gratitude {№3}

so grateful for healthy food grown by neighbors who care about the earth and each other.

grateful for access to markets and so many choices.

grateful for those who work each day toward safer and more environmentally-friendly food production and distribution.

grateful for my improving relationship with food and understanding how to be nourished.

soul salad {№2}: crimson and clover

my grandma dee was a bit of a wild child even in old age.  i remember sitting in her kitchen next to the metal fan (the only cool place in the house), looking up from my book to watch her in her garden through the lace-veiled window.  she carried a giant basket through the rows, gathering goodness nurtured and warmed by the california sun.  i would blush a bit when she would squat down and eat right out of the ground, worried that someone would see her (although the nearest neighbors were blocks away).  she would swing her long black and grey apache braid out of the way and just pop a bean in her mouth or a bit of greens, sometimes even flowers and grass.  i would definitely cringe when she would pull a giant bloodred beet from the soil and take a bite.  i despised beets and could not imagine why someone would want to eat them, especially uncooked and covered in dirt.

turns out, i'm beginning to live much like dee and appreciate the things she loved.  you could say that i am embracing my genetic quirkiness.  i even like beets now.  i love them juiced, roasted and once even took a bite of raw.

this salad pays homage to dee:  roasted beets, greens and flowers.

crimson and clover salad

• two beets, roasted and cut into small cubes
• red leaf lettuce
• arugula
• radicchio
• goat cheese, crumbled
• walnuts, chopped
• clover flowers*
• garnish with mint, bee balm petals*, finely diced beet stalk and finely diced dried cranberries
• beet and balsamic vinaigrette

i roast the two whole beets wrapped in foil at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes.  let them cool enough to handle and then they peel so easily.  cut into cubes and sprinkle with a bit of balsamic vinegar while still warm.  set aside.

build a salad with the lettuce, arugula and radicchio.  lift the beets to strain (reserving the balsamic vinegar and beet juice, now mingled into the most magic of liquids) and top the greens.  crumble goat cheese, walnuts and clover flowers.  dress with the vinaigrette and garnish.

*clover and bee balm are edible; just make sure you pick them from an organic garden.

to make the vinaigrette:  mix together equal parts extra virgin olive oil and beet juice and balsamic vinegar magic liquid with salt and pepper to taste.

grandma dee is smiling.

and also would like it very much if you ate this outside in the sunshine.  preferably in the same spot where you picked the flowers.  with dogs.  and dirt.

soul salad {№1}: thai mango

i'm challenging myself to make one new salad each week to get out of my arugula-and-goat-cheese rut.

while in manhattan last month, i ate thai food like every other day.  the abundance of amazing thai cuisine in the city is overwhelming.  i was particularly fond of the mango salad or yum ma-muang at aura / zoob zib in hell's kitchen.

we have two thai restaurants back home in the 'burg.  both make a decent pad thai, but neither makes papaya or mango salad.  so i made my own version at home sans shrimp.  it's a gorgeous color burst of flavor:  the mango is sweet, the avocado is buttery and the dressing is (super!) spicy.  mangoes are quite challenging to julienne; i think mine were transitioning from green to ripe and they were a little hard to handle.  says the girl with two bandaged fingers.

thai green mango salad 

• two green mangoes, julienned (they need to be firm, not yet ripe; you might not need two if you are more skilled with the knife than i.  aura puts the mango through a pasta cutter set to spaghetti instead of the julienne.  mango noodles!)
• 1/4 red pepper, diced
• 1/4 purple onion (i used the last of my pickled onions from last week)
• fresh cilantro to taste (i like a lot)
• fresh basil to taste
• one avocado, sliced
• cashews, toasted

the dressing

• juice of one lime
• one tablespoon fish sauce (i used vegetarian fish sauce that i purchased in nyc)
• one tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 thai chili, seeded and finely diced
• pinch of red pepper flakes

combine mango, red pepper, onions and cilantro and set aside.  mix dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.  dress mango salad lightly.  slice or dice avocado and top salad or mix in.  garnish with basil ribbons and cashews.  

colorful food just makes me so happy.

i've been playing around with making cocktails with my home brewed kombucha, since i always seem to have a lot on hand.  i love this one in particular.  

i call it the lotus.

• 1/2 lime, sliced and muddled with a bit of sugar in the glass
• pour one inch st. germain elderflower liqueur
• add crushed ice (i have a hand crank ice crusher and was summer-afternoon-lazy, so cubes are pictured above.  crushed is better.)
• fill to top with lavender kombucha (hibiscus would work nicely too)
• garnish with edible flowers

possibly a little over the top with the flowers but so so good!

spring clean

april.  it's the month when we all want to shed the emotional and physical heaviness of winter.  nature is telling us to start anew and we are listening.

it's the month when i can easily get discouraged that despite an organic, plant-based diet, i'm still overweight.  (i get it universe, my body will never be lithe, but seriously why is it that the more i move toward body acceptance, the fatter i get?  ugh...)

