Monday, February 22, 2010
Sweet smellin aroma wafting down from heaven
Having never heard the name before, Ronald Howes, it did not immediately jump out at me as I performed my ritual daily scan of the obituary section of the paper looking for friends, acquaintances or familiar names that I can pass the word on, to whoever, until suddenly the headline caught my eye, “Inventor of the E Z Bake Oven Dies” Holy shit, that dang E Z Bake oven ruled my life as a little girl. I adored my light bulb driven, foul cake producing oven. It was the only gift I ever asked for, for years unless I was asking for the cake mixes that went with it. Cakes and cupcakes and cookies emerged from the oven with a weird, plastic kind of smell and the icing mixes were pure sugar of some kind with coloring and the water that you added. No matter, I loved it. I made cakes and cookies all day long, as long as I had the mixes. I bought my son one when he was in about the 3rd grade thinking, foolishly in retrospect, that he was going to be as enamored as I at this amazing creation. He thought I was insane when I gave it to him, me all smiles and Sullivan nods. “You love it, right baby?” Needless to say, he and a buddy made one cake, looked at me with the “are you ok?” look and declared it disgusting and bizarre and would have nothing else to do with it. No problem, I still loved it. I finished all the mixes and gave it to a neighbor with the information on where to get more. Even as a grown woman with a 35 year professional cooking career behind me I loved that thing. My sisters and mom actually felt a little bad for me when I told them that he had passed on. I felt compelled to click on the Leave Comment Here button of the obituary and left a comment in the family book. I just said that I hoped Ron and past oven recipient angels, along with all the ovens past, blue plastic or pink, there was even one year an oven that came out with the flower power stickers to put on it, were baking up a storm in heaven. I’m sure he was welcomed with open arms.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Lusciously delctable winter delights and other treats
I know we need the rain and everything but it sure has been sweetly restorative to bask in a few days of sunshine, ramping up the vitamin D intake before it goes away again for awhile. Been getting all kinds of yard play in, trimming and digging around in my backyard garden and I found all the arugula, parsley and chervil that we planted way back in the fall. Luscious salads are topping all kind of stuff round here from grilled fish and tacos to curry roasted veggies with tofu and feta. Cabbages are tightening up and cauliflowers are just peeking curmudgeon style, starting to give up the fight and just get big for us.
Broccoli and cauliflower are in peak season in Northern California, barraging taste buds with creamy bursts of ethereal bliss. Available year round about these parts, flavors really do change in these months possessed with dropping mercury. Preparations of these cruciferous gems at this time of year are impossible to screw up regardless of what you do rendering them as the stars of any show. (Although a friend of mine found an amazingly huge chanterelle while trimming his woods today that could give them a run for their money when I sauté slices in a little butter and green garlic to sit royally atop a few slices of roasted sweet potato barely showered with sea salt. But I digress.)
We picked a few giant heads of cauliflower from the College Park garden and sautéed them with some of Shantha’s spices she brought back from her trip home to India for the special day classes. They totally scarfed, no hesitation whatsoever about the spices. These kids actually planted this stuff, tended it, helped it grow and eat it! We also picked a ton of broccoli from the CP garden and are making soup on the quad for lunch tomorrow to hand out to the student body. Totally a rush having 2300 teenagers of varying ages and stages of maturity mob you wanting to get a sample of broccoli soup. We got them trained well round here. Just for your information they also mob us when we sauté beets and beet greens with garlic and olive oil and not only eat them but rave to us about them and want the recipe. We have a whole garden box dedicared to beets, Chioggia, red, yellow, whatever dang near ready for the young masses at CP to chow. They also mob apple crisp and carrot cookies or whatever bizarre enticements we can come up with to persuade them to make healthier food choices. Gentle persuasion. Hopefully a dram of that push is trickling down to the folks at home that really make the food choices.
There was a fascinating article in the New York Times magazine today by Christine Muhlke about fish, regulations, catch restrictions and limits, and ways of getting around decimating the fishing industry while still keeping a close watch on dwindling or endangered species. Focusing on this particular fisherman in South Carolina, Mark Marhefka, the article touched briefly on the interesting angle of community sponsored fishery where the community slash customers buy a share up front and get 2 to 10 pounds of fresh, locally caught fish a month that is sold to them by the guy that actually fished for it very much mimicking the CSA’s we see more and more farmers solidly embracing. He also sells commercially the fish he catches and works with colleges and scientist on issues of fish sustainability. It kind of comes down to familiarizing the consumer with some little known varieties of fish that in out parents day may have been considered sub par or junk fish. Brings to my mind the change in attitude towards beef cuts that in the past were considered too cheap to sell and are now on the menu’s of some of the best restaurants in the country. New restrictions on familiar fish such as snapper, salmon etc. could possibly introduce the savvy fish monger an opportunity to create a new fad for the competitive chefs vying for your dinner dollar out there.
