Wild in the Kitchen

This post pays homage to the beautiful wild Alaskan salmon and gives thanks to the many nourishing, health-sustaining meals it has provided us.

We've been eating less fish these days as we learn more about shady practices and severe overfishing happening around the world. Surprisingly, fish farming contributes to the problem as it takes 3 fish to feed 1 farmed fish! The more we learn about the impact of overfishing on the health of marine ecosystems, the harder it becomes to find fish that can be eaten with a clear conscience. Unfortunately, farmed fish are not the answer. When buying fish, be sure and check the status of sustainability and contamination first on this helpful site. For example, "there are high environmental costs in farming Atlantic Salmon such as water pollution, disease, and high wild fish content in feeds. Antibiotics and vaccines are commonly used to treat infected farmed Atlantic Salmon. Global regulations are highly variable and in some cases non-existent."

Among the few fish that remain sustainable and relatively safe to eat (minimal toxic build up) are the wild Alaskan salmon, in particular Sockeye or Coho. "With good management and fairly healthy habitat, Alaska Salmon remain abundant... in contrast, depletion and degraded habitat from dams and logging pose serious problems for most Pacific Northwest salmon."

Looking for something different to do with salmon? Next time try out these delicious salmon burgers along side some brown rice and a heaping green salad. You really can't beat it with its fresh dill and crab cake-like reminiscence, topped with a mango avocado salsa. One of my standby recipes, a quick version with canned salmon can be whipped up in 10 minutes and on the table soon after. Given the luxury of a little more leisure time though, it is a real treat to start slow and enjoy this dish made with whole salmon.

Salmon Burgers

2 lbs skinless, wild caught Alaskan salmon fillets

3 eggs, beaten

2 medium zucchini, grated and squeezed to remove excess water

2 T Dijon mustard

1 1/2 cups almond meal or bread crumbs

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill

* * * * *

Rub fillets with salt and pepper then cook completely through on medium heat in olive oil

Chunk up cooked salmon with a fork


Combine remaining ingredients and mix up until fully combined

Form into patties and cook in olive oil over medium heat, flipping once, until golden brown and firm to the touch

Mix up ripe avocado, mango and fresh chili pepper (optional) as a topping

Smother with avocado/mango mix up

Serve with lemon wedges and nice white wine

The ingredient amounts may vary according to your taste

(mine switch up a little bit every time)

These make quite a few patties so you can freeze or enjoy the next day

* * * * *

Pick Your Own Lunch

Family meals are fresh. Fresh like cool and fresh like picked today!

Our summers usually consist of meals bursting with local flavors, from the tomatoes to the onions, eggs, and meat. Every week we go on a much anticipated excursion to our CSA, Riverland Farm in Sunderland Mass. to pick up our share of the weeks bounty. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and buying a share means you become a member of the farm, basically supporting the planting, growing, tending and harvesting of a whole lot of seasonal fruits and veggies. You then show up weekly from about June - October to pick up your share (ranging in size). Some farms offer pick your-own crops which are a real treat. I consider the hour we spend picking our own beans, tomatoes, herbs and flowers my therapy for the week. It is incredibly meditative and relaxing. Eat a little, pick a little, watch the kids navigate the long rows of crops... pure bliss.

