depending on size) – New Cascadia’s multigrain boule is my personal favorite, and pictured here
• Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (such as Napa Valley Naturals ‘sweet and fruity’) and aged balsamic vinegar (such as Napa Valley Naturals balsamic grand reserve)
• Spread on a layer of gremolata (recipe follows)
• Add slices of your favorite cheese (Some definite winners include brie, fontina, fresh mozza, creamy chèvre…or a pungent blue for those of you that swing that way).
• Arrange slices from one medium-sized perfectly ripe tomato
• Add coarse salt and fresh-ground pepper
• Top with additional oil and vinegar if desired

(Arguably an equally sublime dish could be made without the cheese, making this vegan if you choose a vegan, GF bread like most available from New Cascadia Traditional http://www.newcascadiatraditional.com/ )

105 Things to Try

I was recently surfing the web, following one idea to the next down some proverbial rabbit hole and ended up inspired a blogger (Brow-Eyed Baker) who had a tab entitled ‘My 100’.  It was a culinary bucket list of sorts that she had compiled, comprised of the many dishes she hoped to conquer in the kitchen.  And that got me thinking – why not put together a list of all the yummy things that aren't, by nature, vegetarian gluten-free that we could try to make that way?

Now most of the things on the list are already vegetarian OR gluten-free, so should not be too difficult to adapt.  Some dishes did rise to the top of the difficulty meter, by being neither veg nor gf (French onion soup, beef stroganoff, sausage & chard strata, grilled burgers, meatloaf, Chinese-style lemon chicken), by being very hard to substitute with gf products (fresh pasta, gnocchi, ravioli, a ‘real’ baguette, tiramisu, spanakopita, samosas), by being difficult to approximate with gf veggie protein (beef burgundy, paella, bacon, lardons), or by being just technically difficult (soy cheese,mozzarella, verjus). I’ve nicknames them ‘The Tricky Twenty” and they are highlighted in bold in the list below.

Observant types might have notice mozzarella – hey, that is vgf already, what gives? Well, that’s where the rest of the ‘bucket list’ comes in. I ended up with 75 items to adapt, but as the ideas were rolling in I started thinking of some culinary delights I would love to create, just for the joy of it.  These 25 loosely fall into fresh cheese making, pickling, and creating other things from scratch - like homemade mayo.

I’m sure this is just the tip of the iceburg, but it is a good start – and a way to inspire me in the kitchen when I’m thinking ‘what should I make today?’.  I’ve reposted it in its own tab too (without the commentary), where I will cross off dishes as they are developed and pass muster (along with the inevitable failures). See My 105. Bonus is that we have already made meatloaf and mac 'n' cheese - yay!  I want to know from you – what is on your 100?  What are you struggling to adapt to meet your needs?  Let me know and we can work at it together.