I found a new citrus yet again this year at The Pleasant Hill Market at the corner of Gregory and Pleasant Hill Rd. Tahoe Gold tangerines. Big, seedless spheres, reminiscent of sweet pepper jelly on the tongue they are easily peeled with loose skin, a perfect foil for lunch boxes, brunch snacks and all around nice to keep a few with you in the car when bad urges may come upon you to sate yourself and keep doing whatever it is you are supposed to be doing instead of going to Coco Swirl for frozen yogurt.
Try to get a hike in before the next rains. I remember saying that to myself all last winter and it never did rain.
Cauliflower Soup
1 large head cauliflower, core removed and chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
½ cup ½ and ½
½ teaspoon fresh curry powder or garam masala or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until slightly caramelized. Add cauliflower and sauté for a few more minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes until cauliflower is soft. Blend with an immersion blender or in a blender cup and add ½ and ½. Bring back to a simmer. Remove from heat and season with spices, salt and pepper.
Makes 4 nice servings.
Alternatively add a large chopped yellow potato along with cauliflower and omit cream. Can be garnished with a nice grated cheese.
Broccoli Soup
8 cups chopped broccoli, about 3 to 4 nice heads
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
½ cup ½ and ½
1 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté onion, celery and garlic in olive oil until slightly caramelized. Add broccoli and sauté for a few more minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Let simmer until broccoli is soft. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Add ½ and ½ and bring back to a boil. Remove from heat and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Makes 4 nice servings.
Alternatively add a large chopped yellow potato along with broccoli and omit cream. Can be garnished with a nice grated cheese.
Broccoli and cauliflower are in peak season in Northern California, barraging taste buds with creamy bursts of ethereal bliss. Available year round about these parts, flavors really do change in these months possessed with dropping mercury. Preparations of these cruciferous gems at this time of year are impossible to screw up regardless of what you do rendering them as the stars of any show. (Although a friend of mine found an amazingly huge chanterelle while trimming his woods today that could give them a run for their money when I sauté slices in a little butter and green garlic to sit royally atop a few slices of roasted sweet potato barely showered with sea salt. But I digress.)
We picked a few giant heads of cauliflower from the College Park garden and sautéed them with some of Shantha’s spices she brought back from her trip home to India for the special day classes. They totally scarfed, no hesitation whatsoever about the spices. These kids actually planted this stuff, tended it, helped it grow and eat it! We also picked a ton of broccoli from the CP garden and are making soup on the quad for lunch tomorrow to hand out to the student body. Totally a rush having 2300 teenagers of varying ages and stages of maturity mob you wanting to get a sample of broccoli soup. We got them trained well round here. Just for your information they also mob us when we sauté beets and beet greens with garlic and olive oil and not only eat them but rave to us about them and want the recipe. We have a whole garden box dedicared to beets, Chioggia, red, yellow, whatever dang near ready for the young masses at CP to chow. They also mob apple crisp and carrot cookies or whatever bizarre enticements we can come up with to persuade them to make healthier food choices. Gentle persuasion. Hopefully a dram of that push is trickling down to the folks at home that really make the food choices.
There was a fascinating article in the New York Times magazine today by Christine Muhlke about fish, regulations, catch restrictions and limits, and ways of getting around decimating the fishing industry while still keeping a close watch on dwindling or endangered species. Focusing on this particular fisherman in South Carolina, Mark Marhefka, the article touched briefly on the interesting angle of community sponsored fishery where the community slash customers buy a share up front and get 2 to 10 pounds of fresh, locally caught fish a month that is sold to them by the guy that actually fished for it very much mimicking the CSA’s we see more and more farmers solidly embracing. He also sells commercially the fish he catches and works with colleges and scientist on issues of fish sustainability. It kind of comes down to familiarizing the consumer with some little known varieties of fish that in out parents day may have been considered sub par or junk fish. Brings to my mind the change in attitude towards beef cuts that in the past were considered too cheap to sell and are now on the menu’s of some of the best restaurants in the country. New restrictions on familiar fish such as snapper, salmon etc. could possibly introduce the savvy fish monger an opportunity to create a new fad for the competitive chefs vying for your dinner dollar out there.
I found a new citrus yet again this year at The Pleasant Hill Market at the corner of Gregory and Pleasant Hill Rd. Tahoe Gold tangerines. Big, seedless spheres, reminiscent of sweet pepper jelly on the tongue they are easily peeled with loose skin, a perfect foil for lunch boxes, brunch snacks and all around nice to keep a few with you in the car when bad urges may come upon you to sate yourself and keep doing whatever it is you are supposed to be doing instead of going to Coco Swirl for frozen yogurt.