If you haven't investigated a local CSA near you, take a look here http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ and start planning on signing up for next summer (winter shares are also popping up all over the place), you will be so happy you did! Most farms have refrigerators and coolers filled with local meat, eggs, cheese, yogurt, milk, butter, pestos, sauces and lots more. It is entirely possible these days to eat locally for all seasons. City dwellers, there are many CSA's which have designated urban pick up locations, so don't let that stop you!

~~~

Picking some of the sweetest snap peas we have ever tasted...

Medicinal bouquets of Calendula

Home again, home again...


It doesn't take much time to create a local feast...

Local egg salad with pastured eggs, fresh dill and spring onions, a sprinkling of cumin, salt and pepper. A salad of just picked greens and a farm fresh slaw of kholrabi, cabbage and carrots with green apple and cumin lime vinaigrette. Enjoyed with or without a slice of locally baked bread.

Farm Slaw

A carrot or two, thinly sliced

1/4 head of cabbage, thinly sliced

1 Kholrabi, thinly sliced (or celeriac)

1 green apple, thinly sliced

small bunch of cilantro, rinsed and chopped

~

Dressing

1/2 cup olive oil

4 T fresh squeezed lime juice

1 T agave or raw honey

1 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and pepper

Mix up dressing and toss with the slaw. Salt and pepper to taste.

Noriliscious

Still glowing, still smiling, still thinking about the best birthday present ever...

Two little birthday elves waking me with kisses and wishes have started the day in a most magical way! Off they scamper into the kitchen where I can hear whispering and cupboards opening, plates clattering and water running. Hmmmm, what could be up those sleevies?

More quiet giggles and then... what's this? Breakfast in bed?!?

Take a look at the creative sparks that fly!

In Calvin's words, "The healthiest one we could make you"

Can you tell me how to get this smile off my face?

May Is For Delicious

IN A FEW WORDS:

hadley asparagus

farmers markets

warm planting days

wet after planting days

puffs

spinach (washed!)

hiking

gold finches

visitors

early morning blue sky when you open your eyes

~ ~ ~

I haven't posted in a good month and what a good month it's been!

The amazing D'Andrea Clan paid a visit and inspired the assembly line above...

What a great way to enjoy some yummy seaweed (soooooo good for you and the highest calcium source around town), some nutty quinoa (also high in calcium), some greens and fish. This has always been a favorite lunch of mine, the baked fish (not shown) turned it into yummy dinner.

The dressing is great to have on hand if you are ever in the mood for a homemade Asian dish. Mix into a green salad with brown rice, some soaked arame (seaweed), lightly steamed veggies and/or raw veggies, avocado, and tofu or fish for a light, refreshing meal.

The Gingery Dressing

6 T raw apple cider vinegar

5 T tamari

3 T toasted sesame oil

1 T flax or olive oil

2 T raw honey

2 T grated or minced ginger

1-2 T tahini or 2 T sesame seeds

Whiz it up in the blender or shake it in a jar and keep leftovers for other inspirational moments!

This sideways Coconut Pad Thai is tossed with a similar dressing only with the addition of almond butter and fresh serrano chilis, mmmm...

Thanks to some sweetie pies who came a knockin' this weekend, I had some help cracking four young coconuts and using the meat for noodles instead of pasta. It is a crazy process, but well worth it in deliciousness.

Only wish we had been as slick as this guy here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4hUAjyel9M

We reserved the coconut water for some crazy tropical cocktails and scooped the meat out for the 'noodles'. Yes indeedy.

Here is the amazing gourmet food chef Naomi pressing fresh watermelon juice for the drinks...

Note the 4 fine young coconuts on the counter.

And a BIG ol' props to Ruth, the incredible mango pie whipper upper.

Coming from a strange and wonderful world in which she doesn't have to do anything except eat what her raw food husband makes her, we have to say she did a heck of a job stepping up her game.


How nice to take a break from sugar. And butter, wheat and dairy for that matter.
This pie is a no bake, raw, date and fruit sweetened treat.
Date nut crusts are my favorite, no doubt.

Mango Pie

Crust
2 cups almonds
1 1/2 cups pitted and soaked dates

Filling
4 bananas
4 mangoes

Whiz up almonds and dates in food processor until they form a big sticky ball.
Spread and press this into a pie plate.
Peel and slice meat off mango. Put into a food processor with bananas and mix until smooth. Pour into crust and freeze. This can be eaten slightly frozen or all the way.