it's the month when i realize that every year i really take that whole winter-rest-and-hibernate thing a bit too seriously and i need to jumpstart my activity level.  gorgeous mountain trails are calling my name.

it's the month to spring clean our homes; the physical structures we inhabit and the flesh and blood bodies that house our spirits.  it's time to release the grime and create clean space for new experiences. it's time to reset.

the components of a good (spirit house) cleaning:

• clean day salad (pictured above and recipe below).  honestly, it is so so good.
• green juice with a tablespoon of superfood (daily)
• rainbow quinoa
• lots of filtered water
• kombucha and yogi tea skin detox tea
• coconut oil-pull daily (in addition to incredible detox benefits, this also helps keep sinuses clear)
• nightly skin brush and salt bath
• gentle yoga
• walks outside
• deep breathing
• good deep sleep

clean day salad
(based on whole foods' detox salad)

two cups organic kale leaves (de-stem and roughly chop)
three or four organic carrots (rough chop)
one bunch organic parsley leaves (some stem is okay)
zest of one lemon (always use organic citrus if you are zesting)
juice of half lemon
one-half cup sunflower seeds (or chopped pepitas)
one-half cup organic raisins
one cup organic dried blueberries, cranberries or goji berries (or mix)
one tablespoon olive oil
one teaspoon kelp granules or dulse
chia seeds

pulse greens and carrots in food processor to the size of confetti, careful not to make a pesto of it.  mix all ingredients together except for the chia seeds.  sprinkle a half teaspoon of chia seed on each serving just prior to enjoying (if you mix the chia into the salad and let it sit, it will absorb the moisture in the salad and get a bit gel-ish).

i pulverize the remainder of the parsley leaves and stems and add a spoon to the pups' food daily.  they love it.

i feel sparkly and new just writing this post.  happy cleaning!

lunch lately

when i accepted this lovely gypsy job of mine, i was a bit concerned that all the traveling would pose a huge challenge to healthy eating.  turns out, i've had the best time discovering whole foods and vegetarian restaurants in the cities i've visited.  and my lunches have never been more nourishing.

homemade kombucha with hannah

kombucha is a sparkly fermented tea.  you may have heard it called "mushroom" tea (it tastes nothing like mushroom).  i call it magic elixir.  it's an ancient probiotic brew that is detoxing and prevents all sorts of disease.  i just feel good when i drink it.  it took a really long time before i tried it but once i did, i loved it instantly.  i love it so much i am flirting with an addiction.  which is probably great for my health, but not so great for my budget given the cost of bottled kombucha in stores ($4-$5 per bottle).

my friend and yoga teacher sarah makes her own kombucha at home and sweetly offered to share a starter mushroom (scoby) with me and show me the steps to brewing my own batch.

meet hannah, sarah's daughter.  she is very talented in the kitchen.  she is already quite famous in our town for her healthy eating and mad culinary skills.  she is just a joy to be around.

we used 2-quart jars and the recipe from this beautiful book.

the recipe

(for each jar)

2 quarts filtered water

2/3 cup organic sugar 

4 organic black tea bags or equivalent loose tea leaves 

1 cup previously brewed kombucha

1 scoby (kombucha mushroom)

(you can find a thousand recipes online.  sarah says not to stress out about the precise recipe, she likes to experiment with different proportions and tastes.)

wash your hands and kitchen surfaces (cleanliness is pretty important in this process).

measure your tea into a clean, dry jar (or use teabags).

fill the jar about 3/4 full with boiling water.

add your sugar and stir well until the sugar dissolves.

(use a wooden spoon, not metal.)

repeat for each jar you are making.

allow the tea to steep.

seriously, how adorable are they?  a beautiful baby-wearing, kombucha-brewing yoga teacher and her amazing children.

kombucha...kombuda...kombuddha.  such a wise child.

let the brew cool to body temperature.  this is very important, you don't want to "cook" the scoby.  be patient.

remove the tea bags or strain the tea if you used loose tea.

add one cup of previously brewed kombucha (and cold water to fill the jar if necessary).

now for the scoby.

this is scoby (below):  symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast.  she is a culture therefore she is alive.  treat her right.  express your love and gratitude openly and often.

(she's quite a versatile substance, watch this to see how scoby is being used to make fabric.)

place one scoby in each jar.

once they are full, cover your kombucha jars with cotton fabric.  secure tightly with a rubber band.  they should look like they are in the sunday school christmas play.

they are now ready to be stored to "brew".

store them in a quiet warm space out of direct sunlight for two to three weeks.  (sarah suggested experimenting storing the jars in a cooler with a heating pad set to low.)

after three weeks, a new scoby "pancake" will have grown in your tea.   taste your tea.  it should be a bit tangy with a bite.  if it's sugary, it's not ready.  back in the cupboard.