Try to get a hike in before the next rains. I remember saying that to myself all last winter and it never did rain.
Cauliflower Soup
1 large head cauliflower, core removed and chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
½ cup ½ and ½
½ teaspoon fresh curry powder or garam masala or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until slightly caramelized. Add cauliflower and sauté for a few more minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes until cauliflower is soft. Blend with an immersion blender or in a blender cup and add ½ and ½. Bring back to a simmer. Remove from heat and season with spices, salt and pepper.
Makes 4 nice servings.
Alternatively add a large chopped yellow potato along with cauliflower and omit cream. Can be garnished with a nice grated cheese.
Broccoli Soup
8 cups chopped broccoli, about 3 to 4 nice heads
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
½ cup ½ and ½
1 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté onion, celery and garlic in olive oil until slightly caramelized. Add broccoli and sauté for a few more minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Let simmer until broccoli is soft. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Add ½ and ½ and bring back to a boil. Remove from heat and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Makes 4 nice servings.
Alternatively add a large chopped yellow potato along with broccoli and omit cream. Can be garnished with a nice grated cheese.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Sun is shining and the broccoli is ready for pickin!
A new grapefruit is on the scene, exciting…ok well maybe not too exciting but really tasty whether or not you like grapefruit. Oranges crossed with grapefruit create a really big orange looking fruit that is sweeter than sweet and has a grapefruit finish. They are calling it a Cocktail Grapefruit. I am venturing to guess because the flavors are similar to a grapefruit juice drink. Yummy! Also look for a Peach Mandarin, looks like a Satsuma with a little bit tighter skin, still really easy to peel and a tropically lush flavor that actually has peach undertones. I found both of these gems at Hamada’s farm stand at the Diablo Valley Farmers Market. (Saturday 9 to 1 Kaiser Shadelands parking lot) I also found the Cocktail Grapefruit aka Sweet Grapefruit at the Diaz Farm stand at Tuesday Concord Farmers Market. (Todos Santos Park 10 to 2) They have really great citrus as well as Hamada. J and J has good fruit too but not the fancy new ones.
Good News Flash about Pleasant Hill Farmers Market: the City of Pleasant Hill is reviewing an agreement with Pacific Coast Farmers Markets, same operators as Concord FM as well as about 50 or more other farmers markets in the Bay Area. I don’t know if anyone remembers or even knew that last year California Farmers Markets tried to get the Pleasant Hill market and move it in front of the old Left Bank as well as add about 30 more farmers. California was not awarded the contract and went on to open the new Diablo Valley Farmer Market at Shadelands. That market has been great all year, probably 3 times at least as many growers as old Pleasant Hill, none of the bizarre craft stuff, just a farmers market, for some serious produce shopping. Crafters are ok when the item is truly homemade but when stuff is coming in manufactured in some factory in another part of the world it has no place in a farmers market and no claim to anything remotely resembling sustainable practices.
Pacific Coast does not have crafters in their markets either, just farmers, flowers and food. So I for one am very excited about a new Pleasant Hill Farmers Market. Is there a new location on the horizon? Maybe on Crescent? More farmers for the people of Pleasant Hill? Time will tell. Having been personally involved in the operations of farmers markets for 10 years I know well that it is difficult to get the shoppers down to the market but I also know that with effort, ingenuity and a little bit of marketing cash it can be done. Look at Diablo Valley Market. From 0 to 60 out of the gate. That market has been great from the get go because the operator gave the shoppers a lot more farms to choose from, a lot more organic to choose from and put some dough into the management and promotion of that market. It shows and I hope the same will follow for Pleasant Hill and we get a market to be proud of that farmers will be happy to sell at.
Our organic garden at College Park High School is really growing great guns. Broccoli is ready everywhere. Garlic is perfect for the green garlic love and cabbages are getting tighter heads every day. They will be ready in no time. The Brussels sprouts are adorable with their little round cabbage heads adorning huge stalks of great leaves. Students are amazed and bewitched by the knowledge that this is how they grow! Wait till we cook them together and they taste fresh broccoli and fresh Brussels....oh yeah, this is why we put in the hours and do the work, just to swivel some young taste buds in our direction of healthy choice. Yeah, their is a bit of a glow over here.....
Sun is shining magnificently today and I just got to hit the trail but wanted to drop a few recipes on you before I put on my muddy old hiking boots and borrow someone’s dog. Get outside now before it starts raining again!
This is a great soup that first night is soup and second night thickens up into a base for a nice piece of grilled fish. Feel free to add a chopped head of Gai lan, chard or spinach at the end for a super punch of nutrition.