Looking back at these tropically themed recipes, I get the sense that maybe I am anticipating summer just a wee bit. I guess there is only so much asparagus you can eat before you start eyeballing the mangoes.

Recipe For Peace

Outside, our newly planted flowers are getting the first splashes of morning sun.

Inside, we are stirring. Morning kisses, dream sharing, a whistling kettle...

As breakfast begins, I sip my tea in peace.

OK, this is where you hear the sound of a record scratching to a halt.

Quiet?! Peace?! Calm?! On a school morning?!

YES.

There is no whining over raisins in the granola or the favorite shirt still dirty in the wash. No lost water bottles or library books to scrounge up.

Just sipping on my tea and eating yesterday's banana bread with the boys while they quietly color away. Miles has been asking every night at bed time if he can color and I keep telling him to wait until morning and then we both completely forget as the morning routine gets the better of us. So last night in exasperation he says "Mom, can you remind me in the morning so I don't forget?" And I say, "you know what buddy, I am going to set that all up tonight at the table so you can eat and draw when you get up."

Miles, can you remind me every night about the joys of a creative breakfast ?

And let's not forget the banana bread that the boys helped me make last night.

A few chocolate chips thrown in go a long way to making a morning deliciously zen.



Chocolate Chip Buckwheat Banana Bread

1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup agave nectar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
3/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup almond meal
3 T ground golden flax
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
3 very ripe bananas
1/3 cup sour cream or yogurt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a large loaf pan or large round casserole dish.
Beat soft coconut oil with agave and eggs on medium for a few minutes.
Mix together buckwheat, almond meal, flax and salt in a separate bowl then add to wet mixture. Smash bananas and add in with sour cream/yogurt. Mix well then fold in chocolate chips and coconut. Check after 1 hr. 15 minutes.

~ ~ ~

Sprouting Up, Digging In...

"During each of the three seasonal harvests that make up the annual cycle, nature produces the seeds with which to heal the ills of that season and help prepare the body for the season that follows. In the West we look on nature as a cruel force that must be subdued...but the Native American and Eastern traditions see in nature the potential solutions to every imbalance."

- From The Three Season Diet, by John Douillard

Spring is beautiful on many levels. That rush of hopefulness, a day of warm sun, crocus pushing through a thick bed of pine needles, a child on a swing... with no jacket! One of the most beautiful things about Spring for me are the gifts of the edible green world, seen and unseen.

In those crazy olden days, nothing green would have graced a plate for the many long, dark days of winter. Roots, meat and fat filled the stew bowls and then eventually just a couple of roots, if you were lucky. By the time ramps (wild spring onions), dandelion greens, watercress, and tender spring kale were finally enjoyed, there was a seasons worth of mucus build up in the body to be broken down. The winter foods supplied bulk and warmth and now the astringent Spring foods would do some necessary cleaning out.

Sprouts like wheat grass, alfalfa, and mung are great bitter, astringent foods to add to your diet around this time. So are the delicious spicy greens like mustard and watercress. Dandelion greens are very detoxifying so you might notice an increased urge to pee. The original French word for this plant was 'Pisenlit' which means 'pee in the bed' because that is exactly what would happen if the roots, leaves or tea were taken before bed!

What better way to spice up your salads than by saving a ton of money and growing these sprouts yourself! Here is a good general sprout guide with a sprouting chart:

http://www.living-foods.com/articles/easysprout.html

After a couple of days you will have enough sprouts to get quite creative with!

Mung, Wild Rice and French Green lentil


Alfalfa sprouts will blow your mind after starting with just a couple tablespoons of seeds...


Here's one breakfast we can't get enough of:

2 Poached Eggs
Watercress Greens
drizzle of lemon vinaigrette
walnuts
Fresh Alfalfa Sprouts
***
Let me know if you can solve this one:
For the last bite, walnut or poached egg?

Spring Things...

OK, I have to give Martha props for this one.
Easy, fun, cheap, fast and no exotic ingredients.