Italian Delights

1.       Fresh pasta - A quintessentially ridiculous dish to make gf.

2.       Gnocchi - We have tried, failed, and will try again.

3.       Lasagna - What could be more homey and delicious?

4.      Eggplant parmigiana – Successfully breading the eggplant may also lead to parmigiana sandwiches.

5.       Pasta e fagioli - Pasta and beans, traditionally favas.

6.      Stuffed zucchini blossoms - Usually dredged in flour and stuffed with breadcrumbs.

7.       Arancini - Risotto balls usually bound with breadcrumbs or panko.

8.      Ravioli - Once the pasta is figured out we can explore these beauties.

Bread! & Baked Things

9.      A ‘real’ baguette - A HUGE treat, yet to find one gf that passes muster.

10.    Biscuits - Almost as good as a baguette.

11.     Flatbread -  Pita, na’an, or chipatis, looking for whatever will work best.

12.    Good sandwich bread - Something that will hold up to mayo and all the fixin’s.

13.    Whole brown rice bread - A mythic, traditional Japanese loaf that sounds fabulous.

14.    Sprouted grain bread - Why can’t it be gf too?  Easier to digest than flour.

15.    Pizza dough - Enough said!  A craving for us gf folks.

16.    Quick bread - Something that can be adapted to sweet or savory ends

17.    Muffins - Would love to replicate my mom’s Pumpkin Crunch in gf!

18.    Cottage cheese bread - Have some very nostalgic memories of this, with lots of dill.

19.    Crackers - A must for all the fresh cheese further down the list.

Sweets

20.   Angel food cake – My absolute fav as a kid.

21.    Fruit galette - My absolute fav now.

22.   Broken glass dessert - A jello & whipped cream concoction of my Grandma’s with lots of memories J

23.   Cheesecake - Who doesn’t love a good cheesecake?

24.   Brownies - Hard to resist, even for us non-dessert types.

25.   Meyer lemon curd - The quintessential lemon indulgence, I have to try it.

26.   Vegan fruit crisp - Loooove fruit crisp, why not make it more inclusive?

27.   Tiramisu - Lots of gf hurdles with this one, homemade ladyfingers?

28.   Gingerbread cookies - Another sweet soft spot.

29.   Shortbread - We’re Scottish, after all!

30.   Chestnut flour cake - Intriguing traditional Italian confection.

31.    Decent tart shell - That can take a bunch of seasonal fruit & still behave.

Savory Pastries

32.   Gourgettes - French cheese puffs, would love to make these work out.

33.   Spanakopita - Miss this fantastic combination of feta & spinach.

34.   Samosas - One of the best, hearty snack foods I used to adore.

35.   Empanadas - Latin American handpies, maybe with maseca?

36.   Turnovers - Infinitely stuffable with goodness.

Soups & Stews

37.   French onion soup - Beef broth & bread slice make this a double hurdle.

38.   Mulligatawny soup - Creamy, curry chicken with surprises of apple.

39.   Naomi Pomeroy’s celery velouté - Looks divine, but started with a roux.

40.  Miso soup - Complete restorative; usually has bonito fish broth.

41.    Posole - Heartwarming soup with hominy, pork and chicken.

42.   Pho - The Vietnamese staple that hits all the right notes.

43.   Guinness stew - How to get that rich beefy goodness in veggies form?

Main Events

44.  Meatloaf - JJ’s favorite, especially for sandwiches

45.   Falafel - One of my favs, but often adulterated with wheat flour, and served in a pita.

46.  Beef burgundy - Julia Child might not be impressed, but I am determined!

47.   Beef stroganoff - A yummy classic that needs much VGF revision.

48.  Mac & Cheese - Oh yah!

49.  Sausage & Chard Strata - Found this bread-based recipe and just have to try it.

50.  Burgers that can be grilled - If only… without breadcrumbs they tend to fall apart.

51.    Beef burgers - Looking for depth of flavor and great texture

52.   Chicken burgers - Something lighter but still substantial with some zing.

53.   Lamb kofta - Trying to be like our friend Huseyin, who makes it best

54.   Soufflé - For those fancypants dinner parties, usually contain flour

55.   Shepherd’s pie - Rich and comforting even in VGF form

56.   Chicken wings - If it’s coated in good sauce, will you know that it’s tofu?

57.   Bacon - Working for that smoky somtin’ somtin’.

58.   Paella - How to make so many kinds of meat replacements?

59.   Dirty Rice - A New Orleans staple.

60.  Lion’s head meatballs - Pork-based Chinese wonders.

61.   Chinese-style lemon chicken - A guilty favorite.

62.   Carne asada - Gimme spice!

63.   Shredded beef - Love the texture, would love in more on a sandwich.

64.  Lardons - Pork belly cubes of saturated goodness, might be hard to make veggie style.

65.   Butter chicken - Love it! 

66.  Jerk chicken - Bring on the heat…

67.   Chili - A favorite of sporting events, sloppy sandwiches, & nachos

68.  Something tea-infused - Totally intrigued by the cover of Culinary Tea.

Faux Dairy

69.  Vegan “butter” - There has to be something healthier to dip my artichokes in.

70.   Vegan cheese sauce - Morbid curiosity.

71.    Vegan mayo - We use veganaise, but it is getting sooooo expensive!

72.   Almond milk - Homemade has to be better, right?

73.   Soy milk - Intrigued, because of the following two possibilities:

74.   Soy yogurt - Does this work or taste okay?

75.   Soy cheese - Is this possible at home?

{Onto those that are just for the fun of it….}

Fresh Cheese & Dairy Delights

76.   Mozzarella - Mmmm fresh mozza with tomatoes, basil & olive oil.

77.   Ricotta – Yummy.

78.   Ricotta salata - Double yummy.

79.   Mascarpone - Is seem some great dessert potential.

80.  Paneer - Then onto peas paneer, one of JJ’s fav Indian dishes.

81.    Queso blanco - A must for the Latin dishes.

82.   Quark - The oldest form of cheese in Europe, dates to 3 B.C.E!

83.   Feta - Can you imagine fresh feta at home?!?!?!

84.  Chèvre - Another big favorite – though JJ isn’t as fond of it as I am.

85.   Soft goat cheese - Apparently there is a difference between this and chèvre.

86.  Goats milk mozzarella - Interesting…

87.   Sour cream - I’ll try it at least once, just to see.

88.  Crème fraîche - And then onto Truffled Crème Fraiche!

89.  Butter - Looks too easy not to try.

90.  Ice cream - Saw a recipe for white chocolate ice cream, so have to try it.

91.    Paskha - An interesting looking Russian Easter ‘dessert’ made in clay flower pots! HAVE to try that!

Canned & Homemade

92.   Dill pickles - A classic, growing my own cucs this year too!

93.   Pickled eggs - Not as weird as you think, now I’m addicted!

94.  Pickled beets - Just for Kim J

95.   Picked asparagus or beans - I won’t lie, they're destined for Homemade bloody marys.

96.  Pickled hot peppers – Addictive! Thinking of you, Shelly!

97.   Giardiniera - A classic Italian picked veg medley that is delicious.

98.  Verjus - Vinegar made out of unripe grapes, and boy do we have grapes.

99.  Low-sugar fruit jam - Apricot, fig or blueberry? Decisions decisions.

100.   Pear or apple butter - Fruit purees that you spread like butter caught my interest.

101. Apple sauce - Just to try, probably destined for baking.

102.Homemade mayo - A must.

103. Homemade mustard - A cool looking Roman mustard recipe sparked this.

104.   Homemade ketchup - Because the stuff from the store is SCARY.

105.Own Montréal steak spice - One of our secret weapons, so why not make it our own?