Lentil and Butternut Squash Soup
1 large white onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cups of peeled, cubed butternut squash
3 carrots, chopped
6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups of cooked lentils
2 tablespoons of freshly ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons of freshly ground cumin seed
salt to taste
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil for a few minutes. Add squash and carrots and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the stock and the spices and bring to a simmer. Add the lentils and simmer on medium heat until the squash is soft. Season with salt. Makes enough soup for a nice lunch or dinner for a couple of days.
Winter Vegetable Soup w/ Rosa marina
1 large red onion, chopped
1 celery root, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 cups of cubed butternut squash
2 tablespoons of olive oil
6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
½ bunch of chopped parsley
! bunch chopped Swiss chard
2 cups of Rosa marina pasta or orzo
salt and pepper to taste
Sauté onion, celery root, carrots and squash in olive oil for 5 minutes.
Add stock and bring to a boil. Add pasta and simmer until the vegetables and pasta are cooked. Add parsley and chard and season with salt. Makes enough for a few days of constant soup.
A mesmerizing little simple slaw that leaves you with a great big smile on your face and people coming back for more.
Napa Cabbage Salad w/ Tangerines, Feta and Lemon Vinaigrette
1 head of Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
3 tangerines, peeled and sectioned
4 new onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup crumbled feta
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon of white balsamic
Sea salt and pepper
Toss everything together in a bowl. Serves 4.
Good News Flash about Pleasant Hill Farmers Market: the City of Pleasant Hill is reviewing an agreement with Pacific Coast Farmers Markets, same operators as Concord FM as well as about 50 or more other farmers markets in the Bay Area. I don’t know if anyone remembers or even knew that last year California Farmers Markets tried to get the Pleasant Hill market and move it in front of the old Left Bank as well as add about 30 more farmers. California was not awarded the contract and went on to open the new Diablo Valley Farmer Market at Shadelands. That market has been great all year, probably 3 times at least as many growers as old Pleasant Hill, none of the bizarre craft stuff, just a farmers market, for some serious produce shopping. Crafters are ok when the item is truly homemade but when stuff is coming in manufactured in some factory in another part of the world it has no place in a farmers market and no claim to anything remotely resembling sustainable practices.
Pacific Coast does not have crafters in their markets either, just farmers, flowers and food. So I for one am very excited about a new Pleasant Hill Farmers Market. Is there a new location on the horizon? Maybe on Crescent? More farmers for the people of Pleasant Hill? Time will tell. Having been personally involved in the operations of farmers markets for 10 years I know well that it is difficult to get the shoppers down to the market but I also know that with effort, ingenuity and a little bit of marketing cash it can be done. Look at Diablo Valley Market. From 0 to 60 out of the gate. That market has been great from the get go because the operator gave the shoppers a lot more farms to choose from, a lot more organic to choose from and put some dough into the management and promotion of that market. It shows and I hope the same will follow for Pleasant Hill and we get a market to be proud of that farmers will be happy to sell at.
Our organic garden at College Park High School is really growing great guns. Broccoli is ready everywhere. Garlic is perfect for the green garlic love and cabbages are getting tighter heads every day. They will be ready in no time. The Brussels sprouts are adorable with their little round cabbage heads adorning huge stalks of great leaves. Students are amazed and bewitched by the knowledge that this is how they grow! Wait till we cook them together and they taste fresh broccoli and fresh Brussels....oh yeah, this is why we put in the hours and do the work, just to swivel some young taste buds in our direction of healthy choice. Yeah, their is a bit of a glow over here.....
Sun is shining magnificently today and I just got to hit the trail but wanted to drop a few recipes on you before I put on my muddy old hiking boots and borrow someone’s dog. Get outside now before it starts raining again!
This is a great soup that first night is soup and second night thickens up into a base for a nice piece of grilled fish. Feel free to add a chopped head of Gai lan, chard or spinach at the end for a super punch of nutrition.
Lentil and Butternut Squash Soup
1 large white onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cups of peeled, cubed butternut squash
3 carrots, chopped
6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups of cooked lentils
2 tablespoons of freshly ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons of freshly ground cumin seed
salt to taste
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil for a few minutes. Add squash and carrots and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the stock and the spices and bring to a simmer. Add the lentils and simmer on medium heat until the squash is soft. Season with salt. Makes enough soup for a nice lunch or dinner for a couple of days.
Winter Vegetable Soup w/ Rosa marina
1 large red onion, chopped
1 celery root, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 cups of cubed butternut squash
2 tablespoons of olive oil
6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
½ bunch of chopped parsley
! bunch chopped Swiss chard
2 cups of Rosa marina pasta or orzo
salt and pepper to taste
Sauté onion, celery root, carrots and squash in olive oil for 5 minutes.