The Spring itch came hard this year. As a result, I recently completed a very pleasant 7 day vegetable, fruit, juice detox/cleanse, rid the living room of old winter fireplace ash dust, did the kind of extra laundering you never even think of getting to (think: curtains, coats and couch cushion covers), and can now see through my windows again.

Calvin gets it when he looks up at the seasonal clothesline craft display hanging above the kitchen sink and says "Mom! That's Valentine's Day! We need to do Spring!" The years of seasonal crafting have finally got him more on the ball than me. So, what to do... hmmmm, why not peruse the freakishly perfect crafts on MarthaStewart.com (There is something about that woman that would makes me want to see her mess up so bad one day, fallen soufle perhaps?). I will settle for the Spring plant sprouting in egg cups and have one hell of a fun time doing this sweet project with the boys:

Started here...

By cracking around the top of the egg, you can create a line to pull gently apart.
Seperate 5 whites and 5 yolks during this process and reward yourself with this delicious almond honey cake (resources page) after, saving the rest for omlettes the next day.



We rinsed the shells carefully in hot water and put them back in the carton.


Oh the best part... DIRT!



Cat grass is a great seed for kids to plant because it will sprout in a couple of days. We also used some quick sprouting herbs and flowers like basil, morning glory and straw flower.

Voila. 12 finished eggs and 2 goofballs.

How Big Are Yours?

We have finally broken through the kale barrier!!!

This is coming from a mama who puts kale in absolutely everything I cook, if I can. My favorite variety, Lacinado, is soft and equally delicate in soup and salad, and I can't get enough. Sad to say, I might have been the only one in the house bestowing blessings on the happy green leaf all day.

So, it was quite the memorable moment around the dinner table the other night.

The boys were shovelling it in and asking for more! I sat back in awe and couldn't believe all the protests were over.

Calvin used to love the stuff but lately has been pushing the
itty bitty chopped pieces to the side of his plate or bowl. Miles
would slurp it up when it found its way in on a soup bite but
never, NEVER have I seen them eat it with such joy and... expectation ?

"Are my muscles big yet?"
"Am I getting stronger?"

Ha! It could only mean one thing!











The boys watch their eagerly awaited show on 'show day',
a Saturday or Sunday. Big day around here. The last one saw
Miles staring at a tin lunch box given to him by his Uncle Robby
filled with old Popeye shorts on DVD. The boys were curious...
So in it goes and we get swept away on a very grainy, old fashioned
ride into the world of Popeye and the (very whiny) Olive Oil...
I winced on a couple of occasions, skipped ahead on some not too
politically correct scenes, but all in all enjoyed some down right
hilarious adventures in the simple cartoon formula that is Popeye.

Oh, yeah. And then there is the spinach.
Miles comes out and after devouring his kale for dinner says,
"Mom, can you get some of that black stuff in a can?" Ha!

Pretty classic that the old propaganda and subliminal messages
are actually working some good voodoo for a change.

Thanks Robby.

For all you skeptics or all you lovers out there...
here are two sites you might want to check out.

One is on all the magical nutritional greatness of kale:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38

The other is a useful article for anyone who wants to get their hands dirty planting some this Spring:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2003-08-01/The-Best-Kales.aspx

Happy Munching.... toot toot!

Flippin' Good Flap Jacks

Every now and then you strike it rich on a kitchen experiment. This is one of those lucky surprises. Oh yeah, these suckers are going to make you wish you were gluten free. Move over wheat, you are so yesterday's pancake. Hope you enjoy the crispy edges and crunchy almond bits of these tasty breakfast treats as much as we did!

RECIPE
1 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup fresh ground raw almonds or almond meal
1/3 cup ground golden flax meal
1/4 t salt
3/4 t baking soda
3/4 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
2 organic, free range eggs
2 cups organic milk or any milk substitute
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1 t vanilla


Mix the first 8 ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Mix the remaining wet ingredients in a separate bowl and then pour into the dry mixture. Mix thoroughly. Heat a large fry pan or griddle on medium heat, add butter and/or coconut oil to coat. Add batter to preferred pancake size and cook until the first bubbles pop. Change heat to lowest setting and flip. Cook for about a minute or 2 and serve with drizzles or puddles of your favorite maple syrup.