(if any mold has grown in your batch, discard the entire batch, scoby and all.  you will know if there is any funkiness present.)

when it's ready, remove the scoby and save.  at this point you can flavor it if you like with hibiscus flowers, ginger, chai spices, etc.

pour off and bottle most of the brew, always leaving a cup or two of brewed tea and scoby for your next batch.  you can use glass jars or recycled drink bottles.

if you added flavors, you may want to store your bottled brew for one more week or so.  this will allow the flavors to deepen and promote effervescence.

speaking of effervescence...hannah likes to wait out the brewing process by star-stirring, cabbage hugging and making her baby brother laugh.

this is sarah's mothership scoby.  she is quite impressive, yes?

these are ready for storing.  in three weeks, i'll have my first batch of kombucha.  i'm going to add some hibiscus and ginger.

thank you sarah and hannah!  you completely demystified this process for me and i had a great time spending the morning with you.

if you haven't tried kombucha, i know it can look a little weird.  i encourage you to try it to see if you like it.  whole foods or your local health food store should carry a line.  you can also find local brewers at farmers markets.  if you are near southwest virginia, local brewer buffalo mountain makes amazing kombucha.  regardless of the source, there are a lot of varieties.  i suggest synergy trilogy or buffalo mountain hibiscus to start.  they taste great and you will feel awesome.

a few internet kombucha resources:
getkombucha.com
culturesforhealth.com
kombuchakamp.com

oh serendipity

don't you just love it when little bits of previously random love end up having everything to do with each other?

you know how i went on about harvest table a few posts back?  last month, while driving country backroads, taking a break from the interstate on work travel, i was compelled to stop at the deep raspberry and tiffany blue storefronts in little meadowview, virginia.  inside i discovered the most lovely farm-to-table restaurant complete with adjoining country store.

the food is amazing.  the vibe is comforting.

this morning i was listening to an interview with barbara kingsolver discussing her new book flight behavior.  something in the interview sounded vaguely familiar which prompted me to do a little research only to discover that she owns harvest table and that her farm from animal, vegetable, miracle (one of my all-time favorite books) is close by the restaurant.

i love love love this.

on future trips (there are many), i will be carrying my copy of a, v, m, with high hopes of a signature and some conversation.

in the last days of summer

there are these things:

golden light.  wind chime tinkles.

grapes and figs and the last of the summer berries.

windows wide open.

a confetti of pansies.

prayer wheel crafting in progress.

acorn gathering.

pumpkin smoothies*.

moments that whisper, come on in beautiful.

*for the pumpkin smoothie

blend together:

• one ripe frozen banana
• one-half can organic pumpkin
• one single serving container of organic greek yogurt (plain)
• two spoons chia seeds, plus more for garnish
• two spoons of chopped pumpkin seeds, plus more for garnish
• one spoon sweetener of your choice (i've been trying out coconut palm sugar, tastes good and is way lower on the glycemic index than sugar, but the price is high)
• almond or coconut milk to liquefy to your liking
• any combination of autumn spices:  cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, etc.

happy equinox.  here's to bright beginnings.

the one where i almost become southern

friends, i made my own fried green tomatoes.

with green tomatoes from my.  very.  own.  garden.

aren't they just gorgeousness tomatofied?

i've been in love with the fried green tomato since i first tasted them in 2003.  plus i really liked the movie, especially the part where kathy bates rams those bitches' car.  i find it amusing that i've pretty much been more comfortable with the thought of ramming some bitch's car than frying up some maters.  you see, i'm not the best fryer in the world (very unsouthern) and green tomatoes seemed hard to come by. 

turns out it's more messy than complicated:  the whole "breading station" thing...yeah.

station one:  i mixed sea salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper with organic unbleached flour.

station two:  two eggs, wisked.

station three:  i annihilated ritz crackers in the food processor instead of using bread crumbs.  the ritz crackers were the last of the derecho disaster food stash (good riddance to that).  i believe a good southern girl would have used cornmeal.

i tried to be healthy by using coconut oil (rookie california move); to counter the ritz crackers, which are pretty much the most unhealthy thing on the planet.

um, i didn't see the thing about "medium heat" until i was processing the photos.  see what i mean about not being the best fryer?

 

but i guess it was okay, the stove didn't burst into flames or anything.  next time i'll use canola.

here's the deets:

• heat about 1/4 inch oil in a pan on medium high
• wash and slice firm green unripe tomatoes (not ripe green heirlooms)
• one at a time, dredge tomato slices in flour and shake off excess
• then dip in beaten eggs
• then dip in the ritz crumbs (or bread crumbs if you don't have a derecho disaster food stash or cornmeal if you are southern)
• carefully place in the oil
• repeat with next slice
• i cooked four at a time
• watch them carefully, they cook fast, usually one to two minutes per side
• drain and cool on a wire rack with paper towels beneath

et voilà:

they were perfect!  the thin cracker coating was super crispy (i take it all back ritz) and the tart green tomato bite tasted just like summer.

unsouthern move number two hundred and four:  no sauce.  i like them naked.

(although i did have them in a cafe once with a cucumber dill sauce that i enjoyed.) 

after a few bites, i thought they would be awesome in a sandwich.  here is where i blew any chance of being southern...i put them between sourdough toasts with some arugula, goat cheese and avocado and a splash of balsamic.

the california fried green tomato sandwich.  dude.