Add stock and bring to a boil. Add pasta and simmer until the vegetables and pasta are cooked. Add parsley and chard and season with salt. Makes enough for a few days of constant soup.
A mesmerizing little simple slaw that leaves you with a great big smile on your face and people coming back for more.
Napa Cabbage Salad w/ Tangerines, Feta and Lemon Vinaigrette
1 head of Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
3 tangerines, peeled and sectioned
4 new onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup crumbled feta
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon of white balsamic
Sea salt and pepper
Toss everything together in a bowl. Serves 4.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
2010......what? Holy cow, what happened to the millenium that just happened?
New Year, new beginnings, lot’s of resolution and strength the first few days or weeks anyway but as sparkling clean January rolls into hearts and chocolates February, life returns to normal turning ambition as cold as the frost on the fences and roofs. Good news is keeping nutrition mojo flying high is easier than ever for savvy local shoppers. Score exercise as well as the best produce going at your seasonal farmers market. My preference is in Walnut Creek on Saturday at Kaiser Shadelands from 9 to 1. Convenient time and day to get what I need for weekend entertaining or stocking up for the following week with tons of close parking to dash in and out when it’s raining. Developing the of habit of shopping farmers markets has benefits ranging beyond getting the best tasting, freshest produce you can buy. When you pull yourself out of that warm bed, you are inadvertently lengthening your day making it easier to get all those weekend projects started and finished while making it to all those games.
By mid February the gym is not as crowded, my gym anyway, allowing a quick cup of morning tea before flying off to claim my square on the padded floor and the e-mails I receive for vegetable recipes slack off considerably.
One of my resolutions this year is to work a little harder at keeping the interest up in the buying, cooking and consuming, of fruits and vegetables.
Studies continuously show that eating a diet containing lots of plant based foods helps with health problems across the board as well as maintaining good health and energy levels.
With all that energy you garner taking up a walking program or gym routine you tone up not only your muscles, but your mind, heart and lungs as well. Within a week or two, your legs and arms take on this toned, firm feeling when you or someone else rubs them, feeling your long lost muscles asserting themselves, reflecting brighter eyes and clearer skin gazing back at you from your mirror in the morning.
New feelings of sparkle and energy will draw you to new interests, or possibly new interests to you as well. Perhaps you’ll be extending your walk to a hike in the hills or possibly a run. Maybe a long term fitness goal like a cancer walk or run is in the future. Exhilarating bike rides with a great farmers’ market snack break on a blanket somewhere semi private with a beneficial friend or loved one is definitely a positive side effect. The possibilities are truly endless. Did I mention the effects of a healthier you on your sex life? Mmmm, have I gotten the wheels turning, maybe squeaking just a bit??
Make the time. You and your family will appreciate it. They say that it only takes 30 days to make or break a routine.
Bottom line is that it is not a month long thing. It is a life change and gradually it will become of part of you, making you, your family and the planet happier adding a spring to your step and a swagger to the flip of your shiny hair.
Wow, all this from seasonal, local vegetables and a walk? Where do I sign up.....
This is a lovely, incredibly sexy salad that showcases amazing winter citrus with equally amazing winter beets. Feel free to choose yellow or golden beets, Chioggia or wonderful old red. A combo is stellar. Serve salad with nice crusty bread as a foil for the goat cheese in the salad. Rub a little beet juice on lips for an irresistibly tasty, kissable mouth.
Roasted Beet and Orange Salad
4 medium sized beets
1 Cara Cara orange
1 blood orange
1 navel orange
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup crumbled chevre or feta
3 cups assorted salad greens
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash beets and remove stem end and root tail. Rub with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in baking dish, cover and roast at 350 for about 45 minutes to an hour until beets are easily pierced with a knife. Let cool until you can easily handle them. Peel, quarter and slice the quarters about ¼ inch thick.
Peel and slice the oranges. Place greens in a bowl. Toss in the beets, oranges and goat cheese. Drizzle remaining olive oil and rice vinegar over. Season with salt and pepper and gently toss to mix all.
Serves 4.
Winter Squash, Root Vegetable, Lentil and Brown Rice Pilaf
This is a great side dish served alongside poultry, fish or meat but is also a fantastic vegetarian main course served with a nice winter greens or cabbage salad.
3 cups cubed winter squash
3 cups cubed root vegetables
1 cup cooked lentils
1 cup cooked brown basmati rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup vegetable stock
¼ chopped fresh herbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté vegetables in olive oil until soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add lentils, rice and vegetable stock and simmer for about 10 minutes until stock is cooked into the vegetables, lentils and rice. Add chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper. Serves 6.