I take my pan off the heat after each round and wipe clean for a fresh butter/oil application on a not too hot pan so it doesn't start smoking (if your butter ever smokes, rinse and try again on when the pan is cooler so you don't end up with a bunch of trans fats).

For the flours, I like to use Arrowhead Mills as they carry all the fun alternative grains - and you can use any kind of milk for this... coconut, hemp, soy, rice if you are dairy sensitive.

For fresh ground almonds, simply whiz up in a food processor (cover your ears) - you will get a bit more crunch from them this way or a smoother finish from almond meal (best for your buck at Trader Joes).

These babies are SUPER high in calcium from the almonds and buckwheat!!!

Happy stacking!

JANUARY

"Let’s live more in pleasure and bring pleasure to others. Pleasure can escort us safely through very difficult times and give our spirits a place to replenish."
-SARK

Eat Less, Play More
Remember when you were a child and you got so wrapped up in playing, imagining or creating that you didn’t want to stop when it was time to eat? Do you remember leaving your meal half-finished to run off and continue playing? Children innately understand that food is secondary to what is most nutritious and primary in life: fun and play.

As adults we seem to have lost our instinct to prioritize play. In our busy world, with its emphasis on work and responsibility, to be healthy and balanced we must work on more than just our bodies; we must feed our hearts, minds and spirits.

Have you noticed that when your body, mind and spirit are engaged in a creative project or happy relationship, your reliance on food seems to decrease? Likewise, when you are unsatisfied with your relationships, your job or other areas of your life, you may depend on food to cheer, soothe or numb you. When your life is out of balance, no amount of food can feed you where you truly need nourishment. The food that we eat is very important for health and balance, but what really feeds us—a full and fulfilling life—doesn’t come on a plate.

What is fun for you? What makes you light up? What excites you? Make time for it this week. Even if you don’t have much time for fun, try approaching a “serious” activity with an attitude of play. This can greatly reduce stress and anxiety and bring more pleasure to your day. Take your focus off food, try adding more fun into your life and watch the magic unfold.

Food Focus: Sea Vegetables
In traditional Chinese healing, sea vegetables correspond to the winter season and to the kidneys, adrenal glands, bladder and reproductive organs. The strengthening, balancing and cleansing properties of sea vegetables are known to help these organs as well as the hair, skin and nails. Sea vegetables (or seaweeds) provide a variety of minerals and vitamins, including calcium, iron and iodine, and can help balance hormone and thyroid levels in the body. Eating too many processed foods or foods grown in mineral-depleted soil can result in a lack of minerals in the body, leading to cravings for salty or sugary foods. Adding sea vegetables to your diet can help balance your energy levels and alleviate cravings.

Recipe of the Month: Mighty Miso Soup
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes
Yield: 4-5 servings

Ingredients:
4-5 cups water
1-2 inch strip of wakame or kombu
1-2 cups thinly sliced vegetables of your choice (see notes)
1-2 tablespoons miso paste
2 scallions, finely chopped

Directions:
1. Place water and wakame/kombu in a soup pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add root and ground vegetables first and simmer gently for 10 minutes or until tender.
3. Add leafy vegetables and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
4. Remove about 1/2 cup of liquid from pot and dissolve miso into it. Return it to the pot.
5. Turn off heat; do not boil or simmer miso broth.

6. Remove wakame/kombu, slice thinly and add back to soup
7. Garnish with scallions and serve.

Note:
Any combination of vegetables can be used in miso soup. Here are some classic combinations:
onion-daikon: cleansing
onion-carrot-shiitake mushroom-kale: mildly sweet
leek-corn-broccoli: great in summertime
onion-winter squash-cabbage: great in wintertime

Variations:
Add cooked grains at the start of making the soup. They will become nice and soft.
Add a tablespoon of uncooked quinoa or millet at the beginning and let it cook with vegetables for 20 minutes.
Add cubed tofu toward the end.
Add bean sprouts toward the end.
Season with 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger for an interesting twist.
If using dry shiitake mushrooms, slice and add at the beginning.