By mid February the gym is not as crowded, my gym anyway, allowing a quick cup of morning tea before flying off to claim my square on the padded floor and the e-mails I receive for vegetable recipes slack off considerably.
One of my resolutions this year is to work a little harder at keeping the interest up in the buying, cooking and consuming, of fruits and vegetables.
Studies continuously show that eating a diet containing lots of plant based foods helps with health problems across the board as well as maintaining good health and energy levels.
With all that energy you garner taking up a walking program or gym routine you tone up not only your muscles, but your mind, heart and lungs as well. Within a week or two, your legs and arms take on this toned, firm feeling when you or someone else rubs them, feeling your long lost muscles asserting themselves, reflecting brighter eyes and clearer skin gazing back at you from your mirror in the morning.
New feelings of sparkle and energy will draw you to new interests, or possibly new interests to you as well. Perhaps you’ll be extending your walk to a hike in the hills or possibly a run. Maybe a long term fitness goal like a cancer walk or run is in the future. Exhilarating bike rides with a great farmers’ market snack break on a blanket somewhere semi private with a beneficial friend or loved one is definitely a positive side effect. The possibilities are truly endless. Did I mention the effects of a healthier you on your sex life? Mmmm, have I gotten the wheels turning, maybe squeaking just a bit??
Make the time. You and your family will appreciate it. They say that it only takes 30 days to make or break a routine.
Bottom line is that it is not a month long thing. It is a life change and gradually it will become of part of you, making you, your family and the planet happier adding a spring to your step and a swagger to the flip of your shiny hair.
Wow, all this from seasonal, local vegetables and a walk? Where do I sign up.....
This is a lovely, incredibly sexy salad that showcases amazing winter citrus with equally amazing winter beets. Feel free to choose yellow or golden beets, Chioggia or wonderful old red. A combo is stellar. Serve salad with nice crusty bread as a foil for the goat cheese in the salad. Rub a little beet juice on lips for an irresistibly tasty, kissable mouth.
Roasted Beet and Orange Salad
4 medium sized beets
1 Cara Cara orange
1 blood orange
1 navel orange
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup crumbled chevre or feta
3 cups assorted salad greens
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash beets and remove stem end and root tail. Rub with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in baking dish, cover and roast at 350 for about 45 minutes to an hour until beets are easily pierced with a knife. Let cool until you can easily handle them. Peel, quarter and slice the quarters about ¼ inch thick.
Peel and slice the oranges. Place greens in a bowl. Toss in the beets, oranges and goat cheese. Drizzle remaining olive oil and rice vinegar over. Season with salt and pepper and gently toss to mix all.
Serves 4.
Winter Squash, Root Vegetable, Lentil and Brown Rice Pilaf
This is a great side dish served alongside poultry, fish or meat but is also a fantastic vegetarian main course served with a nice winter greens or cabbage salad.
3 cups cubed winter squash
3 cups cubed root vegetables
1 cup cooked lentils
1 cup cooked brown basmati rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup vegetable stock
¼ chopped fresh herbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté vegetables in olive oil until soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add lentils, rice and vegetable stock and simmer for about 10 minutes until stock is cooked into the vegetables, lentils and rice. Add chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper. Serves 6.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
A sad day
From the very first moment my eyes connected with hers, it was love at first sight. She was a scrappy little thing, unimaginably angry with the world for brutally taking her mother and siblings away from her at birth. We found Camille at 4 weeks of age in the pound and aptly named her after the latest hurricane. An astoundingly sweet Calico, with bright blue eyes and the cutest pink nose, always twitching with curiosity, Camille was up to any mischief but too smart and sassy to ever get caught in the act.
Jumping into trees to eat bird’s dang near every week of her life, I always was horrified by that, yet to keep her inside was to see a cat in agony. Our house has been pest and rodent free for 19 years.
Camille was laid to rest today with my son and I sobbing uncontrollably as I still am, as I sorrowfully pen her obituary. She is buried in a place of honor, next to Roscoe, the first love of my life and Eddie our amazing guinea pig we lost a few years ago, in the backyard orchard.
Most comforting, to me, is to have a treasured member of your family curled up in your bed at night, always at the ready to move, hopefully to get some food, as you do. Unfortunately the good comes along with the sorrow. My Dad pointed out to me years ago as well as just the other day, animals, loved pets, do not live as long as humans. I pointed this out to Luke just a few minutes ago. Comfort is not found so early in the mourning of our sweet Camille, but it will be sooner than later.
We have our current three year old hurricane, Katrina, roaming around crying. She did not have to travel to the vet with us to know what the heck is going on around here. I could tell something was off with her when I woke up this morning. She knew, she knew her mother and best friend was going to leave her today.
Our beautiful, independent, sweet, soul sister Camille, we love you and will never forget you. Let any wily feline try, excepting Katrina, to come close to filling your pristine white socks. It is a long shot my darling girl. It is a long one.
RIP
Camille the amazing 19 year old calico we were beyond fortunate to share a life with. You will be missed. Gone but not forgotten.
Us.
Jumping into trees to eat bird’s dang near every week of her life, I always was horrified by that, yet to keep her inside was to see a cat in agony. Our house has been pest and rodent free for 19 years.
Camille was laid to rest today with my son and I sobbing uncontrollably as I still am, as I sorrowfully pen her obituary. She is buried in a place of honor, next to Roscoe, the first love of my life and Eddie our amazing guinea pig we lost a few years ago, in the backyard orchard.
Most comforting, to me, is to have a treasured member of your family curled up in your bed at night, always at the ready to move, hopefully to get some food, as you do. Unfortunately the good comes along with the sorrow. My Dad pointed out to me years ago as well as just the other day, animals, loved pets, do not live as long as humans. I pointed this out to Luke just a few minutes ago. Comfort is not found so early in the mourning of our sweet Camille, but it will be sooner than later.
We have our current three year old hurricane, Katrina, roaming around crying. She did not have to travel to the vet with us to know what the heck is going on around here. I could tell something was off with her when I woke up this morning. She knew, she knew her mother and best friend was going to leave her today.
Our beautiful, independent, sweet, soul sister Camille, we love you and will never forget you. Let any wily feline try, excepting Katrina, to come close to filling your pristine white socks. It is a long shot my darling girl. It is a long one.
RIP
Camille the amazing 19 year old calico we were beyond fortunate to share a life with. You will be missed. Gone but not forgotten.
Us.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Hot Off the Presses and if I can figure out how to add the graphics......
"... Hardscratch Press of Walnut Creek, a small publishing house known for its fine-crafted books ..." ― The Independent (Livermore, Calif.)
... and, to celebrate our 20th year, a fine-crafted calendar (and a great gift)!
A fifteen-month guide to what's seasonally fresh and locally grownat Bay Area farmers markets, with simple, sensuous recipes by Lesley Stiles, and delicious watercolor art by David Johnson.ISBN: 978-0-9789979-6-0.10¾x16½ inches, on fine acid-free,100% post-consumer-waste recycledpaper. $17.50 (incl. Calif. sales tax). For sale at Shadelands and Moragafarmers markets in December, or we will mail ($2.50 for priority mailper calendar) to as many addresses as you request. Also available unbound, for framing.Lesley Stiles runs a catering business in Pleasant Hill, Calif., and promotes sustainable and healthy food sources. She provides cooking demonstrations at Bay Area farmers markets and helps schools start gardening programs, in addition to writing the food blog, “Do you know where your food came from?” (lesleystiles.blogspot.com). Hardscratch Press designer David Johnson’s illustrations of produce and other subjects appear regularly in the Contra Costa Times. Versions of many of the recipes and paintings in The Farmers Market Lover’s Calendar, 2010, previously appeared in the Times as the Produce Pro.
... and, to celebrate our 20th year, a fine-crafted calendar (and a great gift)!
A fifteen-month guide to what's seasonally fresh and locally grownat Bay Area farmers markets, with simple, sensuous recipes by Lesley Stiles, and delicious watercolor art by David Johnson.ISBN: 978-0-9789979-6-0.10¾x16½ inches, on fine acid-free,100% post-consumer-waste recycledpaper. $17.50 (incl. Calif. sales tax). For sale at Shadelands and Moragafarmers markets in December, or we will mail ($2.50 for priority mailper calendar) to as many addresses as you request. Also available unbound, for framing.Lesley Stiles runs a catering business in Pleasant Hill, Calif., and promotes sustainable and healthy food sources. She provides cooking demonstrations at Bay Area farmers markets and helps schools start gardening programs, in addition to writing the food blog, “Do you know where your food came from?” (lesleystiles.blogspot.com). Hardscratch Press designer David Johnson’s illustrations of produce and other subjects appear regularly in the Contra Costa Times. Versions of many of the recipes and paintings in The Farmers Market Lover’s Calendar, 2010, previously appeared in the Times as the Produce Pro.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
The Farmers Market Lovers Calendar is here!! 15 months of amazing, mouth watering water colors of fruits and vegetables by Dave Johnson along with tantalizingly sexy recipes and suggestions by yours truly. Available at Diablo Valley Farmers Market Saturday from 9 to 1 in the Shadelands Kaiser parking lot or at the Moraga Farmers Market on Sunday from 9 to 1 in the Moraga Shopping Center complex. We will be selling in these markets through December. You can also get them at www.hardscratchpress.com or e-mail me and I will get one out to you. They are $17.50. A perfect hostess gift or perhaps for your special fruit and veggie lover friends for under $20.00.
Made Shepard's Pie the other night and Luke asked me if I could make it every night. He liked it. I told my new friend Spencer I would put it up here because he is a cooking man with 3 teenage sons and so here it is. I tried to keep it as healthy as possible without a lot of fat and loaded with veggies without the boy catching on. It worked. Hope it works for you.
Shephard’s Pie, My Way
½ pound ground turkey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, grated
1 bunch kale, chopped fine
1 ½ cups chicken stock
½ cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon flour stirred into ¼ cup cold chicken stock
3 to 4 potatoes cut up
½ head cauliflower, cut up
¼ cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup grated Reggiano parmesana
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to *425 and spray or grease a large, deep baking dish. Heat sauté pan and add olive oil. Heat olive oil and add turkey, onions and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes until browned. Add carrots and kale and cook for about 5 more minutes. Add stock and tomato sauce and cook 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile boil the potatoes and cauliflower in water until soft. Mash with milk and butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the meat mixture into a sprayed or greased baking dish and top with mashed potato and cauliflower mixture. Top with grated cheese and bake 2o minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. Serves 4 to 6.
As we wade ever deeper into holiday territory I actually am feeling pretty good about the whole thing this year. I have embraced my anti consumerism rant and am trying to not be quite so affected by the mass of humanity waging price wars as well as territory wars over cheap bullshit that sweet little people in other countries spread across the planet probably were hurt in some way to produce. I have noticed that there are a few alternatives to plastic electronic shit like buying a goat or cow for someone in a poor village somewhere. That is a good one. You can buy your loved ones carbon off sets or home owners edition wind machines too. There is always good stuff at the farmers market (besides our amazing calendar) like olive oil, jams, fresh nuts, like those, fruits, you know the drill. Everyone I gift is getting a home made garam masala spice mixture in a recycled jar with a recycled ribbon and a recipe for using said spice on a piece of paper made from 100% recycled materials. Ho, ho, ho. Poor Lucas.
Steph and I went hiking in Briones the other morning and it was incredible to be walking on our own ridge in snow! Green shoots of new grass peeking up everywhere and then these hill sides sprinkled with snow. What a beautiful contrast. That snow business was fun. Cold but pretty awesome.
Lots of sweet varieties of great citrus at the market waiting to be tried, kiwi, greens...mmmm
Happy Holidays!
Made Shepard's Pie the other night and Luke asked me if I could make it every night. He liked it. I told my new friend Spencer I would put it up here because he is a cooking man with 3 teenage sons and so here it is. I tried to keep it as healthy as possible without a lot of fat and loaded with veggies without the boy catching on. It worked. Hope it works for you.
Shephard’s Pie, My Way
½ pound ground turkey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, grated
1 bunch kale, chopped fine
1 ½ cups chicken stock
½ cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon flour stirred into ¼ cup cold chicken stock
3 to 4 potatoes cut up
½ head cauliflower, cut up
¼ cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup grated Reggiano parmesana
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to *425 and spray or grease a large, deep baking dish. Heat sauté pan and add olive oil. Heat olive oil and add turkey, onions and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes until browned. Add carrots and kale and cook for about 5 more minutes. Add stock and tomato sauce and cook 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile boil the potatoes and cauliflower in water until soft. Mash with milk and butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the meat mixture into a sprayed or greased baking dish and top with mashed potato and cauliflower mixture. Top with grated cheese and bake 2o minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. Serves 4 to 6.
As we wade ever deeper into holiday territory I actually am feeling pretty good about the whole thing this year. I have embraced my anti consumerism rant and am trying to not be quite so affected by the mass of humanity waging price wars as well as territory wars over cheap bullshit that sweet little people in other countries spread across the planet probably were hurt in some way to produce. I have noticed that there are a few alternatives to plastic electronic shit like buying a goat or cow for someone in a poor village somewhere. That is a good one. You can buy your loved ones carbon off sets or home owners edition wind machines too. There is always good stuff at the farmers market (besides our amazing calendar) like olive oil, jams, fresh nuts, like those, fruits, you know the drill. Everyone I gift is getting a home made garam masala spice mixture in a recycled jar with a recycled ribbon and a recipe for using said spice on a piece of paper made from 100% recycled materials. Ho, ho, ho. Poor Lucas.
Steph and I went hiking in Briones the other morning and it was incredible to be walking on our own ridge in snow! Green shoots of new grass peeking up everywhere and then these hill sides sprinkled with snow. What a beautiful contrast. That snow business was fun. Cold but pretty awesome.
Lots of sweet varieties of great citrus at the market waiting to be tried, kiwi, greens...mmmm
Happy Holidays!
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